BATTLEFORGE: (Eastern Dwarf)
The Battleforge Dwarven Nation is the most varied and balanced of dwarves, while most Dwarven nations are strong in one specialty or another, the Battleforge Dwarves are reasonably well equipped in all areas, having skill at mining, fighting, stoneworking, and being difficult to kill. The Battleforge Dwarf corresponds in almost all ways to the Player’s Handbook dwarf. The Battleforge Dwarf possesses two main tools that connect their past and future: Golem and Rune making. The Battleforge Dwarves have rediscovered how to create primitive guns such as the harquebus and primitive cannons such as the bombard.
These technologies are in their infancy and are extremely dangerous as all weapons are being handmade not mass produced making them prone to backfires, jams, and misfires without ready replacement. However, the Battleforge Dwarves are quickly embracing the new technologies.
The Battleforge Clan is a major clan with roots stemming from beyond the Great Trollwars. They are some of the last possessors of Rune weapons, and masters of new weaponry, siege engines, and Battle runes. They are one of the most powerful Dwarven Kingdoms still around. The estimated clan size is 120,000 and they are capable of summoning over 60,000 battle-ready troops in two month's time. They have had a recent renaissance of Runesmith worthy dwarves, those that have a trace of the old divine magic in them, this has further heightened their clan prestige.
It is said that Clan Battleforge has been able to produce Dwarven golems and have even come up with a new golem, the Bombard Golem. This monster has never been seen but it would be terrifying to behold. Existing golems are Miner golems, Forge golems, and various Stone Golems. Rumors of an extremely ancient golem called the Rune Golem have circulated but have never been substantiated.
Battleforge Dwarves are the undisputed masters of Siege Weaponry and have many waiting to be unleashed upon some unlucky opponent. Those dwarves from Clan Battleforge tend to be precise analytical thinkers that tend towards technological achievements and the building of monuments.
Most Golem technologies are now lost to time, however, some few Dwarven masters have begun to recreate the massive and powerful war machines of elder days past. This has been greatly aided by the rediscovery of ancient golems such as the Mithral, Adamantine, and Bombard golems. If the technology can be activated once again, the Battleforge Clan may once again rise to dominate their enemies and reclaim their former glory.
As to this writing, Battleforge Dwarves inhabit selected mountains in the Spine of Durkault, Guavhardiim, and Eastern Lazarius. They have treaties with the Axegrinder Dwarves who live in the west and inhabit Zanitar and Western Lazarius. Rumors of other great dwarf clans are, as of yet, unfounded.
ARMY STRUCTURE: Standing Armies: 30,000 warriors
- ATTRIBUTES: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
- SIZE: Medium size.
- SPEED: 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.
- POISON RESISTANCE: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
- SPELL SAVES: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
- RACIAL ENEMIES: +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids.
- WAR TACTICS: +4 dodge bonus against giants.
- CRAFTSMAN: +4 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
- AUTOMATIC LANGUAGES: Common and Dwarven.
- BONUS LANGUAGES: Auld Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
- FAVORED CLASS: Priest.
- FAVORED WEAPON: Their favorite weapon is the Warhammer. When Using Warhammers, this clan gains a +1 to Hit from constant practice. This is the only dwarf clan to use firearms.
- CLAN METAL: This clan mines the rare Alloy known as Adamantine or Adamantium. This metal can be forged into the hardest non-magical metals known.
- RACIAL/REGIONAL FEATS: Blooded, Bullheaded, Discipline; Foe Hunter (Goblinoid or Giant), Exotic Weapon: Firearm* (Primitive), Thunder Twins
THE DWARVEN RUNEBLASTER:
| Runeblaster | 500 gp | 1d6 | 1d6 | ×2 |