The Races of Phoenicia -- Major Races

The races of the population of Phoenicia are in many ways standard to the races found in the Pathfinder Core.  However, there are a few aspects that are unique to each race that tailor them to the setting.  Also, a few new races and a few "monsters" can also make acceptable PC races. 

Pathfinder Gamemasters and Dungeons and Dragons DMs should decide which races they should allow in their version of Phoenicia.  For your convenience, this post goes into more detail about the races in the player's primer.  They are still divided into Major Races, Minor Races, and NPC races.  The latter are races found in the City of Psionics that are not appropriate for play without consideration on the GM's or DM's part. 

As always, information in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook as well as information in the various Dungeons and Dragons core rule books, should take precedent unless information here contradicts them.   You should also consult the Player's Primer.

Major Races

The major races of Phoenicia are those found in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, and the Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook.  For the Phoenicia setting, they require some changes.   In theory, you -- the GM -- should allow all of these races in your Phoenicia campaign.

DWARVES

The Dwarves come from another world, but were made up of six different tribes.  The Pale Ones, the Gold Ones, the Iron Ones, the Wild Ones, the Dark Ones, and the Desert Ones.  The Pale Ones migrated to the extreme North East, looking for a way to live their isolated, seal hunting ways.  The Pale Ones eventually became the Snowdown Clan.  The Wild Ones migrated into the extreme south of Vedan Lands and became known as the Jungle Dwarves.  The Gold Ones migrated into the extreme southwest, going beyond the fabled land of Khem and beyond human exploration.  This left the Desert Ones, the Dark Ones, and the Iron Ones.

The three of them maintained what little contact they had and formed a tri-clanship.  The Desert Ones became the Wildstone Clan, the Iron ones became the Ironhammer Clan, and the Dark Ones became the Vulcan Clan.  The Clans then split up.  The Wildstone Clan found rich copper ore deposits to the east and settled in the southern hills and valleys of the Dragonwall Mountains.  They would eventually teach Mankind how to make bronze swords with a stone mold.

The Ironhammer Clan moved into the North and West of the Dragonwall, finding rich iron deposits and eventually mastering the Riddle of Steel.  The Ironhammer Clan became a white and delightsome people, though unfortunately they learned the recipe of beer brewing from the fabled Khemites.  They eventually perfected the making of beer into a variety of ales, lagers, and beers (some with impressive heads).  People often wonder if the Ironhammers are just either making steel or getting drunk.  Those assumptions aren't true, of course.  Only a small percentage of Ironhammer dwarves really touch any sort of alcoholic drink.

The Vulcan Clan moved to an active volcanic island and colonized the island.  The Island, said to be the Forge of Hephaestus, became the home of the Vulcan Clan of Dwarves.  Their skins, a dark gray, was as suited to the hot environment they tunneled into as everywhere else.  The Vulcan Clan constructed a great fortress over the lava lake in the mouth of the volcano, and constructed a small city in the mountain itself.  However, living on an active volcano is one thing; and living in one is quite another.  Still, they mastered the art of forging ferroplasm, probably due to the high incidence of psionic talent among them.

Both of the Ironhammer Clan and the Wildstone clan uses the regular Dwarf creation rules found in the Patfinder Core Rulebook.  Wildstone Dwarf PCs, however, may select the Desert Runner elf trait in lieu of one of the regular Dwarf traits.

The Vulcan clan of Dwarves use the Duergar character creation guidelines in Psionics Unleashed.


ELVES

The Elves of Phoenicia come from five tribes that crossed from their world.  The five tribes include the Pelasgiri elves -- who were led by the Pelagsus dynasty; the Fair Elves, the Sea Elves, the Desert Elves, and the Drow.  However, splitting of the tribes have happened numerous times.  The Sea Elves settled and now live in the Great Sea, the nefarious Drow were mostly driven into caves, and the Desert Elves eke out an existence in the deserts and semi-arid areas of the land.  Their history will be described later.  As for the Pelasgiri and the Fair Elves ---

The Fair Elves and the Pelagsiri Elves lived beyond the Dragon Wall in what would become the domains of men.  The Fair Elves created the kingdom of Arcadia and the Pelagsiri split into dozens of barbarian tribes that lived in the central lands.

Pelagsus taught his barbarian people the secrets of making a rough garment, hunting, and basic agriculture -- although they were barbarians.  The Fair Elves, however, built a fledging civilization in Arcadia and started colonies throughout the World: Colonies such as Massalia, Syracuse, Tyr,  Asconia, and Verdania.   One such colony, Arcanus, traded with the Pelasgus elves of the Mountains above Arcadia.

However, the Pelagsiri became enamored with Fair Elf culture, and eventually became jealous when the Arcadians became petty and cruel in their eyes.  In the Middle Bronze Age, the Pelagsiri launched an invasion into Arcadia -- Elf slaying Elf and enslaving elf.

Using the Power of Storm of Vengeance and Waves of Vengeance, entire Arcadian cities were totally destroyed by fire or by sea.  Many Fair Elves were put to the sword or caught in chains.  In five short years, many strong Fair Elven populations were slaughtered and what was left was scattered to the five winds or enslaved.

The Pelagsiri conquered all of Arcadia and the land of Arcadia had become known as the Grey Realm.  Angered as to what happened, the Fair Elves in Massalia gathered together and it was agreed that invasion must be answered.  Building ships of war, the Massalians launched a naval war that caused a rift between the two Elf tribes forever.

While some cities, such as Asconia and Verdania, were eventually retaken; many Massalian Fleets were sunk in the depths of the Sea by the forces of the Pelagsiri's command of Magic -- which they inherited from the destruction of Arcadia.  The magnificent city of Tyr was eventually razed to the ground by Massalian elves after they couldn't retrieve specific texts from the Library of Magic.  Eventually, however, the war was one of a stalemate -- the Massalian Elves had to stop fighting the Pelagsiri Elves in order to preserve their economy.   And the Pelagsiri elves were left weakened.

However, without realizing it, the Massalian Elves got the last laugh as Man soon conquered and colonized Arcadia -- shrinking the Pelagsiri city holdings to just five cities.   The remaining Pelagsiri elves in Arcadia renamed themselves the High Elves, and their lands the Grey Kingdom after their Grey Queen.   And the Massalian Elves called themselves the Massalian Elves; although they hold that their nation is the only Fair Elf nation (which is untrue).

Eventually, slightly weakened, the Massalian nation was invaded by powerful feral trolls.  Faced again with the destruction of their culture, the Massalian elves had made pacts with demons for the power to drive the trolls out.  Once the pact was made, the Massalian Elves with their new found powers have pushed most of the trolls out of their borders.  Currently, several Eastern and Northern forests are in dispute.

As Man expands and form colonies, however, the Elven Range seems to be weakening.  Massalia is looking for new lands to start new colonies, so as to ensure that the Fair Elf race and culture can continue.

Both the Massalian Elves and the High Elves are created according to the Elf entry in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.  In Dungeons and Dragons, the two groups are considered Eladrin.  However with some differences.

PCs belonging to both groups can choose to have blood feud with each other -- They may take Eternal Grudge, which is directed at one or the other.  The differences between the two are cosmetic.  Most Massalian Elves have eyes that glow brightly green or have emerald green eyes (others have brown, blue, or hazel eyes).   The High Elves have eyes that are blue, brown, grey, orange, or red.  The conflict between them is fifteen hundred years old, although both the Grey Queen and the Massalian Council are tired of the smouldering war.  Both elves are fair, although the Mediterranean Climate of the Massalia has given some of the Massalians a slight uniform tan.


GNOMES

Gnomes are the rarest of the Major Races, and typically live on the islands of the Great Sea.  The Gnomes are typically lovers of magic, music, and the sea.  They partake of the bounty of the sea, and generally are seen as dwarf elves (although most elves would deny the connection).  Some gnomish societies have dealings with the sea elves.


HALFLINGS

Halflings are so human looking that they are thought to be human crosses of either Ironhammer Dwarves or gnomes.  However, this isn't true as Halflings are their own race.  They frequently live among humans, but are seen as wanderers through most lands.  The Halflings avoid the Hordelands; though.   They don't find the term "Halfling" to be derogatory, but they do have a name for themselves in their own tongue which translates to "the People."


HUMANS

The humans are probably seen as children by the Dwarves and the Elves and other races.  However, if they were to know the humans' actual history on the planet, the Dwarves and the Elves will realize that they are the "younger" races.  The Human's range -- known as the World -- is slowly expanding.  However, as the real original race of the planet; humans have colonized virtually everywhere. No changes are needed to the humans from both Pathfinder and the Player's Handbook. 

Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition -- Karma Points

or.. .

How to Mechanically Reward Roleplaying in Dungeons and Dragons 4th Ed. and love the Atomic Bomb  . . .

When you hate an RPG System and you run it, you tend to create house rules to make the game run better.  I came up with one of these rules before.  Karma Points.

Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i.e., the cycle called saṃsāra) originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies.

Trying to build a system around Karma is tough enough, since Karma is an abstraction.   Since Karma has to do with Good and Bad deeds, I based mine on Force Points.

System

There are Good Karma and Bad Karma.  A player gains a Karma point, good or bad, when he roleplays his character sufficiently well in a Session.  Good Karma points are awarded if the player roleplays his character consistently according to his concept.  Bad Karma is awarded when a character plays against his type.

This is Based on real experience.  If a person in real life pursues happiness in this life according to his path, he will gain Good Karma, if he goes against his path of happiness, he gains Bad Karma.

Good Karmic Rewards

A Karma Point can be used to:

• Modify a skill roll by +1d6 -- like an Action point.
• Modify a save check by +1d6.
• Be spent on an extra Utility power (the kind of powers that are good for roleplaying and not good in combat.)  7 Karma points can gain an Utility Power or a Skill Power (see PHB3). 

A Bad Karma Point can be used to:

• Provide an extra use of a combat oriented Encounter Power. 
• Provide an extra use of a combat oriented Daily Power.
• Modify a Skill Roll by +1d4.
• Modify a save check by +1d4.
• Affect an NPC's attitude towards the player.  If said NPC isn't a follower, minion, henchmen, cohort, or thrall of the Player, accumulating Bad Karma will make an NPC react negatively to the player.  An NPC will react at -2 for every five Bad Karma points the PC accumulates.
• If an NPC accumulates enough Bad Karma (exceeding his wisdom score) then he becomes Lost to Evil and must change his alignment to Evil.  
• To redeem oneself of Bad Karma, those with Bad Karma must sacrifice themselves for the good of the people.  Then the Karma points are erased at the expense of the character's life (and he might be reincarnated to make up for his past deeds).

Karma points cannot be used for:
Purchasing a feat, or extra combat oriented powers.

They can't be used to raise a skill level.

However, the implications of Karma points is quite sound.  By tinkering with them more, I can probably turn 4e more into the game Feng Shui, since they are both similar in many respects.  In Feng Shui, the player characters get Shticks, which are -- for all intents and purposes -- mechanically the same as Powers in 4e.  The only difference between the two games are the fact that Feng Shui doesn't use classes and it's stunt oriented.

Shaman Spells

The following Spell list is composed from the World of Warcraft Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder, Horde Player's Guide, and More Magic and Mayhem.

0 level Shaman spells --- Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare, Inflict Minor Wounds, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Resistance, Stabilize, Virtue
 
1st level Shaman spells --- Bane, Bless, Burning Hands, Comprehend Languages, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil/Chaos/Good/Law, Detect Undead, Doom, Earth Shock, Endure Elements, Identify, Inflict Light Wounds, Lesser Lightning Guardians, Lesser Lightning Strike, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Remove Fear, Roar, Stasis Trap, Summon Nature's Ally I, War Drums


2nd Level Shaman spells --- Augury, Ancestral Communion, Bear's Endurance, Blessing of Courage and Life, Bull's Strength, Calm Emotions, Call of the Spirits, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Eagle's Splendor, Flaming Sphere, Flame Shock, Frost Armor, Gentle Repose, Ghostbane Dirge, Gust of Wind, Heroic Fortune, Hold Person, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Lesser Frost Shock, Lesser Restoration, Owl's Wisdom, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Share Language, Silence, Soothing Word, Summon Nature's Ally II, Weapon of Awe, Wolf Spirit

3rd Level Shaman Spells -- Bear Spirit, Bestow Curse, Blindness/Deafness, Blood Biography, Call Lightning, Channel the Gift, Contagion, Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Dispel Magic, Elemental Speech, Earthbind Totem, Elemental Speech, Glyph of Warding, Guiding Star, Helping Hand, Inflict Serious Wounds, Lightning Strike, Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Protection from Energy, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Sacred Bond, Summon Nature's Ally III, Unravel Destiny, Water Walking

4th Level Shaman Spells --- Ancestral Gift, Blessing of Fervor, Control Water, Cure Critical Wounds, Dimensional Anchor, Dismissal, Divination, Divine Power, Eagle Spirit, Fire Nova Totem, Frost Shock, Greater Magic Weapon, Imbue with Spell Ability, Inflict Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Repel Vermin, Restoration, Spiritual Ally, Summon Nature's Ally IV, Tongues

5th Level Shaman Spells -- Breath of Life, Cleanse, Commune, Disrupting Weapon, Flame Strike, Earth Strike, Greater Gust of Wind, Greater Lightning Strike, Healing Wave, Mass Heroic Fortune, Pillar of Life, Raise Dead, Scrying, Smite Abomination, Snake Staff, Summon Nature's Ally V, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Sleep, Tremor Totem, Wall of Stone


6th Level Shaman Spells -- Cure Moderate Wounds: Mass, Eagle's Splendor: Mass, Find the Path, Geas/Quest, Greater Frost Shock, Greater Glyph of Warding, Harm, Heal, Heroes' Feast, Mass Bear's Endurance, Mass Inflict Wounds, Mass Owl's Wisdom, Strength of Earth Totem, Summon Nature's Ally VI, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Persuasion, Wind Walk, Word of Recall


7th Level Shaman Spells -- Ancestral Shield, Control Weather, Astral Recall, Fire Storm, Greater Scrying, Healing Stream Totem, Mass Cure Serious Wounds, Rampart, Refuge, Reincarnate, Resistance Totem, Sirroco, Stone Tell, Summon Nature's Ally VII, Vortex

8th Level Shaman Spells -- Discern Location, Earthquake, Euphoric Tranquility, Grounding Totem, Magma Totem, Rift of Ruin, Seamantle, Storm Bolts, Summon Nature's Ally VIII, Whirlwind

9th Level Shaman Spells -- Clashing Rocks, Cure Critical Wounds: Mass, Elemental Swarm, Exorcise, Foresight, Regenerate, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Nature's Ally IX, Sympathy, Windfury Weapon

The Shaman

Orc society are an animist society that does not worship an actual deity, but venerates many spirits -- ancestral spirits, animal spirits, plant spirits, elemental spirits, and so on.

The Wise among them are not witches, nor warlocks, but people called shamans.  Shamanism among the Orcs is also called Heathenism around certain circles.  Shamans guide others in their spiritual matters and act as a bridge from the physical world and the spirit world.  While seemingly serene, the shaman can unleash the power of his totem spirits.

The Shaman is a variant of the cleric.  A variant on this class is perfect for low magic campaigns, see the Genius Guide to The Shaman for details, and here for the OGC.

Game Mechanics

Alignment: Shamans from human, wild and jungle elf clans, the Wildstone dwarves, and the Orcs can typically be of any alignment; although the human shamans tend to be Lawful (since they follow the ancient laws).  Other shamans tend to be chaotic because they follow their hearts.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp)

Class Skills: The shaman’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (spirits) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform (ritual) (Cha)g, Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier. 

Changes:

Spontaneous Casting: Good-aligned shamans can spontaneously cast cure spells, while evil-aligned shamans can spontaneously cast inflict spells. Neutral shamans must choose either cure or inflict spells at 1st level, and the choice cannot be reversed later.
 

Turn or Rebuke: Shamans can turn or rebuke elementals. At 1st level, the shaman chooses a favored
element (air, earth, fire or water): He can rebuke, command or bolster elementals of that element; and he can turn or destroy elementals of the opposed element. The opposed elements are air/earth and fire/water. For instance, if a shaman chooses water as his favored element, he can rebuke water elementals and turn fire elementals. The choice of a favored element cannot be changed later.
 

Domains: Shamans gain access to domains associated with their particular Totem animal.  See below.

Aura and Channel Energy is exchanged for the following abilities ---

• 1st Level—Augur (Sp): The gift of the sight is a curse for many, but the shaman has long since mastered the ways of readings omens, signs and portents. Using the skill bestowed upon him by the spirits, the shaman can see into the spirit world and prophesy. He has the ability to cast the spell augury once per day as a spell-like ability; his caster level equals his shaman path level.

Totem Animal (Sp): The Shaman gains a totem animal to guide him through life.  This is selected by the player.  The Shaman's spirit animal is his or her spirit guide through the Spirit World and can lead him to hidden knowledge.  It can also offer certain bonuses for certain skill checks. 

Sample Totem Animal list ---

 

Wolf -- Wolf is the family totem, and is associated with duty towards family, their ferocity in battle, and their ability to travel.  Orcs breed and use wolves for mounts.  Wolf totems offer +2 to Intimidate and Survival checks.  Shamans who are wolf shamans gain the Community, Strength, and Travel domains.  Associated sub-domains include: Family, Ferocity, and Exploration.

Eagle -- Eagle is a leader's totem.  Eagles are associated with leadership, pride, and exaltant thoughts.  Eagle totems offer +2 to Diplomacy and Knowledge (politics) checks and also the Leadership feat.  Eagle Shamans have access to the Air, Glory, Nobility, and Travel domains.  Subdomains include: Wind, Honor, Leadership, and Trade.

Dog -- Dog is known for his loyalty to family, tribe, clan, or nation.  Dog will be loyal even unto death.  Dog totems offer +2 to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.  Dog Shamans have access to Community, Good, and Protection domains.  Subdomains include: Family, Archon, and Defense.

Dolphin -- Dolphins are known for their friendliness towards all humanoids (except sahuagin).  They are also well known for their sexual appetites, and will protect a man and save him from drowning.  Dolphin totems offer +2 to Swim and Perform (sexual techniques).  Dophin shamans have access to Community, Charm, Good, Protection, and Water domains.  Subdomains include: Family, Love, Azata, Defense, and Ocean.

Lion -- Lion is another leader's totem.  Lions do not compete with Eagle, but represent power, strength, glory, and nobility.  Lion is the King of Beasts.  Lion shamans gain +2 on Diplomacy and Knowledge (nobility) checks and also the Leadership feat.  Lion grants the Animal, Glory, Nobility, and Strength domains.  Subdomains include: Fur, Honor, Leadership, and Resolve.

Coyote -- Coyote, the great trickster.  Coyote is independent and typically does anything it wants.  Coyote grants +2 on two skills of the Shaman's choosing but the Shaman must be Chaotic in alignment.  Coyote grants access to all the domains but no sub-domains.  Favored weapon is the Shaman's own choosing.

Snake -- Snake is a healer's totem rather than a fighter's totem.  Snake shamans are expert healers, and are typically very wise.  Snake offers access to the Good, Healing, Knowledge, and Scalykind domains.  Subdomains include: Azata, Thought, and Restoration. 

Dienonychus -- also called Raptor or Carver, Dienonychus is a pack animal that is incredibly clever.  The dienonychus are superb hunters and are typically maintained by orcs for taming purposes.  Dienonychus offers +2 on perception checks and the track feat.  Dienonychus offers access to the Knowledge, Scalykind, and Travel domains.  Subdomains include: Memory, Saurian, and Exploration.

• 4th Level—Flametongue/Frostbrand (Su): A shaman learns to capture an elemental spirit within a weapon he wields. By sacrificing any prepared spell slot of 1st level or higher, a shaman can imbue a weapon with either the flaming or frost special weapon properties. A weapon cannot bear both elemental weapon properties at once, and it loses its special property if it leaves the shaman’s hands.  A shaman can imbue a weapon this way once per day. Doing so is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The property lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + his Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This property can be suppressed for 1d4 rounds by a dispel magic targeted on the weapon. The shaman gains an additional use of this ability per day at 8th and 12th level.  A flaming weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. A frost weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage on a successful hit.
 

• 8th Level—Ghost Totem (Su): The shaman gains the ability to turn himself into the animal of his totem with a ghostly white appearance.  For instance, if his totem animal is a wolf, he turns into a wolf with a ghostly white pelt. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per shaman level, or until the shaman changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
 

• 12th Level—Purge (Su): The shaman has learned how to snuff out the threads of magic that fuel spells empowering other creatures. The shaman can make a dispel check (1d20 + shaman’s caster level, maximum +10) against any beneficial transmutation spell currently in effect on a target (e.g., bull’s strength). The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If the shaman succeeds, the spell is dispelled; if he fails, the spell remains in effect, and the shaman cannot make
another purge attempt against that specific spell (though he can attempt to dispel other transmutation spells in effect on a target, if any).
 

• 16th Level—Rebirth (Su): By sacrificing a prepared spell slot of 5th level or higher, the shaman can bring a dead comrade back to life. This ability functions exactly like the spell resurrection, with the following exceptions. The slain comrade cannot have been dead for more than 8 hours and must have the same affiliation or alignment as the shaman. A shaman may do this once per day at 16th level and twice per day at 20th level.

-----------------------------------------------------

Shaman Spells.

Shamans depend on an entirely different spell list than the Cleric.

----------

OGL section 15:

 

World of Warcraft Roleplaying Game.  Copyright 2005 by Blizzard Entertainment

More Magic and Mayhem. Copyright 2005 by Blizzard Entertainment.

Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

Orc Feats of Cunning and Daring!

From Orcs of Golarion and the Horde Player's Guide

Amplified Rage (Teamwork)When adjacent to other raging allies, your rages become even more powerful.
Prerequisite: Half-orc or orc, rage class feature.
Benefit: Whenever you are raging and adjacent to a raging ally who also has this feat or flanking the same opponent as a raging ally with this feat, your morale bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by +4. This feat does not stack with itself (you only gain this bonus from one qualifying ally, regardless of how many are adjacent to you).

Blood Vengeance
Seeing an ally fall in combat fills you with berserk fury.

Prerequisite: Half-orc or orc, non-lawful

Benefit: Whenever one of your worthy allies is brought to negative hit points or killed, you may enter a state similar to but less powerful than a barbarian’s rage as a free action on your turn. If you have the rage class feature and are already raging, your morale bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by +2 for the duration of your rage. If you do not have the rage class feature, or you have no more rage rounds left, this weaker rage gives you all the benefits and penalties of a rage, except your morale bonus to Strength and Constitution is only +2, and this state lasts for 4 rounds. As with a barbarian’s rage, when this weaker rage ends, you are fatigued; if another ally falls before this duration ends, the weaker rage lasts for 4 more rounds after that. This feat does not allow you to enter a rage if you are fatigued. You may only use this feat if the fallen ally had at least as many Hit Dice as you.

Brutal Grappler (Combat, Teamwork)
When helping your ally grapple, you can do damage to the target.

Prerequisites: Half-orc or orc.
Benefit: When you and an ally with this feat have grappled the same creature, you may attempt to damage the opponent on your turn (whether you were the one who first initiated the grapple or were assisting your ally in doing so). You and the ally are treated as aiding each other in the grapple (+2 bonus on your grapple combat maneuver) as long as you both decide to maintain the grapple.
Normal: When multiple creatures grapple one target, the creature that first initiates the grapple is the only one that makes a check to damage a grappled opponent, with a +2 bonus for each creature that assists the grapple using the Aid Another action.

 
Craft Totem [Item Creation]
You can create permanent totems.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd.
Benefit: You can create a permanent wooden totem of any totem spell you know. Crafting a totem takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. When you create a totem, you set the caster level, which must be sufficient to cast the spell in question and no higher than your own caster level. The base price of a totem is (its spell level x its caster level x 75 gp). To craft a totem, you must spend 1/25 of this base price
in experience points and use up raw materials costing 1/2 of this base price.

When you craft a totem, you make any choices that you would normally make when casting the spell. Any totem that stores a spell with a costly material component or an experience point cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must also expend the material component or pay the experience points when creating the totem.

A totem is a small wooden object, usually painted with fearsome shamanic or voodoo designs. The magic in the totem is inert until someone plants it in the ground (a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity). At that point, the totem’s magic activates, just as if you had cast the spell. The magical effect stops when the spell’s duration expires. The totem can be used only once.

Double Totem [Totemic]
You can combine two totems into one.
Prerequisite: At least 3 other totemic feats, ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: You can cast two totem spells into a single totem. The result is a single totem that provides
the abilities and effects of both spells. The resulting totem has the physical statistics of the higher-level totem, with no additional hit points, hardness, or other abilities.

Creating the double totem takes as much time as casting the spell with the longest casting time. You use two spell slots (one per spell imbued in the totem). If the double casting is interrupted, you lose both slots. If the double totem is destroyed, both effects end. This feat cannot be combined with Totemic Protection (see below).

Enduring Totems [Totemic]
Your totems last longer.
Prerequisite: Extend Spell, ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: Totems you create last double the listed duration.

Evasive Totems [Totemic]
Your totems can twist, jump and dodge in place.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: Totems you create have a +2 dodge bonus to AC and are permitted to make Reflex saving throws at your base Reflex bonus. Furthermore, if the totem succeeds at a Reflex save against a spell or spell-like effect that permits such a save, it takes no damage, as if it possesses the evasion ability. Normal: Totems have a base AC of 7. As immobile objects, they cannot make Reflex saves.  
Special: This feat can be selected multiple times. Each time, the dodge bonus to totem AC increases
by +2, and the totem receives a +2 bonus on Reflex saves.

If you take this feat twice, totems you create have improved evasion, which means that they take no
damage from an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage if they make their Reflex saves, and only half damage if they fail.

Ferocious Tendency (Combat)
You spit in the face of death.

Prerequisites: Half-orc or orc, ferocity racial trait, rage class feature.

Benefit: When raging, if you are hit by an attack that would deal enough hit points of damage to kill you (negative hit points equal to your Constitution score), as an immediate action you may expend 1 or more rounds of rage to negate some of this damage and keep yourself alive. Each round of rage you spend reduces the attack’s damage by your raging Constitution bonus, but cannot reduce the damage taken below 1 hit point.

For example, if you are raging, have a raging Constitution score of 18, are currently at 2 hit points, and are hit for 20 hit points of damage (which is enough to bring you to –18 hit points, killing you), you may spend 1 round of rage to reduce the damage by 4 (leaving you perilously close to death at –14 hit points); if you spend 5 rounds of rage, you reduce the damage to 1 (the minimum), leaving you with 1 hit point.

Fetish Spell [Metamagic]
You can use totems to increase the power of your spells.

Prerequisite: Ability to cast three totem spells.

Benefit: A fetish spell becomes a totem spell (as described in More Magic & Mayhem). You plant the totem in the ground and the effect radiates from the totem. You can use this feat only with a spell that has a duration longer than 1 round and that has a radius area, such as detect scrying, silence,
vampiric aura or war drums. Your totem feats affect the fetish spell just as they do other totems.

A fetish spell uses up a spell slot the same level as the spell’s actual level.

Follower of the Ancestors [General]
You have pursued advanced training in the shamanistic traditions of your people and can tap into the spiritual strength of your ancestors.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 15, Follower of the Totem, Vision Quest (see below), orc, human, Jungle elf, Wildstone dwarf, or character level 8+.
Benefit: Once per day, as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, you may gain a +4 sacred bonus to any one ability. This bonus lasts for 1d6 rounds, +1 round per your Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). You may still activate your Follower of the Totem feat once per day, although the
bonuses do not stack.

Gore Fiend (Combat)

Horrible wounds on your enemies or yourself makes your blood sing.

Prerequisites: Half-orc or orc, rage class feature.
Benefit: When you are raging and you confirm a critical hit with a melee weapon or suffer a critical hit yourself (whether by a melee weapon, spell, or ranged weapon), you regain 1 round of rage.

Penetrating Totems [Totemic]
Your totems are exceptionally effective at overcoming an opponent’s defenses.

Prerequisite: Ability to cast at least one totem spell.

Benefit: The save DC to resist the effects of your totems is +1 point higher. Furthermore, when you attempt to penetrate an opponent’s spell resistance with one of your totems, you receive a +2 bonus. These benefits stack with similar bonuses, such as the Spell Penetration feat.

Shamanistic Inspiration [General]
Your connection to the spirits allows you to have an inkling of what the future holds.

Prerequisites: Wisdom 15, Follower of the Totem, human, jungle elf, Wildstone dwarf, or character level 8+.

Benefit: You can use augury as a spell-like ability once per day.

Skittering Totems [Totemic]
Your totems have the ability to move.

Prerequisite: Totem Throwing (see below), ability to cast at least one totem spell.

Benefit: Your totems can move 10 feet per round. They act on your turn, before you do. You command the totem which direction to move if you can see it, otherwise it does not move.
Normal: Totems cannot move.

Snake Dancer [General]
You know the ritualized snake dance of your tribe.

Prerequisites: Perform (dance) 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks, Shadowclan or Desert Vipers.
Benefit: Your skill at the fast, flexible, sinuous moves of the snake dance grants you speed and sure footing in combat. You gain a +1 bonus on Tumble checks. You can try to tumble past or through enemies at full speed by accepting a –5 penalty on your Tumble check.
Normal: Accelerated tumbling imposes a –10 penalty on the Tumble check.

Solid Totems [Totemic]
Your totems are exceptionally resistant to damage.
 
Prerequisite: Ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: Totems you create have 1 additional point of hardness for every two caster levels and double their normal hit points. Thus, for example, a totem created by a 13th-level shaman would have hardness 11 and 52 hit points.
Normal: Totems normally have hardness 5 and 2 hit points per caster level.

from Mongoose Publishing

Speaker of the Earth [General]
Through meditation and expert training, you have learned to speak with the Earth.

Prerequisites: Wisdom 17, either Speaker of the Seed or Speaker of the Sky (see below), and either Speaker of the Fang of Speaker of the Hoof (see below).
Benefit: Once per day as a free action, you may channel
the spirit of the Earth. You gain a +8 sacred bonus on
Strength checks and Strength-based ability checks; a +4 stability bonus to resist bull rush, overrun and trip attempts; and you gain damage reduction 5/adamantine. This transformation lasts for 1d4 rounds, +1 round per point of Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This is a supernatural ability.

Speaker of the Fang [General]
Through meditation and training, you have learned to speak with the spirits of predatory animals.
Prerequisite: Wisdom 11.
Benefit: Once per day, as a free action, you may channel the spirit of a predator and gain a +4 sacred
bonus on grapple checks. This bonus lasts for 1d6 rounds, +1 round per point of Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This is a supernatural ability.

Speaker of the Hoof [General]
Through meditation and training, you have learned to speak with the spirits of grazing animals.

Prerequisites: Wisdom 11.
Benefit: Once per day, as a free action, you may channel the spirit of a grazing animal and gain a +10-
foot enhancement bonus to all of your movement modes. This bonus lasts for 1d6 rounds, +1 round per
point of Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This is a supernatural ability.

Speaker of the Seed [General]
Through meditation and advanced training, you have learned to speak with the spirits of plants.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, either Speaker of the Fang or Speaker of the Hoof (see above).
Benefit: Once per day, as a free action, you may channel the spirit of a tree and gain some of a plant’s
resistances. When an enemy scores a critical hit or backstab on you, you have a 50% chance of negating the critical hit or backstab damage; the enemy rolls normal damage instead. You must be aware of the attack to use this ability. This resistance lasts for 1d4 rounds, +1 round per point of Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This is a supernatural ability.

Speaker of the Sky [General]
Through meditation and advanced training, you have learned to speak with the spirits of natural objects, such as rocks, water and the sky.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, either Speaker of the Fang or Speaker of the Hoof (see above).
Benefit: Once per day, as a free action, you may channel the spirit of natural objects and gain
resistance to the elements. You gain resistance 10 against acid, cold, electricity or fire. You select the
type of energy resistance upon activating this ability.

The resistance lasts for 1d4 rounds, +1 round per your Spirit modifier (minimum 1 round). This is a
supernatural ability.

Sympathetic Rage (combat)

Seeing an ally enter a rage causes you to enter a rage-like state.

 

Prerequisites: Half-orc or orc, non-lawful.
Benefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who is raging, you may choose to enter a similar but less powerful rage as a free action on your turn. This weaker rage gives you all the benefits and penalties of a rage, except your morale bonus to Strength and Constitution is only +2. There is no limit to how long you can rage, as long as you remain adjacent to a raging ally (for example, you could take a 5-foot step away from one raging ally toward another raging ally and maintain your rage). As with a barbarian’s rage, when this weaker rage ends, you are fatigued.

Totem Expansion [Totemic]
You are adept at creating larger and more effective totems.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast at least one totem spell. Benefit: Totems you create increase their range by +10 feet.

Totem Throwing [Totemic]
You can create totems a short distance away from yourself.
Prerequisite: At least one other totemic feat, ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: When you cast a totem spell, you can throw the totem a short distance away. To do this, you target a specific grid intersection as though throwing a splash weapon (see World of Warcraft RPG, Chapter 12: Combat, “Throw Splash Weapon”). If the attack misses, the attack deviates like other splash weapons,
but not more than 1 square. Thrown totems have a range increment of 5 feet.
Normal: Totems may only be created at a grid intersection at one of the corners of your square.

Totemic Protection [Totemic]
You can protect your totems with a defensive spell applied at the time of casting.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd, at least one totemic feat and at least one metamagic feat, ability to cast at least one totem spell.
Benefit: When you cast a totem spell, you can simultaneously cast an abjuration or illusion spell on
the totem. The defensive spell must be of a level equal to or less than the totem spell. Casting the spell takes as much time as casting the spell with the longest casting time. The defensive spell must function on objects, such as invisibility. When cast in this way, the defensive spell affects only the totem, even if it would normally affect multiple items or creatures, or an area.

You use two spell slots (one per spell imbued in the totem). If the double casting is interrupted, you lose both slots.

Vision Quest [General]
You embarked on a vision quest and came to terms with your inner nature. You possess a core of strength now, a quiet understanding of your spirit and its place in the spirit world.
Prerequisite: You must have successfully completed a vision quest ( to be described later).
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Concentration checks and a +1 sacred bonus on saves against
enchantment spells.

------------------------------------------

OGL Section 15:
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Character Clip Art & Color Customizing Studio Copyright 2002, Elmore Productions, Inc.; Authors Larry Elmore and Ken Whitman, Art and illustrations by Larry Elmore.
Character Portraits: Fantasy Heroes copyright 2003, Mongoose Publishing

World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: More Magic & Mayhem Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: Lands of Mystery Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: Monster Guide Copyright 2007, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: Alliance Player’s Guide Copyright 2006, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: Horde Player’s Guide Copyright 2006, Blizzard Entertainment
Pathfinder Companion: Orcs of Golarion. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Steve
Kenson, Rob McCreary, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, and JD Wiker.

ORC RACIAL TRAITS

I did this, Work-in-Progress though

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence: Orcs are incredibly tough, but they are more likely to follow their passions instead of reason.
Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Orcs can normally see two times farther than a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. Orcs retain the ability to distinguish color under these conditions.
Battle Rage: Orcs long ago learned how to harness the ferocity that dwells within their fierce hearts. This ability functions exactly as a barbarian’s rage, except for the differences noted below.

The orc may rage only once per day.

If the orc belongs to a class that already allows access to a rage-like ability (such as the barbarian class), the orc’s racial battle rage ability allows him to rage one additional time per day.  Regardless, an orc may rage only once per encounter.

+2 racial bonus on Handle Animal (wolf) and Intimidate checks: Intimidate is a class skill for all orcs.
+1 racial bonus on attacks against humans: Orcs have a longstanding enmity with humans.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orcish.


RACE TRAITS

Only Orcs and Half-orcs may select these traits.

Amazingly Ugly: Your skull is misshapen in a grotesque way. You receive a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate skill checks, and it becomes a class skill.

Beast Rider: You have a knack for breaking animals to your will, though you know little of civilized training methods. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Ride checks, but should you ever be forcibly dismounted in combat, your mount attacks you to the best of its ability.

Big Mouth: You have an innate ability to weave stories about yourself that extol your might and prowess. Yougain a +1 trait bonus on all Bluff, Intimidate, and Perform (oratory) checks made against orcs.

Brute: You are an especially large and hulking individual, and when you strike, you aim to deliver the maximum amount of pain. Whenever you score a critical threat, you add (but not multiply, in the case of a confirmed critical hit) an amount of damage equal to your weapon’s critical modifier.

Deadeye: You have only one working eye, but that eye is especially keen. You receive a +2 trait bonus on all Perception checks involving sight.

Demented Inventor: You adore crafting new and ever more creative weapons, and some of them even work. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Craft (weapons) checks, and it becomes a class skill.

Dirty Fighter: You were raised to fight with every dirty trick in the book. You receive a +3 trait bonus on all attempts to feint in combat using your Bluff skill.

Mindlessly Cruel: You take delight in delivering vicious blows with cruel weapons. Whenever you have a morale bonus on weapon a ttack rolls, you also receive a +1 trait bonus on weapon damage rolls.

Outcast: You are adept at living away from tribes and receive a +1 trait bonus on Survival skill checks. Survival becomes a class skill for you.

Rage of Storms: Summoned creatures can inherit your ferocity. Once per day, a creature you summon creature can have the ferocity ability (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 300).

Tribal: You are especially devoted to your tribe, and within 60 feet of a tribal standard, you gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and Will saves against fear effects, as if you were the recipient of a bless spell.

Tusked: Huge, sharp tusks bulge from your mouth, and you receive a bite attack (1d4 damage for Medium characters). If used as part of a full attack action, the bite attack is made at your full base attack bonus –5.

Unbreakable Hate: Your ferocity is focused into your spells, and it is harder to break your concentration. You receive a +2 trait bonus on all concentration checks.

---------------------

OGL Section 15:

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan Tweet,
Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment

Pathfinder Companion: Orcs of Golarion. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Steve Kenson, Rob McCreary, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, and JD Wiker.

The Tribes of the Hordelands

The Orcs and the People of the Hordelands

nlike the civilized lands of Man and the Kingdom of the Elves, and the Kingdom of the Dwarves, there is no recognized government in the Hordelands, which is dominated by Orcs.  In fact, the Elves live under Absolutist governments, the Ironhammer Dwarves live under a progressive feudal government, and the humans have their city states -- Republics, Kingdoms, Democracies, Timocracies, and Oligarchies.

One would be surprised that the people of the Hordelands, the orcs and the humans and some wild elven tribes, still live at a more primitive level than those of the Known World of Man, or the Elven Kingdoms.  This is a result that the terrain is wide open and much more harsh than what would have been guessed.  The land was never conquered, and in the Orc Wars past, never been proven to be conquered.   The people could never adopt the civilized ways of Man or Elf.


THE ORC TRIBES

The tribal society of the orc people is composed of four types of people: princes or chieftains, bondsmen, and thralls. The basic social organization among the tribe is the bro or the extend family group, who live on the common land called the tref.  The orcs have organized these trefs into larger groups, which they call commotes.  Greater still are organizations called cantrefs which is the equivalent of a dukedom or a small tribal kingdom.  Commotes and cantrefs are ruled by a tribal cheiftain.

As one continues deeper into the lands of the Orcs, however, you come across tribes who have adopted the fashion of painting themselves with woad or tattooing themselves with tribal black and blue inks.  They are wild, and beyond civilizing.  Called the Painted Ones by their own people, they are a fierce people feared by their own people. 

Many times in the history of the Orcs, did the Silverfangs came up against them.  And the battles have created firm boundaries.  The people in the Central and Western Hordelands tend to be independent and strong.  They are less civilized, and only in the halls of the High Queens and War Chiefs can one find living standards that are comparable to those in human cities.  Anything like chivalry is practiced by an elite few; the majority of the population are wild Heathens living in tune with nature.


ORC SOCIETY

Orc society is similar to other tribal societies in a lot of respects. Their day to day life differs little than that of other heathen societies. However, their culture is unique among the nations since they hold orc women in higher esteem than men.  Inheritance among the less civilized orc tribes is matrilineal, that is property is passed from mother to daughter instead of father to son; with a son being considered only if there are no female kin.  Orc women rule deep orc society at all levels.  Although Orc Men are as proud and able as men in other cultures, but alongside them the women enjoy higher status. Hence, many women hunt and fight as well as the men, and many men can cook, sew, and forage as well as women.  Although there is some specialization, but any individual can fill the roles that are traditional to tribal life.  Although clans like the Desert Vipers, the Silver Fangs, the Shadowclan, and the Blood Talons are patriarchal in nature; clans like the Humble Bear, the Silver Badger, and other clans are matriarchal in arrangement.  this arrangement can be confusing to visitors from other lands.  Great care must be taken to ensure the proper respect to the orc women of the Hordelands.

The orcs are well versed in their own histories.  They can trace their ancestors right back to their native world and beyond.  These ancestors can be contacted by the tribal shaman.  The ancestors can often give advice and insight in times of need.

The Orc clans of the central and western Hordelands are similar in many ways to the tribes of their native lands.  They were formed by the leaders of the first orcs, each given a portion of the land divided up to them by the leader Durotog.  Durotog also taught the orcs the lore of arbitration, politics, leadership, nobility, and warfare; which are still passed from generation to generation till today.   The orcs are not all of equal standing, however.


Elf Hunting by ~Spike4072 on deviantART

The most important rules over the whole clan, whether it be a he or a she.  So, her or his most important relations manage the fortifications and their attendant populations.  The more distant relations rule over smaller areas, such as a town or a village. Orcs have a number of freemen who are masters of crafts: such as blacksmithing, jewelrymaking, fletching, bowmaking, pottery making, wolf breeding, raptor breeding, and other crafts.  The queens and chiefs oversee laws and dispense justice through a mixture of tradition and diplomacy.  However many of the common orcs disagree with the rulings.  Although it might be peaceful in the Bloodtalons and the Silverfangs' ruling halls, in other places there can be disputes over the pronouncements of the chieftains and the queens.

-----------------------------------------------------------

CLAN SPIRITS

By Retron (self-made now) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Patriarchal
Silverfangs  -> Wolf --> Summer Solstice
Bloodtalons -> Deinonychus --> Spring Equinox
Clan of the Shattered Sword --> Cave Bear --> Autumn Equinox
Shadowclan --> Black Adder -->Winter Equinox
Desert Vipers --> cobra --> Autumn Equinox
Deadeyes --> Golden Eagle --> Summer Solstice


Matriarchal
Jaguars -> Cat --> Summer Solstice
Fleetfoots -> Hare --> Autumn Equinox
Tree Dwellers -> Osprey --> Winter Solstice
Whitmanes -> Lion --> Spring Equinox
Gilmora Clan -> Roebuck --> Summer Solstice
Asterna --> Badger --> Autumn Equinox
Queen Fishers --> Salmon --> Spring Equinox

--------------------

Part 2 tomorrow.

Orc History

Orc (Thrall from World of Warcraft)

The Orcs of Galatea are seen as fearsome and brutal opponents by the Gray Queen of the High (Pelagsiri) Elves and the Humans of the Known World.  The humans believe that orcs are the offspring of Heracles -- their national hero -- and the nymph Draeneroe, one of the Hecaterides. 

The elves believe that they are the offspring of Loricen the Hunter, one of their Gods who was corrupted by his very nature.  The Ironhammer Dwarves are much, much more pragmatic.  Their histories tell that the orcs came from another world to spread their viciousness and bloodthirsty ways of conquest.

The truth, is of course, stranger than all of these.  First of all, the orcs are from another world.  They are from the same world as the orcs of another forgotten realm.  Although they worshipped a God of Conquest, the revelation that he was a demon had the result of orcs returning to their Shamanistic ways -- the ways of the Heathen and worship of their Ancestors.

Heracles, however, did have a relationship with the orcs.  He traveled to the Hordelands to complete a particular labor, and the Orc Queen at the time -- Draeneroe of the Silverfangs, did become enamoured with him.  She demanded that he would be her Prince Consort for a year and a day before he could complete one of his labors.  Heracles complied and gave her two children over two years of staying with her.  Her two children sired by Heracles -- the half orcs Drocan and Trizgu'ul, became the Princes of the Silverfang tribe and the Blood Talons.

As for the Elven legend, the Orcs of the Hordelands claim descent from the Lost elven nation of Gilmaris that used to occupy a part of the Hordelands.  What possessed the Elves of Gilmaris -- a nation of Amazon Elves -- to intermarry with the whole orc nation?  Simple.  The elves of Gilmaris were made up of all women and they needed to propagate.  Instead of the Elven men of their nation, who joined Pelagsus and his tribe of elves for want of affection, the Gilmaris elves turned to the orcs.  Over five generations, the whole of Gilmaris had become all orc -- creating three small tribes and spreading a hint of Elven Blood across the orc population.

The orcs of the Hordelands are brutal in combat, their elven and human bloodlines has granted them a feral grace an a brutal passion that compares to the best Elvish Duelist and Human Swordsman.  People on the outside believe that an orc relishes in Battle, however in truth orcs are a peace loving people if ugly.  The fact that they fought with humans and elves when they came from their world in an attempt of world conquest has made them bitter enemies of elves and the humans.  Despite their periods of barbarity, they are a peace loving people.

------

On their native world, the Orcs lived peaceful lives as shamans and ancestor worshipers.  They learned to regard the Land and to at least revere the Spirits of the Land, the Water, and the Sky with respect if not outright reverence and worship.

Back then, the orcs lived a quiet life.  Their technology staying at the Bronze Age or at the Copper Age for a good, long time.  Their native world was a peaceful place -- and orc artists concentrated on realism in their rock paintings and rock art.  The orcs hunted the graceful tabulk, the mighty roe buck and hart doe, and followed the migrations of buffalo, bison, and wild cattle.  They became wanderers, peaceful and loving.

However, everything changed when one shaman had a vision.  A vision of a God that will lead the orcs to conquest and glory.  Called the God of Conquest, the shaman became the defacto leader of several tribes and started turning them into warriors with no parallel.  The shaman's name was Talun-karku, who was also famous for having twenty wives and creating the entire Shadowclan through his descendants.

Talun-karku introduced his new magic, the magic secrets he received from the God of Conquest, which was abhorent to most orcs.   However, the magic was also alien and demonic, as practice of the fel magic spread, the orcs had changed irrevocably for the worst.   Their skin turned a greenish color, and they had become more ferocious in time.  When the orcs were ready, the God of Conquest forced them to drink his blood, making Talun-karku's orcs absolutely bloodthirsty.

Then, the gates opened to other worlds by the fault of the Lemurians placing a Black Pyramid on their native world; and the orcs used it to spread across the Universe.  Several worlds were conquered, and several worlds slaughtered them.  And on other worlds, such as Galatea, there was a stalemate.  The orcs weren't slaughtered, nor did they conquer much of the land.  Still, an uneasy stalemate exists on these worlds.  But the orcs never did reach Earth or countless other planets.  The Orc War machine grinded to a halt in several Galaxies -- including the Pegasus Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy.

------

After two major wars with the humans and elves on Galatea, the orcs of Galatea found out that a demon was their God and rejected him and turned back to their ancestor worship.  They realigned themselves with the totem animal of their tribes and started revering the spirits of the land once again.

Incidentally, not too soon afterwards, the hero Heracles had come into the camp of the Silverfangs on a labor to atone for the defeat of his city state and the death of his queen.

His labor was to bring back the Bull of Kamador.  However, the Silverfangs had "conquered" the land of Kamador a long time ago and Heracles became the Queen's consort for two years.  She bore him two sons.  Drocan and Trizgu'ul; who went on to become the leaders of the Silverfangs and the Bloodtalons.  Heracles continued onward to find the Bull of Kamador and bring the bull back for completion of his labor (the bull died three months later of old age).

Two hundred years later, due to mistreatment of their men, the elves of Gilmaris were forced to turn to the orcs for their needs.  Over five generations, the elves of Gilmaris was eventually subsumed into the orc race.  The result was the creation of the Tree Dweller clan, the Gilmora Clan, and the Whitemane Clan.

Many generations have passed, and the Orcs have discovered how to make steel, ride chariots, and tame horses as well as raptors and wolves.  Every once in a while, the orcs raid human and elven settlements; but it isn't enough for the two nations to launch full scale offensives against the orcs.  The orcs are content to live in yurts, make clothes, and continue their existence as nomadic herders and hunters.

Strangely enough, one in ten thousand orc births will produce a full human.  And one in two thousand births will produce a full elf.  Instead of raising these children as their own, orc families will leave the baby with humans or elves, so that the baby will be raised by it's own race.

Index to Blog

I've carried on this blog since 2007.  I've started a Blog Index, which will take you to the most relevant blog page on a certain subject you are interested in.  This way, you don't have to read the whole blog to get to a particular post.

This is to organize the blog posts in a consistent manner.

The Warlock

By

pokketmowse

The Warlock is a powerful magical variant on the Wizard that specializes in Demonic Magic.  The Warlock is a class that combines Affliction magic (hexing and curses) with Destructive magic (shadow magic and fire magic) with Demonology (magic dealing with the summoning, binding, and commandment of demons.)

Warlock magic is usually thought to have it's origins among the orcs, however human religious writings from Ancient Days proscribes against the use of familiar spirits and witchery.  Which could mean that Warlock magic has it's beginnings among humans as well.  Currently, the only races that are attracted to the Warlock as a class include humans, gnomes, the elves (specifically Massalian Elves and not all elves in general), and some dwarves.

Schools of Magic

Warlock magic combines spells from the following schools --

Conjuration

• Infernal Binder
• Teleportation 

Divination

•  Scryer

Evocation

• Generation

Illusion

• Shadow

Effectively, the Warlock combines these into the following focused Black Magic schools:

Affliction 
(associated school -- Evocation)

The Affliction school is basically the Witch's set of spells and powers.  Only it focuses on spells which debilitate the enemy over time.   The student who learns magic in this school can rip the life out of their opponents, their very soul, or magical potential itself and add it to his own.  Also powerful curses, such as the Curse of Recklessness, the Curse of Weakness, and the Curse of Recklessness are a part of this particular school. 

Demonology
(associated school -- Conjuration)
The Demonology school combines the best and the worst of Teleportation and Infernal Binder schools, providing the warlock with the power to improve his demons, to summon demons, and to bind them to his will.  It also includes a number of spells that are particularly a part of other schools.   Such as Demon Skin, Fel Armor, and Eye of Kroznaz.   Also one of the most sought after spells in this school by warlocks is Metamorphosis, which makes the Warlock capable of transforming into a demon himself.  Although, a Warlock typically relies on his infernal companion to fight his battles for him than throwing spells about directly.


Destruction
(Associated school -- Evocation)
The School of Destruction is the mighty destructive aspect of the Warlock's arsenal.  Combining both the might of shadow magic and the might of fire magic, the Warlock can go to great heights blowing up his enemies.  Signature spells in this school include Shadow Bolt, Immolate, Soulburn, and Rain of Fire.

Game Mechanics

The Warlock has the same game mechanics as the Wizard except for the following:

Class Skills: The warlock's class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).


Infernal Companion -- This ability replaces the familiar class feature of the sorcerer, wizard, and witch. The warlock can summon the infernal companion and dismiss it at any time so that he may
summon a new one.

At 1st level, the warlock may choose a darkhound or imp as her fel companion. She must sacrifice a 1st-level spell slot to do so. She can regain the spell slot only if she permanently abandons the fel companion.  No mental bond exists between master and servant, but a fel companion understands any language that the warlock speaks.

As a warlock gains levels, he may replace an infernal companion he abandoned with a more powerful
demon. Doing so requires the warlock to sacrifice more spellcasting power. This information is presented on Table A–1: The Warlock’s Fel Companion (see the WoW RPG Monster Guide for more information).

Demon: Which demon the fel companion is.

Warlock Level: The master’s level in the warlock class.

Advancement Adjustment: When determining the companion’s advancement features (see below), subtract this number from the warlock’s class level.

Level of Spell Slot Sacrificed: The warlock must sacrifice a spell slot of this level in order to retain the
companion. The only way the warlock may regain this spell slot is to abandon the companion permanently, as described above.

At 1st level, a warlock may have a single fel companion, but at levels 6, 12, and 18 a warlock may
choose a new demon to add to his cadre. The demon that requires the highest-level spell slot is the warlock’s primary companion (if there’s a tie, choose one). Each other demon is a secondary companion and requires a spell slot 1 level lower than that listed on Table A–1.

Only one fel companion may accompany the warlock at a time, while the others remain in the Twisting Nether. Starting a ritual of summoning automatically dismisses the warlock’s current fel companion.

Obtaining a new fel companion requires a ceremony of binding. Performing the ceremony requires 24 hours and uses up magic materials that cost 200 gp per level of spell slot used. At the end of the ceremony, the demon tests the warlock. This test may be combat, a battle of wills, or some kind of contest (GM’s discretion). If the warlock suitably impresses the demon, it joins the warlock as a loyal fel companion. If not impressed, it likely becomes annoyed (at best) or vengeful (at worst).

As a warlock gains levels, he may choose to improve his fel companion, at the cost of additional spellcasting power, as shown on Table A–2: Fel Companion Advancement.

Adjusted Warlock Level: The warlock’s level in the warlock class, modified by the demon’s advancement adjustment from Table A–1.

Bonus HD and Spell Slot Adjustment: Extra 8-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Stamina modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the fel companion’s base attack bonus, special attack save DCs, and base save bonuses. A fel companion’s base attack bonus is equal to its total HD. Save DCs for special attacks are equal to 10 + 1/2 the companion’s total Hit Dice + its appropriate ability score modifier.

A fel companion has good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the demon’s HD). A fel companion gains additional size, skill points, and feats for bonus HD as normal when advancing its racial Hit Dice. (See Chapter 3: Improving Monsters for more information.)

Each bonus HD the companion gains also has the drawback of adding 1 to the level of the spell slot the
warlock must sacrifice to retain it as a companion.

Special: The fel companion increases its ability scores (warlock’s choice of which ones) and gains special abilities called companion powers, described below.

Companion Powers
As a fel companion’s bond with a warlock grows, its master may use a demonic grimoire to teach it new abilities. Instructing a demon with a grimoire requires 8 to 48 hours of reading and reciting Infernal incantations.

The grimoires providing the abilities listed below are relatively easy for a warlock with reasonable connections to acquire (without significant cost), though tales speak of other rare and more powerful grimoires. Unless otherwise noted, a fel companion can learn each power only once.

Ability Enhancement (Ex): The fel companion gains a +4 enhancement bonus to one ability score. A fel companion can gain this ability up to six times (i.e., once for each ability).

Aura of Suffering (Su) (voidwalker only): Any enemy that begins its turn within 10 feet of the voidwalker is affected by its tormenting strike ability as though the voidwalker had struck it in melee.

Blood Pact (Su): The warlock and all allies (not including the fel companion) within 30 feet of the fel
companion gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Stamina.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The fel companion gains damage reduction 5/good or 5/truesilver (your choice). If the fel demon already has damage reduction, you may instead add 5 to its existing damage reduction.

Fel Strike (Su): The fel companion gains the fel strike ability if it did not already have it (see Chapter 5: Monster Types, Subtypes, and Abilities).

Improved Firebolt (Ex) (imp only): The imp’s lesser firebolt ability becomes firebolt. An imp of 6 or more Hit Dice may gain this ability a second time, improving its ability again to greater firebolt. (See More Magic & Mayhem for firebolt and greater firebolt.)

Invisibility (Sp) (succubus only): The succubus can use invisibility as a spell-like ability at will. She can use this ability only on herself. Caster level 7th.

Paranoia (Su): The warlock and all allies (not including the fel companion) within 30 feet of the fel
companion gain a +4 enhancement bonus on Spot and Sense Motive checks.

Spell Lock (Su) (felhound only): Three times per day, the felhound may attempt to counterspell any spell as if casting greater dispel magic (caster level equals the warlock’s class level –2). As with any counterspell attempt, this ability requires the felhound to ready an action. If a caster foiled in this way attempts to cast the same spell again within the next 1d4 rounds, it fails automatically, as if countered again.

Spell Resistance (Su): The fel companion gains spell resistance equal to 10 + 1/2 the warlock’s class level. If the creature already has spell resistance, this ability replaces it, but you may add 1/2 the companion’s outsider Hit Dice to the above total.
 --------------------------------------------
Warlock Spells:

0 - Level: Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance, Sense Demons✝, Spark✝, Touch of Fatigue.

1st level: Alarm, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Corruption✝, Disguise Self, Identify, Infernal Healing✝, Lesser Demon Skin, Lesser Immolate✝, Lesser Shadow Bolt✝, Mask Dweomer, Mount, Protection from Evil, Ray of Enfeeblement, Silent Image, Shocking Grasp, Summon Monster I, Unseen Servant

2nd Level: Burning Gaze✝, Curse of Recklessness✝, Detect Thoughts, Dust of Twilight✝, Invisibility, Lesser Searing Pain✝, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Orb of Anhilation, Resist Energy, See Invisibility, Spontaneous Immolation✝, Summon Monster III, Summon Swarm, Touch of Idiocy

3rd Level: Chains of Binding✝, Create Firestone✝, Demon Skin✝, Explosive Runes, Dispel Magic, Heatstroke✝, Life Tap✝, Magic Circle Against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Phantom Steed, Protection from Energy, Searing Pain✝, Shadow Bolt✝, Summon Monster III, Tongues, Unravel Destiny✝, Water Breathing

4th Level: Agonize✝, Aura of the Unremarkable (rare)✝, Charm Monster, Confusion, Create Spellstone✝, Crushing Despair, Curse of Tongues✝, Dimensional Anchor, Eye of Nortorgo (Arcane Eye), Fire Trap✝, Greater Infernal Healing✝, Elscon's Mnemonic Enhancer, Rain of Fire✝, Shadow Projection✝, Summon Monster IV, Tardan's Black Tentacles, True Form

5th Level: Baleful Polymorph, Carrion Swarm, Contact Other Plane, Covetous Aura✝, Curse of the Elements✝, Curse of Shadow✝, Dismissal, Elscon's Private Sanctum, Fire Snake✝, Greater Chains of Binding✝, Greater Searing Pain✝, Greater Shadow Bolt✝, Hold Monster, Immolate✝, Lesser Planar Binding, Life Drain✝, Magic Jar, Mind Fog, Ritual of Summoning✝, Sending, Shadow Evocation, Soul Drain✝, Summon Monster V, Waves of Fatigue✝

6th Level: Acid Fog, Antimagic Field, Contagious Flame✝, Disintegrate, Elscon's Lucubration, Form of the Dragon I✝, Guards and Wards✝, Getaway✝, Greater Demon Skin✝, Greater Dispel Magic, Hellfire Ray✝, Planar Binding, Sirroco✝, Shadow Walk, Soulstone✝, Summon Monster VI, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Persuasion, True Seeing, Unwilling Shield✝


7th Level: Banishment, Conflagrate✝, Dark Metamorphosis✝, Delayed Blast Fireball, Elscon's Magnificent Mansion, Ethereal Jaunt, Expend✝, Form of the Dragon II✝, Greater Arcane Sight, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Greater Teleport, Instant Summons, Mass Hold Person, Nortorgo's Sword, Phase Door, Plane Shift, Prismatic Spray, Symbol of Weakness, Sequester, Summon Monster VII, Teleport Object, Waves of Exhaustion

8th Level:  Antipathy, Binding, Demand, Dimensional Lock, Form of the Dragon III, Greater Planar Binding, Hellfire, Incendiary Cloud, Mass Charm Monster, Protection from Spells, Scintillating Pattern, Shadowburn, Summon Monster VIII, Temporal Stasis, Wall of Lava

9th Level: Dominate Monster, Etherealness, Fiery Body, Freedom, Foresight, Gate, Greater Immolate✝, Imprisonment, Meteor Swarm, Nortogo's Disjunction, Shades, Summon Monster IX, Teleportation Circle, Wall of Suppression, Winds of Vengeance✝

✝ denotes a spell that is not in the Core Player's Handbook for Pathfinder.  Maybe in the World of Warcraft Roleplaying Game, More Magic and Mayhem, or another Paizo source.
--------------------------------------------

------------

OGL Section 15:

Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2003, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Manual of Monsters Copyright 2003, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Alliance & Horde Compendium Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Magic & Mayhem Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Lands of Confl ict Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Shadows & Light Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: More Magic and Mayhem Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Companion: Cheliax, Empire of Devils. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jonathan H. Keith, Colin McComb, Steven E. Schend, Leandra Christine Schneider, and Amber E. Scott.
Pathfinder Chronicles: Princes of Darkness, Book of the Damned Vol. I. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: F. Wesley Schneider. 
Advanced Player's Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn.

Pathfinder Companion: Orcs of Golarion. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Steve Kenson, Rob McCreary, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, and JD Wiker. Pathfinder Companion: Sargava, the Lost Colony. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: JD Wiker. Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Keith Baker, Wolfgang Baur, Clinton J. Boomer, Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, Ed Greenwood, Stephen S. Greer, Jeff Grubb, James Jacobs, Michael Kortes, Tito Leati, Mike McArtor, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Eric Nelson, Jeff Quick, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Leandra Christine Schneider, David Schwartz, Amber E. Scott, Stan!, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, James L. Sutter, Greg A. Vaughan, Jeremy Walker, and JD Wiker.