Gleamguard Tribe

Racial Traits

Inner Light: Gleamguard Orcs lose their racial Darkvision, but gain Light and Dancing Lights as at-will Spell-Like Abilities. They may alter the color of light produced in this manner as well as light near them in whatever aesthetic manners they desire. Additionally, their ability to control light allows them to sculpt and harden light into objects of their choosing - these objects cannot function as weapons or armor, but can otherwise be anything they desire that can occupy one 5ft square, plus another 5ft square per 4HD they possess. These objects are generally temporary, vanishing after a number of minutes equal to the Gleamguard's HD, but can be made permanent by performing a ritual requiring ten mintues of concentration. Items made this way have no intrinsic value and thus cannot be sold for any money. Multiple Gleamguard Orcs working in concert can unify their efforts to make singular, larger items. Especially complex items may require skills checks, at GM discretion.   Zealous Detachment: Gleamguard Orcs, ever careful to keep themselves isolated from the world at large for the safety of themselves and others, can isolate their minds and bodies to protect themselves - allowing them to automatically succeed a failed save as an immediate action in exchange for being unable to serve as an ally of any kind(Willing or not) for all effects and abilities(Including spells, flanking, etc) for 1d3 rounds, during which this ability cannot be used. During this period, all beneficial spells and effects cast upon or given unto them by others cease functioning(Though their durations continue to expire).   Cloak of Conviction: Gleamguard Orcs gain Spell Resistance equal to 9 + their HD to represent their extreme conviction to resisting all external temptation. This SR increases by 1 for every 5HD they possess.   Conviction and Salvation: All Gleamguard Orcs must accept and willingly bind themselves to a Monk Vow or similar vow or oath designed by them and the GM at character creation - this vow and the conviction behind it serves as a critical spiritual bulwark against the onset of the Orcish Madness. So long as the Gleamguard Orc maintains this vow, they are exempt to the effects of the 'Curse of the Incomplete' Racial Trait. Should this vow be broken, their body immediately begins to waste away - dealing them 1d4 Constitution and Strength damage(Which ignores all resistances and immunities) each day the vow remains broken, scaling up by one step each day after the first. During this period, killing a creature as described in the 'Curse of the Incomplete' Racial Trait will prevent this damage for 3 days and reset the dice. Redeeming a broken vow requires a recommitment to his vow of a significant magnitude - often by making a pilgrimage to a Gleamguard Monastery, undertaking a herculean penitence task or quest, or seeking out an Atonement Spell performed during a task or deed which proves his dedication to his vow. GM is the ultimate arbiter of what redeeming such a vow entails, and may at their discretion allow a Gleamguard's vow(s) to be changed or abandoned(If they possess multiple) during these periods if they feel a different vow would suit them better. Gleamguards may take more vows during character creation if they choose - gaining one bonus feat for each such vow accepted - though breaking any of their vows triggers the above damage as normal. This trait replaces and functions as 'Curse of the Incomplete'.

Alternate Racial Traits

Eternal Wisdom: Racial Ability Score Modifiers becomes (+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma). Modifies Racial Ability Scores.   Their minds full of wisdom attained through generations of study, many Gleamguard Orcs carry the wisdom of their tribe within them and greatly benefit from it.

Violent Light: You lose all racial Darkvision senses, but gain the ability to shape weapons out of hardened light - these weapons are always treated as masterwork and deal force damage. You may form weapons as quickly as you can use/throw them, and are always proficient with these weapons. You may have only 2 weapons formed in this way at a time, and these weapons remain in existence only so long as they are wielded by you or until they are used for an attack(if they are thrown or released). These weapons cannot be formed in darkness or areas that are entirely devoid of light. Replaces Inner Light.   Their bodies pulsing with pure radiant energy, these Gleamguard Orcs can wield these energy as easily as breathing, forming weapons to throw at their foes and wield as lethal energy weapons.

Son of Sion: Select either Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saves when this trait is taken - if you successful make that saving throw against an attack or effect that normally deals half damage or has a reduced effect on a successful save, you instead take no damage or otherwise avoid the effect entirely. You do not gain the benefit of this trait if you are helpless. Replaces Zealous Detachment.   Though all Gleamguards believe in rigorous isolation and seclusion to protect themselves and others, an increasingly popular series of teachings from the wizened Gleamguard known as 'Grandmaster Sion' teaches that only through rigorous tempering of one's body or mind can one resist the world - that true seclusion only leads to weakness. Adherents of these teachings spend countless hours training their bodies or minds against brutal obstacles until they bleed or pass out - resulting in powerful bodies or minds capable of shrugging off many lesser effects.

Monastic Scholar: Gain Bardic Knowledge as a Bard of your Level. Replace Zealous Detachment.   As their Elders often preach non-interference and patient observation of the material world from their isolated monastaries, many Gleamguard Orcs who grow up in their ancestral monastaries find themselves drawn to the large, expansive libraries their tribe collects and maintains - committing the information contained within to memory.

Hardlight Skin: Gain DR 5/Magic and Piercing. This DR increases by 1 for every 2HD you possess. Replaces Cloak of Conviction.   The cracks in their skin shining even brighter than others of their kind, these semi-rare Gleamguards find the light emanating from them hardening atop their skin in a layer of hardlight that guards their bodies from physical harm.

Ultraviolet Highway: As an immediate action whenever you witness the ignition of a light source and can see the resulting light while you yourself are in a dimly lit or well-light area, you may teleport as per greater teleport into an empty square adjacent to the light source. If no such squares are available, you will arrive in the nearest empty and safe square to the target light source. Replaces Cloak of Conviction.   An esoteric technique developed by the remote Threebeacon Monastery by the reclusive Master Wahyu to allow for the Monastery's scouts to better reach Threebeacon's sister Monasteries for trade and communication, the Ultraviolet Highway is a hard technique to master that has spread across the Gleamguard Monasteries in recent decades as a popular means of linking Monasteries together across vast distances.

Racial Feats

Herald of the Sun:   Prerequisites: Gleamguard Orc   Effects: You may treat any light created by you or originating from your square as true sunlight. Such light has twice the radius and automatically counters and destroys all darkness effects they overlap - even unravelling and destroying magic items that contain such effects as per mage's disjunction. Spells made in this manner have +5 added to the DC to dispel them. Using this trait must be done when the light is created, cast, or lit, and doing so takes one step of action higher than usual - to a maximum of 1 Round. In addition, you gain a +1 to the DC of all Evocation spells that deal fire damage.   Special: Each round an effect empowered by this trait remains active, you take untyped damage equal to your HD as the force of effort required to keep the sunlight energy active begins to tear your body asunder.   Blessed by the Numenshara of Light, these rare Gleamguards can pour sunlight from their bodies in such an overwhelming torrent that darkness and the creatures who lurk within it are turn apart and destroyed in short order.

Death Trance Adept:   Prerequisites: Gleamguard Orc   Effects: You may, as a full-round action, enter a death trance. During this trance you cannot move, but your bodily functions slow down and you can last without food, water, or air for a number of days equal to 1/2 your CON score before you even begin to start counting towards starvation or thirst - though breathing take effects immediately. You age at 1/10th speed during this trance as well, though you are helpless in this trance and can take no action other than to end the trance as a full-round action that does not provoke. You appear, to all senses and spells, to be dead for the duration of this trance unless deep, purposeful inspection of your corpse is done and a DC 30 Heal Check is passed - otherwise even spells such as Deathwatch identify you as dead.   Special: Beginning at 5th Level, those in the trance can last without food, water or air for a number of days equal to their full CON Score instead of 1/2, and may place other willing creatures you can touch into a death trance using an identical action. You can choose to either specify a duration for the trance(After which they awaken automatically), or allow the creature to awaken of its own accord over the course of an hour whenever it chooses.   Special: At 7th Level, you can last without food, water or air for a number of months equal to your Constitution Modifier.   Special: At 10th Level, this duration increases to a number of years equal to your Constitution Modifier.   Special: At 14th Level, this duration increases to a number of decades equal to your Constitution Modifier.   Special: At 18th Level, this duration increases to a number of centuries equal to your Constitution Modifier.   A legendary technique developed by the legendary Gleamguard Bodhisattva Dyatmiyati as a way to fully free herself from the shackles of her race and ponder the mysteries of the cosmos unburdened by want, desire, or even physicality, the Death Trance technique has spread far beyond Dyatmiyati's home monastary in the untold centuries since its inception and become a valuable technique of the Gleamguard Masters who seek to ponder the universe unburdened by their natures.