Kel-par are man sized bipedal turtles, roughly 41/2 to 5 feet tall on average. They tend to weighs in excess of 300 pounds, due primarily to their large shells. They are generally serene in nature, preferring an agrarian life-style above all others. They live off the produce of the land, and on a fixed cycle let the land rest for a year or more to encourage soil fertility. They range in complexion from ruddy-olive to deep forest green. They have mildly pronounced sharp snapping-turtle like beaks that are far more likely to be used to brake apart a nut than to be used in combat.
Kel-par are long lived, some 250 years on average. This combined with their typically simple lifestyle makes them a rather well disciplined, and introspective bunch on the whole. They do defend themselves when threatened, and have multiple a well-developed martial arts.
Though politically neutral durring the war, Kel-Par are not complete pacifists. Many are well trained in the martial arts. When engaged in combat, Kel-par prefer hand-to-hand or simple weapons fashioned from farm-implements ahead of more typical melee weapons. This tradition hales back to a time when Kel-Par peasents where forbade weapons, and used farm impliments instead, and eventually threw off the yolke of Leech oppression.
Kel-Par are found mostly on the Izzu and Ol'khel islands, often called "the Sister Islands". Kel-par largely segregate themselves from the rest of the world in walled farming villages of all sizes, and sometimes full-fledged monastic orders. Kel-Par value peace and serenity, and are officially a politically neutral power. A few, have been known to serve as diplomatic aides due to the official neutral standing of the Kel-Par agrarian-coperative. Though such events are rare, any even noteworthy enough to bring the Kel-Par out of their walled villages is bound to be significant.
Game Rules
Kel-Par Traits (Ex):
- +4 Wisdom, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence. Kel-par are highly insightful, but slow learners. Further, their large frames make them less than graceful.
- Medium size.
- A Kel-Par's base land speed is 20 feet, Swim speed 15 ft.
- Humanoid type, and Reptillian subtype.
- Low-light vision out to 60 feet.
- Hold Breath: A Kel-Par can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to two times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
- Turtle Shell: Ordinarily Kel-Par do not wear armor (only specially designed armor can be made to fit them), finding their natural shells to be adequate protection most of the time. This shell grants a natural armor bonus of +5. In addition, a Kel-Par may, as a move action, withdraw into his shell. This has a number of side-effects: While in this state, a Kel-Par's size reduces to small, from medium, granting him a +1 size bonus to AC. Kel-Par may not take any attack actions that require anything other than concentration. Also, Kel-Par may not take any weapons, or objects into his shell; if those objects could not ordinarily be concealed in his hand.
- Natural Armor bonus +5.
- Natural Weapons: claws (1d4), and bite (1d3).
- Vulnerability to Cold.
- Restriction: due to an unusual body shape, Kel-Par require specially constructed armor.
- Kel-Par, due to their agrarian life-style, receive a +2 racial bonus to Profession (farmer), and Knowledge (Nature) skills.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Usu.
- Favored Class: Monk.
- Level adjustment +0