Volarians - a new race

These are fairly "Mutant Future"-ish, but I like 'em.  Have one in the current game.

Volarians (aka “Giant Prairie Dogs”)  

Prime requisite: str & dex (as halflings)

Attack table: same as dwarf,elf,halfling, fighter etc.

XP                Level  d6’s HD  Potion Level    

0                      1          1                1            

1200                2          2                1

2400                3          3                2

5,000               4          4                2

10,000             5          5                3

20,000             6          6                3

40,000             7          7                4

80.000             8          8                4

160,000+         9          9                5

Saving Throws          Death/  Petrify/

Level   Breath Poison Paralyze  Wand       Spell

1-2        13         8         10            9            12

3-4        10         6         8              7             10

5-6         7          4         6              5            8

7+          4          2         4              3             6

Volarians are a race of intelligent giant prairie dogs.  A fully-grown Volarian weighs 90-120 pounds; they are nearly human in size.  They live in underground warrens and are highly gregarious and sociable creatures.  Volarians speak common as well as their own language, and often seek to trade with humans or any friendly creatures.  Volarians generally do not have a very high level of technology or magic use.  They understand the concepts, but their communities tend to be pretty self-sufficient without these items.  Volarians do a lot of farming.  They grow tubers of various sorts, planting them directly into the ‘roof’ of shallow tunnels so that they sprout naturally.  Many Volarian communities have domesticated giant weasels and use them for defense.  

Of course some Volarians desire to see more of the world and meet other creatures.  These might become adventurers.  Stats are rolled normally.  As adventurers, Volarians have the following advantages and disadvantages:

Volarian paws are prehensile, they can stand on their hind legs and fight with weapons.  They can wear armor, but it has to be specially made--double cost for anything heavier than leather, which they can make themselves.

Volarians have 6” infravision, but their depth perception and ability to judge distances is terrible.  They suffer a -2 penalty with missiles.

Volarians can burrow in earth and clay at a rate of 5’ per round.  They have no particular abilities with stone, though.  If the spend a turn rather than a round per 5’ they pack the earth around them tightly enough to make a permanent tunnel 2’ in diameter.

Volarians can prepare potions from natural ingredients.  These tend to be made on a one-off basis for immediate use.  Once per day they can create a potion that duplicates a spell that affects a single person.  The process takes one hour of intense concentration.  These potions spoil after three days.  Volarians automatically know how to make the following:

Level one: cure light wounds, purify food/drink, strength

Level two: charm animal, invisibility, +2 on next three saving throws that day

Level three: neutralize poison, PFN Missiles, comprehend languages

Level four: polymorph self, stone tell, cure serious, tongues

Level five:  transmute rock to mud (only rock they touch, allows burrowing through stone for one hour), haste, water breathing

A Volarian can research other potions as a magic user researching a spell (DM determines level as with a new spell).