[New Race] The Hrarii

[Lysander]

Hrarii

The Hrarii are a slender humanoid race that arose as a mixture of human and elvish blood. They have pointed ears much smaller than a human's, about the size of a fingernail, bone white skin, and either blonde, red, or transparent hair. The Hrarii average around five feet in height. Legend has it that the ancient Hrarii race performed some great sin, and to atone the gods cursed their race with the Obligation. Due to this curse the Hrarii live in utter isolation from the outside world, often building their villages behind dangerous obstacles or terrain.

Racial Ability Adjustments
Dex +1 CHA +1 Str -1
Size: Medium
Base Land Speed: 30ft
Skills: Hrarii have +2 to Gather Information Checks, Knowledge (Geography), and Survival checks.
The Obligation: If a Hrarii meets someone on a righteous quest and learns their mission they are magically compelled to join that person by a geas. It must be a true quest, a lie will not snare them. This geas cannot be lifted and only ends if the quest is achieved or somhow becomes impossible. The quest cannot be something that would reasonably take more than a year, although if cirumstances delay it further the Hrarii remains bound. They can only be under one obligation at a time. Most Hrarii do whatever they can to avoid being forced on a mission, though there are some heroes that accept it willingly.
Ignore (Ex): Hrarii are trained from birth how to block out stimuli to avoid The Obligation. As a free action Hrarii can will themselves completely blind and/or deaf for as long as they like.
Tireless Mission: A Hrarii need not eat or sleep while fufilling The Obligation, though they still need rest to prepare spells.
Detect Evil (Su): A Hrarii can detect evil at will.
Low Light Vision (Ex)
Automatic languages: Hrarii. Bonus Languages: None.
Favored Class: Sorceror, Rogue

[Kaelaroth]

That is interesting. Very, very cool from a roleplaying point of view. And you have stats that improve/decrease by one. A skillful player could wangle that to his advantage.

I like it. Maybe a bit powerful?

[Lysander]

I gave them a few useful things because of the dangers of having The Obligation. A lot of it is stuff that would be useful on a quest, since I figure the Hrarii probably prepare for needing to tramp across the continent under magical compulsion.

[vegetalss4]

why cant they learn any laungugeges exept thier own?
not even common

[Vuzzmop]

why cant they learn any laungugeges exept thier own?
not even common

Didn't you read the fluff, they are isolated from the outside world, so don't learn common.

[Neftren]

I suggest maybe allowing them some bonus languages... maybe the three planar languages of Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal? Perhaps they have had some sort of previous contact with them, causing a magical calamity or rift, then you could make maybe three subsets, of a Evil/Good/Neutral Hrarii?

[Vadin]

You might want to change the stat bonuses to +2's instead of +1's. Most races (as in all that have stat bonuses) give bonuses in increments of 2's.

[DracoDei]

Cool concept.
I ASSUME that the obligation can only affect them with one quest at a time?
Is activating/deactiving Ignore a free action?

[Lysander]

Cool concept.
I ASSUME that the obligation can only affect them with one quest at a time?
Is activating/deactiving Ignore a free action?

Yes, only one can affect them at a time.

Originally Posted by vegetalss4 View Post
why cant they learn any laungugeges exept thier own?
not even common

Didn't you read the fluff, they are isolated from the outside world, so don't learn common.

Ah, that is because the Hrarii have structured much of their lives in order to avoid hearing about righteous causes from other races, and thus avoid The Obligation. Learning another language would be counterproductive since it would let them understand strangers.

Just in case they also have studied how to ignore people (which is a free action). Even seeing a crude drawing of a monster menacing a village could catch them.

Some Hrarii do speak common, or other languages, and either risk The Obligation or more rarely, seek it.

The few Hrarii travelers will deafen themselves and communicate through sign language with a hireling ordered to filter out descriptions of trouble.