Shikarin (3.5e Race)

Author: Krahazik (talk) Date Created: 01/01/2001 Status: Starting Draft Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Shikarin

Shikarins are large mountain dwelling humanoids renowned for their strength and love of battle. They are a predatory, mountain dwelling species by nature evolving in the dangerous mountains of the Shiklesh continent. It is said they were the guardians of those mountains before they made contact with other species and began exploring areas outside their mountain region.

Personality

Shikarins are and outgoing yet violent race with a love of battle and life. They are quick to laugh and slow to hold grudges. They live life to the fullest. They have a strong respect for the harshness of the world and of life in general. To a Shikarin a fight is over when one opponent surrenders or is rendered unable to continue fighting, typically through unconsciousness. They do not believe in beating on an opponent who is unable to beat back. Shikarins value strength in all its forms, not just the physical. Fighting is a way for a Shikarin to test not only how well they can fight and their own physical strength, but a way to test how much punishment they can take in turn. To a Shikarin, life is one never ending party. After all, why worry, enjoy the moment for the next their life could end abruptly and violently.

Shikarin funerals usually involve some exaggerated celebration in honor of the departed to celebrate their life and deeds.

Physical Description

Large sized humanoid averaging six to seven feet in height with thick grayish, stone colored scales covering most of their body. They are broad at the shoulders and thick of build with dense cords of muscle rippling under their scales. The layout of most of their scales is the same for both males and females. Most of the scales are medium to small sized depending on how flexible the area has to be for movement. They have a large scale, which covers almost the entire back of their hands. This scale can be very dangerous when they backhand someone. They have a set of six large scales covering their lower arms. These scales are as long as their lower arms and can be used to block or deflect bladed (non magical) weapons. They have similar scales covering their lower legs. Large scales over their shoulder blades and slightly smaller scales covering their spine running down their back in a strait row. Covering their shoulders, knees and elbows are scales, which are like football pads. The males have a pair of huge scales covering their breasts while the females have no scales on their breasts. All of their scales are grayish, stone colored. They do not have facial hair. Their hair is usually black, brown, or gray green. Shikarins fancy loose, close fitting clothes which allows them to move freely. The dominant colors for their outfits are shades earth tones.

Relations

Shikarins have a neutral tolerant attitude toward other races and cultures. They do not judge people based on their species or culture, but on the individuals actions, words and deeds. They neither hate or like other races or cultures.

Alignment

Shikarins tend toward the neutral and good alignments holding a deeply ingrain respect for all life and nature. Even when on the rare occasion a Shikarin should go bad or evil they tend to maintain a high regard for life drifting toward the lawful alignments.

Lands

Shikarins originate from the high mountains of the Shiklesh island located on Vina's equator. Shikarins tend to gather and build their villages and cities in hollowed out valleys of mountainous regions. Shiklesh is known on Vina as one of the single most dangerous places on the planet with a large variety of ground based predators. The only aerial predator large enough to be a threat to a grown Shikarin would be the dragons.

Shikarin towns and cities are fairly active, noisy and joyous places. Street brawls and bar fights are commonplace, however deaths as a result of these fights is almost unheard of. Shikarin taverns and social places tend to have a large surplus of cheap, easy to produce and replace furniture.

Religion

Shikarins generally worship Shikara, the god of protection and light as it is believed that they were created by Shikara to protect the mountains of their native land as the Shikelves were created to protect the forests.

Language

The main language of Shikarins is a language called Shikarin. It is a rather harsh sounding language.

Names

Shikarin names are usually hard sounding starting with a K, V, T, or D and having the "SH" sound somewhere in the name. All Shikarin names are spelled as they sound and there are no silent letters in Shikarin names as the Shikarin alphabet as no silent letters.

Racial Traits

• +4 Strength, -4 Dexterity, -2 Charisma: Shikelves are strong and graceful hunters stalking through the trees but their coloration and scales tend make them less attractive to other species.
• Large: As a Large creature, a Large takes a -1 size penalty to Armor Class, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +4 size bonus on special attack (bull rushes, grapples, overruns, and trips) checks, and a -4 size penalty on Hide checks, but it uses larger weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are twice of those of a Medium character. They have a space and reach of 10 feet.
• Shikelf base land speed is 20 feet: Climb speed is 10.
• +2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells and effects and a +4 racial bonus against mind altering spells and effects. Shikelves minds are sturdy places and the beast within guards them ferociously from intrusion or alteration.
• +2 natural armor: The shikarin's scales act as a form of natural body armor.
• Natural Weapons: Shikarin's feature retractable claws on their hands and feet allowing them to use their Claws as natural weapons. This dose NOT change the number of attacks the character gets from their class. If the class only grants the character 1 attack for their level then they only get 1 attack. They can either attack with their weapon or use one of their natural weapons. Extending and retracting their claws is a free action. Claws are slashing weapons which do 1d6 damage with a crit range of 19-20x2.
• Sturdy Build: Shikarin's bodies are built to take punishment in addition to their scales. They take 1/2 damage from bashing attacks and falls greater than 20 feet. They take no damage from falls under 20 feet.
• Dragnophobia: Hidden deep within their being, shikelves have a deep and powerful instinctive fear of dragons. This is a survival instinct that ALL shikelves have. To a Shikarin Dragon (a dragon species of their native land), Shikelf is a delicacy and dragons constantly hunt and look for shikelves who have left themselves vulnerable to attack. If a shikelf perceives a threat of a dragon (visually or verbally) they must concentrate their willpower on not succumbing to the fear or go into a split second panic fleeing the source of the threat. Upon seeing the dragon, a shikelf may gain a +2 bonus to their will check for each attribute which does not closely resemble a Shikarin Dragon (Wings, Leg Arrangement, Coloration, Head Style, Intelligence, Magic). Shikarin dragon resemble D&D red dragons, except they are gray/green in coloration, bestial intelligence and can not cast spells or talk. If a shikelf smells a dragon, it is harder to not succumb to the fear, if they succumb their instinct will kick in and the elf will refuse to go any further toward the source of the smell. If they succeed then they can keep moving on but they will be very nervous, their senses become even more heightened. If a Shikelf runs into a sleeping dragon they will instantly stop in their tracks and be as silent and still as possible. If the Shikelf fails to overcome the fear they will instinctively execute a slow and silent retreat from the dragon. If the dragon wakes up, they will instantly panic vanishing from the scene as fast, as silently as possible without being seen by any one in the area. This may occur though a rapid retreat from the area or the Shikelf hiding someplace nearby. In either case, to most people, the Shikelf would appear to be suddenly gone. Shikelves do not suffer any penalties to skill checks for speed, balance, and stealth and all are activated automatically.
• Fear of Absolute Darkness: Shikelves have a problem in complete absolute darkness, they brains are not able to function normally. If they do not perceive some kind of ambient light they will freak out and try to escape the "Unnatural" darkness. They loss all self control and will not stop trying to escape until they reach light or loss consciousness. A shikelf in this state is extremely violent, unpredictable and almost unstoppable. This of course makes them very dangerous. There is no reasoning with a shikelf in this state as their conscious mind has retreated within themselves and they are running on pure instinct.
• Demon Range (See Below): Under certain conditions the beast which resides deep within the shikelven mind can get loose.
• Automatic Languages: Shikelven and Shikarin.
• Bonus Languages: Common and Elven.
• Favored Class: Rogue and Ranger
• Level Adjustment: +1

Vital Statistics

Table: Shikarin Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
20 years	+1d4	+2d6	+4d8

Table: Shikarin Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
70 years	150 years	250 years	+300 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Shikarin Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	6' 9"	+2d4	350 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
Female	6' 6"	+2d4	300 lb.	× (1d4) lb.

Deshclovel (Demon rage)

Shikarins have an inner beast just like Shikelves within them. This beast is the cause of Shikarin's inherent violent nature, but it also provides them with the strength to live in the land of Shikara. Shikarins normally have strict control of their inner beast and have it locked up. When a Shikarin rages a little bit of this beast is allowed to escape boosting the Shikarin's strength and fighting ability at the same time causing their violent natures to run out of control.

Rage is caused when a Shikarin gets extremely mad (eye glowing deep red) and even then there is only a 25% chance of raging. A Shikarin can trigger rage, but this is extremely difficult. First they must be mad at something. This cannot a trifle little thing, it must be something the character would really get mad at. The Shikarin then concentrates to increase his anger (Their eyes will glow more and more red if successful). This takes several seconds. He must make a successful willpower check (DC20). Rage can only be force triggered for the defense of another.

Things that will inherently make a Shikarin mad;

• The harming of children (Must be neutral or good alignments)
• The harming of a loved one or close friend.

Effects of Raging (This is Temp);

• Strength is doubled.
• +4 to dexterity and constitution.
• There eyes stop glowing. The edge of the colored area of their eyes turns blood red and the color turns to white. The Shikarin gets a meaner look and aura bout them. While raging the Shikarin can only focus on killing and the next target. They cannot use any skills or abilities that require patience and or concentration, such as moving silently or casting spells.
• An enforced rage lasts for several minutes (1d6 minutes) or Key Target is resolved. If it was triggered by a person killing another person and is based on revenge, then the rage will not end until one of 4 things happen; 1) The person the elf thought killed shows up alive, 2) The Key Target is killed, 3) the elf is killed 4) the time period expires.
• Once the rage expires the Shikarin is fatigued for 1 full day.

Percent to Rage Chart

Percentage	Incident
50%	Wife, strong love, murdered. Marriage of convenience does not count.
45%	Wife to be, strong love, murdered.
40%	Family brutally wiped out in a day.
30%	Home Village wiped out.
30%	Close sibling murdered.
20%	Mother or father murdered.
15%	Girl friend murdered.
10%	Best friend or soul brother/sister murdered.
05%	Young child murdered in cold blood for the fun of it.

In all cases the one who ordered the murder at the top of the command chain is the Key Target.

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