First, my apologies for missing Monday's post. My birthday was this weekend, and I spent Monday recovering from a very hectic yet fulfilling weekend of celebration. I'm back, though, and ready to get down to the work of creating the World of Samardan campaign setting.
In my most recent departure from the checklist I wrote up, I'm detailing the common races of the setting. These will not be the only humanoids that will dwell in the setting, but these are the only ones that will be allowed for character creation. Aside from Earthlings and Native Humans, I previously discussed the addition of three other races as character options. Today's post deals with the Husrani, which I had previously mentioned as the Warrior Race.
Husrani ("Hyena Men")
The Husrani are the largest of the common races of Samardan, the males standing approximately eight feet in height, and weighing around 300 pounds. In appearance, the Husrani resemble humanoid hyenas, hence their name. Their whole bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur which becomes shorter as it surrounds their faces and clawed hands to reveal grey colored skin. Like most other humanoids, the Husrani go almost completely naked, wearing only a harness and jewelry.
As a people, the Husrani live in large nomadic tribes of families and individuals living together, moving from site to site every season. Born to the saddle, the Husrani are great riders, and display a great amount of affection and attachment to their gorkeshi mounts. They keep herds of domesticated livestock as their primary food source on the desolate upper plains.
The Husrani believe that battle is the greatest source of personal honor and glory, and the most honorable among them will even deliberately disadvantage himself in order to make fights last longer. Those who do not fight are seen as weak and cowardly, and thus are unworthy opponents; such people are better as servants and slaves. In Husrani society, the best death is one spent in battle, making a difference that leads to the greater success of the tribe. Indeed, to the Husrani, living a long, happy, and healthy life to a ripe old age and dying peacefully is seen as undesirable, dishonorable, or a burden. The Husrani are quite skilled with ranged weapons, from the thrown bola and spears to more advanced bows and radium rifles. Given their martial prowess, they are highly prized as mercenaries.
Basic Abilities: Husrani have a +4 bonus to Strength, but a -2 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 penalty to Intelligence, reflecting their large stature and barbarous nature. Husrani have a base speed of 6. Due to their larger size, Husrani suffer a -1 penalty to their Defense and a -2 penalty to their Stealth rolls.
Special Abilities: Skilled with ranged weapons, Husrani gain a +1 bonus on all ranged attack rolls. In addition, Husrani only suffer half the standard penalties on ranged attack rolls while mounted (–2 instead of –4 if their mount is taking a double move, and –4 instead of –8 if their mount is running.)
Saving Throws: Husrani gain a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.
Common Languages: Husrani speak both Trade and their tribal tongue, in addition to a number of languages equal to their Intelligence bonus, if any.
Suggested Skills: The following skills are suggested for Husrani characters: Riding, Survival.
This is the first draft, of course. However, without additional feedback, I'm likely to let this stand and move forward with the next Common Race, the multi-limbed Expert Race.
With Regards,
Flynn
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3 comments:
I always had a soft spot for dogs and gnolls ...
for the multi-limb expert race consider borrowing the kaldanes from burroughs ...
“With us brain is everything. Ninety per centum of our volume is brain. We have only the simplest of vital organs and they are very small for they do not have to assist in the support of a complicated system of nerves, muscles, flesh and bone. We have no lungs, for we do not require air. Far below the levels to which we can take the rykors is a vast network of burrows where the real life of the kaldane is lived. There the air-breathing rykor would perish as you would perish. There we have stored vast quantities of food in hermetically sealed chambers. It will last forever. Far beneath the surface is water that will flow for countless ages after the surface water is exhausted. We are preparing for the time we know must come—the time when the last vestige of the Barsoomian atmosphere is spent—when the waters and the food are gone. For this purpose were we created, that there might not perish from the planet Nature's divinest creation- the perfect brain." (CM V)
Not much larger than a human head, to facilitate work and travel, Kaldanes use their chelae to form a neuronal link with a bipedal headless creature called a rykor.
“The rykors are but brainless flesh. They neither see, nor feel, nor hear. They can scarce move but for us. If we did not bring them food they would starve to death. They are less deserving of thought than our leather. All they can do for themselves is to take food from a trough and put it in their mouths." (CM V)
I love the mindset of the Kaldanes, and think they would fit the goals of the Expert Race. Your quotes are well chosen. I'm concerned because if their parasitic nature on the rykors, which crosses over with my concept of the Alien/Other Race as parasitic puppetmasters. Have you read the Kaldane write-up that's in the basic Sword & Planet rules I wrote last year?
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