```metadata title: 'Pandina - Scorpionfolk! ' description: >- A new playable race for the world's greatest roleplaying game! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please message me on reddit at /u/polinthos or my alternate account, /u/polinthos_returned !! tags: '' systems: - 5e renderer: legacy ``` ## The Pandinae (1.02) Shifting sands often hide secrets. Chief among them, the Pandinae are a race of desert-dwelling scorpion-folk. A proud people, they trace their lineage to a disciple of their goddess, the Scorpid Queen. As nomads, they are often seen travelling through the difficult nights of the desert, foraging for food, and fending off the predators and other dangers of the desert. ### Hard Lives, Hardened Souls The Pandinae have lived for generations upon generations in the harsh desert, and have adapted to suceed. Pandinae societies are based heavily on rules set down many generations ago to survive conditions other people would see as unreasonably brutal. From laws pertaining to how foragers and hunters must go about obtaining food for a tribe, to rules on how to interact with outsiders, when they are met. Most Pandinae go their entire lives never able to understand the seeming lawlessness that goes along with other cultures and societies. Those that do, generally still prefer to live very structured lives. ### Built for Success The agility of the Pandinae keep other predators of their territories from landing an easy hit on them, and even when they do, they are often able to shrug off lighter blows. Pandinae range from about 5 feet tall to just under 6 feet. Their somewhat lithe builds generally put them between 125 and 170 pounds. Pandinae coloration tends to be similar to colors found in the desert as a way of blending in with the environment. Most pandinae have skin colors of deep browns, and coppers. Very rarely, a Pandinae is born with extremely bright, almost glowing, golden skin. This is perceived to be an omen of great times for the tribe who raises this child, as they are said to be destined for greatness. ### Desert Nomads Pandinae tribes are, more often than not, nomadic in nature. The sands of the desert have a tendency to slowly swallow up any permanent structures that may be built on them, making long-term habitation nearly impossible. Through years of training and experience, a Pandinae Sandtracker can be trained. The Sandtrackers use a combination of observing the stars, local plant and animal life, and other regional factors to determine when to break down their short-term settlements and where to go to next. While all people have their jobs and are important to the tribe, the job of the Sandtracker is absolutely irreplaceable. Due to the stringent nature of most tribes, it is law that there can only be one full Sandtracker and their apprentice. When the apprentice has learned enough to replace the master as the tribe's Sandtracker, the master leaves the tribe. Their final task in life is to discover the Great Oasis, which is said to be hidden somewhere under the sand. The newly-appointed master then chooses their own apprentice, a child between the ages of 5 and 7, to begin training. ``` ``` The role of the Sandtracker is so vital that Pandinae law states that if anyone intentionally kills a sandtracker, they must be publically executed by their own tribe. If the tribe of the murderer refuses to do this for any reason, the tribe who's Sandtracker was killed will stop at absolutely nothing to bring ruin to the offending tribe. While the Pandinae do not keep slaves or prisoners of war under normal circumstances, there is no punishment considered too harsh for a tribe that protects a Sandtracker-Slayer. ### Extravagent Storytellers Pandinae societies do not have an easy way of obtaining materials with which to make paper, and as nomads, cannot afford to constantly carrry slabs of stone with writing on them. As such, the history of each tribe is kept orally, passed down from one generation to the next. Each and every member of a tribe has in their minds a vast collection of stories, lessons, and warnings going as far back as the origins of the tribal society. ### Trust Hard-earned Pandinae have not survived through the harshest of conditions by being the most trusting of folk. Even a moment of weakness can spell the end of an entire tribe of Pandinae Nomads. As such, it is rare for the trust of a Pandina to be earned quickly. While a Pandina may work with an individual or group for any number of reasons, true trust from a Pandina is a greatly-cherished gift. Barring utter betrayal, a the trust of a Pandina is eternal. Wether it is for saving their life, protecting them in battle, or doing a serious of favors for them, if one manages to earn the trust of a Paninda, it is almost certainly for life. Likewise though, is the disdain of a Pandina. A usually hard-headed people, it is difficult to convince a Pandina that someone who has wronged them in the past has changed their ways. Managing to earn once more the trust of a Pandina once scorned is a feat that very few dare attempt to earn. ### Pandina Traits Your Pandina has a set of traits which represent their adaptations to survival of the harsh desert environment from which their ancestors hail **Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1. At your DM's discretion, your Pandina may use different Ability Score Increases, to represent a different upbringing, set of skills, or talents than is common in Ixitaria. **Age.** Your Pandina ages quickly. they are able to walk at just a few weeks, reach the development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 5, and reach adulthood at the age of 15. The upper limit of their natural lifespan is about 70 years old. **Alignment.** Pandinae society is very rigid and strict. Punishment for breaking rules, even small ones, can be extremely severe. Even those Pandinae who leave the desert tribes tend to be lawful by nature. **Size.** Pandinae are between 5 and 6 feet tall. Their weight tends to fall between 125 and 170 pounds. Your size is Medium \page **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common and Pandina **Desert Inhabitant.** You have resistance to fire damage. You also ignore rough terrain created by sand or other similar materials. **Chitinous Skin.** While not wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. **Poisonous Stinger.** You have a long tail which ends in a stinger. This stinger is a natural weapon, and you do not have to have a free hand in order to make an attack with it. Treat your stinger as if it has the Reach and Finesse properties. If you hit with it, it deals piercing damage equal to 1d6. Once per short or long rest, when you hit a creature with your stinger, you can choose to deal 2d6 poison damage to that creature (no action required). This damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. **Neurotoxin.** Beginning at 3rd level, your stinger produces a potent poison which temporarily severs the connection between the brain and body. Once per long rest, when you hit a beast or humanoid with your stinger, you can cause the creature you hit to make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Constitution Modifier + your Proficiency Modifier. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to the Poisoned status effect. On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed until the end of your next turn. At 9th level, this can effect other creature types.
>##### Credits > >Special thanks to all of my loyal playtesters, who helped me get this brew into what I feel is a great balance place. In particular, Lilli, who playtested the race for several months. > >Thanks as well to homebrewery, without which formatting this properly would be so much more difficult! > >A final special thanks to you, the reader! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please message me on reddit at /u/polinthos_returned, or on Discord at TheIxitarianDM#8111