Aridan (/ˈeɪ.ɹiː.dən/)

Original concept by Jeremy Hart

Prior to the Advent, the Aridan empire was the undisputed strongest force in the universe. It spanned thousands of planes with tens of thousands of subject races. Their success can largely be attributed to their advanced studies in heritable Charms, as can their downfall. They are responsible for the multiple demi-human races in our lands and for the creation of the class system entirely. Almost all class systems can trace their history to that of the Aridan.
After the Advent and the introduction of Merlin's magic, they pushed their research to new heights. Their people were stronger, smarter, faster, and with a host of strange abilities usually reserved only for demons and other rare magic lifeforms. They created the Dragons and the Goblins. They seemed unstoppable. However, those same enhancements eventually turned them into a husk of their former selves. If you encounter an Aridan today, they will seem to be a sophont species. Talking to you, reasoning with you, but there is no longer anything there.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Aridan are lanky four-eyes humanoids. It is unclear how much of their current features are original, but the body plan itself should be. Their feet end in two digits and their hands in three. They can use weapons, but their claws work just as well. They also have a long prehensile tongue with a potent paralytic venom.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Aridan can no longer reproduce naturally and as such have lost their sex characteristics so far as any scholar can tell. They now rely on a mix of alchemy necromancy to maintain their numbers. Mindlessly reproducing themselves like a virus.

Growth Rate & Stages

Aridan hatch fully formed and "intelligent" from their breeding pods.

Ecology and Habitats

No scholar yet remembers the original plane the Aridan were born from, and it is unlikely that it retained its original environment even if they were to identify it. Regardless, the Aridan have modified themselves so thoroughly that they likely would not thrive in their original environment any more than other areas.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Aridan are carnivorous and have been seen eating anything from fresh kills to carrion. It is unknown how they produce the food they need when not on a natural plane.

Behaviour

The most curious aspect of the Aridan is their lack of a mind despite the fact that they can pass as sophont. Captured Aridan will talk and reason with their captors. They will make threats, beg, and lie. They seem perfectly sophont until you take a look deeper with magic. They are no more sophont than an abacus, they are mere machines, simply emulating sophoncy.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The bodies of the Aridan, despite containing many miracles of sorcery are highly resistant to usage in alchemy. Killing at Aridan is useful only for glory.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Aridan have the traditional five senses. Although they do not posses any prophetic senses themselves, it is heavily suspected that they have either devices of sub-species bred for that purpose.

Civilization and Culture

History

Its impossible to discuss the history of the Aridan without talking about the Theomachys. The first four were waged between them and the gods. They decisively won the 1st and slaughtered dozens of gods. The 2nd was a draw and the least bloody Theomachy. The 3rd  was won at a heavy price, but at this point infighting between the gods had started, and several extradimensional being sensed this and joined in. By the time the Aridan started the 4th Theomachy, they were already dead. Their empire had collapsed and their minds were gone. They were simply an automated system attacking the gods with their automated transit ships, massive mountain they converted into interplanar vehicles.
The Aridan still exist today, futile kidnapping sophont subjects in order to experiement on them to regain their own sophoncy. A program started tens of thousands of years ago, with no end in sight. Its unknown if any sophont Aridan yet exist, but one thing is certain: there still exist at least a few of those ancient interplanar war machines they once built, which have become the source of their threat in recent times.

by Jeremy Hart

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

2.1 - 2.4 meters

Average Weight

75 - 100 kilograms

Aridan

Aridan can make up to three attacks per turn: two claw attacks (1d6) and a tongue attack (1d3 + Paralysis), or Binding Flesh

• Mindless Despite their apparent sophoncy, Aridan are not self aware, they merely seem to be. As such the are immune to mind-altering and affecting spells


• Paralysis For 2d4 turns on a failed save vs paralysis


• Mundane Damage Reduction Aridan generate a special field that blocks mundane damage. A maximum of 20 damage can be blocked. If an Aridan has not taken damage this turn, and has not expended the total damage blocked, they regenerate 10 charges.


• Spirit Form Thrice per day, an Aridan may partially phase out into the spirit world for a turn, making them immune to physical damage and allowing them to pass through walls. This may be done as a reaction to avoid an attack but cannot be cancelled until their next turn.


• Bend Light Aridan can naturally bend the light around them, causing them to completely disappear from sight from a distance of 5 meters. Within that range, they have a 4-in-6 chance to surprise their target and impose a -2 to hit penalty on creatures that rely primarily on sight.


• Binding Flesh In exchange for 1d4 damage and 1d4 reduction in armour, an Aridan can force their unnatural flesh to explode out from their body and force a save vs traps against a single creature. On a failure, the creature is bound by the flesh, which rapidly expands to form a cocoon. On the first turn after they may attempt a minor feat of strength to escape, failing that the turn after they may make a major feat of strength to escape. After that, the character cannot escape on their own. The damage taken by the Aridan takes 24 hours per point to regenerate.


• Natural Armour Aridan have 4 natural armour

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Type	XP	AC	HD	THAC0	MV	Death	Traps	Paralysis	Poison	Spells
Stardard	395	5 [4]	4+2	17 [+2]	15m	12	13	16	16	12