Uresia True20 Backgrounds
Unlike traditional True20, where characters have one background that represents both what they are and where they are from, I decided to allow two. One's racial background dictates one's bonus feats, bonus skills and other abilities. One's cultural background dictates one's favored feats.
The reason for this was because I felt it better emphasized the nature of some of the islands. I wanted there to be a difference in the training of a Birah elf versus an elf from the Volenwood, and a similarity between an elf from Temphis and his human neighbor.
There is also a note that while backgrounds for some races already exist in the True20 core book and in the True20 Companion, different ones may be present here. Some of this is due to practical concerns (Is anyone really going to take 4 levels plus a level lag to play a centaur?) and some of it is due to trying to do a faithful conversion (especially when playing a low-power centaur with all racial traits is easy in the BESM version).
Subtypes: Men, Trolls and Demons
All Uresians have one of three subtypes. 'Men' are the group of intelligent humanoids (and slimes, and talking animals, and so on) that were drawn to Uresia, 'Trolls' were the group that weren't, and 'Demons' are anything summoned from another plane of existence (including everything from Horrors Man Was Not Meant To Know About to dimension-hopping schoolgirls). In general, a Man can be considered equivalent to a Humanoid, and a Troll to a Monstrous Humanoid, while a Demon can be considered equivalent to having the 'Extraplanar' subtype.
Racial Backgrounds
Humans
Humans work as written in the True20 core book.
Beastmen (General)
This is the general beastman background, suitable for playing a catfolk or dogfolk or similar. The beastman background consists of the following traits
Ability Adjustments: None
Bonus Feats: Increased Speed, Night Vision, Second Chance (Falls), Talented (Acrobatics, Jumping), Talented (Notice, Search)
Bonus Powers: Second Sight
Bonus Skills: Any one.
Scent: Beastmen gain the Scent trait.
Natural Weapons: Beastmen can strike in combat with claws, doing +1 damage.
Level Lag: 1
Beastman (Strong)
This background is for the larger beastmen races, such as the Ursoids and Minotaur. It consists of the following traits:
As Beastman, except:
Ability Adjustments: +1 Strength, -1 Dexterity
Beastman (Aracor)
This background is for the avian Beastman. It consists of the following traits.
As Beastman, except:
Ability Adjustments: -1 Constitution
Flight: Aracor gain a fly speed of 30 ft. with poor maneuverability. The feat Increased Speed may either apply to their land speed or to their fly speed.
Centaurs
Instead of the Centaur background in the True20 Companion, use this one. Centaurs have the following traits:
Size: Large
Speed: 50 ft.
Bonus Feat: Endurance
Demons/Demonkin
This represents a generic 'demon'/'part-demon' background, suitable for the sorts that are present in Winnow and Sindra. The Narrator is free to use different traits when a summoner is drawing something into the world, or s/he wants something like 'The Chronicles of Narnia' -- remember a 'demon' is just a catch-all term for any extradimensional visitor. Demons have the following traits:
Type: Demons have the 'Demon' subtype -- they are not native to the plane. Demonkin (those with partial demon blood) do not.
Ability Adjustments: +1 Constitution, -1 Wisdom
Bonus Feats: Attractive, Lucky
Bonus Skills: Any one
Dwarves
Dwarves work as written in the True20 core book.
Elves
Instead of the Elvish background in the True20 core book, use this one. Elves have the following traits:
Ability Adjustments: -1 Constitution
Bonus Feats: Animal Empathy, Attractive, Talented (Acrobatics, Jumping), Talented (Notice, Search)
Bonus Power: Second Sight
Mushroom Trolls
Mushroom trolls have the following traits:
Ability Adjustments: -1 Constitution
Bonus Feats: Night Vision
Bonus Powers: Scrying, Second Sight
Fire Resistance: Mushroom trolls gain Fire Resistance 2
Natural Armor: Mushroom trolls have a +1 Natural Armor Bonus.
Satyrs
Satyrs have the following traits:
Ability Adjustments: -1 Wisdom
Bonus Feats: Animal Empathy, Night Vision, Talented (Jumping, Notice)
Bonus Powers: Second Sight
Scent: Satyrs gain the Scent trait.
Slimes
Slimes have the following traits
Type: Ooze. However, slimes are intelligent, and not blind. Slimes also count as 'men' in the sense of feeling the draw to the islands.
Size: Tiny
Ability Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, -3 Strength
Bonus Feats: Second Chance (Falls), Talented (Acrobatics, Escape Artist)
Bonus Powers: Mind Touch and by type
Rapid Healing: Slimes gain +2 to Recovery checks.
Natural Attacks: Slimes can strike in combat with teeth, doing +1 damage. This does not include their racial penalty to Strength.
Limited Manipulation: Slimes have enough control of their bodies to create crude tentacles, but these lack the functionality of hands. Slimes take a -20 on checks that involve manual dexterity (for example, Craft, Disable Device, and Sleight of Hand) and some tasks may be impossible. They also can't use most weapons. This does not affect a slime with the Manipulate Object power.
Cannot Speak: Slimes lack the ability to reproduce humanoid languages. They can communicate just fine with other slimes, though a language of squeaks.
Slimes cannot wear manufactured armor, due to their semi-liquid anatomy. They may use Emerald Armor, if it is specially designed.
Slime Bonus Powers: Each color of slime has its own distinct set of powers.
Red: Red Slimes gain Improved Speed as a Bonus Feat and Supernatural Speed as a Bonus Power
Orange: Orange Slimes gain a burrow speed of 20 ft.
Yellow: Yellow Slimes gain wings and a fly speed of 30 ft. (poor).
Green: Green Slimes gain a Swim speed of 30 ft. Green slimes have a +8 to Swim checks, and can take 10 even when stressed. They also are immune to drowning.
Blue: Blue Slimes gain Cure and one of Cure Disease or Cure Poison (player's choice) as Bonus Powers
Purple: Purple Slimes may grow to be Small, Medium or Large in size, taking the new attribute modifiers from their new size, as seen in the Size Adjustments to Physical Abilities and Natural Armor table (page 30, True20 Bestiary) This ability is affected by the Ward Power.
Black: Black Slimes are able to turn into a swarm of Fine-sized mini-slimes. These have a +6 bonus on toughness saves using non-area effects, but a -3 penalty on area effects. They are immune to critical hits. Instead of the bite attack, the swarm may make an attack of 0 damage (minus penalties for damage, -1 for hurt, -2 for wounded, -3 for disabled) that requires a Reflex save to avoid (at Difficulty of 10 + half the Slime's Combat Bonus) for all targets in the area. A slime may recombine as a free action. It will automatically do so when it reaches unconsciousness/dying.
White: Gain the Visions and True Vision (True20 Bestiary) powers as Bonus Powers.
Copper: Gain both the Orange Slime's Burrow Speed and the Black Slime's swarming ability.
Silver: Gain the bonus powers of both the Blue Slime and White Slime
Gold: Gain the fly speed of the Yellow Slime and the swim speed of the Green Slime.
Trolllanders
There are many types of Trolls living in the Troll Lands. The Narrator may allow use of such races as Orcs, Goblins and Hobgoblins (or anything that looks fun and interesting) to represent other types of Trolls. The standard Troll background has the following traits:
Size: Large
Ability Adjustments: +2 Strength, -1 Charisma
Natural Weapons: Trollanders can strike in combat with claws, doing +1 damage.
Natural Armor: Trollanders gain an additional +1 to their Toughness saves.
Templates
Some things in the Uresia BESM book were better represented as templates, rather than Backgrounds, as they apply to Heros and NPCs of a variety of races.
Child of the Sea Dragon
Type: The type of a Child remains unchanged.
Speed: Children of the Sea Dragon gain a Swim speed equal to their land speed. They have a +8 to Swim checks, and can take 10 even when stressed. They also are immune to drowning.
Feats: A Child of the Sea Dragon gains Animal Empathy (aquatic animals only) as a bonus feat.
Powers: A Child of the Sea Dragon gains Mind Touch as a bonus power, though he or she can only use it with aquatic animals, other Children, and the Sea Dragon itself.
Traits: A Child of the Sea Dragon gains the following traits.
Weather Shaping: A Child of the Sea Dragon may use the Weather Shaping power as an adept of half his total level without having the prerequisites and without a Fatigue Save.
A Child of the Sea Dragon may lose this template if he or she works against the wishes of the Sea Dragon.
Level Lag: 1
Ghost
Type: The base creature's type changes to Undead. Do not recalculate base combat bonus, saves or skills.
Abilities: Same as base creature, except a ghost has no Constitution, because it is undead. The Ghost retains its Strength score, but it only applies to attacks against other incorporeal creatures.
Feats: A ghost gains Night Vision as a bonus feat.
Powers: A ghost gains Light Shaping, Mind Shield and Second Sight as bonus powers.
Traits: A ghost retains all the traits of the base creature, though those relying on physical contact do not affect corporeal creatures. The ghost gains the following new traits:
Incoporeal: A ghost is incorporeal, so it cannot attack corporeal creatures, except through uses of Powers. However, this also shields it from attack. Non-magical weapons have no effect on a ghost. Magic weapons and powers can be used as normal. A character may spend a Conviction Point to attack normally against a ghost in one fight.
Level Lag: 1
Snowman
Type: The base creature's type changes to Construct. Do not recalculate base combat bonus, saves or skills.
Abilities: Same as base creature, except a snowman has no Constitution, because it is is not alive.
Traits: A snowman retains all traits of the base creature. The snowman gains the following new traits:
Frigid Touch: The snowman may add +2 cold damage to its unarmed attacks. The defender must also make a Fortitude save with Difficulty 15 + 1/2 the snowman's level for -1 Dexterity. The Dexterity damage may be healed like a level of Fatigue.
Reconstruction: The snowman may use snow or ice to repair damage. When in an area with ample snow or ice, the snowman may use his or her round to repair damage. The snowman may make an extra recovery check as a full-round action.
Bonus Feats: A snowman gains Night Vision as a bonus feat.
Bonus Powers: A snowman gains Second Sight as a bonus power.
Level Lag: 1
Talking Animal
Talking animal is a template that can apply to any animal or other creature with -4 or -5 Intelligence
Level: Increase the base animal's level to at least 1st level.
Type: The base animal's type becomes Supernatural Beast. Recalculate base combat bonus, saves or skills if necessary.
Abilities: The base animal gains +4 Intelligence and +3 Charisma
Traits: The base animal gains the traits of Awakened Beasts in the True20 Companion with the exception of the Cannot Speak Trait. They also lack the Mind Touch power.
Level Lag: 0
Cultural Backgrounds
New Rule: Unfavored Powers
If a character's racial background has a Bonus Power, and the character is not an Adept, the player can trade the Favored Feats for making that Bonus Power their Favored Power. This allows for the player to treat their character's total level as the Adept level for the power. If the player doesn't want to do this, and doesn't take any levels in Adept, they can treat their Power bonus as JUST their Key ability. For effects that require an Adept level (saving throws and such), they may be assumed to have an Adept Level of 0 (except in cases that make no sense, when they may use 1). Of course, if they don't have their Bonus Power as favored and take an Adept level, it just acts like any other Power they have.
Birah
Favored Feats: Hide in Plain Sight, Rage
Boru
Favored Feats: Fascinate, Mind Over Body
Celar
Favored Feats: Diehard, Tough
Dreed
Favored Feats: Skill Mastery (Craft: Cooking), Well Informed
The Elu Islands
Favored Feats: Seize Initiative, Sneak Attack
Helt and Lochria
Favored Feats: Evasion, Tough
Koval
Favored Feats: Inspire, Master Plan
Laöch
Favored Feats: Attack Specialization (Ax), Jack of All Trades
Orgalt
Favored Feats (noble): Inspire, Tough
Favored Feats (ordinary): Attack Specialization (Ax), Cleave
Favored Feats (slave): Diehard, Improvised Tools
Rinden
Favored Feats: Inspire, Spirited Charge
Sindra
Favored Feats: Any one Power
Temphis
Favored Feats: Well Informed, Hide in Plain Sight
Winnow
Favored Feats: Attack Specialization (any Bow), Elusive Target
Yem
Favored Power: Imbue Unlife
The Volenwood
Favored Feat: Fascinate, Hide in Plain Sight