Post by K Man on Jan 2, 2007 16:19:43 GMT -5
The Evolved:
Most other races have spawned from man in some fashion or another, their origins found in evolution, mutation or adaptation. The new races are humanoid in shape, just like their predecessors, but have become exceptionally unique.
The Dwarves: [/u]
One of the first groups to break from the exodus of man was a group of workers from an industrialized country that realized a need for new supplies and materials for survival. They sought systems rich in ore, heavy metals and other elements and began colonization almost immediately…but the systems would have a strange effect on their bodies. Since most of the heavy ore systems had multiple stars and giant planets laden with gravity, the group of humans living there mutated. Their bodies shortened but their legs thickened to fight the pull of gravity and their arms grew strong with the heavy labor. Their bodies became squat and muscular, their lives extended as their bodies became hardy and adaptive to the harsh environments of hot ash and sulfur.
This group of humans thrived for many years, quickly becoming self-sufficient as the profit from their ore and gems was more than enough to feed and care for the colony. When this group began trade and production with other races, they referred to themselves as the ‘Aladwars’, a moniker derived from the Aladwar star system they had founded their colony in. Soon those dealing with them just shortened their name to ‘Dwars’. As time progressed and the name was slurred from one translation to the next, it became ‘Dwarves’ and the people of the system adopted it, mostly because they could care otherwise.
A typical Dwarf stands just over four feet in height and is nearly as wide in stature. They are heavily muscled, even the females, and often sport unique designs in hair as a sign of status within their region. Most Dwarves, through years of hard labor, are stubborn and unforgiving, but generally good-hearted and pleasant to deal with. They have learned the benefit of hard work and usually aren’t afraid of anything—even death. The Dwarves work and toil in their star system, pulling the metal from the colossal planets and moons found in their system. They build massive starships capable of carrying thousands of workers to new planets and that are nearly indestructible…though they are incredibly slow.
Nearly all Dwarves in society have some knowledge of warfare, mining and machinery. Each Dwarf in the society must serve for a set period of time in the emperor’s army before he/she is allowed to venture into their own entrepreneurial ideas. Most serve willingly, those that don’t are exiled, never to return until they swear allegiance and serve in the military for an extended term.
System: The Aladwar system—a dense cloud of planets and stars that wreak havoc on visitors biology. In fact, most trade and contact is done on the fringe of their system since the strong gravitational forces can often make most emissaries uncomfortable.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Base Speed: 20 Feet. Dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium of heavy armor, or when carrying a medium and heavy load (unlike other creatures whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Special Combat Bonuses: Dwarves gain a +1 species bonus on attack rolls made against bugbears, goblins, orcs, and other goblinoids. Dwarves also gain a +4 dodge bonus to Defense against creatures of giants (including giants, trolls, and ogres). If a Dwarf loses his positive Dexterity to Defense (such as when flat-footed), this dodge bonus is lost.
Stability: Dwarves gain a +4 species bonus on ability checks to resist bull rush and trip attempts when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but otherwise it’s like normal sight, and Dwarves can function with no light at all.
Saving Throw Bonuses: Dwarves are highly resistant to toxins and innately resistant to magic. They gain a +2 species bonus on saving throws against poisons, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Skill Bonuses: Dwarves gain a +2 species bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, new construction, unsafe surfaces, ceilings and the like. A Dwarf who merely passes within 10 feet of such exceptional construction can, as a free action, make a Search check (DC 15) and though he were actively searching for such.
Dwarves are naturally skilled mechanics and engineers. They gain a +2 species bonus on Craft (Mechanical), Craft (Structural), and Repair checks.
Bonus Feat: Dwarves gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency. Dwarves may treat Dwarven urgoshes and Dwarven waraxes as archaic weapons instead of exotic weapons.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Dwarven, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Dwarven.
Other Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran.
The Elves:
The story of the Elves is a strange one of continual strife and yet, a sort of precarious harmony. There were humans that fled Earth in the exodus, fearful of combat and death. They sought dark corners of the universe to hide in their cowardice. They found a safe haven; a system so dark and nearly lifeless that none would seek them there and they could hide in safety. Their system was one of planets so far from their respective stars that light barely graced the surfaces and the refugees could hide in perpetual darkness. They became scavengers, lawless cowards living in shadows and happy with it. They became known as the ‘Elefs’ by those daring enough to near their system of planets, named so for the Elefinneal system where they could be found. However, unknown to them, the system would change them into something far more sinister than simple scavengers.
The mixture of gases on their planets, breathable as it was, still contained trace amounts of a chemical that would blacken the skin and whiten the hair over years of exposure. This, mixed with the low gravity and low-light of their planets, changed the Elefs into something from nightmares—slender, lithe beings with ebony skin and stark white hair. It was not long before none could recognize anything within them as human. Though forgotten in an empty corner of space, the Elefs had a different plan.
A visionary rose among them. An Elef who would no longer see his people creeping in corners and barely spoken by other races as though they were a disease. This one Elef decided to bring them from darkness into the light. In a single night of bloodshed, he and a loyal band of followers managed to usurp and erase any existing government and replace it with a dictatorship of his direction. He made drastic changes to society as he demanded a rise in military might and the sciences of war. He even erased the Elef’s given name and replaced it with one of his own design, the ‘Drow’.
The race of Drow were born and decided to make their mark upon the universe. This same visionary led the Drow on a crusade to reclaim the years lost to cowardice—to reestablish themselves through fear. He started wars with outlying systems and began raids on any who were foolish enough to near their territory. The Drow rampaged across the universe for nearly a century before catastrophe struck. In their hasty conquest for ever more creative methods of quick destruction, the Drow built a device that nearly tore their own system in half during development.
The device exploded on the edge of their system and extended through exactly half of it, creating a bizarre dichotomy. Those exposed to the device were exposed to immense amounts of radiation and concentrated light which had a unique reaction with the very same gas that had created the Drow. It reversed the effects of the chemicals in the air and purified the environment of the gas-compound. Those exposed to the weapon were washed of the ebony skin and stark white hair over time, the pigments buried deep within their chromosomes brought back to the surface. Their bodies were still mutated from the low gravity into slender pale beings, but they look far less nightmarish than their counterparts.
The Elefinneal system was at odds with itself. Those that had survived the blast treated it as a near death experience, a chance for redemption and to stop their vile ways. Those unaffected by the blast found their new albino brethren abhorrently good-natured and immediately started war with them. Civil war erupted. It continues, even today, but neither side is willing to use galactic weaponry to annihilate the other—a drawback of sharing the same system with your enemy. The Civil War is fought with ancient weapons that will not do damage on a planetary scale. If one side wins, they don’t want a scarred and useless system to remain as their spoils and neither side is willing to relocate.
The new, good-natured Drow sought trade and help from outlying systems in their civil war. They even shirked the name of the Drow and adopted a variation on the name from old—‘Elefs’—but changing it slightly to show that they were reformed. The Elves were born. A typical Elf is slender, usually over six feet tall, and can have skin tone ranging from pure ivory to a light tan. They are graceful from evolution in low gravity and are extremely good-willed, still seeking redemption for years of cowardice, unlike their Drow brethren. The conditions on their planet have helped them evolve into nearly immortal beings, extending their lives nearly indefinitely.
System: The Elefinneal system; a collection of solar systems where the stars are very distant from any planet. Most of the planets are cold, but do support meager life. The Elves are currently directed by council initiatives to attempt planetary fauna reformation to make their home more beautiful.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
Base Speed: 30 Feet.
Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Spell Immunities: Elves are immune to Sleep spells and effects, and they gain a +2 species bonus on saves against Enchantment spells or effects.
Skill Bonuses: Elves gain a +2 species bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An Elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for the door.
Bonus Feat: Elves gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Elven, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Elven.
Other Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
The Half-Orcs:
Not every segment of man’s exodus benefited from subtle mutation or evolution; such is the story of the Half-Orcs. Originally, a group of humans settled in what they believed to be an uninhabited system only to uncover that it was indeed claimed by another race. The system was inhabited by a race of aliens that quickly proved to be very aggressive. The aliens killed or subdued nearly all of the four thousand refugees that found a home there. Those that weren’t outright killed—mostly the women that refused to fight—found themselves slaves of the aggressive alien race. They were shackled, mistreated, and used for breeding stock.
The aliens, calling themselves ‘Orcs’, found new and abominable ways to mate with the captive human females, caring little for the half-breed offspring that were produced and usually leaving them in the dirt to die. It was only when one such offspring managed to make it past infancy—without support—and into childhood that the Orcs finally paid attention to the young child. Unlike the usual Orc offspring, the Half-Orc child was intelligent and resourceful, capable of complex puzzle-solving—at least what the Orcs thought were complex puzzles anyway—and yet also demonstrated the great strength and endurance their race was so proud of.
The leader of the Orcs, a brutish alien of impressive stature, decreed the first law in his life, indeed the first law in Orc culture. The breeding with human females was to be sought after and the offspring were to be cared for and raised. He planned to raise an army of Half-Orcs for his own personal use, a super army of intelligent and powerful warriors. The leader’s thinking was flawless…with such strength and brains to match, who would dare oppose the new Orc empire?
Opposition was fierce and much more than the Orcs expected. In trying to fulfill the leader’s decree, they had all but wiped themselves out and only captured a small amount of slaves for breeding. Their stock of Half-Breeds was growing, but their own Orc population was dwindling. Realizing he was fighting a losing battle (or some say a Half-Orc advisor had to tell him about the losses), the leader made a second decree; to stop finding slaves for breeding…and to kill the mistakes he had made already. He wanted to wipe out his bad record by erasing the Half-Orcs already created.
Again, opposition was fierce. No matter the battlefield, the Orcs could not defeat the Half-Orcs. The Half-Orcs were trained from birth to be warriors and their training proved resourceful when they were put to the test. The Orcs were beaten and ashamed, their leader killed in one of the final battles of the short-lived civil war. Outsmarted by their bastard Half-Breed descendants, the Orcs had to retreat in full from their own star system and find a new home far away while they licked their wounds. The Half-Orcs enjoyed new freedoms as they were no longer solely used for the deranged purposes of some crazed Orc leader.
However, they are faced with a frightening reality—without new breeding stock, their race will be eradicated…
They are the most recent of the human off-shoots in the universe, their history only dating back about a hundred years or so. As violent as it may have been, the Half-Orcs are trying desperately to prove that their history does not dictate who they are. They have appealed to many galactic governments for help, but none have addressed their issue—treating them like a mistake that will fade away eventually. If no one will help the Half-Orcs, they may just fade away…or they may take matters back into their own hands.
A typical Half-Orc stands well over six feet in height and is overly muscled. Their features are brutish, with a sloping forehead and enlarged lower jaw—teeth that usually protrude from the bottom lip. Their skin ranges from dark olive green to light brown and their hair is usually always black.
System: Originally, the Orcs came from the Orces (Or-sees) system—a system full of rogue asteroids and comets that made the surfaces of the desolate planets nearly unlivable, or at the very least, extremely dangerous to live on. Now, the Half-Orcs have no system of their own, though no one has disputed their right to the Orces system. The Half-Orcs currently roam in packs, some hostile and taking slaves, some seeking peace with outlying races. The full-blood Orcs have gone into hiding since the upheaval and none have bothered to trace them. They can occasionally be found raiding a shipping lane or transport for supplies.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Half-Orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Base Speed: 30 Feet.
Orc Blood: For all special abilities and effects, a Half-Orc is considered and Orc. Half-Orcs, for example, are just as susceptible to special effects that affect orcs as their orcish ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are only usable by orcs.
Darkvision: Half-Orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but otherwise it’s like normal sight, and Half-Orcs can function with no light at all.
Bonus Feat: Half-Orcs gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Orc, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Orc.
Other Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin.
The Gnomes:
The tragic slaughter of those Halflings that did not cross the Great Barrier was not the end of their lineage. Some did not attend the event and consequently survived…although they live in constant fear of their oppressive brothers. They have taken to a life of running from the Halflings and surviving however they can. Some sympathetic governments do what they can to help. Some individuals hire them as crewmembers but all in all, those Halflings that have not been to the other side of the Great Barrier lead a confused life.
Those that remained behind after the split continued to evolve in the absence of their brethren, their bodies shrinking and their minds sharpening. In time, they no longer even looked like the Halflings that had crossed over, though they were still called Halflings by those they dealt with and still remained ever-curious and inventive. That same curiosity nearly wiped out their species when they raced to meet the Halflings returning from the other side of the Great Barrier. It was by sheer luck that some survived and fled to the far corners of the universe. The survivors have since spent their lives in hiding, trying desperately to suppress the innate curiosity to seek peace with their former Halfling brothers and understand what has happened to them.
They retain a sunny disposition on life despite their Halfling predecessors that have changed since that fateful split. They are still tinkerers and builders, creators and mechanics that know nothing is impossible with a little ‘can-do’ attitude. Since their once good name has been spoiled, those surviving Halflings have changed their name to ‘Gnomes’—a name sort of given to them by their supporters—and remain out of the limelight as much as they can. They quietly go about fixing ships and trying to remain pleasant enough to attract work while remaining incognito enough to avoid the Halflings.
A typical Gnome retains the same height as their Halfling brothers, between three and four feet high, but the years of tinkering and building have given them a sharper mind over dexterous fingers. They are generally light-hearted and willing to tackle any task, often placing themselves in dangerous positions just to fix a leaky reactor core on a starship. They are invaluable as crewman and mechanics, plus one cannot help but take sympathy on their plight.
System: None. The Gnomes key to survival is a nomadic lifestyle, constantly moving to remain ahead of the marauding Halflings.
Species Traits
Size: Small. Gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Defense, a +1 bonus to attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide Checks. They suffer a -4 size penalty on grapple checks. Gnomes must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a medium character.
Ability Modifiers: -2 Strength, +2 Constitution.
Base Speed: 20 Feet.
Special Combat Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +1 species bonus attack roll against bugbears, goblins (and other goblinoids), and kobolds. Gnomes also gain a +4 dodge bonus to their Defense against giant creatures (such as Ogres and Trolls); this bonus represents special training that Gnomes undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Not that anytime a Gnome loses his positive Dexterity bonus to Defense, such as when he’s caught flat-footed, he loses this dodge bonus, too.
Illusion Mastery: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusions spells cast by Gnomes.
Speak with Animals: Once per day, a Gnome can use speak with animals to speak with a burrowing mammal (a mole, gopher, groundhog, and so forth). It has a duration of 1 minute, and the Gnome is considered a 1st level caster when he uses this spell-ability, regardless of actual level.
Low-Light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Saving Throw Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +2 species bonus on saving throws against illusions.
Skill Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +2 species bonus on Listen checks. Gnomes who have one of more ranks in the Craft (Pharmaceutical) skill also gain a +2 species bonus on Craft (Pharmaceutical) checks.
Bonus Feats: Gnomes gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency. They may treat Gnome hooked hammers as archaic weapons instead of exotic weapons.
Gnomes with Charisma scores of 10 or higher gain the bonus feat Magical Heritage.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Gnome, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Gnome.
Other Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc.
Most other races have spawned from man in some fashion or another, their origins found in evolution, mutation or adaptation. The new races are humanoid in shape, just like their predecessors, but have become exceptionally unique.
The Dwarves: [/u]
One of the first groups to break from the exodus of man was a group of workers from an industrialized country that realized a need for new supplies and materials for survival. They sought systems rich in ore, heavy metals and other elements and began colonization almost immediately…but the systems would have a strange effect on their bodies. Since most of the heavy ore systems had multiple stars and giant planets laden with gravity, the group of humans living there mutated. Their bodies shortened but their legs thickened to fight the pull of gravity and their arms grew strong with the heavy labor. Their bodies became squat and muscular, their lives extended as their bodies became hardy and adaptive to the harsh environments of hot ash and sulfur.
This group of humans thrived for many years, quickly becoming self-sufficient as the profit from their ore and gems was more than enough to feed and care for the colony. When this group began trade and production with other races, they referred to themselves as the ‘Aladwars’, a moniker derived from the Aladwar star system they had founded their colony in. Soon those dealing with them just shortened their name to ‘Dwars’. As time progressed and the name was slurred from one translation to the next, it became ‘Dwarves’ and the people of the system adopted it, mostly because they could care otherwise.
A typical Dwarf stands just over four feet in height and is nearly as wide in stature. They are heavily muscled, even the females, and often sport unique designs in hair as a sign of status within their region. Most Dwarves, through years of hard labor, are stubborn and unforgiving, but generally good-hearted and pleasant to deal with. They have learned the benefit of hard work and usually aren’t afraid of anything—even death. The Dwarves work and toil in their star system, pulling the metal from the colossal planets and moons found in their system. They build massive starships capable of carrying thousands of workers to new planets and that are nearly indestructible…though they are incredibly slow.
Nearly all Dwarves in society have some knowledge of warfare, mining and machinery. Each Dwarf in the society must serve for a set period of time in the emperor’s army before he/she is allowed to venture into their own entrepreneurial ideas. Most serve willingly, those that don’t are exiled, never to return until they swear allegiance and serve in the military for an extended term.
System: The Aladwar system—a dense cloud of planets and stars that wreak havoc on visitors biology. In fact, most trade and contact is done on the fringe of their system since the strong gravitational forces can often make most emissaries uncomfortable.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Base Speed: 20 Feet. Dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium of heavy armor, or when carrying a medium and heavy load (unlike other creatures whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Special Combat Bonuses: Dwarves gain a +1 species bonus on attack rolls made against bugbears, goblins, orcs, and other goblinoids. Dwarves also gain a +4 dodge bonus to Defense against creatures of giants (including giants, trolls, and ogres). If a Dwarf loses his positive Dexterity to Defense (such as when flat-footed), this dodge bonus is lost.
Stability: Dwarves gain a +4 species bonus on ability checks to resist bull rush and trip attempts when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but otherwise it’s like normal sight, and Dwarves can function with no light at all.
Saving Throw Bonuses: Dwarves are highly resistant to toxins and innately resistant to magic. They gain a +2 species bonus on saving throws against poisons, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Skill Bonuses: Dwarves gain a +2 species bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, new construction, unsafe surfaces, ceilings and the like. A Dwarf who merely passes within 10 feet of such exceptional construction can, as a free action, make a Search check (DC 15) and though he were actively searching for such.
Dwarves are naturally skilled mechanics and engineers. They gain a +2 species bonus on Craft (Mechanical), Craft (Structural), and Repair checks.
Bonus Feat: Dwarves gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency. Dwarves may treat Dwarven urgoshes and Dwarven waraxes as archaic weapons instead of exotic weapons.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Dwarven, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Dwarven.
Other Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran.
The Elves:
The story of the Elves is a strange one of continual strife and yet, a sort of precarious harmony. There were humans that fled Earth in the exodus, fearful of combat and death. They sought dark corners of the universe to hide in their cowardice. They found a safe haven; a system so dark and nearly lifeless that none would seek them there and they could hide in safety. Their system was one of planets so far from their respective stars that light barely graced the surfaces and the refugees could hide in perpetual darkness. They became scavengers, lawless cowards living in shadows and happy with it. They became known as the ‘Elefs’ by those daring enough to near their system of planets, named so for the Elefinneal system where they could be found. However, unknown to them, the system would change them into something far more sinister than simple scavengers.
The mixture of gases on their planets, breathable as it was, still contained trace amounts of a chemical that would blacken the skin and whiten the hair over years of exposure. This, mixed with the low gravity and low-light of their planets, changed the Elefs into something from nightmares—slender, lithe beings with ebony skin and stark white hair. It was not long before none could recognize anything within them as human. Though forgotten in an empty corner of space, the Elefs had a different plan.
A visionary rose among them. An Elef who would no longer see his people creeping in corners and barely spoken by other races as though they were a disease. This one Elef decided to bring them from darkness into the light. In a single night of bloodshed, he and a loyal band of followers managed to usurp and erase any existing government and replace it with a dictatorship of his direction. He made drastic changes to society as he demanded a rise in military might and the sciences of war. He even erased the Elef’s given name and replaced it with one of his own design, the ‘Drow’.
The race of Drow were born and decided to make their mark upon the universe. This same visionary led the Drow on a crusade to reclaim the years lost to cowardice—to reestablish themselves through fear. He started wars with outlying systems and began raids on any who were foolish enough to near their territory. The Drow rampaged across the universe for nearly a century before catastrophe struck. In their hasty conquest for ever more creative methods of quick destruction, the Drow built a device that nearly tore their own system in half during development.
The device exploded on the edge of their system and extended through exactly half of it, creating a bizarre dichotomy. Those exposed to the device were exposed to immense amounts of radiation and concentrated light which had a unique reaction with the very same gas that had created the Drow. It reversed the effects of the chemicals in the air and purified the environment of the gas-compound. Those exposed to the weapon were washed of the ebony skin and stark white hair over time, the pigments buried deep within their chromosomes brought back to the surface. Their bodies were still mutated from the low gravity into slender pale beings, but they look far less nightmarish than their counterparts.
The Elefinneal system was at odds with itself. Those that had survived the blast treated it as a near death experience, a chance for redemption and to stop their vile ways. Those unaffected by the blast found their new albino brethren abhorrently good-natured and immediately started war with them. Civil war erupted. It continues, even today, but neither side is willing to use galactic weaponry to annihilate the other—a drawback of sharing the same system with your enemy. The Civil War is fought with ancient weapons that will not do damage on a planetary scale. If one side wins, they don’t want a scarred and useless system to remain as their spoils and neither side is willing to relocate.
The new, good-natured Drow sought trade and help from outlying systems in their civil war. They even shirked the name of the Drow and adopted a variation on the name from old—‘Elefs’—but changing it slightly to show that they were reformed. The Elves were born. A typical Elf is slender, usually over six feet tall, and can have skin tone ranging from pure ivory to a light tan. They are graceful from evolution in low gravity and are extremely good-willed, still seeking redemption for years of cowardice, unlike their Drow brethren. The conditions on their planet have helped them evolve into nearly immortal beings, extending their lives nearly indefinitely.
System: The Elefinneal system; a collection of solar systems where the stars are very distant from any planet. Most of the planets are cold, but do support meager life. The Elves are currently directed by council initiatives to attempt planetary fauna reformation to make their home more beautiful.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
Base Speed: 30 Feet.
Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Spell Immunities: Elves are immune to Sleep spells and effects, and they gain a +2 species bonus on saves against Enchantment spells or effects.
Skill Bonuses: Elves gain a +2 species bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An Elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for the door.
Bonus Feat: Elves gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Elven, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Elven.
Other Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
The Half-Orcs:
Not every segment of man’s exodus benefited from subtle mutation or evolution; such is the story of the Half-Orcs. Originally, a group of humans settled in what they believed to be an uninhabited system only to uncover that it was indeed claimed by another race. The system was inhabited by a race of aliens that quickly proved to be very aggressive. The aliens killed or subdued nearly all of the four thousand refugees that found a home there. Those that weren’t outright killed—mostly the women that refused to fight—found themselves slaves of the aggressive alien race. They were shackled, mistreated, and used for breeding stock.
The aliens, calling themselves ‘Orcs’, found new and abominable ways to mate with the captive human females, caring little for the half-breed offspring that were produced and usually leaving them in the dirt to die. It was only when one such offspring managed to make it past infancy—without support—and into childhood that the Orcs finally paid attention to the young child. Unlike the usual Orc offspring, the Half-Orc child was intelligent and resourceful, capable of complex puzzle-solving—at least what the Orcs thought were complex puzzles anyway—and yet also demonstrated the great strength and endurance their race was so proud of.
The leader of the Orcs, a brutish alien of impressive stature, decreed the first law in his life, indeed the first law in Orc culture. The breeding with human females was to be sought after and the offspring were to be cared for and raised. He planned to raise an army of Half-Orcs for his own personal use, a super army of intelligent and powerful warriors. The leader’s thinking was flawless…with such strength and brains to match, who would dare oppose the new Orc empire?
Opposition was fierce and much more than the Orcs expected. In trying to fulfill the leader’s decree, they had all but wiped themselves out and only captured a small amount of slaves for breeding. Their stock of Half-Breeds was growing, but their own Orc population was dwindling. Realizing he was fighting a losing battle (or some say a Half-Orc advisor had to tell him about the losses), the leader made a second decree; to stop finding slaves for breeding…and to kill the mistakes he had made already. He wanted to wipe out his bad record by erasing the Half-Orcs already created.
Again, opposition was fierce. No matter the battlefield, the Orcs could not defeat the Half-Orcs. The Half-Orcs were trained from birth to be warriors and their training proved resourceful when they were put to the test. The Orcs were beaten and ashamed, their leader killed in one of the final battles of the short-lived civil war. Outsmarted by their bastard Half-Breed descendants, the Orcs had to retreat in full from their own star system and find a new home far away while they licked their wounds. The Half-Orcs enjoyed new freedoms as they were no longer solely used for the deranged purposes of some crazed Orc leader.
However, they are faced with a frightening reality—without new breeding stock, their race will be eradicated…
They are the most recent of the human off-shoots in the universe, their history only dating back about a hundred years or so. As violent as it may have been, the Half-Orcs are trying desperately to prove that their history does not dictate who they are. They have appealed to many galactic governments for help, but none have addressed their issue—treating them like a mistake that will fade away eventually. If no one will help the Half-Orcs, they may just fade away…or they may take matters back into their own hands.
A typical Half-Orc stands well over six feet in height and is overly muscled. Their features are brutish, with a sloping forehead and enlarged lower jaw—teeth that usually protrude from the bottom lip. Their skin ranges from dark olive green to light brown and their hair is usually always black.
System: Originally, the Orcs came from the Orces (Or-sees) system—a system full of rogue asteroids and comets that made the surfaces of the desolate planets nearly unlivable, or at the very least, extremely dangerous to live on. Now, the Half-Orcs have no system of their own, though no one has disputed their right to the Orces system. The Half-Orcs currently roam in packs, some hostile and taking slaves, some seeking peace with outlying races. The full-blood Orcs have gone into hiding since the upheaval and none have bothered to trace them. They can occasionally be found raiding a shipping lane or transport for supplies.
Species Traits
Size: Medium. Half-Orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Base Speed: 30 Feet.
Orc Blood: For all special abilities and effects, a Half-Orc is considered and Orc. Half-Orcs, for example, are just as susceptible to special effects that affect orcs as their orcish ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are only usable by orcs.
Darkvision: Half-Orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but otherwise it’s like normal sight, and Half-Orcs can function with no light at all.
Bonus Feat: Half-Orcs gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Orc, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Orc.
Other Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin.
The Gnomes:
The tragic slaughter of those Halflings that did not cross the Great Barrier was not the end of their lineage. Some did not attend the event and consequently survived…although they live in constant fear of their oppressive brothers. They have taken to a life of running from the Halflings and surviving however they can. Some sympathetic governments do what they can to help. Some individuals hire them as crewmembers but all in all, those Halflings that have not been to the other side of the Great Barrier lead a confused life.
Those that remained behind after the split continued to evolve in the absence of their brethren, their bodies shrinking and their minds sharpening. In time, they no longer even looked like the Halflings that had crossed over, though they were still called Halflings by those they dealt with and still remained ever-curious and inventive. That same curiosity nearly wiped out their species when they raced to meet the Halflings returning from the other side of the Great Barrier. It was by sheer luck that some survived and fled to the far corners of the universe. The survivors have since spent their lives in hiding, trying desperately to suppress the innate curiosity to seek peace with their former Halfling brothers and understand what has happened to them.
They retain a sunny disposition on life despite their Halfling predecessors that have changed since that fateful split. They are still tinkerers and builders, creators and mechanics that know nothing is impossible with a little ‘can-do’ attitude. Since their once good name has been spoiled, those surviving Halflings have changed their name to ‘Gnomes’—a name sort of given to them by their supporters—and remain out of the limelight as much as they can. They quietly go about fixing ships and trying to remain pleasant enough to attract work while remaining incognito enough to avoid the Halflings.
A typical Gnome retains the same height as their Halfling brothers, between three and four feet high, but the years of tinkering and building have given them a sharper mind over dexterous fingers. They are generally light-hearted and willing to tackle any task, often placing themselves in dangerous positions just to fix a leaky reactor core on a starship. They are invaluable as crewman and mechanics, plus one cannot help but take sympathy on their plight.
System: None. The Gnomes key to survival is a nomadic lifestyle, constantly moving to remain ahead of the marauding Halflings.
Species Traits
Size: Small. Gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Defense, a +1 bonus to attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide Checks. They suffer a -4 size penalty on grapple checks. Gnomes must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a medium character.
Ability Modifiers: -2 Strength, +2 Constitution.
Base Speed: 20 Feet.
Special Combat Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +1 species bonus attack roll against bugbears, goblins (and other goblinoids), and kobolds. Gnomes also gain a +4 dodge bonus to their Defense against giant creatures (such as Ogres and Trolls); this bonus represents special training that Gnomes undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Not that anytime a Gnome loses his positive Dexterity bonus to Defense, such as when he’s caught flat-footed, he loses this dodge bonus, too.
Illusion Mastery: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusions spells cast by Gnomes.
Speak with Animals: Once per day, a Gnome can use speak with animals to speak with a burrowing mammal (a mole, gopher, groundhog, and so forth). It has a duration of 1 minute, and the Gnome is considered a 1st level caster when he uses this spell-ability, regardless of actual level.
Low-Light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Saving Throw Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +2 species bonus on saving throws against illusions.
Skill Bonuses: Gnomes gain a +2 species bonus on Listen checks. Gnomes who have one of more ranks in the Craft (Pharmaceutical) skill also gain a +2 species bonus on Craft (Pharmaceutical) checks.
Bonus Feats: Gnomes gain the bonus feat Archaic Weapons Proficiency. They may treat Gnome hooked hammers as archaic weapons instead of exotic weapons.
Gnomes with Charisma scores of 10 or higher gain the bonus feat Magical Heritage.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), Read/Write Gnome, Speak Common (or local language), Speak Gnome.
Other Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc.
