General Rules: Monsters - Hmeerak

Hmeerak (Mercenaries)
Medium Humanoid (Orc)

Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 feet
Armor Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch AC 13, flat-footed AC 11
BAB/Grapple: +1/+1

Attack: Shortsword +4 melee (1d6, piercing, 19-20 x2) or shortbow +4 ranged (1d6, piercing, 20 x3, 60 feet x10)

Full Attack: Shortsword +4 melee (1d6, piercing, 19-20 x2) or shortbow +4 ranged (1d6, piercing, 20 x3, 60 feet x10)

Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Spell-like ability
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, self-camouflage
Saves: Fortitude +0, Reflex +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 11, Int 12, Wis 12, Dex 16, Con 11, Cha 10

Skills: Climb +2, Hide +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +5, Spot +2

Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land and underground

Organization: Gang (2 - 4) or squad (11 - 20 plus 2 3^rd level sergeants and 1 leader of 3^rd - 3^th level) or band (30 - 100 plus 1 3^rd level sergeant per 10 adults, 5 5^th level lieutenants, and 3 7^th level captains, plus 150% noncombatants)

Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Physically, hmeeraks resemble slimmer versions of their cousin orcs. What they may lack in brawn and strength, they make up in stealth, for hmeeraks possess an uncanny ability to conceal themselves. Not only are they good at hiding, they can also alter the pigment of their skin to blend in with their surroundings, rather like chameleons.

Hmeeraks inhabit just about every climate and terrain type, and wherever they occur other intelligent races regard them as inveterate troublemakers. They prefer robbin, stealing, and raiding to just about any other form of subsitence. Because of their ability to blend in with their surroundings, they feel no need to restrict their movements to night time. They discount the risk of being spotted during the day, knowing that they can blend in with their surroundings in a pinch.

Hmeeraks speak a dialect of Euroz.

Combat
Hmeeraks strike from ambush as a matter of course, using their ability to blend in with their surroundings to catch their foes unawares. When hiding, they keep their weapons hidden by their bodies. Their absolute confidence in their self-concealment skills can backfire on them when a keen-eyed opponent does manage to spot them. In such situations, a hmeerak may well panic or allow itself to be caught flat-footed.

Blend (Sp): Up to three times per day, a hmeerak may attempt to deceive its opponents in combat by using its ability to camouflage itself. For a period of time no exceeding 5 rounds, it may alter the colo of its skin, during which time it receives a +2 natural armor bonus to its Armor Class. It continues to receive this bonus even if the opponent shifts position to view it from a different angle. It does not receive this bonus against opponents who are flanking it.

Self-Camouflage (Ex): A hmeerak may attempt to blend in with its immediate surroundings by changing the color of its skin. This happens almost instantaneously, and the only requirement is that it must remain perfectly still and silent when using this ability. As long as it is using this ability, a hmeerak gains a +4 circumstance bonus to all Hide checks.

Hmeerak Society
Hmeeraks generally live in large tribal groups, but rarely occupy anything as obvious as a village or settlement. They have more than enough intelligence to build for themselves and lead settled lives, but their natural proclivities make them uncomfortable with the idea of living out in the open. They feel much more at ease living in caves, hidden in jungles or swamps, or under the canopy of heavy forest.

A few hmeeraks live discreetly in towns and cities, but disguise themselves as another species, usually half-orcs. Hmeeraks worship Ilistra, the goddess of cunning, who blesses rogues and assassins.

Hmeerak Characters
Hmeeraks are hated, generally with a passion. It is difficult to imagine that characters who have lived for any time in areas where hmeerak raids are a fact of life would have anything to do with one. For parties who can stomach them, a hmeerak in the mix could prove quite useful in situations that require stealth and concealment.

A hmeerak’s favored class is rogue.

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