Xanín (4e Race)

Xanin

By Anna Helme

Xaninos are the offspring of mysterious water fey and mortal humanoids.

Racial Traits

Average Height: 5´ 2˝–6´ 0˝

Average Weight: 90–130 lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence or Wisdom

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares, 6 swim squares

Vision: Low-light vision

Languages: Common, choice of one other

Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy

Fey Ancestry: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.

Strong Willed: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense.

Trance: Rather than sleep, xaninos enter a meditative state known as trance. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

Invigorate: You can use the pure song as a daily power.

Pure Song	Xanin Racial Power
Your song aids your allies and harms your allies.
Daily  Charm
Standard Action	Close Blast 5
Target: All creatures within range
Attack: Charisma Vs. Will
Hit: All enemies are stunned until end of your next turn
Effect: Allies in the blast gain a +2 bonus to their next saving throw against a charm effect before the end of your next turn.

Xaninos (singular, xanín) are the children of mortals and water fey. The fey parent can range in variety from naiads to undine. This is a somewhat rare union due to water fey being very particular about mates, and they cannot stand infidelity. The name for this race comes from a particularly famous undine named Xana, who nearly died as a result of her unfaithful lover. However, at the last moment, he ran back to her arms in something similar to a Beauty and the Beast story ending. This story is particularly popular among xaninos. Xaninos are thus symbolically a figure of enduring love and fealty.

Play a Xanín if you want...

• To be a being with alluring physique.
• To be able to swim as well as walk.
• To have a romantic racial history.
• To be a member of a race that favors the sorcerer, bard, monk and warlock classes.

Physical Qualities

Xaninos look like humanoids and often grow up looking like a normal human. However, as they reach adolescence, their fey nature begins to show. Their skin changes to a scaly appearance, with often a grey or bluish hue. Like other fey, their ears soon turn pointed, and their hair is no longer a color typical of humans. It usually turns silvery or light blue. Xanín eyes are special in that they can glow somewhat underwater and allow for better vision than human ones. As part of their fey blood showing, all xaninos grow up to have blue eyes with black sclera, reminiscent of a deep, tranquil lake.

In general, people describe xaninos as beautiful and handsome creatures. Their stature is lithe and graceful, and males are not lacking in muscle. Clothing usually never covers too much and should never restrict movement. They like their feet and arms bare, and give little care to fancy dress. Piercings are usually disliked, as they feel it is invasive. Jewelry like simple necklaces, bangles and bracelets are more acceptable. Xaninos enjoy a great deal of good looks along with eternal youth due to their fey blood lending endless vigor.

Attitudes and Beliefs

Xaninos are strong believers in romantic feelings. They inherit this from their water fey side. Like fey in general, they are somewhat whimsical people, with moods that can change like ocean tides. Something they like to say is "lover, not a fighter." This shows a lot in their personalities, which generally are uninterested towards issues of combat, and far too invested in matters of the heart. However, in the same way they are fierce lovers, they can be fierce and valuable allies when their game face is on. Xaninos are not one to be afraid and abandon a friend in need. In that same way, they take betrayals seriously, and ruined relations with them rarely recover to their fullest.

They are not particularly religious, but they have strong beliefs nonetheless. One might expect that they worship Melora, goddess of the sea. However, they don't particularly find anything appealing about constantly living in nature, and strict religious belief is too rigid for their freedom-loving selves. They like to be free to do as they please, like how the tides must be allowed to flow and ebb. Such is the way of a xanín's heart. There are some who, driven to desperation, may be enticed to serve Umberlee however...

Xanin Communities

Their rarity coupled with their whimsy makes it hard for xaninos to come together in a society. They usually are simply found in human societies, traveling where they please, serenading loves, and such. It is also rumored that xaninos do not get along with one another. They tend to repel each other because of their likeness. That being said, xaninos having children amongst themselves is not unheard of, when they can form a stable union.

Roleplaying a Xanín

Xaninos are a race of people born out of fidelity. They value bonds between creatures and would not put those in danger. At the same time, there are numerous tales of xanín males being heartbreakers and females being maneaters. They walk a thin line between serious lovers and whimsical flirts. Here are a few points to keep in mind when playing a xanín character:

Hopeless Romantics. A xanín is known for their love for, well, love. They love to invest their attention in matters of emotions, from heartbreak, to marriage, and dating. They love to sing songs about love, usually happy ones. Sad songs about love like betrayal make them melancholy.

Diehard Allies. Xaninos are fierce lovers and fighters when what they care about is on the line. They will never abandon a friend to die, and would go as far as making themselves bait to lure threats away. To a xanín, death is a fear second to a life without friendship and love.

Casual. Formalities and stuffy mannerisms are the bane of a xanín's existence. They prefer to speak in colloquialisms and dress as they please due to their love of free living.

Xanin Characteristics: Whimsical, artistic, calming, graceful, confident, loyal

Xanin Male Names: Hlas, Moirea, Murchadh, Failbhe, Rònan

Xanin Female Names: Muireal, Mordine, Dershal, Ceana, Beatha

Xanín Adventurers

Xaninos often develop wanderlust as their fey nature comes to full bloom. They want to live epic stories like that which they sing, and then ultimately fall in love. The romantic in each of them drives their search for adventure.

Sorcerer: Drawing on their ancestry, sorcerer xaninos are very versatile and utilize a number of water and cold spells usually.

Monk: As they dislike armor and the rigid nature of fighters like knights, xaninos thus turn to martial arts. They enjoy the feel of barehand battle. However, these xaninos are rare due to the mental training necessary to produce a monk often.

Warlock: Xaninos are not afraid to ask of greater powers than they to accomplish their goals. They usually turn to warlocks upon realizing their own strength is insufficient, thus requiring they obtain power from a higher source.

Bard: With their natural melodic voice and grace, xaninos are perfect bards. They love of stories as well as themes of love and fidelity are also often purported in their songs and epics.

Below are three examples of xanín adventurers.

Ghel is a xanín warlock that lost his love to an orc invasion. He pleads now to the powers of Umberlee in hopes that it will never come to pass again. He fears not the evil goddess, but the inability to save what he loves again.

Muire is a xanín sorcerer that has tapped into her ancestry. She feels like an outcast due to her powers among her human home. She ventures out to find someone who will be her soulmate.

Leil is a xanín bard that is content to travel and see young love. He makes new songs for every story he finds, and sings them jovially to share them with others in taverns.

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