Lykians

Lykians are werewolf lycanthropes, most commonly called lykians, are one of the most unusual residents of the world.

Unlike standard lycanthropes, lykians are born as lycanthropes.

They do not suffer from the lycanthropic disease; instead, they are considered a separate humanoid race with the shapechanger subtype. Before the apocalypse, many carried the curse of lycanthropy, but due to unknown, powerful forces of magic, the curse took on a new form from which the lykians have evolved directly. Lykians, unlike lycanthropes, have only one physical form, despite their shapechanger subtype. They are considered by many to be extremely bestial, hostile, and brutish, like their canine lineage. Their primal nature often usurps and controls their cognitive and reasoning abilities.

All lykians have primal, wolf-like traits and features, which makes them and lycanthrope werewolves virtually indistinguishable by all but a few. Thus, both are equally persecuted and hunted by human and undead alike. Lykians are organized in a rigid clan structure, with the more powerful families dominating the weaker and smaller clans. Whether dominance is exerted and maintained through brute force, political pressure, or some other means varies from one clan to the next. Lykians get along with outsiders, seeing themselves as part of a united bloodline.

Nomadic lykians form up their clan into wandering bands, most of which move on foot from temporary settlement to temporary settlement, staying until prey gets scarce. Most of these bands carry what they need on their backs; only wealthy and successful clans have caravans or beasts of burden. Otherwise, the clan travels light, wearing their wealth as jewelry and carrying their pups in double papooses, front and back. They usually travel at night, following the play of shadows to conceal their passing. For some settlements, the only warning that a lykian clan has passed by in the night is the slaughtered livestock, picked clean.

These nomadic routes are laid out and marked with scent and marker poles. The lykian clans do not tolerate other clans using their stopping points and routes, which they jealously guard from encroachment. However, they seem happy to let other, more pastoral humanoids settle in these places.

Jungle lykians travel much less than nomadic lykians. The jungles-strange and deadly as they are-are some of the few fecund and productive places left. Jungle lykians keep a single resting place and range through the jungle around their settlement, like spurs on a wheel, rotating their hunts from day to day. They use their natural stealth and great leaping ability to take to the trees, staying clear of the dangerous jungle floor as much as possible.

Some few lykians make their way to what passes for civilization, hiring themselves out as mercenaries or taking up with adventuring bands. These lykians could be curious about their humanoid heritage, perhaps are on trade missions for their clans or, most often, are outcasts from their clan, tribe, family, and pack for some transgression or crime. Trust issues dog these lykians because of their “untrustworthy” shapechanger heritage and their habit of eating carrion and humanoid flesh. Usually, only lowly criminals and the lower orders of undead will hire them.

Personality

Lykians are creatures of animal instincts. They usually belong to a clan and very rarely interact with any other humanoid race-when sustenance is scarce, though, those races become the lykians’ food. Lykians living in the few remaining jungle areas are quite fierce, feral, and quicker to show their aggressive side.

Physical Description

Lykians bear a strong resemblance to werewolves and hybrid wolf-men. They are very tall, averaging seven feet, and have physically dominating physiques. Their feral eyes vary in color; yellow, blue, and grey are common. They often have large canines or fangs and an abundance of body hair, which ranges from very short to long and shaggy.

Relations

Lykian enemies are primarily humanoids and the undead. A longstanding feud has boiled between them, mainly because the lykians resort to using other humanoids as a food source.

Most intelligent undead mistrust or hate lykians; nobody outside the factions and few within know why or how this hatred started, but it has persisted for the last two decades.

Lands

Lykians are a nomadic race and live off the land. While a few lykians dwell in jungle areas, they can be found anywhere.

Religion

Most lykians do not have a set religious belief system in place.

Names

The lykians are named with clan name first, surname second, and given name last. An example of a lykian name is Rough-hide Growltongue Swiftclaw.

Adventurers

Lykians are adventurous by nature and they are commonly found as members of more open-minded adventuring groups or as fodder in mercenary bands.

Racial Traits

Your werewolf blood grants your lykian character a number of traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
  • Age. Lykians mature faster compared to humans, reaching adulthood around age 12. Despite this, they tend to live over a century, often longer than most humans.
  • Alignment. Lykians are survivors and do what is needed to survive. While they are not cruel for cruelty’s sake, they will do anything to protect themselves or their clan. It is very rare to find a lykian with a rigid moral structure.
  • Size. Lykians are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, averaging over 7 feet tall and with a muscular physique. Your size is Medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Claws. You possess a pair of vicious claws. As an attack action, you can make two claw attacks. These are natural melee weapon attacks that deal 1d4 points of slashing damage plus your Strength modifier.
  • Darkvision. Your wolf’s eyes allow you to see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
  • Diseased Bite. You gain a bite, which is natural weapon attack that deals 1d3 piercing damage. In addition, you can coat a weapon with diseased saliva as a bonus action. A target struck by this envenomed weapon must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier or contract cackle fever. You can exude this venom once between short rests.
  • Shadowy Stalker. Attacks made against you while you are in dim light suffer disadvantage.
  • Sprinter. Your speed increases by 10 feet when you take either the dash or disengage action.
  • Born Survivors. Your animalistic heritage enhances your physical skills. You gain proficiency in Strength (Athletics) checks.
  • Vulnerabilities. You have vulnerability to damage inflicted by silvered weapons.
  • Languages.You can speak, read, and write Common and Lykian. Llykian is a harsh, guttural tongue; it has no script of its own but is written in the Dwarvish script.

Variant Racial Traits

  • Howl. As an action you can emit a thunderous howl. Any non-lykians within 20 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier or become frightened for the next minute. A frightened creature can attempt this save again at the end of each of its turns. A creature that makes this save becomes immune to your howl for the next 24 hours. This power recharges after a long rest. This racial ability replaces the claws racial trait.
  • Scent. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. This trait replaces the born survivors racial trait.
  • See in Darkness. You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including unnatural or magical darkness, such as that created by the darkness spell. This racial ability replaces the shadowy stalker racial trait.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Races of Obsidian Apocalypse Copyright 2018 LPJ Design; Authors JP Chapleau, Kalyna Conrad, Eric Hindley, Jeff Lee, Owen K.C. Stephens, Richard Pett, Rich Redman, Louis Porter Jr., Mark A. Hart

This is not the complete license attribution - see the full license for this page