Xeph

Known for their fleetness of foot and natural agility, xephs have a quick wit and the ability to find humor in nearly anything. This disposition can result in others viewing them as carefree or whimsical, but in truth, there is a deep philosophy behind their world view. To a xeph, the world is what you perceive, and their preference is to perceive it in a fun or humorous way, rather than as a morose place. Xephs are known for creating pieces of art of subtle beauty, and their racial homeland is said to be a great rift in the ground, where forests grow and the xephs thrive, using their ability to generate intense bursts of speed to travel the world.

## Physical description

 (4'8" + 2d10 in)
 Female
 (4'4" + 2d10 in)

Standing about a hand shorter than a standard human, with males typically taller and heavier than females, xephs have deep olive or brown skin and pupil-less, amber-yellow eyes. While some find their lack of pupils unnerving, there is something about their attitude and world view that win over most people if given the opportunity. Most xephs prefer to fashion their dark black hair into a long braid. Xeph facial features have a tendency to be more angular and elongated than other humanoids, which along with their eyes, gives them a distinct look.

## Society

Age
 Intuitive
 Self-taught
 Trained
 Middle age

The xephs tend toward creating tightly-knit societies, often small in size and unassuming. When a xeph doesn’t feel at home, they are encouraged to find their ‘home of the heart’ in the wider world, or helped to integrate better with the village. Most xeph societies tend to be ruled by community consensus and on giving the xeph time to define their own life and world. Many find joy in the simplest of manual labors, often preferring to shy away from more advanced tools, loving what they see as a more in-touch experience. Craftsmen extraordinaire, the xephs enjoy creating, preferably with others, which means that their crafts are often sought by traders and merchants, providing the villages with sufficient resources that cannot be easily found or created by the xephs.

### Relations

Xephs tend to get along better with humans, gnomes, and halflings, much because they tend to share a positive outlook on the world. They share a love of artwork and craftsmanship with elves and dwarves, meaning they generally also get along with them. Elans unnerve most xephs, as if they can feel that something is wrong with elans, while they find the strange logic of the dromite and maenad societies to be confusing. Half-orcs and half-giants tend to grate on xephs, with their war-like ways and brusque behavior.

### Alignment and religion

Tending more towards a unifying philosophy rather than a true religion, xephs believe that what one individual views as a god, another manifests in their life as a philosophy. As a result, xephs tend to be accepting of others’ religions, even if they do not themselves believe the same. Xephs tend to be good, with the race as a whole tending toward chaotic.

### Adventurers

Learning more about the world is a way to learn about the self to a xeph, and thus a journey is as much spiritual and internal as physical and external. Adventuring is exploring the mind, challenging morals, and defining who you are. Many don’t catch onto this metaphysical and philosophical aspect of adventuring for xephs, and instead view them as jovial or humorous, even when faced with adversity.

### Names

* Male Names Idrian, Earon, Ubiel, Ivraham, Yli, Ylijah, Alish, Ormak.
* Female Names Uda, Udiva, Ymira, Hadyri, Chyrmona, Nyri, Nerith.

## Traits

### Standard racial traits

* **Ability Score Modifiers:** Xephs are quick and outgoing, but not very strong. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, but suffer –2 Strength
* **Size:** Xephs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* **Type:** Xephs are of the humanoid (xeph) type.
* **Speed:** Xephs have a base speed of 30 feet.
* **Languages:** Xephs begin play speaking Hapanui and Xeph. Xephs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, and Goblin. See the language page for more information on these languages.

### Other racial traits

* **Burst (Su):** Three times per day as a swift action, a xeph can put on a burst of speed to increase his speed by 10 feet, plus 10 feet per four character levels beyond 1st, to a maximum increase of 30 feet at 9th character level and higher. These bursts of speed are considered a competence bonus to the xeph’s base speed. A burst of speed lasts 3 rounds.
* **Darkvision:** Xephs have darkvision 60 ft.
* **Innate Resistance:** Xephs receive a +1 racial bonus on saving throws against powers, spells, and spell-like effects.
* **Naturally Psionic:** Xephs gain the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If a xeph takes levels in a psionic class, he instead gains the Psionic Talent feat.
* **Psionic Aptitude:** When a xeph takes a level in a favored class, he can choose to gain an additional power point instead of a hit point or skill point.

### Alternate racial traits

* **Bladeborn:** Although most xephs are quick on their feet, some are lightning fast with their hands. A xeph with this racial trait gains the Quick Draw and Weapon Proficiency (Xephyr Knife) feats as bonus feats. This trait replaces the Burst trait.
* **Call Blade:** Xephs are perhaps the race that most commonly chooses the path of the soulknife. Some xephs have an innate tie to summoning a weapon from thin air. A xeph with this racial trait gains the ability to use call weaponry as a psi-like ability once per day with a manifester level equal to the xeph’s character level. This trait replaces one daily use of the Burst trait and can be taken multiple times. Each time, it replaces one daily use of the Burst trait and increases the daily uses of the call weaponry psi-like ability by one.
* **Explorer:** Many xephs prefer to travel the world rather than to settle down. Xephs with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on Knowledge (geography) and Survival checks. When manifesting psychoportation powers that only effect willing creatures or have a range of personal, xephs treat their manifester level as +1 higher than normal. This racial trait replaces one daily use of the Burst trait and the Innate Resistance racial traits.
* **Quick Craftsman (Ex):** Some xephs are swifter with their hands than their feet. A xeph with this trait reduces the time required for all item creation (whether via skill or feat) by half. This trait replaces two daily uses of the Burst trait.
* **Troubadour:** Most xephs are charismatic and natural entertainers. Xephs with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Perform checks and, if they fail a Diplomacy check to change a creature’s attitude by less than 5, they can try to influence the creature a second time even if 24 hours have not passed. This trait replaces the Innate Resistance trait.
* **Windweaver:** Fleet of foot and nimble, some xephs are more adept at avoiding physical dangers rather than psionic ones. A xeph with this racial trait gains a +1 dodge bonus to his armor class. This trait replaces the Innate Resistance trait.

## Favored class options

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, xephs have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to all xephs who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

* Barbarian: Add +1 to the xeph’s base speed.
* Bard: Add 1 to the xeph’s total number of bardic performance rounds per day.
* Cryptic: Add +1 to the xeph’s saving throws and AC against traps.
* Monk: Add +1 to the xeph’s base speed.
* Psion: Add +1/2 to the xeph’s saving throw against psychoportation powers or effects.
* Rogue: Add +1 to the xeph’s saving throws and AC against traps.
* Soulknife: Add +1 to the xeph’s base speed.
* Tactician : Add +1/3 to the tactician’s saving throws versus mind-affecting effects.
* Vitalist: Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks when manifesting vitalist powers.