Mongrelman

Mongrelmen carry the blood of many races, among them humans, orcs, elves, dwarves, gnolls, ogres, hobgoblins, bugbears and bullywugs, and each one blends the least attractive traits of its ancestors in a unique way. Ashamed of their looks, they hide under filthy rags. They have no language of their own, speaking a rough form of common padded out with growls, whistles, grunts and gestures. Many take names that imitate animal calls.

Mongrelmen survive by three talents. They can mimic any creature's sounds they have heard, though not special attacks such as a groaning spirit's wail. They pick pockets with a 70% chance of success, which is how they get items they could never otherwise obtain. And they are masters of camouflage: one turn of work hides a person or object with an 80% chance of going unnoticed, improving by 1% for each further turn, capping at 95% (16 turns in all). Hidden things stay unseen unless moved or touched, or unless a hidden creature moves. A camouflaged building is generally unrecognizable from more than 50 feet away, depending on its size and type.

They fight with clubs and swords, though 5% of any group carry blowguns with poisoned or paralyzing darts.

Within any group, at least one in 10 has 2 Hit Dice, one in 30 has 3, and one in 40 has 4. A free community usually follows a chief (HD 5, AC 4, Move 12, damage 1d12, +1 to attack rolls) with five 4 HD bodyguards.

Shunned by lawful and good folk and enslaved by evil or chaotic ones, most live as serfs of cruel masters or as refugees in ruins. Slaves do not revolt; they wait for some outside force to bring their masters down, preferring quiet, orderly routine. Mongrelmen value survival above all, and among them the title 'The Survivor' outranks 'The Great'. Patience matters more to them than skill at arms. They resort to force only when defending themselves or, as slaves, when ordered, though free mongrelmen will kill without hesitation anyone who threatens their community. They avoid outsiders and steal what they need only in hard times.

Free mongrelmen farm and raise domestic game, and boast an old heritage of poetry, painting and song. That music, a jumble of animal calls and mournful dirges, strike a few sages as beautiful.

They eat anything, though their teeth are best suited to meat. Free mongrelmen live 25 to 35 years, slaves only 15 to 20, and many infants die young. Their worst enemies are roving humanoid tribes that hunt them for sport.