THE SACRED TRUTH OF THE TYGERIAN KINDRED AND NEW RACIAL POWERS
Greetings, everyone! I’m CAPTAIN HEDGES, THE TYGERIAN KING/EMPEROR, and I’m interrupting my work on the Defenders Guide of Hawthorne Valley to share something deeply important. I realized that a vital piece of the cosmic puzzle for Zimrala—the very origin of my people—is a closely guarded secret that needs to be revealed to fully appreciate the Tygerian Ranger Archetype.
We’ve covered the mechanics, but this is the heart of the Tygerian race. This is the mythic tale, lost to the ages, that explains our primal strength and our bond with Sekhmet-Bastet.
THE MYTH OF THE UNSPOKEN FLAME: TYGERIAN GENESIS
The City of the Gods was a kingdom of words—of decrees, titles, and measured rituals. But in the heart of the Egyptian quarter resided Sekhmet-Bastet, the golden-eyed Lady of the Sun, whose true nature transcended mere titles.
Her counterpart was Waghoba, the Hindu God of the Leopard and Tiger. He held no throne and spoke few words, for his realm was instinct, his court the dense, sun-dappled silence of the deepest jungle.
They found each other not through diplomatic exchange, but through the silent, shared understanding of apex predators. Their courtship was the fiercest secret of the cosmos.
Their ultimate union did not happen in luxury, but on a forgotten, chaotic asteroid adrift in the Ether, where reality was thin and the stars burned unnaturally close. It was a fusion of two elemental forces: the solar, protective fury of Sekhmet and the unstoppable, earth-shaking primal power of Waghoba.
There were no words spoken during this union.
There was only the primal, absolute language of their kindred: the challenging snarl, the velvet purr of surrender, the powerful, instinctual movements guided by the moon and the deepest consciousness of the hunt.
The resulting spark of life, born into the Ether and later brought to the volatile soils of Zimrala, was the first Tygerian—Tyger-Lord The Great. He was the living paradox: strong enough to endure the chaos (Waghoba’s CON) yet disciplined enough to lead a civilization (Sekhmet’s INT and CHR).
Sekhmet presented herself to the Tygerian people as the public face of their collective creator goddess—the Avatar. But the Tygerian people know the full truth. They know the relentless instinct and primal fire comes directly from the union with Waghoba. This understanding is carried in their blood, reflected in their coats, and is the reason they never speak of the matter—it is a shared consciousness about what happens during the mating season with the Tygerians, something all Tygerians know and do without talking about it.
NEW ALTERNATIVE RACIAL POWERS: MAST SYSTEM EXPANSION
This divine origin grants the Tygerian race a diverse genetic pool, allowing for a choice of specialized racial powers. These are alternative powers a Tygerian player can select instead of the default Human Hybrid Metamorphosis.
I. MOVEMENT FOCUS
HUNTER'S RELENTLESS PURSUIT: Once per combat, make a free action L2SR on SPD. If successful, gain double normal movement and ignore all movement penalties from difficult terrain for the round.
LONG SPEEDY LEGS (Alternate 1): Become a Speed Specialist SPD X6. Gain +6 Species Bonus to movement speed and DEX during dodging on a L6 Dexterity SR. (Replaces Sprinter).
CLIMBER (Alternate 2): Possesses a climb movement speed with a +8 Kindred-Monster Talent bonus on Climb checks. (Replaces Sprinter).
NIMBLE FALLER (Alternate 3): Lands on feet when taking lethal damage from a fall. +10 Species-MAS bonus to their SPD SR against trip maneuvers. (Replaces Long, Speedy Legs Sprinter).
II. DIVINE AND INSTINCT FOCUS
SEKHMET'S SPITE: When an opponent misses the Tygerian on a combat roll that includes a '1', the Tygerian gains +1 Spite damage on their next successful attack (stacks up to 3 points).
FELINE INSTINCT: Once per session, when attempting an L4SR on INT or DEX to avoid ambush or detect a trap, the Tygerian can immediately choose to re-roll the Saving Roll (must accept the second result).
III. SENSES AND PERCEPTION FOCUS
MULTIFACETED, BULBOUS CATS EYES (Alternate 1): See in the dark (Dark Eyes spell equivalent) and MSR Awareness +20. (Replaces Tygerian Cats Eyes).
SCENT (Alternate 2): Gains the scent ability. (Replaces Tygerian’s Cats Eyes).
ULTRA HEARING (Alternate 3): Hear twice as far as humans. Make a Level 3 SR on INT for listening. (Replaces no other ability).
IV. SOCIAL AND COMBAT ABILITIES
CLEVER (Alternate 1): +2 MAS Bonus on Charisma SRs using Charm and Animal Magnetism. (Replaces Natural Hunters and Gatherers. Cannot be combined with Tygerian Oversized Jaw).
CURIOSITY (Alternate 2): Gains a L4 bonus on saving rolls on Charisma to gather information. (Replaces Natural Hunters and Gatherers).
JUNGLE STALKER: +20 Species bonus on Acrobatics or L2 SR on Dexterity and Speed. Ignores the first square of difficult terrain caused by foliage. Also gains bonus to Hunting, Tracking, and Wilderness Survival MAS. (Replaces Tygerian luck, Sprinter, and Long, Speedy Legs Sprinter).
DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This story and these new abilities would not exist without the incredible encouragement and foundational work of true legends in the industry.
This is a dedication to Ken St. Andre (The Troll God) for allowing me to write for his games, and to Steve Crompton for encouraging me to create the original story about them. Also, to Debra Ann Karr, whose City of the Gods books inspired me to write this new love story between two great gods.
This is a dedication to my Artist, Love, and Sweetheart Angela Head for her putting up with me and helping me when I need it the most. All I can say is thank you for your friendship.
Yours for now, Captain Hedges (Going back to work on the Defenders Guide of Hawthorne Valley)
LEGAL APPENDIX AND COPYRIGHT
MONSTERARY OF ZIMRALA and MONSTERS! MONSTERS! are owned by Ken St Andre and Steve Crompton and are used by permission.
All references to anything on this website is Copyright Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
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