The Grass Colossus and Vagabonds of Long Ago (Patreon)

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The People of Little Value, the Vagabonds.

Like iridescent flies drawn to the carcass of a dead mastodon, the marginal people and superstitious mongrels have followed the Army of Liberation to the very shores of the River of Life. Rapacious and locust-like, they stripped the Ébéteen towns and villages. Yet, they are useful idiots. Their wanton savagery proves the Truth Commission’s reports back to the Reasonable Lands. Truly, the Iksans are bringing order and peace to these poor, blighted lands. 

D20 Abilities and Backgrounds of the Vagabond Peoples

1. Wild Child. Raised by beasts in the caves and forgotten oases, they are possessed of a preternatural, some say animalistic nature, and are blessed by the moons.

2. Pustari Shepherd. Nature skill, 1d4 sheep, and a sling.

3. Pustari Goatherd. Survival skill, 1d4 goats, and a bow.

4. Pustari Cameliere. Survival skill and desert navigator, camel, lance.

5. Pustari Trader. History, accounting and persuasion skills. Two missing camels and no luck.

6. Pustari anti-Ébéteen Freedom Fighter. Advantage on endurance checks, survival skill, sand-serpent tooth knife and an ancient self-healing pre-Izvoreni homeostatic-desert-suit.

7. Wandering Archaic. Advantage on stealth checks, stealth skill. Does not require water.
 A so-called machine-human.
8. Forgotten Person. Awakened from a deep sleep in a lost mine, a traveler from beyond remembered time.

9. Unlocked Comfort Golem. Advantage on athletics, deception, and performance checks. Does not require water.
 A machine-human.
10. Wasteland Skin-wearer. Wears human skin to pass in society. Deception and insight skills.

11. Vampire Banker or Mercer. Ageless, disadvantage on strength checks, only regains HD by drinking blood (1 HD per 3 litres or ½ a human or 120 rats or 1 sheep or 1/13 cows), immune to enchantments, 150 extra shekels.

12. Wise [d6]: (1) jackal, (2) fox, (3) hawk, (4) ass, (5) goat, or (6) snake. Can communicate tele-empathically, cannot read minds. Accompanied by human bonds-mind that it uses to pass in human society. A reverse familiar, if you will.

13. Soulstone. A ‘stone’ with an [d4]: (1) artificial, (2) synthetic, (3) trapped, (4) wizard’s soul inside, and the possessed human husk it inhabits.

14. Wandering Reaver. Advantage on stealth checks, leatherworking skill.

15. Hand Chimaeric. Human head but [d4]: (1) tentacle, (2) claw, (3) raptor, (4) paw arms.

16. Foot Chimaeric. Human head but [d4]: (1) goat, (2) sheep, (3) tiger, (4) chicken legs.

17. True Shaman. Human shapechanger can turn into [d4]: (1) hawk, (2) lizard, (3) owl, or (4) snake.

18. Night-touched. Dark wanderer, skin replaced with the glassy canvas of the void between stars. Advantage on stealth checks in the dark.

19. Skin-jelly. Ambulatory sentient jelly or ooze in a synthetic human skin. Caustic blood, vulnerable to piercing damage.

20. Vile. An ancient, immortal changeling horror from beyond time and space,* the flesh it possesses is but a suit and it knows it. Even if its flesh is destroyed, the vile essence will build a new infant body to a nearby template. Aside from a mythic soul grinder, wastelanders know no way to finally destroy a vile. Advantage on Intelligence checks.


*Or, at least, that is what the hero believes. Most likely, they have been [d4]: (1) touched by a vile changeling, (2) are the orphan of a dark design, (3) possess the blood of dark kings, (4) are a mad elemental spirit possessing a humble everyman (roll a second character that emerges if the possession is broken).

Starting equipment

Light armor, wasteland fetish (3 charges), weapon [d4]: (1) bow, (2) crossbow, (3) long-wand, (4) lance, high desert boots, freeman’s bracers, saddlebag, 6 + 4d6 shekels.

The Odd Outsiders.

Outsiders. They may as well be snakes or lizards wearing the skins of humans, clinging to the stinking veneer of neutrality. As though anybody could be neutral in the imperative historical struggle against Ébéteen imperialism and aggression. Nevertheless, this useful class of vermin has been allowed to live unmolested by the reasonableness of Iks. For now.

D20 Abilities and Backgrounds of Odd Outsiders

1. Ambassador. Papers and tattoos of the [d4]: (1) Parallel Domain, (2) Unfurled Moon, (3) Dark City, (4) Alphabet of Creation to earn the respect of Iksan administrators and levellers. Persuasion skill optional.

2. Spy. Forged papers and tattoos of the [d4]: (1) Society for the Abrogation of the Individual, (2) Guild of Guilds, (3) Iksan Para-level System, (4) Responsible Post-Colonial Trading Company. Also, skilled at forgery or persuasion.

3. Mercenary. Grim warrior from beyond time and space. Arcana skill and once a day reality twists to accommodate the mercenary (player may trade one die roll with an NPC).

4. Tourist. Slightly confused, disadvantaged in all social situations, but preternaturally lucky (takes half damage from all critical hits and fumbles).

5. Doctor. Says is a doctor. Not entirely clear of what exactly. Advantage with one skill.

6. Bohemian. Very persuasive, very lubricated, resilient against intoxicants, has an artistic talent that is being horribly wasted and dissipated.

7. Archaeologist. Very good at jumping, rolling, dodging, and appraising “liberated” artifacts.

8. Merchant Adventurer. Advantage on all corruption rolls. 

9. Assassin. Arrived in Ébét to kill an [d4]: (1) Ébéteen opium peddler, (2) Iksan grand leveller, (3) immortal changeling horror from beyond time and space, (4) an innocent child prophesied to bring about the fall of the Sun into the Moon.

10. Explorer. Rugged and charming rogue, teller of tall tales of grand adventures and sights seen, quite possibly not really an explorer at all.

11. Adventurer. Very brave, possessed of impressive armor skills, exceptionally good at running away from a fight, advantage to avoid opportunity attacks when fleeing.

12. Zealot. Single-minded and self-anointed prophet of an [d6]: (1) octopus god, (2) destroyer of the sun, (3) eater of the dead, (4) multiplicity of ice and fire, (5) clockwork machine intelligence, (6) rival rationalist ideology.

13. Scholar. Skilled in poetry, calligraphy and watercolor painting. Would make a good referee.

14. Exotic Charlatan. Very exotic in these lands, considered almost supernaturally charming by both Iksans and Ébéteen. Almost like they understand precisely what exotic is and play it to the hilt. Almost.

15. Vector. Possessed by a splinter of an [d6]: (1) ancient horror, (2) vile changeling, (3) dark mirror, (4) clockwork intelligence, (5) intelligent bacillus, (6) far-future meddler. 

16. Pilgrim. Blinded by the lies of the Ébéteen flesh god, the pilgrim has come just in time to see that oppressive system brought down by Iksan reason. Fluent in all Ébéteen scripts.

17. Cook. Chose a terrible time to open an exotic restaurant in Ébét. But. Can cook.

18. Necromancer. Seeker of the secrets of the dead? It’s open season now. Also, can speak with the dead with the help of [d6]: (1) dribbly candles, (2) knucklebones, (3) eerie clocks, (4) knocking blocks, (5) coffee grounds, (6) aura crystals and jade eggs.

19. Painter. Possibly a great painter. Very good news if interested in the exotic ruins of the necropolis. Not so good if interested in everyday life in the Most Debauched City in the World (that would be the smouldering ruin of Ébét).

20. Aristocrat. The richest and the best. Start with 1d4 lackeys. Disadvantage on all Intelligence skills, there are servants for that. Multiply starting wealth by 100. Start with debt to a very private vampire banking house that is 10x that amount.


Starting equipment

No armor, outlandish item (3 charges), weapon [d4]: (1) knife, (2) whip, (3) explosive gem, (4) pistol, sensible shoes, unicorn horn token, knapsack, 1d60 shekels.