Rheryus (3.5e Race)

=Rheryus=

Summary::Draconic spawn of Meon, they are charged with protection.

Personality
The rheryu were born of epic magic, bred to protector their creator and their charges. In their first generation they were the watchful guardians of the kopiko. As they and the kopiko spread to the material plane from their home demiplane of origin the rheryu have spread onto protecting other things. The idea of protecting seems to be almost genetic at times, and it may be that the dragon blood within them has taken a dragon's love of treasure, and applied that love to living things.

Physical Description
The rheryu have a passing resemblance to both dragons and pangoloids. They are the same size and build as a dwarf, short and stocky, with powerful muscles, but they are devoid of hair. In its place scales, usually some shade of red or brown, cover their forms, they possess the large floppy ears of the pangoloid but their heads are crested as a dragon. As a dragon, they reproduce via eggs instead of live birth.

Relations
They are fairly new to the planet, as a race, and their creator god is not terribly old. As such, they have no pre-conceived notions of other races and are equally friendly to all. This is not returned, however, being something new and strange. While many would accept them as a harmless oddity, others find them to be some sort of monster or alien. Most do not know where these creatures come from, and the rheryu don't often explain it for anyone. As these are some colonies of rheryu who have been born in the material plane, not all realize they originate from a demiplane where a deity lives.

The exception to this rule is their sister race, the kopiko, as they share similar origins. They also enjoy the company of dragons, but they do not seem to have a preference as the kopiko do.

Alignment
Often Neutral. The mindset of the rheryu seems grounded and stable, doing nothing in excess. While their protective nature makes them lawful, they tolerate, and even enjoy, chaotic activities and moments of whim and fancy.

Lands
Rheryu are found in places of people and urban environments, usually protecting what strikes their fancy as worthy of being kept. However, some rheryu have turned their neutral and guarding mindset to nature and become druids living and protecting not a person or group, but a living area of forest.

Religion
Born from Meon's influence, a majority have taken to worship of him. Those that do not, or otherwise expand their horizons take of gods of protection, community, and nature.

Language
Rheryu speak Common and Pangal, due to their origins. Many decide to learn draconic if possible.

Names
First names are as varied as humans, but the race doesn't seem to have a set system of last names. While the family name is kept in early years, once a rheryus has achieved something of notice they will choose to change their last name to something fitting (such as Flamemaster or Ironguard). The last name seems to be more a title of honor, and it is an honor to be able to outdo your parents and rename yourself.

Racial Traits

 * , : The powerful, tough builds of the rheryu tend to slow them down.
 * (Subtype::Dragonblood): Rheryu are monstrous humanoids with the dragonblood subtype.  For all effects relating to race, a rheryu is considered a dragon.  In addition, due to their draconic nature they may qualify for kobold-only feats as well.
 * : As medium-sized creatures, rheryus have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
 * Rheryu base land speed is 20 feet.
 * Darkvision (Ex): Rheryus can see in the dark up to 60 feet.  Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and rheryus can function just fine in no light at all.
 * Rheryu have a +2 racial bonus on Heal and Sense Motive checks.
 * Rheryu have +1 natural armor.
 * Protector (Ex): A rheryu may attune themselves to a single person over the course of 24 hours.  That person becomes their special charge.  While a rheryu may protect many things, the charge is someone they share a magical bond with.  They may break the bond, usually if their charge radically changes alignments or has perished, but it takes a week and 100xp per HD to gain a new charge (there is no cost for the first charge).
 * Guard's Bond (Su)): An empathic link exists between a rheryu and his charges, out to a distance of 1 mile.  This link works identical to the link between a master and his familiar.
 * Guard's Channeling (Su): At 4HD, a rheryu may channel the touch spells of spellcasting charges, carrying them in his body instead to deliver the blow.  A caster designates the rheryu to be the "toucher", and as with a familiar if the caster attempts to cast another touch spell before the rheryu delivers his, the first touch spell is dissipated.
 * Guard's Improved Bond (Su): At 8 HD, the link between rheryu and charge becomes stronger.  They gain telepathy out to a range of 60 ft.
 * Guard's Watch (Su): At 12 HD the rheryu may scry on their charge as per the scrying spell at a caster level equal to their character level, 1/day.
 * Guard's Shield (Su): At 16 HD, the link between rheryu and charge becomes strong enough to bind their life force.  1/day as an immediate action, a rheryu may take an attack that would otherwise kill their charge.  This includes magical attacks, to which the rheryu uses his own saves to resist.
 * Automatic Languages: Common, Pangal.
 * Bonus Languages: Draconic, Sylvan, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, and Gnome.
 * Favored Class: and Favored Class::Knight.
 * Level Adjustment: +Level Adjustment::0
 * Effective Character Level: Effective Character Level::1