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Myiven
2006-08-13, 04:51 PM
The Khorzud, or "Mountain People" are a doughty mountain race, tall and dark. Khorzud are known for their skills in combat, crafting, and the art of song. They live in dark caverns beneath the mountains, which they carve out over the long centuries of their lives.

Personality: Khorzud are serious and calm, slow to anger and to laugh, but equally slow to calm once aroused. A Khorzud loves to work with its hands or using its great strength to accomplish something. Unless working together with their own kind, Khorzud prefer not to speak and tend to go about their work without comment. A team of Khorzud on the other hand is quite noisy, often singing in their deep, chanting language about great works and deeds of the past. The Khorzud are called the "mountain people" by humans, though in actuality they live under the mountains, not on them. Khorzud are solemn, brave, stubborn, and steady from day to day. Khorzud are not particularly violent, but once roused are a fearsome sight to behold. A Khorzud will fight to the death, not hesitating to tear an enemy apart with pure brute strength or hew them to shreds with powerful weapons.

Physical Description: Khorzud are eight to twelve feet tall, and tend to be hugely built with broad shoulders and limbs like tree trunks. Khorzud skin is anywhere from pale gray to coal black. Khorzud have no hair, and their heads have sloping brows and no visible ears. Khorzud usually wear blue, white or brown, the only colors they can dye or bleach in large quantities. Khorzud do not wear jewelry, but accessories their wardrobes with a number of tools and gadgets. A Khorzud can live up to 600 years.

Relations: Khorzud keep to themselves, usually dealing with humans when trading. While they welcome anyone who is peaceful into their communities, they tend to see humans as their closer friends, and view the Myiven as too unpredictable.

Alignment: Khorzud mostly tend towards Neutral and Lawful alignments, the most common being Lawful Neutral. Evil Khorzud are not rare, but not the majority in any community.

Khorzud Lands: Khorzud live underground, and are nocturnal by habit when on the surface. Khorzud do not live in holes. They carve huge cavernous halls for themselves, the most famous of which is Khorzud-Har. Khorzud hunt underground creatures and farm on the slopes of their mountains and on the foothills. Khorzud mine, forge, build, and trade their goods and services to other lands. Humans in particular prize Khorzud stonework and ironwork. Khorzud consist on red meat and grains, which they supplement by trading.

Religion (campaign specific. in other campaigns, substitute any deity of law, crafting, or learning) The patron angel of the Khorzud is Jophiel, who favors battle and discipline, and blesses Clerics with strength. The Khorzud name for God is Harok. Khorzud temples are usually built at the peak of their mountains. Jophiel visits each temple once a month, but dwells at the temple at Khorzud-Har.

Language: Khorzud do not prefer to speak or learn Common, but their traders and Clerics usually understand it. The Khorzud written language is a vertical flowing script, read from top to bottom and right to left. Khorzud have an extensive written history, with extensive treatises on mining, alchemy, smith-work, and similar undertakings.

Names: A Khorzud has a given name and a family name.
Male names: Khet, Orrek, Brojuk
Female names: Arda, Kresova, Rydha
Family names: Tukal, Obeleth, Lothis, Titaihs

Adventurers: A typical Khorzud adventurer is a younger member of a merchant caravan that liked their first view of the outside world and decided to spend some time seeing things before returning home. Khorzud usually work outside their cavern homes from 80 to 120 years of age. Khorzud adventurers are not an uncommon sight among mercenary companies or in the armies of human lands.

Khorzud Racial Traits
+2 Strength, -2 Charisma. Khorzud are strong, but not particularly friendly.
Large size. As Large-size creatures, Khorzud have a -1 penalty to their hit rolls.
Khorzud base speed is 30 feet
Proficient with mace: Khorzud train in the use of the mace before visiting the outside world. It is easy to make and allows them to take advantage of their great strength.
Low-Light vision: Khorzud can see three times as far as humans in the dark.
Favored Class: Fighter. Skilled in weapons, both crafting and using them, make Khorzud natural Fighters.

I'm not as happy with this race as the other two I've created for my campaign world. The idea of a gentle but ferocious giant has been done many times, but I didn't want my crafter race to be your typical dwarf. I drew heavily from the Lugians of Asheron's Call for inspiration, perhaps a little too heavily. This is the only race I'm not sure I like yet. The Myiven and the Azhur I'm pretty happy with.
I do think the idea of my campaign's "ancient" race being giants is kind of cool, and while they do like to live in isolation from other races, they're highly social among their own kind.
As usual I'm more concerned with fluff and flavor text than the actual stats, so the stats are open for change all around.


Comments please?

martyboy74
2006-08-13, 04:57 PM
Change the -1 to Charisma to a -2. All the ability score changes are even in 3.5, because that changes the modfier.