Caldera: Mura (Ratlings)
It's not 100% official yet, but I have a fantastic job. I'll post details once they're final. Now that I've gotten business out of the way, I can get back to fun.
So two notes. First, I moved my Caldera stuff over to Obsidian Portal (if you like Caldera, please vote for it!). Second, I wrote up the mura (ratling) race for 4E.
Fast, cunning bipedal rat creatures who skulk in the deepest, darkest tunnels of Caldera.
RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 3’0” - 3’6”
Average Weight: 50-60 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexerity, +2 Intelligence
Size: Small
Speed: 5 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Mura
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Dungeoneering
Mura Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the dagger.
Mura Poison Resistance: You gain a +5 racial bonus to saving throws against poison and disease.
Shifty: You can use shifty as an at-will power.
Shifty Mura Racial PowerYou slip and leap through enemy ranks, under legs and around weapons.At WillMinor ActionPersonalEffect: You shift 1 square.
Every city has rats. Caldera has giant, intelligent, bipedal rats. Mura sometimes called ratlings) are a small race that evolved from the giant rats that infest the darkest levels of the Caldera subcity. They are known for their cunning and quickness.
Play a mura if you want…
Physical Qualities
Mura are thin, athletic rat creatures that stand on their hind legs. Their five-fingered paws have adapted to have an opposable thumb. They’re about half the height of humans. Mura bodies are covered by a layer of short fur that can be gray, black, white, or brown. Some have spots. Like their rat ancestors, mura have long, smooth tails. Their eyes are usually black, but ruby or pink eyes are not uncommon.
Ratlings grow up quickly, reaching maturity in about 8-10 years, and live only about 40 years. On the other hand, their resistance to poisons and diseases prevent a lot of infant deaths. They make the most of their short lives, daring things that many other people would avoid.
They don’t need to wear clothes, though many do to fit better into society. Some wear just a belt or bandolier, or just a short tunic, or maybe just a cap or hat.
Playing a Mura
The mura a relatively new race, though magical mutation has made “new race” much less of a novelty in Caldera. As a mutation, however, mura are quite common. Where typical mutations produce one or two unique creatures, the mutation that produced ratlings has created a population large enough to call it a new race. Census counts estimate 10,000 or more mura in the city, though there could be many more deep in the subcity. There are a few dozen large warrens where they have built communities.
Other races only see giant rats when they look at mura and some recoil or react with horror. This is a kind of natural prejudice that every mura must overcome. So far, no mura has held any office of importance. Ratlings are killed by angry bigots when they try.
Mura are often hungry and will eat just about anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s squirming, spoiled, or rotten. This often disturbs members of other races, even if they consider the mura a friend. Ratlings also have a reputation for being sneaky and underhanded. It’s true that they can be unreliable and unpredictable in battle, but they’re no less trustworthy than other races, in general.
Mura Characteristics: Alert, cunning, curious, foolhardy, hungry, nimble, resourceful, slinky, skittish, unpredictable, untrusting.
Mura Names: Dark, Drain, Dung, Garbage, Jerk, Odor, Penny, Puddle, Rust, Shadow, Shiny, Slink, Stink, Torch, Twitch.
So two notes. First, I moved my Caldera stuff over to Obsidian Portal (if you like Caldera, please vote for it!). Second, I wrote up the mura (ratling) race for 4E.
Fast, cunning bipedal rat creatures who skulk in the deepest, darkest tunnels of Caldera.
RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 3’0” - 3’6”
Average Weight: 50-60 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexerity, +2 Intelligence
Size: Small
Speed: 5 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Mura
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Dungeoneering
Mura Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the dagger.
Mura Poison Resistance: You gain a +5 racial bonus to saving throws against poison and disease.
Shifty: You can use shifty as an at-will power.
Shifty Mura Racial PowerYou slip and leap through enemy ranks, under legs and around weapons.At WillMinor ActionPersonalEffect: You shift 1 square.
Every city has rats. Caldera has giant, intelligent, bipedal rats. Mura sometimes called ratlings) are a small race that evolved from the giant rats that infest the darkest levels of the Caldera subcity. They are known for their cunning and quickness.
Play a mura if you want…
- to look like a giant, bipedal rat.
- to be a sneaky, unpredictable hero who likes dark places.
- to be a member of a race that favors the ranger, rogue, and sorcerer classes.
Physical Qualities
Mura are thin, athletic rat creatures that stand on their hind legs. Their five-fingered paws have adapted to have an opposable thumb. They’re about half the height of humans. Mura bodies are covered by a layer of short fur that can be gray, black, white, or brown. Some have spots. Like their rat ancestors, mura have long, smooth tails. Their eyes are usually black, but ruby or pink eyes are not uncommon.
Ratlings grow up quickly, reaching maturity in about 8-10 years, and live only about 40 years. On the other hand, their resistance to poisons and diseases prevent a lot of infant deaths. They make the most of their short lives, daring things that many other people would avoid.
They don’t need to wear clothes, though many do to fit better into society. Some wear just a belt or bandolier, or just a short tunic, or maybe just a cap or hat.
Playing a Mura
The mura a relatively new race, though magical mutation has made “new race” much less of a novelty in Caldera. As a mutation, however, mura are quite common. Where typical mutations produce one or two unique creatures, the mutation that produced ratlings has created a population large enough to call it a new race. Census counts estimate 10,000 or more mura in the city, though there could be many more deep in the subcity. There are a few dozen large warrens where they have built communities.
Other races only see giant rats when they look at mura and some recoil or react with horror. This is a kind of natural prejudice that every mura must overcome. So far, no mura has held any office of importance. Ratlings are killed by angry bigots when they try.
Mura are often hungry and will eat just about anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s squirming, spoiled, or rotten. This often disturbs members of other races, even if they consider the mura a friend. Ratlings also have a reputation for being sneaky and underhanded. It’s true that they can be unreliable and unpredictable in battle, but they’re no less trustworthy than other races, in general.
Mura Characteristics: Alert, cunning, curious, foolhardy, hungry, nimble, resourceful, slinky, skittish, unpredictable, untrusting.
Mura Names: Dark, Drain, Dung, Garbage, Jerk, Odor, Penny, Puddle, Rust, Shadow, Shiny, Slink, Stink, Torch, Twitch.