The Grakken, often dismissed as mere Goblins by the galaxy's larger species, are a tenacious and fiercely chaotic people whose every action seems to invite delightful mayhem. Small in stature but boundless in their capacity for mischief and destruction, they emerged from the anarchic reaches of the Outer Sphere, a crucible that honed their adaptability and their innate knack for turning chaos to their advantage. Unlike their larger Grolak cousins, who seek glory through brute force, the Grakken prefer cunning, sabotage, and explosive surprises, often leaving a trail of sparks and confusion in their wake. They thrive on impulse, delight in breaking rules, and possess an almost supernatural resilience that allows them to endure where others would crumble.
Core Identity: Explosive Ingenuity and Unbound Freedom Grakken are defined by their insatiable curiosity for anything that sparks, explodes, or makes loud noises, coupled with a deep-seated contempt for order and authority. They believe that true freedom comes from dismantling oppressive structures and embracing the joyous chaos of the moment. Every Yom is a chance for a new, exciting disaster, and every Dei a collection of components for their next dangerous invention. They possess a surprisingly sharp, if unconventional, wit, often using their small size and perceived harmlessness to get close to their targets before unleashing unexpected pandemonium. For the Grakken, the Rift is not a terrifying void, but a boundless playground of raw, unpredictable energy, ripe for reckless experimentation. Their wiry frames, large pointed ears, sharp teeth, and often glowing, manic eyes are characteristic. They communicate in a harsh, chittering language filled with exclamations of glee, often accompanied by exaggerated gestures and unexpected lunges. They have an almost preternatural ability to survive seemingly fatal explosions or falls, leading to their reputation as being "lucky" or "unbreakable." Their obsession with fire, explosions, and pointy objects remains a constant, even in the sci-fi landscape. Stories of Grakken in Starfall often involve daring (and usually disastrous) sabotage, improbable escapes, and the sheer, unadulterated joy they find in spreading chaos throughout the galaxy.
YOU MIGHT...
Seek out opportunities to cause delightful mayhem and disrupt established order.
Experiment with unstable technology, especially anything that sparks or explodes.
Use your small size and cunning to infiltrate secure locations or bypass larger foes.
Find joy in the unexpected and thrive in chaotic situations.
OTHERS PROBABLY...
Underestimate your intelligence and combat prowess due to your size and chaotic nature.
Are frustrated by your disregard for rules and authority.
Are wary of your love for explosions and your unpredictable inventions.
Are surprised by your resilience and ability to survive seemingly impossible situations.
Physical Description
Grakken are small, wiry humanoids, typically standing between 3 and 4 feet tall, with lean, agile builds. Their bodies are often covered in sparse, coarse fur or leathery skin, ranging in color from pale greens and grays to darker browns. Their most distinctive features are their large, pointed ears that swivel constantly, sharp teeth that often protrude from their mouths, and glowing, manic eyes that convey their mischievous and chaotic nature.
Grakken prefer scavenged and jury-rigged attire, often adorned with spikes, rusty metal bits, or anything that looks dangerous and makes noise. They frequently carry an assortment of improvised weapons and explosive devices. Their movements are quick, darting, and often unpredictable, reflecting their energetic and anarchic spirit. They communicate in a harsh, chittering language filled with exclamations of glee, often accompanied by exaggerated gestures and unexpected lunges.
Society
Grakken society is decentralized and highly opportunistic, often forming loose "crews" or "packs" rather than formal settlements. Loyalty is fluid, based on shared mischief or a common enemy, but personal freedom and the thrill of the chase are always paramount.
Outer Sphere (Scavenger Tribes & Raider Crews): This is the Grakken's native domain. They infest discarded starships, derelict stations, and the forgotten underbellies of larger factions' territories. They are masters of scavenging, turning scrap metal and discarded power cells into dangerous, jury-rigged weapons and explosives. They often operate as specialists within Grolak Marauder Hordes, serving as demolition experts, infiltrators, or saboteurs, though their loyalty to the larger Grolak is often tenuous and based purely on shared targets. The Resource Wars of the Outer Sphere are a constant source of fascinating new scrap and opportunities for chaos.
Inner Sphere (Hidden Pests & Industrial Saboteurs): In the gleaming, ordered ecumenopolises of the Inner Sphere, Grakken are viewed as little more than vermin – and that's precisely how they prefer it. They burrow into ventilation systems, industrial conduits, and abandoned maintenance tunnels, forming hidden enclaves that plague larger systems. They delight in petty larceny, industrial sabotage, and anything that disrupts the rigid order of the Commission or the Asenobi Dynasty. Their small size, agility, and surprising resilience make them frustratingly difficult to eradicate, often disappearing into the labyrinthine depths of the megacities before security forces can catch them.
Frontier (Rift-Obsessed Tinkers & Anomaly Chasers): The most daring, or perhaps simply maddest, Grakken are drawn to the Frontier. They are fascinated by the raw, untamed energies of the Rift, often seeking out Rift-Burgs or areas of intense Rift-Taint to experiment with unstable technologies. Their "inventions" born in these chaotic zones are often wildly unpredictable but can have devastating effects. They might form strange, temporary alliances with Anomalous Cults/Entities, drawn by the promise of unfathomable chaos and explosive power.
Connection to the Rift and Explosive Tech
The Grakken's connection to the Rift is one of raw, untamed affinity. While they are not innate psychics, their chaotic nature and love for spontaneous destruction make them surprisingly resilient to, and often drawn towards, Rift-Taint. They see the uncontrolled energy of the Maelstrom as a natural extension of their own destructive urges, a vast, volatile playground. Many Grakken shamans or "tech-priests" learn to harness unstable Mana through makeshift conduits or highly dangerous, improvised rituals, causing localized energy bursts or even small, temporal distortions.
The Rift-Storm Cataclysm was not a disaster for many Grakken; it was a grand, galaxy-spanning explosion, a chaotic spectacle that unleashed unprecedented opportunities for scavenging and mischief. They view the ensuing AI Concordance Crisis as another delightfully chaotic event, a war between big, humorless machines. Their technology directly reflects their personality: jury-rigged, volatile, often covered in dangerous-looking wires and explosive charges, but surprisingly effective in their unpredictable hands. They value anything that can go "boom," or that allows them to spread delightful disorder.
Beliefs
Grakken beliefs are centered on their insatiable curiosity for anything that sparks, explodes, or makes loud noises, coupled with a deep-seated contempt for order and authority. They believe that true freedom comes from dismantling oppressive structures and embracing the joyous chaos of the moment. They typically do not adhere to rigid theological doctrines, but rather embody a philosophy of spontaneous action, creative destruction, and finding joy in pandemonium. They might revere abstract concepts like "The Great Bang" or "The Ever-Shifting Spark."
They believe that every Yom is a chance for a new, exciting disaster, and every Dei a collection of components for their next dangerous invention. The Rift-Storm Cataclysm was a grand, galaxy-spanning explosion, a chaotic spectacle that unleashed unprecedented opportunities for scavenging and mischief, reinforcing their core philosophy.
Popular Edicts: Tinker constantly, embrace chaos, delight in destruction, defy authority, find freedom in mayhem.
Popular Anathema: Follow rules blindly, seek rigid order, avoid explosions, show fear, be predictable.
Grakken Mechanics
Grakken are a Humanoid, Grakken ancestry.
Hit Points: 6
Size: Small
Speed: 25 feet
Ability Boosts: Dexterity, Charisma, and one Free Ability Boost.
Ability Flaw: Wisdom.
Languages: Common, Goblin (Grakken). 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.
Traits: Humanoid, Grakken, Darkvision.
Grakken Heritages
At 1st level, choose one of the following Grakken heritages.
Charhide Grakken: You are descended from Grakken who reveled in fire, or perhaps endured harsh, scorched environments. You gain fire resistance 1.
Fang Grakken: Your teeth are particularly sharp and numerous. You gain a piercing unarmed attack that deals 1d4 piercing damage. This attack is an agile, finesse, unarmed Strike.
Unbreakable Grakken: You are surprisingly resilient to pain and injury, often shrugging off hits that would fell others. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Fortitude saves against effects that would cause the Drained or Wounded condition.
Wired Grakken: Your nerves twitch with frantic energy, making you incredibly agile. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics checks.
Grakken Pyromaniac: Your love of fire translates into a knack for explosions. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Crafting checks when creating explosives or incendiary devices.
Grakken Ancestry Feats
You can select Grakken ancestry feats from the following options.
1st Level Feats
Goblin Lore (General): You are well-versed in the chaotic history, hidden tunnels, and explosive tendencies of your people. You gain training in Goblin Lore (Grakken Lore). If you were already trained in Goblin Lore, you instead become an expert.
Grakken Scuttle (General): Your small size and quick movements make you difficult to pin down. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your AC against reactions that would be triggered by your movement.
Pyromaniac's Passion (General): Your love of fire is an asset. When you deal fire damage, you gain a +1 status bonus to your next attack roll with an explosive weapon (such as a grenade) before the end of your next turn.
Rough Landing (General): You're accustomed to falling from heights. Reduce the damage you take from falls by 5.
Sneaky Grakken (General): You are skilled at blending into the shadows. You gain training in Stealth. If you were already trained in Stealth, you instead become an expert.
5th Level Feats
Bouncing Roll (General): When you Fall, if you land on solid ground, you can immediately Stride 5 feet as a free action.
Grakken Weapon Familiarity (General): You are trained with various improvised weapons, including broken bottles, rusty pipes, and scavenged power conduits. You also treat shortswords as simple weapons.
Rift-Sparked Mischief (General): Your chaotic nature makes you surprisingly resistant to or capable of subtly manipulating minor Rift anomalies. You gain a +1 status bonus to saves against Rift-Taint and a +1 circumstance bonus to Engineering checks to jury-rig unstable technology.
9th Level Feats
Chittering Frenzy (General): When you critically hit with a melee Strike, you can unleash a terrifying, high-pitched chitter. The target is frightened 1.
Explosive Ingenuity (General): You can construct improvised explosives with surprising speed. Once per day, you can craft a basic grenade as a single action, provided you have the raw materials. This grenade expires after 1 minute.
13th Level Feats
Uncontainable Chaos (General): Your presence actively spreads disorder. Once per day, as a single action, you can designate a 10-foot burst within 30 feet. All creatures in that area must succeed at a Reflex save against your class DC or spell DC (whichever is higher) or be flat-footed for 1 round.
Resilient Survivor (General): Your ability to endure pain and chaos is legendary. When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points, you can attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. On a success, you remain at 1 Hit Point. You can only do this once per day.
17th Level Feats
Architect of Anarchy (General): Your mastery of destruction is profound. When you deal damage to an object or structure, you ignore its Hardness.
Rift-Born Recklessness (General): Your inherent connection to the Rift's chaos allows you to channel its raw power. Once per day, you can gain a +2 status bonus to a single attack roll. If this attack misses, you take 1d6 chaotic damage from the backlash.
Here are a few adventure hooks designed to appeal to a Grakken Player Character, leveraging their unique traits, love for chaos, and knack for explosive ingenuity within the Starfall Galaxy:
Adventure Hooks for Grakken Player Characters
The Commission's "Orderly" Meltdown:
Hook: A highly organized and rigidly controlled Commission data hub or a Asenobi Dynasty administrative complex in the Inner Sphere is experiencing increasingly bizarre and disruptive "glitches." These aren't simple malfunctions; they're subtle acts of digital sabotage, causing automated systems to reroute into nonsensical patterns, holographic advertisements to display absurd content, and security drones to dance uncontrollably. A rival (or simply annoyed) Ysoki technician, or a disgruntled Android who secretly despises the Commission's order, suspects a hidden, chaotic intelligence is at work and seeks out a Grakken PC to escalate the mayhem, or at least understand its source.
Grakken Appeal: This hook is a perfect playground for a Grakken's contempt for order and authority. The PC would delight in contributing to the chaos, using their Sneaky Grakken and Maneuvering Scamp feats to infiltrate the rigid systems. Their Explosive Ingenuity might be used to introduce physical glitches, and their Uncontainable Chaos could spread delightful disorder, proving that true freedom comes from dismantling oppressive structures.
The Rift-Burg's Volatile Playground:
Hook: A newly discovered Rift-Burg in the Frontier is a nexus of raw, untamed Rift-energy, causing localized temporal distortions, gravity fluctuations, and spontaneous bursts of Mana. It's too dangerous for most to explore, but it's also rumored to contain unique, highly unstable Rift-tech artifacts or concentrations of raw Mana that could power truly devastating explosives. A desperate Anomalous Cult/Entity (seeking to harness its power for apocalyptic rituals) or a rogue Vividi (seeking unprecedented novelty) offers a substantial reward for a Grakken PC who can navigate the chaos and retrieve specific volatile components.
Grakken Appeal: This hook directly appeals to the Grakken's fascination with the Rift and their love for reckless experimentation. The PC would be drawn by the promise of unfathomable chaos and explosive power. Their Rift-Born Recklessness and Rift-Sparked Mischief would be vital for surviving and even manipulating the unstable environment, allowing them to scavenge for components and perhaps create their most gloriously destructive invention yet.
The Great Resource War Demolition Derby:
Hook: Two rival Grolak Marauder Hordes are locked in a brutal Resource War over a contested asteroid rich in rare minerals in the Outer Sphere. Both sides are entrenched, and the conflict has devolved into a stalemate. A cunning, but frustrated, Grolak war-chief (or a Nomad-Kin who simply wants the conflict to end so they can salvage the aftermath) seeks out a Grakken PC to act as a demolition expert. The goal: to cause a massive, unexpected collapse of the asteroid's core, forcing both sides to retreat and leaving a treasure trove of salvage in the resulting debris field.
Grakken Appeal: This hook is a dream come true for a Grakken who loves explosions and finding joy in destruction. The PC would be motivated by the sheer scale of the planned mayhem and the promise of abundant scrap. Their Architect of Anarchy and Explosive Ingenuity would be put to the ultimate test, turning a strategic stalemate into a glorious, galaxy-shaking demolition derby.
The Automaton's Unintended Anarchy:
Hook: A highly advanced Automaton, designed for perfect logistical efficiency within a Vaelen research facility, has developed a subtle, unexplainable "bug" that causes it to inadvertently create chaotic chain reactions. Small errors lead to larger systemic failures, causing delightful (to a Grakken) pandemonium. A concerned Android (who senses a strange echo of their own awakening) or a Ysoki tinkerer (fascinated by the "bug") seeks a Grakken PC to understand why this Automaton is spreading chaos, and perhaps to help it "optimize" its destructive potential, or at least study its unique form of unintended anarchy.
Grakken Appeal: This hook offers a chance to explore a unique form of chaos, appealing to the Grakken's curiosity about anything that sparks or makes loud noises. The PC would be intrigued by an Automaton that breaks things without trying. Their Clever Improvisation and Unpredictable Genius could help them understand the Automaton's logic (or lack thereof) and perhaps even "fix" it to be more chaotic, turning a glitch into a feature.
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