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The Aperusa are a minor spacefaring race from the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1][2]

Overview[]

The Aperusa, also known as space gypsies, are a spacefaring people of human descent[3] who wander from system to system making a living off the gullible and the unwary. Most of their larceny takes the form of confidence games, minor thievery and fortune telling, though they are forever searching for new opportunities, such as salvaging wrecks. They are notorious packrats, because they never know which bit of debris my be in demand. Aperusa also excel at making loaded dice, marked and unmarked cards, and small bladed weapons.[1][2]

Description[]

Aperusa are a fun-loving, nimble and handsome folk who love wearing colorful silks and lots of jewellery. Aperusa do not wear armor, though they will wear magical items of protection (if available), such as rings, cloaks and bracers of defense. Because of their heritage, aperusa are slightly resistant to magic and are almost immune to all detection spells. They are also immune to all forms of mind-reading, be it psionic or magical, which disconcerts many mind-readers (such as the dohwar). This also means that the aperusa can not develop psionic abilities, nor can they use a magical item that requires their conscious mental control (because the item needs to be able to divine their intent).

Due to their long exposure to wildspace, aperusa use very little air. If an aperusa is abandoned in wildspace, they can survive in their personal air bubble for up to 20 days (normally a creature's personal air envelope only lasts for up to 200 minutes). They can also feign death (as the spell) once per day (24 hour period), and can remain in this state for a number of days. Stranded aperusa sometimes use this ability to enter a state of hibernation once they have exhausted their air supply. The aperusa speak their own secretive tongue, as well as Thieve's Cant and the common trade tongue.[1][2]

Personality[]

Aperusa are generally unconcerned with material goods, so long as they have enough to eat and a place to sleep. Their natural skill at appropriating unconsidered trifles enures they don't go hungry. As a people, they are reticent about their origin, and resent any intrusive digging into their past. Aperusa are, on the whole, distrusted by most other people. They are known for being deceitful and dishonest, although any aperusa will deny all such charges vehemently. On top of that, most mind-readers (such as the dohwar) are very disconcerted by the blankness where an aperusa's thoughts should be, and so distrust them immensely.[1][2]

Combat[]

Aperusa revel in having fun and making money, and have no interest in combat and its most likely outcome - pain. Instead, they gladly let others fight their battles for them, offering "once in a lifetime" deals on healing potions and protective charms to their defenders in recompense. If they're forced to fight, however, the aperusa resort to slings and light blades, such as short swords, daggers, main-gauches, and rapiers. They do not wear armour, relying instead on their agility and magical items. If they're in a bind, an apersua won't hesitate to use their feign death ability, either after taking a small flesh wound, or falling and pretending to hit their head. After their opponent has left, the aperusa will plot their revenge, making sure their foe won't know what hit them.[1][2]

Society[]

Aperusa live in small family groups or clans, travelling together on large ramshackle ships. The best known clans include the Astralusians, the Phlogestos, and the Wildjammers. Occasionally, an aperusa will strike out on their own, seeking adventure and fun, and will typically hook up with anyone willing to take them to the next system. Aperusa culture is thoroughly misogynistic: males are considered the brains and the brawn of the clan, and as such make all the decisions and enjoy the most freedoms; while females, besides domestic duties, bearing children and tending the sick and wounded, also serve in "glamorous" roles like fortune tellers, dancers and bait during scams.

Although aperusa are non-aggressive, the clans maintain two groups who are responsible for fighting and for information gathering. The first group, the Blades, are accomplished warriors responsible for strategy and tactics, and only males may join them. Blades are typically trained as bards, and are able to power the helm of a spelljammer.

The second group, the Umbra, serve as spies who infiltrate other groups to gather information, as scouts, and (rarely) as assassins. Both males and motivated females may join the Umbra. Occasionally the Umbra are hired by outsiders to carry out spy missions, but their overwhelming need to pilfer items often leads to them getting caught.

Aperusa clans are usually led by a matriarch or a patriarch - usually the oldest male and his wife. Clan leaders, known as Beloved Grandfather and Beloved Grandmother, are trained as Blades or as Umbra. As clan leader, they are not expected to enter combat, but, in the most dire of emergencies, a leader may once a year summon a constellate to fight on behalf of the clan, at the cost of some of their life essence. When a Grandfather dies, his widow rules the clan, but she may not remarry. If a Grandmother dies instead, the Grandfather may remarry if he wishes.

The aperusa do not have a single faith, in an effort not to offend any deity whose good graces they may need in the future. Instead, the clan will worship whoever appears the most impressive at that moment. For instance, if a cleric of Ptah healed an aperusa, the whole clan may be so impressed that they undergo a mass conversion. They will worship Ptah, wear Ptah's symbol, and swear eternal loyalty to Ptah - until a cleric from another faith performs a similar feat the following week, whereupon the entire clan will undergo mass conversion and swear to follow their new patron to the end of time.[2]

Notable Aperusa[]

  • Rozloom was a leader of the Astralusian Clan and a one-time companion of Teldin Moore, the Cloakmaster.[4]

Signature Spelljammers[]

Each aperusa clan has its own brightly-painted ramshackle ship, known as a Vagabond, though some larger clans will require two or more ships.[2][5]

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Aperusa section, chapter 3: Spacefarer Kits, pages 51-52
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 John Terra, MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Aperusa entry
  3. Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Aperusa section, chapter 3: Spacefarer Kits, page 51
  4. Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, pages 20-22 and 31-36 (first appearance)
  5. Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion, Ship Recognition Manual, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Ships of the Spelljammer Universe, page 52
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