Tabueen - Ice Nomads also called Wastelanders

Tabueen - Ice Nomads

Few people still roam the lands as true nomads. Vegetation has become extinct in all but the sollus isles and spire-lands, and the wandering animals left are strong beasts very capable of defending themselves from the most accomplished hunters. With few options remaining, most nomadic people were destroyed, turned savage or settled down to move past their previous traditions.

One tradition left is to survive by raiding, living by taking what they can from the sollus towns. Most think of the Wastelanders who have learned to survive by attacking anyone, beast or villager that dares leave the protection of the sollus. They view life as a struggle, and they take what they need. Often trying not to kill or have strict codes about who they may attack and when. Some raiding tribes do make allies with the "settled peoples", knowing the importance strategic friends can mean. Those in the sollus islands also realize that it is beneficial to have allies with these powerful raiding peoples, both to attack their foes and to help in protecting the towns. Often the tribes need a place to rest in the most dangerous of storms as well as a place to sell their spoils. These people also served as early warnings for oncoming giant, dragon or undead hordes. Most tribes are chaotic, neutral or both, taking what they need. Life is not for the weak, and they destroy anything not as strong as they.

A significant departure from these raiders are the Tabueen, ice nomads that have found a unique method of survival. Who the Tabueen were before the great winter came, is unknown. The most popular belief is they were among the exiles, searching for sanctuary in the newly discovered spires. According to the Tabueen, what they found at first were dragon-bears, winged magical beasts that choose this group of exiles as their prey. For too many years, these great beasts would devastate the people, killing one or dozen at a time, and neither their warriors nor sorcerers could do anything to stop them. Even once these people found the spires, the dragon-bears attacked with no mercy, forcing the tribes to continue running, trying to stay ahead of these terrible beasts.

According to their legends, In one of their many attempts to escape, they found three parallel gorges in the snow, not too deep, and much more solid than other ice paths. The paths, being much sturdier provided much better travel ways, and headed in the same direction they wanted to go, the tribe decided to use them. The tribes discovered small blue mushrooms along the pathway, nourishing and plentiful and in some cases even magically boosted. The gorges turned to ice tunnels and the people continued to use them, believing them sacred.

What happened next changed the people forever, the tunnels went on for days until they meet up, into one huge underground tavern, with even more diverging tunnels. The shamans declared the tunnels holy, claiming them to be safe from the dragon-bears. From this central cavern they could reach far into the domain, but this would be their home base, a meeting point where all the Tabueen tribes could gather. Within the huge ice cave they found signs of life. Pictograms and carvings, both of the traditional ice dwarf inhabitants, and of blue ice wyrms that traveled both beneath and above the ice. It was these who created the tunnels and paths, and the shamans declared these beasts the holy totem, to be worshiped and venerated as a way of life.

The old and the weak rested in the central cavern, while the warriors and mystics traveled in the many tunnels. There they found holes leading to both the above world and deep caves beneath the ice itself holding open water and mushrooms of even greater size and potency. They met other inhabitants of the caves, some as allies, and others as vicious enemies that they fought in order to use the same tunnels as a means to get around the ice-underworld.

Their greatest of mystics soon found the snow whales or balashi, swimming up above on the loose snow on the surface. These huge majestic beasts spent days above, sunning them, gathering in groups, and singing long, beautiful music. The mystics knew it was these sounds the Tabueen were always driven by, the great peaceful beasts called to the Tabueen, for the totem needs their followers as much as the people needed them. The reason soon became clear, as these snow whales, very abruptly the herd broke apart and swam away in many different directions, as they seen their old foe, the dragon-bears come, but they came to hunt the whales. The mystics called out to their new benefactors, trying to discern what their new allies needed.

The images were not of battles outside the tunnels but inside of them. The snow whales could hide from the tyrants, by swimming far beneath the snow and ice. But the many creatures that also traveled the tunnels fought the whales in close, by surprising the creatures and giving them nowhere to go. The shamans knew their role would be to keep them free of the vermin. In return, they would gain the sole use of the ice tunnels and the many caverns that cropped out from them. The Tabueen found their home, not free of the all dangers, but one that provided the nomads with a living and a purpose. And they have stayed in the tunnels for thousands of years...protecting it and trading with many of the subterranean and other travelers they meet.

Rule: Tribal, Led by eldest shaman (most often a sorcerer) in general paths, but the day-to-day leadership can be from any tribe member that has proven themselves in both gathering, hunting and making allies. Druids worship spirits but there are also clerics who follow one of the more traditional deities. Unlike in many other places, they are never in dispute over purpose or devotion, sometimes they don't smoothly align in terms of action.

Tribes: are usually fairly small in number, rarely more than two hundred. Almost every member has a class level or two. Males usually tend towards warrior and rogue classes, women toward rogue and sorcerer or druid.

Their hunters and warriors travel on the ice-top, always patrolling for enemies. They rarely fight among their own kin but it does happen for the best under-tunnels filled with resource rich buillish (snow mushrooms.)

Allies: Dwarves (all), Balashi, 

Tribal Enemies: Orcs, Ogres, Walren, Wolves, White Ravii, Ice Rats
Common Threats: Undead, Dragon Bears, Frost-eyes (white beholders) & ice hags

Classes:

The Swallowed Ones. Individuals that have been swallowed by the balashi emerge with great wisdom and knowledge. They have a telepathic link with the creatures and are revered in their tribe for their closeness with the Kapuntuc. (Equivalent of paladins)

Druidic priests. Summon the spirits to advise and heal. Though they do not actually summon the spirit of the Kapuntuc, as it is considered disrespectful.

No wizards, but sorcerers are possible. These spellcasters rarely travel with the tribe; they are hermits that protect the most important central caves. Known to brew magical potions, as well as use the Necil ice forges to create the magical weapons needed by the tribe.

Suvoen: Rangers, born singing the whales holy songs and must learn their tribal tongue as a foreign language. They are raised by other suvoen, and travel with the whales as soon as they are old enough. Main duty is to travel on top of the ice, searching for enemies that might strike at their people or the kapuntuc. Often set up small trades or try to discover anyone other than the dragon-bears that hunt the kapuntuc.

Basic Belief: The tunnels are theirs alone. Believe that all people need a territory and will go out of their way to avoid trespassing, but they want the same isolation and respect for their tunnels. Otherwise they are extremely reclusive, and though will help innocents or weak individuals, they rarely share their information about anything beneath the ice.

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Sollus - According to local tradition, sollus stone is part of the broken sun that was destroyed. Casting a simple light spell is enough to provide a gentle heat for a few months. Very valuable.

Spires - Mile high plateau islands

Wastelanders - Nyssian term for barbarians who hunt the icelands

Blue Magic - All items blue coloured have the healing property. 

Kazeen Hound - Psionic Blink Dog

They are essentially golden haired psionic blink dogs.


Kazeen Hound - Psionic Blink Dog
Creature CR3
NG Medium Magical Beast
Init +3 Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6

 DEFENSE
AC 16 touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 34hp (4d10+12 con)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +4
Defensive Abilities    DR  3/Evil

 OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee Bite +5 (1d6+1)
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +2d6

 STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +4 CMB +5 CMD 18
Feats Track, Iron Will, Run
Skills Sense Motive +5, Perception +10, Survival +10

 ECOLOGY+
Environment     Kazurn Plains
Organization    Solitary, Pack (4-16)
Treasure Value  Standard
 SPECIAL ABILITIES

Ability (Ex)
Natural Blink (1=Front, 2-3 Right Flank, 4-5 =Left Flank, 6-8 Behind - Usable once every round

Kazeen hounds are medium sized, golden coloured canines gifted with psionic abilities. They are usually found in the icy Kazurn plains, but they originate in the Tallene spirelands. These beasts use their abilities to help good aligned creatures out of danger, protecting weaker beings from monster ambushes. They are psionic Nyssian versions of Blink Dogs, and many good aligned adventurers seek them out as companions.

These hounds teleportation abilities are legendary and are perhaps the fastest animals in terms of ability to travel from one location to another. They have a Master Teleportation ability they use if they are at less than 20% of their maximum hp.

Psionics: PSPs: 50, DC: 13 + (1d8) level; 4th level Psions

Powers: Adrenalin Control, Catfall (80 ft), Heightened Senses, Immovability, Life Detection, Dimension Door, Energy Adaptation (Cold, 10 dmg), Aversion (Baying). Master Teleportation (Focus, 5th lev)

Quators - Tenderfoot Halflings

In the Spirelands, many nations and cities rise and fall, and empires that once stood strong for a hundreds of years are now forgotten. One of the few exceptions to this, is Hegemony, a nation state that was made up of Phaetox and Minotaurs, seeking a stable lawful state a chaotic land. It rose to prominence, as the city became a haven for many outcasts who were looking for a place to call home. But it was a group of Tenderfeet (halflings) that came to lead the city in defenses that many still recall.  While weak individually, they excelled in hit and run tactics in small groups. They remain fiercely loyal to the ideals and to the city itself.

The phaetox and minotaurs still reside in the city and keep their vows yet while some still believe in the lofty goals their collective loyalty often lie elsewhere. The Quators still believe in the nation and maintain the continual defense of the cities. The reside in the orange grasslands that surround the city, as there are a dozen villages of less than a hundred halfling inhabitants.

Quatorian (Tenderfoot Halfling)
Small fey, chaotic good

Armor Class 17
Hit Points 51 (7d8 + 7)
Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

STR 9 (+0)
DEX 19 (+4)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 15 (+2)
CHA 13 (+1)

Skills Stealth +8, Acrobatics +5, Animal Handling +5, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Perception +5; either Persuasion +6 or Survival +6
Condition Immune to Perception & Identification Spells
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Invisibility: When not wearing medium or heavier armor, and more than 40 feet from an opponent, they gain +10 to their stealth checks

Blasting Arrows: When with 5 or more other Quatorian Halflings shooting missile weapons at the same, at the same victim, they gain +1  in damage for each arrow that hits. Must be lead by a 6HD or higher leader.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The Quatorian makes two attacks with their dagger or sling.

Trip or Disarm: A Quatorian gains +4 on attempts to either trip a medium sized or disarm them.
Every Quatorian must specialize in one of these  specialized attack routines.

Defensive Bonus Quatorian's gain +6 (instead of the standard +4 bonus) to avoid being tripped

The Two Solitudes

Two great solitudes exist in my game world: one is of the sollus and the other, the spires.  More than eighty per cent of all people of the domain live in one of these two ways. They are less regions but ways of life. 

In the exodus, people abandoned their towns due to the great Tyrant purge, when for a period of two hundred and fifty relentless years the tyrants attempted to obliterate all civilization. The people fled to every corner of the domain, searching for sanctuary. In the north, the people found the spires. These are enormous stone plateaus many more than a mile high, whose top is protected from the cold. They have long been found in the winded canyon, formerly areas inhabited by the animals or flying beasts. With the help of rangers and others, the people soon began to find them everywhere in the north, as if awoken from a slumber by the pleas of the people.   Using spell, rope and flying beast, the people reached the top. Once they did, the people claimed it as their home and defended it as their own. Space and ecology was severely limited, and the balance was so delicate, no spire could support more than fifty thousand inhabitants and most far fewer then that. Thus each spire became a island nations, inwardly focused and shut off from the rest of the world.

As refugees found one spire inhabited, it was easier to travel to the next spire rather than fight the defenders of a spire. Yet this protection limited themselves in other ways. Each spire became inwardly focused, and survival of their people meant they turned away from a greater ideal. Each became an island, of one people, of one culture, and they cared little to travel. Most became self sufficient, and dared not risk the wrath of either the tyrants or the raiders by traveling the wind-torn land. The vast number of spires, scattered over the entire north of the domain, ensured survival for many species. The tyrants cared little for individual scattered villages, unable to raise an army to threaten them. 

Separated by distance, unable to travel, isolated from everyone else, the races became vulnerable to each other. Orcs, Salamanders, Minotaurs, and others banded together to raid spires. Though not easy or quick, over time, the lone spires always fell to the battle hardened ways of the sell-swords. The people may have been protected from some of the evils of the domain, but danger was everywhere...

In the south, survival took on another means. The Lyrrian elves first used their magic to protect not only their forests, but also the newly arrived immigrants that came to their forest for protection. Even with the help of their fey allies, the people were still vulnerable to the whims of the terrible tyrants, who attacked the settlements without fear of retaliation. Their problem was two fold. Not only must they defend against the tyrants, but also the cold and ice prevented traditional methods of livelihood. The people could struggle to do one, but against these two foes ensured eventual doom.

It took hundreds of years before some unknown wizards or priest discovered a simple solution. A common stone, sollus, long used to light underground corridors provided heat and protective glow, but it did not burn. Using simple magics, the magic of the stone was enhanced providing this warmth to a much larger area. The elves gathered this stone, and raised it in towers, which provided enough warmth to grow shum and shul. With this basic need taken care of, the elves, along with their humanoid allies united to fight the tyrant raids. Though they could not defeat the army of tyrants they were able to put them to a stalemate, and give them enough time to grow and able to face the next invasion. 

Over time, the use of this warmth stone changed people's lives. It became the center of all civilization. Provided just enough warmth to grow the basic foodstuffs, and enabled the people to fight rather than continually flee the tyrant attacks. The exodus was finally ending. Yet, this lifesaver came at a terrible price. Simple spells could enhance the heat and the radius of the sollus, but they also decayed the stone. With a finite life, cities could be held prisoners of their own supply. And the cold could over-take them once again, so the people warred over this simple stone. A delicate balance now exists, but people have fought a multitude of wars, as each group has fought for supremacy and control of the sollus. Empires have arisen and fallen. Even now war can emerge from seemingly ancient grudges, but the people have always found ways to unite once again, either from an outside force or from an enemy in their own presence. Life continues.

There are many cities and races that use sollus, but two major paths exist. The first is represented by Greater Lyrria in the center of the domain, near the great elven forest of Lyrria. The second is a human dominated area known as the old south. This was actually the last region believed to use sollus stone. So close to the tyrant' s home, these people knew they must be united. The military became core, and the people tempered by fear and discipline built a mighty nation, Mandos, has existed for thousands of years. The battle-king is chosen from the warlords, but his rule is absolute when he has rule. And thus the oldest continual nation and culture still flourishes, thus the name - the old south. Thus the two extremes. Either a strictly lawful and well-defined culture of respect and order, seeing themselves as a united people or a chaotic mish-mash as many peoples fight for the stone in games of strength and bloodshed. The Old South was homogenous, and they kept to old traditions to keep the focus alive.

These are obviously not the only places, but it is where and how most races survive. A few isolated valleys are protected from the cold in other ways. Some have ancient forest spirits keeping the cold at bay. In the far west, the Sea of Stones is devoid of all cold and ice, a jungle paradise as many believe, but worship the great enemy – the dragon. And Phastia, an ancient nation that in an attempt to defeat the cold brought unending heat and fire, ravaged by their own pride. Shaer-Lai is on another continent, a land some call Asian, but it fell a long-time ago, now it is merely a dead land, with undead princes bickering with few living Samurai there to serve them.

Yet life, in this land continues. Through the cold or the worst of the tyrant purges, the struggle of life in all of its various forms continues.