Cactacae
Overview
Hailing originally from the Cymeki Desert, this race of large, bulky cactus-folk is a common sight on the Rohagi continent. They exhibit a wide range of personality traits which differ greatly between individuals as well as regions. Though generally cactacae tend to be slightly more straight-forward and blunt than humans.
Physical Description
Most Cactacae are noticeably larger than humans, standing 7 to 8 feet tall, and possessing a considerable bulk, weighing as much as 500 to 700 pounds. Common skin colors for cactacae are shades of green, although yellows, browns, and even grays are not unheard of. In addition, their “skin” is exceptionally thick and fibrous, making them notoriously difficult to wound. These traits make the Cactacae natural-born fighters.
In spring, many Cactacae sprout small red or yellow flowers along the ridges of their skin. More distinctive are the sharp spines which protrude from every surface of a cactacae’s body, ranging in size from tiny thorns to finger-long needles. Even their faces and the palms of their hands are studded with these spines, although most Cactacae pluck these regions, similar to how humans might shave. Some Cactacae who are in continual, close contact with humans will even pluck their whole bodies, in order to avoid accidentally harming others.
Cactacae heads sit flat on their shoulders, without necks. This, as well as their barrel-like chests and thick trunk-like limbs, means that Cactacae have very poor flexibility, and often appear to to be plodding or lumbering. Their fingers are thick and fairly clumsy, although their grip is powerful enough to crush bones. Cactacae sleep standing up, with their legs locked. An oily sap flows through their veins rather than blood, and their bones are strangely shaped, unlike any vertebrate’s skeleton. Furthermore, their bones closely resemble wooden branches in both structure and composition, complete with growth rings.
Cactacae Lands
The Cactacae are a wide ranging people who inhabit many regions. Communities of cactacae are spread throughout the central and southern portions of Rahagi, from the grasslands of the north, all the way through the Cymeki Desert in the south. Most of the major cities in these regions, including New Crobuzon, Cobsea, and Myrshock contain significant minorities of Cactacae in their populations. The largest concentration of Cactacae lies in the Cymeki Desert, their ancient homeland. In particular, the prosperous cities of Dreer Samher and Shankell have populations which are predominately Cactacae.
Religion
Most Cactacae follow The Order Of The Sun and revere Sanshad, the Sun god, although some populations are not very devout.
Language
Cactacae have no single language. Much like humans, they speak whichever language is prevalent in the region. The most common language in the region of the Cymek Desert is Sunglari, and the most common in the north is Ragamoll.
Thaumaturgy
The Cactacae are no strangers to thaumaturgy, although their native crafts are mostly geared toward aiding survival in the desert. Most Cactacae prefer a profession more hands-on and direct than thaumaturgy
Racial Traits: +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -4 Dexterity.
Medium: As Medium creatures, cactacae have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Cactacae base land speed is 30 feet. Cactacae can move at this speed even while wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations.)
Natural Armor: Cactacae gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their armor class.
Plant Type: Cactacae are members of the Plant type and gain nearly all of the abilities and vulnerabilities of that type, including immunity to poison, sleep effects, polymorph, paralysis, and stunning. They have low-light vision and are not subject to critical hits. Unlike other members of their type, they do require sleep and are not immune to mind-effects.
Powerful Build: The physical stature of a cactacae lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a cactacae is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts,) the cactacae is treated as one size larger, if doing so is advantageous. A cactacae can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, their space and reach remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
Spines: Thousands of tough spines cover the cactacae body. These protrusions allow them to deal 1d6 points of lethal damage (instead of 1d4 nonlethal) when they choose to deal damage as part of a successful grapple.
Heat Endurance: +4 racial bonus on constitution checks made to resist the effects of hot weather.
Weapon Familiarity: Cactacae may treat rivebows, chakri, and greatcleavers as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Natural Carpenters: +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to wood and to plants.
Automatic Languages: Ragamoll and Sunglari.
Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic.)
Favored Class: Fighter
Sub Races:
Ge-ain (The Tardy)
Using thaumaturgy, the cactacae tribes who dwell in the northern Galaggi Veldt keep some of their bulbs in a coma for months after the others have long since crawled up from the soil. These late bloomers are “the Tardy.” When they do grow to wakefulness, these cactacae are warped by the thaumaturgy that retarded their birth. They are enormous, ranging from 10 to 14 feet in height, with bent wooden bones, fused fingers, and encrusted, thickened skin. Their misshapen tongues and lips make them slur and mangle their speech. The average Tardy’s senses are very sharp, but they live in constant pain from this over-stimulus, as well as their other deformities. The cactacae never give the Tardy names, but they both fear and worship these twisted forms of their own kind. The reason for the existence of the Tardy is so that they can serve as lookouts and defenders of the cactacae villages. Their size and strength make them unparalleled in physical combat, and only the most determined aggressors would take on a village guarded by the Tardy. TARDY TRAITS: +8 Strength, +6 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence, -6 Dexterity.
Large: -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack roles, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus to grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium creatures.
Land speed: 30 feet. Tardy can move at this speed even while wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations.)
Natural Armor: Tardy gain a +5 natural armor bonus to their armor class.
Deformed Skin: Tardy possess exceptionally thick skin, granting them damage reduction of 10/bludgeoning or slashing.
Enhanced Senses: The Tardy gain a +3 racial bonus on perception checks.
Plant Type: Cactacae are members of the Plant type and gain all of the abilities and vulnerabilities of that type, including immunity to poison, sleep effects, polymorph, paralysis, and stunning. They have lowlight vision and are not subject to critical hits. Unlike other members of their type, they require sleep and are not immune to mind-affecting effects.
Large Spines: Thousands of tough spines cover the cactacae body. These protrusions allow them to deal 1d10 points of lethal damage (instead of 1d4 nonlethal) when they choose to deal damage as part of a successful grapple.
Weapon Limitations: Due to their deformities, lack of dexterity, and very large digits, Tardy are reduced to using simple, oversized weapons, favoring clubs. Bows, rivebows, and firearms are beyond their ability to operate. Greatcleavers are treated as martial weapons, rather than exotic.
Slurred Speech: Very few Tardy would have the wherewithal to become a spellcaster, but even those who might have the aptitude are hindered by their deformed mouths and lips. The Tardy suffer a 15% arcane spell failure chance on any spell with a verbal component.
Automatic Language: Ragamoll.
Bonus Languages: Galaggi, Salt.
Favored Class: Barbarian
Their tremendous size and dimwittedness make the Tardy not only terribly conspicuous, but of limited use.
Mountain Cactacae
A slightly smaller sub-race of cactacae live in the steppes and the Bezhak Peaks that lie northeast of New Crobuzon. These cactacae only stand 6 to 61/2 feet tall, and weigh in at 350-400 pounds. Their smaller stature is an adaptation for living in the mountains, as opposed to the deserts. Skin colorations of grays and browns are more common among this breed. Communities of mountain cactacae are noticeably more insular and territorial than the cactacae of the Cymek, although they are not excessively aggressive.
MOUNTAIN TRAITS: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -4 Dexterity.
Medium: As Medium creatures, cactacae have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Land speed: 30 feet. Mountain cactacae can move at this speed even while wearing medium armor or carrying a medium load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations,) but suffer normal penalties with heavy armor or a heavy load.
Natural Armor: Cactacae gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their armor class.
Plant Type: Cactacae are members of the Plant type and gain all of the abilities and vulnerabilities of that type, including immunity to poison, sleep effects, polymorph, paralysis, and stunning. They have lowlight vision and are not subject to critical hits. Unlike other members of their type, they require sleep and are not immune to mind-affecting effects.
Spines: Thousands of tough spines cover the cactacae body. These protrusions allow them to deal 1d4 points of lethal damage (instead of 1d4 nonlethal) when they choose to deal damage as part of a successful grapple.
Altitude Endurance: +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of high altitude.
Weapon Familiarity: Cactacae may treat rivebows, chakri, and greatcleavers as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Natural Carpenter: +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to wood.
Automatic Language: Ragamoll.
Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic.)
Favored Class: Fighter
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Feminine names are usually in relation to flowers, colours or spines
Masculine names
Masculine names are usually in relation to size, stature or strength but as mentioned below all names are considered unisex
Family names
All names in Cactacae culture are regarded as unisex. They are usually physical observations of the individual and are given on the day they turn 2 (Example Grows-All-Seasons). All, except the 5 Houses of Cymek have no surname or family name.
Culture
Common Dress code
Cactacae are naturally comfortable without any clothing, but those who reside near humans often take to wearing coloured sashes, loincloths, and rich jewellery – anything that won’t be easily ruined or impeded by their spiny skin. Those who wish to wear close-fitting garments or armour must pluck the spines from the region in question.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Ge-ain (The Tardy)
Using thaumaturgy, Cactacae tribes who dwell in the northern Galaggi Veldt keep some of their bulbs in a coma for months after the others have long since crawled up from the soil. These late bloomers are “the Tardy.” When they do grow to wakefulness, these Cactacae are warped by the thaumaturgy that retarded their birth. They are enormous, ranging from 10 to 14 feet in height, with bent wooden bones, fused fingers, and encrusted, thickened skin. Their misshapen tongues and lips make them slur and mangle their speech.
The average Tardy’s senses are very sharp, but they live in constant pain from this over-stimulus, as well as their other deformities. The Cactacae never give the Tardy names, but they both fear and worship these twisted forms of their own kind. The reason for the existence of the Tardy is so that they can serve as lookouts and defenders of the Cactacae settlements. Their size and strength make them unparalleled in physical combat, and only the most determined aggressors would take on a Settlement guarded by the Tardy.
Using thaumaturgy, Cactacae tribes who dwell in the northern Galaggi Veldt keep some of their bulbs in a coma for months after the others have long since crawled up from the soil. These late bloomers are “the Tardy.” When they do grow to wakefulness, these Cactacae are warped by the thaumaturgy that retarded their birth. They are enormous, ranging from 10 to 14 feet in height, with bent wooden bones, fused fingers, and encrusted, thickened skin. Their misshapen tongues and lips make them slur and mangle their speech.
The average Tardy’s senses are very sharp, but they live in constant pain from this over-stimulus, as well as their other deformities. The Cactacae never give the Tardy names, but they both fear and worship these twisted forms of their own kind. The reason for the existence of the Tardy is so that they can serve as lookouts and defenders of the Cactacae settlements. Their size and strength make them unparalleled in physical combat, and only the most determined aggressors would take on a Settlement guarded by the Tardy.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Cactacae reproduce by planting fertilised bulbs in the soil, which hatch into Cactacae children who dig their way up out of the ground. In their native homeland the planting of the bulbs is an important ritual which takes place just before the cool season each year. Each community has a birthing tree or garden plot where every member places their bulbs together to germinate. Religious communities will usually have a rigorous ceremony lead by a Sun Speaker who will then tend the area until the last seedlings climbs free (usually 7-9 months)
Major organizations
- Cymeki Empire
- Tesh
- New Crobuzon
Related Organizations
Related Items
Related Locations
