Home Page > Player's Guide > Character Generation > Races > Water Elems

Water Elems (Forskarlar) - Children of the Deep

Overview

There are approximately a hundred forskarlar living in and around Ratjik. They use the water elem stats from Galactic Races, except that they gain the bonus feat Polar Bear Skin from the Seafarer's Handbook. Forskarlar are considered adults at the age of 21, middle aged at 62, old at 93, and venerable at 125.

Forskarlar culture is matriarchal, and all pairings are arranged. Three main families exist, based on those groups who fled to Ratjik from the Scourge. Each of those families is governed by one or more elders, and the council of elders is the underwave governing body of the Ratji forskarlar. One of the main families, the Sseayovaghn, was formed from the warriors sent to protect the forskarlar fleeing the scourge. Another of the three main families, the Takakak, was a group of clergy dedicated to the philosophical and theological contemplation of being a people without a world. The third of the main groups, the Oowaayah, was composed of nobles and the children of nobles. The Oowaayah were the main group fleeing the Scourge, and the Sseayovaghn and Takaka were sent along for protection and guidance. The hereditary leader of the Oowaayah bears the title Waaykeh, which is believed to have been a position of some importance in the former home of the forskarlar.

During the flight from the Scourge the forskarlar stopped to recover several times. Eventually they made their way to Ratjik, where they swore fealty to Lord Kurralt in exchange for trade concessions, underwave land, and protection. Many of the forskarlar found the waters too cold, and moved into the surface village. The council of elders frowned upon this weakness, and have encouraged the bloodlines more capable of withstanding the cold.

The Ratji forskarlar are quite religious, though the population is not yet sufficiently large to once again support a colony of those wishing to devote themselves to higher thoughts. Clerics of their deity, Eeeeouwah, have access to the Healing, Protection, War, and Water domains. The favored weapon is the trident, and the holy symbol is an oyster shell. The clergy (lay or full-time) are permitted to use the title Phee. Other titles were used in the pre-Scourge days to denote more advanced clergy, but none currently live who hold one of those higher ranks. Phee Rawoway is the current leader of the forskarlar religious community, ably assisted by Phee Yoohayah.

There is a plant found in the waters of Ratjik that has a waxy surface. The forskarlar use this to create a product which darkens when scratched, and thus is used for their written records as well as in the production of an insulating agent for surface clothes. This plant is one of several that compose the main harvest of the underwave Ratji, along with certain types of edible seaweed. While the long winter has somewhat lessened the food harvest this year, the forskarlar farmers were far less affected than their surface counterparts.

Character Details

* +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Forskarlar are contemplative and well-spoken, but not physically powerful.

* Forskarlar base speed is 20 feet. In addition, they have a swim speed of 20 feet. A race with a swim speed can move through the water at the listed speed without making Swim checks. It gains a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. The race can always take 10 on Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. Members of such a race can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.

* Forskarlar can breathe water as an extraordinary ability.

* +2 racial bonus to all saves against water spells and effects.

* Cold resistance 2

* Forskarlar receive a +1 bonus to caster level when casting spells with the [Water] modifier or from the Water Domain.

* Automatic Languages: Aquan and Skojik. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages)

* Favored Classes: Cleric and Commoner

[INSERT SAMPLE NAMES]

NOTE: This is based on page 14 of Dragonstar: Galactic Races, Copyright 2002, Fantasy Flight, Inc.

PLAYER NOTE:  Because this race is described outside of the D20 core rulebooks, your game master may require that you bring a copy of the DragonStar: Galactic Races book to the table if you choose to play a Water Elem.  Consult your CCG for specific details and restrictions.

Midwrathe Copyright ©2003 Twilight Ink
Site Copyright ©2003 Eric D. Bailey
Part of the D20RPG.ORG Family
Questions / Comments?  Ask the Webmaster!