Beniya
Medium-sized Humanoid (Beniya)
Hit Dice	1d8 (4 hp’s)	
Initiative	+5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative feat)	
Speed	30 ft	
AC	12 (+1 Dex, +1 Padded)	
Attacks	By weapon +0 (melee) or +1 (ranged)	
Damage	By weapon	
Face/Reach	5 x 5ft/ 5ft	
Special Attacks	Leap	
Special Qualities	Skills, Cowardice	
Saves	Fort , Ref , Will 	
Abilities	Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10	
Skills	Jump +2, Escape Artist +2, Listen +4, Move Silently +5, 	
Feats	Improved Initiative	
Climate/Terrain	Temperate grasslands	
Organization	Clans numbering up to 100 or more members led by a Chieftan (4th level rogue).	
Challenge Rating	½	
Treasure	Standard	
Alignment	Usually Chaotic Good	
Advancement Range	By character class	

Beniyas are confusing creatures.  On one hand, they are “noble rogues” that would stake their lives to help others, but on the other hand, they are consumate cowards when confronting the supernatural.
	Beniyas stand between four and five and a half feet tall.  They look like humanoid rabbits.  Their bodies are covered in soft fur that is kept spotlessly clean and is light brown to white in color.  Their large ears are usually adorned with several earrings.  They have friendly faces that can put even hardened soldiers at ease.  They dress in simple, but well cared for clothing.  
	Beniyas speak their own language, but most also speak common and any other lagnuages spoken in the area of their homes.

Combat:
Beniyas go into combat only to defend their homes or to help others in need.  They use their innate sneakiness along with their ability to leap to their advantage to make lightning strikes.  Their favored weapon is commonly shortspears or shortswords, though leaders commonly have better weapons.  One famous beniya bandit wielded a finely crafted katana into battle.

Skills: +4 racial bonus to Listen and Move Silently checks.

Leap: Beniyas have powerful legs that allow them to leap great distances.  They can leap up to 15 ft up and 20 ft forward.  Leaping at a foe counts as a charge attack and therefore will take extra damage if a weapon is set for the charge.

Cowardice: Beniyas are a superstitious lot and have great fear of the unknown.  They suffer a –4 penalty to saves against fear effects.  Plus, if they face any undead or outsider, the beniya must pass a Will save (DC 10 +1 for every 2 CR points and +1 for every 2 monsters faced) or suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls and skill checks while in the presence of the creature(s).  However, if they roll a natural 1 on the save, the beniya will run away in the opposite direction as fast as they can, dropping their weapons along the way.  The effects of their fear fade once the monsters are defeated.

Society:
Beniyas live in clans that can number well over a hundred members.  They live in burrows in the ground, similar to those of hobbits.  Their homes are kept very clean and always ready to entertain.  Since a mother can bear up to eight young at one time, the burrows tend to be quite extensive.  
	Beniyas are lead by a Chieftan that is usually the most noble of the clan.  Due to being saved hundreds of years ago by a “gentleman rogue” elf, they have devoted their lives to helping others in need as a thank you to that kind elf.  The Chieftan cooridinates all attacks on any nefarious forces in the area.  While they don’t create open warfare with those forces, they do their best to be a thorn in forces’ sides.  Beniya bandit parties take great care in making sure they are well diguised so they don’t draw the wrath of evil directly upon their own clan.  Sometimes they make it seem as though a local bandit gang has perpetrated the attack, so the one attacked will take out their anger on the evil bandit gang; killing two birds with one stone.

Characters:
Beniyas prefer the class of rogue over all others, but one can easily find any class among them.  Beniyas revere the elven goddess Elhonna over all others.