Beastly

Evade 8, +1 Body, +1 Faith, +1 Life Point

Apperance

Beastly is a collective name for all humanoids that have some kind of animalistic elements. Some animal folk are as far from humanoid as it is physically possible, resembling animals with human intellect. On the other end of the spectrum, some look like Humans with tails or simply some fur. They are considered to be lesser in the Beastly society, unlike their counterparts. Those who are more in line with their animalistic part are a rarity and for that are often praised by their kind. They usually range from 3 feet to about 10 feet (100 to 300 cm) and weigh from 60 to 400 pounds (30 to 200 kg) on average, with occasional extremities. Most inherit their animalistic side from one of their parents. Mixed breeds of different species are possible within the same genus but not between two different genus.

As a race, they gain +1 to Faith, which represents their innate connection to the world of divinity and +1 to Body which represents their animalistic power and strength. Additionally, depending on the type of an animal they can deal D10/2 damage without a weapon OR gain +1 to one Body Skill.

Beastly in the world

Many of the Beastly come from the Wild Land where they make the majority of the population. They live in cities while keeping the tribal structure that forges strong community bonds. They uphold tradition and with that, their religion. Almost all Beastly are devout believers, and most experience a profound connection to the divine. Those who momentarily lose this connection describe a deep sense of disorientation. That divine connection, in turn, leads many of them to choose professions where they can exercise their faith. Some of the strongest and most devout priests are Beastly, and they are well-respected amongst their kind as well as in other religious structures. There is an old faith amongst the Beastly, but only a few still practice it. This faith is more prevalent among primitive tribes and those living in the deeper, forested regions of the Wild Lands.

Those who are born albino in the Wild Lands are considered holy, and almost all are escorted to the sanctuary in Hickory Glen. Those lucky few who walk free are almost unheard of and definitely from other lands.

Another well-respected type of Beastly are the bison kind, as those are often gifted with the knowledge of the future. Some say that when Mernon laid her eyes on them for the first time, she instantly loved them, and because of that her lover, Nomen gifted them with the knowledge of the future to keep them safe. Unfortunately, this gift has made them targets for some groups who believe that bison blood can reveal the future. Now, most newborn Beastly that have bison blood are taken to the bison temple to learn about history and receive training in fencing to defend themselves.

Wild Beastly tribes prioritize family bonds and place greater emphasis on the collective rather than the individual. Often by having unique and quite bizarre religious rituals, they are seen by most as simple and primitive. Most of those who practice the old faith still rigorously celebrate the countless holidays associated with it. Such tribes usually group by the animal kind and if a child of different species is born in the tribe, it is given to “their” kind or left in the forest. These tribes possess their own distinct culture and belief system, which is disconnected from the more civilized Beastly society. Some say that they are the true Beastly as they reject the modern ways but that might be just the voice of those longing for simpler times.

Beastly names

Beastly generally have two names. Traditionally their true name is given to children by their grandparents and usually it is more of a wish or an abstract concept then a name. They are often long and generally unused in regular conversations, but one could be called: “The child of a river fighting the darkness”, “Power of fire burning the enemies”, “Swift wind rustling the leaves” or “Night light shining over the fores”. Because of that, most use simpler names that are simpler and more descriptive like Sharptooth, Quietjump, Strongarm, Moonhunt, Whistleblow, Quickclaw. But some go even further calling themselves Squick, Whistle, Purr, Quack, Snap, Sting, and whatever comes to mind. Few even call themselves by Human names, but most of the Beastly find it funny.

Additional traits

While creating a new character player’s can choose to roll for one or more additional traits:

  1. Runt of the litter – The player is much smaller than other Beastly of his kind. They lose 1 Body and are on the shorter side. Additionally, many beastly don’t respect them unless they earn it.
  2. Primitive tribe – Player was raised in a primitive tribe devoid of technology. They lose 1 Science Attribute and if that lowers the value to 0, they become primitive.
  3. Stench – Player has an unpleasant odor. It gives them -2 to all checks where it might be important. Doesn’t affect Virdis, Artifex, and Beastly from Wild Lands.
  4. Zealous believer – Player is crazy about their god. If anyone talks about their god in a negative manner, they must intervene. If they don’t do so, they might be punished (GM decides).
  5. Known tribe – Player is a member of a famous tribe. With that come all the benefits and drawbacks.
  6. Bison blood – Every now and then the player has visions of the future. They always involve them or their close ones.
  7. Tribal knowledge – Players are well trained in their tribe’s way. Depending on the backstory, they can gain a bonus +1 Melee combat, +1 Range combat or +2 to Craft (Mag or Fai).
  8. Natural weapons – Depending on the type of animal they are, the player has stronger offensive parts of their body like fangs, teeth, horns, claws, that deal D10 damage in combat. 
  9. Berserker – Player Starts with the ability Fury from the Beastly development tree. 
  10. True Beastly – Player is an excellent example of Beastly. Depending on the type of animal they gain +1 to one primary Attribute and +2 to one of the Body Skills.