Cynocephaly

Living in the high mountains, these dog-headed folk have a great zest for life, dedicating their lives to running and hunting.

.

Living in mountain peaks or remote islands away from civilized lands, the cynocephali closely resemble humanoid dogs. They are renowned for their skirmishing ability, striking with throwing spears and arrows from afar as they make their retreat behind mountain passes. In many places they have formed alliances with those in the valleys below, exchanging meat, amber, and spices for grain and worked weapons.

Wealth among the Cynocephali is measured in quantity, often in the size of an individual's flock of sheep and goats. They typically wear finely tanned hides, and metal armor is rare among their native lands.

Play a cynocephaly if you want. . .

♦ To excuse the fineries of life.

♦ To be an excitable scamp.

♦ To zip across the field of battle.

♦ To be a member of a race that favors the Monk, Ranger, and Rogue classes.

Physical Properties

Cynocephaly are lean, and built for travel, easily covering large distances on foot over long periods and escaping even from mounted enemies in their native terrain.

Cynocephali mature slightly slower than humans, and they’re considered young until they reach the age of 35. They typically remain vigorous until they reach about 150, at which point old age rapidly sets in. Plenty live to 170, but only a few past 200.

Playing a Cynocephaly

Cynopehaly resemble dogs, and act in a similar, if slightly muted manner. Names are often chosen based on physical traits and shared between men and women, and the race makes little difference between genders. ALl are welcome to hunt and play, as long as they remain freindly themselves.

The race consists heavily of consummate hunters, able to chase and bring down whatever prey is available in their mountain and island homes. Craftsmanship, in contrast, requires too much learning and patience for most cynocephaly, and as a rule they would rather trade meat, amber, and spices they've gathered to the mountain valleys for finely crafted weapons and tools. Often these goods are gathered communally, and most cynopephaly have a keen sense of fairness about helping those with health issues or odd quirks in their communities, even if these individuals aren't able to join in with hunts and games.

Cynocephaly familes are tracked linealy, and most individuals can name every ancestor for severel generations back offhand. These linages ussually aren't named though, and most individuals have only one given name.

Cynocephaly Characteristics: Excitable, Communal, Bohemian, Unworried, Carefree, Spirited

Cynocephaly Names: Actis, Aello, Bremon, Columella, Egertes, Hormenos, Kerberos, Labros, Laelaps, Melampus, Methepon, Peritas, Phylax, Poemenis, Sterrus, Thoos, Tyrbas

Cynocephaly Feats

Accurate Archer

Prerequisite: Cynocephaly, rogue

Benefit: You can use any bow with Sneak Attack or any rogue power that normally requires a crossbow.

Defensive Climber

Prerequisite: Cynocephaly, Goliath, or Kobold

Benefit: You do not grant combat advantage while climbing.

Herdsman

Prerequisite: Cynocephaly

Benefit: When you make a Diplomacy or Heal check to influence a Natural Beast, you can roll the check twice an use either result.

Keen Hunter

Prerequisite: Cynocephaly

Benefit: You gain a +3 feat bonus to Initiative and Perception checks.

Limber Rest

Prerequisite: Cynocephaly

Benefit: When you spend a healing surge during a short rest you regain an additional 3 hit points.

Cynocephaly Racial Powers

Wild One's Grit

Spending most of their lives in the open air, cynocephaly learn to read the environment, turning even the slightest variation in rock walls and weather patterns to their advantage.

Burst of the Hunt

Prolific hunters, cynocephaly learn well to follow their prey, using the terrain and racing their way to cut off and catch up.

Mountain Climber

The other races have either wide valleys where they can raise fast mounts, but you've grown up in jagged mountain valleys and along raised peaks. In this time, you've learned how to dash up slopes to safety, even if your enemies would be faster on open ground.