Lorefinder (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Class Requirements 	﻿Thief
Racial Requirements 	Dwarf (shield), gnome (rock, deep), halfling
Ability Requirements 	Dexterity 11, Intelligence 13
Prime Requisite 	Dexterity, Intelligence
Aligments 	Any (rarely evil)
Social Rank 	Lower to middle class
Hit Die Type 	d6
Attack as 	Rogue
Save as 	Rogue
Advance as 	Thief
Spell Ability? 	No
Exceptional Strength? 	No
Exceptional Constitution?	No
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	2d6
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	﻿2
Initial Weapons 	Footman's or horseman's pick, warhammer, and standard thief weapons
Additional WP Slot 	4
Additional Weapons 	As above
Nonproficiency Penalty 	3
Nonweapon Slots 	-3
Additional NWP Slot 	4
Available Categories 	General, Rogue
Bonus Proficiencies 	Ancient history, appraising, local history, reading/writing (ancient or modern language)
Recommended Proficiencies	Artistic ability (drafting), engineering, languages (ancient or modern), local history, mining mountaineering, rope use, stonemasonry
Secondary Skills 	Limner/painter, mason, miner, scribe
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==Overview==
A peculiar occupation has arisen among shield dwarves in the last thousand years: that of a sort of archaeologist, or a lorefinder. The first lorefinders are said to have been sent out from Citadel Adbar to locate magical orc-slaying weapons that were lost when Delzoun fell; since then, formal (but secret) organizations of lorefinders have sprung up in dwarf-held realms to locate ancient dwarven holdings, enter them, and recover lost magical knowledge and devices, historical records, religious objects, and so forth. Large piles of coins are generally ignored or marked for later retrieval by heavily adventurers. Lorefinders also evaluate old holdings for recolonization, though such hopes may be unrealistic. "Lorefinding" was recently picked up by rock gnomes, deep gnomes, and halflings, too.
Shield dwarf lorefinders are most common in western Faerûn, where they delve into lost kingdoms such as Ammarindar, Besilmer, Delzoun, the Fallen Kingdom, Gharraghaur (Mirabar), Ironstar, Oghrann, and Shanatar. Elsewhere, dwarf lorefinders explore the lost halls of Dareth and Sarphil. (Details on these locales appear in Dwarves Deep, pages 52–62.) Dwarf lorefinders are usually trained and sent out from Citadel Adbar, Ironmaster, and even private dwarf-led groups in Waterdeep.
Halfling lorefinders (taught by a halfling spy who once worked at Ironmaster) come only from Amn and Tethyr. They frequently travel to eastern Amn to explore the ruins of an ancient halfling kingdom, Meiritin. Tethyrian rock gnomes got the idea for "lorefinding" from the halflings, and some gnomes now investigate abandoned settlements and dwellings of their ancestors in the North, the Sword Coast, the Vilhon Reach, Tethyr, and Amn. Millennia ago, many gnomes were slaves of the magic-rich empire of Netheril (now the Great Desert of Anauroch). The gnomes were freed about 37 centuries ago and scattered to the west and south, possibly taking Netherese magic with them. Some rock gnomes and deep gnomes wish to recover this magic to strengthen their race's position.
==Description==
A lorefinder looks like a miner or prospector, wearing light armor and carrying fair amounts of weapons, rope, and other dungeoneering equipment on his back and belts when on a mission. Under the filth and grime picked up from his exploration of ancient ruins, the lorefinder betrays a lively intelligence by carrying books, papers, writing instruments, and packing material for storing treasures he recovers. His digging tools double as weapons, and he is ever alert for attacks even while he copies down inscriptions for later study.
==Roleplaying==
A lorefinder does not consider himself a thief or criminal of any sort. The ancient ruins he explores, as far as he is concerned, are still entirely the property of his people, and everyone else present is a trespasser. All items he takes from the ruins are displayed to his patron and other officials of his homeland, revealing the lost glories of their kind. The lorefinder is allowed to keep much of what he takes from old ruins, even magical weapons and devices, though some items (at the DM's option) are taken for government or religious use, with the lorefinder receiving full credit and a special bounty for the items' recovery. The bounty could be in gold, gems, fine weapons and armor, or minor magical items (potions are usually offered).
The DM and a lorefinder's player must develop a list of things that the lorefinder is banned from doing. Dwarves do not loot the tombs of their ancestors or other dwarves; it is regarded as an unholy crime to do so. Holy religious items should be carefully stored if taken out of a ruin, but unholy shrines and items must be destroyed. No unnecessary damage must be done to a ruin, no matter what state it is currently in. Defilers, tomb robbers, humanoids, and others who have no business being in the tomb must be slain or driven out. Certain items should be left alone and not taken out of the ruin, such as large thrones, altars, forges, etc. Offerings should be made at any undefiled shrine sacred to the lorefinder's people, and the shrine cleaned and polished if it is to stay behind.
Any lorefinder who violates his list of banned deeds receives a curse from a deity of his people: For every day afterwards, he takes a cumulative -1 to all saving throws, proficiency checks, and ability checks. To remove this curse, the lorefinder must receive an atonement spell from a priest of his people, then preform a quest to recover a valuable item of old or clear out a lost stronghold. After this, the lorefinder can go back to lorefinding again without penalty.
==Special Advantages==
A pick (either a footman's or horseman's sort) is required, as it serves as a digging tool as well as a weapon. Lorefinders gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon from long use of it.
Lorefinders have a base read languages score of 20% instead of 0. All other thieving ability scores are treated normally; except for picking pockets (see below).
From careful training in looking for magical writings and traps, lorefinders gain a +4 bonus to save against the effects of any magical writings, symbols, runes, glyphs, or the like. If the trapped words do not allow for a saving throw (for example, explosive runes, sepia snake sigil), the lorefinder gains a saving throw of the appropriate sort with only those bonuses granted by magical protection rings, cloaks, etc.
A lorefinder of 10th level can read and use magic or clerical scrolls with only a 15% chance of having the spell misfire.
Lorefinders have a "pick pockets" ability, but they do not use it to pick pockets or cut purses. Instead, they use this skill to palm small, interesting items when no one else is looking, to prevent other races from picking up important finds first. Still, this isn't a highly used skill, and at most only 5 points may be added to it per level.
==Special Disadvantages==
Lorefinders cannot gain followers upon reaching 10th level, but they can gain henchmen normally.
Considering the nature of some ruins that dwarf lorefinders want to explore, they are not very well armored or armed for fighting off the monsters lurking therein. Lorefinders have long taken to traveling in large groups while they carry out their investigations. This helps, but magical traps abound in old tombs and strongholds. Halflings exploring ancient Meiritin have had an easier time, though the recent war with the "Sythillisian Empire" made travel in that end of Amn hazardous. Gnomes searching for lost Netherese magic have had the worst time, uncovering horrors thought lost ages ago.