Veiled

Contributed by: Brian Devlin
The Veiled choose when they want to be seen and when they don't. Rest assured, whatever city you're in there are always more than you think there are.
The Veiled were always a reclusive race, but as the rainforests and jungles of their home sphere, Mong Bal, gave way to desert, The Veiled did what they knew best, they adapted. Now The Veiled have split in philosophies. One operates under the Warlords of Mong Bal Acting as agents in the shadows whenever the warlords need them. Being closer to the top allows you to adapt to changes that haven't even come yet.
The other operates as their ancestors of the jungles did. They hide in the shadows of the city, rarely ever seen by another race and only seen amongst their own race only when they see fit. They are the soft whisper in a dark corner at night, the ever so slight movement in a sewer pipe, the feeling of being watched in an alley all alone. They live their life as observers, still hiding away from the others as their ancestors hid in the jungles. Very few believe they exist at all. But that movement in the corner of your eye, that strange shadow just out of view they are there.

Physical Characteristics

The Veiled are a race of humanoid Chameleons that range from 5’ - 7’ tall. Standing upright at the end of their back spouts a prehensile tail that can be used to wrap around objects for support or straightened out for balance.
Within The Veiled’s mouth is an extremely long tongue measuring between 3 to 4 feet longer then their body, which ends in a specialized sticky ball originally used for capturing prey.

Racial Edges: Cold Blooded.The Veiled’s metabolism varies with the temperature; which some speculate is the reason why every member of the species must make a pilgrimage to cold climates once in their lifetime. Every Veiled Requires two meals a day in warm climates but can eat every other day in cold climates and still be considered to have a full stomach
Independent Eyes.All Veiled have a pair of independently swiveling eyes that can focus on different multiple things at the same time and provide an almost 360 degree range of vision. They receive a +2 bonus to Spot checks. The Veiled can observe 2 things at once, meaning once they’ve spotted a target they cannot lose sight of it by being distracted. They also receive -2 to attacks with ranged weapons in areas where there are large amounts of movement; the character must focus both eyes on a target for ranged attacks
Prehensile Tail.The veiled may use their tails to grip objects for balance or to hang, wrap grip only, additionally the extended range of motion gives them +1 to climb and acrobatics.
Chameleon skin.Their skin is an ever changing mosaic of colors that reflect their mood and can be used to blend in with their surroundings. The colors connected to each emotion are: Green – passive or content, Black – anger or disapproval, White – Fear or submission, Yellow – Surprised or startled, Blue – Sad or disheartened.Veiled receive +2 to sneaking checks when they move across the same type of terrain that they have been on a previous turn. However their mood revealing skin color results in a -2 penalty to bluff.
Double-Thumb Grip.On each hand, The Veiled possess two thumbs instead of one, an evolutionary reference to the trees and branches they once lived in. The Veiled can wield two-hand weapons with one hand. However Their unique physiology puts them at a disadvantage for objects designed with the fine motor skills of other species in mind. They take a -2 penalty to Disable, Repair, and Reloading checks for complex weapons.
Stalk (Sprinting Edge).Millenia of stalking the jungles have dampened the sound out of the Veiled’s steps at high speeds. A veiled may sprint while in stealth. For purposes of enemy sound and sightlines, they are treated as if they are walking for purposes of opposed Sneak Tests.

Backgrounds

Shadowscale Assassin

Employed by the Mong Bal warlords and Assassin’s guilds these Veiled specialize in infiltration, getting close to a target, and discretely removing them.

Background skills: Acrobatics 1d4, Daggers 1d4, Sneak 1d4.

Background edge:Assassinate. If the player gets the drop on a Wild Card three times [can be non-consecutive] they may remove them from the board.

Broadscale Brute

These Veiled act as elite body guards ready to jump from the walls where they hide to intercept any threat they may come to the person they are charged to protect. Generally these Veiled are Larger and are not opposed to drawn out fights of strength as opposed to the more hit and run tactics of other Veiled. These are the most Common Veiled to be encountered if one is to be found. On Mong Bal many of the warlords keep Broadscales in the chambers or war rooms as an unseen asset ready to ambush, subdue, or kill any threats.

Background skills: axes/hammers 1d4, block 1d4, sneak 1d4
Background edge: Takedown. The Corsair may remove an extra from the table (non-lethal or lethal, her choice) by getting the drop on a target. Takedowns are completely silent, and the target cannot reenter play. However, they do leave a body behind.

Shiftscale Scout

Sent to collect reconnaissance information Shiftscales are adept at hiding their presence and studying convoys, stalking targets, or exploring uncharted territory covertly. Thanks to their Camouflage skin they can stay undetected from jungles to cities and everywhere in-between. A Life always somewhere different, always studying a new target has led them to be resourceful for their own needs in unfamiliar territories.

Background skills: Spot 1d4, Survival 1d4, Sneak 1d4.
Background edge: Knowledgeable. Gain 15 extra points to spend on knowledge skills!

Politics

On Mong Bal very few beyond the warlords and their higher ups believe The Veiled to exist. Stories like "The walls themselves moved to surround me" are dismissed as recurring nightmares of someone who lost favor of a warlord and was dismissed from their position. The Mong Bal warlords commoditize the veiled within their midst often raising them to serve as personal servants or slaves. Having a Veiled assassin or bodyguard in one's employ is a sign of great status, although one only a foolish warlord would flaunt openly.
Those veiled who manage to eke out lives outside the thumb of the Mong Bal fare little better. They often know little of their people's original ways and, even if they did, Mong Bal's ecological collapse leaves them few opportunities to commue with nature as their ancestors did. So, they do what they do best and hide, sometimes hiring themselves off as mercenaries or even relocating to other spheres. Off world, most spy agencies, Assassins guilds, and Information brokers have a few Veiled in their employ.

Culture

Once in every Veiled's life they take a step from the shadows to go on their sacred pilgrimage. The walk of the Ice Tree is a pilgrimage every individual is expected to take, where they leave the warm climates of their home to journey to an unbearable cold. It is here their Cold-blooded metabolism almost comes to a stop and they enter the cold sleep, a hibernation of sorts where they commune with The Dream World for guidance, spirit, comfort, and communion with all that have come before. The Veiled of old would climb to the peaks of the mountains on the glacial poles of Mong Bal but with the ever stretching desert and the snow capped peaks long gone, their pilgrimage now stretches off world. It is during this pilgrimage that The Veiled allow themselves to be seen and by this, that some few hear the stories of their race, and an even fewer meet one.
The Veiled are naturally observant and tend to pick up information from town gossip to government secrets. The Veiled greatly prefer staying out of sight unless they are on their pilgrimage and they have gained an understanding that when they are off Mong Bal some interaction with other races is necessary.