The Semeion Race
Hello everyone, and welcome back to From the Workshop, where we bring you new and exciting ways to liven up your game. This week I would like to introduce you to a race inspired by one of my favorite items from Into the Armory: the cloak of the chameleon.
Physical Description
At birth a semeion is indistinguishable from a human child and shows no signs of being anything else until their mid-teens, when they first start to manifest their race’s unique powers. Physically, this race of shape-changers resemble typical human, and individuals have a limited ability to alter their regular appearance. However, most semeions’ appearance reflect their self-image. For instance, a semeion who always dreamed of growing up to be a fairy tale princess might find herself with long golden hair, a fair complexion, and bright white teeth; similarly, someone who always believes themselves to be a victim might be physically small, with watery eyes and hunched shoulders.
This image is typically set around age 13 and can change the young semeion only in ways realistic for their physiology. For example, while a semeion’s hair may change from brown to black, no semeion will ever grow up to be a dwarf, no matter how dwarflike his or her personality may be (though they can still use spells to alter their form). The most curious feature of the semeion biology is their ability to replicate the form of various nonliving objects. To date, most scholars are unable to pinpoint a good reason for why the semeion possess this innate talent, though the most prevalent theory is that early in their history the semeion were subjected to some form of magic or curse.
Society
The semeion are a guarded race; their history is known only to a few of the eldest semeion, and they (assuming one can even find them) refuse to share any information about their race’s past with anyone, save for a fellow semeion whom they judge to be worthy of receiving such information. Most semeion blend in with human society, and their race breeds true with both humans and other semeion (though pairings with humans, half-elves, and half-orcs result in a child of their partner’s race 50% of the time). For the most part, semeion tend to fit in well in human society and share both their lands and their wide variety of cultures.
Relations
Semeions get along well with most “civilized” races, but share a particular affinity for humans and half-humans. The semeion have no particular racial enemies, though many share the prejudices of those around them.
Alignment and Religion
The semeion are widespread people, and, having no particular racial bent to follow any one alignment or religion, typically adopt alignments or religions based on their surroundings. An important exception, a core group of conservatives consisting mainly of the very old and those skilled enough to have learned the history of their race, tends to follow the little known goddess Aleithia, rumored to the patron goddess of the semeion, and members of this conservative group are almost exclusively true neutral.
Adventurers
Semeions as a race have a fairly low population, but they sport a relatively high percentage of adventurers in their population, and it is not unusual to encounter a semeion adventurer in any region of the world (though most semeion adventurers tend to be found in urban areas). Semion adventurers come from all walks of life and can study many disciplines, although most tend to be rouges. The average semeion adventurer can find work as spy due to their unique ability to shape-shift, and the strongest of the semeion are sought after by the great kingdoms of the world to serve them in this manner.
Racial Traits
Type: Semeions are humanoids with the shapechanger subtype.
Ability Scores: +2 to any one ability score, representing the semeion’s wide variety of natural talents (For regular 3.5, semeions receive no adjustment to their ability scores, being not particularly better or worse in any given area).
Medium: Semeion receive no special benefits or penalties due to size.
Speed: 30ft
Change Shape (Su): Semeion possess a powerful innate ability to change shape, mimicking any inanimate, non-living object for a period of time. A semeion may choose to assume the form of an inanimate object as a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. While in object form the semeion retains all his usual senses, and gains object traits and resistances, including hardness, suitable to the object assumed (though he retains his own hit points). While in this form his effective Dexterity score is 0, and his speed is reduced to 0 feet (in fact, a semeion who has changed into an inanimate object is incapable of motion altogether). While using the change shape ability, a semeion is indistinguishable from the object it is copying by mundane detection. A semeion may only assume the form of objects within 1 size category of himself. A semeion may use this ability for 10 minutes per hit dice per day. Though the use need not be continuous, each use of the ability counts as a minimum of 10 minutes, even if the semeion remains changed for only a single round. When a semeion becomes middle-aged, he can use this ability for one hour per character level per day, and when a semeion becomes venerable this ability lasts indefinitely and can be entered and resumed at will.