The Lakshu are a minor[1] spacefaring race of female warriors who have pledged their loyalty to the reigar in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[2][3]
Overview[]
The lakshu are an all-female humanoid race of warriors who have been co-opted and altered by the reigar to serve as bodyguards and elite troops. Reputedly, the lakshu have laid waste to a thousand worlds, all in the name of their reigar masters,[2] though in some spheres they have a more favourable reputation as adventurers and merchants, and have been known to warn communities of impending threats.[3]
Description[]
Lakshu are tall, lanky, green-haired amazons who are strong and beautiful, and deadly to their enemies.[4] They have a fondness for tattoos, body paint, and ornate garments (when not in battle dress). Physically, lakshu are virtually identical; their only identifying marks are their tattoos, and their individual taste in off-duty clothing. The principle way of identifying an individual lakshu is by their unique shakti given to them by their respective reigar masters.[2]
Behavior[]
In certain spheres the lakshu engage in regular trade with others on behalf of the reigar, and they love to hear and tell a good tale. They are a fey race who act according to their latest whims. If a particular planet or moon looks interesting, off they go to survey it. If a traveler’s tale speaks of particularly good food at some inn, the lakshu make their way to that inn. If they find a derelict ship, its crew slaughtered by pirates, the lakshu grimly dedicate themselves to hunting down the pirates and repaying them in kind.[3] However, their motivations and aspirations remain something of a mystery to outsiders. Originally a war-like race of raiders, their urge for battle has been somewhat brought under control: no longer do they lay waste at will, now they lay waste when told to by the reigar.[2]
Combat[]
Lakshu are deadly warriors and are well versed in a variety of weapons. However, each lakshu specializes in a particular weapon, becoming exceptionally proficient with their weapon of choice.[4] They are equally skilled in armed and unarmed combat, having been adapted by the reigar expressly as bodyguards and shock troops. Lakshu can also enter a berserker rage when they are severely injured.
When prepared for battle, each lakshu can have up to three helots under their command, and will often fight in coordination with these constructs.[2]
Society[]
Lakshu society, such as it is, is militaristic in nature, with a strict hierarchy so that each lakshu knows her place. Whenever two or more lakshu are present in one place, one will always be in command of the others. Lakshu reproduce via parthenogenesis, and give birth to young at specific times, which are raised communally in a creche with all other offspring.[2]
When a lakshu reaches her full fighting weight, she pledges her life and strength in service to a particular reigar. In return, the reigar presents her with her own shakti, a uniquely powerful magical item that serves as both weapon, armour and mode of transport. In its dormant state, a shakti typically resembles a beautifully crafted piece of jewellery representing an animal totem of great power from which the lakshu derives her adult name, such as "Phoenix", "Manta" or "Viper".[5]
The lakshu serve the reigar as bodyguards, elite troops, and shakti repair experts, as well as crew members on their esthetics, and are essentially responsible for the day to day operation of the living vessel. In return, the lakshu receive room, board, travel, and (for those who are especially favored or who perform above and beyond the call of duty) sometimes even unique gifts created for them by their commanding reigar.[2]
History[]
It is unclear how the reigar and the lakshu first came to be associated, but for as long as either race can remember they have been partners of sorts. The most accepted theory is that a raiding party of lakshu landed on the reigar homeworld, little knowing what awaited them. They had heard about these namby-pamby artistes, but nothing had prepared them for the lengths to which these artistes would go in their search for the ultimate experience. As soon as the lakshu saw the shakti devices, they realized that an alliance was the best possible move for them. By accident it was discovered that the lakshu also had an affinity for shakti repair, which suited the reigar (repairs are just not part of how reigar do things - they are both repetitive and mundane, two concepts that are foreign to the reigar.)
The reigar appreciated the lakshu's war-like temperament, and were likewise pleased with the lakshu's ease with handling the shaktis. So the reigar set about co-opting the lakshu as a singular work of art - this entailed creating a uniform appearance in keeping with the reigar ideal of a single work of art. In this case, that meant re-creating the appearance of the lakshu as a whole, to gain the currently uniform height, weight, body mass, etc.[2]
Notable Lakshu[]
- Viper was pledged in service to the reigar Cholana,[6] and was ultimately slain by the radiant dragon Celestial Nightpearl.[7]
Signature Spelljammers[]
Since their alliance with the reigar, the lakshu have become dependent on the esthetics for all their daily needs.[2]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Lakshu article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
- Lakshu article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.
References[]
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Karen Boomgarden, Newton Ewell, MC7 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Lakshu entry
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Wildspace Societies section, Sphere Overview, pages 5-6
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Wildspace Societies section, Sphere Overview, page 5
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Prologue, page 3
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Prologue, pages 2-7
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), pages 169-174