Walking for weeks had made the human woman tired, thirsty and hungry. With little left in her backpack save for a few drops of water, and a few scraps of dried meat, she knew she had to find shelter and civilization sooner, rather than later. The red desert stretched on forever, and although she was a well-equipped and experienced traveler who had seen many moons in the wilderness, the weight of her pack felt all the more heavy under the scorching rays of the ever-shining sun, as she struggled with finding her footing and her balance, on the red, shifting sands. After hours more of traveling, and nothing in sight, save from the occasional vulture flying overhead, she was elated to finally spot a large rock-like formation in the distance. Walking faster now with the newfound hope in her heart, she traveled towards the promise of shelter. As she arrived however, and climbed up on the sharp, brownish rock with clumsy steps, she spotted a pair of shining yellow eyes in the darkness a bit further into the mountain. Before she could react, a bow was drawn, there was the recognizable sound of a flying arrow, and then, the experienced human woman felt the heat of blood spreading in her chest and darkness lick at her vision, as a bone arrow pierced her heart.
Vulpin Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1, your Charisma increases by 1, your Wisom increases by 1.
Age. Vulpin typically reach physical maturity at slightly faster rate than humans, and they are considered adults from the time they are fully grown. This is usually around 15 years of age. Vulpin live only marginally shorter than humans on average.
Alignment. Most Vulpin tend to be neutral, many leaning towards true neutral as an alignment. There are individuals who lean towards the gentler side of chaos due to their inborn curiosity however, and there are others who follow their clans traditions religiously and thus often end up on the lawful side of the spectrum.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Languages: Vulpin speak a language known as “Ede”. It is completely unique to the Vulpin, but somewhat resembles the language the Kath’Rakh spoke 300 years ago.
(Ede uses the Yoruban translator: https://www.webtran.eu/yoruba_english_translator/ )
Vision: Dark Vision
Favored Time Of Day: Evening, Night and Morning
Favored Climate: Warm, dry
Favored Terrain: Deserts
Bonus Proficiencies:
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Lean and Agile: You have proficiency in the Acrobatics skill.
Strong Physique: You have proficiency in the Endurance skill.
Light on Your Feet: You have proficiency in the Stealth skill.
Survivor: You have proficiency in the Survival skill.
Vulpin Weapon Training:
Most Vulpin learn to wield weapons at a young age to defend themselves against the beasts of the Red Desert. You are proficent with the traditional weapons of the Vulpin; the simple weapon: short bow, and daggers, and the martial weapons: pike, schimitar, spear.
Desert Born:
Naturally adapted to hot climates and the scorching desert landscape, you have resistance to fire damage. You also do not experience drawbacks while in desert terrain.
Exploit Vulnerability:
When you score a critical hit, you can roll one of the weapons damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Sharp Claws:
When doing an unarmed strike with your hands, you do 1d4 damage + your strength modifier.
Extraordinary Senses:
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Vulpin have very good hearing and a very good sense of smell, making them notice little changes in the environment other races might overlook.
Appearance
Vulpin are sleight of frame and small of height. With the fur that covers 80 percent of their bodies, most furless races find the Vulpin fascinating and exotic. Their big eyes, small noses and beautiful coloured coat, easily enrapture unfamiliar onlookers, for good and for bad. The Vulpin easily stand out in a crowd of humans, and due to this they often have problems blending into human society. Luckily, most live highly reclusive lives and rarely have to blend in with anyone but their own.
Size and build: Vulpin are a smaller than humans on average. Male and females both average at about 155cm. They have slender builds. Your size is Medium.
Fur colours: Vulpin tend to come in shades of brown and red. Other variations like black, blue, and white exist, but is slightly rarer. Their fur sometimes has slight colour variations and patterns throughout their coats, but most are completely solid. The fur in the faces of the Vulpin tend to be a lighter shade, and it is often thinner and softer than the fur on the rest of their bodies.
Hair colour: Their hair almost always matches their fur colour, but variations do exist.
Eye color: Vulpin almost always have amber, brown, yellow or orange eyes.
Ears: The ears of the Vulpin are situated closer to the top of their head than most other races, and they resemble a fox or a cat in appearance and are always turned upwards. Some Vulpin have long ear tufts at the end of their ears.
Clothes and adornments: Vulpin wear practical armour of leather and hide from the beasts which they hunt. Sometimes they also use the exoskeleton, or chitin, of giant bugs to create their arms and armor, as many of these types of creatures are frequently found in the desert in which they live. Other decorations include the occasional gemstones, necklaces of bone and teeth, and feathers of large birds.
During the scorching desert middays, the Vulpin wear light clothing covering up most of their bodies. This is to protect their skin from the sun, and to create some shade as to ppearance:not get overheated. Despite their bodies being covered in a light fur that protects them from the sun’s rays, the days in the Red Desert can become so scorching hot, that extra clothing is necessary. Because of this, Vulpin are known to weave some of the finest fabrics in all the land. As light and soft as the finest silk and made from the strong and durable fibres of the local plant life, their fabrics are universally sought after. They rarely share their secret or trade these fabrics to others however, so the exact science of how they are made is still largely a mystery.
Many Vulpin wear warpaint made from the blood of prey mixed with natural dyes. This is to appear threatening to outsiders as well as other Vulpin who encroach on their territory, and is sometimes also used to attract potential mates in the mating season.
Diet
Vulpin are omnivores and scavengers, they consume most anything available to them as food and water is quite scarce in the areas of which they live. Cacti, bugs and snake meat being very common nutrition. They also hunt what there is to hunt in the deserts, so fowl, rodents and red meat is also occasionally on the menu. Despite their highly reclusive nature, sometimes individuals come together to hunt giant game, but this is quite rare unless there is a special occasion or religious festival happening.
Their food is usually grilled or smoked, seasoned with various spices and plants they find in their territories. Many also eat their food raw. Vulpin dishes are often a mix of a variety of exotic ingredients, and it can occasionally be quite spicy, not for the faint of heart.
History
The history of the Vulpin is shrouded in mystery. Many a scholar has tried to track the true origin of the race, but none have thus far been succesful. The first recorded emergence of the Vulpin on Gaea were as slaves under the Kath’Rakhi people at the end of the First Age. After nearly 260 years serving the Kath’Rakh under horrible conditions, a group of Vulpin broke free from their rule during an unified rebellion in 2A 252. These Vulpin, known by their people as the «First Nomads» began a dangerous journey to find a place of their own, and ended up in the Red Desert in south esastern Ibira. The Red Desert is a highly dangerous area categorized by its deadly wildlife and even deadlier climate, but the survivors of the Vulpin were desperate, and have since made a living for themselves traversing areas where no one else dare wander.
After they settled down in the Red Desert, the Vulpin developed a culture based around extreme reclusiveness, even within their own race. Why this practice came to be is unknown, but the race still to this day wander, primarily in complete solitude. Vulpin individuals still meet up with others of their species during specific dates of the year, but apart from these large racial meetings, most spend their time alone in the vast desert.
Personality and Reputation
Vulpin commonly dislike and shy away from all others, even other Vulpin. Vulpin individuals have large areas which they consider their territory, and these areas are given to each individual Vulpin based on a range of complicated societal rules and norms. As the race are nomadic by nature however, traveling big distances through the large desert areas they call home, they can occasionally meet travelers of other races, or individuals of Vulpin origin of which they are unfamiliar with. This most often leads to the Vulpin avoiding the other individual, staying largely unnoticed. If however, the trespasser should be so bold as to in one way or another threaten the Vulpin’s control of his or her territory, the Vulpin are ready to fight, tooth and claw, to protect which they deem theirs. Not even familiar bonds can prevent fights over territory, and there have been many stories of children leaving their mother as adolescents, for then to come back as adults and challenge her territory. In these situations, no mercy would be shown to the offspring, and the mother would have no qualms about killing even her own children should they break the norms of Vulpin society.
Which Vulpin who controls which area is largely decided by age and strength, and it is quite possible to aquire new territories by killing the Vulpin who formerly considered the area theirs. Despite of this territorial natures, and their ruthlesness when it comes to killing trespassers, the Vulpin take no pleasure in fighting, and are generally a calm and peaceful people. They have no interest in raiding settlements which have done them no wrong, and they have no interest in revenge or hatred. The Vulpin who have traveled outside of the Red Desert and have settled in other places on the continent, are generally a very agreeable and curious lot, who take great pleasure in learning about others. Most Vulpin will never quite outgrow their reclusive natures however and are most often shy and private in meetings with others.
The Vulpin are not considered a part of the Ibirian Empire, and neither are they in any way allied of the Ibirian Humans or any of their allies. This has caused some tension between the Human settlements on the fringes of the Red Desert. The Vulpin also have a strong dislike for the Kath’Rakh who enslaved them hundreds of years ago.
Society
As Vulpin are a nomadic people, their society and culture are quite different from all others on Gaea. Although the Vulpin are a reclusive and individualistic people, some semblance of society does exist. The Vulpin meet up with all the other individuals of their race four times a year, once every shift in season. Although seasons in the Red Desert are slight compared to the seasons in more temperate areas, there are seasonal different in the climate and weather which the Vulpin are dependent on understanding to survive in their inhospitable territories. These seasonal meetings are extremely important to the Vulpin. Here they share knowledge about the migratory patterns of prey, the changes in weather, the development of the other races that surround them as well as give updates about which new Vulpin have died, aquired territory, lost territory and whom have given birth to who. These gatherings find place at the exact same place every season, and this location is considered holy by the Vulpin. None are allowed to fight, draw their weapon, lie or insult others at this holy place, as keeping the peace is paramount when dealing with such a territorial and reclusive species. Many also find mates at these gatherings, but the matings are rarely more than an one-night stand, and the individuals feel no particular affection towards each other after the gathering has concluded.
One specific sub-group of the Vulpin stay at this location year-round. These are holy shamans and astrologians who read the stars and convey their meaning to the rest of the Vulpin during the season gatherings, known as «Sages». Any Vulpin can choose to become a sage and to devote their lives to the protection of the holy site of the Vulpin. However, this means that the sage must abandon all territory, as well as give up on the notion of ever having children. The sages also have to go through painful rituals to become attuned to the earth and the stars, and many die in the process. These sages are considered the «leaders» of Vulpin society, if there have been unjust happenings requiring divine judgement, the sages decide who lives and who dies, as well as who keeps and who loses territory.
The majority of the Vulpin travel the Red Desert alone, although some choose to stay in small groups of five or less individuals. Usually these groups are composed of a mother and her adult children, or siblings who have chosen to stay togheter to more easily survive and hunt in the Red Desert. In rare cases Vulpin mates also choose to travel togheter, sometimes bonding for their entire lives, but this is not common practice and is highly unusual for their race.
There are no real societal differences between males and female in Vulpin culture. The only major difference is that the females give birth to and tend to and travel with their young till they are old enough to hunt and survive on their own, usually at around the age of 13-14. Vulpin women can give birth to up to four kits in a single litter, although more than three is atypical and usually leads to one or two of the young ones to die before reaching adulthood due to lack of nutrition. Due to only having one litter every 13-14th year, the Vulpin mothers protect their young fiercely.
Religion
Vulpin are a fairly religious people, but how they practice this religion vary greatly from individual to individual. Vulpin theology is mostly concerned with the stars and how astrology can tell the past and the future. They believe that constellations and the alignment of the planets is crucial to life on the material plane. All Vulpin participate in the seasonal gatherings of their people, who are quite ritualistic and religious in practice, but apart from this Vulpin spirituality is something personal to each Vulpin.
Apart from astrology many Vulpin also follow the old magical practice of shamanism. They believe that spirits and elements can be communed with, and they often leave offerings to their ancestors or the elements, in hopes that these divine powers will bring them luck on their hunts.
EXPERT HUNTSMEN
The Vulpin are among the most resourceful and adept hunters on the continent. Every individual has to hunt for their own survival from a very young age. This has made them cunning hunters and stalkers, with an abnormally high success rate. Vulpin can track their prey days on end due to their impressive endurance, and when they finally catch up with their tired target, their sharp reflexes and proficiency with a variety of weapons usually leads to success. This a tough lifestyle however, and the Vulpin without the necessary skills usually die young.
Vulpin, due to their reclusiveness, also tend to create their own arms and armour from the skin, hide, scales and bones of their game. These weapons are often flimsier than the metal weapons of other races, but no less deadly. Vulpin also learn to use poisons to their advantage at a very young age. Their arrows tend to be coated in paralyzing agents, which leaves the prey unable to move before it is too late.
CUNNING SURVIVORS
As most Vulpin live their entire lives in the hazardous Red Desert, they have learned resourcefulness as a survival skill. There are none more cunningly skilful in the art of survival anywhere else on the planet, and the Vulpin have realized that a quick mind can be far more valuable than a strong arm. Most Vulpin also stay away from conflicts unless absolutely necessary, and most have discovered that the art of stealth and going by travellers unnoticed, is a far better tactic than head-on confrontation. This is made possible by the Vulpin’s travelling habits. No matter the destination they travel as light as possible, and often sleep under the stars or in makeshift burrows instead of dragging around tents and hammocks which slow them down and make them easier prey for predators and bandits alike.
The Vulpin need to drink as any other race however, and despite their resistance to thirst and their ability to more effectively use the water they drink than most other races on Gaea, the Red Desert is a dry area with few water sources. This dependency means that they need to constantly carry around some quantities of drinkable water, which they carry around on their backs and store in special clay pots that keep the water somewhat cool.
ADEPT NAVIGATORS
Vulpin, living in a dry and barren landscape, have learned ways to find water, shelter and navigate their environment by reading the stars. Most have an almost inborn ability to look at the stars and constellations, and as such can tell south from north instinctively. These abilities naturally work best when the night sky is available to read, though they are extremely adept navigators also in the darkest of forests and the seas at daytime.
Classes
Magic: Vulpin are not a magical people by nature, but due to their resourcefulness and skills at adapting to any situation, some pick up classes of the arcane if necessary, or sometimes out of curiosity. If young Vulpin show an aptitude towards more primal forms of magic however, they are often sent to the sages to learn, and through this; often become sages themselves.
Mix: Some Vulpin bards exist, though they are somewhat rare, paladins even more so. This is due to the race’s isolationist nature.
Non-Magic: This is where most Vulpin truly shine. Vulpin that follow the path of the fighter, the ranger or the monk are very adept and effective. Rogues are also very common. The Vulpin fighting styles have been passed down through generations, and they pride themselves on their dexterity and ingenuity on the battlefield.
Vulpin Names
Vulpin names are somewhat unique in the way that they don’t follow the usual first name + surname setup as most other races do. Vulpin receive a given name at their birth by their mother, and this name follows them the rest of their lives. As a kind of substitute “surname” the Vulpin use their mother’s name. All Vulpin birthed by the same mother would use her name after their given names, preceded by a phrase based on whether the child was the firstborn, secondborn, thirdborn, fourthborn, fifthborn and so on, in their litter. Sometimes the Vulpin shorten this to just “of *mother’s name*” in conversation with other races however.
Male Names: Kirabo, Kendi, Urian, Zaim, Uma
Female Names: Alika, Hamidi, Isabis, Jamilah, Kali
“Surnames” (if the mother’s name is Alika):
Firstborn: Akọbi ti Alika
Secondborn Tuntun ti Alika
Thirdborn: Kẹfa ti Alika
Fourthborn: Kẹrin ti Alika
Fifthborn: Karun ti Alika
Sixthborn: Kẹta ti Alika
Examples: Kirabo Karun ti Alika (short: Kirabo ti Alika), Kali Akobi ti Alika (short: Kali ti Alika)
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