Broken One

Broken ones, sometimes called animal men, were once ordinary people. A botched experiment, arcane or scientific, blended each with a beast, and the shock of that change warped their minds along with their bodies. Rumor holds that failed resurrection, reincarnation, or polymorph spells account for some of them.

Each looks roughly human but is visibly twisted by its animal side. One infused with rat essence might have a pinched, feral face, bristling whiskers, curled clawed hands, and a long naked tail. They keep whatever languages they spoke before, often mangled or slurred by misshapen mouths, and 10% can also speak with animals of their kind.

Being reclusive, they rarely fight, but they are far hardier than any human. No broken one rolls fewer than 5 hit points on any Hit Die, so even the weakest has 15 or more, and all regenerate 1 hit point each round. Many carry weapons and deal damage by weapon type. Since most have grown claws or unusual strength, their bare-handed attacks deal 1d6, and especially powerful strains may gain attack and damage bonuses. As a rule each also has one special trait borrowed from its animal, such as night vision or sharp hearing.

Shunned by human society, they band together in tribes of 10-60 in remote forests or rocky wilds far from settlements, always with a tribal structure. One greater broken one rules each 10 members, and these leaders frequently hold total power. Now and then a tribe raids a village or caravan, for supplies, in self-defense, or to avenge wrongs real or imagined. Above all, they want to find whoever created them and destroy him.

Diet and habits follow the animal half: a lion-blended broken one eats meat, a horse-blended one grazes. None has ever been found merged with an intelligent nonhuman. They make their own crude goods, which hold little value for anyone else. Evil wizards and sages sometimes capture them for study.

A few animal men emerge physically superior, with sharp minds and strong bodies to match. They remain hideous exiles, and their damaged souls often drive them to violence against ordinary folk. A greater broken one regenerates 2 hit points per round, deals 1d8 unarmed, and gains +3 to +5 to attack and damage when using weapons. It has 1-4 animal-derived abilities, sometimes better than the animal's own; one built from scorpion stock might sport a chitin shell of AC 2 and a venomous sting.