Vanara
This lean, simian humanoid is covered in a layer of soft, lightly colored fur and has a long, prehensile tail.
Vanaras are intelligent, simian humanoids who live in deep forests and jungles. They are both agile and clever, but saddled with boundless curiosity and a love of pranks that, while normally harmless, hinder ingratiations with those they encounter. Their body is covered in a thin coat of soft fur, and individuals with chestnut, ivory, and even golden coats are common.
Despite its fur,thet can grow lengthy hair on its head just like a human, and both male and females take pains to wear elaborate hairstyles for important social functions. The hair on a their head matches the color of their fur. They all have long, prehensile tails and handlike feet capable of well-articulated movements. They stand slightly shorter than a typical human. Males weigh from 150 to 200 pounds at most, with females weighing slightly less. They live for 60 to 75 years.
Vanaras live in large, tree-top villages connected by rope-bridges and ladders. Homes are carved out of trees but usually left open to the elements except for woven leaf canopies and overhangs. Vanara villages are typically led by the community’s religious leader usually a cleric, oracle, or monk.
Simian, Vanara
Wearing short pants and a colorful turban, this monkey-like creature howls a warning, its tan fur bristling.
Medium humanoid (simian), neutral good
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 11 (+0) | 15 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +4, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Simian
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Special Traits
- Distract. As a bonus action, the vanara can use its tail to distract an opponent within 5 feet of it by pulling on an arm, tossing dirt in the target’s face, or some other method of interfering. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or have disadvantage on all attacks against the vanara until the vanara’s next turn.
- Quadrupedal Dash. As a bonus action, they can move up to 80 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. It can’t use this trait if it is wielding a weapon or holding an object weighing more than 10 lbs.
- Standing Leap. Their long jump is 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
- Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or drop its weapon in a space within 10 feet of the target.
- Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
- Howl (Recharge 5-6). They can release a sonorous howl in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 18 (4d8) thunder damage and is deafened for 1 minute. On a success, the creature takes half the damage and isn’t deafened.
Quick and agile, vanara’s long arms and prehensile tails are quite adept at many tasks. Their bodies are covered in fur, usually brown or black, but sometimes grey, white, or auburn. While they do bundle up in colder climates, most vanaras dress only in short pants or waist wraps and a colorful or plain white turban.
Efficient and Supportive. They are a contemplative race that dwells in forests or along coastlines. They live in tribes or clans, which are self-sufficient and have little need for trade with cities. They are quite helpful to outsiders that seek assistance, however, for they believe that good deeds towards others will be returned.
Sentinels of the Forest. Unlike their restless kapi cousins, vanaras are content with life in the forest and feel it is their duty to protect it. They communicate via rich, sonorous songs that can be heard for miles, warning those of ill intent not to tread in areas under their protection.
Deeply Spiritual. Many spend hours meditating on topics that face their tribes or lands, seeking guidance from higher powers. They regularly gather to sing in deep, booming harmony in their own form of prayer to such higher powers.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.
Vanara CR 1/2 |
XP 200 Vanara monk 1 LG Medium humanoid (vanara) Init +3; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +7 |
DEFENSE |
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +3 Wisdom) hp 9 (1d8+1) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5 |
OFFENSE |
Speed 30 ft., Climb 20 ft. Melee quarterstaff +1 (1d6+1) or flurry of blows +0/+0 (1d6+1) Special Attacks flurry of blows, stunning fist (1/day, DC 13) |
STATISTICS |
Strength 13, Dexterity 16, Constitution 10, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 17, Charisma 6 Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 18 Feats Combat ReflexesB, Dodge, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, stunning fistB Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +13, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +2 Acrobatics, +2 Stealth Languages Common, Sylvan, Vanaran SQ prehensile tail |
SPECIAL ABILITIES |
Prehensile Tail (Ex) All vanaras have long, flexible tails that they can use to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their tails, but the tails do allow them to retrieve small stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. |
ECOLOGY |
Environment any forests Organization solitary, pair, party, (3-6), or community (7-100) Treasure NPC gear (quarterstaff) |
In Myth
Vanara are a race of ape-like humanoids who were brave and inquisitive by nature. A tribe dwelling in the midst of forest. They were encountered by Sahadeva, a Pandava general who led a military campaign to south India.
The live primarily in the region of Kishkindha in southern India, in the midst of Dandaka Forest, where Lord Rama met them during his search for Sita. The Vanaras helped Rama in his search, and also in his battle against Ravana, Sita’s abductor.
Their characteristics are amusing, childish, mildly irritating, badgering, hyperactive, adventurous, bluntly honest, loyal, courageous, and kind. They are at least a foot shorter than an average human and their bodies are covered with light fur, generally brown in colour.
The greatest and most famous vanara is Lord Hanuman, a loyal devotee of Lord Rama, and incarnation of lord Shiva. Some of the other notable Vanaras were Hanuman’s mother Anjana, his foster father Kesari, Sugriva, Vali and Angada.
VANARA CHARACTERS
Vanaras are defined by their class levelsthey do not possess racial Hit Dice. All vanaras have the following racial traits.
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Vanaras are agile and insightful, but are also rather mischievous.
Climb Speed: Vanaras have a Climb speed of 20 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Vanaras can see twice as far as a human in conditions of dim light.
Nimble: Vanaras have a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Stealth checks.
Prehensile Tail (Ex): All vanaras have long, flexible tails that they can use to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their tails, but the tails do allow them to retrieve small stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.
Languages: A vanara begins play speaking both Common and Vanaran. Vanaras with high Intelligence scores can choose from among the following bonus languages: Aklo, Celestial, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Sylvan.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.