Ganzi

## Overview

Ganzi are mortals who experience the influence of a protean on their ancestry, at their birth, or during their time in the womb. As descendants of the ever-varied servitor race of Petya Naumov, ganzi are expected to share their patron's wanderlust and curiosity and have a reputation as being wild, either cursed or blessed with great chaotic power. In reality, while ganzi are indeed unpredictable and have an irrepressible need to stand out and make themselves known, they take after their parents' culture in most other respects. Even in societies where the greater good prevails over individuality, ganzi enjoy leading the charge and attempting to direct the course of the society towards what seems to be the best route - unfortunately, this sometimes results in the ganzi's unique identity and views being misunderstood as selfishness or hunger for power. In an ironic twist, these ganzi usually end up exiled, following in the path of Petya Naumov unwillingly, although the freedom and independence of the open road - especially when shared with other ganzi - quickly becomes more natural to them than anything else in the world.

## Mechanics

### Standard Racial Traits

* **Ability Score Modifiers:** Ganzis are passionate, creative, and resilient, but they have difficulty focusing on intellectual pursuits. They gain +2 Constitution and Charisma, but suffer –2 to Intelligence.
* **Type:** Ganzi are outsiders with the native subtype.
* **Size:** Ganzis are Medium creatures and have no bonuses of penalties due to their size.
* **Speed:** Ganzis have a base speed of 30 feet
* **Languages:** Ganzis begin play speaking one of the following: Abyssal, Celestial, or Protean. Ganzis with high Intelligence scores can select any of those languages as bonus languages, along with Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Sylvan, or Terran.

### Defense Racial Traits

* **Maelstrom Resistance**: Ganzis have acid resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and sonic resistance 5, and they gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells of the polymorph subschool.

### Feat and Skill Racial Traits

* **Skilled**: Ganzis gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive and Survival checks.

### Senses Racial Traits

* **Darkvision:** Ganzis have darkvision 60 feet.

## Ganzi Oddity

All ganzis have a distinct and unusual oddity that manifests as a physical or magical ability that sets the ganzi apart. Typically, a ganzi’s oddity is chosen from the most common manifestations of entropy listed below, but other, more unique oddities can certainly exist. The numbers listed for each option can be used to randomly determine what form of ganzi oddity a particular Ganzi might have, at the GM’s option, but the quibble ability is the most common.

**1–2: Personal Champion (Su)** The ganzi can smite loyalty once per day as a swift action, targeting a foe whose loyalties are directly contradictory to her highest loyalty. She adds her Charisma modifier as a bonus on attack rolls and gains a bonus on damage rolls equal to her Hit Dice. Once activated, smite law persists until the target is dead or the ganzi rests, whichever comes first.

**3–4: Entropic Flesh (Ex)** Ganzis unpredictable nature allows them resistance to forced transformation. In addition to gaining a +2 bonus on Escape Artist checks and to CMD against grapple combat maneuvers, when such ganzis are affected by a hostile transmutation effect (such as polymorphing or petrification), they can attempt a new saving throw at the start of their next turn to end the effect. They gain a +4 bonus on this second saving throw, but if they fail, the transmutation effect persists as long as it normally would.

**5–6: Prehensile Tail (Ex)** Ganzis often have colorful feathers, scales, or skin, and a long serpentine tail. This tail can be used to carry items. While ganzis with this oddity cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use their tails to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.

**7–14: Quibble (Su)** Once per day as an immediate action, a ganzi can twist probability and alter the luck of a single creature within 20 feet, forcing it to reroll a single d20 roll it has just made. The target must take the second result, even if it is worse. A ganzi can use this ability after the target has rolled but must use it before the GM declares whether the roll was a success or failure. Unwilling creatures can resist a ganzi’s quibble with a successful Will save (DC = 10 + half the ganzi’s level + the ganzi’s Charisma modifier). This is a curse effect.

**15–18: Spell-Like Ability (Sp)** Ganzis may manifest an oddity that duplicates the effects of a specific spell. Such ganzis gain one of the following spell-like abilities, usable once per day at a caster level equal to the ganzi’s HD: alter self, blur, detect thoughts, hideous laughter, minor image, shatter, or spider climb.

**19–20: Weaponplay (Ex)** Ganzis randomly may hold great skill in combat. Such ganzis are always proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and they can qualify for feats normally available only to fighters (such as Weapon Specialization) even if they don’t have any fighter class levels.

### Expanded Oddities

Ganzis each have an unusual but defining feature—referred to as an oddity—that sets them apart from other races and even from other members of their own race. These oddities vary wildly from ganzi to ganzi, and they can manifest as physical features, such as feathers, scales, or a tail, or as more subtle magical abilities. At the GM’s discretion, players with ganzi characters can roll 1d20 to randomly determine what form their characters’ oddities take using the list below.

**1–3**: Amorphous Limbs (Su) Ganzi’s may possess the ability to transform one of their limbs at will, often into a natural weapon such as a massive clawed arm. Every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a ganzi can transform one of their limbs into a natural melee weapon that deals 1d6 points of damage. The transformation lasts until the beginning of the ganzi’s next turn. The damage dealt by this natural weapon can be lethal or nonlethal, at the ganzi’s discretion, and she chooses whether the damage type is bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.

**4–6**: Ink (Ex) As a standard action, the ganzi can spit a stream of opaque, black ink from her mouth to a distance of up to 20 feet. The ganzi can target either a creature or a square on the ground, each with different effects, as detailed below. The ganzi can use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every 4 Hit Dice she has. Creature: The ganzi shoots a stream of ink into a creature’s eyes as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 feet. If the ganzi hits, the target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + half the ganzi’s Hit Dice + the ganzi’s Constitution modifier) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. Ground: The ganzi spits the ink into a single square on the ground within 30 feet, which becomes slippery for 1d6 rounds. Any creatures entering the square must succeed at a Reflex save (DC = 10 + half the ganzi’s Hit Dice + the ganzi’s Constitution modifier) or fall prone.

**7–10**: Racing Mind (Ex) The ganzi’s churning vortex of thoughts bolsters it against mental attacks, granting the ganzi a +2 bonus on Will saves against mind-affecting effects.

**11–13**: Spell-Like Ability (Sp) Ganzis may manifest an oddity that duplicates the effects of a specific spell. Such a ganzi gains one of the following spell-like abilities, which can be used once per day with a caster level equal to the ganzi’s HD: acid arrow, gust of wind, mirror image, resist energy, scorching ray, see invisibility, or warp wood.

**14–16**: Uncanny Aura (Su) Once per day as a standard action, such a ganzi can activate an uncanny aura; enemies within 30 feet must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC = 10 + half the ganzi’s Hit Dice + the ganzi’s Charisma modifier) or become frightened until the beginning of the ganzi’s next turn. The aura remains for a number of rounds equal to the ganzi’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1 round). Once a creature has been affected by an uncanny aura, whether it failed its save or not, it cannot be affected again for 24 hours.

**17–18**: Vestigial Wings (Ex) The ganzi has a pair of small, vestigial wings, likely but not limited to resembling those of a flying creature or some manner of construct. Though these appendages do not grant flight, these ganzis can use their wings to stabilize themselves when they’re thrown off balance. Such ganzis gain a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws and a +2 bonus on Acrobatics checks to balance.

**19–20**: Void Touch (Su) Three times per day when such a ganzi hits a creature with a melee attack, the ganzi can deliver a burst of chaos to that creature as a free action. The target must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + half the ganzi’s Hit Dice + the ganzi’s Constitution modifier) or be confused for 1 round.

## Society

In ganzi culture, everyone is expected to be different, and markedly so. Similarities and commonalities are sources of discontent and bitterness, rather than being potential friendships, as in other cultures. As such, ganzi societies tend to be a microcosm of many lands as the inhabitants each seek their own completely unique lifestyle, taking inspiration from their past experiences and any stories or news of the wider world. The larger a ganzi settlement is, the more outlandish and esoteric its members will be in order to avoid violating any boundaries. It will also be that much more vibrant, as ganzi find that expressing their own individuality not only helps define who they are, but the immense variety among different members of their society also allows them to learn about different lifestyles and viewpoints with ease. Although there's no guarantee that they will agree with any other ganzi, the race's instinctual hatred of authority means that any attempt to limit another's self-expression will be shot down before it's even begun.

## Religion

Ganzi are expected to take after and worship Petya Naumov, but very few actually do so. Most ganzi instead pay homage to Vicenta Salcedo, who champions the uniqueness that ganzi aspire to, and Zhihao Jin, who encourages invention when nothing currently in existence seems to fit one's tastes. They also find Nothing Left of Quibatus' Apparition worthy of reverence. A fair number of ganzi also worship Alessandra Juntoso and Pahala Kadam, finding that the circumstances created by disease and war allow for individual talents to come to the fore, distinguishing people even as others fall. Jolein Composed of Desire's Apparition occupies an important part of any large ganzi settlement, as keeping secrets from one another allows them to hold the same values and behaviors without insult.

## Relations

Ganzi share too much in common with aasimar, aphorites, and tieflings to ever be truly comfortable around them, and have a notable dislike of aphorites due to their apparent similarity with each other. On the other hand, angelkin and emberkin aasimar have very divergent behaviors from other types of their race, and ganzi often enjoy playing with and working alongside them.

Changelings find ganzi to be over-friendly at best and fetishizing at worst, and the gloomy dhampir rarely tolerate ganzi long enough to be ostracized by them.

Drelmans, parmans, gnomes, and halflings value ganzi for their irrepressible personality and their amusing antics, and the opinions are often mutual - except for parmans, who the ganzi find to be condescending and authoritative even in their most innocent moments.

Ganzi and drow come from worlds too different to ever understand each other, but they make excellent acquaintances and coworkers, if not friends.

The duergar find ganzi unpleasant enough to cause physical revulsion, and although dwarves often welcome ganzi, the chaotic race finds both types of dwarves unnervingly ordinary and difficult to tell apart.

Elves and ifrits enjoy the company of ganzi, but find them more entertainment pieces than actual people.

Fetchlings envy the ganzi for their divine heritage, and after getting to know them, dislike them even more for their quick appropriation of cultures that they hardly understand.

Ghorans unused to the fast pace of other races' lives are often confused and bewildered by ganzi, but those that are better equipped tend to befriend ganzi for life - the slight personality changes with each self-reincarnation of a ghoran are something that ganzi find incredibly endearing.

Grippli are usually a curious, reliable audience for ganzi shenanigans, while lizardfolk simply find their need for attention to be incessant and annoying.

Kobolds and suli both irk ganzi with their holier-than-thou mannerisms, and they tend to avoid each other for this reason.

Hobgoblins and nagaji find ganzi to be sources of frustration as friends and allies, but enjoy the novel ideas and luck that comes with having a ganzi leading them.

Kitsune and ganzi are often the best of friends as they constantly seek to outwit, outmaneuver, and out-astonish the other in a daily cycle, although the kitsune's relatively short lifespan makes such relationships tragic in the end.

Orcs have no respect for any ganzi whose uniqueness leads them to neglect combat prowess, but otherwise see them - as ganzi desire all along - as individuals.

Oreads and ratfolk tend to consider ganzi rabblerousers and nitpickers who exist only to cause problems in otherwise perfectly functional situations.

Undine, regardless of their actual feelings, come off as standoffish and rude to ganzi who first meet them, but this only propels the gregarious ganzi to try ever harder to get into their good graces, which many ganzi already are in the first place - eventually, only a life-or-death situation where they both support each other becomes enough proof of the undine's appreciation for the ganzi to accept.

Sylph curiosity and ganzi uniqueness are an incredible match, and a sylph who shares almost nothing in common with a ganzi is far and away the most likely to become a lifelong platonic or romantic partner for a ganzi.

Skinwalkers and vanara are both easily put off by the ganzi's strange methods of socialization, although a vanara is likely to continue to make attempts at interaction despite that.

Tengu are more familiar with ganzi stereotypes than actual ganzi in most instances, are are happy to meet ganzi who fit them, but are often disappointed.

Vishkanya enjoy the ganzi's dislike for interpersonal similarities, and will do their best to share as much common ground with a a ganzi as possible, tormenting them for their amusement.

Goblins are perhaps the purest expression of a ganzi's desire for individuality, as they utterly without shame for what they love, who they are, and the ideas they produce - as such, many goblins end up as role models for ganzi.

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