Editing The Savage Sun (section)

==The People==


'''Humans'''
*'''Adaptable.''' Humans start with a free bonus edge. They must qualify for the edge normally.
*'''Broadly Skilled.''' Humans start with d4 each in two skills, or d6 in one skill of their choice.


'''Aarakocra'''
*'''Agile.''' Aaracokra have a starting Agility of d6 and a maximum Agility of d12+1.
*'''Wings.''' Aarakocra have wings and can fly. They have a flying Pace of 12", but cannot fly if they are Bound or Entangled.
*'''Claustrophobia.''' Aarakocra are uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, and have claustrophobia as a minor hindrance.
*'''Hollow Bones.''' Their lightweight build and relatively fragile bones reduces an aarakocra's Toughness by 1.

Aarakocra are feathered, avian humanoids with large beaks and vulture-like heads. Their forelimbs are great, spreading wings bearing delicate-fingered hands halfway along their lengths.

'''Elves'''
*'''Agile.''' Elves have a starting Agility of d6 and a maximum Agility of d12+1.
*'''Born Thief.''' Elves have a natural inclination toward trickery, and start with d4 in Thievery.
*'''Swift.''' Elves have a Pace of 8" and a running die of d8.
*'''Bad Reputation.''' Elves have a reputation as untrustworthy thieves, and take a -2 penalty to Persuasion rolls among non-elves.

Elves are tall and lean, with long, pointed ears and sharp features. Although they can reach seven feet tall, elves are all muscle and sinew, with long limbs and slight builds. Their skin is weathered by sun and wind, and the soles of their feet is as hard as boiled leather.

'''Clannish Nomads:''' Elves are a wandering people, drifting across the desert in clans united by blood. They do not build cities, and visit the towns and city-states only occasionally. Although fiercely loyal to their own kin, elves consider anyone else - even elves of other clans - to be outsiders, to be preyed upon and exploited without remorse. This has given them a not-undeserved reputation as thieves and cheats, and few townsfolk are happy to see a clan of elves wander by.


'''Dwarves'''
*'''Focus. [1]''' All dwarves have a Focus, a specific goal toward which they work. A dwarf gains a +1 bonus on all skill rolls made directly in pursuit of their focus.
*'''Hardy. [2]''' A dwarf who becomes Shaken from damage while already Shaken does not take a wound.
*'''Tough. [2]''' Dwarves have a starting Vigor of d6 and a maximum Vigor of 12+1.
*'''Driven [-1].''' A dwarf is driven to complete their focus at all times, and can only turn away from it with an effort of will. All dwarves have Driven [complete Focus] as a minor hindrance (a dwarf can upgrade this to Major as normal).
*'''Slow. [-1]''' Dwarves have a Pace of 5" and a running die of d4.


Dwarves are short, tough people, averaging four feet tall and almost twice as broad as a human of comparable height.

'''A Dwarf's Focus:''' All dwarves have a ''focus,'' a specific goal toward which they direct most of their energies. A focus is a task that can be described in a single sentence, and that is at least theoretically within the dwarf's power.

When acting in pursuit of their focus, a dwarf is driven and enthusiastic. A dwarf can turn aside from their focus, but only briefly; ignoring a focus or acting against it causes a dwarf great distress. A dwarf prevented from pursuing their focus may become angry and manic, or sullen and morose; some dwarves have suffered emotional breakdowns as a result of such a situation.

When a dwarf completes the task that is their focus, they choose a new focus. This choice is sometimes made immediately, and sometimes not, but waiting more than a day is extremely rare - a dwarf without a focus rapidly becomes nervous and unsettled. Legend holds that a dwarf who dies with their focus uncompleted will be cursed to wander the desert as a banshee.


'''Halflings'''
*'''Wise.''' Halflings have a starting Spirit of d6 and a maximum Spirit of d12+1
*'''Healthy:''' Halflings gain a +2 bonus on Vigor rolls made to resist disease and poison.
*'''Magic Resistance.''' All halflings possess the edge Arcane Resistance. They can take Improved Arcane Resistance normally.
*'''Small.''' Halflings average three to four feet tall, making them Size -1. This reduces their Toughness by 1.


'''Half-Elves'''
*'''Animal Ken.''' Half-elves gain a +2 bonus on any rolls made to peacefully interact with an animal. A half-elf can ignore the Spirit prerequisite when taking the Beast Master edge.
*'''Dual Heritage.''' A half-elf may start with a Dexterity of d6 and a maximum Dexterity of d12+1, ''or'' any edge the half-elf qualifies for as a bonus edge.
*'''Quick Learner.''' Half-elves start with d4 in any one skill of their choice, or d6 in any core skill.

Half-elves are not a true race unto themselves, but rather are the product of an elf mating with a human. They resemble humans with pointed ears, lacking the height of their elven parent, though they do tend to run lean.

'''Beast Friend:''' Half-elves are born outcasts, distrusted by elves for their human heritage and by humans for their elven blood. Perhaps as a result, they have an instinctive understanding of animals, and an uncanny ability to befriend beasts of all description. Many a half-elf wins themselves an animal companion, an un-judging and forever loyal ally with whom to face the world. Some half-elves make a career of this knack, selling their services as tamers and herders of erdlus and crodlus, handling savage beasts for the arenas, and breeding kanks and other domesticated animals.


'''Half-Giants'''
*'''Hardy. [2]''' A half-giant who becomes Shaken from damage while already Shaken does not take a wound.
*'''Large. [-]''' Half-giants stand ten feet tall and are heavily muscled. They are Size +2. This increases their Toughness by 2 and their maximum Strength by two ranks, but they take a -2 penalty on Trait rolls when using equipment designed for smaller races, and consume double the amount of food and drink as the smaller folk.
*'''Strong. [2]''' Half-giants have a starting Strength of d6 and a maximum Strength of d12+1. Their great size increases this to d10 and d12+3, respectively.
*'''Easily Led. [-1]''' Half-giants are highly susceptible to persuasion, and take a -2 penalty when resisting magical or psionic effects meant to control their behavior, as well as Smarts- and Spirit-based Tests.
*'''Poor Defenses. [-1]''' Because they are such large targets, half-giants take a -1 penalty to their Parry.

Half-giants are towering people, ten feet tall or more, who resemble large and muscular humans. According to legend they were once magical crossbreeds of humans and some now-extinct species of giant, but modern half-giants are a true-breeding race unto themselves.

'''Social Chameleons.''' Half-giants have a reputation for being weak-minded and disloyal. In fact, they have a uniquely adaptive mindset that allows them to shift their outlook to fit with their current circumstances. Although a half-giant may have certain ethical principles they hold firm to, they are able to adapt to whatever situation they find themselves in. A half-giant servant may be meek and mild, but after a day or two in the company of soldiers and mercenaries, they may develop a brutal and aggressive personality. A half-giant gladiator who finds themself living with a group of monastics will soon take to the hours of meditation and devotion with the same energy they once brought to the fighting ring. The half-giant's fundamental identity does not change, but the details are flexible.

'''Muls (Half-Dwarves)'''
*'''Strong. [2]''' Muls have a starting Strength of d6 and a maximum Strength of d12+1.
*'''Tough. [2]''' Muls have a starting Vigor of d6 and a maximum Vigor of d12+1.
*'''Tireless. [2]''' Muls require only four hours of sleep each night, and gain a +2 bonus on Vigor rolls made to resist fatigue.

The product of human and dwarf crossbreeding, muls resemble short, muscular humans with heavy, dwarf-like features. They are completely hairless, a quirk of biology which sets them apart from both of their parent races. Muls are universally sterile, a trait which keeps them in short supply.

'''An Artificial Race.''' Unlike half-elves, which occur whenever an elf and a human are sufficiently attracted to one another, muls are largely an artificial race. 

'''Thri-Kreen (Mantis Warriors)'''
*'''Claws. [2]''' Thri-kreen possess sharp claws which do Str + 1d4 damage.
*'''Leaper. [1]''' Thri-kreen can jump twice as far as normal for creatures of their Pace, and add +4 to their attack roll instead of +2 when they jump as part of a Wild Attack.
*'''Natural Armor. [1]''' A thri-kreen's exoskeleton gives it 2 points of armor.
*'''Sleepless. [2]''' Thri-kreen never sleep, although they can be rendered unconscious normally.
*'''Outsider. [-1]''' Thri-kreen are the most alien of the sapient races and take a -2 penalty on all Persuasion rolls among non-kreen.
*'''Racial Enemy: Elves [-1]''' Thri-kreen notoriously consider elven flesh a delicacy, something which elves naturally take exception to. Thri-kreen take a -2 penalty to Persuasion when interacting with elves, and have a hard time treating elves as people.


===Character Creation===