Chozo

The avian biological descendants of an ancient race of galactic explorers and stewards of life. Following a disaster that nearly spelled the extinction of their race, the ancient Chozo retreated into a semi-astral form. Once awakened, the modern Chozo were severed from their knowledge accumulated over the millennia, and no more attuned to the mysteries and ruins left by their ancestors than anyone else. They retain much of their general attitudes from their forebears, however; wise, generous and protective of life and nature.

Physical Characteristics

Average Height: 145 - 175 cm
Average Mass: 55 - 78 kg

Ability Scores: +1 Wisdom, +1 Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares
Skill Bonuses: +2 Biology, +2 Lore

Level 1 Species Power: Ghost Step—You have the Ghost Step encounter movement power, which lets you move unhindered and take reduced damage for a round.
Level 6 Species Power: People of All—You have access to the Voice of All at will movement power. This allows you a limited teleport that allows you to exchange places with a willing ally.

Play a chozo if you want...

• to look like a bird.
• to be the inheritor of ancient wisdom and ruins.
• to have a movement trick on the battlefield.
• to favor the leader and striker roles.

Chozo are humanoid birds. They are covered in feathers, stand upright, and lack wings or tails. They are medium height and lightweight, owing to their avian roots. Their hands and feet are talon-like claws with three fingers and a thumb on each hand. A chozo's head features an owlish or raptor-like beak, and softer, lengthy feathers crowning eyebrows and cheek bones often in varied color to the rest of the skin. Their eyes range from black to gold with shades of brown and green.

A typical chozo's feathery ruff can be yellow, purple, rust, ocher, bronze, brown, or scarlet. Some rarely are white entirely. Almost all chozo have variations in spots or patches and sometimes off-color stripes. The fine feathers on most of the body give the chozo a soft, silken look. Larger feathers adorn the spine, forearms, elbows, and sometimes shoulders.

Chozo brains mature on a different schedule than human children, walking a few hours after hatching. They absorb language through the shell, and can imitate words and sounds with accuracy after a few months, though comprehension and expression takes a similar amount of time to human children. They live as long as humans do.

Playing a Chozo

To a chozo, life and learning are one and the same. Their modern attitude carries on from their former lives as galactic ancients: ruins of architecture that was interwoven with the natural roots, plants, and rock formations; inseparable from the living things surrounding it. Chozo understand the necessity of combat as both means to bring understanding and ancient expression of the natural order. Even still, chozo take on all kinds of roles in society, from warriors to philosophers, engineers, business people, doctors and explorers.

Many chozo are aware of or paranoid about disease and mutagenic agents. Their ancient forebears discovered a degenerative poison that nearly extincted them. To counteract the poison, they left the physical realm and became ghostly wraiths. This drove many to madness and in all cases sundered their memories and prior knowledge. Thanks to the discoveries and influences of other galactic intelligences, chozo were able to rejoin society.

Many look to this past for clues about themselves, or simple exploration of the wealth of knowledge their ancestors left behind. Few of the originals (those who were reincarnated from wraiths) still remain, and even still, all chozo feel a connection to their ancestors that goes beyond familial ties.

Members of other races who share a love of learning find it easy to earn the respect of a chozo. For a chozo, there is always a matter of ingenuity or understanding that is the first weapon against a particular difficulty.

Chozo seek adventure to honor the call of their ancestors, to explore life on new worlds, and to, through deed, increase their own understanding or add to the wealth of all sapient knowledge.

Chozo characteristics: Perspicacious, wise, noble, sympathetic, inquisitive, connected, innovative, cautious, temperate.

Male Names:

Anedib, Djet, Horus, Huni, Itef, Ka, Khuferu, Narmer, Nynet, Ptah, Qahedjet, Raneb, Sektep, Semket, Seth, Snefu, Tenweg, Tete, Thoth

Female Names:

Anuka, Defra, Djera, Hapwi, Ibiani, Iufni, Kaura, Keb, Ksoseb, Menseksi, Neferka, Nikara, Nusrei, Ptaho, Seneb, Seskaf, Teti, Tskami, Una