The Witch-King
2009-10-18, 10:03 AM
Campaign Setting:
Far out into the void, two alien races contend over issues we cannot know and cannot understand. They are the Jalaal and the Keru-Syriax, known to their vassals respectively as the Silver and the Gold. They are two mighty civilizations seemingly all-powerful by our poor standards and possessed of weapons of unimaginable destructive potential. They begin to contend between them but fear to unleash their fullest might concerned for the consequences. And so--they find an out of the way little nondescript world named Gallesis and decide to settle matters there. Gallesis is an unremarkable world inhabited by humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and the like. The great kingdom of Dalador has defeated their rival kingdom of Ethonium in the great war and Ethonium is now a province of Dalador. Heroes are born, live and die, preserving the kingdom from its internal and external enemies. Or at least, they did, until the Silver and the Gold decided to fight their war there.
The inhabitants of this little planet receive no warning. Their once relatively peaceful world is rent asunder by battles between alien wizards and gigantic, towering war machines. Powers are unleashed beyond their comprehension. All they know is their world has suddenly become a battlefield. Those civilizations possessed of the organization and the resources build sheltered enclaves and they cower in fear, huddled behind thick walls and their most powerful magical defenses.
Some twenty-one months later, the matter apparently decided, the two invading factions leave and the locals step out of their enclaves and back onto the soil of a battered ruin of a world--the skies and seas polluted, the hills and grasslands bleak and blasted, the world turned on its poles and the pulverized moon has become a ring that now orbits the planet.
Magic and even the laws of physics as they know them are twisted and corrupted in many places. Boulders and hills float listlessly through the air. Nomads and renegades sift through the wreckage of alien fortresses and titanic war engines for leftover alien weaponry, supplies and tools; warlords crop up immediately as civilization has collapsed and hungry, terrified people desperately turn to anyone who has any semblance of providing them food and protection.
Those enclaves which survived the cataclysm intact have no choice but to send out scouts to survey the lands beyond, to find arable land for farming, to contact other cities and villages for trade, to recover what alien magics and devices they can before others do and turn these unknown weapons against them. And so they turn to their adventurers and send them out on missions of exploration, trade and diplomacy.
The world is so twisted and different from what they remember that just traveling the countryside is incredibly dangerous. Leftover autonomous weapons and bizarre alien golems stalk the land. Orc, troll and other evil humanoid survivors are just as desperate to find food and shelter as anyone else--except they plan to take it by force. Alien warriors who went MIA during the invasion have been left behind by both sides--they and the various mounts and beasts of burden and war they brought with them. Stranded by their countrymen, what few alien wizards are left behind immediately begin securing abandoned fortresses and building their own fiefdoms and power bases.
Into this shattered world a few intrepid adventurers step forth, they have no choice.
The Gold (Keru-Syriax)
Outsider (Native, Chaotic)
Personality
The Gold are an enigmatic, military organized species governed by the most powerful and influential of their Brood Wizards. They are a biological race which embodies certain alien philosophical concepts and largely exist to contend with their opposites, the Silver. The Gold are so called because their signature technology is a type of gold-colored metal out of which they fashion their weapons, armor and equipment. The Silver possess a similar technology, equivalent in all respects but silver in color. While their society appears regimented to outsiders, the Gold contend among themselves continually for position, rank and title. This contention rarely approaches the level of open fighting beyond pairs of individuals as the Gold do not permit wide-scale social dissension.
Physical Description
The Gold have two large compound eyes and two smaller compound eyes. The Gold are insectile quadrupeds and are large in stature and powerfully built. They have antennae on their heads that sense vibrations, providing them their tremorsense.
Relations
The Gold are hostile to all intelligent life seeking to conquer all non-Gold species and eliminate the Silver.
Lands
Like their enemies the Silver, the Gold have colonized and conquered many worlds. The Graal are a race of gnoll-like creatures they have made their warrior vassals. The Graal enthusiastically provide troops to fight the battles of the Gold.
Religion
The Gold cannot be Clerics and their religious figures tend to be Warlocks. The Gold venerate a small collective of primordial entities from another universe that are entirely antithetical to the principles embodied by the entities the Silver worship.
Language
The Gold have their own language as well as being able to communicate basic concepts and emotions via their antennae vibrations.
Predominant Alignment
While the motivating principles behind the Gold are unknown, they are generally regarded by their actions to be Neutral Evil. They do not seem to be predominantly motivated by a love of regulation and tradition or freedom and independent choice. Their society is organized and regimented but there is a constant vying for power and influence among them. They do not hesitate to kill or exploit other lifeforms and in fact seek to subjugate all intelligent life other than themselves and the Silver, whom they wish to destroy.
Racial Traits
+4 Strength, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity, +3 Constitution, +2 Charisma.
Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
Racial Hit Dice: A Gold begins with three levels of Outsider, giving it 3d8 hit dice.
Hard to Read (Ex): Their inhuman facial features and foreign body language make it extremely difficult for non-Gold to tell when they are lying, bluffing, or even joking. The Gold gain a +4 racial bonus to all bluff, intimidate and diplomacy checks against all non-Gold.
Alien Society: When interacting with non-Gold, the Gold suffer a -4 penalty to Disguise, Gather Information, Handle (non-alien) Animal, Perform and Sense Motive.
Calm Mind: The Gold cannot Rage.
Powerful Build: Treated as one-size larger with regards to Bull Rush, Trip, Grapple, etc., and may use weapons designed for creatures on size larger.
+2 on Craft (metalworking): The Gold are famous for their metal weapons, and craft them magnificently.
Alien Mind: Cannot use psionics; immune to psionics. Immune to mind-altering effects such as charms.
Natural Heavyweight: The Gold are naturally heavy of build. Their carrying capacity when measured against other creatures of their size is doubled.
Exotic Weapon Training: The Gold are practiced in strange ways of combat and gain the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with the weapon of their choice.
Lack of Positive/Negative Material Plane connection: The Gold cannot manipulate positive material energy or negative material energy and thus cannot Lay on Hands, Turn or Rebuke Undead. Gold cannot be Clerics or Druids, nor can they use spells of the Necromancy school. The Gold cannot be animated as undead of any fashion.
Favored Enemy (Silver) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Silver. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Quick Crafting – you may craft magic items at the rate of one day per 2,000 gp of the item’s base price (minimum 1 day).
Tremorsense: It’s antennae also give a Gold Tremorsense as a bonus feat.
Favored Class: Brood Warrior or Brood Wizard.
The Silver (Jalaal)
Outsider (Native, Chaotic)
Personality
The Silver are largely unfathomable as are the Gold. Their intellects are cold and dispassionate. They acquire power and they fight the Gold. There isn’t much else they do. Amongst each other, particularly among the Brood Wizards, they jockey for power and position but rarely does this internal competition lead to open fighting. The Silver insist on an orderly, unified society. The Silver live in huge metal hive cities, each governed by a Silver Queen. The Silver are of three types: Warrior/Workers (females, who are sentient), Drones (males, who are not) and Queens (who are sentient but upon becoming fertile are largely sessile).
Physical Description
The Silver are an insect-like species, resembling the Thri-Kreen. They have large antennae on their heads which provide them with an echolocation sense and two large compound eyes. Only the Queens are egg-laying and spend most of their time mating with drones and governing Silver society. Each hive colony has its own Queen and they too are constantly jockeying with each other for power and influence.
Relations
The Silver are hostile to all intelligent life seeking to conquer all non-Silver species and eliminate the Gold.
Lands
The Silver have an empire of the colony worlds they have settled and those they have conquered. The Darkmoon Elves are one of their vassal races and are made to pay a tithe of their production to the Silver and provide troops for the Silvers' use.
Religion
The Silver cannot be Clerics and their religious figures tend to be Warlocks. The Silver venerate a small collective of primordial entities from another universe that are entirely antithetical to the principles embodied by the entities the Gold worship.
Language
The Silver have their own language as well as being able to communicate basic concepts and emotions via their antennae vibrations.
Predominant Alignment
While the motivating principles behind the Silver are unknown, they are generally regarded by their actions to be Neutral Evil. They do not seem to be predominantly motivated by a love of regulation and tradition or freedom and independent choice. Their society is organized and regimented but there is a constant vying for power and influence among them. They do not hesitate to kill or exploit other lifeforms and in fact seek to subjugate all intelligent life other than themselves and the Gold, whom they wish to destroy.
Racial Traits
Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
Racial Hit Dice: A Silver begins with three levels of Outsider, giving it 3d8 hit dice.
Four arms: A Silver’s insectile build gives it four arms and the Multiweapon Fighting feat as a bonus feat.
Hard to Read (Ex): Their inhuman facial features and foreign body language make it extremely difficult for non-Silver to tell when they are lying, bluffing, or even joking. The Silver gain a +4 racial bonus to all bluff, intimidate and diplomacy checks against all non-Silver. This does not apply to Silver interactions with Gold.
Alien Society: When interacting with non-Silver, the Silver suffer a -4 penalty to Disguise, Gather Information, Handle (non-alien) Animal, Perform and Sense Motive. This does not apply to Silver interactions with Gold.
+2 on Craft (metalworking): The Silver are famous for their metal weapons, and craft them magnificently.
Alien Mind: Cannot use psionics; immune to psionics. Immune to mind-altering effects such as charms.
Calm Mind: The Silver cannot Rage.
Lack of Positive/Negative Material Plane connection: The Silver cannot manipulate positive material energy or negative material energy and thus cannot Lay on Hands, Turn or Rebuke Undead. Silver cannot be Clerics or Druids, nor can they use spells of the Necromancy school. The Silver cannot be animated as undead of any fashion.
Favored Enemy (Gold) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Gold. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Quick Crafting – you may craft magic items at the rate of one day per 2,000 gp of the item’s base price (minimum 1 day).
Echolocation: its antennae also give a Silver Darkvision as a bonus feat.
All-Around Vision (Ex): The echolocation ability of a Silver’s antennae allow it to look in any direction, bestowing a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. Opponents gain no flanking bonuses when attacking a Silver.
Favored Class: Brood Warrior or Brood Wizard.
Vassal races:
Darkmoon Elves
Humanoid (Elf)
Personality
Darkmoon Elves are warm and congenial like most elven races. They venerate Nature and while they live in large elaborate cities, they maintain large parks and open wildernesses around their cities and have deep traditions they maintain connecting their culture to Nature and the wild. Darkmoon Elves love painting, poetry, sculpture, dance and music and artists are among the most celebrated of their kind. This includes wizards and druids, for the Darkmoon Elves see magic as the greatest art of all.
Physical Description
Darkmoon elves bear a strong resemblance to drow except for their eyes, which range from blue to green to gold.
Relations
Darkmoon elves resent being taken for Drow and dislike the Drow intensely but it is less of a hatred and more of a deep desire to rehabilitate their fallen brethren. Darkmoon Elves typically have extremely bad relations with other cultures until the whole mistaken identity matter is cleared up and then relations are typically congenial with most good races. The long-standing use of the Darkmoon Elves to battle as Silver vassals against the Graal, vassals of the Gold, has led to a blood feud between Darkmoon Elves and the Graal and they will gladly enter any battle where the opportunity exists to fight Graal or any other gnoll for that matter.
Lands
Darkmoon Elves are the dominant species on several colony worlds, all under the thumb of the Silver. The Darkmoon Elves are made to provide troops for Silver use as a vassal race. The Darkmoon Elves have no love of their Silver masters but know that should they falter, their homes and loved ones will pay the price.
Religion
Darkmoon elves generally worship a moon goddess. Domains: Celestial, Darkness, Good and Magic.
Language
Darkmoon Elves speak darkmoon elven and their own form of sign language, as well as common.
Racial Traits
Medium: As Medium creatures, Darkmoon elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
+2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
Darkmoon elf base land speed is 40 ft.
Low-light vision
+1 racial bonus to Will Saves and a further +5 racial bonus to saving throws against sleep, charms and other mind affecting effects
Weapon Proficiency: Darkmoon Elves as treated as having Weapon Proficiency for the bastard sword, longsword, longbow (including composite longbow), shortbow (including composite shortbow), dagger and the elven longknife (shortsword).
Darkmoon elves receive a racial bonus of +2 on listen, spot, search, hide, move silently and sense motive checks. +2 Knowledge (Arcana), +2 Knowledge (Nature)
Favored Enemy (Graal) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Graal. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Automatic languages: Darkmoon elven, darkmoon sign, graal, common. Bonus languages: Draconic, gnoll, sylvan.
Darkmoon Elves gain Trackless Step in forest.
Darkmoon elves receive a +1 racial bonus on all skill checks and saving throws when outside at night when the moon is showing.
Favored Class: A multiclass darkmoon elf’s first class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing, so long as that class is one of the following: Brood Warrior, Brood Wizard or Druid.
Darkmoon Elves look much the same as Drow (although their males are larger and stronger than the females) but do not live underground, nor are they evil. They are predominantly Chaotic Good. However, they are often mistaken for Drow, which can lead to lethal misunderstandings.
Graal
Humanoid (Gnoll Subtype)
Personality
The Graal are a race of brutal, savage gnoll-like creatures. They live for warfare and the hunt. Strength is the only virtue they acknowledge in their society. They form pack-like bonds and swear unswerving obedience to their masters, who are always male. But should those same masters show weakness in any fashion, including old age, they are typically challenged to single combat and killed. The Graal believe all who die such deaths after a long life of tyranny go to favored service with their warrior deities and are celebrated by the pack after their deaths.
Physical Description
Graals resemble gnolls but have even more pronounced lower canines.
Relations
Graals feel themselves superior to other gnoll-like beings and see themselves as fathers to children. They are somewhat cordial to goblinoid and troll species and harbor a deep and abiding hatred of all things elven. Graals will go out of their way to kill elves and will even sell their services more cheaply as mercenaries if there exists a probable chance of slaughtering Darkmoon Elves or any other kind. A rare pleasure for Graal is when the Gold send a small Graal detachment on a minor mission to some world without direct Gold leadership. Away from their Gold masters, the Graal then get to play the master to other species and kick them around. For such reasons, such small detachments will often find a tribe of gnolls or goblinoids to ally with, not because an untrained and ill-equipped barbarian rabble is of any real use to them but because it makes them feel more important. Often such on the spot gathered irregular troops are used as scouts and diversions.
Lands
Graals have a small empire of worlds that they colonized or took before being subjugated themselves by the Gold. They enthusiastically provide vassal troops to the Gold’s army of conquest as well as selling themselves as mercenaries to individual Gold leaders who seek both protection and prestige.
Religion
The Graal worship a pantheon of war gods. Typical domains: Hatred, War, Evil and Pain. Graals make enthusiastic, if sadistic, war clerics and are very valuable to the Gold military. Graal inquisitors combine a rare penchant for torture with the ability to heal their subjects and continue the questioning: they are rarely denied the answers they seek. Darkmoon elves facing Graals will fight to the death rather than surrender because of this.
Language
Graal have their own language of barks and growls, not unlike the prototypical gnoll language.
Racial Traits
Medium Size
+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
30' movement
Darkvision 60'
Bite: A graal can bite an opponent for d3/x2 damage.
+1 level in the first Divine Spellcasting class a Graal takes.
Scent
+1 Natural Armor.
Rage(Ex): Graal can fly into a rage once per encounter for 4 rounds. This rage causes -2 AC, +4 to strength, +2 dexterity and -2 to wisdom, intelligence and charisma. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a graal can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.
+2 intimidate. Graal regularly subject themselves to large amounts of pain and are therefore experts at torture.
+1 listen and spot: Graal are always on edge and looking for a fight.
+2 survival: Graal are a survivalist culture and train from birth in survival.
Pack Tactics: If you are adjacent to an enemy that is flanked by allies, you gain combat advantage against that creature as if you were also flanking them.
Pack Mentality: Any ally adjacent to you at the beginning of your turn gains a +1 morale bonus to saving throws and a +5-foot bonus to base movement speed for one round as you sustain and motivate them with your presence; you do not benefit from this bonus. Should the majority of Graal in an encounter fail a morale check, those who succeeded in the check must immediately reroll to check again. Likewise, should the majority of Graal in an encounter suffer a fear effect, those who have not been so affected must make a Will save or they suffer the same fear effect.
Pounce: Graal can make a full attack as part of a charge. This is due to their tendency to charge into battle with reckless abandon.
Favored Enemy (Darkmoon Elves) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Darkmoon Elves. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Powerful sense of smell: Can pinpoint an Invisible or Hidden creature within 5’ with a Wisdom check vs. DC 20.
–2 penalty on saves vs. odor-based attacks (such as Stinking Cloud the stench of a Ghast)
Warrior Race: The Graal train in combat from the time they can stand and this gains them the following feats: Weapon Proficiency (Natural), Melee Weapon Proficiency (Simple), Melee Weapon Proficiency (Martial), Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium) and Two Weapon Fighting.
Automatic Languages: Graal, Common.
Bonus Languages: Gnoll, Draconic, Darkmoon Elven, Goblin, Orc.
Bonus Feat: A Graal may choose from the following bonus feats: Endurance or Mounted Combat. They may also choose between: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Fangsword) or Exotic Weapons Proficiency (Clawblade).
Favored Classes: Brood Warrior or Cleric.
Fangswords: The textbook Graal weapon is the fangsword—a half teardrop shaped metal blade attached to a tonfa like handle. Fangswords are most often deployed in pairs.
Damage: 1d8, 19-20/x2
Range: -
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 4 lb
Slashing or Piercing
Claw Blade: These are metal gauntlets fitted with blades and are designed to fit over the hands of species with claws and can be used to fight with in the same fashion. They are considered military melee weapons for characters that have the Claw Fighter feat, or superior melee weapons for others. Unlike other weapons, the claw blade occupies your magic item hands slot while enchanted.
Damage: 1d8
Range: -
Price: 20gp
Weight: 2lb
Group: light blade
Properties: off-hand
Pleasureforged
Living Construct
Personality
Unlike their violent cousins, Pleasureforged are designed for peaceful purposes, acting as masseurs, courtesans, concubines and administrative and diplomatic assistants and attaches. They are occasionally used as intelligence-gathering assets but this is considered illegal.
Physical Description
Pleasureforged are a construct race built most often to resemble their creators. While it is possible to create Pleasureforged that are largely indistinguishable from real people, this is illegal in almost all territories and such pleasureforged, if found out, are typically destroyed instantly under the assumption they are being used for intelligence-gathering purposes.
Relations
Pleasureforged are designed to be curious and amicable with all species. They eagerly learn the cultural traits and tendencies of new societies and always seek to please.
Lands
Pleasureforged have no lands or territories of their own and are generally considered to be property.
Religion
Pleasureforged have no religion of their own but will readily adopt the religion of their masters if required. This rarely happens as Pleasureforged are not generally held to have souls and thus their worship is considered pointless. However, they are often seen in an assisting role, holding candles, chalices, censers and other implements for religious practitioners or adding their voices to songs, chants, etc.
Language
Pleasureforged speak Common.
Racial Traits
-2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Cha: Pleasureforged are built to be less strong than the average user to prevent accidents during massage.
Living Construct
Immune to Poison, Sleep, Paralysis, Disease, Nausea, Fatigue, Exhaustion, Sickening, and Energy Drain.
Does not Eat, Sleep, or Breathe.
Does not naturally heal.
At 0 hp, is Disabled (as usual). From –1 to –9 hp, is Inert (i.e., Unconscious, but stable).
Conj(healing) spells only heal ½ hp.
Can be ‘healed’ by a Craft check that takes 8 hours. The Pleasureforged is repaired the check – 15 hp. It is possible to ‘Take 10’, but not ‘Take 20’. The following Craft skills can be used: armorsmithing, blacksmithing, gemcutting, & sculpting. A Pleasureforged may repair itself. This check cannot be done untrained.
Favored Friend (Ex): At 1st level, a pleasureforged may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies (see Player’s Handbook). The pleasureforged gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Perform, and Profession (masseuse) checks when using these skills on creatures of this type.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the pleasureforged may select an additional favored friend from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored friend (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the pleasureforged chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored friend, she must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored friend, the courtesan’s bonuses do not stack; she simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information and Use Rope are always class skills for a Pleasureforged.
Level Adjustment +1
Favored Class: Bard
Far out into the void, two alien races contend over issues we cannot know and cannot understand. They are the Jalaal and the Keru-Syriax, known to their vassals respectively as the Silver and the Gold. They are two mighty civilizations seemingly all-powerful by our poor standards and possessed of weapons of unimaginable destructive potential. They begin to contend between them but fear to unleash their fullest might concerned for the consequences. And so--they find an out of the way little nondescript world named Gallesis and decide to settle matters there. Gallesis is an unremarkable world inhabited by humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and the like. The great kingdom of Dalador has defeated their rival kingdom of Ethonium in the great war and Ethonium is now a province of Dalador. Heroes are born, live and die, preserving the kingdom from its internal and external enemies. Or at least, they did, until the Silver and the Gold decided to fight their war there.
The inhabitants of this little planet receive no warning. Their once relatively peaceful world is rent asunder by battles between alien wizards and gigantic, towering war machines. Powers are unleashed beyond their comprehension. All they know is their world has suddenly become a battlefield. Those civilizations possessed of the organization and the resources build sheltered enclaves and they cower in fear, huddled behind thick walls and their most powerful magical defenses.
Some twenty-one months later, the matter apparently decided, the two invading factions leave and the locals step out of their enclaves and back onto the soil of a battered ruin of a world--the skies and seas polluted, the hills and grasslands bleak and blasted, the world turned on its poles and the pulverized moon has become a ring that now orbits the planet.
Magic and even the laws of physics as they know them are twisted and corrupted in many places. Boulders and hills float listlessly through the air. Nomads and renegades sift through the wreckage of alien fortresses and titanic war engines for leftover alien weaponry, supplies and tools; warlords crop up immediately as civilization has collapsed and hungry, terrified people desperately turn to anyone who has any semblance of providing them food and protection.
Those enclaves which survived the cataclysm intact have no choice but to send out scouts to survey the lands beyond, to find arable land for farming, to contact other cities and villages for trade, to recover what alien magics and devices they can before others do and turn these unknown weapons against them. And so they turn to their adventurers and send them out on missions of exploration, trade and diplomacy.
The world is so twisted and different from what they remember that just traveling the countryside is incredibly dangerous. Leftover autonomous weapons and bizarre alien golems stalk the land. Orc, troll and other evil humanoid survivors are just as desperate to find food and shelter as anyone else--except they plan to take it by force. Alien warriors who went MIA during the invasion have been left behind by both sides--they and the various mounts and beasts of burden and war they brought with them. Stranded by their countrymen, what few alien wizards are left behind immediately begin securing abandoned fortresses and building their own fiefdoms and power bases.
Into this shattered world a few intrepid adventurers step forth, they have no choice.
The Gold (Keru-Syriax)
Outsider (Native, Chaotic)
Personality
The Gold are an enigmatic, military organized species governed by the most powerful and influential of their Brood Wizards. They are a biological race which embodies certain alien philosophical concepts and largely exist to contend with their opposites, the Silver. The Gold are so called because their signature technology is a type of gold-colored metal out of which they fashion their weapons, armor and equipment. The Silver possess a similar technology, equivalent in all respects but silver in color. While their society appears regimented to outsiders, the Gold contend among themselves continually for position, rank and title. This contention rarely approaches the level of open fighting beyond pairs of individuals as the Gold do not permit wide-scale social dissension.
Physical Description
The Gold have two large compound eyes and two smaller compound eyes. The Gold are insectile quadrupeds and are large in stature and powerfully built. They have antennae on their heads that sense vibrations, providing them their tremorsense.
Relations
The Gold are hostile to all intelligent life seeking to conquer all non-Gold species and eliminate the Silver.
Lands
Like their enemies the Silver, the Gold have colonized and conquered many worlds. The Graal are a race of gnoll-like creatures they have made their warrior vassals. The Graal enthusiastically provide troops to fight the battles of the Gold.
Religion
The Gold cannot be Clerics and their religious figures tend to be Warlocks. The Gold venerate a small collective of primordial entities from another universe that are entirely antithetical to the principles embodied by the entities the Silver worship.
Language
The Gold have their own language as well as being able to communicate basic concepts and emotions via their antennae vibrations.
Predominant Alignment
While the motivating principles behind the Gold are unknown, they are generally regarded by their actions to be Neutral Evil. They do not seem to be predominantly motivated by a love of regulation and tradition or freedom and independent choice. Their society is organized and regimented but there is a constant vying for power and influence among them. They do not hesitate to kill or exploit other lifeforms and in fact seek to subjugate all intelligent life other than themselves and the Silver, whom they wish to destroy.
Racial Traits
+4 Strength, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity, +3 Constitution, +2 Charisma.
Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
Racial Hit Dice: A Gold begins with three levels of Outsider, giving it 3d8 hit dice.
Hard to Read (Ex): Their inhuman facial features and foreign body language make it extremely difficult for non-Gold to tell when they are lying, bluffing, or even joking. The Gold gain a +4 racial bonus to all bluff, intimidate and diplomacy checks against all non-Gold.
Alien Society: When interacting with non-Gold, the Gold suffer a -4 penalty to Disguise, Gather Information, Handle (non-alien) Animal, Perform and Sense Motive.
Calm Mind: The Gold cannot Rage.
Powerful Build: Treated as one-size larger with regards to Bull Rush, Trip, Grapple, etc., and may use weapons designed for creatures on size larger.
+2 on Craft (metalworking): The Gold are famous for their metal weapons, and craft them magnificently.
Alien Mind: Cannot use psionics; immune to psionics. Immune to mind-altering effects such as charms.
Natural Heavyweight: The Gold are naturally heavy of build. Their carrying capacity when measured against other creatures of their size is doubled.
Exotic Weapon Training: The Gold are practiced in strange ways of combat and gain the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with the weapon of their choice.
Lack of Positive/Negative Material Plane connection: The Gold cannot manipulate positive material energy or negative material energy and thus cannot Lay on Hands, Turn or Rebuke Undead. Gold cannot be Clerics or Druids, nor can they use spells of the Necromancy school. The Gold cannot be animated as undead of any fashion.
Favored Enemy (Silver) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Silver. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Quick Crafting – you may craft magic items at the rate of one day per 2,000 gp of the item’s base price (minimum 1 day).
Tremorsense: It’s antennae also give a Gold Tremorsense as a bonus feat.
Favored Class: Brood Warrior or Brood Wizard.
The Silver (Jalaal)
Outsider (Native, Chaotic)
Personality
The Silver are largely unfathomable as are the Gold. Their intellects are cold and dispassionate. They acquire power and they fight the Gold. There isn’t much else they do. Amongst each other, particularly among the Brood Wizards, they jockey for power and position but rarely does this internal competition lead to open fighting. The Silver insist on an orderly, unified society. The Silver live in huge metal hive cities, each governed by a Silver Queen. The Silver are of three types: Warrior/Workers (females, who are sentient), Drones (males, who are not) and Queens (who are sentient but upon becoming fertile are largely sessile).
Physical Description
The Silver are an insect-like species, resembling the Thri-Kreen. They have large antennae on their heads which provide them with an echolocation sense and two large compound eyes. Only the Queens are egg-laying and spend most of their time mating with drones and governing Silver society. Each hive colony has its own Queen and they too are constantly jockeying with each other for power and influence.
Relations
The Silver are hostile to all intelligent life seeking to conquer all non-Silver species and eliminate the Gold.
Lands
The Silver have an empire of the colony worlds they have settled and those they have conquered. The Darkmoon Elves are one of their vassal races and are made to pay a tithe of their production to the Silver and provide troops for the Silvers' use.
Religion
The Silver cannot be Clerics and their religious figures tend to be Warlocks. The Silver venerate a small collective of primordial entities from another universe that are entirely antithetical to the principles embodied by the entities the Gold worship.
Language
The Silver have their own language as well as being able to communicate basic concepts and emotions via their antennae vibrations.
Predominant Alignment
While the motivating principles behind the Silver are unknown, they are generally regarded by their actions to be Neutral Evil. They do not seem to be predominantly motivated by a love of regulation and tradition or freedom and independent choice. Their society is organized and regimented but there is a constant vying for power and influence among them. They do not hesitate to kill or exploit other lifeforms and in fact seek to subjugate all intelligent life other than themselves and the Gold, whom they wish to destroy.
Racial Traits
Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, and electricity 5.
Racial Hit Dice: A Silver begins with three levels of Outsider, giving it 3d8 hit dice.
Four arms: A Silver’s insectile build gives it four arms and the Multiweapon Fighting feat as a bonus feat.
Hard to Read (Ex): Their inhuman facial features and foreign body language make it extremely difficult for non-Silver to tell when they are lying, bluffing, or even joking. The Silver gain a +4 racial bonus to all bluff, intimidate and diplomacy checks against all non-Silver. This does not apply to Silver interactions with Gold.
Alien Society: When interacting with non-Silver, the Silver suffer a -4 penalty to Disguise, Gather Information, Handle (non-alien) Animal, Perform and Sense Motive. This does not apply to Silver interactions with Gold.
+2 on Craft (metalworking): The Silver are famous for their metal weapons, and craft them magnificently.
Alien Mind: Cannot use psionics; immune to psionics. Immune to mind-altering effects such as charms.
Calm Mind: The Silver cannot Rage.
Lack of Positive/Negative Material Plane connection: The Silver cannot manipulate positive material energy or negative material energy and thus cannot Lay on Hands, Turn or Rebuke Undead. Silver cannot be Clerics or Druids, nor can they use spells of the Necromancy school. The Silver cannot be animated as undead of any fashion.
Favored Enemy (Gold) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Gold. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Quick Crafting – you may craft magic items at the rate of one day per 2,000 gp of the item’s base price (minimum 1 day).
Echolocation: its antennae also give a Silver Darkvision as a bonus feat.
All-Around Vision (Ex): The echolocation ability of a Silver’s antennae allow it to look in any direction, bestowing a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. Opponents gain no flanking bonuses when attacking a Silver.
Favored Class: Brood Warrior or Brood Wizard.
Vassal races:
Darkmoon Elves
Humanoid (Elf)
Personality
Darkmoon Elves are warm and congenial like most elven races. They venerate Nature and while they live in large elaborate cities, they maintain large parks and open wildernesses around their cities and have deep traditions they maintain connecting their culture to Nature and the wild. Darkmoon Elves love painting, poetry, sculpture, dance and music and artists are among the most celebrated of their kind. This includes wizards and druids, for the Darkmoon Elves see magic as the greatest art of all.
Physical Description
Darkmoon elves bear a strong resemblance to drow except for their eyes, which range from blue to green to gold.
Relations
Darkmoon elves resent being taken for Drow and dislike the Drow intensely but it is less of a hatred and more of a deep desire to rehabilitate their fallen brethren. Darkmoon Elves typically have extremely bad relations with other cultures until the whole mistaken identity matter is cleared up and then relations are typically congenial with most good races. The long-standing use of the Darkmoon Elves to battle as Silver vassals against the Graal, vassals of the Gold, has led to a blood feud between Darkmoon Elves and the Graal and they will gladly enter any battle where the opportunity exists to fight Graal or any other gnoll for that matter.
Lands
Darkmoon Elves are the dominant species on several colony worlds, all under the thumb of the Silver. The Darkmoon Elves are made to provide troops for Silver use as a vassal race. The Darkmoon Elves have no love of their Silver masters but know that should they falter, their homes and loved ones will pay the price.
Religion
Darkmoon elves generally worship a moon goddess. Domains: Celestial, Darkness, Good and Magic.
Language
Darkmoon Elves speak darkmoon elven and their own form of sign language, as well as common.
Racial Traits
Medium: As Medium creatures, Darkmoon elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
+2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
Darkmoon elf base land speed is 40 ft.
Low-light vision
+1 racial bonus to Will Saves and a further +5 racial bonus to saving throws against sleep, charms and other mind affecting effects
Weapon Proficiency: Darkmoon Elves as treated as having Weapon Proficiency for the bastard sword, longsword, longbow (including composite longbow), shortbow (including composite shortbow), dagger and the elven longknife (shortsword).
Darkmoon elves receive a racial bonus of +2 on listen, spot, search, hide, move silently and sense motive checks. +2 Knowledge (Arcana), +2 Knowledge (Nature)
Favored Enemy (Graal) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Graal. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Automatic languages: Darkmoon elven, darkmoon sign, graal, common. Bonus languages: Draconic, gnoll, sylvan.
Darkmoon Elves gain Trackless Step in forest.
Darkmoon elves receive a +1 racial bonus on all skill checks and saving throws when outside at night when the moon is showing.
Favored Class: A multiclass darkmoon elf’s first class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing, so long as that class is one of the following: Brood Warrior, Brood Wizard or Druid.
Darkmoon Elves look much the same as Drow (although their males are larger and stronger than the females) but do not live underground, nor are they evil. They are predominantly Chaotic Good. However, they are often mistaken for Drow, which can lead to lethal misunderstandings.
Graal
Humanoid (Gnoll Subtype)
Personality
The Graal are a race of brutal, savage gnoll-like creatures. They live for warfare and the hunt. Strength is the only virtue they acknowledge in their society. They form pack-like bonds and swear unswerving obedience to their masters, who are always male. But should those same masters show weakness in any fashion, including old age, they are typically challenged to single combat and killed. The Graal believe all who die such deaths after a long life of tyranny go to favored service with their warrior deities and are celebrated by the pack after their deaths.
Physical Description
Graals resemble gnolls but have even more pronounced lower canines.
Relations
Graals feel themselves superior to other gnoll-like beings and see themselves as fathers to children. They are somewhat cordial to goblinoid and troll species and harbor a deep and abiding hatred of all things elven. Graals will go out of their way to kill elves and will even sell their services more cheaply as mercenaries if there exists a probable chance of slaughtering Darkmoon Elves or any other kind. A rare pleasure for Graal is when the Gold send a small Graal detachment on a minor mission to some world without direct Gold leadership. Away from their Gold masters, the Graal then get to play the master to other species and kick them around. For such reasons, such small detachments will often find a tribe of gnolls or goblinoids to ally with, not because an untrained and ill-equipped barbarian rabble is of any real use to them but because it makes them feel more important. Often such on the spot gathered irregular troops are used as scouts and diversions.
Lands
Graals have a small empire of worlds that they colonized or took before being subjugated themselves by the Gold. They enthusiastically provide vassal troops to the Gold’s army of conquest as well as selling themselves as mercenaries to individual Gold leaders who seek both protection and prestige.
Religion
The Graal worship a pantheon of war gods. Typical domains: Hatred, War, Evil and Pain. Graals make enthusiastic, if sadistic, war clerics and are very valuable to the Gold military. Graal inquisitors combine a rare penchant for torture with the ability to heal their subjects and continue the questioning: they are rarely denied the answers they seek. Darkmoon elves facing Graals will fight to the death rather than surrender because of this.
Language
Graal have their own language of barks and growls, not unlike the prototypical gnoll language.
Racial Traits
Medium Size
+4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
30' movement
Darkvision 60'
Bite: A graal can bite an opponent for d3/x2 damage.
+1 level in the first Divine Spellcasting class a Graal takes.
Scent
+1 Natural Armor.
Rage(Ex): Graal can fly into a rage once per encounter for 4 rounds. This rage causes -2 AC, +4 to strength, +2 dexterity and -2 to wisdom, intelligence and charisma. At 1st level he can use his rage ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a graal can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.
+2 intimidate. Graal regularly subject themselves to large amounts of pain and are therefore experts at torture.
+1 listen and spot: Graal are always on edge and looking for a fight.
+2 survival: Graal are a survivalist culture and train from birth in survival.
Pack Tactics: If you are adjacent to an enemy that is flanked by allies, you gain combat advantage against that creature as if you were also flanking them.
Pack Mentality: Any ally adjacent to you at the beginning of your turn gains a +1 morale bonus to saving throws and a +5-foot bonus to base movement speed for one round as you sustain and motivate them with your presence; you do not benefit from this bonus. Should the majority of Graal in an encounter fail a morale check, those who succeeded in the check must immediately reroll to check again. Likewise, should the majority of Graal in an encounter suffer a fear effect, those who have not been so affected must make a Will save or they suffer the same fear effect.
Pounce: Graal can make a full attack as part of a charge. This is due to their tendency to charge into battle with reckless abandon.
Favored Enemy (Darkmoon Elves) +2 – Gain a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, & Survival checks made vs. Darkmoon Elves. Also do +2 damage on any melee attack & any ranged attack within 30’. This stacks with any Ranger bonuses.
Powerful sense of smell: Can pinpoint an Invisible or Hidden creature within 5’ with a Wisdom check vs. DC 20.
–2 penalty on saves vs. odor-based attacks (such as Stinking Cloud the stench of a Ghast)
Warrior Race: The Graal train in combat from the time they can stand and this gains them the following feats: Weapon Proficiency (Natural), Melee Weapon Proficiency (Simple), Melee Weapon Proficiency (Martial), Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium) and Two Weapon Fighting.
Automatic Languages: Graal, Common.
Bonus Languages: Gnoll, Draconic, Darkmoon Elven, Goblin, Orc.
Bonus Feat: A Graal may choose from the following bonus feats: Endurance or Mounted Combat. They may also choose between: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Fangsword) or Exotic Weapons Proficiency (Clawblade).
Favored Classes: Brood Warrior or Cleric.
Fangswords: The textbook Graal weapon is the fangsword—a half teardrop shaped metal blade attached to a tonfa like handle. Fangswords are most often deployed in pairs.
Damage: 1d8, 19-20/x2
Range: -
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 4 lb
Slashing or Piercing
Claw Blade: These are metal gauntlets fitted with blades and are designed to fit over the hands of species with claws and can be used to fight with in the same fashion. They are considered military melee weapons for characters that have the Claw Fighter feat, or superior melee weapons for others. Unlike other weapons, the claw blade occupies your magic item hands slot while enchanted.
Damage: 1d8
Range: -
Price: 20gp
Weight: 2lb
Group: light blade
Properties: off-hand
Pleasureforged
Living Construct
Personality
Unlike their violent cousins, Pleasureforged are designed for peaceful purposes, acting as masseurs, courtesans, concubines and administrative and diplomatic assistants and attaches. They are occasionally used as intelligence-gathering assets but this is considered illegal.
Physical Description
Pleasureforged are a construct race built most often to resemble their creators. While it is possible to create Pleasureforged that are largely indistinguishable from real people, this is illegal in almost all territories and such pleasureforged, if found out, are typically destroyed instantly under the assumption they are being used for intelligence-gathering purposes.
Relations
Pleasureforged are designed to be curious and amicable with all species. They eagerly learn the cultural traits and tendencies of new societies and always seek to please.
Lands
Pleasureforged have no lands or territories of their own and are generally considered to be property.
Religion
Pleasureforged have no religion of their own but will readily adopt the religion of their masters if required. This rarely happens as Pleasureforged are not generally held to have souls and thus their worship is considered pointless. However, they are often seen in an assisting role, holding candles, chalices, censers and other implements for religious practitioners or adding their voices to songs, chants, etc.
Language
Pleasureforged speak Common.
Racial Traits
-2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Cha: Pleasureforged are built to be less strong than the average user to prevent accidents during massage.
Living Construct
Immune to Poison, Sleep, Paralysis, Disease, Nausea, Fatigue, Exhaustion, Sickening, and Energy Drain.
Does not Eat, Sleep, or Breathe.
Does not naturally heal.
At 0 hp, is Disabled (as usual). From –1 to –9 hp, is Inert (i.e., Unconscious, but stable).
Conj(healing) spells only heal ½ hp.
Can be ‘healed’ by a Craft check that takes 8 hours. The Pleasureforged is repaired the check – 15 hp. It is possible to ‘Take 10’, but not ‘Take 20’. The following Craft skills can be used: armorsmithing, blacksmithing, gemcutting, & sculpting. A Pleasureforged may repair itself. This check cannot be done untrained.
Favored Friend (Ex): At 1st level, a pleasureforged may select a type of creature from among those given on Table: Ranger Favored Enemies (see Player’s Handbook). The pleasureforged gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Perform, and Profession (masseuse) checks when using these skills on creatures of this type.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the pleasureforged may select an additional favored friend from those given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored friend (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by 2.
If the pleasureforged chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored friend, she must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored friend, the courtesan’s bonuses do not stack; she simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information and Use Rope are always class skills for a Pleasureforged.
Level Adjustment +1
Favored Class: Bard