Anther Kreen

The Anther Kreen are an insectoid race, found in many of the deserts and wastelands of Oerth. It is not fully known to the other peoples of Oerth where they came from or how old the race is, and if the Anther Kreen know, they're not saying. Regardless, there is much speculation and many rumors about their origin, whispered among the non-insectoid, who are generally afraid, mistrusting, or otherwise hostile to them.

What *is* known is that the Anther Kreen emerged in the Dry Steppes and Sea of Dust some time after the Twin Cataclysms, laying claim, in a way, to the wastelands that so many other people fled and had forsaken. The insect-people seem to thrive in such barren wastelands, and "everyone knows" they are cannibals. The Anther Kreen for their part deny this, saying they would never eat their own kind. Whether this assuages the person they're talking to frequently depends on how closely they are paying to attention to what the Anther Kreen is saying. In truth, Anther Kreen have no cultural taboo against consuming the flesh of sapient beings, and they have a particular preference for elf, though they do not, as they say, eat their own kind.

## Personality

Anther Kreen are, by nature, predators. Their culture operates on a pack mentality, and is primarily nomadic, following the few creatures who live in the wastes they inhabit. Anther Kreen are exceptional team players, as those who reach adulthood have learned that, whatever their personal predilictions, those who do not place importance on the well-being of the pack can go see how they survive alone. They own little that cannot be carried, either personally or on the back of a pack animal (usually a large insect called a kank), and generally care most about where their next meal is coming from.

## Physical Description

Anther Kreen are tall, bipedal and roughly mantis-like. The average anther kreen stands around 6' tall, but is quite lighter than a human of the same height, due to their thinner bodies and different physiology. Anther Kreen have two pairs of arms, the top pair being larger and more powerful, used primarily for combat and labor, and the bottom pair being more delicate, better suited for fine manipulation. Their faces are broadly mantis-like, but slightly rounder and elongated, with short, flexible antennae.

Anther Kreen chitin is most commonly yellow, brown or gray exoskeleton, though the lesser known forest Kreen often have green exoskeletons, and it's not entirely unknown for them to have chitin of other colors.

## Relations

Anther Kreen approach all social situations from the perspective of clutches and packs, clutches being the smaller factions and families within a larger pack. Anther Kreen do not consider being an anther kreen to be necessary to be part of their pack or clutch, and readily extend such membership to others regardless of race. As a result, those of their clutch are boon companions to be defended against all others, while those outside of the clutch are potential rivals at best.

## Alignment

Anther Kreen are odd from an alignment standpoint. They have no particular care for those outside their clutch or pack, but will viciously fight for those within them. They are incredibly loyal to and respect the order of the clutch, but do not particularly believe that any clutch or person can dictate the way others should live. In a sense, this means they tend towards evil, chaos, and neutrality, and yet an anther kreen is one of the truest, most devoted friends you could ever have.

## Anther Kreen Lands

Anther Kreen are primarily found in warm deserts and wastelands, most notably the Barren Wastes, Bright Desert, Dry Steppes, and Sea of Dust. Within these lands, there are few if any permanent anther kreen settlements, as they are primarily nomadic.

## Religion

So far as anyone can tell, anther kreen have no native concept of gods or organized religion, their culture practicing something like animism. When they are exposed to the concept of divinity, they generally prefer gods who take care of their followers, as would befit a pack leader, while thinking those who do not care for their followers' well-being are not worthy of following.

## Language

Anther Kreen speak their own language, which is difficult for non-anther kreen to speak, or even truly comprehend, as it involves both normal verbal components, as well as clicks and pops created by their mandibles, and pheromones and quiet whistles emitted by their spiracles. Creatures without the scent ability have very little ability to pick up on the pheromone cues that lend subtle meaning and shades to the audible components of their language.

Similarly, it is quite difficult for anther kreen to speak non-anther kreen languages, as their mandibles, non-mammalian tongues, and complete lack of lips means they cannot, easily, make p, b, f, v, or m sounds, and must try to create near-analogues. The various smells of mammalian life also cause frequent misunderstandings in anther kreen who have not yet learned that mammals just smell in general, and do not have control over their pheromones.

## Names

Anther Kreen possess single, individual names, with many hard consonants and glottal stops (denoted with apostrophes). They do not have family or surnames, unless given them by non-anther kreen companions, but might mention they come from a particular clutch in a way similar to a non-human saying they are part of a given family.

## Adventurers

The day-to-day life of anther kreen is little different from that of an adventurer. They roam, look for valuable things (usually food, but they also take things which are pretty or can be traded for food), and have a lot of fights. Moreover, the social interactions and politics of a clutch are quite similar to those of an adventuring party.

## Anther Kreen Traits

* **Medium Monstrous Humanoid** Anther Kreen are medium monstrous humanoids, granting them no bonuses or penalties due to their size, and making them not susceptible to spells or effects which can only target humanoids.
* **+2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Cha** Anther Kreen are strong and agile, but while they get along readily with others, their alien appearances make many others uneasy.
* **40 ft base speed**
* +1 natural armor
* **Natural Attacks** Anther Kreen possess four claw primary natural attacks and a bite secondary natural attack, all of which deal 1d4 points of damage.
* **Natural Leaper** Anther Kreen have a racial bonus to Jump checks equal to their class level.
* **Multi-armed** Anther Kreen have four arms, and may take the Multiattack and Multi-Weapon Fighting feats. If a class or similar would give an anther kreen any Two-Weapon Fighting feat, they instead gain the equivalent Multi-Weapon Fighting feat.
* **Weapon Familiarity** Anther Kreen are proficient in their racial weapons, the polearm gythka, and the throwing weapon chatchka.
* **Naturally Psionic** Anther Kreen are naturally psionic and possess the feat Unlocked Talent.
* **Languages** Anther Kreen begin the game speaking Common and Kreen. They learn additional languages for having a high intelligence as normal.
* **Favored Classes** Psychic Warrior and Rogue

## Common Anther Kreen Regional Feats

**Bareback Soul** *Rovers of the Barrens--* You're skilled at riding bareback, meaning you suffer no penalty on Riding checks when doing so, can automatically guide your mount with your knees, allowing you to use both hands while riding, and gain a bonus on ranged attack rolls while riding bareback.

**Blooded** *Bright Lands, Rovers of the Barrens--* You know what it means to fight for your life, and the value of quick wits and quicker reactions when blades are bared and deadly spells chanted. Enemies find it difficult to catch you off guard, granting you a bonus to Initiative and Spot checks.

**Desert Fighter** *Bright Lands--* You know how to make the most of terrain-inspired advantages when fighting in a desert, granting you a dodge bonus to AC in such terrain.

**Horselore** *Rovers of the Barrens--* You're good with horses, granting you a bonus to Ride and Handle Animal checks when dealing with horses, and raising their initial attitude towards you to friendly. *(Note- Anther Kreen may apply the benefits of this feat to Kank instead of horses)*

**Lore of the Ur-Flan** *Bright Lands--* You're schooled in the ancient art of Ur-Flan necromancers, increasing the DC of your Necromancy spells with the Evil descriptor.

**Raider's Spirit** *Rovers of the Barrens--* You're a fearless raider, granting you a bonus on Intimidation check and saves against fear effects.

**World Weary** *Rovers of the Barrens--* Your crushed spirit makes you difficult to scare or intimidate, granting you a bonus on saves against fear, and allowing you to treat fear conditions as one rank lower.