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Mwellwret


Medium Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice:1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative:+2 (Dex)
Speed:30 ft.
AC:12 (Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 10; or 17 (+2 Dex, chain shirt, small shield), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple:  +0/-1
Attack:Claw -1 melee (1d4-1); or longsword +2 melee (1d8-1/19-20 plus poison); or shortbow +2 ranged (1d6-1/x3 plus poison)
Full Attack:2 claws -1 melee (1d4-1); or longsword +2 melee (1d8-1/19-20 plus poison); or shortbow +2 ranged (1d6-1/x3 plus poison)
Space/Reach:5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:Poison
Special Qualities:Shapechanging, voice mimicry, immune to poison, low-light vision, dark vision
Saves:Fort 1, Ref 4, Will 1
Abilities:Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills:Bluff +4, Disguise +13, Diplomacy +4, Escape Artist +12, Hide +2, Listen +1, Move Silently +4, Spot +3
Feats:Weapon Finesse (longsword)
Environment:Temperate and Warm Forest, Marsh, or Urban
Organization:Solitary; Company 2-5 (1d4+1)
Challenge Rating:  ½
Treasure:Standard
Alignment:Often Neutral Evil
Advancement:By character class
Level Adjustment:+0

Appearance
A Mwellwret is a cunning and cautious shapechanger. In their natural form they look like a heavily wrinkled, hairless, sexless, lanky human with a flattened nose, glistening eyes that are completely black, remarkably long fingers, and slightly longer than expected arms. However, a Mwellwret is never seen like this. Instead they prefer to mimic the likeness of other Medium-size Humanoids, such as humans, elves, and dwarves. The physical change is surprisingly anatomically correct in all respects; muscles shaped as they should, bones conforming to expected norms for the imitated race, and even innards that on the surface resemble those of the imitated being, though a Mwellwret could not impregnate a human.
    Mwellwrets are cowardly but possess a vicious cunning and desire for political and social power. They thrive in urban settings as rogues and spies, but also do well in settings requiring careful diplomacy, such as the court of a noble. Mwellwrets have a difficult time resisting the urge to abuse their abilities, but employ it with careful plotting.
    Mwellwrets retain the form they last assumed when they died. A Heal check (DC 20) after an autopsy reveals perplexing irregularities in the internal organs of the creature they last imitated.

Combat
Mwellwrets are cowardly combatants, avoiding direct confrontations and seeking easy diplomatic means out of physical conflict. A weaponless Mwellwret can shape its hands into crude claws, but most Mwellwret are use to carrying some kind of weapon on their person, just in case their honeyed words can't get them out of a tight spot.
    Poison: Most Mwellwrets employ poison on their weapons, even those who have no skill at alchemy since they are at no risk to poison themselves. Mwellwrets favor poisons that attack the physical abilities of the creature they are used against. The more powerful the better, but most Mwellwrets are poor and depend on easily acquired natural poisons from animals and plants rather than those of monsters.
    Shapchanging (Ex): Mwellwrets are slowly able to change their body's shape and color, but are limited to forms that are humanoid. A Mwellwret's natural form is approximately human in mass and proportion, though slightly lankier and rarely ever burly. Through-out their changes a Mwellwret's mass remains the same, so a medium-size Mwellwret is limited to imitating medium-sized humanoids of roughly the same mass. Changing appearances takes different amounts of time depending on how complex the change is. A Mwellwret can use its shapechanging ability to elongate its limbs and thin its body, displacing its mass to elsewhere. A Mwellwret cannot more than double the length of a given limb in this fashion.

ChangeRequired Time
Minor traits (eye or hair color, sound of voice)  1 round
Moderate traits (body color, alter height by two  
    inches, displace 5 pounds, gender)  
1 minute
Major traits (race)10 minutes


Voice Mimicry (Ex): Using its shapeshifting ability a Mwellwret can change its voice to imitate those of other humanoids. To mimic a voice a Mwellwret makes a Bluff check and adds a +10 racial bonus, it is opposed by a Listen check as appropriate.
    Skills: Because of their ability to change their body's shape, Mwellwrets gain a +10 racial bonus to all Disguise and Escape Artist checks. Mwellwrets also have advanced hearing and eyesight, developed as a defense against stronger predators, granting them a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks.

Habitat/Society
Mwellwrets enjoy hot environs, whether humid or arid, so they tend to be found in the tropics or near such terrain. They live in clans, though it is not rare for a lone Mwellwret to leave a clan to explore the world on his own. Mwellwrets are sexless, though many races would classify their general attitude as that of the male gender. They reproduce asexually by two Mwellwrets contributing part of their mass (to be later regrown) to a new Mwellwret. It takes nearly a decade for a Mwellwret to regain it's former mass after mating, but they are a long lived race, often surviving 700 years before death from old age claims them.
    Mwellwrets are a sneaky and deceptive race. They do not trust other humanoid races and regard each other with cautious suspicion as well. Mwellwrets do not work well with each other because of this and thus clan sizes tend to be small. Mwellwrets are easily driven to hatred can be rather spiteful creatures at times. Trusting a Mwellwret to keep its word is a risky enterprise. Because of their easy tendency towards paranoia and hatred, many solitary Mwellwrets are habitual killers or are assassins by trade.
    Mwellwrets have been in this world for all of known history. Sages speculate that they are creatures which were tainted with the evil aspect of chaos when the lands were tamed and the Seals of Chaos were forged. They have been known as ruthless impersonators and assassins, skilled at imitating not merely the physical form of others but voice, mannerisms, and nuances as well. They have been involved and the cause of numerous scandals and acts of espionage within politics and are skilled at adapting to tenuous situations.

Ecology
Mwellwrets suffer and enjoy many of the same aspects of society as humans and other similar creatures. They are herbivores, finding the consumption of meat to be repulsive. It is theorized that this has something to do with their mentality concerning their own changing bodies.

Mwellwret Characters
Mwellwrets can be difficult to trust as companions because of their tendency to abuse their shape shifting talents and their because of their wry and sarcastic sense of humor that makes them sound as if they have little respect for whom they are speaking to. Their small populations and relatively low profile (compared to elves, dwarves, humans and other standard player character races) frees them of many racial prejudices but also causes them to be treated with suspicion. Most Mwellwrets who live among other races make it a habit of appearing as the locals do. On the other hand, a Mwellwret can be an incredibly useful companion to have in a city setting campaign. They are adaptable and survive well in a political campaign. Mwellwret adventurers are not unheard of and most Mwellwrets that player characters encounter have several levels of some character class. Mwellwrets have no preference to traveling with their own kind, alone, or in the company of other races.
    Mwellwret characters possess the following traits;
  • -2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
  • Medium size: Mwellwrets neither gain nor suffer penalty for being Medium size creatures.
  • Low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft.
  • Racial Hit Dice: A Mwellwret begins with 1 level of humanoid, which provides one 1d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +0, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +2, and Will +0.
  • Racial Skills: A Mwellwret's humanoid level gives it skill points equal to 4 x (2+ Int. modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Bluff, Disguise, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot. Mwellwret have a +10 racial bonus to all Escape Artist and Disguise checks. Mwellwrets also have a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Move Silently checks.
  • Racial Feats: A Mwellwret's humanoid level gives it one feat.
  • Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Mwellwret is automatically proficient with all simple weapons, longbows, short bows, composite bows, and with light armor and shields.
  • Special Qualities (see above): Shapechanging, voice mimicry, immune to poison
  • Favored class: Rogue