Rilmani (4e Race)
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Rilmani[edit]
These beings dwell in absolute harmony... remaining ignorant observers in their ivory spire.
| Racial Traits |
| Average Height: 5'4" - 6'6" |
| Average Weight: 175-280 |
| Ability Scores: +2 Charisma, and either +2 Intelligence or Constitution |
| Size: Medium |
| Speed: 6 squares |
| Vision: Normal |
| Languages: Common, choice of one other |
| Skill Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 Bluff, +2 to one other skill |
| Uninfluenced: You have a +1 racial bonus to Will. |
| Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Outlands, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin. |
| Telepathy: You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 5 squares of you that has a language. |
| Special Shell: You have resist 5 lightning. The resistance increases to 10 at 11th level and 15 at 21st level. |
| Know Alignment: You can use know alignment as an at-will power. |
| Know Alignment | Rilmani Racial Power |
| Looking at a creature nearby, you can tell where their moral compass points. | |
| At-Will | |
| Minor Action | Ranged 3 |
| Target: One creature | |
| Effect: The target's alignment is revealed to you. | |
The rilmani are an exemplary race of the true neutral alignment. Hailing from the Concordant Domain of the Outlands, they are the epitome of neutrality and keepers of balance across the planes. Few of them ever appear in the natural world, even via summoning spells due to their natural habitat near the magic-nullifying spire. Those who have come about have sadly made very bad impressions on others due to their fixations on a balance of cosmic forces, earning them the infamous label of "stupid neutral."
Play a rilmani if you want...
- To embody neutrality and swap between good and evil on a dime.
- To be two-faced and double-talk.
- To be a member of a race that favors the artificer, assassin, and wizard classes.
Physical Qualities[edit]
The rilmani appear to be human at a glance, and all have a humanoid shape. However, there is a metallic sheen to their skin upon close inspection, which differs depending on their caste. For example, an aurumach would have a golden sheen whereas a cuprilach will have a copper hue. Their eyes glow with opalescent light like the colors on the sheen of a pearl. Most have oblong, long heads with short necks and a ridge of raised bumps down the middle of their forehead. This gives all of them a rather narrow-faced appearance. They grow facial hair and have normal limbs like humans otherwise.
Most notable about rilmani are, one, their aura, and two, their unconventional form of dress. A rilmani's aura is easily detected as they tangibly embody thoughtfulness and reservation. It is similar to the deva's aura of beauty and grace, or a tanar'ri's horrific air. Rilmani clothes are additionally noticeable, comprised of pillowy clothes and odd pieces of metal. A rilmani's head is usually covered save for the face with some kind of encapsulating helmet or hood that has antennae attached to the forehead. On the rest of their body is usually a mix of cloth and metal armor, with some wearing elbow-guards and pauldrons, while others have flowing robes. The color of their clothes is usually neutral tones like beige.
Attitudes and Beliefs[edit]
The rilmani know themselves to be keepers of balance throughout the planes and are very serious about their jobs. To them, the majority of people outside the Outlands are ignorant of what great knowledge they hold, particularly the aurumachs. Thus, they often hold an overly dignified air about them and a rather snobbish attitude towards debates of good and evil. In their eyes, neither can exist without the other. It is thus their attitude as a guiding hand that ticks people off from both sides, since this means they will join any side which seems to be at risk of losing. Their insistence that the two forces be equal would mean an eternal state of conflict, which is perfectly okay with the rilmani, who just want to see their code of balance upheld overall.
Rilmani are staunch believers in neutrality, if that was not already clear. But neutrality is not a state of inaction. Rather, it is a precarious balance which is what they dedicate themselves to keeping. Nothing is useless if its absence tips the balance. So even creatures like orcs have a place in the world, for without them, who would counterbalance against the elves? Thus, their neutrality is characterized by action to keep the scales in equilibrium, wherever they may go.
Rilmani Communities[edit]
The rilmani live in an odd state of hierarchy. One would think them to be anarchic, being devoted to the true neutral alignment and balance. However, they retain some values of what is more valuable and what is considered "high status" and so they live in a stratified society. There are six castes which every rilmani falls into, and these castes determine their roles in upholding balance throughout the Planescape.
- Plumach
These leaden colored rilmani are as slow and dull as their namesake. They are the most populous of the rilmani subspecies and make up the commoner class of the society. Most are very isolationist and prefer not to do anything or interfere with anyone so long as they are left alone. Their general philosophy is "you leave me alone, I leave you alone." Being rather lazy and inactive, it takes a rilmani of high authority to force them into action.
- Abiorach
These sneaky rilmani like to accomplish goals through manipulation and trickery rather than direct battle. They are tasked strictly with monitoring of the Elemental Planes and ensuring that they stay neutral. They are flexible individuals who are quick to abandon goals they find too cumbersome. Their sheen is silvery like mercury.
- Ferrumach
The ferrumach are the ironclad soldiers and strongest physically of the rilmani. They are the hands-on type for when situations come to blows. Those who are older can be identified by a film of rust that grows on their skin in patches. They usually use only iron weapons.
- Cuprilach
Rilmani generally like to do things quietly if they can. The cuprilach are the stealthiest of them, making up the spies and assassins who are deployed out to observe other planes. They act to eliminate threats from within the shadows and are the most dangerous of the rilmani, as they often decide the fates of others. Their skin has a copper sheen.
- Argenach
Silvertongue is the word that best describes the argenach, who act as advisers and agitators in the rilmani court. They spend much of their time in the Material Plane and other times can be found as apathetic observers of events. They are famous for their tactics of using disguises to end conflicts in a tie without use of violence.
- Aurumach
The aurumach lead the rilmani and are automatically perceived differently thanks to their luxurious gold sheen. Their inner thoughts are incredibly obscure and they rarely interact with others, usually sending their lackeys on their part. Other than writing decrees and such from their cushy position, it is not sure what else they do. They are the rarest of the rilmani.
Once every hundred years, the wisest and most powerful individuals from each caste travel to the anti-magic spire in the center of the Outlands to discuss the state of affairs in an event called the Concordanach. Each of the rilmani views is represented. The argenach delegate usually argues for more covert support to threatened causes across the planes. Cuprilach and ferrumach representatives designate powerful creatures of extreme alignment as threats in need of elimination. Since neutrality is the most apathetic and reactive of all the planar alignments, the Concordanach initiates change only in response to the direst threats. Usually, they just have a grand philosophy session to reinforce their own bubbles and leave without any action decided.
Rilmani Adventurers[edit]
If a rilmani travels, it is primarily for reconnaissance or espionage purposes. They may have been sent on a long term mission to divert a war, or influence a kingdom's leader. Cuprilach are sent, for example, to usually gather information on threats to balance within an area of a plane. This sometimes entails the removal of such threats. Rilmani who adventure may target important figures to influence the general populace, all for the sake of maintaining cosmic balance.
Artificer: Rilmani artificers are quirky and love to design new and rather meaningless doohickies in their spare time. It is thought that they engineered much of the rilmani's style of odd dress. Plumachs and abiorachs commonly become artificers to make use of materials either for purely creative purposes, or for weaponry which can be used in their eternal quest for absolute balance.
Assassin: Cuprilachs make up the most of assassin rilmanis. It is rare but sometimes an argenach may undertake the task as well, though they employ means like poison rather than weapons. Ferrumach are usually of this class as well.
Wizard: Using their intelligence, rilmani make great wizards, though the use of magic is typically restrained in the Outlands. Aurumachs typically become the best wizards, spending lots of time on their own memorizing their arcane theorems and such. Argenachs are also commonly wizards.
Three sample rilmani adventurers are described below.
Ferres is a wizard rilmani on duty to guard a particular noble in an ailing society. He is tasked with protecting the noble against assassination attempts. The rilmani wizard has remained numb to the plights of the suffering people at the noble's hands for the longest time. He believes that balance will bring ultimate happiness, which means not helping those suffering.
Plato is an assassin rilmani who is slowly becoming disillusioned with balance. After having fought on both sides of an ongoing war for so long, she finds herself questioning why the tears of the oppressed are such a necessity in the world. For the first time, she may learn fear, as betrayal of her mission means putting a target on her own back from her fellow assassins.
Hydra is an artificer rilmani traveling only for the sake of learning new techniques. She sees her craft as a means to serve balance overall, but may soon change her mind as she wanders into conflicted territory...
Roleplaying a Rilmani[edit]
When creating a rilmani adventurer, here are a few points to consider.
True Neutral. Rilmani hate to do any one action that benefits one side. If they do, it is mainly in the case of one group already having an advantage.
Observant. To act rashly without all the facts is to risk the balance. Rilmani will usually hang back to see the situation with clarity before deciding on a course of action.
Smooth Talkers. Due to upholding both good and evil in their quest to destroy one another, rilmani usually rely on deceit and double-talk to get out of situations and manipulate others to act.
Rilmani Characteristics: Reserved, cautious, neutral, deceitful, scheming, knowledgeable.
Rilmani Male Names: Stannis, Wolfram, Natrius, Stibus
Rilmani Female Names: Ferra, Kali, Cupra, Stani
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