HGd10PHB - Asteriae (Fire)

Asteriae (Fire)
Asteriae are powerful Fey connected to the primal spectrum of Fire. They are warrior pyromancers and are often found on the front lines in war. Sadly, this means that Asteriae are the fewest in number of all the Primal Fey.

Description
Asteriae are akin to Sylph in height, with adults reaching about three and a half feet tall. To most humanoids, they likewise appear as children at first sight, but their bearing, their gear, and especially their eyes display a great wisdom, even in the younger adults. Hair color ranges from bright yellow-white to deep red and all the lower frequency colors of the rainbow in between. Asteriae skin is typically caramel or cinnamon-colored for males and a rosewood to peach for the females. Wings of the Asteriae are akin to butterfly wings in color and shape, but they are far more durable. They also have a slight, flame-like aura surrounding them, though it gives off no heat. This aura provides enough light to see as if in daylight for up to thirty meters but can be covered with a cloak or magic. While flying, this aura leaves a trail of light afterimage just behind. Asteriae are second only to Sylph in speed of flying.

Asteriae are deceptively strong. Though they appear no more than lithe figures, their muscles are intertwined with their silk. Getting punched by an asteriae is akin to getting punched by an ogre. They can also sense temperature variations within a six meter radius as a sixth sense. This makes them excellent melee fighters even when blinded. It does not matter if the opponent is warm blooded, voidwrought, or other as any temperature variation is sufficient to sense them.

Young asteriae, called flamelings, are born with their wings wrapped around their arms and legs. They are carried for the first few weeks by adults when there is a need to be moved, but often lay in firesilk cribs hanging from wherever the mother chooses to attach it. The crib can be removed via chemical secretion from the mother and restuck elsewhere as needed. Once the wings unfold, the flameling can run and play as other children, but cannot yet fly. Flamelings are generally born after three months of gestation and are little more than five inches long at birth. They will grow to just shy of two feet by their third conception day.

Three years from conception, a flameling will spin a silk cocoon with a fiery aura. It is hot to the touch, but not enough to burn. This process takes about an hour after which the flameling will hang upside down in a deep sleep. The fiery aura of the cocoon strengthens the wings further while the back muscles grow near the roots. Three days after the cocoon is completed, the asteriae will ignite the cocoon, consuming it in a brilliant conflagration while they gently float to the ground, wings spread. The fire is not potent enough to catch anything but the silk itself on fire.

On very rare occasions, a cocoon does not open after the three days inside. If the cocoon begins two wriggle and family or friends are about, they can help the new asteriae emerge. However, this likely means that the asteriae does not have access to fire magic for one reason or another. Very rarely it happens that no one is around. An isolated asteriae with no fire magic may not be able to break the cocoon and will soon starve inside. If the cocoon does not open after the three days and there is no movement, then it is likely the flameling died during the cocooning process. This happens about 1 in every 360,000 cocoonings.

Average Lifespan: 60 years

Society
Fey are natives of Loar, but their divergence into the various separate cultures did not occur until after the Sundering. This was largely due to the divergent associations of the elemancers.

During the War of Wind and Fire on Loar, the Fey refused to fight on either side to prevent them from having to fight each other. The Aeromancers hunted the Asteriae down anyway because of their magic and only a few found refuge on Fairilund under Lady Steelguard's rule.

Male Asteriae are called asterion while female are called asterieid. Both males and females have short hair if they choose the warrior's path, but longer hair is not uncommon.

Due to their low population on Loar, Asteriae are a tight-knit society. All families tend to be as large as possible, often reproducing at high rates in between wars for the entire life of the female. Celebration is a wild event often intermingled with joy and sadness. Asteriae love to dance and are some of the most beautiful dancers among the Fey.

Character Creation
 Key Characteristic:  Strength

 Base Characteristics:  +4 STR; +1 AGL; +2 BEA; +1 PRC; +1 PRS; -2 CON

 Skill Bonuses : 

Asteriae gain 1 free BP in the following skills:  Traits & Foibles:  The following are granted to Asteriae without using Trait Slots:
 * Dance
 * Dodge
 * Fly
 * Perform
 * Tactics
 * Sense of Duty to Fey - all Fey feel a sense of family and duty to help other Fey. This sense of duty tends to cause them to hesitate or make different choices than others might make if they know a fellow Fey, especially another Asteriae is in trouble.  Attempts to take actions contrary to this Sense of Duty suffer a -5 to their roll.  Attempts to harm another Fey suffer a -10. (+2)
 * Opposing Spectrum - Water: Asteriae take double effect from all magical Water sources and cannot learn water-based magic. (+6)
 * Blind Fighting (1)
 * Improved Dodge (2)
 * Absorbs Fire (9)
 * Spectrum Affinity - Fire (1)
 * Opposed Spectrum - Water (+6)

As Heroes
Asteriae have burned out on fighting and adventuring and must have very good reasons to leave their family and society. While they keep up with their skills as a matter of survival, most prefer not to use them. Those who adventure out are powerful fighters enhanced by fire magic. They tend to serve as front-line fighters, pyromancers, and overall damage dealers.

Navigation

 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Primary Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills 
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement