Tékumel Nonhuman Races

For the most part, the various races of friendly nonhumans remain in their enclaves scattered around the region, but many travel and hire themselves out around the continent. The hostile nonhumans remain in their stronghold, venturing out to harass the unwary.

  • Ahoggyá (Knobbed Ones)
  • 347 points
The swamp-dwelling Ahoggyá look almost like a furry barrel that has sprouted four arms and legs. They live in the wet, low-lying coastal plains across a narrow part of the southern ocean and in their extremely distant enclave, Ónmu Tlé Hléktis, beyond the most distant province of Salarvyá. These squat beings have four knobby arms and legs equally spaced around their barrel-like bodies. Ahoggyá are 10 inches shorter than humans and 100 pounds heavier for their ST. An Ahoggyá cannot take the Skinny disadvantage.
Advantages: ST +3, DX -2, IQ -2, HT +2, 6 Extra Hit Points, Increased ST, Extra Encumbrance, PD 1, DR 2, Independently Focusable Eyes/4, 360-degree Vision, Full Coordination/3, Claws and four arms and legs.
Disadvantages: They are Ugly and are considered Outsiders (-3 Social Status) in the Five Empires. Due to their bulk and body shape, they have Inconvenient Size. Ahoggyá have Odious Racial Habits -3: crude, smelly, and obnoxious. Ahoggyá make poor magic users (-2 to spellcasting). One in ten Ahoggyá has the Mana Damper advantage. Ahoggyá react to Shén at -5 with no reaction better than 'poor' possible. Shén react in kind to Ahoggyá.
Quirks: Ahoggyá¡ are unconcerned with religion.
Ahoggya Armored Ahoggyá
  • Hláka (Furred Flyers)
  • 16 points
In their mountaintop aeries east of Tsolyánu are the skittish Hláka, flying mammalians of roughly human size. They are cowardly, yet curious, and their usefulness as military scouts is unsurpassed. These mammalian flyers are 10" shorter and 10 pounds lighter than humans of the same ST. Hláka cannot take the Overweight or Fat disadvantages.
Advantages: ST -2, DX +3, and HT -1. Sword-like tail (cutting striker, 1 hex range, ). Hláka start aging later at age 70. Winged Flight and Flight skill at DX.
Disadvantages: Cowardice, Curiosity, Fragile and Odious Racial Habits: very talkative and scatterbrained.
Quirks: Hláka dislike sea travel and walking (they prefer to fly), they never wear armor and only use Hlaka-style weapons.
Hlaka Hláka
  • Hlutrgú (Swamp Frogs)
  • 35 points
The Hlutrgú are a swamp-dwelling race so inimical that every race will fight them. Only their rapid reproduction and ferocity, and their boggy homeland on the southern coast of Tsolyánu, have kept them from being wiped out. Hlutrgú are eight inches shorter and 10 pounds lighter than the average human for a given ST. Hlutrgú cannot be Fat. Hlutrgú are inappropriate for PCs or Patrons. Their nature makes them most useful for NPC adversaries.
Advantages: ST +2, DX +1, HT +1 and Amphibious. Their tough, rubbery skin provides DR 1. They have an Extended Lifespan and Early Maturation. Their legs have manipulators.
Disadvantages: Intolerance for all other races, extremely Bestial, Bloodlust and Uneducated.
Racial Learned Skills: They have Boating at DX.
Quirks: Hlutrgú use mob tactics, throwing large forces at intruders, and wear no armor. They are poor magic users (-2 on all spellcasting).
Base Morale for mass combat: 17.
Hlutrgu Hlutrgú warrior
  • Hlüss (Spawn of the Old Ones)
  • 115 points
As for the enemies of humankind, they are scattered around the continent as well. In the middle of the southern ocean is the island of Hlüssuyal, where the dreaded Hlüss live. These aquatic creatures are one of the original races of Tékumel, before it was discovered by the Terran star empire. They travel the ocean in their huge hive-ships, each carrying a queen of their race, much like a queen bee or ant. Hlüss are eight inches shorter than the average human for a given ST. No Hlüss can be Fat or Skinny.
Advantages: +4 ST, +1 DX and +2 HT. Extended Lifespan and Early Maturation. Four legs, chitinous Armor (PD 1, DR 1), Claws (impaling on tail, cutting on front legs), and an envenomed tail (Striker; 1-hex range; Venom, paralysis only).
Disadvantages: Enemy: Humans and allies, appear on 9-. Hlüss live at sea in large Hive-ships, which make a loud buzzing noise, audible for long distances at sea. Their bodies emit a distinctive odor, and Smell perception rolls are at +2 within 30 yards.
Quirk: They embed gems into their chitinous armor.
Hluss Hlüss Warrior
  • Mihálli (Shape-Shifters)
  • 156 points
Where the homeland of the mysterious Mihálli is found is not known. In some regions of the continent, this shapeshifting, hermaphroditic race is believed to be mythical. Some say that Baron Áld's chief advisor, the enigmatic Fú Hsí, is a Mihálli, but no one knows for certain. What is known is that the motivations of these people are completely unfathomable to humans. One minute they might aid you and the next attack you. Perhaps their view of reality is vastly different than ours, or perhaps they are just mad. Mihálli are 10 pounds lighter than the average human at a given ST. No Mihálli can be Fat. Mihálli are inappropriate for PCs or Patrons. Their nature makes them most useful for NPC adversaries.
Advantages: ST +2, DX +2, IQ +2, HT +1 and 8 Extra Fatigue (spellcasting only). They have Magery 2, Extended Lifespan/2 and Early Maturation/2. Mihálli have the ability to change their form (Morph; -20% Limitation: eyes remain red, noticeable on Vision-2 roll, if the person looks closely). 
Disadvantages: Odious Racial Habit (-3): unknowable, seemingly random motivation. 
Base Morale for mass combat: as human. 
Mihalli Mihálli sorcerer
  • N'lüss
  • -6 points
The N'lüss are a tall race of human barbarians from a mountainous area north of Mu'ugalavyá. Their ancestors began the reign of the Dragon Warriors, 23,000 years ago. They value honor, loyalty, and bravery. The N'lüss are a foot taller and 10 pounds heavier than the human average for their ST.
Advantages: N'lüss have +2 ST, -1 DX, -1 IQ and +1 HT. 
Disadvantages: In civilized areas (all of the Five Empires), they are considered Barbarians (-3 Social Stigma).
Quirks: Because of their heroic culture, N'lüss react with an additional -2 to cowardice and pacifism. They fear and avoid magic, though their priests of Vimúhla do use magic.
Common disadvantages: Manaphobia, Impulsiveness, Bloodlust, Berserker, etc.
Base Morale for mass combat: +1 from normal human.
N'luss N'lüss warrior
  • Pé Chói (The Listeners)
  • 89 points
To the north of the Páchi Léi live the Pé Chói, beautiful insectoids with considerable magic talents. They also easily join human society, rising nearly as high as humans within the bureaucratic hierarchies. These six-limbed insectoids are 5" taller and 10 pounds lighter than humans of the same ST. No Pé Chói can take the Overweight or Fat disadvantages.
Advantages: ST +1, DX +2, HT +1, and +2 Extra Fatigue (Magic Use Only), Magery 1, Acute Hearing +1, Alertness +3 , 4 arms (the lower two are at DX - 2), Full Coordination/1, and Attractive.
Telepathy (Sense Life Only) at Level 4 with the Sense Life skill (see below) at IQ-1, and Telepathy (Sense Death Only; Limitation: Pé Chói Only: 1/3 cost) at Level 15 with Sense Death skill (see below) at IQ.
Disadvantages: Short Lifespan, Slow Healing, Resistance to Magic Healing (does not affect spellcasting) -2, Weakness to water over 2 feet deep (1d per minute, Somewhat Common) and severe Thassalophobia (fear of oceans and other bodies of water over 1 ft. deep).
Quirks: Pé Chói cannot swim, and they will seek revenge on those who murder other members of their race needlessly, though they do not avenge military casualties.
Pe Choi Pé Chói Warrior
  • Páchi Léi (Forest Dwellers)
  • 51 points
The Páchi Léi, four-legged forest dwellers, live in the southern coastal area of the Cháka forests. They fit well into Tsolyáni society, being somewhat passive and calm. These multi-limbed beings are allies of the Tsolyáni. Their homeland in the jungles and forests of Pán Cháka have been invaded many times by the Mu'ugalavyáni, whom the Páchi Léi hate. They reproduce by asexual budding, where a small growth from their body develops, growing into a young Páchi Léi, which later drops off. Páchi Léi are four inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than humans for their ST. No Páchi Léi can take the Skinny disadvantage.
Advantages: HT +1. They have Night Vision, Alertness +2, and 4 arms and legs. 
Disadvantages: All races react to Páchi Léi at -1 because they are generally passive and uncharismatic (Anti-charisma -1). 
Racially Innate Skills: Because of their jungle origins, Páchi Léi know Climbing at DX-1 and Survival (jungle) at IQ-1. 
Quirks: They are very sociable and do well in human society. 
Base Morale for mass combat: as human. 
Pachi Lei Páchi Léi ready to fight
  • Páchi Léi (Forest Dwellers)
  • 51 points
The Páchi Léi, four-legged forest dwellers, live in the southern coastal area of the Cháka forests. They fit well into Tsolyáni society, being somewhat passive and calm. These multi-limbed beings are allies of the Tsolyáni. Their homeland in the jungles and forests of Pán Cháka have been invaded many times by the Mu'ugalavyáni, whom the Páchi Léi hate. They reproduce by asexual budding, where a small growth from their body develops, growing into a young Páchi Léi, which later drops off. Páchi Léi are four inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than humans for their ST. No Páchi Léi can take the Skinny disadvantage.
Advantages: HT +1. They have Night Vision, Alertness +2, and 4 arms and legs. 
Disadvantages: All races react to Páchi Léi at -1 because they are generally passive and uncharismatic (Anti-charisma -1). 
Racially Innate Skills: Because of their jungle origins, Páchi Léi know Climbing at DX-1 and Survival (jungle) at IQ-1. 
Quirks: They are very sociable and do well in human society. 
Base Morale for mass combat: as human. 
Pachi Lei Páchi Léi ready to fight
  • Shén (Demon Warriors)
  • 91 points
The Shén, a powerful reptilian race, live on the southernmost tip of the continent, south of Livyánu. They work as mercenaries or ply the oceans as merchants. These powerful reptilians are 15 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than the average human for their ST. No Shén can be Skinny.
Advantages: DX -2, HT +2, IQ -1, 2 Extra Hit Points, Extra Encumbrance, Increased ST, PD 1, DR 2, Claws, a mace-like tail (1-hex striker) and a sharp beak (+2 damage from Claws).
Disadvantages: Short Lifespan. Shén react to Ahoggyá at -5 and visa versa, due to a long-standing hatred. Shén are poor magic users (-2 to spellcasting). No more than Magery 1.
Common Disadvantages: Berserker, Bloodlust.
Quirks: They dislike magic.
Two Shen Two Shén
  • Gray Ssú (Enemies of Man)
  • 65 points
The Ssú are also native to Tékumel, cousins to the Hlüss. These magically adept beings live in cities below the surface north of Salarvyá. They often travel in the subterranean tube cars, looking for ancient technology. Their bodies exude the odor of musty cinnamon, which has saved the lives of more than one group of humans delving in the Underworld. These rather shaggy beings are one of the native races of Tékumel, are 2" taller than the human average, and cannot be Fat.
Advantages: ST +1, HT +1, and +2 Extra Fatigue (Magic Use Only). Magery 1, Extended Lifespan, Early Maturation. Four legs, the front two of which have crude manipulators (DX-2). Absolute Direction (Underground Only), Night Vision and Engineer (Mining) skill at IQ-1.
Natural Attack: Hypnotic Command (see description below).
Disadvantages: Enemy: humans and allies, appear on 9-. Their bodies emit a distinctive cinnamon odor, and Smell perception rolls are at +2 within 30 yards. Grey Ssú have a rigid command hierarchy; if the leader becomes a casualty, the rest of the party will lose morale. They are poor swimmers.
Quirks: They wear no armor.
Grey Ssu Ssú Warrior
  • Tinalíya (Gnomes)
  • 22 points
The Tinalíya are a tiny four-legged race of scholars and mages, who live in the mountainous area in the north of Livyánu. They are totally literal-minded and incapable of understanding simile, metaphor and most forms of humor. In spite of their small stature, Tinalíya are formidable enemies because of their superior magical ability and their quick reflexes. Tinalíya are 3 feet shorter and half the weight of humans for a given ST. Many Tinalíya are Skinny.
Advantages: ST -4, DX +2, IQ +1, 8 Extra Fatigue (spellcasting only), four legs and Magery 1. 
Disadvantages: Curiosity and No Sense of Humor. 
Quirks: Tinalíya love magic and technology; any new magical or technological item will attract their attention. 
Base Morale for mass combat: 14 
Tinaliya I am not a bug, I am a Tinalíya!

New Abilities

The Sense Life and Sense Death psi skills are similar to the Sense Psi skill. They are passive skills which gain the same bonuses and penalties as Sense Psi. Sense Life can detect the presence of creatures with IQs greater than 2 within range. Sense Death can detect the death of creatures with IQs greater than 2 within range. The Pé Chói Sense Death psi skill can detect the death of another Pé Chói within range.

Hypnotic Command is a special psychic attack in which the target must make a Will-1 roll or they must follow the command of the attacker. A command must be rather simple, such as "Stop!", "Attack Friends!", "Run Away!", or "Sit Down". The attacker and the target must look at each other, the attacker must concentrate for two seconds. The attacker must concentrate for an additional second to change the current command. The target gets another resistance roll every five seconds and whenever the command is changed. The range is 20 yards. Ahoggyá, Swamp Folk, and Tinalíya are immune.