Sobaki

Along a muddy bend in a creek, pale rocks poke from the stagnant, scummy surface. Nearby, a troupe of armored soldiers stumble through some brush, their torches casting a golden sheen over the water. They will never find the Sobaki thieves they seek, for the Sobaki are masters of their swampy domain. And besides, that chittering is the sound of an approaching pack of Devil-monkeys. Hiding in the creek, their heads cresting just high enough above the water's edge to allow them a view of their clueless pursuers, the Sobaki are contented: those soldiers haven't got a chance.

Physiology

Sobaki resemble long snouted, hairless, pale creatures with dark eyes. They almost look like humanoids with clawed, four fingered hands and greyhound shaped snouts. They are slightly taller than Humans, but only by a few inches. Sobaki live about 150 years.

Appearance

Sobaki tend to glisten in the sunlight, vaguely and when one shakes their hand, a thin, shiny film (like a slug's) is left behind. They dress in mismatched, patched and well-worn clothes. They carry lots of knick-knacks and baubles with them, which dangle from pouches, packs and belt-loops.

Personality

Sobaki are silent as a rule, very deadpan, and rarely smile. They have excellent poker faces. They are very loyal to their friends, but wary of the acquaintances they make. Sobaki have a tendency to instill paranoia, for one can never usually tell if a Sobaki is serious or not when it says it forgives you. Sobaki have strange ideas about possession, viewing ownership as transitory. Sobaki will often pocket items that are not attended to. This is not the same as stealing, since stealing requires a designation of ownership. Naturally, most other races don't appreciate this point of view. The Pookah may be the only exception.

Habitat

The Sobaki live in shacks and small houses on the swamps, and marshes of Jaeis, having large settlements in Neverbottom, Machera, Threshold, and Moon.

They are natural pack-rats, amassing large collections of… "stuff", which they trade, sell, or give away. The Sobaki maintain good relations with Bosemyan Humans because of this.

Society

Sobakan societies don't talk much among themselves, and individual Sobaki live very independently. As soon as a Sobaki comes of age, it goes off to live on its own, and even when coupling to have children they keep their distance, living in separate houses. Because Sobaki have very dull teeth, all Sobakan food is by nature mushy, boiled, or mashed.

Sobaki are a parasitic race, requiring the young of other races to populate the world with their own kind. The bite of a Sobaki releases an enzyme which mutates the infected host. The enzyme has no effect on adults of any race, but on children, its effects are strong. The enzyme requires an incubation time of two weeks, at the end of which the youngling has mutated into a Sobaki child. The process is painful, as bones rearrange and skin stretches and is cast off, revealing the slick Sobaki skin underneath. Many Sobaki choose to "adopt" only orphans and runaways in his way, but other Sobaki have garnered the entire race notoriety by stealing babes and children from their parents. In this way, Sobaki have prospered by turning the cast-off bastard children of the world to their advantage and taken care of children who might not have survived otherwise. Many races have developed healing arts and medicine to counteract the unwanted bite of a Sobaki, so the chances of the Sobaki "infecting" large numbers of other beings is slim.

Relations

Sobaki get along well with Pookah, since many of that race live in the same swamps and watersheds where the Sobaki make their homes. They positively love Gyr Golems since the Golems are always leaving spare parts laying around. Also, they usually maintain close ties and civility with the Sidhe. Sobaki clash with Zjenithi over the topic of slavery: nearly all Sobaki are disgusted by the practice.

Motivations

Some Sobaki grow weary of the swamps in which they live and decide to leave in favor of more colorful climes. Finding the man who saved your life from that Reptis and repaying him, planning a jail-break or slave revolt in Zjenahd, or joining with a pirate crew on the Sea of Swords make fine Sobaki adventures. Sobaki are motivated by a desire to accumulate, be it material wealth, interesting items, fantastic stories, strong relationships, or personal power.

Max Caps

• Persuasion 12
• Insight 12
• Self Control 8
• Charm 8

Powers

• Keen: Sobaki receive a +2 bonus to Discern when someone's lying to them. This applies to Feints in combat.
• Watch 'em Squirm: Since Sobaki have such moist and slippery skin, they receive a +4 bonus on attempts to resist a Grab.
• Mouth like a Vice: Sobaki can lock their joints in a way which makes it hard for others to escape their grasp. Sobaki get +2 to Grab attempts. Additionally, if a Sobaki makes a successful Grab attempt, it can bite and crush with its mouth, with a bonus of +2 to Harm while biting. Despite their dull teeth, Sobaki nonetheless have incredibly strong jaw muscles, capable of clamping down at extreme pressure.
• Slick: The sweat of a Sobaki is oily and slick, which helps with lubricating all things mechanical. Combine this with the Sobaki love of knick-knackery. Sobaki receive a +4 racial bonus to Machinery checks when attempting to repair damage to a mechanical creature (a Wardrone, for example).