:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: -----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====----- (313)558-5024 {14.4} - (313)558-5517 A BBS for text file junkies RPGNet GM File Archive Site .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. The Haruchai As we left the bar a bitter chill had settled into the village of Endport. The Captain turned up his collar to the cold and muttered "'S cold enough ta raise the nipples on a Haruchai wench, though she'd probably use them ta slice open your belly." "Scu..urp..Scuz me..hic" I said with my usual eloquence. The blast of cold air had served to wake me up a bit, but the 9 pots of ale were showing their effects despite my best efforts to drink everyone ever born under the table. "Tha Haruchai, lad!" the Captain nearly knocked me off the edge of the pier. I hit the border rope and fought to regain my balance as well as my lunch, and he continued. "Only the most vicious, bloodthirsty, honorable, and straight minded race ever to roam this or any other land." Through the fog that clouded my brain I heard my self ask "...vicious, bloodthirsty, HONORABLE??" Even this close to death, my storytellers instincts were still at work. "A course!" he said, slapping me on the back again. I cursed those storyteller's instincts and hoped that my intestines were well anchored in my stomach, because one more slap would send them streaming out the fool hole in my head that I use for a mouth. Somehow, I survived that night. And here is what I remember of the story the Captain told me of the race called the Haruchai... ----------- The mountains north of the Oshimo river contain one of the most forbidding places known to the races of Marjhann. Eternal winters keep the high altitudes at below freezing temperatures year round. Wood is scarce and food scarcer-still. In these unlikely conditions a race of man makes it's home. They are known as the Haruchai, or stone warriors. The Haruchai live in the shallow caves that can be found throughout the area and hunt whatever game can be found in the forbidding environment. Only the wisest of sages may know exactly why this race remains in a land so fraught with dangers and impossible conditions, and these learned men will not part with the knowledge. Suffice to say that the Haruchai remain because it is the land they call home, and they will know no other. As if the terrain and climate weren't enough to keep this race busy, the Haruchai have been embattled in a bitter Clan war for as long as they have existed. Five different factions each vie for the best territory, for wood, for food, for anything that might sustain their kind. So the stone warriors war not only with nature, but themselves as well. But raw materials are too valuable to be frittered away on machines of war, so these men use no weapons in their combat. They attack with their bare hands and feet, and with deadly force. So a Haruchai's life consists entirely of training the body and mind to fight for life. If there can be any reason that this poor storyteller might guess for their remaining in that mountain region, it might be due to the fear that moving to a lower clime would make them lazy as a people, and thus open to attack by one of the rival clans. But this is only an uneducated guess. Whatever their own reasons, the Haruchai have little dealings with other men. They remain exclusively in their mountainous home, and the only time a Haruchai is met outside this land is when he/she has been outcast or sent on a mission of vital importance. ************************ Player's Notes: The Haruchai is a race/class. One may not be separated from the other. The race is basically human, with the adjustments/requirements shown below. A Haruchai will have the following minimum scores: Strength 15 Constitution 15 Dexterity of 12 They use a d8 to determine hit points. They begin with 3 weapon proficiency slots and gain an additional one every 3 levels Haruchai begin with 3 weapon and non-weapon proficiencies. They gain one new weapon each 3 levels, but one new non-weapon prof. every 4 levels. There is a -3 non proficiency penalty for weapon use. They use the Warrior's table to determine THAC0, but use the Rogue's table for saving throws. Regardless of the proficiency slots actually available, each Haruchai character will have the following non-weapon proficiencies: Firebuilding, directions sense, survival- mountain region, hunting, and mountaineering. If more slots are available due to intelligence, they may be filled from the "General" or "Fighter" tables in the PH. If the actual slots a character would receive number fewer, that character begins with all the NWP's listed above, but receives no new available slots until the "debt" has been paid. Haruchai may not use a weapon of any sort. Using any weapon other than their own body parts incurs a -3 non-proficiency penalty. The Haruchai may wear any armor, but received the following penalties "to hit" and "damage" rolls: -1 for padded or for using a small shield, -2 for leather or using a large shield or wearing a helm, -3 for chain, -4 for splint or banded, -5 for field plate armor, and -6 for wearing full plate armor. So a Haruchai character wearing a helm and chain mail and using a small shield would be at -5 total to hit and damage (-1 for helm, -3 for chain mail, -1 for a small shield.) A Haruchai character has become proficient and specialized in the Martial Arts, as defined in the Warrior's manual or Priest's Manual. Specifics are available to players upon request. Experience levels: 1 0 2 2,250 3 4,500 4 9,000 5 18,000 6 36,000 7 75,000 8 150,000 9 300,000 10 600,000 Attacks per round: Level attacks/round 1-4 2/round 5-9 5/2 rounds 10 & up 3/round Special Abilities: Haruchai will always take their personal reaction adjustment into account, even when fighting in a group. This enables them to have the possibility to strike first in a given round, even if the group they are traveling with will strike last. Haruchai save at +1 vs cold based spells and attacks. Because of their highly combative and mountain upbringing, Haruchai have the following thief-like abilities: Climb walls 40% Move silently 25% Hide in shadows35% Base percentages for success are noted. In addition, these percentages go up 5% every two levels, to a maximum of 90% in each area. Modifiers for dexterity apply. Haruchai can choose to parry instead of attack in any given round. This is done in a variety of ways, including dodging, blocking the attackers arm so that the weapon cannot strike, snatching a missile weapon before it hits, etc. A successful roll "to hit" is required to parry. If the attempt to parry fails, the attacker must still make a successful "to hit" roll to strike. At first level (as noted above) , they will be proficient and also specialize in Martial Arts. This will give them a +1 to hit and damage, plus a +1 "chart bonus" At second level, they have one remaining proficiency that raises their bonuses to +2 hit, damage, and chart. This goes to +3 at 3rd level, +4 at 6th level, and +5 at 9th level. At 6th level, the Haruchai's attacks are treated as +1 magical weapons when determining strikes against creatures hit only by magical weapons.