AD&D Character Race: Spirit Folk

However, they have some important differences. These creatures are actually half-human descendants of various nature spirits. They are strongly tied to nature, and divide into three sub-races: bamboo, river, and sea. They may be samurai, kensai, bushi, or monks. They have 120' infravision. They also have human families and clans, and so have ancestry and honor if appropriate to their class. They also have obligations to the spirit lord appropriate to their sub-race. They must answer and obey his summons; dishonoring the spirit lord will be punished by natural disasters on the spirit folk and his human family. The interests of the spirit lord are more important than those of the family.

Bamboo spirit folk are related to the Lord of the Wood, and as such live near forests or jungles. They have a 75% chance to recognize and identify normal plants, and a 50% chance to identify normal animals. In woodlands, forests, or grasslands they can pass without leaving a trail, and the presence of a spirit folk in any group reduces the tracking percentage of anyone following them by -20. They may hide in shadows in woods or forests, with a 75% chance of success. They also learn the languages of forest animal, one per level after the first, of the character's choice.

Bamboo spirit folk save at +1 against all magic related to earth or wood, including spells, wands, staves, rods, and miscellaneous magic items.

The life force of a bamboo spirit folk is tied to a grove of bamboo deep in the forest; if it damaged will cause the character to suffer an identical amount of damage, and if it is destroyed the character will die. If the character enters the grove, he is immediately cured of all injury and disease. The grove may not be moved, and shoots from it have no special value or use.

River spirit folk typically live near the particular river or stream with which they are associated. They can breathe freely in any fresh water, and can swim as quickly as they can walk, given their encumbrance. While they are in the water, nothing they wear or carry will get wet or suffer water damage of any type, including exposed tinder, even if they are submerged.

These spirit folk also have the power, once per day, to lower water of any type by 10', allowing others to cross; this depth reduction may be maintained for five rounds. They also gain a +1 against all water-related magic, including spells, wands, rods, staves, and miscellaneous magic items. However, they suffer a -1 penalty on saves against fire-based attacks. They speak the trade language (common in the orient), the court language, and the language of fish.

The life force of river spirit folk is connected to their river (chosen during the creation of the character). Bathing in the river will cure the river spirit folk of all diseases and injuries. This only refers to the river itself, and not the water of the river if it's drawn or diverted from it. On the other hand, changes in the river will affect the character. Droughts will reduce hit points and ability scores; damming and engineering will weaken the character and could kill him; flooding will make him wild and uncontrollable.

Sea spirit folk are the most numerous. They can breathe normally in any salt water, and swim at their normal walking rate (reduced for encumbrance) in any water; and as with river spirit folk, that which they carry will not get wet. They have a 75% chance once per day of predicting the weather for the next 24 hours. They speak the trade language (common), the court language, and the language of the sea lords. These have a +1 bonus against fire-based attacks.

The sea spirit folk do not gain healing benefits from the sea; however, neither are they affected by changes in it. They may receive one favor from the sea each year, such as good winds, rain, a storm, even the return of an item lost at sea. The favor must be specifically requested, and if it is opposed by the request of another sea spirit folk neither favor is granted and both lose their requests for the year.

The Lord of the Sea is more interested in his children than the other spirit lords, and also has the most authority. Any sea spirit folk whose honor reaches 85 will receive a gift, such as a valuable treasure from a sunken ship, or a special service, or a sea-related magic item such as the pearl of rising tide. This gift does not require repayment and has no conditions.

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