Betazhan

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I know it's hard not to stare, but you gotta try and avert your gaze. They're telepaths. They know when you're staring. That and those eyes don't miss much. I heard the Empire still has many of them in their ranks. These must have escaped. It's very unsettling knowing someone can hear your thoughts.

- Praneth; Tavern Patron

The Betazhan are an insectoid race from the planet known as Khrysalis that lies deep within the Beta Quadrant and was dominated by a System Lord named Morganthe. The Betazhan, one of many insectoid races on the planet, were used as researchers and medics due to their intelligence and telepathic abilities.
When the Rebellion occured in the Alpha Quadrant, many Betazhan were freed from Imperial control. Though many people found them hard to trust, over time, the Betazhan joined the Rebellion Alliance and used their knowledge of the System Lords to help secure vitcory. Many found a home on Sutera and have worked as the Suteran Alliance's scientists for ship design and weapons.

Intellectual Insects

The Betazhan are insectoid with mandibles, compound eyes, and antennae. This gives them increased eyesight and sensory information that other creatures miss. Their brains can hold vast amounts of information. They have similar looks and form to catipillars with jointed arms and legs.
Betazhan generally work well in groups as they can move quickly using their telepathy. However, they also prefer to have a few non-telepaths among them. This is because long ago the Betazhan were once a prt of a hive mind on Khrysalis and forced to wage war on the other species on the planet. Having a few non-Betazhan with them gives them a sort of comfort that they are still individuals and can takes breaks from the mental links.

Community Ties

Betazhan still form close ties to others of their race and often live in small communities, despite their fears of returning to the Hive Mind. They consider these groups their families and live much closer, share more, and work in sync in ways that make other humanoids stare in confusion and puzzlement.
Betazhan occasionally have tried to go into the field of therapy and counseling. Many who do find it a little hard for patients to become comfortable around them. However, those who get to know a Betazhan find them to be excellent confidants and counselors.

Pursuit of Knowledge

Betazhan who pursue adventuring usually do so as a means to seek out scientific or magical knowledge. Many join crews as ambassadors, scientists, or counselors. Their telepathy and empathic abilities typically make them quite valuable to help the crew operate quickly.
Though they seem frail, Betazhan can be quite deadly in combat, using their telepathy to penetrate their enemy's mental protections and turn their thoughts and weaknesses against them. When it comes to protecting themselves and those they care for, they will attack relentlessly and without mercy.

Betazhan Names

Betazhan rely primarily on telepathy for communication, speaking audibly with their mandibles only in formal situations. Because of their insectile physiology, their “speech-names” can sometimes be harsh and awkward for members of other races to pronounce.
Fortunately, they readily accept nicknames bestowed by members of other races, seeing such epithets as honors. Most also have a secret “soul-name” that’s purely telepathic, a concentrated collage of emotions, images, and sense memories that’s shared only with their dearest friends.
Sample Betazhan speech-names:
Cesca, Halicon, Jchk, Keskodai, Korskal, Noskaru, Schect, Thast, T’sen, Vishkesh, Xylit, and Zenka.

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Betazhan Traits

Your Betazhan character has the following racial traits:

Ability Score Increase

Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

Age

Betazhan reach physical maturity at 2 years old, and typically only live to around 45 years old though some have been known to live to their mid sixties.

Alignment

The Betazhan favor order and law and seek the good of the community so trend towards lawful good. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not.

Size

Betazhan range anywhere from 5ft to 6ft. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Mind Reader

You can cast Detect Thoughts at will without any components, though the range is only 15ft instead of its normal range and you cannot dig deeper into the minds of others. At 3rd level, you gain the additional ability to cast the full version of the spell innately twice per long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting modifier for this spell.

Limited Telepathy

You can communicate via telepathy with creatures within 15ft of you that share at least 1 similar language and have an Intelligence score of 5 or higher. You can also establish a mental connection with any number of creatures of your choice within range to hear their responses. This connection is between you and the creature alone, as you are not granting them Telepathy but simply broadcasting your own thoughts and listening for responses; similar to the Message Spell.
This means if you have two others within range you are connected to telepathically, they cannot hear each other's thoughts. They hear only you, though you can hear both of them. If a creature also has Telepathy, it may broadcast its responses thus allowing everyone in the conversation to hear both you and it. If you are attempting to listen to more than 1 person at a time in this manner and all are talking at once, it is like trying to hear a single voice in a crowded room and you risk comprehending nothing.
You can focus your mental abilities to establish a connection with just one creature within 60ft of you. While doing this you can only communicate telepathically with this creature until you stop or decide to change targets.

Enhanced Empathic Vision

You gain a +3 bonus to Insight checks against creatures you can see within 30ft. You also are proficient in perception and insight.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Betazhan, and Krysari. Khrysari is the common vocal language of the insectoids of Khrysalis. It has several sounds that can only be made by the native inhabitants and not other humanoids, though a rare few can make a very close aproximation.

by Paizo llc; Austin Graham

Primary Occupied Quadrant
Beta
Homeworld:
Khrysalis
Average Lifespan:
40-60 years
Common Skin Pigmentation:

• blue
• green
• yellow
• brown

Betazhan Traits

• Limited Telepathy
• Compound Eyes
• Antennae