Spirit-Blooded Folk

Half human and half nature spirit, these folk look nearly human. Bamboo folk, the race land-dwellers meet most, are slender and lithe, golden or pale-yellow skinned, with dark or almond eyes, inked-thin brows and short blond, light brown or gray hair; men are beardless. Many are beautiful and full of zest, yet dress plainly as farmers. River folk have blue or green eyes and usually black hair. Sea folk have blue or white hair and dark green, brown or gray skin.

Human blood lets them become samurai, eastern warriors or sword-masters. They have high Dexterity and Charisma but limited Constitution, and all have 120-foot infravision.

Bamboo folk identify ordinary plants 75% and animals 50% of the time, leave no trail when alone in woods or grassland, and impose -20% (or -4 on 1d20) on anyone tracking their group. They hide in shadows 75% in forest and gain +1 on saves against spells, rods, staves, wands and other magic tied to earth or wood. Each one's life is linked to a bamboo grove deep in a forest: burning half the grove halves his hit points, destroying it kills him, and entering it cures all his wounds and diseases. The grove cannot be moved and new growth adds nothing, but he may roam any distance. They prefer peace, fight well, wear light leather or padded armor, and carry short swords (50%), wakizashi (30%) or parang (20%).

River folk swim at full speed (less encumbrance), breathe air or water, and keep their gear, even paper, dry underwater. They gain +1 on saves against water magic of those kinds but suffer -1 against fire, and once a day can lower a river or stream 10 feet for five rounds so others can cross. Bathing in their own river cures all wounds and diseases. That river's natural course holds their life (irrigation water does not count): a drought that halves it halves their hit points and ability scores, floods drive them wild, and dams slowly weaken them to death. They carry short swords or spears (40% each) or daggers (20%).

Sea folk breathe salt water, fresh water or air, swim at normal speed, and stay dry while swimming. They gain +1 against fire and can forecast the next 24 hours of weather once a day, 75% accurately. The sea neither heals nor hurts them, but each may ask one yearly favor of it, such as a storm, fair winds, rain, or recovery of something sunk; clashing requests cancel both favors for that year. They carry short swords (30%), tridents or spears (25% each) or daggers (20%).

Bands of ten or more 1st-level warriors are led by a 2nd- to 5th-level eastern warrior, sword-master or samurai, at 60/25/15% for bamboo and river folk and 70/25/5% for sea folk, with one leader per ten members (three for 30-39).

Bamboo folk live near forest or jungle and seldom build their own villages, preferring human towns where they are welcomed as equals and prized as spouses. Each must belong to a family or clan, and many hold land or office. Above that stands the lord of the woods, whom they must obey though it earns them no honor; defiance or disgrace brings natural disasters on them and all their kin, human relatives included, and his interests always come first. River folk mix a bit less with humans and must answer every summons of the lord of the rivers. Sea folk, the most numerous and reclusive race, wander far from people under the ruler of the sea, the mightiest spirit lord, who watches them closely and rewards the honorable and the brave. All speak the spirit-blooded tongues, the trade language and the speech of the celestial court of heaven; river and sea folk also talk with fish, and bamboo folk learn one forest animal's language per level.

Bamboo folk eat like humans but lean vegetarian, living on grain, fruit and vegetables, and have little liking for wine. River folk are skilled guides, hunters and fishers who live mostly on fish.