Needlemus (3.5e Race)

Needlemus
In the rolling plains and desert dunes grew a race of omnivorous mammels who fell prey to larger, tougher monsters. From this hardship they evolved a back of vicious spines, allowing them to cower into spheres of prickly doom and avoid a delicious fate. Summary::Resembling closest to a hedgehog, the needlemus uses its potent array of spines to ward off others, and somethings as an offensive weapon of their own.

Personality
Bred on a life of being prey more often than predator, the needlemus is typically a bit skittish and defensive more often than not. While their old ancient foes are no longer a threat (usually), they retain some of the memory and it shows in their culture, with an emphasis on caution, fortification, and knowing what situation one gets into. It has granted them insight into tactical advantages in the environment, as well as insight when engaging in "social battles" as well. With their recent liberation from the whims of nature, a few have broken away from the group, wild and curious, but the large majority remain cautiously conservative in their ways.

Needlemus are largely nonoffensive, to their design. They prefer to appear meek and below the notice of others, even if this is not the case. This leads to others misunderestimate them while the needlemuses out-tactical them. Always assume a needlemus is up to more than they say. With that said, the needlemuses are not terribly focused on deception, more safety, and much of what they do they do out of an unease with the rest of the world. Friends are few, and even then they should be watched lest one day they are backstabbed.

Physical Description
A needlemus appears as a humanoid rodent with a wide curved back covered in sharp and pointy hairs, the "needles", their edges sharpened naturally. These quills are often semi-spiky to flat when standing, but bristle as full when agitated or curled up. They carry a mild irritant inside them that causes a burning itchy sensation.

Needlemus are not terribly large, no bigger than halflings or gnomes, but they are surprisingly quick on their feet due to a history of running away from danger. Their lighter weight allows them to pull off more parkour tricks than their somewhat stocky bodies would seem to account for. They otherwise have normal rodent features, with pointed ears and a short, spiky tail.

Needlemus possess small burrowing claws not suitable for combat, but decent for making oneself a hole on the fly.

Relations
Needlemus prefer to remain unassuming and thus rarely play on the front line of any politics or battlefield. Though somewhat standoffish and cautious of others, they understand the value of a good friendship and usually try to befriend those who are willing, while keeping a safe distance to retreat if things ever sour between the two races. Only the most aggressive are ever rejected outright, and usually indirectly through non-interaction. Needlemuses traditionally live in burrow homes often akin and attributed to gnomes, which make needlemus towns difficult to see and even more difficult to raid.

Alignment
Most needlemus are neutral, and while cautious, have no inclination towards law or chaos. Survival simply comes first, with simple altruism coming hand in hand.

Lands
Needlemus originate and live in rolling hills, plains, and deserts. They make burrow homes in the hills and dunes, using the slopes to conceal their position until the last minute.

Religion
Needlemus appear to rever nature, with a particular focus on wind and earth, with wind representing knowledge, freedom, and change and earth the principles of stability, safety, and protection. There are not direct gods, rather, they take the druidic approach and rever nature for what it simply is. Of course, their mythos is rich with various spooks and nightmares born of ancient fears of predators, and talk of trickster heroes who outwitted things far more dangerous than them.

Language
Needlemus speak Common and Gnome, having much interaction with the Gnome race in their history.

Names
Needlemus names usually are thematically appropriate to what they do or are invisioned to do, such as "Irons" being a blacksmith or "Hunter" being just that, with the House/Family name afterwards. Their name can, and often does change as they grow from children to adulthood, and they retain their child original name as a middle name, spoken when asked or needed.