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| Such strange and wondrous places, filled with strange and wondrous peoples. Art by - Quique Alcatena |
In this unlimited
place, not even sapience is bound to a single archetype or form. One
might find an ethnicity whose origin lies beyond any known ocean, or
a race whose genesis is not yet bound in any book. These varied
groups slip into the city unheralded, appearing with
citizenship-chits in hand, or other extremity, to make their homes
among those who are known within memory and knowledge. Carried with
them are histories of one kind or another, some with a cultural
memory that climbs back through entire ages, others only bearing a
vague set of stories without specifics to time or place. Here is but one, like a grain of sand before a beach.
 |
| An early depiction of a female Gamayun. |
The
Gamayun
It was the Gamayun
who discovered the portion of the city that was populated by the
humans and the other races of their world. A flock (the preferred
term for a group of Gamayun), one day entered a sparsely populated
city cell that had yet to be officially integrated into, the now
defunct, Mercian Adhocracy neighborhood state. They soon took
residence in the abandoned buildings of the city cell, and were
allowed into the Mercian Adhocracy due to the skills in
crafting a number of items. As the years, decades, and centuries
passed the Gamayun integrated into the City of Turns,
becoming almost as common a sight a humans.
Psychology -
Gamayun
form large groups based upon familial bonds, forming communities of
multiple families living close together. They are highly social, so
much so that they suffer from anxiety if they are left alone in an
area for any extended period of time. Due to their high-sociability,
the Gamayun often
adopt other races into their family, and in very rare cases have
formed life-long mating pairs with non-Gamayun.
The
Gamayun are monogamous
both socially and instinctually, their culture supporting their
instinct to be monogamous and their instinct propagating the cultural
norm to future generations. They practice cooperative breeding on all
levels of their society, with familial assistance in finding a mate
as well as full familial involvement in the raising and care of
offspring.
Young
unmated Gamayun as
well as Gamayun who
have lost their mate are the most likely to engage in the antisocial
transient behavior commonly referred to as 'adventuring'. Young and
unmated individuals, both male and female, seek to prove their
intelligence and physical capabilities as a precursor to finding a
mate. Elder matchmakers use the exploits of these unmated youth as
proof of both physical and mental fitness for perspective mates. Once
a youth finds a mate, they generally 'settle-down' and avoid risk so
as to care for their family. For those individuals that have lost
their life-mate, adventuring is treated as a form of suicide. To the
Gamayun mindset,
suicide is a completely alien concept, even though these poor
individuals wish their lives would end. The only option left to the
Gamayun who have lost
their mate is to engage in greater and greater risk taking behavior
until their life ends, usually in a very dramatic and messy fashion.
Physicality -
The Gamayun have
a great degree of sexual dimorphism, with males and females having
very different physical characteristics. They have a life span of 120
years.
 |
| A pair of Gamayun males. Art by Max Ernst |
Males
Males possess
humanoid bodies, though they would say humans possess
andro-gamayunoid bodies, with avian heads. Average height for
Gamayun males is 4' 11” (150 cm), with an average weight of
around 105 lbs (47.62 kg). Their bodies are covered with feathers of
varying sizes and weights, similar to the distribution found on most
birds with feathers ending at the knees and wrists. Coloration of
males tends to be muted and in the spectrum of earth tones. The
non-feathered surfaces having a combination of thick skin and scales,
similar to that on the feet of large flightless birds like ostriches.
Their hands have four fingers and an opposable-thumb with their feet
having three digits and a pseudo-heel, resembling the feet of an
ostrich. Males are completely flightless, and fall just as any other
terrestrial creature. While considered strange by human standards,
Gamayun males instinctually know how to dance and are able to
easily mimic complex dances simply by watching. This peculiarity is
used in their mating rituals, where a male attempts to impress the
female with his prowess at dancing.
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| A female Gamayun. Art by Mechior Lorck |
Females
Bodies
of females are completely avian, with the shape and proportions
similar to those of the Corvus
family.
When standing, they have a height similar to males: an average of 4'
11” (150 cm), with a weight of around 105 lbs (47.62 kg). They have
an average wingspan of 20.28 feet (6.18 meters). Their heads are
humanoid and female in appearance, though they would call them
gyno-gamayunoid.
Most humanoids consider the faces of female Gamayuns
to be very comely, with their voices being considered very pleasing
to the ear. They do not possess hands, though they can be very
dexterous with their feet. They possess the same feather varieties
and distributions as birds of prey, with bright and varied
coloration. Female Gamayuns
possess melodic voices and are all accomplished singers by nature,
capable of emulating any style of singing they have heard previously.
This ability is used in their mating rituals, where a female attempts
to impress the male with her melodic singing.
OSR/AD&D/LotFP
Both Sexes:
+/- 0 Strength (3 /
18)
+1 Dexterity (8 /
18)
-1 Constitution (3 /
18)
+1 Intelligence (8 /
18)
-1 Wisdom (3 / 18)
+/- 0 Charisma (3 /
18)
In general Gamayun
are quick both in body and mind, though they tend to be more fragile
and impulsive than humans.
Males
All males possess a
great degree of skill in dancing by instinct alone.
X out of 6:
All Gamayun males
begin with a Dancing skill of 5 out of 6. This skill may be improved
like any other skill.
Skill
Proficiencies: All Gamayun
males begin with a
Dancing skill equal to their Dexterity or Charisma (Player's Choice).
This skill may be improved like any other skill, and the character is
automatically considered to possess the skill without having to
purchase it.
Females
All females are
capable of flight with a base speed of 60 feet, though they are
limited to a base speed of 20 feet via land.
No
Hands:
Gamayun females
lack hands, so they must rely on their feet to wield weapons or
operate tools. All attack-rolls using held weapons take a -2 penalty,
they also take a penalty to skills requiring fine motor control:
X
out of 6: -1
penalty.
Skill
Proficiencies:
-3 penalty.
Thief
% Skills: -17%
Talons:
Females may make two attacks with their talons at no to-hit penalty.
They may only make two attacks if both of their talons are free. The
talons do 1D4 damage.
Life Stage
Bonuses
The
Gamayun
are greatly effected by various stages of their life, granting them
various abilities or drawbacks.
 |
| An unmated female. Art by Viktor Vasnetsov |
Unmated
Advantage:
Before
they are mated, the Gamayun
are
full of energy and life, allowing them to survive their fool-hardy
stunts and operate on little sleep. Gamayun
receive +2 bonus hit-points at first level, and +1 bonus hit-point
every level until 9th.
Gamayun only
require 2/3rds the normal amount of sleep to be fully rested.
Disadvantage:
The
life and energy unmated Gamayun
exude angers undead out of envy or hate. Mindless undead will target
Gamayun
first before other targets. Intelligent undead will be unfriendly at
best toward Gamayun.
Mated
Advantage: While
mated, a Gamayun will
hold onto life dearly in order to get back to their mate. Gamayuns
require at least two strikes to
fell them. A strike that would normally kill a Gamayun
will completely incapacitate them, bringing them near to death's
door. A second hit will kill the character.
Disadvantage:
Everything the Gamayun
does must be orientated towards getting back to their family and
mate. This means that the character will not willingly leave their
family, and will make any such adventure very short.
 |
| A widowed female. Art by Viktor Vasnetsov |
Widowed
Advantage:
Gamayun that are widowed wish
their lives would end. The only option left a widowed Gamayun
is to engage in greater and greater risk taking behavior until their
life ends, usually in a very dramatic and messy fashion. They become
completely immune to all fear effects as well as any effect that
would cause them to give up their quest for death.
Male:Widowed
males gain a strange look to their eyes, the color of the iris
shifting to become more reflective. Feather coloring also shifts
around the eyes, adding to the unnerving quality of their stare. A
male's complete lack of self preservation creates an aura that few
people can stand to be in the presence of. When any creature capable
of fear attempts to attack the widowed Gamayun
they must make a Save versus Paralysis. A failed save results in the
attacker taking a -3 to all attack-rolls for the rest of the combat.
All social interactions (except for intimidation attempts) receive a
-6 penalty due to the male's unnerving behavior.
Female: The
talons of a widowed female become thicker with tendons and muscles,
and their claws become sharper. Damage of the claws is increased to
1D6 and critical on a 19-20. The character still retains both natural
attacks. Their feather coloration changes to a uniform black as part
of their change. All attack-rolls using held weapons take a -4
penalty, they also take a penalty to skills requiring fine motor
control:
X
out of 6: -2
penalty.
Skill
Proficiencies:
-6 penalty.
Thief
% Skills: -34%
Disadvantage:
Once a widowed Gamayun
dies they cannot be resurrected. Once the Gamayun has
been reunited with their mate in the afterlife, they cannot be
returned to the land of the living.
 |
| A widowed male, driven mad by loss. Art by Max Ernst |
Into
the Odd
Both Sexes
Strength: -1 (Min: 2
Max: 17)
Dexterity: +1 (Min:
4 Max: 19)
Will: +0 (Min: 3
Max: 18)
Gamayun tend
to be quick, but somewhat more fragile than humans.
Males
All males possess a
great degree of skill in dancing by instinct alone. They may impress
those around them, and possible females, by making a successful Dex
or Will save (Player's choice).
Females
All females are
capable of flight with a speed roughly twice that of a human on land.
When attempting to walk, a female moves half as fast as a human on
land.
No
Hands:
Gamayun females
lack hands, so they must rely on their feet to wield weapons or
operate tools. All attack-rolls using held weapons are considered
impaired.
All other actions that require fine motor control take -3 or more
penalty to rolls.
Talons:
Females may make attack with their talons causing 1D6 damage.
Life Stage
Bonuses
The
Gamayun
are greatly effected by various stages of their life, granting them
various abilities or drawbacks.
 |
| A rare, but not unheard of, occurrence of a male attempting to woo a non-Gamayun. Occasionally males will wear decorative wings. Art by Max Ernst. |
Unmated
Advantage:
Before
they are mated, the Gamayun
are
full of energy and life, allowing them to survive their fool-hardy
stunts and operate on little sleep. Gamayun
receive +1 bonus hit-points each level, including at character
creation. Gamayun
only
require 2/3rds the normal amount of sleep to be fully rested.
Disadvantage:
The
life and energy unmated Gamayun
exude annoys enemies of the character, they are more likely to attack
that character in combat.
Mated
Advantage: While
mated, a Gamayun will
hold onto life dearly in order to get back to their mate. Gamayuns
require at least two strikes to
fell them. A strike that would normally kill a Gamayun
will completely incapacitate them, bringing them near to death's
door. A second hit will kill the character.
Disadvantage:
Everything the Gamayun
does must be orientated towards getting back to their family and
mate. This means that the character will not willingly leave their
family, and will make any such adventure very short.
Widowed
Advantage:
Gamayun that are widowed wish
their lives would end. The only option left a widowed Gamayun
is to engage in greater and greater risk taking behavior until their
life ends, usually in a very dramatic and messy fashion. They become
completely immune to fear as well as any effect that would cause them
to give up their quest for death.
Male:Widowed
males gain a strange look to their eyes, the color of the iris
shifting to become more reflective. Feather coloring also shifts
around the eyes, adding to the unnerving quality of their stare. A
male's complete lack of self preservation creates an aura that few
people can stand to be in the presence of. When any creature capable
of fear attempts to attack the widowed Gamayun
they must make a Will save. A failed save results in the attacker
taking a -2 penalty to their damage rolls for the rest of the combat.
All social interactions (except for intimidation attempts) receive a
-4 penalty due to the male's unnerving behavior.
Female: The
talons of a widowed female become thicker with tendons and muscles,
and their claws become sharper. Damage of the claws is increased to
1D8. The changes to their talons make it impossible for them to wield
anything in their talons. Their feather coloration changes to a
uniform black as part of their change.
Disadvantage:
Once a widowed Gamayun
dies they cannot be resurrected. Once the Gamayun has
been reunited with their mate in the afterlife, they cannot be
returned to the land of the living.
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