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Nagaji

Imposing and forceful both in body and demeanor, the nagaji are alien creatures from an alien world in a star system that vanished in the past. Ruled by spacefaring serpents known as naga, the nagaji bear an uncanny resemblance to humanity beneath their serpentine appearance, leaving many to question their motives, as well as those of their masters.

Physical Description

Towering above humanity, nagaji are physically imposing and average 7 to 7-1/2 feet in height. Their humanoid bodies are covered in snakelike reptilian scales, hairless bodies, and their unblinking, ophidian eyes and forklike tongues only add to this perception. Though they lack true claws, nagaji hands and feet possess sharp nails on each digit, and most members of their race are muscled, thick, and broad.

Nagaji scales come in a dizzying array of colors, as varied as actual snakes, but the most common colorations mirror those of their naga creators: brilliant golds, inky blacks, slimy greens, and more. It isn’t uncommon for nagaji to share physical features with similarly-colored naga either—such as large, cobra-like hoods for those with yellow-gold scales, or scales that shimmer like starlight for those with those with scales the color of a clear night’s sky. Like snakes, young nagaji shed their skin annually as they grow before reaching their full size, and often celebrate this shedding much as humans celebrate birthdays.

Home World

Nagaji do not speak of their home world at the request of their naga masters, but from what inquisitive minds have gathered, their world vanished at some point in the past. Some time before this occurred, the naga rallied their nagaji servants and bid them upon interstellar ships, leaving their home system behind to search for a new place to begin their great empire anew. Several decades ago, these ships arrived in the galaxy, their technology severely outdated but their cargo bays full of esoteric treasures and trinkets, especially magic and hybrid items.

As a result, the naga quickly gained a reputation for their skill at magic and became merchants and traders, amassing the wealth needed to found their new nation in a mere ten years. Arms laden with treasure, the naga bought the entire moon of a world from the local government and renamed it in honor of their glorious leader. After years of terraforming and construction, their world is the envy of the galaxy, its once-scarred surfaces covered in expansive farmland, thriving jungles, and shining cities ruled by the naga.

Society And Alignment

Naga society is caste-based with the naga residing at the top of their peoples’ hierarchies and the nagaji at the bottom. Although the nagaji are an artificial race created by their naga overlords, only the foolish believe them to be mere servants. The nagaji serve willingly and are comfortable with their subjugation, enjoying a fair amount of mobility up and down the various castes of their society. This happens because for the nagaji, one’s caste is based upon merit rather than circumstance of birth.

Through hard work and ultimately success, a nagaji can increase their social standing within society and ultimately earn a better life for themselves and their family. Although they receive great reverence from nagaji, the naga occupy a role in society that is more akin to nobility than living gods. And like the dynasties of old, naga constantly fret and bicker with one another, held in line only by the knowledge that the nagaji have overthrown dynasties in the past, and would not hesitate to do so again if their comfortable way of life were to be disrupted by a selfish naga whose scheming harmed nagaji society. In this way, the nagaji serve their betters, but also form the foundation upon which the naga enjoy their lavish lifestyles.

Relations

Nagaji are relative newcomers to the galaxy, so overall their relations with the galaxy isn’t well established. Generally, most view the newcomers with curious suspicion, especially humans, who see the nagaji’s uncannily human vestiges and hear the stories of how the nagaji were created and wonder just exactly what the nagaji were created from. The nagaji themselves do not hesitate to share the stories of their ancestors, who once were human themselves, adding to the fear and suspicion that humans who disappear on their home world are transformed into nagaji themselves. Nagaji don’t particularly like kitsune because of their shapechanging powers, whom they deem deceitful, and are easily irritated by ysoki, whom they see as chatty and overly rambunctious.

Despite the attitudes of many a race, the nagaji seem to respect the commercialism of the deoxyians, who in turn are fascinated by the possibility of magical manipulation of living genomes that the nagaji represent. In this regard, deoxyians are often more cordial to the naga rather than their servants, but nagaji ultimately consider respectfulness to the naga as being more important than respectfulness to themselves so such behavior doesn’t concern them much.

Adventurers

Nagaji adventurers often come in two flavors—mercenaries and defectors. Most adventurous nagaji travel across the galaxy at the behest of the naga, carrying out missions of great importance in the name of their masters. Defectors, on the other hand, are nagaji who have forsaken the caste-based ways of their society and have defected to serve themselves or some other organization or government within the galaxy. Nagaji are often soldiers, as their physical brawn and willingness to spill blood makes them formidable warriors on the battlefield. Nagaji also have surprisingly forceful personalities, and make excellent envoys.

Finally, nagaji are born with a dualistic nature—that of their original human ancestry and that of their naga masters. These competing aspects of a nagaji’s personality are much the same as the contrast between photons and gravitons, and so many nagaji find themselves called to the ways of the solarion.

Names

Nagaji often take traditional naga names for themselves, carefully following in the ways of their ancestors and their naga masters. Most commonly, these names are often in Draconic, which is the primary language spoken by both naga and nagaji. Their names are often short and have very literal meanings that describe their physical appearance at birth or the prevailing environmental conditions when they were born. Some examples of nagaji names are Azhisz, Ehlu, Hskori, Hskoro, Ilshethi, Itame, Iztohu, Korovati, Reomava, Resavati, Nagagorjo, Rasamoro, Sehi, Sellaweti, Seme, Sulmavate, Thumilees, Yakhu, Yesmava, Yesmoro, Zehameti

Racial Traits

+2 Str, +2 Cha, –2 Int

Hit Points: 6

Size and Type

Nagaji are humanoids with the nagaji subtype and are Medium. They have a base speed of 30 feet.

Special Abilities

Armored Scales: Nagaji have tough scales that make it difficult to damage them. They gain a +1 racial bonus to AC.

Keen Vision: Nagaji gain low-light vision, allowing them to see in dim light as if it were normal light. For more details, see low-light vision. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Resistant: Nagaji gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against mind-affecting effects and poison.

Spit Venom (Ex): Nagaji can spit venom into their opponent’s eyes, functioning as a ranged attack against the opponent’s EAC as if from a ranged weapon. (Any armor or spacesuit custom fit to a nagaji is designed to allow this attack to pass through its helmet, though environment seals on a target’s armor protects it from such attacks.) This attack has a range of 10 feet and one range increment. If the attack hits, the target is blinded for 1d6 rounds unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the nagaji’s level + the nagaji’s Constitution modifier). Nagaji can use this ability once per day.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Starfarer’s Companion © 2017, Rogue Genius Games, LLC; Authors: Alexander Augunas and Matthew Morris