The norals are a race of humanoids with a symbiotic bond with the erliss, a small psionic creature also referred to as a dreamscar. Norals that have bonded with an erliss no longer dream, giving the creature its nickname, as well as giving the bonded norals the nickname of the dreamscarred. The symbiotic joining process has left the noral race open to the benefit of other creatures on their society, making them more likely to seek out information on other cultures and talented at social interactions.

Known for being physically clumsier than most, some surmise that norals lack agility because the bonding process has impacted their natural reflexes. Others argue it is because the race has a naturally stocky frame that simply does not lend itself well to precise movements. Despite this, the natural resiliency of their mental and physical forms has helped them overcome what is otherwise a liability for surviving the harsh lands near their settlements. However, their ability to block such assaults, combined with their natural ability to assault the minds of others, has given some a fear of the race as a potential subjugator of free will, a notion the norals find ludicrous for their views on free will as something to be nurtured and never to be threatened.

While some norals choose not to bond with an erliss, this is the exception, rather than the rule. The bonding process itself is done as a ceremony once a noral has reached adulthood and is considered an important step in the maturation of their younger generations. This ceremony is typically done in private, usually with only the noral’s parents in attendance. Upon completion, the newly-dreamscarred noral is considered an adult and afforded all privileges as such.

Physical Description: Norals stand about as tall as humans, but are typically stockier in form. They have skin tones, eye color, and hair pigments of a similar range as humans, but a noral who has undergone the bonding process to become dreamscarred loses all skin and hair pigmentation, becoming an albino with pure white hair. A dreamscarred noral’s eyes turn pure black, and the erliss at the base of their neck rapidly grows into its mature form, with four tentacles coming out of the base of the noral’s neck, usually draping over the noral’s shoulders. In addition, a dreamscarred noral’s forehead and skull takes on a ridged and plated look, rather than the typical humanoid appearance.

The erliss is a tentacled creature that looks something like a sea star, with four or five arms that stretch out from the central core. Most often white, pale pink, pale blue, the erliss can exist comfortably in both water and on land. The small ridges across their appendages can quickly change color, which is often used to scare away lesser predators. On the underside of the creature, there is a small mouth. One of the tentacles has a small reddish opening that can extrude the romon, a slithering tentacle used to collect food, paralyze prey and, perhaps most importantly, initiate the psychic bridge that begins the melding process. The bonding is initiated by placing the erliss on the noral’s neck, with its mouth flush against the exposed skin of the noral, and the tentacle placed at the base of the skull.

Society: The societal structure of the norals is one of a democratic republic. In their society, only norals who have gone through the bonding process may vote for the Ruling Council, which then governs. Unbonded norals do not get to vote, as they are seen as still being children or outcasts, causing most young norals to seek to complete the bonding ritual or to leave for lands where such a distinction does not matter. The resistance that norals have against mental intrusion gives them a strong sense of morality when it comes to the use of compulsions or domination – be it mental or physical. This leads few to seek the use of such tactics, although those who work as mediators push the envelope by using powers that only read thoughts, arguing that since they are not compelling the subject, it is simply a better way to achieve amicable solutions, while their natural ability to attack the minds of others is viewed as a to be used only in self-defense and never as a means to impose their will.

Relations: The benefits the noral race derive from the erliss make them naturally inclined to seek out new cultures that might grant them improvements to their own. Their natural inclination to understand other cultures and to easily interact with other races has helped them to take on a role of mediator for conflicts, while they try to maintain neutrality. When such attempts are unsuccessful, or when the norals are cast as favoring one side over another, the norals will instead withdraw and allow the other races to resolve matters on their own, even if it results in brutal combat.

Among the other races, the norals have the most difficulty working with the psionocratic ophiduan race, for they see the serpentine race’s ruling style as barbarism wrapped in a supposed enlightened form of government. In addition, some cultures, such as dwarves, view the norals’ preference to stay out of conflicts as passively condoning the actions of their enemies, earning enmity on more than one occasion. One area where norals dislike the interactions with other races is in the proclivity of other races to kiss in public. Kissing for the norals is their means to breed more erliss, so they view such public displays as unseemly.

Alignment and Religion: Norals worship a pantheon of deities which reflect the many facets of daily life. While they have the full spectrum of alignments within their society, the general tendency of the race is toward lawful over chaotic, as the structure of the society and the bonding process and the responsibility of breeding the erliss leads most norals to respect the rule of law and the needs for organized social structure.

Adventurers: Norals who adventure are often those seeking the perceived glory of combat heard of from the other cultures they work with, or to rise in the view of society. Worldly experience, especially with other races, is prized within noral society for those seeking leadership roles. Conversely, others might go off on adventures to get away from the structure of noral society.

Male Names: Merixal, Deridal, Codinal, Soletal.

Female Names: Miliac, Antiac, Carinac, Olniac.

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Norals are resilient in mind and body, but tend to be stocky and clumsy in their movements. They gain +2 Constitution and +2 Wisdom but suffer –2 Dexterity.
• Size: Norals are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Type: Norals are of the humanoid type with the noral subtype.
• Languages: Norals begin play speaking Common and Noral. Norals with high Intelligence scores can choose can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Other Racial Traits

• Symbiotic Resistance: The symbiotic bond between the noral and the erliss grants all bonded norals a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.
• Symbiotic Surge: A noral is able to tap into the power of the symbiote to gain a temporary boost. Once per day, a noral can exhauste the symbiote to add 1d6 to a single d20 roll. This decision must be made prior to the result of the roll is determined.
• Noral Psionics: Norals gain the following psi-like ability: 1/day—mind thrust. The manifester level for this effect is equal to 1/2 the noral’s level (minimum 1st). The DC for this power is equal to 10 + the power’s level + the noral’s Charisma modifier.
• Gift of Tongues: Norals are naturally skilled at social interactions and understanding other cultures. Norals gain a +1 racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks, and they learn one additional language every time they put a rank in the Linguistics skill.
• Low-Light Vision: Norals can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
• Naturally Psionic: Norals gain the Wild Talent feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. If a noral takes levels in a psionic class, he instead gains the Psionic Talent feat.
• Psionic Aptitude: When a noral takes a level in a favored class, he can choose to gain an additional power point instead of a hit point or skill point.