Alka (Al-ka)
Beastmen who have the features of various canines, the Alka are loyal companions and fierce defenders, even if they don’t always think things through.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Alka pregnancies' last only 7 months instead of a full year, and multiple births and twins are significantly more common among alka. Alka's who are born without any siblings at all are viewed with superstition and caution. These alka often rise to positions of power in mysticism, such as a cleric or shaman.
Growth Rate & Stages
An alka is known as a pup until it reaches adulthood at 13 years of age.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Alka are almost strictly carnivorous, and have a hard time digesting most plant matter.
Biological Cycle
Alka are less affected by the changing of the seasons and more of the time of day, often becoming overly active in the early mornings and late evenings and are less active during the afternoons. Many alka work early or late night jobs such as road builders or tavern bartenders in order to align with their natural rhythm.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Alka are a pack-based race, and thus place a lot of value on the ideals of the group. An alka who cannot aid the pack is a heavy burden, and an alka who betrays their pack is likely to be hunted down and slain.
Facial characteristics
Alka have canine faces and muzzles, and have powerful jaws that are able to clamp down and damage their foes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The alka are one of the few beastmen that can be found spread throughout all Nine Realms. Central Materan Alka dwell in the country of Huntslan, where they practice their hunting and Teamwork skills.
Average Intelligence
While charming and fun, many alka struggle with higher ideas and thoughts, and often have problems with concepts such as advanced reading and math. The alka are prone to vicious mood swings, with often the littlest details causing them to react in anger or sadness. Luckily, the are equally quick to be cheered up with even small gestures of kindness.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Alka have the ability to see in low-light conditions, but their most defining trait is their intense sense of smell, allowing them to root out even invisible enemies.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Many alka train canines as pets and hunting companions, and such creatures are treated as a member of their own family.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
The alka often join Huntsman Packs, which usually act as bounty hunters or mercenary groups in addition to being woodland hunters.
Beauty Ideals
Due to the alkas incredible sense of smell, scent plays a large part in the alkas ideas of beauty. An alka that constantly smells terrible will be avoided by others, although many value the scent of a hardworking huntsman.
Gender Ideals
While ideals differ from tribe to tribe, for most alka the males become warriors and lead hunters, while the females become the arbiters of societal and family rules.
Courtship Ideals
If not given birth in the last two years, female alkas enter into a heat once a year. This is marked with her becoming overly aggressive for the first half of a month; often to the point of driving any male away who lingers around her more than five minutes. Once this aggressiveness is over, the second half of the month the female becomes acceptive to males. During this time, she gives of a scent that attracts males to her, who often attempt to shower her with gifts or otherwise prove their worth as a mate.
Relationship Ideals
The alka are heavily emotional, and easily make strong bonds of friendships that last for lifetimes. Even when upset or disappointed, an alka is quick to forgive regretful friends. The alka will more often form strong grudges with members of their own race rather than members of a different race.
Average Technological Level
The alka prefer to use practical utilities and place little value in traditional and formal educations. They like to craft traps and other hunting items, and are renowned for their tracking skills.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most alka only speak Alkan and the Common dilect of their realm, but some also pick up Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Neko, Tengu, Terran, or Ursan
Common Etiquette Rules
Due to their social and friendly natures, alka are often polite but blunt. They generally never seek to offend, but lack the higher education for great social etiquette, and often wonder why some creatures go through such complicated lengths to keep others happy instead of just treating them to a nice drink and some friendly company.
Common Dress Code
The alka often craft light clothes out of leather and hide. Such clothes are usually crafted out of the alkas personal kills from the many hunts that their enjoy partaking in.
Common Taboos
For the alka, the betrayal of a pack member is an unforgivable crime that can only be forgiven with the death of the offender.
Historical Figures
One of the members of the Nenu-Lan guild, The Court of Misfits, was an alka swordfighter named Abdul Giligan Gilligar.
Common Myths and Legends
A majority of alka worship their patron deity who they are named after, Alka, the head of the Alkan Pantheon, but can be found worshiping other members of the Alkan Pantheon.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Central Materan alka are quite social and love to interact with the other races, and have quite a good reputation among the other races. Their ability to follow scents mean that they often become bounty hunters, and are often hired by other races for their ability to track. Each of the other realms alka, less so, as each have various problems interacting with the rest of the world. Gnolls are cruel and vain, always looking to gain the upper hand. Kitsune are considered untrustworthy due to their reputations as tricksters and thieves. Latra often consider themselves smarter and more cunning than the other races, and have a reputation of becoming bandits. Dinna are viewed as strange, beastlike and feral. Anuba are often anti-social, liking to keep themselves hidden, and having a reputation as scavengers. The Fenri are often xenophobic, relying on only other fenri of their own pack, and viewing any sort of weakess as repulsive. All alka have an intense dislike of the Neko, which is mutually shared.
Alka Racial Table - Hit Dice: D8; Class Skills: Craft, Diplomacy, Perception, Profession, Survival; Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier points per level; Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, plus natural attacks; Armor Proficiency: Light
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Animal Minded, Bite, Fleet-Footed, Scent |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Loyal Protector, Moody |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Bite Increase, Magic Fang |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Pack Protection, +1 Dexterity, +1 Charisma |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Bite Increase, Relentless |
Random Starting Ages
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 years | +1d4 years (14 - 17) | +1d6 years (14 - 19) | +1d8 years (14 - 21) |
Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5 ft. | +2d10 in. (5 ft. 2 in. - 6 ft. 8 in.) | 85 lbs. | +(2d10x5 lbs.) (105 - 185 lbs.) |
| Female | 4 ft. 10 in. | +2d10 in. (5 ft. - 6 ft. 6 in.) | 70 lbs. | (+2d10x5 lbs.) (100 - 175 lbs.) |
Alka Aging Table
| Middle Age (-1 to Str, Dex, and Con, +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Old (-2 to Str, Dex, and Con, +2 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Venerable (-3 to Str, Dex, and Con, +3 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Maximum Age (GM secretly decides maximum age) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 years | 46 years | 62 years | 62 + 2d10 years (64 - 102 years) |
Random Alka Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-50 | Alka Camp | Bounty Hunter |
| 51-75 | Non-Alka Settlement | Purchased Loyalty |
| 76-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Alka Families
| % Rolled | Parental Status |
|---|---|
| 01-50 | Both of your parents are alive |
| 51-70 | Only Father is alive |
| 71-90 | Only Mother is alive |
| 91-00 | Both of your parents are dead |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-40 | 1d2 Siblings |
| 41-70 | No siblings |
| 71-90 | 1d4 Siblings |
| 91-94 | 1d6-1 Siblings |
| 95-00 | 1 Sibling (twins) |
Lifespan
64 - 102 years
Average Height
5 ft. - 6 ft. 8 in.
Average Weight
100 - 185 lbs.
Average Physique
Alka's are quite quick, able to rapidly chase down its enemies. Young alka have a hard time resisting the urge to chase anybody who moves away from them at any sort of quickened pace.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Alka body fur varies greatly by tribe and realm, but span many colorations, from white to brown to black. Many also gain patterns, such as spots or stripes in their fur.
Related Organizations
Alka
Type
Humanoid (Alka)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Intelligence: Alka are fast and lovable, but not very smart.
Size
medium
Speed
Alkas have a base speed of 40 feet.
Language
An alka begins play speaking Common and Alka. An alka with a high intelligence score may choose from one of the following languages: Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Neko, Tengu, Terran or Ursan.
- Materil: Matera alka can be tied to any of the Materils, although the racial variants are tied to the Materil of their realm. Matera alka tend towards Earthbreakers.
- Low-light Vision: Alkas can see twice as far as humans in low-light conditions.
- Animal Minded: An alka gains a +2 racial bonus to Handle Animal and wild empathy checks towards dog-like creatures. This bonus increases by 1 for every two hit dice the Alka possesses beyond the 1st.
- Bite: An alka gains a Bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage. This is a primary natural attack. The bite damage increases to 1d4 at 3rd racial level and 1d6 at 5th racial level.
- Fleet-Footed: Alka receive Run as a bonus feat and gain a +2 racial bonus to initiative checks.
- Scent (Ex): Alka have the scent ability. An alka can detect foes within 30 feet by its sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Stronger or overpowering scents, such as smoke or a stench aura, may be detected at double or triple the range. The alka doesn't know the exact location of creatures it detects with scent, although it can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the alka, its location is revealed. An alka can attempt to track a creature's trail by scent by making a DC 10 Survival check. For each hour the trail is cold, this DC increases by 2.
- Loyal Protector: At 2nd racial level, an alka receives Bodyguard as a bonus feat.
- Moody: Starting at 2nd racial level, whenever an alka would receive a morale bonus or penalty, they increase that bonus or penalty by 1.
- Magic Fang (Sp): Starting at 3rd racial level, 1/day, an alka can cast magic fang on themselves as a spell-like ability, using their total hit dice as their caster level. At 5th racial level, the alka can use greater magic fang on themselves instead.
- Pack Protection: At 4th racial level, an alka receives In Harm's Way as a bonus feat.
- Relentless (Ex): At 5th racial level, whenever an adjacent creature takes a 5-foot-step away from an alka, the alka can immediately take a 5-foot-step forward and then make an attack of opportunity against that creature (provided they have not used their remaining attacks of opportunity this round). If a creature attempts a withdraw action, they provoke an attack of opportunity from the alka, and as an immediate action, the alka may immediately move up to their speed in the same direction as the withdrawn creature. This movement from the alka provokes attacks of opportunity as normal, and an alka cannot benefit from this ability more than once per round.
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