Truikani (4e Race)

Truikani

By Yanied

These serpentine monkey-men inhabit the jungles of the Eastern Plains, most races see a Truikani as being a savage, when really they have a gentle disposition when not provoked.

Racial Traits

Average Height: 4'9"-5'6"

Average Weight: 95-150 lbs.

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom or Strength

Size: Small

Speed: 5 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common

Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception

Monkey Heritage: Your prehensile tail lets you gain a +2 racial bonus to Athletics checks to jump and climb.

Enhanced Senses: You gain a +2 racial bonus to Initiative

Snake Heritage: At the time of Character creation, you can choose either Striking Fangs or Spitting Venom as an encounter power. This choice remains throughout your character's life.

Unknown Origin: Even the most powerful magic has trouble discerning what you really are. You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects relating to origin. You are considered a reptile for effects relating to that keyword.

Truikani Heritage: When your truikani character gains a class utility power after 1st level, you can forgo taking a power granted to you by your class. Instead you gain a truikani utility power of the same level or lower.

Striking Fangs	Truikani Racial Power
You sink your fangs into the target, injecting poison into their veins.
Encounter  Shadow, Poison
Minor Action	Melee 1
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity + 4 Vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + Dexterity modifier poison damage. Level 11: +6 attack and 2d6 + Dexterity modifier damage Level 21: +8 attack and 3d6 + Dexterity modifier damage.

Spitting Venom	Truikani Racial Power
You spit venom at your enemy.
Encounter  Shadow, Poison
Minor Action	Ranged 5
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity + 2 Vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. Level 11: +4 attack. Level 21: +6 attack.

They may look savage and beastly, but the Truikani have kind hearts (this is not to say they will not unload primal fury upon anyone who messes around in their jungles). Their homes are in the trees, where they partake in tribal rituals and ancient traditions. They are almost perfectly in tune with the jungle around them, and would lead a peaceful life if it weren't for their rivals, the Truankia, and the constant intrusions of humans.

Play a Truikani if you want...

• To be agile and wise.
• To play a misunderstood race that others find savage.
• To be a unique mix of monkey, snake, and human.
• To be a member of a race that favors the Ranger, Seeker or Monk classes.

Physical Qualities

Truikani are short, stocky humanoids. This look is enhanced by their tendency to walk on their knuckles like gorillas. Their bodies are covered in fur with seemingly unnatural patches of snakelike scales. Their build is very mammalian, but their faces give away the other side of their heritage. With slits for nostrils, fangs that are only visible when they grin, and wide-set eyes with slits for pupils, they obviously are descended from snakes as well as monkeys. They have a long, prehensile tail, useful for keeping balance when jumping or climbing. Fur colors range from black to light brown, though a few white-furred Truikani are rarely spotted.

Truikani spoke their own language, a compilation of hisses, howls, clicks, and shrieks, before they spoke any other. This sounds like random animal sounds to onlookers, but, being intelligent creatures, this is not the case. Truikani are fast learners and quickly figured out the common language when humans came to their jungles.

Truikani mature quickly from when they hatch, and become adults at age 10, reach the middle ages around 70, and live to about 150 before passing away.

Playing a Truikani

No one knows the true origin of the Truikani. Some say that they must have been a warped mage's idea of fun, while others say that it was some kind of biological mishap. Truikani themselves, however, live in the present and don't really wonder at all about the origin of their race.

They originally lived in treetop houses in the undisturbed jungles of the Eastern Plains, free of civilization. They lived by a strict tribal code as far as diet, hunting, and clothes. They had a system that relied heavily on the hunters to feed and care for the mothers, elders, and children.

Truikani, despite their merciless hunting and combat tactics, are gentle creatures. They are equally as intelligent as humans, although their actions don't show it.

When humans first traveled to the Eastern Plains and encountered Truikani, they thought they were mere animals, and hunted them for sport. The Truikani responded by planning attacks against the human encampments, eventually sending the humans scurrying back to Ornaloth, reporting savage beast in the eastern jungles.

By the time a full scouting force of humans was assembled to look into these creatures, the Truikani had learned a slightly distorted dialect of the common language. They were wary at first, but the humans tried being friendly and it paid off. The humans and Truikani quickly began teaching each other their ways, a Truikani named Chol-Elder leading his race in negotiations. Soon a group traveled to Ornaloth to see the wondrous cities there.

Over the centuries, although some people still dislike Truikani as a race, the tribal race integrated into the Ornaloth society. Though most prefer to keep the tribal traditions of the clan, some few wear clothes, walk, talk, and act almost exactly like humans.

As far as religion goes, most (if not all) Truikani revere nature spirits above the gods. The few that practice arcane rarely are accepted in their tribe, considered outcasts.

Truikani, once broken from their tribal ways, discovered that they love excitement and exploring new places, so Truikani adventurers are not uncommon. These adventurers are wary of most at first, but become loyal allies as soon as they get to know their fellows.

Truikani Characteristics: Brave, caring, curious, gentle, fierce, reliable, tactical

Male Names: Chol, Saht, Kril, Diel, Zal, Jin

Female Names: Ria, Kili, Ia, Oro, Zilin, Hila

Truikani are named with suffixes (or prefixes, depending on gender) that indicate their job or rank in the tribe. Elders (-Elder/Elder-), mostly white-furred, are the highest revered, though a named elder that becomes an adventurer or is "too human" is considered an abomination. Next in line comes hunters (Hunter-/-Hunter), who serve as combat generals as well as being in charge of providing food for the tribe. Last comes the lack of prefix or suffix. This is the foot soldier rank.

The job of each child is decided at birth, and names only change if the Truikani in question becomes a mother (Mother-), or for some reason they're given some exception. This is very rare, and it only happens when a young adult is obviously unfit for his job, beyond training's aid.

Truikani of the families that don't follow the original tradition, or the ones that forsake the tribal ways either don't start off with these titles, or decide to not use them. Some even adopt regular human names.

Truikani Adventurers

Three sample truikani adventurers are described below.

Zal is a Truikani Ranger. He was brought up by a "modern" Truikani family, but this family was not accepted by the city they lived in. They were segregated, and Zal left the place to find his family a real home. Being curious, however, he soon got caught up in the adventures of a group that value him as a great member, not giving him scorn for being a Truikani. However, the thought of his family still lingers in his mind, and he hopes to find a good town to invite them to settle down in. He figures, however, that the more rich he is, the better off his family will be once he finds the perfect place.

Hunter-Ria is a Truikani Sorcerer, outcast from her tribe for practicing arcane magic. She fully submitted to her will to wander long ago, and has come across a group that she likes, although she knows her tribe would disapprove of her traveling with non-Truikani. For some reason, she still wears her tribal clothing, feeling she needs something to keep her attached to her heritage. She also keeps her title and original name.

Chol-Elder is a Truikani druid who was born and raised in a very strict tribe with a very special namesake to live up to. Unfortunately, a band of Truikani-hating humans whiped his tribe out when he was twenty-three. He strives to keep his tribe's traditions alive, but he knows that it will never be the same for him again. In the meantime, to his own horror, he finds himself in the middle of an adventuring party. He doesn't quite know how he got there, but for some reason he doesn't see himself getting out, as the group relies on him heavily. He feels he has a place in his races history, but he can't tell what that place is.

Truikani Utility Powers

When your truikani character gains a class utility power after 1st level, you can forgo taking a power granted to you by your class. Instead you gain a truikani utility power of the same level or lower.

Dreadful Strike	Truikani Utility 2
Your poison courses through your victim's veins.
Daily  Shadow, Poison
Free Action	Personal
Trigger: You hit with your striking fangs or spitting venom power.
Target: The creature hit by your striking fangs or spitting venom power.
Effect: The target suffers 5 ongoing poison damage.

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