Kroot: I Am Kroot
Aug 10, 2018 12:45:31 GMT -6
Post by Traskus on Aug 10, 2018 12:45:31 GMT -6
I am making two versions of the kroot for this homebrew. The first should only be used with the entire group's permission because it involves the consumption of dead bodies, which not all role playing groups are okay with. This is completely understandable and no one should be pressured.
The second will be for a more straightforward bird-people race in line with harpies, kig-yar, kroot, and other bird people in fiction that is still different from kenku.
With that out of the way...
Kroot are an auxiliary race to the Tau Empire, hailing from their homeworld Pech. They have little influence in politics unless serving as a diplomat for the tau, who themselves don't have much. They work as auxiliaries, and have an exclusivity agreement with the tau. The tau give the kroot ships and the ability to travel, the kroot provide snipers and front-line troops to the tau so they can expand Empire space. The kroot also promised to never incorporate tau dna into their own out of gratitude for the tau helping them repel the orks from Pech. This is enforced rather well, but since the kroot aren't a united race this isn't perfect...
The kroot care deeply about the future of their race. They aren't united, but they all agree to try to not kill each other as long as all parties work with the tau. Their history has been plagued with megaflora/megafauna, invasions from orks, civil war, and worse. Mercenary work and piracy are the most common professions for the kroot, and this trend is unlikely to change.
Physical Characteristics
Average height: 1.9-2.1 m
Average weight: 88-93 kg
Languages: Tau, trade
Common Personality Traits: eager to fight, covetous, inquisitive, easily distracted by shiny objects,
Common Physical Traits: large beak, head feathers, wiry build, quills, claws
Example Names: Anghkor Prok, Rex, Fokka, Maur, Tak
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to any one characteristic
Skill Bonus: +1 to Perception and Stealth
Power: Cannibalize: A kroot may cannibalize a dead body over the course of five minutes to gain the dna (or robo/r-na) of the specimen and spend 100 xp. The SM will then choose one racial feat OR racial power from that specimen to give to the kroot. They also recover 1 hp per size of the specimen. Only one kroot may cannibalize each body, and can only gain abilities up to four times.
Size: 4
Racial Feat
Shaper [Kroot, Paragon]
The shapers are the best among the kroot, wisened leaders who guide their evolution. When using cannibalize, you choose what racial feat or racial power to gain as long as it isn't exaltation-dependent (another paragon racial feat, for instance). You may discard feats and racial powers as you wish. You may also pass on what benefits you gain to other kroot in the area.
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to any one characteristic
Skill Bonus: +1 to Perception and Stealth
Power: Bird of Prey: A kroot has the fleet of foot feat and has a bite or claw natural weapon (1k1 R, melee, brawling).
Size: 4
Racial Feats
Enhanced Senses (Kroot)
Kroot have stronger senses than most other races. Eyes of an eagle, etc. Gain the Heightened Senses (choose one) feat. This feat can be taken multiple times, selecting a new sense each time.
For the Shiny (Kroot)
Kroot are mercenaries at heart, and they do what they must to protect their interests. You may use your wealth in place of Willpower when rolling pinning or fear checks.
Mixed Heritage (Human, Kroot)
Kroot get around. Not like humans or dragons, though. They eat people and you reap the benefits of your ancestors' hard work. Choose a race. You may take racial feats that require that race. If the racial feat references or improves a racial ability you do not have (such as Elven Accuracy), you may not take that feat. The mixed heritage feat is incompatible with itself.
Shaper (Kroot, Paragon)
You have gathered DNA from all around the Wheel, incorporating it into your genes without letting it mutate you beyond saving. If you gain an Insanity or Corruption point, reduce the number gained by 1 to a minimum of 1.
Physical Qualities
Kroot are a bit on the tall side, with leathery or scaly skin and quills on their heads. They have a sharp beak, claws on their hands and feet, and powerful builds. The male reproductive organs are spores released through their palms and females have special pores on their back to receive genetic material. After that, anything goes. Their species underwent divergent evolution as they spread throughout their planetary system, some becoming more scaly like viashino and some more avian like kenku. This is ignoring the various sentient species' dna they've incorporated into their genetic makeup. People can attest that kroot can have avian, reptilian, primate, or even supernatural appearances depending on what their family has inserted into their gene pool.
Kroot dna is mostly blank and they tirelessly attempt to incorporate the genetic material of other races into their own. This made joining the tau a perfect opportunity to resolve this problem. Unfortunately, the kroot didn't control themselves. They incorporated too many different genes, too quickly, too haphazardly. The result is the mutation of kroot into evolutionary dead ends. They took bestial forms, like canines or theropods. The surviving kroot have taken them as war beasts, a constant reminder of what could happen if they aren't careful.
If a kroot demonstrates spectacular self-control and foresight when gathering dna, they can become shapers. They rule their kindred with force, the only thing kroot understand more than money. They command groups of kroot in the Tau Empire military and completely embrace the Greater Good, knowing that they can be put on the front lines and meet new races. The strong-minded kroot who don't subscribe to tau beliefs stay on or near Pech, becoming shamans. Shamans practice mystic rites to quell the mutations that their now-bestial kin have accumulated. They beseech spirits for guidance and make medicines that may or may not work, and sometimes conjure spirits to do their bidding. Shamans (or any spellcasters) are rare among the kroot, but they are powerful.
Kroot evolved and live in natural conditions deemed dangerous and insane to most other races. Their planet is irradiated, overgrown with trees, full of giant predators and prey alike, and there are still orks every now and again. They once reached the industrial stage of civilization, but civil war and the planet itself rebelling put that to an end. It humbled the kroot, forcing them to return to their tribal ways. During a war with the orks for dominance of Pech, the orks unleashed a genophage upon the kroot. This genophage removed much of the genetic information contained in kroot dna, but had the side-effect of allowing them to incorporate the dna of consumed biomass. The more wealthy kroot have commissioned satellite homes for themselves and the tau dignitaries that visit them. The kroot themselves can survive just fine on Pech, but understandably most races don't want to set foot on it if they can avoid it.
Playing a Kroot
Kroot are known for their easy-to-please attitude. If you offer money, they will do things for you. Even a roll of aluminum foil is enough to get one to listen to you. Just don't tell one to go easy on an assignment. If you want someone dead, they will barely leave a body behind. They have a bloody-mindedness that makes them dangerous, but somewhat predictable as a result. As a rule of thumb, a kroot will want their target dead and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that. This has killed a few kroot over time.
Preference for melee vs ranged combat is purely up to taste for a kroot, same with light vs heavy armor. Some prefer the safety, others prefer the flexibility. They're remarkably human in their distribution of philosophies, ideals, tastes, hobbies, etc. but still have a dark heart that haunts them. A kroot isn't quick to anger, but merciless when they are. They do have one unifying interest, though. They like shiny objects. Gold, silver, aluminum foil, it doesn't matter. They gather up reflective metals and gems to put in their living quarters.
On a racial level, the kroot are thought of in two major ways. One, as vile mercenaries without honor. The other, as vile mercenaries that are easily distracted with shiny objects. The only exceptions are with the other Tau Empire races. They are lauded as intimidating, yet ultimately friendly and beneficial additions to the Greater Good. The kroot don't really believe in the Greater Good, but if a paycheck is involved they'll believe whatever you want.
The kroot aren't united as a race. They can't be, their societies are too turbulent with strife, piracy, and territorial scuffles for that. They instead operate on a clan by clan basis working for the Tau Empire. Clans are usually just pirate fleets, offering vessels and soldiers for the navy. When one kroot meets another, they immediately hold a short standoff to assert dominance. This is a bloodless ceremony, purely to establish who is in charge between the two.
Kroot Heroes
Yar is trying to free her people from the yoke of the Tau. She is using her position as matriarch to broker deals with the pirate captains in kroot space, trying to slowly unite them into a unified kroot fleet. She doesn't even care who rules it, as long as they have the kroot's best interests at heart. She sits at her desk at all hours of the day, researching and monitoring her targets. It's withered her body, and she hopes that none of the captains try to usurp her before her work is done. That is unless, of course, something worse doesn't happen first.
Thrak Fel commands an entire auxiliary force for the Tau Empire, faithfully serving whoever is paying him. He believes in the Greater Good, and knows that his race isn't going to survive in this galaxy without the tau. He constantly looks for frontier assignments, where he can meet new races to take the DNA from. His people are dying, and he has to save them. He's gathered and shared dna with his kindred for decades, guiding them. He's never had a kroot devolve into a wild beast under his care, and this is a fact that brings him immeasurable pride.
Chek didn't want to be a mercenary, so he became a professional fighter. He joins martial arts tournaments all around his sector, always winning and sharing his prizes with his coach. He's a real contender, able to go with people far above his weight class regardless of fighting style. It helps that he can conjure fire in his hands, so much that some bar him from entering. He longs for the day that he can fight someone on his level, someone who can make the fire in his heart burn like never before. When that day comes, he'll finally let his blood rage loose and give his opponent the fight of a lifetime.
The second will be for a more straightforward bird-people race in line with harpies, kig-yar, kroot, and other bird people in fiction that is still different from kenku.
With that out of the way...
Kroot are an auxiliary race to the Tau Empire, hailing from their homeworld Pech. They have little influence in politics unless serving as a diplomat for the tau, who themselves don't have much. They work as auxiliaries, and have an exclusivity agreement with the tau. The tau give the kroot ships and the ability to travel, the kroot provide snipers and front-line troops to the tau so they can expand Empire space. The kroot also promised to never incorporate tau dna into their own out of gratitude for the tau helping them repel the orks from Pech. This is enforced rather well, but since the kroot aren't a united race this isn't perfect...
The kroot care deeply about the future of their race. They aren't united, but they all agree to try to not kill each other as long as all parties work with the tau. Their history has been plagued with megaflora/megafauna, invasions from orks, civil war, and worse. Mercenary work and piracy are the most common professions for the kroot, and this trend is unlikely to change.
Physical Characteristics
Average height: 1.9-2.1 m
Average weight: 88-93 kg
Languages: Tau, trade
Common Personality Traits: eager to fight, covetous, inquisitive, easily distracted by shiny objects,
Common Physical Traits: large beak, head feathers, wiry build, quills, claws
Example Names: Anghkor Prok, Rex, Fokka, Maur, Tak
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to any one characteristic
Skill Bonus: +1 to Perception and Stealth
Power: Cannibalize: A kroot may cannibalize a dead body over the course of five minutes to gain the dna (or robo/r-na) of the specimen and spend 100 xp. The SM will then choose one racial feat OR racial power from that specimen to give to the kroot. They also recover 1 hp per size of the specimen. Only one kroot may cannibalize each body, and can only gain abilities up to four times.
Size: 4
Racial Feat
Shaper [Kroot, Paragon]
The shapers are the best among the kroot, wisened leaders who guide their evolution. When using cannibalize, you choose what racial feat or racial power to gain as long as it isn't exaltation-dependent (another paragon racial feat, for instance). You may discard feats and racial powers as you wish. You may also pass on what benefits you gain to other kroot in the area.
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to any one characteristic
Skill Bonus: +1 to Perception and Stealth
Power: Bird of Prey: A kroot has the fleet of foot feat and has a bite or claw natural weapon (1k1 R, melee, brawling).
Size: 4
Racial Feats
Enhanced Senses (Kroot)
Kroot have stronger senses than most other races. Eyes of an eagle, etc. Gain the Heightened Senses (choose one) feat. This feat can be taken multiple times, selecting a new sense each time.
For the Shiny (Kroot)
Kroot are mercenaries at heart, and they do what they must to protect their interests. You may use your wealth in place of Willpower when rolling pinning or fear checks.
Mixed Heritage (Human, Kroot)
Kroot get around. Not like humans or dragons, though. They eat people and you reap the benefits of your ancestors' hard work. Choose a race. You may take racial feats that require that race. If the racial feat references or improves a racial ability you do not have (such as Elven Accuracy), you may not take that feat. The mixed heritage feat is incompatible with itself.
Shaper (Kroot, Paragon)
You have gathered DNA from all around the Wheel, incorporating it into your genes without letting it mutate you beyond saving. If you gain an Insanity or Corruption point, reduce the number gained by 1 to a minimum of 1.
Physical Qualities
Kroot are a bit on the tall side, with leathery or scaly skin and quills on their heads. They have a sharp beak, claws on their hands and feet, and powerful builds. The male reproductive organs are spores released through their palms and females have special pores on their back to receive genetic material. After that, anything goes. Their species underwent divergent evolution as they spread throughout their planetary system, some becoming more scaly like viashino and some more avian like kenku. This is ignoring the various sentient species' dna they've incorporated into their genetic makeup. People can attest that kroot can have avian, reptilian, primate, or even supernatural appearances depending on what their family has inserted into their gene pool.
Kroot dna is mostly blank and they tirelessly attempt to incorporate the genetic material of other races into their own. This made joining the tau a perfect opportunity to resolve this problem. Unfortunately, the kroot didn't control themselves. They incorporated too many different genes, too quickly, too haphazardly. The result is the mutation of kroot into evolutionary dead ends. They took bestial forms, like canines or theropods. The surviving kroot have taken them as war beasts, a constant reminder of what could happen if they aren't careful.
If a kroot demonstrates spectacular self-control and foresight when gathering dna, they can become shapers. They rule their kindred with force, the only thing kroot understand more than money. They command groups of kroot in the Tau Empire military and completely embrace the Greater Good, knowing that they can be put on the front lines and meet new races. The strong-minded kroot who don't subscribe to tau beliefs stay on or near Pech, becoming shamans. Shamans practice mystic rites to quell the mutations that their now-bestial kin have accumulated. They beseech spirits for guidance and make medicines that may or may not work, and sometimes conjure spirits to do their bidding. Shamans (or any spellcasters) are rare among the kroot, but they are powerful.
Kroot evolved and live in natural conditions deemed dangerous and insane to most other races. Their planet is irradiated, overgrown with trees, full of giant predators and prey alike, and there are still orks every now and again. They once reached the industrial stage of civilization, but civil war and the planet itself rebelling put that to an end. It humbled the kroot, forcing them to return to their tribal ways. During a war with the orks for dominance of Pech, the orks unleashed a genophage upon the kroot. This genophage removed much of the genetic information contained in kroot dna, but had the side-effect of allowing them to incorporate the dna of consumed biomass. The more wealthy kroot have commissioned satellite homes for themselves and the tau dignitaries that visit them. The kroot themselves can survive just fine on Pech, but understandably most races don't want to set foot on it if they can avoid it.
Playing a Kroot
Kroot are known for their easy-to-please attitude. If you offer money, they will do things for you. Even a roll of aluminum foil is enough to get one to listen to you. Just don't tell one to go easy on an assignment. If you want someone dead, they will barely leave a body behind. They have a bloody-mindedness that makes them dangerous, but somewhat predictable as a result. As a rule of thumb, a kroot will want their target dead and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that. This has killed a few kroot over time.
Preference for melee vs ranged combat is purely up to taste for a kroot, same with light vs heavy armor. Some prefer the safety, others prefer the flexibility. They're remarkably human in their distribution of philosophies, ideals, tastes, hobbies, etc. but still have a dark heart that haunts them. A kroot isn't quick to anger, but merciless when they are. They do have one unifying interest, though. They like shiny objects. Gold, silver, aluminum foil, it doesn't matter. They gather up reflective metals and gems to put in their living quarters.
On a racial level, the kroot are thought of in two major ways. One, as vile mercenaries without honor. The other, as vile mercenaries that are easily distracted with shiny objects. The only exceptions are with the other Tau Empire races. They are lauded as intimidating, yet ultimately friendly and beneficial additions to the Greater Good. The kroot don't really believe in the Greater Good, but if a paycheck is involved they'll believe whatever you want.
The kroot aren't united as a race. They can't be, their societies are too turbulent with strife, piracy, and territorial scuffles for that. They instead operate on a clan by clan basis working for the Tau Empire. Clans are usually just pirate fleets, offering vessels and soldiers for the navy. When one kroot meets another, they immediately hold a short standoff to assert dominance. This is a bloodless ceremony, purely to establish who is in charge between the two.
Kroot Heroes
Yar is trying to free her people from the yoke of the Tau. She is using her position as matriarch to broker deals with the pirate captains in kroot space, trying to slowly unite them into a unified kroot fleet. She doesn't even care who rules it, as long as they have the kroot's best interests at heart. She sits at her desk at all hours of the day, researching and monitoring her targets. It's withered her body, and she hopes that none of the captains try to usurp her before her work is done. That is unless, of course, something worse doesn't happen first.
Thrak Fel commands an entire auxiliary force for the Tau Empire, faithfully serving whoever is paying him. He believes in the Greater Good, and knows that his race isn't going to survive in this galaxy without the tau. He constantly looks for frontier assignments, where he can meet new races to take the DNA from. His people are dying, and he has to save them. He's gathered and shared dna with his kindred for decades, guiding them. He's never had a kroot devolve into a wild beast under his care, and this is a fact that brings him immeasurable pride.
Chek didn't want to be a mercenary, so he became a professional fighter. He joins martial arts tournaments all around his sector, always winning and sharing his prizes with his coach. He's a real contender, able to go with people far above his weight class regardless of fighting style. It helps that he can conjure fire in his hands, so much that some bar him from entering. He longs for the day that he can fight someone on his level, someone who can make the fire in his heart burn like never before. When that day comes, he'll finally let his blood rage loose and give his opponent the fight of a lifetime.