Forgotten Fable RPG™: Uekijin Race

by Tim Wallace and Adam Frank

The uekijin (pronounced OO-AY-KEY-jin) are a species of plant that evolved on Densetsu millennia before the other intelligent species came to or evolved. They hold a strong sense of self and are often seen as very reclusive. Having no gender, the uekijin are divided by lineage based upon the parent they sprouted from. Once a year an uekijin has the opportunity to bloom, generally in a nursery where the young flowers will grow surrounded by the elders.

Physical Description: The uekijin are a species of plant that has developed sentience. Uekijin reach maturity at 15, and appear as tall humanoids with bark like skin that range from bright greens to dusky browns and grow petals on their heads that vary depending on their lineage. Their eyes are often blue or green. They have a mouth that is used to speak but they do not need to eat with it as the leaves and petals that cover their head have the ability to photosynthesize.

Society: Living in garden cities both great and small few outsiders are invited in to view the majesty of an uekijin garden. The center of the garden is dedicated to the nurseries and the underground root network of both the young and the old. When an uekijin is young, they start as a sprout, anchored to the ground and look like large solitary flowers, each species from a different lineage. For the first several years, the uekijin are tended by the elders in the nursery. At 400, adults mature into elders, becoming more tree-like in their appearance, with a face standing out from their trunk. The elders are also rooted, so as to speak with the young uekijin and instruct them through the root network. They are capable of movement, though extremely slow. Outside these cities reside the adult uekijin who defend or help in the everyday running of the city. All the buildings in an uekijin city have no solid roofs but instead are either open to the sky or have a loose covering of leaves to let in light. Any shops or businesses are located on the edges of the city so as to keep safe the young and old alike from outsiders.

Relations: The uekijin are strange to many of the other races. As they don't have genders or even an understanding of them. The open design of their garden cities and lack of covering over their homes. Those uekijin who venture out often tend to stay outside during the night and don't mind inclement weather. They also don't often sleep. Their oddities can lead to strained relations between them and the other species of Densetsu. During the reign of the Dark Lord they were even largely left alone as Daisuke was unclear on how to treat these people. Those he tried to enslave just transformed into large trees in front of him and planted themselves where they were. When he would send an army to take a garden they were fiercely defended by blade, magic and even the surrounding flora. Eventually he gave up. While the uekijin are not vastly disliked, they are hard to understand, and work best when left alone.

Alignment & Religion: Literally from the ground and nature the uekijin tend toward neutral alignments and worship a few goddesses and one god. The goddess of fertility and growth, Momo, is one of their primary goddesses. The goddess of destruction, Kasai, is feared and worshiped by the uekijin who tend more on the chaotic side of the spectrum. Finally, Inochi Noki, or the Great Grandfather Tree, is worshiped by almost every uekijin. Many uekijin will make a trek out to his grove at least one time in their lives to speak with him and visit him. Inochi Noki lives in a beautiful grove that can only be found by those the Great Grandfather Tree allows.

Adventurers: There are a few reason that an uekijin may take up the adventuring life, or as they say “Leave with staff in hand.” One of the more popular reasons is a pilgrimage to seek out Inochi Noki. This though is hardly the only reason they take up the life of an adventurer. Some seek more tangible things, fame, fortune, while others seek knowledge to bring back to their gardens. Whatever the reason an uekijin may leave they will often join up with non-uekijin to have guidance and companionship on their trek.

Uekijin (植木人) Racial Traits (12 RP)

+2 to Constitution or Wisdom: Uekijin are hardy or intuitive.

Plant (10 RP): Uekijin are plant creatures with shapechanger subtype.

·       Plants are immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).

·       Plants are immune to paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning.

·       Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from this activity. This means that a plant creature can sleep in order to regain mana, but sleep is not required to survive or stay in good health.

Medium: Uekijin are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Slow and Steady (–1 RP): Uekijin have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.

Low-Light Vision: Uekijin can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light

Change Size (3 RP): An uekijin can reduce and enlarge itself.

When reduced, the uekijin halves its height and divides its weight by 8. This decrease changes the uekijin’s size to Small; due to its reduced size, it gains +2 size bonus to Dexterity, a –2 size penalty to Strength (to a minimum of 1), a +1 bonus on attack rolls and AC, and a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to its CMD.

When enlarged, the uekijin doubles its height and multiplies its weight by 8. This increase changes the uekijin’s size to Large; due to its increased size, it gains a +2 size bonus to Strength, a –2 size penalty to Dexterity (to a minimum of 1), a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to its CMD, and a –1 penalty on attack rolls and AC.

All equipment worn or carried by the uekijin is similarly reduced or enlarged. Melee weapons affected by this ability deal less damage or more damage, respectively (see Table: Tiny and Large Weapon Damage). Any item that leaves the uekijin's possession while affected by this ability (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size.

Changing size is a standard action.

Natural Armor (2 RP): Uekijin have tough, rugged skin, granting them a +1 natural armor bonus.

Delicious (–1 RP): Uekijin take a –2 penalty on Acrobatics and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple against any creature that has a bite attack with the grab ability.

Light Dependent (–2 RP): Uekijin take 1d4 points of Constitution damage each day they go without exposure to sunlight.

Languages (1 RP): Uekijin begin play speaking Common. Uekijin with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages).

Alternate Uekijin Racial Traits

The following racial traits may be selected instead of existing uekijin racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

Aquatic: Uekijin with this racial trait are amphibious and can breathe both air and water. In addition, the body of an uekijin with this trait requires constant submersion in fresh or salt water. Uekijin with this trait who spend more than 1 day without fully submerging themselves in water risk internal organ failure, painful cracking of the skin, and death within 4d6 hours. This trait replaces natural armor and light dependent.

Bark: Uekijin with this racial trait forgo the ability to change shape in favor of a tougher outer skin. Their natural armor bonus to AC increases to +3. This trait replaces change size and removes the shapechanger subtype.

Night Blossom: Uekijin with this racial trait gain darkvision out to 60 feet. This trait replaces natural armor.

Shade Tolerance: Uekijin with this racial trait do not require daily exposure to sunlight to survive; however such uekijin are particularly susceptible to flames and they gain vulnerability to fire. This trait replaces light dependent.

Treespeech: Uekijin with this racial trait have the ability to converse with plants as if subject to a continual, nonmagical speak with plants effect. This trait replaces change size and removes the shapechanger subtype.

Vines: Uekijin with this racial trait have flexible vines that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with these vines, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This trait replaces natural armor.

Uekijin Racial Rules

The following options are available to uekijin. At the GM's discretion, other appropriate races may also make use of some of these.

Uekijin Feats

Uekijin have access to the following feats.

Grasping Vines

Your vines become more useful.

Prerequisites: Uekijin.

Benefit: You can use your vines to grab stowed items. While you cannot wield weapons with your vines, you can use it to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on your person as a swift action.

Special: If you have the vines racial trait, you can use your vines to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your vines, though you cannot manipulate them with your vines (other than to put them in your hand).

Eyes of Night

You are able to see in the dark.

Prerequisites: Uekijin.

Benefit: You gain darkvision out to 60 ft.

Special: If you have the nightblossom racial trait, your darkvision improves to 120 ft.

Treespeech

Your connection with a flora allows you to speak with plants.

Prerequisites: Int 3, plant type.

Benefit: You have the ability to converse with plants as if subject to a continual, nonmagical speak with plants effect.

Uekijin Equipment

Uekijin have access to the following equipment.

Uekijin Bark Extract: These bitter pills is extracted from the dry, flaky skin shed by uekijin and enhanced by alchemy to ward against pain effects. If you consume a dose of uekijin bark extract, you gain a +2 alchemical bonus on saving throws made against pain effects for the next hour. If you drink uekijin bark extract while suffering from any a pain effect, you may immediately roll another saving throw against the effect (with the +2 bonus); you may gain this particular benefit only once per day.

Item	Price	Weight	Craft DC
Uekijin bark extract	30 gp	—	20

Pain Effects Pain effects cause unpleasant sensations without any permanent physical damage (though a sensitive target may suffer mental repercussions from lengthy exposure to pain). Creatures that are immune to effects that require a Fort save (such as constructs and undead) are immune to pain effects (Ultimate Magic, Chapter 2). Some examples of spells from the Core Rulebook  and Advanced Player’s Guide that cause pain effects are eyebite, pain strike, repel vermin, retribution, and symbol of pain.

Uekijin Petal Bomb: Harvested from the discarded petals of uekijin, this fragrant alchemical powder is kept in tightly sealed flasks. It is thrown as a splash weapon and the flask breaks on impact, releasing sleep-inducing dust. The target is asleep for 1 round and staggered for 3 rounds after that. A successful DC 12 Fortitude save prevents the sleep condition, but not the staggered condition. Creatures within 5 feet of where the flask hits are staggered for 1 round. This is a poison effect.

Ranged Weapons	Price	Dmg	Critical	Range	Weight	Type	Special
Uekijin petal bomb	50 gp	—	—	10 ft.	1 lb.	Poison	Splash, see text

Uekijin Tears: As uekijin don’t cry, this poison is not actually made from the alchemically treated tears of an uekijin, but from the sap. Coming in contact with this poison inflicts immense pain upon the target.

Poison	Type	Fort DC	Onset	Frequency	Initial Effect	Secondary Effect	Cure	Price
Uekijin tears	Contact	16	1 min.	1/min. for 6 min.	2d12 nonlethal damage	sickened 1 min.	1 save	300 gp

Uekijin Magic Item

Uekijin have access to the following magic item.

SUNBRIGHT DIADEM

Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th

Slot head; Price 2,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION

The amber gem pulses warmly in the center of this headband decorated with leaf filigree. The diadem continually provides the wearer with life-sustaining sunlight for light dependent species. In addition, if the wearer is a spellcaster and requires rest to regain mana, they may do so with only 2 hours of rest (instead of the normal 8 hours required). The diadem must be worn for a full week before it begins to work. If it is removed, the owner must wear it for another week to reattune it to themself.

There is an alternate version called the seadeep diadem which is a headband of seaweed filigree set with jade or turquoise. Similar to the sunbright diadem, it provides water dependent species with the moisture needed to survive on dry land.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be a uekijin; Cost 1,250 gp

PFRPG: Additional Dhatura Racial Rules

by Tim Wallace

(Here is a link to  original post on the dhatura race.)

Alternate Racial Traits

The following racial traits may be selected instead of existing dhatura racial traits.

Dayblossom (Ex): Your skin color is lighter and you are more likely to be confused with a surface elf than a drow. You gain resistance 5 against negative energy damage. You do not lose hit points when you gain a negative level, and you gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against death effects, energy drain, negative energy, and spells or spell-like abilities of the necromancy school.  In addition, you take 1d4 points of Constitution damage each day you go without exposure to sunlight. This trait replaces the darkvision, stability, stalker, and moonlight dependant traits.

Loamy Vigor (Ex): You gain fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime your bare hands or feet are in contact with soil. You can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This trait replaces the swift as shadows trait.

Shadow Magic (Sp): You add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against spells of the shadow subschool that you cast. In addition, if you have a Charisma score of 11 or higher you also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—ghost sound, pass without trace, ventriloquism. The caster level for these spell-like abilities is equal to your character level. This trait replaces the stability and stalker traits.

Small Stature (Ex): You gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. This trait replaces the toxic trait.

Favored Class Options

The following options are available to all dhatura who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Bard: Add +1/2 on Bluff checks to lie and +1/2 on Disguise checks to appear as a drow (or as an elf if the bard has the dayblossom racial trait).

Druid: The druid gains energy resistance 1 against acid, cold, or electricity. Each time the druid selects this reward, increase her resistance to one of these energy types by +1 (maximum 10 for any one type).

Inquisitor: Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize humanoids.

Monk: Add a +1/2 bonus on the monk's saving throws to resist death attacks.

Ninja: Add +1/2 to sneak attack damage dealt to creatures with the aberration or undead types.

Rogue: Add +1/2 on Bluff checks to lie and +1/2 on Disguise checks to appear as a drow (or as an elf if the rogue has the dayblossom racial trait).

Racial Archetypes

The following racial archetypes are available to dhatura.

Tree Whisperer (Druid)

A tree whisperer feels his ties to all forms of plant life even more powerfully than other druids.

Tree Whisper (Ex): A tree whisperer has the ability to converse with plants as if subject to a continual speak with plants spell. This ability replaces wild empathy.

Verdant Health (Ex): At 9th level, a tree whisperer gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases. This ability replaces venom immunity.

Tree Jumper (Su): At 13th level, a tree whisperer can use his connection to all flora to travel great distances, as if using transport via plants. He can use this ability a number to times per day equal to his druid level. This ability replaces a thousand faces.

Forest Shadow (Ninja)

Forest shadows have learned their deadly trade in the woodlands rather than in cities.

Woodland Stride (Ex): A forest shadow may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect her. This ability replaces poison use.

Trackless Step (Ex): At 3rd level, a forest shadow leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired. This ability replaces no trace.

Stalwart (Ex): At 8th level, a forest shadow can use mental and physical resiliency to avoid certain attacks. If she makes a Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that has a reduced effect on a successful save, she instead avoids the effect entirely. This ability can only be used if the forest shadow is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless forest shadow does not gain the benefit of the stalwart ability. This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.

Ninja Tricks: The following ninja tricks complement the forest shadow archetype: choking bomb, fast stealth, poison bomb, shadow clone, smoke bomb, and vanishing trick.

Master Tricks: The following master ninja tricks complement the forest shadow archetype: blinding bomb, invisible blade, shadow split, and unbound steps.

Dhatura Feats

Dhatura have access to the following feats.

Earth-Drinker

You gain healing from the earth itself.

Prerequisite: Dhatura.

Benefit: You gain fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime your bare hands or feet are in contact with soil. You can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function.

Improved Earth-Drinker

You regain even more health from the earth.

Prerequisite: Character level 5th, Earth Drinker or loamy vigor racial trait, dhatura.

Benefit: You gain fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime your bare hands or feet are in contact with soil. You can heal up to 2 hit points per two levels per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function.

Pick Your Poison

You can choose how your poison affects your victims.

Prerequisite: Con 13, toxic racial trait.

Benefit: Each time you use your toxic racial trait you may choose which of the following venoms you will implement:

Life-Stealing Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Con; cure 1 save.

Paralytic Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.

Weakening Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.

Shadow Magic

You have a kinship with shadows and magic that calls upon them.

Prerequisite: Cha 13, dhatura.

Benefit: You add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against spells of the shadow subschool that you cast. In addition, you also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—ghost sound, pass without trace, ventriloquism. The caster level for these spell-like abilities is equal to your character level.

PFRPG: Dhatura Race

Dhatura

Dhatura (duh-TOO-ruh) are a nocturnal race of intelligent plants indigenous to the deepest jungles. They are usually found in close-knit matriarchal tribes where the eldest female rules. Dhatura resemble dark-skinned elves with light-colored hair, and are sometimes mistaken for drow. However, a second glance will reveal that a dhatura has “ears” composed of leaves and “hair” constituted of large petals varying from white to lavender in color and edged in all the colors of the rainbow. Most dhatura who go adventuring suffer from a insurmountable wanderlust. Despite their appearance, dhatura get along well with elves and gnomes.

Dhatura Racial Traits (15 RP)

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence: Dhatura are sprightly and enlightened, but not very clever.

Plant (10 RP): Dhatura have the plant type. Plants are immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms), paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning. Plants do not sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from this activity.

Medium: Dhatura are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Dhatura have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Dhatura can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Darkvision (2 RP): Dhatura can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Stability (1 RP): Dhatura receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.

Stalker (1 RP): Perception and Stealth are always class skills for dhatura.

Swift as Shadows (3 RP): Dhatura reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5, and reduce the Stealth check penalty for sniping by 10.

Toxic (1 RP): A number of times per a day equal to her Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), a dhatura can envenom a weapon that she wields with her toxic saliva or blood (using blood requires the dhatura to be injured when she uses this ability). Applying venom in this way is a swift action.

Dhatura Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the dhatura’s Hit Dice + the dhatura’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.

Fire Vulnerability (–2 RP): Dhatura take half again as much damage (+50%) from fire, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed or if the save is a success or failure.

Moonlight Dependant (–2 RP): Dhatura take 1d4 points of Constitution damage each day they go without exposure to moon or starlight.

Languages (1 RP): Dhatura begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Dhatura with high Intelligence scores can learn any languages they want (except Druidic and other secret languages).

Lifespan: The lifespan of a dhatura is the same as that of a dwarf.