Scribbler
2007-04-14, 11:13 PM
The Umi
The Umi are a race that exists in my campaign world. This is my first attempt at creating a race, though, so I’m not sure if it’s very well done.
The humans were created first in the world, by Jonas and Jartha, the great king and queen of the gods. Their children adapted this creation in various ways; Remas, god of the woodlands, created the elves, while Medli, goddess of the earth and mountains, made the dwarves. While the other humanoids made by the younger gods were different from the humans, they were still to be their equals. Becor, vile goddess of corruption, was jealous. She did not like the creations of her parents or siblings. While those siblings used their parents’ creations as a model, Becor captured them, and those of the others, and changed them, corrupted them, cursed them. What once was human is no longer. Mostly hateful of the goddess that forged them, the Umi live as outcasts, feared by civilized humanoid society.
Much has changed since the time of creation—or the time the creation myths speak of, if you don’t believe in them. Even the Umi, maybe because the other gods took pity on them, maybe simply because they had nowhere to go but up, have improved. They are still weak, but their minds have grown. Can they overcome? We may see, for good or ill. They are also not quite as dangerous to others as those others (and probably most of the Umi themselves) believe them to be, either. Has the influence of their corruption weakened, or are the tales of Umi who decimated cities by their presence simply exaggerated? This we do not know.
The Umi are an outcast race. As a whole, they live outside normal society, and keep to themselves, mostly in small settlements consisting entirely of Umi. Coming into contact with the Umi is believed to spread their curse, and they are believed to spread disease. They look diseased, and are very much shunned if they do enter normal social settings. Most Umi are also insane, and many people believe it to be a universal trait of the race. It may be an actual trait that some are lucky enough not to inherit, but… living lives as outcasts who fear to approach others and are so feared, who live alone and told to stay there, brought food from outside by people with their faces covered, waiting to die in villages nobody visits… maybe it is their status that shakes their sanity.
Physical description: Umi stand slightly shorter than humans, but then they never stand up quite straight. If they could, they would be an inch or two taller, on average. They appear gaunt and thin. Their skin is pale and has a nasty yellowish or grayish tinge. It is also thick and tough, and visibly so. Their hair has the same norms as human, but is starting to gray and thin out even in children; middle-aged Umi often already have white hair. The irises of their eyes can be any color that humans have, but the whites are yellow and usually bloodshot.
Relations: Umi are shunned and feared, and there might even be good reason. Nobody, for the most part, thinks of the Umi as evil, but they are dangerous without trying to be, which could be called worse. Most people pity Umi as a concept and contribute food to be sent to their communities, but they do not actually want to meet them.
Umi traveling in others’ lands are usually best off covering themselves completely, to avoid touching others, and disguising themselves, so people do not run or chase them away. Sadly, these two goals often contradict each other. Other people in an Umi settlement are typically treated kindly, but definitely shunned. Contact with Umi really can be dangerous, and they do not wish to harm others. They avoid the visitor, clearly state that it is an Umi settlement, and urge them to leave. This is only typical, however, as some communities resent their outcast status and will seek to harm visitors.
Alignments: Most Umi are insane, and would probably be considered neutral. Even those that are not are generally disinterested and isolated from others, doing nothing to help or harm. They still tend to be neutral. The rare Umi who leaves the community is likely to be something different, but is she a resentful villain or a kindhearted soul who needs to seek out others? Both exist, in about equal numbers.
Umi lands: Umi tend to be isolated in small communities, but these communities are usually near the lands of other races. The other races provide for them, so that they do not use (and possibly corrupt) their own farmland, or come into contact with game. Providing for an Umi community seems like a better idea than letting them care for themselves. The person or people who make the deliveries is often somewhat shunned in his own community as well.
Religion: Some Umi embrace their corruption and worship Becor; most detest her. Some are atheists, believing that they could not exist if there were gods; others thank the gods for helping them grow strong and overcome their natural weaknesses. In any case, most Umi are not very religious.
Languages: Umi speak the language of the people near them. Some of them are very interested in literature and learn many languages, since they have no other contact with most of the world.
Names: Umi names vary a great deal, depending on the community. Most favor guttural sounds. They do not use family names
Male names: Arck, Grehn, Ort, Urstt, Venk
Female names: Arn, Deihn, Ein, Grehnka, Mrarg
Adventurers: Many Umi thirst to leave their communities. Only the bravest few actually do, usually to the protests of the others. There is little for them within or outside their communities, except as adventurers. The frail Umi often do not do well in that position, but some use their cleverness and resourcefulness to great effect. A few use their reputation to their advantage; others disguise themselves and claim to be human.
Umi Racial Traits:
Humanoid (Psionic)
-2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha: The Umi are frail and sickly, as well as both complacent and feared, but they are clever
Medium: As Medium creatures, Umi have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size
Umi base land speed is 30 ft
+1 natural armor: While frail, Umi have tough hides
Naturally Psionic: Umi gain 1 extra power point per day at first level
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison and disease: The Umi may seem sickly, but their bodies are used to this kind of punishment
Umi can opt to ignore the -2 penalty to disguise checks to look human. This only works when trying to look human in general, not a specific person, and the Umi can only look like a very sickly human (probably still shunned and avoided, but perhaps less aggressively). They still must make a check, and so might be spotted for what they really are.
Psi-like ability: demoralize 1/day. Manifester level ½ hit dice (minimum 1st) and the Save DC is Charisma-based
-1 penalty on all saves
Corrupting touchSu: Anyone whose skin touches the skin of an Umi has either his sanity or his vitality damaged by her corruption. She can control the virility of this somewhat, making it more or less dangerous simply by willing it, but most people (including many Umi) do not realize that this is the case (corrupting touch details are below). When used as an attack, corrupting touch threatens a critical on a natural 20 and deals double damage. Precision damage such as sneak attack never applies.
Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any, other than secret languages such as Druidic
Favored Class: Psion
Corrupting Touch: Normally, corrupting touch takes effect whenever an Umi’s skin contacts another living creature’s body. If she realizes that she is going to make contact, she can suppress the effect simply by wanting the person to not be affected, even if she does not realize that it will not affect him; in this case, the other creature is only considered affected if contact is prolonged and lasts for more than a number of rounds equal to the Umi’s hit dice. If the Umi wants to corrupt another creature, she either make a standard action to do so as a touch attack or use a move action to prepare, in which case any creature that hits her with an unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch attack during that same round is affected (normally, contact must be made with the skin, so clothing and armor would keep it from working).
In any case, when a creature is affected, there is an equal chance for Con or Wis damage (if the Umi intentionally affected the creature, she can choose the ability score targeted with 75% success rate instead of an equal chance). For Con damage, the target makes a Fort save with a DC of 10 + ½ hit dice + Con modifier or take 1d3 Con damage. For Wis damage it is a Will save with DC 10 + 1/2 hit dice + Cha modifier. Con damage is considered both a poison and a disease for immunity and resistance, Wis damage is mind-affecting and a disease. Umi are unaffected by each other’s touch. Any creature may only be successfully affected by an Umi’s touch 1/day (but if he resists or is immune to the damage, the Umi may try again).
Random Starting Ages
Adulthood Simple Medium Complex
13 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d4
Aging Effects
Middle Age Old Venerable Maximum Age
30 42 57 +2d8
Random Height and Weight
Base Height Base Weight
Height Mod Weight Mod
male 4' 8" +2d10 100 x (2d4) lb
female 4' 3" +2d10 65 x (2d4) lb
I’m hoping to have this be an LA +0 race, but I definitely want to keep the corrupting touch ability or something like it. I realize that ability damage at will is potent, but it’s low damage, can only be used on any target once in a fight, and they have a penalty on both of the save DC ability scores. It’s also hard for them not to affect people, so it definitely has a drawback.
This is my first attempt at creating a race, so I’d like some feedback. Hoping I didn’t make something too terribly out of balance.
The Umi are a race that exists in my campaign world. This is my first attempt at creating a race, though, so I’m not sure if it’s very well done.
The humans were created first in the world, by Jonas and Jartha, the great king and queen of the gods. Their children adapted this creation in various ways; Remas, god of the woodlands, created the elves, while Medli, goddess of the earth and mountains, made the dwarves. While the other humanoids made by the younger gods were different from the humans, they were still to be their equals. Becor, vile goddess of corruption, was jealous. She did not like the creations of her parents or siblings. While those siblings used their parents’ creations as a model, Becor captured them, and those of the others, and changed them, corrupted them, cursed them. What once was human is no longer. Mostly hateful of the goddess that forged them, the Umi live as outcasts, feared by civilized humanoid society.
Much has changed since the time of creation—or the time the creation myths speak of, if you don’t believe in them. Even the Umi, maybe because the other gods took pity on them, maybe simply because they had nowhere to go but up, have improved. They are still weak, but their minds have grown. Can they overcome? We may see, for good or ill. They are also not quite as dangerous to others as those others (and probably most of the Umi themselves) believe them to be, either. Has the influence of their corruption weakened, or are the tales of Umi who decimated cities by their presence simply exaggerated? This we do not know.
The Umi are an outcast race. As a whole, they live outside normal society, and keep to themselves, mostly in small settlements consisting entirely of Umi. Coming into contact with the Umi is believed to spread their curse, and they are believed to spread disease. They look diseased, and are very much shunned if they do enter normal social settings. Most Umi are also insane, and many people believe it to be a universal trait of the race. It may be an actual trait that some are lucky enough not to inherit, but… living lives as outcasts who fear to approach others and are so feared, who live alone and told to stay there, brought food from outside by people with their faces covered, waiting to die in villages nobody visits… maybe it is their status that shakes their sanity.
Physical description: Umi stand slightly shorter than humans, but then they never stand up quite straight. If they could, they would be an inch or two taller, on average. They appear gaunt and thin. Their skin is pale and has a nasty yellowish or grayish tinge. It is also thick and tough, and visibly so. Their hair has the same norms as human, but is starting to gray and thin out even in children; middle-aged Umi often already have white hair. The irises of their eyes can be any color that humans have, but the whites are yellow and usually bloodshot.
Relations: Umi are shunned and feared, and there might even be good reason. Nobody, for the most part, thinks of the Umi as evil, but they are dangerous without trying to be, which could be called worse. Most people pity Umi as a concept and contribute food to be sent to their communities, but they do not actually want to meet them.
Umi traveling in others’ lands are usually best off covering themselves completely, to avoid touching others, and disguising themselves, so people do not run or chase them away. Sadly, these two goals often contradict each other. Other people in an Umi settlement are typically treated kindly, but definitely shunned. Contact with Umi really can be dangerous, and they do not wish to harm others. They avoid the visitor, clearly state that it is an Umi settlement, and urge them to leave. This is only typical, however, as some communities resent their outcast status and will seek to harm visitors.
Alignments: Most Umi are insane, and would probably be considered neutral. Even those that are not are generally disinterested and isolated from others, doing nothing to help or harm. They still tend to be neutral. The rare Umi who leaves the community is likely to be something different, but is she a resentful villain or a kindhearted soul who needs to seek out others? Both exist, in about equal numbers.
Umi lands: Umi tend to be isolated in small communities, but these communities are usually near the lands of other races. The other races provide for them, so that they do not use (and possibly corrupt) their own farmland, or come into contact with game. Providing for an Umi community seems like a better idea than letting them care for themselves. The person or people who make the deliveries is often somewhat shunned in his own community as well.
Religion: Some Umi embrace their corruption and worship Becor; most detest her. Some are atheists, believing that they could not exist if there were gods; others thank the gods for helping them grow strong and overcome their natural weaknesses. In any case, most Umi are not very religious.
Languages: Umi speak the language of the people near them. Some of them are very interested in literature and learn many languages, since they have no other contact with most of the world.
Names: Umi names vary a great deal, depending on the community. Most favor guttural sounds. They do not use family names
Male names: Arck, Grehn, Ort, Urstt, Venk
Female names: Arn, Deihn, Ein, Grehnka, Mrarg
Adventurers: Many Umi thirst to leave their communities. Only the bravest few actually do, usually to the protests of the others. There is little for them within or outside their communities, except as adventurers. The frail Umi often do not do well in that position, but some use their cleverness and resourcefulness to great effect. A few use their reputation to their advantage; others disguise themselves and claim to be human.
Umi Racial Traits:
Humanoid (Psionic)
-2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha: The Umi are frail and sickly, as well as both complacent and feared, but they are clever
Medium: As Medium creatures, Umi have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size
Umi base land speed is 30 ft
+1 natural armor: While frail, Umi have tough hides
Naturally Psionic: Umi gain 1 extra power point per day at first level
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison and disease: The Umi may seem sickly, but their bodies are used to this kind of punishment
Umi can opt to ignore the -2 penalty to disguise checks to look human. This only works when trying to look human in general, not a specific person, and the Umi can only look like a very sickly human (probably still shunned and avoided, but perhaps less aggressively). They still must make a check, and so might be spotted for what they really are.
Psi-like ability: demoralize 1/day. Manifester level ½ hit dice (minimum 1st) and the Save DC is Charisma-based
-1 penalty on all saves
Corrupting touchSu: Anyone whose skin touches the skin of an Umi has either his sanity or his vitality damaged by her corruption. She can control the virility of this somewhat, making it more or less dangerous simply by willing it, but most people (including many Umi) do not realize that this is the case (corrupting touch details are below). When used as an attack, corrupting touch threatens a critical on a natural 20 and deals double damage. Precision damage such as sneak attack never applies.
Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any, other than secret languages such as Druidic
Favored Class: Psion
Corrupting Touch: Normally, corrupting touch takes effect whenever an Umi’s skin contacts another living creature’s body. If she realizes that she is going to make contact, she can suppress the effect simply by wanting the person to not be affected, even if she does not realize that it will not affect him; in this case, the other creature is only considered affected if contact is prolonged and lasts for more than a number of rounds equal to the Umi’s hit dice. If the Umi wants to corrupt another creature, she either make a standard action to do so as a touch attack or use a move action to prepare, in which case any creature that hits her with an unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch attack during that same round is affected (normally, contact must be made with the skin, so clothing and armor would keep it from working).
In any case, when a creature is affected, there is an equal chance for Con or Wis damage (if the Umi intentionally affected the creature, she can choose the ability score targeted with 75% success rate instead of an equal chance). For Con damage, the target makes a Fort save with a DC of 10 + ½ hit dice + Con modifier or take 1d3 Con damage. For Wis damage it is a Will save with DC 10 + 1/2 hit dice + Cha modifier. Con damage is considered both a poison and a disease for immunity and resistance, Wis damage is mind-affecting and a disease. Umi are unaffected by each other’s touch. Any creature may only be successfully affected by an Umi’s touch 1/day (but if he resists or is immune to the damage, the Umi may try again).
Random Starting Ages
Adulthood Simple Medium Complex
13 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d4
Aging Effects
Middle Age Old Venerable Maximum Age
30 42 57 +2d8
Random Height and Weight
Base Height Base Weight
Height Mod Weight Mod
male 4' 8" +2d10 100 x (2d4) lb
female 4' 3" +2d10 65 x (2d4) lb
I’m hoping to have this be an LA +0 race, but I definitely want to keep the corrupting touch ability or something like it. I realize that ability damage at will is potent, but it’s low damage, can only be used on any target once in a fight, and they have a penalty on both of the save DC ability scores. It’s also hard for them not to affect people, so it definitely has a drawback.
This is my first attempt at creating a race, so I’d like some feedback. Hoping I didn’t make something too terribly out of balance.