An alien yet non-unnatural subterran species (3.5 race)

[Icedaemon]

The basic idea that the standard fantasy races, while possessing so few traits that they might indeed be just races of one species, are treated as different species with different origins is a bit tiresome. Even nonstandard races tend to be 'human with X coloured skin and some ornamental differences' or 'human with the head of animal X. With that in mind: this thread, designed to create a truly unique creature which would fill the same ecological niche as the dwarves and gnomes (and have comparable abilities, if probably at a higher ECL)

I've been thinking of this topic for a while. Here is the basic concept.

Vaehasj
The vaehasj are a strange species of six-limbed cavern-dwellers. While monstrous in appearance, they are no worse, nor any kinder on average than people in general.

While the males and females are virtually identical at birth, they begin to exhibit incredible sexual dimorphism as they age. As with most animals, the females grow larger. They also develop a sharp bend in their spine at about mid-length and use both the lower and the middle pair of limbs for support, moving much like centaurs. The males on the other hand remain rather small, but use the upper and middle pair as hands. While the females hands grow broader and stronger, the males' fingers extend and become more dexterous. This suitably inhuman sexual dimorphism should not be considered a cause for annoyance by anyone short of the prickliest person alive, hopefully.

The Vaehasj may live for centuries, working, travelling and learning without apparently growing for decades between bouts of growth and physical development. Their leathery skin is tight like a serpents and shed in a similar manner. While the playable adult forms are small-sized, the multi-century-old matriarchs might be huge.

All Vaehasj have a natural light-emitting protrusion on their heads. While those of newborn simply emit a glow which shows their location to adults (and predators), the lights grow in power. (Young) adults meanwhile also learn how to control this said light source, shaping the light into differing cones (even of the sort focused enough to be considered a line) They thus do not need or have darkvision, though they have low-light vision courtesy of huge eyes. Individuals tend to emit different (though hereditary) colours, though pure bright white is generally considered the most beautiful. Thus, Vaehasj are quite adept at telling the difference between two seemingly identical tones of the same colour - this ability is one of those used to tell one person from another.

While omnivores, the Vaehasj for the most part feed on fungi. Their teeth are more similar to those of cows and other ungulates than those of carnivores. Thus, despite medium-length snouts, they do not have dangerous bite attacks.

Vaehasj have extremely phosphorous-rich bones, especially the light-producing protrusion.

All basic (young adult-ish) Vaehasj:
Small size
Stonecunning
Extraordinary ability: Light (in a burst) Constant effect, requires concentration to suppress or shape into a cone.
Low-light vision

Female:
Mighty Build
Movement as Quadruped
-2 to dexterity; +2 to constitution

Male:
Extra limbs - may wield 2 additional light weapons, wands or delicate tools
-2 to strength; +2 to dexterity

Should I proceed with this project? Would that be balanced/balanceable for ECL +0/+1?

[Lappy9000]

Well, it is certainly an interesting argument. However, making a purely bizarre race without any particularly innovative mechanics won't do much to add to variety.

The trick, in my opinion, is to find that sweet spot between interesting fluff and crunch. I've seen races that are essentially humanoid animals that have some of the most creative descriptions and psychology, and boast unique mechanics to boot. I've also seen utterly alien races that are just as well written. That said, I have also read both familiar and strange races that fail horribly on one or both accounts. Myself, I find it more interesting (and challenging) to make races that wouldn't look out of place in any typical fantasy town, but are unique unto themselves (but again, that's just me).

However, this race looks completely fine from a balance perspective, although it's important to ask "is the race something people will want to play?" (sorry if I sounded scathing at all. I'm really trying to be constructive :smallcool:)

[Icedaemon]

A pansy who takes even the slightest critique as a scathing rebuke and starts to whinge I am not, I hope at least.

I have given thought to their society (basically, dominated by those with the most great-grandkids, who are allowed to progress and grow into the very final matriarch and patriarch forms as per the current draft) and physiology (really capitalize on the centaurid 'two torsos' extra space - will the brain perhaps be in the upper chest instead of the head, for instance? Given how fungus is somewhat difficult to digest, should they have several stomachs like a cow? Given the females' body shapes, should they carry and feed their young on their backs?

They are less of a 'I want to make something weird for the sake of weirdness' and more 'what sort of a sapient species could really properly thrive in a subterranean environment, add more alien variety to the playable species, and could be successful without Darkvision which I see as nothing but a crutch?'

I am not sure if people would like to play them at this stage. Obviously, plenty prefer the tried-and-true and the easily-imagined, but I am sure that there are many who love the odd and the unique, if the odd is made likable.

[Domriso]

This... this I love. I was actually thinking of setting up a thread for a similar purpose. My idea is along the same lines: why are all "races" in D&D basically just humans with a different skin plastered on? As such, I'm trying to imagine new races, but then to expand them like the "humans" have been in standard D&D, with different sub-races that differentiate them further.

In any case, focusing more on your species, I find them incredibly interesting, though some aspects of the creatures seem a bit unexplained. Are they generally a "straight" race, IE, are they born standing on two legs, or do they start crawling around on all six limbs? They obviously reproduce by sexual reproduction, but is it like it is with humans? You said they had a snout, but is it like a wolf-snout, or more like an aardvarks? Do they have emotional faces like humans, or do they show their emotions in other fashions?

These are things that could really help flesh out the race. Besides that, I find the idea fascinating. The obvious sexual dimorphism adds a rather unique element to the race, which I particularly like.

More, I say, more!

[Icedaemon]

Humans do not start out walking straight away. Deer do that, and several other herbivores. All babies crawl on all six limbs at first, then walk on all six. Bigger children learn how to raise their first pair and use them for manipulation. The girls grow bigger and more adapted to this, the boys eventually learn to balance on just one pair, at about 6-8 years of age.

Sexual reproduction would probably be in utero, as they birth their offspring (one of the reasons for females to be larger, after all, is the ability to accommodate bigger/more young or eggs).

The snout is most similar to that of goats, with elements of tapirs thrown in. Their faces and especially eyes are somewhat expressive, though not as significant in terms of communication as those of humans.

[Domriso]

Interesting. What about lifespans? If their sexual dimorphism becomes evident at around 6-8 years, is that when they begin to hit puberty, or is it unrelated?

[Icedaemon]

They first shed their baby-skins at around half-a-year of age, then grow into their child skins, which females shed around 6-7 and males around 8-9, after learning to walk on the rear legs. The next phase, which might be referred to as 'girl/boy' as they are now quite clearly different lasts until they are 14-16 or so, when they enter the adolescent phase.

The Vaehasj live for 200-300 years normally, but those few who enter the matriarch/patriarch phase might last doubly that long or more.

[Owrtho]

I myself have always been somewhat anoyed at the lack of non-humanoid races. It always struck me as odd all things considered. That said, there is a simple reason why that is predominantly the case in D&D. Mainly due to many spell and abilities being based around the idea that players are humanoid, they have one version that affects humanoids only, and one that affects everything. Also with this is the idea that the main races are all humanoid, so low level situatinos can make use of the spells frequently without allowing it to be overly useful in battle until later.

That said, I started working on a setting a ways back with little in the way of humanoids. Only finished 4 of the races (three can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143657), and one here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162221)), and had planned to rework humans some to bring them out of the generalist nich, but got busy with other stuff and never quite got back arround to working on it again (though I still plan to). I would note though that I'd planned when making the setting that all the races would be a slightly higher power level than is standard for d&d (but as they would have all been that higher power amount including the reworked humans I'd didn't give them an LA). Still they may be in the realm of LA+0 despite that. On that note, looking back I really need to rework the Syphes' fluff slightly. I've had some minor adjustments I've been meaning to make to them for the longest time...

Owrtho

[Icedaemon]

As a note, one conflict within their society even a little thought has provided already seems very logical. By their very nature, they are lead by those with the most descendants. This trait has been so hard-wired into their forms during their evolution that the Vaehasj cannot grow past their adult 'matron' or 'patron' forms without the presence of the pheromones of a multitude of descendents. On the other hand, as their intellect and society surpass their natural abilities, the Vaehasj society has gained prominent merchantile and warrior leaders, who might be more knowledgeable and able than the traditional leaders.

[daggerinureback]

say wut?????

[Domriso]

Hm, interesting. So there's a feedback mechanism from have children? What about their gestation period? And, do they have usually single births, or do they have broods?

[Zeta Kai]

How do you pronounce Vaehasj? vay-HASS-uj? vee-HAZ-ij?

[Icedaemon]

Hm, interesting. So there's a feedback mechanism from have children? What about their gestation period? And, do they have usually single births, or do they have broods?

Essentially. The ones with the most surviving descendents being the ones who got the natural advantage was an excellent trait when their society was in its stone age and prior periods since on the whole the ones with the most able descendents were the ones most worthy of leadership, but this trait is becoming archaic nowadays.

The number of children per birth should likely increase with age. An adolescent or young adult female would have one or two at the most, while the Middle-aged Mother form and the next-up Matron form would have broods. While the matriarch is even larger than the matron, those who pass the age requirement to grow past Matron tend to be too old to have more children.

The pronunciation is something more like [væ-HəZ-dʒ], if I understand and remember the pronunciation symbols correctly. How do I make a capital 'ə'?

Development:
Nalbiz: Baby; Newborn; New-child
Age: birth to 1/2 year, then sheds old skin and starts growing into new one in 1-2 weeks.
Size: Tiny(Maybe diminutive?); Mobility: 5 ft per round; Hands: None
Special qualities: Glow - the light source on their heads is constantly providing faint light, enough that they can easily be spotted in the dark.

Vudbiz: Little girl; Female-child
Age: 1/2 to 6-7, then sheds old skin in ~2 weeks
Size: Tiny; Mobility: 10 ft per round; Hands: 2
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 5 ft radius

Angibiz: Little boy; Male-child
Age: 1/2 to 8-9; then sheds old skin in ~2 weeks
Size: Tiny; Mobility: 10 ft per round; Hands: 2
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 5 ft radius. Maybe a +2 bonus to climb checks

Herjvuda: girl; Young-female
Age: 6-7 to 17-18, then sheds old skin in ~2 weeks
Size: Small; Mobility: 30 ft per round; Hands: 2
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 10 ft radius

Herjang: Boy; Young-male
Age: 8-9 to 18-19, then sheds old skin in ~2 weeks
Size: Small: Mobility: 10 ft per round; Hands: 4
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 10 ft radius; +4 bonus to climb; Considered tiny in terms of what items and tools he may use without discomfort and carrying capacity.

Vuda - Female
Age: 17-18 to 35-40, then sheds old skin in ~3 weeks
Size: Small: Mobility: 40 ft per round (30 with medium or heavy load/armour); Hands: 2
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 30 ft radius (may shape into 45 ft cone or switch off entirely); Mighty build; Stonecunning
ECL +0

Angi - Male
Age: 18-19 to 30-40, then sheds old skin in ~3 weeks
Size: Small: Mobility: 20 ft per round (15 with medium or heavy load/armour); Hands: 4
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 30 ft radius (may shape into 45 ft cone or switch off entirely); Stonecunning; +4 bonus to climb
ECL +0

Vudamaig - mother(grown-male)
Age: 35-40 to at least 60. Will become infertile by 80 and die of old age not long after 140
Requires three offspring nearby to progress. Sheds old skin in ~4 weeks
Size: Medium: Mobility: 50 ft per round (30 with medium or heavy load/armour); Hands: 2
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 30 ft radius (may shape into 45 ft cone or switch off entirely); Stonecunning; probably a few more
Should go for: ECL +1 or +2 (will have enough ability bonuses for +1, at least)

Angmaig - father (grown-male)
Age: 30-40 to at least 65. Will become infertile by 90 and die of old age not long after 130
Requires three offspring nearby to progress. Sheds old skin in ~4 weeks
Size: Medium: Mobility: 30 ft per round (20 with medium or heavy load/armour); Hands: 4
Special qualities: Glow - light in a 30 ft radius (may shape into 45 ft cone or switch off entirely); Slight Build; Stonecunning; +4 bonus to climb
ECL +1 or +2

Arbvud/Arbang - Old-woman/old-man
Madag-Hargav/Madag-Amjag - Lesser Matriarch/Lesser Patriarch
Hargav/Amjag - Matriarch/Patriarch

The Vudamaig/arbvud are medium, the latter with mighty build. The final two stages of their life are large (perhaps only the very last stage for the male). I am thinking that huge might be a bit much - they are not dragons to grow quite that much.

[Icedaemon]

The females would probably have a warrior-type class like fighter or a fix thereof as their favoured class, with scout being the favoured class of the males.

In combat, the females tend to wear a form of plated mail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plated_mail), generally similar to the Turkish plated mail shown as an example. This will probably count as Banded Mail. Because they often need the tops of their heads free of clutter for the light, head armour tends to be composed of a solid metal headband and chain backing.

Males would wear chain vests or jack-of-plate on tough leather, again probably equivalent to chain shirts.

While for the most part, skin tones tend to be tan-reddish brown, there are often decorative black or yellow spots and dashes on Vaehasj backs.

[wiimanclassic]

The females would probably have a warrior-type class like fighter or a fix thereof as their favoured class, with scout being the favoured class of the males.

In combat, the females tend to wear a form of plated mail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plated_mail), generally similar to the Turkish plated mail shown as an example. This will probably count as Banded Mail.

While for the most part, skin tones tend to be tan-reddish brown, there are often decorative black or yellow spots and dashes on Vaehasj backs.

Plated Mail is also called Splint Mail. Banded Mail is not the same as Plated.

[Icedaemon]

Ah. I did not realize the overlap there was greater. There seems to be overlap between both plated mail and splint mail, as well as plated mail and banded mail, if a cursory search is any indicator.

A further search does indeed indicate that both plated and splinted armour fare very poorly against piercing weapons, a problem that affects banded armour far less.