Races of Martapa Part 57

Minotaur Society: Minotaur families are very patriarchal, but women have important rolls in society as well.  (If you haven't noticed I have a very sexist free world here, for some reason.  Not to say there aren't pockets of sexism....)  Houses usually have only a single family in them as well as any apprentices.  Blacksmithing is very important and blacksmiths are revered by the minotaurs, and their skills are only rivaled by dwarves.  To harm a blacksmith is a heinous crime.  Same goes for healers.  Healing is usually a female dominated career and blacksmithing is usually a male career, though either sex can do either.

Minotaurs are so adapted to serving a certain sect of humans they have adopted a lot of their city lay outs and thus live in very orderly cities of wooden and stone buildings.  Minotaurs live to around 60 years and have a single child about ever 5 years once they are married and have come of age.

Races of Martapa Part 56

Minotaur Description: Minotaurs stand around six and a half foot tall with broad shoulders and fury.  They bare a cow head, males having large horns, females having small ones.  They have cloven hooves and legs which are joined like the back legs of a cow.  Their fur color and patterns can vary just as widely as real cattle, so be creative.  To add character I would also pick the direction and conditions of the minotaur's horns.

Minotaurs wear clothes similar to humans since they are around humans so much.  They prefer two handed axes or swords, but single handed weapons and shields are not unheard.  Minotaurs are people of their word and one their word is given it is a deal which will be followed through on.  Unfortunately, for the last three thousand years or so they have been used, and used badly, by the Black wizards of Shaniko and so the other races outright hate them.  They are codependent upon the Wizards because they have given up so many aspects of an agricultural life to train in the martial.

Races of Martapa Part 55

Half Elf Names: Half elf names really depend on where they were raised.  If they were raised in an elven community, they will have elven names.  If they were raised in a human community they will have human names.  Often, if they are raised in a human settlement, the elven parent might very well give them an elven name as well.

Races of Martapa Part 54

Half-Elf Adventures: Half-elves are good in any class.  If they are raised by elves they most likely will be mages or rangers, while if they were raised by humans they will be warriors, mages or even thieves.  Allow the half-elf pick one good and bad stat from each parent. If they are raised by elves they may use bows as a free ability no matter their class.

Races of Martapa Part 53

Half-elf Religions and Alignments: Half-elves can follow any of the Gods, it just depends on how they are raised.  Most half-elves follow the Gods of Light and Neutrality, but they may follow Gods of the Dark.  Alignment can be anything from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil, since their lives are so hard, being outside of society as they are.  Most are Chaotic Good or Neutral Good.

Races of Martapa Part 52

Half-Elf Relations: Half elves are looked upon with pity and fear in elven circles, while curiosity and hatred in human circles.  On an individual basis, people can get along with half-elves just fine, but elves pity half-elves because they will not live as long as themselves and will not harbor the magic they do. Humans envy them for their longer lives and use of magic, but are also curious about them.  Half-elves find themselves often ignored or alone.  Depending on the culture they are raised in, whether human or elven, will decide how they get along with other races, though they may be more open to other races since they are so lost as to their own roll in society.

Races of Martapa Part 51

Half-Elf Society: Half-elves grow up in a similar manner as their parents, depending on whether the couple lives in a human village or an elven village.  Even though this a mixture of human and elven DNA, if the woman is elven, she will only have a few children.  In human society they are viewed as a curiosity and in elven society they are looked upon with pity since they won't be as "good" as elves at things and won't live as long.  They usually adopt the ways of the world of which ever society they live in.

Races of Martapa Part 50

Half-Elf Description: Half-elves are normally a human/elf cross,  but they can be any race crossed with an elf. In truth, there are other races which could cross, but this would be the most likely.  They can look human, elf, or  a mixture of both.  normally their ears are slightly tapered, but can look round like a humans as well.  Hair color can range wildly, since elves have such outlandish hair colors  like purple or silver and humans have black and brown, as well as blond.  Here is where we get tricky.  Some humans have red hair, but elves of only the Sunstar line can have red hair, thus half elves can only have red hair if they are of the Sunstar line.  Eyes can also range, though human colors usually dominate.  Eyes are slightly almond shape, but not as big as elves.

Races of Martapa Part XXXIX

Tsula Names: Tsula names are two fold.  There is the name they say in their native tongue, which sounds like braying, clicks and snorts.  This is the name they give to another Tsula.  But there is also the name they give to all non-Tsula.  This can be anything from Long-Horns to Vania, depending on what group of people they are near.  If they are near elves, they most likely will have flowing names or nature names.  If they are near dwarves, more stone like names. 

Races of Martapa Part XXXVIII

Tsula Adventures: Good classes for Tsula are warriors for the males and clerics or mages for the females.  Barbarians are also a good choice if you have that option as a class.  Tsula should get a bonus to Constitution and Strength, but take from Dexterity and Charisma.  Their run speed should be the same as a riding horse for movement.  They speak their own language and rarely know the High King's Speech.  If they are associated with a Clan Warrior they will know elven.  They should also be given a trample attack if your campaign world allows such a thing.

Races of Martapa Part XXXVII

Tsula Religion and Alignment: Tsula are lawful in nature, despite following Targon.  Few, if any are evil, though Lawful Neutral is not unheard of.  They follow Wesa and Iktomi as well as Targon as a whole.  Lawful Good and Lawful Neutral Gods, such as Taniger and Catiana, may be followed, but not many Tsula will follow them.

Races of Martapa Part XXXVI

Tsula Relations: Tsula keep to themselves and are very wary of strangers.  They are very friendly with Warriors, but if they don't know any other group of people, they will try not to interact with them.  They might listen to what is going on, but they probably won't do anything about it if it has nothing to do with them.  They are wary of the Ariellen humans, and humans in general.  They respect the Akicitia and elves of the area they live in, but even these people they will try to avoid.

Races of Martapa Part XXXV

Tsula Society: Tsula travel in small herds, one male with several females and their get.  A lot of their culture is similar to horse herds, where males are run off when they reach a certain age. There are bachelor herds and the males only hold herd leadership as long as they are able to fight.  The females usually stay with their herd their whole life unless their herd gets too big and the herd is split.

The Tsula were originally created by Dasa, but she didn't take care of her creations and Targon has taken to watching over them, thus why the are associated with the Clan Warriors. They are nomadic and are vegetarians.  They use the spear well, along with the shortbows.  Swords are used, but harder to use.

Races of Martapa Part XXXIV

Tsula Description: Tsula (pronounced jew-lah) are goat centaurs, with goat bodies and human torsos.  Their coat color varies, but are usually on the sandy colors or black, so they blend into their plains home.  They bare horns on their heads, which vary in length and curves.  Both men and women have these horns, but the women's are usually smaller.

Races of Martapa Part XXXIII

Akicitia Names: Akicitia names are a little tricky.  I do the "Two-Spear" or "Running Bear" so called "Indian" names, but I then translate them into an actual Native American language.  I like the Lakotah and Cherokee languages, but any Native language would work.  And they don't actually have to make complete sense, just sound good.  I have a character that his name is Ten-Spear, but goes by Sgohi (pronounced ss-go-he), which is simply ten in Cherokee.  I have another character named Kalesdi.  The name sounds pretty, (Kah-lee-ss-dee), but actually just means month in Cherokee.  If nothing else, its a good excuse to explore some native languages.

Happy Gaming!

Races of Martapa Part XXXII

Akicitia Adventures: Akicitia classes which would be good are barbarians, warriors, even paladins which may need to be tweaked a bit.  Healers are well revered amongst their culture, but are rare.   Magic is not used save for some elders.  I would give a bonus to Strength and Constitution, but Wisdom and Intellect should take a hit.  I would give a bonus to spears or bows, and tracking should be free.  If there is a skill/trait/feat which gives a bonus for tracking with scent then they should receive this for free, as well.  Their move should be 40 versus 30, and the ability to run for long distances should also be given, depending on your system.

Races of Martapa Part XXXI

Akicitia Religion and Alignment: Akicitia will always be either lawful or neutral good in alignment.  Very few will be any chaotic in alignment.  Some may be true neutral, but an evil Akicitia must be very warped to be so.  Akicitia follow Lady Catiana and Lord Sarjon, along with Wesa, Goddess of Animals and Iktomi, God of Nature.  They tend to protect those who follow Aiyana, since they value the innocent, and no one is more innocent then those who follow the Goddess of Love.

Races of Martapa Part XXX

Akicitia Relations: Akicitia get along with all races as individuals, except for ogres.  They will never get along with an ogre, no matter what, since in the far past the ogres enslaved both the Akicitia and the Minotaur. They are at odds with the Empire of Ariella because of the Empire's use of slavery.  They understand the Balance of the Gods, but do not like the Dark Gods or those who harm the weak, the young, or the unarmed.  They protect the innocent and will always tell a person how they think.  The prefer people who hold honor high.

Races of Martapa Part XXIX

Akicitia Society: The Akicitia are a long lived race, living thousands of years, but they only have a cub about every century and they don't always survive to adult hood.  Because they live so long they are considered adults at a much older age, though around the age of two decades they are allowed to be on their own and take part in hunts, they are just aren't allowed to make decisions for their own lives until they reach the century mark.

Of all my races, the Akicitia are the most honorable.  Their word is their bond and they do not lie. It is not heir way to lie and they find the act reprehensible. This small trait causes my Akicitia, Krom, and thus his friends, problems, but makes for fun situations to write about!

Their tribes live in villages much like the natives of Kenya.  And I would picture them in the same kind of surroundings as in Kenya, the open plains with the neat trees and the same kind of animals. The village is ruled by a group of elders who have proven themselves through the centuries as fair, level headed, and good leaders of the hunt.  Families live in large, circular huts made of native material.

Races of Martapa Part XXVIII

Akicitia Descriptions: The Akicitia (police in Lakotah, I believe), are the lion men of the plains. They are bipedal and have the body of person and the had of a lion, covered in fur and baring a tail.  The men have thick manes, the women baring a sprout of hair at the base of the neck which they allow to grow long and usually braid.  They stand about six and half feet on average and are good sprinters. Their colors vary from white, to tan, to sandy brown, even black.  Solid colors are most common, though some have stripes like a zebra might, but they are rare.  Mane color is usually a little lighter then the rest of their body, but can be the same color or a different color all together.  They have retractable claws, so an Akicitia is always armed.