Benin Hunter (Character Kit)

Benin hunters 
Description: Benin hunters are the most honored warriors of the empire of Benin in the coastal areas of the presentday countries of Benin, Togo, and part of Nigeria. Benin lies between the Songhai, Nigerian, and Ghanan empires to the north, east, and west, respectively. The empire holds sway over many tribes, including the Dahomey, Ewe, Ga, and Yoruba. Their origins can be traced back to the time when the hunters were responsible for the feeding and protection of the tribes of Benin. With the dawning of empire, the hunters of Benin were no longer needed for the collection of food for their people, so they assumed the role of protectors and bounty hunters. They track down fearsome beasts that prey on the outlying villages of the empire and criminals against their people. Unlike bounty hunters, however, the hunters never ask for rewards for these tasks. They crave more the gratitude of the people and the fame that many successful kills bring. 
Role: Benin hunters are often on missions, providing food for those villages whose men have been killed by war, disease, or some other evil, or hunting down some enemy of the empire. When war breaks out, they are recalled to the capital to be knitted together into an impressive warrior force. These are the elite guerrilla warriors of the empire who, through their constant struggles, are much more experienced than the standard warriors of Benin. 
Weapon Proficiencies:
* Required: blowgun or bow; 
* Recommended: spear, knife, darts, net. 
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Required: hunting, tracking, set snares; 
* Recommended: animal lore, herbalism, 
bowyer/fletcher, animal noise, survival tropical. 
Special Benefits: All Benin hunters are rangers. They gain +5% to both hide in shadows and move silently rolls. They choose one broad group of creatures to concentrate upon and one specific creature within that group to specialize in opposing. 
The groups could include: giants, undead, lycanthropes, etc., and the specific individuals could then be: voadkyn, ghosts, wereboars, etc. The DM mustsit down and decide with the character what groups and monsters are appropriate to an African campaign. The hunter gains a +4 bonus to attack any creature within that broad group and +1 hp damage, with another +1 hp damage bonus per three levels gained thereafter against the specific creature in that group. 
Within the empire of Benin, these hunters are much revered. The local people will almost always be friendly and helpful to the hunter. If an unusual request is given by a hunter (asking for something other than food and lodging, for instance), a +1 bonus is added to nonplayer character reaction rolls in the hunter's efforts to persuade the subject to comply with the request. Greedy or impossible requests are always denied, and the hunter may lose all cultural benefits if this behavior is kept up. 
Special Hindrances: Benin hunters wear no armor but may carry shields. The hunters do not receive the two-weapon combat ability of most rangers. The hunter also must be responsive to the call of his emperor to war; the cultural benefits of being a hunter may be lost if this call is ignored without good reason.
Category:Character Kit
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