| Jesse Brake |
Hey all, thanks for reading. I wanted to create a Pathfinder compatible race that used the Piper from Bastards and Bloodlines as a template. For those that haven't read the book, it is a half breed consisting of an elven and a satyr parent. Here's some fluff then the stats I've come up with so far.
PANDER
The Pander do not believe in the traditional viewpoint of a body and a soul. Instead, the pander believe in the "loa" (LOW-AH), a wild fey spirit within all Pander. They see it as a separate entity from them and attribute all emotion, creativity, and morality to it. Everything from a Pander's love of another to its music improvisational skill stems from the loa and its chaotic energies.
When referring to it's loa, the Panders always seem to address it as "my loa", never "the loa". Even Panders wholly evil do not depersonalize their relationship to their loa by referring to it as an indefinite article. There is nothing more definitive, more real in a Pander's life than it's loa. However, a Pander can be in conflict with what the loa is telling his/her body, akin to when a human loves someone and can't understand why or when a human is compelled to do acts that he does not wish to.
Sex to a Pander is extremely spiritual experience for a Pander. Where most see Panders as just naive and promiscuous, those privvy to their inner thoughts know that Panders believe that the body and the loa truly become one only during music and sex. Pander are loving creatures but already have a long term relationship (to their loa) and do not equate sex with commitment. Pander also see same sex coupling as "pointless", as female and male loas are designed to ingratiate with one another and the combining of same sex energies is often unsatisfactory, mundane, and otherwise trivial.
A Pander with a twisted loa though, is a terrible enemy. Evil Panders still engage in many of the same activities that their good counterparts do, but in a far more gruesome fashion. Cannibalistic orgies fueled by maddening music is an example.
The instrument they summon as a race is always just one type of instrument, tied to the heart of the loa. It is the loa's voice to a Pander, and while all of them seem naturally skilled with music, the Pander that commune with their loa over a long life can truly make the greatest music.
Pander Stats
+2 Dex +2 Cha -2 Wis
*Sociable: Panders skilled at charming others and recovering from faux pas. Panders that attempt to change a creature’s attitude with a Diplomacy check and fail by 5 or more can try to influence the creature a second time even if 24 hours have not passed.
*Eternal Optimist: Pander receive a +1 morale bonus on all saving throws
*Musical Components: With a Charisma score of 11, a Pander can cast Summon Instrument at will (as per the bard spell). Panders may use their instrument instead of verbal and somatic components and receive +1 to the spell DCs of charm and sonic spells when doing so. A Pander must have both hands free to use this ability.
*Low light vision
*Power of the Loa: Panders receive a +2 to Use Magic Device and Perform (any).
*Keen Senses: Panders receive a +2 to Perception checks
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I feel the race is either a little underpowered or too specific towards spellcasting. Perhaps I'm wrong and they are a little overpowered. Feedback?