Amundsen

This race of flightless avian humanoids first found near the boreal circles, already having established a more than advanced society in terms of mercantile development, far surpassing the pseudo tribal make up of their general society. In worlds they find themselves, the admussen more than often find themselves easily mingling with the top echelons of other societies, a lot of the time a few steps ahead of their peer, for once you know somethings is fowl, it likely is too late to counteract their machinations. It is often speculated that their forms evolved naturally to emulate the tuxedo… or perhaps we unknowingly emulated the form from them.

PSA: they do have pseudo thumbs at the flippers, don’t worry about that.

## Standard Racial Traits

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** The Amundsen have brilliant minds, and bodies ready to live in one of the most harsh climates in the world, but their structure doesn’t give way for heavy lifting. As a result, they gain a +2 to Intelligence and Constitution, but take a -2 to Strength.
* **Size:** Amundsen are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
* **Type:** Amundsen are Humanoids with the Amundsen subtype.
* **Base Speed:** Amundsen have a base speed of 20 ft. They also have a 30 ft Swim speed and as such they do not have to make a swim check in order to swim under normal circumstances. They have a +8 racial bonus to swim checks to perform a special action or avoid a hazard.
* **Languages:** Amundsen begins play with Common and Amundsen. Amundsen with high Intelligence can choose any language they want. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

### Defense Racial Traits

●    Polar Denizen: Amundsen are accustomed to one of the harshest climates, those of one of the poles. Amundsen are immune to environmental damage from cold and extreme cold weather, and never need to make checks regarding them.

### Feats and Skills Racial Traits

* **Civilizational Instincts**: Amundsen gain a +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Appraise.
* **Integrated:**  Amundsen gain a +1 bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Knowledge (local) checks.
* **Mercantile Cognition (2 RP):** The Amundsen may use Appraise instead of the usual skill, to identify and know details of any object with a price attached to it, after passing a first appraise check to know it’s price. This does not let them use Appraise to identify Constructs with a creation cost or objects that don’t have a clear delineated cost, such as artifacts and they need not use Detect Magic to use this ability.

### Magical Racial Traits

* **Cold Blade:** Amundsen always carry a bit of their homeland with them, in the form of a blade that will remind those opposing them of what harshness really is. Amundsen may cast Icicle Dagger as a spell-like ability once per day. Using their character level as their caster level and are always proficient with the dagger created.

### Movement Racial Traits

* **Toboggan:** On snow- or ice-covered terrain, a Amundsen may count their base movement speed as twice higher, by sliding on its belly rather than walking.

### Offense Racial Traits

* **Peck:** Amundsen gains a natural bite attack, dealing 1d3 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the amundsen is wielding manufactured weapons.

### Other Racial Traits

* **Hold Breath:** Amundsen can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating.

## Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above.

##### Replaces Ability Scores, Size

* **Emperor:** At times, larger Amundsen are born, sporting odd crests like parts on their face. Colloquially nicknamed the Emperor cast, these Amundsen often take roles as faces for their brethren, though despite their name, seldom ever take on leadership roles of importance, and when they do, they are often being manipulated by their smaller counterparts. The Emperor Amundsen have a +2 bonus Constitution and Charisma but have a -2 to Intelligence. Emperor Amundsen are also medium creatures. This racial trait modifies the base Amundsen’s ability scores and size.

##### Replaces Civilizational Instincts

* **Scoundrel:** These Admundsen have a special way to draw themselves out of attention. Amundsen with this trait gains a +2 racial bonus to Stealth and Sleight of Hand. This ability replaces Civilizational Instincts.

##### Replaces Mercantile Cognition

* **True Cold** Amundsen with this trait gain a +1 racial bonus on damage rolls for spells with the ice descriptor. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 character levels the Amundsen has beyond 1st. This ability replaces Mercantile Cognition.

## Age, Height and Weight

Table: Amundsen Starting Ages:

 12

Table: Aging Effects:

 30

Table: Height and Weight

 Male
(2 ft. 6 in.–3 ft. 4 in.)
 Female
(2 ft. 2 in.–2 ft. 8 in.)
(74 – 92 lbs.)

## Racial Feats

The following feats are available to a Amundsen character who meets the prerequisites.

* **Dagger of True Ice (Amundsen)**
	+ **Prerequisite(s):** Cold Blade Racial Trait
	+ **BENEFIT**: They may now cast Icicle Dagger as an at-will spell, and any uses of the spell no longer have a duration, only expiring when the dagger isn’t on their hand at the end of the turn.
* **The World is a Slide (Amundsen)**
	+ **Prerequisite(s):** Toboggan Racial Trait
	+ **BENEFIT**: Amundsen with this feat may use their Toboggan Racial Trait on any terrain for a number of rounds per day equal to half their character level + their constitution modifier.

## Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

* **Black Mage**: Add +1/2 point of ice damage to spells that deal ice damage cast by the black mage.
* **Chemist**: Gain +1/6 of a new discovery.
* **Freelancer:** Yuke: Add +1/6 to gain a new exploration-type freelancery.
* **Gambler:** Add +1/2 to Sleight of Hands skill checks.
* **Gunner:** Add +1/4 to the dodge bonus to AC granted by the nimble class feature (maximum +4).
* **Medic:** Gain +1/6 of an additional 1d6 points of surgical precision damage.
* **Ninja:** Add a +1 bonus to attack rolls when attacking on or charging from higher ground.
* **Thief:** Add a +1/2 bonus on Appraise checks.

An ffd20 Race by Ask (Knight Dude).