HGd10PHB - Faun (Fauna)

Faun (Fauna)
Fauns are wild, almost feral Fey connected to the Life Spectrum of Fauna. They are practical jokers, hunters, and defenders of the untamed animals of the world.

Description
Fauns are humanoid in general appearance, but there are marked differences. As the Primal Fey often have wings, Fauns' lower bodies appear animalistic in nature. While there are some variations, most Fauns choose the hooved feet and spry legs of goats, deer, or other ungulates. Whatever form their lower half takes, they usually display some form of that animal on the head as well. This may be in the form of horns, tufted ears such as a wild cat or wolf, and so on. Fauns can also manifest other animalistic features as needed. The coloring of their fur matches the typical coloring of the animal they have adopted as their common form.

Young fauns are born with features akin to elfs or paidion including human-like feet. These faunlings grow for six years among their own kind and the animals of the wild. At the age of six, they are old enough to hunt. A faunling will leave the security of their home and head off into the wild to survive until an animal form is adopted or death. The hunt requires them to stalk an animal of choice and observe it for one year. After six months, the faun must befriend the animal of choice and begin to run with it as one of the group. For animals that are typically vegetarian, the hunt requires them to best predators, protect the herd, and eventually kill the herd's most vicious predator in the region. If a faunling chooses a predator to hunt, they will become part of their community and hunt with them and eat their prey along with them. Once the year has ended, the faunling can manifest the portions of the animal they chose in their legs, and to a lesser extent elsewhere. While manifested, the faun gains certain abilities related to their animal. Most faun will keep in their manifested form for the remainder of their life unless given a serious reason to transform back to their faunling state. The change takes only a few seconds (1 Player Turn) and is painless.

Once a faun has adopted its animalistic form, their diet conforms to the diet of that animal, though there is no contention between vegetarians, omnivores, and carnivores. Faunlings are not required to choose the same animal or general animal type as their parents. Fauns are almost ninety percent male and have a binary reproductive cycle. Female fauns - referred to as faunir - are quiet, often serious beings who find their male counterparts to be juvenile and annoying. Faunir will often seek a mate outside of Fey society altogether. Male Fauns, just referred to as fauns, prefer their own kind but rarely are able to find one willing to become his mate. Most will eventually realize this pairing is not likely and so they will seek out other Fey who are more receptive of their fun-loving manners.

Fauns and Faunir do not change much with age. Those few who die of old age look not much older than they did after their hunt.

Average Lifespan: 260 years.

Society
Fauns live in the wildlands of their world, but their mischevious nature draws them into the more civilized areas for a time. Many times this is to track down someone who has encroached onto their territory and disrupted the animals living there to a significant extent. Faunir spend more time in the civilized lands, mainly to avoid the fauns, and take up various jobs where their animalistic enhancements will serve them best.

Fauns will often gather to party and there are several Faun settlements where the males live with their Fey mates. These settlements are formed to raise the children in relative safety, though it is the Fey who do the raising. Fauns are typically too wild and immature to stick around for responsibilities such as raising children. However, a Faun who survives some serious ordeal, may gain enough insight to settle down and become respectable. This change is called The Olding. Fauns who have undergone The Olding are sought out by single Faunir as mates. They are considered protectors and leaders of the village.

Base Characteristics
Fauns Fauns who go through the Olding gain +3 WIS.

 Faunir 

Character CreationCharacter Creation
 Key Characteristic:  Agility

 Base Characteristics (Fauns):  +4 AGL; +2 PRC; +3 PRS; -2 WIS

 Base Characteristics (Faunir):  +4 AGL; +3 BEA; +2 PRC; +1 PRS; -1 STR; +1 WIS

 Skill Bonuses:  Choose each of the following based on Animal Form:  Traits & Foibles:  The following are granted to Faun without using Trait Slots:
 * Handle Animal +5
 * Survival +5
 * +1 SPD - deer, goats, and other hooved forms; rodents
 * +5 Hand to Hand - predators
 * +2 Climbing - cats; simians
 * +2 STR - large animals
 * +2 INT - simian
 * +5 Flight - bird
 * 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 Faun 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 - Order (6): Fauns take double effects from all magical Order attacks and cannot learn the Order Spectrum.
 * Agile Fighter (2)
 * Resistant to Fauna (3)
 * Spectrum Affinity - Fauna (1)

As Heroes
Fauns are mercurial creatures by nature and will last only a short while with a group of heroes. The responsibility inherent in saving people, or the world, is just beyond them. However, during these adventures is when many Fauns - who saw only a temporary form of entertainment - go through The Olding. Faunir and Olding Fauns make much better, more reliable companions on the road.

Those who do serve as bards, scouts, spies, and support. Their animal form will also determine how they can best support the group.

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