The Korthjach are a very communal people. While not distrustful of outsiders, they tend to disregard them unless a specific interaction is required. The Korthjach are puzzling to outsiders, who have trouble fathoming their culture and habits
Individual Korthjach are patient, calm and slow to anger. However, once that anger is roused they are capable of acts of extreme violence and rage.
You Might…
Find non-Korthjach societies difficult to navigate given their focus on “self”, and their languages hard to speak given your dissimilar anatomy.
Freely share your money and equipment with others who have a greater need, given the communal nature of your own society.
Intensely dislike undead, as they violate Vivlorean’s cycle of death and rebirth.
Others Probably…
Regard you with suspicion and distrust your motives – especially when money is involved.
Underestimate your intelligence – confusing your habit of putting group over self with naivete.
Assume you know only about nature and are unfamiliar with civilization and society.
Physical Description
The Korthjach stand 32” to 60” in height. Their heads are flatter, elongated versions of human skulls, and sit at about a 30° angle on the neck. The eyes protrude from the head and are faceted in the manner of insect eyes. The mouth is positioned at the bottom of the skull and has small mandibles. The head has no ears – instead there are two short (2” to 3”) antennae on the top of the skull.
The body and limbs of the Korthjach are sheathed in a thin layer of chitin that provides natural protection. This chitin can be any of a rainbow of hues. The forearms and lower legs are adorned with spines along the outside, and the hands have three digits (two fingers and a thumb) that end in razor-sharp claws that can aid in climbing.
Society
The Korthjach are most comfortable in swamps, fens and forest regions. They are the dominant race of Verthis, with the cities of Verr, Hesarux and Sjachothar being their major centers of population. Kethend, in the Aurix Resplendency and Levir in the Dominion of Rach are also predominantly Korthjach communities. The Korthjach can also be found in most other cities of Merisyl, and scattered in small communities throughout the woodlands and swamps.
The Korthjach are reclusive, and as such have made very little effort to create or maintain relationships with other races. The other non-draconic races are largely indifferent to them, and the draconic races range from suspicious to hostile. The Korthjach do not recognize Dragons as a superior race, and as such are in the minority of the races of Merisyl. Indeed, even good Dragons are miffed at what they perceive as a slight. Dragons tend to treat Korthjach without the same paternal amusement that colors their relations with the other races of Merisyl.
All Korthjach speak Korthan and most speak Draconic. Some also speak Trader Common, though the softer sounds are not easy for the Korthjach to form.
Some Korthjach worship Dragons gods as do most of the peoples of Merisyl, but most worship Vivlorean, the Korthjach Goddess of life, death, rebirth and renewal. They see the tenets of her faith reflected every day in the circle of life and death in the swamp. The plants and insects of the swamp are nourished by the bodies of the previous generations of life. There is no good or evil, law or chaos in this. It simply is. This captures the essence of what life is to the Korthjach.
Names
The Korthjach often take Draconic names to share with outsiders, as many other races cannot easily make the sounds of the Korthan language. To understand the examples of Korthjach names in their native Korthan it is necessary to first define the closest non-Korthjachan sound representations of these difficult phonics.
Most Korthjach who interact frequently with the other races of Merisyl will eventually learn to settle for mangled Common approximations of those names.
Sample Names
F!* (Conquest through Strength)
Vr^choo (Nourishing Water)
Jpa#* (Heat of Decay)
Mechanics
Hit Points 8
Size Medium
Speed 25 feet
Ability Boosts Constitution, Wisdom, Free
Ability Flaw(s) Charisma
Languages Common, Korthan
Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive).
Choose from Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, Jotun, Orcish and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).
Darkvision
You can see in darkness and dim light just as well as you can see in bright light, though your vision in darkness is in black and white.
Heritages
Korth Dynastinae
You have a broad, colorful chitinous back and one or more curved horns protruding from your forehead. You gain a horn unarmed attack that deals 1d8 piercing damage and belongs to the pick group. Additionally, you gain the Intimidating Glare skill feat as a bonus feat.
Korth Leiodidae
You have a smaller body than most Korthjach, and have developed incredible senses as a result of all the time your ancestors spent underground. You are small instead of medium, and you gain a special sense: imprecise scent with a range of 30 feet. The GM will usually double the range if you’re downwind from the creature or halve the range if you’re upwind. In addition, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks whenever you’re trying to locate an undetected creature that is within the range of your scent.
Korth Lampyridae (Uncommon)
Vivlorean has blessed your rare heritage with the power of her holy fire. You can produce a glow within your body that functions as the Light cantrip, but non-magical and targeting yourself instead of an object. You can activate or deactivate this light with an action. Additionally, you can cast the cantrip Disrupt Undead as an innate divine spell, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability modifier.
Korth Gyrinidae
You have rounded features and a steely grey or bronze coloration, with an outer carapace covered in a waxy, water-repelling lubricant. You gain a 15-foot Swim Speed.
Korth Carabidae
Your body is accustomed to producing volatile chemicals that you can unleash to explosive effect. You gain the Chemical Spray activity.
Chemical Spray<><> (alchemical)
You spray chemicals in a 15-foot cone, dealing 1d4 acid or fire damage (your choice). Each creature in the area must attempt a basic Reflex save against the higher of your class DC or spell DC. You can’t use this ability again for 1d4 rounds.
At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d4. This ability gains the trait associated with the type of damage you choose to deal.
Ancestry Feats
At 1st level, you gain one ancestry feat, and you gain an additional ancestry feat every 4 levels thereafter (at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.) You select from among the following ancestry feats.
1st Level
Brace Carapace <> – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
You have a particularly thick chitinous carapace, and you have learned to use it to better protect yourself. You brace your carapace for impact, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus to AC until the beginning of your next turn.
Insect Speaker – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
You hear the sounds of insects as language. You can ask questions of, receive answers from, and use the Diplomacy skill with animals that are insects.
Korthjach Lore – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
You deeply understand your people’s cultural traditions and innate strengths. You gain the trained proficiency rank in Athletics and Survival. If you would automatically become trained in one of those skills (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice. You also become trained in Korthjach Lore.
Marsh Runner – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: You have a swim speed
You are adept at moving through marshy terrain. When you use the Step action, you can ignore difficult terrain caused by flooding, swamps, or quicksand. In addition, when you use the Acrobatics skill to Balance on narrow surfaces or uneven marshy ground, you aren’t flat-footed, and if you roll a success on the Acrobatics check, you get a critical success instead.
Razor Claws – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
Your have honed your claws to be deadly. You gain a claw unarmed attack that deals 1d6 slashing damage. Your claws are in the brawling group and have the agile, finesse, and unarmed traits.
Unfamiliar Features – Feat 1 (Korthjach)
As an insectoid ancestry, Korthjach have facial features which are especially unfamiliar to other races, making it difficult to understand what you’re thinking. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your Deception DC against others’ Sense Motive checks.
5th Level
Carapace Block <R> – Feat 5 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Brace Carapace
Trigger: While you have your carapace braced, you would take damage from a physical attack.
You react to a blow by positioning yourself such that it glances off of your carapace. You reduce the damage of this attack by an amount equal to half your level.
Alchemical Adaptation – Feat 5 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Carabidae heritage
Your body is accustomed not only to your own internal volatile chemistry, but to other forms of alchemical irritants as well. You gain resistance equal to half your level against damage from effects with the alchemical trait.
Korthjach Unarmed Cunning – Feat 5 (Korthjach)
You make the most of your Korthjach unarmed attacks. Whenever you score a critical hit with an unarmed attack you gained from a heritage or Korthjach ancestry feat, you apply the unarmed attack’s critical specialization effect.
Midwife’s Breath – Feat 5 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Lampyridae heritage, worshipper of Vivlorean
You can project Vivlorean’s light unto her enemies. Once per day, you can cast Faerie Fire as a 2nd level divine spell.
Swift Swimmer – Feat 5 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Gyrinidae heritage
You swim faster than most Korthjach. Your swim Speed increases to 25 feet.
9th Level
Gravestalker’s Call – Feat 9 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Lampyridae heritage, worshipper of Vivlorean
Your connection to the Shrouded One is particularly strong. You can cast Searing Light as an innate 3rd-level divine spell once per day.
Special If you have Midwife’s Breath, you can now cast your innate Faerie Fire twice per day instead of once.
Mistrust of Magic – Feat 9 (Korthjach)
Your distrust of magic has led you to develop inherent defenses against it. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus on saving throws against arcane and occult magic.
Alchemical Torrent – Feat 9 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Carabidae heritage
You can put more effort into your Alchemical Spray, though it takes more out of you. When you use Alchemical Spray, you can increase the damage dice to d6s, increase the area to a 30-foot cone, and cause creatures that fail their save to take 3d4 persistent damage of the same type as the spray. If you do, you can’t use Alchemical Spray again for 1 hour.
13th Level
One With the Cycle – Feat 13 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Lampyridae heritage, worshipper of Vivlorean, master in Religion
You are so attuned to the cycle of death and rebirth that you have an innate sense of when it is or isn’t truly time for a creature’s death. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to any checks made as a part of casting the rituals Consecrate, Plant Growth, Call Spirit, and Resurrect, and you learn all of those rituals that you didn’t already know.
Precise Scent – Feat 13 (Korthjach)
Prerequisites: Korth Leiodidae heritage
Your scent becomes a precise sense instead of an imprecise sense.
17th Level
Feat Title – Feat 17 (Ancestry)
Feat Text.
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