Warbreed

Base Racial Traits

Ability Scores: (+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma) Warbreed at Strong, Wise, and Charismatic, but for all their power their bodies are not incredibly dexterous.
Size: Warbreed are medium-sized creatures, though they stand towards the top of medium-size.
Type: Warbreed are creatures of the monstrous humanoid type and the Warbreed subtype.
Speed: Warbreed are suprisingly quick on their feet, and have a 40ft base land speed.
Vision: Warbreed have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as normal in conditions of low-light. Additionally, Warbreed have a unique extraordinary sight known as "Broodsight" - which allows them the constant ability to see the "colors" that make up other creatures' personalities, elemental affinities, temperments, and emotions. They cannot turn this sight off, and it does not allow them to see invisible creatures or creatures they could not otherwise locate with mundane sight. GM is final arbiter on what this allows a Warbreed to see - certain creatures who have training in masking their emotions or who have an excellent "poker face" might be able to mask themselves from this sight somewhat, though likely not entirely.
Languages: Warbreed begin play speaking Common, and a single elemental language of their choice(Ignan, Aquan, Auran, Terran, Luxan, or Tenebran). Warbreed with high Intelligence scores can choose any non-secret language as a bonus language.
Mighty Charger: Long famed for their ferocious charges on the battlefield, Warbreed automatically break through one object or obstacle in their path when charging so long as that obstacle's HP is less than 100 and its hardness is not greater than 10. Additionally, when charging at an enemy creature, they deal one point of bonus damage per 10ft they travel on the charge.
Last of the Tauran Phalanx: Warbreed block line of sight and effect for the purposes of enemy attacks, and provide total cover to those directly behind them(In an adjacent square behind them) relative to an attacking enemy. In addition, they gain Extend the Bulwark as a bonus teamwork feat they can use on any adjacent allied creature as if that creature had the same feat.
The Good King's Knights: Warbreed gain Knowledge Nobility and Sense Motive as class skills and gain a +2 racial bonus to one of these skills at their discretion(Once chosen, this cannot be changed).
Ancestral Shaman: Each Warbreed is tied to a spirit of their past - either a blood relative or a member of their species whom they respect. This spirit is one they revere as a paragon of the values they themselves wish to uphold, whom they sustain beyond death with faith and conviction(This spirit should be designed by the player, working with the GM). The spirit is summonable as an entity similar to an Unseen Servant. However, it is intelligent and incorporeal with a range of Medium rather than close. It can only be seen by the Warbreed unless either it or the Warbreed wish otherwise, and is capable of communication in the language it most prominently spoke in life, and can only be heard by the Warbreed unless either the Warbreed or the Spirit wish otherwise. Additionally, choose from the following types of spirits - Once chosen, this cannot be altered.

• Sage: Gain two skills as class skills. Your spirit counts as a well-stocked library to consult for knowledge checks. At the GM's discretion, it may gain limited insight into future events - though the accuracy of its insights as well as the length of time it sees into the future may vary. Some spirits may be hesitant to fully disclose its insights, if their implications are dangerous or frightening enough.


• Warrior: Your spirit takes control of your body during any surprise round which you are not aware of(Giving you actions as normal). You can swap places with your spirit as a swift action that does not provoke once per combat(And once per hour outside of combat), making the square and all adjacent squares that your spirit appears in after the switch impassable to enemies until the end of the Warbreed's next turn. This does not block teleportation or extradimensional movement.


• Scout: You and your spirit fully share each other's seneses, though it is a standard action for either you or your spirit to focus on one of the senses of the other(And a free action to leave such a link). Its base speed is 30ft rather than 15, and it has a strength score of 5 rather than 2. The range of the spirit becomes Long rather than Medium.

Folk Heroes: Each Warbreed chooses an ethnic group at character creation - this ethnicity, alongside the Shaoshuan and Kassack Ethnicities, represent the people who view them as heroes. To these people, the Warbreed is almost instantly recognizable and the stuff of living legend and myth - a hero in the flesh who they have heard countless tales of heroism and bravery about. The GM is final arbiter on what this trait can achieve(And any mechanical benefits gained in chosen ethnic groups, such as bonuses to social skill checks), but the mere presence of a Warbreed in their chosen ethnicities should inspire others to great deeds, give large morale boosts, and give them a leg up in society(Equal to honored knights of the realm). Even outside of their chosen ethnic groups, a Warbreed is often still given a good degree of respect.
Warhorn Allegience: Choose one from the below list of Warhorns and gain the associated benefit. Once chosen, this allegience cannot be changed. This allegience is typically reflected in the color/glow of their horns and eyes, as well as the color and texture of the accent lines swirling across their skin.

• The Gold Warhorn: The Greatest and Mightiest of the Warhorns, with armor reputed to be impenetrable. They were the invincible knights of the Good King's armies, and with them the King's soldiers could weather any assault - except the final one, as their betrayal spelled the death and fall of the Good King and his empire.
  Those aligned to the Gold Warhorn inherit a shard of their invincibility and treat their Constitution as 10 higher for the purposes of their death threshold. In addition, for precisely one minute after their true and final death, their corpse fights on against their enemies and cannot be sundered or destroyed during that time.


• The Red Warhorn: The Noble Spiritual Leaders of the Warhorns, whose piety and faith were unmatched among men and gods alike. They were haughty and aloof, considering most mortals to be below them - often putting the will of their gods before their own or the king's. The Red were absent during the Betrayal - whispers of the Red falling to corruption at the hands of the Gold, of their gods who turned out to be Yema in disguise, and more circulate to hint at the reason for their fall.
  Those aligned to the Red Warhorn inherit a shard of their unshakable piety and faith, and gain Shield of Faith as a 1/day Spell-like ability(CL equal to HD). Additionally, they gain a constant Detect the Faithful effect on themselves.


• The Blue Warhorn: The Shield of the Good King, the Blue Warhorn were the bodyguards and bulwark defenders of the Warhorns. One of the largest Warhorns before the Betrayal, they were stubborn, unyielding, and fanatically loyal to the Kingdom. The last of the defenders when all others had fallen to betrayal, they fought to the death to defend the king.
  Those aligned to the Blue Warhorn inherit a shard of their loyalty and vigilance, gaining the Bodyguard and In Harm's Way feats as bonus feats, ignoring prerequisites. They are automatically made aware of creatures hidden through magical means within 10ft of them, though not of their exact location.


• The Green Warhorn: The smallest of the Warhorns, the Green were the spies and saboteurs send behind enemy lines to harry the enemy and disable them on the battlefield. Said to wield supernatural camoflauge of unknown origin that has since been lost since the Betrayal, the Green were an engima even to their fellow Warhorns - ever on the outside of their brethren and lurking in the shadows.
  Those aligned to the Green Warhorn learn to wield a small fragment of their supernatural camoflauge, allowing them to choose one special sense(Blindsense, Blindsight, Tremorsense, Etc) - they cannot be detected by that sense.


• The White Warhorn: The Elite Death Commandos of the Good King, the White Warhorn were fanatic and devoted knights of Good King Jurou. With training that eclipsed that of every other Warhorn, they were few in number but possessing such intense devotion that their very presence drove men to greater feats of heroism and recklessness.
  Those aligned to the White Warhorn inherit a shard of their supreme training and talent, gaining Weapon Versatility as a bonus feat, ignoring prerequisites(Treating all weapons they wield as if they had weapon focus with them). All weapons they wield are considered as magic and aligned to either Good or Law.


• The Black Warhorn: The Oracles and Seers of the Tauran Phalanx, who spoke in cryptic riddles and wielded limited prescience on the battlefield. They could, with the aid of secret rituals and powerful drugs, project their minds great distances, see through any deception, and traverse time and space - however, these rituals were lost with the Betrayal.
  Those aligned to the Black Warhorn inherit a shard of their gift of prophecy, and gain Augury as a 1/week Spell-Like ability. They also gain the "One with the Cosmic Consciousness" Racial Trait of the Qitong, gaining only the first of the three effects to allow them to disjoint their souls from their body and wander as per Ethereal Jaunt.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The anatomy of the Warbreed is a thing that is mostly unknown - not a single scholar or doctor has been able to study one of them since The Betrayal, and all records before were lost during the event in question...meaning that the anatomy of the Warbreed is truly a mysterious thing. Outwardly, they seem humanoid enough - they have thick legs that end in cloven hooves, long shaggy manes and impressively massive horns that spiral outwards from their heads and oftentimes down their backs to mark their spinal columns as their spine seems to literally grow out of their backs(Forming a long line of spiky horns down their backs), and their bodies are large and towering, though they are often hunched over.

Biological Traits

Warbreed are hulking creatures with massive horns, large cloven hooves, and big muscular bodies that tower well over races such as Humans, often standing in excess of 7ft tall, though they often move at a hunch. They tend to weigh around twice as much as other humanoid races of similar size, live well beyond the Humans norm, and though they are often somewhat difficult to tell apart from each other by other races, they are distinguished by the patterns on their skin, the shape and size of horns, as well as a handful of other details most consider subtle enough to miss.

Genetics and Reproduction

Warbreed are especially unusual in that they have no true gender - "males" and "females" are denoted in Warbreed society only temporarily, as they have the strange and unique ability to change their biological gender depending on evolutionary pressure as well as the species' needs.
This unique ability has allowed the Warbreed to survive their turbulent past - reproducing through sexual reproduction, female Warbreeds bear the children of their species after coupling with a male which must be of another Warbreed, as unfortunately they have not been shown to be compatible with any other species for reproductive purposes despite numerous attempts by Warbreed Shamans and visiting geneticists to find another compatible species.

Growth Rate & Stages

Warbreed grow at odd rates - and altogether little is known of the specifics, as Warbreed keep their own growth rates and life stages quite secret. They are believed to hit adulthood sometime around age 25, hit milddle age around age 150, become old around age 225, and venerable around age 300, dying some years or decades later.

Ecology and Habitats

Warbreed are a fairly flexible species when it comes to habitat - there has not been a single environment they have not been able to fit into or thrive in.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Warbreeds are omnivores - they can eat plant matter and meat both, though not on the level of True Giants who can eat moss and solid rock.

Biological Cycle

As they age and grow old, Warbreed find their skin greying and cracking, their horns growing cumbersome and heavy, and their eyes clouding over with cataracts as their body grows more and more infirm as time goes on.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Many hunt Warbreed for their eyes and horns - the former of which, when transplanted into one's own head, is said to be able to let out reads the hearts of others with perfect clarity while the latter is a notoriously popular trophy and building material.

Facial characteristics

Warbreed faces are bovine in appearance, quite similar to those of Minotaurs, Oxen, and the like.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Warbreed are typically found in temperate areas, but can be found almost anywhere on Zheng-Kitar after their diaspora following the events of The Betrayal ranging from the Desert to the Mountains or even frigid climates.

Average Intelligence

Warbreed are no smarter or dumber than the average Human.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The perceptions of the Warbreed are an unusual thing - their low-light vision is normal enough, but their unique ability of Broodsight allows them to see the very essence of other creatures, through means poorly understood which allow them to literally glimpse a being and see the 'colors' that make up their personality, emotions, elemental affinities and more.

Alternate Racial Trait List:
Warbreed Alternate Racial Traits

Racial Feat List:
Warbreed Racial Feats

Lifespan

300 Years

Conservation Status

Warbreed are a dying breed in the current day - the event known as The Betrayal scattered them across the land of Zheng-Kitar and made them a disparate, homeless people. Now, they can be found as local folk heroes all across the continent.

Average Height

7'2 to 8'0 ft (2.18m - 2.43m)

Average Weight

400lbs - 440lbs (181.43kg - 199.58kg)

Average Physique

Warbreed are physically quite impressive, though not excessively so - they are taller, quicker, and stronger on average with powerful hooves in place of feet that can pulverize bone and rock alike. Overall, they are incredibly hardy specimens - product of ancient rituals and magicks long lost to the world.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Warbreed bodies are darker, earthy colors by default with the lighest being ash grey - their manes are typically similarly black or dark colors and are often woven into thick locks adorned with jewelery. Their eyes, skin markings, and the color of their horns are linked to the Warhorn they swear allegience to or pay homage to(See "Warbreed Allegience" above under Base Racial Traits for more info). Oftentimes, their eyes, horns, and skin markings glow and crackle with elemental power - oftentimes with fire or lightning crackling between them.

Related Ethnicities

• Shaoshuan

The Invincible Tauran Knights

Created around three centuries before the current day by the last good King of the Shaoshu Empire before its collapse into constituent territories at the hands of Jilixia Worldthrone, the Warbreed were created by immensely powerful rituals that have been lost to time - rituals performed by the wizard Omnae, Archmage of Good King Jurou. Long famed as the Good King's personal guards and elite shock troops, they were a force so highly praised during their time that even now they are lauded as "infallible" and "invincible" - it was they who roamed about the land enforcing and carrying out the justice and truth of the Good King which they served, serving as the faces of the Good King and his Empire to the common folk and foreign powers alike as personable and powerful heroes of the realm.
They were broadly divided into Six Warhorns - six "orders" similar to Knight Orders that each Warbreed joined according to a wide variety of factors, ranging from personality to talents and more. These Warhorns formed the backbone of the invincible Tauran Phalanx that they were famous for - each specializing in a different tactic, form of battle, or using different rituals, magics, or means to carry out the justice and enforce the laws of the Good King and his empire.
However, despite their centuries of valorous service, the invincible Tauran Phalanx which had crushed so many with such righteous fervor was felled at long last - yet, their downfall did not come from an external threat of cataclysmic proportions as many had thought, but from within: the damnable threat of betrayal. The mightiest of the Warhorns, the Invincible Golden Warhorn long lauded as the best of their kind, turned on their fellows as their Commander Sir Sancorizzax led them in a sudden surprise attack which shook the entire Shaoshu Empire to its core - corrupting their fellows in the Red Warhorn as they led an all-out assault on Good King Jurou in his palace, their machinations meaning that only the Blue Warhorn was able to bring its full might to bear against their traitorous fellows, the rest too divided between phantom theaters of war or fake threats to defend their king in time.
Such it was that the infallible Tauran Phalanx came crashing down in an event known as The Betrayal - which saw the Warhorns destroyed and scattered, the Good King Jurou slain in his 82nd year of life, and the Shaoshu Empire collapsed and fragmented under the Betrayal alongside an assault from Jilixia Worldthrone. Ever since, they have been a people scattered...though, thankfully in no danger of extinction yet, they have spread across the lands of Zheng-Kitar as honored heroes wherever they go.