Neanderthal

Le Moustier Neanderthals, Date 1920, Charles R. Knight (1874–1953)

Primitive humans that are thickly built, with long arms and a barrel chest. They possess a stone era technology, thus their tools are often inferior to civilized species.

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Human, Neanderthal CR 1

XP 400 Neanderthal fighter 2 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +2; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +2 Dexterity, +1 natural) hp 23 (2d10+12) Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1; +2 vs. illusions or enchantments

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in hide armor) Melee Greatclub +5 (1d10+4) Ranged spear +4 (1d8+3) Special Attacks hatred

STATISTICS

Strength 17, Dexterity 14, Constitution 17, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10 Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 17 Feats Great Fortitide, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Greatclub) Skills Intimidate +4, Survival +2 Languages Common SQ hardy, mental fortitude

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests, mountains, and hills Organization solitary, group (2-4), or clan (10-40) Treasure Greatclub, hide armor, 3 spears, leather sack, assorted bones, shells, and uncut gems worth 1d20 gp.

Neanderthals (also known as Cavemen) have squat bodies with large bones and powerful muscles. Their faces have ape-like features, including large brows above the eyes.

Neanderthals are friendly toward dwarves and Gnomes, but hate goblins and kobolds, and will attack ogres on sight. Neanderthals are shy and will avoid humans, but are not usually hostile unless they are attacked. Neanderthals live in family groups in caves and caverns. They usually fight with thrown spears and use stone axes, clubs, or stone hammers in hand-to-hand combat.

Neanderthals are the premier hunter-gatherer race, and have a long history of war, since they are always under the threat for control of their homeland. Most neanderthals do not live as long as other humanoid races due to their rought lives, but they live them to the fullest anyway.

NEANDERTHAL CHARACTERS

Neanderthals are usually warriors or fighters, with the occasional barbarian or ranger. Spellcasting neanderthals are usually sorcerers, and are extremely rare. Neanderthals make fine warriors and scout characters, and neanderthal shamans practicing druidic magic is not uncommon.

* Adventuring Race: The most common reason for a neanderthal to become an adventurer is to hunt for far-flung prey or to fight for his village with other individuals willing to help his cause.

* Character Development: The best methods of using a neanderthal to his fullest is in the Barbarian or ranger classes. Applying a good score roll to Dexterity is a must for any spear-throwers and fast rangers, because the neanderthal's penalty to that score makes him a bit behind the standard.

* Character Names: Neanderthal names tend to have their own symbolic meaning in Neanderthalese, but those travelling with humans tend to drop their neanderthal name and gain a more human one. Examples of traditional neanderthal names "humanized" including Blinding Snows, Mammoth Slayer, and Cloud Walker.

Neanderthals are defined by their character classes; they do not have racial hit dice. Neanderthals have the following racial modifiers.

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence.

Medium size Neanderthals have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed A Neanderthal's base land speed is 30 feet.

Hardy Neanderthals begin play with +6 hit points.

Low-Light Vision Neanderthals can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Natural Armor Neanderthals have tough skin and thick bones, which give them a +1 natural armor bonus.

Hatred Neanderthals receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against goblins, kobolds, and ogres.

Mental Fortitude Neanderthals gain a +2 racial bonus to save throws against illusions or enchantments.

Languages Neanderthals begin play speaking Common. Neanderthals with high Intelligence scores can choose any language they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic.)

STARTING AGE

* Adulthood: 18.
* Barbarian, Rogue, sorcerer: 1d4
* bard, fighter, paladin, ranger: 1d6.
* Cleric, druid, Monk, Wizard: 2d6.

AGING EFFECTS

* Middle Age: 30
* Old: 45
* Venerable: 55
* Maximum Age: +1d10.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

* Base Height: 5'8
* Height Modifier: +2d6 inches
* Base Weight: 120 lb.
* Weight Modifier: +1d10 lb.

ROLEPLAYING A NEANDERTHAL

You often have to fight adversity when adventuring, since many peoples of the lands to the South believe your kind to be "subhuman primitives, no smarter than trolls".

* Personality: You are determined and sometimes distant to those who do not know you, but you are jovial and kind-hearted to your comrades and village family.

* Behaviors: Neanderthals are best described as "brave in the face of great adversity". A neanderthal will behave with the same courage when facing a mammoth as he would a goblin.

* Language: Neanderthalese is a complex tribal language, somewhat sounding like a mix of West Valleys Common (German), dwarven, and deeper-toned "musical" words.

NEANDERTHAL SOCIETY

Neanderthals are close-knit people, trading in between tribes and treating their home village's residents as an extended family.

* Alignment : As true team players for the benefit of their tribe, neanderthals tend to be Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good.

* Lands : Neanderthals live in the lands of the Great North, living in the Far North steppes in the summer, then retreating farther to the Low North cavernlands when winter grasps the steppes in ice and snow even more than they can handle.

* Settlements: Neanderthals build temporary "villages" out of caves in their winter home, as well as true villages built from mammoth bones and hides in the Far North.

* Beliefs: Neanderthals mostly worship nature deities, their shaman (usually a druid or Cleric) acting as a "speaker of the spirits" for their chosen god/dess.

* Relations: Neanderthals make wary friends of humans.

NEANDERTHAL ADVENTURES

* The village's shaman has gone missing in the middle of the most important religious festival of the year, causing disarray and fears of an ill omen.

* A neanderthal adolescent was killed by a short-faced bear in his right of passage. The grief-stricken parents want a brave adventurer group to retrieve his bones for proper burial.

* In a dangerous twist of fate, a huge dinosaur has wiped out a tribe nearby, but is not satisfied, and wishes to do in the neanderthal village as well. A group of survivers wish to make a truce to vanquish the beast, but can they be trusted?