Category:Ra'en-Gai

Ra'En-Gai
The Ra'en-Gai, or Ra'en for short, are one of the beast races of Shahara. These folk tend to be peaceful, but very territorial. These nomads have created a deep and complex culture based upon the principles of trust, integrity, honor, and and earnesty. Though nomadic, the Ra'en have built a pupolous city that acts as their capital as well as their center for trade, law, and culture. A large part of Ra'en culture consist of the forming of tight knit groups of individuals. These groups consist of like-aged Ra'en that grow togehter and spend most of their lives with one another. These groups, called Ati'ron, are often the foundation of a Tribe. Tribes are groups of Ra'en that have formed their own unique cultures and laws, Though each tribe may differ in how they handle internal disputes, all tribes refer to the elders of the capital to determine inter-tribal disputes, interaction with outsiders, and trade.

Personality
The Ra'en are cautious, quick to judge, and suspicious. They are often overly wary about foreign cultures and as such have gotten themselves into many a tense situation with other races inside of their territory. Though the Ra'en are not openly hostile to any of the other races; they are also feircly territorial and will often threaten trespassers who refuse to leave their lands if asked. Most of these altercations have ended in bloodshed. Despite this fact, the Ra'en are a friendly, hospitable race to all those who are welcome to their lands. Though territorial, the Ra'en have been known to be openly generous with those who bring gifts or trade opportunities to their lands. there has even been the occasional occurance of members of other races who have been welcomed into an Ati'ron or a Tribe. These instances often cultivate life long companionship between the Ra'en and members of other races.

Religion
The Ra'en, while polytheistic, worship only one main deity. The Ra'en calim that the sky, sea, and land are all of one spirit. That this spirit created the Ra'en in their direct image. Though the Ra'en recognize the existence of other deities or spirits, they will only pay homage to these other spirits on occasion. Oko'ah-gai is what the Ra'en call this deity. The name, Ra'en-gai roughly translates to "people of the great spirit" in the common tongue. Worship of the Oko'ah-gai is centralized on the capital where elder shamans lead daily rituals to pay their respects to the spirit of the world. It is rumored that powerful Ra'en preist, called skinwalkers, can imitate the deity's power to appear in any form.

Physiology
The Ra'en are a beast like race of humanoids. They walk upright, but tend to run on all fours. Their knees are inverted giving them the ability to achieve extremely fast over land speeds. A Ra'en's body is covered in thin, soft fur. Males typically have more fur than females, as well as faces closer to that of a large cat. Both sexes fur color ranges from ruddy, reddish browns, blondes, whites, greys, and blacks. A few Ra'en even have pattens on their skin akin to leopards, but this pattern is fairly rare. A ra'en's hair is concentrated at the top of their heads and the back of their necks. The males hair tends to be thicker and longer and also extends down their backs. Female Ra'en hair is concentrated on the tops of their heads and does not usually grow longer than four or five inches.

Ra'en eye color is very distict and typically either gold, blue, or green. A Ra'en's tail can vary in many ways. Some tails are lined with sparse fur and end in a bushy tip with others have thicker, but more uniform fur down the length. They use their tails for balance and these tails are not prehensile, but some tribes of Ra'en have mastered using bladed implements on their tails. Male and female tail length and size do not differ much from each other. Both males and females also have retractable claws that can be, and often are, used in combat.

Culture
Ra'en culture is centralized around the various groups that make up their population. Ra'en grow up in Ati'ron. These ati'ron are determined by elder tribe members before the Ra'en's birth. The Ati'ron last until the majority of the members have committed the various rites of passage in Ra'en society. After the Ati'ron, the young adult Ra'en will choose a tribe to join. This is typically the tribe in which the Ati'ron was formed from in the first place, though it is not considered taboo for them to join a different tribe. Tribes are groups of adults that have passed a rite of passage. Each tribe has its' own unique set of laws, practices, and organization. However; all tribes defer to the elder's of the capital for inter-tribal matters.

The capital of the Ra'en, Nila'hasi, is located near the coast of western Shahara. This city is the center of Ra'en society, trade, and law. It is also a place where all tribes can meet and dissolve the divides between them in order to participate in religious and cultural ceremonies together. Tribes will also come together to settle disputes over trade, tensions, hunting rights, and misunderstandings between them. The Ra'en who preside over all of these are a group of elder Ra'en called Nat'anii. These Nat'anii are what outsiders would consider the leaders of the Ra'en people. They have the last say on laws, trade, and disputes. They also preside over all rites that the Ra'en go through to be considered an adult.

Ra'en daily life is full of ceremony and prayer. The Ra'en have prayers from something as complex as sewing a new season of crops to something as simple as waking up. While not all Ra'en observe every ritual and prayer, the majority of Ra'en feel that it connects them both to their kinsman and to their deity. The Ra'en revere the land and its' inhabitants with the utmost respect. When a creature is killed for game, the Ra'en will often use every part of the animal as a form of respect. When the Ra'en finish a battle, they will pray together for both their fallen allies and their fallen foes.

The Ra'en will often hold onto tools, weapons, and clothing for many generations getting the full worth out of each object. Doing so, in their minds, honors the maker of the tool or object, the ancestors that used or wore it before, and Doko'oh-gai, whom created the materials used in the object.

Game Mechanics
The Ra'en-gai are fast, fierce peoples who often fights with tooth and claw as well as traditional weaponry.

Medium: A Ra'en-Gai are medium humanoids that gain no bonus due to size.

Speed: The Ra'en are quick of foot and have a speed of 40ft.

Light of foot, light of heart: The Ra'en prefer quickness and agility to fight. They are also a light hearted, charismatic race of folk. As such Ra'en gain a +2 to Dexterity, and a +2 to Charisma upon character creation.

Natural Fighter: The Ra'en often use their claws as deadly weapons. As such they are proficient in their natural weapons, Claws, and may treat their claws as natural weapons dealing 1d6 slashing damage.

Darkvision: The Ra'en are excellent night hunters. They gain darkvision of 60ft.

Keen Senses: The Ra'en are adept at picking up subtle movements and scents. They gain a +4 bonus to the Perception skill.

Quick Reflexes: The Ra'en are agile fighters and quick thinkers. As such when they are forced to roll a reflex save to avoid non magical damage, they may roll twice and take the higher result.

Banned Class: The Ra'en are brave, primal fighters and shamans. Most do, However, lack the discipline required to learn the ways of human magic. As such the Wizard class is banned for thr Ra'en.

Favored Classes:

Ranger - Choose one: Short bow, spear, dagger, claws. You gain a +1/4 increased crit range with this weapon (this DOES stack with feats or enchantments)

Rogue - You gain +1/3 on all stealth checks

Druid - Add +1/2 to the druid's animal companion's hit points. These bonus hit points transfer over if the druid were to get a new animal companion.