Ivory tusks, insect chitin, matted fur, scaly flesh, and more combine to form a hideous humanoid shape.
Despite their monstrous appearances, mongrelmen are generally hardworking and peaceful creatures. A mongrelman can produce offspring with any humanoid, mixing bloodlines in strange ways to create hardier crossbreeds. No two mongrelmen look the same. One may have a face that is half hobgoblin, half lizardfolk, with one human-like foot and one cloven hoof, while his sister may have elven ears, a dwarven beard, orc tusks, and clawed hands. Each mongrelman usually has characteristics from at least a half-dozen different races. This strange mixture enforces mongrelmen's place in the edges of the world, for they are shunned by all who fear their twisted appearance. Mistaken as enemies by all, mongrelmen prefer to be left alone. Most mongrelmen live below the surface of the world in hidden caves far from civilization. These creatures pride themselves on their survival skills, for the bowels of the earth are no place for weaklings. Other foul and intelligent races who claim dominion in the underworld take mongrelmen as slaves (particularly morlocks), finding this deformed race's docile nature and hardworking attitude makes them extremely useful as tools of labor. In this role, mongrelmen still fall back on their pride of survival, slow to rebel and patiently waiting for the overthrow of their masters. Mongrelmen dwelling on the surface sometimes live amid the hustle and bustle of cities, sequestering themselves in ghettos and sewers to avoid notice. Urban mongrelmen may rely on begging and pickpocketing to get by, but most form rural communities near trading routes. Despite their varied physical forms, most mongrelmen average 5-6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 250 pounds on average. A tragically short lifespan limits the creatures' population growth-mongrelmen rarely live past 35 years.
Though not inherently evil, mongrelmen are shunned from society because of their appearance. They make their homes far from civilization, and those few encountered in settled areas are usually slaves or servants of the local humanoid races. Mongrelmen that must travel among other races take precautions so as not to reveal their true identities, using cloaks, capes, and the like to hide their forms. Mongrelman society is a collection of close-knit tribes, each with its own leader. Mongrelmen never fight against other mongrelmen, preferring to live peaceably with others of their kind, for all mongrelmen know they are shunned by outsiders and must stick together if their race is to survive. Mongrelmen stand about 6 feet tall. The average lifespan of a mongrelman is 35 years. Mongrelmen speak their own guttural language. Mongrelmen shun combat if possible, only entering melee if ordered to do so by their superiors. In combat, mongrelmen fight with clubs or longswords. Some carry blowguns and needles or darts (the blowgun needles and darts are usually coated with bloodroot poison). Mongrelmen as Characters Mongrelmen possess racial Hit Dice and may have class levels. Mongrelmen have the following racial traits. +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma: Mongrelmen are physically gifted, but odd to behold Darkvision: Mongrelmen can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Racial Hit Dice: Mongrelmen begin play with 2 levels of monstrous humanoid, which provides 2d10 HD, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saves of Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3. Racial Skills: A mongrelman's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 2 x (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1).Mongrelmen receive the following racial modifiers: +8 Disguise, +4 Sleight of Hand, +4 Stealth. Racial Feats: A mongrelman's monstrous humanoid level gives it one feat. Thick Skinned: Mongrelmen receive a +4 natural armor bonus. Natural Weapons: Slam (1d4). Languages: Mongrelman begin play speaking their own guttural language (Mongrelman). Mongrelmen of high intelligence can choose any of the following bonus languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc. Player Characters: Mongrelman PCs may designate their own parts, choosing up to three beneficial monstrous parts. The player may select up to two additional beneficial parts if they chose an equal number of detrimental parts. An ogre or minotaur arm counts as two beneficial parts.