Fey (Fairies)

Been a little hectic lately with the holiday happening, then me and my wife passing around sicknesses between each other. But after much thought here is another race for my game. This one I like a lot, which I think might be influenced by the fact that I have three daughters.

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The Fey, or fairy as some like to call them, are a relatively new race to the galaxy. Although they have been around for a while, they did not become a part of the galactic scene until recently. Originally they could only be found on one planet alone, and their love for nature was so ingrained in their cultures, no matter where on the planet they were, that they had grown fairly stagnant in their society. The events that lead to them being thrust onto the galactic scene, was a mixed blessing for them.

When the crystalline beings made their entrance into the galaxy, the planet they settled on was the Fey home world. Over half of their population was killed when the Crystalline “ships” landed on the planet’s surface, although it was not an intentional action. When the other races came to investigate the occurrence they stumbled upon the Fey as well as the crystalline beings.

Fey society split in different ways with the sudden introduction of so many new creatures. Some wanted to get to know the crystalline beings better, while others wanted only to fight them; still others were more curious by the new races, and some bartered for passage away from their now ravaged homes. It didn’t take long for the Fey to be integrated into the galaxy, although they do not have any centralized government in any regard as most other races do, and they don’t have any major representation amongst the other races, although they can be found most anywhere now.

Physically Fey resemble humans, although they are slightly smaller and thinner than the average human. They also have a long, thin, and semi-transparent set of wings protruding from their upper backs. In low gravity areas, whether a planet, ship, etc…, they can use these wings to fly; although in higher gravity areas their wings do not give enough support to fly, although they can usually glide for a short time.

Fey are physically androgynous appearance wise; they technically have male/female genders although unless they reveal it to you, or you see them unclothed it is hard to tell them apart. Due to the fact that most of the other races genders are generally easily distinguishable and with their sudden access to technology, a lot of Fey have taken to having surgery to enhance their physical differences. Although this is not a very common occurrence, it is starting to gain more support amongst younger Fey. Although very rare, a small group of Fey have taken to even having their wings surgically removed; making it easier to blend in with humans, or sometimes because of the hindrance with some physical labor jobs.

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Randolph Erickson                             Fey

HP: 9                     

Initiative: 6

Strength: 1

Dexterity: 2

Constitution: 0

Intelligence: 1

Wisdom: 3

Charisma: 3

Base movement speed:  60ft.                    Sneak: 30ft.                        Run: 120ft.

General Skills (max rank 4 at level 1):

Athletics (STR/DEX): 4 ranks

Charm (CHA): 4 ranks

Dodge (DEX): 4 ranks

Empathy/Sense Motive (WIS): 4 ranks

Perception (Spot, Search & Listen) (WIS/INT): 4 ranks

Weapon Ranged Energy (DEX): 4 ranks

Weapon Ranged Ballistic (DEX): 4 ranks

Specialty Skills (max rank 4 at level 1):

Animal Handling (WIS): 4 ranks

Medicine (WIS): 4 ranks

Specialty Weapon Whip (DEX): 4 ranks

Survival (WIS): 4 ranks

Talents (max of 4 at level 1):

Animal Empathy (bonus): +2d to skills like Charm, Intimidate, Bluff, Diplomacy, and Animal handling when used against animals.

Agility: +2d to Athletics, running, sneaking, and climbing. And +10ft. to movement speed.

Toughness: +1d to your health.

Complications (First 3 give you more character points to spend: 5 for first, 3 for second, 1 for third):

Racial Abilities:

Small Wings: You have light wings that can be used to glide 1 minute per CON and break a fall, but you cannot truly fly in normal gravity.

Animal Friend: Gain animal empathy as a bonus talent

Spellcasting Changes and Thoughts

Although this is a time consuming process at times, I'm planning on redoing the spell casting system for my game.

At the moment in order to cast spells you have to take an appropriate spell casting Talent, which opens up the appropriate skill. There are two talents at the moment and each opens up one of two skill associated with it.
The skills determine what spells you can actually cast.
The first talent is Thamaturgy, which lets you choose between the skills Enchanting, or Thamaturgy.
In essence these are Arcane casters.
Enchanters are the buffers, their spells have to be cast on someone or something.
Thamaturgy are a combination, their spells are more attack oriented, although they do have minor buffs and a very minor version of heal.

The other Talent is Faith, which lets you choose between the skills Channeling, and Devotion.
These are the Divine casters.
Channelers are similar to clerics, they have one attack spell to choose from, while the rest of their spells focus on healing damage, curing diseases, removing poison, and a few minor buff spells.
Devotion casters are interesting to me. They are the only caster type that has access to all of their spells. Whenever they cast a spell it is more along the lines of praying for an affect, but the affect that occurs may not be exactly what they want, it is up to the deity they worship as far as what spell takes affect. They do not have any attack spells, but the spells they do have access to are very powerful compared to the other casters.

Although I do like the way it is set up, the times I have gotten to play it has not been received quite so well. Not only that the different talents giving access to different spells in essence seems to create a magical class system in a game where there are technically no classes. Also with the more I think about it, the more I realize that not all, but most stories I read with spell casters, there are not usually distinctions between them, and someone who can call down fire and lightening can also potentially heal at least slightly. Although this is not always the case, I like the feel of that better for my game.

I am still working on the specifics, but what I would like to do is make one spell casting talent
that grants potential access to all the spells for players. As far as figuring out how to regulate how they are at actually casting a spell is part of what I am still working on.

Eventually I would like to work on a more free form spell casting ability, although I do know that the majority of the people I normally play with will never play a more free form spell caster.

Dwarves

Dwarves are short statured beings, with fairly humanoid features. They are generally stubborn, although it has been known for some to overcome this basic urge. The old tradition was for them to grow their beards to long lengths as a show of power. There are a few groups that still practice this, but it is largely ignored by the current dwarven society.

The main resources that dwarves export to the other races are materials from their mining. Barring a few hermits and the like, dwarves don’t live in caves but prefer to build homes away from the mines. Their homes are usually misconstrued as caves because they do like to keep everything close at hand, meaning that their homes and their ships alike are usually built with short ceilings, tight corridors and small rooms.

Dwarves are usually misconstrued as being greedy, hoarders. This is untrue assumption is based upon a few powerful dwarves in the past who were greedy tyrants, who tended to make themselves noticed in their attempt to gain more power. Their current system of government was finally put in place in an attempt to quell any attempts for one person alone to gain control of the people.

Technocracy is the form the government has taken for the largest dwarven nation, although the other countries still use other forms to govern their people. There are many different fields that make up the government, but the largest two groups are mining, and although it is not technological exactly the magical society is the other largest group.

Dwarven magic users are held in high regard among the other dwarves, even if their abilities are extremely limited. Dwarven mages are referred to as Silver Spirits amongst their own, and the majority of their members keep their facial hair shaved, while the hair on their head varies in length by personal preference. The lack of facial hair is by no means a requirement, just a general practice from the past.

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Gillian Kierre                      Dwarf                    HP: 12HP              Initiative: 7

Strength: 1

Dexterity: 2

Constitution: 2

Intelligence: 2

Wisdom: 2

Charisma: 0

Base movement speed:  40ft.                    Sneak: 20ft.                        Run: 80ft.

General Skills (max rank 4 at level 1):

Athletics (STR/DEX): 4 ranks

Concentration (CON): 4 ranks

Dance (DEX): 4 ranks

Empathy/Sense Motive (WIS): 4 ranks

Perception (Search/Spot/Listen) (INT/WIS): 4 ranks

Weapon Ranged Energy (DEX): 8 ranks

Specialty Skills (max rank 4 at level 1):

Appraise (INT): 4 ranks

Photography (INT): 2 ranks

Research (INT): 4 ranks

Talents (max of 4 at level 1):

Combat Sense: add 1 to your initiative.

Expert: Ranged Energy Weapons

Deadly Shot (twice): add +2d damage to ranged energy weapons

Complications (First 3 give you more character points to spend: 5 for first, 3 for second, 1 for third):

Stubborn (racial): When someone disagrees with you, you must get at least 1 success on a wisdom or concentration check or go to extreme lengths to prove you’re correct

Races and Other Thoughts

So sitting down and writing up an explanation behind the races in my world is taking awhile. Between work, school, and three kids it is fun trying to find time to work on personal projects.

It is partially taking me awhile to write things for the races as I am constantly researching and looking things up, about what has been done before, what certain mythologies say, and what each races role in the galaxy would be.

Although some might have similarities to what has been done before, I am trying to steer clear of that too much. One thing I am trying to keep in mind as I'm working on this is that in any race there is bound to be diversity, so I am trying to state the general things that make each race unique so that it does not make it to where a whole race is considered: magical/technological/good/evil/etc...

Dwarves are what I'm working on next and I am finding them to be very interesting.