
Draconic
Amongst all the worlds, through any TTRPG that has dragons, there has always been an allure to playing a dragon. Playing a Dragon or a Draconic within the Legends of Kralis as a player is possible, however, the introduction of these types of PC's is not something that can be taken lightly. The rules for allowing a player to play as a Draconic has taken a lot of care and planning in order to not allow the species overshadow the other Legendary Species of the game.
A bit about Draconics
Draconics is the overall term used to describe a player character that is not a player lizard-kin species, saurian, skajaldi or any other non-dragon like species. Three are two types of draconics that players can play: tatskar and dragon.
Everyone knows when the word dragon is mentioned. Large to colossal beings of ancient heritage whose origins begin with the two Great Serpents: Shu-mhazhal the Grey and Jhuzzuzhal the White and their first children, the dragons. There are four types of dragons that a player could take on: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water.
The Tatskar species are a very rare and very unique and often referred to as "dragonmen". This species is ancient, whose origins are lost in the mist of time, but are believed to be one the creations of the Great Serpents during the same time as the dragons were brought into existence. Like so many other species, the Tatskar hail from an entirely other world outside of the Kralis Solvetras, some believe that they come from a distant Arphemhal (galaxy) arriving on other worlds via ancient World Gates, slave ships or fleeing cataclysmic events on their home worlds.
Tatskar (taat-SKAAR)
Physical Description
Commonly Tatskar are mistaken for a type of Lizard-Kin, a distinction that the Tatskar begrudgingly accept, but there are significant differences between the two, just as there is a world of difference between a Skajaldi and a Lizard-Kin.
Tatskar are humanoid dragons. They stand from 4'-6" to 8'-0" and weigh between 150 and 600 pounds. Some have wings, tails and horns like dragons, others only tails and horns, still others just horns. The variety of shapes within the Tatskar are as varied as hair and eye color in humans or other species. Despite these variations all Tatskar have short snouted faces, large bright eyes, heavy brows that often lead to dark colored horns. Tatskar bodies are covered in dragon-like scales, and have large bony frills that extend from the head and neck. Their hands and feet end with three talon-like claws. Their heavy maws boast an impressive array of sharp teeth, long tongues, and unlike Lizard-kin, have malleable lips that make their visage that more surreal.
The coloration of Tatskar scales range from bright green to deep chocolate, to rare white and others scale change colors through out their bodies. Their scales can be smooth and overlapping, forming a mosaic of flat plates, or be thick and imposing concentrating around limbs, hands and feet while having a softer, leathery skin on their abdomens and chests. They all posses lithe and muscular bodies. They are incredibly durable and are able to take an extreme amount of punishment.
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Personality
Tatskar are another warrior based species and like so many other warrior society based species they define themselves on their status as a warrior, and conqueror. There is a strong paranoia streak that plagues the species, they have been known to harbor resentment towards other species, not quiet xenophobic but very close. This has developed in the species as a result of thousands of years of suffering at the hands of outside powers. This mindset has made them predominately isolationists. They tend to take over a region denying anyone and everyone access to their territories, except for the few ports that have strict rules about trade. This isolationism has led the species to being something of a mystery, with very few encounters outside of their territories.
What little contact that the other species have had with the Tatskar have led most to think of them as an aggressive species, dominated by warriors or warrior-priests. Many Tatskar do exhibit aggression, tend to be assertive and strong resolve. They are perceived to also be set in their ways, often finding it difficult to deviate from a planned courses of action.
The paranoia that the species has is a result from the harbored resentment towards all outsiders after years of suffering at the hands of slavers from the Gruak Empire. They came from a very tribal oriented civilization but were united by a common tragedy. Getting between a Tatskar and their objective tends to prove to be hazardous to one’s health. When on a mission, be it battling an arch-foe or slaughtering cattle for food, Tatskar pursue their goals with a single-mindedness second to none. Anything that tries to interfere with their duty is ignored, brushed aside, moved out of the way, or destroyed. This is fed by the fact that Tatskar take an extremely long time to make up their minds, infuriating other species to near madness. They have been known to completely ignore a situation until they have determined the best course of action. Most do little until they believe they know the right course, and then they let nothing stand in their way. This thinking has been called the Usgar Tirnak translated as "Manifest Destiny". Which forms one of their basic tenets of Tatskar belief and philosophy.
In its basic foundation it is a believe that the strong have the right and the duty to extend dominion over the weak. Believing that it was wrong for the strong to be limited or denied. However, this has been refined into a specific honor code of complex behavior that is understood by very few non-Tatskar.
This honor code expects that the weak were expected to serve the strong (in an almost feudal hierarchy of rising power beneath a single ruler), but the strong, in turn, are expected to adhere to the Warrior’s Code. Superiors must be obeyed, inferiors treated with justice, and a complicated pattern of obligations and responsibilities must be followed governing all aspects of their life. Known as the Ukanokai it is a sense of duty, honor, obligation, justice, courtesy and debt of gratitude taken to a level and extreme that even the Bhahuul find unbelievable. This personality-cultural value is a sharp contrast to most other warrior societies and nearly all other cultures which make the Tatskar personality hard if not impossible to understand.
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Languages and Names
Tatskar have two different languages: spoken and written. They are both called the Cresestu. Due to the Tatskar having a highly developed sense of smell and taste, and naturally occur ability to use pheromones, led the Tatskar to develop a very unique and fascinating language being developed. For the Tatskar their spoken language only included sound and body language but also the use of scent. This makes Cresestu immune to the Understand Languages spell, as well as any ability that would help or allow another species to learn their language. The element of scent causes issues for non-Tatskar. The secondary language of Cresestu, the written word, had words to describe the scent element that would be missing in written form.
For this reason, Tatskar merchants, tradesfolk or wanderers learn to speak another language or two.
Tatskar generally go only by their given name; this was because historically the entire tribe/clan cared for hatchlings. Some added a faction or tribal name onto their own, but this was the exception, not the rule. Names often included: Churyn, Feertez, Gess'tar, Hereza, Ilrezach, Leska, Rhazz're, Silandrach, Takku, Urskal.
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Cultural Kin and Communities
As a strong, hardy species, the Tatskar culture stresses virtues of strength and courage, along with the natural dominance of those that are able to demonstrate their fitness to rule. Tatskar society is a meritocracy, with leadership roles going to the those that have demonstrated themselves as the most capable, regardless of gender, family or associations. This along with their natural deliberate decision making, a meritocracy was a natural fit for the species.
Any Tatskar wanting to be considered for a particular role in their community would formally present themselves to the leaders, reciting their qualifications in great detail. After all candidates presented themselves, a debate would be argued within the affected group, or by the potential superiors of the candidate and a decision come to by a significant portion of individuals. A side effect of this is a near-zero tolerance for failure. If a Tatskar fails in their assigned task, they were at a minimum, removed from their position to as far as banishment from the community. Those that were a part of the military or guardians of the community and failed at their tasks could range from demotion to execution.
Tatskar society is often ruled by females who act as the thinkers, planners, artists, teachers and philosophers, while males do most of the exploration and trading. Traditionally, Tatskar (both male and female) engage in ritual combat to win desired individuals for relationships and mating. This practice was used to prepare Tatskar for real combat when necessary. Additionally, they are known to partcipate in challenge fights to either great injury or death over slights and insults.
Tatskar life, dominated by the Ukanokai, is dedicated to the prosperity of fellow Tatskar. The family structure of the Tatskar is very loose. Because females can lay more eggs than they cold care for, the community is involved in raising hatchlings allowing younger females a role in life. It is commonplace for Tatskar hatchlings not to truly know who their parents were, with the exception of more powerful, wealthier families. Family units that a Tatskar grew up with are very broad consisting of three parts: the Clutch (birth clutch of eggs), the Clan (the community), the Brood (Caste System: warriors, scholars, crafters).
Tatskar Features
Species Merit Cost: 2000
Age: Tatskar begin play at 15, and can live up to 250 years
Size: Tatskar then to be medium creature (4'6" to 8'0")
Weight: Base 180 plus 3d10+50
Vision: Tatskar have Heightened NightVision
Move: Base Move of 20 Feet per Movement Action
Languages: Tatskar begin play speaking Cresestu, Common and 1 Other per player choice
Resistances: 25% Resistant to 1 Element of Magic
Tatskar Bonuses: +15 to Alertness checks, Immune to natural disease
Tatskar Attribute Modifiers: +10 to any two: Strength, Agility, Intelligence or Charisma
Tatskar Traits: Draconic Aspect. A Tatskar gains one of the following draconic aspects:
Tail - Those that choose the tails aspect gain the ability to tail slap and tail lash:
Tail Lash - As a Simple Action a Tatskar is able to tail lash at any target that is behind them. Those targeted by a tail lash may attempt to dodge the slap by making an Agility check at a TS of 6 (+1 per every 5 character ranks). Those that fail are struck for 1d10+5 points of damage.
Tail Slap -As a Simple Action Tatskar is able to tail slap anyone that is behind them within an arc (up to 135 degrees). Those targeted by a tail slap may attempt to dodge the slap an Agility check at TS 6 (+1 per every 5 character ranks) penalty. Those that fail are struck normally for 3d10 points of fatigue damage and knocked back based on size of the Tatskar (Small 5', Medium 5', Large 10').
Wings - A Tatskar that selects the wings aspect they gain fully formed wings. The Tatskar can use thiese wings to aid their jumps gaining +10' to all jumps and leaps and to glide up to four times their movement. Beginning at 5th rank the Tatskar can being to use these wings to fly:
Flight (winged) During flight any skills that require concentration suffer -20 penalty, while hovering any skills that require concentration suffer -40 penalty when being used (i.e. Attack Skill, Defense Skill, Spell craft, Jinhu Discipline, Divine Knowledge and other such skills.) With a Concentration Skill check this penalty is reduced by 5 per 2 successes on the skill check. They can carry up to ten times their Stamina Score in total weight with no penalties. Wearing medium types of armor slows their flight movement by one-quarter while wearing heavy armor reduce their movement by one-half. Movement Class is based on size: Tiny -Small (A); Medium - Large (B).
Horns - A Tatskar that selects the horns aspect grows a heavy set horns. These horns are a natural weapon that deal 4 points of base damage. These horns also grant a natural protection to their head causing all Critical Hits or Called Shots to the head to be ignored. Finally, anytime that a Tatskar makes a Critical Hit with the use of their horns and damages the the target, the attack ignores all forms of armor absorption.
Claws. A Tatskar’s claws allow them to run up walls, cliffs, and other vertical surfaces, gaining +20 to all climbing checks. In addition these claws have a base damage of 2 as a Natural Weapon Attacks and are able to penetrate light armors as a normal weapon does.
Durability. All Tatskar's have a thick heavy hides granting them a +12 Natural Armor Absorption.
Species Abilities: Tatskar begin play with two of the following abilities: Ancient Foe, Battle Born, Battle Leader, Bloody Rage, Bonus Ability, Endurance, Kai Talent, Guardian
Species Abilities
Ancient Foe: Your clan has fought long and hard to survive and have developed a long, ancient hatred towards a particular monster type. Choose any two of the following monster types: Animal, Insects, Beasts, Constructs, Magical Beasts (Sub Type); Monstrous Humanoids (Specific Species), Supernatural. You gain a +10 bonus to your Physical Defense and +10 Attack Bonus against this monster type only. Your critical hit range also increases from 01-05 to 01-10 against this monster type.
Battle Born: Tatskar gain the following bonuses: gain its Willpower Modifier as bonus damage to any melee or missile attack; +10 Health Points and its Holding Zero now occurs when it reaches two times its Willpower Modifier in negative health points. Finally, the creature gains a natural armor absorption equal to its Willpower Modifier.
Battle Leader: Tatskar is notorious for its ability to inspire others to push themselves beyond their limits. With a Charisma check at a TS of 1 per individual in a group and a few rousing words, the creature can grant those allies within 20 feet a +5 WeaponForte (Any) skill bonus for every 30 Charisma the creature has. This effect lasts for 1 turn per Charisma check success. This is a Full Action to perform.
Bloody Rage: A Tatskar is able to take more than most can dish out. Whenever it becomes Battered, it gains +2 modifier to its base damage for as long as it remain Battered.
Bonus Ability: A Tatskar begins play with 1 additional General Ability that does not have a prerequisite other than an Attribute.
Endurance: Tatskar are more athletic than normal and gain +20 bonus on any Stamina checks to avoid exhaustion, as well as, the effects of forced marches, starvation, dehydration and conditions in heat or cold. They also do not suffer Fatigue Loss for moving faster than normal (hustling, running, sprinting).
Kai Talent: There is a natural spirituality about you and grants you a +10 bonus to either Divine Knowledge or Jinhu Discipline and gain +10 Fatigue Points.
Guardian: Many Tatskar has a natural desire to protect others when it can. It can move swiftly (twice its normal movement) to defend an ally, blocking blows and disrupting foes. The creature gains a +15 bonus to its Physical Defense if it is defending a nearby ally that is within double its normal movement rate. This can be used three times per day.