Rastipedes (CSH)

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==Rastipedes==
Rastipedes are insectoid centaurs with eight walking limbs and a vaguely humanoid torso with two upper "arms," all covered in a chitinous exoskeleton. Their heads have two large compound eyes, a chitinous mandible, and a pair of long, whiplike antennae.
Rastipedes are the penultimate traders of the Known Spheres. Only the Arcane are more willing to exchange valuable goods, but the rastipedes seem unconcerned with such niceties as uniform pricing and fair dealing. A spacefarer who makes a deal with a rastipede is advised to count his money, his crew, and his limbs.
Rastipedea.are not truly dishonest, however. They rarely renege on a bargain once struck, and as a rule they deliver their side of the bargain at the time and place specified. The problem is that the rastipedes delight in meeting the letter of the bargain, rather than the spirit. They are particularly fond of making a deal knowing that the other party is assuming something that is not true. They will sell you a lottery ticket with this week's winning numbers on it—but it will be last week's ticket. Rastipedes will buy and sell anything they think will be profitable, although most scrupulously obey smuggling and slave-trafficking laws.
This propensity for hard bargaining has brought the rastipedes in contact with the Arcane. In fact, rastipedes are favored henchmen of these mysterious traders. Very often, characters who seek an Arcane find themselves dealing with a rastipede go-between.
Rastipedes are inherently peaceful and avoid combat whenever possible. However, they are not cowardly, and can (and do) use the full range of weapons usable by humans.
Rastipedes can be fighters (maximum 8th level), mages (maximum 4th level), thieves (maximum 11th level), or bards (maximum 6th level). Rastipedes may also be fighter/thieves, fighter/mages, or mage/ thieves.
Rastipedes have their own language, a combination of chirps and clicks. However, in their role as bargainers, rastipedes make it their business to know many languages. Initially, a rastipede character can select from rastipede, common, beholder, dwarf, elf, giff, goblin, mind flayer, orc, or any other language the DM allows. The number of languages selected is governed by the Intelligence of the character (see Table 4 in the Player's Handbook) or by the number of proficiency slots dedicated to languages.
The rastipede's chitinous shell covers its body, giving the rastipede an armor class of 3. This is fortunate, since their odd body shape makes it impossible for them to wear any armor. Also, their long bodies are not well protected by shields, so this type of additional protection cannot be used.
Their chitinous armor also provides the rastipedes with strong, sharp claws that can inflict 1-2 points of damage on a target. (This damage rises to 1-4 points at 4th level and 1-6 points at 7th level.) If the rastipede attacks with two claws (or with one claw and one other weapon), this is treated as if the rastipede were attacking with two weapons (see the Player's Handbook, Chapter 9, "Attacking with Two Weapons").
The rastipedes' body configuration provides it with increased speed, so that they have a movement rate of 15 (rather than the standard 12) when unencumbered. Any reductions in movement rate are based on this higher speed.
Rastipedes are tunnelers of exceptional merit. They spend much of the first decade of life underground. All rastipedes can determine the approximate depth underground on a roll of 1-4 on 1d6. When they reach 3rd level, they can detect a grade or slope in a passage (within 10') on a roll of 1-5 on 1d6; and detect unsafe walls, ceiling, and floor (within 10') on a roll of 1-7 on 1d10. Rastipedes must stop and concentrate for one round to use any of these abilities.
The rastipede's antennae provide it with a very keen sense of smell. This sense is so keen that a rastipede cannot be surprised by a creature behind it, as long as that creature exudes any odor whatsoever.
Perhaps the most unusual special ability of rastipedes involves spelljamming helms. Although rastipedes may not exceed 4th level as mages, they have sufficient skill to operate spelljammer helms. In fact, a helm operated by a rastipede performs as if operated by a mage of three times the rastipede's spell-casting level. Thus, a rastipede who is a 4th-level mage can operate a spelljammer helm as a 12th-level mage! It is not known whether this is merely a happy accident, or whether this is a sign of favor from the Arcane. Some rumors suggest a darker, more sinister connection between the two races, but there is no other evidence to indicate that any such association exists.
Rastipedes have a large, solid body carefully protected by an exoskeleton. This adds 1 to their Constitution scores. However, this body also prevents them from making extremely delicate movements; subtract 1 from their Dexterity scores.