Kangu
Medium Humanoid (kangu, animalfolk) (12 RP)
Racial Traits
- +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligent or Wisdom (0 RP)
- Humanoid: Kangu are humanoids with the Kangu and animalfolk subtypes. (0 RP)
- Medium size: Kangu are medium so have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. (0 RP)
- Standard Speed: Kangu have a base speed of 30 feet (0 RP)
- Lowlight vision: Kangu can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light. (1 RP)
- Keen Senses: A Kangu’s skittish heritage grants them Alertness as a racial feat (+4 Perception). (2 RP)
- Expert Leaper: When making jump checks, Kangu are always considered to have a running start. Also, when they deliberately fall, a DC 15 Acrobatics check allows them to ignore the first 20 feet fallen, instead of the first 10 feet. (2 RP)
- Tail Attack: Kangu have a long, muscular tail. This gives them the ability to give a painful slap for 1d6 + Strength modifier bludgeoning damage and gain the Weapon Focus feat with this Unarmed Attack. They gain no penalty by making this attack do subdual damage and are able to take trip attack as a feat. (3 RP)
- Thick Skin: Kangu have a thick hide, so gain a +1 Natural Armor bonus. (2 RP)
- Fleet Footed: Kangu receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks. (2 RP)
- Language Kangan and Common. Bonus: Elven, Gnome and Sylvan.(0 RP)
Alternate Racial Traits
- Feet of Fury (Ex) The large, powerful feet of a Kangu make effective weapons. All Kangu automatically receive the martial artist (unarmed attacks, 1d6) and weapon finesse (kick) feats and a +4 racial bonus to Jump checks. Replaces tail attack.
- Healthy: Kangu gain a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against disease and poison, including magical diseases. Replaces thick skin.
- Sociable: When Kangu attempt to change a creature’s attitude with a Diplomacy check and fail by 5 or more, they can try to influence the creature a second time even if 24 hours have not passed. Replaces lowlight vision.
- Beguiling Liar: Kangu gain a +4 racial bonus on Bluff checks to convince an opponent that what they are saying is true when they tell a lie. Replaces fleet footed or healthy.
- Plains Runner: Kangu love to run, so gain a +4 to Constitution checks during a forced march. Replaces healthy.
Kangu live on Animus, mostly in valleys protected from most predators. They have a tribal society similar to the Aborigines of Australia. They Kangu are a humanoid kangaroo; they are cousins to the Lepi. They evolved in rainforests, but left their protection to begin a hunter-gatherer existence on the plains.
Kangu were once high-strung herbivores with a, “hair-trigger” fight or flight instinct that favored flight. They developed sensitive ears and sharp eyes to more easily escape predators. Whether it was from lack of food, population or predatory pressure, no one knows. They now excel in the martial arts, so they could protect themselves from danger. Because of their muscular legs similar to a kangaroo, they are great leapers and use them in their natural kick attacks.
Kangu fur comes mostly in shades of gray and brown, but other colors are known. They are very prolific, twins are common and have few enemies. They are marsupials, like kangaroos.
Kangu are kangaroo-like animalfolk. Cousins to the Lepi, they like living on the plains or in forested areas.
BASIC INFORMATION
Anatomy & Morphology
These are anthropomorphic kangaroos. They have a more humanoid torso, better formed arms and legs like an amalgamation of a human/kangaroo structure. Their head is shaped like a kangaroo, but with more developed eyesight than a humans, a well-developed sense of smell, and a tail.
Biological Traits
They are medium-sized, have broad shoulders, a marsupial pouch, large wide feet and a long tail. For those without young, it is often used for storage and can hold as much as an average-size backpack.
Genetics and Reproduction
They are marsupials like their ancestors, the kangaroo. 1-2 young are usually born in the spring. They are similar enough to the Lepi to breed as well as to their cousins the Treekin. While it is possible to dally with the Wombu, their body structure is vastly different and would make it difficult.
Growth Rate & Stages
Joeys grow quickly and leave the pouch after 2-4 months. Maturity comes between 2-4 years, afterwards males usually leave their parents house to join the other young bachelors in a barracks. Here they learn the skills that they’ll need as adults. After another 1-2 years they’ll compete for the favor of a female to take as their mate. Females usually stay with their mothers to learn the skills that she’ll need in the future.
Ecology and Habitats
Any temperate land, preferring grasslands and forests. Most live on Animas.
Dietary needs and habits
Kangu are strict vegetarians, they only eat plant life from the local area that they live. Mostly greens and root vegetables, that they prefer raw. They are constantly snacking, many carry something in their pouch at all times.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Social Structure
They tend to congregate in large groups and are rarely found in less than threes. These can be any mix of males and females. Like personalities drift together and often become mated trinities. Kangu go on group outings, to get to know their age mates. In this way they learn who is compatible. This starts in school and continues until everyone is in their life triune. Sometimes they form trial groups for 1 year to test their compatibility. When they are sealed together a physical, emotional and psychic link is formed that is only broken by death (not always even then).
Facial characteristics
Kangu have long narrow faces with tall ears.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Mostly on Animas, but also on Sylvania and Avalonia.
Average Intelligence
The are of average intelligence, but are very wise.
Perception and Sensory capabilities
Lowlight vision and scent, lesser.
CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE
Naming traditions
Their names tend to be combinations of words or concepts that describe the individual or events that have happened in their life. Alira-quartz crystal, alinta-fire, adina-voluptuous, beautiful; bunji- mate, buddy, friend, partner; ellin-wish, jarli-barn owl, etc.
Major organizations
Family, moiety, sept, clan are some of the common types.
Beauty Ideals
Facial structures, colors and ears are all popular. Fur dyed in patterns and tattoos.
Gender Ideals
No differentiation of gender.
Courtship Ideals
Groups spend time together to find compatible mates.
Relationship Ideals
Harmony and unity.
Average technological level
Kangu as a race are in the Bronze age and mostly are nomads transitioning into an agrarian developing culture. Some still roam, but most have decided to start growing food, setting down roots, to build houses and towns.
Major language groups and dialects
Kangan. Lepin, Sylvan, and Elven.
Common Etiquette rules
To help each other whenever needed.
Common Dress code
They often wear aprons, tunics and/or vests.
Culture and cultural heritage
A Kangu’s culture is similar to the Australian Aborigine, they are a loose confederation of clans and family groups. Led by a council of tribal elders and their shaman.
Common Taboos
Contaminating the environment, wasteful actions, greed, gluttony.
History
The Kangu mutated after drinking water from a lake that was contaminated in a battle on Animas during the Chaos Wars. It took many generations to cause the changes that their descendants currently have. Most are internal, like their intelligence and magic affinity. A few in every generation become Dreamwalkers: that are able to talk to the Rainbow Serpent on the Astral Plane; or Dreamweavers: sorcerers that are able to alter reality to affect change.
Historical figures
The Rainbow Serpent
Common Myths and Legends
The Dreamtime
Interspecies relations and assumptions
They are the closest to the Lepi, that live in more mountainous and rocky areas on Animus. Any good aligned races are their allies. Enemies are any vermin and the Atlanteans.
| Genetic Ancestor(s) | Red Kangaroo |
| Scientific Name | Homo Macropus rufus |
| Origin/Ancestry
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There are a few variations of Kangu: tree dwellers (Treekin) and burrowers (Wombu). These are both smaller than a Kangu. The tree kin look like a smaller version, but the wombu have short stubby legs like a wombat. |
| Lifespan | 40 years |
| Average height | 6 ft |
| Average weight | 200 lbs |
| Average physique | They are mostly tall and muscular. |
| Body tint, coloring and marking | The main coloring of their fur depends on terrain where they liver. There are variations, but the common colors are light, dark or reddish brown, gray or black (rare). Chest are usually of a lighter shade of the same color or a contrasting one. |
| Related Ethnicities
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Related Links:
Lepi (coming soon)
Animus (coming soon)
