Physical Description
At first glance the caanid look like any other canine that walks on all fours occurring naturally in the wild or domestically. In fact, some caanid rely on this trick to infiltrate other civilizations and manipulate its people through magic or cleverly placed documents. This being the case, caanids can come in all sorts of shapes and colors with fur that is long and shaggy or short and fine. Colors run from a deep black to an almost alabaster color with the latter being considered some sort of albino and therefore less common than other colors. Most stand anywhere from two- to three-feet at the withers but are not as stockily built as some of their more naturally occurring cousins (such as the wolf or hyena). There are a few caanid brutes that grow to larger sizes than normal, but the more populous caanids believe these are mindless killing machines. Their eyes are most commonly blue, green, amber or sometimes black. Other colors have been discovered, but they are rarer and found in more feral caanids.
Caanids do not wear clothing as a rule, though when they are seeking not to blend into their surroundings as a more mundane canine, they do tend to splurge and show off massive necklaces or rings that are pierced through their skin. Most caanids who use magic items have to have them made specially for their body types, and it is usually more expensive. They have little use for armor - or what is essentially "barding" - as they are not looking to get into physical combat if they can help it.
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Society
Caanid society is a brutal and manipulative existence for all involved. These creatures behave like their ancestral canine kin by engaging of tests to see who is the fittest among them to lead. Though unlike their ancestors, caanids do not partake of brutal tests of savagery and strength, at least not physically. They do so with a mind so cunning and full of hubris that their social savagery can no longer compare to the brute force they used of old.
Most packs include 10-12 individual caanids and are usually heavily favored (need better word, brain fart right now) in one gender or the other. In a pack, the leader is called the 'alpha' no matter the gender of the caanid in question. Each alpha has at least one advisor dubbed the 'omega', and this advisor gives advice on pack politics. This is not to say the omega is a trusted advisor, and in fact many alphas will contradict their omega out of suspicion and mistrust. Pack politics center around food portions, breeding rights and territorial disputes, but not necessarily in that order. Extremely magical in nature, the caanid find that the more magic they control the more power they have and then the more power they want.
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Relations
While fairly secluded in their everyday lives, caanid are not an entirely reclusive society. Gaining more power and magic usually has something to do with gathering what is known as wealth, and wealth that other races can respect. While coins, jewels and precious metals mean little to them, they mean a great deal to the "twice-cursed", as the caanids call the humans. (more)
As a part of the Brethren during the Brethren Wars, caanids have a soft spot (if you can call it that) for their fellow Brethren. While this by no means buys the Brethren special treatment in most instances, caanids will usually side with them on any dispute and, were it to come to a choice of exclusively deceiving a human or a Brethren member, they easily choose the human out of some deep seeded displeasure with humans.
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Alignment and Religion
Caanids society of mistrust, deceit and manipulation breeds a very immoral culture. Though the rules they follow are strict, they tend to use them to their own advantage into oppressing the runts of society. They tend towards Lawful Evil but those that don't participate in the pack politics - either for lack of sufficient ability or are simply uninterested - can have any alignment they wish.
To the caanids, their own mind is what they worship. Narcissistic and confident, few caanids take up a religion in the typical sense. Many will thank Gaia or the Sky Father for their ascension to sentient beings but few will take up the mantle of servant willingly. Some have felt the calling so strongly that they had no choice but to submit. Still, religion does not play an over-large part in caanid society.
Adventurers
Caanids will adventure for power and wealth, and little else. Some are altruistic seeking to change the ways of their kin, but most seek for themselves what they desire or more of what they have.
Caanids are naturals at classes that use arcane magic, in particular any class that has inborn magical ability appeals to a caanid. Bards, sorcerers, summoners, witches and other classes like them are found in the ranks. Brutish caanids will take levels in barbarian, fighter, and even ranger should the mood to wander strike them.
-- tend to be neutral in one aspect or another of alignment
-- live in forests, hills, and plains
-- 6-10 individuals form packs; 10-20 packs a society; 50-100 square mile
-- Names: Males (usually a noun-verb or a noun-noun) - Riverwind, Leafwalker or Ancestral- Burn, Opul, Hutup, Geight; Female (usually a adjective-noun) Redbirch, Swiftfoot or Ancestral - Emmen, Figna, Yuelil
-- leave, banished; takes some traumatic event to separate from pack.
Racial Traits
19 RP
+4 Dex, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Caanid are small and agile but weak in comparison with most other non-Caanids. They know to avoid physical confrontation when possible and use their wits and charm to manipulate those around them into doing what they want them to do. (4 RP)
Small: Caanids are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. (0 RP)
Magical Beast: Caanids are the children of the Waking Waters and were granted their intelligence through the magic of Ersadia. Caanids count as humanoids with regards to spell effects that affect humanoids. They do need to eat, sleep and breathe. (3 RP)
Fast speed: Four legs and a need to move quickly grants the caanids a move at 40 foot speed. (0 RP; paid with Quadruped)
Mental Manipulator: Caanid have learned how to handle objects through their innate telekinetic abilities. They can use the mage hand spell at will. In addition, they can manipulate unattended objects weighing 5 lbs per level, but never in an offensive manner. (2 RP)
Darkvision: Caanids can see in the dark up to 60 feet. (0 RP; from magical beast type)
Low-light Vision: Caanids can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. (0 RP; magical beast)
Spell Resistance: Caanids gain spell resistance equal to 11 + their character level.(3 RP)
Bite Attack: Caanids have a bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage should someone get close enough for the caanid to strike. Generally, though, they avoid being in situations where they must use this form of attack. (1 RP)
Deceitful Manipulator: When a caanid successfully uses Diplomacy to win over an individual, that creature takes a –2 penalty on attempts to resist any of the caanid’s Charisma-based skills for the next 24 hours. (1 RP)
Silver-Tongued: Caanids gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks. In addition, when they use Diplomacy to shift a creature’s attitude, they can do so up to three steps up rather than just two (3 RP)
Scent: Caanids retain their natural sense of smell from their ancestral days running the wild and gain the scent ability (Bestiary pg 304). (4 RP)
Quadruped: Caanids walk on all four legs, granting them a +4 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts and a +10 foot bonus to their base speed. (2 RP)
No Hands: Caanids are unable to grab items with any appendage but their mouth. This prevents them from performing skills and using items that require an opposable thumb that must be held. They suffer a -4 penalty when they try to use an item that must be held to use. They are able to wear armor that is specially made for them, though it must be made as barding for animals with quadrupedal bodies. This means they have also had to learn to cast spells without material components and so gain the Eschew Materials feat for free at 1st level. (-2 RP)
Languages: Caanids begin play speaking Caanid and Common. Caanids with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Black Common, Aklo, Auran, Caedrom, Cincha, Daluuthian, Embwi, and Liath.
Rework
Caanid Magic: Caanid have learned to channel their natural magic affinity into stronger magics. When they cast spells or use spell-like abilities of the enchantment (compulsion) subschool the DCs of their spells increase by 1. Also, caanids that have a Charisma score of 10 or greater get the following spell-like abilities 1/day: light, magic fang, and mage hand. (2 RP)
Age, Height and Weight
See here for height and weight.
Notes
See Craft Fetish (Complete Arcane) feat for possible magic items created by caanids.
See Animal Soul (Advanced Class Guide) feat as a rework for a racial feat for caanids (essentially all Brethren?)