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View Full Version : [Race] Scholar-Clerics of Eadro



Abjurer
2008-08-19, 12:01 PM
http://i34.tinypic.com/23mueqx.jpg

The apkallu (sometimes called fishfolk by terrestrials) are a peace-loving race of amphibious humanoids. They worship Eadro, but they are far more social to land-folk than the merfolk. They are calm and patient, and prize deliberate calculation over rash action. Apkallu almost never engage in war, unless their underwater cities are directly attacked.

Apkallu greatly enjoy communication with other races, especially terrestrials. They are oftentimes found in human or elvish port cities, sharing goods and knowledge with nobles and commoners alike. They enjoy learning as much as they can about other cultures, and sometimes travel very far to do so. They can be found socializing with just about everyone, as they are always open to new ideas. The only thing they truly despise is killing, so they avoid evil rather than combating it.

Apkallu stand a little over five feet tall and weigh around 140-200 pounds. They are slow and clumsy on land, but move with surprising speed underwater. Apkallu speak common and aquatic, but since they seek to integrate with other intelligent beings, most speak other languages as well. Apkallu clerics worship Eadro. Most apkallu leaders are clerics. Many apkallu are also wizards or bards. At higher levels, apkallu oftentimes become loremasters and mystic theurges.


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Medium size, 20 ft move.
+2 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity.
Awareness: As the feat.
Aquatic subtype, swim speed 40 ft.
Amphibious: Apkallu can breathe indefinitely both underwater and on land.
Superior Low-Light Vision: Apkallu can see four times as far as a human in conditions of low illumination.
Favored Class: Cleric.

Abjurer
2008-08-20, 06:15 PM
Dang, I never get comments. And making art doesn't help, I guess.

Ah, well. :smallsigh:

...maybe it's the obscure deity references in my thread titles...

Lorien077
2008-08-22, 04:06 AM
They're interesting, just need more fluff IMO. I do like the idea of these guys in port cities, possibly educating the poor folk and children.
And don't ask me why but they remind me of turtles in many ways.

BobVosh
2008-08-22, 05:40 AM
They make me think spell jammer...I guess mainly because they don't seem to have a home. Similar to the "bum" rant by Vincent in Pulp Fiction also.

Statistically and fluffwise they are meh. Needs more fluff for RP play, needs more stats for "optimized" play.

sigurd
2008-08-22, 09:41 PM
I really like the race but I think it needs more info to help it find a place in campaigns.

Did you draw the pic?

I'm definitely going to put them in a corner of my game world. Thanks. Do you want me to post fluff here when I have some?


Sigurd.

Abjurer
2008-08-24, 06:10 PM
Yeah, I drew the pic.
And yeah, now that you mention it, he is pretty turtleesque.
But that's fitting: slow, and often portrayed as wise and calculating.

I can give you guys some more fluff and backstory if you want.
Originally I was just sharing an idea of mine to seed inspiration.

So statistically they're supposed to be Meh. They're not, really (giving them +2 WIS without LA makes them pretty much the most powerful clerics out there), but they're supposed to be. I mean, there's no chance they're going to be PCs, because there's no chance they're going to be adventurers. They're pacifists (or the next best thing, in an RPG setting), and adventurers (let's face it) really really aren't.

And fluffwise they're pretty interesting (or at least I think so), you've just not heard it all.

So here's some more of my brainthinks:
(Let's start at the very beginning. It's a fairly good place to start...)


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Eadro, Lord of the Sunlit Shallows and of the deepest reaches of the Oceans, created the merfolk. The merfolk (in my campaigns) are a simple race, and easily frustrated by that which they do not understand. They know well the water and its creatures, music, and their religion, so these things they cling to above all else. They never seek to harm others, but they do not understand the limitations of others. Cultures outside of their own confuse them, and they fear what they do not understand, so they remain in their underwater cities, far away from other civilizations.

He also created the Apkallu, who are quite the opposite. Apkallu seek out interactions with other races, and are oftentimes found in libraries and places of worship, learning about other cultures. The merfolk trust the Apkallu more than other races but avoid them no less. Trade has been known to happen between the two races, however, so Apkallu merchants often have merish products that are hard to find elsewhere.

Though they have gills, Apkallu can survive indefinitely on land, and they remain there more often than in the water because they prefer to socialize with other races than their own.

Apkallu cities are huge subaquatic metropoles, always with a huge church and an even bigger interlingual library. Many apkallu live in land-based cities, but all have a home in some underwater city. If the city or town that an Apkallu lives in is attacked, s/he will remain there to heal those who have fallen, but will not participate in combat.


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Is that better? What else do you want to know about them?

sigurd
2008-08-24, 10:24 PM
Is that better? What else do you want to know about them?

Well if they're pacifists how do they survive? Do they have a short list of allies that defend their cities? Do they have grand magic mojo? What is their most commonly employed defense?

Do they have sanctuaries on alternate planes? Are they born tadpoles, eggs or bawling infants? Can they reproduce outside the water? Are their marriages arranged or ? Do they have marriage? Do they have two genders - what are the characteristics and common names for each?

Any exception to their pacifism? Any rebels against their divine calling? Any alternate or rebel gods for their pantheon?

Do they like crunchy or smooth? Coke or Pepsi? - Inquiring minds want to know!


Sigurd

Abjurer
2008-08-25, 08:00 AM
Well, they don't have to fight when they live among land-dwellers (or merfolk), unless the people they live with are also pacifists, in which case they apologize to their hosts and retreat to the ocean. The underground cities are very hard to find, and are warded by potent abjurations. Also, merfolk can always be found in Apkallu cities, and will fight to defend the cities. But if they are overrun, the Apkallu will retreat to another city or merish waters, or even to land (if their assailants are aquatic, which is likely).

Their high cleric is named Adapa. All their clerics wear a spiral, the symbol of Eadro.

Being worshippers of Eadro, they are always welcome on the Elemental Plane of Water. As young, they are large, soft eggs; like those of fish, but about the size of a bowling ball. They cannot reproduce outside of the water, and despite their affinity for other races, you won't find half-apkallu anywhere.

Marriage doesn't happen until about halfway through an Apkallu's life (around 150 years), at which point they choose a spouse and remain with them until death. Apkallu never reproduce more than twice during the span of their lifetimes, but lay large numbers (4d6) of eggs when they do so.

There are definitely both male and female Apkallu. Females are shorter than males (about five feet) and only weigh about 120 lbs. Their complexion is darker and greyish.

Names of males: Adapa, Oannes...
Names of females: Havsra, Marid...

They are always peaceful, and run instead of fighting. If cornered, I imagine they would sit down and pray to Eadro. Unless there are wounded people (ally or assailant), in which case they will attempt to heal them.

...and I'm going to say crunchy and pepsi. But that's just me. = )