Known as “apefolk,” “vinemen,” or “bastards of the trees,” mandrilli are perhaps the most widely feared of the common races. Physically, they resemble large baboons who stand upright, though their eyes show a keen intelligence. They are tough, quick-witted, and fiercely territorial.

Personality: Though not all mandrilli live up to their reputation for cruelty, they are universally more aggressive that the other common races, and often express their opinions with harsh bluntness. However, they can also be viciously loyal to a group that has earned their trust.

Physical Description: Mandrilli stand 4-1/2 feet to a little over 5 feet tall, noticeably shorter than humans, and weigh from 120 to 200 pounds. Similar to humans, manrdilli males are generally taller and heavier than the females. Their skin color ranges from earthy grays to muddy browns, though most of it is covered by dark or golden brown fur. Mandrilli often decorate themselves with colored glass beads threaded onto their fur and bone or metal facial piercings.

Alignment: Though many think of them as evil, most mandrilli are simply neither good nor evil, and act out of simple indifference to others. That said, their society does foster a cruel competitiveness and aggression, so there are few truly good mandrilli.

Religion: Mandrilli tend not to be religious, believing themselves to be indomitable. They do have a strict militaristic philosophy known as the Path of the Nine Deaths, which guides much of their conduct. The Path originated as the code of conduct for war passed down from the Ghost Lords, but has transformed significantly over the centuries, become much less forgiving.

Language: Mandrilli speak a guttural language that is fairly simple in its vocabulary but relatively complex grammatically, involving different conjugations for different levels of emergency and excitement. Thus, it can be difficult for even educated linguists to understand an emotionally charged mandrilli conversation.

Names: Mandrilli prefer monosyllabic names out of tradition, the tradition being that it is bad to give a child a long name because in the heat of battle one must be able to identify an individual as quickly and economically as possible. Honorary titles commemorating victory in battle or tactical insight are particularly popular among mandrilli, and most who venture from their homes have earned one. Mandrilli use surnames much the same as humans.

Female Names: Drune, Kee, Krone, Nah, Sahn, Trin, Zeet.

Male Names: Frall, Grizz, Dren, Khan, Lohn, Mox, Zin.

Surnames: Aolen, Brahman, Daodun, Korslis, Ovidian, Sahdoa, Zaskiss.

Adventurers: Being a proud race, mandrilli rarely leave their homes unless they are forced out. However, since the mandrilli nobles, out of fear of usurpation, usually kill off those talented mandrilli born of common families, such individuals usually go into voluntary exile, following the path of the adventurer out of necessity.

• +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Mandrilli are strong and cunning, but mean or, at best, egocentric.
• Medium: Mandrilli are Medium creatures, and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Normal Speed: Mandrilli have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Climb Speed: Mandrilli have a climb speed of 20 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: Mandrilli can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
• Jungle Born: Mandrilli receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Survival skill checks.
• Blood Ferocity: A mandrilli remains conscious even if its hit point total is below 0 as long as it continues fighting. In any round that the mandrilli is below 0 hit points and does not make an attack roll before the end of its turn, it falls unconscious. The mandrilli is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. The mandrilli still dies when its hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to its Constitution score.
• Languages: Mandrilli begin play speaking Common and Mandrill. Mandrilli with high Intelligence scores can choose any of the following: Gnoll, Goblin, and Orc.