The Luuzians are a highly enlightened race of Lizardfolk who dwell in the dimension Luuz. Luuz was originally believed to be the homeland of the race but recent archaeological discoveries by the Chamber Geographick suggest that the Luuzians were once great Tweeners who probably originated elsewhere in the multiverse. The same evidence suggests that the Luuzians once possessed extremely advanced arcanickal devices, although in recent history they seem to have lost interest in artifice in favour of more spiritual pastimes.

Table of Contents [Hide/Show]     Race Package: (6e)    Blessings    Nations    Physical Description    Society & Politics       Kraku       Typical Luuzian Outlook       Religion     Artifice    Known Luuzian History       Pre-History       The War of Ideals       Homecoming       Exploration of Luuz and the Revelation       Recent History    Miscellaneous Details and Factoids

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Race Package: (6e)

Luuzian Race Package
Cost	Ability
4	Nimble: +2 DEX
2	Naturally Inquisitive: +2 INT
2	Rational: +2 EGO
5	Dodgy: +1 DCV
20	Be Quick or Be Dead: Aid SPD, Con, Stun, Body Standard effect: +10 points, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets each day, Character does not control activation of Trigger; Reduced to 25% or Less Starting BODY; +1/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +1 1/4), Expanded Effect (x4 Characteristics or Powers simultaneously) (SPD, Con, Stun, Body; +1 1/2) (80 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), Only to Aid Self (-1)
10	Independent Eyes: Increased Arc of Perception (360 deg; sight group)
1	Reptilian Resistance: Life Support (Heat Resistance)
1	Reptilian Lungs: Life Support (Extended Breathing: 1 END per Turn)
45	Total Cost of Package
Value	Disadvantage
-20	Normal Characteristic Maxima
-5	Distinctive Feature: Luuzian (Concealable w/ Magic, Noticed, Not Distinctive in Some Cultures)
-15	The Cold Makes ... Me ... Leth...arg...i ...c: Vulnerability to Cold (Uncommon, -10pts); Expanded effect (Drain vs. SPD at half AP of attack; see APG p. 155, value x1.5); complication total -15 pts
5	Net Cost of Package
Cost	Option
5	Sharp Teeth: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1 point (1d6 w/STR)
15	Varanoidean Senses: Discriminatory and Targeting with Normal Smell
9	Reptilian Regeneration: Regeneration (1 BODY per Day), Can Heal Limbs
7	Reptilian Coagulant: Does Not Bleed Out (15 Active Points); Requires A Roll (11- roll; Must be made each use; -1)
*	Reptilian Impassivity: Resistance to Charm Skill (+1 to roll); no limit
Var	Blessings of Luuz (see below)
-4	Earless: -2 PER Hearing
-15	Susceptible to Cold Weather: (sub 50 degrees), VCommon per Minute 1d6

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Blessings

Some Luuzians are particularly favoured by one of the incarnations of Luuz, and are blessed with a special gift from birth. Such favoured individuals are marked in some way, although the mark of Luuz is varied and usually so subtle as to have no impact upon game play. Should a player want their divine favour to be more obvious, they are welcome to create complications for this.

Gifts usually materialise when the individual is old enough to understand how to use them. The blessings vary between individuals. Blessings must be thematically appropriate to the incarnation and must be bought outside of a framework. The unified power and Linked power limitations may be used. Finally, blessings must take the “Divine” FX and the following limitation:

Only Usable While In Good Standing With Incarnation (can't be removed; -1/4)

The GM may also wish to impose an AP cap on blessings to distinguish such individuals from Incarnates of Luuz.

It is possible (but exceptionally rare) for an individual to be marked by more than one incarnation of Luuz. The rarity of these individuals usually means that, when their favour is discovered they are harried and targeted by all manner of individuals.

Example Blessings

RC	AP	Name	Effect	Leveled	Edition
33	60	Rin’s Transference	Drain BODY 2d6 (20 Active Points); Must touch target (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) (RC 13) AND Healing BODY 2d6, Triggered by successful drain (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; +1) (40 Active Points); Linked (to Drain; -1/4); Unified Power (-1/4), Healing roll capped by drain roll (-1/4); Only Usable While In Good Standing With Incarnation (-1/4) (RC 20)	n/a	6e
11	20	I am One of Many (Sora's Blessing)	Jack of All Trades (APG); Requires PRE roll to bargain with spirits of past lives (-0); Only Usable While In Good Standing With Incarnation (-1/4); roll must be made each phase (-1/2)	n/a	6e
9	25	Mesmeric Skin Pattern (Blessing of Hikari)	+20 PRE, Inherent (Skin patterns; +1/4); Only to get people to stop and listen (-1), Incantations (Requires Incantations throughout; -1/2), Only Usable While In Good Standing With Incarnation (-1/4)	n/a	6e
6	10	What would Daichi Do? (Blessing of Daichi)	Luck 2d6; Only when using knowledge skills (-1/2), Only Usable While In Good Standing With Incarnation (-1/4)	n/a	6e
10	20	Little Tricksies (Blessing of Toki)	Mental Illusions 4d6 (Luuzian Minds by default, but can choose class of minds); Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Cannot Cause Harm (-1/4), Only while in good standing with Incarnation (-1/4)	n/a	6e
13	27	Kiyoko, My Shield (Blessing of Kiyoko)	Aid PRE 2d6, Area Of Effect (Voice Range; +1), Selective (+1/4); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Incantations (-1/4); Only while in good standing with Incarnation (-1/4)	n/a	6e

For additional ideas you can also refer to the 5e Sample Ecclesiasm Abilities and the master list of Hero game effects

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Nations

Whether as a result of contentment, the disagreeable climate or the tales of horror told by returning Luuzians, most Luuzians remain on their home world of Luuz. The next most likely place to meet a Luuzian (outside of Luuz) is in Sanctuary where they are commonly found debating philosophy with the Chamber Philosophick or trading in Hanram’s Bazaar, usually near Luuzgate. Most Luuzians who live away from Luuz are considered somewhat odd and eccentric by their fellows.

Known Settlements include:

• Sanctuary: A buzzing Luuzian community canbe found in Sanctuary.
• Dimension of Luuz: the current 'home' of the Luuzians and possibly their original birth-world.

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Physical Description

Luuzians range in height from 5’ to 5’10 and are quite frail in comparison to other lizardkin. Their skin colour varies according to mood, but each Luuzian has a unique patterning that distinguishes it from its kin.

A Luuzian’s eyes are located on the side of its head which gives it superb peripheral vision and makes Luuzians nearly impossible to surprise from behind.

Luuzians have a larger adrenal gland than most other species and, whilst most Chamber Geographick anthropologists believe that it is somewhat diminished in modern Luuzians (when compared to their ancestors) experiments have proven that the gland still heightens speed and reaction time when Luuzians are badly injured.

The Luuzian’s cold blood makes them particularly vulnerable to low temperatures and prolonged exposure to low temperature results in them entering a state of hibernation.

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Society & Politics

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Kraku

Luuzian society is extremely unusual in that all political decisions are based on the outcomes of an extremely complex and strategically challenging game known as Kraku. Grand Masters of Kraku are amongst the most respected and esteemed members of Luuzian society; more so even than the Kings and Queens that employ them. Where two kingdoms are in conflict over some matter, a Karaku contest is called by the Karakum, the organisation of philosopher-politicos that oversee all official Karaku contests. The ruler of each kingdom will name a champion who will play upon their behalf and the rules of the engagement (Karaku is further complicated by optional rules). Once the match is over, the Kingdom with the winning champion wins the right to declare how the dispute should be settled and the looser must concede to the terms of the deal.

Somewhat surprisingly, this system works extremely well for the Luuzians with the victorious Kingdom usually taking a longer term view on any terms, ensuring that the looser is not bound by overly harsh terms.

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Typical Luuzian Outlook

Whilst no two members of any race are ever alike, the outlook and conduct of a typical Luuzian is best describes as being tied very closely to the dominant aspect of Luuz. It is a mystery why the Luuzians are so strongly affected by their god whilst other races are not, but the evidence is unquestionable.

Luuzian society is currently extremely utopian and most sages ascribe this to the dominance of Daichi, Luuz’s incarnation of wisdom. Unfortunately, the peaceful and rational nature of the Luuzian home world leaves many Luuzians who venture forth totally unprepared for the trials of the multiverse. Most Tweeners view Luuzians as somewhat naïve and there are many who are quick to take advantage.

The Luuzians haven’t always been the peaceful, wise folk that they are today: there are many dark tales in Luuzian folklore, and archaeological evidence that has been unearthed, that suggest a much darker past when other, long forgotten incarnations of Luuz were dominant. In fact, some scholars from the Chamber Geographick believe that Sanctuary itself may have served a dark purpose under an ancient and evil Luuzian regime (the evidence is scant and the meaning unclear).

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Religion

Luuzians almost universally worship Luuz in all its incarnations or an incarnation of Luuz.

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Artifice

Standard: The Luuzians have Standard Artifice although there is much archaeological evidence to suggest that it may have been higher in the past.

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Known Luuzian History

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Pre-History

Very few records survive from this time: the odd rubbing of a monolithic obelisk; ‘facts’ inferred from ancient myth; some traditions and superstitions and various disparate and fragmented accounts. However, what evidence there is points to a period of time when the Luuzians existed under dark incarnations of Luuz. During this time the Luuzians where a race in command of vast fleets, terrible arcanicks and awesome magic. The Luuzians roamed the Tween in vast shard-ships; a deadly scourge upon the ancient civilisations of the time. They had no homeworld as such, but descended upon suitable dimensions, stripping them of anything useful, in the way a swarm of locusts may descend upon a crop before moving on.

Chamber Geographick Scholars believe that an ancient verse found upon an artefact of unknown metal accuses the Luuzians of being responsible for the demise of at least two ancient civilisations: the Enyt-Ves and the Onesians. Little is known of either civilisation.

It is not clear what incarnations of Luuz the Luuzians served during this time but some scholars believe that evidence suggests a belief in Luuzian superiority and lust for battle may have been the principle drivers behind the Luuzian terrorizing, conquest and oppression of other races. What is clear is that these incarnations have since been forgotten and deliberately erased from Luuzian awareness. To this day, the Oricalchum (a Luuzian sect famed for the copper insignia they bind magically to their foreheads) hunt down anything that may enable such dark incarnations to resurface.

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The War of Ideals

Approximately -9000, the Luuzians experienced a time of trouble. This period onwards is better documented and more evidence exists. During the time it appears that the Luuzian race was divided into two major and two minor sects. The first major sect, the Traditionalists, saw nothing wrong with the present arrangements of the Luuzian race: they commanded terrible power; followed their whims; and had subjugated several races and dimensions to provide for their needs, leaving Luuzians free to pursue other matters. Why should anyone wish to change this?

The other major sect, the Reformationists argued that Luuz was a god of many aspects, many of which were champions of peace, justice and wisdom. The Reformationists maintained that the Traditionalists had subverted Luuz’s message, choosing to worship only those incarnations that suited their needs and violently oppressing any who choose to venerate Luuz’s more enlightened aspects. The Reformationists claimed that the Traditionalists had been corrupted by a lust for power and took up arms in a holy crusade against them. The Reformationist Inquisitors were obsessive and unyielding in their holy quest against the ‘evil corruption that smothers all Luuzian-kind’ and many innocent parties became victims of their crusade.

Of the two minor factions, history accounts for only one. Of the other, little is known other than that they existed and were aligned with neither the Traditionalists nor the Reformationists. The modern Luuzians believe that their nation was founded by the better known of these minor factions. The faction is question had no name, but posited a balanced outlook:

“Luuz is a complex deity of many aspects; one cannot understand Luuz unless one understands the whole.”

This became the central tenement of modern Luuzian faith and initiated the era of wisdom and tolerance that exists in modern Luuzian society today.

Scholars should note that some Chamber Arcane and Chamber Ascendant researchers believe that historical accounts of this period point to the Luuzians as being the first known victims of a Daemonic Corrupting. Scholars in favour of this hypothesis cite the recorded behaviour of the race as being remarkably similar to that seen in modern Corruptings.

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Homecoming

The small faction of Luuzians who preached balance and understanding foresaw their future at the hands of the Traditionalists and Reformationists as being one of persecution and retribution. Thus they fled their brethren, travelling the Tween in a small fleet of shard-ships. There is a rich history of legends and folk tales from this era, many of which tell of the countless dangers that befell the fleet during this time and the great heroes and heroines who protected the refuges from the dangers of the Tween.

Probably the most widely known tale known by non-Luuzians is that of Kitano Mototaka and the Golden Corridor (indeed, this is where the myth of the corridor originates, although most Tweeners are unaware of the fact). The tale tells of how the refugees were surrounded on all sides by Traditionalists bent on their destruction; of how Mototaka discovered a way into the Golden Corridor by following a lithe nakata lizard, which he considers to be a sign; leading the stranded refugees to safety within the Corridor. Mototaka is injured as he attempts to seal the way into the Corridor. Within the Corridor, Okana the betrayer - a Traditionalist spy - offers to carry Mototaka and takes over leadership in an attempt to deliver the ‘heretics’ back into the hands of their enemies.

“…and Okana, fell god-childe of Rin, corrupt betrayer, said: “I will carry Dear Mototaka and lead us home!” And so lost was he in the prospect of delivering the heretics into the jaws of his dark masters; so caught up in dreams of status and reward; that he failed to notice that ‘home’ was not where he expected at all…”

Okana leads the refugees down the tunnel, focusing on going ‘home’, believing this will enable him to bring them to justice on Hinkow, the ancient Traditionalist Stronghold. Cofronted by two gates, Okana faces a dilemma – which gate leads to Hinkow? He is lost in rumination when child Yumi, favoured of Toki, asks him what the reptile is that has just emerged from the left gate. Okana quickly silences her for the reptile is a nakata lizard, native to Hinkow. Okana rationalises that the lizard must have entered through the left gate and so this gate must lead to Hinkow. He hurries the refugees through the gate only to find that it does not lead to Hinkow but somewhere else. He arrives just in time to see the nakata lizard transform into pterosaur and fly away laughing. At this point Okana realises he has been tricked by Toki and the nakata lizard is forever after a symbol of the divine trickster.

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Exploration of Luuz and the Revelation

This era covers the early settlement of Luuz. Having emerged from the corridor, the Luuzians set about making anew home for themselves. Okana quickly sees opportunity in his new situation and takes action to set himself up as the ruler of the new world.

As the Luuzians start to explore their world they soon discover relics and ruins of an ancient civilisation. Further investigation and exploration reveals that the ruins and inscriptions bear such an incredible similarity to Luuzian architecture and language as to be more than mere coincidence - the Luuzians themselves must have lived here once in the past.

This period of history is mostly one of discovery, fractious tribes (and later, kingdoms) and the ceding of advanced arcanickal devices in favour of more spiritual matters. This period of history continues until the uniting of the Luuzian Kingdoms and the discovery of Luuzgate.

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Recent History

The recent history of the Luuzians has, on the whole, been one of peace and enlightenment. That’s not to say that the race hasn’t experienced problems during this time; they have, but in comparison to other races, recent Luuzian history is fairly utopian.

The Luuzian nation has an extremely good relationship with Sanctuarians, even if they don’t always see eye to eye. The most recent development in this relationship is the Mioza Treaty, a mutual defensive pact between the two nations. Following the signing of this pact, more Luuzians have been venturing forth into Sanctuary and taking a more active role in the City.



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Miscellaneous Details and Factoids

• As many of Sanctuary’s Elite will point out over dinner-table conversation, the Luuzian’s reptilian nature lends their speech a sibilant element and much of the Luuzian dialect has been changed over time by non-Luuzians. For example:
  • The Luuzians actually refer to the God Luuz as “Lu”. It is because their speech lends the word a ‘sz’ at the end that most other races say “Luuz”.
  • The Luuzians refer to themselves as the Lu-San (or Children of Lu).
  • The Luuzians refer to their world as Lu or Lu-Sar (which means cradle of Lu).
• The Luuzian culture is one of prolific philosophy and art. In particular, they favour artisitic forms that conceal deep meaning, moral lessons or provide a vehicle for philosophical debate and increased understanding.

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