*Condemned 2 (and therefore the picture above) belong to Monolith Productions and Sega.[Below you'll find the first of three posts about a 4th edition D&D player race inspired by the game Condemned 2 Bloodshot. They have been completely reworked to fit into the D&D game, with a new backstory, attitude and culture. I have tried however, to keep what makes the Oro Invictus so interesting, but you don't need to have ever played the Condemned games to use them. Although, if you enjoy video games, I implore you to try them out someday.]
Many years ago, a guild of mages dedicated to the perfection of the human race used mysterious texts they discovered to unlock an unknown arcane power. They subjected their children to the wild magics they uncovered. Although the process left many children dead, those who survived showed increased endurance and a strange affinity with sound. In time these children grew older and were led to believe they were the next stage of human life. Thus the Oro Invictus or “Invincible Voice” were born. Dedicated to bringing their gifts to the kingdom of Nerath they infiltrated many positions of power and used their influence to try and shift the course of human evolution.
Contacting a powerful gnoll tribal leader named the White Ruin the oro provoked a war upon the human kingdom of Nerath. They planned to use their power to end the tumultuous war, thus the people would revere them and accept their gifts regardless of the cost. But the cost of the war was far too high.
A powerful group of oro formed a splinter group. Calling themselves the Rememdium, the cure, they struck out against their brethren and snapped the hold the oro had over the kingdom of Nerath. Unfortunately their act of bravery came too late. The king and all his valiant children were slain in the final battle against the gnolls. The kingdom of Nerath was no more, and the oro's plan of ascension had failed.
Average Height: 5' 6”-6'2”
Average Weight: 150-235 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Cha, +2 Con
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, choice of one other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Endurance
Human Heritage: You can take feats that have human as a prerequisite (as well as those specifically for Oro), as long as you meet any other requirements.
Sonic Resistance: You have resist thunder 5 + 1/2 level.
Sound Burst: You can use sound burst as an encounter power.
Descended from a bloodline of humans who used terrible magics to alter their own children, oro have no realms of their own choosing to instead live among human cities and towns. They are descended from powerful mages who used dark magics to enhance their race. Long ago their culture dissolved and the oro left have been left to choose their own path.
Play an oro if you want...
◆To use sound itself as a weapon
◆ To be a hero striving to overcome his dark culture
◆ To be a member of a race that favors the sorcerer, warlock, and bard classes.
Physical Qualities
An oro's appearance is similar to their human heritage. They come in a wide variety of heights, weights, hair and eye colors. However, as a side effect to the arcane reconfiguration of their bloodline all skin colors of an Oro are pallid, almost corpselike in nature. The wild magics inherent in the creation of the Oro gave them a greater bone density, thus they are slightly larger and heavier than their human cousins.
In clothing oro's favor dark colors, most often black or red. They like leathers with straps, buckles and spikes. Oro arms and armor often have sleek or smooth designs, alluding to their perfectionist past. Metal plays an important role in customary oro wardrobe. Special metal devices can help to amplify an individual oro's sonic prowess. Thus many oro have a multitude of piercings or modify their clothes with chains.
Playing an Oro
After the destruction of the kingdom of Nerath both the Invincible Voice and the Rememdium went to ground. However, the similarities end there. Those oro who chose to follow the Invincible Voice quickly set about establishing fresh contacts in the human world. The Rememdium however chose to coexist rather than coerce their brethren and for the most part disbanded, seeking a normal life among what remained of the human lands.
Although their are oro who know nothing of their past, most are instructed in the history of their race from a young age. The message contained in these lessons can vary greatly depending on the background of the parent. Many oro learn early on of their distinct advantages over humans, and have a deeply ingrained superiority complex. Others believe that oro are no better than man, merely different.
Years of hiding their true nature means that the oro have a hard time opening up to others, often keeping secrets even from their closest friends and families. They feel the lies are necessary for their safety and are very slow to trust even the kindest of people. A cultural history of manipulation and a hunger for power and dominance instills many oro with a powerful pride that can easily slip into outright arrogance. This can most easily be felt in their dealings with humans, who they often see as lesser cousins incapable of making the jump to true greatness.
Unsurprisingly oro are not a numerous people, and those oro outside the Invincible Voice do not often seek out their own kind. Instead they live life as humans do, for they are of course still human themselves. They can have children with humans, but the baby is always another oro.
Oro Characteristics: Arrogant, cunning, intellectual, perfectionist, proud, suspicious, withdrawn.
Male Names: Acario, Adalrico, Delmar, Durant, Ezio, Hadrian, Korvin, Levin, Magnus, Marius, Peril, Valerian, Zanobi
Female Names: Avis, Candra, Dabria, Elata, Galena, Isola, Levana, Perdita, Quintessa, Renata, Reva, Severina, Valora
Racial Feats:
Heroic Tier Feats:
These feats are available to any oro who meets the prerequisites.
Enhanced Sound Burst [Oro]
Prerequisite: Oro, sound burst racial power.
Benefit: When using your sound burst racial power, you may choose to push any targets hit 1 square.
Oro Resilience [Oro]
Prerequisite: Oro
Benefit: Gain a +1 bonus to your Fortitude defense and a +2 bonus on Endurance checks made to resist diseases.
Reactive Outburst [Oro]
Prerequisite: Oro, sound burst racial power
Benefit: When an enemy moves adjacent to you, you may use your sound burst power as an immediate interrupt.
Paragon Tier Feats:
These feats are available to any oro of 11th level or higher who meets the prerequisites.
Sonic Emission [Oro]
Prerequisite: Oro, sound burst racial power
Benefit: When using your sound burst racial power you may choose to instead target a single creature within 10 squares. If you do, deal the damage and resolve effects as normal, in addition the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Epic Tier Feats:
These feats are available to any oro of 21st level or higher who meets the prerequisites.
Unearthly Reserves [Oro]
Prerequisite: Oro
Benefit: Once per encounter when you become bloodied you regain the use of your sound burst power.
No comments:
Post a Comment