Antling
Resembling small upright ants, Antlings work tirelessly and with great purpose in the service of their massive hives.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Antlings lay eggs in large hatcheries that are buried deep in the mound, with each caste having their own sections and hatcheries. An antling egg that is not fertilized will always hatch into a male, while fertilized eggs will always hatch into a female. Eggs laid by the queen are considered royal, and her children act as the nobility and facilitators of the rest of the mound.
Growth Rate & Stages
A antling reaches adulthood at 13 years of age, before which it is spent apprenticing to learn its future work, which is decided for it at birth.
Dietary Needs and Habits
An antlings diet is decided by its class, with the worker class subsiding mostly on mushrooms and plant matter, the warrior class eating meat, and the noble class partaking in all foods, as well as exotic dishes such as honey and suger.
Biological Cycle
Antling mounds often build up in the summer and fall, preparing for the winter months. Once winter arrives, they seal off their mounds and wait for winter to pass before reopening in the spring.
Additional Information
Social Structure
While, smaller pure antling hives exist, most antlings serve under the Formians, large more monstrous ant-like creatures. Antling society is strictly caste based, with one only being able to rise above its birth cast in cases when the upper caste becomes severely depleted due to warfare. Many antlings cannot imagine living in a different cast, and can quickly accept a situation that they are placed in.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Antlings are heavily valued as slaves due to their physical power and lack of free spirit.
Facial characteristics
Antlings have antenna, the length of which denotes which class they are a part of. Lower ranks have longer antenna and higher ranks shorter.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Most antlings dwell in and under the expansive mountain range known as The HIvelands, but can also be found in The Underrealm, and a few rare tribes of antlings dwell in Ixuil.
Average Intelligence
Antlings are determined and persistent, but the lower class workers have little in the way of and education, and rarely think of anything other than their assigned duties.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Antlings have darkvision and can see in low-light conditions. Due to a lack of facial expression, antlings utilize pheromones' that other antilings can smell to convey emotions. Many antlings also learn to pick up minute vibrations in the ground and air utilizing their feet and antenna.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Many antling hives breed giant ants to use as watchdog-like creatures.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
In Enthos, Antlings are referred to as ǃʰuǀ-ᵑǀ̤; roughly translating to "Workers".
Beauty Ideals
Antlings think little of beauty, as such thoughts are reserved only for the nobles of the Queens caste. However, physical deformities are not tolerated in antling society, including intense wounds from battle, as such deformities cannot be allowed to pass on to the next generation. Such antlings quickly move to the front lines of the mounds defense, so that they may still sacrifice themselves for the sake of the mound.
Gender Ideals
Females dominate antling society, as only they can produce eggs and the word of the Queen is absolute law. Males are only useful for labor and the defense of the hive.
Courtship Ideals
Antlings have little in the way of romantic ideals, as breeding is reserved for those chosen by the higher castes.
Relationship Ideals
Antlings are very close to others of their own caste, each caste often acting as its own-sub family. They view higher castes with parentally reverence, and lower castes with a sense of parentlike duty.
Average Technological Level
Antlings are industrious builders and crafters, and have created many forms of elaborate tunneling and mining techniques.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most antlings speak only Enthos, as many never interact with a non-antling and see no practicality in learning a new language. Those that do pick up new languages are usually the designated emmisaries of the mound, and can often be found speaking Common, Hive-Dance, Ignan, or Undercommon.
Common Etiquette Rules
Antlings have a habit of assuming the largest of any given female is in charge, and will often ignore any males in initial meetings to attempt to deal with the females. Antlings get highly agitated when they witness disrespect towards females of most species.
Common Dress Code
Antlings often wear tight clothes designed to protect them from the rigors of mound work, and can often be found wearing helmets designed to protect their antenna from damage.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Antlings often celebrate the completion of large building projects, typically by inviting the higher castes, or whomever employed them on the project, to have a feast inside the building. The actual workers are rarely invited to this feasts, but often still celebrate among themselves on a smaller scale.
Common Taboos
For an antling to do anything reserved for a different class, such as eating its food types or try to preform that classes duties, the minimum sentence is banishment. If a pair of antlings tried to mate outsider of their castes, they would both be put to death immediately.
Historical Figures
A member of the Nenu-Lan guild, The Court of Misfits, was an Antling outcast named Thoct.
Common Myths and Legends
A maority of antlings worship Aneo, the Mound Queen, the original antling who holds vast spreads of territory over The HIvelands.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Antlings prefer to be left alone and not bother with their surroundings, although they come in constant conflict with other hive-based races such as Hivelings. This makes them relatively ideal neighbors in times of peace, happily willing to trade a bargain with other races. Unfortunately, the constant need to expand mounds often leads to territorial aggressions, and at a queens whim, a colony of peaceful antlings can suddenly become aggressive invaders. They are prized as slaves by both Gnolls and Eleyai, leaving them to be untrustworthy towards those races.
Racial Table - Antling: HD: D8; Class Skills: Climb, Intimidate, Perception, Stealth, Survival; Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier; Weapon Proficiency: Martial, plus heavy pick; Armor Proficiency: Light
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Durable, Increases Carrying Capacity, Swarming, Vermin Empathy |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Coordinated Defense, Natural Armor |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Flanking Mastery, Tremorsense |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Natural Armor Increase, +1 Strength, +1 Wisdom |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Team Player |
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 | 2 ft. 2 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.) | 20 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (22 - 32 lbs.) |
| Female | 2 ft. 4 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 6 in.) | 25 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (27 - 37 lbs.) |
Antling 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 years | 41 years | 55 years | 55 + 1d10 years (56 - 65 years) |
Random Antling Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-50 | Mountain Hive | Group Fighter |
| 51-70 | Subterranean | Surface Stranger |
| 71-90 | Jungle | Jungle Fighter |
| 91-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Antling Families
| % Rolled | Parental Status |
|---|---|
| 01-40 | Only Mother is alive |
| 41-70 | Both of your parents are alive |
| 71-90 | Both of your parents are dead |
| 91-00 | Only Father is alive |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-25 | 1d12+12 Siblings |
| 26-38 | 1d10+10 Siblings |
| 39-49 | 1d8+8 Siblings |
| 50-62 | 1d6+6 Siblings |
| 63-72 | 1d4+4 Siblings |
| 73-81 | 1d3+3 Siblings |
| 82-89 | 1d2+2 Siblings |
| 90-95 | 2 Siblings |
| 96-98 | 1 Sibling |
| 99-00 | No siblings |
Lifespan
56 - 65; although the life expectancy of a male antlling is only 28 - 35
Average Height
2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.
Average Weight
22 - 37 lbs.
Average Physique
Antlings are incredibly strong and durable, despite their stature. Antlings can often lift in the area of sixteen times their own body weight without much strain, and when pushed can even move forty-eight time their weight (assuming they can get the leverage to carry such an object)
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Antlings vary in coloration from brown to black to red, mostly dependent on the locations of their mounds.
Geographic Distribution
Antling
Type
Vermin (Enthos)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Antlings are much stronger and more perceptive than their size would suggest, but they lack grace.
Size
small
Speed
Antlings have a base speed of 20 feet.
Language
An Antling begins play speaking Enthos. An antling with a high intelligence score can pick from the following languages: Common, Hive-dance, Ignan or Undercommon.
- Materil: Antilings can be tied to both the Fire and Earth Materil, allowing them to become Firedancers or Earthbreakers.
- Darkvision: Antlings can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Low-light Vision: Antlings can see twice as far as humans in low-light conditions.
- Durable: Antlings gain Endurance and Diehard as bonus feats at first racial level.
- Increased Carrying Capacity (Ex): Antlings act as if always under the effects of the ant haul spell.
- Swarming: Antlings are used to living and fighting communally. Up to two creatures with swarming can share the same square at the same time. If two creatures that are occupying the same square attack the same foe, they are considered flanking that foe as if they were in opposite squares.
- Vermin Empathy: All enthos can utilize the Handle Animal skill on vermin creatures, despite them being mindless. An enthos spellcaster can cast spells that normally only affect animals on a vermin creature, and enthos druids can utilize wild empathy on vermin as if they were normal animals. An enthos gains a +4 racial bonus to handling vermin of a similar nature to them.
- Coordinated Defenses: Starting at 2nd racial level, an antiling gains Coordinated Defense as a bonus feat. An antling automatically grants this feat to any ant-like creature that it is adjacent to it for as long as they remain adjacent. An antling also grants this feat to any creature that it shares a square with.
- Natural Armor: Starting at 2nd racial level, an antiling gains a +1 natural armor bonus to its armor class. This natural armor increases by 1 at 4th racial level.
- Flanking Mastery: Starting at 3rd racial level, an antling doubles any bonus it gains from flanking.
- Tremorsense (Ex): Starting at 3rd racial level, an antling gains tremorsense of 20 feet.
- Team Player (Ex): At 5th racial level, whenever an antling becomes adjacent to an ally, it can grant an ally the benefit of any one feat the antling possesses for as long as they remain adjacent. An antling always grants all teamwork feats it possesses to any adjacent allies.
Alternate Racial Traits
- Fireborn: Some antlings dwell in the hot jungles of Ixuil and are more tied to the Fire Materil. These antlings gain fire resistance 5. This trait replaces the Durable trait and alters their Materil.
- Undersight: Some antlings have eyes that have adjusted to living in only darkness. These antlings lack low-light vision and have darkvision of 120 feet, but have the light blindness trait. This trait alters the antlings senses
- Wings: Some antlings develop small wings that can be utilized for short flight. They have a fly speed of 30 feet with clumsy maneuverability (a -6 penalty to fly checks). This trait replaces the Durable trait
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