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The World of Teréth End - People & Races |
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"Don't go around tonight, Well, it's bound to take your life, There's a bad moon on the rise." - Vogerty the Bard People Danoç (Brd3/Ftr2)  |
Book of the Werrid [earth / chaos] The Werrid of Teréth End appear in all "corners" of the world in many different forms. Though many believe that their existance is due to a magical disease, this is but a partial truth. The origin of the Werrid is generally unknown. Reports of the Werrid exist in most cultures, and can are documented in the earliest records as living on the outskirts of society. Most maintain that the Werrid are warped by the moons' magics, a form of magical lunacy which draws their bestial natures forth. Others believe that they are creatures of the those heavenly places, descended to Teréth End to claim this world as their own. The Werrid plague has been documented worldwide throughout history. It reportedly can be transmitted by the bite of a Werrid. Herbs and medicines sometimes stave off the infection, but more times than not the victim is drawn into horrible episodes of animalistic behavior and in some reports, a transformation into a Werrid. Though many reports contradict this, the carrier of the disease is not believed to have any effect on what form the victim may take. The bestial nature of the Werrid seems to be an extrapolation of the person's personality. Therefore, a Werrid-bear who transmits the disease may inadvertantly create a Werrid-wolf, or Werrid-rat. In some Werrid cultures, the decision to create more Werrid is a matter of great seriousness, since it is not in the tribes best interests to "create" a Werrid of a rival form. Physiology: Most Werrid are sterile, expanding their numbers through the "adoption" of other species. Those few non-sterile members of the "tribes" may sire offspring that are more powerful than the other members. These true Werrid are always sterile, but often elevated to positions of rule over their respective tribes. Should two true Werrid be produced within a tribe (an event so rare as to almost not be included here), the tribe often splits into separate groups, each following one or the other. The Werrid, with some exceptions, seem more attuned to day and night cycles than phases of the moon like many believe. Most Werrid prefer dark and shadowy haunts over those of daylight, because their Werrid-forms exist naturally in that environment. In daylight, the Werrid revert to their "original" physical state. The moons have further form-specific effects on these creatures. All Werrid have a supernatural sensitivity to silver. Silver weapons do double damage to the Werrid. The reason for this weakness is unknown. The Werrid aversion to silver extends to all incidences of the metal. A Werrid-rat for instance, that finds a pouch of coins, must make Will rolls (modified by Greed) while trying to pluck the few gold coins from the silver. The lifespans of the Werrid vary according to their form. Culture: Werrid society varies greatly between the forms. All of these together are called the "Tribes of the Moons". There are suspected to be rare events that can bind the "tribes" together to seek common goals. It is also believed that the "tribes" maintain communication between themselves, bound by their mutual exclusion from common society. Magic: Werrid spellcasters are very rare, existing only in those members that were wizards before their transmogrification. The Weyrd-rat are regarded by other "Tribes of the Moons" as the lowest ranking Werrid-form. Unlike other "tribes", the Werrid-rat are not very cohesive, rarely banding together for a common cause (see Rat Cults). Most live good lives as scavengers in resource rich areas of cities and farmland. Physiology: The most prolific of the Werrid are the Werrid-rats. These vicious cretaures populate dark city alleys and sewers throughout Teréth End. In their "original" states, the Werrid-rats were mean, fearless, though not necessarily strong, individuals who lived on society's perimeters and did as they liked. Many were thieves and beggars with nasty dispositions; all traits that are exaggerated in their Werrid-rat forms. Werrid-rats have the uncommonly used ability to shapeshift into a Giant Rat. This ability is usually reserved as a last option, as sentience is lost when the transformation occcurs. The Werrid remains a Giant Rat until the next full moon, or until the Giant Rat happens to venture into daylight. The Werrid has no memory of his Giant Rat experiences. When the re-transformation begins the Werrid will have enough "survival instinct" to seek an appropriately sized area. If the Giant Rat is trapped in an area that is too small for the transformation to occur, the character is free to save against Will (DC 15) to avoid the transformation until the opportunity next presents itself. If the Will save fails, the GM is free to exercise creativity and begin rolling damage for a messy transmogrification. Although Werrid-rats can change back into Uren (or original) form when subjected to daylight, the only advantages gained are appearance and social. A Werrid-rat that reverts to its "original" form loses all advantages gained from that form, i.e. Acute Senses, Disease-Resistance, Enhanced Dodge, Night Vision, Sensitive Touch, Shapechange (Rat), Speak With Animals, and a -2 from all Racially Learned Skills. Although "original" form Werrid-rats do not keep their demi-shape powers, they are retain deference by normal and giant rats. Werrid-rats cannot maintain "original" form during the moon's full phase without a successful save against Will (DC 20) once an hour. Werrid-rats that return to the surface and resume their original form look rat-like within the parameters of their original race's features. Often, the chin becomes recessed, the hair sweeps back from the face, the nose grows larger and pointier, the eyes become smaller and narrower, and the person becomes hunched. These features appear gradually over the lifetime of the Werrid-rat. Culture: One feature that exists among the Werrid-rat that doesn't occur among other Werrid are the establishment of Cults. These Rat Cults usually center around the worship of some minor deity or "powerful" creature that lives in the Cult vicinity. The reason so many of these Cults exist is believed to stem from a combination of Werrid-rat characteristics. The Werrid-rat are among the least intelligent of the Werrid, and more prone to accepting truths based on circumstantial evidence. Not having a cohesive tribal society, the Cults provide a sense of community among themselves. In areas of scant resources, the Cults provide a mechanism to pool and share resources. Without these Cults, the Werrid-rats are nearly always loners. D&D: GURPS: Werrid-rats are 100 CP GURPS characters. Disadvantages common among Werrid-rats are Odious Personal Habit (Smell) (-5 CP) (GBSp26), Secret Identity (GC1p79) (Respectable Human identity?), Social Stigma (Outlaw) (-15 CP) (GBSp27), and Uneducated (-5 CP) (GC1p79). Common advantages among the Werrid-rats are Cast Iron Stomach (+15 CP) (GC1p51), Clinging (+25 CP) (GC1p51), and Perfect Balance (+15 CP) (GC1p63).
* This disadvantage can be taken either way. In areas where there is little available food, Werrid-rats are often Skinny, whereas in areas where food is plentiful, Werrid-rats are overweight. Werrid-rats are not known for their restraint. ** This is a Racially Learned Skill (GFFp16). No special Character Packages are necessary for Werrid-rat denizens of the first two layers of the Lower Streets. The Werrid-rats of that area typically live in the dark-underneath by day, venturing into the City to scrounge for food by night. It is therefore not uncommon for Werrid-rats to be familiar with both regions.
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Races The main races of Teréth End are: Uren (Humans) |
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| Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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