Dirus Dominus (3.5e Race)

Dirus Dominus

Goddess of Magic

Lady of Wonder

Wandered the ancient woods

Where trees were souls

Born of life and love

There she found in a grove

Dying in a pool of crimson woe

A bear torn by grief

A wolf soiled in regret

Brothers in arms

Passionate in duty

Protectors of nature

Captive in Death's cruel embrace

Smitten with compassion

The Lady of Mystery did say

’Twould be the greatest crime

to never let these warriors fly

one last time in the streams of Time

So she took a golden needle with silver thread,

Sewing bone to bone, flesh to flesh

Binding their strengths anew

Melded into, joined in spirit

A new creature of justice was born

The Dire Lord, a patron to all druidic

and earth-bound saints.

Personality

The Dirus Dominus is entirely an introvert. An introvert prefers to spend time alone in order to recharge their inner being. An introvert may appear to be shy to others, but that is not necessarily an accurate label. Being among groups of friends, family and even strangers can be wonderfully stimulating and joyous occasions. Interacting with people and attention to multiple sources of stimuli tends to draw down an introvert's energy causing them to eventually withdraw to spend time alone to re-energize. Small talk and pointless conversations tend to draw down an introvert's energy rapidly, but Dirus Dominus are very passionate about life as well. No one takes protecting and upholding the laws of Nature more seriously than the Dirus Dominus, and through their actions they preach that fate is not predetermined but is as unpredictable, untameable as the world is. Dirus Dominus believe that all races need to revert to the Ancient World, where technology wasn't entirely bad, but it was held in check because the point was not to taint their planet Toril with structures, but to find ways to help it flourish along with all its flora and fauna. Dirus Dominus find killing a natural occurrence, but killing without purpose or for wrong reasons is a swift way to anger this powerful being.

Physical Description

"What can break your spine and eat your face off at the same time? A Dirus Dominus." -A Dirus Dominus "joke"

The Dirus Dominus has long fur like a dire wolf and all it's coloration varieties from ash grey to pitch black or stark white, but has the thickness of a dire bear's coat. Dirus Dominus get their name from the Days of Thunder, for when this race emerged, they towered 12 feet tall and weighed on average close to 4,000 lbs in muscle and fur. Some Dirus Dominus claim that in the knowledge passed down, legendary ancestors of their race reached as tall as 18 feet and weighed nearly 5,000 lbs, easily defeating giants in battle.

Relations

Dirus Dominus tend to live secretive lives, but they enjoy having company from time to time, though preferably with druids or anthropomorphic beasts of intelligent and peaceful sentience. They can more easily bond with other wolf-hybrid races, as well as Ursa. They are usually very loyal to their families, placing value in the bonds of family above many other things.

Alignment

The alignment of any particular Dirus Dominus varies by individual. However, they tend to steer away from Chaotic alignments as they tend to live more just and protective lives (if your campaign involves Dirus Dominus associating with other races more often, then a Lawful alignment would be more reasonable). Dirus Dominus are not predisposed to good or evil. The best and the worst can be found among them, but most tend to be neutral due to their secretive lifestyle.

Lands

The Dirus Dominus are nomadic beastfolk that seek to recover, inherit and preserve the knowledge and sacred treasures of Toril, and all the ancient lands. They lead nomadic lives, wandering throughout the realms forests, plains, and mountains. Their clans date back to the Days of Thunder, passing off precious lore from generation to generation, but regardless of how their ancestors may have lived, the Dirus Dominus of now truly believe that lands should not be "owned" or claimed but rather lived on and cared for freely.

Religion

The Dirus Dominus are a highly spiritual people, despite their sometimes overconfident, aggressive natures, and pay the gods they honor faithful obedience. In general, Dirus Dominus worship gods of animals and of nature, these being the attributes they value most of all. Silvanus is a perfect example of the sort of deity that Dirus Dominus venerate, along with Selûne and Malar for those that stray towards chaotic or evil tendencies. Dirus Dominus also take great pains to stay in harmony with the world of spirits and nature, and upholding that the balance should never be tipped, though never allowing religious beliefs to also overcome the loyalties of home.

Language

Dirus Dominus speak Sylvan, Druidic, Wolfen, and Common if they choose, Dirus Dominus hardly take the time to learn languages outside of these as they prefer the tongue closest to nature and of the Primordial language, believing it is the other races who should learn to apply themselves to speaking the oldest and truer of dialects.

Names

Names were based off of animal totems specifically venerated by Dirus Dominus families, as animal totems are emblems of tribes or groups of people such as a family or clan. Animal totems or emblems, also reflect the lineage of a tribe, reminding them of their ancestry or their mythical past and creation myths. Many tribes also hold the belief that each of their people have animal totems that are spirit guides who sometimes appear in dreams or Vision Quests in the form of Power Animals and their dream meanings. These animal totems, or spirit guides walk through life with them, teaching and guiding them and in some instances, protecting them.

Racial Traits

• +2 Strength, +1 Constitution, +1 Wisdom; Dirus Dominus are very strong and hardy beastfolk with wisdom blessed upon them through passed down lore and personal experience, which means they have plenty of common sense, but when it comes to civilized cultures and interacting with modern means, they fall short and are complete blunders with finesse of maneuvering grace and using their tongues correctly.
• Humanoid (Beastfolk)
• Large
• Dirus Dominus base land speed is feet: 35 , Climb: 30, Swim: 30
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): A Dirus Dominus can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination.
• Racial Hit Dice: A Dirus Dominus begins with five levels of Beastfolk, which provide 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +5, Ref +4, and Will +4.
• Lunar Cursed: Dirus Dominus gain a damage reduction 10/silver; silver weapons deal triple damage to a Dirus Dominus
• Maw of Fury: Dirus Dominus gain Improved Critical (Bite) and Weapon Focus (Bite) as a racial feat. Dirus Dominus have a PSI (pounds per square inch) biting force of 2500, but are unable to regrow new sets of teeth as an adult.
• Scent (Ex): The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
• Fat Reserves: Dirus Dominus get Endurance, Diehard, and Improved Toughness as a bonus racial Feat, and also get a +6 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against the effects of cold weather.
• Gift of Nature: Dirus Dominus have a +6 to Heal, Sense Motive, Listen, Search, Spot, Knowledge: Nature, Knowledge: Planes, Survival, Climb, Swim, Handle Animal, and Intimidate checks.
• Thick Pelt: Dirus Dominus gain a +6 natural armor bonus to AC.
• Strength of Nature: Dirus Dominus have Improved Grapple and Improved Unarmed Strike naturally; claw attacks become a 3d6, bite attacks become a 2d8, and both have a +6 to hit bonus.
• Trip: A Dirus Dominus that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+2 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity.
• Bestial Empathy (Ex): Communicate with wolves and dire wolves, bears and dire bears, gaining a +8 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against these creatures.
• Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blink, invisibility sphere; 1/day—mass bull’s strength, mass enlarge person, levitate, misdirection (Base DC 10), rage (Base DC 10); 1/day—charm monster (Base DC 10), crushing despair (Base DC 10), dimension door. Caster level equals the Dirus Dominus’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
• Automatic Languages: Sylvan, Druidic, Wolfen, and Common. Bonus Languages: Terran, Giant, Draconic.
• Favored Class: Spirit Shaman, Ranger, Barbarian
• Level Adjustment: +4

Vital Statistics

Table: Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
25 yrs	+1d6 yrs	+1d8 yrs	+1d10 yrs

Table: Aging Effects

Middle Age^1	Old^2	Venerable^3	Maximum Age
100 yrs	200 yrs -- 300 yrs	400 yrs	+ 500 yrs
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	10' 5"	+2d6	1000 lb.	2× (5d10) lb.
Female	8' 5"	+1d6	500 lb.	2× (5d10) lb.

Dirus Dominus Half-Breed (Subrace)

This subspecies is the product of Humans and Dirus Dominus becoming a mated pair to produce offspring with less monstrous humanoid characteristics to better settle in the urban life of civilized nations.

+1 Strength, +1 Constitution, +1 Wisdom

Monstrous Humanoid

Medium

Dirus Dominus base land speed is feet: 35 , Climb: 30, Swim: 30

Low-Light Vision (Ex): A Dirus Dominus can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination.

Scent (Ex): The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.

Gift of Nature: Dirus Dominus have a +6 to Heal, Sense Motive, Listen, Search, Spot, Knowledge: Nature, Knowledge: Planes, Survival, Climb, Swim, Handle Animal, and Intimidate checks.

Thick Pelt: Dirus Dominus gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

Strength of Nature: Dirus Dominus have Improved Grapple and Improved Unarmed Strike naturally; claw attacks become a 1d6, bite attacks become 2d6, and both have a +2 to hit bonus.

Trip: A Dirus Dominus that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+2 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity.

Bestial Empathy (Ex): Communicate with wolves and dire wolves, bears and dire bears, gaining a +8 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against these creatures.

Automatic Languages: Sylvan, Druidic, Wolfen, and Common.

Bonus Languages: Terran, Giant, Draconic.

Favored Class: Spirit Shaman, Ranger, Barbarian

Level Adjustment: +2

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