Zvarr

Source: Legendary Planet Player's Guide

Zvarr are a race of winged, saurian humanoids with an eclectic range of ethnic distinctions displaying traits and similarities with salamanders, dinosaurs, and even dragons. Renowned for their cunning, greed, and subterfuge, zvarr enjoy longer than average lifespans and incubation periods, but much to their chagrin, their vestigial wings do not grant them the ability of true flight, leading them to more of an opportunistic society rather than a truly dominant one.

Physical Description: As bipedal, reptilian humanoids, zvarr display a mixture of dinosaur and dragon-like facial structures, usually with longer jawbones and snouts. Their scales maintain a more limber, flexible quality similar to salamanders and true lizards, with their legs ending in small talons, each too small to deal significant damage, but which allow them to excel at climbing. A zvarr’s skin almost always runs a shade of mottled gray or dark blue, featuring different-colored striations along each limb. They often use these color variations—a carryover effect of their eggs—to tell one another apart.

Society: The egg-clutch of a zvarr, and the order in which it hatches, heavily influences its ranking in society. Similar to a clan structure, egg-clutches foment competition between siblings and one another. These fierce rivalries can last even through adulthood—a purposeful construct designed to drive the innovation and elevation of the entire species.

Differences get temporarily put aside, however, when external forces threaten multiple clutches at the same time. And, given the long incubation period of their species, any act which interferes with the eggs of another clutch amounts to a declaration of war. As zvarr age, their intra-family conflicts slowly diminish and the success of the entire clutch takes priority over individual achievement, allowing them to act more like a merchant guild with united goals.

Relations: The zvarr rarely earn the trust of other species, having a reputation—rightly or wrongly—for stealing anything they covet. Their frequent attempts to trick others into trusting them, only further damages their reputation. And, while they do sometimes live as outsiders in the cities of other races, it almost always means shady activity has drawn them there. Adventurous zvarr often need to reassure others of their sincerity and goodwill, and even so, most still never entirely let their guard down around the zvarr, especially when more than one is present.

Alignment and Religion: Zvarr tend towards neutral and evil alignments, but even chaotic evil zvarr are more inclined towards greed than murder. Good-aligned zvarr also exist, but they typically shirk the laws of the land, tending towards chaotic good and living a life exiled from their clutch, self-imposed or otherwise. Their patron deity is Macalatu the Sly, who they believe perfectly stole the divinity of another god. They worship other deities, as well, but prefer those who favor stealth, community, and cleverness.

Male Names: Dirkub, Razz, Karg, Ordak, Rikt, Gint

Female Names: Agmre, Orba, Dokt, Fexka, Ikru, Rin

Zvarr Racial Traits

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom: Zvarr are nimble and clever, but often lack common sense.

Reptilian: Zvarr are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.

Medium: Zvarr are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Zvarr have a base speed of 30 feet and a Climb speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Zvarr can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Agile: Zvarr receive a +1 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Fly checks.

Armored Scales: Zvarr gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class.

Bite: Zvarr gain a natural bite attack dealing 1d3 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the zvarr is wielding manufactured weapons.

Greed: Zvarr gain a +2 bonus on Appraise checks to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.

Vestigial Wings: Zvarr can use their wings to glide by making a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, a zvarr may make an additional DC 15 Fly check to glide, moving 5 feet in any horizontal direction for every 1 foot he falls, at a speed of 60 feet per round. A zvarr cannot gain height with these wings alone; merely coasting in other directions as it falls. If subjected to a strong wind or any other effect that causes a creature with gliding wings to rise, a zvarr can take advantage of the updraft to increase the distance it can glide.

Languages: Zvarr begin play speaking Common and Draconic. Zvarr with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Orc, Undercommon.