Roaming the land in colourful caravans are a spiritual and nomadic tribe who probably once traveled with the Arkzani over a thousand years ago, called the Chelzan. But who really knows, their own history stretches so far back that they barely know themselves. Many of the same stigmas, including mystics, charlatans, gypsies, etc, that were once attached to the Arkzani, the Chelzan carry to this day. But they also carry many of the same traditions, though they have morphed and transformed to the Chelzan's own way of life. However, there is more to the Chelzan than just that.
Their slow and deep voiced chants carry across the land, announcing their arrival long before they can be seen. For some, the arrival of a Chelzan caravan is an exciting event. These caravans will camp outside the town's outskirts, welcoming the locals to taste the mysteries and secrets the caravan has gathered along its never-ending journey, including Mystimon from far and wide. The Chelzan are caretakers and protectors to life far and wide. If you have the coin, you will receive its worth of entertainment and takes of faraway lands, during times long forgotten. They may also read your fortune or conduct a séance and commune with the spirits of the lost.
Once in a while, a Chelzan might leave the caravan. Sometimes of their own accord, others exiled for some misdeed against the tribe, never allowed to continue along the forever path. Most often, these people will find new companions and embrace them as family then go out to the world and seek to uncover hidden truths. A Chelzan is always seeking, and never truly lost. Some might fall pray to worship of the Ancient Ones, a grave misdeed to the tribe, for worship of these terrible beings is anathema to the Chelzan's very being.
If you want to play a character with deep spiritual roots but no ties to the land, have a unique physical presence and forever unquenchable need for adventure, you should play a Chelzan.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Standing around 7 feet tall with a wide frame and armoured backs, Chelzan can really stand out in a crowd. They have relatively short legs and bulk that gives the impresion of clumsiness of both body and mind, but both couldn't be further from the truth. Their fine scaled hide colour ranges from green to brown, while others exhibit more bright colours.
They have one very unique physical feature - their shell - that is combined of two parts: one covering the back which is called the carapace, and another covering the torso called the plastron. The carapace and plastron are joined together on the sides by a bony structure called the bridges. This feature gives the already massive looking Chelzan an even wider frame.
The Chelzan can reach physical adulthood at the age of 20 and live up to 500 years, usually staying at their peak physical and mental condition until their final decade or so.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Many Chelzan are born particularly adept with psionic powers, whether clairvoyance, telepathy, or even telekinesis. Psionic powers play such a large role in their customs and traditions that most Chelzan who aren't born psions will act as though they do, for the born psions in the tribe are usually those who will lead the tribe.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Chelzan names are usually derived from their favourite tales, myths, and legends. Every name is followed by a descriptive nickname like "Fire Tongued" for a feisty individual or "Broken Shell" after a physical trait. Chelzan names tend to be short, having no distinction between genders.
Gender Ideals
For Chelzan, they view binary genders as too restrictive. They instead have no real distinction between genders. As in their names, there is no distinction between genders through out their culture. Some will even choose to be non-binary altogether.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
For Chelzan, many travels have taught them that laws can vary drastically from place to place. Some view their journeys as a way to improve the world around them, some wish to improve themselves, and others still are driven by eternal wanderlust, simply enjoying the ride. Most of them are chaotic, and those that don't are only seldom lawful.
While generally eschewing religion altogether, Chelzan tend to follow many paths at the same time, only few will ever dedicate themselves and worship a single god. When they do, they favour the ones that value mystery, journeys, and the unknown.
History
When asked about their people's origins, every Chelzan gives a different answer but they always start the same way: "The story of our people begins across the seas in a land long forgotten. . ."
The truth is that there isn't really a land long forgotten. There has been myths and legends of such a land for thousands of years, but to this day, no one who has traversed the entire globe and mapped it have ever found any land that fits the descriptions. Whether the Chelzan come from wherever it was that the Altarans came from, no one really knows. No one knows where the Chelzan came from. Myth and fact can't really be separated from their ancestral tales.
For Chelzans, life is a journey that began long before their time, and it is their duty to keep striding along the unknown paths that spreads before them. They embrace the weird and the occult, and seek them whenever they can.
Another significant aspect of Chelzan life is their community. Every Chelzan draws a circle around themselves, some are small and only include their closest companions or family members; whilst others are larger, encompassing an entire caravan or other chosen community. They risk everything and will gladly die if need be, to protect those their consider under their protection. They also consider it their duty to protect and care for any children, be they Chelzan or otherwise.
A Chelzan's family is a very fluid construct. Family members can be adopted in a heartbeat. It's often said that no two Chelzan caravans emerge the same after a meeting, even if they have exactly the same number of travellers.
Hit Points 12
Size Medium
Speed 15 feet
Ability Boosts Constitution, Charisma, Free
Ability Flaw Dexterity
Languages Common, Chelzanish, additional languages equal to your Intelligence Modifier (If it's positive).
Carapace The thick bony shield that covers your back allows you to fend off incoming blows. You can spend one action to raise your shield and gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC. For more information about the Carapace, see the sidebar.
If the shield gets broken you gain the Wounded condition. The shield loses the Broken condition and you lose the Wounded condition when the shield is healed above its Broken Threshold.
If the shield gets destroyed, you gain the Doomed condition. The shield is no longer destroyed and you lose the Doomed condition when the shield is fully healed.
The shield can be healed by all the methods that can heal you. When you are the target of any healing effect, you choose whether you or the carapace will be healed first and the remaining HP gained can spill over to the other target.
Size Medium
Speed 15 feet
Ability Boosts Constitution, Charisma, Free
Ability Flaw Dexterity
Languages Common, Chelzanish, additional languages equal to your Intelligence Modifier (If it's positive).
Carapace The thick bony shield that covers your back allows you to fend off incoming blows. You can spend one action to raise your shield and gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC. For more information about the Carapace, see the sidebar.
Average Height
Around 7 feet tall.
Carapace
The bony skeletal structure that every Chelzan has can be used to absorb damage like any other shield, whether by using the Shield Block feat or the Carapace Block ancestry feat. The Carapace shield has the following statistics:| Hardness | HP (BT) |
| 5 | 20 (10) |
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