Populations analysis of Natural Bond Orbitals

The Land of the Gods is the realm where the great animal spirits are said to live, according to the Cult of the Bear. It is a land of unspoiled wilderness where man and beast coexist in peace, where hunger does not exist and where warfare is unnecessary.



Society

Because of their ability to adapt to every environment and situation, humans dominate Tsurukokan society. They hold positions of power in almost every social and political structure. From a sociological standpoint, human society is society.

Adventurers

Humans become adventurers for almost as many reasons as there are adventurers: fame, fortune, faith, power, love, hate and happenstance are just a few of the motivating factors in a human’s choice to live an adventurer’s life.

Human Background Traits

• Ability Adjustments��Ability Adjustments�� Humans gain a +1 bonus to one ability score of their choice and take a -1 penalty to one ability score of their choice.

• Bonus �eat��Bonus �eat�� A human hero gains one bonus feat at 1st level out of the list of feats available for the hero’s role.

• Bonus �kill��Bonus �kill�� A human hero gains one bonus known skill at 1st level, in addition to those gained for the hero’s role and Intelligence score.

• �avored �eats���avored �eats�� Defensive Roll, Tough

Hanyō

Hanyō are the children of mortals and supernatural creatures (usually oni).

Personality

Hanyō possess the same types of personality traits that normal humans do, but they tend toward extreme versions of them.

The conflicting nature of their heritage often drives them toward chaotic behavior.

Physical Description

Hanyō are humanoid, with mostly human facial features. They have horns, and their most notable characteristic is a high body temperature which results in steam rolling from their mouths whenever they talk.

Hanyō stand, on average, a foot taller than their human counterparts and weigh 50 to 100 pounds more.

Relations

Hanyō are looked upon with suspicion and fear by others. They must overcome initial hostile attitudes wherever they travel, though kitsune are normally the most accommodating towards them. They are typically shunned by the barbaric kobolds.

Society

Hanyō have no society of their own and must learn to survive in whatever society they are born into.

Adventurers

The chaotic personality of hanyō is often accompanied by an intense wanderlust. Some adventure to satisfy this drive, some adventure because they feel unwelcome in the society of their birth and some adventure to find their parents (often to take revenge).

Hanyō Background Traits

• Ability Adjustments��Ability Adjustments�� None

• Natural Weapon��Natural Weapon�� The hanyō’s horns may be used to head-butt.

They have a damage bonus of +2.

• Elemental Ability��Elemental Ability�� The hanyō gains one of the following special abilities:



tunnel through dirt, but not through rock. Hanyō cannot charge or run while burrowing. They do not leave behind tunnels other creatures can use, because the material they tunnel through fills in behind them.

• MetalMetal: The hanyō has thick, metallic skin which confers a +1 natural armor bonus to Toughness.

• �ire�ire: The hanyō gains the Elemental Resistance (Fire) supernatural power. Hanyō treat their total level as their adept level for this ability.

• WaterWater: The hanyō can breathe underwater and gains a swim movement rate of 40 ft. The hanyō has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. She can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.

• Wood��Wood�� The hanyō gains a prehensile tail and a brachiation movement rate of 30. When in dense forest, the hanyō can move through the treetops as easily as she can on solid land. She can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if distracted or endangered, and does not lose her dodge bonus to Defense while climbing.

• Taint Resistance��Taint Resistance�� The hanyō’s supernatural blood makes them immune to the detrimental effects of taint. They can still acquire a taint score and be affected by taint-based magic, but they do not apply their taint score as a negative modifier to their ability scores.

• �avored �eats���avored �eats�� Body Control (hanyō treat their total level as their adept level for purposes of this ability)

Harinezumi

Harinezumi are a race of short, nature-worshipping, anthropomorphic porcupines.

Personality

Harinezumi are good-natured and even tempered. They have dedicated personalities, and when they set their minds to accomplishing a task, it is nearly impossible to dissuade them from completing it.

Physical Description

Harinezumi stand about three feet tall (see the rules for Small Heroes in Chapter 1 of True20), and for all intents and purposes, look like giant, bipedal porcupines. In contrast to their animal cousins, harinezumi have fully articulated hands, eyes that face toward the front and are able to speak the languages of other civilized races.

Relations

Because of their easygoing nature, harinezumi get along with nearly anyone they meet. As long as the creatures they interact with show a respect for the natural world, they are often willing to overlook behaviors that members of other races would find distasteful.

Society

Harinezumi consider themselves stewards of the natural world, so they tend to congregate in isolated communities far from

tribes.

Adventurers

The combination of a reverence for the natural world and their dedicated personalities often finds harinezumi engaging on life-long quests to avenge the nature-spirits that they worship.

Harinezumi Background Traits

• Ability Adjustments��Ability Adjustments�� +1 Wisdom, -1 Intelligence

• Bonus �kill��Bonus �kill�� Harinezumi automatically gain the Survival skill.

• Natural Armor��Natural Armor�� Because of their thick skin and quills, harinezumi gain a +2 natural armor bonus to Toughness.

• �avored �eats���avored �eats�� Familiar (harinezumi treat their total level as their adept level for purposes of this feat), Mind Over Body

Kitsune

Kitsune are a race of mischievous, shape-changing foxes.

Personality

Kitsune are capricious, cunning, and curious creatures. While they are not generally malicious, they do enjoy playing pranks and derive a deep sense of satisfaction from watching others get their come-uppance. Kitsune almost always have some scheme in motion and always treat others as though they do, as well.

Physical Description

The natural form for kitsune is that of a wolf-sized fox. They can, at will, also assume a humanoid fox/human hybrid form, which is the form they normally take when interacting with the other civilized races. In either form, their fur ranges from reddish-brown to a dull tan, to a dark grey. Their eyes are a deep amber color and have vertically slit pupils, like a cat.

In hybrid form, kitsune are, on average, about as tall and heavy as humans. Like humans, males usually have greater muscle mass and stand a few inches taller than females.

Kitsune have an extremely long lifespan, upwards of nine hundred years. Every century, a kitsune will grow another tail, and the most venerable members of the race can end up with nine.

Relations

Because of their tendency to treat anyone they meet with suspicion, kitsune often take a very long time to build trusting relationships. Consequently, the bonds they form tend to be unbreakable once established.

Society

Despite their tendency toward mischief, kitsune have managed to fully integrate themselves into human society. Consequently, there are few isolated kitsune communities.

Adventurers

Kitsune have an insatiable appetite for new information and experiences, so much so that they will often work to generate new experiences when life does not provide them. Therefore, many kitsune take up the mantle of the adventurer in order to satiate this appetite, while others are forced into the life of adventure when they make things a little too interesting at home.



Kitsune Background Traits

• Ability Adjustments��Ability Adjustments�� +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution

• Alternate �orm��Alternate �orm�� As a standard action, kitsune may change between animal and hybrid form. Any equipment they may be carrying remains on their person, though gear that fits tightly in one form may rip, tear, or become binding in the other form.

For example, a loose necklace may make the transition from animal to humanoid unscathed, while a tight kimono worn while in humanoid form might stretch and tear when changing to the animal form. A kitsune retains all abilities and statistics when in this alternate form.

• Natural Weapon��Natural Weapon�� When in fox form, the kitsune gains a natural bite attack, which has a damage bonus of +2.

• Improved �peed��Improved �peed�� When in fox form, the kitsune’s base speed increases by 10 ft.

• �avored �eats���avored �eats�� Body Control (kitsune treat their total level as their adept level for this power).

Kobold

Kobolds are outsiders to Tsurukoku, hailing from the Hordelands to the south of the Nagara River.

Personality

Kobolds are skittish, nervous, and generally high-strung. They are shrill and demanding, and have little patience for genteel society.

Physical Description

Kobolds are small creatures and stand about two and a half to three feet tall (see the rules for Small Heroes in Chapter 1 of True20). They have scaly skin, like reptiles, a short,

non-prehensile tail and yellow eyes. Most are slightly built, though it is considered a status symbol among kobolds to be somewhat rotund.

Relations

Few people inside of Tsurukoku like kobolds. Their nervous demeanor makes many people uncomfortable, and their utter disregard for the customs of Tsurukokan society makes them a social liability.

Society

In the Hordelands, kobolds organize themselves into lizard-riding clans. Their society is one based on strength, and the strongest kobold (as often female as male) is considered the head of the clan for as long as he or she can hold onto power.

Adventurers

Kobolds take up the life of an adventurer for many reasons.

Some have been ostracized from their clan, some seek to gain power of their own, some adventure to bring glory to their own clan or to strengthen themselves for a possible return to the Hordelands.

Kobold Background Traits

• Ability Adjustments��Ability Adjustments�� +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength

• Bonus �eat��Bonus �eat�� Night Vision

• Bonus �kill��Bonus �kill�� Kobolds automatically gain the Ride skill.

• Natural Armor��Natural Armor�� Because of their tough hide, kobolds gain a +1 natural armor bonus to Toughness

• Light �ensitivity��Light �ensitivity�� Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or any equivalent illumination.

• �avored �eats���avored �eats�� Rage, Tough