Jacob the Impaler
First Post
I've had this idea turning around in my head for awhile. I borrowed a lot of the flavor text from what I learned about Saharan tribes in antropology. All I need to do now is put it through the balance test. I also kind of think the racial traits are slightly lacking.
If you've got any ideas, I wanna hear 'em.
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ANUBIAN
Anubians command respect or fear from anyone they meet. Tales of their tenacity and feats in battle are known worldwide. Legends say that Anubians were created by the long-faded god Anubis to safeguard the great tombs of a dying kingdom and prevent necromancers from defiling the bodies of its people.
Many Anubians still hold on to their roles as guardians. Instead of protecting tombs, however, most have moved to more practical careers. Anubians are often mercenary bodyguards, law enforcers, caravan guards or shock troops.
Description: Anubians are slightly taller than average humans, usually around 6’ tall, with lean, dark-skinned bodies. They have large, shaggy jackal heads, but the rest of their bodies are relatively hairless. The fur on their heads ranges from soft gray to black. Most Anubians keep their fur as short and neat as possible, but others, usually outsiders or deviants, choose to braid it with metal beads. Their eyes are always yellow. Light, close-fitting clothing dyed in colorful clan patterns are popular.
Personality: Anubians carry themselves with an air of confidence and dignity, although they are cautious not to come off as arrogant. From birth, anubians are regimented into a tight-knit clan society of well-established rules and morals. They are taught to value their role as warriors and guardians and to respect elders and ancestors. Nonconformists are viewed with suspicion and are often accused of sorcery. Amongst outsiders, anubians try to maintain a polite detachment, respecting others while continuing to stay true to their ways. During battle with non-anubians, however, they are notoriously merciless and efficient. They are also known for their innate ability to see through lies or deception, and do not take kindly to those who wish to trick them.
Relations: Anubians tend to get along with any race that doesn’t come into conflict with them. Whole clans sometimes hire themselves out to kings or wealthy merchants as loyal mercenaries. Outcast anubians try to blend with human populations but often end up as barbarian warriors living on the fringes of villages. Gnolls are the only race that anubians will never associate with. They are mortal enemies and will always attack on sight, fighting to the death without quarter. In these battles anubians usually are able to make up for their smaller stature by superior tactics and courage. Anubians also hold onto their racial disdain for necromancers, and try to undermine them when possible.
Alignment: Anubians are overwhelmingly lawful, and tend to be neutral. Outcast anubians can be any alignment, and many are chaotic.
Anubian lands: Most anubians dwell in dry regions in mobile villages that follow game or, increasingly, employment. Anubian clans operate with each other through a complex series of rules that keep them from fighting over the sometimes scarce resources. The conflicts that do break out are highly regulated and take the form of tests of martial proficiency rather than full-scale wars. True anubian battles lie in their constant skirmishes with gnoll raiders.
Religion: Anubians revere their clan ancestors above all else, although they acknowledge many desert spirits and other deities as well. Anubian clerics rarely choose to devote themselves to outside deities, but draw on the powers of their ancestors or, occasionally, nature. Most anubian clerics are unmated females who go into battle to support male warriors.
Language: Anubians have their own language, a complex mosaic of barks, whistles and growls that few outsiders can hope to master. Their script, which is only allowed to be used in sacred texts and can only be read by a chosen few, consists of more than a hundred hieroglyphs.
RACIAL TRAITS:
Medium-sized
Base speed: 30
Weapon proficiency: Due to warrior training from a young age, anubians are proficient with the longsword, scimitar, halberd and all bows
See magic: Although most anubians don’t fight necromancers or guard tombs anymore, they hold on to their ability to “see” magic. When an anubian comes within ten feet of a magical trap, he makes a spellcraft check with a DC of 10+caster level to see if he detects it. Anubians can make this check even if they have no ranks in spellcraft. Additionally, anubians can "detect magic" as the spell once a day per character level, becoming an "at will" ability at level 11.
+2 on listen checks
Canny: +2 on sense motive checks against opposing bluff and disguise rolls and +2 on spot checks against opposing hide rolls.
Desert-dweller: +2 racial bonus on fortitude saves against the effects of traveling in the heat
Unity: Anubians gain +2 on aid other checks with other anubians
Scent: Anubians with a wisdom of 11+ can take scent as a feat
Low-light vision
Starting languages: Anubian, common
Favored class: Fighter
If you've got any ideas, I wanna hear 'em.
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ANUBIAN
Anubians command respect or fear from anyone they meet. Tales of their tenacity and feats in battle are known worldwide. Legends say that Anubians were created by the long-faded god Anubis to safeguard the great tombs of a dying kingdom and prevent necromancers from defiling the bodies of its people.
Many Anubians still hold on to their roles as guardians. Instead of protecting tombs, however, most have moved to more practical careers. Anubians are often mercenary bodyguards, law enforcers, caravan guards or shock troops.
Description: Anubians are slightly taller than average humans, usually around 6’ tall, with lean, dark-skinned bodies. They have large, shaggy jackal heads, but the rest of their bodies are relatively hairless. The fur on their heads ranges from soft gray to black. Most Anubians keep their fur as short and neat as possible, but others, usually outsiders or deviants, choose to braid it with metal beads. Their eyes are always yellow. Light, close-fitting clothing dyed in colorful clan patterns are popular.
Personality: Anubians carry themselves with an air of confidence and dignity, although they are cautious not to come off as arrogant. From birth, anubians are regimented into a tight-knit clan society of well-established rules and morals. They are taught to value their role as warriors and guardians and to respect elders and ancestors. Nonconformists are viewed with suspicion and are often accused of sorcery. Amongst outsiders, anubians try to maintain a polite detachment, respecting others while continuing to stay true to their ways. During battle with non-anubians, however, they are notoriously merciless and efficient. They are also known for their innate ability to see through lies or deception, and do not take kindly to those who wish to trick them.
Relations: Anubians tend to get along with any race that doesn’t come into conflict with them. Whole clans sometimes hire themselves out to kings or wealthy merchants as loyal mercenaries. Outcast anubians try to blend with human populations but often end up as barbarian warriors living on the fringes of villages. Gnolls are the only race that anubians will never associate with. They are mortal enemies and will always attack on sight, fighting to the death without quarter. In these battles anubians usually are able to make up for their smaller stature by superior tactics and courage. Anubians also hold onto their racial disdain for necromancers, and try to undermine them when possible.
Alignment: Anubians are overwhelmingly lawful, and tend to be neutral. Outcast anubians can be any alignment, and many are chaotic.
Anubian lands: Most anubians dwell in dry regions in mobile villages that follow game or, increasingly, employment. Anubian clans operate with each other through a complex series of rules that keep them from fighting over the sometimes scarce resources. The conflicts that do break out are highly regulated and take the form of tests of martial proficiency rather than full-scale wars. True anubian battles lie in their constant skirmishes with gnoll raiders.
Religion: Anubians revere their clan ancestors above all else, although they acknowledge many desert spirits and other deities as well. Anubian clerics rarely choose to devote themselves to outside deities, but draw on the powers of their ancestors or, occasionally, nature. Most anubian clerics are unmated females who go into battle to support male warriors.
Language: Anubians have their own language, a complex mosaic of barks, whistles and growls that few outsiders can hope to master. Their script, which is only allowed to be used in sacred texts and can only be read by a chosen few, consists of more than a hundred hieroglyphs.
RACIAL TRAITS:
Medium-sized
Base speed: 30
Weapon proficiency: Due to warrior training from a young age, anubians are proficient with the longsword, scimitar, halberd and all bows
See magic: Although most anubians don’t fight necromancers or guard tombs anymore, they hold on to their ability to “see” magic. When an anubian comes within ten feet of a magical trap, he makes a spellcraft check with a DC of 10+caster level to see if he detects it. Anubians can make this check even if they have no ranks in spellcraft. Additionally, anubians can "detect magic" as the spell once a day per character level, becoming an "at will" ability at level 11.
+2 on listen checks
Canny: +2 on sense motive checks against opposing bluff and disguise rolls and +2 on spot checks against opposing hide rolls.
Desert-dweller: +2 racial bonus on fortitude saves against the effects of traveling in the heat
Unity: Anubians gain +2 on aid other checks with other anubians
Scent: Anubians with a wisdom of 11+ can take scent as a feat
Low-light vision
Starting languages: Anubian, common
Favored class: Fighter
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