Brightling
Resembling bipedal moths, the brightlings look relatively harmless but are quite dangerous. Well inclined to mind-magic and sporting a tendency for vengeance, brightlings make sure that those who incur their wrath never forget about it.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Many brightlings train their minds and bodies to go long periods of time without sleep.
Genetics and Reproduction
Brightlings lay clusters of eggs, generally in pods of three to six. In most villages, if an egg hatches before a ordained follower of Fien can bless it, the child is shunned and left to die.
Growth Rate & Stages
Brightling young start as a caterpillar-like larva. The spend the first 5 years of their life in this state, where they spend almost all of their time eating and sleeping. At 5, they molt into a smaller, upright brightling, when they then begin their studies of brightling religion and culture. A brightling reaches adulthood at 10 years of age.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Brightling young subside on a diet of various vegetables and plants, while adult brightlings rarely eat, relying on the food stores they gained as a youngling. They instead drink a nectar-like substance carefully harvested from certain flowers that is designed to sate any hunger pains and bring clarity to their minds.
Biological Cycle
Brightlings are much more active during the summer months, preferring to remain inside and less active in colder weather.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Both brightling wings and furs are prized in the crafting of elite clothing, but few dare to brave the anger of a brightling tribe in an attempt to take such items.
Facial characteristics
Brightlings have large, multisection eyes and long proboscises used for drinking their nectars.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Average Intelligence
Brightlings are perceptive and spiritual, but their education tends more towards religious teachings than practical knowledge. Many brightlings believe major problems they face are a sign of spiritual failure, and often try a spiritual solution.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Unlike most Enthos, brightlings are not capable of seeing in the dark. However, they are immune to the blinding effects of intense light.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
In Enthos, Brightlings refer to their own species as oǃʰǀʰoǀʰ; roughly translating to "Children of the Sun".
Beauty Ideals
Brightlings view bright colors, such as white, yellow, and gold, as sacred, and thus those that are born with such fur colorations are viewed as the most perfect members of the race.
Gender Ideals
All brightlings are equal in the eyes of Fien, and thus they care little about the gender of their kind and instead place value on the individuals religious knowledge and magical power.
Courtship Ideals
Brightling courtship often takes place as an elaborate dance, both on the ground and in the air, with both parties reciting holy scripture at the other. Should they deem the others knowledge sufficient, they will then become mates.
Relationship Ideals
The brightlings form strong communal bonds with each other through their spiritual worship, and often aid their communities as one. Should one member of the tribe suffer at the hands of an outsider, that person will mostly likely soon find an entire village of angry mothmen descending upon them.
Average Technological Level
Brightlings prefer to rely mostly on the idea of spiritual power rather than technology, often utilizing magic to solve their problems. Thus, they prefer to keep their technology simple and often don't expand upon it.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most brightlings speak only Enthos, having little need to speak the language of the less holy races, but can also be found speaking Auran, Celestial, Common, or Hive-dance.
Common Etiquette Rules
One must speak carefully around a brightling, as they are quick to take offense and can hold generation long grudges.
Common Dress Code
Brightlings often forgo clothing and instead wrap their large wings around themselves as a form of cloak, but will don ceremonial garb for religious services.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
While little is known of the inner workings of brightling society, it is known that they place heavy value on oaths, especially blood oaths.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
It is common for the brightlings to preform elaborate dances around alters to Fien, often made of a blazing fire or magically enhanced light source. Such dances are considered even more holy if they can procure the sacrifice of a draconic creature at the end of the ritual.
Common Taboos
Breaking ones oath will lead to the death penalty for a brightling, and turning away from the grace of Fien is the highest treason imaginable to the brightlings. Any brightling that willingly aided a draconic creature would also be viewed as unclean and shunned.
Historical Figures
One of the members of the Nenu-Lan guild, The Court of Misfits, was a brightling hypnotist named Fera Lels.
Common Myths and Legends
Only a small percentage of brightlings don't worship their racial demigod, Fien, the Unforgotten Light. It is believed that after Fien was crafted by Thanaloc using the light of elven god Aurë, The Pale Wyrm, the guardian of Usoram grew jealous and paraniod. In his blindness, he feared that Fien was trying to usurp his role as guardian and overlord of the realm, and thus attempted to eradicate Fien, trying to turn his followers against him and make them forget about Fien. However, the brightlings remained loyal to Fien, and when a climatic battle between Fien and the Wyrm began, the brightling race rushed to their demigods aid despite their mortality. Even though he wielded greater power, the clash ended with the Pale Wyrm's death, with his body crashing to the earth and becoming the region known as The First, spawning the first mortal dragons and marking the end of the rule of the Great Wyrms. After the battle, a heavily wounded Fien entered a state of deep rest, with the brightling survivors shrouding his location in what would become The Mind Mist. It is believed that similar to a brightling child, Fien is now going through a metamorphosis, and will soon awaken as a new full god after absorbing the power of the Pale Wyrm.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Brightlings have few interactions with other races, and fewer positive ones, as many fear angering them. They are content to remain hidden in The Mind Mist, and many believe they are watching over and protecting their slumbering god. One of the few interactions they have is with the Bekuma, as they also have a tendency for vengeance, and often seek guides through the Mind Mist to escape Kirru. The brightlings have an intense hatred for all draconic creatures, a feeling that is mutually shared, due to the ancient battle between their god and The Pale Wyrm, one of the first draconic beings.
Racial Table - Brightling: Hit Dice: D8; Class Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Religion), Perception, Spellcraft; Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier; Weapon Proficiency: Simple, plus shortswords; Armor Proficiency: Light
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Flight, Lightbringer, Religious Training, Vermin Empathy |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Hatred, Sleepless |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Dominator, Vengeful |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Extended Domination; +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Blinding Rage |
Random Starting Ages
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | +1d4 years (11 - 14) | +1d6 years (11 - 16) | +1d8 years (11 - 18) |
Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 2 ft. 4 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.) | 25 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (27 - 37 lbs.) |
| Female | 2 ft. 2 in. | +2d6 in. (2 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 2 in.) | 20 lbs. | +(2d6 lbs.) (22 - 32 lbs.) |
Brightling 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 30 years | 40 years | 40 + 1d10 years (41 - 50 years) |
Random Brightling Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-70 | Hidden Misty Village | Lucid Dreamer |
| 71-85 | Forest | Spirit Sense |
| 86-95 | Mountain | Drake Anatomist |
| 96-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Brightling Families
| % Rolled | Parental Status |
|---|---|
| 01-30 | Only Father is alive |
| 31-60 | Both of your parents are dead |
| 61-90 | Only Mother is alive |
| 91-00 | Both of your parents are alive |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-47 | 1d6 Siblings |
| 48-68 | 1d4+1 Siblings |
| 69-89 | 1d3 Siblings |
| 90-00 | No siblings |
Lifespan
41 - 50 years
Average Physique
Due to their smaller stature, brightlings are physically frail. Most make up for this by practicing magic.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Most brightlings sport darker fur colors, such as brown, grey, and purple, but a higher caste sports white, yellow, and gold colorations.
Geographic Distribution
Brightling
Type
Vermin (Enthos)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Brightlings are very spiritual, but lack physical prowess.
Size
small
Speed
Brightlings have a base movement speed of 20 feet and a Fly speed of 20 feet.
Language
A brightling begins play speaking Enthos. A with a high intelligence score can pick from the following languages: Auran, Celestial, Common, or Hive-dance.
- Materil: Brightlings are intrinsically tied to the Light Materil, and must become Lightbenders.
- Flight: A brightling has a Fly speed of 20 feet (poor maneuverability). This imparts a -2 penalty on Fly checks.
- Lightbringer (Sp): Brightlings are immune to light-based blindings and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher for determining the effects of any light-based spells or effects they cast. They gain light as an at-will spell-like ability.
- Religious Training: A brightling gains a +4 racial bonus on all Knowledge (Religion) checks, and always treats Knowledge (Religion) as a class skill. These bonuses increase by 1 for every two hit dice beyond the 1st the brightling possesses.
- 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.
- Ancient Foe: Starting at 2nd racial level, a brightling gains a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, and a +2 racial bonus to AC against dragon creatures. These bonuses increase by 1 for every five hit dice beyond the 1st the brightling possesses.
- Sleepless: Starting at 2nd racial level, a brightling becomes immune to magical sleep and no longer needs to sleep, unless they would get some benefit from doing so (such as regaining spells or hit points.)
- Dominator: Starting at 3rd racial level, a brightling increases the DCs of any mind-affecting effect they generate by 1.
- Vengeful: Starting at 3rd racial level. 1/day, whenever a creature succeeds in offending a brightling in some way (such as hitting the brightling in battle, succeeding a skill check that causes harm or humiliation to the brightling, or insulting the brightlings family) the brightling may make that creature a vengeful target. The brightling gains a +1 racial bonus on all skill checks made in relation to their vengeful target. A brightiling can only have one vengeful target at a time, if they declare a new vengeful target, the bonuses cease applying to the previous vengeful target.
- Extended Domination: Starting at 4th racial level, a brightling increases the duration of any mind-affecting effects it creates by 50%.
- Blinding Rage (Su): Starting at 5th racial level, if a brightling fails a Will save against a harmful mind-affecting effect, they enter a rage-like state. While in this state, they gain a +2 morale bonus to Wisdom and Charisma, a +1 morale bonus on Will saves and a -2 penalty to AC, and must attack or hinder the target of the blinding rage in some way in accordance with the mind-effect (unless the effect grants the caster direct control over the actions of the brightling, in which case the caster can control the brightling as normal for the effect). While in the rage, a brightling cannot use any Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma based skills, (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride), but can still cast spells, as long as those spells hinder the target of the blinding rage in some way. This rage lasts for as long as the brightling continues to be affected by the mind effect. The creature that caused the effect immediately becomes blinded for as long as the brightling is in the rage, but they can end their spell (and by extension, the rage) as a free-action on their turn.
Alternate Racial Traits
- Dreamspeaker (Sp): Some brightlings practice the magic of dreams. They gain a +1 bonus to the DCs of spells of the divination school and spells that produce sleep effects that they cast. In addition, brightlings with this trait that have a Charisma score of 15 or higher also gain the ability to cast dream 1/day as a spell-like ability. This trait replaces the Lightbringer trait.
- Browntail (Ex): Some brightlings fur carries dander that is highly irritating when touched. Whenever a creature makes physical contact with the brightling, such as touching it or hitting it with an unarmed strike or natural attack, it must make a Fortitude save or contract an itchy rash, taking a -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for 24 hours. The DC for this check is equal to 10 + the brightlings hit dice + the brightlings Constitution modifier. A creature that has saved against the effect cannot be affected by any brightlings rash for 24 hours, and remove disease or any magical healing removes the rash. This is a disease effect.
- Moonling (Sp): Some brightlings resemble humanoid butterflies instead of large moths. These rare variants live in Skovasil, instead of in The Mind Mist. Moonlings have Darkvision 60 feet, and 1/day can cast dust of twilight as a spell-like ability. They are tied to the Shadow Materil instead of the Light Materil. This trait replaces the Lightbringer trait and alters the brightlings senses and Materil.
- Wyrmscourged: Some brightlings still hunt ancient draconic enemies. They gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and on saving throws against the abilities of dragons. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (Arcana) checks to identify dragons and can make such checks untrained. This bonuses increase by 1 for every five hit dice beyond the 1st the brightling possesses. This trait replaces the Religious Training traits.
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