Foreword

WHY The Ouphes

The design goal that I attempted to tackle while making this race came out to fill a niche - creating a flexible Small race that was unburdened of preconceptions about its temperament, society and, most importantly, narrative role. The challenge was making it both memorable and resonant, but also easily customizable and able to fit in any role. Their racial traits - of gameplay and lore - are my best shot at it. Please take all illustrations to be, well, illustrative - just ideas on how to apply the race.

Introduction

WHAT The Ouphes

Ouphes are plane-touched, mysterious creatures. Their origin is the stuff between planes, a place they call the Twixt, the chaotic undercurrent that streams between worlds. When an event of great magical significance takes place - such as the death of a king, a massive earthquake or a particularly heated encounter between lovers - a window appears for Ouphes to materialize in a plane.

Ouphes that cross over into a plane this way appear as Motes, tiny creatures that drift away with the wind. In this stage, they draw from the plane they have appeared in and develop their features to adapt to it. In the Material Plane, this usually means a developed anatomy with proper limbs and orifices. However, many aspects of the mutations they take to adapt themselves to their environment can be tied to their progenitive event (which Ouphes call a “tarry-time”). For example, an Ouphe borne of the birth of a great dragon might grow horns or scales to evoke its tarry-time.

A mote never fully develops, as even an adult Ouphe can continue mutating and adapting itself, although in a more restricted manner.

Physical Appearance

Ouphes are short creatures, with a strong frame for their size. Their appearance varies greatly as their adaptations can give them fur or scales, claws or fingers, long tails or none. The have a great variety of skin colorations too.

What is most common is the color of their eyes - a pale yellow. They also universally have fanged mouths, adapted to consume fruits and meats primarily. It is known too that they come in four recognizable body-types: the defenseless and formative stage of motes; in a shorter and stockier build they call “plump”; in a more raptor-like shape they call “stalk”; or in an upright and long-limbed body type they call “lank” (although the latter rarely breaks 3’6 ft in size).

Sexual dimorphism is little, although it is much more common to see stubby horns on the heads of females, and longer ears too.

Society and Personality

There are two main castes on Ouphe society: tarriers and flitters. Tarriers are those Ouphes who have just appeared in a plane thanks to an extraordinary event. Flitters are the offspring of two tarriers, who have never visited the Twixt, that place between planes.

Since Ouphes have long-lasting life spans - about 1.000 years in average -, some tarriers choose not to breed and ostracize flitters. The animosity comes from a popular belief between tarriers - that each individual tarrier is actually a proto-plane in itself, waiting to grow into a fully fledged world once they mature, and that staying within a single plane for too long causes them to wilt and die. For this reason, some tarriers dedicate their lifetimes to travelling between one plane to another - handily achieved - and then modifying their essence to become completely attuned to that plane - a nearly impossible feat.

Ouphes that share this viewpoint are prone to scavenging and squatting, as they are uninclined to producing their own goods from a land that they considered transitional. This leads many Ouphes into other carrion-based economic activities, such as crime and finance.

Some tarriers clearly do not share this Weltanschauung, as they settle down and breed to have their own flitters. Flitters form societies with different levels of integration with local races, although they tend to be nomadic.

The Ouphe family unit can be chaotic, as it is not uncommon to an Ouphe to just up and leave - their paternal instincts are very undeveloped, and mostly a reflection of what they learn from the societies they see in their planes of residence.

For this reason, parenthood is a transitive office - any Ouphe that is eager enough can offer its services as a parent. When an Ouphe cannot find a suitable child among its brethren, they are prone to resort to baby-snatching. This, of course, carries the difficulty of Ouphes not being quite sure what is an infant of other species, which occasionally leads to adult, full-grown Orcs discovering starry-eyed Ouphes in their quarters claiming to be their mothers.

As for organized society, Ouphes are easily bored with stable social orders, so they are not keen to legislate. Lawfulness is a concept that is very hard to grasp for them. However, in the extremely dire case that they assimilate a body of law, they become fiercely zealous to it.

The reason for this is the difficulty for Ouphes to properly distinguish the abstract from the material. An Ouphe that is taught the rules of a society comprehends them as a world of its own that resides in her head, and in carrying on these rules, that world expands and commences to engulf their plane of residence. This feeling can be overwhelming for Ouphes and quite a power-rush. Civilized Ouphes are considered to be the most dangerous and aggressive of their kind.

Religion and Alignment

As noted, Ouphes are commonly chaotic, and generally too self-involved to be good, but also unlikely as overtly vicious to be evil. Their views of morality tend to be quiet nuanced, and easily justify violence.

As for religion, Ouphes tend to fetishize the events that allow their kind to come forth from the Twixt into a plane - the events called tarry-times. An Ouphe that owes its existence to the summoning of an arch-demon into a material plane might have an obsession with demons - and either admire or despise them.

Another relevant belief of Ouphes is considering the First World not to be a plane - but rather, a growth between planes. Many Ouphes inhabit it, but once they are there, it becomes quite easy for them to travel out of that plane into another.

Interactions

Ouphes are drawn to other interplanar races - such as fey or outsiders -, and those races in turn are interested by the questions posed by the existence of these creatures.

Mundane races consider Ouphes curious and inscrutable, and viceversa.

War-prone and aggressive races - such as humans or orcs - tend to welcome Ouphes into their societies, as Ouphes are unlikely to turn against them or try to seize political control through economic power. However, long-lived races tend to be wary of Ouphes, as they know that their apparent lack of material ambition can be quick to change.

Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits (0): Ouphe characters gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
• Size (0): Ouphes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
• Type (2): Ouphes are fey.
• Base Speed (0): Ouphes have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Languages (0): Ouphes begin play speaking Common and either Fey or Aklo. Ouphes with high Intelligence scores can choose from Aboleth, Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Fey, Gnome and Undercommon.
• Low-Light Vision (-):  Ouphes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
• Exposure (2):  Ouphes receive a bonus feat representing their exposure to the plane they inhabit. On character creation, an Ouphe gains a bonus feat to be chosen between the following: First Tarrier, Plane Flitter, or Ouphe Sojourner.
• Erratic Mutation (6): Ouphes are able to exploit the malleable nature of planes to reshape their body in many ways. Ouphes begin the day with five mutation slots. Once per day, while resting, they can assign any of their mutations up to two mutation slots. They cannot change these assignments until they rest.

Ouphes know the following mutations:

• Chromascales: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe chameleonic skin, granting a +2 racial bonus to Stealth checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the scales can become even translucent, increasing any concealment bonus the Ouphe gains by 5%.
• Extraplanar Eye: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe an additional eye, granting a +2 racial bonus to Perception checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the extraplanar eye can be overcharged with planar energy to to cast detect magic as a spell-like ability. When the spell expires, the Ouphe loses all benefits of this mutation for 6 hours. (Caster level of this ability is equal to character level.)
• Mystic Might: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe magical brawn. Once per day as a free action, the Ouphe can gain a +2 racial bonus to a Strength check or a Strength-based skill check.  If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe gains a stronger frame and she is allowed to count as one size larger for the purpose of qualifying to perform combat maneuvers (for example, an Ouphe with this mutation may perform grapple combat maneuvers against large foes). This does not remove the CMB penalty from being Small.
• Stalker Spine: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe beast-like appearance and determination, granting a +2 racial bonus to Will saves. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe gains a 20 ft. climb speed and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.

Racial Points: 10

Alternate Mutations

During character creation, an Ouphe make choose to replace their standard mutations for any of the following. Once the change has been made, they cannot be replaced again.

Replacing Chromascales

• Cacophonous Cornet: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe the ability to produce unsettling noises through its body, granting a +2 racial bonus to Perform (sing) and Perform (wind) checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe may demoralize an opponent using Perform (sing) or Perform (wind) check rather than Intimidate check and take no penalty for being small than your foes.
• Clutchclaw: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe nimble claw-like fingers, granting a +2 racial bonus to Sleight of Hand checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe becomes more deft with using this mutation, allowing her to replace any steal combat maneuver check for a Sleight of Hand check.

Replacing Extraplanar Eye

• Elastodermis: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe’s body a clay-like malleability, allowing the Ouphe to reshape it easily, granting a +2 racial bonus to Disguise checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe can reform her skin like putty, allowing to cast disguise self as a spell-like ability. When the spell expires, the Ouphe loses all benefits of this mutation for 12 hours. (Caster level of this ability is equal to character level.) The disbelief save DC for this spell is Constitution-based.
• Everlung: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe a wind sack near her lungs for extra endurance, granting the Ouphe +4 to all Constitution checks. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe can empty her everlung to propel herself forward, using expeditious retreat as a spell-like ability. When the spell expires, the Ouphe loses all benefits of this mutation for 12 hours. (Caster level of this ability is equal to character level.)

Replacing Mystic Might

• Mystery Mephitis: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe a curious defense mechanism - her body can secrete an arcane pheromone that repulses spells. It can be done once per day as a free action, granting a +2 racial bonus to saves against a spell or spell-like ability. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe exudes this odor constantly, unnerving casters and increasing the difficulty of their concentration checks to cast spells while threatened by the Ouphe by 2.
• Mischief Modus: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe a special cerebral lobe dedicated to trickery. It may be quickened once per day as a free action, granting a +2 racial bonus to CMB when performing a dirty trick combat maneuver. If two mutation slots are assigned, the modus remains in a state of constant mischief, allowing any attack of opportunity to be replaced for a dirty trick combat maneuver against the provoking opponent.

Replacing Stalker Spine

• Steely Stomach: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe a bit of a stubby shape and a huge appetite, but it also grants a +2 racial bonus to Fortitude saves. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe’s appetite becomes even larger, allowing her to consume an edible or potable item as a swift action, as long as it is already in the Ouphe’s hands. This only affects the speed in which the Ouphe may consume that item and not what effect it will have on the creature.
• Sure Stride: Assigning one mutation slot grants the Ouphe longer limbs and more stability, granting a +2 racial bonus to Reflex saves. If two mutation slots are assigned, the Ouphe can make an additional attack of opportunity per round.

From left to right, an Ouphe using Extraplanar Eye, another using Elastodermis, and another using Everlung

Alternate Racial Traits

The following racial traits may be selected in place of any of the Ouphe racial traits.

• Otherworldly: Some Ouphes have long lost their affinity with the Twixt, and became something else, something more monstrous. Ouphes with this trait become aberrations, gain darkvision 60 feet, and gain an additional mutation slot. This replaces the regular fey type of Ouphes, low-light vision and Exposure.
• Unknown Origin: Some Ouphes do not know when they entered this plane, or whether they have visited many planes before. Ouphes with this trait gain an aura of mystery that provides a +1 racial bonus to all saves. This replaces Exposure.

Random Ouphe Starting Ages

1 This category includes barbarians, oracles, rogues, and sorcerers.

2 This category includes bards, cavaliers, fighters, gunslingers, paladins, rangers, summoners, and witches.

3 This category includes alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, magi, monks, and wizards.

Random Ouphe Height and Weight

New Feats

First Tarrier (Exposure)

Your ties to the Twixt is still strong, unlocking your mutative potential.

Prerequisites: Ouphe; no other exposure feat; can only be taken at 1st level

Benefit: Once per day as a swift action, you can reassign your mutation slots between your mutations. Once per week, while resting, you may switch a single mutation by an alternative mutation that could replace it. (For example, you could switch Chromascales for Cacophonous Cornet.) This change is permanent.

Plane Flitter (Exposure)

You are a native to this plane, and you’ve become more familiar to its peculiarities.

Prerequisites: Ouphe; no other exposure feat; can only be taken at 1st level

Benefit: You gain proficiency with any weapon of your choice and gain a +2 racial bonus to untrained Knowledge checks.

Ouphe Sojourner (Exposure)

You are a traveler of the Twixt, and you are skilled reshaper of reality.

Prerequisites: Ouphe; no other exposure feat; can only be taken at 1st level

Benefit: Whenever you make an attack, use an ability or cast a spell, you may “lose” one or two mutation slots. If you do, you alter reality, gaining a +2 luck bonus to attack for each mutation slot “lost”, or increasing the DC of that spell or ability by +1 per mutation slot “lost”. Losing these mutation slots makes all mutations assigned to them inactive until you rest for the day.