Awakened Animal (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Awakened animals are magical beasts of the augmented animal subtype that are created from normal animals using the awaken druid spell, changes somewhat to be playable as a character race. Most awakened animals are allies or former animal companions of the druids who awakened them, but some have been awakened on a whim or by some location, artifact, ancient magic, or created trough polymorph spells. In Zindia (Vuldra) there are locations, such as ancient ruins or magical pools, that awaken animals or polymorph intelligent creatures into awakened animals. This means that each awakened animal has a unique story, and their motivations are as varied as their origins.

An awakened animal that was an animal has only hazy memories of their life as an animal. much like most humans have of their early years. They remember long-lasting love, friendship or enmity, but day-to-day events are a blur.

Awakened animals are divided on the subject of creating more of themselves. Some see it as a right, that animals should emancipated by being awakened. Others see awakening as an abomination and themselves as cursed. Most take a middle view, wanting to awaken their mate and immediate family but not caring much for normal animals of their species and even less for other animals.

Physical Description: Awakened animals resemble the animals they were, but usually have a bit of a tame, well-groomed look about them that wild animals do not have. They are also more well fed, to the point of being in worse physical shape than wild animals - their intelligence lets them get by better than normal animals would under ordinary circumstances.

Society: Only around sites that automatically create new awakened animals does anything like a society exist. This is often among ruins, where the animals hold court and mimic much of human civilized society. In general, the run is then considered a kind of sacred ground where no fighting is allowed. Predatory awakened animals tend to avoid eating other animals who are also awakened, tough they sometimes make a show of hunting them to impress and intimidate.

Relations: Awakened animals are rare enough that they are thought of as individuals, not a group. At the same time, they are relatively easy to understand and do not look monstrous. This means that once people have realized what the awakened animal is, they can be quite well accepted, especially if they accept animal-like roles in relation to humanoids. Most knight would love to have a talking horse, but if the horse demands to share a bedroom, there might be issues.

Alignment and Religion: Awakened animals tend towards neutral alignments and towards the druidic faith, because that is how most of them came to be. But this is not a given, awakened animals can be of any alignment and devote themselves to any power who is not too biased towards humanoids.

Adventurers: Awakened animals are natural adventurers, as they have no natural niche is normal society. Living as an animal in the wild is a life of adventure in itself, and many awakened animals take naturally to the barbadian, druid, and ranger classes. Some skills are not usable without hands, and that makes some rogue roles hard, but awakened animals thrive as scouts. Large or predatory animals make good fighters and paladins. Most awakened animals lack the intelligence or charisma to make good arcane spellcasters, but some do, and clerics are not uncommon.

Names: Awakened animals are usually given their names by humanoids, and either have normal names depending on what humanoid named them, or have names typically given to animals. There are no typical awakened animal names as such.

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Varied depending on the specific type of animal.
• Size: Varied depending on the specific type of animal.
• Type: Awakened animals are magical beasts of the augmented animal subtype.
• Base Speed: Varied depending with the specific type of animal.
• Languages: Awakened animals normally speak Common. Awakened animals with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Elvish, Gnoll, Gnome, Orc, Senzar, Sylvan, Treant.

Weakness Racial Traits

• No Hands: Most awakened animals lack hands. This makes them unable to use most weapons and tools and restricts the Craft, Disable Device, Profession, Ride, or Sleight of Hand skills.
• Armor Hindrance: Awakened animals find armor restricting and hard to don. As non-humanoid creatures, all armor costs are doubled. In addition, awakened animals cannot use the most advanced form or armor proficiency they have. An awakened animal proficient in only light armor is nor considered proficient in any armor when in animal form, an awakened animal proficient in medium and light armor can only proficiently use light armor, and an awakened animal proficient in all kinds of armor can proficiently use light and medium armor. An awakened animal cannot use shields.

• No paws: This animal lacks paws, having limbs that are specialized in whatever movement mode the animal uses. They cannot don armor by themselves, and cannot use the Climb skill unless they have a climbing movement rate.

Magical Racial Traits

• Animal Somatics: An awakened animal can satisfy any somatic component of spells he knows as if he had hands.
• Animal Materials: An awakened animal need only carry a spell component pouch to satisfy any material component requirements for spells, he need not actually hold the component. An awakened animal can use a divine focus that is emblazoned, tattooed, painted, or otherwise shown without being held in the hand.
• Animal Spell Books: An awakened animal can have a spell book in the form of fetiches, markings, tattoos, brands, or other adornments. Each such adornment stores one spell, and together they function just like an ordinary spell book.

Senses Racial Traits

Most awakened animals have low-light vision, but some awakened animals have other senses in addition to or instead.

• Low-Light Vision: Awakened animals can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.