Lago (3.5e Race)

Lago
Summary::The lago are rabbit-like humanoids whose history is far darker than any bunny-related race should be. Many assume that because they have the traits of prey, not predators, they would be peaceful but they were anything of the sort. In fact it has only been recently that the lago have become "civilized", but the stigma of violence hangs around them like a phantom, and the ghosts of the past are hard to remove.

Personality
A few generations ago the lago could be easily defined. Territorial, skittish, xenophobic, violent, and entirely focused inward on their own clans. They were a people who were broken up in their own enclaves, fighting invaders and other enclaves to ensure their security and way of life. This way however has broken due to the efforts of "St. Hazel", an almost near legendary Lago who broke down social barriers and enabled partial unification. The newer generations are brought up in a cautious but accepting environment and practically forced to explore the world when they come of age to both learn, bring in new ideas to the various colonies, and to prevent older generations from passing on their ideals which still continue to fester within the colonies themselves.

As such most lago encountered are youthful wanderers with a survival instinct and curiosity of others. They are fond of stories and tales, and many trend towards becoming bards, scholars, and adventurers. Those inside the colonies, especially of older generations, tend to be far more xenophobic and untrusting, and proud of their warrior heritage that they feel is dying. There is an uneasy truce between the old guard and new, with the new guard largely keeping an iron grip on ideas within the colony. Perhaps because of this, entire new colonies have begun to spring up outside their traditional stomping grounds composed entirely of wandering youths.

Physical Description
The lago are anthromorphic rabbits covered in soft downy fur with large lapine ears, wide eyes, a rabbit nose, and well developed leg muscles. They tend towards tall and lean forms, with hands and feet slightly larger than normal. There is only slight differences between male and females, as their forms tend to be slender and waif-like, with visible muscles hidden by the layer of fur. Fur colors come in traditional earthtones, black, white, and gray, but rarely unusual colors such as blue or purple develop as well. Sometimes they have a patch of different colored hair on their heads, typically not much longer than their fur.

Lago are primarily vegetarian, but they can, and have been able to, eat meat. Meat seems to provoke their aggressive side, and traditionally before a large battle the lago would engorge themselves on a nearly raw feast of meats.

Lago are known to be unusually fecund for a humanoid race. Twins, triplets, and large families seem to be the norm. This has been good to them since death had also been high due to many wars and conflicts. With the wars coming to an end, overpopulation has become a real and serious threat and may account for wandering youths setting up their own towns and warrens outside of their traditional homes.

Relations
Relationship with the lago have historically been poor, but not because of aggression in the normal sense. Unlike the orcs or gnolls or other vicious races of the world, the lago have largely kept to themselves and their wars were fought amongst their own kind rather than others. Encounters with others usually resulted in rejection and expulsion from their warrens, but rarely did the lago go on the offensive against other races. Still, it rightfully earned them a place as an unfriendly race. This stigma follows them, and an unusually friendly or inquisitive lago is met with suspicion on what they are planning for the lago, much like humankind, contain a gamut of alignments from those who mean well to those who will backstab at the first moment.

Relationships are slow to improve, but they are getting there. For now, many lago end up segregating themselves from others, sometimes willingly, or never settling down in a single place too long. They have become wanderers and outsiders among the common races.

Alignment
Lago range across the board of alignments, with older generations trending towards law and evil and young generations towards chaos and occasionally good.

Lands
The lago have long lived in "warrens", underground caverns near the surface and in the sides of hills, cliffs, and mountains or buried deep in forests. These areas quickly become large communities, self contained and self sustaining city-states which are rife with nationalism and xenophobia. They are often at war with other warrens over recent or ancient conflicts which can last for generations and leave entire cultures exterminated.

The stories go that the lago were originally prey and lived in fear every day, until they learned the art of war. With war, they could defend themselves and soon defeated their adversaries. But war proved useful in other respects, and internal strife was now dealt with violence instead of word. Stability and order was found in the sword, but freedom and acceptance were lost for many. For the warrens, only the toughest could survive their more aggressive opponents. Thus victory went to either the most violent, or the ones best at hiding and defense. Warrens became fortresses, their caves became deathtraps, and irrational paranoia reigned.

The original warrens remain, the old fortresses still running. Most are now united under the common cause of St. Hazel, with a few remaining stubborn leftovers of a dying age. But they say the fortresses are also now a prison to keep the old culture in while their new culture blooms outside in the open. Some have claimed that the peace brought by St. Hazel was simply a successful campaign of war, and now there is unease as older generations seek to buck their new leaders, and even some of the younger generation fight the intrusive and police state government as they feel they have traded one pair of shackles for another. Combined with both reverence and hatred of the Hazel figure himself (no better explained than his title of "Saint"), the united cities of the lago are held together by unstable bonds.

Religion
The lago have traditionally worshiped gods of agriculture, protection, death, and war, as well as a great deal of ancestor worship. The spirits of dead lago were said to continue to aid the warrens long after death, appearing as shades in times of need and granting visions to the pious. New generations are less religious to the chagrin of their elders, and may freely experiment to believe or not.

Language
The lago speak Common (only recently spread amongst their ranks) and Sylven due to their typically close relation to ancient forests and natural settings.

Names
The lago have traditionally had names which indicated nature, such as colors or descriptions of who they are and what they do. Words like Honeydew, Bigwig, Pip, and Woundwort are typical. The title of the warren (along with their family name) was common with the old guard but newer generations have begun to lose the fanciful titles.