Sanctor
The warped descendants of angels
Base Racial Traits
Ability Score Modifiers: (+2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma): Sanctor are wise and nimble, but their appearances and attitudes make it rough for others to get to know them. Size: Sanctor are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. Type: Sanctor count as Outsiders with the native subtype, and thus need to eat, sleep, and breathe. Speed: Sanctor have a base land speed of 30 feet, and a base fly speed of 50ft. This flight speed is an extraordinary ability. Vision: Sanctor have 60 feet of darkvision due to their outsider heritage. Languages: Sanctor begin play speaking The Regional Language(See Languages of Zheng-Kitar) that reflects their origins, and Celestial. Sanctor with high Intelligence scores can choose from any non-secret languages, drawn from their celestial truespeaker heritage. Celestial Purity: Born with the blood of the heavens coursing through their veins, Sanctor gain a shard of their ancestor's resistances and gain Acid and Electricity Resistance 10. Additionally, they gain a +2 on all saves made versus petrification and poison. Bestias Damnatio: Their very bones burned through with holy script long ago as symbol of their service to the Celestial Host, these marks double as a divine grimoire that grants all Sanctor a racial +4 on Knowledge(Planes) checks and a racial +2 on Spellcraft checks. They gain both as class skills. Additionally, Sanctor autosucceed on all checks made to identify non-unique Outsiders with the good or evil subtypes. Spirit of Rage: Though centuries have passed, no Sanctor has forgotten the horrors humans have wreaked upon them by creating them, nor the Dwarves who summoned them to the Material then, in betrayal most foul, defeated their commanders and stranded them here forever. This bone-deep hatred grants Sanctor a +2 to all attack and damage rolls against creatures with the Human or Dwarf subtypes. This rage also grants Sanctor the use of the Brand spell as an at-will SLA, Caster Level equal to HD and DC based off Wisdom. Fleshwarped Bastard: Though they were summoned to the material plane in the armies of the celestial host, Sanctor originate from the twisted fleshlabs of the ancient humans, who wrought unholy nightmares to give them life. These foul origins grant them unnaturally thick skin - granting them a +2 Natural armor bonus, and a +10 to all saves made to resist polymorph effects. They also count as humanoid creatures for the purposes of spells and effects, and may once a day reduce the total damage from a critical hit by 1/2. Azaliah's Mastery: Trained personally by the greatest of the divine commanders, Sanctor carry the divine mastery their commander once held over all weaponry down to the very depths of their souls, in honor of her glorious name. Sanctor automatically become proficient in any weapon they have trained with for 24 hours. This proficiency is lost if they do not use it for 24 hours. Wings of Luciel: Blessed with mighty wings by Luciel, Honored Lieutenant of the Celestial Host in which they once served, Sanctor gain two wing attacks that deal 1d4 damage each. These are primary natural attacks. If they successfully hit a single target with both of their wing attacks, they can blast the target with a quick burst of holy light that blinds them for 1 round and deals 2d6 damage to the target. This damage is doubled if the creature possesses the evil subtype. A successful reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + WISMOD) negates the blindness and halves the damage. Azaliah's Burden: Bound irrevocably to the leader of the Celestial Host who led their initial march onto the lands of Zheng-Kitar during the Age of Descent, the Sanctor even now pine most deeply for their beloved general, bound in eternal torment in the sealed city of Nan-Durghalihr. Because of this curse born of their soulbound connection to their once-great commander, Sanctor are cursed with twin personalities, and two souls - one personality and soul representing themself, and one representing a shard of the Celestial Commander Azaliah, High Commander of the Celestial host's once-mighty soul, fragmented and trapped in an eternal nightmare from which it cannot awake. Plagued with nightmares each time they sleep as their second soul comes to the forefront, Sanctor become most lethal when they die their true and final death - left alone in the body which once housed two souls, the mad soul splinter of Azaliah in time gains control of the corpse and transforms it into a monster known as a Sanguine Angel. Dying upon hallowed ground will prevent the corpse's return, as will destroying the corpse itself before the transformation - though if a Sanctor had an especially good connection with its second half during life, the shard may choose to move on instead.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Sanctor possess an anatomy so twisted and mutated that it has become the stuff of legend. Sanctor anatomy is a jumbled, scrambled mess of internal organs, blood vessels, and skin that has been shifted all over their bodies, though it remains all functional(mostly) their anatomy is a confusing mess for others to look at, heal, or simply sort through.
They often have redundant and non-functional organs, useless bones that serve no purpose, and errant bits of tumor-like flesh that, while rarely cancerous, serve as painful reminders of their unfortunate origins. Due to this strange and warped anatomy that resembles a "human whose internals were scrambled in a blender" Sanctor have bodies that are resistant to effects such as polymorphs that would change their bodies due to their complicated anatomy, though they have the unexpected benefit of being able to mitigate critical damage dealt to them by using their strange anatomies to avoid damage to vital organs...because they aren't where their foes expect them to be. This can also make it incredibly hard to heal a Sanctor in a pinch, however.
Genetics and Reproduction
Sanctor reproduce primarily through sexual reproduction, though because of their strange anatomies "gender" is a less well-defined term among the Sanctor, as while many might have more clear Genders it is not uncommon for many Sanctor to have aspects of both or rarely, no gender, making reproduction a difficult thing as some Sanctor, regardless of gender, can be sterile from birth. Sanctor therefore have less of a defined concept of "Females carry children" and more of "The one who has the ability carries the child", due to their strange anatomies. This has led to continuing their species to be a fairly difficult task, as not only do sanctor have to not be sterile but also have compatible "genders" and bodies, but they must finally hope that the child takes despite their strange anatomies and does not emerge stillborn.
When they do come down with children, Sanctor carry their children much like humans do, for a period of several(7 - 9) months until the child is ready to be given a live birth.
Growth Rate & Stages
Once born, Sanctor reach adulthood in as little as 12 years thanks to advanced biology from their celestial heritages, learning and being taught about the ways of the world by their parents. Rarely, a Sanctor can be born with more Celestial blood in their veins than usual, which can give them more angelic features or in some rare cases, celestial power in their veins or even distant empathetic links to still-living celestials.
Sanctor reach middle age around age 90, become old around age 120, and reach venerable around age 150 and die shortly thereafter.
Ecology and Habitats
Sanctor are mostly found in cool coastal areas and other mild climates preferably with quick access to the sea(Mostly to ensure cooler temperatures), but they prefer to dwell in remote and isolated areas to protect themselves from outsiders.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Sanctor are generally omnivores, but those with strange mutations might have predispositions to certain foods.
Biological Cycle
As Sanctor age, they experiencing aging much like humans do but at a much slower rate...thankfully, unlike Dirge or other unfortunate creatures, Sanctor anatomies are not prone to excessive or runaway mutation as they age, though their strange anatomies can cause complications as they age. Their hair grows grey and white, their bodies wither and lose physical mass, and their wings begin to slowly lose feathers.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Many believe Sanctor wings, eyes, skin, blood, and more are all incredibly valuable as they are partially celestial, which has led to them being hunted in times past.
Facial characteristics
Sanctor faces are much like those of the Aasimar, timeless, beautiful, and regal...most of the time. They have celestial faces that almost radiate a quiet, tranquil beauty and give off a beautiful serenity that can sometimes be at odds with their xenophobic natures.
Rarely, a sanctor can be born malformed and twisted, lacking eyes or a nose, and looking much more horrific.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Sanctor prefer mediterranean type climates, but also tend to congregate in high altitudes where only other flying creatures can reach normally to protect themselves from other races.
Average Intelligence
Sanctor are wise thanks to their celestial heritage, but are just as intelligent as other races.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Though they themselves do not require it, Sanctor have inherited Darkvision out to 60ft from their ancestors, the mighty Celestials and other Outsiders who were captured and killed in the fleshlabs of High Humanity, their eyes still possessing the power of their ancestors to see through darkness.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Sanctor names traditionally roll gracefully off the tongue with names ending, beginning, or containing '-iel', '-thiel, '-ael', or '-ai', and other or similar names that relate them to their celestial brethren. Some amongst them have more human names, and these often take inspiration from old biblical names and naming conventions.
More progressive Sanctor sometimes take on names closer to Greek conventions to set themselves apart from their angelic heritage, but as that is the exception and not the rule, those names are not included in the examples below.
Male: Michael, Azarael, Gabriel, Zez-Kallai, Raphael, Jude, Enoch, Zadkiel, Aniel, Suriel, Ramiel, Nazrael, Abel, Cain, Barak, Bartholomew, etc…
Female: Sarathiel, Marael, Mary, Delilah, Eve, Dinah, Jezebel, Naomi, Naomiel, Farahthiel, Remiel, Andreia, etc..
Lifespan
150 Years
Conservation Status
Sanctor are somewhat rare on Zheng-Kitar but have begun to increase their numbers in recent years, though they are still rare outside their central homeland of Dhara as well as among the high-altitude mountain ranges of the world.
Average Height
5.24ft - 6.56ft (1.6m - 2.0m)
Average Weight
110lbs - 198lbs (50kg - 90kg)
Average Physique
Sanctor have the standard physique of humanity as they were mostly based on humans when they were made, but they are quite a bit more nimble thanks to their strange anatomies and celestial heritages.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Sanctor skin and hair can be tinted just as widely as humans can, though the feathers on their wings can vary in color from white, black, mixed, or more. Their eyes are unique in that they lack pupils entirely - their eyes are solid colors and seem to be backlit by lanternlight - glowing even in the dark. These unique eyes are said to be clear sign of their angelic heritage.
Related Ethnicities
Soldiers of the Celestial Host
As one of the more recent arrivals on Zheng-Kitar, Sanctor arrived on the continent around 1200+ years ago in style - and in a way that made them all but impossible to ignore. During the age of descent when the armies of fiends invaded the material plane, the portals to the evil outer realms opening in the deepest reaches of the Shenchuan Tundra, things seemed most dire for the races of Zheng-Kitar as the rampaging hordes of fiends threatened to overrun the continent. Even the united armies of the legendary Dwarven Steel Legions combined with the might of the giants who dwelled in the tundra proved to be not enough - and so the Dwarves, ever ingenius and refusing to give up, turned to the last place they could - the divine outer realms. They then constructed a grand device known as the Celestial Orrery - a titanic device of legendary achievement that, when activated, tore massive portals to Heaven and the Divine realms open - allowing the armies of the Celestial Host, led by twin Archangels, to march into the material to aid them. It was thusly that the Sanctor came into the Material Plane - made long before by the ancient humans, the Sanctor who arrived through the Celestial Orrery were those who were lucky enough to escape the material and take refuge in Heaven with their angelic ancestors - and they returned to their ancient homeland as elite warriors backing the full might of the Celestial Host. And so they flew forward, following their Archangel Generals as mighty angelic warriors to crush the fiendish tide. And when the war against the fiends came a close and the Dwarves turned on the Celestial Host, sealing away the Archangels that led the force inside their underground citadels, it transpired by perchance luck that the Sanctor brigades were not present at the final battle - the machinations of the Dwarves ensured they were spared eternal sealing. And left behind, the Sanctor were allowed to make a new home there on Zheng-Kitar, true to the Zheng-Kitaran belief of all being equal beneath the Spirit Kings. Now, they have made a life for themselves here, living on the coast as a people free from their celestial duties - though many despair at the thought of the heavens coming back to claim their errant soldiers.
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