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Hadozee deckhand

The Hadozee, also known as "deck apes", are a minor[1] spacefaring race in the Spelljammer campaign setting,[2] and can be selected as a player character race.[3]

Overview[]

Hadozee, or "deck apes", are tall, slender, tailless ape-like humanoids who are often hired as mercenary crews by various spacefaring races. A relatively young race, the hadozee have no space travel capabilities of their own; and were instead introduced to wildspace by the elves.[2][3]

Description[]

Hadozee are ape-like humanoids, though they are typically taller and more slender than other ape-like races, and have no tails. Their bodies are covered in brown hair, leaving their faces bare, with a shaggy mane surrounding their heads. They also have a protruding muzzle with several long fangs. Hadozee are extremely nimble, and can climb trees, ropes, poles, and sheer surfaces with ease. They also have prehensile feet, with the ability to grasp objects just like a hand.

Their most unusual feature is a broad flap of skin that runs from the creature's arms to its legs. This flap can be drawn tight by raising their arms, giving the hadozee a limited gliding ability. A hadozee can glide through the air by spreading its gliding flaps, traveling l-foot forward for every 1-foot in height it loses.

Hadozee generally wear no clothing (except in cold weather}, as most clothing would interfere with their gliding flaps. However, they will wear special caftans with slit sides on ceremonial occasions, or when in an unfamiliar port. Hadozee speak their own language and the common trade tongue. Most hadozee are widely travelled and may speak any one of a number of languages, including dwarven, elven, gnomish, goblin, and orcish.[2][3]

Personality[]

Hadozee are rude, only tempering their coarse commentary in the presence of elves (who they greatly respect) and their current employers. Outside of these controlling influences, they utter a continuous stream of insults and derision, with tongues sharp enough to make the most seasoned sailor take notice. However, they are extremely diligent workers and are respected throughout the Known Spheres for their willingness to work as hard as is needed to get the job done. They do not shirk their responsibilities in combat, either, and are willing to work as both crewmen and mercenaries.[2][3]

Combat[]

Hadozee are born warriors, thoroughly at home in melee combat. They can become proficient in the use of any weapon normally used by humanoids, and are naturally ambidextrous. Indeed, hadozee can wield a weapon in each hand – or in a hand and a foot – without difficulty, and prefer to use long swords, spears, and halberds. Because of their gliding flaps, shields make hadozee uncomfortable, though they may use bucklers instead.

Hadozee have learned to exploit a ship's gravity plane in boarding actions. When attacking an opposing vessel, hadozee dive toward the enemy deck or hull, looking for a place to land. If they're unsuccessful, they dive past the enemy vessel and through its gravity plane, travelling up to three-quarters of the distance of their original dive. They then arc back, maneuvering until they are in a position to attack the vessel from the other side.[2][3]

Society[]

Hadozee have traveled the spacelanes for generations, working for employers from many different races, though they are particularly fond of working for the elves. A troop of young adult hadozee of both sexes will often sign on with a single captain, training together and forming a traveling company of 20 to 30 individuals. The highest honor among the hadozee is to be hired on as a crewman or warrior for the elves. Only when they grow too old for a life of constant adventure do hadozee return to a world, where they mate and raise the next generation.

Hadozee have proven to be quite adaptable, and though they prefer warm to tropical climes, they will wear cold-weather clothes without complaining. Their dietary needs are similar to that of other humanoids, though they subsidize their diets with grubs and insects.[2][3]

History of the Hadozee[]

Prior to the first Unhuman War, the deck apes were considered to be primitive savages, much like the orcs and their kin, with whom they had previously been grouped. However, the hadozee showed they had a greater level of consciousness and culture, and even provided aid to the elves during the War. Ever since, the elves and the hadozee have had a close relationship, with the elves happily employing their talents as crewmen and mercenary warriors. The elves pay their hadozee employees well, but in no way consider them their equals.[2]

Notable Hadozee[]

  • "Spike" was a member of the Sentinels and chief of marines aboard the octopus ship, Swift Justice.[4]

Signature Spelljammers[]

The hadozee have no spelljamming capabilities of their own, and instead hire on as crewmen and mercenaries with various spelljamming vessels owned by other races.[2][3] They are especially popular with elves, and are found on both Imperial Fleet[5] and Sindiath Line vessels.[6]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Jeff Grubb. AD&D Adventures in Space; Lorebook of the Void, TSR, Inc., 1989, Major and Minor Races side bar (pp.50, 52 and 54)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Doug Niles, MC7 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Hadozee entry
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 2: New Spacefaring Races, pages 19-20
  4. Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992 (TSR Inc.), Spacefaring Companies chapter, pages 80-81
  5. Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), The Elven Imperial Fleet section, chapter 7: Spacefaring Organizations, page 84
  6. Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), The Sindiath Line section, chapter 7: Spacefaring Organizations, page 91
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