Kythrythe - People of the Insect God
The Kythrythe are a different kind of people. Given their worship of the Insect God Kythrellemen, they are more than just Humans. These people, except for their eyes, will be normal people at first glance. Some might be quite big or small or graceful, but they look like people. At second glance you will notice their small antena peeking out from their hair. Every now and again, you will see one that has been "blessed" by the God and granted "Marks of the God", insect like physical abilities.
Full Description
The Kythrythe (k-eye-th-rye-thee) are a different kind of people. They were once human, and have the same basic abilities. However, given their worship of the Insect God Kythrellemen, they have unique abilities granted through clerical blessings. You will have a human, with human hair and build, with yellow compound eyes where the human orbs are. Some have antennae. Each person has abilities (gifts/ feats) based upon their caste/ profession. Most of these adjust size, dexterity, sensory abilities, but some of the gifts grants insect based physical traits that give them enhanced abilities.
Additional Information
Their society is stratified with a caste system.
*)Breeder/Healer Caste: These females are both healers and the active breeders of the society. (There may be females of various castes, these are the only ones that can breed. Some people can be temporarily assigned to this caste).
*)Warriors: Just that.
*)Laborers: Big, Slow, Powerful. They lift, care, and follow directions.
*)Growers: Strong, often with built in plows.
*)Builders: build buildings are permanent big things.
*)Crafters: make small things or follow special crafts
*)Casters: magic users
*)Scholars: The workers of information
*)Inspectors: Specialists in sensory abilities.
*)Organizers: Middle Managers, and organizational wizards
*)Nobles: Those in charge, who tend to be less specialized.
*)Scouts: Unique independent, fast, like nobles except without specialized powers.
Remember that these people, except for their eyes, will be normal people at first glance. Some might be quite big or small or graceful, but they look like people. At second glance you will notice their small antena peeking out from their hair. Every now and again, you will see one that has been "blessed" by the God and granted "Marks of the God", insect like physical abilities.
History and the The City of Kythrythian
This city once had a different name. The ruling line of the time had managed to get the city cursed. Those "Of the City" could not be alligned with a "proper God" (human God). This was not that much of a problem until The Plague. The Plague was created by a God to strike down "disbelievers" (those without Gods) and a few lesser believers just to keep everyone else in line (10-15%). The plague would of destroyed the city. So the leader of the time prayed to a smaller Diety, Kythrellemen The God of Insects. The Diety, amazed that Humans would worship him, agreed and allowed all those who would allign with him to be saved. (You see Kythrellemen had talked with Plague God and said that all his followers should be spared... the Plague God agreed, not knowing The Insect God had human worshipers,... and so the city humans were saved).
Over the centuries the people of the city have "grown" into their allignment with Kythrellemen. They have taken to central organization reminicent of a hive. They have a caste system, with clerically (magically) endowed traits. (Humans of the City and surrounding area sometimes have taken insect traits). (Characters from the area can take them as Gifts/ Feats). They also ride and utilize giant insects as mounts, beasts of burden, and other tools. Kythrellemen is truly happy with this deal, as he has never had "big things" like people as followers before.
The 10-15% lost of population did a pretty good job of mangling civilization outside The City. It took two generations before things "got back to normal". (Don't believe how this would happen? Check out the Flu of early 1900s or any number of European Plagues). This allows the monstrosity that is Kythrythian to develop unchecked by zenophobic humans. Now there is little they can do about it, as The City has grown incredibly strong over the last few decades.
Well, I must quote Heinlein: Specialization is for insects...
A caste society (while well-suited for bugs) is too stratified for my liking, and not chaotic enough, so it rules out many possible plot hooks. If you are a laborer, little can change that - you are bulky and stupid, and never can rise above your station...
As for characters from the city - they have far less free will than other PCs, which tends to tick off players.
As for the history - That is nice, and can lead to intersting situations outside the city - the neighbors will get scared by the 'mutants' moreso that the mutants prosper. They will be a scarecrow for the neighbors, an unified community that, while caring for every of its members, has little in the way of individualism...
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? Responses (7)
Well, I must quote Heinlein: Specialization is for insects...
A caste society (while well-suited for bugs) is too stratified for my liking, and not chaotic enough, so it rules out many possible plot hooks. If you are a laborer, little can change that - you are bulky and stupid, and never can rise above your station...
As for characters from the city - they have far less free will than other PCs, which tends to tick off players.
As for the history - That is nice, and can lead to intersting situations outside the city - the neighbors will get scared by the 'mutants' moreso that the mutants prosper. They will be a scarecrow for the neighbors, an unified community that, while caring for every of its members, has little in the way of individualism...
THe first thing that came to mind was a hive built by a termite like insect. Instead of massively different phenotypical species, there would be the workers and the fighters, and that is about it. The workers build things with soil, and special cement-like excretions from their bodies, much like termites do. If an insect the size of a large ant can build a tower eight feet tall from spit and dirt, what can one the size of a man do? Still retaining their vestigaes of humanity (a penchant for individuality, creativity, artistic expression) they would gain some of the hive-mentality of the insects (No crime, obedience to the greater collective, unity in most all things)
To check out the inspiration for this area, read Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert... google search the book for a synopsis... and check out this link... http://www.caveofbirds.com/hellstromshive/hellstromshiveq.html ...
Another inspiration for this area was the Insector toy line of the Mid 80s (was a TV show as well).
First, I never saw these as a PC race. I saw them an interesting NPCs to interact with. If you want them to be PCs, you can be scouts. Though you could be warrior or caster, assigned to your group for some reason. They would not be footloose and fancy free adventurers, they are on a mission or quest.
PCs are possible, but only on 'missions' or assignments.
Secondly, these people are more Human looking than insects. They are fantasy insect people... i.e. people with insect parts... kind of like Humans with pointed ears or short humans. In most cases, except for the yellow faceted eye orbs, they are indistinguishable from Humans. Only a few have zenogenetic/ insect traits. Some are just Large, or Strong, or with enhanced senses, or with very fine dextrous fingers, on an internal instinct for structure and force.
I like having a class of healers/ breeders, but their society could go to healers/ teachers/ child care specialists and breeding could be accomplised by any two appropriate members. That makes them more Human, what ever that really means.
They are not a 'hive' menality, they are humans with a belief of a tightly formed social structure. More Israeli Kibbutz ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbutz ) than Evil Science Fiction Hive Mind. Like the Traditional Japanese and Chinese or the Israeli Kibbutzniks they are orriented towards the group rather than the individual. They work for the advantage of the society rather than individual glory or advantage.
Playing one would be more like playing a samurai than a sci-fi monster.
While you might not like a Caste society, they are very common throughout history. They are very stable and provide long term structure to society. China and India have the two longest running continuous societies and they are caste based societies. Every feudal society is a caste society. Given that their castes are reinforced by their GOD, rather than just value or tradition, they will have a more stable, but adaptive society.
So each young adult, who will have been around various parts of their society to begin with, will goto through a ritual of adulthood, and receive blessings and caste assignment.
I did not see them being chitenous and wierd. So they build them like normal people could, but with an eye to better structure and efficient design. So no belching up building materials. Though their builders will have an exceptional instinct for space, pressure, and forces of building materials.
Weavers would also be special for them. They probably would not belch out web, but some might.
This just bespeaks of the weird and creepy.
Almost like something out of the Outer Limits or the Twilight Zone. I like it though. Nice idea for a NPC city. The party is stuck there for a period of time and are forced to endure the locals in their tedium until something bad happens and the city can not deliver itself from its perdicament because of their closed nature.
love it!
Updated: updated freetext and some punctuation.
I can see these folk. They could be the inhabitants of a lost city ound in some far off jungle. Perhaps a little less idyllic.