The Chassos are a magnificent and imposing species, blending the powerful grace of a steed with the sharp intellect and dexterity of a humanoid. Their four-legged lower bodies and muscular, two-armed torsos make them a striking sight, embodying both raw power and refined control. Ascending from vast, open plains and rugged, low-gravity worlds within the Outer Sphere, the Chassos developed a culture deeply rooted in movement, honor, and the pursuit of mastery over both self and environment. Unlike the static empires of the Inner Sphere, the Chassos thrive on momentum, on the open void, and on the challenge of proving their might.
Core Identity: Speed, Honor, and Unyielding Momentum Chassos are fundamentally driven by a reverence for speed, the thrill of the charge, and an unwavering code of honor that guides their actions. They believe that true existence is found in dynamic motion, whether astride a charging beast, navigating a chaotic asteroid field, or charting new pathways through the stars. Every Yom is a resource to fuel their relentless progress, every Dei a marker on their continuous journey. They value personal freedom, loyalty within their herds or crews, and the earned respect that comes from proving one's strength and skill. Their imposing physique and natural speed are not just physical traits, but reflections of their very soul. Their powerful equine lower bodies, ranging from sleek and swift to stocky and muscular, and their humanoid torsos are characteristic. Their skin often features natural patterns reminiscent of terrestrial equines, and their voices are deep and resonant, capable of powerful thundering calls. They communicate through a blend of audible language, body language, and subtle vocalizations.
YOU MIGHT...
Seek challenges that test your speed, strength, and martial prowess.
Uphold a strict code of honor, valuing loyalty and earned respect.
Prefer open spaces and dynamic movement to confined or static environments.
Strive for mastery in combat, piloting, or any skill that requires precision and momentum.
OTHERS PROBABLY...
Are awed by your imposing physique and incredible speed.
Find your code of honor rigid or difficult to understand.
Seek your expertise in combat, navigation, or as shock troops.
Are wary of your natural xenophobia, even if it's a protective instinct for your herd.
Physical Description
Chassos are magnificent and imposing humanoids, blending the powerful grace of a steed with the sharp intellect and dexterity of a bipedal form. They typically stand between 7 and 9 feet tall from hoof to head, with their four-legged, equine lower bodies providing immense power and speed. Their humanoid torsos are muscular and well-defined, with two arms capable of wielding weapons or tools with precision. Their skin often features natural patterns reminiscent of terrestrial equines, such as dappled, solid, or striped coats, ranging in color from earthy browns and grays to more exotic blacks and whites. Their faces are often noble and expressive, with keen, intelligent eyes.
Chassos prefer minimal adornment that doesn't impede their movement, favoring practical armor and simple, well-crafted weapons. They might wear decorative bridles or harnesses, but their natural form is their pride. Their movements are fluid, powerful, and often accompanied by the rhythmic thud of their hooves, whether on solid ground or within the confines of a starship. Their voices are deep and resonant, capable of powerful thundering calls that can carry across vast distances.
Society
Chassos society is typically nomadic or semi-nomadic, often organized into "herds" or "cadres" that operate as self-sufficient units. These groups value collective movement, shared responsibility, and a meritocracy based on skill and proven valor.
Outer Sphere (Vast Nomad Fleets & Charging Warbands): This is the heartland of the Chassos. Their colossal, often ramming-optimized Nomad Fleets traverse vast stretches of the Outer Sphere, charting trade routes, escorting convoys, or engaging in fierce skirmishes. Their "warbands" are highly mobile and devastating in a direct charge, often hired as elite shock troops or strategic scouts in the Resource Wars. They maintain a cautious, often competitive, relationship with the Grolak Marauder Hordes (respecting their strength but disdaining their lack of honor) and may ally with the Free Worlds Union when their principles of freedom align.
Inner Sphere (Rare Envoys & Guardians of the Wild): Chassos presence in the Inner Sphere is rare. Those found here are typically highly respected envoys or guardians, often tasked with maintaining ancient, hidden outposts that protect pristine natural environments or ancient star-lanes from encroaching civilization. They view the Inner Sphere's dense, urbanized worlds as confining and unnatural, finding comfort only in vast, open spaces, whether artificial biospheres or the boundless void itself. They might engage in diplomatic exchanges with the Commission but rarely integrate into its rigid structures.
Frontier (Undaunted Explorers & Rift-Runners): The most daring Chassos venture into the uncharted Frontier, seeking ultimate freedom and unexplored vistas. Their deep understanding of momentum and navigation makes them expert Rift-Runners, capable of charting unpredictable Rift-lanes and establishing temporary waypoints in treacherous Rift-Burgs. They are drawn to the raw, untamed energies of the Maelstrom, seeing it as the ultimate proving ground for their speed and resilience.
Connection to the Rift and Kineto-Manipulation
The Chassos possess a unique, intuitive understanding of kinetic energy and momentum, a connection that subtly extends to the chaotic forces of the Rift. While not innate spellcasters, their sheer physical power and their mastery of movement often allow them to manifest rudimentary, almost primal, forms of Mana manipulation. They might infuse their charges with explosive force, create temporary shields of compressed air, or generate localized bursts of energy through sheer physical exertion.
The Chassos saw the Rift-Storm Cataclysm as a grand, destructive charge across the cosmos, a force of raw, uncontrollable momentum. Their nomadic lifestyle and their ability to quickly outrun or ram through obstacles allowed many to survive the initial devastation. They are uniquely resilient to certain forms of Rift-Taint that affect movement or spatial awareness, as their instincts for navigation and speed often override external disruptions. They might utilize volatile Rift-energies to augment their propulsion systems or enhance their charging attacks, viewing its chaos as another form of momentum to be harnessed.
Beliefs
Chassos beliefs are centered on a reverence for speed, the thrill of the charge, and an unwavering code of honor that guides their actions. They believe that true existence is found in dynamic motion, whether astride a charging beast, navigating a chaotic asteroid field, or charting new pathways through the stars. They often revere concepts like "The Great Charge," "The Unyielding Path," or "The Cosmic Gallop."
They believe that every Yom is a resource to fuel their relentless progress, every Dei a marker on their continuous journey. The Rift-Storm Cataclysm was seen as a grand, destructive charge across the cosmos, reinforcing their core philosophy of embracing momentum.
Popular Edicts: Embrace motion, uphold honor, prove your strength, maintain loyalty, master your environment.
Popular Anathema: Stagnate, act dishonorably, show cowardice, betray your herd, surrender to chaos.
Chassos Mechanics
Hit Points: 8
Size: Large (You occupy a 10-foot square, meaning your Strikes have reach of 10 feet. When moving into a smaller space, you must Squeeze.)
Speed: 30 feet
Ability Boosts: Strength, Wisdom, and one Free Ability Boost.
Ability Flaw: Charisma.
Languages: Common, Chassos. You can learn additional languages equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (if it's positive). Choose from the list of common languages and any other languages to which you have access.
Darkvision: You can see in darkness and dim light just as well as you can see in bright light, though your vision in darkness is in black and white.
Hit Points: 8
Size: Large (You occupy a 10-foot square, meaning your Strikes have reach of 10 feet. When moving into a smaller space, you must Squeeze.)
Speed: 30 feet
Ability Boosts: Strength, Wisdom, and one Free Ability Boost.
Ability Flaw: Charisma.
Languages: Common, Chassos. You can learn additional languages equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier (if it's positive). Choose from the list of common languages and any other languages to which you have access.
Darkvision: You can see in darkness and dim light just as well as you can see in bright light, though your vision in darkness is in black and white.
Chassos Heritages
At 1st level, choose one of the following Chassos heritages.
Desert-Strider Chassos: Your ancestors adapted to vast, arid plains. You ignore difficult terrain caused by sand, loose rubble, or shallow uneven ground, and environmental heat effects are one step less extreme for you (e.g., incredible heat becomes extreme).
Grav-Hoof Chassos: Your hooves are exceptionally adapted to varied gravitational environments. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics checks to Balance in low or zero gravity, and you can reduce the falling damage you take by 5.
Kinetic-Form Chassos: Your natural physique generates powerful kinetic energy. You gain resistance 1 to bludgeoning damage.
Nomadic Chassos: Your lineage has traversed countless systems. You need to eat and drink only once every 2 days, and you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Survival checks when Foraging or Subsisting.
Rift-Runner Chassos: Your connection to the chaotic currents of the Rift grants you unusual resilience. You gain a +1 status bonus to saves against Rift-Taint and temporal distortion effects.
Chassos Ancestry Feats
You can select Chassos ancestry feats from the following options.
1st Level Feats
Powerful Charge (General): When you Stride at least 10 feet and then make a melee Strike, you deal an additional 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
Chassos Lore (General): You are well-versed in the histories of migration, warrior codes, and stellar navigation of your people. You gain training in Chassos Lore. If you were already trained in Chassos Lore, you instead become an expert.
Hoof Strike (General): Your powerful hooves are natural weapons. You gain a hoof melee unarmed attack that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage. This attack has the unarmed trait.
Natural Xenophobia (General): You are innately wary of those outside your herd. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Sense Motive checks to Detect Lies from creatures of a different ancestry.
Swift Navigator (General): Your innate understanding of movement extends to starship piloting. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Piloting (Space) checks.
5th Level Feats
Unstoppable Momentum (General): Prerequisites Powerful Charge. When you hit with a Powerful Charge, you can attempt to Shove the target as a free action. This Shove does not trigger reactions.
Battlefield Dash (General): When you use the Stride action, you can ignore difficult terrain for the duration of that Stride. You can do this once per combat encounter.
Hardened Hooves (General): Your hooves are exceptionally tough. You gain resistance 2 to piercing damage.
9th Level Feats
Thunderous Charge (General): Prerequisites Unstoppable Momentum. When you critically hit with a Powerful Charge, your target is also flat-footed until the end of its next turn.
Planetary Nomad (General): You are adept at quickly adapting to new planetary environments. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to Subsist or to Recall Knowledge about unfamiliar planetary biomes.
13th Level Feats
Galactic Strider (General): Your incredible speed and stamina allow you to cover vast distances. Your Speed increases by 5 feet.
Rift-Kinetic Manipulation (General): Your mastery of momentum extends to the Rift's energies. You gain a +2 status bonus to saves against Rift-Taint and temporal distortion effects that would impede your movement.
17th Level Feats
Momentum Embodied (General): Your body is a conduit for pure kinetic force. You gain resistance 5 to force damage, and once per day, as a single action, you can gain a +10-foot status bonus to your Speed for 1 minute.
Prophetic Charge (General): Your connection to the ancient prophecies of the Scale Hegemony guides your attacks. Once per day, before making a melee Strike as part of a charge, you can reroll that attack. You must use the second result. This is a fortune effect.
Here are a few adventure hooks designed to appeal to a Chassos Player Character, leveraging their unique traits, deep-seated honor, and connection to the Starfall Galaxy:
Adventure Hooks for Chassos Player Characters
The Fading Rift-Lane Race:
Hook: A newly discovered, but rapidly destabilizing, Rift-lane is the only viable shortcut to a critical Free Worlds Union outpost or a Scale Hegemony strategic position that is under imminent threat. The lane is predicted to collapse within hours due to escalating temporal distortions and Rift-Taint. A desperate plea goes out for the fastest, most resilient navigators. Only a Chassos, with their unparalleled speed and intuitive understanding of momentum, stands a chance of delivering vital intelligence or reinforcements before the lane closes forever, cutting off the outpost. Scaleglitch entities or Grakken saboteurs might be drawn to the lane's chaos, adding further peril.
Chassos Appeal: This hook directly challenges the Chassos's core values of speed and unyielding momentum. The PC would be driven to prove their Galactic Strider and Rift-Kinetic Manipulation in a high-stakes race against time and cosmic forces. It's a chance to earn immense glory by demonstrating their unmatched navigational prowess and resilience in the face of the Rift's chaos.
The Desecrated Ancestral Ground:
Hook: An ancient, revered Chassos ancestral ground on a rugged Outer Sphere world, a site of sacred charges and honored burials, has been desecrated by a rival faction. It could be a Grolak Marauder Horde establishing a crude outpost, a Serpent-Kin bio-engineering a toxic swamp over the hallowed plains, or even a Commission research team carelessly excavating for Mana-crystals. The Chassos PC's herd or a Scale Hegemony elder tasks them with reclaiming the site and punishing the transgressors, restoring honor to their ancestors and their traditions.
Chassos Appeal: This hook directly taps into the Chassos's unwavering code of honor and their deep respect for their heritage. The PC would be motivated by righteous fury to reclaim what is sacred, leveraging their Powerful Charge, Unstoppable Momentum, and Thunderous Charge in a direct, decisive confrontation. Their Prophetic Charge might even guide their attacks, ensuring victory and bringing immense glory to their war-band.
The Stranded Diplomatic Convoy:
Hook: A multi-species diplomatic convoy, including representatives from the Humans, Skittermanders, and even a cautious Shisk envoy, has been stranded in a dangerous asteroid field after a sudden Rift-surge. Their communications are down, and they're vulnerable to opportunistic pirates or Nomad-Kin scavengers. The Chassos PC's nomadic fleet is the closest capable force, but their Natural Xenophobia makes them wary of aiding outsiders. The PC must decide whether to uphold their code of honor to protect the vulnerable, even if it means interacting closely with those outside their herd, and potentially mediate conflicts among the diverse survivors.
Chassos Appeal: This hook challenges the Chassos's inherent xenophobia, forcing the PC to balance tradition with pragmatic duty and a broader sense of honor. Their Battlefield Dash and Swift Navigator would be crucial for securing the convoy, and their imposing presence could deter threats. It offers a chance to prove their loyalty and strength in a non-combat scenario, potentially forging unexpected alliances.
The Zero-G Rampage:
Hook: A critical Geodan Industrial Guild mining operation on a low-gravity asteroid in the Outer Sphere is under attack by highly agile, flying Scarred or technologically advanced Automaton drones that thrive in zero-G. The Geodans, used to solid ground, are struggling to defend their positions. The Chassos PC, with their powerful hooves and understanding of momentum, is uniquely suited to combat in such an environment. They are called upon to use their charging prowess to clear the asteroid, adapting their movements to the weightless chaos.
Chassos Appeal: This hook allows the Chassos to shine in a challenging, dynamic combat environment. Their Grav-Hoof Chassos heritage and Kinetic-Form Chassos would be invaluable for maintaining control and delivering powerful charges in zero-G. The PC would be driven by the thrill of the fight and the opportunity to prove their might against a foe that relies on agility, transforming the chaotic battlefield into their own domain of unyielding momentum.
Comments
Post a Comment