Monday, January 3, 2011

General Rules: Monsters - Eldlorn (Arcane Dwarf)

Eldlorn (Arcane Dwarf) (adapted from Hammer & Helm: A Guidebook to Dwarves)
Medium Fey

Hit Dice: 1d6 (3 hit points)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 feet
Armor Class: 14 (+4 armor, +1 shield); touch 10, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +0/+0
Attack: Heavy mace +0 melee (1d8, bludgeoning, 20 x2)
Full Attack: Heavy mace +0 melee (1d8, bludgeoning, 20 x2)
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, ancestral memories, stonecunning
Saves: Fortitude +0, Reflex +2, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Int 12, Wis 11, Dex 10, Con 11, Cha 8
Skills: Appraise +5, Craft: Blacksmithing +7, Craft: Stonemasonry +7, Craft: Weaponsmithing +7, Knowledge: Arcana +5, Knowledge: History +7, Listen +6, Sense Motive +4, Spot +6
Feats: Iron Will, Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot)
Environment: Any underground
Organization: Solitary or accompanied by dwarves
Challenge Rating:
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

The eldlorn are an ancient race of fæy distantly related to dwarves. While they share many racial preferences, they have a stranger, slower view of the world than most dwarves.

Eldlorn are as serious and determined as their distant relations, but they are much quieter about their resolve. Where a dwarf is stoic and direct, an eldlorn is contemplative and watchful, slow to laugh or show emotion of any kind. Eldleorn prefer to associate with humanoids patient enough to give each topic the slow-paced examination that comes naturally to them. Although they appreciate craft and artistry as much as their dwarven kin, it is magic that stirs the imagination of the fæy. Eldlorn are inventive in their spellcasting, and have collections of ancient spells greter than those of most other races.

Eldlorn resemble dwarves in build, although they are seldom as stocky as the typical dwarf. Usually about 4 feet tall, an eldlorn weighs around 8-% of an adult human's average weight. Their skin color is a mix of tiny gray, black, and white dots - a near perfect match to common granite - and they are slightly cool to the touch. Their hair ranges from light gray through charcoal to black, tending to whiten with age. Male eldlorn commonly grow long beards which they weave into complicated braids.

Even more than dwarves, eldlorn are smiths of great power. Many eldlorn wizards and clerics focus on item creation feats and dedicate their span of years to perfecting their craft. Some of the greatest magesmiths have been eldlorn dwelling within dwarven communities. Eldlorn often become advisors to great dwarven chieftains and kings, but they seldom become leaders themselves. Outside of dwarven society, they are usually governed by groups of their oldest members.

Combat
Most eldlorn live within or near dwarven communities but are seldom involved in military activities. If forced to fight, eldlorn act carefully and logically, attempting to keep their distance and use whatever spells or magic items they have access to. Since they rarely fight alone, eldlorn warriors have developed sophisticated tactics to use in conjunction with their spellcasters. At its simplest, the eldlorn method of combat consists of low-level soldiers fighting defensively, often using tower shields, to provide cover for spellcasting leaders.

Ancestral Memories (Su): Once per week, an eldlorn can contact his or her ancestors to seek advice on a specific course of action. This functions like the augury spell cast by a cleric of a level equal to the eldlorn's Hit Dice total. because this is a supernatural ability, it requires no divine focus. It is the eldlorn's ancestors, rather than a deity who offer a prediction. Eldlorn also receive a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge: History skill checks and they can make such skill checks untrained.

Stonecunning (Ex): Eldlorn receive a +4 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework. They can also search for stonework traps and intuit depth as dwarves can.

Skills: Eldlorn gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.

Eldlorn Characters
Although they are fæy, not humanoids, eldlorn breed true with dwarves. The child of an eldlorn-dwarf union is always a dwarf; because of this, the eldlorn race dwindles with each generation. Eldlorn are considered dwarf-blooded for all purposes, including feats, prestige classes, magical effects, and magic items.

An eldlorn's favored class is wizard. Most eldlorn NPCs with class levels are experts competent at two or more Craft skills and most eldlorn leaders are wizards. Adventuring eldlorn are motivated by a desire to search out new or lost arcane lore.

Eldlorn have the same age categories as elves.

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