Thri-Ranx (3.5e Race)

Thri-Ranx
Summary::The Thri-ranx are most likely descended from the same ancestors of the Thri-kreen, though the Thri-ranx would see it as being the other way around. Slightly more insectile than the Thri-kreen, the Thri-ranx are nonetheless much more cultured and urbane.  Excellent craftsman and canny traders, they relate well to almost all races, and feel at home in cities alongside other races as well as among their own kind.

Personality
Thri-ranx are insatiably curious, which has led to their assimilation into civilized culture. They have quick, analytical minds, and most of them fancy themselves as philosophers after a sort. They tend to be honest and dependable, and though their family structure comes first, they make friends easily and tend to be excellent companions, even if they do look really weird.

Physical Description
A Thri-ranx has six limbs: two legs, two arms that end in “truehands”, and a set of intermediary limbs that can be used as either legs or arms, though in polite society, these are almost exclusively used as arms. Their heads are roughly heart-shaped, with two large, multi-faceted jewel-like eyes taking up a large amount of the face. They have small mandibles that serve only for eating, not for attacking. They have two antennae atop their heads that function as sensory organs, as well as indicators of mood.

Thri-ranx stand 5 – 5 ½ feet in height on average, with females being slightly smaller, with more slender heads. Their bodies, like most insects, have a defined head, thorax (where four of the six limbs are connected, as well as wing cases and breathing spicules), and an abdomen. The wings remain encased in a chitinous shell until mating occurs. The Thri-ranx may have been capable of flight in eons past, but after the wing cases fall off, the wings quickly whither and dry out, usually within a year. This causes some discomfort, but no real ill effects. Thri-ranx during this period cannot use their wings to fly; the air-to-weight ratio being to great to achieve flight. A Thri-ranx begins life with a green exoskeleton that fades in color until in old age it becomes nearly black. Since Thri-Ranx breathe through six spicules in their thorax, speech is achieved by vibration of their vocal cords, making their voices sound thin or mechanical to other races. Thri-ranx laugh by rubbing their intermediary limbs against the ribbed sides of their thorax, causing a cricket-like chirping noise. Thri-Ranx have open circulatory systems within their chitin, and are cold-blooded.

Thri-Ranx do not sleep as members of other common races do. Instead, they enter torpor, a state of very low metabolic function for four hours every day, becoming only dimly aware of their surroundings. They gain the same benefit from this as a human would a full 8 hours of sleep.

Thri-ranx usually wear harnesses to carry tools and other personal effects, and many wear jewelry. Thri-Ranx in certain hives closer to other races tend to wear loose skirts or other wrappings around their lower limbs and thorax, but do not often wear other clothing, as it usually restricts their breathing. The exception to this are the rare Thri-Ranx living in a cold environment, who must wear specially designed warm clothing to keep his body and blood warm.

Relations
The Thri-ranx, though alien in appearance, seem to get along with just about every other race that isn't completely savage. They trade much with dwarves, who admire them for their skill in jewel-cutting and fine detail work with precious metals. Their respect for the world around them and their natural environment puts them on good terms with most of the elven races. Their analytical minds and logical reasoning skills as well as their cheerful personalities mix well with Gnomes, Humans, and Halflings. The Thri-ranx enjoy what they do, but seldom take life too seriously. They tend to regard the Thri-kreen as cousins, but the two races do not mix well; their outlook and social organization are too separate.

Alignment
Thri-ranx are very seldom of chaotic alignment due to the emphasis of community over individuality, though all alignments can be found within their race.

Lands
Thri-ranx live in structures both below and above ground, and are most often found in jungle climates where it is hot and humid year-round. Almost every edifice in a Thri-ranx city has more subterranean floors than levels above ground, with tunnels connecting most buildings and areas. The Thri-ranx are found mostly in hot, humid climates, as they detest cold environments. Many Thri-ranx live in cities, usually referred to as Hives, though some larger Hives are made up of several interconnected cities.

Religion
Thri-ranx worship no specific deity. However, their insectoid ancestry gives most Thri-Ranx a strong sense of service to one's family, clan, hive and community. Ancestors are not worshipped but the elderly are much respected. What few clerics there are function mostly as healers with domains of Community, Earth, Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, and Trade. Their concept of punishment in the afterlife is one of cold and misery: if a Thri-Ranx tells you something is "cool," he is expressing disapproval.

Language
Thri-ranx speak Common easily enough as well as most other common languages. Among themselves they speak Low Thri-ranx, which involves some speech (with a great many clicks and hisses) but also body posture and antennae position as well. High-Thri-ranx, which is spoken rarely, is pure speech, though most other races lack the vocal apparatus to speak it. Thri-ranx laugh by rubbing their wings against the sides of their thoraxes, producing a sound like a very noisy cricket.

Names
Thri-ranx names are always four syllables long. The first is the personal name, the second is the family name, followed by the clan name, and finally the hive name. So Vritikkorzyk would be Vrit, family Tik, of the Clan Kor, Hive Zyk.

Racial Traits

 * ,, : Thri-ranx are quick, deft and logical, but their inhuman appearance puts many people ill-at-ease.
 * Type::Monstrous Humanoid: Thri-ranx are not affected by spells and spell-like abilities that target humanoids only, such as hold person.
 * Size::Medium: As medium creatures, Thri-ranx receive no bonuses or penalties due to size.
 * Thri-ranx base land speed is 30 feet on 2 legs and 40 ft on four legs (see below).
 * Darkvision out to 60 feet.
 * +2 Natural Armor: a Thri-ranx's chitinous exoskeleton is tough and resistant to blows.
 * Multiple limbs: Thri-ranx have four arms, so can take the Multiweapon Fighting feat and the Multiattack feat from the Monster Manual. The intermediary set of limbs may also be used as legs if nothing is being held in those hands; granting them a base land speed of 40 feet. However, doing so is extremely unseemly in Thri-Ranx culture, and doing so imposes a -2 morale penalty to all saves, skill checks and ability checks for 1d3 hours due to intense racial shame.
 * Heat Acclimated: Thri-ranx like it hot and muggy, and get a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude checks against hot environments.
 * Susceptibility to Cold: Thri-Ranx are not warm-blooded, and take a -4 on Fortitude checks to resist cold-based environmental hazards. If a Thri-Ranx fails a save against a magic effect with the cold descriptor, it takes half again as much damage as though it possessed the Vulnerability to Cold trait. A Even with Improved Evasion, a Thri-Ranx takes half damage on a failed save against cold-based effects.
 * Insect anatomy: Like many insects, Thri-Ranx breathe through six spicules in their thorax.  A Thri-ranx standing in chest-high water must hold its breath or begin to drown.  Their clothing is designed to accommodate this, but it makes tailoring armor extremely difficult. For a non-Thri-ranx to create armor for a Thri-ranx, the cost of creation is double, and the time to craft it is tripled.
 * Open Circulatory System: Thri-Ranx take only half damage from all physical sources of non-lethal damage. However, while a Thri-ranx's chitinous exoskeleton is extremely durable, Thri-ranx blood does not possess clotting agents, making wounds very dangerous. Thri-ranx that take lethal damage begin losing hp due to blood loss at the rate of 1hp per round per wound until magically healed or a DC 15 heal check is made. Chitin also heals slowly, and Thri-Ranx receive only half as much HP from rest as normal.
 * Hard to Read (Ex): Their inhuman facial features and foreign body language make it extremely difficult for non-Thri-ranx to tell when they are lying, bluffing, or even joking.  Thri-ranx gain a +2 racial bonus to all bluff, intimidate and diplomacy checks against all non-Thri-ranx.
 * Insectoid Sight (Ex): Their multi-faceted, unblinking eyes give Thri-ranx sharp vision. They gain a +2 to Search and Spot checks, but also take a -4 penalty to saves against gaze attacks and saves vs the blinded, dazed, and dazzled conditions.
 * Leap (Ex): Thri-ranx, while not as nimble as their nomadic cousins, are nevertheless good jumpers. They have a +4 racial bonus on jump checks.
 * Sleepless (Ex): Alhough they do not actually sleep, Thri-Ranx can be put to sleep, just not easily. They gain a +4 racial bonus to saves against magical sleep effects.
 * Automatic Languages: Common, High Thri-ranx, Low Thri-Ranx.
 * Bonus Languages: Any except secret languages such as Druidic.
 * Favored Class: Favored Class::Any.
 * Level Adjustment: +Level Adjustment::1
 * Effective Character Level: Effective Character Level::2