Rahbe

Example of a felbraug PC

Diminutive rat-folk with an inherent psionic gift

Rahbe Heritage Traits

Average Height: 91 – 137cm (3’6″ – 4’6″)
Average Weight: 27 – 36kg (60 – 80lb.)

Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity or Intelligence
Size: Small
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal

Languages: Rah and Common, plus any one
Skill Bonuses: +2 History

Infinite Patten: Some part of you knows a world beyond reality. You are considered an aberrant creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.

Memory of the Weave: You gain a +2 to all knowledge checks, and can make knowledge checks with untrained skills.

Psionic Endowment: You gain one power point, which you can use to augment psionic powers and feats with the augmentable keyword, as if you had the psionic augmentation class feature. You are considered to have the psionic augmentation class feature for the sake of feats, paragon paths and other requirements.

Threads of Fate: You have the threads of fate heritage power.

Threads of FateRahbe Heritage Power
In a brief flash of psychic insight, you see the ideal point to strike down your foe.
Encounter ✦ Psionic, Augmentable
Free Action Personal
Trigger: You would make an attack roll.
Effect: You make the attack roll twice and choose one. If both attack rolls hit, you do not expend this power.
Augment 1:
Effect: You make the attack roll twice and choose one. If both attack rolls hit, you do not expend this power. After the attack is resolved, you can shift a number of squares equal to your wisdom modifier as a free action.

Diminutive, rodent-like creatures who share a psionic gift, rahbe were stumbled upon by humans when they settled in Independence. In the layers of ancient buildings below the island’s surface, these mysterious creatures had survived for countless generations in the ruins of what had come before. The rahbe brought with them stories of a “precursor” civilisation from the dawn of time, psions who once harnessed untold forces with their tremendous mental might. Then, some terrible tragedy wiped them from the world, leaving only the rahbe to recall them.

The story is considered apocryphal by many, but Alm’s scattered ruins of advanced civilisation—older even than the fey can recall—lend some veracity to the claim. In any case, the rahbe were greatly excited by the humans’ coming, and eager to work with them as they found their place in Alm. It is whispered in the deepest tunnels that humans and rahbe are kin, their fates forever interwoven on the loom of souls—and that, in time, they will open the way for the precursors to return to Alm.

Play a rahbe if you want…

  • to be a small, speedy combatant.
  • to share your memory and experiences with other members of your kind.
  • to come from the oldest culture in Alm.

Physical Qualities

In general form, rahbe are very much like a miniature human with several rodent traits. Small and fine-boned, they seem extraordinarily frail, but their psionic nature makes them more resilient than appearance suggests. A long ratlike tail extends from the coccyx, used mostly for balance and body language.

Sex dimorphism is virtually nonexistent among rahbe, limited to certain scent markers that other creatures lack any chance to perceive. Their faces are generally humanlike, but with huge dark eyes and a large cranium, a slightly extended muzzle and soft fur up the bridge of the nose. Rahbe have long ratlike incisors, and the mouth often rests slightly open, narrowly exposing the lower front teeth.

The “hair” of a rahbe usually looks from a distance like tight braids or dreadlocks, but is in fact a series of fine, lightly-furred tendrils which grow all about the scalp. The length varies between individuals, but any “hair cut” is a very permanent decision. Their ears meanwhile appear long and thin—similar to elven ears—but in fact a rubbery membrane stretched between fine bones, which splays into a fan shape when alert.

Rahbe live only slightly longer than humans. However, their appearance and serene attitude—born of their collective racial memory—give them a certain ageless quality, which has led to the myth that they are much longer-lived.

Playing a Rahbe

Coming from a small, singular group, long isolated from all others, rahbe are much more like a single culture than most of Alm’s people. Mysterious and patient, they spend a great deal of time observing their surroundings. Although the depths of their tunnels keep ages-old secrets, they are both inquisitive and open-minded. They are always seeking to learn new things—especially since that means sharing such knowledge with their kin. Although they are careful in choosing quests and companions, they are typically eager to pursue new experiences. However, they are often bemused by the social constructs of other races, such as gender and caste, which seem bizarre to their thinking.

As psionic beings, rahbe make no distinction between the concepts of mind and soul; what are either, if not the sum of one’s every experience, emotion and dream? In turn, they view the presence of consciousness as more important than physical form. A “country” to a rahbe is not a place where one lives, but rather the community of people who live there.

With their unique psionic nature, the rahbe have developed a distinct philosophy on life and death. To them, the existence is a never-ending ebb and flow, where souls die in one life to begin anew in another. They call this cycle “the weave” or “the pattern”, likening the universe itself to a great loom where endless threads are woven into one cloth. Rahbe share a sort of collective memory, a pool of knowledge from which they all occasionally draw; they claim that this too comes from the weave, a place where an open mind can briefly glimpse the pattern that describes all truths.

Rahbe are perceived as… Thoughtful, introspective, perceptive, wise, exotic, philosophical, curious, patient, mysterious.

Names: Archer, Brewer, Caller, Carter, Hunter, Mender, Runner, Seeker, Smith, Speaker, Trapper, Wayfinder, Weaver, Wright.

Actual rahbe names are unpronounceable to non-psionic beings, so they typically adopt the common name of their job or purpose when dealing with other races.

Rahbe Backgrounds

Contemplative

“There is a lesson to be learned here.”

Like many of your kin, your life has led you to the way of contemplation, the pursuit of enlightenment by harmonising mind and body. The path you walk is that of discovery—every new experience, every piece of knowledge, furthers your understanding of the weave, and of your true strength. Do you walk this path with discipline, through temperance and careful study? Or do you seek enlightenment in joy and beauty? More importantly, how has your path led you here?

Associated skills: Religion, history

Associated ritual: Last sight vision (OG)

Kinseeker

“You are not ra’be, but I sense in you the soul of my kin.”

Rahbe revere the weave, the pattern of souls dying and being reborn. Most are reborn into their own race, but sometimes, they join another species for a time, gaining valuable experiences which will be woven into the great pattern once they die. You are one chosen to seek out these “errant rahbe”, to watch over them as they carry out this important duty. Do you follow one of your party members, believing them to be such a soul? Or is your search yet unfulfilled?

Associated skills: Insight, diplomacy

Associated ritual: Comprehend language (PHB)

Loom-child

“The weave guides my path.”

Once every so often, a rahbe is born whose connection to the weave is so strong, they can hear the voices of the ancestors. You are an individual so blessed, who carries the hopes and dreams of those gone before. Your ancestors are always watching over you, but their guidance is not always welcome. Do you agree with their wisdom, or do you think they misunderstand your place in the pattern? Do you find it hard to live up to their expectations, or are you every bit the golden child they believe you to be?

Associated skills: History, perception

Associated ritual:Hand of fate (PHB)

Rahbe Feats

The following feats include this heritage as a prerequisite.

Fates Intertwined

Prerequisites: Awakened or Rahbe

Benefit: As long as you have at least 1 power point remaining, you ignore partial concealment, and treat full concealment as partial concealment.

Independent Thought

Prerequisite: Awakened or Rahbe

Benefit: You can still take minor actions while stunned.

Lurking Light

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Kobold or Gremblin; Leader role

Benefit: When you grant an attack to an ally, enemies from whom you are hidden grant combat advantage to that ally until the end of your next turn.

Memory of Flame

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug

Benefit: When you deal fire damage to an enemy not marked by you, that enemy cannot move closer to you until the end of its next turn.

Memory of Pain

Prerequisite: Awakened or Rahbe

Benefit: When you cause an enemy to take ongoing damage with a psionic or psychic power, the ongoing damage is increased by 1 per tier.

Memory of the Void

Prerequisite: Awakened or Rahbe

Benefit: Enemies take a -2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects caused by you.

Mindshield

Prerequisite: Awakened or Rahbe

Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, when an enemy makes an opportunity attack against you, they must make the attack roll twice and use the lower result.

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  • 5 years ago Add Initial publication
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  • 1 year ago Update Effect updated from static bonus to “disadvantage” style effect

Mindslip

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Battlemind

Benefit: Whenever you augment your battlemind’s demand power, you may slide yourself or all targets of your battlemind’s demand power 1 square.

Path of Iron

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Battlemind

Benefit: Whenever you use your blurred step power, enemies cannot willingly enter the squares you move through until the end of your next turn.

Read the Weave

Prerequisite: Rahbe

Benefit: During a round in which you are surprised, you can still take a move action.

Scorn Earth

Prerequisite: Rahbe

Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, you ignore difficult terrain.

Shared Soul

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Ardent

Benefit: You can choose any ally in the area of your mantle as the origin square for your Ardent attack powers.

Soul’s Claw

Prerequisite: Rahbe

Benefit: You can swap one 1st-level at-will attack power you know for the soul’s claw power.

Soul’s ClawFeat Power
Even your simplest attacks are a manifestation of your mind’s power.
At-Will ✦ Psionic, Implement, Augmentable
Standard Action Melee 1
Target: One creature
Attack: Wis vs AC
Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier damage.
Level 21: 2d8 + Wisdom modifier
Special: You can use this power in place of a melee basic attack.
Augment 1:
Range: Melee 3

Swift Shepherd

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Ardent

Benefit: Whenever an ally uses a healing surge granted by your ardent surge ability, you can shift a number of squares equal to your dexterity modifier.

Think Fast

Prerequisite: Rahbe

Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, you gain a +1 feat bonus to speed. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level.

Weavewrack

Prerequisite: Rahbe, Battlemind

Benefit: When you use your mindspike power, the target suffers a penalty to damage equal to your dexterity modifier, until the end of your next turn.