Tinalíya

Tinalíya
The small Tinalíya are intensely curious, learned, materialistic, often generous, and disturbingly literal-minded—they cannot comprehend exaggerations, jokes, idioms and figures of speech, which sometimes results in misunderstandings. They are good fighters, and noted for their magical talents and skill with devices of the ancients. The Livyáni permit several legions of Tinalíya to serve under their own leaders as a defence against the Mu’ugalavyáni, whom the Tinalíya despise as being too officious and insistent upon their formal bureaucratic procedures.

When it comes to ideas and knowledge of modern natural sciences, only the Tinalíya would have or support any knowledge, everyone else would consider the ideas maddening, heresy, or ideas planted by the Pariah Gods.

Physical Attributes
The Tinalíya range from .56 to .75m in height (just 55cm to 75cm tall), have four short, outwardly-bowed lower legs, a spherical abdomen, two long arms ending in claw-like three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb, and sloping heads with huge eyes and vaguely humanoid features. They have odd nictitating (3:top, bottom, side) eyelids. The body is divided into small bulbous segments and is covered with a horny integument, usually tan, russet or deep brown in colour. There are three sexes: males (10 percent), females (5 percent), and neuters (85 percent); the latter sex, and a few females, are usually the ones who wander out into the world to explore, trade and satisfy their curiosity for a few years before returning to the intricate social life of their cities. They have a sweetish-acrid odor.

Enclaves
Communal underground cities in the southern foothills of the Tlashte Heights in Livyánu.

Stereotypes
Tinalíya are seen as humorless, and lacking in imagination, particularly when it comes to comprehending metaphor and idiom. Conversely, they are considered to be good at making and repairing machines.

The Reality: The stereotypes are quite accurate. Tinalíya take everything literally and at face value. Humor and poetry are quite alien to them. Tinalíya love to learn practical, sensible things, though, and are quick to grasp new concepts, so long as those concepts are logical and material. They can be courageous combatants, despite their size, preferring to outsmart opponents but willing to tough it out in a head-to-head brawl if necessary. There are several Tinalíya-only legions, used by the Livyáni to fight against the Mu’ugalavyáni.

Literal-Minded. Tinalíya have great difficulty understanding or communicating almost any non-literal concepts, however good they might 1231+otherwise be with language.

Clan and Lineage
Tinalíya never join human clans. They are already bound up in their own complex social structure.

Second-Class Citizen (Nonhuman): Tinalíya are nonhumans, so can never be full participants in Tsolyáni life. A Tinalíya’s relative status, reflected by its Lineage and Wealth, does not go far in human society.

Names: The first name denotes the gender of the Tinalíya (Chí is female, Tí is neuter, and Tâ is male). The second a descriptor (ákh, Ané, Chní, Ekká, Kát, K'kés, Mnéch, Né, Nmé, Pá', Pè'l, Sô, Sà), and the last a place name in Tinalíya (Ulé, Tûvé, Qó, ün, ésra iú, Hè, ó, K'kåch, Lü, Táng, Qó).

Religion
The Tinalíya are as practical regarding religion as in any other matters. They might join human religions, so long as they have had the relevant god's power satisfactorily demonstrated to them. They do have their own religious beliefs, revolving around a disinterested creator-god.

Languages: Tinalíya know the Tinalíya language and one human language (usually Tsolyáni). They have a strong accent, though this does not significantly interfere with communication.

D&D 5th Edition Rules for Tékumel
Source: EPT5e - Changadésha's Handbook

Tinaliya Traits

 * Ability Score Increase: +2 DEX; +2 INT; +2 WIS


 * Age. Tinalíya age similarly to humans. Adulthood by mid-teens, old age by mid-50’s, and live to about 80 years old.


 * Languages. Tinalíya know the Tinalíya language and one other language.


 * Size. You  are about 1’10” to 2’6” tall and weigh between 45 and 75 pounds. Your size is Small.


 * Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.


 * Small Size. Tinalíya are Small in size. They have advantage on stealth checks.


 * Hardy. Despite their rather fragile appearance and susceptibility to injury, Tinalíya are more resistant to disease, poison and many other hazards than their small size might suggest. They have advantage on saving throws dealing with poison or diseases.


 * Nimbleness. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.


 * Stability. You have four legs, and have advantage against checks and saves that would make you prone.

D&D 3rd Edition Rules for Tékumel
Source: http://tekumel.com/downloads/EPT3e.zip


 * Tinalíya


 * Tinalíya are small: adults usually stand about two feet in height. They follow the pattern of so many other interstellar species: four short, outward-bowed legs; a spherical abdomen, upon which the torso is centrally placed; two long arms ending in claw-like, three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb; and a back-sloping head with huge eyes; and vaguely humanoid features. The body is divided into small, bulbous segments and is covered all over with a brownish, russet, or tan horny integument. Their limbs thus resemble strings of brown beads. Tinalíya have three sexes: males (10%), females (5%), and neuters (85%).


 * • Names: The first name denotes the gender of the Tinalíya (Chí is female, Tí is neuter, and Tâ is male). The second a descriptor (Ákh, Ané, Chní, Ekká, Kát, K'kés, Mnéch, Né, Nmé, Pá', Pè'l, Sô, Sà), and the last a place name in Tinalíya (Ulé, Tûvé, Qó, Ün, Ésra iú, Hè, Ó, K'kåch, Lü, Táng, Qó).


 * • -4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom


 * • Very High Pedhtel: +4 bonus to any spellcasting attribute to determine maximum spell level castable, bonus spells, and spell DCs.


 * • A Tinalíya's base speed is 30 feet.


 * • Small-sized: Tinalíya gain a +1 size bonus to Defense, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks. They take a -4 penalty on grapple checks. Their lifiting and carrying capacity limits are three-quarters those of a Medium-sized character. Tinalíya must use two hands to wield a Medium-sized weapon, and light weapons for them are Tiny or smaller.


 * • Literal-Minded: Tinalíya cannot have ranks in Bluff or Sense Motive and take a -4 penalty to untrained use of those checks because they cannot comprehend humor, metaphors, or figurative speech.


 * • Stability: A Tinalíya's four legs grant it a +4 stability bonus on checks made to resist bull bush and trip attempts.

AD&D 2nd Edition Rules for Tékumel
Source: http://www.weirdrealm.swifthost.net/tekumel/dl/addept.pdf


 * Tinaliya: -2 Str, +1 Int, +1 Dex, -1 Cha*, base AC 11, 1/2 HD.


 * Races with an * after Charisma means this modification has no effect when the character is dealing with others of the same species.