Noke

The nokes are a quasi-insectoid people that inhabit the barren deserts of Dolrin. Tribalistic and loyal to their hivequeens they venture forth with one sole goal, to expand their territory. Nokes are connected by a mysterious biological mechanism, possessing a sort of hive mind. yet retaining a degree of individuality

Nokes are a rugged and isolated people that live on the rough and barren continent of Dolrin. Nokes live to become between 110-140 years old. Nokes have built a vast underground cavern network that spread throughout large scales of the Dolrin continent. Their capital within these caverns is named Duron and is far south in the continent, beyond the great desert.

Nokes have just recently started adventuring beyond the desert and to other continents. Due to this have a very reserved and isolated personality. They prefer the company of other nokes and do not have an easy time taking the courage to maintain contact with other races. Their desert is rumored to be one of the most dangerous natural places in Altharon and nokes undergo severe survival training before they leave their cavern homes to venture forth. Most nokes that wish to go overseas die in the desert due to its dangers. Nokes are not strong or wise but they are very nimble in combat and are keen on using this to their advantage.

## Society and Structure

Typically nokes nest in cities built in caverns below the earth's surface. Much like ants, they are born into different castes which determine their role in society.

**Workers:** The noke equivalent of peasants, workers commonly serve as foragers, hunters or merchants. They have no sexual dimorphism and are unable to reproduce themselves. Workers are further divided based on their size.

* **Merchants, herders; and craftsmen**: Though short in stature they make up for it with nimbleness and cunning.
* **Warriors and mercenaries:** Larger workers act as guardians or soldiers. They have strong chitinous shells and claw-like appendages.

**Drones**: Nokes with male reproductive organs constitute the nobility of society. They are tall and slender, with an alien charm. Day and night they hone their song and poetry in attempt to attract the queen's favor. Those that succeed can mate with the queen, an act that drains them of their essence enough so that they perish not long after. Aged ones act as lorekeepers and scribes, as they are no longer fit to reproduce.

           Drones possess magical capacity above what is regular for other races, magic is however not studied and rarely used in practice, save for illusion.

**Queens**: A queen is the supreme and unnoposed ruler of a noke society. Grand in both stature and intellect, they lead long lives dedicated to their and their kingdom's dominance. Birth of a female noke is a very rare occurence. Those few are trained until they mature, after which they are to fight to the death for an heir to be selected. If there is already an heir to the throne they are devoured by the queen for their power.

A queen has a nearly unmatched potential for magic though there is few times where it is seen as they may never leave their seat of power. There are times where multiple queens reign at once though that is remarkably unusual.

### Alignment

Nokes may shift towards any alignment. They are more focused on survival rather than, morals, however and will do whatever necessary. The general alignment of a Noke population is greatly influenced by their Queen's.

### Deity

Nokes have no knowledge of a great god or any children for that matter. While the other races of Altharon were approached by the gods and made of their existence, the Nokes were not. They came into the caverns and have since stayed in the caverns. As a result they revere the most powerful being known to them, each kingdom's own queen.

### Cavern System

   The nokes cavern system is vast and spreads throughout large areas of the continent. They maintain these caverns by using materials found underground and embedding them with essence. Nokes have an innate ability when it comes to imbuing essence within physical materials and they have used this ability to create close to ever-lasting caverns that need very little maintenance.

## Echoes of an Old Kingdom

### Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. (Nokes are nimble but weak. Their mind is also not as bright and their social interactions are weakened due to living most of their lives isolated from other races).

Small. (Nokes are categorized as small and receive all the benefits and drawbacks of this category).

+5 to all climb checks.

+3 to all sleight of hand, tumble and dodge checks.

+3 to all survival checks.

Bonus Feat: Talented Climber (Nokes may use half their movement to climb).

Bonus Feat: Deserted Survival (Nokes use their dexterity modifier for survival checks instead of wisdom).