Shumi Tribe RCC

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 10/24/2002)

The Shumis are a race of short humanoids and while they share many characteristics with Humans, they have a radically different development cycle. Nearly all Shumis live in the Shumi Tribe, located in a huge underground cavern in the northern part of the world. The tribe has traditionally specialized in mining operations, but within the past decades a resurgence of artists has swept through the Shumi Tribe, creating a large number of sculptors and artists. The Shumis are also known throughout the world as skilled merchants and traders, a necessary skill for trading the valuable ores, metals, and resources that the Shumi Tribe mines from the area around their underground village.

Most Shumis do not travel far from their village, but there are a fair number that act as traders and merchants with the Human nations and some that simply travel the world in search of adventure. The adventuring Shumis generally travel during their adulthood and before they evolve into one of their higher forms. After evolving, most Shumis either permanently leave the Shumi Tribe or never leave the underground village again.

Shumis begin life in what they consider their adult form and they live as an adult for several decades before they undergo an amazing transformation into what they consider their evolved form. Adult Shumis know when they are going to evolve and most return to the village beforehand, but their are some that cannot or choose not to return and evolve wherever they happen to be at the time the urge becomes undeniable. Shumis evolve into one of three forms, which they refer to as Moombas, Elders, and Masters. While Moombas are the most common, the Elders and the Masters are equally rare and very important to Shumi society.

Adult Shumis have a relatively short childhood, where they mature within two years after being born, but their maximum adult height is usually only about 4' (1.2 m) high. Only rarely will an adult Shumi grow taller. After living as an adult for roughly four decades, a Shumi undergoes their personal evolution, becoming one of the three evolved forms. A Moomba is roughly the same size as an adult Shumi, but it is much stronger and faster. The only downside is that Moombas lose much of their previous intelligence, although they are still highly intelligent compared to other animals. An Elder is considerably taller then a normal Shumi, almost twice as tall, and they tower over most Humans as well. The Elders are tasked with leader the Shumi Tribe and never leave the village except under extreme circumstances. The Elders' role in Shumi society is that of a village elder and council, so there is never more then a handful of Elders at any given time. The final evolved form are the Masters, which are huge and fat Shumis. The Masters are the defenders of the Shumi Tribe and possess considerable magical skills. Like the Elders, the Master rarely leave the area of the Shumi Tribe, but there are some examples of Masters that have explored to learn new ways to defend the Shumi Tribe.

Norg, the master of Balamb Garden, is an example of an evolved Shumi. Norg was once a wealthy Shumi merchant that was convinced to invest in an idea proposed by Cid and Edea Kramer to build an elite military school. Reluctant at first, Norg eventually invested and was amazed at how quickly he regained his investment and started making money. Norg eventually moved away from the Shumi Tribe and occupied the first basement level of Balamb Garden as his personal quarters. During the intervening years, Norg evolved into a Master, but he decided to remain at Balamb Garden, mostly because he did not want to lose his control over the money making facility. Norg was nearly killed by Squall Leonhart and his friends during his attempt to usurp power from headmaster Cid Kramer, but he survived. Critically wounded, Norg began evolving for the second time, most likely into a Moomba, and members of the Shumi Tribe arrived at Balamb Garden to take care of wounded Shumi and to bring him back to the Shumi Tribe.

Despite their many forms, all Shumis are capable of reproducing with any other Shumi of any form. Such a couple will generally mate for life and can produce a new offspring once every few years. Also, Shumis require the same amount of food and water as a Human no matter what form they are, although the evolved forms can eat tremendous amounts of food. Shumis are also completely bald and have incredibly long arms and fingers, allowing them to reach very far and grip very tightly. Shumis are surprisingly strong for their size, but it should come as no surprise for anyone that knows of their history in mining operations.

Racial Statistics

• Alignment: Any, but most lean towards good, there are a few evil and selfish Shumis, but they are the exception and generally do not welcome the company of good aligned Shumis.
• Attributes:
  
  • I.Q.: 3D6+3
  • M.E.: 3D6
  • M.A.: 4D6
  • P.S.: 3D6+6
  • P.P.: 3D6
  • P.E.: 3D6+2
  • P.B.: 2D6
  • Spd: 2D6
• Size: 3’10” to 4’6" (1.17 to 1.37 m)
• Weight: 100 to 150 lbs (45.4 to 68 kg)
• S.D.C.: 1D4x10 +1D6 per level of experience, starting at level 2.
• Hit Points: PE attribute +1D6 +1D6 per level of experience, starting at level 2.
• Armor Rating: Same as Humans.
• Average Life Span: Lives as an adult for 36+2D6 years before evolving and lives in the evolved form for an additional 40+1D4x10 years.
• Horror Factor: 6 for the adult form, 7 for the Moomba, and 8 for the Elder and the Master.
• P.P.E.: PE attribute x2, this is in addition to any PPE gained from any OCC.
• Magic Powers: Masters possess two spells from each spell level from level 1 to level 6, and can select one additional spell per level of experience from any spell level up to their own level of experience when they first evolve. With each new level of experience after they evolve, they gain an additional two spells from any level up to their own level of experience. Masters can learn new spells from other magic users and can purchase new spells from magic guilds and this is one of the most important reasons for a Master traveling. Masters also understand and can operate any magical items that a normal magic user can operate.
• I.S.P.: None
• Psionic Powers: None
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Evolution:
     
     After about forty years, an adult Shumi has the urge to evolve and while this urge can be delayed by a few years, the urge must be answered eventually. When evolving, a Shumi enters a cocoon that has as much S.D.C. as the Shumi. The Shumi will stay in the cocoon for 2D4 weeks and after that time, the Shumi will emerge in their evolved state. There is an 80% chance that a Shumi will evolve into a Moomba, a 10% that a Shumi will evolve into an Elder, and a 10% chance that the Shumi will evolve into a Master. These chances can be adjusted by a Shumi that is determined to become a Moomba and Shumis with an IQ and ME of at least 16 can directly choose what they will evolve into. Elders and Masters can also evolve after they have evolved the first time, but they will almost always (85% chance) evolve into a Moomba and they have no control over their second evolution beside choosing if and when to start it.
  2. Moomba:
     
     Moombas are the closest thing the Shumis have to a warrior. These fearsome animals are just as tall as the Shumi they evolved from, but they are 50% more massive. These cat-like creatures are covered in red fur and have sharp claws and teeth that inflict 2D6 point of damage per claw strike and 2D4 point of damage per bite. Moombas also gain +1 attack per melee, +2 to initiative, +1 to strike, parry, and dodge, +1D6 to PS, +2D4 to PP, and +3D6 to Spd. Unfortunately, these quick creatures lose nearly all of their ability to speak and their IQ is reduced to half of its original value. Moombas also have trouble remembering old skills and occupations and cannot cast any spells they might have known before they evolved. All Shumis respect Moombas and many Human nations use the creatures as trained servants in many different roles. For example, the Galbadia Republic uses a group of Moombas at its D-District Prison for political prisoners. The Moombas are involved in janitorial work and as laborers for the soldiers that run the prison.
  3. Elder:
     
     Elders are the natural leaders of the Shumi tribe and they take their duties very seriously. Elders are twice as tall and weigh twice as much as the Shumi they evolved from, but they gain a bonus of +2D6 to IQ and MA after they evolve.
  4. Master:
     
     Aside from their magical abilities listed in the magic section above, Masters are 50% taller then the adult Shumi they evolved from and have triple their original mass. Masters also have a bonus of +1 to save vs. all types of magic and +1D6 to ME and PE. Masters can also cast three spells per melee instead of the normal limit of two spells.


• Experience Level: Average experience level of a Moomba is 1D4 for those that do not explore the world and 1D6+2 for that that do explore the world.
• Combat Skills: Starts with 2 attacks per melee (this is in addition to Hand to Hand combat skills).
• Damage: Same as Humans.
• Bonuses: +2 to save vs. Mind Control and Possession.
• Penalties: None, other then the fact that they evolve after four decades of living.
• R.C.C. Skills:
  
  • Language: Shumi (98%)
  • Language: one of choice (+10%)
  • Literacy: Shumi (98%)
  • Literacy: one of choice (+10%)
  • Math: Basic (98%)
• O.C.C. Selection: Shumis that stay in their village generally lean towards artists and miners, but Shumis that explore the world can choose any OCC except for psychics, but most tend towards Adventurers or Magic Users (except Mystics).
• Allies: Shumis try to be neutral, but they obviously lean towards those that are good and respect life.
• Enemies: As with their allies, Shumis try to be neutral in world affairs, but they considered anyone that fails to recognize their neutrality as an enemy.