Behind the Dark Fist - Vodoni

So, a couple of posts ago, I mentioned that I had designed a campaign  
setting around the Vodoni. After giving it a little bit of thought, I  
decided to spend most of this weekend re-tooling and polishing it up,  
and here is the result of that labor thus far.

I'm not sure what BTM considers "canon" as far as the aftermath of  
the Vodoni war, but when I wrote this I was more concerned with  
published "official" products. Also, you might note that the update  
has colored some of the descriptions and made my take on the modern  
Vodoni political situation more... how shall I say?... timely, perhaps?

Basically, I envisioned a Twelve Spheres region that was happy  
neither with Vulkaran's tyranny, nor with the occupation of an  
outside armed force within its space. Which, I contend, the allies  
would have to have done, because simply trusting to fate that the  
killing of the evil despot will end all your problems is rather  
cartoonishly silly -- you have to stabilize the region, make sure a  
friendly regime takes control, somehow deal with hostile military  
remnants within Vodoni space... Is any of this sounding familiar?

The thrust of what I've written here -- at least, insofar as I've  
readjusted the thrust -- is to take a look at the aftermath of the SJ  
adventure involving the Vodoni from the other side. The Known Spheres  
are safe as houses with Vulkaran gone, but that leaves all the  
problems of infighting, factionalism, and even religious persecution  
(since the Vodoni Gods are back, and likely due for a good evangelism  
binge from being deprived of worship for so long) right on the  
doorstep of the people who were (ostensibly) supposed to benefit from  
Vulkaran's demise.

And before you start sending me hate mail... no, I'm not saying  
Vulkaran was a swell guy. Nor am I even saying that the Vodoni or  
their conquered subjects were better off with Vulkaran in power. What  
I am saying, and this material's intended message, is that it's  
probably not as cut-and-dried as "Vulkaran's dead -- happy ending for  
everybody! Hooray!"

With that intro out of the way, I would like to present the first of  
several fast-and-dirty notes on the races that would be involved in  
"Behind the Dark Fist." Backstory may possibly have conflicts with  
canon, I may also have typoes/misspellings I didn't catch, and things  
may also be a bit wonky and in need of helpful suggestions. I'll try  
to provide more exposition on the setting as I get it polished up,  
and as other people express interest.

So here are the Vodoni.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Vodoni - The Vodoni people are a mostly human culture. Demihumans  
and humanoid populations once native to the Vodoni sphere either  
perished with the destruction of Kathyk, or died out as the refugee  
population struggled to establish itself on Vodon. Only one humanoid  
race has endured over the years within Vodoni society, the Medusae.  
Historically all non-humans had secondary status within the society  
of Kathyk, but Medusae (or, at least the Maedar males) were sometimes  
able to "pass" for normal humans. Vulkaran was one such specimen, who  
rose to gain such power and respect within the military that he was  
made Emperor, and was then entrusted by the Crystal King with  
custodianship of the Eye of the Gods. The Vodoni themselves are a  
bewildered people, unsure of how to use the new freedoms they've just  
been granted after four hundred years of effective slavery. Much to  
the dismay of the Elves, the Vodoni do not hold the outsiders in very  
high regard. The years following Vulkaran's demise have brought  
chaos, factionalism, daily urban violence and even religious violence  
-- all things which were foreign to the Vodoni before. Vodoni player  
characters are assumed to belong to the Neo-Imperialist movement, an  
insurgent group forced to move out from the capital world of Vodon  
and take refuge in the conquered spheres, to regroup and rearm for  
the fight against the occupation forces.
	•Humans - Vodoni Humans are, in most respects, exactly like standard  
humans, though it would be wrong to say that four centuries of rule  
under the Dark Fist did not change them. All citizens of Vodon  
received yearly examinations from the Breeders as part of the  
Empire's health standards program. While these examinations were  
mostly just a pretense to screen for potential Enforcers, they did  
foster a very healthy and mostly disease-free society (which was  
important, since the Vodoni sphere was one without gods or priests  
for 400 years). Vodoni humans have a +1 to Constitution, and a 20%  
resistance to all forms of disease to reflect the long-term effects  
of this care. Vodoni humans are also completely immune to mundane  
lycanthropy (because the Breeders did much more to their patients  
than simply inoculate them). Note that these racial abilities only  
apply to Vodoni born prior to the fall of  Vulkaran; those born after  
are not likely to receive the regular examinations that would yield  
these boons. Vodoni can select the Fighter, Ranger, Mage, Thief or  
Bard classes. Vodoni Rangers have not historically had access to  
their priest spells, and because of Vulkaran's influence they are not  
required to maintain a good alignment. Vodoni are only just becoming  
reaquainted with their old gods, and so may only be Shamans (per the  
Complete Book of Humanoids); the Vodoni culture has no place  
currently for Clerics or Paladins (though a circle of Druids has  
started up on Vodon to care for the wildlife). The Vodoni Breeder is  
a special class within Vodoni society, formerly making up the noble  
aristocracy under Emperor Vulkaran. Though the MC entry on Breeders  
shows them to be dual-classed Fighter-Transmuters, player character  
Breeders are split-class characters instead, able to advance in both  
classes simultaneously.
	•Medusae - Medusae and Maedars are the only natural non-humans to  
survive among the Vodoni. They have done this by "passing" for normal  
humans -- a feat which is, admittedly, much easier for the males than  
the females. Under Vulkaran, the Medusae prospered. Though Vulkaran  
never let it be widely known that he was nonhuman, as Emperor he was  
able to do away with much of the latent racism in Vodoni society by  
making sure everybody knew that they were all going to be subjugated  
as equals. Like Vodoni humans, Medusae and Maedar endured yearly  
medical examinations that have fundamentally altered them (by way of  
making them more passive and easier to control among the citizenry).  
Medusae have an immunity to Medusa poison, and a saving throw bonus  
against all other types of venoms (this save bonus is equivalent to a  
Dwarf's Constitution-dependent resistance). They also retain their  
ability to bite with their snake-hair, but Breeder transmutations  
have effectively destroyed a Medusa's ability to produce poison.  
Breeder tinkerings have also weakened the Medusa's signature  
petrification gaze: a Medusa can still effect her gaze weapon out to  
a range of 30', but the effect is akin to a Hold Person cast at 6th  
level ability, and does not in fact turn anything to stone. A Medusae  
may muster the energy to use her gaze a number of times per day equal  
to her level, but never more than once every three turns. As normal,  
Medusa can use their gaze across the Astral and Ethereal planes,  
though under the reign of Vulkaran they were not able to do so  
because of the condition of the Vodoni sphere. Medusa adjust their  
ability scores with a +1 each to Constitution and Charisma, and a -2  
to Strength. They can be classed as Fighters, Wizards or Bards, to  
the 12th level of ability, and can mix any two classes as a multi- 
classed character. Medusa Fighter-Transmuters may become Breeders, as  
well. Some Medusae have reluctantly taken to the fledgling priesthood  
that has sprung up in the wake of Vulkaran's death, though they do so  
only by way of their natural affinity for wizard magic, becoming  
Witch Doctors instead of Shamans.
	•Maedar - Like the Medusae, the Vodoni Maedar were altered by way of  
reducing their innate racial abilities to make them more servile.  
Maedar remain immune to petrification effects, but are not immune to  
paralyzation, slow or hold spells (with the exception of a Vodoni  
Medusa's gaze). They are still able to case stone to flesh by touch,  
effecting this ability once every three turns, and like the Medusa  
this power extends into the Astral and Ethereal planes. Because of  
the altered nature of Vodoni Medusae, the Maedar's touch no longer  
does anything for a Medusa's victims. Maedar are still naturally  
adept at fighting with their bare fists, and can deal 2d4 damage when  
unarmed (this assumes the Maedar in question is not trained as a  
Monk, however). The Maedar's innate ability to pass through stone was  
also inhibited by the Breeders -- though in this case, the Breeders'  
success was incomplete. At 12th level, the Maedar's biology is strong  
enough to overcome the Breeder's transmutative curses, and the Maedar  
gains a somewhat weakened form of one of his birthright inborn  
powers. The Maedar must spend three rounds concentrating and  
preparing before entering the stone, during which time he may take no  
other actions. If attacked or disturbed while preparing, the Maedar  
loses his focus and must begin again later. Once successful, however,  
the Maedar may use this ability to pass through a total of 1' of  
stone per character level each day. A Maedar who exhausts his power  
without making it completely through the stone dies immediately. The  
Maedar is also still vulnerable to phase door spells while passing  
through stone. Maedar characters take adjustments of +1 to  
Constitution and Strength, and -1 to Dexterity. They can be classed  
as Fighters, Wizards, Witch Doctors or Monks (using the 1st edition  
Oriental Adventures version), and can multi-class as Fighter-Wizards  
or Fighter-Witch Doctors. Those Maedar who become Fighter-Transmuters  
can be inducted into the ranks of the Breeders.
	•Enforcers - Though they once began as humans, the Enforcers are now  
more wolf than man. Whereas most lycanthropes can at least pretend to  
still be human for all but three nights of the month, Enforcers are  
transformed permanently, forced to forever wear the face of the beast  
in place of their old identity. The Enforcers that remain are either  
rogues, or are under the command of the surviving Breeders. Player  
Character Enforcers are assumed to be in the latter group, commanded  
by Breeders who are part of the Neo-Imperialist movement. Though many  
of the formerly subjugated peoples had their doubts about continuing  
to employ Enforcers as the movement's soldiery, the Breeders have  
tendered them assurances that their Enforcers will behave themselves,  
thanks to some "modifications." PC Enforcers have a greatly reduced  
chance to enter the Blood Rage state, being 10% at 1st level, and  
growing by +1% each level thereafter. The %roll check to enter Blood  
Rage is mandatory each time the Enforcer successfully bites an  
opponent, thereby tasting its blood. However, the Enforcer is still  
permitted to make a Wisdom check to resist the Blood Rage if the  
percentile roll indicates berserker craziness should ensue. The Blood  
Rage lasts 1 turn after the Enforcer last tasted Blood, and never  
does the Rage incite the Enforcer to attack its allies. Also, at the  
request of the Neo-Empire's governing council, all registered  
Enforcers have been "neutered" -- that is, they no longer spread  
lycanthropy. This was done to help curb the numbers of "stray"  
Enforcers that continue to roam throughout Vodoni space, and who are  
mostly more of a hindrance than anything else. Efforts to capture and  
"domesticate" these strays are often a mixed bag, depending on the  
individual beast's temperament. Some (who were formerly enrolled in  
Vulkaran's military) are eager to serve the cause once again, while  
others prefer their freedom and are happy to fight to the death to  
keep it. PC Enforcers can attack either with weapons, or with their  
claws (1d8 damage each) and teeth (1d6 for a bite attack), effecting  
all three in a single round of melee. They also retain their immunity  
to normal weapons, requiring +1 or silver weapons to take damage.  
(bear in mind that creatures of 4+1 HD or better can also harm  
Enforcers when attacking with natural weapons, as per Chapter 9,  
table 48 of the DMG) Enforcers may only advance as Fighters (what  
else are they good for?), to a maximum of 9th level (unless their  
inhibitions are removed by a Breeder). Enforcers adjust their ability  
scores with a +2 bonus to all physical attributes (Strength,  
Constitution and Dexterity), -2 to their mental attributes  
(Intelligence and Wisdom) and a -3 to Charisma (foaming at the mouth  
on command is still not among the accepted social graces of known  
space, sadly).