Inumimi, Variant (4e Race)
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This page is of questionable balance. Reason: Unbalanced abilities, skills. No such thing as "lethal" and "non-lethal" damage in 4e. Name Brand should be handled through role-playing and DM judgement, not mechanics. "+1 for all battle-related roles" doesn't make sense. Dog Shape appears to want to be at-will and daily, and also breaks several 4e design philosophies - perhaps look to see how Shifters handle this?
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[edit] Inumimi
Inumimi are a passive, servant race dedicated to their masters. Originally created as a Sorcerer's experiment, Inumimi have spread through most aspects of human society. Their nature grants them increased physical dexterity, but at the price of intelligence and independence.
| Racial Traits |
| Average Height: 4'8 to 5'10 |
| Average Weight: 110-180 lb. |
| Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, −2 Wisdom, −2 Charisma |
| Size: Medium |
| Speed: 7 squares squares |
| Vision: Low-light |
| Languages: Common, choice of another (if appropriate) |
| Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, -1 Diplomacy, -1 Streetwise, -2 Insight, +1 Nature, +2 Perception |
| Dog Fangs: The Inumimi's unarmed strike is replaced with a fang attack. The fang attack is equal to the unarmed strike of the Inumimi, except that it deals lethal damage. If an inumimi wishes to deal nonlethal damage, then it takes −3 to the attack roll. |
| Name Brand: An Inumimi may have their master's name magically branded into their skin by their master (only if the master has the ability to use basic magic and access to the knowledge in-game). By doing so, any command given by the master to the branded Inumimi must be obeyed, regardless of the consequence. This effect is only usable by the current master of the Inumimi. The Inumimi cannot make a save for this effect. The name is branded in black around the collar bone, and is not visible in Dog Shape. The Inumimi will generally keep the brand hidden, as this ability is, usually, originally employed by an evil or controlling master. The branding ritual takes roughly 7 hours to complete. |
| New Master: When an Inumimi’s master dies, the Name Branding turns white and becomes dormant. By reawakening the brand, the Inumimi is tied to a new master. The master must fulfill the same requirements in Name Brand to perform this contract. If a former master is resurrected (i.e. necromancy), this new contract becomes null, instead being replaced with the older contract. This ritual takes only 1 hour to complete. |
| Master and Servant: If an Inumimi has designated an unofficial master, that Inumimi gets a +1 for all battle-related roles if within 2 squares of the designated master. These bonuses increase by +1 for every five levels (i.e. +1 bonus for levels 1-5, +2 bonus for levels 6-10, etc.) If the inumimi has a Name Brand with that master, the bonus is doubled, and the range increased to 4 squares. |
| Master's Presence: If an Inumimi is in the company of his master, he/she suffers a further −2 to his/her Diplomacy and Streetwise. However, if using Bluff in the defense of his/her master, the Inumimi gains +2. |
| Dog Shape | Inumimi Racial Power |
| The Inumimi, using their magical heritage, assumes the form of their dog breed. | |
At-Will  At-Will, Utility, Daily (Once per level)
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| Minor Action | Self |
| Effect: When in their dog form, they keep all their stats, but use the base land speed, carrying capacity, and size category of their dog. When activated, they lose all proficiency with all weapons (except for their natural weapons) and drop whatever they are holding. | |
| The Inumimi takes a temporary -5 to their Bluff and Diplomacy. However, they also gain a temporary +2 to their Athletics, Nature, and Perception. These bonuses last only when using Dog Shape. This form is maintained through the Inumimi's will. | |
| Special: The number of times that this power may be used is one plus additional levels, daily. Changing back into human form doesn't count towards the number of times this power is used. | |
Originally devout followers of Pelor, the first Inumimi that were created shared a desire for happiness and goodwill. These traits are shared with the majority of their descendants, who serve as sentinels for their masters. With their magically altered forms, they stand watch over many masters during their long life, striving for a pleasant life.
Play an Inumimi if you want...
- To play a naturally good aligned race.
- To be able to be bound to another character for back story.
- To be easily trusting, but fierce in defending your friends.
- To be a member of a race that favors the Fighter and Monk classes.
[edit] Physical Qualities
Inumimi look like an ordinary human with the exception of a pair of dog ears replacing the regular human ears and a tail. The eye color varies widely, but the hair color is generally along the lines of the Inumimi's ears and tail color. Their build is very similar to a very lean human, and their distinction between male and female is also similar to humans. Each Inumimi, if appropriate for the game, can transform into their predetermined breed of dog (Dog Shape). They usually wear light clothing, and almost never wear medium or heavy army, instead opting to use their natural body's strength and dexterity to their advantage. They generally use human crafted weapons, but some have been known to specialize entirely with their fangs and fists.
[edit] Playing an Inumimi
The Inumimi mythos is an integral part in their character, as it demonstrates the lengths the Inumimi will go for the accomplishment of good. In addition, an Inumimi's gullibility forces the Inumimi to develop a lax and forgiving sense of humor in a generally unforgiving world. Although born of magic, their natural proficiency with any magical arts is slim to none, rendering them useless in the ways of arcane power. As such, they are mostly treated as physical defenders and strikers for the magic classes, careful not to stray from their allies side.
Inumimi Characteristics: Trusting, acclimated, quick, affectionate, loyal, naive, dim-witted.
For Inumimi, names are considered an important element of their personality and, sometimes, an invention of their masters. Generally, the parents of the Inumimi will wait several years before assigning a name. Since Inumimi are most in-tune with human society, the local name pool is used to help give an appropriate name. If born or raised under the watch of a formal master, the master will assign a name to an Inumimi when it's young. All names given depend on the culture and feelings of the local human population or the master.
Male Names: *Varies: See Human Names*
Female Names: *Varies: See Human Names*
[edit] Inumimi Adventurers
Three sample inumimi adventurers are described below.
Derla is an Inumimi fighter traveling along with her master. Aiding her magic using master, she wields a slender blade and leather armor for optimal movement. Bound to her master since her birth, she exudes a degree of staunch seriousness in his presence, but hopes to find a place to settle down after adventuring with him.
Groman is an Inumimi monk living alone in the wilderness with his clan. With his clan acting as overseers for a collection of nearby villages, he prided himself on the peaceful nature of his domain. However, the arrival of a band of trolls proved too much for his clan and the villagers, and they were scattered. Failing to protect his home, he now seeks redemption amongst a group of adventurers, aiding the people he comes in contact with and growing stronger.
Yastura is an Inumimi barbarian, roaming the sparsely populated rims of a desert. Seeking little company, he is hard to the ways of the world, seeking only to find his clan. With his father's heirloom sword at his side, he wanders, searching for traces of his past.
[edit] Inumimi Oral Mythos
Existing only in a high–magical setting, the inumimi's legend of origin is steeped in lore and mystery dating back an indeterminable span of time. One story says they are from a lost and isolated land. In this land, there was an evil and deranged Sorcerer who subjugated a large area of human settlement. Instead of fighting, the human beings, accustomed to years of peace and prosperity, had lost their will to defend themselves. After the Sorcerer established his dominion, he openly began stealing people away using his magical army of armor for his own personal experimentation. Using the abducted villagers, the Sorcerer hoped to create an army of strong warriors who would obey him indefinitely. Eventually, the villages in the surrounding grew desolate and empty, leaving only the few towns and cities to cower in fear at the possibility of abduction. One day, the Sorcerer sent his entire army to abduct an entire village. When they arrived, they demanded that 500 people accompany them back to the Sorcerer's castle. With only roughly a 1000 people in the village, no one wished to depart. However, appearing from a local monastery dedicated to the god Pelor, a group of 500 worshipers offered themselves for the entire village. The quota satisfied, they were lead away to the Sorcerer's castle.
The villagers were originally jubilant and thankful for the selfless sacrifice of the worshipers. As the days passed, however, they grew sad that they could not have stopped anyone from taking them away. Their sadness turned to rage as they began a general revolt against the Sorcerer. They fought with such tenacity that the small village managed to defeat the small magical army that was sent in to quash them. Although they suffered a high number of casualties, their courage served as a spark for the neighboring human settlements. Eventually, the entirety of the human population under the Sorcerer's control revolted against his rule and attacked en masse against his castle. By the time the human forces managed to defeat the failing remnants of the Sorcerer's magical army and break down the gate, the Sorcerer had trailed his newest experiment: the inumimi. A few inumimi showed signs of being warped and evil, but the 500 who gave themselves for the small village remained pure and far from the Sorcerer's original vision. The Sorcerer, realizing this, quickly crafted the Name Brand, binding all 500 to his will. Just before the spell was completed, the human revolutionaries broke in and slew the Sorcerer.
However, the damage had been done. The land was ravaged and depopulated, and the humans who survived the experiment were forever changed. Though they looked relatively normal, their psyche was molded and channeled into a finding new master. The original worshipers became the ancestors of the modern inumimi. They migrated outward from the original land, taking companionship with humans and other races throughout the entire world, along with the Name Brand spells crafted by the original Sorcerer.
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