Foreign Race or Parasitic Race?

[Scarce]

In my planning for an upcoming campaign world, I've decided I need a nation to contrast the obligatory medieval European setting. I plan to give them a caste-based society, channel a eastern style, and give them a monotheistic religion (to contrast the usual D&D pantheon.) Ultimately, I want a relatively large, cruel, mysterious, almost alien nation.

However, I'm not sure what race to make them. I'd like to make them human or vaguely so, but I feel like making the principle two human nations both majority human is pretty bland. I considered Yuan-Ti, because they already have a caste system, but they strike me as a little too much like monsters.

Next, I moved onto Elans, but I don't care much for psionics (and try not to include them in my campaign) but like the idea of humans being used as the vector for another organism. (Perhaps this could be like the goa'uld from Stargate?)

So, parasite race? Do these exist? I'll do homebrew too if it's good enough.

What about other races? What do you think might fit this kind of culture?

[Darrin]

Tsochar in Lords of Madness should work, although as far as parasites go, they're pretty strong on their own. With four attacks, 30 HP, DR 5/adamantine, and SR 14, they tear through most humanoids like a chainsaw through wet Kleenex. From a survivability standpoint, a humanoid would be better off getting the tsochar to fight off any predators.

[THEChanger]

...Y'know, I think I almost have what you're looking for. The Quori/Inspired from Eberron sound quite like what you have in mind. There's a heavy caste system, alien entities from another reality using people as puppets, with the catch that the puppets are actually pretty impressive on their own, and Quori can't manifest on their own. The only issue would be the Psionic aspect, as the Quori are psionic creatures. But that's not a huge problem to fix. Replacing psionics with spellcasting only changes the flavor a little bit.

Alternatively, also from Eberron, are Daelkyr Half-Blood, which are humans that have been warped by the influence of the master Aberration-makers, and are born with tiny Symbiont-buddies grafted to them. They start out with fun things named crawling gauntlets or throwing scarabs, and eventually could get tongue worms! Doesn't that just make you want to scream! :smallbiggrin:

But, really, the Quori and Inspired meet all of your criteria except being non-psionic. Serious consideration should be given to them.

[Asheram]

Puppeteers from Expanded Psionic Handbook?

[PersonMan]

I had an idea once of a kingdom where the royal family all hosted ancient Tsochari advisors. The idea could easily be expanded. The Tsochari are servants of [deity], the One True Divine Being. Other religions worship aspects of the Divine Being or are heretical demon-worshipers, depending on how much conflict you want with other regions.

Your lowest castes are the normal people. They do the peasant work, are uneducated, and spend their time trying to live their life according to the morals of the religion - this works especially well if the religion in question has reincarnation. Motivation, without the need to follow up and with a built-in ambition crusher? Awesome!

Next come those who have come in contact with/been blessed by the Tsochari - often humans with Aberrant feats, from Lords of Madness. Their heritage shows how they are closer to The Divine than those beneath them.

Further up are those who are part-time hosts to the Tsochari. When 'communing with The Divine', AKA playing house for an alien tentacle-swarm, they gain great insight that allows them to make more enlightened decisions and live a more moral life than those beneath them.

Finally you have those who, starting at a certain age, always carry Tsochari with them. Their sacrifice (even if it's healed, they do take Con damage, remember) feeds The Divine and strengthens its link with the world. They carry the greatest wisdom possible for a mortal being.

The middle and upper castes will do religious/military/ruling class stuff, while the lower-middle do most business and the lowest are kept from any real influence.

[Scarce]

Wow, those are fantastic, especially the Daelykr Half-Bloods and the Tsochari.(Not that the other suggestions were poor, I just prefer that the controlling party is more physical instead of spiritual, so that my players can squash the corruption out.)

The caste system PersonMan recommended is almost precisely what I had in mind (like creepy similar.) It's still a toss up between these two. I'll read into them and weigh pros and cons before a final decision, but they're both fantastic.

Thanks everyone for sharing your expansive knowledge (GiTP always makes my campaigns better!)