BRCS:Chapter one/Character/Dwarves, Cerilian

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Dwarves lived in the mountains of Cerilia long before humans came to the land. Over the years, the dwarven holds have chosen a defensive strategy, fortifying their approaches and retreating to their cities under the mountains whenever threatened. Dwarves have a fierce hatred of orogs, the result of uncounted wars fought under the earth.

The typical dwarf stands about 4' to 4'6" in height, with an exceptionally stocky build and thick, sturdy bones. Dwarves are creatures of stone, the children of the mountains, and their bodies are twice as dense as those of other creatures; in this respect they're closely related to stone giants. Dwarves often weigh as much as 250 to 300 pounds despite their size. A dwarf's skin is gray, stony, and cold to the touch. All dwarves have eyes that are dark as jet and their hair and beards are black or dark gray in color and normally cropped short.

The dwarves of Cerilia usually adhere to friendly neutrality; thus they are on good terms with most other races, including the elves. They're masterful craftsmen and traders; dwarven caravans roam through Cerilia laden with goods. Dwarven arms and armor are the best in Cerilia and Dwarven mercenaries are highly prized. In the privacy of their own homes, the dwarves of Cerilia are hardly the dour and grim sentinels that they are first appear. Though they still have the responsibility of keeping the orogish population in check under the mountains, their lives are filled with merriment and gaiety.

Dwarven kingdoms are generally organized around the clan, and clan members are expected to be loyal to their clan first and king second. The clan leaders, in turn, first serve their people and swear fealty to the dwarven king. The dwarven king must therefore be an adept negotiator and a shrewd politician to keep his people together.

Dwarves learn the arts of war at an early age, for they see their duty as containing the orogs in the caverns under the mountains. The orogs have, strangely, grown ever more mighty in their years of confinement, and the dwarves have had become that much better to deal with the orogish menace. It is partly for this reason that they prefer not to deal with outsiders - visitors distract the sentries.

In addition to being skilled fighters, the dwarves of Cerilia are also excellent miners. Each dwarf clan tends to specialize in a certain sort of mining, so that one clan searches out gems, while another specializes in ores. The clans within a kingdom tend to complement one another, so no clan is left with a useless skill. Dwarves are the most technologically advanced race of Cerilia; their level of technology is roughly equivalent to the historical cultures during the close of the Renaissance period.

Racial Abilities: Cerilian dwarves have the following racial traits:

• +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity.
  
• Medium-size (4' to 4'6" tall); base speed of 20 feet. However, dwarves can move this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
  
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Although they can function without light, Cerilian dwarves prefer illumination, and require it to perform most fine tasks.
  
• Stonecunning: +2 racial bonus to notice unusual stonework; automatically attempt to search when within 10 feet of unusual stonework, trapfinding (as rogue) for stonework traps only. A dwarf can also sense their approximate depth underground.
  
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
  
• Stability: Dwarves gains a +4 bonus on ability checks to resist bull rush and trip when standing on firm ground.
  
• +2 racial bonus on saves vs. poison, spells, and spell-like effects.
  
• +2 dodge bonus to AC against orogs and ogres.
  
• +2 racial bonus to appraise and craft checks related to stone and metal objects.
  
• Increased Density: A dwarf's dense body provides DR 5/slashing or piercing. Dwarves suffer a -4 penalty to swim and tumble checks. Because Cerilian dwarves are denser than the Player's Handbook dwarf, when using the random method of determining height and weight per the Player's Handbook, add 80 lbs to the base weight for both male and female dwarves.
  
• Automatic Language: Karamhul (KARA-mool).
  Bonus Languages: Sidhelien, Orog, Ogrish, or any cultural human dialect (Anuirean, Basarji, Low Brecht, High Brecht, Rjuven, or Vos).
  
• Favored Class: Fighter.
  

[hide][top]Variant: Adjusting damage reduction