Lamia Adventurers

Lamia Adventurers

KQ 23 Cover
Lamia adventurers are extremely rare and are almost exclusively made up of those outcast lamia commoners who have struck out on their own or escaped the wickedness of their brethren. Because most lamia practice at least some form of magic, many lamia adventurers are spellcasters, with sorcerers, oracles, witches, and druids being by far the most common.

Lamia who are more combat-oriented tend toward fighters or rangers, in many cases concentrating on perfecting the use of the scimitar. Some even become masters of wielding dual scimitars. It is also rather common for lamia adventurers to combine the martial and magical arts through multiclassing.

Alchemist: Alchemical experimentation, particularly on captured slaves, holds a perverse fascination for some lamia. While hardly common, normally at least one or two lamia alchemists are within any lamia community.

Barbarian: The chaotic nature of most lamia serves those few lamia who become barbarians well. Typically, male lamia rage against the female-dominated nature of their culture.

Bard: Music is not an important part of lamia culture. Some say most lamia are even incapable of appreciating music or poetry. Lamia are highly skilled deceivers and consummate manipulators, though, which means that occasionally a few lamia become bards to enhance these skills.

Cavalier: Because lamia do not have humanoid legs, they are all but incapable of riding an animal such as a horse without a great deal of effort, machinations, or magic. Perhaps more importantly, the very idea of swearing oaths and belonging to an organized order of knighthood is repugnant to even the most open-minded lamia. Therefore, lamia cavaliers are all but nonexistent.

Cleric: Lamia have no use for the gods or organized religion. Clerics within lamia culture are simply unheard of. Lamia view clerics of other races as weak-willed puppets who are beholden to petty, uncaring gods. It is conceivable (though highly unlikely) that an outcast lamia who has broken with lamia tradition entirely might embrace a deity and take up the cleric’s call.

Druid: Although not nearly as prevalent as lamia oracles, there are still those lamia who feel the call to become druids. Most lamia druids choose either the moon or scalykind subdomain. Those druids opting for an animal companion typically choose some kind of snake. Many lamia druids also gravitate toward the mooncaller or serpent shaman archetypes. It is important to note that, as druids, such lamia have a more neutral, balanced view of the universe and the nature of evil than most other lamia commoners do, which often puts them at odds with each other. The lamia druid’s deep connection to serpents and the moon is usually more than enough to earn them their people’s grudging respect.

Fighter: The vast majority of combat-oriented lamia become fighters. Many are drawn to the Two-Weapon Warrior and Weapon Master archetypes so that they can become true masters with the scimitar.

Inquisitor: Because inquisitors are dedicated to a deity and normally tied closely to a church or other organized religious institution, they are never seen in lamia society. As in the case of the cleric, however, an outcast lamia who has broken with lamia cultural norms and embraced a deity might theoretically become an inquisitor.

Magus: Because magi must learn spells through research and study like a wizard, they are often looked down on in lamia culture. Despite this, the magus talent for combining magic and combat is something that appeals a great deal to many lamia. For this reason, a few lamia have been known to enter the ranks of the magus. Most lamia magi take the hexcrafter archetype, although bladebound and spellblade magi have also been known.

Monk: The stillness of mind and devotion to order necessary to become a monk make lamia monks rare indeed.

Oracle: Oracles are very common in lamia culture. They are the keepers of the mysteries of their race and the protectors of their secrets. Almost all lamia oracles embrace the moon mystery, although some lamia oracles choose mysteries such as heavens, lore, or dark tapestry instead.

Paladin: The idea of a lamia becoming a paladin is anathema to the lamia mind. The paladin’s love of both law and good contradicts and opposes everything the lamia stand for. There is, however, a rather strong tradition of anti-paladins among the lamia—warriors indoctrinated from a young age and forged into exemplars of evil and chaos.

Ranger: Those few lamia who become rangers normally patrol the outskirts of a given lamia lair and punish those who would intrude upon their dominion. Lamia rangers typically tend to favor the two-weapon combat style over archery. Lamia rangers who elect to bond with an animal companion almost always chose some form of snake.

Rogue: Although hardly common, rogues most certainly have their place among the lamia. Often, lamia combine their rogue skills with those of either a fighting or spellcasting class.

Sorcerer: Lamia sorcerers are very common and highly respected. Most lamia sorcerers are born with the serpentine, aberrant, abyssal, arcane, or draconic bloodlines, although almost any bloodline is theoretically possible.

Summoner: Although far from commonplace, lamia do occasionally become summoners. A lamia summoner typically creates an eidolon in the form of a large and menacing snake or serpent.

Witch: Witches are almost as common as sorcerers and oracles among lamia. The witch’s ability to gain arcane power through communion with the mysterious unknown greatly appeals to the lamia’s understanding of the universe. Practically all lamia witches favor the moon as their patron, although deception, trickery, death, or occult patrons are sometimes chosen instead.

Wizard: Despite the lamia’s natural proclivity toward magic, lamia very rarely, if ever, become wizards. Lamia greatly respect natural, inherent power and skill—power gained through long hours of dedicated research and study simply goes too much against the lamia’s chaotic mindset. Lamia also consider the need for spellbooks to be a great weakness. For this reason, lamia who become arcane spellcasters are almost always sorcerers or witches. A lamia wizard who remains within lamia society would most certainly be mocked, ridiculed, or in rare cases even killed.

2 thoughts on “Lamia Adventurers”

  1. Morgan Boehringer

    A very comprehensive and welcome addition to your article Marc! (though I don’t *actually* have my copy yet!) I really liked the flavour of lamian distaste for studied magic and the desire to follow the path of anti-paladinry. The two weapon fighting and proclivity for scimitars is totally on theme. Looks like you hit all the right notes here!

  2. Thanks Morgan!

    There is even more bonus lamia material scheduled in the coming weeks … alternate racial abilities for lamia PCs, a second prestige class etc.

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