Kroot (3.5e Race)

“You are strong. It will be good to have that strength.” Also, see the Kroot creature page. By User:Lolzords

Kroot

Most Kroot in or out of jungles are warriors and trackers, although some become powerful Druids (known as Shamans). Arcane magic is alien to them.

Personality

Kroot treat everyone passing through their jungle with a degree of suspicion, hands on their weapons just incase. Outside of the jungle, Kroot promote the same loyalty to their clan and comrades as Dwarves do although they are much more suspectible and welcome to change. In general, Kroot are wary, some unfriendly to anyone they haven't met, and respect is slowly earned, most often through martial prowess. When a Kroot has made an alliance, they will be loyal for life.

Physical Description

The Kroot are humanoid in appearance, resembling carrion-eating avian creatures. They have inverted raptor jaws. Their bone structure is light due to the Kroot's avian ancestry. They have four digits on their hands (arranged in a zygodactylic form) and feet. Their heads are crowned with tough quills or spines that form part of their sensory apparatus; these connect to the brain via ganglia. Kroot eyes have no pupil and are generally milky white in coloration allowing them to see into the darkness, allowing the Kroot to track their prey even at night. Kroot live in jungles in clans called Kindreds. A Kroot's skin colour is naturally muddy-grey but the parents' offspring's skin depends on whatever animal the parents consumed (e.g. parents who consumed many goblins before the child's birth then the child's skin would be a muddy orange or a grey/orange).Kroot are thin and wiry, being on average half a foot taller then humans and about the same weight. They reach adulthood at age 12 and usually live up to 100 years. The Kroot favour primitive garb worked from the hides of animals and adorned with bones, handcrafted amulets and circlets

Relations

In general, Kroot are more welcome among humanoids designated as uncivilized such as Gnolls and Orcs. Despite this, many races are wary of the Kroot, due to their disturbing burial custom of both friends and foes. Kroot often see eye to eye with Dwarves, since they have similar opinions on family and clanship.

Alignment

Kroot tend to be neutral. While they are constantly on the move (a chaotic trait) they also have unbreakable loyalty to their Kindred (a lawful trait).

Kroot Lands

Kroot found out of the jungle are very rare, that is where they were born and that is where their Kindred are. Kroot feel uncomfortable out of the jungle and due to the strong ties with their family rarely spend more then half a year away from their Kindred unless accompanied by other Kroot.

Religion

There is no chief Kroot diety, Kroot clerics occasionally follow Obad-Hai but usually follow none at all. When a Kroot cleric worships no God, he commmonly chooses between Animal, Plant, Strength and Water as his domains, although having no God he may choose any he pleases. Most Kroot believe that when a warrior of any race dies, his warrior spirit should be kept, and the only way to do this is by eating his corpse. The Kroot practice this in their "burial" customs, in which the body of the deceased is consumed by the kindred.

Language

It is suspected that the Kroot leave pheromone trails, mark territories, leave warnings and even communicate with one another, to some extent with scent. This may also be some form of control that extends to lower life forms such as birds and animals, as there is evidence to suggest that the Kroot employ empathic pheromones to prevent such creatures from being startled by them and giving away their position in battle. Combined with their method of communication, the Kroot can learn new languages at an astounding rate, matching posture and tone to the sound of foreign words in order to discern their meaning. Their own verbal communication is a mixture of clicks and whistles, possibly reinforced by these pheromone exudations. Kroot language is called Kroot and is found very difficult by the few who attempt to learn it, due to having a different larynx format. There is no alphabet to the Kroot language, Kroot favor simple scrawlings and pictograms on the rare occasion anything needs to be written down.

Names

Kroot given names are appliable to both male and female, as everyone in the Kindred is a complete equal unless they stand out and become a Shaper (leader). A Kroot has a name given to him by any adult present at his birth, a Kindred name shared by everyone in the Kindred and possibly a nickname, often to show off their martial prowess or skill.

Given Names: Anghkor, Arakah, Gakhan, Gorok, Jiynko, Khibala, Lucu, Mataba, Omuto, Orek.

Kindred Names: Chagrill, Kro, Prok, Trosk, Yursa.

Nicknames: Bones, Feathers, Hammer, Pierce, Scythe, Spikes.

Kroot Racial Traits

• +2 to any physical stat, -4 to be placed in any mental stats. (e.g. -2 in Int, -2 in Cha). The choices of the parent’s cannibalization effects the abilities of future generations. Therefore, many Kroot are different.
• Monstrous humanoid.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Kroot have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Kroot base land speed is 40ft.
• Climb Speed 10ft.: A creature with a climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. The creature must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC of more than 0, but it always can choose to take 10 even if rushed or threatened while climbing. The creature climbs at the given speed while climbing. If it chooses an accelerated climb it moves at double the given climb speed (or its base land speed, whichever is lower) and makes a single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Creatures cannot run while climbing. A creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus on their attacks against a climbing creature.
• Darkvision: Kroot can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Kroot can function just fine with no light at all.
• +1 Natural Armor: Kroot do not urinate or defecate. This is because they possess an incredibly effective digestive system. What cannot be digested is regurgitated, and some chemicals are released as a thick sweat. It is used to control other animals, mark territory or trails, and are a component of Kroot humor towards outsiders. This sweat also acts to deflect strikes in combat.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
• Kroot have a sensitive sense of smell and have the Scent special quality.
• Cannibalize(Ex): Kroot have the ability to cannibalize and safely digest the corpses of their fallen enemies to regain hitpoints lost through combat. Each racial hit dice of the creature provides two hitpoints. This does not allow Kroot to exceed their maximum hitpoint total. Most of the torso is eaten, meaning a raise dead spell will not awaken those unfortunate enough to fall to the Kroot in combat. Kroot cannot eat poisonous meat (e.g. zombie flesh) safely, and will have to make a fortitude save DC 15 or become sickened for 1d3 hours. Cannibalizing a corpse takes one full round per racial hit die of the creature being consumed. This action provokes an attack of opportunity.

For example: A tiger has 6 racial hit dice and will provide 12 hitpoints if the full six rounds are spent cannibalizing it.

• Natural Weapons: The sharp beak of a Kroot provides them with a bite attack that deals 1d6 + str modifier damage.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Kroot (a mixture of clicks and whistles). Bonus Languages: Giant, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
• Favored Class: Fighter (If +2 in Str) Ranger (If +2 in Dex) or Barbarian (If +2 in Con)
• Level Adjustment: +0.

Vital Statistics

Table: Kroot Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
12 years	+1d4	+1d6	+2d6

Table: Kroot Aging Effects

Middle Age^1	Old^2	Venerable^3	Maximum Age
40 years	65 years	80 years	+2d20 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +2 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +3 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Kroot Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	6' 8"	+2d10	210lb.	x (2d4)lb.
Female	6' 2.8"	+2d10	170lb.	x (2d4)lb.

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