The Quintessential Barbarian
The Quintessential Barbarian cover
| Author | Robert Schwalb |
| Series | Quintessential Series |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 1-903980-92-5 |
| OGL Section 15 | qbbn |
The material below is considered Open Game Content
Hills
Hills are areas defined as any elevated land higher than sea level, but not as high as mountains. If dense woods carpet the terrain, they are forests of a higher elevation and not construed as a separate region in themselves. Instead, hills are more like rolling highlands, dotted with the occasional stand of trees, or unusual rock formation, perhaps with a random water source spilling from a cleft in the earth. While perfect for the pasture of sheep, goats and other nimble-footed quadrupeds, it is not suitable for travel. Those who dwell in such areas attempt meagre farming, but mostly look toward grazing and shepherding as their primary sources of food and survival.
Adventuring: Hills, by dint of their isolation, are not regions suitable to sustain large populations aside from the occasional miner or excavation company. Considering the geographical difficulties, these locales are usually cut off from the rest of the world and tend to produce a backward and less educated community. The focus is never on culture as survival is by far the more important commodity. Hence, barbarians who depart from these regions do so because they have captured a glimpse of something else, something beyond themselves and the lives they live. In some cases, mining outfits despoil the entire region, making it unsuitable for grazing and planting. In other instances, creatures from the underground find egress into the world of sun and stars and find these people easy pickings for their meals. Barbarians who leave these lands rarely do so by their own devices; they do so because
something intruded.
Roleplaying: Drawn to excitement, as a moth to flame, these characters are eager companions, always willing to prove they have what it takes to be a value to their allies. On the other hand, hill barbarians are simple folk, quiet and unassuming. They fear great intelligence and usually react with some sort of hostility. They respect divine magic, but not from those overly-dressed in finery. They understand conflict and battle and will always lend a hand to protect those they value.
Benefit Menu: Depending on the technology level of their native community, characters from Hill regions may choose up to three of the following benefits: +2 racial bonus to Climb checks, +2 competence bonus to Handle Animal checks, Nature Lore in Hill terrain, Track feat as a bonus feat, or Weapon Focus (sling) as a bonus feat.
