by Kranar Drogin & Joe Mashuga

Adlatum’s bakali were once part of a great empire, said to have stretched across all of Krynn, though their history remains mostly unrecorded. Bakali tribes live in the ruins of ancient cities, located in the Vacant Lands or No Man’s End. The bakali aren’t the ignorant beasts they are said to be on other continents, but rather a people who have embraced a rich culture of devotion and endurance.

Personality: The bakali are suspicious and xenophobic. They are approachable and even-tempered when dealing with each other, or with outsiders in their own lands, but their mood changes with the mere mention of intruders. Bakali adventurers experience a closer relationship with something extraordinary, and learn to recognize the wonders that lay beyond their own lands.

Physical Description: The bakali of Adlatum average between seven and eight feet in height, with green or brown scales covering their entire bodies. Males are typically larger than females, and have larger mouths and blunt snouts. The bakali rarely wear clothes and can walk on all fours just as easily as on two.

Relations: For the most part, the bakali stay to themselves. If non-bakali come into their territory, they are considered hostile by the bakali and more than likely attacked. There are rare cases of tribes allowing very small groups or individuals to come to their tribal homes, where they are met with much curiosity. The Sekhnesti are the one exception—all bakali hate the Sekhnesti for the years of fighting between the races. Bakali attack any Sekhnesti venturing into their lands without asking questions.

Alignment:
2nd-3.5 Edition: Most bakali are neutrally aligned, with a handful of tribes being chaotic or lawful neutral.

4th Edition: Almost all bakali are unaligned.

Bakali Lands: The bakali stick to their ancestral homes in the southwestern portion of the Vacant Lands, where they have lived in relative solitude for thousands of years. A large tribe of several thousand bakali dwells in No Man’s Land, where they live similarly to their brethren in the Vacant Lands.

Religion: Bakali follow Sirr’ushush (Sirrion) or Krik’k lettz (Chislev), and have a deep hatred of both Tazhek (Takhisis) and Hizhek (Hiddukel) for their constant manipulation. Tribal cities are usually full of shrines and temples dedicated to Sirr’ushush and Krik’k lettz.

Language: Bakali are taught two languages beginning early in life: their ancient Draconic tongue, and the Common trade-speech found amongst so-called “civilized” races (which they use to spy on those near their borders). Some bakali learn Elven to better interrogate the Sekhnesti they capture.

Names: There is no distinction between male and female bakali names. All names are at least two syllables in length, and originate from Draconic.

Example Names: Drazhchok, G’aromel, Kigock, Thel’ock, Mithzok, Baccaneesh, and Xele’ku.

Clan Names: Dray’nec, Gre-tal, and Kralleek.

Adventurers: Bakali are rarely adventurers since most of them choose to remain within tribal lands and protect the territories claimed by their clans from the Sekhnesti. Once in awhile, a bakali may undertake a religious quest which requires them to leave the comfort of their home.

Bakali Racial Stats

3.5 Edition

Bakali are identical to lizardfolk from the Monster Manual (except for the difference in languages noted below), and possess the following racial traits:

• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence.
• Medium size.
• A bakali’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• +4 racial bonus on Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.
• +5 natural armor bonus: Bakali have tough hides.
• Racial Hit Dice: A bakali begins with two humanoid levels which provide Hit Dice of 2d8, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +0. A bakali character receives maximum hit points for his first humanoid Hit Die and rolls all other Hit Dice (including those gained from class levels). Bakali with class levels add their base attack and saving throw bonuses to their bakali base attack and saving throw bonuses.
• Racial Skills: A bakali’s humanoid levels give skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Balance (Dex), Jump (Str), and Swim (Str). Bakali with class levels do not multiply their first-level class skill points by four.
• Racial Feats: A bakali’s humanoid levels provide it with one feat. They gain Shield Proficiency and Simple Weapon Proficiency as bonus feats. Bakali characters may take the Scent special quality as the feat listed in the Monster Manual.
• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4). As a full-round action, a bakali may make 2 claw attacks at his normal attack bonus and make one bite attack as a secondary attack (–5 penalty on the attack roll, and half Strength bonus on the damage roll). A bakali can also attack with a weapon at his normal attack bonus and make one claw or bite attack as a secondary attack (as described above).
• Hold Breath: A bakali can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to four times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Elven, Goblin, Gnoll, and Hudieran.
• Favored Class: Druid.
• Level Adjustment: +1.