RAPTORANS

Raptorans are unique among the common races for their ability to fly. In ancient times, the raptorans made a pact with the lords of the Elemental Plane of Air, gaining the ability to fly in exchange for pledging the finest warriors of their race to the service of the air elementals in various extraplanar battles. Although the elementals have not called upon the raptorans for assistance in generations, the pact entered into by those distant ancestors continues to shape raptoran society today.

To ensure that only the fittest and most capable raptorans are available to fill the ranks of these would-be warriors, the agreement with the elementals called for the raptorans to put their offspring through a test of survival and selfreliance called the Walk of the Four Winds. To this day, every member of a raptoran flock must undergo this trial before becoming able to fly. When the flock chief judges a young adult raptoran to be ready for the walk, that raptoran can leave immediately to start the test. Those who do not leave at their earliest opportunity are referred to by other members of the community as "gliders" (reflecting their limited capacity to use their wings).

The pact led to the creation of the skypledged, who draw their ranks from raptoran druids and clerics. By vowing to forgo earth, fire, and water spells, skypledged gain great flexiblity in spellcasting as well as ever-increasing power over the wind. Skypledged are not structured in a single great organization but scattered among the tribes, each honoring the pact as he or she sees best. The pact also set out details regarding the creation of the stormtalons, the organization of elite raptoran soldiers who assist raptoran flocks that find themselves in danger.

Personality: Raptorans have a reputation for being deep thinkers who always weigh their options carefully. They're notorious for treating strangers coolly, yet they're also slow to judge and usually give newcomers ample time to prove themselves worthy of friendship. They are slow to anger but even slower to forgive an insult or injury.

When faced with uncertainty, raptorans usually retreat to a safe distance and settle down to observe and ponder the situation for a while. Their detractors dismiss this behavior as cowardly or indecisive, yet raptorans are perfectly capable of improvising when the need arises, and they generally stick to a task once they have decided how to take it on. Raptorans seldom flee from danger; they just back off a little.

Raptorans love to argue and debate, whether or not they actually agree with the philosophy they are defending so passionately. They do not, however, waste time arguing when danger threatens or when they perceive that time is of the essence.

A raptoran's cautious nature takes a back seat whenever physical violence is imminent. In the blink of an eye, a raptoran's demeanor can change from serene to fierce. In combat, raptorans attack their enemies with savage aggressiveness, seeking overwhelming victory as quickly as possible.

Physical Description: Feathered wings are a raptoran's singular identifying feature. When fully outstretched, they span 10 to 12 feet, although raptorans (when not flying) are more comfortable with them folded behind their backs. An interlocking series of ligaments allows raptorans to lock their wings in the outstretched position, enabling them to glide for long periods without tiring. The wing feathers are ordinarily white, with black-tipped feathers appearing more often as a raptoran ages.

Raptorans tend to be thinner and slightly taller than humans, with most of their extra height in their legs; their arms are likewise somewhat longer. They average just over 6 feet tall and weigh around 150 pounds. Their legs end in bony talons that aren't particularly sharp but have tremendous gripping strength. Raptoran hands are much like human hands, but each finger ends in a thick, almost clawlike fingernail. The race does not have facial hair, but downy feathers on a raptoran's scalp can resemble hair when viewed at a distance. Some female raptorans have a row of more substantial feathers running from earlobe to earlobe across the back of the head and neck. Females can fan out this neck ruff to display it; male raptorans consider a wellgroomed neck ruff to be attractive.

Raptoran clothing tends to be utilitarian and streamlined. Garb that's heavy, restrictive, or too loose would impede flight, so most raptorans rely on a close-fitting shirt and a simple set of breeches. Because a raptoran's feathered wings provide better insulation than a down quilt, lightly dressed raptorans are comfortable even in cold climes. Raptoran clothing includes straps and buckles for keeping pockets closed, because raptorans in flight would otherwise drop coins and other possessions. Dangling jewelry is disdained as an annoyance in flight. Raptorans sometimes dye individual wing feathers in arresting combinations - a decorative art not unlike the cosmetics that some humans wear.

Relations: Strangers who meet raptorans usually receive cordial but wary treatment. To a raptoran, any unfamiliar being is potentially an ally or an enemy, and she keeps her distance until she can be sure of a newcomer's intentions. Other creatures often consider raptorans to be aloof and somewhat snobbish toward creatures that cannot fly. The truth of the matter is that while raptorans literally look down on land-bound creatures, that situation is more a matter of circumstance than of arrogance. Raptorans instinctively pity creatures that can't soar on the winds, but they're introspective enough to realize that not everyone shares the desire to fly.

As hunters and ranchers on the edge of civilization, raptorans tend to be territorial. They tolerate travelers who are just passing through their territories, but they expect visitors to ask permission before hunting or harvesting forest plants in the area. Those who tarry overlong in raptoran territory - and those who settle too close for raptoran comfort - face increasing harassment from, and eventual war with, the raptorans.

Raptorans tend to be tolerant of other folk who come to visit and not to stay. They often barter with gnomes and halflings, trading game, furs, and other products for metal goods, cloth, and salt.

Raptorans regard most sylvan fey creatures as charming but somewhat frivolous. Raptorans are no fools, and they treat kobolds, goblins, orcs, and other warlike creatures with extra caution. They find dwarves somewhat odd, even comical to look at because of their stout bodies and long beards. They also think of dwarves as strange folk because of their habit of living underground.

Alignment: Raptorans love their freedom and tend strongly toward chaotic alignments. Their tribal structure and small communities reflect their individualism. Raptorans also favor good over evil. They dislike excess and never seek to dominate others or own more than they need. They stand ready to give a helping hand to others in need, as long as such help doesn't entangle them in the affairs of far-off lands.

Raptoran Lands: A typical raptoran community lives either in spiraling towers built in a hollow or depression halfway up a canyon cliff, or in large communal dwellings excavated into the side of a cliff. Cliffs with overhangs and southern exposures are particularly comfortable for raptorans. If a canyon has a prevailing breeze that blows through it, raptorans regard that location as a particularly auspicious place to live.

While raptorans do engage in some agriculture (mostly fruit orchards), they subsist on hunting whatever herd animals are prevalent near their cliff dwellings. Thus, they usually live far from large settlements of other races, in areas where game is plentiful and the hunting is good. Some raptoran flocks tend herds of bison, deer, or elk near their communities, taking some of the livestock each season for food.

Religion: The goddess Tuilviel Glithien, the Queen of Air and Night, is the raptorans' primary deity. The raptorans call her Lady of the Silent Wings or simply The Lady. Tuilviel cherishes and protects all nocturnal birds. She is the patron of the hunt and of the family.

Because many raptorans are druids, generalized nature worship is common among members of the race. Some raptorans, especially arcane spellcasters, venerate powerful elementals from the Elemental Plane of Air.

Language: Raptorans speak a fluid and lyrical tongue they call Tuilvilanuue. Ultimately derived from Elven but quite distinct in its development, Tuilvilanuue has many long, tongue-twisting words but simple grammar, relying on inflection to convey much of its meaning. Written Tuilvilanuue uses a simple form of the Elven script.

Most raptorans have a practical mind-set, so they confine their writing to messages. Many raptoran songs, poems, and histories exist, but the raptorans prefer memorizing these to writing them down. "Memories are lighter to carry than books," a raptoran saying goes.

Names: A raptoran child receives a birth name from her parents, which serves to identify the child as she grows up. Sometime after the child reaches adolescence she acquires a nickname - occasionally from a flock elder but often a sobriquet that just seems to stick. As a matter of practice, only members of a raptoran's flock may refer to her by her nickname, and even then they only do so when no strangers are present. Close friends and family members often continue to use a raptoran's birth name as a mark of affection.

A raptoran may reveal her flock nickname to someone outside the flock if she wishes, but no one else may do so. Sharing one's flock nickname with an outsider is a mark of deep respect, trust, or affection.

RAPTORAN RACIAL TRAITS

• Medium: As Medium creatures, raptorans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Raptoran base land speed is 30 feet.

• Wing-Aided Movement: Raptorans can use their wings to help with movement even if they can't fly yet. The extra lift from her wings gives a raptoran a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks.

• Gliding (Ex): A raptoran can use her wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Raptorans glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). Even if a raptoran's maneuverability improves, she can't hover while gliding. A raptoran can't glide while carrying a medium or heavy load.

  If a raptoran becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, her wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The raptoran descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.

• Flight (Ex): When a raptoran reaches 5 Hit Dice, she becomes able to fly at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). A raptoran can't fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.

  Raptorans can safely fly for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). They can exert themselves to fly for up to twice as long, but then they're fatigued at the end of the flight. Raptorans are likewise fatigued after spending a total of more than 10 minutes per day flying. Because raptorans can glide before, after, and between rounds of actual flight, they can remain aloft for extended periods (even if they can only use flight for 1 round at a time without becoming fatigued).

  When they reach 10 Hit Dice, raptorans have enough stamina and prowess to fly for longer periods. They can fly at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability), and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running.

  A raptoran with flight can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the raptoran must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A raptoran can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon; if the attack hits, it deals double damage.

  A raptoran with flight can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.

• Pact with Wind Lords: Because of the ancient bargain raptorans made with powerful air elementals, raptoran spellcasters cast spells with the air descriptor at +1 caster level.

• Unerring Direction: Raptorans have an instinctive sense of which direction is north, even when they are underground or otherwise unable to see the sky or other visual cues. Beyond the Material Plane, this ability doesn't function.

• Low-Light Vision: A raptoran can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. A raptoran retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Weapon Familiarity: Raptorans treat the footbow as a martial weapon rather than as an exotic weapon.

• +2 racial bonus on Climb and Spot checks. Raptorans have strong grips with both hands and feet, and their eyes are unusually keen.

• Automatic Languages: Common and Tuilvilanuue. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.

• Favored Class: Cleric. A multiclass raptoran's cleric class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty.

CATFOLK

The great tribes of the catfolk roam where they will, putting passion into every day of their varied lives. Catfolk nomads roam the grassy plains, living in tribes segregated by their visual differences. Catfolk tribes range from friendly to hostile; encounters with catfolk depend more on an individual catfolk's mood and the circumstance more than any tribal mind-set. Quick in movement and thought, the catfolk rely on short bursts of energy to accomplish nearly every task, making the other races seem plodding and dedicated in comparison.

Personality: Catfolk respond to the varied experiences of life with passion and emotional intensity. They accomplish as much in their quick but short-lived bursts of activity or emotion as other races do at their relatively plodding pace. Catfolk relish both the heated ferocity of battle and the warmth of a quiet meal with trusted companions.

Catfolk share a quick and engaging confidence that makes them seem always ready for the next challenge. Quick to anger and just as quick to forgive, catfolk live a life filled with emotion. Members of most races find catfolk pleasant company despite their mercurial temperament, finding their free-flowing emotion and enjoyment of life refreshing and captivating. The emotional catfolk have a darker, dangerous side as well, and they are as likely to meet an insult with a drawn weapon as they are to shrug it off with a jest.

Catfolk move in quick bursts of speed rather than in one steady gait. Even when covering long distances, they intersperse short dashes with short periods of rest. Members of other races find this style of movement almost impossible to emulate, but to catfolk it's much less tiring than simply trudging on at a steady pace.

Catfolk also place great importance on small tokens that serve as physical connections to their memories, and they view these special tokens as having physiological importance if not true magical power. Adult catfolk carry several such tokens with them at all times, ranging from objects as large as weapons and armor that served well in past battles to items as subtle as a small brooch that the character wore on an important day in the past. For catfolk, this tradition is a deeply personal experience, and the highest compliment a catfolk can pay someone is to present one of his tokens as a gift and explain its significance.

Physical Description: Catfolk resemble a cross between a large predatory cat and a human, with a sleekly muscled humanoid body and the head and mane of a feline. Most male catfolk wear their thick hair in braids, while females keep theirs short and sleek. The most common catfolk have feline characteristics reminiscent of lions, including thick manes for the males. Other groups have the characteristic markings and appearance of leopards, tigers, or cheetahs. Catfolk have thicker nails than other humanoids, but not the powerful claws of their feline counterparts, and they make unarmed attacks just like humans. Many catfolk favor the use of charms and totems that they braid into their hair for luck in battle, success on the hunt, and good fortune in other such endeavors.

Relations: Catfolk get along well with members of just about every other race. They admire those who live in the wild more than city dwellers. Because of this, they seek out the company of halflings, wood elves, and gnolls. Catfolk have a hard time understanding the slow, steady approach that dwarves take to life, and the two races have little in common. Because they are such opposites in both temperament and physical abilities, catfolk and dwarves rarely enjoy the other's company, although no real animosity exists between the races.

Catfolk Lands: Catfolk roam the open grasslands in temperate and tropical regions, shunning the colder lands even in the heights of summer. Wandering tribes of catfolk rarely come close to the large cities of other races, but they occasionally camp within sight of a smaller town or village in order to trade. Catfolk roam great distances in their travels and do not become attached to a specific range or territory the way that nomadic tribes of humans sometimes do.

Catfolk encampments balance defensibility with ease of escape from a dangerous area. Generally circular in nature, catfolk encampments center on a communal area where children play and the elders care for them and practice their crafts. The tents and lean-tos of individual families range out from this center, with the most able warriors occupying tents on the perimeter of the encampment.

With no large nations or powerful alliance of tribes to bind them together, catfolk experience little of the politics and power struggles that define the societies of other races. Instead, most tribes receive guidance from three sources: the outriders, the druids, and the chieftain. The outriders are the most skilled scouts of the tribe, and they govern the direction that the tribe hunts and travels, unless the chieftain overrules their choice. The druids, the primary source of healing and magical power within the society, hold a great deal of influence over most aspects of catfolk life and often advise the chieftain on important matters. The chieftain makes decisions on everything that affects the tribe as a whole.

Religion: A deeply spiritual people, cat folk usually worship one deity to the exclusion of others. Most catfolk follow the precepts of Obad-Hai, and their most prominent religious figures are druids devoted to the service of the god of nature. Catfolk revere Obad-Hai more for his connection to nature's power and his governance of plants and animals than for his connection to the primary elemental forces such as fire or water.

Other catfolk, particularly adventurers and travelers, pay homage to Fharlanghn. While most tribes of catfolk move around in a nomadic fashion, a few travel much more than others and keep Fharlanghn as their primary deity.

Language: Catfolk have their own language, which they use primarily for conversation with other members of their race. Regardless of whether they communicate in Feline, Common, or some other language, catfolk express their opinions quickly and expect others to do the same. Catfolk can listen to others patiently enough, but once they have expressed a clear opinion, they expect the conversation to come to a conclusion quickly. They have little time for those who attempt to persuade or debate by simply restating their opinion. They grow bored when others take a long time to reach a point or who view an exchange of opinions as a trial of endurance.

Names: Catfolk favor names that begin with "D," "M," or "N" and contain multiple "s" and "r" sounds. A catfolk clan name translates into Common as a participle (a verb made into an adjective by adding "-ing") followed by a noun.

Male Names: Densharr, Mersharr, Nermissar, Therrass.

Female Names: Dessirris, Mianissa, Morasha, Nera, Thessana.

Clan Names: Flying Eagle, Hunting Tiger, Running Brook, Screaming Arrow.

Adventurers: Adventuring catfolk feel the restlessness common to their people more acutely than most. The thrill of discovery and a great sense of curiosity drive these adventurers to break from their tribes and wander other lands. Beyond simple wanderlust, some catfolk find the heat of combat exhilarating, and the rush of danger draws the catfolk adventurer ever onward.

Catfolk admire adventurers and see accomplished adventurers as great assets to the tribe. The nomadic life of the catfolk is fraught with danger and unexpected encounters, and the life of the typical catfolk is more akin to that of an adventurer than the life of a typical human or elf.

CATFOLK RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma.

• A catfolk's base land speed is 40 feet.

• Low-Light Vision: Catfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Racial Skills: Catfolk have a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Move Silently checks.

• +1 natural armor bonus.

• Automatic Languages: Common, Feline. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Halfling, Sylvan. Brighter catfolk often learn the languages of gnolls and halflings.

• Favored Class: Ranger.

• Level adjustment +1.

CENTAURS

Far stronger and faster than other humanoid races, centaurs rule huge swathes of the wild. They build peaceful, idyllic communities, hunting what and where they wish. Centaurs inhabit the plains and forests in tribes of varying size. Even though they build permanent shelters and live in one place for many years at a time, centaurs roam from their homes on a regular basis, ranging over great distances in relatively short amounts of time. Centaurs regard such excursions as essential to understanding the world around their homes, and they greatly enjoy such activity for its own sake. Although their crafts have not reached the level of some of the humanoid races, it is only because centaurs prefer to venture from their homes often rather than to stay in one place and ply a single trade.

Personality: Most centaurs tend to be easygoing, almost mild-mannered; they are usually uninterested in interacting with members of the humanoid races. Centaur adventurers, however, have an innate curiosity that overcomes the typical centaur hesitation to interact with others, and they are generally friendly and outgoing. Even so, centaur adventurers tend to prefer halflings and elves over adventuring companions of other races.

As thinking, civilized creatures, centaurs frown upon those humanoids who look on them as potential mounts. It is a grave insult to ask a centaur to serve as a mount, and centaurs usually offer to carry their companions only in dire circumstances.

Centaur adventurers know that they can expect a cold welcome should they attempt to return to their homes, and for that reason many view themselves as permanent wanderers. This attitude is greatly comforting, rather than confining, to the swift-moving centaur adventurer. Because of this mind-set, however, such characters seldom own more than they can carry on their broad backs.

In combat, centaurs see running as the natural approach to beginning a battle, using their speed to establish a comfortable range before the fighting begins.

Physical Description: With the lower body of a large horse and the upper torso and arms of a human, centaurs combine speed and strength in their powerful forms. A centaur is as big and heavy as a horse, standing about 7 feet high and weighing about 2,100 pounds. Brown dominates most of a centaur's coloring, the long hair on the top of the head and the glossy fur of the horselike body ranging from a light tan to a deep, dark brown. A centaur's humanlike torso has a swarthy, earthy complexion. In some isolated tribes and rare individuals, other colorings emerge, such as white, gray, or black, but these are extremely uncommon.

Relations: Centaurs shun humans. Although they bear them no serious ire, they prefer open lands to the closedin cities that humans invariably build. Centaurs get along well with elves and with many of the wandering races, such as catfolk and halflings. Centaurs have had too many dangerous skirmishes against tribes of vicious gnolls to be anything other than suspicious of the hyena-headed humanoids, but they are open-minded and intelligent enough to get along with an individual gnoll that proves itself trustworthy.

Centaur Lands: Centaurs make their lairs in forested areas and prefer to range through temperate plains and forests. Although centaurs have permanent dwellings, their culture has more in common with nomads and hunters than with the city-building races of humanoids. Like nomadic cultures, centaur tribes range farther north during the warm months and concentrate in southern temperate regions during the winter.

Centaur lairs look little like the permanent structures of other races, consisting of a series of beautiful forest glades, peaceful streams, and perhaps a few scattered lean-tos. Although these lairs seem simple and unprotected, they provide more protection than even the stoutest walls by allowing the swiftmoving centaurs to encircle approaching foes or easily flee if pressed too hard.

A centaur druid is usually a tribe's designated leader and speaker, but groups of centaur warriors hold great sway in any given tribe, mainly because their choices of where and what to hunt greatly impact how well the tribe will eat in the coming weeks. These hunters, brave and free-spirited as they are, have their passions tempered by the wisdom of the centaur druids who study the wilderness through which the tribe roams. Although these groups rarely have lasting conflicts, the hunters and druids often wish to pursue differing shortterm goals.

Religion: Centaurs love and worship nature, and most who wish to devote themselves to a higher power or cause become druids. Nearly all centaur clerics (who are rare) worship the centaur deity Skerrit. Clerics of this nature deity can choose any two of the following domains: Animal, Good, or Plant.

Language: Most centaurs are slow to share their thoughts with others, but this reticence seldom hinders their social skills. When communicating with most humanoids, centaurs keep their statements short and to the point; they are more comfortable and outgoing around halflings and elves.

Names: Centaur given names are multisyllabic and commonly include the letters "z," "x," "r," and "y." Centaur family names usually have only one syllable. Centaurs use a single given name and a family name.

Male Names: Brynzin, Denryx, Kezzryn, Tyrrox, Zerrn.

Female Names: Allyri, Byss, Rynna, Zerry.

Family Names: Bri, Gyr, Hop, Tor, Zym.

Adventurers: Centaur adventurers don't have the problems with outsiders that most centaurs do. Through a combination of confidence, curiosity, and ambition, these brave centaurs have come to view the cities and communities of other cultures as places to learn and explore rather than places to avoid.

Centaurs view adventurers as cultural outsiders. Many other races of the wild, such as gnolls and catfolk, see only a small difference between an accomplished hunter who provides food for the tribe and an adventurer, but centaurs feel quite differently. Although centaurs do not shun adventurers of their own race in the same way that they shun humans, orcs, and some other humanoids, they never make centaur adventurers feel truly welcome, and usually encourage such a character to move on to another area or community after a short time among them.

CENTAUR RACIAL TRAITS

• +8 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom.

• Large size: -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.

• Space/Reach: 10 feet/5 feet.

• A centaur's base land speed is 50 feet.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet.

• Racial Hit Dice: A centaur begins with four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice; a base attack bonus of +4; and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.

• Racial Skills: A centaur's monstrous humanoid levels give him skill points equal to 7 × (2 + Int modifier). His class skills are Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival.

• Racial Feats: A centaur's monstrous humanoid levels give him two feats.

• +3 natural armor bonus.

• Automatic Languages: Sylvan, Elven. Bonus Languages: Common, Gnome, Halfling.

• Favored Class: Ranger. Centaur rangers often choose magical beasts or some variety of humanoid as their favored enemy.

• Level adjustment +2.

GNOLLS

While most of their people remain mired in the cruelty of their demon prince, a few tribes of gnolls seek to pull themselves out of savagery. These tribes walk with weapons in hand, knowing that the civilized races hate and fear their people and that other tribes of evil gnolls already seek to strike them down.

Fueled by their own bestial strength and the cruel will of the demon prince Yeenoghu, most gnolls roam the wild in search of sentient prey. These savages know little of mercy and honor, and nothing of kindness or compassion. The exceptions to this rule, who have banded together in rough tribes that roam the plains and forests, have begun to learn the value of personal honor. Some even approach the harsh but ultimately fair codes that tribes of barbaric humans often adopt. Geared more toward survival than the cruelty of their kin, these gnolls stand at a critical juncture: Either they will succeed in allying with the civilized races and pull some of their people away from the cruel worship of Yeenoghu - or they will fail, and their tribes will slip back into evil and brutality.

Personality: Cruelty and viciousness remain the defining traits of most gnolls, but a few tribes have managed to pull away from this bestial outlook and the worship of the demon prince Yeenoghu that usually accompanies and engenders this behavior. Although far from altruistic, these gnolls temper the viciousness of their kind with a rough sense of honor and an unwavering bond with their chosen companions.

Even those gnolls who have turned from the evil ways of their demon prince are less intelligent and less charismatic than the average human. Gnolls don't see this deficiency as a weakness, however, placing more value on physical abilities and natural cunning than on subtle thought or persuasive abilities. Gnolls also remain very suspicious of other races, especially humans and their allies, with whom they have had generations of conflict and strife.

Gnolls are travelers, hunters, and scavengers; adventuring gnolls travel almost constantly. To a gnoll, sitting in one place isn't cowardly or illogical; it's simply unpleasant. Some gnolls are drawn simply by the thrill and variety of the hunt, while others are motivated only by curiosity. As a pack of gnolls grows, the bond of the pack serves as a major impetus for travel - the most adventurous gnolls pull the rest of the pack along on their hunts. Packs of evil gnolls are driven to travel by the will of their demon prince, and packs of neutral gnolls travel to escape the influence of other gnoll packs and the wariness of human cities accustomed to fighting off their cruel and evil kin.

Physical Description: Gnolls have hyenalike heads, and their long limbs possess a lean strength. Gnolls are covered in coarse yellow or reddish-brown fur, and their feet and legs are structured more like a hyena's hind legs than those of other humanoids. Despite the somewhat awkward appearance of their legs and feet, gnolls walk as bipeds and are as agile and speedy as a normal human. The wild gnolls who prey on the civilized races use patchwork armor and rusted weapons that they've stolen from past kills. Tribes that have found some level of personal honor favor hide or leather armor similar to the barbarian tribes of humans.

Relations: Few races regard gnolls as anything other than feral creatures who pose a menace to peaceful life. Because of the prevalence of evil gnolls, this assumption isn't far from the truth, and player character gnolls should find it difficult to move unescorted through a human city.

Gnoll Lands: Driven into the mountain foothills and deep forests by the armies of human nations and their allies, gnolls live in scattered wilderness areas much like those preferred by tribes of barbaric humans. Competing against humans, orcs, giants, and more exotic species is the norm for gnolls in these wilderness areas, and the gnolls occasionally form alliances with other evil humanoids. In rare cases, large groups of gnolls gather above or below ground. These settlements serve only as a common crossroads for more nomadic gnolls - those who leave to continue wandering are balanced against new tribes arriving to trade or swear fealty to a powerful leader.

As some gnolls turn away from the worship of the dread prince Yeenoghu, however, gnolls grow more and more scattered rather than less so. Driven away from their kin by the wrath of Yeenoghu's priests, yet still subject to the suspicions of the civilized races, these gnolls wander far and wide in a near-permanent nomadic state.

Gnoll settlements are rough and crude, rarely anything more than temporary shelters. Gnolls prefer underground lairs for longer stays, especially when a traveling group of gnolls must await new births. Large groups of gnolls often have several crude underground complexes between which they wander. While these caves might not even be large enough to house the entire group of gnolls, they provide the group's strongest warriors a place to sleep in relative safety. Weaker members of the tribe must make do with the less trustworthy shelters they can set up outside of the cave complex.

Gnolls have little in the way of power groups. Among tribes of evil gnolls, the strongest warriors rule by brute force. Occasionally, exceptionally powerful or persuasive priests of Yeenoghu will lead a tribe, usually by ensuring that the strongest warriors are devoted to the dark worship of the demon prince. Even those rare gnoll tribes that place a greater value on personal honor are led by the most physically powerful warrior. Because of this, when a gnoll adventures with members of other races, he will sometimes expect to lead if he is the strongest, regardless of the difficulties he faces when traveling within the members of other races and regardless of other group members' more developed social skills.

Religion: Most gnolls pay homage to Yeenoghu, demon prince of gnolls. Yeenoghu's cruel and selfish beliefs inspire gnoll priests to keep their people firmly on the path of evil. Those few gnolls who have managed to pull away from the dark cult at the center of their people's existence often revere Obad-Hai or turn away from religion altogether.

Language: Gnolls who travel beyond the homeland of their tribes usually try to adopt the speaking habits of those around them, hoping to lessen other humanoid's sense of discomfort around them. Around their own kind, gnolls use their racial tongue and usually speak in the imperative, considering it polite to show strength by phrasing statements as commands rather than requests.

Names: Gnoll names often sound like growls to members of other races, featuring multiple "r" sounds. Gnoll tribal names, although not widely shared with other creatures, are usually compound words, as in the following examples.

Male Names: Derror, Grerr, Remmar, Thurrg.

Female Names: Arrna, Mirrin, Ryssa, Thrrae.

Tribal Names: Bloodfist, Greatfang, Speardeath, Thunderdance.

Adventurers: Gnolls adventure to see the world, to rise above the savagery of their people, and to find what civilization has to offer. While some return to their tribes thinking less of the civilized races because of their experiences as adventurers, others find wealth, power, or prestige far beyond the normal images of gnoll warriors.

GNOLL RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.

• Medium size.

• A gnoll's base land speed is 30 feet.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet.

• Racial Hit Dice: A gnoll begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice; a base attack bonus of +1; and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +0.

• Racial Skills: A gnoll's humanoid levels give him skill points equal to 5 × (2 + Int modifier). His class skills are Listen and Spot.

• Racial Feats: A gnoll's humanoid levels give him one feat.

• +1 natural armor bonus.

• Automatic Language: Gnoll. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc.

• Favored Class: Ranger.

• Level adjustment +1.

KILLOREN

A newly risen race of powerful fey, the killoren blend nature's patience and power with the ambition and aggression of the humanoid races.

The ancient places of the world stir with a power of their own. From this power, the killoren have sprung in answer to the growing might of the humanoid races. Whether the work of some great nature deity or the spontaneous creation of the wild power of nature itself, killoren are at once young and eternal, newly brought to the world but with unknowably ancient ties to the heart of nature. As fey, killoren have a tie to nature unmatched by the humanoid races, but unlike other fey, killoren are not content to wait in the dark recesses of the dwindling forests.

Killoren are aggressive, ambitious manifestations of nature's presence and power, and they walk through the cities of man as easily as they meditate in the glades of a verdant forest. There are as yet few killoren in the world compared to the population of humans and other humanoid races, but their numbers are quickly growing. So far, these adaptable fey have only come into isolated conflict with evil powers bent on despoiling nature, but it is obvious that they are destined for more. The killoren have begun to make known their presence in the world, and a few far-seeing and learned sages wonder at the implications of their growing power and numbers.

Personality: Killoren have an innate connection to nature's power; as such, the natural world and its best interests are never far from their thoughts. Killoren also differ from other races in that they have three different aspects of their personality that correspond with their ability to manifest different aspects of nature's might. Killoren who manifest the destroyer aspect are arrogant and aggressive, those who manifest the aspect of the hunter are stealthy and subtle, and those who manifest the aspect of the ancient think carefully and look deep into the heart of a matter before voicing their thoughts.

Just as their personality changes slightly when they manifest a different aspect, the behaviors of individual killoren change slightly depending on the aspect that they are manifesting.

Physical Description: Killoren resemble half-elves, and males and females alike average about 5-1/2 feet in height. They mature quickly, being full-grown by the age of 10, and live very long lives, hardly changing at all in appearance for their first century. Killoren have green or tan skin the texture of a soft, young leaf, and their limbs are unusually long and slender when compared with those of the humanoid races. An individual killoren's hair and eye color depends on which aspect of nature the killoren is currently manifesting.

Relations: Although tension grows between the killoren and the humanoid kingdoms, for the most part killoren remain a curiosity in the eyes of the humans and their allies. Killoren walk freely within the cities of almost every civilized race. Of all the humanoid races, the elves are closest in outlook to the killoren, but even the elves remain curious about the killoren's recent origin and their ultimate role in nature's plan.

Killoren Lands: As yet, killoren claim no lands as their own. Killoren concepts of property and land ownership differ greatly from those of the humanoid races: They see the world as belonging to nature itself. As stewards and manifestations of nature, they might at some point deny others the right to settle or despoil part of the wild, but their numbers are few enough that this has not yet come to pass. In the small conflicts that have cropped up between killoren and particular groups of evil humanoids, the killoren have not claimed ownership of the land, instead claiming only that they guard the land from evil.

Their small communities blend with the natural world, but many killoren are drawn away from their home community to mingle with the populations of the humanoid races. A killoren community might be as simple as a few families dwelling among the boughs and shade of a peaceful forest or as remote as a small group of killoren following game across the frozen steppes of the far north.

Killoren communities are usually governed by a group of elder druids and wizards, but any individual killoren might rise to leadership depending on his or her personal exploits. These leaders act more as councilors and protectors than as an organized form of government, the small size of killoren communities keeping their roles relatively simple compared to the politics of the humanoid races.

As the number of killoren grows, so too does their difference in outlook. A small group of elder killoren, some having walked among the humanoid races for a hundred years or more, believe they have seen enough of humans and the allied civilized races. Calling themselves simply The Wild, these powerful killoren have chosen to defend their refuges with magical and physical force. Many of these killoren are druids and wizards, and their radical outlook is quickly drawing the attention of both other killoren and the armies of the human kingdoms.

Religion: Most killoren revere the silent might of nature itself, although some, particularly clerics, pay homage to the god Obad-Hai. Killoren do not simply admire nature - they are part of it. A killoren cannot look at a distant mountain range without feeling its power and beauty stir her, nor can a killoren walk through a forest glade without being moved by the peace and strength of nature. Nature is more than a distant ideal to the killoren; it is life itself.

Language: Killoren make a great effort to speak as those around them speak. Learning the speaking styles as well as the language of the humanoids they are with gives them greater insight into the culture and attitudes of their friends.

Names: Killoren have only one name, and they choose this name themselves upon declaring their own maturity, usually near the beginning of their tenth year of life. Killoren names always have three syllables, the last of which denotes their family in the same way that a human's family name shows his or her relation. Example killoren names include Durmindin, Ennimbel, Kettenbar, and Shallahai.

Adventurers: Killoren adventure to learn about the world. Unlike other fey, killoren are driven by the nameless powers of nature to learn about the humanoid races and customs. Killoren match the aggression and ambition of humanoids, but they also maintain the eternal connection to nature that all fey embody. As killoren grow in power and number, they form ever-changing opinions of humans and their allies, helping the causes that they deem to be one with nature's design and opposing those who would despoil or destroy nature's beauty. Experienced killoren might adventure with a more definite purpose - working to thwart the schemes of a particular religious cult, protecting nature from wild orcs and goblinoids, or hunting powerful outsiders that are beyond the reach of nature's other servants.

KILLOREN RACIAL TRAITS

• Fey: Killoren are of the fey type and are therefore not affected by spells such as charm person and hold person. Unlike other fey, killoren gain Hit Dice only by acquiring levels in a character class.

• A killoren's base land speed is 30 feet.

• Low-Light Vision: Killoren can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

• Immunity to magic sleep effects and a +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects.

• Racial Skills: Killoren have a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks.

• Cold Iron Anathema (Su): Killoren have a difficult time wielding weapons made of cold iron. Killoren take a -2 penalty on any attack roll they make with a cold iron weapon or a weapon made only partially out of cold iron, such as a cold iron spear or a bow firing cold iron arrows.

• Manifest Nature's Might (Su): Killoren are forever bound to the raw forces of nature itself, manifesting this bond even in their physical form. A killoren can only manifest one aspect of nature's might at a time. Each morning as the sun rises, a killoren spends 10 minutes in quiet meditation, filling her spirit with the aspect of nature that is most needed for her current tasks. Once a killoren chooses an aspect, she manifests that aspect until the next morning, when she chooses again which aspect to manifest. Many killoren favor one aspect over the others and rarely choose to manifest one of the other two aspects.

  • Aspect of the Ancient: While manifesting the aspect of the ancient, a killoren embodies the deep and ancient secrets of nature itself. With this bond to nature's secret lore, a killoren gains a racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks equal to her Hit Dice and gains an additional +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantment effects. This bonus stacks with the killoren's normal racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment effects. While a killoren manifests the aspect of the ancient, her hair turns white and her eyes turn to the color of a blue summer sky.

  • Aspect of the Destroyer: Many races revere nature for its power to destroy, but none more so than a killoren manifesting the aspect of the destroyer. Once per hour (up to a maximum number of times per day equal to the character's Charisma bonus, minimum 1), a killoren manifesting the aspect of the destroyer can make a special smite attack that deals extra damage to the foes of nature. When making this smite attack, a killoren adds her Charisma bonus to her attack roll and deals an extra 1 point of damage per Hit Die. This smite attack works only against aberrations, constructs, humanoids, oozes, outsiders, and undead. If a killoren accidentally smites a creature that is not one of the creature types listed above, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that hour and counts against the total uses per day. While a killoren manifests the aspect of the destroyer, her hair and eyes turn a deep, lusterless black; many find the gaze of a killoren destroyer's coal-black eyes to be unnerving.

  • Aspect of the Hunter: The hunt affects nearly every aspect of nature and claims a place of great prominence and importance in the cycle of life. A killoren manifesting the aspect of the hunt is bound to nature's ancient tradition of the hunt, and her senses sharpen to an amazing degree. While manifesting the aspect of the hunt, a killoren gains a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks. While a killoren manifests the aspect of the hunter, her hair and eyes turn a deep forest green, and her skin tone becomes a deeper brown than when manifesting one of the other aspects.

• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Elven, Gnome, Ignan, Terran.

• Favored Class: Druid.