Tree Dweller Grippli
Many from the ‘civilized’ lands of the Dragon Jaw Wilds and their leadership called the ‘Blood Conclave’ strange and foreign. The Tree Dwellers remark the same sentiment about the warmfolk who often lack the skill to survive, thinking their walls will protect them forever. As some of the most skilled wardens of this eternal jungle the Tree Dwellers work with a diverse group of warmfolk, lizardfolk and Grippli set to live as part of the wilds. Their skills and discipline are what keep them alive in this dinosaur filled landscape, and the cities they hold are defended by their dominance over their land where beasts fear to tread.
Physical Description:
Agile and wise, the Tree Dwellers are excellent climbers and jumpers, but what sets them apart is their frills. Allowing them to glide from treetop to treetop this skin unfurls allowing them an advantage from above. A Tree Dweller’s skin is able to camouflage into their surrounding in their forest home, together with their small size, it gives them a distinct advantage of taking foes by surprise. When they wear clothing it is chiefly ceremonial, each piece usually gifted to them for killing a great beast. Those that wear many pieces of clothing usually are Tree Dwellers of few words.Society:
Tree Dweller’s culture is one of grim survivalists, doing what it takes in the ancient days. Now they continue dealing with the threats of the modern age the same way. Their perspective on nature is not to preserve it as many naturalist peoples of the Dycides, but to respect it for one day it will consume all the cities and city people. Tree Dwellers give respect to the most capable in their society, though the old have their place as wise grippli, they put their strength behind the greatest warriors, poisoners, and magicfolk their tribe creates. Tree Dwellers that are seen as too weak can either “climb the mountain” which means to retreat into the Dycides or “face their judgement” by hunting a great beast.Relations:
Most leave a half-naked Tree Dweller to their own devices, but there is a common respect found among the Lizardfolk and their extended families. Tree Dwellers view most elves and part humans with little respect. Pain Weaver Half-Orcs, Ajaran Elves and Half-Ajarans are the exception to this rule as they seem to understand the role of nature and power in the world. They are very confused by Fey and the Fey-touched in general, seeing their strange First World as bizarre and wrong nature.Alignment and Religion:
While they have no true culture surrounding the primary pantheon, worship of Gozreh has spread with those who join in their societies. Tree Dwellers accept what they call the ‘Green Man’ as a point of worship, but most seek enlightenment by worshipping their own pantheon of Green Spirits, often taking the form of great animals in the wilds. Tree Dwellers ideals suggest and eat or be eaten world, often lean more toward chaotic over lawful, but their culture has a series of strict taboos as well, bringing their net alignment to True Neutral.Adventurers:
While some Tree Dwellers cross the mountains in misery over failing their people, other venture forth to claim exotic trophies from far away lands. Others still are curious about the people beyond the veil of the mountains and want to learn of their ways. Regardless adventuring comes to all Tree Dwellers easily, and those who have lost honor being the most desperate to prove themselves. Tree Dwellers favor roles as Rangers and Druids more often than not, but those more akin to city ways can make capable rogues or zen archer monks.Stats Block
Ability Score: (+2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Int) Tree Dwellers are nimble and alert, but insular and uninformed. Size: Tree Dwellers are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Type: Tree Dwellers are humanoids with the grippli subtype. Base Speed: Tree Dwellers have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet. Languages: Tree Dwellers begin play speaking Common and Grippli. Tree Dwellers with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Boggard, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan, and Treant. Camouflage: Tree Dwellers receive a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks in marshes and forested areas. Forest Stride: (Ex) Tree Dwellers can move through difficult terrain at its normal speed while within a forest. Magically altered terrain affects a Tree Dweller normally. Poison Use: Tree Dwellers are skilled with poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying it to weapons. Darkvision: Tree Dwellers can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet. Toxic Skin: (Ex) Once per day as a swift action, a Tree Dweller can create a poison that can be applied to a weapon or delivered as a touch attack. Alternatively, the grippli can smear the poison on its own body as a standard action, affecting the first creature to hit it with an unarmed strike or natural weapon. The poison loses its potency after 1 hour. The grippli is immune to its own poison. Grippli Poison: Skin or weapon—contact or injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the grippli’s Hit Dice plus its Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. Glider: Tree Dweller’s aerodynamic bodies and thick webbing between the toes enable a falling Tree Dweller to treat the distance fallen as half the actual distance. The Tree Dweller can steer himself while falling, moving horizontally up to a number of feet equal to half the vertical distance fallen. The Tree Dweller cannot use this trait if it is wearing heavy armor, is carrying a heavy load, or is unable to react to the fall (such as being helpless). Defensive Training: Tree Dwellers often live in close proximity to very large animals and dangerous creatures they must learn to avoid in order to survive. They gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against Large or larger animals and magical beasts. Slick Luck: Tree Dwellers gain the following extraordinary ability: Once per day, when a Tree Dweller makes a Reflex saving throw, it can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. It must decide to use this ability before attempting the saving throw.
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