Among the most ancient races within the Dragon Empire are the mysterious tarn idoun. These beings of living crystal are the first creators of the ioun stones. Most have dedicated themselves to the studies of magic and technology and pursue knowledge in all its forms. The exact origins of the tarn idoun appear to be lost to history. The first recorded contact with the race tells of a dwarven mining expedition that found rows of strange crystal shapes within an asteroid they had sought to mine. Floating around these crystalline forms were smaller crystals of various colors. When the dwarves touched them, the crystalline forms sprang to life and identified themselves as the tarn idoun. Other races encountered similar communities throughout the galaxy, sometimes on a moon and other times buried deep within a planet. The tarn idoun seemed to have no memory of life before being awakened and had no knowledge of how they had come to be found dormant in the caverns. The tarn idoun adapted quickly to life among the sentient races. They employed their innate magical energies to allow their crystalline forms to interact with the technology and devices of the sentient races. The presence of the tarn idoun's arcane essence leads many to believe that the tarn idoun or their precursors are extraplanar in origin. Within a few hundred years, the tarn idoun were an integral part of the galactic community. Their ability to make ioun stones led many tarn idoun to engage in trade and commerce with other races. Tarn idoun made welcome additions to survey and exploration teams where their attention to detail resulted in comprehensive starcharts and voluminious data on various planetary and stellar phenomena. Many tarn idoun turned their attentions towards magic, creating new forms of magical protections and propulsion. The tarn idoun's natural talents for magic and the vast array of technology they encountered made the practice of technomancy a natural choice for many. To this day, the tarn idoun remain a prominent part of the interstellar community and several of the galaxy's greatest technomancers are drawn from this race. At some point within the past 10,000 years, the tarn idoun established a strong tie with the dragons, who had begun rising in prominence within the galaxy. Indeed, some claim that it was the tarn idoun who first suggested that the dragons form a unified front, although scholars and the tarn idoun, themselves, dispute such claims. Nevertheless, the tarn idoun contacts with the dragons resulted in an agreement called the "Dragon Pact." The exact terms of this agreement have been lost, or intentionally obscured by history. Yet, speculation abounds. Some believe the terms of the Dragon Pact hold the key to explaining the unusual behavior of the tarn idoun during the years that preceded the Dragon Wars. Just prior to the founding of Qesemet on Scion III, hundreds of thousands of tarn idoun, including those that allegedly forged the Dragon Pact, vanished, seemingly overnight in an event now known as the "Ioun Exodus." Whether they left for another area of space or were slaughtered in secret, no one, including the remaining tarn idoun know. What is known is that dragons and their kin still afford considerable latitude to the tarn idoun. When the Dragon War broke out, the tarn idoun were one of the few races to remain truly neutral in the conflict. However, many of their crystalline cities and monuments, largely abandoned, were destroyed in the ensuing conflict. Personality: Tarn idoun are inquisitive and methodical beings. Their work, whether researching spells or crafting firearms, is detailed and precise. To a tarn idoun magic and technology are relatively interchangable - one merely a different form of the other. They are often controlled and guarded in social situations. Generally passive, tarn idoun are slow to anger. An irate member of the species is a rare and horrifying sight. Fortunately, tarn idoun display little passion for things outside of their chosen field of study except for challenging puzzles or riddles. They are gender neutral and reproduce asecually, a trait that most sentient races find unusual. Tarn idoun seem to have little comprehension of the concept of humor, at least as other races consider it. Often a tarn idoun will engage in behavior that other races find amusing, though the tarn idoun is often oblivious to its comedic value. However, there have been some instances in which a tarn idoun appears to be displaying a sense of humor - albeit a peculiar one. Companionship does not come easily to tarn idoun. However, once forged, the bonds of friendship are strong between a tarn idoun and its comrade. Only a tarn idoun's most trusted allies are freely given an ioun stone. Such a gift is a symbol of deep trust between the tarn idoun and its companions. A companion of a tarn idoun that displays his ioun stone is welcomed in nearly every tarn idoun community as the ioun stone is a symbol to the tarn idoun that the companion is worthy of respect. The ioun stones are vessels of life force for a tarn idoun. They are objects to be cherished and revered. Even ioun stones obtained from other sources are closely guarded by a tarn idoun. Physical Description: The bodies ot the tarn idoun are composed of living crystal. They are vaguely humanoid in shape, but lack any dicernible facial features. Most beings have difficulty distinguishing one tarn idoun from another. Their height varies from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet tall. Tarn idoun possess innate arcane energies that their bodies' formidable crystal shell manages to contain and exploit. The limbs of the tarn idoun remain separate from its torso eerily floating some distance away from the rest of the body. This distance can vary from less than a foot to nearly eight feet. Denied access to these energies, such as when subjected to an anti-magic field, the limbs reattach to the main torso greatly limiting their reach. Nearly every tarn idoun possesses an ioun stone that constantly circles within a few feet of the tarn idoun's head. A tarn idoun without an ioun stone is typically either a very young specimen, or it has recently given its stone away to a companion and is regrowing another. Relations: Tarn idoun get along quite well with dwarves, given each race's interests in all things mechanical, although the dwarves at times resent the tarn idoun's employment of magical solutions. Conversely, they also get along quite well with elves, though the elves often resent the tarn idoun's use of technology. It is no surprise then that tarn idoun get along best with soulmechs and gnomes. Gnomes, in particular, love the presence of tarn idoun as they make excellent marts for practical jokes - at least until the gnome gets tired of the tarn idoun's inability to "get it." The tarn idoun admire the ability of humans and, to a lesser extent, the orcs to adapt to new situations. Both humans and orcs, however, find the extremely alien tarn idoun somewhat discomforting. This does not prevent power-hungry orcs from attempting to steal a tarn idoun's ioun stone. Half-orcs, halflings, and half-elves all enjoy the company of tarn idoun as prejudice seems to be a foreign concept to the crystalline beings. Dragons and their kin treat tarn idoun with great respect and demand the same of their drow servitors. Tarn Idoun Lands: Tarn idoun are found on nearly every major planet in the Dragon Empire. They generally prefer isolated locations far from major population centers. A few dwell within colossal crystalline towers placed amidst the Empire's great metropolises, where they live in relative seclusion. Religon: Tarn idoun worship is rarely limited to a single god, though most find that they gravitate their prayers toward the Father and the Magus. Dualism, though tolerated, is practically unheard of among the tarn idoun. Tarn Idou Racial Traits * +2 Dexterity, +2 Inteligence, -2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom: The floating limbs of the tarn idoun give them great flexibility. These energies may be suppressed as described below. Although tarn idoun are naturally intelligent, their alien outlook and mysterious quirks make interaction with them difficult and tends to lead them into trouble. * Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, tarn idoun have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. * Speed (Su): Tarn idoun base speed is 30 feet. Although the limited crystal form of a tarn idoun would normally inhibit its movement, the arcane energies within it allow it to move as other creatures its size. These energies may be suppressed as described below. * Outsider Traits: Tarn idoun are descended from nonelemental creatures of extraplanar origin. They have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. * Extended Reach (Su): Tarn idoun have a reach of 10 feet. By employing the arcane enegies within their crystalline shells, tarn idoun can extend their limbs to allow them to reach further than other creatures their size. These energies may be suppressed as described below. * Damage Reduction: A tarn idoun has damage reduction 2/-. A tarn idoun's skin is resistant to injuries. * Dragon Pact: Tarn idoun receive a +4 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks involving dragons and half-dragons. This is a result of a pact that prominent tarn idoun made with the dragons just before the Dragon War. * Ioun Stone Creation (Su): A tarn idoun can create charged ioun stones (see DMG, Chapter 8, Wondrous Items) from burned out dull gray ioun stones, which it can grow on its back. All tarn idoun starting characters begin with one dull gray ioun stone. If the tarn idoun wishes to create additional dull gray ioun stones, it may do so at the rate of one per month, snapping off the stones when they are finished forming. This does not cost the tarn idoun anything. Once the tarn idoun has a dull gray ioun stone in hand, it can charge the stone, turning it into any other type of ioun stone through the following process: First, the tarn idoun decides what sort of ioun stone it wants to create and then it begins to charge the stone. To charge a dull gray ioun stone, the tarn idoun simply sets it in orbit around its head for a number of days equal to the stone's market value divided by 1,000 gp. The tarn idoun's character level must equal or exceed the stone's market price divided by 1,000 gp and it must expend XP equal to 1/25 of the ioun stone's market value. Thus, an 8th-level tarn idoun can create any ioun stone with a market price of 8,000 gp or less. A 12th-level tarn idoun is no longer restricted to the type of ioun stones it can create. Regardless of the number of character levels the tarn idoun has when it creates an ioun stone, the ioun stone's caster level is always 12th. A tarn idoun does not need to meet any of the prerequisites for an ioun stone to create another one in this matter. * Sonic Vulnerability: A tarn idoun takes double damage from sonic attacks unless a save is allowed for half damage. A successful save halves the damage, and a failure doubles it. * Arcane Essence (Ex): Tarn idoun rely upon ancient arcane magic and innate energies to hold their crystalline form together. They posess a magical aura that can be sensed through detection spells, such as detect magic. The strength of a tarn idoun's magical aura depends upon its total number of character levels. A tarn idoun's total character levels are treated as the tarn idoun's "item caster level" when detected through magic (see PHB, Chapter 11, Aura Strength). Thus, a 7th-level tarn idoun emits an aura of moderate strength. A tarn idoun's magical aura registers as being one of the Transmutation school. If a tarn idoun's arcane essence is disrupted, then the tarn idoun loses its ability to competently interact with its surroundings. A tarn idoun that is subject to an anti-magic field suffers a -6 penalty to its Dexterity, its speed reduced to 20 ft, and its reach diminishes to 5 feet. These penalties cease once the tarn idoun leaves the anti-magic field. Likewise, if a tarn idoun is the target of a successful dispel magic spell, it suffers the same penalties. FOr purposes of dispel checks, the tarn idoun's caster level is equal to its character level. A tarn idoun subject to the spell disjunction must make a Will save or be permanently subject to the penalties outlined above. The permanent loss of these abilities cannot be restored through restorative magic, such as lesser restoration, but can be restored through the use of a wish or miracle spell. * Automatic Languages: Terra. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, and Ignan. * Favored Class: Mechanist and Wizard. A multiclass tarn idoun's mechanist class or wizard class does not count when determining whether or not there is an XP penalty for multiclassing (see PHB, Chapter 3, Experience for Multiclass Characters). Tarn idoun's are equally adept with both technology and magic. * Level Equivalent: +1 Tarn Idoun Racial Feats Suppression Resistance [General] You are resistant to anti-magics that could otherwise temporarily or permanently cripple you. Prerequisite: Tarn idoun only. Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus to all saves against having your magical essence suppressed or dispelled. Special: You may take this feat multiple times, gaining an additional +4 bonus each time you take it. New Ioun Stone Types Color Shape Effect Market Price Deep Green Prism Damage reduction 1/+1* 1,000 gp Deep Yellow Spindle. Damage reduction 2/+2** 2,000 gp Pulsing Blue Ellipsoid Creature may cast detect magic at will. 3,000 gp Sparkling Green Sphere Damage reduction 3/+3*** 4,000 gp Cracked Ellipsoid +1 competence bonus to checks 5,000 gp Incandescent Green Sphere +1 competence bonus to Fort saves 6,000 gp Incandescent Red Rhomboid +1 competence bonus to Ref saves 6,000 gp Incandescent White Prism +1 competence bonus to Will saves 6,000 gp Pulsing Black Spindle +1 competence bonus to attack rolls 7,000 gp Sparkling Blue Spindle Damage reduction 4/+4**** 8,000 gp Vibrant Yellow Prism +1 competence bonus to damage rolls 9,000 gp Pitch Black Ellipsoid Prevents level drain***** 10,000 gp Pulsing Red Sphere Prevents Death****** 11,000 gp Sparking Green Rhomboid Damage reduction 5/+5******* 16,000 gp * After abosrbing 10 hp of damage, the stone burns out and turns dull gray. Does not stack with other damage reduction. ** After abosrbing 20 hp of damage, the stone burns out and turns dull gray. Does not stack with other damage reduction. *** After abosrbing 30 hp of damage, the stone burns out and turns dull gray. Does not stack with other damage reduction. **** After abosrbing 40 hp of damage, the stone burns out and turns dull gray. Does not stack with other damage reduction. ***** After preventing 3 levels of level drain, the stone burns out and turns gray. ****** When creature is reduced to -10 or fewer hps, the stone restores the creature to 0 hp and stabalizes it, then burns out and turns to dull gray. ******* After abosrbing 50 hp of damage, the stone burns out and turns dull gray. Does not stack with other damage reduction.