...THE STUFF

Litorians: A New PC Race

If you've been reading the Ptolus material, you might have noticed that I have some new races in my campaign world. The litorians are one of them.
~Monte

Litorians are bestial, honor-bound hunters. Usually found roaming open grasslands far from civilization, litorians only rarely separate from their tribe. Unlike members of the more common, standard races, only the unique individual litorian interacts with other species.

Personality: Litorians are thoughtful and quiet until provoked past their limit. Once angered, they become savage and brutal, almost incapable of showing mercy.

Litorians love the outdoors, good food, and long, well-considered stories (not boastful or exaggerated ones). They have a very deep sense of personal honor -- personal in that it's not about "saving face" but in being true to oneself. A litorian will not compromise her morals for fear of losing her own self-value, even if this makes her appear strange or foolish to others, and even if it means making a choice others might not consider the best one. All litorians develop their own set of morals and ethics, although some principles remain true across most members of the race. Because they highly value both honor and life, for example, their need to repay those who save their lives -- a lifedebt -- is very strong.

Physical Description: Litorians are taller and more muscular than humans. A litorian's body is covered in light brown hair, and their faces are clearly feline in appearance with a pronounced snout, a flat, catlike nose, and sharp teeth. They have dark eyes with narrow pupils. Manes of brown hair surround the heads of males. Most people notice a thick, almost musky scent around litorians, but few think it unpleasant.

Litorians mature much faster than humans, but have a life span of similar length.

Relations: Litorians have little history with most other races, except elves, whom they respect but do not understand.

Alignment: Litorians lean toward chaos rather than law simply because of their tribal upbringing. Litorian tribes are organized by strength and respect, not law. Litorians find the concept of preconceived, deliniated parameters of right and wrong difficult to understand; they are much more likely to judge situations on a case-by-case basis. Bound by their sense of honor and respect for others, far more litorians are good or neutral than evil.

Litorian Lands: Litorians are nomads, but to call their wandering random shows a profound misunderstanding of the way things work. They subtly control the open grasslands upon which they wander: Their power and cunning makes them clear masters of the region that they inhabit. No one passes through the plains or savanna that they inhabit without their knowledge -- and, therefore, their leave.

Religion: While not atheists, litorians have no concept of worship. They simply do not understand or crave the need to trust in a higher power. When confronted with proof of a deity's might, a litorian will grant respect, but not reverence. There are no litorian clerics, although deityless druids are not uncommon.

Language: Litorian, a complex language difficult for humans and elves to speak (other races, such as dwarves and orcs, find it easier). It is a tongue full of deceptive subtlety, and few nonlitorians attempt to master it. Litorian has an alphabet of its own, but by the standards of other races its written form is fairly crude and basic. Some litorian tribes have taken up Elvish script to write their own language, but few consider it worth the effort.

Names: The tribe gives all litorians names that carry a special meaning in their own tongue. These names are then transliterated into Common for use by others who have difficulty with litorian speech. Here are some sample names:

• Litorian Male Names: Rastor, Charnaset, Malethar, Chron.
• Litorian Female Names: Sorret, Marel, Yintra, Rann.
  

Adventurers: Litorians away from their tribe are usually hunters, mercenaries, or members of another profession that allows them to use both their outdoor instincts and their natural strength and agility. Frequently shunned by other races (because they find the "lion-men" intimidating or even terrifying), litorians often find acceptance and friendship among adventurers, many of whom are loners or wanderers themselves.

Litorian Racial Traits

• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity: Litorians are strong, fast, and tough.

• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, litorians have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Litorian base speed is 30 feet.

• Lowlight vision: Litorians can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, etc. They also retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Automatic Languages: Common and Litorian. Bonus Languages: Elvish, Gnoll, Goblin, and Orc. Smart litorians may know the languages of their allies or rivals.

• +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Search, Spot, Listen and Wilderness Lore checks.

• Scent as an ability as described in the Monster Manual.

• Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclass litorian's ranger class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty. They are natural trackers and outdoorsmen.

• ECL +1: Player character litorians are treated in every way as characters of one level higher than their actual class level.