Theck

Theck

At first glance, thecks are man-sized, four-eyed, emaciated-looking creatures with the wide bills of omnivores, but they are far more than that. Thecks reached spiritual enlightenment and ascended to a higher plane of existence hundreds of years ago. Now, the only thecks who walk the world are the young, who walk a path towards spiritual enlightenment and the shedding of their bodies.

Though simple and not technologically advanced, thecks focused on the expansion of their own minds and spirits through introspection and self-improvement. Their simple lifestyles never developed beyond a simple fishing society, and they never became a power in their own right. They habitually partake in a psychotropic berry-paste known as “smear.” Smear gives them visions that they spend time interpreting, and as a pastime, they like to debate their interpretations.

When it is time to ascend, something a theck instinctively knows, he enters a meditative trance for twenty days and twenty nights where he recites a mantra known as the “theckian calling.” Upon the completion of the ritual, his consciousness leaves his physical form and ascends to exist as pure thought-energy on a higher plane of existence. The act of ascension is known as “achieving yomok.” Yomok is the word for eternal life (and also for the concept of infinity), and a theck who ascends becomes known as a yomok. Yomoks often guide creatures (of any race) seeking enlightenment via astral projection, revelation, or other forms of divine inspiration.

The age a theck achieves yomok varies greatly but is typically between 25 and 50. There is an adage that says the longer achieving yomok takes, the greater the soul; so those who take a while are simply greater than those who can transition easily. There are some cases of thecks not achieving yomok. While it is rare, some choose not to seek enlightenment and decide to reject the theck culture. These self-exiles, known as “detek”, are not hated by other theck but simply ignored. Those with a wicked soul or those who are unable to learn how to ascend simply live their lives as thecks. Such souls, when they die, are said to be reborn as the fish the next generation will feed on.

Physically, thecks stand 5’2”-5’7” and weigh between 80 and 110 lbs. with little variance between genders. They have wide, deeply sloping shoulders; angular features; exposed hip bones; and a slightly hunched stance. Their torsos are proportionally larger than humans and are quite flexible. They have hairy manes on their backs that run along their spines, but the current fashion is to crop it short and braid it in tight little tufts (much in the style of a show horse).

Their ancestors were semi-aquatic, living along riverbanks, living off the bounty that surrounded it, and scooping fish from the water. It is for this reason that they still have slight webbing between their fingers and toes. Their skin has a dusty reddish, a pale blue, or even a warm yellow coloration to it depending on the theck’s region of origin. Deteks (the exiles) typically brand themselves between their top eyes to show their rejection of societal norms. Those that have achieved yomok are always depicted as having white eyes and speaking in an echoing voices.

In terms of personality, thecks are characterized as shy and reclusive. They are quiet, with even the “loud” ones speaking infrequently. When they do speak, they have soft voices that do not carry very far but are pleasing to hear. They exemplify “turn the other cheek” in terms of their lifestyles and often live in spartan fashion.

Thecks do not worship deities, focusing on their own self-enlightenment. Theck clerics worship ideas in place of gods, and this has caused the thecks to be the target of persecution by theocratic societies.

## Racial Traits

* Ability Score Racial Traits (0): Thecks are slight (often appearing anorexic by human standards) but wise and quite dexterous. Theck characters get +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Constitution.
* Size (0): Theck are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Type (0): Thecks are humanoids with the theck subtype.
* Base Speed (0): Thecks have a base speed of 30 feet.
* Languages (1): Thecks begin play speaking Common. Thecks with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
* Webbing (1): Thecks gain a +2 racial bonus on Swim checks.
* Enlightened Diplomacy (1): Thecks gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks to disarm a situation or come to a peaceful resolution.
* Theological Bloodline (2): Thecks gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks and always treat it as as a class skill.
* Keen Senses (2): Thecks receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
* Shards of Yomok (2): Once per day, a theck can attempt to contact his yomok ancestors. This allows the theck to cast augury as a spell-like ability using his character level as his caster level.
* Peaceful (2): Thecks suffers no penalty when trying to deal damage non-lethally.

Racial Points: 11

## Alternate Racial Traits

* Naturally Psionic (2 RP): Thecks gain the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If a theck takes levels in a psionic class, he instead gains the Psionic Talent feat. This replaces the theological bloodline racial trait.
* Detek (2 RP): A detek is a theck who has abandoned the path to achieving yomok. Deteks gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Stealth checks, as well as a +2 bonus on Survival checks in swamp or water terrains. This replaces the enlightened diplomacy, and theological bloodline racial traits.

# Alternate Favored Class Bonuses

## Random Thecks Starting Ages

(16-19) | +1d6
(16-21) | +2d6

1 This category includes barbarians, oracles, rogues, and sorcerers.

2 This category includes bards, cavaliers, fighters, gunslingers, paladins, rangers, summoners, and witches.

3 This category includes alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, magi, monks, and wizards.

## Random Theck Height and Weight

(5’2-5’7) | 80 | +3d10 lbs
(5’1-5’4) | 70 | +3d10 lbs

## Section 15 OGL Copyright Declaration:

• 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.

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• 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 Ultimate Combat. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Brian J. Cortijo, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Richard A. Hunt, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.

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• 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 Advanced Class Guide © 2014, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Ross Byers, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Jason Bulmahn, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, Jonathan H. Keith, Will McCardell, Dale C. McCoy, Jr., Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K Reynolds, Tork Shaw, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.

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