Khepri-Khufu [Scarabs] - Malachite Idol

Khepri-Khufu, Guardians of the Sunrise

“No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be.”
-Bram Stoker, Dracula

Playtest Version

This material is still in the process of being playtested. It is fully usable as written, but may be refined or changed in later versions. As always, this content should only be used with GM permission.

The Khepri-Khufu

In every town and city of trade near the great desert, a small scarab-like folk can be found operating caravans and market stalls. They are formally known as the Khepri-Khufu, but in most circumstances refer to themselves as the People of the Sunrise. Their carapaces range wildly in color, from resembling dark opals to rich colored enamels to pearl, from pure polished platinum or gold to an iridescent rainbow sheen, and countless other varieties. Between their typical occupation, diminutive stature, and visual associations with riches, most assume they are a relatively timid folk, but any who have seen them in battle know this is but a show.

Mighty Warriors

The People of the Sunrise have immense power hidden within their tiny forms, and on the rare occasions that they form armies and march into battle, they are easily a match for soldiers nearly three times their size. Those who know of their military exploits tell of their preference for attacking the moment the sun crests the horizon at their backs, battling on extremely rugged terrain where their mobility is at its greatest, and an extremely aggressive technique known as the sky-iron charge. During this maneuver, entire blocks of troops will leap over the shield lines at the front of enemy formations and crash violently into the middle of the enemy, disrupting their formations for swift follow-up attacks from another block of troops charging the now-isolated front lines.

Keepers of Many Mysteries

Where the People of the Sunrise come from is a secret never told to outsiders. The only answer they will ever give when questioned is that they simply appear in the wilderness with the dawn. They also seek out meteoric metal and items crafted from it with stubborn zeal, valuing it more greatly than riches or power, for reasons equally secretive. Obtaining a spellcasting implement of some sort of sky-metal, either by being gifted it or acquiring it by other means, is considered a rite of passage necessary to becoming an archmage, archpriest, or similar position. Among paladins, war wizards, and the like, a sky-metal weapon may serve the same purpose.

Khepri-Khufu Names

Names of People of the Sunrise take the form of a phrase, and curiously, they insist the name lies in the meaning of the phrase rather than the words or sounds, and thus it should be translated fully when spoken in other languages. People of the Sunrise will strive to memorize their names and those of their companions in each language they come across, even if they make no attempt to otherwise learn the language. For formal occasions, the name is written using pictographs that depict the meaning without using the script of any language, but for other purposes it may be written in the language being used.

Example Khepri-Khufu Names: Arrows-Fired-Under-the-Moon, Bone-Splitting-Axe, Baboon-Slayer, Crown-of-Crowns, Dawn-on-a-River, Eclipse-Calls-Forth-a-Storm, Eight-Blades, Falls-like-a-Meteor, Glowing-Hippopotamus-Tusk, Hand-Holding-the-Scales, Hawk’s-Feather, I-Hold-My-Sword, Lightning-Strikes-The-Sands, Obelisk-Upon-a-Summit, Pyramid-of-the-Heavens, Roar-of-the-Sandstorm, Sun-Chariot, Ship-Upon-a-Serpent’s-Back, Treasures-Beneath-an-Oasis, Two-Comets-Show-the-Path, Water-Dripping-Upon-Stone

New Species: Khepri-Khufu

Common Personality Traits: Misleadingly unassuming, stoic, lion-hearted, mysterious
Common Physical Traits: Dense, colorful, gleaming, heavily loaded
Type: Small biped folk with a Reach of 1. Your maximum wounds equal your Constitution score x 2/3 (rounded up).

Attributes: +2 to the lower of Strength or Charisma, -2 Dexterity
Base Speed: 20 ft., Winged Flight 20 ft.
Mark of Light: You take the first step on the Path of Light (See Fantasy Craft, page 312-313). Your Caster Level is considered equal to you Career Level for your abilities from these steps. When you would gain a feat from your Career Level you may instead take another step along this path if after selecting class abilities your step will be no greater than step II at Career Level 3, step III at level 5, step IV at level 7, or step V at level 9.
Tiny but Fierce: You are considered 1 Size category larger for wielding weapons, carrying capacity, Trample attacks, and resisting Bull Rush and Trip attempts.
Guileless: You suffer a –2 penalty and –1 threat range on Bluff and Prestidigitation checks.

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Open Game License v1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

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