Shuldin

From RPGwiki

The Shuldin are a race of insectial humanoid that inhabit the Marabass Jungle in Xindung. They live in large hive spires, and are vitually always loyal to whichever queen spawned. Like ants, a Shuldins physical form determines their funtion and social position within the hive. Changing that position is all but impossible.

The Shuldin are not native to this world. They came from a place known as The Hive Labyrinth, a reality bubble a long way across BLR. A portal opened several hundred years ago, and remain in place for about a decade before collapsing. It has remained shut since, but the Shuldins arrival forced the Malkin out of the jungle and into Kalchichi, leading to the Malkin War.

It is not known what caused the Marabass portal to open, nor if such an event might happen again else where.

There are five main types of Shuldin - workers, warriors, spellcasters, kings and queens. While the kings and queens are definably male and female, the workers, warriors and spellcasters are not. The shuldin language does not have a he/she structure, but rather an it/gendered form, with the same term being used for both males and females. When speaking in other languages they tend to confuse the two terms.

Contents 1 Workers 2 Warriors 3 Spellcasters 4 Kings

[edit] Workers

Workers are the most common type of Shuldin, and also the lest dangerous. Socially, they are on about the same level as the warriors, but forfill a completely different role. As the name suggests, workers are the major labour force of a hive, being responsible for constructing the hive and obtaining food.

Workers are about the same size as humans, although the carapace tends to make them look a little slimmer. They have two manipulative limbs and four legs, which end in clawed feet that are well suited for climbing. there hands are long fingered and dextrous. Workers can create a kind of saliva that dries hard like glue, and it is very common in their structures, although the hive is largly held together and weaving and joinary. Workers are known to use all the same tools as primitive humans, and have proven capable of using more advanced equipment when it is provided to them.

Coloration can vary a lot, with mixed shades of green, red, brown, blue, yellow and other colours common. Each hive tends to have a fairly regular pattern, but even then there are variations between individuals.

While certainly not stupid, workers tend to be a little unimaginative and accepting of their lot in life. They seem to require very little in the way of entertainment, but when left with time on their hands they tend to create works of art, usually sculptures of things they have seen around them. Very rarely does Shuldin art try to encapsulate any deep meaning.

• Medium size
• Base speed 40'
• Stat mods: +2 con, -2 cha. Hard working, but lacking in individuality.
• +2 natural armour bonus, but counts as a odd shape when trying to buy armour in most places.
• Low light vision, x2 normal.
• +4 racial bonus on climb. +2 racial bonus of craft checks when working with natural materials such as wood, leather or clay.
• Saliva glue sets over a period of 1 hour.
• Favoured class: Expert.

[edit] Warriors

Outside of the Marabass jungles, if you ask someone what a shuldin looks like, they will usually think of the warriors. Although not especially tall, they most definitely stick in the mind. This type of shuldin has no manipulative limbs. Instead, its arms end in long, sharp blades which it uses in defense of its hive. They also have small, almost vestigle thumbs. Coloration is less varied than that of the works, being shades of green and brown that act as camoflage.

Warrior shuldin can be very agressive, but are still obidient to those above them. They are just as unimaginative as the workers, and inclined to fight to the death once a battle begins. A group of warriors acts as a highly organised group, capable of stalking, ambushing and destroying their enemies. there is no such thing as warrior art, unless you count martial arts.

Although they normally use no weapons, some hives have been able to aquire a type of firearm that the warriors can use. It resembles a type of shot but strapped to their forearm and fired using the thumb. Even so, they need the help of a worker to get into or reload these weapons. Most such firearms come from Kalchichi, although it is hardly a vigorous trade.

• Medium size
• Base speed 40'
• 3D8 HD
• +4 str, +4 dex, +4 con, -2 int, -2 wis, -4 cha
• Low light vision x4
• +5 natural armour
• +3 base attack
• +3 on will, fortitude and reflex rolls.
• 2 feat.
• Arm scyths cause 1d10 damage. The warrior can claim 1.5xstrength bonus on damage. Incapable of using most weapons and armour.
• +4 racial bonus on climb checks. Coloration gives +2 bonus on hide rolls in heavy vegitation.
• (6+int bonus)x4 skill points. Choice from Move silently, Hide, Climb, Jump, Balance, Survival, spot, listen. Up to 6 ranks in one skill.
• Favoured class:Barbarian

[edit] Spellcasters

Unlike the wizards of other races, the Shuldins spellcasters do not require any training in the magical arts. In this they resemble sorcerers, but the actual spells they cast are closer to those used by druids. MAny experts dispute whethre or not these abilities should be classed as spellcasting at all, but rather but supernatural abilities. Certainly, the shuldin have trouble advancing on what they already know.

The spell casters are about the same size as the workers, but much brighter coloured. The patterns on their shells sometimes form in the shape of mystic rune, but the shuldin themselves do not seem to understand the significants of them, expect in that they indicate the cast of the creature.

Spellcasters have large eyes and long antenni which are sensitive to magical aura. While not as common as the above types, they are easily seen moving amongst the workers, seeming far less hurried as they travel to where their particular skills are needed.

• Medium sized
• Base speed 40'
• +2 wis, -2 cha. Observant and insightful, but no better at small talk than other Shuldin.
• 3D8 HD
• Low light vision x4
• +2 natural armour
• +2 Base attack
• +3 will, +3 Fort saves
• 2 feats
• +2 spot, +4 climb
• Can cast Detct Magic at will.
• Can also cast a certain number of druidic spells, as shown below

Level	0	1	2
No of spells known	5	3	1
Spells per day	4	2	1

The exact spells know are chosen at creation, and can be any that appear on the druid spell list of the appropriate level. These spells are cast as a druid of the shuldin total character level. Save DC is 10+spell level+wis bonus.

• skill points 12+ 6xint bonus. Class skills are the same as for the warrior.
• Favoured class:Druid

[edit] Kings

The kings are the first of the Shuldin to have gender, namely male. They have a passing similarity in appearance to the warriors, but are much largely, more brightly coloured and have a crest running along the tops of their heads. They share the same long, bladed arms, and so are dependent on the workers for most practicle tasks.

Each hive will have a group of associated Kings. Exactly how many depends on the size of the hive, and could be as many as two dozen. When a kings is born in a hive, whether it remains in that hive or moves out depends on whether or not there is an unrelated Queen available. It seems that the Kings are able to tell there own relatives by scent. If no suitable queen is available, the King will leave and join another hive, which helps to prevent inbreeding.

The kings provide much of the organisation thst can be found in the hive, and on the rare occations that a hive attempts diplomacy it is usually the kings that do the talking.

• Size:Large - All the usual modifications apply.
• Base speed 50 ft
• +12 str, +2 Dex, +6 con.
• 10D10 hps.
• +10 natural ac.
• +10/+5 base attack
• +7 fortitude, +7 reflexes, +7 will
• 4 feats
• Arm scyths cause 1d12 damage. The king can claim x1.5 strength bonus on damage.
• Low lighr vision x4
• +4 racial bonus on climb checks
• (13+ int bonus)x4 skill points. 13 ranks maxium per skill. Choice from Move silently, Hide, Climb, Jump, Balance, Survival, spot, listen, Diplomacy.
• Favoured class:Barbarian