Race a Day: Kaedia

Kaedia

Skilled and dangerous warriors who have left behind magic for the cold embrace of steel.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 5’3”-5’6”

Average Weight: 100-150 lb.

Ability Scores: +6 Strength, +6 Constitution

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Elven, Kaedia Dialect

Skill Bonuses: +3 Intimidate

Kaedia Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with all weapons. You may make basic melee attacks with both a main hand and an off-hand weapon in the same turn.

Encumbered Speed: You move at your normal speed even when it would normally be reduced by armor or a heavy load. Other effects that limit speed (such as difficult terrain or magical effects) affect you normally.

Kaedia Pride: You gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls when you are bloodied.

Death of the Spirit: You cannot use magical artifacts. You cannot be any class that has an arcane power source. You cannot use any power or ability that has the arcane keyword. Any magic attack that hits you is automatically a critical hit. Kaedia cannot use magic of any kind and any kaedia who show magical inclinations are killed immediately.  

The kaedia are proud, strong and perfect warriors. They have spent millennia perfecting their art, eschewing all other ideals for that of the blade.  Driven, powerful, and tough, the kaedia wage war on the evils of the world as they see them. As the shadow falls, the kaedia rise.

Play a kaedia if you want…

            ♦ to be strong and resilient.

            ♦ to obliterate your foes with raw physical power.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the budo, barbarian, fighter, paladin, and warden classes.

Phyiscal Qualities

Kaedia are very compact, standing somewhat shorter to as tall as normal humans. They are very athletic but their muscles are much more densely packed and less inclined to fatigue. Due to this, though they are heavily muscled, they tend to look normal rather than bulky. Kaedia have very well-tanned skin as they prefer harsh areas to train in and prefer to be outdoors as often as possible. The most notable physical traits of the kaedia are their eyes and hair. Their hair is thick and long and as white as new snow while their eyes are a very pale, almost sky blue. There are no variations in these two traits.

            Kaedia mature and age at the same rate as humans.

Playing a Kaedia

The kaedia were once one of the most powerful arcane races on Joresch. They were the mages of the valdis, the first elves, and enjoyed their lives of study and worship. All of that changed during the Gerrax Conquest wars, when they were driven from their lands and slaughtered by the thousands by someone claiming to be the voice of the Gods. Their great power seemed to be useless against the dauntless and infinite hordes of Gerrax and soon the kaedia began to go into hiding with other races, fearful that they would be wiped from the world entirely. However, they were eventually saved by a half elf named Zan Darkmoon. He led several elven forces to victory and eventually destroyed Gerrax. The kaedia rallied around Zan, unaware that he was a mad man falling into the Nightmare. Soon, the kaedia had forgotten about their great magic power and were turned into relentless, merciless warriors whose only goal was to protect their own and destroy evil. Few are left in the world that know their true nature, what they lost and what great power might be lurking inside them. The kaedia certainly have no memory of it, and no written history as they have no need of such things.

            Kaedia society is heavily structured. The eldest and strongest warriors lead and they are rarely questioned. Children are trained to fight from the time they can walk. After that come the soldiers; those who have volunteered for service and are essentially the protectors and military force of the kaedia. Immediately after them come the artisans, the weapon and armor makers who arm the soldiers and indeed, all kaedia. The smiths of the kaedia are regarded as some of the best on Jorech. If you’re lucky enough to have one of their weapons or a piece of their armor, it is likely only magic will break it, and then it might take a couple of shots. It isn’t the most aesthetic, but it is among the strongest and toughest. After the smiths come ordinary citizenry who haven’t any real skill. They are the farmers, the caretakers, livestock breeders, stonemasons, etc. They can fight, and they do when the need arises, but they are not for fighting, they are for upkeep of the day to day of the soldiers and smiths. Even though they are the lowest in the caste system, they are still valued and noted for their contributions to society. Everyone has a place in the kaedia and each knows their place and pulls their own weight. 

            Though they do have religious warriors, the kaedia aren’t terribly religious. The know that Teyr created the world and that’s all they need. They offer him thanks and ask for his power to smite evil, but little else is needed from him. They know that other people claim other Gods, but they only scoff at such claims. If there truly were other Gods they could come to Joresch and challenge the kaedia to prove their worth and Godhood.

            One of the most notable things about the kaedia is their belief in eugenics. They have selectively and carefully bred over the past six thousand years to produce the strongest and best warriors possible. That is why they have the same color hair and eyes, and any who deviate or are declared weak are not allowed to breed or, more often, are killed outright. This has been their practice for nearly six thousand years.

            The kaedia, however, are now changing. They have seen that they are dying. Once they lived for several centuries. Now their life span is comparable and often times not quite as long as a human’s. There are more and more anomalies during birth and the whole of the kaedia feel something isn’t right; that something important is missing. They are also aware of a cloaking darkness that is slowly invading the world. Long councils were held, and the elders greatly debated what to do. The kaedia are extreme xenophobes. All other races are unworthy, weak, and beneath them. And yet, other races thrive while the kaedia are slowly dying. With no other choices, the kaedia have chosen to start sending young soldier out into the world. Their goal is to find out  what evil is once again invading the world and to see if they can learn why their race is dying. Several brave adventurers have volunteered and now find themselves in a world they had never imagined as imagination is something the kaedia rather lack, unless it involves ways to disarm and destroy an opponent.

            Kaedia are a very gruff race. They hate everyone and only tolerate a few people, even among their own kind. They are quiet and speak only truth, as they know nothing else. Lies would be dishonorable and why would anyone have need of such weak ways in the first place? They are incredibly quick to anger. In fact, you can incite a kaedia simply by mentioning to  them how easily they are led to blind rage. They are very cautious and aware of their surroundings, but all things in life are a battle to them. They are the sort who walk into a bar and find a seat where they can see everything and make sure they have their back to a wall. However, should you earn their trust, a rare and difficult feat, they are also a very loyal and useful ally. Despite their temper and battle fervor, they see things in an interesting and rather unjaded perspective that may show things you could not see. Still, should you come across a kaedia, it is best that you don’t let them see you. You are another person, and if you have a weapon, you are a piece of honor waiting to be gutted and turned into a trophy.

Kaedia Characteristics: Angry, brutish, fearless, impulsive, perceptive, quick, strong, stubborn,

violent

Male Names: Adris, Breldan, Erath, Gregor, Hyrris, Ladric, Lornal, Morgol, Nolir, Osric, Riddick, Sovor, Tollis, Tolym, Xevren, Zan

Female Names: Aislynn, Arra, Cotal, Dinry, Fyrien, Inira, Innis, Lokrym, Matryl, Nalla, Ora, Roanna, Rius, Sela, Syvar, Tellis, Xena

Kaedia Adventurers

Three sample kaedia adventurers are described below.

            Gregor, a paladin of Teyr, was one of the first to volunteer to go out in the world. He suspects that dark magic is being used on his people to make them sick and that the world is dying from corruption. The first stop on his journey is the Temple of the Flame, a church devoted to Teyr, in Askar. There he finds other devout paladins and is welcomed with open arms. They agree that the world is in a moral decay and that, perhaps, they should be out correcting the immoral and judging them. While he is there, searching for answers to his people’s dilemma, he is witness to a witch burning. The King of Askar has found that his own daughter is a witch, and his duty is clear. Gregor is pleased until shouting starts and a man with a glowing weapon, blazing with the symbol of Teyr frees the woman. Confused, Gregor returns to the church to try and understand what he saw. He knows magic is evil, and yet, Teyr just helped rescue a witch. He felt the power, and cannot deny what he saw and felt. Once again taking up his weapon, Gregor heads back out into the world, fresh eyes seeing that perhaps there is more to what he has been told and what he imagines, and now he wants to see the world for himself, to find his own truths.

            Aislynn long ago left her home to find glory, slaughtering 12 elite kaedia guards who said no one was allowed to leave on their own. She soon found that her fighting ability was a highly sought after skill and that the life of a mercenary suited her very well indeed. She didn’t care what the job was so long as she was paid well and got to kill people. One day, she was paid a very large sum of money to go and destroy a small village. The only caveat was that she had to kill every living thing in the village; down to the last man, woman, and child. She finished her job easily, and was about to leave when she heard a soft mewling cry. Searching for the sound she eventually came across a baby that had been hidden away. Something about the child called to her in a way she could not understand. She found that she could not kill the child, and instead, secreted it away. Now she is on the run, a dark organization trying to destroy her and the child. She is raising the child as her own, and trying to understand the secrets of the girl she has found.

            Tolym is a budo searching to perfect his art. He doesn’t care for honor or glory and he would normally be a difficult problem solved at the end of a sword, but no one can defeat him. He does what is asked of him, usually, but he finds that he is unhappy. There is no more challenge in his home and he decides to leave to find his own way in the world. He is soon met by a group of adventurers who are trying, desperately, not to get squashed by a large group of orges they happened upon. With the aid of Tolym, the orges are dispatched and the group welcomes him warmly, much to his surprise. He knows of the reputation of the kaedia among outsiders, and he knows what he thinks of outsiders. Still, he agrees to journey with them, a strange sense of comradery forming quickly with the group. Perhaps, he thinks, traveling with this group will lead me to my destiny.