Songbird race! (And other stuff.)

[Metastachydium]

This month, I only give you two pretty simplistic races. The first one (stone elves) was originally devised to serve as the only race/subrace (the most fitting term would perhaps be ecotype, but I digress) with a strict sense racial culture in a homebrewn setting I've been working on for a while, the reason for their developing a monoculture being that they had an incredibly small population endemic to a single inhospitable mountainous region. They formed a loose network of kraterocratic tribes that only cared for two things: prowess (i.e. a measure of competence in various matters military; it could mean skill with weapons, a good head for tactics or strategy, exceptional stealth or speed, leadership skills and so on and so forth) and the bonds of kinship. This resulted in a weird model of society where those perceived as weak were held in barely concealed universal contempt but those with prowess were, in the same time, ridiculously protective of them, shielding these specimens from harm and making sure they stayed healthy and well fed. A stone elf who harmed another stone elf (any other stone elf) was ostracized and ejected from the tribe and became free game that anyone could kill, maim, deceive, rob and mistreat with impunity. If a stone elf killed another non-tribeless stone elf, they became immediately and irrevocably tribeless themselves and intertribal elfhunts were organized to give these kinslayers the gift of an ugly death. They were also essentially obligate carnivores, practicing non-ritualistic cannibalism and eating whatever they killed, regardless of sapience (although they did not actively hunt for sapient prey) which combined with their xenophobic territoriality and their habit of sporadically raiding the foothills netted them several punitive expeditions to beat back with ruthless and unabashed guerilla warfare.

The other race presented below is a missed opportunity of sorts. I mean, we know that humans can interbreed with both elves and orcs. The easiest scientifically sound explanation for that is close genetic proximity between the three races. I'd go so far to assume, in fact, that they essentially belong to the same species as subspecies or somesuch. This, in turn, would raise the question of why there isn't an elf/orc hybrid race. And that's where the yrch (the Sindarin term for 'orcs (pl.)') come in.

Now, let's see some crunch!

Stone Elf

Shorter and slighter than high elves, these sinewy humanoids have little difficulty blending into the backdrop of their rocky homeland with their dark hair, grainy, dim gray skin and somewhat angular features. Usually clad in dull leathers, the elves of the mountains roam the hard cragtop paths with the resolute, cold and measured awareness of the hunter, their daggerlike ears honed to pick up the faintest of noises.

Stone Elf, 1st-Level Warrior
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid [Elf]
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares), climb 15 feet.
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 leather ), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1
Attack: Short sword +2 melee (1d6) or shortbow +2 ranged (1d6)
Full Attack: Short sword +2 melee (1d6) or shortbow +2 ranged (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Stone elf traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Climb +11, Listen +2, Jump +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +2, Swim +2
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate and cold mountains
Organization: Solitary, scouting party (2–5), raid (10–40 plus 2 3rd–5th-level heads), warband (50–100 plus 4 to 6 3rd–5th level heads and 1 5th–8th level warchief) or camp (as warband plus 10% noncombatants)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Combat
Few but resourceful, stone elves prefer to keep their fights as far from fair as the circumstances allow for. They make great use of the terrain, laying ambushes and using hit-and-run tactics, engaging opponents at range and from cover. If they fail to gain the upper hand fast enough or suffer heavier casualties than expected, they will scatter and retreat. They are known to allow foes that show exceptional prowess pass through their territories unmolested to preserve their numbers and out of respect.

Stone Elf Traits (Ex)
Stone elves possess the following racial traits.
-2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom.
Medium size.
A stone elf' base land speed is 30 feet. It also has a climb speed of 15 feet.
Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: A stone elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Stone elves have a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks made in rocky areas.
A stone elf can use either her Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
Resistance to cold 5.
Infamy: stone elves have a -4 penalty on Diplomacy checks made to influence the attitude of a creature that is not a stone elf.
Automatic Languages: Undercommon.
Favored Class: Scout.

The stone elf warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: 12, 10, 13, 11, 9, 8.

♣

Yrch

Born of the union between elves and orcs, yrch bear some resemblance to both of their parent races. No taller than an adult human, yrch have a thin, but well-muscled frame and a curious, graceless posture. Narrow, pointed elven ears jut upwards from under their coarse, thick hair and slender tusks protrude from behind their lower lips. Though strong, they are strangely sickly and rarely can they hold their liquor well.

Yrch, 1st-Level Warrior
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid [Elf, Orc]
Hit Dice: 1d8-1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 feet in scale mail (4 squares); base speed 30 feet
Armor Class: 16 (+4 scale mail, +2 heavy wooden shield ), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Trident +4 melee (1d8+2) or trident +2 ranged (1d8+2)
Full Attack: Trident +4 melee (1d8+2) or trident +2 ranged (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Yrch traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will -1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 12
Skills: Climb -2, Intimidate +4, Listen +0, Spot +0
Feats: Weapon Focus (trident)
Environment: Temperate forests and hills
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–4), squad ( 1–20 plus 1 leader of 3rd–6th level) or company ( 30–100 plus 70% noncombatants and 3–7 leaders of 3rd–7th level)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: Often chaotic neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Combat
More organized and cautious than orcs, but much more straightforward than elves, yrch tend to meet their enemies out in the open, trusting in their numbers and the strength of their arms. Their forces are often plagued by inadequate discipline and coordination or rash decisions.

Yrch Traits (Ex)
Yrch possess the following racial traits.
+2 Strength, -2 Constitution.
Medium size.
The base land speed of an yrch is 30 feet.
Yrch have a +2 racial saving throw bonus against magic sleep effects and spells of the Charm subschool.
Darkvision: Yrch can see in the dark up to 30 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight.
+1 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
Mixed Blood: For all effects related to race, an yrch is considered both an elf and an orc.
Automatic Languages: Common and Elven or Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven or Orc, Gnome or Goblin, Sylvan or Giant.
Favored Class: Barbarian or ranger

The yrch warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: 13, 10, 11, 9, 8, 12