Amechra
2014-12-18, 03:49 AM
THE ILAZKI
A thousand moons ago, the moonbeams danced, and played, and plotted their mad dreams; but on a quiet summers night, something changed.
The moonlight played on the sleeping forms of men and women, and the moonbeams came down to stare upon these strange beings, clad in flesh and worry. Their laughter and play turned quiet, reverent.
For why worry unless there is something of importance, a solidity of being and meaning?
And so the moonbeams became meat and bone. And the world wept.
Personality: The Ilazki's boundaries are paradoxical; they are both private and open. While they are both curious and trusting to a fault, they are also flighty and will often keep secrets for the sake of keeping secrets (only to later tell all).
Physical Description: In their natural state, the Ilazki are indistinct clouds of moonlight, without form or body. When an Ilazki adopts flesh, they can take many forms, though all of them look like humans with slender limbs and a set of tiny decorative antlers on their brow. An Ilazki's skin is always pale, and their hair (or fur) varies from silver-white to pale blue to a rich orange, mirroring the colours of the moon.
As an Ilazki ages, their hold on solid bodies becomes fainter and fainter until they simply dissipate; however, this is not reflected on the forms they can take, leading some to presume that they are nigh-immortal. Neither do their bodies reflect their actual sex; while the Ilazki do possess genders and sexes, they have little to do with the forms that they take.
Relations: The Ilazki are friendly with most races, and are often called upon as neutral parties between warring nations (they rarely have a stake, for all they wish to do is understand).
Alignment: Unshockingly, the Ilazki are predominantly Chaotic, exemplifying the freedom-from-duty rather than anarchy-for-anarchy. They have no predilection towards Good or Evil; they don't fully understand the morals of other races, or their young religions.
L
N
C
G
5
10
15
N
5
15
20
E
5
10
15
Lands: The moon's children take the land they are given; the only lands they refuse are those that cannot see the sky, and those that do not have night. They seldom build their own structures, preferring to rest in their natural forms; the weather and wild bother you little when your flesh is light and dreams. They do, however, grow tall grasses, pale and waxy, which they plait into fantastic dancing-floors and strange arcane glyphs.
Religion: The Ilazki do not explain who they worship; the question is dodged, or the answer is... unhelpful. But on every new moon, the devoted methodically break their bodies, systematically splintering glassy bones and bleeding quicksilver blood. If many are together, they help one another with their grim service; they drink each-other's blood, and keep choice bone fragments for trinkets. And then, as the new moon's light first breaks into the world, they slip back into their true forms, laughing and dancing amongst their own broken bodies.
It is rare that outsiders are allowed to see anything more than the aftermath, the bone flutes and blindfolds of moonskin.
Language: Ilazki enjoy learning new languages, and steadfastly refuse to reveal whether or not they have a language of their own; if they do, it's symbols are only present on the objects made from their own flesh.
Names: Ilazki are named by the Moon; as such, their names tend to be distinct from those of other languages. Their names are heavy in soft sounds and tz's formed with the tongue.
Adventurers: The Ilazki adventure to learn, and to try to find the Moon's other face.
+2 Cha, -2 Wis: The Ilazki are personable, but they do not fully distinguish between "me" and "you".
Type: Ilazki are Fey with the Incarnum subtype.
Size: Ilazki are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to size (but see Moonborn Flesh).
Base Land Speed: Ilazki do not possess a base land speed (but see Moonborn Flesh).
Low-Light Vision: Ilazki can see twice as far as normal in conditions of dim light.
Essentia Pool: If an Ilazki does not have an Essentia pool, they gain one with a single point of Essentia. If they already have an Essentia pool, they increase it by 1.
Body of Moonbeams (Ex): An Ilazki is under a permanent Gaseous Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gaseousForm.htm) effect; this is considered to be their natural form for the purposes of any ability that cares. While they are in this form, Ilazki shed light like a candle and are blind; however, they may feel anything within their "body" with such precision that they can read text and hear by sampling the vibrations in the air.
Moonborn Flesh (Ex): An Ilazki may coalesce their moon-mist bodies into a more solid form over the course of a minute; the first time that the Ilazki does so determines the general appearance of any form they take thereafter. Regardless of what form the Ilazki takes, they can be recognized as the same person by an outside observer. By default, an Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh merely suppresses their Body of Moonbeams racial feature, as well as giving them +2 Con, -2 Str, and a 30' Base Land Speed; however, they may choose a single Warping upon adopting this form. The effects of this ability last until the Ilazki sleeps or is rendered unconscious.
Body Art (Su): The moon's children are no strangers to strange bodies; this Racial Feature is an Essentia Receptacle which may only be invested into when using Moonborn Flesh. For every point of Essentia invested in this racial feature, the Ilazki gains a single [Deformity] feat of their choice that they qualify for as a bonus feat; they may, however, ignore the Alignment prerequisites and the need to possess Willing Deformity. The Essentia invested in this racial feature cannot be divested until the effects of Moonborn Flesh end.
Automatic Languages: Common and Unknown; Any non-secret languages.
Favored Classes: Bard and Extractor (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=8704.0)
LA: +1
Warpings
CHILD
Appearance: The Child warping causes the Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh to shrink to roughly the size of a child; their faces take on a childlike aspect, while their bodies become softer in general.
Changes: The Ilazki's size becomes Small; this grants all of the normal benefits and drawbacks, other than ability score adjustments. Moonborn Flesh grants them a +2 bonus to Dex instead of Con, and their Base Land Speed is 20'.
DEER
Appearance: The Deer warping extends the Ilazki's face into a muzzle; it also rearranges their limbs so that they are digitigrade rather than plantigrade, and converts their hands into soft hooves. Under this warping, they are built to walk on all fours, and covered in a downy fur.
Changes: The Ilazki becomes a quadruped; as such, they may carry a load 1-1/2 times that of a normal creature their size, get a +4 bonus to resist being Bull-Rushed, Overrun, or Tripped, and are required to pay twice as much for armor. This causes them to lose the use of their hands, but does increase their Base Land Speed to 40'. While under the Deer warping, the Ilazki takes a -2 penalty to Dex instead of Str due to their Moonborn Flesh.
FISH
Appearance: The Fish warping causes the Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh's feet to stretch into flippers, slims their shoulders, webs their hands, and causes gills to open like open wounds on the side of their necks. It also flattens out their faces, reducing their noses to slits.
Changes: The Ilazki gains the [Aquatic] subtype, and can breath both air and water equally well. In addition, Moonborn Flesh only gives them a 10' Base Land Speed; in exchange, they gain a 30' Swim speed.
VARIATION
Appearance: This warping is a catch-all term for several Warpings that are mechanically identical; while it has no actual mechanical effects, it allows the Ilazki to tweak their "template" height, weight, apparent age, and apparent sex to match their current whims.
A thousand moons ago, the moonbeams danced, and played, and plotted their mad dreams; but on a quiet summers night, something changed.
The moonlight played on the sleeping forms of men and women, and the moonbeams came down to stare upon these strange beings, clad in flesh and worry. Their laughter and play turned quiet, reverent.
For why worry unless there is something of importance, a solidity of being and meaning?
And so the moonbeams became meat and bone. And the world wept.
Personality: The Ilazki's boundaries are paradoxical; they are both private and open. While they are both curious and trusting to a fault, they are also flighty and will often keep secrets for the sake of keeping secrets (only to later tell all).
Physical Description: In their natural state, the Ilazki are indistinct clouds of moonlight, without form or body. When an Ilazki adopts flesh, they can take many forms, though all of them look like humans with slender limbs and a set of tiny decorative antlers on their brow. An Ilazki's skin is always pale, and their hair (or fur) varies from silver-white to pale blue to a rich orange, mirroring the colours of the moon.
As an Ilazki ages, their hold on solid bodies becomes fainter and fainter until they simply dissipate; however, this is not reflected on the forms they can take, leading some to presume that they are nigh-immortal. Neither do their bodies reflect their actual sex; while the Ilazki do possess genders and sexes, they have little to do with the forms that they take.
Relations: The Ilazki are friendly with most races, and are often called upon as neutral parties between warring nations (they rarely have a stake, for all they wish to do is understand).
Alignment: Unshockingly, the Ilazki are predominantly Chaotic, exemplifying the freedom-from-duty rather than anarchy-for-anarchy. They have no predilection towards Good or Evil; they don't fully understand the morals of other races, or their young religions.
L
N
C
G
5
10
15
N
5
15
20
E
5
10
15
Lands: The moon's children take the land they are given; the only lands they refuse are those that cannot see the sky, and those that do not have night. They seldom build their own structures, preferring to rest in their natural forms; the weather and wild bother you little when your flesh is light and dreams. They do, however, grow tall grasses, pale and waxy, which they plait into fantastic dancing-floors and strange arcane glyphs.
Religion: The Ilazki do not explain who they worship; the question is dodged, or the answer is... unhelpful. But on every new moon, the devoted methodically break their bodies, systematically splintering glassy bones and bleeding quicksilver blood. If many are together, they help one another with their grim service; they drink each-other's blood, and keep choice bone fragments for trinkets. And then, as the new moon's light first breaks into the world, they slip back into their true forms, laughing and dancing amongst their own broken bodies.
It is rare that outsiders are allowed to see anything more than the aftermath, the bone flutes and blindfolds of moonskin.
Language: Ilazki enjoy learning new languages, and steadfastly refuse to reveal whether or not they have a language of their own; if they do, it's symbols are only present on the objects made from their own flesh.
Names: Ilazki are named by the Moon; as such, their names tend to be distinct from those of other languages. Their names are heavy in soft sounds and tz's formed with the tongue.
Adventurers: The Ilazki adventure to learn, and to try to find the Moon's other face.
+2 Cha, -2 Wis: The Ilazki are personable, but they do not fully distinguish between "me" and "you".
Type: Ilazki are Fey with the Incarnum subtype.
Size: Ilazki are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to size (but see Moonborn Flesh).
Base Land Speed: Ilazki do not possess a base land speed (but see Moonborn Flesh).
Low-Light Vision: Ilazki can see twice as far as normal in conditions of dim light.
Essentia Pool: If an Ilazki does not have an Essentia pool, they gain one with a single point of Essentia. If they already have an Essentia pool, they increase it by 1.
Body of Moonbeams (Ex): An Ilazki is under a permanent Gaseous Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gaseousForm.htm) effect; this is considered to be their natural form for the purposes of any ability that cares. While they are in this form, Ilazki shed light like a candle and are blind; however, they may feel anything within their "body" with such precision that they can read text and hear by sampling the vibrations in the air.
Moonborn Flesh (Ex): An Ilazki may coalesce their moon-mist bodies into a more solid form over the course of a minute; the first time that the Ilazki does so determines the general appearance of any form they take thereafter. Regardless of what form the Ilazki takes, they can be recognized as the same person by an outside observer. By default, an Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh merely suppresses their Body of Moonbeams racial feature, as well as giving them +2 Con, -2 Str, and a 30' Base Land Speed; however, they may choose a single Warping upon adopting this form. The effects of this ability last until the Ilazki sleeps or is rendered unconscious.
Body Art (Su): The moon's children are no strangers to strange bodies; this Racial Feature is an Essentia Receptacle which may only be invested into when using Moonborn Flesh. For every point of Essentia invested in this racial feature, the Ilazki gains a single [Deformity] feat of their choice that they qualify for as a bonus feat; they may, however, ignore the Alignment prerequisites and the need to possess Willing Deformity. The Essentia invested in this racial feature cannot be divested until the effects of Moonborn Flesh end.
Automatic Languages: Common and Unknown; Any non-secret languages.
Favored Classes: Bard and Extractor (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=8704.0)
LA: +1
Warpings
CHILD
Appearance: The Child warping causes the Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh to shrink to roughly the size of a child; their faces take on a childlike aspect, while their bodies become softer in general.
Changes: The Ilazki's size becomes Small; this grants all of the normal benefits and drawbacks, other than ability score adjustments. Moonborn Flesh grants them a +2 bonus to Dex instead of Con, and their Base Land Speed is 20'.
DEER
Appearance: The Deer warping extends the Ilazki's face into a muzzle; it also rearranges their limbs so that they are digitigrade rather than plantigrade, and converts their hands into soft hooves. Under this warping, they are built to walk on all fours, and covered in a downy fur.
Changes: The Ilazki becomes a quadruped; as such, they may carry a load 1-1/2 times that of a normal creature their size, get a +4 bonus to resist being Bull-Rushed, Overrun, or Tripped, and are required to pay twice as much for armor. This causes them to lose the use of their hands, but does increase their Base Land Speed to 40'. While under the Deer warping, the Ilazki takes a -2 penalty to Dex instead of Str due to their Moonborn Flesh.
FISH
Appearance: The Fish warping causes the Ilazki's Moonborn Flesh's feet to stretch into flippers, slims their shoulders, webs their hands, and causes gills to open like open wounds on the side of their necks. It also flattens out their faces, reducing their noses to slits.
Changes: The Ilazki gains the [Aquatic] subtype, and can breath both air and water equally well. In addition, Moonborn Flesh only gives them a 10' Base Land Speed; in exchange, they gain a 30' Swim speed.
VARIATION
Appearance: This warping is a catch-all term for several Warpings that are mechanically identical; while it has no actual mechanical effects, it allows the Ilazki to tweak their "template" height, weight, apparent age, and apparent sex to match their current whims.