Difference between revisions of "Trowls"

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Long ago, the dragons sent by the Eshu scrawled Runes, the ancient and complex markings in which lies the secrets of creation, into the stone of the mountains where they laired.  The magic of the Rune symbols transformed the rock and gave it flesh, blood and bone.  The Trowls, over thousands of years, awoke from their inanimate slumber to carve vast kingdoms in beds of granite and slate.
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Though not, perhaps, the most ancient beings of [[Jaeis]], Trowls are the most enduring.  They are the first of the fabricated races.  Trowls, you see, are literally carved from stone.  Animated with powerful runes, they carry centuries of wisdom behind their dark eyes and the force of a siege-ram accompanies every swing of their arms.  Nestled in cavernous kingdoms at the end of dark, winding mountain passages, the Trowls emerge to look down on the world below and every so often, they are compelled to interfere.  They are tough, gritty, unforgiving.
  
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==Appearance==
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{{section|Physiology|Trowls aren't born: they are made.  The runes and spirals which adorn a Trowl's body grant flexibility as well as endow the Trowls with sentience and will.  While the runes which grant life are buried deep in the Trowl's core, the ones which animate the stone are chiseled into the surface of the creature.  As a Trowl sustains damage, as stone begins to chip away and crack, the magic of the runes is marred and the Trowls begin to slow and harden.  Trowls experience the world through vibrations and magical awareness.  As beings of solid stone, they have no nerve endings, no tissue, no natural way of experiencing things.  Their eyes do not see, their ears do not hear.  Rather, they ''feel'' words and movement, even smells and tastes, which resonate deep within their cores.  They enjoy strong stimulation, and greatly enjoy smoking tobacco from pipes and cigars.}}
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Trowls seem so old and rigid, they look carved from solid rock.  In stature they are small and bent, resembling elderly humans with oversized heads, hands and feet.  Their hands possess only three fingers.  When they transform, (see “Personality”) their hands and feet ironically do not increase in size.  These are the warning signs that Trowls are not as feeble as they appear.  They possess no hair to speak of, but calcium deposits, stalagmites, stalagtites, moss, grass, fungus, lichens, mold, and stringy vines they do let grow on them in mockery of human hair.
 
  
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Their eyes can be the color of coal, or as bright as diamonds, but are always large and pupil less.  Their bodies are covered in ancient runes, carefully and painfully chiseled into their tough skin at “birth,” (see below).
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{{section|Appearance|Trowls hulk over the other races at about eight or nine feet in height.  They have two digits on their broad feet and four stout fingers on their hands.  They are sculpted with long braided hair or thick manes and horns sprout from their temples.  Long fangs protrude from their maws.  Their eyes can be the color of coal, or as bright as diamonds, but lack much color, and they have broad noses.  Trowls are created naked, and so adopt the custom of wearing clothes, in order to fit in with other races.  They adorn themselves with gold, silver, bronze and copper jewelry set with many precious stones, but prefer bold jewelry to the dainty, fragile things other races opt for.  Trowls also have a tendency to be very loud when excited and their deep voices boom with authority.
  
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==Personality==
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There is little noticeable difference between Trowl men and women with regards to size, but the females are ever so slightly shorter than the men and much wider in the bust and hips.  Females also have shorter, more elegant horns than the men whose horns tend to be thicker and longer.  They also tend to lack the protruding lower fangs so prominent in the men.  Both genders are sculpted with thick manes of long hair.
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The Trowls are slow to act, and slow to anger, but when their ire is raised, they become truly horrifying.  When enraged, a Trowl transforms into a broad shouldered, ten foot, rocky behemoth, covered in runes and chalky spirals.  In this stage, Trowls are little more than single minded, angry juggernauts bent on destroying enemies.  When they are calm, Trowls carry centuries of knowledge, even if they have a hard time recalling it or getting it into words.  
 
  
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==Habitat==
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Since they are large and broad, Trowl armor is usually pulled together piecemeal.  They enjoy spiky or studded pieces, which accentuate their intimidating demeanor.  Large gauntlets, prominent pauldrons, and sturdy vambraces and greaves are popular.  Trowl men and women dress in scant clothing, with males frequently going about topless.  Their fashion is practical and basic.  Trowls like kilts and skirts, with the males wearing shorter ones than the women.  One notable piece of Trowl clothing is the "War Apron", which is made from thick, resilient fabric and reinforced with small, square steel plates.  Trowl war aprons are outfitted with lots of pockets for all the odds and ends Trowls need for war and utilitarian use (gunpowder, tools, tobacco, pet rocks, etc).  Trowls do not decorate, pierce or modify their horns and see this practice as profane.}}
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Trowls live in the mountains, hills and caves, where they can most easily find the precious stone they craft from.  For the promotion of their race, they cannot leave the rock for long.  They prefer, quiet, dark places of surety and security.  They look unfavorably on things built of unsound materials.  
 
  
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==Society==
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{{section|Personality|The Trowls are slow to act, and slow to anger, but when their ire is raised, they become truly horrifying.  When enraged, a Trowl becomes little more than an angry juggernaut bent on destroying enemies.  When they are calm, Trowls carry centuries of knowledge, even if they have a hard time recalling it or getting it into words.  Trowls are slow to make promises, but take them very seriously.  The term "carved in stone" is one which reflects the honor of the Trowls.  To question a Trowl's honor is likely to invite disaster upon oneself.  Trowls are also very slow to forgive.}}
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Trowls start life off as pure rock.  When a new member of the clan is desired or needed, an existing Trowl will work at a single piece of stone for days, months, or years, until they are satisfied or until need declares the task finished.  After a new Trowl clan member has been sculpted, the elders place the animating runes on the Trowl and it becomes flesh and blood inside, with organs and all.  Trowl skin is actually a soft, claylike substance which simply hardens over time to become stone-like.  So in this way, new Trowls are created, not birthed.  
 
  
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The highest tiers of Trowl society are the “Stone Princes.” The more immaculately carved a Trowl is, the higher level in society he/she will occupy.  Since the arrival of humans, many Trowls have looked to them for inspiration and many Stone Princes resemble or are outright copies of ancient kings or heroes.
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{{section|Habitat|Trowls live in the mountains, hills and caves, where they can most easily find the precious stone from which they craft.  For the promotion of their race, they cannot leave the rock for long.  They prefer quiet, dark places of surety and security.  They look unfavorably on things built of unsound materials.  As such, they are found in the Industrial North, and less so in the Southern Empires.  Trowls helped to build the capital city of [[Kadwal]]. The necropolis city of [[Tenebra]] poses an eerie threat to Trowls, and so they are rarely found there.  Reports have surfaced of the appearance of evasive Trowls around the abandoned city of [[Greygate]], but no contact has yet been made.}}
  
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==Adventures==
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{{section|Society|When a new member of a Trowl clan is desired or needed, an existing Trowl will work at a single piece of stone for days, months, or years, until they are satisfied or until need declares the task finished.  After a new Trowl clan member has been sculpted, the [[Trowl Elders|Elders]] place the animating runes on the Trowl and it is given a name.  Trowls experience no growth; they are created at one size and stay that size their entire lives.  However, some Trowls, due to inexperience, can be extremely child-like.  Some say the Trowls were created in the likeness of a living, non-fabricated race, some people long-dead.  They say the first Trowls were created so that the race could live on.  Whatever their origins, only the Trowls themselves are privy to the rites and runes which can create a new member of their race.  Or at least, that is what is apparent...}}
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Trowls will often leave the clan in search of inspiration for a new creation, more exotic tools with which to work the stone, in search of a lost or stolen item of value, or in search of a new material to craft from.
 
  
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Trowls are commonly found in Halvmir, Cadwal, Bosemya, and Te'Nebra.
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When a Trowl does die, news of his or her death must travel back to their kin so their name can be chiseled into the tablet of the dead, which is nothing more than a colossal wall of names of the dearly departed of each clan.  Trowls prefer to have burial mounds erected over their corpses after death.  Trowl legend has it that the mountain ranges of [[Jaeis]] are the burial mounds of the first Trowls of the world.
  
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==Max Caps==
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{{section|Language|}}
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{{section|Relations|Trowls are one of the races which have adapted to fully embrace [[Industrialism]].  Not all Trowls ride the turning wheels of progress and technology however, but most at least seem to enjoy explosives, as it makes mining, masonry, and engineering much more interesting, if not easier as well.  They also seem to enjoy guns.  The Trowls strongest bond is with [[Humans]].  They dislike the tendency for [[Vayu]] and [[Pookah]] to be impatient and flaky.  As they value things that last, Trowls have little involvement with the [[Entropism]] movement.}}
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{{section|Occupations|}}
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{{section|Motivations|Trowls will often leave the clan in search of inspiration for a new creation, more exotic tools with which to work the stone, in search of a lost or stolen item of value, or in search of a new material to craft from.  A typical adventure for a Trowl might be to find a meteorite which contains a rare ore which the Trowl seeks to use in the creation of a new member of his clan, or to track down and kill a vandal who desecrated a very important sculpture: his life's work.}}
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{{section|Max Caps|
 
* [[Muscle]] 12
 
* [[Muscle]] 12
 
* [[Endurance]] 12
 
* [[Endurance]] 12
−
* [[Agility]] 8
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* [[Intellect]] 8
 
* [[Cunning]] 8
 
* [[Cunning]] 8
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}}
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{{section|Powers|
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*'''Fabricated''': As fabricated creatures, Trowls are immune to bleed damage, poisons, paralysis, diseases, Knockout, and death effects. Trowls do not eat, breathe, or sleep, and cannot be Petrified.  Also, Trowls cannot heal.  They must be repaired to regain lost HP.  This works just like a [[Healing]] check, except the [[Machinery]] skill is used, as the smith reworks their runes.
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*'''Anchor''': Trowls receive a +4 to opposed rolls against any attempts to lift, toss, move, trip, drag, or knock them down against their will.
 +
*'''Drop like a Stone''': Trowls are so heavy, they take a −2 to [[Gymnastics]] checks.  It is nearly impossible to carry or assist a Trowl and those attempting to do so take a −8 to the check.
 +
*'''Darkeyes''': Trowls can see perfectly in low light and natural darkness.  Their eyes glow with a faint reddish sheen.
 +
*'''Gore''': A Trowl's horns may be used to gore opponents. Treat this as a hand-to-hand attack with a Harm score of 5.
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*'''Big and Bad''': Being so large has its drawbacks.  Trowls are at a −4 to [[Dodge]].  However, they possess a +2 racial bonus to their armor score due to their naturally tough hide.
 +
*'''Slow''': Trowl speed is 5ft/AP and they take a −4 penalty to [[Dash]]
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}}
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{{section|Incompatible|Trowls are incompatible with [[Dead Weight]], [[Featherweight]], and [[Lousy Balance]]
 +
}}
 +
  
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==Powers==
 
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* Sculpt Stone:  A Trowl can rumble and hum, calling on the original sounds of creation, causing vibrations which shape and sculpt the rock around them.  Messages and trail markings can be etched into the rock, or simple rock weapons can be carved from cave walls or boulders.  This also means that holes can be hollowed in walls with time.  For instance, if a Trowl is the victim of a cave-in, he/she can eventually get out, whereas a normal person might be trapped forever.  Say, ten minutes for a cubic foot of stone?
 
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* Transformation:  It is unwise to underestimate a Trowl because of its small, exaggerated stature, for when they become angry, they transform into huge brutes, capable of crushing and bashing smaller creatures.  And when they transform, there aren’t many creatures that aren’t smaller than them.  It takes a Trowl one full round to transform (being rock and all, they are slow to move), at the end of which it has grown to ten or twelve feet in height so that now its hands and feet seem proportionate in size to the rest of them.  A savage fury takes them, like the momentum of a rock rolling down a hill.  If a Trowl is the victim of taunting, insults, or has their ire roused in any way, a [[Self-Control]] check must be passed with a DL of 13, or he/she immediately transforms. 
 
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In this form, a Trowl’s [[Muscle]], [[Endurance]] and [[Presence]] increase by 2, and will always pass [[Courage]] checks, while [[Self-Control]], [[Personality]], [[Persuasion]], [[Intellect]], [[Insight]] and [[Cunning]] all are reduced by 3, but to no lower than 1.  This lasts for three rounds after the Trowl’s anger has played out, or until a [[Self-Control]] check is passed.
 
  
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[[Category:Races of Gaeis]]
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<noinclude>[[Category:Races of Otherworld]]
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{{Races Navigation}}</noinclude>

Latest revision as of 22:50, 2 April 2015

Though not, perhaps, the most ancient beings of Jaeis, Trowls are the most enduring. They are the first of the fabricated races. Trowls, you see, are literally carved from stone. Animated with powerful runes, they carry centuries of wisdom behind their dark eyes and the force of a siege-ram accompanies every swing of their arms. Nestled in cavernous kingdoms at the end of dark, winding mountain passages, the Trowls emerge to look down on the world below and every so often, they are compelled to interfere. They are tough, gritty, unforgiving.

Physiology

Trowls aren't born: they are made. The runes and spirals which adorn a Trowl's body grant flexibility as well as endow the Trowls with sentience and will. While the runes which grant life are buried deep in the Trowl's core, the ones which animate the stone are chiseled into the surface of the creature. As a Trowl sustains damage, as stone begins to chip away and crack, the magic of the runes is marred and the Trowls begin to slow and harden. Trowls experience the world through vibrations and magical awareness. As beings of solid stone, they have no nerve endings, no tissue, no natural way of experiencing things. Their eyes do not see, their ears do not hear. Rather, they feel words and movement, even smells and tastes, which resonate deep within their cores. They enjoy strong stimulation, and greatly enjoy smoking tobacco from pipes and cigars.


Appearance

Trowls hulk over the other races at about eight or nine feet in height. They have two digits on their broad feet and four stout fingers on their hands. They are sculpted with long braided hair or thick manes and horns sprout from their temples. Long fangs protrude from their maws. Their eyes can be the color of coal, or as bright as diamonds, but lack much color, and they have broad noses. Trowls are created naked, and so adopt the custom of wearing clothes, in order to fit in with other races. They adorn themselves with gold, silver, bronze and copper jewelry set with many precious stones, but prefer bold jewelry to the dainty, fragile things other races opt for. Trowls also have a tendency to be very loud when excited and their deep voices boom with authority.

There is little noticeable difference between Trowl men and women with regards to size, but the females are ever so slightly shorter than the men and much wider in the bust and hips. Females also have shorter, more elegant horns than the men whose horns tend to be thicker and longer. They also tend to lack the protruding lower fangs so prominent in the men. Both genders are sculpted with thick manes of long hair.

Since they are large and broad, Trowl armor is usually pulled together piecemeal. They enjoy spiky or studded pieces, which accentuate their intimidating demeanor. Large gauntlets, prominent pauldrons, and sturdy vambraces and greaves are popular. Trowl men and women dress in scant clothing, with males frequently going about topless. Their fashion is practical and basic. Trowls like kilts and skirts, with the males wearing shorter ones than the women. One notable piece of Trowl clothing is the "War Apron", which is made from thick, resilient fabric and reinforced with small, square steel plates. Trowl war aprons are outfitted with lots of pockets for all the odds and ends Trowls need for war and utilitarian use (gunpowder, tools, tobacco, pet rocks, etc). Trowls do not decorate, pierce or modify their horns and see this practice as profane.


Personality

The Trowls are slow to act, and slow to anger, but when their ire is raised, they become truly horrifying. When enraged, a Trowl becomes little more than an angry juggernaut bent on destroying enemies. When they are calm, Trowls carry centuries of knowledge, even if they have a hard time recalling it or getting it into words. Trowls are slow to make promises, but take them very seriously. The term "carved in stone" is one which reflects the honor of the Trowls. To question a Trowl's honor is likely to invite disaster upon oneself. Trowls are also very slow to forgive.


Habitat

Trowls live in the mountains, hills and caves, where they can most easily find the precious stone from which they craft. For the promotion of their race, they cannot leave the rock for long. They prefer quiet, dark places of surety and security. They look unfavorably on things built of unsound materials. As such, they are found in the Industrial North, and less so in the Southern Empires. Trowls helped to build the capital city of Kadwal. The necropolis city of Tenebra poses an eerie threat to Trowls, and so they are rarely found there. Reports have surfaced of the appearance of evasive Trowls around the abandoned city of Greygate, but no contact has yet been made.


Society

When a new member of a Trowl clan is desired or needed, an existing Trowl will work at a single piece of stone for days, months, or years, until they are satisfied or until need declares the task finished. After a new Trowl clan member has been sculpted, the Elders place the animating runes on the Trowl and it is given a name. Trowls experience no growth; they are created at one size and stay that size their entire lives. However, some Trowls, due to inexperience, can be extremely child-like. Some say the Trowls were created in the likeness of a living, non-fabricated race, some people long-dead. They say the first Trowls were created so that the race could live on. Whatever their origins, only the Trowls themselves are privy to the rites and runes which can create a new member of their race. Or at least, that is what is apparent...


When a Trowl does die, news of his or her death must travel back to their kin so their name can be chiseled into the tablet of the dead, which is nothing more than a colossal wall of names of the dearly departed of each clan. Trowls prefer to have burial mounds erected over their corpses after death. Trowl legend has it that the mountain ranges of Jaeis are the burial mounds of the first Trowls of the world.

Language

Relations

Trowls are one of the races which have adapted to fully embrace Industrialism. Not all Trowls ride the turning wheels of progress and technology however, but most at least seem to enjoy explosives, as it makes mining, masonry, and engineering much more interesting, if not easier as well. They also seem to enjoy guns. The Trowls strongest bond is with Humans. They dislike the tendency for Vayu and Pookah to be impatient and flaky. As they value things that last, Trowls have little involvement with the Entropism movement.


Occupations

Motivations

Trowls will often leave the clan in search of inspiration for a new creation, more exotic tools with which to work the stone, in search of a lost or stolen item of value, or in search of a new material to craft from. A typical adventure for a Trowl might be to find a meteorite which contains a rare ore which the Trowl seeks to use in the creation of a new member of his clan, or to track down and kill a vandal who desecrated a very important sculpture: his life's work.


Max Caps


Powers

  • Fabricated: As fabricated creatures, Trowls are immune to bleed damage, poisons, paralysis, diseases, Knockout, and death effects. Trowls do not eat, breathe, or sleep, and cannot be Petrified. Also, Trowls cannot heal. They must be repaired to regain lost HP. This works just like a Healing check, except the Machinery skill is used, as the smith reworks their runes.
  • Anchor: Trowls receive a +4 to opposed rolls against any attempts to lift, toss, move, trip, drag, or knock them down against their will.
  • Drop like a Stone: Trowls are so heavy, they take a −2 to Gymnastics checks. It is nearly impossible to carry or assist a Trowl and those attempting to do so take a −8 to the check.
  • Darkeyes: Trowls can see perfectly in low light and natural darkness. Their eyes glow with a faint reddish sheen.
  • Gore: A Trowl's horns may be used to gore opponents. Treat this as a hand-to-hand attack with a Harm score of 5.
  • Big and Bad: Being so large has its drawbacks. Trowls are at a −4 to Dodge. However, they possess a +2 racial bonus to their armor score due to their naturally tough hide.
  • Slow: Trowl speed is 5ft/AP and they take a −4 penalty to Dash


Incompatible

Trowls are incompatible with Dead Weight, Featherweight, and Lousy Balance

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Races
Otherworld
Humans • Goblyns • Shidae • Wukara • Trowls • Zjenithi • Vayu • Sobaki • Koh-ri • Ginsha • Gear Golems •
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Men • Vidari • Evengar • Firnoy • Apsarava • Shou • Kulgeris • Maghashi • Jurens • Doivarken
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