Half-Dwarf

Half-dwarves can be found almost anywhere in Arkuth, yet the majority of them live on Ehriidore within the kingdom of Jhul. Here they have made their home for decades as past wars have left many of these half-breed outcasts torn between the southern human kingdoms and the dwarven nation of Ralstorhaest to the north. Half-dwarves in Arkuth have fought in some of the most dire of conflicts, yet they still find it difficult to settle down and build a home where they are truly excepted.

Their are many great opportunities within Arkuth for the half-dwarven race, some of which can provide these hardened folk with plenty of coin in pouch. Jhul offers constant work within the many local stone quarry's, while other areas offer endless employment logging the lowlands. A choice of almost all medieval occupations await these people, it's simply a matter of what others will give them a chance to do.

Background:

Half-dwarves are the result of either a drunken night gone badly wrong, or simply two vastly different people falling in love and consummating their relationship in a way most would never dare. Half-dwarves usually stand between 4'5 and 5' tall, weighing anywhere from 160 to 240 lbs. Their hair ranges in color as that of humans, yet grows quite quickly like their dwarven kin. Shaving, simply results in rapid re-growth, yet generally only to a gruffy stubble. However, fully bearded half-dwarves have been known to exist, this is simply a rare trait some individuals possess.

Their strange, yet obvious features quickly set them apart from either pure dwarves or humans. Their natural qualities add substantial girth to their legs, arms and torso gives them an excellent physical structure, thus providing all half-dwarves with a +1 bonus to strength. However, their strange, sometimes ungainly facial characteristics lower any chance of being physically attractive and quite often impede their ability to communicate with any degree of competence. Thus they suffer a -1 to any initial charisma scores or reaction checks made vs all other intelligent races.

Half-dwarves live rather short life expectancies compared to their dwarven counterparts and tend not to live more then 170 years, yet living substantially longer then humans allows them to carry on some incredible human-like legacy's.

Half-dwarves tend to be good miners, able to work long-hard hours deep within dark caverns where only the strongest of humans dare to descend. The love of the drink still holds true for even the straightest of Half-dwarves. Being some what introverted, they usually drink by themselves, but spare no thought as to how much their willing to drink. They are bold, passionate, unswerving from conflict and make excellent companions once a close friendship is gained.

Role-Playing Suggestions: Half-dwarves are hard-nosed, yet compassionate towards other half-breeds or those who have been treated unfairly. They have a soft spot for the weak and tend to defend those who cannot do it for themselves, yet more often then not, they do it for their own personal satisfaction. They are intimidating to look at, hard to befriend and rarely offer their help to those who don't absolutely need it. They care little for personal wealth, but go to great lengths to ensure their families are well taken care of.

Half-dwarves typically use axes or swords for combat and only employ missile weapons in dire circumstances. They yearn for a chance to quell a foe in close quarters combat and make every attempt to give themselves these opportunities. They pride themselves in skill at arms, the swinging of a pickaxe and the art of drowning their thoughts in a grand froth of mead.

Ability Score Adjustments:

+1 to Strength, -1 Charisma

Ability Score Range

Ability	Minimum	Maximum
Strength	8	18
Dexterity	3	18
Constitution	8	18
Intelligence	3	18
Wisdom	3	18
Charisma	3	17

Class Restrictions

Class	Maximum Level
Fighter	U
Thief	U
Rangers	12
Barbarians	10
Clerics	15
Bard	10
Assassins	9

Hit Dice: Player character half-dwarves receive hit dice by class.

Alignment: Half-Dwarves may be of any alignment, usually neutral or lawful alignments are preferred.

Natural Armor Class: 10

Special Advantages:

Half-dwarves have 30' Infravision. There dwarven traits also give them a slight resistance towards magic and thus they gain a +1 bonus for every 5 points of Constitution against all saving throws vs magic wands, staves, rods and spells.

They also carry the gene that allows them to resist toxic substances equal to the bonuses of pure dwarves vs all poisons.

There human qualities prevent them from suffering penalties when using magic items as pure dwarves often suffer.

Special Disadvantages:

Half-dwarves retain no ability to detect slopes, grades or any other underground benefit as that of pure dwarves.

Although half human, half-dwarves fail to gain the human's full lengthily stride when it comes to movement. However, their naturally longer gate allows them a slightly better base rate then that of a pure dwarf and starts at 10''.

Languages; Dwarven, common, goblin, kobold, orc.

Preferred Classes

• Fighter
• Thief
• Cleric

For a full list of applicable classes, see Arkuth's Race/Class Limitations.

Multi Class: Yes

• Fighter/Thief
• Fighter/Cleric
• Cleric/Thief