[The sivs were intended to make an appearance in my prehistoric game, but over the course of play the PCs never ended up crossing paths with them. Although they are nominally a Forgotten Realms monster, they feel like an homage to Greyhawk. After all, Wastri the Hopping Prophet is the god of both amphibians and racism, and the sivs are religious, racist amphibians. My take on their god below is intended to be reminiscent of Wastri, but less comical.]
Siv This lean, frog-like humanoid has delicate fingers
and toes and clammy, green-gray skin. Its narrow eyes glint with malice.
Sivs are sullen,
xenophobic and cruel frog-people related to the grippli. It is believed that
they are the product of a voluntary exodus, when the grippli split in two in
dispute over whether to encourage mixing with other humanoid societies or to
remain isolated. The sivs moved to colder marshes than their grippli kin, and
developed stronger swimming abilities at the expense of their climbing skills.
Sivs prefer grassy marshland to forested swamps, and stand nearly twice the
height of their grippli ancestors, although they are still typically a head
shorter than humans.
Siv society is
typically monastic, devoted to the contemplation of their own solitude and
bitterness towards other races. They most commonly worship Brekkoax, the Skull
in the Reeds, but some splinter sects may serve other evil gods, infernal dukes
or asura ranas. Discipline is important to the sivs, both in society and at a
personal level, and asceticism is common in siv communities. Most sivs see
other races as fit only to be slaves or prey, and engage on raids to dryer
lands to pillage and plunder.
Sivs as Characters Sivs do not have
racial Hit Dice, and advance through class levels. A siv character has the
following racial traits: +2 Dex, +2 Wis,
-2 Cha Sivs are nimble and perceptive, but lack empathy Medium size A siv does not have any racial bonuses or
penalties due to size Swim speed A siv has a land speed of 30 feet and a
swim speed of 20 feet Weapon familiarity A siv is proficient in nets Water Walk (Su) A siv can walk on liquids, as the
spell water walk, as a supernatural
ability for 10 minutes per character level per day. The duration does not all
need to be used at once, but must be used in 10 minute increments. Resist cold 5
Brekkoax
The Skull in the Reeds, Frogfather, Saint Toad LE god of
drowning, grudges and racial superiority Domains Death, Destruction, Evil, Law, Water Subdomains Decay*,Hatred, Rivers, Tyranny, Undeath Worshippers sivs, racists, those seeking revenge Minions fiendish giant frogs, shambling mounds,
drowning devils Holy Symbol a frog’s skull facing downwards Favored Weapon kukri *clerics of Brekkoax
can take the Decay subdomain as a modification of the Water domain
Brekkoax appears
as a humanoid frog the size of a giant, with a skull for a head, wearing the
robes of a monk. His doctrine is that his worshippers are the only truly worthy
people, and that all others must serve them or die. He delights in fomenting
racial hatred, from simmering grudges to outright warfare, and in the past has
sponsored both sides of conflicts of extermination under different guises.
Clerics of Brekkoax see undead as the ultimate servants and frequently are
accompanied by them. It is believed by some scholars that Brekkoax has not
always been a batrachian entity and has only assumed this form in order to
exploit the worship of the sivs; sivs see this claim as the highest blasphemy,
punishable by torturous death.
Sivs are found in the marshes of Frunsim, in distant Vedzeva. Their raiding and slave taking have made them a menace for time immemorial, but since the Five-Scale Alliance took power, they have been largely contained.
Shores of Swords 