Nyvodi - PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Nyvodi - PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
enygmatic_me
01-20-07, 05:34 PM " Her eyes where the deepest blue that reminded Gerald of his beloved seas. He felt sorrow at the knowledge that those beautiful eyes could not see him or the world around him. Her face was flawless in Gerald’s opinion and her neck was long and graceful. Her paleness was offset by the dark red of her hair. Her hair was not normal red. The color of deep blood was what Gerald always thought of when he thought of it. She said that it was the mark of her people, a curse placed upon them by the Gray Hunter so that he could find them more easily find them amongst the other races. The idea of this lovely woman being hunted angered Gerald. She was so gentle as to not allow the killing of even a spider. Instead taking them to the garden and setting them free. He had sworn to himself that no harm would come to her for as long as he drew breath.

She turned to him and smiled. “You are brooding again Gerald.”

“My apologies Nyrel, I was caught in your eyes again.” This statement always brought a smile to her lovely lips. The idea that her eyes that do not see could still hold such sway for her paramour made her happy. “Play for my Nyrel, please. A song of happy times, of lovers and the wonders they share.

Nyrel reached for her lap harp and softly plucked the strings, their resonance mixing with the vibrato of her tenor voice in perfect harmony. Gerald found himself in her eyes again and again his mind was filled with the chivalric efforts he would glad take up in the name of his lady fair.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In ages past the Nyvodi where humans who lived in a small village at the base of a great mountain in a land now forgotten. Known to be the home of many great painters and artisans the Nyvodi lived a comfortable, if modest, existence.

It is said that a man came to this village, weak and dying from wounds he had suffered in the wild. The man saw the humble means of the village and knew that he would not find anyone that could save him. Instead he asked of the villagers to take a set of scrolls in his care to a great city far away. In return the villagers could keep the rest of his possessions for themselves. The village elders agreed and the man past peacefully shortly there after.

The truth of what happened next has been lost with many of the other facts of this tale, but it is known that the scrolls where never delivered and a great tragedy befell someone in the city. Some say that the villagers betrayed the man and never sent someone to deliver the scrolls. Others say that the messenger was killed in route; some even say the messenger met his end in the city itself. Whatever the truth of it the village had failed to keep their end of the bargain.

A year to the day the man had died the Gray Hunter made his first appearance to the villagers. He scolded them for their failure and with these words set the curse that would haunt them for generations to come. “For the blood your failure has spilled I shall take vengeance eternal. You shall never know when I come, but I shall always know you from the mark of your sin.” With that the Nyvodi fell unconscious. When the next woke the world had been robbed from their eyes. Though they could not see the world, they could still sense those around them, hear their breath, fell the ground when others moved. The subtle shifts in the movement of the are that told us something was close.

No longer capable of seeing the Nyvodi lost their traditions of painting. It is a credit to their artistic spirits though, that the learned to play music and express themselves through this new medium. A year would pass again and the Nyvodi would find that the lives that they had worked so hard to rebuild were disrupted again by the appearance of the Gray Hunter. He came with a large hound and killed six people before leaving. The Nyvoid left their homes that night to settle elsewhere. A year from then, and every year after, the Gray Hunter appeared again. Every time he did he killed six and then left. Soon the Nyvodi went their separate ways in hopes to avoid the return of the Gray Hunter. This did not help the people at all for every year on, what became to be known as, Hunters Day the Gray Hunter appeared and killed six more.

Generations would pass and the tales became muffled, but it is said that one Nyvodi sought out a seer and discovered that they stain on their race could be removed, but it would take undoing what was already done. Many Nyvodi now look to accomplish just that, but a growing number has come to believe that any wrong doing that may have been done has been paid in full. They do not look for a way to fix the wrong, instead looking for a way to destroy the Gray Hunter once and for all. If either philosophy will succeed is still to be seen.

----Galforth Danayu,
Scribner and History Keeper to his Royal Highness King Adamus Malfol IV

Personality: Though many Nyvodi are soft spoken their personalities are as varied as any human.

Physical Description: Nyvodi appear much as humans though a little leaner and a bit taller. The one feature that truly sets them apart from humans is the deep crimson color of their hair. A cursed mark, they say, placed upon them by the Gray Hunter.

Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier
Male 5’0 +2d10 110 x (2d4) lb.
Female 4’10 +2d10 80 x (2d4) lb.

Relations: As Nyvodi cannot see they do not judge upon appearance. This out look allows them to get along with most of the humanoid races, though they tend to be put off by the behavior of some of the more savage species. Nyvodi are most commonly found in Human communities, though they can be found nearly everywhere.

Alignment: Nyvodi are as varied as their humans ancestors.

Homeland Nyvodi claim no land as their own.

Religion: Nyvodi who do worship a god tend to worship gods of travel or protection, though there is a growing number that have taken to the worship of gods of justice or vengeance.

Language Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnomish, Halfling, Nyvodi Braille (see Blind racial feature for more information), and Orcish

Names: As Nyvodi do not have a unified faith or even a cultural center to act as a basis of cohesion their names, much like their human ancestors, their names mutate quickly being influenced by the cultures their parents lived amongst at their birth.

Adventure: The Nyvodi are a people without a home, seldom staying in one place for to long. Their numbers have begun to dwindle as they have fallen in the relentless pursuits of the Gray Hunter and his Hound.

- Racial Traits

Ability Modifiers – The Nyvodi have no ability modifiers. (Had considered giving them a +2 Charisma, but didn’t want to assign a penalty and am trying to avoid an LA).

Blind – The eyes of the Nyvodi do not see the physical world around them. As such they are immune to any sight based affect, such as gaze attacks. A Nyvodi automatically fails any sight based skill check. Nyvodi have developed a system of braille for writing (requires Language: Nyvodi Braille skill). Spellbooks written in Nyvodi Braille cost 10% more than a standard spellbook. Casters not capable of reading Nyodi Braille cannot benefit from a spellbook written this way.

Blindsight – The Nyvodi are capable of sensing the subtlest shifts in the world around them and here the slightest of noises. This gives them Blindsight out to 30’.

Keen Ears – The ears of the Nyvodi are sharper then a humans and can hear a whisper from across the room. The Nyvodi gain a +4 to listen checks, but take a -2 to any save against sound based affects.

Birth – The child of a Nyvodi mating with another race has a 50% chance of being a Nyvodi themselves. The rest of the time the child is the race of his non-Nyvodi parent. There are no known half-Nyvodi.

Favored Class: Bard

LA +0
enygmatic_me
01-20-07, 05:36 PM Does anyone know the code for other types of Blocks? The fact that the spoiler block actually says spoiler on it is not what I was hoping for.

EDIT:::Figured it out.
YabaTheWhat
01-20-07, 07:45 PM - Racial Traits

Blind – The eyes of the Nyvodi do not see the physical world around them. As such they are immune to any sight based affect, such as gaze attacks. A Nyvodi automatically fails any sight based skill check. [-7 FP (see below)]

Blindsight – The Nyvodi are capable of sensing the subtlest shifts in the world around them and here the slightest of noises. This gives them Blindsight out to 60’. [41 FP]

Keen Ears – The ears of the Nyvodi are sharper then a humans and can hear a whisper from across the room. The Nyvodi gain a +4 to listen checks, but take a -2 to any save against sound based affects. [+2-1 = 1 FP]

Birth – The child of a Nyvodi mating with another race has a 50% chance of being a Nyvodi themselves. The rest of the time the child is the race of his non-Nyvodi parent. There are no known half-Nyvodi. [N/A]

Favored Class: Bard

LA +0 Total = 35 FP, LA+1 balanced

Blindsight negates most of the penalties from blindness. Out to 60 ft, they are nearly guaranteed to make all spot checks, see all corporeal or noisemaking targets, see through all illusions, etc. The only disadvantage is that they cannot see invisible creatures or make range attacks beyond 60 ft. This penalty affects arcane spellcasters more than other classes, because many of their spells depend on range. Wizards would be especially problematic due to their inability to read spellbooks. For rogues, melee fighters, and healers, most negative effects of blindness become inconsequential due to blindsight.
enygmatic_me
01-21-07, 01:46 AM Thanks for the input. Would lowering the Blindsight to 30' make it a balanced (or powerful) +0 or just an underpowered LA +1?

As to being spell casters fixes could be as easy as allowing braille. I figured that would be up to an individual DM, and it really doesn't impact them playing sorcerers and other spontaneous caster class. Is this something I should address in the race description in your opinion?
enygmatic_me
01-21-07, 10:41 PM Lowered blindsight to 30' and added information on Nyvodi Braille.
darkhunter2007
02-23-07, 12:47 PM no way +1 LA still he can't see!

i think you can add +4 to CHA without harming the LA.
enygmatic_me
02-23-07, 09:12 PM no way +1 LA still he can't see!

i think you can add +4 to CHA without harming the LA.

+4 to Charisma and still an LA+0? It would really benefit them as Bards and Sorcerers, but spell range is limited do to blindness so maybe. I will have to give this some thought.

I had the idea to drop their blindsight to 10' (or 20') and have it increase with HD. Not exactly sure how I would do this, maybe +10' every 5 HD, giving them Blindsight 50' (60') at 20th level. 50' (60') at 20th level though is still not that helpful casters or ranged attack style characters at that level and is only "ok" to melee types. Maybe base 20' with +20' per 5 HD? That would give 100' at 20th level which is better but still limiting, especially to casters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
enygmatic_me 01-20-07, 05:34 PM	" Her eyes where the deepest blue that reminded Gerald of his beloved seas. He felt sorrow at the knowledge that those beautiful eyes could not see him or the world around him. Her face was flawless in Gerald’s opinion and her neck was long and graceful. Her paleness was offset by the dark red of her hair. Her hair was not normal red. The color of deep blood was what Gerald always thought of when he thought of it. She said that it was the mark of her people, a curse placed upon them by the Gray Hunter so that he could find them more easily find them amongst the other races. The idea of this lovely woman being hunted angered Gerald. She was so gentle as to not allow the killing of even a spider. Instead taking them to the garden and setting them free. He had sworn to himself that no harm would come to her for as long as he drew breath. She turned to him and smiled. “You are brooding again Gerald.” “My apologies Nyrel, I was caught in your eyes again.” This statement always brought a smile to her lovely lips. The idea that her eyes that do not see could still hold such sway for her paramour made her happy. “Play for my Nyrel, please. A song of happy times, of lovers and the wonders they share. Nyrel reached for her lap harp and softly plucked the strings, their resonance mixing with the vibrato of her tenor voice in perfect harmony. Gerald found himself in her eyes again and again his mind was filled with the chivalric efforts he would glad take up in the name of his lady fair.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In ages past the Nyvodi where humans who lived in a small village at the base of a great mountain in a land now forgotten. Known to be the home of many great painters and artisans the Nyvodi lived a comfortable, if modest, existence. It is said that a man came to this village, weak and dying from wounds he had suffered in the wild. The man saw the humble means of the village and knew that he would not find anyone that could save him. Instead he asked of the villagers to take a set of scrolls in his care to a great city far away. In return the villagers could keep the rest of his possessions for themselves. The village elders agreed and the man past peacefully shortly there after. The truth of what happened next has been lost with many of the other facts of this tale, but it is known that the scrolls where never delivered and a great tragedy befell someone in the city. Some say that the villagers betrayed the man and never sent someone to deliver the scrolls. Others say that the messenger was killed in route; some even say the messenger met his end in the city itself. Whatever the truth of it the village had failed to keep their end of the bargain. A year to the day the man had died the Gray Hunter made his first appearance to the villagers. He scolded them for their failure and with these words set the curse that would haunt them for generations to come. “For the blood your failure has spilled I shall take vengeance eternal. You shall never know when I come, but I shall always know you from the mark of your sin.” With that the Nyvodi fell unconscious. When the next woke the world had been robbed from their eyes. Though they could not see the world, they could still sense those around them, hear their breath, fell the ground when others moved. The subtle shifts in the movement of the are that told us something was close. No longer capable of seeing the Nyvodi lost their traditions of painting. It is a credit to their artistic spirits though, that the learned to play music and express themselves through this new medium. A year would pass again and the Nyvodi would find that the lives that they had worked so hard to rebuild were disrupted again by the appearance of the Gray Hunter. He came with a large hound and killed six people before leaving. The Nyvoid left their homes that night to settle elsewhere. A year from then, and every year after, the Gray Hunter appeared again. Every time he did he killed six and then left. Soon the Nyvodi went their separate ways in hopes to avoid the return of the Gray Hunter. This did not help the people at all for every year on, what became to be known as, Hunters Day the Gray Hunter appeared and killed six more. Generations would pass and the tales became muffled, but it is said that one Nyvodi sought out a seer and discovered that they stain on their race could be removed, but it would take undoing what was already done. Many Nyvodi now look to accomplish just that, but a growing number has come to believe that any wrong doing that may have been done has been paid in full. They do not look for a way to fix the wrong, instead looking for a way to destroy the Gray Hunter once and for all. If either philosophy will succeed is still to be seen. ----Galforth Danayu, Scribner and History Keeper to his Royal Highness King Adamus Malfol IV Personality: Though many Nyvodi are soft spoken their personalities are as varied as any human. Physical Description: Nyvodi appear much as humans though a little leaner and a bit taller. The one feature that truly sets them apart from humans is the deep crimson color of their hair. A cursed mark, they say, placed upon them by the Gray Hunter. Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier Male 5’0 +2d10 110 x (2d4) lb. Female 4’10 +2d10 80 x (2d4) lb. Relations: As Nyvodi cannot see they do not judge upon appearance. This out look allows them to get along with most of the humanoid races, though they tend to be put off by the behavior of some of the more savage species. Nyvodi are most commonly found in Human communities, though they can be found nearly everywhere. Alignment: Nyvodi are as varied as their humans ancestors. Homeland Nyvodi claim no land as their own. Religion: Nyvodi who do worship a god tend to worship gods of travel or protection, though there is a growing number that have taken to the worship of gods of justice or vengeance. Language Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnomish, Halfling, Nyvodi Braille (see Blind racial feature for more information), and Orcish Names: As Nyvodi do not have a unified faith or even a cultural center to act as a basis of cohesion their names, much like their human ancestors, their names mutate quickly being influenced by the cultures their parents lived amongst at their birth. Adventure: The Nyvodi are a people without a home, seldom staying in one place for to long. Their numbers have begun to dwindle as they have fallen in the relentless pursuits of the Gray Hunter and his Hound. - Racial Traits Ability Modifiers – The Nyvodi have no ability modifiers. (Had considered giving them a +2 Charisma, but didn’t want to assign a penalty and am trying to avoid an LA). Blind – The eyes of the Nyvodi do not see the physical world around them. As such they are immune to any sight based affect, such as gaze attacks. A Nyvodi automatically fails any sight based skill check. Nyvodi have developed a system of braille for writing (requires Language: Nyvodi Braille skill). Spellbooks written in Nyvodi Braille cost 10% more than a standard spellbook. Casters not capable of reading Nyodi Braille cannot benefit from a spellbook written this way. Blindsight – The Nyvodi are capable of sensing the subtlest shifts in the world around them and here the slightest of noises. This gives them Blindsight out to 30’. Keen Ears – The ears of the Nyvodi are sharper then a humans and can hear a whisper from across the room. The Nyvodi gain a +4 to listen checks, but take a -2 to any save against sound based affects. Birth – The child of a Nyvodi mating with another race has a 50% chance of being a Nyvodi themselves. The rest of the time the child is the race of his non-Nyvodi parent. There are no known half-Nyvodi. Favored Class: Bard LA +0
enygmatic_me 01-20-07, 05:36 PM	Does anyone know the code for other types of Blocks? The fact that the spoiler block actually says spoiler on it is not what I was hoping for. EDIT:::Figured it out.
YabaTheWhat 01-20-07, 07:45 PM	- Racial Traits Blind – The eyes of the Nyvodi do not see the physical world around them. As such they are immune to any sight based affect, such as gaze attacks. A Nyvodi automatically fails any sight based skill check. [-7 FP (see below)] Blindsight – The Nyvodi are capable of sensing the subtlest shifts in the world around them and here the slightest of noises. This gives them Blindsight out to 60’. [41 FP] Keen Ears – The ears of the Nyvodi are sharper then a humans and can hear a whisper from across the room. The Nyvodi gain a +4 to listen checks, but take a -2 to any save against sound based affects. [+2-1 = 1 FP] Birth – The child of a Nyvodi mating with another race has a 50% chance of being a Nyvodi themselves. The rest of the time the child is the race of his non-Nyvodi parent. There are no known half-Nyvodi. [N/A] Favored Class: Bard LA +0 Total = 35 FP, LA+1 balanced Blindsight negates most of the penalties from blindness. Out to 60 ft, they are nearly guaranteed to make all spot checks, see all corporeal or noisemaking targets, see through all illusions, etc. The only disadvantage is that they cannot see invisible creatures or make range attacks beyond 60 ft. This penalty affects arcane spellcasters more than other classes, because many of their spells depend on range. Wizards would be especially problematic due to their inability to read spellbooks. For rogues, melee fighters, and healers, most negative effects of blindness become inconsequential due to blindsight.
enygmatic_me 01-21-07, 01:46 AM	Thanks for the input. Would lowering the Blindsight to 30' make it a balanced (or powerful) +0 or just an underpowered LA +1? As to being spell casters fixes could be as easy as allowing braille. I figured that would be up to an individual DM, and it really doesn't impact them playing sorcerers and other spontaneous caster class. Is this something I should address in the race description in your opinion?
enygmatic_me 01-21-07, 10:41 PM	Lowered blindsight to 30' and added information on Nyvodi Braille.
darkhunter2007 02-23-07, 12:47 PM	no way +1 LA still he can't see! i think you can add +4 to CHA without harming the LA.
enygmatic_me 02-23-07, 09:12 PM	no way +1 LA still he can't see! i think you can add +4 to CHA without harming the LA. +4 to Charisma and still an LA+0? It would really benefit them as Bards and Sorcerers, but spell range is limited do to blindness so maybe. I will have to give this some thought. I had the idea to drop their blindsight to 10' (or 20') and have it increase with HD. Not exactly sure how I would do this, maybe +10' every 5 HD, giving them Blindsight 50' (60') at 20th level. 50' (60') at 20th level though is still not that helpful casters or ranged attack style characters at that level and is only "ok" to melee types. Maybe base 20' with +20' per 5 HD? That would give 100' at 20th level which is better but still limiting, especially to casters.