Exhausted by their ordeals, it was days further before sense could be made of their ramblings, as their wits had been addled, and all traces of their former humanity purged by the draconic essence that now flowed within them. Their accomplishments came to the attention of the rulers of those lands, and they found themselves vivisected to learn the secrets of their transformation, making the taste of their success turn bitter indeed…
Soon new 'volunteers' were exposed to these rites, a mixture of humans, dwarves, Halflings, goblins and orcs, captured are bound for the rituals. More fertilized eggs were purchased at great expense from Eurythnia, whose own ruler began to spy upon these researches as well, well aware that the gluttons were not merely importing this steady stream of eggs for some decadent repast.
At the same time, hunting expeditions to the Crown of the World brought back the eggs of white dragons as well, to verify that the rites could be performed with dragons of other types, and soon several dozen of these Scaleborn existed, some kept as freaks, others actual scholars who chose this transformation (and were clever enough, powerful enough, or connected enough, to not become research subjects themselves when the transformation was complete).
The transformation infused draconic power into the various subjects, but not always in the same way. What was invariable, was how it purged away their previous racial traits and filled their minds with strange longings, tearing away memories of their childhood, and implacably purging them of everything that made them human, dwarf, halfling or orc. The only traits that seemed to remain was that halflings and goblins who survived the process retained their smaller than human stature, and most subjects still remembered their ancestral language. Races renowned for strength, such as orcs, did not necessarily remain strong (but often did), while races known for their constitution or grace, such as dwarves or halflings were as likely to adopt some other draconic trait, as retain their original physical advantages.
Indeed, like humans or those men who have the blood of elves weak in their veins, these Scaleborn could seem to have become empowered in any area, whether channeling a dragon's great strength, or its great stamina, or its great cunning, or its keen senses, or its inherent presence. Somewhat surprisingly, to the researchers who had never considered dragons particularly graceful, no matter their occasionally amazing displays of aerial acrobatics, some transformed individuals even turned the draconic heritage into serpent-like feats of agility and initiative.
Depending on the ability enhanced by the dragon's gift, other traits would follow. Those whose strength was enhanced also developed dagger like claws and fangs. If one's dexterity was quickened, fin-like structures would appear on back and limbs, allowing for grace in leaping, falling or swimming. For those whose constitution was heartened, their scales grew thicker than others, and provided protection similar to the hide of a kobold. The dragon's intelligence came with an innate understanding of draconic, and an advanced knowledge of the arts arcane and the ways of spellcraft, while one who sought the wyrm's wisdom would find herself able to see in the dark, as well as enjoying a general heightening of all senses, and the sophisticate who wished to tap the dragon's majestic charisma would also develop a 'crown' of spines on head and shoulders that would rise up as warning, giving some hint as to how the dragon's gift had also enhanced their intimidating presence.
These Scaleborn enjoyed a brief period of popularity visiting the courts of Thassilon, with it being 'fashionable' to have a Scaleborn courtier, particularly in Eurythnia (where they were touted as exotic lovers), Cyrusian (whose prideful sophisticates would not be caught behind fashion) and Edasseril (mainly because they were popular in Cyrusian), but fell as quickly out of favor, and in less than a century, they were ordered destroyed for some treachery that may well have been entirely fabricated. By that time, nearly two hundred were in existence, mostly of black ancestry, but a few white as well (no blue, green or red Scaleborn, or metallics of any type, were ever known to be created), and many dozens found themselves abandoned as distractions by their own peers, who threw them at the authorities to cover their own escapes from Thassilonian justice.
Much time has passed, and Scaleborn are a distant memory, forgotten to all but the most learned. Some are said to still survive, traveling hooded, and it is unknown if the rites to create more of their kind survived with those who fled, or if any who yet survive are somehow still alive, perhaps rendered ageless by the same foul process that destroyed their humanity and caused them to look upon the world through cold, reptilian eyes. One race remembers, however, and the true dragons spare no effort to eradicate a Scaleborn on sight, finding their existence an abomination. Exceptions exist, as always, and depend on the dragon in question, the situation in which the 'abomination' is encountered, and the coloration of the Scaleborn. A powerful red might simply find it amusing that some pathetic walker has managed to poach a tiny shred of draconic majesty by supping on the egg-meat of a lowly white dragon, but is more likely to find even that assault on its lowest and least-loved of cousins too much of an insult to bear and incinerate the offender.
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Scaleborn Racial Traits
+2 to One Ability Score: Scaleborn are varied, and can seek enhancement
in any area from the dragon's blood.
Medium or Small: Scaleborn retain the size of their starting species, whether
Medium or Small. Larger Scaleborn (made from ogres) were known to exist, but
none are known to have survived.
Normal Speed or Slow Speed: Medium sized Scaleborn have a base speed
of 30 ft. Small Scaleborn have a base speed of 20 ft.
Low-light Vision: Scaleborn see twice as far as humans in conditions
of low light.
Scaleborn Resistances: Scaleborn receive a +2 to saving throws versus
effects that cause sleep or paralysis, and to effects based on the energy type
of their draconic 'beneficiary,' (i.e. Acid if black or green, Cold if white,
Electricity if blue and Fire if red).
Chromatic Ancestry: Scaleborn also gain a special trait based on their
ancestor;
Black: Black Scaleborn gain the Hold Breath special quality (PF Bestiary
p. 51).
Blue: Blue Scaleborn gain the Sound Imitation special quality (PF Bestiary
p. 94).
Green: Green Scaleborn also gain the Hold Breath special quality (PF
Bestiary p. 51).
Red: Red Scaleborn gain +4 to Fortitude checks to resist the effects
of environmental heat and gain the Smoke Vision special quality (PF Bestiary
p. 98).
White: White Scaleborn gain +4 to Fortitude checks to resist the effects
of environmental cold, and suffer no movement penalties (or penalties to Acrobatics
checks) to move across surfaces of ice and snow.
Dragon-Blooded: Scaleborn count as humanoids with the dragon subtype.
Draconic Gift: Scaleborn have an additional gift, based on the attribute
that the dragon's blood has enhanced;
Strength: Scaleborn with enhanced Strength develop razor-sharp claws
and dagger-like fangs. Claw attacks are treated as primary attacks and inflict
1d4 slashing damage (1d3 for Small Scaleborn) and Bite attacks are considered
secondary attacks that inflict 1d4 piercing damage (1d3 for Small Scaleborn).
A claw or bite attack used in combination with a melee weapon is always a secondary
weapon, and is treated as a light weapon. Strength-enhanced Scaleborn always
treat Climb as a class skill.
Dexterity: Scaleborn with enhanced Dexterity develop fin-like structures,
almost like small wings, on their backs, and extending from the backs and sides
of their legs and arms. The structures allow them to treat any jump as if they
had a running start, to take the run action while swimming in a straight line
and to ignore the first 10 ft. of distance when calculating falling damage as
long as they are no more than lightly encumbered. They also receive a +4 racial
bonus to Swim checks and to any Acrobatics check made to mitigate damage from
fall or to determine jumping distance, and these Scaleborn always treat Swim
as a class skill. A Dexterity-enhanced Scaleborn of 5 HD gains a Swim speed
equal to half of its racial ground speed (15 for a Medium Scaleborn, 10 for
a Small Scaleborn), and their racial bonus to Swim checks is increased to +8.
A creature with a Swim speed can take 10 on a swim check even in dangerous conditions,
and can take the run action while swimming in a straight line.
Constitution: Scaleborn who focus on Constitution develop thicker scales,
giving them a +1 natural armor bonus and Energy Resistance 5 vs. the Energy
type of their draconic 'matron.'
Intelligence: Those who seek the lore of dragonkind gain Draconic as a bonus
language, and gain a +2 racial bonus to Appraise, Knowledge (arcana), Linguistics
and Spellcraft checks. Regardless of their vocation, those skills are always
considered class skills.
Wisdom: Those who master the will of the wyrm find that their senses
grow strong, gifting them with 60 ft. darkvision and a +2 racial bonus to all
Perception checks. Perception is always a class skill for these Scaleborn.
Charisma: The Scaleborn who taps into the primal majesty of dragonkind
develops a frilled 'crown' of spines and keratin growths on head and shoulders,
and gains a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks. If you attempt to use Intimidate
to demoralize a foe, the shaken condition lasts 1d4 rounds, plus an extra round
for every 5 pts by which you made the Intimidate check, and you can attempt
to demoralize a foe that is in melee combat with you (that you are attacking
in the same round) as a move-equivalent action. Intimidate is always a class
skill for these Scaleborn.
Languages: Scaleborn begin play speaking Common. Bonus languages can
be any language that is not a secret language (such as Druidic). Some Scaleborn
do not even remember how to speak their original racial tongue.
Note: With the exception of Size (which determines Speed), no other racial
traits remain, not physical traits such as a dwarf's Slow and Steady or Stability
traits or an elf's Elven Blood, nor learned traits such as halfling Weapon Familiarity,
dwarven Greed or gnomish Hatred.
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New Feat
Draconic Evolution
You continue to develop your Scaleborn traits.
Benefits: For every time you take this feat, you can add one more Draconic Gift. A Draconic Gift cannot be taken that you already have, and must apply to an attribute that you have chosen to enhance through the acquisition of levels or HD. If you take this feat and have not enhanced an ability score that would allow you a new Draconic Gift, the feat has no effect until you acquire a new ability score increase in a relevant score.
Prerequisites: Scaleborn
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time it must apply
to a different Draconic Gift.
Example: Piet, a white Scaleborn, chose Charisma as his Scaleborn ability
increase. At 4th level, he increases his Strength score by 1, and at that point
becomes eligible to gain the Draconic Gift associated with Strength (claws and
a bite attack) by taking this feat. If he had already taken this feat, at 2nd
level, for instance, he would immediately gain these enhancements. If he took
the feat at 5th level, he would then immediately gain the claw and bite attacks.
If he waits until 9th level to take the Draconic Evolution feat, and increased
his Intelligence at 8th level, he would be able to choose which Draconic Gift
he wanted, that for Strength or Intelligence.
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I designed the Scaleborn to be not merely a 'Pathfinder Spellscale,' 'Pathfinder Dragonborn,' or even an Arcana Unearthed Mojh-reflavored-for-Golarion, but a setting-connected concept tied into the Runelord of Gluttony and the Black Dragon slaves of Thassilon. As such, the 'Blood-Quickening Meditations' had to go, and yet the concept of a 'race' that was created from other races (and yet stripped away their racial qualities, as did the Spellscale, Dragonborn and Mojh), and yet also had some versatility to it (being able to gain different Draconic Gifts, depending on the route you choose, or, eventually, all of them, if you want to burn five Feats).
Who knows, maybe there is a very good reason to set five Feats on fire gaining
all six Draconic Gifts, because of some amazing reward that waits at the end
of all that Draconic Evolution...