The Races of the Chaos

From the Chiss Ascendancy’s ‘Guide to the Chaos’

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Chiss

Art mirrors the soul from which tactics arise. One can see in artwork the strengths and weaknesses of those who created it. In fact, if one has a sufficient variety of art to study, one can extend and extrapolate to the strengths, weaknesses, and tactics of entire cultures. - Mitth’raw’nuruodo, Chaos Rising

Proud People

The Chiss are a very proud race who see themselves to be higher and more advanced than the other races in the Chaos. Some say this is arrogance, some see it to be true. They also believe their military, culture, and social system are far superior to other races’ ones.

“The Chiss do not simply accept alien concepts without careful consideration. We certainly do not submit to domination. By anyone.” ―Mitth’raw’nuruodo

The Ascendancy

The government on Csilla controlled 28 major colony worlds scattered across Chiss space, united in a political federation known as the Chiss Ascendancy. This species remained a complete mystery to most of the galaxy and was completely removed from the various galactic governments. Thus, over the course of thousands of years, the Chiss developed socially and technologically in isolation.

Chiss Names

Chiss names are made up of three parts, the name of your family of the nine-ruling-families, your last name, and your given name.

Ruling Families & Family Ranks

In the Nine Ruling Families, there are ranks of your bloodline that you share with the family, the highest being a direct descendant, and the lowest being a Merit Adoptive, meaning you are not of the same blood as the rest of the family, but you were adopted by the family as one of their own because of your merit or traits that could provide useful to the family’s needs.

Political Hierarchy

In the Chiss Ascendancy, politics are a crucial pillar of everything that happens, whether it’s to do with military matters, expansionary plans, or classic political power. In this political landscape, there is a strict hierarchy of each title that one could wield. Each title except for the patriarch has 3 versions, prime, regular, or lesser. For example, one could be a Prime Syndic, a Syndic or a Lesser Syndic. This distinguishes power between two people of the same root title, but it is not often shared between families, and is generally only revealed on one’s gravestone after death if they were a prime or lesser version of their title.

Hierarchy

Chiss Traits

The Chiss are tall, blue-skinned humanoids, although their skin colour can also sometimes edge on silver, as their skin colour depends of the oxygen content of their surroundings. They all have either blue, black, or silver hair, and their eyes are glowing red, harboring above-average night vision and infrared vision.

Age

They could live up to 80 years, at which point a Chiss was considered venerable; children were between ages 1 and 10, and they experienced a rapid growth spurt by which they were considered full adults. Middle age followed between the ages of 51 and 62, and those aged 63 to 79 were considered old.

Due to the fact that they live in remote areas, they remain largely an enigma to the rest of the world, and contact with them are highly limited.

Average Height

Their height generally ranges from 1.6 and 2.1 meters tall for males, and slightly less for females. In feet that’s about 6 and 5.6 feet for male and female respectively.

Languages

When picking this race, you gain Cheunh and any 3 other languages (see homebrew languages near back of book for extra).

 

 

Chiss Traits

Your Chiss character has some qualities in common with other races of the Chaos, but many unique as well.

Ability Score Increase. Your intelligence score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age. Chiss mature much faster than the regular human, being fully matured at 10. Chiss also generally die at around 80 years old. Those living over 80 are renouned for their wisdom and knowledge.

Alignment. Chiss commonly have the alignment of lawful, as the strict rules of the Ascendancy generally cause them to be that way. Chiss are also generally good, but some can veer off that path into darkness.

Size. Chiss are quite tall but their height can range from 5 feet up to 7 feet. Your size is medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Darkvision. Thanks to your unique eyes, you have above-average night vision and can see infrared light/heat.

Psychological Insight. Because you can see people’s heat and Chiss are naturally perceptive, you have advantage on insight checks to read or understand what a person wants, what they are thinking, or whether they are telling the truth.

Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in 3 skills of your choice.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Cheunh and three other languages of your choice.

 

 

The Chaos’ Races

The races in the Chaos are wide and diverse, and each one differs in their tactics, history, art, and philosophy.

“A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented on him. A fair tactician must see the plan succeed before offering approval. Those with no tactical ability at all may never understand or accept it. Nor will such people understand or accept the tactician. To those without that ability, those who posses it are a mystery. And when a mind is too deficient in understanding, the resulting gap is often filled with with resentment.”

“I am a warrior. A warrior may be a retreat. He does not flee. He may be in ambush. He does not hide. He may experience victory or defeat. He does not cease to serve.”

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