Post by Stix on Nov 6, 2005 18:10:43 GMT -5
The khaasta are raiders, slavers, and smugglers who plague the Outlands and the chaotic planes. They're vicious, unreliable cutthroats and cross-traders who'll turn stag on a cutter who soon as look at him. Only two things really matter to a khaasta: prestige and wealth. Wealth is fairly easy to accumulate and display, but the khaasta code of prestige is a convoluted and twisted set of rules of conduct that rewards back-stabbing, conniving, and deceit. To a khaasta, there's nothing so wonderful as peeling a powerful enemy and living to give him the laugh.
Khaasta bear a passing resemblance to lizardmen of the Prime Material Plane. They're humanoid in form, but their bodies are covered with tough, small scales, and they have long, powerful tails. A khaasta's face has a blunt, lizardlike snout and its head is crowned with a flaring crest. A khaasta's colorful scales create intricate, unique patterns that are never repeated from individual to individual. Unlike their more primitive relations, khaasta prefer heavy armor and elaborate or exotic weapons.
Khaasta typically travel in roving trader-bands, although the trade of the group can turn to extortion, kidnapping, or smuggling at a moment's notice. Since they have no innate planewalking abilities, khaasta are forced to walk the Great Road to get from plane to plane and must rely entirely on portals or conduits.
A khaasta's home is its band. Typically, a khaasta band wanders caravan-style across the planes, seeking opportunities for trade or pillage wherever it goes. Most bands use giant lizards as beasts of burden or war mounts.
Khaasta bands are notoriously chaotic and disorganized. They believe in the rule of the strong, and there are constant challenges of authority and schemes for advancement among the khaasta. Long ago they learned to resolve these differences by ritualistic, nonlethal combat; in ancient times the race almost dueled itself to extinction.
While dealing with a khaasta band is a dicey thing, it doesn't always have to turn out badly. Khaasta can be excellent sources of information, muscle, or illicit goods, as long as a cutter can meet their price and demonstrate (forcibly) that he's too tough to challenge or turn stag on. The khaasta code demands that they just take from the weak instead of dealing with them, and if a khaasta perceives itself to be in a position of strength it'll try to take what it wants. Even if cowed, it is never safe to assume that a khaasta will do what it promised it would. Another part of their code is the challenge of the strong by any means available; even if a khaasta doesn't think it can take a basher on today, it's likely to plan an ambush or stack the odds somehow in a fight tomorrow.
Khaasta don't have many friends out on the planes, and in some of the places they travel they're the low sods on the food chain. Consequently, they take any opportunity to live well today. There's nothing too good for a khaasta cookpot, including fellow travelers or the local natives if that's the easiest meal at hand.
Khaasta learn early on to defend themselves. Most train as fighters, and their opportunistic attitude makes them natural rogues. Rangers and scouts are welcome additions to a band, as are barbarians, druids, and sorcerers.
Strength: 11 to 20
Dexterity: 9 to 18
Constitution: 11 to 20
Intelligence: 9 to 18
Wisdom: 9 to 18
Charisma: 7 to 16
Khaasta receive an additional two points to divide among their ability scores.
Size: Medium
Base Speed: 30
+2 AC, 1/- DR
Bite attack (d6 damage)
Weapon Proficiency Bonus: Bows
+4 Racial bonus to Balance, Jump, Swim
-2 Racial penalty to Diplomacy
Favored Class: Fighter
Level Adjustment: +1
Male height range: 5'10" - 7'4"
Female height range: 5'8" - 7'2"
Male weight range: 180 - 300 lbs
Female weight range: 160 - 280 lbs
Starting age range: 12 - 20
Lifespan: 50 years
Khaasta bear a passing resemblance to lizardmen of the Prime Material Plane. They're humanoid in form, but their bodies are covered with tough, small scales, and they have long, powerful tails. A khaasta's face has a blunt, lizardlike snout and its head is crowned with a flaring crest. A khaasta's colorful scales create intricate, unique patterns that are never repeated from individual to individual. Unlike their more primitive relations, khaasta prefer heavy armor and elaborate or exotic weapons.
Khaasta typically travel in roving trader-bands, although the trade of the group can turn to extortion, kidnapping, or smuggling at a moment's notice. Since they have no innate planewalking abilities, khaasta are forced to walk the Great Road to get from plane to plane and must rely entirely on portals or conduits.
A khaasta's home is its band. Typically, a khaasta band wanders caravan-style across the planes, seeking opportunities for trade or pillage wherever it goes. Most bands use giant lizards as beasts of burden or war mounts.
Khaasta bands are notoriously chaotic and disorganized. They believe in the rule of the strong, and there are constant challenges of authority and schemes for advancement among the khaasta. Long ago they learned to resolve these differences by ritualistic, nonlethal combat; in ancient times the race almost dueled itself to extinction.
While dealing with a khaasta band is a dicey thing, it doesn't always have to turn out badly. Khaasta can be excellent sources of information, muscle, or illicit goods, as long as a cutter can meet their price and demonstrate (forcibly) that he's too tough to challenge or turn stag on. The khaasta code demands that they just take from the weak instead of dealing with them, and if a khaasta perceives itself to be in a position of strength it'll try to take what it wants. Even if cowed, it is never safe to assume that a khaasta will do what it promised it would. Another part of their code is the challenge of the strong by any means available; even if a khaasta doesn't think it can take a basher on today, it's likely to plan an ambush or stack the odds somehow in a fight tomorrow.
Khaasta don't have many friends out on the planes, and in some of the places they travel they're the low sods on the food chain. Consequently, they take any opportunity to live well today. There's nothing too good for a khaasta cookpot, including fellow travelers or the local natives if that's the easiest meal at hand.
Khaasta learn early on to defend themselves. Most train as fighters, and their opportunistic attitude makes them natural rogues. Rangers and scouts are welcome additions to a band, as are barbarians, druids, and sorcerers.
Strength: 11 to 20
Dexterity: 9 to 18
Constitution: 11 to 20
Intelligence: 9 to 18
Wisdom: 9 to 18
Charisma: 7 to 16
Khaasta receive an additional two points to divide among their ability scores.
Size: Medium
Base Speed: 30
+2 AC, 1/- DR
Bite attack (d6 damage)
Weapon Proficiency Bonus: Bows
+4 Racial bonus to Balance, Jump, Swim
-2 Racial penalty to Diplomacy
Favored Class: Fighter
Level Adjustment: +1
Male height range: 5'10" - 7'4"
Female height range: 5'8" - 7'2"
Male weight range: 180 - 300 lbs
Female weight range: 160 - 280 lbs
Starting age range: 12 - 20
Lifespan: 50 years