Ettin: Heads Up

[Traskus]

Ettin are a two-headed anthropoid race found throughout the southwest of the Wheel. They live in mountain ranges tending to their livestock, not seeking conflict with others unless trespassed against. They tend to desire a pastoral life, not seeking advanced technology after refined firearms and politely declining when it is offered. All Ettin are educated in self-defense and etiquette, ready to either negotiate or fight those outside their hamlets for their best interests. The strange duality of their culture leads many to not wish to interact with them. Few people anywhere are mentally capable of compartmentalizing their thoughts the way Ettins can.

They were created by the dragons who, in their infinite wisdom, decided creating entire races was totally not a horrible idea that shouldn't be repeated. They failed to learn the lessons of the Syrne and their own experiences with the Reticulans failed to dissuade them. The dragons created the Ettins to have someone to tend to their livestock for food, giving them two heads so they would be too busy arguing with themselves to rebel against the dragons. It must have worked, because they never rebelled before the Tiamat Heresy and have yet to declare any sort of crusade against dragons despite not serving them anymore.

Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 2.1-3.1m
Average Weight: 175-400kg
Languages: Trade, Draconic, and Giant
Common Physical Traits: Having at least two heads, vestigial tusks, leathery skin, wrinkles, barrel chest
Common Personality Traits: Coordinated, self-sabotaging, of two minds, harmonious, tricky
Example Names: Kairos, Tusseladd, Orthrus, Brahma, Briareos

Racial Stats

Characteristic Bonus: +1 to Strength or Wisdom
Skill Bonus: +1 to Perception and Scrutiny
Power: Better Than One: Ettins have two heads. Surprise! The extra eyes, ears, and brainpower grant an Ettin one extra reaction per round.
Size: 5

Racial Feats

Ettin Endurance (Ettin)
The Ettin gains a raise to resist all effects to blind, deafen, charm, enchant, frighten, stun, or render unconscious.

Lernean (Ettin, Paragon)
Named for a beast with countless heads, the Lernean Ettin are mystics and soothsayers all. The Ettin has Excellence + 1 heads instead of two, and one is nominated as the "main" head. Gain a rank in the Divination spell school and may advance it as part of their class. The wakeful feat does not negate bonuses to ettin endurance unless all heads are asleep (which I guess you could do but why).

Masterful Combatant (Ettin)
An Ettin can focus as well as two warriors. An Ettin counts as many people for purposes of ganging up as they have heads.


Scrute and Scrutability (Ettin)
Ettin are twice as hard to read and twice as good at reading. The Ettin gains +2 resolve and +5 mental defense.

Wakeful (Ettin)
Ettin heads take turns sleeping as a matter of course, but few truly coordinate themselves to this level. Gain the Light Sleeper and Paranoia feats. One head may sleep and the other may be awake. During this time, the bonus to rolls from Ettin Endurance is negated.

Ettin Physical Qualities

Let's get the obvious out of the way; most Ettins have two heads and some have more. These heads usually have independent personalities complete with names. The normal Ettin's heads each control a half of the body. Young Ettin argue with themselves and self-sabotage leading to extreme clumsiness, but older ones tend to act in concert or changing shifts. Schooling and learning curves of Ettins are more pronounced than other races because they have "twice" the brainpower of other races. This brainpower doesn't translate to intelligence, just learning speed.

Most Ettin are larger than the ones other people usually interact with. The runts of Ettin society are no less impressive for it, nor do the other Ettins figuratively look down upon them for it. The fact of the matter is, it's too much work to accommodate them and too difficult for them to acclimate. This leads to smaller Ettin to leave their societies to take up lives elsewhere. The "average" Ettin adventurer is actually a runt.

Playing an Ettin

When playing an Ettin, it's best to make use of that extra reaction per round. The easy way to play one is by either being a combat-heavy character or a social-heavy character. The extra reaction per round allows an Ettin to maneuver around targets. Players having arguments with themselves is a fun way to role play, just make sure it isn't annoying the other people at the game. The Ettin's size is notable, but not identifying. An Ettin often has a hard time fitting in. Too small for their own society (usually), but too large for most other societies. An Ettin character is often at home with Aasimar and Tieflings more than any other.

Ettin worship who they please, but Tiamat is a disgrace to them. They are accused by other races of all being Tiamat cultists due to the obvious multi-headedness, whereas Ettin are her biggest critics. Nor do they worship Bahamut. His rigidness and obsession with hierarchy is at odds with their pastoral ways. Ettins do not believe in "leaders" in the conventional sense. They believe in being led by experts in their field.

Ettin Heroes

Janus was a simple Ettin. He tended to his mammoths and took them to a nearby human settlement's market. One day, a dragon began abducting his livestock. With every mammoth lost, Janus became increasingly conflicted. One of his heads demanded revenge while the other insisted to give up ranching so this wouldn't be a problem anymore. When his last mammoth was lost, his rage reached a breaking point. The desire for revenge against that dragon keeps him alive.

Xianglu is an outcast. He very much does worship Tiamat, to the extent that he sought ways to become more draconic. He was exiled from his village when discovered and set out on the road. His first encounter was with a strange elf with a taste for blood and bit him. Over the next few days, he became increasingly sickly until the night of the full moon. When he felt the full moon shine on him, he blacked out and woke up with his gear off and a snakeskin next to him.

Hatshep lives for the thrill. She routinely skydives, barnstorms, wrestles animals, you name it. She always keeps trying to achieve that first high from her near-death experience, but it all fails. She has had more than her share of accidents, and it is suspected she sabotages her stunts. She has been declared dead no less than five times, taking anywhere from a day to two and a half weeks before showing up good as new.