Connives (Ratfolk/Halfling)

## Connives

(Ratfolk/Halfling)

Ratfolk who bred with halflings created an odd subrace of ratfolk, called connives, that exist in the scummy underworld of major halfling settlements. Connives are small, covered in dark swarthy hair, have buck teeth, overly large eyes, and scrawny builds. Their fleshy fingers constantly fidget, and their heads continually move to keep them aware of their surroundings. Because they are prone to acts of brash thievery and instinctive greed (because many come from the poorest rungs of society), they are seen as a plague to both ratfolk and halfling society.

Connives are hideous, often reminding people of scuzzy black market dealers. Their skin is very oily, and their hair is perpetually greasy. They have a foul odor, rank as ripe garbage, produced by an imbalance in their glands. Despite their poor hygiene, they have an impressive immune system that has an interesting mutation: they can keep a dormant fragment of diseases they have been cured of and spread them later. This has given rise to their nickname “pusling.”

Unlike most hybrids, connives are prolific breeders and are able to mate with many creatures. A legend says that connives only gestate for one day, but this is a folktale. Connives’ gestation takes only three months, but they can have multiple pregnancies at once.

Halflings will have nothing to do with connives and consider them an abomination. Most choose to regard them as an old wive’s tale until confronted with proof. Even then, they make excuses as to why connives are inferior or not related. Ratfolk care very little but do not consider connives part of their warrens. Most are expelled at a young age to fend for themselves.

* Ability Score Racial Traits: Connives are agile and cunning, but they are quite hideous and conniving. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Charisma.
* Size: Connives are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
* Type: Connives are humanoids with the ratfolk and halfling subtype.
* Mixed Blood: Connives count as both ratfolk and humans for any effect related to race.
* Base Speed (Slow): Connives have a base speed of 20 feet.
* Darkvision: Connives can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
* Scummy: Connives gain +2 racial bonuses on all Appraise, Bluff, and Sleight of Hand checks.
* Skulk: Connives can blend easily into their environments and move with surprising grace. Connives gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks and take only a –5 penalty on Stealth checks made to hide from creatures they have distracted with a Bluff check (rather than the normal –10 penalty).
* Carrier: When connives successfully save against a disease, their bodies save a portion of it in a dormant state. Once per day, on command, connives can burst a festering sore and spill out the disease as a melee touch attack. Connives can only store 1 disease at a time. Once it is used, they no longer have the disease. When they save against a new disease while already having one, they can chose which one to keep. In addition, they gain a +4 racial bonus against diseases they have already been cured of.
* Languages: Connives begin play speaking Common. Connives with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Undercommon.

## Section 15 OGL Copyright Declaration:

• Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

• System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

• Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Inc.; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

• The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.

• Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.

• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn

• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Race Guide. © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock,Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, and Russ Taylor.

• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

• Psionics Unleashed. Copyright 2010, Dreamscarred Press.

• Little Red Goblin Games Racial Guide 2.5: Halfbreeds and Hybrids 2014, Little Red Goblin Games LLC, Authors: Caleb Aylsworth, Jeremiah Zerby, Christos Gurd, Scott Gladstein, Stewart Hall, Nick Esposito, Jason “Mikaze” Garrett, and Sarah Counts