Saturday, April 25, 2015

Dwarves of the Broken World

Dwarves lived for centuries behind their insurmountable walls of stone and magic. However, during the breaking, the Hungering ripped through their populace, turning many of them into slavering undead creatures, forcing them into a wide diaspora as they fled their homelands.

Now, Dwarves have integrated into all other societies as traders, merchants and craftsmen. Dwarven culture is torn between those that have settled into their new enclaves (Dokari), those that wander and trade (Vetakis), and those that try to fully integrate into their new societies (Imbrukar).

The Dokari consider themselves "True Dwarves" and attempt to keep old traditions of isolation, family loyalty and clan culture. Though they deal with outsiders, they resist integrating fully into their new cultures, trying to keep their culture alive.

The Vetakis are the wandering traders, and their caravan trains are renowned for security and reliability. Each caravan train is almost a clan unto itself, and each has their own unique traditions and quirks.

"Imbrukar" began as a pejorative slur for those dwarves who abandoned the old ways. Now many such dwarves use the term with pride.

The three subcultures intermarry often, and are not fixed absolutely.

  • Ability Score Racial Traits: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit reserved. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma.
  • Size: Dwarves are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Type: Dwarves are humanoids with the dwarf subtype.
  • Base Speed: (Slow and Steady) Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
  • Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven.
  • Defensive Training: Dwarves gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the undead type.
  • Hardy: Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, psionics, and psi-like abilities.
  • Stability: Dwarves gain a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
  • Lorekeeper: Dwarves keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies. They can make such skill checks untrained.
  • Mercantile: Dwarves gain +2 bonus to appraise checks and diplomacy checks during any negotiations involving the exchange of goods or services.
  • Sense Undead: Dwarves can sense undead up to 60 feet with a successful perception check The DC is equal to 10+ creature CR+ Creature Cha bonus. A successful check denotes the presence of undead, but not specific location. This is an immediate action check, with no activation required. A psionic dwarven character can spend one Power point to try to pinpoint the creature at a -5 to the check.
  • Hatred: Dwarves gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against creatures of the Undead subtype because of their special training against these foes.
  • Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.

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