Tesa

Requirements: CON 9

Ability Modifiers: -2 STR, +1 DEX, +2 CON, -2 INT, -4 CHR

Ability Min/Max: STR 3/12, DEX 7/19, CON 8/20, INT 3/16, WIS 3/18, CHR 3/8

Tesa are 12-15 foot long worms found high in the trees of tropical forests. They are not earthworms, but rather marine creatures that were modified to survive in the trees a long time ago. Each tes has three pairs of bulging eyes and a pair of gliding "wings". Even though tesa can glide, their prefered method of getting around is climbing. They have two different manipulators- mandibles that can be used to grasp tools and weapons and the end of their tail is split into three parts. The latter can do much finer actions than the former. All tesa are mute and communicate with movement or odors. Humans and demi-humans can learn a form of sign language that makes communication with tesa easy. There are several races of tesa, each with their own color scheme; which is mostly blacks, browns and greens; size and eye placement. All are predators that specialize in using traps over brute force but the kinds of traps prefered is racial. They have a small amount of slime on their skin that is a paralytic toxin. This slime is always used in the traps. Though tesa are carnivores, they eat much less than a human of equal mass. They are as active as a human, but their body simply requires less.

The strongest tesa always become assassins and the most intelligent become magic-users. Both are considered vital parts of their society. Assassins are not paid killers, but rather hunters that can bring down the most dangerous game. Magic-users specialize in spells relating to flight, the senses, plants, communication, a racial memory and traps. See below for some examples. Rangers are scouts that protect the tesa colonies from beyond their borders. Fighters are rare as few get into direct combat. Thieves make up the bulk of the population. Their trap making skill is equal to their find/remove trap skill.

Tesa use magic to shape plants in fantastic ways to make their homes. A sapling with branches larger than itself is a common sight in tesa territory but they can do much more than that. Any three dimentional design one can think of is possible for tesa architecture. Gravity is no obstacle because of the magic involved.

Racial Traits

Speed 90' (30')

Climb Speed 60' (30')

Glide Speed 150' (50')

Mute

Base Armor Class 7

Armor costs triple normal amount (if it can be found at all)

-2 to hit with weapons over 5 pounds

-4 to hit with weapons over 12 pounds

Can not use any tool or weapon requiring two hands

Toxic slime paralyzes for d4 rounds

Must drink five times that of a human of equal mass unless within a humid environment

Requires one tenth the amount of food of a human of equal mass

Salt water is toxic to tesa and will kill on a failed save versus poison

Tesa Races

Nereis are black with green spots along their dorsal surface. Their 5 eyes are clustered just above the mouth and are smaller than most tesa's. They use uncovered pit traps 5 to 10 feet deep with a few slime covered spikes. Their homes are usually found 10 to 30 feet above the ground, making them the lowest tree dwellers.

Vanadis are black with random brown spotting. Their 3 eyes are placed in a hemisphere shape across the top of the head. They are net specialists and use plant fibers that can hold up to 1 ton. Vanadis stay near their traps because of the short duration of their paralysis. An assassin or two are on hand to make the kill. They live just above the nereis at 40 to 50 feet above the ground.

Glycera are black with green bands. Their 4 eyes are set on the sides of their heads. They also use pits but prefer covers made from plant material covered in the slime. The pits are usually 10 to 25 feet deep. Their homes are 40 to 50 feet above the ground, though they live on different trees from the vanadis.

Sabella are green with black stripes. Their 5 eyes are set so that they can see 360 degrees, an important thing high in the canopy. Their traps are nets meant to capture small creatures- birds, large insects and such. They live the highest of all tesa, within 10 to 30 feet of the top branches.

Terebella have green backs and brown bellies. Their 3 eyes are set one in front and two to either side. Their traps are trip wires which cause the prey to fall onto hidden, slime covered spikes. Like the vanadis, terebella have assassins on hand to make a quick kill. They live in the canopy below the sabella.

Tesa Classes Available

Assassin 8

Fighter 6

Magic-User 6

Ranger 8

Thief 6

Tesa Thief Skill Adjustments

Pick Locks -20%

Find and Remove Traps +30%

Pick Pockets -10%

Move Silently +25%

Climb Walls N/A

Hide in Shadows +10%

Hear Noise +15%

Tesa magic can be learned by other races but the spell level should be increased by 2 to 4.

Analyse Plant

Level: 2

Duration: 1 round per level

Range: personal

The caster can study a new plant or a new cultivar resulting from a breeding project and determine if it has any value as a medicinal herb, toxin or other use.

Bone Breaker

Level: 3

Duration: 1 turn per level

Range: 60'

Bone breaker is a favored trap enhancing spell because it is harmless to the tesa and other races without skeletons. It triples the damage done by falls, spikes and other physical trauma. The victim can save versus spells for half total damage.

Enhance Slime

Level: 3

Duration: 5 rounds per level

Range: touch

A tes with enhanced slime increases the duration of the paralysis to d4 hours +1 per caster level.

Enhance Smell

Level: 1

Duration: 3 turns per level

Range: touch

A tes with an enhanced sense of smell is very difficult to suprise. Only a 1 on a d12 indicates surprise. It can also communicate with other tesa over a longer distance, up to 50' depending on wind conditions.

Noxious Cloud

Level: 2

Duration: 1 hour per level (until activated) or 1 round per level

Range: 100'

Another trap enhancing spell, Noxious Cloud is activated when something trips the trap. The cloud saps d4 points of strength from the target(s) per failed save versus poison. Those reduced to zero points are paralyzed for 3d6 turns. As the cloud is actually made of a non-magical irritant, magic resistance is useless.

Shape Plant

Level: 3

Duration: Permanent

Range: touch

This is the spell that allows the tesa to affect the growth of plants, causing wonderous shapes. It does not increase the growth rate of the plant, just the shape it will grow into.

Speedy Climb

Level: 1

Duration: 1 turn per level

Range: touch

A tes affected by this spell has its climb movement rate increased to 150' (50').

Speedy Glide

Level: 2

Duration: 1 turn per level

Range: touch

A tes affected by this spell has tis glide movement rate increased to 180' (60'). It can also climb in the air at a rate of 60' (20').

Sprout Herb

Level: 3

Duration: Permanent

Range: touch

The caster can make any non-magical herb sprout and grow within a matter of seconds. The spell does not require a spore or seed and the end result is a patch of the desired plants, enough for d4+1 doses or uses of an herb or 10 pounds in the case of non-medicinal plants.

Voice

Level: 1

Duration: 1 turn per level

Range: touch

Tesa can speak and understand the spoken word of the common tongue when affected by this spell. With time, an individual can learn additional languages.

Water Seal

Level: 1

Duration: 1 hour per level

Range: touch

This spell alters slime and reduces the water needs of a tes to that of a human. It also makes them immune to the toxic effects of salt water. Some tesa use it to make containers from their slime, treat the result as a large sack.

Wisdom of the Forerunners

Level: 3

Duration: 2 questions per level

Range: personal

With this spell, the tes magic-user can tap into a racial memory which lasts all the way back to the first modified worms. It is usually used for information on a location, race or monster, but any question may be asked. There is a 90% chance the answer will be accurate.