Negli scorsi mesi più volte ho risposto privatamente riguardo una delle razze più rare e schive di Symbaroum, gli Andrik. Corvi antropomorfi, imbattersi in loro è raro, estremamente raro. Troppo raro. Si possono trovare solo nei fondi di bottiglia, dopo una epocale sbornia!
L'illustrazione e la descrizione erano così credibili che il pesce d'Aprile del 2015 continua a generare equivoci ancora oggi, ma non ci sono Darkwing Duck, Edward o PK che scorrazzano per il Davokar =)
Of all the creatures in the world, the Andrik is probably the most peculiar. These descendants of ducks have been sculpted into a caricature of other cultural races by the power of darkness, a fact which does not escape the other peoples or indeed the andriks themselves. Whoever created the andriks did so against the natural order of the world, and through their sorceries they expressed thorough contempt of higher laws, the limits of species, and good taste. The average andrik is well aware of how others regard their kind and responds to the heckling - real or imagined - with a spiteful mixture of insolent pride, stubborn rebellion, and maudlin victim mentality.
As far as is known, andriks first appeared in the Sanctuary west of Alberetor. If they arrived there by boat or if they were actually created near the lawless city remains unclear. What is clear is that they have come to stay, and have found a sort of belonging as part of the city's ragged proles. From the Sanctuary, the andriks spread both east and west along the coast in search for a better life. When Alberetor was evacuated, a number of andriks followed the refugees to Ambria. The majority of Ambria's andriks live all their lives on the road, as lone families acting as travelling merchants or several families living as river traders. The most notorious however are the andrik buccaneers who make Ambrias waters unsafe in their fast oar-and-sail ships. Among these web-foot marauders thrive ideas of andrik supremacy, as the world's latest folk and thus - by pirate logic - the most evolved. They have even assumed a new name for their species: Andrake. The Andrake Pirates are not many in number but are very active, and their feather-light corsair ships are a priority target for those Ambrian galleys tasked with patrolling the domain's waterways. This has driven the andrik freebooters to the edges of the realm. It is not uncommon for these raiders to seek refuge in concealed harbours in southern Davokar where dense vegetation and countless tributaries provide excellent conditions for pirate activity.
Andrik Traits
Andriks have the traits Diminuitive, Daddles, and Pariah. Many also have the trait Provocative, which andriks may take like an ability.
Andrik Names
Andriks have a lax attitude towards personal names and often give each other nicknames based on appearance; Broadaddle, One-Eye, Grayfeather, Bareback, Ruggy, Rooster.
Among at least a few larger andrik families, the system of names has been completely abandoned in favour of simply numbering one's children.
Andriks as adventurers
An andrik who leaves his family and becomes an adventurer probably has plenty of good reasons, usually forced on them; their family may be dead or the andrik was disowned by their family for a serious crime.
Andriks with a background as merchants are often thieves, while those with a history of piracy normally count as warriors. There are no known cases of andrik mystics or ritualists, and indeed it is considered doubtful that they are even capable of learning mystical powers. However, there is a rumour of a clairvoyant andrik in the Sanctuary, a tale which has lent its name to a tavern in Kastor: "the Duck and the Crystal Ball"
New rules: Andrik Traits
Diminuitive
Andriks are small, frail, and not uncommonly emaciated with rugged feathers and flaked beaks. In short, it is difficult to regard them as any sort of serious threat, even with weapons in their daddles. Enemies will prioritise other targets, at least until the andrik has proven their ability to fight (ie: deals damage to an enemy). If the andrik is the only target they can reach with an attack, the enemy will attack them anyway. Diminuitive is immediately cancelled if the andrik uses Provocative.
Daddles
Andriks have badly-developed hands, and are thus challenged in fine motor skills like creating things with their hands, picking locks, etc. As soon as a challenge requires a delicate hand, the andrik gets a second chance to fail.
Provocative
Andriks have a tendency to provoke people, in part from their mere feathered presence and hoarse cadence - unnatural in itself according to many - but also by a delicate talent for annoying and disturbing people. For some andriks this is nothing but a burden, but many take a strange pride in their ability to get enemies off-kilter and making people lose their composure - which these andriks have learned to use to their advantage.
If the enemy is already in a Berserker rage, no roll is necessary - the andrik automatically succeeds in taunting the enemy to the edge of insanity. Enemies with the ability Steadfast may make a resistance roll every round to regain their composure. When the andrik uses Provocative, the trait Diminuitive no longer remains in effect.
Novice Free: The Andrik can roll [Resolute<-Cunning] to make an enemy unreasonably provoked, which means that the andrik gets a second chance to succeed on all Defense and resistance rolls against that enemy. Only one enemy can be affected at a time. The effect remains for the rest of the combat without further rolls, but if the andrik wishes to taunt a new enemy they have to roll again.
Adept Free: The andrik's ability to provoke not only gives them a chance to re-roll Defense and resistance against an enemy, it also makes their opponent careless against attacks. On a successful [Resolute<-Cunning] the andrik gets a second chance to succeed when attacking their taunted opponent.
Master Active: [Cunning] to taunt ALL enemies throughout a combat scene.