Tenok

The Tenok

  A warm-blooded, brutish mammalian species, the Tenok are known for their tenacity and fiendish appetite. From the top of their skulls, all the way to the base of their spine, they are covered with a secondary bony calcite layer that builds up over time and is often used in interpersonal combat to dominate a lesser foe with headbashing and other concussive strikes. They have two massive canines on their upper jaw, and an array of smaller canines on their lower jaw to grip and rip at prey or other Tenok.   Like the Vettir, they are offworlders, but they came from Mara Frysta, a cold and inhospitable planet, but are completely alien in many regards. Mara Frysta is the Vettir translation of where they think the Tenok come from, based on interrogations. Some gutteral noise translation of 'Frozen Land', may be a simplification of what their homeworld was like.   They were not the Apex Predator of their homeworld, but are quickly clawing their way to the top of the food chain in Barid. They are brutal, fierce, and relentless, but to top it off, they are very intelligent. The Tenok have figured out numerous ways to defeat vehicles and giant beasts alike through reverse-engineering technology or their own homebrewed tech. They are highly secretive about their methods, as well.   There are five clans among the Tenok who control the icewastes and glacial regions of Barid.   Tenok Species Features  

Adaptations

  The Tenok are obligate carnivores and cannot survive without consuming meat. Their homeworld, Mara Frysta was very sparse in foliage, with plants only growing near the thermal geysers or on the equatorial 'green belt' of the planet. The rest of the planet was a wretched iceball, rife with horrifying monstrosities that all were engaged in an evolutionary arms race, developing the most vicious natural weapons to kill each other. Claws, teeth, exothermic lancehorns, acidic evulsion and other forms of chemical warfare, all biologically formed over millions of years of speciation with no major extinction events occurring.   The Tenok, despite this, formed large warrior bands and were social creatures, developing their own language, technology, and survivor groups, but were almost always at war with one another, much like the fauna of Mara Frysta, constantly locked in an arms race. They gain much from eating each other: Nutrients, Regeneration, and Power.   The Tenok canine teeth are the most significantly visible and defining aspect of their facial structure. They have two large dagger-like canines on their upper jaw, and several arrays of sharper, razor-like teeth in multiple rows. Their lower canines, while not as large, visibly jut out. The Tenok bite force has been measured to be in excess of 5,000 Newtons.   Additionally, their bodies produce a thick bony calcium carbonate shell, bonded to proteins that reduces impacts, leaving large scoring in their natural armor from combat, but it protects their flesh from taking too much damage. It builds up over time through the juvenile stage once they reach adulthood.   Their bodies are incredibly well-adapted to the cold and their bodies prevent their blood from freezing, but they also put off a lot of heat. Their metabolism kicks into overdrive when they are wounded, releasing hormones into the body that not only dull pain but also send signals to the cells to start rebuilding quickly. At this point, they become substantially more aggressive and go into a sort of blood rage. They also have redundant organs built into their bodies to ensure that if one fails, the other keeps going.   Despite being viviparous and warm-blooded, the Tenok do not produce lactose like mammals. During their early evolutionary stages on Mara Frysta, they would feed their children mouth-to-mouth, much like birds do, except ripping up the gore into more tender bites to eat for their young.   Tenok sexual dimorphism is somewhat narrow, and the males often resemble the females, but the fur patterns on the females is more striped and their hips wider, whereas the males' fur is often monochromatic and their arms longer. The fur colors range from black, to reddish brown, to white. Their eye colors range from a pale blue to a vibrant golden hue, and many colors in between, and they have three sets, with the largest set in between the smaller sets. The two smaller sets of eyes function more like light-sensitive sensory organs, allowing them to take in more light and their brains process the images in a composite method, providing a brighter image than would otherwise be available. The pupils are triangular, and when collapsed they look like three lines, with mottled edges.  

Culture

  The Tenok have five major tribes, of which each have fierce competition with one another. The minor tribes, which are often groups that try to break off from the major clans are often absorbed by another major tribe. Overall, the transfer of power is very volatile and turbulent between the groups. The Tenok have reverence for eating each other, turning it into a ritualistic duel where one clan's leader fights the other until one of them breaks, after which the victor cuts out the canines of the defeated then eats their body while they are still alive, killing them in the process. Once consumed, the victorious leader takes command of the defeated tribe and adds their fangs to a collection.   The lone Tenok that do leave the major tribes do occasionally find their way into integrating with other societies, but it is uncommon and often difficult.   The five major tribes are as follows.

Harukk

Korlash

Kroldir

Tzarok

Velkash

  Each of the major tribes has their own specialty and their own form of cruelty.   The Harukk tribe, oldest in the Reykol region, has been around since before the planar shift from the Karithat-Aldawi, and has been known to take outsiders as prisoners, only to eat their flesh while they're still alive, cauterizing their wounds to prevent them from bleeding out, keeping them alive as long as possible while keeping them as sort of a long term food source until they perish. They force the victims to stay awake throughout the whole process by injecting drugs into their system, believing that the pain inflicted unleashes more desirable hormones into the body for flavor. They are known to use heated metal blades in combat.   The Korlash tribe, known for raiding Vettir convoys and leaving no witnesses, often inspire tales of great terror amongst the Vettir and other inhabitants of Barid. The vanishing, it is called, when the Korlash raiders ambush their victims and leave only trails of blood in the snow that lead nowhere. They will often open fire with a weapon that magnetically launches molten metal, like a rocket launcher. It's made from stolen and reforged parts that the Vettir have on their mag-driver weapons, rebuilt for a very singular purpose.   The Kroldir tribe prefers to take out opponents from afar with thermo-electric light gas weapons, using pelletized ammonia that is converted into hydrogen with an electrical arc and heat, creating enormous pressure. These single stage weapon systems do not generate a significant muzzle flash, but do generate a lot of noise as the projectiles break the sound barrier, often ripping apart whatever they hit through sheer kinetic force. The Kroldir revel in the fear of the remaining victims as they walk up, after shooting their legs out, or in most cases, cleanly off.   The Tzarok tribe broke off from the Kroldir because they felt that the Kroldir were not brave or honorable with their kills. The Tzarok utilize heavy weaponry to rip opponents to pieces. They, like the Harukk tribe, like to tear their victims apart while they're still alive. Unlike, the Harukk, though, the Tzarok like to amputate their victims and eat their limbs in front of them, while glaring at them with intense hunger. They delight in this form of torture.   The Velkash tribe likes to also kill their victims slowly, but instead prefers to perforate them with molten metal, searing their insides so they don't bleed out before they can move in to secure the kill. Instead of amputating or simply ripping them with their mouths, they first cut the tendons and sinew to immobilize their prey. Then, they cut out the non-essential parts to eat over the course of a few days before finally gorging on the organs.   There is only one neutral tribe that acts as a liaison between the major tribes, and occasionally has contact with outsiders: The Vasimir. Their intellect and inventiveness are what keeps the Tenok tribes empowered with advanced weaponry. They supply most of the tech to them in exchange for food, salvage, or prisoners.   Outside of the tribes, they are still dangerous, but are less inclined to murder everyone they meet. They are an alien species, a superpredator amongst their lands, so the concepts of empathy and kindness for prey is completely foreign to them. It is eat or be eaten out there, after all. They don't see the other Tenok that are competing with them as evil, really, but do see them as rivals.   Some reports have indicated that the Tenok do actually care for their own and are generally loyal, but will quickly turn at the earliest sign of betrayal, taking their dagger-like teeth to the throat of the traitor in a heartbeat.  

Architecture

  The Tenok do not usually design buildings of their own, typically taking over settlements and repurposing them to their own needs. They will frequently take whatever wreckage is left over after a fight and set up a forge to melt it down to rebuild as reinforcements for their structures. This is more to prepare for what other Tenok may attempt to do. They are often not in one place for long, and must hunt frequently, so permanent settlements are not something they conceivably do, at least according to Vettir scouts. Sometimes they'll just destroy the town after it's fulfilled their needs for an encampment, leaving a bright fire for all to see, if there is anyone left.   It is presumed that the Tenok do have some permanent settlements much further into the inner continent of Barid, close to the poles, and the Vettir hypothesize they are located near the Crystal Desert, a near-lifeless Anchorpoint-type MEZ, congregating there out of some kind of strange reverence. It is said that the tribal Tenok do not know or understand what magic is. Their locations are a tightly guarded secret though, as the non-tribal Tenok know if anyone were to find out, there would be a bloodbath for both sides, and would likely result in the Tenok being wiped out permanently on Dunia. Without a fully funcational satellite network of any kind, it is exceedingly difficult to confirm the settlement's exact whereabouts.  

Technology

  Tenok technology is almost entirely focused on getting them through to the hunt, surviving contact with the prey, and securing the kill. Most everything else is considered wasteful or unimportant. They build and design advanced sensor equipment, scavenged and reverse-engineered from the Vettir equipment, building their own self-powered survival carapaces with advanced detection equipment to locate possible prey. One technology that they seem to be extremely fond of using though are molten metal weapons, that pass the projectile through a thermoelectric arc and magnetic launch system, creating a sort of molten projectile. It ensures that the prey has not bled out, even if they kill it.   Another thing that the Tenok engineers have built is a thermo-electric light gas gun, or TELG, that uses an internal arc on pelletized ammonia to catalyze it into hydrogen gas. The projectiles are stored in a sort of cartridge form, and are shot out at terrifying velocities, dealing inordinate amounts of damage to the intended target. When the casing containing the pelletized ammonia is loaded into the chamber, it makes contact with the arc plate. When the electronic trigger is depressed, it catalyzes the ammonia through a process called 'cracking' and causes the gas to rapidly expand. The high pressure tolerance of the casing and the weapon's chamber allows it to be a more instantaneous expulsion, resulting in higher acceleration when compared to conventional nitrocellulose propellant.   The Tenok also figured out how to recreate the Vettir's CNT capacitors, allowing them to build the high-powered tech that they otherwise wouldn't have.  

Unique Vehicles

  The Tenok prize their vehicles. Especially the stolen ones. Most of their designs are built to traverse the glaciers at high speeds or with impunity.   Vasimir Type 5-Va Traversal Machine   A six-wheeled vehicle that utilizes something that resembles an omni-directional wheel but each roller is equipped with gripping surfaces. It is capable of climbing most surfaces and can even use vectored electric jet traversal thrusters to cross canyons. The vehicle uses some kind of twin radio-isotopic generator array, or RTG to power its capacitors. The turret segment can be elevated or actuated independently from the cabin of the vehicle, both of which use a gyroscopic stabilization system. The Vasimir tribe are considered neutral amongst the Tenok and supply most technological designs to them.   Vasimir Type 13-Va Glacier Walker   Another transforming vehicle, the Type 13-Va is a sort of walker vehicle with an enclosed cabin, where it is capable of changing its orientation and functioning as a sort of snowmobile. It is typically equipped with a singular piece of mounted weaponry. It is categorized as a walker but it also behaves like a motorbike. It has jump jets that allow it to relocate to higher locations or drop down steep crevasses without destroying its legs.  

Unique Weaponry

  Ceremonial Butcher Sword   A somewhat long blade that resembles a butcher knife, but usually has a handle of bone wrapped in some kind of leather, this weapon is used to dismember other Tenok. The Tenok have some sort of spiritual reverence for this weapon and it is almost never seen outside of their duels.   Korlash Type K-11-L Molten Metal Launcher   The Type K-11-L, as designated by outsiders, uses a sort of magnetic flux compression generator cartridge that contains a highly conductive metal material with a magnetic field inside to launch and deform metal into a shaped projectile, capable of defeating armor, explosively. In other words, it uses a single-use magnetic device to warp metal into high speed death. It is substantially more focused than a rocket launcher in its purpose, but it will tear a path clean through whatever it is shot at. It makes a very loud, low frequency rumbling noise before it launches, ramping up with intensity as it's fired. While it may be seen in other Tenok tribe's armaments, it is most commonly found in the Korlash's hands.   Kroldir Type 1-K TELG Rifle   The Kroldir tribe employs this high velocity rifle that uses pelletized ammonia as a propellant inside pressurized cartridges and catalyzes it through an arc circuit in its firing chamber, allowing it to reach extraordinary speeds that rival even the Vettir's Mag-Driver weaponry. There is a slight delay as its pressure builds before it fires. Once fired, it is extraordinarily difficult to locate the shooter if they have relocated. Often used in ambushes by the Kroldir Tenok as a sort of super-powered anti-materiel weapon. It is complete overkill for anything that isn't wearing armor.   Kroldir Type 2-K TELG Handgun   The Kroldir tribe built a more portable design based on their miniaturization of the thermo-electric light gas gun technology. Its range and accuracy are slightly reduced but the weapon's appearance feels like it is too large to be classified as a handgun. The Tenok do not care. To them, it is a handgun and is wielded with one hand. It can still slice off someone's arm with a single shot.   Tzarok Type 3-T TELG Cannon   The Tzarok love to have the biggest weapon on the field. The Type 3-T TELG Cannon is the Tzarok tribe's answer to the Kroldir equipment. It is often found mounted on vehicles, though, and usually requires two operators to be at its maximum efficiency.   Tzarok Type 24-T Death-Jaw Cutter   The Tzarok wanted to outdo the ferocity of their rival tribes, so they designed the Death-Jaw Cutter (as it is translated to common). It is like a giant pneumatic bolt cutter but fast and lethal, with high torque for how quickly it moves. It is capable of bisecting a medium target. Some modifications also superheat the metal blades.   Velkash Type 66-V Thermal Ripper Saw   A weapon that induces mechanical stress and cauterizes flesh at the same time, this weapon emits high velocity plasma from a rotating jet, from which the emitted plasma is guided in a sort of magnetic field. The weapon can be used in one hand or two hands, which to most, resembles a chainsaw. Its high operational complexity make it a bit of a wonder as to why the Tenok would even make such a thing, but it is a very cruel weapon when used against their victims, melting and searing the flesh. It is also used in salvage operations.   Velkash Type 29-V Molten Metal Shredder-Repeater   The Velkash tribe employs the 29-V Shredder-Repeater as their mid-range weapon. It uses magnetic acceleration and an electrothermal arc to heat up the highly conductive metal spikes in to a desired shape and can fire a lot of these spikes in quick succession. The weapon, like the Drakaan Compressor weapons, can pin enemies to walls, but it also burns them in the process. Similar to the 7-V, it uses superimposed ammunition in a cylinder-style magazine, but uses a rapid-motor oversized solenoid to launch them into the magnetic tube. There are two barrels on the weapon which alternate as it fires.   Velkash Type 7-V Molten Metal Dispersal Cannon   A multi-barreled magnetic launch weapon that fires highly conductive material, the Type 7-V is employed as a close-quarters weapon that frequently pins enemies to walls. It uses superimposed ammunition boxes which are then clamped in a magnetic launch system, and carries roughly 6 shots per magazine. The weapon heats up the material to a molten state when it fires, improving its hydrodynamic capabilities. Each projectile has the potential to pin an opponent to a wall, or to perforate them, depending on how the shot pattern is configured.  

Species Features

  Ability Score Increase   Your Constitution score increases by 2, and you have the choice of increasing one of the following by 1: Intelligence, Strength, or Wisdom.   Age   Tenok reach adulthood faster than humans thanks to alien metabolism. They enter adulthood in their early teens and usually live less than a century.   Size   Tenok are between 6 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 225 and 350 pounds. Your size is Medium.   Speed   Your base walking speed is 30 feet.   Powerful Build   You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.   Arctic Darkvision   Tenok eyes are incredibly well adapted to the extreme long nights on their homeworld, and by extension, are also perfectly capable of seeing in the dark. While in the snow, they can absorb much more light with their eyes and can see in near total darkness out to 120 feet. Otherwise, they have a normal vision distance of 60 feet. Their passive perception also goes up by 2 when in the snow.   Frozen Homeworld   You have resistance to cold damage and do not suffer exhaustion from extreme cold.   Alien Regenerator   As a Tenok, you have alien physiology that allows you to heal your wounds through heightened metabolism and consumption of flesh. You are immune to disease and poison from eating, and may eat raw flesh from fallen foes. When you do so, you regain an amount of HP equal to your hit die plus your level plus your Constitution Modifier. Spend 1 hour or a Short Rest eating the flesh of a recently slain target. You regain twice the HP from eating other Tenok.   You cannot eat the flesh of constructs, ooze, or undead to gain these benefits.   Osseous Plating   While unarmored, you gain natural armor with an equivalent of Grade 3 physical resistance (in 5e, you gain +2 to your AC while unarmored).   Fleshripper   When you are below half your maximum HP, your melee attacks gain your Proficiency Bonus in additional damage. You also gain a bite attack while your mouth is not covered. The bite attack ignores armor, and does double your Unarmed damage plus your Strength modifier and counts as a melee attack.   When you use the bite attack while you are below half your maximum HP, you regain half the damage dealt in HP. If the target is grappled when you perform a bite attack, you deal one additional damage dice in the attack.   You may only gain the healing benefits once per turn and only while you are below half your maximum HP.   Languages   You can speak, read, and write Common and Tenokovu, the language of the Tenok.  

Species-Specific Backgrounds

  TBD   Description Goes Here.  
Ability Score Increase: TBD
Equipment: TBD (Clothing, 2 items plus a materials pack)
Origin Feat: TBD
Skill Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 2)
Tool Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 1)
Vehicle Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 1 vehicle or an additional tool proficiency)   TBD   Description Goes Here.  
Ability Score Increase: TBD
Equipment: TBD (Clothing, 2 items plus a materials pack)
Origin Feat: TBD
Skill Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 2)
Tool Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 1)
Vehicle Proficiencies: TBD (Choose 1 vehicle or an additional tool proficiency)   Back to the top of the page