Available Races

These are the 'stock' Eioan races – including their most common traits. Note that this includes alternate Pathfinder racial traits in soem cases, due to the highly urbanized environment in which most of these individuals live; variations are alright, of course, but this is what people will expect when encountering a typical member of this race on the street.

Aasimars are usually described as humans or elves with a significant amount of celestial or other good outsider blood in their ancestry. While not always benevolent, aasimars are more inclined toward acts of kindness rather than evil, and they gravitate toward faiths or organizations associated with celestials. Aasimar heritage can lie dormant for generations, only to appear suddenly in the child of two apparently human parents. Most societies interpret aasimar births as good omens, though it must be acknowledged that some aasimars take advantage of the reputation of their kind, brutally subverting the expectations of others with acts of terrifying cruelty or abject venality. “It's always the one you least suspect” is the axiom these evil aasimars live by, and they often lead double lives as upstanding citizens or false heroes, keeping their corruption well hidden. Thankfully, these few are the exception and not the rule.

Physical Description: Aasimars look mostly human or elven except for some minor physical trait that reveals their unusual heritage. Typical aasimar features include hair that shines like metal, jewel-toned eyes, lustrous skin color, or even glowing, golden halos.

Society: Aasimars cannot truly be said to have an independent society of their own. As an offshoot of humanity, they adopt the societal norms around them, though most find themselves drawn to those elements of society that work for the redress of injustice and the assuagement of suffering. This sometimes puts them on the wrong side of the law in more tyrannical societies, but aasimars can be careful and cunning when necessary, able to put on a dissembling guise to divert the attention of oppressors elsewhere. While corrupt aasimars may be loners or may establish secret societies to conceal their involvement in crime, righteous aasimars are often found congregating in numbers as part of good-aligned organizations, especially (though not always) churches and religious orders.

Relations: Aasimars can become comfortable in virtually any environment. They have an easy social grace and are disarmingly personable. They get on well with most races, especially the more marginalized ones whose suffering they empathize with. While not common in Eio,

Alignment and Religion: Aasimars are most often of good alignment, though this isn't necessarily universal, and aasimars that have turned their back on righteousness may fall into an unfathomable abyss of depravity. For the most part, however, aasimars favor deities of honor, valor, protection, healing, and refuge, or simple and prosaic faiths of home, community, and family. Some also follow the paths of art, music, and lore, finding truth and wisdom in beauty and learning.

Adventurers: Aasimars frequently become adventurers, as they often do not quite feel at home in society and feel the pull of some greater destiny. Clerics, oracles, and paladins are most plentiful in their ranks, though bards, sorcerers, and summoners are not uncommon among those with a fondness for arcane magic.

+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Aasimars are insightful, confident, and personable.

Native Outsider: Aasimars are outsiders with the native subtype.

Medium: Aasimars are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Aasimars have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Skilled: Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Perception checks.

Spell-Like Ability: Aasimars can use daylight once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aasimar's class level).

Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.

Languages: Aasimars begin play speaking Common and Celestial.

Catfolk are a race of natural explorers who rarely tire of trailblazing, but such trailblazing is not limited merely to the search for new horizons in distant lands. Many catfolk see personal growth and development as equally valid avenues of exploration. While most catfolk are nimble, capable, and often active creatures, there is also a strong tendency among some catfolk to engage in quiet contemplation and study. Such individuals are interested in finding new solutions to age-old problems and questioning even the most steadfast philosophical certainties of the day. They are curious by nature, and catfolk culture never discourages inquisitiveness, but rather fosters and encourages it. Many are seen as quirky extroverts by members of other races, but within catfolk tribes there is no shame attached to minor peculiarities, eccentricities, or foolhardiness. All but the most inwardly focused catfolk enjoy being the center of attention, but not at the expense of their families, whether it's the one the catfolk are born into or the tribe they choose through the bonds of friendship with other creatures. Catfolk tend to be both generous and loyal to their family and friends.

Physical Description: In general, catfolk are lithe and slender, standing midway between dwarves and humans in stature. While clearly humanoid, they possess many feline features, including a coat of soft fine fur, slit pupils, and a sleek, slender tail. Their ears are pointed, but unlike those of elves, are more rounded and catlike. They manipulate objects as easily as any other humanoid, but their fingers terminate in small, sharp, retractable claws. These claws are typically not powerful enough to be used as weapons, but can leave nasty scratches. Feline whiskers are not uncommon, but not universal, and hair and eye color vary greatly.

Society: While self-expression is an important aspect of catfolk culture, it is mitigated by a strong sense of community and group effort. The pursuit of personal power never comes before the health and wellbeing of the community. More than one race has underestimated this seemingly gentle people only to discover much too late that their cohesion also provides them great strength.

Catfolk tend to respect competence and skill, and extend their internal sense of community beyond other catfolk to their close friends and companions. Within adventuring groups, catfolk who do not consider themselves the obvious choice as leader often defer to the person who most resembles their cultural ideal of a leader.

Relations: Adaptable and curious, catfolk get along with almost any race that extends reciprocal goodwill. They are reputed to have a particular disdain of ratfolk, tengu, and other creatures that resemble feline natural enemies, which is not necessarily false, but they easily forge friendships

Mannerisms: With community and unselfish cooperation at the center of their culture, as well as a good-natured curiosity and willingness to adapt to the customs of many other races, most catfolk tend toward good alignments. The clear majority of catfolk are also chaotic, as wisdom is not their strongest virtue; nevertheless, there are exceptions with cause.

Adventurers: Natural born trackers, many catfolk look toward occupations as rangers and druids by default, but such roles don't always speak to their love of performance art, be it song, dance, or storytelling. Catfolk legends also speak of a rich tradition of great sorcerer heroes. Those catfolk who internalize their wanderlust often become wizards and monks, with many of those monks taking the path of the nimble guardian. While catfolk cavaliers and inquisitors are rare (steadfast dedication to a cause is often alien to the catfolk mindset) individuals who choose these paths are never looked down upon. Catfolk understand that exploration and self-knowledge can lead down many roads, and are accepting of nearly all professions and ways of life.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom: Catfolk are sociable and agile, but often lack common sense.

Catfolk: Catfolk are humanoids with the catfolk subtype.

Medium: Catfolk are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Catfolk have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: In dim light, catfolk can see twice as far as humans.

Cat's Luck (Ex): Once per day when a catfolk makes a Reflex saving throw, he can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.

Natural Hunter: Catfolk receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks.

Nimble Faller: Catfolk with this trait land on their feet even when they take lethal damage from a fall. Furthermore, catfolk with this trait gain a +1 bonus to their CMD against trip maneuvers.

Languages: Catfolk begin play speaking Common and Sylvan.

Commonly referred to as drow in ancient texts, dark elves are considered a dark reflection of the elven race. Historically, they dwell deep underground in elaborate cities, working through manipulation and malignancy to bring fortune to themselves as the expense of others. The truth is somewhat more complicated. The dark elves who inhabit Eio, in particular, have been within society long enough to have shed their more malevolent tendencies, although as the god of death is depicted as a dark elf, many become necromancers or otherwise inclined towards his worship.

Physical Description: Dark elves share the slender build and features of elves, including the distinctive long, pointed ears. Their eyes are often shades of red or purple. Drow skin ranges from coal black to a dusky purple, although most dark elves in Eio tend towards an ashy grey. Their hair is typically white, silver, or black, though some variation is not unknown.

Society: Dark elf society is interesting to say the least. Stories tell of an age when dark elves were similar to ants, adopting a matriarchy-ruled society with the males sent to fight while the females lead. However, those dark elves who live on the surface have learned the hard way that they are simply not numerous enough; the fact that for centuries dark elves were on the receiving end of the slave trade (and still are, in some other nations) has taught them that it is wiser to work with others than to attempt to rule them, for the tables turn quickly, especially in Eio.

Relations: Dark elves believe they are inherently superior to other elves, but have learned that it is much wiser not to flaunt this belief. They have no interest in being subservient to others, which can cause problems in an office environment that requires people work their way up from the bottom.

Mannerisms: Dark elves tend to be highly ambitious and focused on their own successes, and put their best efforts forward to succeed, without much concern for others. This makes them great CEOs and managers, but makes them obnoxious to work with otherwise.

Adventurers: Dark elves are highly motivated to prove themselves in contests of skill and power. This can be through martial or stealth classes that put them close to their enemies to prove their superiority, or through taking roles of leadership, such as bards and especially clerics, that can maintain a commanding force on the battlefield.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Constitution: Drow are nimble and manipulative.

Elf: Dark elves are humanoids with the elf subtype.

Medium: Dark elves are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Dark elves have a base speed of 30 feet.

Drow Immunities: Dark elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

Ambitious Schemer: Seduction and treachery are tools for advancement in drow society, even for the martially inclined. Drow with this racial trait may choose either Bluff or Diplomacy as a class skill, and gain a +2 bonus on such skill checks.

Poison Use: Drow are skilled in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.

Spell Resistance: Drow possess spell resistance equal to 6 plus their class levels.

Spell-Like Abilities: A dark elf can cast dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire, once each per day, using her total character level as her caster level.

Surface Infiltrator: Dark elves have existed on the surface for millenia, and have had plenty of time to work past their sunlight issues. They gain low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light, and are not dazzled by sunlight.

Weapon Familiarity: Drow are proficient with the hand crossbow, rapier, and short sword.

Languages: Dark elves begin play speaking Elven and Common.

Dragonborn are at once less and more than dragons - on the one hand, they are humanoid creatures that lack the dragon's terrible majesty and incredible power. On the other hand, they are actually able to go buy scale oil at the store without damaging the place, so consider that as you like. They are calm, reserved creatures, and although they do have passions, they seldom let them show.

Physical Description: Dragonborn are bipedal reptilian humanoids with a tail that is sturdy enough to pull objects. They have bony ridges that reinforce their skull, and powerful jaws and claws that are imposing to most people. Their scales vary broadly in color - many resemble those of dragons in color and pattern, although dragonborn often tint their scales as part of their self-expression in lieu of wearing clothing beyond society's necessity.

Society: Dragonborn are slow to trust, and slow to anger. A dragonborn's trust earns you a steadfast ally who will be loyal; a dragonborn's anger earns you a dangerous enemy who is capable of inflicting a lot of damage if they feel it is necessary. Dragonborn are often isolationist, seeking their own comfort in solitary pursuits rather than being drawn to large social gatherings.

Relations: Dragonborn tolerate the adulation of kobolds with some amusement, and accept that most other races see them for their bulk and brawn more than anything else. They are uncomfortable with the assertion that leupaks are in any way related to them, although they will tolerate their presence without complaints.

Mannerisms: Dragonborn act with deliberation and caution (which makes the occasional dragonborn barbarian that much more of a surprise when it does happen.) Like a crocodile studying the passage of boats on the river, the patterns of people as they approach the water, a dragonborn often betrays no sign of their emotions.

Adventurers: Dragonborn make natural warriors, and are particularly fond of becoming monks or sorcerers to best exemplify their natural gifts and reliance on themselves.

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Dragonborn are reputed for their heartiness and strength, but their inscrutability does not help them interact well with others.

Dragonborn: Dragonborn are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.

Medium: Dragonborn are Medium creatures.

Normal Speed: Dragonborn have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Dragonborn can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Armor: Dragonborn have a +1 natural armor bonus.

Languages: Dragonborn begin play speaking Common and Draconic.

Expressionless: Dragonborn are incredibly difficult to read; they receive a +4 bonus on Bluff checks to lie or conceal their feelings or true motives, but not to feint in combat or deliver secret messages. In addition, the DC for Sense Motive checks to get a hunch about them is 25 rather than 20.

Dragon Breath: Choose one of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, or fire (this is permanently set at creation.) Once per day, as a standard action, dragonborn can make a supernatural breath weapon attack that deals 2d6 points of the damage type chosen in the area chosen. All creatures within the affected area must make a Reflex saving throw to avoid taking damage. The save DC against this breath weapon is 10 + 1/2 the user's character level + the user's Constitution modifier. Those who succeed at the save take half damage from the attack.

Prehensile Tail: Dragonborn have a prehensile tail that is usable for holding objects (and commonly used as a monk's unarmed weapon).

Dwarves are a stoic but stern race, responsible for much of Eio's mining, metalworking, and industrial work. They are often slow to trust and long to remember a grudge, and their fondness for a hearty meal and a heartier drink is legendary.

Physical Description: Dwarves are a short and stocky race, and stand about a foot shorter than most humans, with wide, compact bodies that account for their burly appearance. Male and female dwarves pride themselves on the length of their hair, and men often decorate their beards with a variety of clasps and intricate braids. A clean-shaven male dwarf is a sure sign of madness, or worse… and those who inadvertently deprive a dwarf of his beard are certain to suffer.

Society: The dwarves of Eio are characterized by their love of stonework, their passion for stone- and metal-based craftsmanship and architecture, and a distrust of giants, orcs, lizardkin, and goblinoids that borders on racism.

Relations: Dwarves generally distrust giants, orcs, and all forms of goblinoids and halfbreeds, due to long-standing racial grudges that date back to the First Age. They get along best with humans due to their shared industrious nature and hearty appetites, and consider dragonborn more highly than most lizardkin due to their shared love of physical contests and tests of strength and endurance. They find wanderkin to be downright annoying, and halflings, elves, and gnomes to be too frail, flighty, or “pretty” to be worthy of proper respect; most other races are treated with wariness and suspicion.

Mannerisms: Dwarves are driven by honor and tradition, and while they are often satirized as standoffish, they have a strong sense of friendship and justice, and those who win their trust understand that, while they work hard, they play even harder - especially when a good drink is involved.

Adventurers: Although dwarven adventurers are rare compared to humans, they can be found in most regions of the world. Dwarves often leave the confines of their homes to seek glory for their families, or to find wealth with which to enrich themselves. Dwarven warfare is often characterized by close melee combat, and as such most dwarves tend toward classes such as fighters and barbarians.

+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff.

Medium: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.

Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Craftsman: Dwarves are known for their superior craftsmanship when it comes to metallurgy and stonework. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks related to metal or stone.

Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.

Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.

Sky Sentinel: As creatures with a deep affinity for the ground, dwarves are wary of attacks from above, and those who live on Eio, with its history of monsters attacking from the skies, give them good reason to be prepared. Enemies on higher ground gain no attack roll bonus against dwarves with this racial trait, and they gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls, a +2 dodge bonus to AC, and a +2 bonus on Perception checks against flying creatures.

Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven.

The long-lived elves are children of the natural world, similar in many superficial ways to fey creatures, yet different as well. Elves claim to be the oldest living species on the planet, although accounts differ as to whether this is actually true. Elves value their privacy and traditions, and while they are often slow to make friends, at both the personal and national levels, once an outsider is accepted as a comrade, such alliances can last for generations. Elves have a curious attachment to their surroundings, perhaps as a result of their incredibly long lifespans or some deeper, more mystical reason. Elves who have chosen a life in the cities often develop a skewed perception of mortality and become morose, the result of watching wave after wave of companions age and die before their eyes.

Physical Description: Although generally taller than humans, elves possess a graceful, fragile physique that is accentuated by their long, pointed ears. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, and filled with large, vibrantly colored pupils. Elves often love nothing more than to bedeck themselves in the latest fashion.

Society: Many elves feel a bond with nature and strive to live in harmony with the natural world, seeking out environmentally friendly careers rather than industrial ones. Their inborn patience makes them particularly suited to wizardry.

Relations: Elves are prone to dismissing other races, writing them off as rash and impulsive, yet they are excellent judges of character. An elf might not want a dwarf neighbor, but would be the first to acknowledge that dwarf's skill at smithing. They regard gnomes as strange (and sometimes dangerous) curiosities, and halflings with a measure of pity, for these small folk seem to the elves to be adrift, without a traditional home. They are quietly fond of wanderkin, and are fascinated with humans in particular, but they tend to disown their connection to half-breeds in much the way one would treat a bastard child in noble society.

Mannerisms: Elves are emotional and capricious, yet value kindness and beauty. They generally are not too keen on being told what to do, another count against their being involved in bureaucracies or industrial work.

Adventurers: Many elves embark on adventures out of a desire to explore the world, looking for ancient archaeological finds from ages long past, following the ephemeral and unfettered life of an adventurer wherever it takes them. Elves generally eschew melee because of their frailty, preferring instead to pursue classes such as wizards and rangers.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution: Elves are nimble, both in body and mind, but their form is frail.

Medium: Elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. See Additional Rules.

Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.

Urbanite: The elves who live on Eio have adapted to know the ebb and flow of social situations just as their forest-dwelling cousins know the rules of the wild. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Sense Motive checks made to get a hunch about a social situation.

Weapon Familiarity: Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Languages: Elves begin play speaking Common and Elven.

It is said that gnomes trace their lineage back to the mysterious realm of the fey, a place where colors are brighter, the wildlands wilder, and emotions more primal. Whether that is true or just the stories told by a fanciful elven bard aren't clear, but gnomes seldom seem adapted to “fit in” to the expectations of life on Eio, within the cities or elsewhere. Instead, they have turned their focus on the pursuit of their interests wherever they may take them, and damned be the consequences.

Physical Description: Gnomes are one of the smallest of the common races, generally standing just over 3 feet in height. Their hair tends toward vibrant colors such as the fiery orange of autumn leaves, the verdant green of forests at springtime, or the deep reds and purples of wildflowers in bloom. Similarly, their flesh tones range from earthy browns to floral pinks, frequently with little regard for heredity. Gnomes possess highly mutable facial characteristics, and many have overly large mouths and eyes, an effect which can be both disturbing and stunning, depending on the individual.

Society: Whimsical creatures at heart, gnomes typically travel alone or with temporary companions, ever seeking new and more exciting experiences. They rarely form enduring relationships among themselves or with members of other races, instead pursuing crafts, professions, or collections with a passion that borders on zealotry. Male gnomes have a strange fondness for unusual hats and headgear, while females often proudly wear elaborate and eccentric hairstyles.

Relations: Gnomes have difficulty interacting with the other races, on both emotional and physical levels. Gnome humor is hard to translate and often comes across as malicious or senseless to other races, while gnomes in turn tend to think of the taller races as dull and lumbering giants. They get along best with those with playful spirits, while more serious-minded individuals will often find themselves the target of gnomish jokes. To the gnomes, action is always better than inaction, and many gnomes carry several highly involved projects with them at all times to keep themselves entertained during rest periods.

Mannerisms: Although gnomes are impulsive tricksters, with sometimes inscrutable motives and equally confusing methods, their hearts are generally in the right place. They are prone to powerful fits of emotion, and find themselves most at peace within the natural world.

Adventurers: Gnomes' propensity for wanderlust makes them natural adventurers. They often become wanderers to experience new aspects of life, for nothing is as novel as the uncounted dangers facing adventurers. Gnomes make up for their weakness with a proclivity for sorcery or bardic music.

+2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength: Gnomes are physically weak but surprisingly hardy, and their attitude makes them naturally agreeable.

Small: Gnomes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Slow Speed: Gnomes have a base speed of 20 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. See Additional Rules.

Gnome Magic: Gnomes add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against illusion spells that they cast. Gnomes with a Charisma of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation, and speak with animals. The caster level for these effects is equal to the gnome's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the gnome's Charisma modifier.

Master Tinker: The gnomes of Eio experiment with all manner of mechanical devices. Gnomes with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Knowledge (engineering) checks. They are treated as proficient with any weapon they have personally crafted.

Illusion Resistance: Gnomes get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells or effects.

Keen Senses: Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.

Obsessive: Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on a Craft or Profession skill of their choice.

Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes treat any weapon with the word “gnome” in its name as a martial weapon.

Languages: Gnomes begin play speaking Common and Gnome.

Goblins, being a demihuman species that are frequently manipulated or enslaved by stronger creatures that need destructive, disposable foot soldiers, were brought to Eio millenia ago by scientists in search of a cheap source of humanoid test subjects. This horrific level of abuse has, at least supposedly, ceased, and the remaining goblins have gradually integrated within society. They might not be the most civilized folk, but then again, have you seen the bloodsucking lizards?

Goblins can eat nearly anything, but prefer a diet of meat. They are not above consuming the flesh of sentient races, although as Eio frowns on these practices, they tend to have to settle for synthmeat to indulge these cravings. They are very cautious among the larger races, as they know all too well that the big folk are looking for any excuse to swat them.

Physical Description: Goblins are short humanoids with exaggerated features that stand just over 3 feet tall. Their scrawny bodies are topped with oversized and usually hairless heads with massive ears and beady red or occasionally yellow eyes. Goblins' skin tone varies highly, with most Eioan goblins being shades of green and gray, although others have been sighted (especially in areas near the former Experiment Sites). They have large mouths filled with jagged teeth that make a friendly smile seem somehow menacing.

Society: The backbone of traditional goblin society was broken by Eio a very long time ago, with the surviving goblins being those who could survive the dangerous and malicious whims of the Experimentors. They are commonly found working in highly technical roles where their small bodies are able to fit, usually in the most unpleasant locations. Need a plumber to wade through a tunnel full of sewage? Goblins will do it. There is a certain element of racism cast towards them, although rarely is this blatant, and they tend to be among the lower class of society.

One odd effect of having to learn to feign politeness and obsequiousness is that goblins actually tend to their children (well, truthfully, they often form goblin day care groups, but the point is that they do actually care for them to some extent.) This has led to a decrease in goblin mortality, which has led to seeing more and more goblins amongst society's underclass.

Relations: The goblins of Eio are used to being on the toe end of the butt-kicking contest that is life, and as such they are very cautious when it comes to their interactions with others. While there are hints of their savage ancestry, they do their best to cover them up so that the large folk don't decide that there needs to be another purge – after all, their current role in society is a lot more comfortable than the days of tribal warfare.

Mannerisms: Goblins are greedy, capricious, and destructive, but cover it with an outer shell of obedience and obsequiousness towards those in power. While they are not blatantly evil, they are also prone to petty crime when they think they can get away with it.

Adventurers: Goblin adventurers are usually curious and inclined to explore, and there is a lot to explore within the cities and tunnels of Eio. They tend to avoid the wilderness, however, as almost everything out there is much bigger and more dangerous than they are. That said, those seeking to test out the next big weapon are often nudged into the wilderness so that whatever they blow up isn't terribly important.

+4 Dexterity, –2 Strength, –2 Charisma: Goblins are very fast, but weak and not typically well liked.

Goblinoid: Goblins are humanoids with the goblinoid subtype.

Small: Goblins are Small creatures and 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.

Fast: Goblins are fast for their size, and have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Goblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

City Scavenger: The goblins of Eio are no strangers to scavenging for refuse and hunting stray animals. Goblins with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Survival checks, and can use Survival to forage for food while in a city.

Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common.

Elves have long drawn the covetous gazes of other races. Their generous life spans, magical affinity, and inherent grace each contribute to the admiration or bitter envy of their neighbors. Of all their traits, however, none so entrance their human associates as their beauty. Since the two races first came into contact with each other, the humans have held up elves as models of physical perfection, seeing in the fair folk idealized versions of themselves. For their part, many elves find humans attractive despite their comparatively barbaric ways, drawn to the passion and impetuosity with which members of the younger race play out their brief lives.

Sometimes this mutual infatuation leads to romantic relationships. Though usually short-lived, even by human standards, these trysts commonly lead to the birth of half-elves, a race descended of two cultures yet inheritor of neither. Half-elves can breed with one another, but even these “pureblood” half-elves tend to be viewed as bastards by humans and elves alike.

It is worth noting that neither humans nor elves are specifically lacking in inter-fertility with other species; however, most interbreedings are between humans and elves, and as such that is what one generally thinks of as a 'half-elf'.

Physical Description: Half-elves stand taller than humans but shorter than elves. They inherit the lean build and comely features of their elven lineage, but their skin color is dictated by their human side. While half-elves retain the pointed ears of elves, theirs are more rounded and less pronounced. A half-elf's human-like eyes tend to range a spectrum of exotic colors running from amber or violet to emerald green and deep blue.

Society: While often attractive to both races for the same reasons as their parents, half-elves rarely fit in with either humans or elves, as both races see too much evidence of the other in them. This lack of acceptance weighs heavily on many half-elves, yet others are bolstered by their unique status, seeing in their lack of a formalized culture the ultimate freedom. As a result, half-elves are incredibly adaptable, capable of adjusting their mindsets and talents to whatever societies they find themselves in.

Relations: A half-elf understands loneliness, and knows that character is often less a product of race than of life experience. As such, half-elves are often open to friendships and alliances with other races, and less likely to rely on first impressions when forming opinions of new acquaintances.

Mannerisms: Half-elves' isolation strongly influences their characters and philosophies. Cruelty does not come naturally to them, but neither does blending in and bending to societal convention. Half-elves' lack of a unified culture makes them less likely to turn to religion, but those who do generally follow the common faiths of their area.

Adventurers: Half-elves tend to be itinerants, subjects of occasional racism and frequent indifference wherever they go. Those lucky enough to be born in an area where mixed-race pairings are common are surprised by the hostilities they receive elsewhere. The desire to prove themselves and establish their own place in the world drives many half-elf adventurers to lives of bravery.

+2 to One Ability Score: Half-elf characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.

Medium: Half-elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. See Additional Rules.

Sociable: Half-elves are skilled at charming others and recovering from faux pas. If half-elves with this racial trait attempt to change a creature's attitude with a Diplomacy check and fail by 5 or more, they can try to influence the creature a second time even if 24 hours have not passed.

Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.

Elven Immunities: Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Wary: Half-elves often spend their long lives moving from place to place, constantly wary of others' motivations. Half-elves with this trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Sense Motive and Bluff checks.

Multitalented: Half-elves choose two favored classes at first level and gain +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever they take a level in either one of those classes. See Classes for more information about favored classes.

Languages: Half-elves begin play speaking Common and Elven.

Half-orcs are generally considered monstrosities, as their creation has in eras long past been the result of perversion and violence - or at least, that's how other races see them. While there are loving unions that produce half-orcs in Eioan society, most are usually forced to grow up hard and fast, constantly fighting for protection or to make names for themselves. Feared and distrusted, and sometimes treated worse than either of their parents, half-orcs still consistently manage to surprise their detractors with great deeds and unexpected wisdom … and when that doesn't work, there's always giving their detractors the violence expected of them.

Physical Description: Both genders of half-orc stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, with powerful builds and greenish or grayish skin. Their canines often grow long enough to protrude from their mouths, and these “tusks,” combined with heavy brows and slightly pointed ears, are what give them their notoriously bestial appearance. Half-orcs may be impressive, but only certain tastes ever describe them as beautiful.

Society: Unlike half-elves, where at least part of society's discrimination is born out of jealousy or attraction, half-orcs get the worst of both worlds: physically weaker than their orc kin, they also tend to be feared or attacked outright by those who don't bother making the distinction between full orcs and halfbloods. Still, while not exactly accepted, half-orcs in civilized societies tend to be valued for their martial prowess, and orcs do respect them for regularly making up for their lack of physical strength with increased cunning and aggression, making them natural chieftains and strategic advisors.

Relations: A lifetime of persecution leaves the average half-orc wary and quick to anger, yet those who break through his savage exterior might find a well-hidden core of empathy. Elves and dwarves tend to be the least accepting of half-orcs, seeing in them too great a resemblance to their historical enemies, but other races aren't much more understanding. Half-orcs make natural mercenaries and enforcers, however, and their services as such are valued.

Mannerisms: Evil comes easily to half-orcs, but they are not evil by nature – rather, many half-orcs learn the hard way that there's no point doing anything but that which directly benefits themselves, as there are few who will listen.

Adventurers: Staunchly independent, many half-orcs take to lives of adventure out of necessity, seeking to improve their lot through force of arms. Others, more optimistic or desperate for acceptance, take up the mantle of crusaders in order to prove their worth to the world.

+2 to One Ability Score: Half-orc characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.

Medium: Half-orcs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Half-orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Intimidating: Half-orcs receive a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate skill checks due to their fearsome nature.

Orc Blood: Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.

Orc Ferocity: Once per day, when a half-orc is brought below 0 hit points but not killed, he can fight on for one more round as if disabled. At the end of his next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, he immediately falls unconscious and begins dying.

City-Raised: The half-orcs of Eio seldom know much about their orcish heritage; instead these city-raised half-orcs are proficient with whips and longswords, and receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks.

Languages: Half-orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc.

Optimistic and cheerful by nature, blessed with uncanny luck and driven by a powerful wanderlust, halflings make up for their short stature with an abundance of bravado and curiosity. At once excitable and easy-going, halflings like to keep an even temper and a steady eye on opportunity, and are not as prone as some of the more volatile races to violent or emotional outbursts. Even in the jaws of catastrophe, though, a halfling almost never loses his sense of humor.

Halflings are inveterate opportunists. Unable to physically defend themselves from the rigors of the world, they know when to bend with the wind and when to hide away. Yet a halfling's curiosity often overwhelms his good sense, leading to poor decisions and narrow escapes.

Though their curiosity drives them to travel and seek new places and experiences, halflings possess a strong sense of house and home, often spending above their means to enhance the comforts of home life.

Physical Description: Halflings rise to a humble height of 3 feet. They prefer to walk barefoot, leading to the bottoms of their feet being roughly calloused. Tufts of thick, curly hair warm the tops of their broad, tanned feet. Their skin tends toward a rich almond color and their hair toward light shades of brown. A halfling's ears are pointed, but proportionately not much larger than those of a human.

Society: Halflings tend to exist at the knees of Eioan society in general, eking out livings as they can from the scraps of larger societies. Many halflings lead perfectly fulfilling lives in the shadow of their larger neighbors, while some prefer more nomadic lives on the road, traveling the world and experiencing all it has to offer.

Relations: A typical halfling prides himself on his ability to go unnoticed by other races - it is this trait that allows so many halflings to excel at thievery and trickery. Most halflings, knowing full well the stereotyped view other races take of them as a result, go out of their way to be forthcoming and friendly to the bigger races when they're not trying to go unnoticed. They get along fairly well with gnomes, although most halflings regard these eccentric creatures with a hefty dose of caution. Halflings coexist well with humans as a general rule, but try not to grow too complacent when dealing with them. Halflings respect elves and dwarves, but seldom hang out in the same social circles, limiting opportunities for interaction.

Mannerisms: Halflings are loyal to their friends and families, but since they dwell in a world dominated by races twice as large as themselves, they've come to grips with the fact that sometimes they'll need to scrap and scrounge for survival.

Adventurers: Their inherent luck coupled with their insatiable wanderlust makes halflings ideal for lives of adventure. Other such vagabonds tend to put up with the curious race in hopes that some of their mystical luck will rub off.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength: Halflings are nimble and strong-willed, but their small stature makes them weaker than other races.

Small: Halflings are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Slow Speed: Halflings have a base speed of 20 feet.

Fearless: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by halfling luck.

Halfling Luck: Halflings receive a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.

Keen Senses: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.

Sure-Footed: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb skill checks.

Weapon Familiarity: Halflings are proficient with slings and treat any weapon with the word “halfling” in its name as a martial weapon.

Languages: Halflings begin play speaking Common and Halfling.

Humans possess exceptional drive and a great capacity to endure and expand, and as such are currently the dominant race in Eio. Humanity is best characterized by its tumultuousness and diversity, and human society runs the gamut from savage but honorable tribes to decadent, devil-worshiping noble families in the most cosmopolitan cities. Human curiosity and ambition often triumph over their predilection for a sedentary lifestyle, and many leave their homes to explore the innumerable forgotten corners of the world or lead mighty armies to conquer their neighbors, simply because they can.

Physical Description: The physical characteristics of humans are as varied as the world's climes. From the dark-skinned tribesmen of tropical climates to the pale and barbaric raiders of the frozen lands, humans possess a wide variety of skin colors, body types, and facial features. Generally speaking, humans' skin color assumes a darker hue the closer to the equator they live.

Society: Human society comprises a multitude of governments, attitudes, and lifestyles around the world, and Eio is no exception. Though the oldest human cultures trace their histories thousands of years into the past, when compared to the societies of other races like elves and dwarves, human society seems to be in a state of constant flux as empires fragment and new kingdoms subsume the old. In general, humans are known for their flexibility, ingenuity, and ambition.

Relations: Humans are fecund, and their drive and numbers often spur them into contact with other races during bouts of territorial expansion and colonization. In many cases, this leads to violence and war, yet humans are also swift to forgive and forge alliances with races who do not try to match or exceed them in violence. Proud, sometimes to the point of arrogance, humans might look upon dwarves as miserly drunkards, elves as flighty fops, halflings as craven thieves, wanderkin as obnoxious sneaks, gnomes as twisted maniacs, and half-elves and half-orcs as embarrassments best ignored, but the race's diversity among its own members also makes humans quite adept at accepting others for what they are.

Mannerisms: Humanity is perhaps the most heterogeneous of all the common races, with a capacity for great evil and boundless good. Some assemble into vast barbaric hordes given the opportunity, while others build sprawling cities that cover miles. Taken as a whole, most humans generally tend to congregate in nations and civilizations with beliefs matching their own. Humans also have the widest range in gods and religion, lacking other races' ties to tradition and eager to turn to anyone offering them glory or protection.

Adventurers: Ambition alone drives countless humans, and for many, adventuring serves as a means to an end, whether it be wealth, acclaim, social status, or arcane knowledge. A few pursue adventuring careers simply for the thrill of danger. Humans hail from myriad regions and backgrounds, and as such can fill any role within an adventuring party.

Names: Unlike other races, who generally cleave to specific traditions and shared histories, humanity's diversity has resulted in a near-infinite set of names. The humans of a northern barbarian tribe have much different names than those hailing from a subtropical nation of sailors and tradesmen. Throughout most of the world humans speak Common, yet their names are as varied as their beliefs and appearances.

+2 to One Ability Score: Human characters get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.

Medium: Humans are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet.

Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.

Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.

Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common.

Kobolds are often seen as weak, tribalistic troublemakers by other races. And yet, within the kobold is the blood of dragons, and they are hardworking, clever, and blessed with a natural talent for mechanical devices and mining for those who work to cultivate their true talents. Kobolds are master trapsmiths and ambush predators, and aggressive defenders of their community, and a Special Weapons and Tactics team of kobolds can be the nightmare of thugs looking to push over the 'weak little yappy lizards'. They are very keenly perceptive of how others look down on them (literally and figuratively), hold grudges for a long time, and share information, so an individual who has brought harm to kobolds in one neighborhood may find themselves a target in others.

Physical Description: Kobolds are small, bipedal reptilian humanoids. Most stand around 3 feet tall and weigh about 35 pounds. They have powerful jaws for creatures of their size and noticeable claws on their hands and feet. Often kobolds' faces are curiously devoid of expression, as they favor showing their emotions by simply swishing their tails. Kobolds' thick hides vary in color, and have scales that vary broadly in color, with red, orange, and purple being the most common colors.

Society: Kobolds are prone to petty squabbles with others, but they respect family and community above all else, and often live in close proximity to each other when circumstances permit. Their small stature and fondness of tunnel systems means that 'kobold-warren apartments' are inexpensive to build and maintain, and often they voluntarily seek to separate themselves from others so as to be closer to their fellow kobolds; the only exception is that they particularly revere dragonborn and dragons, and a dragonborn in a community is likely to easily be able to make kobold friends if they try to cultivate them. They know fully well that they are weaker than most, and as such can be made to submit easily, but will always scheme to escape subjugation and servitude.

Relations: Kobolds are prone to cheerful insults, pranks, and practical jokes on others, but these seldom turn vicious unless they have a genuine reason to dislike their quarry; those who have earned a kobold's ire will find themselves on the end of cruelties and indignities as often as the kobold feels it is safe to inflict. Kobolds tend to respect other lizardian races, particularly dragonborn.

Mannerisms: Kobolds readily knuckle under to superior force but rarely stop scheming to gain an edge over their oppressors. Over the centuries their most cruel behaviors have waned, although a surprising number of them end up in bureaucratic positions where they can legally annoy others. They maintain a devout worship of dragons, and especially Alshira, goddess of dragons.

Adventurers: Kobolds rarely wander voluntarily into danger by their own choice. Those who do are often alone in the world, and are likely to settle down if they can find another kobold community willing to accept them.

+2 Dexterity, –4 Strength, –2 Constitution: Kobolds are fast but weak.

Reptilian: Kobolds are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.

Small: Kobolds are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on their combat maneuver checks and to Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Normal Speed: Kobolds have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Kobolds can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Armor: Kobolds have a +1 natural armor bonus.

Crafty: Kobolds gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Perception, and Profession (miner) checks. Craft (traps) and Stealth are always class skills for a kobold.

Weakness: Kobolds are easily blinded by bright lights, and while they can manage in normal daylight, sudden brightness will give them the same drawbacks as sunlight sensitivity.

Languages: Kobolds begin play speaking Common and Draconic.

A discussion of Eio would not be complete without a discussion of the leupak. The first leupaks were created as a result of an alchemical accident involving letting a small lizard eat a high-viscosity chemical personal defense weapon, which has resulted in a variety of monstrosities. Many of these monstrosities are isolated to the wilderness or to experimental laboratories, but two variants are commonly seen within Eioan society.

Citizen Leupaks are, amongst the leupakian creature class, the one considered most humanoid and 'civilized', excepting perhaps chameleons. As with other leupaks, they are an artificially created race made by the original individuals who colonized Eio millenia ago, but where many others are more bestial in appearance, citizen leupaks were developed with time and research in order to be capable of joining 'normal' society. They are roughly equal in population to humans in Eio, such that they are commonly seen from day to day. They are the most socially inclined of Eio's races excepting perhaps humanity itself.

Physical Description: Citizen leupaks are roughly as tall as humans, roughly 5 foot 7 inches on average and weighing about 150 pounds. They have small, sharp teeth and equally small claws on hands and feet. Their most distinguishing feature is hidden in their mouth; a tongue that is muscular, cylindrical, and tipped in eight sharp teeth, known as a tongueclaw, their primary remaining leupakian trait. Although citizen leupaks do not typically use it to feed on the blood of others, preferring to use it as a biological straw for beverages in most cases. Scale color varies widely, although family lines tend to have particular scale colors and patterns; artificial scale coloring is a common pharmaceutical way to change these colors and patterns as well.

Society: Citizen leupaks are most commonly employed in the alchemical and pharmaceutical industries, where their heritage is well known and respected. They generally socialize well with other races, and show few of the dangerous violent traits associated with the leupaks of ancient days. They often gravitate towards intellectual roles.

Relations: Citizen leupaks are friendly towards most others, though a very vocal minority has begun calling for the expungement of the 'lizards' from the Eioan community. This seems unlikely to happen, but there are rumors that scalykind in general might be under threat.

Mannerisms: Citizen leupaks tend to be polite and cautious in their approach, favoring a well-thought-out advance over a foolhardy rush, whether in combat, in business, or elsewhere. Citizen leupaks who worship a deity vary in their worship, although Alshira is a common favorite.

Adventurers: Like any other species, citizen leupaks have the urge to go out and explore the world – or at least the parts of it they don't already know about. Viewing things from a televid screen or a computer is no replacement for being there, after all. Their flexibility and methodical thinking makes them excellent ranged combatants, but they prefer not to get up and close when fighting unless specifically trained for it.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Strength: Citizen leupaks are designed to be flexible and pragmatic, but are not built for raw strength.

Leupakian: Citizens are humanoids with the leupakian subtype.

Medium: Citizens are Medium creatures.

Normal Speed: Citizens have a base speed of 30 feet.

Natural Armor: Citizens have a +1 natural armor bonus due to their scales.

Urbanite: Citizen leupaks are naturally social by nature, and gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Sense Motive checks made to get a hunch about a social situation.

Sociable: When members of this race attempt to change a creature's attitude with a Diplomacy check and fail by 5 or more, they can try to influence the creature a second time even if 24 hours have not passed.

Prehensile Tail: Citizen leupaks have a long, flexible tail that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their tails, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.

Tonguebite: Citizen leupaks can bite with their tongueclaw, inflicting 1d3 damage on a successful attack.

Lego Genetics: Citizen leupaks are designed to be easy to modify via alchemy, giving them a +4 bonus to Constitution saves to resist side effects from alchemical modification.

Languages: Citizen leupaks begin play speaking Common and Leupakian.

While citizen leupaks are visibly lizardian in nature, the chameleon leupak looks more or less human, but upon very close examination has very tiny scales like a serpent's, a slightly forked tongue, and reptilian pupils. Used as assassins and infiltrators during the wars of Eio's past, they are often highly amoral and focus on personal benefit over the causes of others.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom: Chameleons are graceful and elegant, but they are often irrational.

Leupakian: Chameleons are humanoids with the leupakian subtype.

Medium: Chameleons are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Chameleons have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Chameleons can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Keen Senses: Chameleons receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Limber: Chameleons receive a +2 racial bonus on Escape Artist and Stealth checks.

Poison Resistance: A chameleon has a racial bonus on saving throws against poison equal to its Hit Dice.

Poison Use: Chameleons are skilled in the use of poison and never accidentally poison themselves when using or applying poison.

Toxic: A number of times per day equal to his Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), a chameleon can envenom a weapon that he wields with his toxic saliva or blood (using blood requires the chameleon to be injured when he uses this ability). Applying venom in this way is a swift action.

Paralytic Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.

Languages: Chameleons begin play speaking Common and Leupakian.

Orcs are commonly known as aggressive, callous, and domineering creatures, and much of it is true. Strong adherents to the tenet that strength and power are the highest virtues, orcs believe more than most races that they are entitled to anything they want unless someone stronger can stop them from seizing it. This makes orcs dangerous street thugs, but also makes them equally ruthless and aggressive in the corporate and financial world. They are happiest in positions where they are above others (and can pass off work to them), and those who cannot keep up with them are generally considered weak.

Physical Description: Powerfully built, orcs typically stand just a few inches taller than most humans but have much greater muscle mass, their broad shoulders and thick, brawny hips often giving them a slightly lurching gait. They typically have dull green skin, coarse dark hair in shades of black and brown, beady red eyes, and protruding, tusklike teeth. Orcs are fond of tattooing, piercing, body modification, and scarification, and many decorate their bodies to showcase their endurance and intimidate their rivals.

Society: The place of orcs in Eioan culture is a complex one. Within the lower classes, orcs are the legbreakers that criminals turn to for acts of violence and destruction. They are brutal brawlers who test their strength and mettle against any who might think themselves bigger and badder, and a disproportionate amount of arrests in Eio are of those of orcish descent, not entirely unjustified. However, orcs who begin to focus on building power in ways other than brute strength are far more dangerous, as they make ruthless adversaries especially to those who do not manage to earn their respect.

Relations: Orcs admire strength and power above all things. This means that earning an orc's grudging respect, or at least tolerance, may require being able to prove that you are able to hold your own against them. Whether this involves a back alley brawl, traded threats and boasts, contests of strength and skill, discussion of other conquests, or more esoteric fare depends on the orc – but all believe, on at least some level, that their size and strength makes them inherently better.

Mannerisms: The orcs of Eio are generally focused on proving and improving their strength and power. They understand that others are held by concepts such as honor and loyalty, but respect typically only extends to those who they feel have proven they are not weaker – and they may yet take advantage of any moment of weakness they see.

Adventurers: Orcs often strike out on their own because they want to prove their strength against greater challenges than are available at home. As careers in law enforcement, military, and criminal organizations have limited positions open, sometimes a better path to power is becoming famous for your deeds. They seldom care about the 'heroism' of such deeds as often as proving their superiority over threats others are afraid of, but it does work out well in any case.

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma: Orcs are strong and tough, but not known for subtle graces.

Orc: Orcs are humanoids with the orc subtype.

Medium: Orcs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Ferocity: Orcs can remain conscious and continue fighting even if their hit point totals fall below 0. Orcs are still staggered at 0 hit points or lower and lose 1 hit point each round as normal.

Fearless: Orcs gain a +2 racial bonus against all fear effects.

Languages: Orcs begin play speaking Common and Orc.

Ratfolk are small, rodentlike humanoids that are drawn to large gatherings of people. Much like the pack rats they resemble, ratfolk are tinkerers and hoarders by nature, and as a whole are masters of commerce, especially when it comes to acquiring and repairing mechanical and magical devices. The stereotype of the 'greedy rat' who hoards wealth is not so far from the truth, although some merely enjoy stockpiling items of personal interest (then again, wealth is an item of personal interest, isn't it?) That said, ratfolk traders often prefer barter over direct cash transactions in personal dealings.

Physical Description: Typical ratfolk are average 4 feet tall and weigh 80 pounds. They often wear robes to conceal their forms in cities, as they know other humanoids find their rodent features distasteful. Ratfolk have a strong attraction to shiny jewelry, especially copper, bronze, and gold, and many decorate their ears and tails with small rings made of such metals. They are known to train giant rats (dire rats with the giant creature simple template), which they often use as pack animals and mounts.

Society: Ratfolk are extremely communal, and prefer large complexes to live in with plenty of hidden crannies in which to stash their hoards or flee in times of danger, gravitating toward subterranean tunnels or tightly packed tenements in city slums. They feel an intense bond with their large families and kin networks, as well as with ordinary rodents of all sorts, living in chaotic harmony and fighting fiercely to defend each other when threatened. They are quick to use their stockpiles of gear in combat, but prefer to work out differences and settle disputes with mutually beneficial trades.

Relations: Ratfolk tend to get along quite well with others, and often develop ratfolk societies dwelling in the sewers, alleys, and shadows of cities. Ratfolk are particularly fond of works of music and art, and many ratfolk warrens are decorated with art pieces acquired through generations of friendly trade. The ratfolk of Eio often trade with kobolds, who share similar habitats.

Mannerisms: Ratfolk individuals are driven by a desire to acquire interesting items and a compulsion to tinker with complex objects. The strong ties of ratfolk communities give them an appreciation for the benefits of an orderly society, even if they are willing to bend those rules when excited about accomplishing their individual goals.

Adventurers: Ratfolk are often driven by a desire to seek out new opportunities for trade, both for themselves and for their warrens. Ratfolk adventurers may seek potential markets for their clan's goods, keep an eye out for sources of new commodities, or just wander about in hopes of unearthing enough treasure to fund less dangerous business ventures. Ratfolk battles are often decided by cunning traps, ambushes, or sabotage of enemy positions, and accordingly young ratfolk heroes often take up classes such as alchemist, gunslinger, and rogue.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Strength: Ratfolk are agile and clever, yet physically weak.

Ratfolk: Ratfolk are humanoids with the ratfolk subtype.

Small: Ratfolk are Small and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Slow Speed: Ratfolk have a base speed of 20 feet.

Darkvision: Ratfolk can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Rodent Empathy: Ratfolk gain a +4 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks made to influence rodents.

Cornered Fury: Ratfolk can fight viciously when cut off from friends and allies. Whenever a ratfolk with this racial trait is reduced to half or fewer of his hit points, and has no conscious ally within 30 feet, he gains a +2 racial bonus on melee attack rolls and to Armor Class.

Tinker: Ratfolk gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy), Perception, and Use Magic Device checks.

Languages: Ratfolk begin play speaking Common and Undercommon.

The crowlike tengus are known as a race of scavengers and irrepressible thieves. Covetous creatures predominantly motivated by greed, they are vain and easily won over with flattery. Deceptive, duplicitous, and cunning, tengus seek circumstances in which they can take advantage of the situation, often at the expense of others, including their own kind. They can be highly competitive, but impulsive and rash. Some claim their behavior is innate, while others believe their selfish mannerisms are cultural and developed as a learned adaptation that has enabled their people to endure through centuries of oppression.

Tengus are natural survivalists. For many, only theft and guile have afforded them the temporary luxuries other races take for granted. In the past, both humans and powerful races such as giants sought the bird-folk as slaves and servitors. Many tengus scavenged for survival, scraping for food in the shadows of cities or living as subsistence hunters and gatherers in the wild. Their descendants now struggle to find their place in contemporary society, often competing against negative stereotypes or driven to embrace them, and they rely on thievery and swordplay to get by in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Physical Description: Tengus are avian humanoids whose features strongly resemble crows. They have broad beaks and both their arms and their legs end in powerful talons. Though tengus are unable to fly, iridescent feathers cover their bodies - this plumage is usually black, though occasionally brown or blue-back. Their skin, talons, beaks, and eyes are similarly colored, and most non-tengus have great difficulty telling individuals apart. Tengus who wish to be more easily identified by other humanoids may bleach certain feathers or decorate their beaks with dyes, paint, or tiny glued ornaments. Though they are about the same height as humans, they have slight builds and tend to hunch over. A tengu's eyes sit slightly back and to the sides of his head, giving him binocular vision with a slightly more panoramic field of view than other humanoids. Like many avians, tengus have hollow bones and reproduce by laying eggs.

Society: Tengus live in close-knit communities in which they keep to themselves. In urban centers, they tend to group in communal slums, while those living in rural areas establish isolated settlements. Overall, they remain secretive about their culture, which is a combination of old traditions laced with newer bits of culture scavenged from the races common in the neighboring regions. Cultural scavenging also extends to language, and regional dialects of Tengu are peppered with terms and colloquialisms from other languages. Unsurprisingly, tengus have a knack for language and pick up new ones quickly.

Most tengu communities tend to follow a tribal structure. Tribal rules remain loose and subjective, and tribe members settle any conflicts through public arbitration (and occasionally personal combat). While every tengu has a voice in her society, in most settlements, tengus still defer to their revered elders for wisdom and advice.

Relations: Tengus inevitably form their own ghettos and ramshackle communities, typically in the most wretched neighborhoods. Regardless of their tolerance, most people see tengus as scavengers and maintain as little contact with tengus as possible. Tengus occasionally make friends with ratfolk and kobolds, but only when they share mutual interests.

Mannerism: Tengus usually do not bend too far towards good or evil, although the more impulsive ones could easily be described as chaotic. Their religious beliefs vary from tribe to tribe; many worship aspects of better known deities or individual celestial patrons. However, tengus can be fickle with regard to their patrons, quickly abandoning religious customs when they cease to provide any tangible benefit. Many embrace polytheism, picking and choosing to uphold the tenets of whatever deities best suit them at the time.

Adventurers: With little at home to leave behind, many tengus turn to a life of adventure seeking fame, fortune, and glory. A common tengu belief portrays a life on the road as a series of experiences and trials that form a path to enlightenment. Some take this to mean a path of spiritual empowerment; others view it as a way to perfect their arts or swordsmanship. Perhaps in spite of the prejudices upheld by outsiders, many tengu adventurers embrace their stereotypes. These individuals seek to succeed by epitomizing tengu racial qualities, and proudly flaunt their heritage. Despite their avian frailty, with their quick reflexes and quicker wits, tengus make excellent rogues and rangers, while those with a strong connection to the spirit world often become oracles. Those disciplined in the practice of martial arts take jobs as mercenaries and bodyguards in order to profit from their talents.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Constitution: Tengus are fast and observant, but relatively fragile and delicate.

Tengu: Tengus are humanoids with the tengu subtype.

Medium: Tengus are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Tengus have a base speed of 30 feet.

Senses: Tengus have low-light vision.

Sneaky: Tengus gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.

Gifted Linguist: Tengus gain a +4 racial bonus on Linguistics checks, and learn 2 languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics rather than 1 language.

Swordtrained: Tengus are trained from birth in swordplay, and as a result are automatically proficient with swordlike weapons (including bastard swords, daggers, elven curve blades, falchions, greatswords, kukris, longswords, punching daggers, rapiers, scimitars, short swords, and two-bladed swords).

Natural Weapon: A tengu has a bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage.

Languages: Tengus begin play speaking Common and Undercommon.

Simultaneously more and less than mortal, tieflings are the offspring of humans and demonic entities. With otherworldly blood and traits to match, tieflings are often shunned and despised out of reactionary fear. Most tieflings never know the entity responsible for their traits, as the coupling that produced their bloodline occurred generations earlier. The taint is long-lasting and persistent, often manifesting at birth or sometimes later in life, as a powerful, though often unwanted, boon. Despite their fiendish appearance and netherworld origins, tieflings have as much capacity as anyone else of choosing their fate, and while many embrace their dark heritage and side with fiendish powers, others reject their darker predilections. Though the power of their blood calls many tieflings to fury, destruction, and wrath, others look to the examples of more noble demons in searching for a life path.

Physical Description: No two tieflings look alike; the demonic blood running through their veins manifests inconsistently, granting them an array of fiendish traits. One tiefling might appear as a human with small horns, a barbed tail, and oddly colored eyes, while another might manifest a mouth of fangs, tiny wings, and claws, and yet another might possess the perpetual smell of blood, foul incenses, and brimstone. Typically, these qualities hearken back in some way to the manner of fiend that spawned the tiefling's bloodline, but even then the admixture of human and fiendish blood is rarely ruled by sane, mortal laws, and the vast flexibility it produces in tieflings is a thing of wonder, running the gamut from oddly beautiful to utterly terrible.

Society: Eio is mostly accommodating of tieflings, as they are no stranger to friendly demons, but they are still treated with suspicion, scorn and wariness by many, particularly those who are more monstrous in appearance. Tieflings often learn to adapt to the area they live in, or at least do their best to hide within it.

Relations: Tieflings face a significant amount of prejudice from many individuals, who view them as visibly evil in nature. This is not universal (and part of the Eioan Employment Non-Discrimination Act disallows employers from discriminating based on this), but is hard to entirely remove from society. The assumption that tieflings are innately evil - ill-founded though it may be - prevents many from easily fitting into more insular areas.

Mannerisms: Prejudices nonwithstanding, the mindset of tieflings is as diverse as any other species; some give in to the worst aspects of their inner nature or accept the role others prefer to see them as, while others actively fight against their own reputations and the assumptions of others, trying to prove themselves as good as anyone else. Most simply work to survive, looking out for themselves, and possibly others as they see fit. Those tieflings who worship a deity choose one that fits their interests, although many follow Phred, the demon lord of contracts and one of the best known examples of a 'noble demon' (to the point where he is technically a part of the Arcydean pantheon, depending on what folklore you read.)

Adventurers: Tieflings rarely settle down into lives of quiet mundanity. Some push away from the world that fears and rejects them, others seek to prove themselves as better than most 'goodly' folk, and most just look to make a better life for themselves, like any other adventurer. Tieflings make skilled rogues, powerful wizards and magi, and especially puissant sorcerers as their potent blood empowers them, and occasionally clerics (which makes for delightful irony).

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Tieflings are quick in body and mind, but are inherently strange and unnerving.

Native Outsider: Tieflings are outsiders with the native subtype.

Medium: Tieflings are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Tieflings have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Tieflings see in the dark for up to 60 feet.

Skilled: Tieflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Stealth checks.

Spell-Like Ability: Tieflings can use darkness once per day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability equals the tiefling's class level.

Fiendish Resistance: Tieflings have cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.

Prehensile Tail: Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.

Languages: Tieflings begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal or Infernal.

Vanaras are intelligent, monkeylike humanoids that originated in the deep, warm forests and lush jungles of Avylyss millenia ago. A vanara's body is covered in a thin coat of soft fur, and individuals with chestnut, ivory, and even golden coats are common. Despite their fur, vanaras can grow lengthy hair on their head just as humans can, and both male and female vanaras take pains to wear elaborate hairstyles for important social functions. The hair on a vanara's head matches the color of its fur. All vanaras have long, prehensile tails and handlike feet capable of well-articulated movements. A vanara stands slightly shorter and weighs slightly less than a typical human.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma. Vanaras are agile and insightful, but are also rather mischievous.

Vanara: Vanaras are humanoids with the vanara subtype.

Medium: Vanaras are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Vanaras have a base speed of 30 feet and a Climb speed of 20 feet.

Low-Light Vision: A vanara can see twice as far as a human in dim light.

Nimble: Vanaras have a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Stealth checks.

Prehensile Tail: A vanara has a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with her tail, but the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action.

Languages: Vanaras begin play speaking Common and Sylvan.

Wanderkin are diminutive demi-humans with thin limbs and sharply pointed ears, making them the demihuman equivalent for elves that halflings are for humans in some ways. (Elves aren't particularly fond of this comparison, though.) They are roughly 3 foot tall and 40 pounds in weight, with skin tones ranging from pale white to nut brown, and are diligent explorers, always looking to find a new object of curiosity.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength: Wanderkin are dexterous and clever, but physically weak.

Wanderkin: Wanderkin are humanoids with the wanderkin subtype.

Small: Wanderkin gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Small races have a space of 5 feet by 5 feet and a reach of 5 feet.

Slow Speed: Wanderkin have a base speed of 20 feet.

Languages: Wanderkin begin with Common and Gnome.

Darkvision: Wanderkin can see using darkvision out to 60 feet.

Hope Springs Eternal: Wanderkin gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects. Also, once per day, after a natural roll of 1 on a d20 roll, members of this race may reroll and use the second result.

Curiosity: Wanderkin are naturally inquisitive about the world around them. They gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) become class skills for them. If they choose a class that has either of these Knowledge skills as class skills, they gain a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead.

Scrounger: Wanderkin gain a +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Perception checks to find hidden objects (including traps and secret doors), or determine the usefulness of items.

Because Eio is a mostly urban environment, and most races listed here have access to schools and educational systems, a person of high intelligence can choose from the following races taught in public schools:

• Abyssal: Used by chaotic outsiders and technical support departments.
• Aklo: Used by evil fey and other otherworldly monsters.
• Aquan: Used by aquatic creatures and water-based creatures.
• Auran: Used by flying creatures, air-based creatures.
• Celestial: Used by good outsiders and old religious textbooks.
• Common: Spoken by practically everyone in Eio, to some extent or another.
• Draconic: Spoken by dragons and reptilian humanoids.
• Druidic: A complicated cipher language studied by druids and college students.
• Dwarven: Spoken mostly by dwarves and brewers.
• Elven: Spoken by elves and similarly cultured folk to sound more elegant.
• Giant: Spoken by various races of giants, ogres, trolls, and the like; uncommon to meet a speaker in person.
• Gnome: Spoken by gnomes and wanderkin.
• Gnoll: Spoken by gnolls and other canid races.
• Halfling: Spoken by halflings.
• Ignan: Spoken by fire-based creatures and some demonic entities.
• Infernal: Spoken by lawful outsiders and used heavily in contract law.
• Leupakian: Spoken by leupaks and geneticists.
• Orcs: Spoken by orcs and their kin.
• Sylvan: Spoken by plant creatures, fey, and other woodland beings.
• Terran: Spoken by earth-based creatures.
• Undercommon: Spoken by tunneldwellers.

The world in which Eio resides has access to multiple planes of existence, so if your heart is absolutely set on playing a foreign entity, you might be able to. Discuss with your GM to determine if Outsiders are right for you. Side effects may include vulnerability to banishment effects, rebalancing to fit the campaign, additional story arcs, and dandruff.