The Surki are an insectile and highly metamorphic species only now emerging from the deep planetary crusts, ancient derelict ships, or vast cosmic dust clouds in the Outer Sphere. They subsist on the latent Mana in the cosmos around them. Once they have refined enough Mana, Surki are capable of developing unique adaptations that allow them to project and manipulate Mana in diverse ways, from force-field digging claws to energized void wings.
Surki are an insectile species who subsist on the latent Mana in the universe. As a subterranean or deep-space species, Surki have rarely been seen on the galactic surface, and always with long pauses between historical sightings. This is due to Surki's life cycle—long dormancies followed by so-called “generation migrations,” as they traverse great distances in response to shifts in Mana-currents or cosmic events. The healing of a great galactic wound or the stabilization of a chaotic Rift-zone might initiate one of the largest such migrations in their history, bringing Surki up into the caverns and passages of a scarred planetary surface or emerging onto the bustling space lanes for the first time in millennia. Since their emergence, several small Surki settlements have been established in secluded corners of the Starfall Galaxy, voraciously cataloging the alien wildlife, Mana-signatures, and various other inhabitants of the area as they explore the alien environments of the surface or open void.
Rather than consuming food conventionally, Surki are filter feeders, absorbing ambient Mana from stellar radiation, cosmic dust, planetary biospheres, Mana-crystals, and practically any other material. This Mana is refined and sequestered in specialized nodes throughout a Surki's body over the course of their life cycle, which is comprised of three distinct phases: larva, adult, and evolved. At each stage, Surki use their stockpiled Mana to undergo a dramatic metamorphosis into their next stage of life, evolving adaptations that will help them survive in any environment. Surki therefore vary dramatically on an individual level; each Surki's unique combination of adaptations tells the story of their adventures and their chosen role in the cosmic environment.
If you want to play a character who's exploring the Starfall Galaxy for the first time, with limitless adaptability and a strong tie to cosmic Mana, you should play a Surki. You Might:
Feel a very strong connection to the world around you, sensing the latent Mana in everything.
Be driven to travel far or learn as much as you can about your cosmic home.
Pay particular attention to the way others live in environments unfamiliar to you (e.g., zero-g, dense atmospheres, technological habitats).
Others Probably:
Mistake your individuality and excitement for your adaptations as boastful pride.
Find your excitement for new people, places, and things endearing and inspirational.
Trust your Mana-senses over their own star charts or scanning equipment in tight situations.
Physical Description
Each of Surki's three life stages greatly differs. Larval Surki spend the first 10 to 100 cycles (years) of their lives dormant inside their Mana-infused eggs, waiting to emerge when they've accumulated enough latent Mana and the environmental conditions are just right. Larval Surki are roughly two feet long and grub-like with several luminescent nodes visible through their translucent chitin. Their heads are chitinous, rounded, and eyeless, and they navigate primarily using the ability to taste or smell Mana. Four of their six legs are small, but the front set are large, powerful digging claws that they use to tunnel through planetary crusts or asteroid matter, and to communicate with other larvae in their generation as they migrate during their travels from their nest home. Once they've traveled far and accumulated enough Mana, they enter a cocoon for several days, emerging as the adult form that's seen most often on the galactic surface or in populated sectors.
Adult Surki have a roughly bipedal form, standing on two multi-jointed limbs and having two arms that end in three-fingered claws used for both digging and producing percussive sounds in the Surki language. They possess two feathery antennae and two long sensory barbels that sit on either side of their mandibles. Surki have a characteristic rounded shape with several rust-brown or orange chitinous plates along their back, and Surki clothing and fashion tend to incorporate rounded shapes or belts around and under their plates. Their Mana-nodes are distributed throughout their bodies, clustering in the abdomen, shoulders, and each limb. These nodes continue to accumulate Mana as they age, using it to create new adaptations, often heralded by intricate, luminescent patterns in the chitin surrounding the point of change.
The final stage in Surki's life cycle is known as the evolved form, after the Surki enters its grand metamorphosis. An adult Surki forms a chrysalis of hardened Mana-crystal and rapidly changes over the course of a single evening. Less physically dramatic than the shift between larva and adulthood, the evolved form brings with it profound magical abilities that resulted from a lifetime of Mana absorption and refinement. Evolved Surki's nodes metamorphose into complex organs capable of projecting tangible Mana to a variety of ends, from digging apparatuses made out of pure force to glowing void-wings that defy gravity. This final form is the ultimate expression of any Surki's individuality and adaptations—a form perfectly suited to fulfill the environment they choose to inhabit or the role they wish to fill in the cosmos.
Society
Surki society places great importance on individuality and self-expression. Every Surki is expected to find their own way of doing things, and innovation is a highly prized achievement. Surki are also deeply connected to their cosmic environment; they make no distinction between organic and inorganic life, recognizing that every being plays an important part in the galactic ecosystem. This quality has led Surki to create settlements that leave as little impact on the environment as possible, weaving crystalline silks around bio-luminescent plants and Mana-fungi to coax them to grow into shelters and walls. Recycled materials and energy are seldom harvested in a manner considered traditional to most galactic societies. These resources are portioned out in strategically grown sections and harvested precisely enough to not kill the Mana-source if possible.
Surki relationships are focused on complementing adaptations. Surki are generally polyamorous and might maintain a close bond with numerous others. Surki are a single-sex species, and while they understand concepts of gender and orientation as experienced by other ancestries, many Surki find the idea of choosing not to bond with someone based on anatomy or personal descriptions absurd. They instead choose to pursue those with personalities, talents, or adaptations that augment their own in unexpected ways, such as using woven crystalline silks to reinforce a tunnel dug through loose asteroid rock. Nevertheless, attraction in Surki society is as complicated an idea as in any other, and bonded Surki will often express their feelings toward a loved one with a personal description that expresses something they value within the relationship. For example, a Surki might introduce a partner as “Who Projects Quiet Energy and Makes My Data-Stream Richer.”
Only adult Surki are capable of reproducing, which they do through parthenogenesis. Any adult Surki can lay a Mana-infused egg when they choose, though because the process expends so much of the Mana stored in their nodes, few Surki lay more than one egg every few cycles. Many of these eggs are kept in a protected area of the settlement, awaiting the next generation migration. When the eggs are ready, they hatch en masse, and the larva coordinate their departure, drawn to Mana like a beacon, tunneling through asteroid matter or shifting cosmic dust to find a new place to settle.
Familial life vastly differs for Surki. Eggs laid outside of a generation migration are cared for and tended by the Surki “parent” until the grub emerges. New village grubs are typically left to their own devices, allowed to venture outside the village or even leave the community altogether. Often, village grubs find their first homes in the soil of the community's hydroponic farms or Mana-crystal nurseries, where they feed on the natural Mana within the soil and plant life. These gardens double as schools for these grubs, as the adult and evolved Surki who tend the gardens regularly converse with the grubs, thumping and scraping out the stories of their young lives and the lessons they've learned from others. Surki grubs born early or those whose nodes don't function well are often bonded with ostillis—small, amorphous symbiotic energy-absorbers that augment the grubs' ability to absorb Mana.
Outer Sphere (Subterranean Nests & Migratory Routes): Many Surki communities exist in vast subterranean nests deep within the crusts of desolate planets, or within colossal, hollowed-out asteroids. Their "generation migrations" see entire larval broods tunneling through asteroid fields, drawn by specific Mana-signatures across the Outer Sphere. They often establish new settlements near rich Mana-wells or unique bio-luminescent ecosystems, acting as guardians of these pristine resources against exploitation.
Inner Sphere (Hidden Enclaves & Bio-Engineered Habitats): In the dense, hyper-urbanized ecumenopolises of the Inner Sphere, Surki maintain discreet enclaves, often within vast, bio-engineered arboreal habitats, or in secluded, Mana-rich sections of arcologies. They leverage their ability to shape natural resources and their deep understanding of Mana to create self-sustaining environments, often working as xenobotanists, ecological engineers, or Mana-channeling artists, largely avoiding the political intrigues of the Commission or corporate factions.
Frontier (Rift-Harvesters & Evolved Trailblazers): The most daring Surki venture into the uncharted Frontier, drawn by the raw, unpredictable energies of the Rift. Here, they act as "Rift-Harvesters," absorbing chaotic Mana directly from Rift-Burgs and temporal distortions, using it to fuel rapid, unpredictable evolutions. They are the trailblazers, charting new Mana-currents and discovering unprecedented biological and energetic phenomena, often clashing with dangerous Rift-Entities or reckless explorers who threaten the cosmic balance.
Beliefs
Surki's connection to their environment leads them to typically revere natural cosmic deities or fundamental forces. Their own ancient traditions identify each creature and Mana-source as possessing a unique spirit, with keystone species or powerful Mana-wells occupying a deific role within their ecosystem. Surki traditions dictate that Surki and other cultures aren't inherently part of this spirit cycle, though with time, care, and practice, one can be accepted into it with the blessing of the environment's keystone species or a powerful Mana-entity.
Among Surki communities, reverence for entities representing cosmic wind and waves , or those representing primordial change and transformation, has grown quickly. Surki who dedicate themselves to a deity are more likely to choose one representing their own environment or the cosmic natural world as a whole. Deities whose domains include travel or change are also popular among Surki devotees. It's very important to Surki that life be allowed to follow its natural course, and they generally believe that death, violence, and war all have their place and purpose within the cosmic cycles.
Popular Edicts: Encourage others to discover their true selves and unique adaptations, protect and nurture natural cosmic ecosystems, work with others to promote symbiotic relationships.
Popular Anathema: Force another to change before they're ready, exploit Mana-sources or ecosystems without regard for their natural cycles.
Unique Surki Traits
Surki are distinguished by their insectile forms, their unique three-stage metamorphosis, and their ability to absorb and manipulate Mana from their environment. Their adaptability and deep connection to cosmic energies make them unparalleled explorers and symbiotic beings.
Surki Mechanics
Surki are a Humanoid, Insectile, Metamorphic ancestry.
Hit Points: 8
Size: Medium
Speed: 25 feet
Attribute Boosts: Constitution, and one Free Ability Boost.
Languages: Common, Surki (a percussive language of clicks and scrapes). You gain additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if positive). Choose from Elven, Fey (Aetherial-Speak), Sakvroth (a language of subterranean alien species), and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent in your region).
Senses: 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.)
Magiphage: The various nodes throughout your body draw in latent Mana from the cosmic environment around you. You don't need to eat or drink unless you're in an especially Mana-poor environment (such as a void-zone utterly devoid of stellar radiation or Mana-signatures). Choose what tradition of magic you most consumed as a larva (e.g., Arcane, Divine, Occult, Primal); this type of Mana has become so ingrained in your body that it changes the tradition of all Surki spells and magical actions to that tradition.
Surki Heritages
At 1st level, choose one of the following Surki heritages, representing core adaptations from your larval stage. Surki heritages have multiple possible evolutions, which are accessed by taking the Grand Metamorphosis feat.
Breaker Surki: Your forelimbs or specialized digging claws are especially hard and can break through asteroid matter or planetary crusts alike. You gain a claw unarmed attack that deals 1d4 slashing damage. Your claws are in the brawling group and have the agile, finesse, unarmed, and versatile B (bludgeoning) traits.
Evolution: Force-Digging Wedge: Your wrist nodes project Mana into a durable digging wedge. You can spend an Interact action to increase your claw unarmed attack's damage to 1d6; grant it the magical, razing (treating the ground as difficult terrain for others, as if using the earthbind spell, but applied to your movement path for a round), and versatile force traits; and remove the agile trait. You can spend another action to deactivate the wedge and return your claw to its normal statistics.
Evolution: Grounding Mana-Spikes: Your ankle nodes can emit grounding claw spikes of Mana to hold you in place. If any effect would force you to move 10 feet or more, you can choose to move only half the distance. The extra traction from your claw spikes allows you to Climb with one hand occupied (or with both hands occupied if you have the Combat Climber feat). You gain the Trench Digging reaction.
Trench Digging [reaction] Trigger You're subjected to forced movement; Effect You deploy your claw spikes to churn the earth (or asteroid dust) asunder, creating difficult terrain in each square of ground you're moved through.
Elytron Surki: The top layer of your carapace is especially mobile, and you can unfurl it to catch the stellar winds or atmospheric currents gracefully as you fall. You take no damage from falling, regardless of the distance you fall.
Evolution: Mana-Wings: Your shoulder nodes have evolved into a pair of spines that you can energize to project a pair of glowing Mana-wings. You can cast fly as an innate spell once per day, targeting yourself; while your wings are energized, you shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for the next 20 feet.
Evolution: Stridulating Membranes: Your shoulder nodes have evolved into a fan of thin membranes that resonate when Mana is coursed through them. You gain the Stridulating Song action.
Stridulating Song [two-actions] (auditory, magical) Frequency once per day; Effect You circulate Mana through your wings, causing them to vibrate at high speeds such that their scraping produces disruptive sounds. You focus the sound at one creature within 30 feet who must succeed at a Fortitude save against your class DC or spell DC (whichever is higher) or become sickened 1, or sickened 2 on a critical failure, as the vibrations disrupt its inner equilibrium. You can Sustain the effect for up to 1 minute; the creature can't recover from the sickened condition as long as you continue your song and it can hear you.
Hardshell Surki: Your carapace is much denser than that of other Surki, offering you a suit of your very own bio-armor. Your carapace is medium armor in the plate armor group that grants a +4 item bonus to AC, a Dex cap of +1, a check penalty of –2, a Speed penalty of –5 feet, a Strength value of +3, and has the comfort trait. You can never wear other armor or remove your carapace. You can etch armor runes onto your carapace.
Evolution: Mana-Circulatory Reinforcement: The magical circulatory system that runs between your nodes has become a reinforcing network that strengthens your carapace with Mana-energy. If you're struck by a critical hit that deals physical damage, you can use your reaction to attempt a DC 17 flat check. If successful, the attack becomes a normal hit.
Evolution: Mana-Dampening Field: Your abdominal nodes can project a field around you that guards you against the type of Mana you're most familiar with. You gain the Dampening Harmonics action.
Dampening Harmonics [two-actions] (magical) Frequency once per hour; Effect You establish a force field that grants you resistance 10 to damage dealt by spells and magical abilities with the trait of your magiphage ability (e.g., if you chose Primal, resistance to Primal spells/abilities), except for force damage. The force field lasts for 10 minutes. Each time the field prevents damage, the duration decreases by 1 minute.
Lantern Surki: The nodes in your abdomen are particularly luminous, acting as natural Mana-lanterns. You can use an Interact action to shed light from your abdomen in a 20-foot radius (and dim light for the next 20 feet). This is a magical light effect with a level equal to your own. You can change the color of the light or extinguish it with another Interact action.
Evolution: Mana-Focusing Lens: Your abdominal nodes have evolved into a pair of secondary limbs that project a Mana-focusing lens. You gain the Lantern Beam action.
Lantern Beam [one-action] (light, fire, magical) Requirements Your lantern light is shining; Effect Your lenses focus your light into a searing beam. You deal 5d4 fire damage to all creatures in a 30-foot line, with a basic Reflex saving throw against the higher of your class DC or spell DC. Your lantern light then extinguishes, and you can't use this ability or use your lantern light again for 1d4 rounds. At 11th level and every two levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d4.
Evolution: Mana-Strobe Emitters: Secondary light emitters grow from your shoulder nodes that flash in time with your lantern. You gain the Lantern Strobe action.
Lantern Strobe [two-actions] (light, magical, visual) Frequency once per hour; Effect As you pulse your lantern, your emitters flash erratically, disorienting your opponents that see it. Each opponent in a 15-foot cone must attempt a Fortitude save against your class DC or spell DC (whichever is higher). On a failure, the creature is dazzled for 1 round. On a critical failure, the creature is blinded for 1 round and dazzled for the following round.
Surki Ancestry Feats
You can select Surki ancestry feats from the following options.
1st Level Feats
Sequestered Mana (Common, Surki) Feat 1: You consumed so much of a type of Mana as a larva that you can now cast it purely on instinct. You gain one common cantrip from the spell list associated with your chosen Surki tradition. You can Cast this Spell as an innate spell at will. A cantrip is heightened to a spell level equal to half your level rounded up.
Insectoid Communication (Common, Surki) Feat 1: You understand the languages of most small insectile species and can communicate with them. You can ask questions of and receive answers from tiny or small creatures with the insect or arthropod traits.
Surki Lore (Common, Surki) Feat 1: Either through the tales of elders in your settlement or through the percussive messages thumped by those who oversaw your generation migration, you hold the knowledge of many Surki before you. You gain training in Surki Lore. If you were already trained in Surki Lore, you instead become an expert.
Surki Weapon Familiarity (Common, Surki) Feat 1: Surki weapons favor utility and practicality over grace and brutality, often incorporating Mana-channels or chitinous edges. You gain access to all uncommon weapons with the surki trait.
Residual Magicsense (Common, Surki) Feat 1: While most Surki's ability to taste Mana fades once they metamorphose into their adult form—replaced by keener darkvision—you've retained some of this sense. You gain imprecise Mana-sense with a range of 10 feet. This detects the presence of active Mana (magical effects or items).
5th Level Feats
Chemical Trail (Common, Exploration, Surki) Feat 5: You can leave a faint Mana-infused chemical trail as you move and can use the chemical trails of other Surki to navigate. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to Track other creatures with the Surki trait.
Secondary Adaptation (Common, Surki) Feat 5: You've continued to adapt to the rigors of your environment by continuing your metamorphosis, even as an adult. You gain an additional evolution option from your chosen heritage that you don't already have. You must meet its prerequisites.
Tunnel Roll (Common, Move, Surki) Feat 5: You can more easily navigate underground tunnels or asteroid passages by rolling up into a ball. You gain a +10-foot circumstance bonus to your Speed when you use the Burrow action.
9th Level Feats
Consume Mana (Common, Surki) Feat 9: You consume the Mana of an incoming spell or effect to protect your allies, though you might give yourself indigestion. As a reaction, when you or an adjacent ally is targeted by a spell, you can attempt to counteract the spell (using your Spell Attack Roll or Class DC). On a success, the spell is counteracted, and you regain 1d8 Hit Points. On a critical success, you regain 2d8 Hit Points. You can use this once per day.
Grand Metamorphosis (Common, Surki) Feat 9: One of your nodes has adapted into a new Mana-emitting organ. You gain an additional evolution option from your chosen heritage that you don't already have, and you gain an innate cantrip from your chosen Surki tradition.
Nodal Healing (Common, Surki) Feat 9: You can induce wound repair by circulating Mana throughout your body. Once per day, as a 1-action activity, you can regain 2d8 Hit Points.
13th Level Feats
Generation Leader (Common, Surki) Feat 13: You're so adept at burrowing through planetary crusts or asteroid matter that you don't even need tools; in fact, you just might be trusted to lead the latest generation migration. Your burrow Speed increases to 20 feet, and you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to Subsist while burrowing.
Magitaxis (Common, Surki) Feat 13: Prerequisites Residual Magicsense. You move reflexively toward the source of Mana you most consumed as a larva. You gain a +10-foot status bonus to your Speed when you move directly towards a source of Mana you can detect with Residual Magicsense.
17th Level Feats
Nodal Regeneration (Common, Surki) Feat 17: Prerequisites Nodal Healing. Your body processes Mana so effectively that you can induce true regeneration, replacing limbs and restoring organs. You gain regeneration 5 (you lose this regeneration for 1 round if you take force damage).
Unlimited Pluripotency (Common, Surki) Feat 17: Within all Surki is the capacity to be whatever they need to be, and you can tap into that capacity even now. Once per day, as a 3-action activity, you can gain any one heritage ability from another Surki heritage for 1 minute. This must be an ability you could normally qualify for if you had that heritage.
Here are a few adventure hooks designed to appeal to a Surki Player Character, leveraging their unique metamorphic nature, Mana absorption, and exploratory drive within the Starfall Galaxy:
Adventure Hooks for Surki Player Characters
The Mana-Singing Caverns:
Hook: Reports from a newly discovered, vast cavern system deep within a Frontier planet describe strange, resonant "Mana-songs" emanating from crystalline formations. These songs are causing erratic behavior in local fauna and subtle temporal distortions, but also seem to accelerate the growth of exotic, Mana-rich flora. A Mnemosyn scholar, fascinated by the temporal anomalies, or a Florin botanist, eager to study the rapid plant growth, seeks a Surki PC. They believe the Surki's unique Mana-sense (Residual Magicsense) and metamorphic adaptability (Magiphage, Grand Metamorphosis) are essential to safely navigate the unstable caverns, understand the Mana-songs' origin, and potentially harness their power without succumbing to their chaotic influence.
Surki Appeal: This hook directly appeals to the Surki's core identity as Mana-absorbers and explorers. The PC would be motivated by the sheer novelty of the Mana-songs and the potential for new adaptations. Residual Magicsense would be crucial for navigation, Consume Mana could protect against volatile energies, and the opportunity for Grand Metamorphosis offers a compelling personal progression.
The Generation Migration's Lost Trail:
Hook: A large "generation migration" of larval Surki, tunneling through a dense asteroid field in the Outer Sphere, has suddenly gone silent. Their Mana-signatures, usually a clear beacon, have vanished, and the coordinated thumping communications have ceased. An elder Surki from a nearby settlement, concerned for the next generation, approaches the PC. They suspect a new, predatory Rift-Entity has targeted the larvae, or a Mega-Corporation is covertly siphoning their Mana. The mission: track the lost migration (Chemical Trail), locate the missing larvae, and protect them from whatever threat has emerged, potentially leading to the PC becoming a Generation Leader for the surviving young.
Surki Appeal: This hook taps into the Surki's communal instinct and the importance of their life cycle. The PC would be driven by a sense of responsibility for their kin. Chemical Trail is vital for tracking, Tunnel Roll for navigating the asteroid maze, and the potential to become a Generation Leader offers a significant role-playing opportunity.
The Evolved Automaton's Symbiosis:
Hook: An ancient, highly evolved Automaton, a remnant of a pre-Cataclysm civilization, has been discovered deep within a forgotten Inner Sphere data vault. This Automaton has developed an unprecedented, symbiotic relationship with a unique, Mana-absorbing fungal network that has grown within its chassis. However, the symbiosis is unstable, threatening to either consume the Automaton or unleash a localized Rift-Taint. A Lashunta researcher, fascinated by emergent consciousness, or a Spark-Kin engineer, intrigued by the blend of tech and biology, seeks a Surki PC. They believe the Surki's deep understanding of Mana-ecosystems and symbiotic relationships is the only way to stabilize the Automaton-fungus connection, potentially unlocking new forms of synthetic-biological life.
Surki Appeal: This hook appeals to the Surki's intellectual curiosity about complex ecosystems and their understanding of organic/inorganic life. The PC would be motivated to study and perhaps perfect this unique symbiosis. Their Magiphage ability would be key to understanding the Mana exchange, and Insectoid Communication (if the fungus has insect-like properties) or Commune with Dormant Tech (if the Automaton can communicate) could aid in understanding the situation.
The Primordial Mana-Storm's Core:
Hook: A colossal, unpredictable Mana-storm is raging in an uncharted sector of the Frontier, unlike any seen before. It's not just chaotic energy; it seems to be coalescing around a stable "eye" where raw, primordial Mana is manifesting in its purest form, causing rapid and extreme mutations in any life exposed to it. A Vividi drawn by the unprecedented novelty, or a Scarred individual who understands the dangers of uncontrolled transformation, seeks the Surki PC. They believe the PC's inherent metamorphic abilities and Mana absorption are crucial to venturing into the storm's core, studying the primordial Mana, and potentially finding a way to stabilize it or even trigger a unique Unlimited Pluripotency for the PC.
Surki Appeal: This is a high-stakes hook that directly challenges the Surki's adaptability and connection to raw Mana. The PC would be driven by the ultimate evolutionary experience. Nodal Regeneration would be vital for surviving the intense energies, and the potential for Unlimited Pluripotency offers a powerful, transformative reward, allowing them to gain temporary access to other Surki heritage abilities.
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