Stahlaren

Strong and tall, yet aloof and short-sighted. Fierce but civilized. Entrenched deep within massive fortresses, yet charging first into battle. Stahlarens live and die by the blade. Constantly at war, they live within massive fortresses, never ceasing to produce weapons and armour. Naturally proud and megalomanic, Stahlarens can work together to accomplish any feat - as long as it somehow proves their superiority over everyone else.

Physical Description

Stahlarens are a race of giants proportioned similarly to humans, but standing 13 feet tall (15 if horns are included)with hard, leathery skin ranging from the starkest white to the deepest black. They have a mask of bone that are part of their anatomy. The masks are generally the same colour as their skin and have simple holes and slits for their eyes and nostrils, but act as a second set of teeth for the mouth. A pair of massive horns jut out from above their eyes that extend forwards , then upwards. Their hair is typically grayish, but variations are not unknown. Their eyes are black and have brightly-coloured irises, but no visible pupils. Their fingers end in short, but sharp claws.

Society

Not unlike a hive of angry, metal-clad ants, Stahlarens are very hardworking and aggressive. In the day, work songs echo throughout the city. Workers entertaining themselves while endlessly forging great machines of steel. Stahlarens live in militaristic dictatorships, their rank deciding where they belong. They tend to live in places where metal is plentiful, and work hard , bleeding the earth dry to create great monuments and weapons to their honour.

It is noted that Stahlarens take slaves from lands they expand into, and due to their harsh, militaristic nature, the slaves vastly outnumber the Stahlarens. However, the Stahlarens keep their slaves outside their compounds, just to force them to work in agriculture. Any efforts to poison the crops are ineffective as the Stahlarens are highly paranoid and xenophobic. In odd contrast to their harsh nature, Stahlarens actually do not execute or punish their slaves much, due to their belief that a pair of hands are better working than broken. Their odd leniency in addition to fearsome reputation keeps the slaves in check.

Stahlarens are not noted for having fun. They, due to their extreme working habits, do not have fixed celebrations. However, usually after a successful war, the leaders of Stahlaren communities will announce a kingdomwide celebration, which includes the execution of captured enemies, the testing of new technology against captured enemies, and a massive feast. Most non-Stahlarens disregard this tradition as ‘barbaric and tasteless’ .

Life as a Stahlaren is oddly artistic. All Stahlarens are required to be taught by a mentor to try and attempt metalcraft. Ones that are good at it have slightly less military training assigned to them, and are tasked with the creation of weaponry. These very blacksmiths are allowed to run their minds in trying to think of the new, hip alloy, the most impossible structures or the new impressive weapon. Visitors to Stahlaren cities (which they don’t allow), will be able to witness odd metalworks, and even odder siege weapons.

Magic is generally frowned upon by the Stahlarens, and is not widely practiced by the general population. Their armies, however, try to use the arcane arts to bolster their armies, but faces much difficulty due to lack of Stahlaren wizards and clerics.

In the military sense, Stahlaren armies are extremely well equipped, but surprisingly low in numbers, equipped with high quality equipment. Stahlaren weapons and armour are crafted in quality and intricacy only dwarves can surpass, reflecting their craftsmanship and glorification of war.

They are also masters of siege tactics. Unlike others who put honour above survival, Stahlarens do not shy away from using ranged weaponry, from the notably impossible to wield (at least for medium-sized races) large rifles, to their gigantic flavour-of-the-month siege machines. Firedrakes, Cannons, and Siege Towers, bristling with siege weapons.

They also have unrivalled military cohesion and morale. Units of Stahlarens are known to fight to the bitter end in a frenzy if a unit’s leader is taken out, but more usually, the leaders command their units, in harsh, battle-proven tactics.

However, since the tactics of Stahlarens involve powerful but slow marching formations and the transportation of even slower siege machines, the best strategy is to outrun them, as the Stahlarens do not chase down their enemies for fear of weakening their ranks.

Relations[]

Bigger is better. To Stahlarens, size is everything. They generally look down on medium sized races, such as humans and elves, but are generally apathetic unless they are business partners, and respect larger, more powerful races, usually intelligent true giants. They hate unintelligent and also more savage races, such as ettins and mud giants and actively hunt them down in spite (and then eat them). Small and Tiny races, however, are viewed with curiosity. The concept of even surviving as such a small creature is foreign to Stahlarens.

Alignment and Religion[]

Aside from the wars that happen often, Life as a Stahlaren is orderly and boring. Efficient, but authoritarian. As a society, all they care about is their self-advancement, as long as it does not undermine their own society and foundations of their laws. Whether it comes from a (seemingly) selfless desire to help the weak or from conquering entire nations to build their monuments. They are inclined to being Lawful Evil. They worship no deities.

Adventurers[]

Stahlaren adventurers are uncommon, but possible because of the fact that only three types of Stahlarens leave their safe, orderly, and lawful cities in search of adventure. The first, Stahlarens who are tired of Law, and the second, Stahlarens who renounce their societies’ evil ways, and the third; who renounce both law, and evil.

Both male and female Stahlarens make excellent fighters, their large size and durable physique make them powerful melee combatants. In addition, they are also quite dextrous for their size, and are effective at ranged classes.

Monstrous Racial Stats (22RP total)[]

Ability Score Racial Traits: Stahlarens are dexterous for their size and are quite intelligent, but are foolish. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Wisdom. (0RP)

Type: Stahlarens are humanoids with the giant subtype (but do not gain low-light vision). (0RP)

Size: Stahlarens are Large creatures gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. Large races take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A Large creature takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet. (7RP)

Base Speed: Stahlarens have a base speed of 30 feet. (0RP)

Weapon Familiarity: Stahlarens are proficient with the greatsword and longbow. (1RP)

Languages: Stahlarens begin play speaking Giant and Common. Stahlarens with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Undercommon, Dwarven, Infernal, Elven. (0RP)

Defense Traits:

Natural Armor: Stahlarens have thick, leathery skin and gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their AC. (2RP)

Improved Natural Armor: Apparently, they also have thick powerful bones. They gain another +1 natural armor bonus to their AC. (1RP)

Improved Natural Armor(2): Stahlarens are really durable is what I'm saying. Yet another +1 natural armor bonus to AC. (2RP)
Improved Natural Armor(3): .... +1 natural armour bonus to AC. (3RP)
(Total: -1 to size, +4 natural armour)

Feat and Skill Traits:

Craftsman: Stahlarens are all trained from a young age the art of crafting. They get a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from metal or stone. (1RP)

Skill Bonus: Stahlarens pride themselves in their skill in building large structures. They gain a +2 racial bonus on skill checks made on Knowledge (Engineering). (2RP)

Offense Racial Traits:

Claws (2 RP): Members of this race receive two claw attacks. These are primary natural attacks. The damage is 1d6 + STR

Natural Attack (Gore): Stahlarens have two fearsome horns on their heads. This gore attack deals 1d8 damage + STR. (1RP)

Reach: Stahlarens have long arms. They have a reach of 10 feet. (1RP)

Powerful Charge: Stahlarens combine unyielding momentum and sharp horns to great effect, and deal twice the number of damage dice with their gore attack plus 1-1/2 times their Strength bonus. (2d8 + 1 1/2STR) (3RP)