Saurial
Saurial Ability Score Range
(bb/fn/fl/hh)
bb: Bladeback
fn: Finhead
fl: Flyer
hh: Hornhead
| Ability | Minimum (bb/fn/fl/hh) | Maximum (bb/fn/fl/hh) |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 10/7/3/12 | 18/18/17/18 |
| Dexterity | 3/5/7/2 | 14/18/19/12 |
| Constitution | 5/3/3/8 | 18/18/17/18 |
| Intelligence | 3/3/3/7 | 18/18/18/19 |
| Wisdom | 7/3/3/3 | 18/18/18/18 |
| Charisma | 5/3/3/3 | 18/18/18/18 |
Ability Score Adjustments: The initial ability scores are modified as follows:
Bladeback: +1 Wis, +1 Cha; -2 Dex
Finhead: no bonus or penalty
Flyer: +2 Dex; -1 Str, -1 Con
Hornhead: +1 Str, +1 Int; -2 Dex
Hit Dice: Player character saurials receive hit dice by class. In addition bladebacks receive 2 bonus hit points at first level and hornheads receive 4 bonus hit points.
Alignment: Saurial characters can be of any alignment.
Natural Armor Class: Flyers have a natural armor class of 6, finheads 5, and bladebacks and hornheads 4.
Allowed Classes:- Bladebacks: Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Druid (Specialty Priest), Thief
- Finheads: Fighter, Ranger, Paladin, Mage, Cleric, Druid (Specialty Priest), Thief
- Flyers: Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Druid (Specialty Priest), Thief
- Hornheads: Fighter, Mage, Illusionist (Specialist Mage), Cleric, Druid (Specialty Priest), Thief
Multiclass: Dual-Classing only (as humans)
Height & Weight: Humanoid Average Height & Weight table
Age: Humanoid Age Table
Kit Summary: Humanoid Character Kit Summary
Thieving Skill: Humanoid Thieving Skill Racial Adjusment table
Background: The saurials are a race of lizard people who come from an alternate Prime Material plane. To date they have only appeared in the Realms, having been kidnapped and brought there by the evil god Moander. When the god died, the saurials decided to make the Realms their home.
Saurials are intelligent bipedal lizards that appear to be descended from creatures much like dinosaurs. Those in the Realms live in a single village in the Lost Vale, among the peaks of the Desertsmouth Mountains east of Anauroch. Most are still recovering from the physical, mental and spiritual anguish they suffered as Moander's slaves, and few venture out of the safety of their valley.
There are many different races of saurials, but only four are currently in the Realms. These are the bladebacks, finheads, flyers, and hornheads — names given them by the natives of the Realms. Their own names are a combination of noises and scents that do not translate into human or humanoid speech.
Saurials have brightly colored scales, sharp claws, and tails. The different races have much different body shapes. All, however, are roughly humanoid. Bladebacks are tall, standing about seven feet, with stocky frames and friendly faces. The name given them comes from their most prominent physical feature. Large, sharp scales jut out along their spines, extending from the tops of their heads to the end of their almost body-length tails. Finheads are closest in shape to humans, though slightly shorter, standing about five feet tall. A pronounced fin sweeps from this saurial's head, and it has a tail that is a little more than half the length of its body. Flyers are small, averaging just three feet in height. They have delicate frames, small legs, short tails, and flaps of scale-covered skin hanging from each arm. This skin serves as wings, giving these saurials the ability to fly. Hornheads are the largest of the saurials, standing 10 feet tall with tails that stretch longer than their bodies. Sharp horns protrude from their heads and the great bony plates at their necks, giving this saurial race its name. All saurials come in shades of green mixed with yellow patterns, while flyers sometimes sport red splotches. Rarely, a pure white saurial is born to one of the races.
More than one hundred adult saurials live in the Lost Vale. They consider themselves to be of one tribe. Most of the saurials are farmers and hunters, though a small number of young saurials are becoming adventurers. Saurials think of themselvesas saurials first and their sub-race second. They mate for life, live a long time, and both males and females share equally in all work.
Saurial magic-users use memory sticks instead of spellbooks. These notched poles function like human spellbooks, though they are sometimes mistaken for magical staves by those unfamiliar with saurial customs.
Languages: Saurials cannot speak any human or humanoid language. Their voices are pitched too high for humans to hear, though the olfactory portion of their own language can be detected. They emit scents which carry their emotions, and these can be interpreted by humans familiar with saurials. Those saurials who are PC adventurers usually have some magical item that allows them to communicate with their non-saurial companions.
Role-Playing Suggestions: As time goes on, saurial adventurers like Dragonbait™ will become more common. The inhabitants of the Lost Vale will decide to venture out, and it is possible that others from their home plane may find their ways to the Realms and other campaign worlds.
Those adults in the Lost Vale are a somber lot, hoping the next generation of offspring will bring joy back to their lives. Only the finhead named Dragonbait is known to have taken up adventuring, but the stories he brings back to the valley on his visits have begun to inspire other saurials.
Young saurials grow quickly, reaching adult size in about five years. However, they take as long as humans to mature mentally and socially, so very young saurial PCs could be played as large children who still have a lot of growing up to do. Perhaps they have run away from the Lost Vale, their heads filled with the tales of Dragonbait. Older saurials could leave the valley on some quest, to get away from the somber mood that hangs over the community, or could even be from their homeplane on a mission to find their lost brethren.
Bladebacks are very social beings. They enjoy company, and always find time to socialize. They are the most straight-forward and trusting of the saurial races, but they also understand saurial nature well enough to know the motives and desires of the other races. Slow to anger, bladebacks become passionate fighters when finally roused to battle. They have very long memories, which makes them slow to forgive insults and offenses. Bladebacks tend to be leaders and advisors, and many become priests so they can tend to the needs of the community.
Finheads tend to be alert, bright, active, curious and highly emotional. They often become fighters. Most believe in ultimate good and evil, seeing things in terms of black and white. To finheads, there is one truth — they tend to defend that truth with every muscle in their bodies. New tasks and adventures are greeted enthusiastically. Being impulsive, they often leap into dangerous situations without fully understanding what they are up against. Finheads are the most likely to leave the community to seek out adventure.
Flyers are nervous and skittish. On the ground they are clumsy and ill at ease. In the air, they are graceful and fluid. They are easily irritated and in turn can bevery irritating. They are full of nervous energy, constantly on the move and bouncing around. They love to talk, constantly chattering about gossip and any topic that comes to mind. They are nosy, often snooping on companions just so they can keep tabs on everything that is going on.Flyers act as scouts and messengers.
Flyers flee when danger presents itself. This is done almost on reflex, though they will return if they are needed in a fight. Every flyer knows in the back of his mind that their companions need them, and they often make up stories wherein they save the day for their larger companions. They love to tell these stories over and over again — even if they have no basis in fact.
Hornheads are careful planners and rational thinkers. They never rush into anything. Sometimes they seem dim-witted because they speak slowly and always choose their words with extreme care. Their minds, however, are sharp and quick, and hornheads often take up science and crafts. They make natural wizards. For all their size and strength, they are among the most peace-loving of the saurials. They are not motivated to demonstrate their own strength and power at every occasion. Because of their great size, hornheads can often be found eating. They require a lot of vegetation to maintain their strength.
Many saurials, especially spellcasters, decorate themselves with intricate tattoos which are carved into their scales or bony plates. Though they cannot speak common, some can understand it. They usually do not announce this fact to everyone, preferring the advantage they gain by appearing to be less intelligent than they really are.
Special Advantages: All saurials have infravision to 60 feet.
If necessary, saurials can use their ancient fighting methods. Bladebacks claw twice (1d4 damage each) and swing their razored tails at rear attackers (1d6). Finheads have claws (1d3/1d3) and their whip tail (1d2). Flyers employ their claws and bite (1d2/1d2, 1d2). Hornheads use claws (1d4/1d4), their tail (2d4), can charge with their horns (2d6).
All saurials receive a +2 saving throw bonus against sound-based attacks (such as a harpy charm or a Shout spell).
Flyers fly at a speed of 24 and have are maneuverability class C.
Special Disadvantages: Saurials do not get percentile ratings for Strength regardless of class. Saurial wizards cannot use other races’ spell books or scrolls.
Saurials forced to use non-saurial weapons suffer a -1 attack penalty.
Gas-or scent-based attacks, such as poison gas and Stinking Cloud spells, have a greater effect on saurials. They receive a -2 penalty to saving throws against these attacks.
Bladebacks and hornheads take damage as large creatures.
If exposed to prolonged cold, saurials fall into a torpor called cold sleep. They can resist this for a number of turns equalto their size (flyers, 3 turns; hornheads 10 turns). Times can be doubled if they wear insulated clothing. Warmth revives them one to two hours. More than a day in the cold causes death.
Monstrous Traits: Appearance, size, method of speech.
Superstitions: Saurials fear evil gods due to the treatment they endured under Moander.
Weapon Proficiencies: Any saurial weapons usable by their class are allowed. Fighters can become proficient in non-saurial weapons.
Suggested Nonweapon Proficiencies: Any usable by their class.
Comments