Kasoev
Lethal warriors of
born of metal and might.
RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 5’8”- 9’0”
Average Weight: 250-1000lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Size: Medium or Large
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, Common Draconic, Kasoev Dialect
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Intimidate
Scale of the Dragon: You gain a +3 to your AC.
Powerful Presence: Your Intimidate is based on
Strength instead of Charisma.
Natural Weapons: You have claws on your hands that
allow you to deal 1d6 damage to an opponent. You may use both hands on a single
opponent in a single attack without suffering any penalties.
Battle Hardened:
You gain a +3 to Fortitude.
Kasoev are, perhaps, the most powerful of the dragon races.
Born of the metals their hides reflect, they have been forged into warriors
over the centuries. They are now one of the highest ranking Dragon Prides of
the six remaining clans. They tend to live in harsh areas – deserts, thick
forests with dangerous predators, rocky barren terrains – believing that life
is a test of their spirit and fortitude. The Kasoev are regarded by other
races, even the dwarves, as incredible and fierce warriors to be respected if
not feared.
Play a Kasoev if you want…
¨
to be big, powerful, strong and fast.
¨
to play a noble, powerful, skilled warrior.
¨
to be a member of a race that favors the
barbarian, fighter, and warlord classes.
Physical Qualities
Kasoev resemble humanoid dragons. They have wings which they
can use to glide, but not fly, and they have long, thick tails that help them
balance and can be used to club an enemy. They vary in size greatly but on
average they are around 6 ½ feet in height and quite heavy and dense due to
musculature and their solid metal scales. They have sharp talons on their
strong hands, capable of tearing flesh apart easily.
Kasoev hides are made of tough,
brilliant scales. They are incredibly strong and seem to be made of a living
metal. The scales themselves are brilliant metallic colors, generally gold,
silver, or bronze, though various other hues are not uncommon. Their eyes tend
to earth tones, but a large number also have startlingly blue eyes, much like a
summer sky. Kasoev don’t have hair, but do have frills, horns, or large scales
down their spine that range in colors and hues, but again, mostly earth tones
or metallic tones. Both male and female kasoev enjoy tattoos that show plainly
on them in stark, bright colors. They go to great lengths to have these tattoos
applied magically, since their scales are shed regularly, and the process is
not painless. The tattoos are places mostly on the arms, showing clan
allegiance or ancestry, or on the face, showing rank and honor. Some kasoev
think that tattoos are silly and not nearly painful enough and will actually
permanently scar themselves by removing their scales and having a metal poured
in to make an artful scar as well as serving as the armor lost from removing
the scales. Some will go as far as to do this facially, but mostly arms and legs
are maimed in this way. Those that scar themselves believe that the metal makes
them physically stronger and more resilient. Kasoev attire is simple, but
ornate. First and foremost it is durable and efficient, ready for battle or
travel. After that, designs and talismans are added for effect, safety, and
blessings.
Kasoev are
considered adults at age 20 by most of the clans. They age slowly after that
and don’t reach middle age until around 75 or 80. They are still vital when
they are old at 140, and often live to see 200 or better.
Playing a
Kasoev
The kasoev know they
are powerful. They pride themselves on being strong, but they have not lost
touch with their spiritual side and recognize strength in all its forms, though
physical is the most revered. They believe that Fate has a plan for everyone,
and allow their children to find their own destinies, giving them all they can
to prepare them without coddling. They have strong family ties and celebrate
their ancestors, believing them to be with them even after death, and you will
find a large family in every kasoev home, often with several generations living
together happily.
Stories and songs are an important
part of kasoev culture. Though there are a number of scholars and a rich
written history, oral traditions are favored in over written, and songs are
among the most popular of the traditions. It is not uncommon to find an entire
city gathered around a massive bonfire as the sun sets, watching several elders
raise their voices in song of some glorious battle, or hard learned lesson,
telling epic tales in grand, sweeping songs with their deep, booming voices.
Kasoev are not overly religious,
though they do believe in the Gods. Instead of worshiping a God, they choose to
honor the Gods for the sacrifices and battles that they have waged to bring
them the world in which they live. They don’t tend to ask for favors or
guidance as they know that there are others who worship their deity and they
would not want their God to have to choose; a battle should be won or lost on
skill and prowess, not divine intervention. There are those that try to follow
the examples set by various Gods, particularly Teyr, Elysia, Selatise, and
Jorren. There are no heretics or blasphemers in kasoev society.
As battle hungry as the kasoev are,
they don’t tend to hold grudges. They see all of life as a great battle and
surviving to old age the ultimate victory. If they are attacked they oddly
understand that their enemies have a good reason for the battles, even if that
reason is simply to prove they are stronger than the kasoev. That doesn’t mean
they don’t take things personally. Personal grudges are something that kasoev
take care of on their own. Should a family member be slighted, or their honor
questioned, there will be recompense. There are a number of ways to right a
slighted honor and they range from non-lethal to a death match in a fiery pit
of spikes depending on how deep the insult strikes. So, far from being the
warmongers they can come across as being, the kasoev are a very tolerant race.
The only things a kasoev cannot stand is injustice and cruelty. They will fight
evil where they find it, and the only race they see as being evil are the
kaedia; there is a deep and bitter rivalry between the two races stemming from
the Gerrax Conquest Wars. Should the two races ever meet, it is unwise to be
near the ensuing battle.
On the flip side, a kasoev will
always honor and respect those that aid them in battle. Songs are sung of
heroes that aid them in battle, as well as those who are kasoev heroes. They
honor their friends as family and ancestors in some cases, and there are a
number of races that are included in their legends and myths, as, again, they
recognize and respect honor and strength in all forms. They are loyal to those
who are kind and helpful to them, and will be loyal so long as the respect and
honor is maintained. To betray a kasoev is to sign your own death warrant.
Legend has it that a military organization once tried to murder one of their
own, a formidable kasoev warrior. Their attempt failed, and that kasoev spent
the rest of his life absolutely destroying the organization, slaughtering any
of the soldiers he came across, and, eventually, obliterating their leader and
dismantling the thing entirely. A betrayed kasoev is a dangerous thing indeed.
Kasoev Characteristics: Brave, hardened, loyal, organized, inquisitive, strong, proud,
hard-working, honorable, stubborn, stern
Male Names: Ardeth,
Borrous, Drakkath, Exavar, Fovath, Gyrren, Hommyth, Jorren, Kagen, Kord,
Midrack, Onyx, Ranarous, Rune, Solivar, Stroud, Torryn
Female Names:
Arraina, Baylan, Corris, Devyth, Elanna, Enry, Galataya, Gyllian, Havry, Kagen,
Kitarra, Kyth, Mollin, Nyra, Ori, Sairie, Selatise, Tyriss
Kasoev Adventurers
Three sample kasoev
adventurers are described below.
Devyth is a kasoev warrior who has
set out to find her fortune and honor in the world. She has little to her name
save an ancestral sword passed down from generation to generation, and a set of
plate mail she forged herself. She is an adrenaline junkie, and loves nothing
more than close combat, pitting herself against a worthy foe to test her meddle
and skill. She has traveled from her home to Silverthal in Berem, there to join
the military. She hopes to find the challenges that will test her and hone her
skills, as well as finding honor and glory by rising through the ranks,
hopefully becoming a general one day. Rather than seeing death and battle as
things to fear, Dev is happiest when she is fighting and looks forward to
forming new friendships and kin in battle.
Borrous is a kasoev budo who
believes that enlightenment can come from battle. For him, fighting isn’t about
violence or even defeating an opponent. Instead he sees it as a religious
experience, as a way of finding out who you are and where you might be going.
Fighting and training are his disciplines and his daily prayer. He has joined a
hearty group of adventurers in the hopes of finding new challenges, training
them, and finding the peace, balance and truth he believes lies in battle.
While he retains a very calm demeanor he is, after all, a kasoev, and if you
hurt his friends you will incur the wrath of a powerful and very skilled
warrior.
Solivar served his entire life in
devoted duty to his clan. He rose through the ranks and was given the great
honor of being man-at-arms for his entire clan. He was nearly destroyed along
with most of the rest of his clan when the kaedia attacked his home. Badly
scarred and homeless, he set off into the world trying to find his place. By
accident he stumbled upon a group of adventurers who had accidently stumbled
into kaedia land without knowing it. He leaped to their rescue and has been a
loyal companion ever since, finding that his wisdom and experience is welcome and
even treasured by the young group seeking their fortune.
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