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View Full Version : Pathfinder Sasquatch [Race+Cultures+Feats][Crossroads]



Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 01:42 PM
Sasquatch
Made for Crossroads: The New World (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?345327-Crossroads-II-I-m-on-a-Mammoth)

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/041/d/c/sasquatch_by_kyoht-d5ujjmx.jpg

Personality: Sasquatches are a secretive people, always keeping a wary eye out. Many may see them as skittish or jumpy, but in truth, when among their own people and feeling secure, they can be quite laid-back. The near-extinction that drove sasquatch communities into hiding in the first place still affects their day-to-day lifestyle in a profound way, and they are slow to trust newcomers, and even slower to trust outsiders. But while they may be quick to jump away from danger, when pressed, they can be ferocious enemies.
Physical Description: Sasquatches are tall, muscular hominids covered in long, warm fur. They stand between six and a half and eight feet tall, weighing between 250 and 600 pounds. Their shaggy, dense fur is usually some shade of brown, ranging from a lighter beige to almost black. White fur is very rare, but it periodically appears. *Sasquatches have a number of apelike features, including a small crest at the peak of the skull, long canines, and slightly protruding jaws. Males are slightly taller and heavier than females, with longer canines, and longer, shaggier fur, particularly on the arms, which drapes in a curtain of hair when they raise their arms. Females do not possess breasts for most of the year, though they develop breasts during the summer mating season and while pregnant or nursing. Sasquatches are physically mature after 12 winters, but are usually only considered adults after 16, and some of the oldest sasquatches can live into their 70s.
Relations: Sasquatches generally don't interact closely with other races. They are exceptionally nervous about contact with humans in particular, due to their history of interactions with them. Some other races may be able to make peaceful contact, but it depends on the settlement in question. No race can freely walk among all sasquatch settlements, not even sasquatch.
Alignment: Sasquatches have strong traditions within their communities, but they also prize individuality and have many freedoms. Most sasquatches are neutral, but examples of all alignments can be found in their communities. Much of sasquatch morality is focused on keeping the clan safe.

LNC
G5155
N152015
E5155
Sasquatch Lands: Sasquatches can be found all through the new world. Some dwell high on mountains, others in forests, and some even in swamps. Sasquatches rarely contact humans, but from time to time a few individuals will emerge from the wild places to explore or make contact with humans. It’s believed that scattered legends from across the world may indicate that they can be found on other continents, but there is little confirmation for these beliefs.
Religion: Sasquatches are firmly religious, but the exact nature of their relationship with the spirits changes from culture to culture. Some have almost no formal religion, simply offering respect and appeasement to the local spirits. Others are much more formalized, naming mythic sasquatch deities and formalizing their beliefs. And still others, particularly those who have close contact with neighboring human groups, may adopt their religious structures.
Language: Sasquatches speak many languages, their root languages splintering into many different tongues as the sasquatches scattered and separated into isolated groups. Coincidentally, all surviving sasquatch languages are descended from the same language family, perhaps indicating some truly ancient root language. Sasquatch languages sound, to human ears, like simple ape vocalizations, hoots, whoops, screeches, and kissing sounds. However, the have a hidden depth, combining tone and sound together to create context. For example, while one particular sequence of hoots and howls may indicate movement, the tone can modify it to indicate moving quickly through water. there is no sasquatch written language, and human written languages fail to include all the sounds necessary.
Names: Sasquatch naming traditions vary from place to place and culture to culture. Some use descriptive names, describing unusual traits or accomplishments of the individual. Some use poetic names, comparing a child to a beautiful flower or a brilliant light. Still others combine the names of their parents into a new name, using a mixture syllables.
Adventurers: Sasquatch characters are extremely strong, and have a powerful presence wherever they find themselves. But despite this, they may be jumpy, shy, and are almost always somewhat secretive about their home and history. Sasquatches make frightfully effective warriors, but most sasquatch adventurers are hunters who adapt their skills to combat, warriors being comparatively rare. Rogues are not particularly uncommon, either. Most sasquatch spell-casters are priests, warlocks, or chosen.

Sasquatch Racial Traits (Advanced Race, 18 RP)
+6 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence Sasquatches are extremely strong and tough, but they simply aren’t as clever as the average human.
Monstrous Humanoid Sasquatches are Monstrous Humanoids.
Medium Size Sasquatches are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties based on size.
Normal Speed Sasquatches have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision Sasquatches can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Natural Armor Sasquatches have dense fur and tough skin, granting them a +2 natural armor bonus to armor class.
Bite Sasquatches have a natural bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. This bite is a secondary attack.
Dense Fur A Sasquatch’s dense fur that protects them against both attacks and the environment. They gain a +4 racial bonus to fortitude saves and constitution checks to resist the effects of harsh weather.

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 01:44 PM
Cultures:

NameBackground SkillsBackground FeatsNative LanguagesBonus LanguagesMandatesTaboos
Sasquatch
Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Bellowing Roar, Elusive, Endurance, Hurl, Lucid Dreamer, Musk, Nature’s Armory, Rugged Northerner
Ha'ah'oO, Ha'oo'px, Oowa'oo'px, Oowoo'a, Wahah'a, Oo'px'huu
Zhongwen
Retrieving a body for proper burial
Revealing the location of a settlement
Subcultures
Ha'ah'oO
Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Elusive, Endurance, Lucid Dreamer, Musk, Rugged Northerner
Ha’ah’oO
Zhongwen
Replanting a portion of a harvested plant, Retrieving a corpse for proper burial.
Killing an animal for food or materials, Cutting or knocking down a living tree.
Oo'wa'Oo
Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Bellowing Roar, Elusive, Endurance, Hurl, Musk, Point-Blank Shot, Track
Oo'wa'Oo'px


Looking inside another's Ha-ah, Wasting food or water, Revealing the location of a tribe




Background Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Background Feats: Elusive, Endurance, Hurl, Lucid Dreamer, Musk, Nature’s Armory, Rugged Northerner
Native Language: Ha'ah'oO, Ha'oo'px, Oo'wa'Oo'px, Oowoo'a, Wahah'a, Oo'px'huu
Bonus Languages: Zhongwen
Mandates: Retrieving a body for proper burial
Taboos: Revealing the location of a settlement

Special: Sasquatches of all sasquatch cultures are trained to move through their environment without impediment and to remain hidden. They select one of the following terrain types as their Native Terrain: Cold, Forest, Jungle, Mountain, or Swamp. While in their native terrain, they gain a +2 competence bonus to stealth checks, survival checks, and can move at their normal speed over natural difficult terrain. Magically manipulated terrain affects them normally.

Description Sasquatches are tall, muscular hominids covered in long, shaggy fur. They stand between six and a half and eight feet tall, weighing between 250 and 600 pounds, males being slightly taller and heavier than females. Their shaggy fur is usually some shade of brown, ranging from a lighter brown to almost black. White fur is very rare, but it periodically appears. Males tend to grow longer fur, particularly on their arms, creating a draping curtain of fur. This fur covers a sasquatch entirely but for the soles of the feet, the palms and fingers, and the face. Sasquatches have a number of apelike features, including a small crest at the peak of the skull, long, sharp canines, and slightly protruding jaws. Females do not possess breasts, except during mating season (summer), and while pregnant or nursing. Females are fertile year-round, but most mating takes place during the *summer. A sasquatch pregnancy lasts 11 months, the child’s development slowing to almost a stop during hibernation. In winter, most sasquatches enter a state of hibernation until the spring thaw, though they can avoid entering hibernation if they continue to eat regularly and stay active and warm.
Clothing Most sasquatches do not wear clothes in their everyday lives. They typically rely on their dense fur to protect them against the weather, and they have little societal pressure to cover their bodies. Many will wear simple jewelry, made from small vines or leather strips woven or knotted together, occasionally strung with amulets or beads of stone, bone, or shell. Some groups will wear belts, harnesses, or bags, to help them carry supplies or tools with them. Some will wear loin cloths, particularly those groups that have peaceful contact with humans.
Grooming Sasquatches, particularly males, tend to develop a powerful, musky odor if they don't regularly wash themselves thoroughly. Most societies do so, washing themselves in rivers, streams, or ponds near their villages approximately twice a lunar cycle. Clans groom communally frequently, picking clean the fur of their clan-mates, particularly the areas a sasquatch can't see or clean on their own. Some groups that have more trade with human groups have access to combs, which prove to be all but invaluable to the grooming process. Parasites and insects groomed out of fur are killed, not eaten.
Psychology Sasquatches are a secretive people, always keeping a wary eye out. Many may see them as skittish or jumpy, but in truth, when among their own people and feeling secure, they can be quite laid-back. The near-extinction that drove sasquatch communities into hiding in the first place still affects their day-to-day lifestyle in a profound way, and they are slow to trust newcomers, and even slower to trust outsiders. But while they may be quick to jump away from danger, when pressed, they can be ferocious enemies.
Morality Sasquatch morality is based around the principle that secrecy is safety. Sasquatches usually want nothing more than to be left alone to live with their communities in peace, and their taboos and mandates center around keeping hidden and keeping the community from being discovered however possible.
Life The daily life of a sasquatch is taken up by the activities of foraging for food. For the most part, sasquatches are herbivorous, subsisting on fruits, nuts, berries, leaves, and even certain kinds of tree bark. However, they are opportunistic omnivores at heart, and will eat small animals, insects, and eggs if the opportunity presents itself. They may even hunt larger animals such as deer if times are particularly lean. The remainder of their time is spent socializing and interacting with the other sasquatches in the community. Most sasquatches are nocturnal, active and awake during the hours of darkness, stirring as the sun begins to set.
Arts and Crafts Sasquatch art pieces are rare, and usually small enough to be worn around or easily stowed. Instead, most of their artists work in intangible mediums, such as stories, song, or among the magically talented, illusion. Those that do work in materials usually are carvers, working with wood or stone to sculpt fine, detailed icons and figures. These carvings can usually be found on necklaces or other jewelry. Sasquatch also have painters, who create works of art on the walls of their caves with natural dyes.
Technology Sasquatches are somewhat behind the curve on technology. Their tools and weaponry are simple in design but always well-made. Sasquatches rarely contact other groups, so there is little spread of ideas, which can limit their advancement. Most sasquatch communities lack industry and only a few trade freely with human groups, so they have no access to advanced materials such as iron, or machined goods. However, most have no need of such technology. They live just fine with stone or wood tools, and a spear can be just as lethal as a bullet.
Magic Sasquatch magic is quite advanced, but not quite as showy as many native societies. Typically their spellcasters focus on illusion and abjuration, both having an important place in the daily life of the sasquatch. Abjuration protects the caves and the people during the winter sleep, and illusion helps keep them from being discovered. Some spellcasters may use illusion to illustrate stories or songs as they perform them.
Love Sasquatches believe strongly in love and romance of all kinds, but they have little cultural need for 'marriages' as most human groups have. Many sasquatches never form any sort of bond, and quite enjoy a life of “fooling around” without attachments. There are three kinds of bonds in most sasquatch societies. The first is the loosest bond, essentially a formal declaration of affection. Both parties can continue to fool around, and may share partners, and either can break it off at any time. The second is a bit more formal, more akin to 'going steady'. The two are typically faithful to each other, but the bond can be dissolved by either party, and they remain in their original clans. The third is the closest to marriage, where the two officially bond themselves. The male joins the female's clan, and the two may be bonded indefinitely, though the two can 'divorce' for a number of reasons.
War Sasquatches prefer any number of alternatives before actual war is undertaken. Typically, the first resort when confronted is to retreat and disappear. They rush off into their home territory and attempt to evade their pursuers, disappearing into the wilderness. If suspicions are raised, they may make an extra effort at home, keeping the noise down and keeping most of the community inside the cave until the outsiders lose interest in the search. Should they be tracked down, they then resort to scare tactics, attempting to intimidate or chase off those who get too close, to keep them away from the heart of the settlement. If even that fails, then they pack up and move, abandoning the settlement and moving elsewhere to find a new place to call home. Should they continue to be pursued, though, that is when the warfare begins. Sasquatch favor guerrilla tactics and night-time attacks, hurling rocks and spears at enemies from a distance, using their mastery of the terrain and darkvision to move around their foes and set up ambushes. They may also launch quick strikes against enemy encampments and villages, sneaking as close as they can before rushing in, sabotaging and breaking as much as they can before the enemy forces can properly mobilize, then vanishing back into the wilds. They generally don't kill their targets, they just aim to make it unpleasant enough that they give up the effort of attacking them. Though, if the attackers have done something unforgivable, such as slaying the young ones, they may adopt more of a 'scorched earth' tactic.
Death Sasquatches regard death much the same way humans do, with great sadness and a great deal of mourning, particularly if the dead one was a child. Sasquatches seek to honor their dead as much as they can, and will seek to recover their fallen whenever possible, even if that means launching a mission into enemy territory. Members of the fallen's clan will dig a grave somewhere out on the periphery of their territory, and then bury the dead one, often with some of their treasured possessions and a single tree seed in their hands, clasped over their chest. They then plant seeds atop the grave mound, usually annual flowers of some sort, but herbs are not uncommon. The seeds help to decompose the body, and the skeleton is usually destroyed in the process. Some communities use fruit seeds or nuts and edible herbs to mark the graves, allowing the fallen to help nourish the clan even after their death, but other groups find this distasteful. Sasquatch graves are scattered all around there are no designated 'graveyards'. Sasquatch elders that are well cared for can sometimes live into their 70s.
Society and Culture
Leadership Sasquatch clans are led by two leaders each, the leaders of each clan in a settlement coming together into a council for the community as a whole. The leaders are known by different terms in different languages, but they roughly translate as 'hunt chief' and 'wise chief'. The hunt chief is in charge of the day-to-day survival of the tribe. They ensure there are enough gatherers to feed everyone, that food is distributed to those who can't gather, that there are enough supplies for everyone in the clan, and that everyone keeps to the rules of secrecy and stealth. In general, the day-to-day needs of the clan. The wise chief is in charge of the long-term survival of the clan. They are usually a priest, druid, or chosen one, and they are in charge of major things like making contact with other settlements, determining when and where the clan moves, determining who it is safe to trade with, and making sure the spirits are appeased. They are often in charge of educating the young ones in the traditions of the sasquatch, and may be the only resident magician for a clan.
Social Structure The smallest unit in sasquatch culture is the clan. A clan is centered around a direct female lineage. Any child born to a female of a given clan is part of the clan, and some males may be adopted into the clan with permanent bonds. Most clans consist of a “greatmother”, the direct ancestor of all members of the clan, and two or three generations of her descendants. Her male siblings may be part of the clan as well. When the direct genetic link is broken by death, clans split, though they may remain in the same settlement together. Members of the same clan are forbidden to mate. An average clan consists of between 20 and 40 individuals. Multiple clans live together in a single settlement, usually from 2 to 5 clans.
Family A sasquatch's clan is their family, and they are as close to them as one can be. The child of any female in a clan is considered the responsibility of the entire clan, and it's not uncommon for there to be a handful of young ones in any given clan at any given time, being passed around among relatives to be cared for. There is one duty that is always the mother's, and that is breast-feeding. Where a human child usually has a mother and a father, a sasquatch child is nurtured by their mother and the rest of the clan. Sasquatch children reach physical maturity at 12 winters, but most groups don’t consider them fully adults until 16 winters.
Traditions Sasquatches have many varied traditions, in many different regions. One common, almost universal tradition is the Sleepers’ Feast. As autumn comes to an end and the cold sets in, the sasquatches go out and gather food, stockpiling for a week. Berries, fruit, roots, tubers, bark, whatever is available. They may even hunt animals to round out the menu. When the gathering is complete, they hold an enormous feast that may last for days. There is singing, and storytelling, and quite a bit of fooling around, which lasts until the food runs out. When it does, the sasquatch make their way into the cave, the wards are set, the winter guards posted, and the entire settlement settles in to hibernate through the winter.
Other Races Sasquatches generally don't interact closely with other races. They are exceptionally nervous about contact with humans in particular, due to their history of interactions with them. Some other races may be able to make peaceful contact, but it depends on the settlement in question. No race can freely walk among sasquatch settlements, not even other sasquatch.
Religion Sasquatches are firmly religious, but the exact nature of their relationship with the spirits changes from culture to culture. Some have almost no formal religion, simply offering respect and appeasement to the local spirits. Others are much more formalized, naming mythic sasquatch deities and formalizing their beliefs. And still others, particularly those who have close contact with neighboring human groups, may adopt their religious structures.
History and Folklore Long ago, sasquatches were the only hominids of the new world. They built empires and nations nearly as grand as the nations of the humans who now inhabit the land. But there was a climate shift which destroyed their way of life, rendering the once great nations into scattered bands of survivors. Then humans arrived on the scene, and the two groups clashed. Humans came out on top, and nearly drove the weakened sasquatch into extinction before they began to hide in the deep wilds. Sasquatch have various versions of this tale, heavily altered by generations of repetition and reinterpreted through the lens of storytelling.
Language Sasquatches speak many languages, their root languages splintering into many different tongues as the sasquatches scattered and separated into isolated groups. Coincidentally, all surviving sasquatch languages are descended from the same language family, perhaps indicating some truly ancient root language. Sasquatch languages sound, to human ears, like simple ape vocalizations, hoots, whoops, screeches, and kissing sounds. However, the have a hidden depth, combining tone and sound together to create context. For example, while one particular sequence of hoots and howls may indicate movement, the tone can explain moving quickly through water.
Phrasebook
“On The Plains” - a sasquatch idiom meaning that one is exposed, and therefore vulnerable. Sasquatches treat being found similar to how most other races treat being lost.
Sasquatch A loanword, descended from a Halkomelem word for the wild men, s'asq'ets. Most sasquatch languages have their own words for themselves, and many different cultures refer to them by different terms.
Written Language Sasquatches do not have a written language of their own. There are no human written languages suitable to write in sasquatch languages, as many of the sounds involved are impossible for humans to replicate.
Names Sasquatch naming traditions vary from place to place and culture to culture. Some use descriptive names, describing unusual traits or accomplishments of the individual. Some use poetic names, comparing a child to a beautiful flower or a brilliant light. Still others combine the names of their parents into a new name, using a mixture syllables.
Cities and Settlements Sasquatches settle in different ways in different places. Most settlements consist of between 2 and 5 clans, sometimes up to 200 individuals. Clans may leave or join settlements from time to time, depending on space and food available. Most settlements are based around a natural cave systems, either seasonally or year-round. They use these caves as shelter and to remain out of sight. Sasquatches line their caves with sleeping nests, large bowl-shaped beds made of sticks, leaves, fur, and other materials, big enough for a mother and child to share comfortably through the night.
Economy Sasquatch settlements don't trade often, not even with other settlements. They usually function on a subsistence economy, with each individual providing for themselves, any surplus being used to support those of the clan who can't supply food for themselves, such as elders and young ones. There are very few specialists, most craftsman working on their crafts in the spare time.
Example City Ho'uu'Ah, which roughly translates to 'Endless Caverns' is the largest sasquatch settlement in the new world, consisting of 20 clans and almost a thousand sasquatches. While humans struggle to find their way through the lightless depths of the seemingly endless cave, the sasquatches have no trouble, and there seem to be very few monstrous residents to be found. The land above is rich with fruit, berries, and game in the summer months, and there's nearly no end to the space down below. And in lean times, there are always bats to be found. The massive sasquatch population prompts the humans of the area to avoid the caverns for fear of the monsters that live there, and the sasquatch are not particularly eager to push them. The endless caverns are littered with sleeping bowls wherever there's flat ground to support them, and ropes and bridges are scattered all throughout, bridging gaps and ridges where travel is difficult. No matter how deep the sasquatches go, the caverns seem to keep going, but some elders warn that going too deep will awaken something they cannot put back to sleep.
Creating Sasquatch Characters When creating a sasquatch character, carefully consider the area the sasquatch was raised, how the region would affect them, and how they stand among their people. Was their clan particularly isolated, or did they share space with many clans? What sort of environment did they grow up in, and how did they relate to their surroundings? Did they have any unusual contact with outsiders? And perhaps most importantly, what caused them to leave their home settlement and clan?
Special Options Sasquatch characters have a wide variety of special options. They select a native terrain, which allows them to move without impediment and hide more effectively in the terrain they were raised on. They also have a number of feats available to them. Many males take the Musk feat when they reach maturity, particularly those in the southeastern regions of Vespuccia, the strength of the musk believed to be associated with their potency and strength. The Elusive feat allows sasquatches to move even more freely, without fear of detection and without fear of being tracked. Many more aggressive sasquatch settlements will have many who select the Hurl or Nature’s Armory feats. Some sasquatch may even have the honor of becoming a winter guard, one of the elite sasquatches who stands vigil over the sasquatches through the long winter’s sleep.
Sasquatch as Characters Sasquatch characters are extremely strong, and have a powerful presence wherever they find themselves. But despite this, they may be jumpy, shy, and are almost always somewhat secretive about their home and history. Sasquatches make frightfully effective warriors, but most sasquatch adventurers are hunters who adapt their skills to combat, warriors being comparatively rare. Rogues are not particularly uncommon, either. Most sasquatch spellcasters are warlocks, chosen ones, or priests.

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 01:45 PM
Subcultures:

Ha’ah’oO, Northwest Rainforest Sasquatches

Background Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Background Feats: Elusive, Endurance, Lucid Dreamer, Musk, Rugged Northerner,
Native Language: Ha’ah’oO
Bonus Languages: Zhongwen
Mandates: Replanting a portion of a harvested plant, Retrieving a corpse for proper burial.
Taboos: Killing an animal for food or materials, Cutting or knocking down a living tree.

Special: A Ha’ah’oO sasquatch’s native terrain is always Forest.

Description Ha’ah’oO look like normal sasquatches, but the appearance of white-furred sasquatches is slightly more common in this region.
Clothing Ha’ah’oO wear very little in the way of clothing, their fur serving just fine for the task at most time. Their cultural ban against killing animals for food or materials leaves them with little to make clothing of on their own. They may wear jewelry or cords of woven or knotted vines and fibers tied around the neck, upper arm, waist, or ankle, sometimes with wooden or stone pendants or amulets, sometimes dyed bright colors. Ha’ah’oO who regularly deal with the Fusangren may don loincloths or Fusangese clothes they’re traded for previously, out of respect for the sensibilities of the humans, but almost all of them find clothes uncomfortable over fur.
Grooming Ha’ah’oO are fastidious about remaining clean. Each day after they return from gathering, Ha’ah’oO pair off, usually within the clan, but sometimes with a close friend or a lover, and groom each other. These pairs often eat and chat casually while they groom one another. In addition to this regular grooming, four times in each lunar cycle, a clan will gather together and travel to a nearby river, stream, or pond, and bathe thoroughly. Trade from Fusang gives them more access to grooming products, such as combs, perfumes, and oils, which are all very popular gifts between lovers.
Psychology Ha’ah’oO are exceptionally laid back by sasquatch standards. They dwell in a fertile forest, where the land offers more than enough for them all to survive, and since the Fusangese diseases swept through and devastated the human populations, they have very little to fear in the woodlands. Some clans still keep to the traditions of secrecy out of fear that the human numbers will rebound, but many more have all but forgotten them, walking openly and freely through the forests and enjoying its bounty.
Morality Ha’ah’oO have strong cultural beliefs about good and evil, established by the dreamwalker council hundreds of years ago. A central tenant of this code is that all lives are sacred, and that the potential life of any one creature is as valuable as any other. This code says that to kill an animal for meat, hide, or any material from its body, is an expression of greed and pride. When the plants all around can easily support them, eating animals is unnecessary, and shows that one believes their momentary pleasure or convenience to be more valuable than the entire future life of the animal. The code does allow one to kill in self-defense, or to put a dying animal or plant out of its misery, and nothing forbids the eating or use of that animal, or any dead animal one encounters, it only forbids the Ha’ah’oO from hunting and killing the animals. Their beliefs also forbid them from killing a living tree, and while killing some plants is unavoidable in order to survive, the code requires them to replant the seeds or a portion of the tuber from any plant they eat, to ensure the plants they eat continue to thrive. Their respect for life does not apply to clams, such as geoduck, which they view as, essentially, tubers, a point of view they justify by saying the clams have no real potential future they ruin.
Life The daily life of the vast majority of Ha’ah’oO consists of gathering. As the sun sets, they awaken in their cave homes, and make their way out into the forest, where they spend between half and two-thirds of the night gathering and eating the fruits, berries, and vegetables the forest offers them, making sure to get enough extra to support the clan elders and specialists. When they return, they groom each other and socialize, often romantically, until sunrise, when they begin to settle in to sleep. Some clans that deal with Fusangren more closely may take on a diurnal schedule to accommodate the bald ones.
Arts and Crafts As they do not hunt, and do not cut down healthy trees, Ha’ah’oO crafts are limited by the availability of materials. They may use strips of birch bark for canvases, painting them with dyes made from berries and certain mixtures of minerals. They also work in stone and clay, sculpting beautiful figures, pottery, and statues. Ha'ah'oO are somewhat more open to larger works of sculpture and beauty, being more permanently settled than most of their neighbors.
Technology Ha'ah'oO have never been particularly strong in terms of technology. Their large hands and great strength make it difficult to manipulate some more intricate and delicate sorts of technology. However, their ties to the Fusangren allow them access to a greater amount of technology than most.
Magic Ha'ah'oO have strong priestly and druidic traditions, most clans having at least one priest, druid, or chosen among their numbers. Ha'ah'oO are particularly innovative in the field of dream magic, their priests developing spells that allow them to communicate through dreams or even mastering techniques to project their souls to the spirit world whenever they sleep.
War Ha'ah'oO wage war with the same tactics as most sasquatches, however, they are much more reluctant to move out of a settlement, and more reluctant to resort to lethal measures, usually putting more emphasis on nonlethal deterrence and sabotage. Ha'ah'oO warriors seek forgiveness from a priest after a battle where they kill an enemy and explain why it was unavoidable. If the priest forgives, they perform a ritual wherein their hands are ritually washed of the blood of their enemies and their souls are cleansed.
Death Ha'ah'oO regard death the same way as moth sasquatches, but they typically do not bury their dead. Rather, the dead one is placed upon a small raft, and their clan prepares for the mourning. Those that are able will follow the raft as it flows downstream, all the way to the sea if possible, trading stories about the fallen and keeping the raft from becoming stuck. When the body reaches the sea, there is a final send-off on the shore while the body drifts away onto the water.
Society and Culture
Leadership Ha'ah'oO have leadership traditions similar to most sasquatches, but the 'Hunt Chief
is called the 'Gathering Chief', and has a less important role, as they place less emphasis on stealth. Some more liberal clans will not have a gathering chief at all, their tasks being instead passed to the wise chief.
Traditions Ha'ah'oO have a peculiar tradition they take part in during late summer. The young ones of the clan gather on a shallow section of a stream. An elder designated a number of them as 'bears' and marks their hands with red powdery dye. The bears position themselves in the water, and the rest of the participants are signaled to run, and charge through the shallow water, trying to avoid being tagged by the 'bears', their touches leaving red hand-prints on the tagged. If any make it through the gauntlet untagged, they are celebrated as champions for the night, but if there are none, the 'bears' are celebrated in their place. It's believed that if the runners win, it's a good omen for the salmon run, and if the 'bears' win, it's a bad omen. Ha'ah'oO celebrate the Sleeper's Feast like other sasquatch cultures, and the centerpiece dish of the feast is usually the post-spawning salmon, sometimes smoked to make it last.
Other Races Ha'ah'oO are much closer with their human neighbors than most sasquatch groups. The dreamwalker council officially allied them with the human nation of Fusang, which has led to a gradual but undeniable blending of the races. Most Ha'ah'oO rarely see human visitors in their forested homes, but some particularly rugged individuals, such as some martial artists, may move into the forests to live the simple life. Similarly, Ha'ah'oO, particularly the younger ones, may travel to the human lands to experience the thrilling, exciting lives of humans. However, most Ha'ah'oO bristle under the idea of needing to work constantly to support themselves, and may feel lost without the presence of their extended clans. While the individuals aren't particularly common in each other's lands, some cultural transmission and trade allows ideas to flow back and forth, gradually shaping both sides.
Religion Ha'ah'oO are strongly spiritual, with a well-defined religious structure, led by a pantheon of the three greatest spirits, the Ocean, the Sky, and their child, the Forest. Paying proper respect to these three and the multitude of smaller spirits ensures that their homeland remains fertile and abundant with life. In recent years, some of those with closer contact with humans have either adopted Buddhism entirely, or adopted a few select traits from the religion, combining them into their existing religious structure, such as reincarnation.
History and Folklore In ancient times, the Ha'ah'oO were one of the most violent sasquatch cultures, a fractured collection of warring bands that fought each other and the humans when they arrived. Their folklore tells of how the first dreamwalker council was formed, by three wise chiefs who projected their souls to the spirit world to seek wisdom. Each went to one of the three great spirits, and asked how they could solve the troubles plaguing their people. Each spirit refused to answer at the time, promising it would be revealed in the future, and instead shared their wisdom on many things with the dreamwalkers. When the long sleep neared its end, the great spirits told them to journey to a specific clearing when they awoke, and told them they would find the answer they sought. When the dreamwalkers arrived, they found the other dreamwalkers. At first, they argued about who would receive the answer promised by the great spirits, but as they waited, and waited, and waited, they began to talk, sharing knowledge and stories, and eventually, they realized the spirits weren't going to reveal the answer, they'd given it to them in each other. The three joined together and set about converting the rest of the Ha'ah'oO to their new philosophy.
Language Ha'ah'oO speak Ha'ah'oO, which is highly similar to other sasquatch languages, though it incorporates some additional loanwords from Zhongwen.
Phrasebook
Written Language Some Ha'ah'oO have attempted to adapt their words into a collection of characters similar to those from Zhongwen, but with added notation to indicate tone and pitch. Thus far they have been unsuccessful.
Names Ha'ah'oO names are typically poetic in nature, comparing a child to something in nature. When they come of age, they begin the process of choosing an adult name for themselves, carefully considering the multitude of implications associated with each before eventually settling upon something they believe embodies their nature, which is announced at their final coming of age ceremony.
Cities and Settlements Ha'ah'oO settlements are largely typical of sasquatch cultures, though in recent years, some of those in areas with extremely low human populations have begun to expand settlements outside cave systems, with sleeping bowls spread all around the entrance of the caves. These outside sleeping bowls are designed so they can be covered by basket-like woven lids, which are either held over the bowl like an umbrella, or laid atop to completely cover the bowl.
Economy Ha'ah'oO rarely trade, as they have relatively little to offer the humans in terms of material possessions. Those that do trade usually do so with a small number of very well-made and valuable items, such as magical items, or finely-crafted tools.
Example city Hoo'Ah'aa the name of a cave system in the lowlands, home to a relatively progressive community of sasquatches. The caves are positioned less than a day's journey from a Fusang liaison office, where an official from the human lands is posted to respond to the concerns of the Ha'ah'oO. This close access allows those of the Hoo'Ah'aa community more access to Fusang goods. Most of them speak Zhongwen to some limited degree, and some can be found wearing silk handkerchiefs as arm- or head-bands, or wearing some metal trinket on a necklace. There are perhaps a dozen sleeping bowls outside the entrance to their caves, which otherwise closely resemble a traditional sasquatch settlement, apart from one or two Buddhist idols beside some sleeping bowls.
Creating Ha'ah'oO Characters When making a Ha'ah'oO character, keep in mind how quickly their way of life has been changing. Many Ha'ah'oO characters may regard these changes as abandoning the sacred traditions. Others may view them as a welcome change, a breath of fresh air after many years in hiding. Different Ha'ah'oO may believe the humans to be many different things. A corrupting influence, exciting new allies, shifty strangers, ugly hairless creatures, wise scholars... Consider how your character reacts to these developments and others, and why they felt the call to adventure.
Special Options Ha'ah'oO have many unique options available. Many learn the art of lucid dreaming, to allow them to control their dreams. Some become Winter Guardians, the brave individuals who stand against the winter's cold, keeping the slumbering individuals safe and tending their needs.
Ha'ah'oO as Characters Ha'ah'oO have few warriors and almost no hunters. Most of those who become adventurers have some supernatural aspect to them, such as priests, druids, or chosen. There are a number or warlocks, as well. Warriors, hunters, and rogues are more common among those who become outcasts or live among the humans.

Oo'wa'Oo, Rocky Mountain Sasquatches

Background Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Perception, Stealth, Survival
Background Feats: Bellowing Roar, Elusive, Endurance, Hurl, Musk, Point-Blank Shot, Track.
Native Language: Oo'wa'Oo'px,
Bonus Languages:
Mandates:
Taboos: Looking inside another's Ha-ah, Wasting food or water, revealing the location of a campsite.

Special: A Oo'wa'Oo sasquatch’s native terrain is always Mountain.


Description Oo'wa'Oo resemble normal sasquatches, but darker colors of fur are more common among them.
Clothing Oo'wa'Oo wear little by human standards, but more than most sasquatches. Almost all Oo'wa'Oo own a Ha-ah, a specific type of utility bag. The bag is sizable, made of sturdy leather, and designed to hold itself shut securely with pin-and-loop fasteners. It bears a wide band that's worn over one shoulder so the bag hangs on the opposite hip. The band has a number of vertical and horizontal slits along its length, which can be pulled out to allow weapons and tools to be securely slipped between them, allowing them the be securely held in place and easily accessible while leaving the hands free. It's a very practical item, and its design has been continually improved over hundreds of years of use. It's also considered to be very personal, each individual makes their own and it is considered extremely rude to look in another's Ha-ah.
Grooming Oo'wa'Oo typically don't care much for grooming, but they understand the practical advantages of it. Most wash themselves when possible, about twice a month, but those with stronger musk may need to bathe more often to minimize the effects of their stronger scent.
Psychology Oo'wa'Oo are highly practical and pragmatic in mindset. Every possession, emotion, and course of action is evaluated for usefulness, and those that do not help them to survive are discarded, suppressed, or abandoned. This is not to say they discourage creativity, in fact, creativity is highly prized, but only if it yields tangible benefits for the individual or the tribe as a whole. One defining trait of their psychology is preparedness. In the harsh environment of their homeland, one never knows what comes next, so they usually prepare for the worst whenever entering an uncertain situation. There is also a certain eagerness to act, most prefer to be doing something actively than waiting for something to happen.
Morality The Oo'wa'Oo strongly believe that wasteful behavior is shameful, and at a certain extreme, dangerous. Children who waste food or water are harshly punished, and adults tend to retain a certain unwillingness to waste anything. While wasting resources is the most obvious application of this, the Oo'wa'Oo regard many things as wasteful. Killing a defeated enemy is largely seen as wasteful,
Life Oo'wa'Oo live a simple, goal-oriented life. Most awaken as the sun begins to set, eat a bit of whatever food stores they possess, and ready their gear for the evening. Males depart from their camp sites to go hunting and gathering, while females remain behind, raising the children or working various crafts to make more supplies for the next night. When the males return, the tribe eats, each family enjoying the fruits of their male's labors. After the food, there is some time for socializing and planning, and finally, the tribe prepares for the morning and the coming night.
Arts and Crafts Oo'wa'Oo are masters of practical crafts, the females being those who produce various material goods. Typically, they work in the common materials of the land, usually stone, leather, bone or horn, and sometimes wood. Luxury items are all but unheard of, as is needless decoration. They generally believe that a well-made item has a more real kind of beauty. Even the most artistic usually apply their art in the process of making something functional. Any item that has no use or can't perform its task is discarded.
Technology Oo'wa'Oo generally develop little technology, but their focus on practicality allows them to see the advantages of technology they encounter among other groups. They have encountered firearms, but generally don't use them, as the need for gunpowder and bullets make them largely impractical for extensive use in their isolated mountain homes. However, crossbows are spreading through the mountains, their relatively simple construction and easily noted advantages making them highly prized possessions, though some still prefer the greater potential power offered by horn bows.
Magic Oo'wa'Oo have relatively few spellcasters, usually relying on the powers of a handful of priests in each tribe. These usually specialize in protection magic and divination, using their protective magics to ward their camp sites against detection, and divination to seek out new resources such as clean streams and safe camp-sites.
Love Oo'wa'Oo are unlike most sasquatches, in that they believe that strong emotional bonds to be a liability. In the vast majority of cases, the selection of a mate is purely a practical choice. Males try to attract females that are particularly attractive, or have useful skills to support them. Females try to attract the males that are capable providers. If their attempts are mutually successful, the females may join a male's harem, which is an exclusive relationship within the harem. A female can leave a harem at any time, but is generally reluctant to do so, unless the male fails to provide for a long enough period. When romantic love does arise, most tribes will try to subtly discourage the relationship, but rarely spend too much time or effort doing so, confident the individuals will see the error of their ways soon enough.
War Oo'wa'Oo believe full-scale war to be wasteful, taking valuable time away from the hunting and crafting needed to survive. The tribe's leadership will usually endeavor to ensure that any conflicts remain personal and don't spiral into larger conflicts. If a group conflict is inevitable, the leadership of the clans will put forth champions from each group to settle a dispute by proxy. It's widely believed that killing the fallen enemy, if not entirely necessary, is similarly wasteful, provided the defeated learns their lesson from the experience. Most Oo'wa'Oo rely on fear to keep individuals away from their camp sites. If they can avoid being spotted they will, but if they are seen, they will typically try to intimidate an enemy or chase them away, rather than trying to lose them.
Death Oo'wa'Oo see death is it is, the natural order of things. It's widely understood that if one is killed by an animal or an enemy, or in an accident that could have been somehow prevented, that the one who died is at least partially responsible for their own demise. They are taught that those who die in this way were weak, that their death was the consequence of weakness, or failing to prepare, and that though it may hurt for a time, ultimately their loss will strengthen the tribe. If an accident or uncontrollable disaster takes a life, or if the fallen was particularly young, there may be more ceremony, but only if the time and resources can be spared.
Society and Culture
Leadership Oo'wa'Oo leadership is much the same as other sasquatches, but the leaders are for the tribe, rather than the clan.
Social Structure Oo'wa'Oo live in tribes of between thirty and 100 individuals. The tribe is not based on direct blood relations like a clan, rather consisting of many different families blended together. Marriage within the tribe is perfectly acceptable, but attracting particularly alluring individuals from other tribes to join the tribe is a greater accomplishment and offers greater social prestige. The main body of the tribes consists of bachelors and unattached females, usually the young adults who've yet to form or join a harem. They typically pool their resources under the direction of the hunt chief, to ensure none go hungry and everyone has the tools they need. Children outside of harems are usually left in the care of the wise chief.
Family The basic family unit within the tribe is the harem, consisting of one male and as many as five attached females and any immature children. These harems are self-contained, each member relying on other members of the harem to provide them with all their needs. They provide their own food, their own supplies, they care for their own children, and so on. Males and females are raised the same until they reach 10 winters of age, when a male's education is given over to the male of the harem, or the hunt chief if the child is not in a harem, in order to learn how to hunt. At the same time, females begin to really learn the nature of the crafts. At 15 winters, the child is considered fully adult, and leaves the harem, or the care of the chiefs, to join the unaffiliated adults of the tribe.
Traditions Oo'wa'Oo have relatively few traditions, seeing them as wasteful, the one exception being the Sleeper's Feast, which they view as the one time a year they can truly relax and celebrate without fear or caution. The celebration tends to get somewhat wild.
Other Races The harsh environment of the mountains and the dangerous creatures that inhabit it make other races a rare sight in Oo'wa'Oo lands. Occasionally a tribe will wander up to the higher reaches of the mountains from the foothills, and the Oo'wa'Oo will try to keep their distance. If that becomes impossible, they will usually try to frighten off the intruders with mighty roars that echo off the stony peaks and midnight attacks with pelted sticks and rocks. However, if an individual or group approaches with the appropriate signs of their intent and offerings of sufficient value, the Oo'wa'Oo may sometimes be convinced to escort them through the mountains safely.
Religion The Oo'wa'Oo have two great spirits, the Earth and the Sky, all other things being created by the efforts of those two beings. They often pay respect to other powerful nature spirits and the animals they kill, but they never expend resources in the process.
History and Folklore The oral history of the Oo'wa'Oo is fragmented, due to relatively few scholars and largely independent tribes. Most scholarly sorts believe the groups once occupied lowland areas and were driven up into the higher lands by human expansion.
Language Oo'wa'Oo'px sounds much like any other sasquatch language to the untrained ear, but in truth, it's one of the most orderly and logical. The language has very few homophones, makes use of prefixes and suffixes, and some scholars who study the tongue comment on how consistent the tonal grammar is.
Phrasebook
Names Oo'wa'Oo naming is logical and consistent. A child's name is made by taking the first syllable of one parent and the first syllable of the other and combining them, with a final suffix to indicate the order of birth. Male names put the father's syllable first, and female names put the mother's syllable first. When they come of age, they earn a descriptive name in addition to this name. Males are given this name by the hunt chief, and females are given this name by the wise chief.
Cities and Settlements Oo'wa'Oo have no permanent cities or settlements, they are nomadic by nature, setting up a series of campsites as they travel in secure locations with access to resources such as fresh water. However, tribes often reuse campsites from year to year as they roam. Wherever they set up camp, the tribe's spell-casters will ward the site with magical rituals to offer a little magical protection from being discovered or attacked. Each year before the long sleep, tribes will gather in large, common campsites outside traditional over-wintering caves. The number of tribes varies based on the size of the cave system, but for a few weeks before and a few weeks after the long sleep, the tribes share the region and interact freely before each goes their own separate ways.
Economy Oo'wa'Oo have very little to trade in the way of material goods. Most of their economy is devoted to the resources needed to survive, and any surplus is usually preserved as much as possible to prepare for future lean times. Most of their external trade consists of services offered for goods, usually an Oo'wa'Oo guide or escort team to lead outsiders through the mountains safely. A group that approaches the high mountains can indicate their desire for this service by lighting a large, smoky fire at sunset and waiting for the Oo'wa'Oo to come investigate. If the guests show they desire aid, and show respect, the wise chief will come to negotiate a deal. Most often they will accept magic weapons, or items that continually produce valuable resources like arrows or food, but have little use for trinkets that will break eventually or serve no immediate purpose.
Example city Px'Huu'Ah is a typical overwintering cave in the mountains, consisting of a flat plateau on the eastern slope, above a sheer cliff, with a cave going into the side of the mountain. From a distance it appears uninhabited, and it is difficult to approach, but if one crosses a certain line they move through the dome of illusion, revealing the runic lines that mark the edge of the dome and maintain the illusion. However, unless you happen to be there between late autumn or early spring, the area is empty. For those few months, however, the area is occupied. In late autumn, the plateau bustles with a couple hundred sasquatches, eagerly catching up after many months apart or comparing accomplishments. Children play 'hide and chase', among the rocks, watched over by their mothers and the wise chiefs. During the winter, the plateau is empty once again, apart from a handful of grizzled, harsh-looking winter guardians standing vigil at or near the mouth of the cave. And in the spring, the tribes emerge once again, saying goodbyes and preparing to move on once again, before, as the middle of the spring returns, the plateau empties once more.
Creating Oo'wa'Oo Characters Oo'wa'Oo are ultimately practical and pragmatic. Consider your character's actions carefully, and see if they would be considered wasteful or unnecessary. Consider your character's gender and how it would shape their experience in their homeland. Be sure to take into account the dangerous, harsh environment they were raised in, and how that would shape their views and reactions.
Special Options As with all sasquatches, the Winter guardians have an important role among the Oo'wa'Oo, protecting the tribe during the long sleep and fighting their instincts all through the bitter winters of the high mountains. Oo'wa'Oo are more focused on hunting than many other sasquatch cultures, and most possess the Track feat. In addition, they more often rely on fear to scare away those who get to close, often taking the Bellowing Roar feat, or later, the Fearful Display feat.
Oo'wa'Oo as Characters The majority of Oo'wa'Oo adventurers are hunters, but there are a number who become warriors, putting their immense strength to full use. Priests are reasonably common, though most priests would require a dramatic reason to leave the tribe. Chosen and Warlocks appear from time to time among the Oo'wa'Oo, but are comparatively few in number.

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 01:47 PM
Feats

Bellowing Roar
Your fearsome roars can intimidate more distant foes.
Prerequisites: Sasquatch
Benefit: You can let out a loud roar, baring your fangs and putting on a fearful show for a distant enemy. The maximum range at which you can demoralize an enemy with the intimidate skill is increased to 60 feet, and you gain a +2 bonus to the check if they are within 30 feet.

Elusive
Your talent for stealth makes you harder to track.
Prerequisites: Any Sasquatch Culture
Benefit: Following your trail is exceptionally difficult. In your native terrain, the survival DC to follow your trail is increased by a number equal to your ranks in stealth, and you can move up to your normal speed while using stealth without penalty.

Hurl
You can whip sticks and stones to great effect.
Prerequisites: Sasquatch, BAB +1
Benefit: You can hurl simple objects with great effect. You can throw any hard object two or more sizes smaller than them as an improvised thrown weapon with a range increment of 20 feet. A tiny object deals 1d6 points of damage, smaller objects deal less. Hurled objects add your strength modifier to damage. You do not take the normal penalty to attack rolls from improvised weapons when throwing objects with this feat. You can pick up a tiny or smaller object to throw as a swift action.

Musk
You can produce a foul-smelling musk to sicken your fores.
Prerequisites: Sasquatch, Male
Benefit: You can secrete a foul-smelling musk, filling a 15-foot aura with a scent that nearly every other creature finds offensive. All living creatures (except those with the stench aura ability) within the aura must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your hit die + your Constitution modifier) or be sickened for 5 rounds. Creatures that succeed at the saving throw cannot be sickened by the same creature's stench aura for 24 hours. This is a poison effect. You can activate or suppress this ability as a free action. While this stink aura is active, your scent is considered overpowering, and for one hour after deactivating it your scent is considered strong. One minute washing in clean water ends this lingering strong scent.

Nature's Armory
You've got an eye for sticks and branches that would make good weapons.
Prerequisites: Sasquatch, BAB +1
Benefit: While in reach of a tree, you can tear off a stick, branch, or bough to wield as a weapon. Using this ability allows you to create a club or greatclub as a standard action, or a javelin, longspear, quarterstaff, shortspear, or spear as a full-round action. Weapons created with this feat are not improvised weapons.

Fearful Display
You can put on a terrifying display of strength and savage ferocity that strikes fear into the hearts of those who witness it.
Prerequisites: Sasquatch, Intimidate 3 ranks
Benefit: As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you can perform a terrifying threat display, beating your chest, baring your teeth and letting loose feral screams. You make an intimidate check to demoralize, applying that check result to all creatures within 30 feet that can clearly see or hear you.

Prestige Classes

Winter Guardian

Dreamwalker

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 01:48 PM
Reserving this in case I have to further expand. You can post now.

Palanan
2014-11-23, 09:01 PM
Very nicely done. Too much to comment on now, but a detailed and richly flavored writeup.

Now I want to play an other-than-human explorer who wants to develop a written language for the sasquatches. :smalltongue:

Admiral Squish
2014-11-23, 10:48 PM
Very nicely done. Too much to comment on now, but a detailed and richly flavored writeup.

Now I want to play an other-than-human explorer who wants to develop a written language for the sasquatches. :smalltongue:

Thanks! Glad you like it.

I did seriously consider how they would do a written language, but the closest I got to a workable solution was some sort of modified syllabary, with added tonal notations, and maybe something to indicate how the syllables are divided.
All the sasquatch words are actually based on orangutan vocalizations, and my crude attempts to transcribe them with English characters. It's surprisingly difficult to figure out how you would spell *kissing sound* or *thumping O sound*.

nonsi
2014-11-24, 02:56 AM
1. It's a medium humanoid. No justification for bite damage 1d6. Reduce to 1d4.
2. +6 Strength definitely merits LA +1.

TripleD
2014-11-24, 03:12 AM
I have mixed opinions.

On the one hand, this is a very thorough write up. The race and subgroups have strong mechanical skeletons with loads of meaty fluff. Building a character from this culture, figuring out how they fit into the larger world, sounds like great RP-ing.

On the other hand though, if you had shown me this home brew and asked me to guess the name, I probably never would have reached "Sasquatch". There's nothing here that incorporates the actual cultures of the Pacific NorthWest (elaborate wooden armor, totem poles, fortresses, etc). It leans more towards the modern ideas of "Bigfoot" (I gotta admit I smiled at the "Skunk Ape" nod via the "Musk" feat) which, if that's what your going for, is still an interesting idea.

It's a great race design, and if it weren't the sole representative of the North-West in your campaign setting (as far as I know; I admit I haven't read 100% of it) I'd probably be more forgiving, but as is I can't help but feel this was a bit of a missed opportunity.

Admiral Squish
2014-11-24, 07:38 AM
1. It's a medium humanoid. No justification for bite damage 1d6. Reduce to 1d4.
2. +6 Strength definitely merits LA +1.

The normal damage for a medium creature's bite attack is 1d6. Considering ape dentition is rather impressive, I figured these guys would be slightly higher than a human's, though it would be as difficult to use in combat, making it a secondary attack.

They are an advanced race, which is as close as PF gets to an LA +1.


I have mixed opinions.

On the one hand, this is a very thorough write up. The race and subgroups have strong mechanical skeletons with loads of meaty fluff. Building a character from this culture, figuring out how they fit into the larger world, sounds like great RP-ing.

On the other hand though, if you had shown me this home brew and asked me to guess the name, I probably never would have reached "Sasquatch". There's nothing here that incorporates the actual cultures of the Pacific NorthWest (elaborate wooden armor, totem poles, fortresses, etc). It leans more towards the modern ideas of "Bigfoot" (I gotta admit I smiled at the "Skunk Ape" nod via the "Musk" feat) which, if that's what your going for, is still an interesting idea.

It's a great race design, and if it weren't the sole representative of the North-West in your campaign setting (as far as I know; I admit I haven't read 100% of it) I'd probably be more forgiving, but as is I can't help but feel this was a bit of a missed opportunity.

Well thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoy the fluff and crunch.

It's not... INTENDED to be bigfoot-focused, really, that just sort of ended up happening because there's so little information on the native myths of such creatures, and so much about bigfoot. I really didn't want to make them just like another northwest coast culture, though, it would make no sense for them to share a language with a different species or have any sort of similar traditions when they live such dramatically different lifestyles and actively avoided contact with each other.

The northwest coast was dramatically emptied out by the plagues brought by the Chinese, something like 95% of the population, which allowed the Ha'ah'oO to fill into their place, making them currently the largest culture in the region. However, the northwest coast cultures are certainly not extinct. One of the primary forces antagonistic to Fusang is the Haida, and some of the other northwest tribes are beginning to grow back after the plagues.

Now that you mention it though... It would be possible for them to have incorporated some technology and design principles from the northwest cultures by picking through the cities and towns left barren by the plagues.

TripleD
2014-11-24, 11:00 AM
It's not... INTENDED to be bigfoot-focused, really, that just sort of ended up happening because there's so little information on the native myths of such creatures, and so much about bigfoot.


Fair enough. From what I understand Sasquatch isn't actually that important in the grand scheme of North-West folklore, hence the lack of information. Figures like Raven or that drowned guy whose name I can never remember (he was one of the antagonists on "Anash and the Legacy of the Sun-Rock") are much more prevalent.



Now that you mention it though... It would be possible for them to have incorporated some technology and design principles from the northwest cultures by picking through the cities and towns left barren by the plagues.

Now that's an idea. The Haida made, in my opinion, the coolest armor of pre-contact North America. It would be a shame for it to never pop up.

Admiral Squish
2014-11-24, 03:39 PM
Fair enough. From what I understand Sasquatch isn't actually that important in the grand scheme of North-West folklore, hence the lack of information. Figures like Raven or that drowned guy whose name I can never remember (he was one of the antagonists on "Anash and the Legacy of the Sun-Rock") are much more prevalent.

Now that's an idea. The Haida made, in my opinion, the coolest armor of pre-contact North America. It would be a shame for it to never pop up.

Yeah, I sort of interpreted the lack of information as confirming a lack of contact between human and sasquatches.

Well, don't worry, the Haida are gonna get plenty of attention. There are plans to have them steal and convert a giant Chinese treasure ship.

TripleD
2014-11-24, 11:45 PM
Well, don't worry, the Haida are gonna get plenty of attention. There are plans to have them steal and convert a giant Chinese treasure ship.

Yes! Is this by any chance based on the real life Haida experimenting with war canoe mounted cannons?

Admiral Squish
2014-11-25, 08:57 AM
Yes! Is this by any chance based on the real life Haida experimenting with war canoe mounted cannons?

This idea was more based on the Haida actually capturing a handful of european ships. Though, the Haida and the Vinlandrs are still gonna be doing that.

Anyways, sasquatches!

ReturnOfTheKing
2014-11-25, 06:58 PM
I really like what you've done with the Subcultures! I'm definitely gonna be using this :smallbiggrin:

One thing - instead of having Cultures organized by Races, maybe one could simply say a specific Culture has a large population of one particular Race? After all, a few Humans live among the predominantly Sasquatch Ha'ah'oO. I dunno, my brain's stuck somewhere between 4th and 5th Edition/gear, so I don't know how things like this would work in Pathfinder :smallconfused:

Admiral Squish
2014-11-26, 02:53 PM
I really like what you've done with the Subcultures! I'm definitely gonna be using this :smallbiggrin:

One thing - instead of having Cultures organized by Races, maybe one could simply say a specific Culture has a large population of one particular Race? After all, a few Humans live among the predominantly Sasquatch Ha'ah'oO. I dunno, my brain's stuck somewhere between 4th and 5th Edition/gear, so I don't know how things like this would work in Pathfinder :smallconfused:

Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

Well, they're not intended to be organized by race, but I probably should have left descriptions a little more open to the option of having a human or some other race raised by sasquatches. But it's important to note, you can't take on a culture later in life without serious investment (a feat), the vast majority of a culture is intended to depict the kind of stuff you would be raised from birth or very young with. The skills and abilities you'd get from your lifetime of experience before level 1.
Edition's got nothin' to do with it, the whole culture mechanic is original work, just relax yer brain and let it flow over ya.

Also, I just realized I forgot to mention sasquatch base speed...:smallredface: