Oss (3.5e Race)
Oss
The Oss are a form of intelligent undead. They are exclusively skeletal, and not known to most other races. They came to be from an initial group of human scholars, who found themselves to be killed and cursed by an ancient relic while on an expedition. Cursed to eternal unlife as ghosts, they developed a spell, to return themselves to their bodies. This took many decades, however, and by then their bodies had degraded to skeletons. Oss reproduce by one of two methods: The first being when a willing Oss transfers his life energy to a fallen humanoid, the host dies, and the recipient becomes an Oss. The second being when an Oss preforms an Awaken Undead (Spell Compendium, pg 21) spell, they may choose to turn the target into an Oss, rather than an intelligent undead.
Personality
The Oss, despite being crude and dull, have an extremely tight-knit community. They work together as well as a hive, but can function as independently as a human when the need arises. They are helpful, but shy to outsiders, and have personalities as diverse as any other race.
Physical Description
The Oss are primarily Human skeletons, but some exceptions can be found. They retain the height and bone structures of whatever race they were in life, but become much lighter once they shed their flesh. A typical Human Oss is between 5"6 and 5"10 and weighs 20 to 30 pounds.
Relations
Unfortunately, undead have a dreadful reputation among the living. An Oss among humans would risk immediate destruction, that is; If the humans knew he were an undead.
Alignment
Oss have a tendency toward law, but they can develop any alignment.
Lands
Oss create small, intimate communities in large caverns or other secluded structures. They will never be found in an open village on the plains, or some other place they could be easily discovered.
Religion
Oss retain whatever beliefs they had in life, however sometimes they will feel forsaken by good deities, and worship none.
Language
They automatically speak common, and can learn any language but celestial and sylvan.
Names
Oss acquire names the same way any other race would. They may keep the name they had in life, or give themselves a new one based on the dramatic change in their body.
Racial Traits
- +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma, no Constitution score; Skeletons are light, and lack any physiological structures. However they suffer from temporary mindlessness during transformation, and have been secluded for very long.
- Undead type.
- Medium, no special modifiers.
- Oss base land speed is 30 feet:
- Ex: Cold Resistance: Skeletons are normally immune, but the cold still saps the soul of an Oss' energy. 50% immunity to cold.
- Ex: Lifeless: Oss do not breathe, eat, drink or sleep. 8 hours of rest are still needed to regain spells. Oss cannot tire.
- Ex: Skeletal: Oss have DR2/bludgeoning.
- Automatic Languages: Common Bonus Languages: All but Celestial, and Sylvan.
- Favored Class: Any
Vital Statistics
- Age and aging effects as Warforged.
- Height as Human, and weight 15% of Human.
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