Oreads are humans whose ancestry includes the touch of an elemental being of earth somewhere along the line, often that of a shaitan genie. Stoic and contemplative, oreads are a race not easily moved, yet almost unstoppable when spurred to action. They remain a mystery to most of the world thanks to their reclusive nature, but those who seek them out in their secluded mountain hideaways find oreads to be quiet, dependable, and protective of their friends.
Description
Physical Description
Oreads are strong and solidly built, with skin and hair colored stony shades of black, brown, gray, or white. While all oreads appear vaguely earthy, a few bear more pronounced signs of their elemental heritage—skin that shines like polished onyx, rocky outcroppings protruding from their flesh, glowing gemstones for eyes, or hair like crystalline spikes. They often dress in earthy tones, wearing practical clothing well suited to vigorous physical activity and preferring fresh flowers, simple gemstones, and other natural accents to complex manufactured jewelry.
Society
As a minor offshoot of the human race, oreads have no real established society of their own. Instead, most oreads grow up in human communities learning the customs of their parents. Adult oreads have a well-deserved reputation among other races for being hermits and loners. Few take well to the bustle of city life, preferring instead to spend their days in quiet contemplation atop some remote mountain peak or deep below the earth in a secluded cavern. Oreads with a greater tolerance for life among humans often join the city watch, or find some other way to serve their community in a position of responsibility.
Relations
Oreads feel comfortable in the company of dwarves, with whom they have much in common. They find gnomes too strange and many halflings far too brash, and so avoid these races in general. Oreads gladly associate with half-orcs and half-elves, feeling a sense of kinship with the other part-human races despite inevitable personality conflicts. Among the elemental-touched races, oreads have few friends but no true enemies.
Alignment and Religion
Oreads are, perhaps above all else, set in their ways, and any disruption of their routine is met with quiet disapproval. Oreads are fiercely protective of their friends, but don't seem particularly concerned with the well-being of those outside their small circle of acquaintances. As such, most oreads are lawful neutral. Religious life comes easily to the earth-touched. They appreciate the quiet, contemplative life of the monastic order, and most dedicate themselves to the worship of earth- or nature-related deities.
Adventurers
Oreads are initially hesitant adventurers. They dislike leaving their homes and don't handle the shock of new experiences well. Usually it takes some outside force to rouse oreads into action, often by threatening their homes, lives, or friends. Once the initial threat is dealt with, however, oreads often find they've grown accustomed to the adventuring life, and continue to pursue it through the rest of their days. Oreads make good monks and fighters thanks to their prodigious strength and self-discipline.
Male Names
Andanan, Jeydavu, Mentys, Oret, Sithundan, Urtar.
Female Names
Besthana, Echane, Ghatiyara, Irice, Nysene, Pashe.
Oread Racial Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Oreads are strong, solid, stable, and stoic.
Native Outsider
Oreads are outsiders with the native subtype.
Medium
Oreads are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Slow Speed
Oreads have a base speed of 20 feet.
Oreads can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Spell-Like Ability
Magic stone 1/day (caster level equals the oread's total level; DC 11 + Charisma modifier).
Oreads have acid resistance 5.
Oread sorcerers with the elemental (earth) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Oread clerics with the Earth domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
Oreads begin play speaking Common and Terran. Oreads with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, and Undercommon.
Alternate Racial Traits
The following racial traits may be selected instead of existing oread racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.
Oreads with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against rays thanks to their reflective crystalline skin. In addition, once per day, they can deflect a single ray attack targeted at them as if they were using the Deflect Arrows feat. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Oread spellcasters sometimes find that their elemental heritage makes creatures of earth more willing to serve them. Summon monster and summon nature's ally spells that such oreads cast last 2 rounds longer than normal when used to summon creatures with the earth subtype. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Oreads with this racial trait learn how to mimic the magic of their shaitan ancestors. Once per day, such an oread can cause a touched piece of nonmagical iron or steel to grow into an object up to 10 pounds in weight, such as a sword, crowbar, or light steel shield. This object remains in this form for 10 minutes or until broken or destroyed, at which point it shrinks back to its original size and shape. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
Oread sorcerers with the verdant bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Oread clerics with the Plant domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Rocky growths cover the skin of oreads with this racial trait. They gain a +1 racial bonus to natural armor. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
Oreads are drawn to mountains and other high places, and after many generations they've grown well suited to their environment. Oreads with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to cross narrow ledges and on saves against altitude fatigue and sickness. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
Oreads with this racial trait mimic the healing abilities of the mephits, gaining fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime they are subject to acid damage (the acid damage does not need to overcome the oread's resistances or immunities to activate this ability). The oread can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Once per day, an oread with this racial trait can will the earth to rumble and shift, transforming a 10-foot-radius patch of earth, unworked stone, or sand into an area of difficult terrain, centered on an area the oread touches. This lasts for a number of minutes equal to the oread's level, after which the ground returns to normal. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
Favored Class Options
The following options are available to all oreads who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the class reward.
Bard
Add +5 feet to the range of one of the bard's bardic performances (max +30 feet to any one performance).
Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to the Plane of Earth and creatures with the earth subtype.
Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks relating to plants and burrowing animals.
Add +1 to the fighter's CMD when resisting a bull rush or drag attempt.
Monk
Add +1/3 on critical hit confirmation rolls made with unarmed strikes (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
Add +1/4 to the bonus the paladin grants her allies with her aura of courage and aura of resolve special abilities.
Add +1/4 to the natural armor bonus of the ranger's animal companion. If the ranger ever replaces his animal companion, the new animal companion gains this bonus.
Add a +1/4 natural armor bonus to the AC of the summoner's eidolon.
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to oreads.
Shaitan Binder (Summoner)
Shaitan binders call upon a reflection of their genie ancestors to serve as their eidolons. A shaitan binder has the following class features.
Base Form
At 1st level, if a shaitan binder's eidolon has the biped base form, it gains a +2 bonus to one ability score. The shaitan binder must make this choice at 1st level. If at any time the shaitan binder's eidolon has another base form, it loses this bonus until it returns to biped form. A shaitan binder's eidolon does not gain the share spells ability.
At 4th level, a shaitan binder's eidolon gains the basic magic evolution as a free evolution. At 6th level, it gains the minor magic evolution.
At 8th level, it gains the major magic evolution as a free evolution, and adds the following to the list of available spells for that evolution: glitterdust and soften earth and stone.
At 12th level, it gains the ultimate magic evolution as a free evolution, and adds the following to the list of available spells for that evolution: meld into stone and stone shape.
Although the shaitan binder gains the standard versions of these evolutions for free, he must pay the normal cost to upgrade them to the improved versions. This ability replaces shield ally and greater shield ally.
At 10th level, if a shaitan binder's eidolon has the burrow evolution, it gains the earth glide universal monster ability and can use this ability to travel at its full base speed. This ability replaces aspect.
At 18th level, a shaitan binder may select stone curse as a 4-point evolution. This allows the eidolon to trap creatures in stone like the shaitan stone curse ability. The DC to resist or break free of the stone curse is 10 + 1/2 the eidolon's Hit Dice + the eidolon's Strength score. This ability replaces greater aspect.
At 20th level, a shaitan binder's eidolon gains the ability to grant its summoner's wishes. Once per day, the eidolon can cast limited wish as a spell-like ability. The eidolon's caster level is equal to its level. The wish must be spoken aloud by the shaitan binder, beginning with the words "I wish," and cannot duplicate a wish the eidolon has granted within the past 24 hours. If the eidolon uses this ability to duplicate a spell with a costly material component, the shaitan binder must provide that component. This ability replaces twin eidolon.
Student of Stone (Monk)
By following the path of the stone, students of stone give up much of monks' mobility in favor of sheer resilience. A student of stone has the following class features.
Hard as Stone
At 2nd level, whenever an opponent rolls to confirm a critical hit against a student of stone, treat the student of stone's AC as +4 higher than normal. This ability replaces evasion.
Strength of Stone
At 3rd level, a student of stone learns to draw strength from the earth. So long as both he and his opponent are touching the ground, the student of stone gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, bull rush and trip combat maneuver rolls, and to his CMD when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt. This ability replaces fast movement.
At 6th level, a student of stone adds Elemental Fist to his list of available bonus feats. If the student of stone selects Elemental Fist as a bonus feat, he may only deal acid damage when using the feat. At 10th level, the student of stone adds Shaitan Style to his list of bonus feats, at 14th level, he adds Shaitan Skin , and at 18th level, he adds Shaitan Earthblast. This otherwise functions as and alters the bonus feat ability.
At 7th level, as a swift action, a student of stone can spend 1 ki point to gain DR 2/magic until the beginning of his next turn. At 10th level, he can spend 1 ki point to gain DR 2/chaotic until his next turn. At 15th level, he can spend 1 ki point to gain DR 5/chaotic until his next turn. This ability replaces high jump.
Body of Stone
At 9th level, a student of stone gains the benefits of the light fortification armor property . This ability replaces improved evasion.
Soul of Stone
At 12th level, as a swift action, a student of stone can spend 1 ki point to gain tremorsense 15 feet until his next turn. At 16th level, the range of this tremorsense increases to 30 feet. This ability replaces abundant step.
New Racial Rules
The following options are available to oreads. At the GM's discretion, other appropriate races may make use of some of these new rules.