Dwarves, Chromatic (3.5e Race)
Chromatic Dwarves
When it comes to racial and ethnic diversity, not even the unshakable foundations of Dwarven culture are immune to change. And change it did. With eons of racial interaction and despoliation of norms and values, many different Dwarven clans left the mountainous regions of their homes and the depths of their dungeons. They abandoned their crafts, and their forges ran cold, forgotten effigies of their lost skills as they continued on their way to nature bound existence.
Also see the Chromatic Dwarf creature listing.
Chromatic dwarves come in three main varieties; Azurns (Combat-oriented), Rutilan (Magic-oriented) and Veridin (Stealth-oriented)
Personality
Chromatic dwarves are offshoots of regular Dwarven culture which have distinctly developed into three very different main sub-races. Unlike their ancestors, they are less seriously inclined, and favor freedom over valor and chivalry. Chromatic Dwarves often have a very firm personal code, and tend to have less patience for matters that require discretion and preparation. The somewhat savage and unsophisticated Azurn are extremely impulsive and their mistrust of most other humanoids often manifests in downright hostility, especially when they find themselves opposed. Loyalty to their friends, and large, hedonistic feasts that involves all members of a tribe who have come of age mark some of the more intriguing facets of Azurn society. Rutilan, although positively suave and sophisticated despite racial social ineptitude delegate a large amount of their time to hone their appearance and enjoy intelligent conversation perhaps almost as much as a good fight. Despite this unique likeness to their predecessors, Rutilans favor the free study of the arcane. Rutilans make excellent evokers, especially centered on fire magic. Viridin however are extremely glib, dextrous and deceitful, their behavior reflecting their poisonous hearts.
Azurn
Azurn are the most purely physical of all chromatic dwarves, and even for dwarves they are of extremely buff stock. Azurn possess a bluish gray, sharklike skin, which is renowned for its toughness. Their eyes are a deep black and their hair resembles thick black tendrils that are about a quarter of an inch thick. An almost unique feature amongst Dwarves, Azurn males have no beards. They average about four and a half feet and usually weigh quite a bit more than adult humans do. The Azurn's communion with nature is aquatic and primitively oriented and despite their considerable bulk they can swim as fast as they can walk. Their thick, muscled limbs have undergone an evolution to help them both on land and in the water. They possess innate physical strength and their toes and hands are webbed. Most of them do not like to wear armor; their skin itself is thick and strong and has the texture of a shark's hide. Azurn females are even slightly bigger than the males, and it seems as though they have adopted a matriarchal society.
Rutilan
Rutilan are immediately recognized from their firebranded skin, which is a shiny crimson. They have a communion with the volcanic areas and deserts in which their hidden culture slowly developed. They are short and have a quite adonic build. Their likenesses are marked with perfection, and their bodies are often ornamented by black tattoos. Rutilans prefer a well tended appearance, possessing short black hair and a well trimmed beard. They wear refined clothing, and they are very passionate about their race and legacy despite their lack of charisma and have, amongst the three main subraces of chromatic dwarves, managed to establish the most sophisticated civilization, some of its facets still directly derivative of normal Dwarven culture. Their everyday appearances mirror these accomplishments. Rutilan are proud, but they are often fair and sometimes generous. Of all the Chromatic Dwarf species, they stand most in touch with cross-race politics.
Veridin
Veridin are the most shunned and least trusted of all chromatic dwarves. For Dwarven standard, their builds are positively gaunt and they spurt a veridian skin as well as unkempt and often rugged facial features. Veridin live a life hidden away within marshes, forests and jungles, and have adopted to these climates very well. Their continuous interaction with many shapes and forms of toxic wildlife has proofed them against poisons completely. In fact, they themselves have become quite poisonous, an effect which they quite expertly put to use. Their hair possesses a bark like color, which together with the color of their skin helps them to camouflage in the forests and jungles they make their home. Veridins, not sharing the aptitude for magic or the sheer physical force of their Red and Blue counterparts, have bodies built for guerilla attacks, swift and agile.
Relations
As chromatic dwarves often live in a tribal or nomadic fashion and share their land with various other races – especially humans, gnomes and Half-Orcs, they tend to know the Common tongue. Even though chromatic dwarves do not share the usual resentment for most Orcish races, most don’t readily interact with them. Of all other races, they interact most readily with humans. Due to the ubiquitous nature and spread of humans, their civilization is most susceptible to change, and easiest to partake in. The few tribes of chromatic dwarves that interact with humans were often absorbed in the greater numbers of humans, working as traders, blacksmiths or simple workmen. Azurns make exceptional sailors, fishermen and laborers and occasionally mingle with human coastal and port towns, whereas Rutilan can sometimes be found in larger cities for their studies. Veridin that prefer urban settings to the wide outdoors are to be found occasionally, but ubiquitously, amongst the more rotten elements of any society. Rutilan have many things in common with Gnomes, whereas Veridin enjoy trying to gain the trust of species of Orcs and Ogres, conniving to use the less intelligent creatures for their own gain. They also often connect to outlaws of any race as stealthy, manipulative bandits. When it comes to real dwarves however, they share a mutual dislike. Chromatic dwarves perview dwarves as stuck in the past. Dwarves on the other hand don't consider chromatic dwarves to be dwarves, and consider them unworthy to be called dwarf, while at the same time they invoke the disrespect by openly refusing to use the term 'dwarf' to describe their race and heritage.
Alignment
Usually chaotic (any)
Lands
Azurn prefer marshes, coastal areas, peninsulas or even underwater, where as Rutilan prefer volcanic regions, deserts or urban settings. Viridin live in any area, although they prefer forests and jungles as those allow them to hide better.
Religion
Most chromatic dwarf societies are the result of longstanding development and therefore do not have fixed patron deities, except for Rutilan, most of which are still inclined towards Onatar, Neutral Good God of Fire and the Forge.
Language
Automatic languages for chromatic dwarves are Dwarven and Common.
Names
Chromatic dwarves still use names derivative from Dwarven names, although their dialects differ and so the names they are given at birth are subject to mild changes in pronunciation. Some use human names instead. A Ritulan name for instance is Kurlo Of Galna, where Kurlo is the his name and Galna is the name of his father. Rutilan have the same construction of names, but the latter name refers to their fathers
Racial Traits
All subraces of chromatic dwarves possess the following general racial traits.
General Traits
- +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
- Medium size.
- Base land speed is 20 ft.
- Darkvision out to 60 ft.
- Weapon Familiarity: Chromatic dwarves treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
- +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison. This is not reflected in the saving throw bonus given here.
- +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. This is not reflected in the saving throw bonus given here.
- +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against creatures of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls and hill giants)
- Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Undercommon.
- Level Adjustment +2
Azurn Traits
In addition to the general traits, Azurn gain the following racial traits.
Azurn Traits (Ex/Su): Azurns gain the following traits in combination with all general chromatic dwarf traits.
- +2 Strength
- An Azurn's land speed remains 20 ft., even when carrying a medium or heavy load. An azure also gets a swim speed of 20 ft.
- Dipnoid: Azurns have both lungs and gills, and can survive indefinitely both on land and under water. When she dives in the water or when she surfaces from it, the bronchial pathways close off and the gills open, or vice versa. This process takes one round's worth of time and the round that an Azurn surfaces from or dives into water, she loses her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, if any.
- +2 natural armor.
- Planar Calling (Water) (Su): An Azurn may call forth an amount of HD worth of Water Elementals equal to her character level per day. They may call forth as many elementals as they like, within the aforementioned limitations. They may choose from any size of Elemental whose HD does not exceed this number. They may also choose to spread the HD over elementals with different sizes. Lastly, these HD may be spread out over multiple callings. 1st Level Azurn may call upon one Small Water Elemental (2 HD) only once every other day. Using this ability requires a standard action. Duration 1 minute/level.
- Stability: Azurns are exceptionally stable on their feet. An Azurn has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not while climbing, flying, riding or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
- Unaccommodating Physique: When Azurns wear boots, shoes or any form of footwear, they lose their swim speed.
- resistance to cold 10.
- Azurns adopt all Strength based skills as class skills, no matter what class they take (Climb, Jump and Swim).
- +2 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks.
- +4 racial bonus on Hide and grapple checks that are made while underwater.
- An Azurn has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on any swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a more or less straight line
- Additional Bonus Languages: Aquan
- Favored Class: Barbarian or Ranger.
Rutilan Traits
In addition to the general traits, Rutilan gain the following racial traits.
- +2 Intelligence.
- Automatic Metamagic: All spells with the Fire descriptor cast by a Rutilan are empowered, but do not require a higher level spell slot.
- Improved Familiar: Rutilan that are entitled to a familiar may choose a Fire Mephit whether or not he has the Improved Familiar feat.
- Planar Calling (Fire) (Su): A Rutilan may call forth an amount of HD worth of Fire Elementals equal to his character level per day. They may call forth as many elementals as they like, within the aforementioned limitations. They may choose from any size of elemental whose HD does not exceed this number. They may also choose to spread the HD over elementals with different sizes. Lastly, these HD may be spread out over multiple callings. 1st Level Rutilan may call upon one Small Fire Elemental (2 HD) only once every other day. Using this ability requires a standard action. Duration 1 minute/level.
- Stonecunning: This ability grants a Rutilan a +2 racial bonus on Search 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 dieguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A Rutilan who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and he can use the Search skill to find stonework traps like a rogue can. A Rutilan can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Rutilan have a sixth sense about stonework.
- resistance to fire 10
- +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
- +4 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks made to learn spells with the fire descriptor.
- Additional Bonus Languages: Ignan.
- Favored Class: Wizard.
Veridin Traits
In addition to the general traits, Veridin gain the following racial traits.
- +2 Dexterity.
- Blood Ritual: A Veridin's blood acts like an acute poison to other creatures, with a DC of 10 + ½ character level + Con modifier. Etching a weapon in their blood gives a Veridin an unusual bond with that weapon. To etch a melee weapon successfully in their blood, they first need to siphon a sufficient amount of blood from their bodies (1d6 temporary Con damage), which is better done in private or with friends. This procedure and the etching itself is called the 'Blood Ritual'. Etching a blade in their blood requires them to craft the equivalent of a 'masterwork element' (300 gp, DC 20). When the Veridin is finished crafting, the weapon is permanently poisoned, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage on a failed save. The poison's DC does not change, though, even if the Veridin gains further levels. To increase the weapon's poison DC, he will need to perform the Blood Ritual again. For the sake of craftsmanship, a Veridin may enlist the aid of a better craftsman.
- Planar Calling (Earth) (Su): A Veridin may call forth an amount of HD worth of Earth Elementals equal to his character level per day. They may call forth as many elementals as they like, within the aforementioned limitations. They may choose from any size of elemental whose HD does not exceed this number. They may also choose to spread the HD over elementals with different sizes. Lastly, these HD may be spread out over multiple callings. 1st Level Veridin may call upon one Small Earth Elemental (2 HD) only once every other day. Using this ability requires a standard action. Duration 1 minute/level.
- Spell-like ability: poison 1/day
- Immune to poison.
- Immune to fire
- A Veridin counts Craft (alchemy) and Craft (poisonmaking) as class skills no matter what class he has, and may create alchemical items even if he is not a spellcaster.
- +2 to Bluff and Survival checks.
- +4 to Hide checks while in forests, jungles and other 'green' environments.
- Additional Bonus Languages: Terran
- Favored Class: Rogue.
Vital Statistics
| Adulthood | Simple | Moderate | Complex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 years | +3d6 | +5d6 | +7d6 |
| Middle Age1 | Old2 | Venerable3 | Maximum Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 years | 188 years | 250 years | +2d% years | |
| ||||
| Race | Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azurn | Male | 4' 0" | +2d4 | 140 lb. | × (2d6) lb. |
| Female | 4' 2" | +2d4 | 170 lb. | × (2d6) lb. | |
| Rutilan | Male | 3' 10" | +2d4 | 130 lb. | × (2d6) lb. |
| Female | 3' 8" | +2d4 | 100 lb. | × (2d6) lb. | |
| Veridin | Male | 3' 9" | +2d4 | 110 lb. | × (2d6) lb. |
| Female | 3' 7" | +2d4 | 80 lb. | × (2d6) lb. |
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