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View Full Version : Werewolf/Bats with a hive-mind!!!



DragonOfUndeath
2010-08-03, 03:19 AM
Batnians: Batnians were originally just giant bats with a hive mentality (and giant teeth, claws etc). Then a Necromancer decided to change them and create the perfect weapon, a race of beings devoted to him and able to cast Spells. At first it went well, he made it Magical by feeding them the Magically-Charged Bones of creatures. Then he gave it the ability to transform into a human-like creature with wings and back again. Unfortunately at this point it started to go wrong. When the Necromancer was out a female Batnian found a pile of bones and gorged on them (because they now needed Bones and nothing else) with every Bone she consumed she became smarter until suddenly she underwent metamorphosis into the first Queen Batnian. This Queen was fully intelligent and all the other Batnians, due to their hive mentality, immediately bowed down to her. When the Necromancer got back he found a surprise waiting for him. His bones were used to sate the first eggs that would hatch into intelligent Batnians. If a Batnian has not got a Bone in his stomach at sundown it will become Feral and attack everything until it either finds another Feral Batnian (then they make a Pack like the original Batnians), it is killed or it starves (2 weeks since a Bone). A Batnian can hold 5 Bones in its stomach and at sundown 1 is consumed. Batnians get 20 Bones in their inventory at creation and since Batnians are widespread most towns have a store with Bones (entire species are bred just for Batnians) which cost 2 CP each (average). Batnians can’t breed with other creatures or Gods and only Queens can lay eggs (5-10 per Laying) Eggs leech Bone energy from their surroundings so are usually placed together in a nest of bones and are isolated from normal Batnians.
Queen Batnians:
Queens are Female Batnians who consume lots of bones. When a Female wants to become a Queen she must gather Male supporters to gather the Bones and support her claim to Territory. When a Female becomes a Queen or a Queen encroaches on another’s territory they must either fight the current Queen or move somewhere else (most new Queens move somewhere else and take their Male supporters along with them). If a Queen doesn’t have any supporters then she loses all claim to Territory and must gather supporters from other Queens or Batnian adventurers. Every Male supporter entitles a Queen to 1 square Kilometer of land (please note that Territory can be within other Races Kingdoms because they still follow the rules of that kingdom and they don’t have wars only the Queen Duels to the death).
When a Queen falls in a Queen Duel it is customary for the dead Queen’s supporters to support the living Queen (some don’t, they might support a bid for one of the Dead Queen’s Hatchlings or go Support another Queen entirely). Territory claims are all or nothing: if there is a dispute about even 1/2 square kilometer between 2 Queens then they Duel for all the land both of them own or one of them gives up that square kilometer to the other Queen (this may cause supporters to leave the Queen making them lose more land).
Batnians have an innate sense of distance and direction. If a Batnian has travelled somewhere before or knows roughly where it is they can lead you to it. This makes them excellent Tour Guides and Scouts; unfortunately this makes them susceptible to Madness when the landscape changes (like in Limbo or the Elemental Chaos) as the new map and the old map stay imprinted in their minds. These Maps cannot be wiped in a Mind Erase. They may not remember where the Map is for but it is there all the same.
Batnians have 2 Different Forms they can take (it takes a Standard Action to Transform):
The Original Form is what the Batnians looked like before the Necromancer meddled. Batnians have a bonus to Intimidate when in this Form. Some Batnians refuse to leave this Form saying that the other form is unnatural and evil.
Normal/Human Form: Most Batnians remain in this form when around members of other races as they seem to like it better. In this form Batnians look remarkably like Half-Elves (with giant bat wings sprouting from their back); Due to this Batnians get a bonus to Diplomacy Checks when in this form.
Death Rites: If a Queen Batnian dies naturally (very rare) all the meat is stripped of her Bones and cremated, the stripped Bones are shared between Her 3 Male advisors to be given their next Queen or consumed by them. If a Queen Batnian dies in a Duel the Bones go to the Victor (along with the dead Queens Bone reserves) When a Female Batnian dies the Meat is sold (it’s apparently a delicacy) and the Bones are given to any remaining Male brothers of the same laying, if none can be found the Bones go to the Queen who hatched the Female (the Laying Queen) (or the Queens killer {or her killer and so on [records are kept!]}). If a Male Batnian dies the Meat is sold and his Bones go to his current Queen (if he is an adventurer it goes to his Laying Queen {or her killer etc}), if no-one can identify the body the Bones go to the finder (Batnian or otherwise) to sell or consume (the money from the Meat is given to the finder as well).
Social Hierarchy:
Queen
3 Male advisors (Territory, Bones and Supporters)
Males (because they are Supporters)
Females (Potential Threats, Usurpers and Support-Stealers).