Nagaraja

Created from the stuff of dragons and humans to resist corruption, the nagaraja race was made to save humanity.

In the ancient war, humans found a way to become nagaraja to resist corruption in an effort to preserve the land from such everlasting darkness. Much of humanity was lost after the war, when the taint was at its most virile and insidious. Few remained that were not dead or turned into nagaraja. There are still places where humans are seen as a race of legend.

The nagaraja breed true through asexual reproduction. The progeny is usually a kobold. Once in nagaraja’s lifetime though, it can “give birth” to another nagaraja. These never-human nagaraja have the same temperament, though they come across as even more alien to the other races of humanity. Nagaraja are genderless and long lived.

Nagaraja have an affinity for magic and a tough hide. Some never-human nagaraja develop the lower body of a serpent rather than the legs of a typical humanoid. Many believe that this is a sign of the divine favor from the mother goddess to humanity, who has an aspect that has the lower body of a serpentine dragon. The word “naga” is meant to make one think of the goddess.

The nagaraja live apart from the other races, isolated in secretive communities, temples, or monasteries. Many such communities were originally formed to guard the world from some corrupted spirit or artifact or even the land. Such duties often require that they live apart from those whom they protect. Since such duties were first taken upon the shoulders of the nagaraja, the taint corrupted some communities. These are the source behind the tales of evil nagaraja cults. These factors all combine to form distrust and even outright hatred by other races, particularly the garuda.

Nagaraja fit well into standard society, though they seldom take up work that requires social contact. Nagaraja are often magic users and are far more likely to take up classes that are more esoteric in nature rather than become a warrior. Most nagaraja warriors incorporate magic into their strategies and equipment.

Personality

The once-human nagaraja are dedicated to securing the objects, locations, and people tainted by corruption. Some nagaraja seek out these tainted relics solely to fulfill their own desire for temporal power. Usually, never-human nagaraja have a different perspective on the so-called “duty” they inherited. These newer generations of nagaraja find the idea of hiding away magical power, no matter how tainted, to be a tedious and wasteful concept. They wonder why the power shouldn’t be theirs. Many quest to seize corrupted magic and knowledge for their own.

Nagaraja use their affinity for magic and runes to seal away tainted relics or to at least suppress the powerful emanations of corruption from locations intrinsically connected to such things.

Physical Description

Nagaraja appear as lanky, slender humanoids and saurian heads. They are covered with small chromatic scales that range in color from green to brown. They have short, snake-like tails that aid them in balance and swimming. Never-human nagaraja may have a long, sinuous tail like that of a great serpent below the waist instead of a humanoid torso. A few never-human nagaraja even have a regal hood that can open atop their heads like that of a cobra. Nagaraja are genderless.

Relations

Nagaraja refer to all the other races equally as “not nagaraja”. They are not easy to befriend, but can make for lasting companions. Despite their asexual nature, many view the nagaraja as creatures that symbolize fertility, because they can reproduce as two different races.

Humans are the most uncomfortable around the nagaraja; as if they could be changed into nagaraja just by being around them. Some live with the fear that the nagaraja might come for them if they should become tainted. Humans do hold those nagaraja that were once human in some reverence for the “sacrifice” they made to save the world.

Garuda present a problem for many nagaraja. They hold the nagaraja in some measure of contempt for failing to perform their racial duties. Some among the newer generations of nagaraja wonder at why they should uphold a duty and abandon their duties or even use the power of the tainted items for themselves. This is the crux of the issue between the garuda and the nagaraja. However, some among the nagaraja believe that the garuda are simply jealous because the garuda were little more than an afterthought.

Outlook

Many different stories present the nagaraja in an unfavorable light, even if that evokes pity at their eternal duty. However, nagaraja can be just as kind, generous, and innocent as other races. Those are admittedly not qualities that the nagaraja associate with themselves. Despite their role, they often concern themselves with the state of their own personal evolution and seek new ways to improve themselves, either through knowledge, power, or spiritual enlightenment.

Nagaraja Lands

Wherever nagaraja gather there is corruption in the world. They are attracted to the items, people, and places of power left in the wake of such corruption. Few amongst the other races seek out the nagaraja in their own lands, which are mostly to the south.

Religion

Nagaraja revere the dragons and the gods, but seldom offer open worship. There is one exception. They will offer open reverence at festivals and seasonal offerings to the goddess of fertility. They still do not offer open prayers to her.

Languages

Nagaraja speak Lung and Common.

Names

Once-human adopt a new name upon their transformation. Never-human nagaraja use names that were passed down to them or a translation of these names in Draconic.

Adventurers

Nagaraja adventure to guard against the encroachment of the evil taint in the world. Those that desire a life away from guarding against taints are likely to adventure for wealth and power. More spiritual nagaraja might explore the world to find the right path for them to seek enlightenment on.

Favored Drink: Tea; Favored Food: Meat (cooked well done); Favored Weapon: Jian, scimitar, or short sword.

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Nagaraja Racial Traits

Nagaraja possess the following racial traits.

• +2 Dexterity, +2 to Intelligence, –2 Constitution: Nagaraja are nimble, both in body and mind, but their lithe build makes them less robust than other races.
• Humanoid: Nagaraja have the humanoid (nagaraja) type and subtype.
• Medium: Nagaraja are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Normal Speed: Nagaraja have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Nagaraja can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Armor: Nagaraja scales grant them a +1 natural armor bonus.
• Nagaraja Magic: Nagaraja with a Charisma of 10 or higher gain one 0-level spell of their choice from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that they cast three times per day and one 1st-level spell of their choice from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that they can cast once per day as spell-like abilities. The caster level for these abilities is equal to the nagaraja’s character level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the nagaraja’s Charisma modifier.
• Serpentine Movement: Nagaraja tails grant them a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Swim skill checks.
• Serpent’s Tongue: Nagaraja receive a +2 racial bonus on Linguistics skill checks.
• Languages: Nagaraja begin play speaking Common and Lung. Nagaraja with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
• Racial Levels: A nagaraja can take levels in nagaraja paragon to further develop their racial qualities.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following racial traits might be selected instead of existing nagaraja racial traits.

• Never-Human Hood: Never-human nagaraja with cobra-like hoods gain a gaze attack. This gaze attack acts as the charm person spell with a range of 30 feet. The Will DC to resist the charm effect is equal to 10 + 1/2 the never-human nagaraja’s character level + the nagaraja’s Charisma modiier. The never-human nagaraja’s hood must be open for it to use this ability, and it can only target one creature per round. This replaces nagaraja magic.
• Never-Human Tail: Never-human nagaraja with tails instead of legs gain a tail slap attack. This tail slap attack is considered a primary attack (unless it combined with weapon attacks, in which case it is considered a secondary attack) and is made at the never-human nagaraja’s full base attack bonus (-5 if it si a secondary attack). The tail slap attack deals 1d8 points of bludgeoning damage plus the never-human nagaraja’s Strength modifier (1/2 if it is a secondary attack). This replaces serpentine movement.

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The Nagaraja Paragon

Nagaraja can take levels in nagaraja paragon at any time. Not all nagaraja take paragon levels; and of those who do, not all take all six of them.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: The nagaraja paragon’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

Table: The Nagaraja Paragon

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Blind-Fight, Detect Magic	-
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Spell-Like Abilities	+1 level of existing class
3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Bonus Feat, +1 Natural Armor Bonus to AC	+1 level of existing class
4	+3	+1	+1	+4	+1 Intelligence	+1 level of existing class
5	+3	+1	+1	+4	+1 Intelligence, +1 Natural Armor Bonus to AC	+1 level of existing class
6	+4	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, +2 Natural Armor Bonus to AC	+1 level of existing class

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Nagaraja with levels only in nagaraja paragon are proficient with all simple weapons but not and type of armor or shield.

Blind-Fight (Ex)

At 1st level, a nagaraja paragon gains Blind-Fight as a bonus feat, even if it does not meet the prerequisites.

Detect Magic (Sp)

At will, a nagaraja paragon can use detect magic, as the spell. A nagaraja paragon can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if determine if it is magic, learning the number of different magical auras, and the most potent aura, as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, a nagaraja paragon does not detect magic on any other individual or object within range.

Spells per Day

At the indicated levels, a nagaraja paragon gains new spells per day as if it had also gained a level in a spellcasting class it belonged to before taking levels in the nagaraja paragon class. It does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if it is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before taking levels in nagaraja paragon, it must decide to which class it adds the new levels for purposes of determining spells per day.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp)

At 2nd level, a nagaraja paragon with a Charisma of 12 or higher gains the following spell-like abilities: 1/ day—barkskin, levitate, scare.

At 3rd level, a nagaraja paragon with a Charisma of 13 or higher gains the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—acid arrow, haste, share armor (see 101 3rd Level Spells).

Bonus Feats

At 3rd and 6th level, a nagaraja paragon gains a bonus feat. At each opportunity, it can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Master. The nagaraja paragon must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.