Fenghuang

Physical Description: A little shorter than humans and leaner of build, these birds are covered in the bright colors of the sun. Yellows, oranges, and reds make up their fiery coat. While they lack fingers, their beaks are quite capable of manipulating objects with equal grace. Their eyes come in a wide spectrum of colors, from hot to cool shades. Their talons are not as graceful as one would demand of humanoid fingers, but can grasp and carry things while they are flying.

Society: The Fenghuang do not gather in great cities. Nomadic by nature, they wander the world, taking in all its wonders and terrors with equal enthusiasm. When two meet, they may bond for a time, and a clutch of eggs can result. Only one of these eggs hatches into a chick, but it is impossible for them to know which, so all are treated with great care. Rare twin births do occur, to the great celebration of their parents. After the chicks are capable of flight, their parents often part ways, with the chick staying with one or the other, at their own choosing.

Relations: Fenghuang are typically a social species and adore interacting with others. They are fast friends and usually of good spirits. They offer song, stories, and warm company in return for food and lodging in their travels. Not being born to societies as some others, they occasionally stoop to thievery if they perceive the item being taken will not be missed. In the rare possibility of a fenghuang community, items will transfer from nest to nest without asking or hard feelings, simply being taken when needed and abandoned when not.

Alignment and Religion: Fenghuang tend towards the Chaotic, but also favor Neutrality. Their tendency to take what they need can put them in conflict with more ‘civilized’ people. Though they will return what is taken if asked, this does little to soothe the hurt feelings of their victims. Despite this, they are also a good people, who will go out of their way to lend a helping wing to those who appear in genuine need.

Adventurers: Rare is the fenghuang who is not an adventurer of some sort. Consumed with a need to see and experience new things, they are drawn to the nomadic styles of adventuring and testing their mettle against all the world can throw at them. Being slight of body, they prefer professions that allow them to deal with their foes from afar. That many such disciplines also enhance their understandings of the wonders of the world is a blessed bonus indeed.

Male Names: Hong, Hui, Jiayi, Junjie, Peizhi, Peng.

Female Names: Ai, Baozhai, Lifen, Lihua, Mingzhu.

Age: Adulthood: 85 years, +3d6 intuitive, +4d6 self-taught, +8d6 trained. Middle-aged 145 years, old age 210 years, venerable 290 years, maximum age 290 + 3d100 years.

Male Statistics: Base height 4 ft. 2 in., base weight 60 lbs., modifier 2d6, weight modifier x2 lbs.

Female Statistics: Base height 4 ft., base weight 50 lbs., modifier 2d6, weight modifier x2 lbs.


Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Constitution

The fenghuang are built delicately, but move with a distinct grace in mannerism and motion.

Medium

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

Fey

Fenghuangs are fey with the fenghuang subtype.

Low-Light Vision

Fenghuang can see twice as far as a human in conditions of low-light.

Normal Speed

Fenghuangs have a base speed of 30 ft.

Flight

Fenghuangs have winged flight of 30 ft. with a clumsy maneuverability. Fenghuang cannot fly in medium or heavy armor or while encumbered.

Natural Envoy

Whenever fenghaung put a rank in the Linguistics skill, they learn two languages instead of one.

Curiosity

Fenghaung are drawn to seeking out and sharing stories. They gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) become class skills for them. If they gain a class that has either of these Knowledge skills as class skills, they gain a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead.

Fingerless

Fenghuangs possess two wings and two talons, but no hands or fingers. They can wear rings on their talons, and gloves become anklets automatically while they wear them. They may carry things in their talons, and their mouth can be used as a single hand for wielding a weapon or other tasks. This does not impede their ability to speak or use verbal components/abilities. A fenghaung may substitute at least one talon and wing and beak movements for the somatic requirements of spells.

Author's Note: Fenghuang do not have a second "hand", only their one mouth, and as such cannot benefit from effects which require them to have a free offhand (such as swashbuckler's precise strike, Equipment sphere's Duelist's Grip, or other similar effects). For effects which require or target a creature's arms (forelimbs, etc.), the fenghuang treats their wings as limbs for these purposes (such as the Alteration sphere claws trait from the base sphere).

Fire Nature

Fenghuangs are naturally attuned to flames, starting play with fire resistance 5.

Languages

Fenghuangs begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Fenghuangs with high Intelligence scores can learn any language (except for secret languages).


Alternate Racial Traits

Elemental Born: A fenghaung with this racial trait is more akin to the fire elementals than most fenghuang, and gains fire resistance 20. This replaces curiosity.

Ice Born: Sometimes, a fenghaung connects to cold instead of flame. These fenghaung are a rare breed with icy colored feathers, and their births are considered occasions of significance. An ice born changes their resistance from fire to cold.


Racial Class Archetypes

Frenzied Dancer (Barbarian)

The passion of the fenghuang can spill over into battle, sending them into legendary fits of fury and rage when they match claws and swords against others.

Dance of Battle

Moving as if in the throes of a passionate fit, the fenghuang enjoy a +1 dodge bonus to their AC against attacks of opportunity. This increases by +1 per 5 character levels.

This replaces fast movement.

Flexible Rage

Once per day, starting at level 2, a fenghuang may, as a swift action, gain one rage power they qualify to have. This remains for one minute per level.

This replaces the rage power gained at level 2.

This website uses cookies. See the Legal & OGL page for important information. Any material NOT covered by the Open Game License Version 1.0a is covered by the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.