Beastborne- Mark of the Founder

by James T Callum

  Golem

  Magical constructs whose method of creation has long-since been forgotten or hidden. Often the result of creation magicks gone awry, Golems follow a set of recognized patterns given to them by their creator or during creation.

  Karak

  A bird-like race of creatures that possess cunning and intellect similar to most of the higher races. They are capable of carrying immense burdens and are able to travel at high speeds.

  Koblin

  Not to be confused with goblins, koblins share many of the same traits as their ill-tempered brethren. A key difference - lost on most people - is that koblins are covered in a fine velvety layer of green fur unlike the leathery green skin of a goblin. Like goblins, their masks are important to them and they never leave the comfort of their homes without them. Unlike goblins, they do regularly take their masks off but only among those they trust.

  Manatree

  While far removed from the usual creatures on Aldim, a Manatree is a powerful entity that is more aware than an unthinking plant. Capable of immense power, Manatrees are beholden to their Founders - the only known people who can plant them and tether their lifeforce to one, becoming functionally immortal - though their main function is to shield large areas against the effects of a Manastorm. Contrary to popular belief, they do not strictly kill all monsters that touch their generated barrier.

  Mature Shoggoth

  A creature beyond scope and compare. A single Mature Shoggoth is a nightmare made manifest. Its corrupting influence portends an ill-fate for the star it is seen upon. Shoggoths are not naturally occurring.

  Mimic

  A creature of arcana, Mimics are sentient and sapient creations of wild magicks long-forgotten. There exist three variants of mimic-kind: treasuregorger, fleshgorger, and omnigorger.

  Treasuregorgers eat solely material goods, gaining EXP from eating them based on their value and rarity.

  Fleshgorgers are a brutish and thankfully rare species that has been on the decline thanks to their warlike ways and low intelligence. Few fleshgorgers survive to adulthood as they eat everything (or try to) that crosses their path.

  Omnigorgers are a rare breed owing to its unlikely parentage. Rare is the fleshgorger that is smart enough to entice a treasuregorger. Their rarity allows them to masquerade as either treasuregorger or fleshgorger and to subsist off either diet.

  Scourge

  Tainted creatures that exist in the Broken Lands. They often have chimeric characteristics due to the corrupting and mutagenic nature of Manastorms.

  Shadow Crawler

  Shadow creatures that hail from Shadesholm. Bound by Thirty-seven’s work, they wander about in search of a way home and are extremely aggressive. Destroying such a creature gives it the respite it so dearly craves and sends it back to its home plane.

  Shadow Predator

  The larger brother of the Shadow Crawler, the Shadow Predator is stronger, smarter, and tougher. And just like it’s little brother, it is bound to this plane and forced to protect the Coffin District long after it needed it.

  Shadow Sage

  The progenitors of the shadow creatures that plague the Coffin District, they exist on an entirely different level. Imprisoned by Rinbast, only four Shadow Sages are currently known. Their knowledge and power are unknown but they hold great love for their own kind.

  Shoggoth Spore

  A budding spore from a mature shoggoth. In time, it will grow to maturity and begin the cycle of budding and regeneration (provided there is enough food) over again until there is nothing left.

  Shoggoth Sporeling

  Premature budding of a shoggoth spore. Though weak, they are numerous and capable of overwhelming even prepared parties of adventurers.

  Slime

  Simple monsters that are more akin to domesticated animals than actual monsters. Often found as pets of other, more evolved monsters.

  Rootnids

  Plantoid creatures shaped like spiders out of roots, they have paralyzing toxins in their bites and swarm potential prey.

  Treant

  Towering tree-like creatures that can awaken other trees to a treant-like state for a temporary period of time. Full-grown treants are physically hardy but weak to fire and magic.

  Treant Sapling

  Young treants are significantly weaker but make up for with significantly faster movement and a whip-like sapling atop their head that they use to great effect.

  Vorclars

  Little is known about these strange monsters except that they lurk in cavern systems and are capable of phasing through solid matter.

  Shae'kathoth

  An Elder being of immense power that once toppled entire civilizations with its insidious ability to consume a host from the inside out, walking about as that person then leaping to the next host with a single touch. Due to Thirty-seven’s imprisonment over the long years, Shae’kathoth weakened considerably.

  Waterwheel

  Ambush predator that lies in wait in bodies of water and rivers, using roots to pierce and drag prey underwater.

  Wortling

  The creations of a Worttree, their sole purpose is to capture prey and return it to the Worttree to feed it. They have no sentience and are controlled by the Worttree like puppets.

  Worttree

  Known but never seen, Worttrees are the creators of Wortlings. When a Wortling uses its “root” ability, it will slowly grow into a Worttree if left alone for a full month.

  Skill List

  [Survival Skills]

  Darkvision

  Level 3

  +6% Visual range in dim light.

  +3% Visual range in no light.

  Through time spent in the dark, lightless depths, you have adapted your sight to be able to peel back the veil of darkness.

  Investigation

  Level 10

  +10% Investigation speed.

  +20% Investigation success.

  +10% Point of interest highlight chance.

  By analyzing your surroundings and using inductive reasoning, you are able to piece together evidence into a plausible conclusion, locate hidden items, traps, and make connections others would miss. Heavily influenced by INT.

  Investigation Perks

  Treasure Hunter 1/3

  While investigating, increases the chance of discovering higher rarity loot and acquiring quest originating items.

  Lv1: 15%

  Manatree

  Level 1

  +3% Manatree Spell Potency.

  The manipulation and ability to commune with a Manatree is a valuable skill that few have the capability to learn. By sharing a piece of yourself with the semi-sentient creation, you are able to influence its use of power. And in turn, the Manatree is able to provide you with the means to defend yourself against the dreaded Manastorms.

  Perception

  Level 15

  +30% Perception highlight chance.

  +75% Awareness of magical items.

  +30% Danger sense.

  As a measure of your general awareness, Perception allows you to pick out details of your environment that most others might miss. Higher Levels of Perception will highlight useful items or those of special significance.

  Perception Traits

  Inspection

  By focusing on a monster, you are usually able to view its Level.

  Perception Perks

  Premonition

  Gain the ability to see outlines and indicators where powerful attacks are about to land moments before they hit.

  Stealth

  Level 6

  +6% Stealth success.

  +6% Stealth speed.

  -6% SP drain.

  Slow, measured movements and a preference for shadowy nooks have helped you take the first steps along the path of a true sneak. By moving with purpose and focusing on staying out of sight you can dramatically reduce the ability for others to detect your presence. Sneaking reduces your speed and drains Stamina.

  Survival
>
  Level 1

  +205% Camping regeneration.

  +5% Flora & Fauna identification.

  +1% Well Rested bonus.

  Survival abilities allow you to not only live off the land but to thrive. Survival determines your ability to hunt for game, distinguish poisonous food from edible, and to make camp effectively.

  [Combat Skills]

  Evasion

  Level 11

  +11% Evasion speed.

  -11% Stamina cost.

  +4% Time decay.

  The best defense is the one where you never get hit in the first place. The art of Evasion takes precise timing and quick reflexes to keep ahead of an opponent’s constant barrage of attacks.

  Evasion Perks

  Patient Offense

  Each successive evasion of an enemy’s attack increases the damage of your next attack by 10%. Resets if hit.

  Improvised Weaponry

  Level 12

  +24% Improvised Weapon damage.

  +24% Improvised Weapon attack speed.

  -10% Stamina cost.

  Realizing that anything can be a weapon if you put your mind to it, you’ve taken the first step toward the ultimate goal of beating your enemy with the body of another enemy. Unlocks the Improvised Crafting trait.

  Improvised Weaponry Perks

  Overrun

  Increase attack speed by 15% when utilizing an Improvised Weapon and a One-Handed Weapon together.

  Improvised Weaponry Traits

  Improvised Crafting

  Improvised Crafting allows you to outfit any item with atypical ingredients, gaining the ability to swap out one ingredient for a similar type, resulting in a different finished product.

  Parry

  Level 4

  +4% Parry success.

  -4% Stamina cost.

  Avoiding harm during a fight while remaining effective is a difficult balance to strike. Some wear heavy armor and strap on large shields to create a bulwark against which many foes struggle to penetrate. Others prefer to use their weapons to their full benefit by parrying and defending against deadly strikes.

  Sword

  Level 9

  +9% Sword damage.

  -2.25% Sword durability loss.

  +5% Sword armor penetration.

  The weapon of choice for would-be heroes and highway bandits alike. Under Angram’s watchful gaze you have taken the first steps to ensure that you consistently stick your enemies with the pointy end first.

  Sword Weaponskills

  Rending Steel

  Assault your enemies with five unrelenting strikes. Weave destruction upon your enemies, finding gaps in their armor and where no gaps exist, creating them.

  Additional Effect: Lowers DEF.

  Damage: 10

  SP Cost: 25

  [Magic Skills]

  Beast Magic

  Level 13

  +39% Beast Magic potency.

  -2% MP Cost.

  A unique form of magic known only to those following in the footsteps of Chimera Knights and the fabled Beastborne. Beast Magic allows the wielder to tap into the ferocious power of fell monstrous magics previously exclusive to monsters.

  Wielding Beast Magic comes with a price, however, non-monster bodies were not meant to wield such devastating magic and will experience hazardous side-effects if the wielder is not careful to manage their Strain levels.

  Beast Magic Perks

  Azure Lore

  Reach into the very depths of Beast Magic, forming a sympathetic bond with your adversary. By touching a monster, you are able to understand your quarry that much better. Its weaknesses and fears, its strengths, and most importantly what it’ll do before it does it. Defeating multiple enemies from the same Monster Family confers unique bonuses against that family.

  Empty Vessel

  Each Beastborne is unique. Those that follow the Azure path accept the risk of Strain but are not without the tools to handle the dangerous influx of corrupting magic. Once per day, you focus on the way your body was before becoming a Beastborne. Holding that image, you purge all Strain from yourself, becoming an empty vessel once more.

  Enfeebling

  Level 12

  +12% Enfeebling success.

  +24% Enfeebling duration.

  +10% Enfeebling magic resistance.

  When defeating your enemies isn’t enough, Enfeebling Magic is there to cut the strongest enemies down to size and to make the weak grovel in fear. Enfeebling focuses on crippling opponents in as many ways as there are seconds in a day.

  Enfeebling Perks

  Shatter 1/3

  Enfeebling spells apply a 10% MDEF reduction.

  Lv1: 10% MDEF reduction.

  [Crafting Skills]

  Alchemy

  Level 0

  Alchemy creates mighty medicines, potent poisons, and substances of supreme strength to imbibe or imbue renowned relics.

  Foraging

  Level 0

  The bounty of the land is ripe for the picking as a Forager. Whether it’s gathering wild resources found throughout the world or chopping down towering trees to extract valuable heartwood, Foraging allows you to gather the natural materials of the world.

  [Social Skills]

  Deception

  Level 5

  +5% Deception success.

  +2.5% Deception awareness.

  -2.5% Reputation loss.

  +1.5% Deception success for each person you have told the same lie to.

  The favorite skill of dark elves and conniving merchants alike, Deception affords you the ability to weave your own truth. The dark elves have a saying, “when all around you is a web of lies, the truth is what you choose to make.” Those skilled in Deception are able to make their own realities and furthermore, convince others of their veracity.

  Exploration

  Level 2

  +20% Faster drawing speed.

  +6% Discoverable range.

  The Exploration skill allows you to discern differences in the environment and keep track of your position on your Explorer’s Map. The higher your Exploration skill, the more detailed and accurate your map will become.

  At low Levels the map will be vague and inaccurate, often with little more than the area’s name. As your skill progresses, the detail becomes greater and your position relative to your surroundings becomes clear.

  Intimidation

  Level 2

  +2% Intimidation success.

  +2.50% Pacification chance.

  While others would convince, you take a more direct approach. Threats are only threats if you don’t make good on them. And by putting the fear of the Gods into an otherwise stalwart soul, you have embarked upon the ignoble art of getting your way by more direct means.

  Leadership

  Level 18 (+5)

  +23% Party damage.

  +46% Leadership efficacy.

  Some are born to follow, others to lead. Whether intentionally or not, you have shown ambition and a willingness to direct people and walk alongside them toward a shared goal.

  Leadership Perks

  Party Tactics

  When fighting with a party, each member of your party gains an additional 2% bonus to damage, defense, and healing per member within your party communication range.

  Persuasion

  Level 12

  +12% Persuasion success.

  +6.0% Antagonistic persuasion success.

  +10% Reputation gain.

  -4% Reputation loss.

  All civilizations are founded on the principles of compromise. You have taken the first steps along the road of making sure that others compromise more than you.

  Persuasion Perks

  Friendly 1/3

  Through long hours of persuading people to see your side of things you have picked up how to appear friendly to many races and cultures even if you don't speak the language.

  Lv1: +20% Persuasion success against non-aggressive entities.

  Mercantile

 
; Level 1

  +1% Sale price over buyer’s skill.

  -0.5% Purchase price over seller’s skill.

  Trade is the lifeblood of all civilized nations. More important than land, deadlier than any war, trading can make or break a nation.

  [Languages]

  Common

  Deep Speech

  Spells & Abilities

  Beastborne

  Even among the lost order of Chimera Knights, there was a whisper and a rumor of something greater. A form of Beast Magic given physical form on the most fundamental levels. Many Chimera Knights died pursuing their desires to attain the title of Beastborne. Wielders of the most powerful Beast Magic, the Beastborne walk the razor’s edge between their humanity and becoming another terror that stalks the stars.

  Arcana Killer

  Gives you an edge when fighting Arcana Family monsters, increasing damage dealt while decreasing damage taken. Adds a chance to Intimidate Arcana.

  Beast Killer