Ancelari
Ancelari are probably going to wind up in SteamWorks, so they may not be up here all that long.
The Ancelari are roughly based off of the protoss of Starcraft.
Ancelari
The history of the ancelari is shrouded in mystery; all that is known is that they mysteriously appeared around the time of the Woodland League, and have been around since.
In Trinity, the ancelari are a dying people; there were not many that appeared to begin with, and their numbers continue to dwindle. They are among the longest-lived races known, and it is even said that there is an ancelar that has served in all the wars the world has ever experienced - the truth of this claim is unknown, but it is a common enough myth that it is used as the example of an ancelar.
Personality: Ancelari are wanderers, natural loners who tend to travel light. Through their travels, they have learned to distance themselves from others, as they often move on long before any solid relationships can form. Even if they befriend someone, an ancelar rarely sees them as more than an asset, to be moved and used as each new situation demands. The trust an ancelar is not won easily, and even if attained is difficult to retain.
Ancelari live their lives on the road, and as such have little use for settled lands. They often wander the roads and byways of the worlds, seeking a higher purpose.
Physical Description: Ancelari are alien in almost every sense of the word. While they have a similar shape to most hymanoids, their physiologies differ greatly. Their skin is rough and textured like scales, and is typically a black to dark blue in coloration. Their eyes are large and consist of a single color, lacking irises or puils. They have no mouth or nose; where these would be on a typical humanoid, they have a flat region, with three vertical slits on either side of their face that enable them to breathe. They are typically quite tall in comparison to humans, and their extremities slightly longer. They have no hair, and it is nearly impossible for a non-ancelar to tell a male and female ancelar apart. They typically dress in light, highly ornate clothes, often decorated with characters in Lotharie. Most ancelari also wield guns of unusual design, which they brought with them from whence they came.
Relations: Ancelari rarely get close to anyone; their relations with others always have a certain distance about them. Their telepathic ability tends to set others on edge, as does their alien appearance; however, those that frequently encounter ancelari find them to be decent companions, once initial suspicions are quieted. Ancelari rarely communicate at length with anyone, not even with other ancelari.
Alignment: Ancelari live by their word, a lawful trait, but rarely settle in any one place for long, a chaotic trait. They help others they encounter if it suits their purpose, which puts them at neutral in terms of good and evil. Ancelari often simply take things as they come, a chaotic trait, but will often plan their moves meticulously in a given situations, a lawful trait. Most ancelari are lawful neutral or simply neutral.
Ancelari Lands: The ancelari have no home to call their own. While some may dwell for extended periods in lands where they are welcome, they do not usually stay in one locale for long. Most ancelari are encountered on the trail. Wherever they came from, they do not return to it.
Religion: The ancelari are not a religious people; most actively refuse to follow any deity, instead preferring to trust in their own skills and, perhaps, a little luck. While rare, religious ancelari often revere Eidolons, while some will follow the more lawful Saints or Lucavi.
Language: Ancelari communicate in their own language, called Ancelari, which is an ornate language that is highly complex, as it makes use of certain elements of the mind that make it impossible for the language to be spoken - it can only be used in telepathic communication. While ancelari tend to learn other languages, they still must communicate telepathically, as they lack vocal chords - however, unlike most telepathy, this ability is inborn and not psionic in nature, allowing them to communicate with beings as such artilects and espers with little to no difficulty.
Names: Ancelari names are part of an ancient tradition handed down from their homeland, or so they say. Since they came to Trinity, the ancelari seem to have little use for each other; rarely will a couple come together to produce children. Ancelari do not use family names, and it is not known if they ever did.
Male Names: Artanix, Fenir, Tarradar, Zeratul.
Female Names: Calanix, Gelindar, Janir, Royinir.
Adventurers: Ancelari are born adventurers; wanderlust and a restless spirit seem to run in the ancelari blood, and so they often set out on their own soon after they have mastered the basics of their chosen profession. Rarely does an ancelar choose a normal path and settle down; they almost always take up the adventuring life.
Ancelar Racial Traits
- +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom. Ancelari are nimble and capable of good judgment, both qualities which have come after centuries of wandering the world.
- Abberation: Ancelari are abberations, not humanoids, and as such are not subject to spells, device, or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person.
- Medium-size.
- An ancelar’s base land speed is 30 feet.
- Lowlight vision with a base multiplier of x2.
- Unlike other abberations, ancelari do not have darkvision.
- Firearm Heritage: Ancelari are trained from birth in the use of firearms, as it is one of the few arts of their history they have maintained. Ancelari gain automatic proficiency with all simple firearms and a single advanced firearm of his choice.
- Telepathy (Ex): Ancelari do not communicate via speech; instead, they are naturally possessed of telepathic ability, and can communicate with any creature within Medium range (100 feet + 10 feet/character level) that they can see. They must share a language with the creature. An ancelar can simultaneously transmit thoughts to up to 1 creature per character level + his Intelligence modifier; the thoughts must be the same (this way, an ancelar can speak to a group of people without having to communicate with each one individually). An ancelar's telepathy is a language-depedent, mind-affecting effect, and can only affect creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher.
- Naturally Psionic: An ancelar gains 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
- The Touch (Ps): As an ancelar advances in level, he gains psi-like abilities as indicated on the table below; these abilities are collectively known as the Touch. The benefits from the Touch are cumulative. The ancelar has a manifester level equal to one-half his character level (minimum 1st). The saving throw DCs are Charisma-based.
The Touch Level Abilities 1st Empathy (3/day), Sustenance (1/day) 3rd Read Thoughts (3/day) 6th Mental Barrier (3/day) 9th Mind Probe (1/day)
- Automatic Languages: One Common language, two Trade languages, Ancelari. Bonus Languages: Any.
- Favored Class: Choose one - gunslinger, psychic warrior, ranger, soulknife.
- LA: +1.