Oriental OSRIC PC Race: Spirit Folk

Conversion Notes:

Added a fourth sub-group of Spirit Folk- the Mountain Spirit Folk character. Extensively revised the Sea Spirit Folk to make their power levels more comparable with other spirit folk – or rather, more powerful but usable less often. Added a +1 bonus to all dice rolls when in associated terrain. I'm considering expanding this bonus to all terrain that matches the associated terrain type rather than simply the particular geographic location to which the Spirit Folk's parent is linked. Comments on this idea greatly appreciated. Saving throw bonus' for sub-types that benefit from positive modifiers against two elemental types balanced by negative modifiers against a third element. Added Shukenja to list of permitted classes (doesn't make sense that a half-spirit can't commune with the spirits) and moved the Spirit Folks unlimited advancement class from Bushi to Shukenja.

Spirit Folk Characters:

Spirit folk are the product of a direct union between human and Kami, most often a minor Kami who watches over a small geographical area. This semi-divine heritage grants an unearthly beauty to Spirit Folk as well as something of an otherworldly air. Spirit-folk tender to be slender in appearance, possessed of graceful movements and pleasant voices. Both men and woman have sparse -if any- body hair, though the locks upon their heads are often silky and luxuriant. Many have unusual eye-colour or shape.

Kami tend to be attracted to humans of education and culture. Even when attracted to an individual of low birth, the Kami partner often takes a personal interest in improving the human partner's situation. Most Spirit Folk characters are therefore from relatively high status families. Most spirit-folk must balance dual-loyalties. Loyalty to their earthly family as well as to the divine hierarchy of their spirit ancestor. A spirit-folk character must decide for themselves which obligation carries the most weight, though it is generally felt by the Kami themselves that devotion to the spirit-family should be the character's primary interest. Fortunately, the Kami rarely call upon their mortal children to perform a service, yet when they do, these services invariably require a great deal of time, effort and dangerous activity on behalf of the spirit-folk character concerned.

Being half-spirit themselves, Spirit-folk are attuned to nature and the natural world, particularly the element and lands bound most closely to that of their spirit parent. All possess unusual powers derived from their ancestry.

Regardless of character class chosen, all Spirit Folk characters must generate a human family to which they belong. Even if not normally required to do so by the class chosen.

Common Racial Abilities:

• 120ft Infra-vision
• Treat all rolls on the Character birth table of less than 10 (Upper Middle Class) as 10.
• Additional Racial Powers as per sub-type, below.

Languages: 

All spirit-folk characters, regardless of ancestor can speak the Common human language and the language of the Courtier. They gain additional languages by sub-type as listed in the individual entries below. They do not gain bonus languages for high intelligence.

Permitted Class Options:

Kami are attracted only to humans of relatively pure spirit, high social class, and cultured upbringing. Permitted classes include Samurai, Kensai, Bushi, Monk and Shukenja. If the optional non-human level limits are is use, a Spirit Folk character can advance to a maximum of 12th level as a Samurai, Unlimited level as a Shukenja, 9th level as a Kensei, 12th level as a Bushi and 12th level as a monk. If this optional rule is not in use then Spirit Folk characters have a 10% xp penalty.

Multi-class Restrictions: 

Due to their intrinsic ties to the spirits, Spirit Folk characters are able to gain the powers of a Shukenja relatively easily, without having to devote their life to such pursuits. Hence, Spirit Folk characters may multicass as Bushi/Shukenja, Samurai/Shukenja and Kensai/Shukenja, The aesthetic life of a monk does not lend itself well to multi-classing however. Spirit Folk Characters cannot multi-class as a Shukenja/Monk.

Movement Rate: 120ft

Racial Limitations:

If the characters maximum and minimum ability scores do not fall within these limits after racial modifications then the character cannot be one of the Spirit-Folk.
Strength: 6/18
Dexterity: 12/18
Constitution: 6/14
Intelligence: 12/18
Wisdom: 9/18
Charisma: 14/18

Bamboo Spirit-Folk Racial Abilities:

Bamboo spirit folk are normally the children of a male human and a Bisan, a type of Kami similar to the Dryads of the Occident. They are closely tied to the Bamboo, Camphor, Teak or Mohogany  grove of their parent to the extent that their own health and well-being is entirely dependant on that of the grove itself.
• 75% chance to identify normal plants and animals.
• Pass Without Trace: When moving alone through wooded areas, the Bamboo Spirit-Folk leave no discernible trail and cannot be tracked by magical or mundane means. When travelling with a group that includes non Bamboo Spirit Folk, they reduce the likelihood of the party being successfully tracked by 20%.
• Each time the Bamboo Spirit Folk goes up a level he can learn the language of another forest dwelling animal.
• +1 saving throw bonus versus all effects related to the Elements of Wood or Earth, including plant-based poisons. However, the Bamboo Spirit Folk character is also slightly more vulnerable to Fire and has a -1 modifier to saving throws versus fire based effects.
• Tree Grove: The Bamboo Folk character is tied spiritually and physically to the grove of his Kami parent. If the Bamboo Grove is damaged, the character looses a proportionate number of hit points. If the grove is destroyed, the character is killed instantly. If the grove is threatened in any way, he will be contacted by his Kami parent through dreams and visions. When the character enters his grove for the first time each day, he is affected as though by a heal spell. Inside his grove, the character receives a +1 modifier to all dice rolls, including attack and damage rolls. This only applies within the actual grove itself. Carrying a cutting from the grove or planting a sapling elsewhere counts as creating an entirely new grove and does not confer any benefits to the character.
• The Bamboo spirit folk character can cast the second level Shukenja spell Commune with Lesser Spirit. He can use this spell-like ability to communicate with any forest or bamboo spirit within the province he currently finds himself. Alternatively, it can be used to commune with his Kami parent regardless of the distance involved. He can use this ability to contact his spirit parent once per day. He can also use this ability to commune with another Bamboo or forest spirit once per week per character level.

Mountain Spirit Folk:

Mountain Spirit Folk are often the product of a union between a human male and a Yuki-onno who has taken pity on a dying mountain traveller.

• 75% chance to identify mountain plants and animals and natural subterranean animals.
• Mountain Movement: The Mountain Spirit Folk character does not suffer movement penalties for moving through hilly, mountainous or broken terrain.
• +1 bonus to all saving throws involving the element of earth, including plant based poisons.
• Gains the ability to speak the language of subterranean animals such as moles and badgers.
• Associated Mountain: The Mountain Spirit Folk character is tied spiritually and physically to the mountain inhabited and protected by his Kami parent. If the mountain is damaged or mined, the character looses a proportionate number of hit points. If the mountain is destroyed by a volcanic eruption or cataclysmic earthquake, so too is the character. If the mountain is threatened in any way, he will be contacted by his Kami parent through dreams and visions. When the character ascends to the summit of his associated mountain for the first time each day, he is affected as though by a heal spell. While standing on his associated mountain, the character receives a +1 modifier to all dice rolls, including attack and damage rolls. This only applies on the mountain itself. Soil carried away from the mountain or transported to a home or garden does not confer any benefits to the character.
• The Mountain Spirit Folk character can cast the second level Shukenja spell Commune with Lesser Spirit. He can use this spell-like ability to communicate with any mountain spirit within the province he currently finds himself. Alternatively, it can be used to commune with his Kami parent regardless of the distance involved. He can use this ability to contact his spirit parent once per day. He can also use this ability to commune with another mountain spirit once per week per character level.

River Spirit Folk:

River spirit folk are associated with one particular river or other body of fresh water such as a stream or lake. Like other spirit-folk, their physical and spiritual health is tied to that of the water source itself. Such characters are often the children of a Numagozen who encounters a human with a close resemblance to her fallen husband.

• 75% chance to identify fresh water plants and animals.
• Swim: A River Spirit folk can swim 120ft per round and may breathe underwater without difficulty. All items in her possession remain completely dry when she is immersed in water. These powers apply to fresh-water only.
• Lower the depth of rivers and streams by 10ft once per day for five rounds.
• +1 bonus to all saving throws involving the element of water, including liquid based poisons.
• Gain the ability to speak with fresh-water fish and fresh-water mammals.
• Associated River, Stream or Lake: The River Spirit folk character is tied spiritually and physically to the body of water inhabited and protected by his Kami parent. If the body of water is damaged the character looses a proportionate number of hit points. If the body of water is poisoned, so too is the character. If it dries up, the character will die of thirst. If it is dammed or diverted in any way, the character will weaken proportionately (again loosing a number of hit points). If this body of water is threatened in any way, he will be contacted by his Kami parent through dreams and visions. When the character immerses himself in his associated body of water for the first time each day, he is affected as though by a heal spell. While swimming, boating or crossing this body of water in any way, the character receives a +1 modifier to all dice rolls, including attack and damage rolls. This only applies within the body of water itself. Water carried away from the associated body of water or transferring it into a large artificial container such as a well or fountain does not confer any benefits to the character.
• The River Spirit Folk character can cast the second level Shukenja spell Commune with Lesser Spirit. He can use this spell-like ability to communicate with any fresh-water spirit within the province he currently finds himself. Alternatively, it can be used to commune with his Kami parent regardless of the distance involved. He can use this ability to contact his spirit parent once per day. He can also use this ability to commune with another fresh-water spirit once per week per character level.

Sea Spirit Folk:

Often the child of a human woman and a Shojo. Few of the drunken, red-haired Shojo are willing to accept responsibility for such a child. However, Watatsumi, Kami of the Sea, is quick to adopt such children as his own.

• 75% chance to identify salt water plants and animals.
• Swim: A River Spirit folk can swim 120ft per round and may breathe underwater without difficulty. All items in her possession remain completely dry when she is immersed in water. These powers apply in salt-water only.
• Once per year the character can call upon the Kami of the Sea for one very powerful favour, such as the creation of a typhoon or a tsunami.
• +1 bonus to all saving throws involving the elements of water and air, including liquid and gaseous poisons. However, the Sea Kami is more vulnerable to earth based effects such as petrification and spells of the earth element, imparting a -1 modifier to such saves.
• Gains the ability to speak with salt-water fish and salt-water mammals.
• Sea Association: The Sea Spirit folk character is tied spiritually and physically to the sea itself. However, while the sea is so vast that any changes are unlikely to affect the health of the character, nor do Sea Spirit folk gain any healing benefits from being immersed in sea-water. However, the character does receive +1 to all dice rolls made when travelling on or under the sea.
• The Sea spirit folk character can cast the second level Shukenja spell Commune with Greater Spirit once per week for every 3 levels of experience. This ability may only be used to commune with Watatsume, the Kami of the sea.
• The character has a 75% chance of accurately predicting the weather conditions for the next day.