Kor

High-Flying Wanderers

The thrill of swinging through the Kyrian skies, the love of family, the sting of abandonment, the simplicity in a nomadic lifestyle - these things are what define the Kor.

Kor are a subspecies of Elf native to the extreme landscapes of Kyr. Their isolation from other elven subspecies has led them to develop their own peculiar traits and unique culture. Their biology has changed, giving them grey skin to blend in with stone, resistance to high altitude conditions, and an innate sense of 3D movement.

Kor are a high-flying daredevil-like reflection of the elven race. In their native homeland of Kyr, they can be seen flying through the mountains at blistering speeds, bobbing and weaving their way through floating stones, and seeking enlightenment in the journey of life.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

The following stats are intended for Pathfinder 1e

Ability Scores

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Kor are dextrous and well-traveled. However, their unique customs can make it difficult to relate with others.

Size

Kor are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Type

Kor are fey with the elf subtype.

Base Speed

Kor have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.

Languages

Kor begin play speaking Common, Elven, and Kor Sign Language.

Other

Elven Immunities: Kor are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
High Life: Kor gain a +2 racial bonus to Acrobatics and Climb and treat both of these skills as class skills.
Keen Senses: Kor gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Low-Light Vision: Kor can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Weapon-Familiarity: Kor are proficient with the Kor Hook, Meteor Hammer, Spiked Chain, and similar weapons. In addition, they treat any weapon with the word "Kor" in it as a martial weapon.
Weary One's Rest: Kor live in a very dangerous environment and need to know how to maximize their rests. A number of times per day equal to their Constitution modified (minimum 1), the Kor may rest for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, they regain a number of hit points equal to 1d8+the Constitution modifer+1/2 their HD.

Ecology and Habitats

Within the floating mountains of Kyr, the Kor are truly at home. They effortlessly swing between the boulders and make camp on their sides with hanging tents of their own design.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Kor have the same dietary restrictions elves have. When in their natural lands, they often eat birds, fruits, small mammals such as rats and dogs, and various other plants including seeds, fungi, and ferns.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Male Kor have small barbels hanging from their chin, similar to beards. These barbels are often associated with a Kor's masculinity.
Kor are also unique among elven subspecies in that they don't have pointed ears.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Kor are native only to the floating mountains of Kyr and rarely leave them.
Sometimes Ahazina will attempt to leave the mountains and search elsewhere on their journey. This often leads them to other parts of Kyr, Osse, and beyond.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As with most elves, Kor have an increased capacity for perception. They are able to see in much dimmer light than humans and are also extremely adept at detecting changes in their 3D orientation movement, and can easily find areas in rocks that best serve as hook-holds.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Larger chin barbels are valued on male Kor as they are thought to represent strength.
Kor also sometimes mark their bodies with white intricate geometric patterns. These patterns resemble the strange stones left all over Kyr.

Average Technological Level

Kitesail Scout by Dan Scott

In addition to their ropes and hooks the Kor create themselves, they also create devices called kitesails. A kitesail is a hang-glider like device typically created from harvested drake wings. These kitesails are often deployed in heavily winded areas and are capable of covering miles before landing.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The Kor have developed a nonverbal language of hand signs and gestures that make it easier to communicate long distances or through howling winds. This form of communication is called Kor Sign Language. Sometimes the Kor augment their messages with whirling hooks to make their messages easier to see. They also tend to use this sign language when they don't want to be overheard by others leading to the belief that Kor don't speak. When they do speak to each other, often when their hands are full as they're climbing, they use a dialect of Elven that to more traditional speakers sounds very heavily accented and can often lead to misunderstanding.

Common Dress Code

Kor tend to wear clothes of their own making. They try to keep their shoulders and arms clear to facilitate climbing. Most gear the Kor carry are stored in pouches along their waist or on their back if they're particularly good swingers.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Kor live a nomadic lifestyle. They typically travel in small groups called Aldirun. Each Aldirun is composed of about 30-50 Kor but never more than that. Once an Aldirun reaches 50 members it begins the Ritual of the Wanderer, in which the Kor ask for the gods blessings upon the youngest child and abandon them. These abandoned children, should they survive, are called Ahazina.

Kor Firewalker by Matt Stewart

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Once an Aldirun reaches 50 members it begins the Ritual of the Wanderer, in which the Kor ask for the gods blessings upon the youngest child and abandon them.

As the Kor travel around Kyr to different pilgrimage spots, the Kor take bits of soil from the area and keep them in small pouches called Bizutsna. Upon the death of a Kor, if the body is retrievable, the other members of the Aldirun each release bits of the sand onto the wind reciting prayers of safe travel. The body is then wrapped in ropes the deceased Kor made or ropes made by their loved ones and the body is thrown over a cliff.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Most elves know nothing of the Kor due to their extreme isolation. Those that do know rarely get to speak to them as reaching their settlements can prove incredibly difficult.
Other races on Kyr view the Kor as nothing more than mysterious distant creatures, similar to how a human might view a bird flying at an extreme distance.

Nahiri by Ynorka

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Origin/Ancestry

Fey

Lifespan

~1000 years.

Average Height

Male - 6' Female - 5'8"

Average Weight

Male - 170lbs Female - 155lbs

Average Physique

Due to their elven heritage and active lifestyle, Kor tend to have athletic bodies with little body fat.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Kor have a variety of skin colors that range from light blue to grey or even white skin. They also tend to have slightly elongated skulls.

Notable Kor

• Saral

Kor Ally by Jeremy Wilson

Kor Half-Elves
Due to their reclusive nature and extreme habitat, it's rare for humans and Kor to meet. Sometimes an Ahazina will make their way to more inhabited lands and proceed to have children with humans. These kids are known as Verzina and look more like humans than most half-elves. Their ears don't point, their skin looks like a pale, ashy version of their human parent's skin color, and their hair is much paler than normal for a human of their parent's ethnicity. Male Verzina do sometimes grow chin-barbels though they're usually smaller than a full-blooded Kor.
Verzina are wanderers to the extreme. They're filled with the same wanderlust as their ancestors and often strike out into the world on their own. They're often found exploring new regions, pushing their limits, and finding new friends. Verzina are drawn to groups, similar to their Kor parents, and can often be found forming small close-knit friend groups to which they're extremely loyal.
These stats are intended for Pathfinder 1e

Ability Scores:

Verzina receive a +2 bonus to any ability score of their choice to represent their varied nature.

Size:

Verzina are medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to size.

Type:

Verzina are humanoids with the elf, and human subtypes.

Base Speed:

Verzina have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.

Languages:

Verzina begin play speaking Common and Elven.

Other:

Adaptability: Verzina gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat at first level.
Elven Immunities: Verzina are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
High Life: Verzina gain a +2 racial bonus to Acrobatics and Climb and treat both of these skills as class skills.
Keen Senses: Verzina receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Low-Light Vision: Verzina can see twice as far as humans in areas of dim light.
Weapon Familiarity: Verzina are proficient with the Kor Hook, Meteor Hammer, Spiked Chain, and similar weapons. In addition, they treat any weapon with the word "Kor" in it as a martial weapon.