Grays: They Are NOT Green!
Aug 10, 2018 12:47:57 GMT -6
Post by Traskus on Aug 10, 2018 12:47:57 GMT -6
Spell-like ability: This is a power that can be cast as a spell, except it does not require material components, cannot be pushed, fettered, or cause psychic phenomena. It uses your level instead of the spell school level to cast, cannot be dispelled, and is not "magic" for purposes of interactions with other mechanics.
The dragons, in their infinite wisdom and humility, did not learn from the Syrne's repeated mistakes about creating intelligent races. They created a new artificial race in the Zeta Reticuli system, which they dubbed "Reticulans". They are seldom called such, people calling them "Grays" due to their skin color. It went approximately as well as you would expect. Reticulans are short, gray, humanoids that live in clusters throughout the great wheel. They were created to be biological machines, a fact that created resentment in the Grays. As a result, countless Grays have escaped from, rebelled against, and otherwise gotten away from their creators to create civilizations in crystal spheres throughout the Great Wheel.
Thanks to their engineering and semi-hive mind, Grays instinctively know and understand very high technological concepts. This gives them a consistently high tech base no matter where they are.
Grays are content to keep to themselves on a racial level, but occasionally abduct people and livestock. Human abductions seldom go reported due to mind-wiping procedures of the Grays, but a tell-tale sign of abduction is a missing nose. Everyone knows the Grays want information, but no one seems to know why.
Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 0.9-1.6 m
Average Weight: 25-45 kg
Languages: Draconic, trade
Common Personality Traits: Megalomania, contemptuous, dispassionate, cautiousness, soft-spoken
Common Physical Traits: dry, gray skin, large eyes, withered frame, thin lips (or no mouth at all), large bald heads
Example Names: Orthopox, Reeg, Taun, Milashi, Voktal
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to Intelligence or Willpower
Skill Bonus: +1 to pilot and tech use
Power: Telepathic Spaceman
You can read minds! You may cast the Divination spell Detect Thoughts as a spell-like ability, using your level in place of the Divination rank. A Gray may telepathically project their thoughts to a target within Level * 5m, and may hear the thoughts of consenting targets within the same range.
Size: 3
Racial Feats
Cranial Locomotion [Gray]
Reticulans have the ability to float just above ground. A Gray may ignore terrain and have a base speed equal to their Intelligence + Wisdom. They may switch to or from walking as a free action, and walking obviously uses normal rules for terrain and speed calculation.
DNAlien [Gray]
You’re a hybrid created to add a little genetic diversity into your race. Select a race. You become one size closer to and gain one racial feat from that race (except mixed heritage). Any racial feat that references a racial power or feat the Gray does not have cannot be taken. This is incompatible with the Paragon exaltation and must be taken at character creation.
Gray Matter [Gray]
That bulbous brain isn't just for show! Gain a +1k0 bonus to academic lore, common lore, and forbidden lore rolls and a specialty (any) in each.
Phase [Gray]
When attacked, you may roll a d10 instead of attempting to dodge or parry. On a 9+, ignore the attack as you phase out for the briefest moment. You may only use this feat to attempt its effects a number of times a day equal to your constitution.
You have an innate power that most others have to study for a long time to gain. Firstly, the distance of your telepathy is doubled. Moreover, you can telekinetically manipulate any object within (Excellence * 5) meters, substituting Intelligence for Strength and Wisdom for Dexterity where applicable. You can only manipulate objects in a simple manner this way -- you can lift boxes and throw switches, but not wield a weapon.
Physical Qualities
Grays are almost completely genetically sterile, and thus look more or less the same. Some variations exist by batch, however. Some batches are taller, others don't have mouths, etc. but they all have dry, gray skin and are physically frail-looking. Grays have recently started genetic experiments of abducting and extracting dna from other races to cover the gaps in their own.
In order to make up for their physical sameness, pure-blood Reticulans put as much personality into their wardrobe and work as they can. Their outfits are all distinguishable from one another and their creations are all unique. DNAlien Grays assume various physical qualities of their dna "donor," and their skin becomes less gray and more like that of the donor race.
Playing a Gray
Grays are split up into two varieties: Ashtarians and Draconians. Ashtarians (named for their legendary hero Ashtar, who led the first Grays to freedom) are more personable and are from the free Reticulan societies. They know decorum and manners, even if their personality or behavior is off-putting. It's simple enough to deal with them and each one behaves differently.
Draconians are not so sociable. Draconian Grays are still servants of the dragons and behave like the machines they are. They say what they want, what they offer, and wait for a response. They insist on speaking first, or the deal is off. This gets them in trouble, but the grays consider speaking first more important than their masters' wishes.
Reticulans are aware of the Githyanki and vice versa. Both races have no particular quarrel with each other, but absolutely despise being confused for one another.
Gray Heroes
Rex was still in his developmental phase when his burgeoning powers became known to his superiors. He was born in a malfunctioning gestation pod, causing Rex to come out smaller than his peers at birth. This malfunction also resulted in Rex's genes becoming scrambled, unlocking the potential for him to become the most powerful Reticulan ever known. Rex is now constantly kept under observation and given enrichment, in order to insure that he doesn't become motivated to use his powers against his own people.
Tarsus was a religious individual. It went throughout the west of the Wheel, spreading gospel of Ashtar to slaves and servants. It gave most of them hope, but others were skeptical. When asked to prove the greatness of Ashtar or even to indicate why Tarsus was trustworthy, it would conjure a light that even the darkest caves could not snuff out and show the people a sky they didn't know existed.
Ashtarians are heretics. Everyone knows this and yet no ones does anything about it. Nobody but Stańczyk, a simple Gray assigned to eternal latrine duty by his Draconic Overlords. He "borrowed" a Spelljammer and set out across the stars to bring Justice in the name of the Dragons, and immediately became lost to the warp. After months lost to the tides, tormented by Daemons wearing Draconic visages, he found himself in a strange Crystal Sphere made entirely of Chocolate. Now Stańczyk needs to find his way out and continue his quest; if the Dragons find him first he's going to be in deep shit.
