Xusc

Description

Squat and muscular, this humanoid creature has distinctly reptilian features. Its brown hide is covered in glistening scales that form a segmented armor. The creature walks in a waddling manner on a pair of heavy hind legs, and it is balanced by a thick tail.

This bipedal reptilian race are short and squat, with a proportionately heavy tail and long claws that are used to dig up roots. They are herbivores and are rarely hostile, although they are often distrustful of non-reptilian beings. The hide of a xusc is brown in hue, with the back being a darker shade than the belly. Xusc have brown, serpentine eyes that rarely blink, and they smell with a forked tongue. They are none too bright and somewhat clumsy for their size, but are surprisingly strong and have sharp senses.

Xusc walk upright on their heavier hind legs and are similar in appearance to lizardmen, although only half the height. The back of a xusc is protected by a flexible appendaged armor that is heaviest about their chest, torso, and thick tail. For additional protection, each of these back armor appendages has a small, protruding horn projecting out to each side.

Xusc speak a simple dialect of Draconian, but never developed a writing skill.

Combat

Xusc are relatively non-aggressive unless threatened or protecting their family. They use their acid spit to attack at range from cover. When an opponent closes, the xusc attacks with its tough digging claws. Defensively they can curl themselves into a tight ball that is completely covered by their heavy back armor, although in this position that are unable to attack.

Hold Breath (Ex): A xusc can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to five times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Sleep Ball (Ex): Whenever a xusc sleeps or falls unconscious, it instinctively curls itself into a tight cone-shaped ball, presenting its heavier back armor to any attacks. In this position the xusc can not be automatically slain as would a helpless target. It is treated as having a Dexterity of 0, but is otherwise only considered prone and the natural armor bonus increases to +5. A xusc can form a sleep ball as a move action, but can not attack from this position.

Xusc as Characters

Most xusc leaders are druids or rogues. There are no xusc clerics.

Xusc characters possess the following racial traits.

• Strength +2, Dexterity -2, Intelligence -4 (minimum 3), Wisdom +2.
• Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
• A xusc's base land speed is 20 feet. It also has a swim speed of 30 ft.
• +3 natural armor bonus.
• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d3), spit (1d3 acid).
• Special Qualities (see above): Hold breath, sleep ball.
• Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Common.
• Favored Class: Rogue.
• Level adjustment: +0.

Xusc Society

Sadly the primacy of this primitive reptilian race has long since passed and they are now well onto their way toward eventual extinction. But the xusc still exist in some isolated, well-concealed communities, typically living along lake edges at locations that are difficult for land dwellers to access. They are sufficiently advanced to be able to construct simple structures of mud and woven plants, which often appear like squat termite mounds hidden among the vegetation. Within each of these simple but resilient shelters can live an entire family of xusc, including parents, their siblings, and a buried nest of eggs being constantly monitored.

The xusc are vegetarian creatures that typically harvest edible crops in the shallow waters of their lake home. They have mastered basic agricultural skills, planting new crops in favorable underwater locations that are rich in silt, then returning later to harvest the resulting crops and roots. Their ability to spend long periods of time underwater without surfacing for air allows them to avoid the attention of surface creatures, and they are particularly skittish about boats approaching their fields.

At one time the xusc practiced a rudimentary form of religious worship resembling druidism. However, some time in the distant past they became lost to their deity, and ever since they have been in decline. They still perform a form of ancestor worship, placing the skulls of their deceased parents on the inner walls of their mud dwellings. Over time these skulls can accumulate a considerable number, and the inner walls can become lined with reptilian skulls.