True20 IV: Leshii

Leshii are a race of amoral, solitary fey that inhabit deep forests. They embody the harsh reality that is life in the wild.

Personality
Leshii are dispassionate, amoral, and cunning. They are not particularly deep thinkers, and waste little time on ephemeral concepts like good and evil. They attend to their own needs, and expect others to do the same for themselves. Leshii rarely get attached to material possessions, but have a strong sense of territory, and interlopers into a leshii's hunting ground invariably become prey.

Description
Leshii are humanoid, with some treelike features. Their skin resembles bark, and their hair has branchlike tendrils woven through it. Leshii can live upwards of three centuries, but rarely show signs of age.

Relations
Leshii are regarded with fear and suspicion by people living close to the deep woodlands, but regarded more as a curiosity than a threat by others. Warmer relations are hampered by the tendency of wild leshii to kill almost anyone straying into their territories. Leshii and elves avoid each other when possible, and gnomes occasionally strike alliances with them.

Society
Leshii society is something of an oxymoron, given their limited numbers and solitary nature. They live simple lives in the wilderness, hunting and gathering what they need to survive. Relations between the sexes are usually brief and aggressive, but occasionally two leshii will form a partnership, usually in an area of plentiful hunting. There are no recognized leshii kingdoms or realms, since leshii rarely do more than mark out an individual domain with the bones of slain trespassers.

Adventurers
Leshii occasionally become bored or curious, and leave their territories to become adventurers. Their hardy nature and woodland talents makes them much sought-after as guides and guards.

Background Traits
Ability Adjustments: +1 Con
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Night Vision, Talented (Survival & Stealth)
Favored Feats: Fascinate, Sneak Attack
Natural Attacks: Leshii have natural slam attacks that inflict 1+ Str damage with a successful unarmed attack.

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Lineages
The differences between male and female leshii are greater than those between most humanoid races, and their numbers are far fewer. As a result, leshii have only two lineages - male and female.

Lineage - Male
Male leshii are slightly taller than humans, with rough skin like bark, thick hair interwoven with willowy branches, and a "crown" of branches and bone around their heads. They prefer a physical life with few attachments or possessions, and are often rangers or scouts.

Ability Adjustments: +1 Str
Bonus Feats: Endurance, Skill Focus (Survival)
Favored Power: Nature Reading
Natural Armor: Male leshii gain a +1 natural armor bonus to Toughness.

Lineage - Female
Female leshii are much more human in appearance, at least from a distance. Their skin is pale and smooth, reminiscent of birch bark, and their hair is invariably shimmering gold or darkest ebony. They often seduce solitary travellers, sometimes killing them afterwards, or taking them as a servant, but just as often abandoning them with the sunrise. They are as hardy as their men, but more covetious and can their affections or goodwill can sometimes be (briefly) won by gifts of jewelry or fine clothes. They often seek out supernatural sources of power, becoming druids or witches.

Ability Adjustments: +1 Chr
Bonus Feats: Attractive, Inspire (Awe), Skill Focus (Bluff)
Favored Power: Dominate