Vanir

**Physical Description:** Vanir means similar in the old tongue, and despite the bestial appearance of all Vanir tribes, there are striking similarities with the races of man. The mostly white furred races of the Vanir are bipedal, with vaguley human faces. Their faces are misshapen faces of men, warped into the resemblance of beasts. Five tribes exist; The Fellan, the Mangrim, the Gaspar, the Woeliath . They are noted to have such features like hind legs, tails, and qualities such as deadly teeth, claws, and sometimes horns. Their skin is black, but their fur is noted to be in shades of brown to white.

**Society:** Vanir society is scarce. For the most part, they are minor tribes that dot lands of Northren. There are five major tribes that are particularly segregated from each-other. This mostly stems from their preference of terrain and hunting grounds, if they have any. Their permanent residences are usually less than towns, and their permanent structures often times simple tents. More advanced tribes have a few carved structures or cabins, but the impermanence that the destructive weather brings means they are more inclined towards temporary structures. Many more tribes have taken residence in ancient ruins, or abandoned dwarven structures. As such many cultural nuances tended to be borrowed from dead countries.

All five Vanir races suffer from the malblood curse. Their newborns are likely to have abnormalities and deformities that make it difficult or sometimes impossible to survive. To a Vanir, life is precious and the taking of a life is a heavy affair, it is both the ultimate insult, and the greatest mercy. However, they also view strong genetics, and fertility in high regards, and survival of the fittest to be an aspect of life. There is a terrible tradition in the Vanir tribes. A newborn who will not survive the future are given a swift death. All five tribes share this solemn practice but the methods are different. Those that survive even their first years are greatly cared for and protected.

The Vanir were once hunted as monsters by the ancient Gerons who colonized northren. In the hunts they were nearly wiped out, and even now some hold a grudge against the Geron. However, they have little time to focus on grudges, as their time is spent solely towards survival.

**Adventurers:** The varied tribes of the Vanir make a wide array of adventurers. Seldom shunned from society, it is often a conscious decision to stay far away from the societies of Northren.

## Vanir Tribes

### **Standard Racial Traits: The Fellan**

A preference to the forests and the plains, these creatures posses vaguely feline qualities. Large manes sprout from their necks, and pointed ears protrude from the sides of their heads. They are wandering nomads that travel by foot with whatever pack beasts they have.

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 Dex, +2 wis, -2 int
* **Size** Medium
* **Base Speed** 40 ft
* **Languages** Common, Fellan Cant
* **Claws:** Gain 1d4 racial natural claw attack
* **Low Light Vision**
* **Hunters Senses:** +2 to survival, perception, and stealth rolls
* **Grace:** Advantage on acrobatics checks to avoid falling and tripping, and +2 on reflex saves.
* **Natural Sprinter:** Gain 10 feet on land speed when charging and running.
* **Scent**

**Alternate Traits:**

* **Snow Plains Survivalist:** Attuned to the plains as a guide and a scout. Gain +2 on survival checks and +4 on saves to avoid the cold and exhaustion. This replaces hunter senses.
* **Hunter Savant:** Gain +2 to survial checks, and gain a once per day cast of tracking mark. The trails of the hunted appear as clearly as red twine. This replaces hunter senses.
* **Mutant:** See chart. replaces grace, natural sprinter claws or scent.
* **Yeo-beast:** Gain proficiency with long-bows and short bows. Gain stabbing shot as a bonus feat. This replaces claws trait.
* **Man Hunter:** Defends the tribe against invaders. Spurned by a racial hatred, this creature gains a +2 to hit and damage against any Liggen Race (Humans). This trait replaces hunter senses.

### **Standard Racial Traits: The Mangrim**

A preference to mountain dwellings, these hairy beasts were once confused with mountain trolls. They are powerfully built, hulking masses, that can survive the highest and coldest climates. They have flat faces, and human-like ears. They prefer to make homes on low mountain summits or in caves surrounding mountains. Like most Vanir they tend to keep a distance from Geron cities, but are known to be more reliant on their goods and products than the other tribes so it not uncommon to find a small tribe of Mangrim near a settlement.

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 str +2 con, -2 cha
* **Size** Medium
* **Base Speed** 20 ft, Slow and steady, is not encumbered by armor.
* **Languages** Common, Mangrim Cant
* **Natural Armor Bonus:** +2 natural armor from thick skin and fur.
* **Low-Light Vision**
* **A weapon in hand:** Any item wielded can be used as an improvised weapon without penalty.
* **Improved Strength:** +2 strength
* **Tight Grip:** +2 to climb checks, +2 against disarm attempts and cannot be disarmed on a failed disarm check. Has advantage on climb checks.
* **Sky Dwellers:** Considered acclimated to high altitude. +4 to saves against the cold.
* **Natural 1d6 slam attack**

**Alternate Racial Traits:**

* **Mutant:** See chart. replaces tight grip, a weapon in hand, natural armor bonus, or improved strength.

### **Standard Racial Traits: The Gaspar**

They prefer to make homes at the highest summits of the mountains. They make permanent homes, and are entirely self reliant. The often posses cloven feet and horned heads. Demon and devil imagery is often associated with this tribe despite their peaceful ways and absolute solitude from normal societies.

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 Int, +2 con -2 wis
* **Size** Medium
* **Base Speed** 30 ft
* **Languages** Common, Gaspar Cant
* **Natural** **Mountaineers:** +4 to acrobatics checks. Considered acclimated to high altitude.
* **Climb Speed:** 15 ft
* **Sky Dwellers:** Considered acclimated to high altitude. +4 to saves against the cold.
* **Gore Attack:** 1d4 natural gore attack.
* **Iron Stomach:** +1 fortitude saves, can gain sustenance from items considered trash, or items without a nutritious value.
* **Mountain Magic:** Increase caster level by 2 when determining the duration of spells.

**Alternate traits:**

* **Eldritch Magic:** Creatures summoned a Gaspar are called from the realm of dreams. They are strangely shaped and twisted by chaos. When they summon a creature via summon monster or planar ally they gain the feat versatile summon monster even if they don't meet the prerequisites. This replaces mountain magic.
* **Monastery Toiling:** Gain a single profession or craft score, this check gains a +2. The profession skill makes 1/2 extra the money when making the check, and the crafter can reduce the crafting time of an object as if they had increased the DC of the item by 1/2 their character level; they do not need to make the new DC, only the DC of the original item.
* **Mutant:** See chart. replaces Iron stomach, Mountain magic, climb speed, or natural mountaineers.

### **Standard Racial Traits: The Woeliath**

The woeliath are another nomadic plains people. They are often at odds with the fellan, and often compete for land and resources. The woeliath are the most aggressive of the Vanir tribes, and the most likely to be bandits and raiders. They are adept horsemen and spear fighters. The woeliath were once mistaken for were werewolves, but their forms are far smaller and leaner than that of a werewolf, and their faces share too much semblance of a mans to be a wolfs.

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 str, +2 cha, -2 int
* **Size** medium
* **Base Speed** 30 ft
* **Languages** Common, Woelith Cant
* **Prowlers:** Gains 5 feet of movement speed when stealthed. +2 to stealth checks.
* **Low Form:** Does not suffer an attack penalty for being prone, moves at half speed when prone instead of at a fourth speed.
* **Low-Light Vision**
* **Natural 1d4 Bite attack**
* **Drag Down:** +2 on trip attempts
* **Eye for Talent:** Woeliath have great intuition for hidden potential. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character’s choice.

**Alternate traits:**

* **Soul Drink**: Whenever a Woeliath successfully performs a coup de grace on an unconscious opponent, they heal for a number of points equal to the HD of the slain enemy. They can do this a number of times per day equal to cha modifier. This replaces eye for talent.
* **Snow Strider**: Gain +2 to acrobatics, and ignore 5 feet of difficult terrain when moving. Gain +4 to saves to avoid effects of the cold and exhaustion. This replaces prowler.
* **Hunter-Killer Form:** Proficient at hunting and destroying the clans prey. Gain +2 to survival, and weapon focus (spear of choice). This replaces Low form.
* **Horse Lord:** A Woeliath rider can spur his mount into a frenzy. When charging and double moving a Woliath rider can force the mount to move 10 feet faster than normal. Additionally they gain a +2 to any check to prevent a forced dismounting. This replaces prowlers.
* **Man Hunter:** Defends the tribe against invaders. Spurned by a racial hatred, this creature gains a +2 to hit and damage against any Liggen Race (Humans). This trait replaces hunter senses.
* **Mutant:** See chart. replaces low form, prowlers, eye for talent, drag down or natural bite attack.

### **Standard Racial Traits: The Bainymir**

The bainymir are river dwelling tribes, and because of this they almost always accompany a Geron town or city. They are the most well liked and respected of the Vanir as they have aided the inhabitants of Northren in several wars. They are naturally built fighters- bulky strong and healthy, and their tribe teaches the use of modern weaponry. Their demeanor calm and patient, but it is often mistaken as slow and lethargic. The tribes are proficient at building river craft, and spend much of their time on the rivers, often selling their goods at river towns. They are bulky people covered in fur, and quite significantly taller than other vanir tribes. They do not possess the hind legs and tails of the other tribes, and have been described as ursine in nature.

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 str, +2 con, -2 dex
* **Size** Medium
* **Base Speed** 30 ft
* **Languages** Common, Bainymir Cant
* **Sturdy:** Ursines gain a +2 racial bonus to CMD vs. bull rush, overrun, and trip attempts made against them while standing on the ground.
* **Low-Light Vision**
* **Natural Attacks:** Claw and bite attacks.
* **River Rider:** +2 on swim checks, +2 profession sailor or fisherman, both skills are trained class skills.

**Alternate Traits:**

* **War Ties:** You are an expert laborer in wartime, a flexible weapons user, and a capable combatant at close range. Choose one opponent during combat within close range (25 feet plus 5 feet per class level), and receive a +1 racial bonus to attack and damage rolls against that creature for 3 rounds, usable once per day. Choose any martial or exotic weapon (light, one-handed, two-handed, or ranged)—you are proficient with this weapons. Additionally, you gain a +2 racial bonus to any one Craft and one Profession skill for a specialty useful during wartime (Crafts such as armor, ships, and leather, and Professions such as cook, medic, and messenger work well, but basket-weaving or jewelry Crafts, and dancer or florist Professions do not); you always treat one of these skills as a class skill (choose one). This replaces River Rider.
* **Tribe Warrior:** Gain +1 natural armor bonus. Gain proficiency with halberd, and gain weapon focus and weapon versatility with this weapon. It is after all, the most versatile weapon ever invented. This replaces natural attacks.
* **Mutant:** See chart. replaces natural attacks, sturdy, or river rider.

### Racial Power:

**Volatile blood:** As a swift action heal a single hit point. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to character level+con.

### Racial Drawback:

All Vanir have strange physiology that is not well suited to common clothes and armor. Creating armor for any Vanir costs 20% extra, and they cannot wear conventional shoes or other items that would conflict with their physiology. A Vanir crafter can craft specific gear without this penalty.

### Mutations

I'm too lazy to make the whole chart here. Go here, roll or select a mutation, and select a number of drawbacks that equal the MP worth of the mutation. Run all mutations by me first.