Aresswin

Aresswin are are secretive race of reptile-like humanoids. What is known about them can be found books in most libraries. Such books tell marvelous tales of tall towers in grand cities seemingly made of an unending supply of gold and silver riches. That thepeople living in these bright cities are devoted worshippers of their few gods, and that a wrong glance or miss-step can cost you your eye, your hand, or even your life. The borners of their desert empires never seem to expand or contract, and any incursions into their territories seem to either be swallowed up by the shifting sand, or obliterated by the aresswin defenses.

Personality: Aresswin are a fairly placid race, in general terms. They are neither quick to anger or laughter nor slow to become irritated, flustered, or amused. Valuable house hold things are things generally made of gold and silver, sometimes mixed, and often of some religous significance. Aresswin are a highly organised religous race, everything about them can be derived from some ceremony or law handed down, supposedly, directly from their gods. Outside influences are strictly not accepted into aresswin culture, and if provoked enough, the reptile race can be fanatical in their goals.

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Dwarf

Dwarves (Hill-dwarves)

Dwarves are known for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical punishment, their knowledge of the earth’s secrets, their hard work, and their capacity for drinking ale. Their mysterious kingdoms, carved out from the insides of mountains, are renowned for the marvelous treasures that they produce as gifts or for trade.

Personality: Dwarves are slow to laugh or jest and suspicious of strangers, but they are generous to those few who earn their trust. Dwarves value gold, gems, jewelery, and art objects made with these precious materials, and they have been known to succumb to greed. They fight neither recklessly nor timidly, but with a careful courage and tenacity. Their sense of justice is strong, but at its worst it can turn into a thirst for vengeance.

Physical Description: Dwarves stand only 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall, but they are so broad and compact that they are, on average, almost as heavy as humans. Dwarven men are slightly taller and noticeably heavier than dwarven women. Dwarves’ skin is typically deep tan or light brown, and their eyes are dark. Their hair is usually black, gray, or brown, and worn long. Dwarven men value their beards highly and groom them very carefully. Dwarves favor simple styles for their hair, beards, and clothes. Dwarves are considered adults at about age 50, and they can live to be over 400 years old.

Relations: Dwarves get along passably with humans, and half-elves. Dwarves say, "The difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years." Humans, with their short life spans, have a hard time forging truly strong bonds with dwarves. The best dwarf–human friendships are between a human and a dwarf who liked the human’s parents and grandparents. Dwarves fail to appreciate elves’ subtlety and art, regarding elves as unpredictable, fickle, and flighty. Still, elves and dwarves have, through the ages, found common cause in battles against orcs, goblins, and gnolls; and elves have earned the dwarves’ grudging respect. Dwarves mistrust half-orcs in general, and the feeling is mutual. Luckily, dwarves are fair-minded, and they grant individual half-orcs the opportunity to prove themselves.

Alignment: Dwarves are usually lawful, and they tend toward good. Adventuring dwarves are less likely to fit the common mould, however, since they’re more likely to be those who did not fit perfectly into dwarven society.

Dwarven Lands: Dwarven kingdoms are usually deep beneath the stony faces of mountains, where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals and forge items of wonder. Trustworthy members of other races are welcome here, though some parts of these lands are off limits even to them. Whatever wealth the dwarves can’t find in their mountains they gain through trade. Dwarves dislike water travel, so enterprising humans frequently handle trade in dwarven goods when travel is along a water route. Dwarves in human lands are typically mercenaries, weapon smiths, armor smiths, jewelers, and artisans. Dwarf bodyguards are renowned for their courage and loyalty, and they are well rewarded for their virtues.

Religion:

Language: Dwarves speak Dwarven, which has its own runic script. Dwarven literature is marked by comprehensive histories of kingdoms and wars through the millennia. The Dwarven alphabet is also used (with minor variations) for the Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Terran languages. Dwarves often speak the languages of their friends (humans) and enemies. Some also learn Terran, the strange language of earth-based creatures such as xorn.

Names: A dwarf’s name is granted to him by his clan elder, in accordance with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has been used and reused down through the generations. A dwarf’s name is not his own. It belongs to his clan. If he misuses it or brings shame to it, his clan will strip him of it. A dwarf stripped of his name is forbidden by dwarven law to use any dwarven name in its place.

Male Names: Barendd, Brottor, Eberk, Einkil, Oskar, Rurik, Taklinn, Traubon, Ulfgar, and Veit.

Female Names: Artin, Audhild, Dagnal, Diesa, Gunnloda, Hlin, Ilde, Liftrasa, Sannl, and Torgga.

Clan Names: Balderk, Dankil, Gorunn, Holderhek, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, and Ungart.

Adventurers: A dwarven adventurer may be motivated by crusading zeal, a love of excitement, or simple greed. As long as his accomplishments bring honor to his clan, his deeds earn him respect and status. Defeating giants and claiming powerful magic weapons are sure ways for a dwarf to earn the respect of other dwarves.

Hill-dwarf Racial Traits:

• +2 Constitution/Strength, –2 Charisma/Dexterity: Dwarves are stout and tough but tend to be gruff and reserved.

• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Dwarven base speed is 20 feet.

• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.

• Stonecunning: Stonecunning grants dwarves a +2 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.

• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison: Dwarves are hardy and resistant to toxins. +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

• +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids (goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears): Dwarves are trained in the special combat techniques that allow them to fight their common enemies more effectively.

• +4 dodge bonus against giants: This bonus represents special training that dwarves undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants. Note that any time a character loses his positive Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, such as when he’s caught flat-footed, he loses his dodge bonus, too.

• +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to rare or exotic items: Dwarves are familiar with valuable items of all kinds (especially those made of stone or metal).

• +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal: Dwarves are especially capable with stonework and metalwork.

• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Other likely languages to have: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon. Dwarves are quite often familiar with the languages of their enemies and of their subterranean allies.

Dark-dwarf

Dark-dwarves are degenerate and evil, descended from human-dwarf crossbreeds that dark-elves took as slaves, who live in underground caverns alongside dark-elves. Incredibly cruel, they enjoy taking slaves and torturing surface dwellers (especially humans) to death. Their skin is white with blueish undertones, their hair is pale yellow, their staring eyes white with no irises or pupils. They have humanlike body hair, and males have mustaches but no beards. Their clothes are woven from animal fur, and their armor is leather studded with copper and brass.

Dark-dwarves favoured weapons are daggers, spiked bucklers and repeating light crossbows.

Most dark-dwarves revere a chaotic deity, sometimes choosing dark-elf gods. Priesthood isn't for most dark-dwarves, but leaders among them are usually powerful spellcasters who have fanatical followings among their people.

Dark-dwarf Racial Traits:

• +1 Dex, +2 Con, -4 Cha. Dark-dwarves are quick and hardy, but their appearances is usually somewhat horrid.

• Darkvision: Dark-dwarves can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dark-dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.

• Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarven, and Goblin.

The following are in addition to the traits listed for hill-dwarves.

• Immune to paralysis, phantasms, and magical or alchemical poisons (but not normal poisons).

• Light Sensitivity (Ex): Dark-dwarves suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, saves, and checks in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

• +4 racial bonus on MoveSilently checks.

• Spell-like Abilities: 1/day-enlarge and invisibility as a mage twice the Dark-dwarf's level (minimum 3rd level); these effect only the Dark-dwarf and whatever it carries.

Races

Enchanted Gate Index