Noumel
The noumel are a reclusive species of goblinoid who make their home in the unexplored mountains in the northern regions of the Grand Scar.
Game Info
Noumel are quick of thought and careful of action. Their slow, deliberate movements veil incredible dexterity; noumel are sure of foot and steady of hand.
Noumel are a high-withered1) biped with short, heavy tails that they use to counterbalance as they walk. They have canine faces and long floppy ears which almost reach the ground in adults. In very elder noumel, the ears may reach or even drag along the ground as their length increases and the noumel's hunch deepens.
Noumel have a coat of short fur that covers most of their bodies. Their palms, the soles of their feet, the undersides of their tails, their ears, and parts of their faces remain absent of fur. They grow no beard, mustaches, or eyebrows but males do often grow shaggy sideburns. Their fur grows long and mane like from the top of their head, down their spine and tail. This fur is most often black and white in adults, in striped patterns. In very elder noumel the black of their fur becomes a rich reddish brown..
Age
Noumel reach maturity at age 25, and can reach ages of over 200. Elder noumel rarely die of natural causes, instead choosing to retire their bodies and release their souls to the dream when their body tires beyond usefulness.
Size
Noumel are medium.
An average noumel stands five feet two inches at the shoulder, and weighs 240lbs.
Speed
A noumel's walking speed is 15 feet.
Ability Score
A noumel has +2 constitution and +2 charisma.
Languages
- Common, heavily accented
- Auran
Slow and Sure
All noumel ignore difficult terrain and have advantage on checks against being knocked prone, tripped, shoved, or moved against their will.
Noumel adults fall into two categories:
Noumel Umbra
Noumel umbra have forsaken their bodies and retreated into their own minds. Their bodies operate well enough on autonomic function with limited direction.
These noumel have +2 on wisdom skills, advantage on wisdom saves, and spells they cast are especially potent. A noumel umbra's spell save DC is +1, and their spells deal 2 extra damage and/or 2 extra points of healing.
These noumel appear distant and laconic2), but are keenly aware. They save their words for when they are important.
Noumel Prasina
Noumel prasina are fully bonded with their bodies, using a portion of their wits to supplement their dexterity. They don't move quickly but with the precision of someone who is two moves ahead.
They get +2 on dexterity skills, advantage on dexterity saving throws, are proficient with all finesse weapons, have expertise with forgery kits and calligraphy sets, and when scoring a critical hit with a finesse weapon they automatically deal full damage.
These noumel appear sharp-eyed, attentive, and outgoing3).
Reputation
Noumel are little known throughout the world. They watch the outside world in scrying pools and speak of it with migratory birds but rarely leave their mountains.
Other soothsayers, mystics and oracles around the world are occasionally aware of noumel and throughout history a few records exist of correspondence between noumel and outsiders.
Noumel Culture
Noumel silently watch the outside world with curiosity and delight to discuss the developments they see and speculate about the future. They cherish meditation and believe their dreamed lives are just as real as their mortal ones.
They revere particularly interesting and virtuous outsiders and seek to honor them by dreaming about them, especially after their deaths. They create great illustrated accounts of the heroes of history and noumel children love to discuss and dream of things such as who could defeat whom, what would happen if two heroes of different times met and so on.
Their diets consist almost entirely of root vegetables. They enjoy exotic vegetables like seaweed, and some of the more adventurous travel the area harvesting whatever they can find to bring home for their communities.
There is limited trade between communities other than food for food. Noumel life is slow paced and most make time to maintain their own clothes, attend to their own and their families needs, and learn and teach various skills, so few become specialised tradespeople.
Religion in Noumel Society
The noumel are aware of the existence of gods through observation of their activities on Prasinos, but do not worship gods in any traditional way. They are beings of dreams and nightmares, descended directly from the Black Unicorn and they hold that the ultimate power is dream itself.
Notable Noumel
An ancient noumel named Ormu Lao is said to have met a human who spoke of other worlds. Together they left the mountain and journeyed around the world looking for someone who could help the human return to his home on Earth.
The tale of their travels and the people they met are chronicled in the noumel's first epic poem, the Prasinodo Ormu Lao. The Prasinodo Ormu Lao set a template for a type of epic poem called a prasinodo, roughly meaning “world tour”. The few noumel adventurers who have sought out on their own hope to inspire a prasinodo of their own.
Major events in Species History
Prehistory
5600s BNE
Ormu Lao begins his journey across Prasinos with Mohan'ul Kydonia.
5500s BNE
The Prasinodo Ormu Lao is written, based on Mohan'ul Kydonia's account of their travels. The prasinodo form of epic poetry takes much of its structure from this master work.
200BNE
0
Noumel were not directly affected by the events of Year Zero, although the hardship experienced across the world led to an unusual number of noumel going out into the world.
100NE
As of 100NE, noumel are broadly unknown, although more than a few live among the other peoples. The noumel diaspora tend to live near developing communities, operating in obscurity as a local witch, oracle or healer and avoiding any scrutiny that might lead anyone back to their home.