Pelkrev

ECOLOGY

Environment any wasteland
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–8)

Descended from a union of warring egg-laying humanoids, one tribe with half blue dragon and the other with half red dragon blood, pelkrevs synthesized their ancestors control over electricity and fire but lost much of the power possessed by their forebears.

A cataclysm caused by a strange solar flare claimed most of their home world, including the original half dragon species, but the pelkrevs survived thanks to rapid mutations which had the incidental effect of blinding them. Their strange carapace prevented optic overload from the solar flare which caused the victims’ brains to shut down, killing them, or revert to a primal state, driving them insane. The surviving pelkrevs fled underground to wait out those who were driven mad to kill each other and returned to a world they no longer recognized. Most of the fields and forests had been reduced to ash by the event and the pelkrevs had to eke out a meager existence with hardy vegetables that managed to endure through the devastation. The blind pelkrevs brought species of lizards and other food animals with them from their underground homes and began their lives anew. The mutations to their skin and their eyes persisted with their offspring, who were born without eyes but with the weird helmet-like carapace.

The pelkrev home world almost escaped notice from spacefaring species, but when they were discovered, they readily left their homes to travel the universe. Pelkrevs hire themselves out as mercenaries and seem to have an uncanny knack for noticing things missed by creatures which primarily rely on sight. While pelkrevs are powerful in their own right, those who pursue work and become more skilled often choose to take levels in rogue or sorcerer (as part of their draconic birthright).

While other classes are open to pelkrevs, there are no know clerics, since they have eschewed faith in deities as a result of their shared tragedy. Pelkrevs are highly individualistic and prone to bouts of anger, making them generally poor teammates, but they deign to work with others if the money is right.

Pelkrevs become fertile once a year for a week-long period of time. During this time, they produce eggs with pelkrev embryos (losing the ability to create explosive eggs), which must be fertilized by another pelkrev. One of their mutations that saved them from extinction gave them the ability to both produce eggs and fertilize them, but they cannot fertilize their own eggs.

Typical pelkrevs stand six feet tall and weigh roughly 350 pounds. They can live up to 200 years.