Vanara and Vishkanya

When people think of fictional races from tabtletop fantasy games, the two most recurring ones concepts seem to be elves and dwarves. Ever since Tolkien, elves and dwarves have been seen as classics for the fantasy genre as a whole. These two races are immediately recognizable and provide a feeling of familiarity in a fantasy world. For this reason, the existence of elves and dwarves in a fictional world is rarely called into question. In D&D, which is heavily Tolkien influenced, players are more likely to be concerned about the lack of elves and dwarves in a Game Master's world than the lore surrounding the two races.

Pathfinder took cues from D&D when creating its core rules, which contain elves and dwarves once again. Though there is a lot of novelty in the inclusion of the races, it seems as though some fans of the game can't seem to move out of this "classic" comfort zone. As Pathfinder introduced races such as the kitsune, tengu, and samsaran, a vocal resistance began to take shape. A few GMs complained about players choosing races that didn't "belong" in their worlds. A few players complained about being unable to access all the content that Paizo had given them. The debate was cyclical of course, as many discussions can be on the internet, but the part that most concerned me was this camp of players and GMs alike that believed only the core rules were "real pathfinder" and the rest was... essentially an appeal to weaboos and other no-good-nicks.

When I was designing the concept for my world, I wanted to make sure I was doing something different. Too many GMs make the mistake of "homebrewing" a world that has EVERYTHING in common with the rules as presented and little in the way of originality in execution. There is still a place for elves and dwarves in my world (for the sake of players honestly), but their role takes a backseat to other lesser known races. Since my setting has strong influences from Indian folklore, I decided to include two races which Pathfinder adapted from that exact source. Vanaras and Vishkanyas can be found right next to each other at the end of Bestiary 3. Their stats and flavor text come from pathfinder, but the following write-ups are my interpretation of them for my world. I hope you enjoy what I've done with them.


Vanara

Originally featured in Bestiary 3

This race of simian folk is often dismissed for their mischievious ways, but they were once the greatest warriors and stonemasons the mortal realm had ever known. The jungle empire they once held stretched for thousands of miles, and several of the great stone bridges they constructed remain standing to this day. Vanaras often joke about the lacking evidence of their fallen civilization, viewing the other races flustered attempts at uncovering vanaran history as the ultimate form of entertainment. 

Physical Description: Vanara’s bodies are covered in a thin layer of hair which ranges in color from earthy brown to bright gold. The hair on a vanara’s head can be grown out and styled in a number of ways, and some vanara like to compete with their peers to see who can grow their hair the longest before it becomes unmanagable. They posess long, prehensile tails and facial features comparable to monkeys. The long fingers on their hands and feet are equally flexible, allowing them to climb tall structures with ease. On average, vanaras stand about a head shorter than humans. When it comes to clothing, vanaras are minimalists to the extreme. When not in the presence of races who have a nudity taboo, they prefer to wear nothing at all. The exception to this rule are the ritual adornments of shamans and priests, which are worn for spiritual reasons rather than for warmth or comfort.

Society: Vanaras are community-minded, concerned with the best interests of the entire population rather than the desires of individuals. In the tree-top villages where vanara dwell, food and shelter is divided evenly between all the inhabitants. There is no currency within vanara society, so all occupations are born out of a specific need within the community. The closest thing that vanara settlements have to government leaders are practitioners of divine healing, whose prescence increases the overall health and safety of all people within the clan. Whether these revered figures are adepts, clerics, druids, or oracles, they are all referred to as omantu: a word meaning “healer” in the vanaran language. Though groups of vanara identify as “clans”, familial connections are rarely a factor in determining clan membership. Immigration between clans is not unusual, and sometimes a vanara is required to leave behind their clan in order to serve some greater purpose. If one clan does not have access to an omantu and another clan has two or more, one of the omantu must leave behind their home and family to assist the other clan. 

Relations: Vanaras are friendly with humans, but often poke fun at their so-called “civilized ways.” They are even more critical of kalavi, whose solemn approach to morality is seen as dogmatic and rigid. Sylphs and vanara share an affinity for good-natured pranks, though these japes can occasionally spiral out of control and lead to competitions to outdo one another. 

Alignment and Religion: Vanara are chaotic as often as they are good. Most are free spirits and altruists who enjoy seeing the happiness and amusement of others. Vanara like to disguise compliments in jokes and riddles, and it sometimes said by members of other races that “an affectionate vanara is one that constantly tries to confuse his friends.” Though they are generally peaceful and serene, the vengeance of a wronged vanara is humilating and deliberate. Karma can be a very dangerous thing, especially when vanara are its agents. 

Adventurers: Vanara adventurers usually begin their career in two different ways. The first and most common way is when a vanara who is switching clans becomes sidetracked during their travels and decides to provide wisdom and assistance to people along the way. Though this sort of vanara may wander for years at a time, when asked they will insist that they simply got lost on the way to their destination. Omantu have a habit of falling into this first beginning by happenstance, becoming a divine healer to a group of adventurers. The second beginning is looked upon with shame, for it represents an individual who has left the community to seek personal glory and worldly possessions. These vanara are often barbarians or rogues, and their reputation for selfishness and greed follows them from one vanara clan to the next. 

Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Vanaras are agile and insightful, but are also rather mischievous. 

Vanara: Vanaras are humanoids with the vanara subtype.

Medium: Vanaras are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Vanaras have a base speed of 30 feet and a Climb speed of 30 feet. 

Low-Light Vision: A vanara can see twice as far as a human in dim light.

Nimble: Vanaras have a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Stealth checks. 

Prehensile Tail: A vanara has a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with her tail, but the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action. 

Languages: Vanaras begin play speaking Common and Vanaran. Vanaras with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Auran, Celestial, Giant, Samsaran, and Sylvan.

Alternate racial traits

• Bridge Builder - The ancient vanaras were remarkably gifted at building stone structures, and have passed their skills onto their descendents. Vanaras with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on craft (stonemasonry) and knowledge (engineering) checks. This racial trait replaces nimble.

Favored Class Options

• Barbarian: Gain +1/4 on attack rolls made while charging on plains terrain.

Mountain Growth

Like the vanara warriors of ancient times, you have the magical ability to enlarge yourself.

Prerequisites: Vanara, Con 15

Benefits: Once per day, you can double in size as if enlarge person had been cast upon you. This effect is an extraordinary ability, and lasts for a number of minutes equal to 1/2 your character level (minimum 1).

 
Vishkanya

Originally featured in Bestiary 3

Possessing venomous blood and alien features, vishkanya are generally feared by other races. Their reputation for being callous and immoral is not only well-earned but also enforced by their cultural tendency towards mercenary work. Vishkanya prefer to live among other races, if only to bring keep themselves close to potential contracts. 

Physical Description: From a distance, the average vishkanya is easy to mistake for a human. A closer look reveals subtle scales on the surface of the skin and milky eyes that lack irises. Another obvious sign of a vishkanya’s true nature is her tongue, which is forked like that of a serpent. It is not at all uncommon for a vishkanya to posess additional snake-like traits, such as ghostly-white or emerald colored skin. There is a general consensus among vishkanya that blending in with humans is often neccesary for the race’s survival. As such, vishkanya who can pass as humans are afforded greater respect by their peers than those who can’t. 

Society: Women hold the power in vishakanya society, with mothers and grandmothers commanding the highest amount of respect. In a world that views their race as toxic and unwelcome, each new child born feels like a small victory for the vishkanya. Though it may seem unusual, vishkanya women rarely copulate with their own kind. They instead seek out human or nagaji fathers for their children, securing such unions by blending in with the race of their potential mate. Vishkanya women often leave their partners after they become pregnant, whether or not the father of the child knows about the mother’s true nature. It is through this continued deception that vishkanya are able thrive in the shadows of civilization. 

There are only two ways to live a truly meaningul life in vishkanya society: the first way is to bring many children into the world and the second is to live an die as a warrior who takes the lives of many foes. Vishkanya men are more likely to choose the second, more destrucive path, due to the many obstacles that stand between them and becoming fathers. The vishkanya term for male is sisdra (meaning “lacking in purpose”), which in refers to the fact that men are unable to conceive children within themselves. This sense of inferiority hangs over the heads of male vishkanyas throughout their entire lives. Young vishkanya men are taught by their mothers to reign in their poison from an early age, because while a female vishkanya who lays with a human can still birth a child if her poison kills her mate, the same is not true for their male counterparts. On rare occasions, a female vishkanya will allow a male of the race to become the father of her child. When this happens, the chosen male is granted respect and reverance almost equal to that of a mother. This is the ideal situation which all vishkanya men are brought up to strive towards. 

Relations: Vishkanya rarely establish communities of their own, preferring to find their niche among other races such as humans and nagaji. Humans are often wary around vishkanyas, especially when it comes to forming romantic relationships. Nagaji tend to be a lot more accepting, and vishkanyas with pronounced serpentine features can find lasting companionship in nagaji enclaves. Other races seem to be quite satisfied to avoid vishkanyas when they can. 

Alignment and Religion: Vishkanya are usually ambivalent to notions of good and evil, and gravitate towards neutrality. While they have a strong belief in heirarchy and repaying favors, they tend to leave relationships with others once they’ve gotten what they need. This means that vishkanyas are just as likely to lawful as they are to be chaotic. 

Adventurers: Vishkanya adventurers can usually find careers as assassins, bodyguards, and mercenaries. They are typically drawn to high-risk, high-paying jobs with a lot of oppurtunities to prove their skills. Vishkanya men often leave home in order to escape the pressures of society and to seek out glory in battle, the same way vishkanya women may travel in search of interesting or exotic mates.

Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom: Vishkanyas are graceful and elegant, but they are often irrational.

Vishkanya: Vishkanyas are humanoids with the vishkanya subtype. 

Medium: Vishkanyas are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. 

Normal Speed: Vishkanyas have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Vishkanyas can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. 

Keen Senses: Vishkanyas receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Limber: Vishkanyas receive a +2 racial bonus on Escape Artist and Stealth checks. 

Poison Resistance: A vishkanya has a racial bonus on saving throws against poison equal to its Hit Dice. Poison Use: Vishkanyas are skilled in the use of poison and never accidentally poison themselves when using or applying poison. Toxic: A number of times per day equal to his Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), a vishkanya can envenom a weapon that he wields with his toxic saliva or blood (using blood requires the vishkanya to be injured when he uses this ability). Applying venom in this way is a swift action.

Vishkanya Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the vishkanya’s Hit Dice + the vishkanya’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.

Weapon Familiarity: Vishkanyas are always proficient with blowguns, kukri, and shuriken. 

Languages: Vishkanyas begin play speaking Common and Vishkanya. Vishkanyas with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Samsaran, Sylvan, and Vanara.

Alternate racial traits

• Botanical - Some vishkanya dedicate themselves to researching poisonous plants in order to better understand their own poison. A vishkanya with this racial trait gain a +4 on Knowledge (nature) checks to identify plants and plant creatures. This racial trait replaces limber.
• Poison Magic - A few vishkanya have a way with magic, escpecially spells that create and manipulate harmful substances. A vishkanya with this racial trait is treated as one level  higher when casting spells with the poison descriptor. Vishkanya with Charisma of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like ability: At will - detect poison. The caster level of this effects is equal to the vishkanya’s level; the DCs are charisma based. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity. 
• Whip Wielder - A vishkanya with this racial trait is always proficient with nine-section whips, urumis, and whips. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity. 

Favored Class Options

• Alchemist: Add +1/6 to the number of toxic uses per day.
• Summoner: If the summoner’s eidolon posesses the poison evolution, add +1/4 to the DC of the eidolon’s poison ability.

Poison Breath

You have learned to exude your body’s poison in your very breath.  

Prerequisites: Vishkanya

Benefits: When using your toxic racial ability, you can, instead of envenoming a weapon, breathe out a cloud of poisonous gas within a 5 ft. radius. The poison in this cloud is identical to your vishkanya venom except that it is treated as an inhaled poison. The poison cloud lasts for 1 round and does not grant any sort of concealment.