Ourworld:Ailokim

The Ailokim claim they are one of the two remaining old races and share a common ancestor and a degree of animosity with the Fae of the east. To understand their nature one must appreciate the sad history of this once dominant race.

History

The Ailokim speak insistently of the lost times when their ancient cities reached high into the skies, their culture spanned the planet and their remarkable technologies and magics were able to twist the very reality of the world and all upon it. Their face will then usually turn almost as grey as their hair as they carry on to tell of the great sundering that destroyed virtually all of their civilisation, their land, their people, their lore, their technologies, their magics, their spirit, their ability to bear offspring and even drained the pigment from their hair.

Of the mere hundreds of fringe dwellers that survived (or were able to be resurrected) the disaster most lapsed into despair, a few however used what gifts they had left to try and preserve their race and culture. Using some remnants of their arcane lore and technologies they created three ‘Soulifactories’; strange devices able to create life in the form of one of three young Ailokim chosen for their unique qualities. As a result all Ailokim under the age of 900 bear a striking resemblance to each of these chosen three. There are 25 unique and venerable Ailokim that remember the sundering and form the council of elders. These elders have overseen the slow salvaging of elements of their former culture and wealth for over a millennium.

Today the Ailokim number around 20,000 and occupy four city sites on the Western continent of Brianna. The embittered Ailokim have been peaceful from necessity; painfully aware of the slow rate at which they are able to reproduce they value their lives highly. So far the greatest Ailokim scholars and scientists have failed to replicate the ‘Soulifactories’ or discover additional ways of reproducing themselves. In their experiments however they have created/bred a slave race that they find useful for industry and warfare known as the ‘Umberkim’.

The Umberkim are a dull witted but powerful race that have been bred as much for their physical power as their obedience. They number around 80,000 spread across the three Ailokim cities and serve as the mainstay of Ailokim military, agriculture and industry. Maturing quickly, Umberkim live on average for a mere 25 years in part due to the hazardous tasks given to them by the Ailokim. Augmented with the powerful magics and technology of their masters, the combined Ailokim/Umberkim military are one of the most formidable forces in the world, though have seen relatively little action. The ‘special forces’ division of the Ailokim military on the other hand is famed for it’s daring and bewildering raids across the span of the planet. This brings us to another defining characteristic of the Ailokim.

The Sundering

The little understood Sundering was a mysterious cataclysm that began about 1500 years ago an ended around 1000 years ago. It began with the appearance of a star in the night sky that continued to grow at an alarming rate, as it grew the temperature dropped rapidly freezing many life forms to death and destroying agriculture. The Ailokim magics sustained their culture largely through this period. As this star of doom grew larger still the world began to get hotter again, and hotter still until the planet was aflame. Again the powerful magics of the Ailokim preserved them. The planet erupted into rivers of lava and began to break up, mountains drifting slowly into the sky as the gravity of the Ailokim home world failed. Many perished at this point, though many in main population centres persevered though extraordinary arcane feats never fully understood. Surviving on chunks of molten rocks the few remaining Ailokim cities were then slammed at vast speeds into other vast asteroids and finally into the fateful star that doomed them. That a few hundred powerful individuals survived was miraculous and a testament to extraordinary powers that have now been lost.

Ailokim life is a precious commodity that will not normally put at risk, but with one exception; Psionics. Since the early days of the rebuilding the council of elders has decreed that Psionicists and Psionic creatures and users must all be eradicated no matter the cost. It seems implicit that somehow they were linked or responsible for the Sundering though no one really seems to know. Over the last millennium the Ailokim have become adept at hunting down individuals, and the families of individuals, that exhibit Psionic power. Often turning up even before a Psionic child is born to slaughter it and it’s mother. This has caused the Ailokim a certain amount of animosity, indeed they are often blamed for still births and other mysterious deaths.

Personality & Relations

Ailokim tend to be embittered but proud, self righteous and ruthlessly pragmatic. It would be fair to say they regard all other sentient races as equally inferior and have fairly high standards as to what they actually call sentient. Low-sentience races (such as the Umberkim) are basically considered in pragmatic terms as they might consider animals.

Since the Sundering the Ailokim have carried a terrible curse in their blood and will never be able to bear children, relying instead on magics and technology to reproduce themselves. This has led to a powerful sense of solidarity with their vat grown siblings and they will support a fellow Ailokim in virtually any situation. The whole of Ailokim society in one way or another is geared towards the reestablishment of their culture’s lost glory. In practical terms they are limited by their slow reproduction rate and have only constructed a few large cities. Many feel however that it is only a matter of time before the Ailokim rediscover the method of constructing new Soulifactories and prepare themselves for the inevitable expansion this would allow.

An average Ailokim

Physical Description

Shortish with elongated limbs Ailokim are sometimes likened to human children that have grown off on some sort of unsettling tangent. Ailokim gain their common name from the lack of pigment in their hair and their extraordinarily long life span (anywhere up to 1800 years). They adhere to strict dress codes and a ritual marking on their forearm that defines their role in society and station for which they train from ‘birth’.

Their creations, the Umberkim, on the other hand are a hairless, far stronger, hardier race resembling an oafish human with thick leathery skin. Their dull wits and short lifespan make them ideal slaves to further Ailokim hegemony. Occasional individuals have transcended their programming and escaped to the new world where they have made lives for themselves as free men. The Ailokim however maintain that any of Umberkim blood are their property and must be returned to them or killed.

Alignment

Ailokim relate to each other in society as Lawful Good, seeing Ailokim advancement as the most noble of objectives. Their relations with other races are less transparent, Ailokim practice slavery and have during their expansion been guilty of genocide. They consider races like the Umberkim (and several others) as others might animals. The more enlightened races, can with work, garner a degree more respect though are viewed of course as inferior, or more pragmatically as pawns in some grand scheme. However if an Ailokim gave his word, even to an animal, he would strive to keep it as a mark of Ailokim civility and order. In traditional terms they would awkwardly classify as Lawful Neutral, and though some stray a step away from this it is rare indeed to find a chaotic Ailokim.

Cities

Arcadia

The mountainous centre of Ailokim civilisation and culture it was here that the survivors of the sundering made their stand and started to rebuild what was lost. The highly defensible city has grown over a millennium and aided Ailokim control over both sides of the Hypothian range. The first Soulifactory ‘Erea’ was built here and has produced around 10,000 souls. Arcadia serves as a nursery for young Ailokim as they are trained for their initial roles in the world. It is houses the home legion of the Ailokim army and the council of elders. It is rare for outsiders to be allowed into a city as important as Arcadia.

Megara

It was a proud moment when Ailokim society founded it's first coastal satelite colony around 500 years ago. It signified the begining of an expansion that over stretched Ailokim man power and created the conditions that necessitated the creation of the Umberkim. Megara today is a thriving metropolis and centre of trade for Ailokim civilisation. Though still rigid and heirachical by world standards it contains the largest racial & cultural diversity of any Ailokim settlement.

Mantinea

The second stage of Ailokim expansion was made almost necessary by the increasing population of Umberkim slaves that have poured ceaslessly from the spawning vats. Mantinea was founded to localise control of the rich southern agricultural and forest resources liberated from an uncooperative regime of humans known as Thalastians. There are 9 Umberkim for every Ailokim settler that reluctantly takes their post here.

Eleusina

A simultaeous expansion northwards was also considered necessary to renew dwildling mineral resources and create a defensible out-post between Ailokim settlements and the sometimes tempermental dwarven residents of the Northern Ranges, who are prone to misunderstandings of Ailokim intent.

Technology

Though a great deal has been lost to the Ailokim many powerful magics and useful technologies survived and more are being researched with each passing year. Ailokim casters pride themselves on having the greatest library of magics in the world. Over the centuries many Ailokim magics have however been carelessly traded with the Keltoi whose mastery of the mystical arts now rivals and in some areas exceeds their own.

The Ailokim’s more powerful magics are preserved pre-sundering (PS) ritual magics that tend to influence the construction of their cities and the crafting of various objects. Ailokim cities for example are encircled with powerful protection and detection wards, their agriculture is made more abundant, water cleansed, and even localised weather controlled to a degree. In the category of item/object creation we see examples of solar focusers that sit ominously upon the walls of their cities. Another, and recognised signature of Ailokim culture and warfare, is the kinetic mat; a magically enchanted sheet of rare star metal that glows brightly and can fly at a fair clip.

Language

Ailokim base languages are Ailokim & Common. Ailokim value their language as a sacred bridge to their glorious past to be used by none but they. In day to day life they speak common, though are often fluent in other languages preferring more eclectic languages over other humanoid languages. Umberkim can speak common and can sometimes understand Ailokim, however are punished harshly if they use the language of the masters.

Racial Traits

Ailokim Racial Traits (Medium Humanoid) Ability scores for Ailokim are based on which of the three Soulifactories they have been created at. Three separate and complimentary Ailokim were selected as the paragons of their culture and were then inserted into the Soulifactories as the templates for future Ailokim creation.

Although their genetic potential is predetermined an Ailokim’s developmental experiences in early life can potentially emphasise one or two ability scores at the expense of others. Specifically an Ailokim can alter 2 of their base ability scores by a maximum of +2 by taking a commensurate minus to other separate ability scores.

Soulifactory ‘Erea’ STR:10 | DEX:15 | CON:12 | INT:15 | WIS:12 | CHA:14

Soulifactory ‘Laert’ STR:12 | DEX:12 | CON:14 | INT:10 | WIS:15 | CHA:15

Soulifactory ‘Reos’ STR:14 | DEX:12 | CON:14 | INT:12 | WIS:14 | CHA:14

These are designed to be balanced for 32 point character creation campaigns and should be adjusted for differing campaign power levels]

Racial hatred toward Psions & Psionic Creatures (+1 Hit & Dam). Ailokim receive a +2 Racial Bonus on Ritual Magic skill checks. Marks of Destiny (Su) Ailokim are ritually tattooed at birth with one of six unique markings that grant a special power.

Tau (Strength) +1 bonus on strength checks and strength based skill checks.

Sein (Grace) +1 bonus on dexterity checks and dexterity based skill checks.

Neur (Mind) +1 bonus on int checks and int based skill checks.

Weon (World) +1 bonus on wisdom checks and wisdom based skill checks.

Juugz (Soul) +1 bonus on charisma checks and charisma based skill checks.

At the age of 100 years an Ailokim is recognised as coming of age and is rewarded in a special ritual with an additional mark of destiny. This additional tattoo increases the bonus from the marks to +2 and depending on which of the 9 combinations grants an additional benefit.

Tau-Sein: When an Ailokim deals damage from a sneak attack or crit they gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC until their next turn.

Tau-Neur: (Sw) Twice per day this tattoo allows an Ailokim to expend a prepared spell and gain it’s level to hit and damage for 1 round.

Tau-Weon: (Im) An Ailokim with this combination can elect to take a -1 to hit and damage at the start of a round to gain an insight bonus of +2 to will saves till the beginning of their next turn.

Tau-Juugz: (Sw) Once a day this combination allows it user to add their strength bonus to a charisma based check so long as they are unarmoured and are revealing their physique.

Sein-Neur: This combination allows an Ailokim to use their dexterity score instead of their normal ability score for the purposes of determining bonus spells.

Sein-Weon: (Sw) By expending one or more turn/rebuke attempts this combination allows it’s wielder to add a metamagic effect to a spell they are casting, with no effect on the spells casting time or effective level. The number of turn/rebuke attempts expended must equal the normal level adjustment of the metamagic feat. The Ailokim must have the metamagic feat & cannot cast a metamagic/spell combination of a level that they wouldn't normally be able to cast.

Sein-Juugz: (Im) Twice a day as an immediate action this combination allows an Aiokim to expend either a turn/rebuke attempt or an unprepared spell slot of at least 1st level to gain 1d6 damage on a sneak attack or an unarmed strike.

Neur-Weon: This combination allows an Ailokim if they leave a spell slot unfilled for the day to add the level of that spell slot to the DC to resist spells of that level or lower.

Neur-Juugz: (St) Once a day as a standard action this combination allows its user to ‘reclaim’ a spell already cast in the last 3 rounds by expending a spell 1 level lower.

Weon-Juugz: (Im) This combination grants the Ailokim the ability to sacrifice a turn/rebuke attempt and gain 1 effective caster level, or to sacrifice a prepared spell and gain it’s level to a turning check.

Umberkim Racial Traits (Medium Humanoid) Ability scores for Umberkim are adjusted +2 STR +2CON, -2 INT, -4 WIS.

See Also

Ourworld
Societies	Keltoi, Laideann, Ailokim, Teleri, Goliaths, Goblinoids_and_surrounds, Dwarves, Orcs, Ashlands