Garou (playable)

Black Garou during a summer storm.

This article has to do with the rules of the Garou. For the History of the race, see Garou.

The garou are at once seem fearsome and fierce. They are a race of humanoid wolves, canines that can walk on two feet. Have hands, and walk plantigrade. Their bodies are covered in fur, have hair on their heads, and they lack tails. Found dwelling in the forests of the world, the Garou are forced to live there because of the humans taking the best places to build cities. Thought of as monsters, the garou eke out a living building villages, herding animals, and hunting to survive.

A garou is thought to be worshiped by the orcs. When an orc usually sees a garou, they think they are looking at a wolf spirit sent to them by the Earthmother or the Wolf Spirit. This is far from the truth, however. The garou are usually perplexed by the worship. Sometimes, there are interactions between the garou and humans, but that doesn't end out as well. There are few encounters between garou and humans that does not explode into violence. More often than not, however, the garou are loyal to their mates and will stick by them to the death. Despite this, they have marriage rites. They typically do not wear clothes.

Description

The garou typically comes in four colors: white furred (arctic), grey furred (mixed), black furred (black), and red furred (red). Eyes range from blue to brown, with brown and gold eyes being common. Blue eyes are considered to be a sign of aristocratic or royal blood, with white fur (and all around) being considered to be special. Garou come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from obese to thin, with an average body type corresponding to that of humans. Adventuring garou tend toward the muscle bound. Height for males average at 6 ft. While height for females average at 5'5". Hair can be seen on garou, it's like human hair, and ranges from Arctic white to red to brown, to black; with all the shades inbetween.

Garou clothing tends to be functional rather than practical or ostentatious. Most garou do go naked much of the time, but they prefer to use belts and bandoleers. Sometimes, they will wear armor. Armor tends to be on the light side in warm climates; while in cooler climates they will put on tougher and heaver armors like the full panoply.

Finally, the garou do howl. They howl generally when they have an outburst of emotion. They howl when they are happy, they howl when they are bereaved, and they howl when angry. The howl is used for communication and can be heard and answered by wolves.

Society

The garou associate themselves with nature. Where as the elves have a more delicate bond with nature, the garou seem to represent the savage side of nature. Despite this, they tend to live in harmony with nature itself. The garou prefer bountiful lands with good hunting. Like elves, they protect and shepherd that bounty. Garou tend to see themselves as the stewards of their lands, and do their best to keep everything in balance. Game to predator, all are worked hard to be kept in balance by the garou.

Garou can be seen everywhere, including tropical climates. In such climates, they usually buzz their hair short to keep from overheating. Few garou can be seen in desert lands, but what can be seen, they have adapted to find a way to keep themselves cool. The garou enjoy hunting, and will hunt most prey species like the gazelle, deer, and wild aurochs. They also herd prey species that can be herded: sheep, kine, and goats.

When it comes to crafting, the garou seem to have a gift for basic crafts with leather, scrimshaw, ivory, and wood. Often not many garou would risk themselves mining the bounty of the earth; but those who do are honored if looked upon as weird. The smiths are seen as wondrous, especially when working with copper and tin to make bronze.

Finally, the garou have the same racist attitudes as humans do. While they are gregarious with other races, within reason, the garou practice discrimination amongst themselves. White (Arctic type) garou believe that they are the chosen ones; with those with pure white hair and blue eyes as having the signs of royalty. While those with black fur are typically seen and treated as beasts and animals. Despite this, all colors are infertile with each other -- unlike the animal (actually, the wolves can hybridize).

Relations

The garou has a complicated relationship with humans, as they are commonly mistaken for werewolves. Other than that, their connection to nature makes them revered by orcs. As the orcs enjoy using wolves as mounts, many of them shamanistically worship the wolves -- making the garou an object of reverence. Aside from that, they can identify anyone by their individual scent -- as everyone has their own scent. They can identify loved ones and enemies even when they are disguised. This makes them seem off putting. The garou do not like lizardfolk, nagaji, or kobolds, and think the worst of them.

Alignment and Religion

Garou priest.

The garou can be very religious, often as much as any human. Most generally worship nature shamanistically or are druids, others follow organized religion. The garou enjoy the wilderness, and believe hunting is a religious experience. A garou's first hunt without their parents or guardians, male or female, is generally seen as a rite of passage.

Names

Male: Rhys, Lupus, Andre, Osnet, Hauser, Rudy, Bolgan
Female: Eva, Dawn, Mystery, Severina, Eva, Cellica, Maria

Racial Characteristics

Garou male, grey furred by RalphTheFeline.

Humanoid (Garou) (13 RP total)

• +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Garou are physically powerful and have a heightened awareness, but their appearance is offsetting to most anyone but orcs and kitsune. (0 RP)
• Size: Garou are Medium-sized creatures. (0 RP)
• Speed: the Garou have a base speed of 30 ft. (0 RP)
• Flexible Bonus Feat: The garou select one extra feat at 1st level.
• Intimidating Hunters: Garou gain Intimidate and Survival as class skills. (1 RP)
• Sprinters (Ex): Garou gain a +10 foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. (1 RP)
• Natural Weapon (Ex): Garou gain a natural bite attack, dealing damage equivalent to 1d4 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the creature is wielding manufactured weapons. (x2, 2 RP)
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): Garou can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light. (1 RP)
• Scent: The garou have the scent ability. (4 RP)
• Languages: Garou start speaking Lingua-Garou and Koine Hellenic (Common). Garou with high intelligence scores may learn to speak Elvish, Dwarven, Giant, Gnoll, Orcish, Sylvan, and Draconic (one has to communicate with one's enemies).

Alternate Racial Traits

• Arctic Survivalist: A garou's pelt of fur can keep it warm in the arctic. Usually white or black, garou with this racial trait gain a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and fortitude saves to avoid fatigue, exhaustion, or ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, and thirst in cold environments. This racial trait replaces sprinters.
• Dreamspeaker: A few garou have the ability to tap into the power of sleep, dreams, and prescient reverie. The garou with this racial trait add +1 to the saving throw DCs of spells of the divination school and sleep effects they cast. In addition, garou with Wisdom scores of 15 or higher may use dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the elf's character level). This racial trait replaces sprinters.
• Fearlessness: Some garou are either truly fearless or foolhardy. These garou gain a +2 bonus against all fear effects. This racial trait replaces Intimidating hunters.
• Tropical Survivor: Some garou can thrive in the deepest deserts, in the jungles, and on deserted islands. Usually red or gray, garou with this racial trait receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue, exhaustion, or ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst in hot environments. This racial trait replaces Sprinters and Intimidating Hunters.
• Silent Hunter: Garou are are master hunters, and can be subtle. Garou with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this racial trait). This racial trait replaces Intimidating Hunters.

Racial Archetypes

The following racial archetypes are available to the garou.

OGL Section 15 - Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Race Guide. © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, and Russ Taylor.

Garou Race. © 2015, 2016 by Elton Robb. Author: Elton Robb