Sundered Dwarves
Sundered Dwarf Ability Scores
| Ability | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 8 | 18 |
| Dexterity | 3 | 17 |
| Constitution | 11 | 18 |
| Intelligence | 3 | 16 |
| Wisdom | 3 | 18 |
| Charisma | 3 | 16 |
Sundered dwarves are unlike any other dwarves, tending to be dirty and unkempt, though not as filthy as gully dwarves. They live on the surface and suffer from claustrophobia.
Ability Score Adjustments: The initial ability scores are modified by a -1 penalty to Charisma, and +1 bonuses to Constitution and Strength. The minimum and maximum ability scores are as shown.
Recommended Languages: Common, any dwarf dialect, elf, goblin, orc, gnome, kobold, halfling, hobgoblin.
Infravision: 30 feet.
Special Advantages: None.
Special Disadvantages: Sundered dwarves are claustrophobic. A sundered dwarf must roll a successful saving throw vs. death in order to overcome his fear of the underground before he can enter dungeons, caves, and tombs. If the check fails, he may not enter. Once underground he must make a saving throw each day. If he fails, he will want to leave the underground by the most direct route.
Underground, a sundered dwarf attacks with a -2 penalty to his rolls. Should he fail his claustrophobic saving throw, the penalty increases by -1 for each additional day he stays underground. If he fails to reach open air, he may attempt further saving throws each day to overcome his claustrophobia. These saving throws are made at the same penalty as the dwarf's current attack roll penalty.
Racial Enmities: Sundered dwarves are harder for ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, and titans attack. These races subtract -4 from their attack rolls when fighting sundered dwarves.
Additional Experience Cost: None.
Life Expectancy: 250 years.
Unlike most dwarves, sundered dwarves live on the surface. Once hill or mountain dwarves, they were cut off from their kin and traditional ways of life. Where deep dwarves went downward, sundered dwarves were forced onto the surface.
They may have been driven there by volcanoes or earthquakes that shattered their subterranean homes, or perhaps by orcs or dragons. Finding no safe haven underground, they were forced above. Some may even have chosen to abandon their homes and give up the subterranean life.
Over the centuries sundered dwarves adapted as best they could, but abandoning their natural habitat has taken its toll. They have lost much of their racial pride, and tend to be a miserable and dirty people. They have developed an irrational phobia of dark places, yet are uncomfortable under the open sky, in rain, and with most surface conditions.
Sundered dwarves may be found living among other races. They may make up the majority of the inhabitants in a ghetto, or small groups of them may be found living or adventuring with other races.
Although their traditional homes are gone, sundered dwarves continue to follow the crafts, especially mining and smithing. They will work for humans or elves.
With a height of 4 1/2 to 5 feet, a typical sundered dwarf is slightly taller than a mountain dwarf, but he is of slimmer build, weighing about 155 pounds. His skin is usually lighter than a hill dwarf's, more pink than brown. His hair is dark with tinges of blue. Stronger than other dwarves, they gain a +1 bonus to Strength in character generation.
Sundered dwarves are usually lawful neutral in alignment. Their society retains its traditional lawful organization, but is more concerned with maintaining its laws than ensuring that all citizens share in its benefits.
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