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I wrote this some time ago for 3.x. It's a variant halfling race with a reason to live in underground burrows that has nothing to do with Tolkien.
^_^
A giant ant is moving through the trees. Strangely, it is wearing a saddle and bearing a halfling rider. The halfling is slender rather than round, and has a scowling face beneath his sturdy looking helm. On his leather armor is a symbol resembling an ant’s head.
Long ago, in a time lost to history, the burrows of some halfling clans merged with those of giant ants. The halflings that took up residence with giant ants are the forerunners of the antlings.
Thousands of years of interaction and trust between the antlings and the giant ants allow the halflings to live peacefully and safely among the otherwise voracious giant vermin. An antling can move safely anywhere in the giant ant colony except for the queen’s chamber - only nurse ants and male ants are allowed there. This immunity to attack by giant ants only extends to the colony in which the antling was born, of course. Since they carry the smell of their colony with them everywhere they go, giant ants of different colonies go out of their way to attack them. While out of the colony above ground, antlings ride giant worker ants and use them as beasts of burden. So far, only worker ants have been domesticated in this way. Giant soldier ants are far too aggressive to be used as mounts.
Aside from their unusual living arrangements, antlings are much like any other halfling. They enjoy good food and fellowship, and they make a very fine wine made of fermented mosses. Although they are a gregarious people, other humanoids find the smell of an antling a little difficult to abide; antlings usually reek of formic acid.
Antlings have modeled their society after ants to a certain degree. They are a matriarchal culture, with females being the heads of the households and the primary leaders and decision makers of the clans as a whole. Antlings revere a single queen, and her chief advisers are all female relatives; sisters, aunts, cousins, and nieces. The antling queen - and only she - may wed several husbands. Those not familiar with the inner workings of their unique culture assume that antling females are stereotypical domineering, male-hating amazons. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Unlike the society of giant ants, in which males are merely drones whose only purpose is to fertilize the queen, male antlings have an important place in their society. Male antlings (called myrmidons) are the hunters, foragers, and soldiers of the colony. They are the most likely to be encountered above ground, except in rare cases. Within the colony, the females are the final say in all matters of law and dispute. Out of the colony, however, the males are in charge since it is they who know the most about the outside world. Above ground, all females except the queen listen to the advice and follow the decisions of the leading males.
The dual nature of antling society—females in charge below ground and males in charge above—may seem confusing to many, but it works for the antlings and has worked for centuries.
Although it is extremely unusual for an antling to leave the colony to go exploring, it has been known to happen from time to time. Adventurous antlings are the exception to the rule, and the general consensus among other antlings is a feeling of “good riddance to bad company.” To them, an antling who puts his own ambitions and curiosity above the greater good of the colony is unwelcome anyway. Obviously, antlings in general are very patriotic and dedicated to their homeland. Rarely are antlings that leave the colony ever welcomed home should they return.
Antling clerics revere a trio of female deities called the Great Queen, the Warrior, and the Worker. There is a lesser-known male deity, the Drone, but he is not worshipped and only appears in the religious artwork of the antlings as a small figure beside the Great Queen.
Antling Characters
Antlings are stronger than average halflings, but have sacrificed a little of their free will to the greater good of the colony. Clerics of the Great Queen can choose from the Law, Knowledge, and Magic domains. Clerics of the Warrior can choose from the Protection, Strength, and War domains. Clerics of the Worker can choose from the Earth, Strength, and Travel domains.
— +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma— Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Stealth checks, -1 penalty to CMB and CMD.
— An antling’s base land speed is 20 feet.
— +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, and Stealth checks.
— Ant Companionship (Ex): Giant ants from the same colony as an antling never attack the antling unless he poses an immediate threat to the colony (such as entering the queen’s chamber or attacking the ants unprovoked). This immunity does not extend to any of the antling’s companions unless they, too, are antlings from that colony. The companionship between giant ants and antlings is such that an antling druid or ranger can choose a giant worker ant as her animal companion, and an antling paladin can choose a giant worker and as her special mount.
— +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
— +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the antling’s +1 bonus on saving throws in general.
— +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons and slings.
— +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
— Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc.
You know, I once saw a Half-Gnome, Half Umberhulk called a Burrow(er)
Or was it halfling? Anyway... Yeah....
You know, I once saw a Half-Gnome, Half Umberhulk called a Burrow(er)
Or was it halfling? Anyway... Yeah....
I cannot imagine the amount of lubricant that would have taken.
I cannot imagine the amount of lubricant that would have taken.You know, I once saw a Half-Gnome, Half Umberhulk called a Burrow(er)
Or was it halfling? Anyway... Yeah....
Your telling me, but here's a question, if there was lubricant involved, was it a willing party?
Or was it a willing party in general?
These guys aren't half-ants or anything biologically hinky like that. They're just halflings who've melded their society with those of giant ants for mutual protection.
It's a pretty cool concept. I'm not sure I like the lack of a strength penalty though, it would pretty much make this the goto-halfling sub-race for anyone not on the bard/ sorcerer path.
I'm not sure if the halfling thrown weapon bonus was kept deliberately or not but its been dropped from core halflings.
Also, maybe drop some of the other bonuses and give them darkvision since they are underground so much. Maybe halfling luck?
actually if you are dropping something for darkvision I would think Keen senses would be the likely candidate.
They don't have a Strength penalty, but they also don't have the cumulative +2 to ability scores that races now typically have in Pathfinder.
I think Darkvision is a great idea. I hadn't thought about that.
What say I drop the +2 to Perception and the bonus to ranged attacks for Darkvision?
They need to at least keep the +2 to Acrobatics and climb checks, since crawling around inside a giant ant nest would most likely require a lot of climbing and jumping.
They don't need to be as stealthy, since they are more warlike and less sneaky than typical halflings, so we can drop the +2 to Stealth checks. The already get a good bonus there for being Small and having a +2 to Dex.
What do you all think of that?
And thanks for the good input! ^_^
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This isn't so much a game mechanics observation as an entomological one, but how do the worker ant companions handle being away from their colony? Normal ants will lose their colony's scent if they are away from home for too long inciting their former family to attack them should they ever return. Workers ants also generally have much shorter lifespans than other ants.
I'm probably thinking too hard about it, but it might be cool to describe a procedure where a ranger or druid (or maybe even cavalier) antling is "gifted" with a particularly hardy worker ant by the queen ant or something like that. The paladin's ant is a little easier to imagine since the ant just goes back to its celestial colony when not in use.
This isn't so much a game mechanics observation as an entomological one, but how do the worker ant companions handle being away from their colony? Normal ants will lose their colony's scent if they are away from home for too long inciting their former family to attack them should they ever return.
Most antlings don't leave the colony long enough for this to happen. Those that do leave aren't usually welcomed back anyway because they put their personal ambitions above the good of the colony.
Workers ants also generally have much shorter lifespans than other ants.
These are ants 6 feet long. Since we are suspending our disbelief about the laws of physics, I think we can do so about lifespans as well. ^_^
I'm probably thinking too hard about it, but it might be cool to describe a procedure where a ranger or druid (or maybe even cavalier) antling is "gifted" with a particularly hardy worker ant by the queen ant or something like that. The paladin's ant is a little easier to imagine since the ant just goes back to its celestial colony when not in use.
Both great ideas! Thanks!
Or the antlings have somehow found certain herbs/rituals/poultices that prolong the ants' lives? The antling and the ant rub scent off on each other?
Also a neat idea! Perhaps this is another application of Craft (alchemy) that antlings can learn?
Hmm... looking at the mite and the ettercap, two other creatures with special relationships with vermin, perhaps I should give the antling Ant Empathy?
This was sort of just assumed in the description I wrote for them, but given the rules regarding mindless creatures, I suppose some game mechanics need to come into play as well.
As modified, from the Vermin/Spider Empathy of those creatures:
Ant Empathy (Ex) This ability functions as the druid's wild empathy, save that an antling can only use this ability on giant ants. An antling gains a +4 racial bonus on this check. Giant ants are mindless, but this empathic communication imparts on them a modicum of implanted intelligence, allowing antlings to train giant ants and use them as mounts and guardians.
I'll also have to work up Ant Companion stats like the other abbreviated animal companion stat blocks in the description of the druid class.
Ant Empathy (Ex) This ability functions as the druid's wild empathy, save that an antling can only use this ability on giant ants. An antling gains a +4 racial bonus on this check. Giant ants are mindless, but this empathic communication imparts on them a modicum of implanted intelligence, allowing antlings to train giant ants and use them as mounts and guardians.
I might drop the +4 racial bonus, since that would stack with the +4 circumstance bonus of the Link animal companion ability, thus giving antling druids and such a cumulative +8 bonus on Handle Animal checks with their ant companion. That seems a bit unbalanced.
Unless, of course, the +4 racial bonus is meant to offset an unstated -4 penalty for using this ability on mindless vermin...
I need to do more research. Back to the books!
They don't have a Strength penalty, but they also don't have the cumulative +2 to ability scores that races now typically have in Pathfinder.
I think Darkvision is a great idea. I hadn't thought about that.
What say I drop the +2 to Perception and the bonus to ranged attacks for Darkvision?
They need to at least keep the +2 to Acrobatics and climb checks, since crawling around inside a giant ant nest would most likely require a lot of climbing and jumping.
They don't need to be as stealthy, since they are more warlike and less sneaky than typical halflings, so we can drop the +2 to Stealth checks. The already get a good bonus there for being Small and having a +2 to Dex.
What do you all think of that?
That covers everything I was about to comment on. Need Darkvision, don't need + to Stealth or + to thrown/slings. I'd still give them the halfling weapon proficiency though (Sling + "Halfling" weapons), especially since mounted and w/out a Str penalty thrown weapons/slings are a great option.
As for Ant Empathy - give them a +4 to their home colony. An "enemy" colony wouldn't have a bonus or penalty.
Sounds good. I'll re-work my fluff up there into the standard format for describing races in Pathfinder.
Thanks, all! ^_^
Ok, so here's the antling with a proper Pathfinder race write-up.
ANTLING
Long ago, in a time lost to history, the burrows of some halfling clans merged with those of giant ants. The halflings that took up residence with giant ants are the forerunners of the antlings.
Thousands of years of interaction and trust between the antlings and the giant ants allow the halflings to live peacefully and safely among the otherwise voracious giant vermin. An antling can move safely anywhere in the giant ant colony except for the queen’s chamber - only nurse ants and male ants are allowed there. This immunity to attack by giant ants only extends to the colony in which the antling was born, of course. Since they carry the smell of their colony with them everywhere they go, giant ants of different colonies go out of their way to attack them. While out of the colony above ground, antlings ride giant worker ants and use them as beasts of burden. So far, only worker ants have been domesticated in this way. Giant soldier ants are far too aggressive to be used as mounts.
Physical Description: Aside from their unusual living arrangements, antlings are much like any other halfling. They enjoy good food and fellowship, and they make a very fine wine made of fermented mosses. Although they are a gregarious people, other humanoids find the smell of an antling a little difficult to abide; antlings usually reek of formic acid.
Society: Antlings have modeled their society after ants to a certain degree. They are a matriarchal culture, with females being the heads of the households and the primary leaders and decision makers of the clans as a whole. Antlings revere a single queen, and her chief advisers are all female relatives; sisters, aunts, cousins, and nieces. The antling queen - and only she - may wed several husbands. Unlike the society of giant ants, in which males are merely drones whose only purpose is to fertilize the queen, male antlings have an important place in their society. Male antlings (called myrmidons) are the hunters, foragers, and soldiers of the colony. They are the most likely to be encountered above ground, except in rare cases. Within the colony, the females are the final say in all matters of law and dispute. Out of the colony, however, the males are in charge since it is they who know the most about the outside world. Above ground, all females except the queen listen to the advice and follow the decisions of the leading males.
Relations: Antlings associate well with gnomes and dwarves, with dwarves in particular being impressed with the antlings’ work ethic and dedication to family. They are neutral towards elves, humans, and even half-orcs but are more wary of the ‘big folk’ than other Halflings.
Alignment and Religion: Antling clerics revere a trio of female deities called the Great Queen, the Warrior, and the Worker. There is a lesser-known male deity, the Drone, but he is not worshipped and only appears in the religious artwork of the antlings as a small figure beside the Great Queen. Clerics of the Great Queen can choose from the Law, Knowledge, and Magic domains. Clerics of the Warrior can choose from the Protection, Strength, and War domains. Clerics of the Worker can choose from the Earth, Strength, and Travel domains. Given their dedication to the order and survival of the colony, most antlings are lawful neutral.
Adventurers: Although it is extremely unusual for an antling to leave the colony to go adventuring, it has been known to happen from time to time. Adventurous antlings are the exception to the rule, and the general consensus among other antlings is a feeling of “good riddance to bad company.” To them, an antling who puts his own ambitions and curiosity above the greater good of the colony is unwelcome anyway. Obviously, antlings in general are very patriotic and dedicated to their homeland. Rarely are antlings that leave the colony ever welcomed home should they return.
Antling Characters
+2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma: Antlings are stronger than average halflings, but have sacrificed a little of their free will to the greater good of the colony.
Small: Antlings are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Slow Speed: Antlings have a base speed of 20 feet.
Darkvision: Antlings can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Fearless: Antlings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by halfling luck.
Halfling Luck: Antlings receive a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
Sure-Footed: Antlings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb skill checks.
Ant Empathy: This ability functions as the druid's wild empathy, save that an antling can only use this ability on giant ants. An antling gains a +4 racial bonus on this check, but only with ants from his home colony. Giant ants are mindless, but this empathic communication imparts on them a modicum of implanted intelligence, allowing antlings to train giant ants and use them as mounts and guardians. Giant ants from the same colony as an antling never attack the antling unless he poses an immediate threat to the colony (such as entering the queen’s chamber or attacking the ants unprovoked). This immunity does not extend to any of the antling’s companions unless they, too, are antlings from that colony. The companionship between giant ants and antlings is such that an antling druid or ranger can choose a giant worker ant as her animal companion, and an antling paladin can choose a giant worker and as her special mount.
Weapon Familiarity: Antlings are proficient with slings and treat any weapon with the word “halfling” in its name as a martial weapon.
Languages: Antlings begin play speaking Common and Halfling. Antlings with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, and Goblin.
Worker Ant Companion
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 50 ft., Climb 20 ft.; AC +5 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 10, Con 17, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., scent, immune to mind-affecting effects, Racial Skill Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival.
4th-Level Advancement: Con +2.
To all interested parties... can I call this one done? ^_^
Looks very done, but yeah.. Seems like ya sort of created a "Good" version of the Drow Society.
Aside from that, I would have to venture to guess that the half-- ... the antlings are mistaken by the colony as Soldier ants of a sort, or another classification of ant that is below the soldier.
>.> Hence why they can tame workers... they pull rank, lol.
Hmmm.
Looks very done, but yeah.. Seems like ya sort of created a "Good" version of the Drow Society.
(blink, blink)
By golly, you appear to be correct!O_o
That wasn't my intention at all, but I can clearly see the parallels now! I made the antlings matriarchal because, well, ants are. lol
Speaking of the drow, given their living arrangements, should the antlings have Undercommon and/or Terran as bonus languages?
Hmm...
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I wouldn't give the antlings undercommon or terran unless they live really deep underground or make frequent trips into The Darklands. Dwarves have those options since they actually tunneled up out of the earth at the birth of their race and they have a long history of digging deep into the planet and encountering deep races. However, there's no reason there couldn't be a few especially deep-dwelling hives of antlings out there. Their ants would just need access to an underground forest or some other such environment where they could find suitable food.
Good point.
The antling is done, then. Have fun! ^_^