​Paeori are egotistical, charismatic, and exceptionally quick to anger. Expert actors, and performers, these charming creatures claim that they have “Won the Arts,” claiming to have perfected every creative discipline from acting, to song, to painting, to sculpture. When a Paeori sings, acts, or plays an instrument, they do so with incredible confidence. Paeori who are inept at performance are shunned, left to wander the streets in disgrace.

Appearance: At first glance, Paeori look like gangly human children with skin ranging from black or purple to pure white or silver. On close inspection, they appear to have perfectly symmetrical features, large monochromatic eyes, wickedly sharp teeth, and pointed ears and nails. They conduct themselves with an arrogant poise, and always seem to talk down to others, even though their stature demands that they look up.

Location: Most Paeori live in Persistance or the House of Herons, which boasts a bloodline of Paeori nobility, or on the road as performers. Outcast Paeori, generally those with no talent for the arts, live wherever vagrants can be found, and have formed a small community in Tzalandar.

Names: Sibyl, Roland, Semptimus, Johann, Severus, Artistopheles, Nauticas, Mendelaerus, Skolbrus, Mikatia, Tulurus, Volorin, Julius, Romallo

Standard Racial Traits
Ability Scores: Paeori are outgoing, charismatic, and artistic, but their petite form lacks physical strength and endurance.  They gain a +4 bonus to an ability score based on their specialization (see below), but take have –2 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. 

Size: Paeori are small sized, and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Small races have a space of 5 feet by 5 feet and a reach of 5 feet.

Type: Paeori are humanoids with the Paeori subtype.

Base Speed: Paeori have a base speed of 20 feet.

Languages: Paeori begin play speaking Common and Paeori. Paeori with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Vaellu, Sylvan, Celestial, Auran, or Aquan. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Other Racial Traits
Specialization: All paeori specialize in some form of creative pursuit, known as a specialization. A paeori can specialize in Art (an Intelligence specialization), Performance (a Charisma specialization), or Vocation (a Wisdom specialization).

Toxic Jealousy (Su): A number of times per day equal to their specialization modifier (minimum 1/day), a paeori can envenom a weapon by singing a song of jealousy to it. Applying venom in this way is a swift action that requires a verbal component.

Fame-Stealing Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user's Hit Dice + the user's Specialization modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 ability damage to the injured creatures Wis, Int or Cha (same as the the paeori's specialization); cure 1 save.

Professional Competency: Paeori gain a racial bonus on a skill related to their profession. Art specialized paeori gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft skill checks.  Performance specialized paeori gain a +2 racial bonus on all Perform checks. Vocation specialized paeori gain a +2 racial bonus on all Profession checks

Stubborn: Paeori gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saving throws to resist spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) subschools. In addition, if a member of this race fails such a save, it receives another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect (assuming the spell or spell-like ability has a duration greater than 1 round). This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the member of the race has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue's slippery mind class feature), it can only use one of these abilities per round, but can try the other on the second round if the first reroll ability fails.

​Art by John Nelson Jr.