Human, Rhennee
The complexion of Rhenn-folk ranges from olive to tan; their hair is usually curly and tends to be black or dark brown. Most have eyes of gray, blue, or hazel, but green is known in some families. The Rhennee are generally short but strong and wiry, with men averaging 5 ft. 6 in. and women less.
The Rhennee are not native to Oerth; rather, they are accidental travellers from another plane or world, citizens of a lost homeland they call Rhop. Their legends say that they appeared first in the Great Kingdom, in or near the Adri Forest. Pursued by monsters and hostile Aerdi, they fled west to the shores of the Lake of Unknown Depths, where they took to life on the water.
Little is known of the original culture of the Rhennee, as they were absent from the Flanaess prior to 450 years ago and entered their current lifestyle to escape persecution. They now expertly ply the great rivers that cross the Flanaess and migrate between the three great lakes (though Whyestil Lake is lately unsafe for travel). The Rhenn-folk are masters of inland sailing and navigation, and they love their nomadic and adventurous life. Most Rhennee live exclusively on the waterways. making their homes on large barges that average about 60 feet long and 15 feet wide. These sturdy barges are similar in style to the junks found in the Celestial Empire; they are capable of navigating the Nyr Dyv's often choppy waters and treacherous storms, as well as riverways. These ships may have one or two mast.
Rhennee are silversmiths, coppersmiths, haberdashers, cooks, weavers, musicians, entertainers, storytellers, toolmakers, and sail makers. They also earn money by telling fortunes and selling information. They spend whatever they earn to support a lavish lifestyle, display their wealth openly as a sign of prosperity, and share their good fortune with family and friends.
Each family or clan of Rhennee is its own little gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder carries the bulk of the responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling disputes, setting the course for the group’s travels, and preserving the Rhennee way of life. Rhennee elders make all the important decisions, but whether by choice or because of their age, tend to speak in cryptic, flowing riddles.
Rhennee families and clans are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. The Rhennee are quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened and are merciless when they believe they must be.
Each bargewright is responsible for, and protects, the people on his barge. The Rhennee on each barge are more or less an extended family, although several barges together may often be an even larger “family” under the leadership of a elder traveling with the group. A Rhennee barge has a variable number of people on board, depending on the size of the craft: 2-4 guards (all male), 13-24 ordinary folk (half males, half females), plus 7-12 children and a wise woman.
Rhennee are fairly common on the waterways of the central Flanaess and near inland shores and banks where they rarely leave their boats. While the majority of Rhennee ply the waterways of the Flanaess, about twenty percent of their number have begun migrating to a land-based lifestyle over the last few generations. Known as the Atloi, these Rhennee travel widely in small caravans of wagons, carts, and coaches, buying goods in one location and selling at great profit in far off lands. Some Atloi groups have even been seen are far afield at Zeif.
The Rhennee have deep-rooted beliefs and superstitions that they pass down from one generation to the next. Some Rhenee women are blessed with prescience. The wise woman is a symbol of the odd role of women in Rhennee society. A wise women is usually between 35-85 years old, which makes her a major source of advice and comfort to the superstitious Rhennee folk. Wise women have skill in herbalism and healing. They can read tea leaves and perform similar actions, to predict the future (see the Second Sight ability q.v.). Wise women are the real power in Rhennee society, for even a Rhennee elder will not knowingly contradict their word. They do not use this power for leadership, however. They suggest, insinuate, and use cryptic prophecy to influence their men, who they basically manipulate as they desire.
Rhennee as a people are known for the curses, which are potent, but they are invoked with great caution. Rhennee know that to curse one who is undeserving of such punishment can have grave consequences for the one who utters such a curse. They have no known gods and thus no clerics among them. They revere ravens as spirits of the afterlife, so killing one is forbidden.
While in towns, the Rhennee usually live on board their barges, conducting their business of trading and selling in nearby wharf areas. They may visit taverns often, but usually stay in or near the harbour district. A wise woman with a suitable entourage of handmaidens and male escorts also visits the city to tell fortunes and such for additional income. In addition to trade and transport, Rhennee make some little money from craftwork (sail making and repair, cloth making, etc) and fishing.
Rhennee are extremely loyal to each other so far as outsiders are concerned. Any threat given, or harm inflicted, to a Rhennee by an outsider will arouse the wrath even of Rhennee who are hostile to the injured party, unless truly exceptional circumstances prevail.
On rare occasions, outsiders who perform some important service for the Rhennee, or who have valuable skills and gain an exceptional reaction from them, may be treated as “honorary Rhennee” and given some token of this fact. Future interaction with any Rhennee will be enhanced—how much depends on the nature of the service, the status of the Rhennee for whom the service was performed, etc.
Rhennee can be commonly found in Dyvers, Veluna, Furyondy, the County of Urnst, the Shield Lands, Perrenland and in the Wharf and River Quarters of the Free City of Greyhawk. Because of stereotypes and prejudice, due to their cultural differences, Rhennee tend to be insular and keep to themselves. Along with their annoyance at having to speak in any language but rhopan, they have many other social taboos that are perceived as virtually unbreakable that prohibit such things as marrying outside of their own culture, or teaching their language to non-Rhennee.
Ability Score Adjustments. +1 Strength, -2 Charisma.
Size. Medium
Speed. 12
Racial HP Adjustment. +0 HP
Natural AC. 10
Classes & Level Caps. Thief, Bard, Mage, Specialist, Fighter
Starting Languages. You can speak, read, and write Rhopan; Rhennee Cant.
Vision. Standard.
Thief Skills. All Rhennee characters begin with thief skills. Roll 1d4 to determine the equivalent levels of thief skills.Second Sight. Gain +1 to your Intelligence.
Barge Defender. You gain proficiency with Harpoons and Javelins.
Bargemaster. You gain proficiency with Navigation, Weather Sense, Fishing, Appraising, and Disguise.
The Rhennee are not native to Oerth; rather, they are accidental travellers from another plane or world, citizens of a lost homeland they call Rhop. Their legends say that they appeared first in the Great Kingdom, in or near the Adri Forest. Pursued by monsters and hostile Aerdi, they fled west to the shores of the Lake of Unknown Depths, where they took to life on the water.
Little is known of the original culture of the Rhennee, as they were absent from the Flanaess prior to 450 years ago and entered their current lifestyle to escape persecution. They now expertly ply the great rivers that cross the Flanaess and migrate between the three great lakes (though Whyestil Lake is lately unsafe for travel). The Rhenn-folk are masters of inland sailing and navigation, and they love their nomadic and adventurous life. Most Rhennee live exclusively on the waterways. making their homes on large barges that average about 60 feet long and 15 feet wide. These sturdy barges are similar in style to the junks found in the Celestial Empire; they are capable of navigating the Nyr Dyv's often choppy waters and treacherous storms, as well as riverways. These ships may have one or two mast.
Rhennee are silversmiths, coppersmiths, haberdashers, cooks, weavers, musicians, entertainers, storytellers, toolmakers, and sail makers. They also earn money by telling fortunes and selling information. They spend whatever they earn to support a lavish lifestyle, display their wealth openly as a sign of prosperity, and share their good fortune with family and friends.
Each family or clan of Rhennee is its own little gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder carries the bulk of the responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling disputes, setting the course for the group’s travels, and preserving the Rhennee way of life. Rhennee elders make all the important decisions, but whether by choice or because of their age, tend to speak in cryptic, flowing riddles.
Rhennee families and clans are closely knit. They resolve disagreements through contests that end with reconciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. The Rhennee are quick to act when their lives or traditions are threatened and are merciless when they believe they must be.
Each bargewright is responsible for, and protects, the people on his barge. The Rhennee on each barge are more or less an extended family, although several barges together may often be an even larger “family” under the leadership of a elder traveling with the group. A Rhennee barge has a variable number of people on board, depending on the size of the craft: 2-4 guards (all male), 13-24 ordinary folk (half males, half females), plus 7-12 children and a wise woman.
Rhennee are fairly common on the waterways of the central Flanaess and near inland shores and banks where they rarely leave their boats. While the majority of Rhennee ply the waterways of the Flanaess, about twenty percent of their number have begun migrating to a land-based lifestyle over the last few generations. Known as the Atloi, these Rhennee travel widely in small caravans of wagons, carts, and coaches, buying goods in one location and selling at great profit in far off lands. Some Atloi groups have even been seen are far afield at Zeif.
The Rhennee have deep-rooted beliefs and superstitions that they pass down from one generation to the next. Some Rhenee women are blessed with prescience. The wise woman is a symbol of the odd role of women in Rhennee society. A wise women is usually between 35-85 years old, which makes her a major source of advice and comfort to the superstitious Rhennee folk. Wise women have skill in herbalism and healing. They can read tea leaves and perform similar actions, to predict the future (see the Second Sight ability q.v.). Wise women are the real power in Rhennee society, for even a Rhennee elder will not knowingly contradict their word. They do not use this power for leadership, however. They suggest, insinuate, and use cryptic prophecy to influence their men, who they basically manipulate as they desire.
Rhennee as a people are known for the curses, which are potent, but they are invoked with great caution. Rhennee know that to curse one who is undeserving of such punishment can have grave consequences for the one who utters such a curse. They have no known gods and thus no clerics among them. They revere ravens as spirits of the afterlife, so killing one is forbidden.
While in towns, the Rhennee usually live on board their barges, conducting their business of trading and selling in nearby wharf areas. They may visit taverns often, but usually stay in or near the harbour district. A wise woman with a suitable entourage of handmaidens and male escorts also visits the city to tell fortunes and such for additional income. In addition to trade and transport, Rhennee make some little money from craftwork (sail making and repair, cloth making, etc) and fishing.
Rhennee are extremely loyal to each other so far as outsiders are concerned. Any threat given, or harm inflicted, to a Rhennee by an outsider will arouse the wrath even of Rhennee who are hostile to the injured party, unless truly exceptional circumstances prevail.
On rare occasions, outsiders who perform some important service for the Rhennee, or who have valuable skills and gain an exceptional reaction from them, may be treated as “honorary Rhennee” and given some token of this fact. Future interaction with any Rhennee will be enhanced—how much depends on the nature of the service, the status of the Rhennee for whom the service was performed, etc.
Rhennee can be commonly found in Dyvers, Veluna, Furyondy, the County of Urnst, the Shield Lands, Perrenland and in the Wharf and River Quarters of the Free City of Greyhawk. Because of stereotypes and prejudice, due to their cultural differences, Rhennee tend to be insular and keep to themselves. Along with their annoyance at having to speak in any language but rhopan, they have many other social taboos that are perceived as virtually unbreakable that prohibit such things as marrying outside of their own culture, or teaching their language to non-Rhennee.
Rhennee Traits
Ability Score Requirements. N/AAbility Score Adjustments. +1 Strength, -2 Charisma.
Size. Medium
Speed. 12
Racial HP Adjustment. +0 HP
Natural AC. 10
Classes & Level Caps. Thief, Bard, Mage, Specialist, Fighter
Starting Languages. You can speak, read, and write Rhopan; Rhennee Cant.
Vision. Standard.
Thief Skills. All Rhennee characters begin with thief skills. Roll 1d4 to determine the equivalent levels of thief skills.
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