Janda

[yamamura]

Yay post 996, only four to go.

 

Back in the nineties I came up with this race for a world that would exclude the standard fantasy races. Yes I know with their ears they somewhat resembles elves, but I hope they are enough different not to be too close. Also I was reading Mercedes Lackey (and other fantasy authors of her ilk) at about the same time and aspect of the race might be influenced by that. I apologize for the length in advance.

 

Jandas

 

This is the name of the cat-like race of the high plains. They have pointy ears with very short fur on the outside of the lobe and slit eyes (with green and amber being dominant). They have longer canines then human due their carnivorous ancestry even though they have long since become omnivores. Hair tends to be tawny in colour with shades of black and white appearing. They have fixed claws at the ends of their fingers and toes and have long since developed a fighting style that makes use of these. Their build tend to lean with well defined muscle tone.

 

Racial Template

Ability

+3 to DEX 9pts

Night-vision 5pts

+1 to Hearing and Smell/Taste Groups 4 pts

Claws HKA ½d6; Reduced Penetration (-¼) 8 pts

 

Disadvantages

Colour Blind (Infrequently, Slightly) 5pts

 

From time to time there is born amongst the Janda, a child with white hair and blue eyes. Unlike most of its kin, this Janda can actually see colours (though they are also known to go blind as they get older and their night vision is not as good). Most with these gifts become shamans of the tribe and are viewed to be marked by the Janda tribal spirits.

 

Culture: In their culture, we find a group orientated philosophy with a free love outlook. Children are raised as a group by their local tribe and hunting is done by any capable adult who chooses the life of the hunter. They consists of six nomadic greater clans; Dionet, Haget, Kin’da, Linady, Torag and Vonay. Even with this division, the Jandas recognizes the High Father of the Kin’da as the leaders of all of the Jandas. It is he that settles inter-tribal disputes and regulates how hunting grounds are to be divided up. Jandas tribes are known to work together to ensure a successful hunt.

 

Another aspect of the Janda that differs from most human culture is the almost total lack of sex roles and of sharing of sex. Janda do not marry. That does not mean bonding ceremonies don’t exist amongst the Janda. From time to time, two Janda or even a Janda and an outsider will take the oath of caring called Kastin dri hu Pental (translates as either child of my heart or first in my heart). This oath once taken denotes that the two are special friends to each other. Also a human taking this oath is considered to be a member of the tribe his partner is from.

 

Janda enjoys a good party. In fact they view it as another chance to join in community event. Most Janda celebration involves a lot of food, wine and free sex that would make most monks blush. The two greatest festivals of any Janda are the Adon Vorn (Moon’s day) and Nav Vorn (Sun’s Day). Adon Vorn is celebrated on the night of the first full moon after the spring equinox. The day honours all the women and female spirits of the clan. Also on this date all women are considered a year older. Nav Vorn happens on the day after the Winter Solstice and honours all the men and male spirits of the clan, and are considered a year older.

 

Names: Janda names follow this pattern; Tribal name, next their local tribe name (varies based on floral or fauna, though it is often dropped except in ceremonial purposes or when Janda of two different tribes meet), then either dro (son) or dram (daughter) and finally their personal name. Personal names have no meaning (unless by accident) in the Janda’s language as most Janda will tell you. All personal names follow one of two pattern constant-vowel-constant or vowel-constant-vowel (with Gyn and Sil not being used as personal names).

 

Shaman and tribal leaders names are slightly different. Leaders substitutes either edro (father) or edram (mother) instead of the normal dro and dram to denote leadership. While shamans takes the name of the either of the two great spirits and place it in front of their tribal name for example Gyn Kin’da dram Vor or Sil Torag dro Dav (more on shaman in the religion section).

 

Finally Janda also have a true name. These they only share with those they deeply care for and acquire after seeking solace in the wilderness for a week or longer once they come of age. Before that they carry a child’s name given to them by their mothers. For those who wish to become shamans, must wait upon a vision by one of the two great spirits and only then do they gain their true name.

 

Religion: Janda are animistic though they do honour two spirits above all others. These the Janda believe created the world through an intricate dance. Janda believe that the dance is the balance between creation and destruction, male and female and birth and death. The male aspect of this duo is known as Sil dro Janda and the female is known as Gyn dram Janda. There name sometimes changes based on the manifestation of the spirits. If they appear as youth then a ka is placed before the dro or dram for example Gyn kadram Janda, if they appear as matured individual then it’s either edro or edram and finally if they appear aged then it is tredro and tredram. Also only these two spirits uses their personal name first, all other spirits put Janda first.

 

Janda are a firm believer in reincarnation. They see life as a cycle and a cycle that they are part of. What once was will return again is a favourite Janda saying. They also believe living a good life ensures great things not only in this life but their next. Honour, truthfulness and loyalty to the community are also traits that the Janda hold dear and raise their children on. Many of their tribal ceremony and tales put forth these truths.

 

One last thing to mention about their shaman, a male Janda can become a shaman of Gyn and female Janda a shaman of Sil. When they do it they change their second part of their name to the proper gender, for example when Haget dro Fen gets a vision from Gyn and becomes one of her shamans, he takes the name Gyn Haget dram Fen.

 

Glossary

Adon: Moon

Dionet: The northern Janda tribe whose name means swift one

Dram: Daughter

Dri: Of

Dro: Son

Edram: Mother

Edro: father

Haget: southern Janda clan whose name means spotted one

Hu: my

Kast: Youth often shorten to ka as a prefix for dram or dro

Kin’da: the middle clan which translate to grey one

Linady: Eastern tribe whose name means hawk

Pental: Heart

Torag: Western Janda Clan whose name means of the shadows

Trest: Elder shorten to tre as a prefix for dram or dro

Vonay: the lost Janda tribe whose name means striped ones.

 

Janda Martial Arts: The Janda practice two unarmed fighting styles called Sil’s Dance and Gyn’s dance, though for all practical purposes they are basically the same. The two styles actually compliment each other when sparring and can form an intricate dance. But don’t let the pretty moves fool you; both styles can be quite lethal in combat. Weapon Element: Claws is assumed in both Styles.

 

Sil/Gyn Dance

Cat’s Claws ½ phase 4 pts +0 OCV and +2 DCV +2 DC

Cat’s Kick ½ phase 4 pts -2 OCV and +1 DCV +4 DC

Cat’s Dodge ½ phase 4 pts - OCV and +5 DCV Affects all Attacks, Abort

Grab ½ phase 3 pts -1 OCV and -1 DCV Grab Two Limbs, +10 to STR for Holding on

Squirm ½ phase 4 pts +0 OCV and +0 DCV +15 STR vs. Grabs

 

Skills

KS: Sil or Gyn’s Dance

PS: Dancing

 

G

[yamamura]

Re: JandaYay Post 997 Only 3 to go.Haget dram Gem

Val	Char	Cost
13	STR	3
17	DEX	21
15	CON	10
12	BODY	4
13	INT	3
10	EGO	0
15	PRE	5
12	COM	1
3	PD	0
3	ED	0
4	SPD	13
6	REC	0
30	END	0
30	STUN	3

8" RUN42" SWIM03 1/2" LEAP1Characteristics Cost: 68

Cost	Power	END
5	Nightvision	0
4	+1 PER with Hearing Group and Smell/Taste Group	0
8	HKA 1/2d6 (1d6+1 w/STR) (10 Active Points); Reduced Penetration (-1/4)	1

Powers Cost: 17

Cost	Martial Arts Maneuver
	Gyn's Dance
4	1) Cat's Claws: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike
4	2) Cat's Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
5	3) Cat's Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, Weapon +4 DC Strike
3	4) Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 23 STR for holding on
4	5) Squirm: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 28 STR vs. Grabs

Martial Arts Cost: 20

Cost	Skill
3	+1 with Gyn's Dance
3	Acrobatics 12-
3	Breakfall 12-
3	Climbing 12-
3	Concealment 12-
2	KS: Gyn's Dance 11-
2	Language: Local Human Language (fluent conversation)
2	PS: Dancing 11-
3	Riding 12-
3	Shadowing 12-
5	Stealth 13-
2	Survival (Temperate/Subtropical, Temperate/Subtropical Plains) 12-
3	Tracking 12-
2	WF: Blades, Bows

Skills Cost: 39

Cost	Talent
6	Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

Talents Cost: 6

Val	Disadvantages
15	Enraged: When Seeing Children Hurt (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-
10	Hunted: Torash the Slaver 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)
5	Physical Limitation: Colour Blind (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
15	Psychological Limitation: Curious (Common, Strong)
10	Psychological Limitation: Hates being alone (Common, Moderate)
10	Social Limitation: Janda Female in Human Lands (Frequently, Minor)
10	Unluck: 2d6

Disadvantage Points: 75

Base Points: 75Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 150

Height: 1.62 m	Hair: Tawny
Weight: 54.00 kg	Eyes: Green

Appearance: A Janda in her late teen. She wears light leathers decorated with any glass bauble she can get her hands on.Personality: Gem is friendly and loyal to her friends. She also loves to bathe and to go swimming. At the moment her main concern is making an honest living though she does want to go home some day. Gem is also a little naïve given her age and don’t always understand human society or morals.

Quote:“Do not touch those children or you will feel my claws!â€Background: Haget dram Gem started out on her name quest and never came back. This is often said amongst the people of her tribe. Some say the spirits took her, others said wild animals and some said that she died because she wasn’t strong enough. The truth is once she had found her true name; she had started back to her tribe heading the wrong way. Maybe the spirits did guide her to the path that was to be her life or maybe it was just plain unluckiness.

 

She walked many days until she happened upon a human caravan. Upon seeing that the cargo was children, she became enraged and tore apart the guards of the caravan in a wild ferocity. So wild was her fury that she did not see the owner of caravan Torash slink off and escape. Once her fury died down, she freed the children and started on a trek to the nearest human settlement, so that they may be safe.

 

Since then she has hired herself out as a guard and scout. Someday she hopes to go back to her people, but until then she is having too much fun (plus she wants somebody to make the journey with her).

Powers/Tactics: Gem is a straight melee fighter (prefer to fight unarmed but will use a sword if it is necessary), though she can use a bow for hunting and attacking.Campaign Use: Gem is best suited as the party scout and as a light fighter.G

[Barwickian]

Re: Janda

 

Very nice - but I'm unsure whether I should picture them with short all-over body hair (fur) and a leonine mane, or just the leonine mane.

 

Any clues?

[yamamura]

Re: Janda

 

Sorry wasn't to clear on that. The best idea of how I picture them at the time was looking humans except the claws, the eyes and their ears are somewhat elven with a pine level of fur on the outside of the ear similair to cats. But that is how I pictured them, feel free to see them differently if you want.

 

G

[Curufea]

Re: Janda

 

I've been doing some feline renders recently for my Western Shores, would these be similar to any of them?

 

http://www.curufea.com/games/western/5e/gallery.php

[yamamura]

Re: Janda

 

I've been doing some feline renders recently for my Western Shores, would these be similar to any of them?

 

http://www.curufea.com/games/western/5e/gallery.php

 

Nice work there Curufea but not really (unless you want them to be;)) Actually a friend found a pic that gets really darn close and I like the skin patterns. Just imagine the ears slightly longer with the back side of ears being covered in a light fur.

 

G

[Curufea]

Re: Janda

 

Nice!

[Old Man]

Re: Janda

 

That chick needs to cut her nails.

[Old Man]

Re: Janda

 

That chick needs to cut her nails.

 

What are you talking about? They aren't much longer than mine...

 

I imagine the Janda to look something like the Cheetahs in Gold Digger.