Warriors of the Dales (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Racial Requirements 	Elf, half-elf, human
Ability Requirements 	Strength 9
Prime Requisite 	Strength
Hit Die Type 	d10
Attack as 	Fighter
Save as 	Fighter
Advance as 	Fighter
Spell Ability? 	No
Exceptional Strength? 	Yes
Exceptional Constitution?	Yes
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	5d4
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	4
Additional Slot 	3
Nonproficiency Penalty 	-2
Nonweapon Slots 	3
Additional Slot 	3
Available Categories 	General, Warrior
Bonus Proficiencies 	See individual entries
Recommended Proficiencies	Survival
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==Overview==
The natives of the Dalelands have a reputation of being brave, direct people who mind their own business and expect others to do the same. Many competent, unpretentious warriors come from the Dalelands.
==Description==
With the Dales caught between Cormyr, Cormanthor, and the Moonsea, there are always activities afoot by a number of different groups that need to be resolved. For years, the Dales were awash with people looking to claim the Dales as their own territory, whether they were from Zhentil Keep or Suzail. As a result, the warriors of the Dales are ready for action at all times, and they tend to wear very functional clothing and armor. They shy away from ostentatious displays of rank, family coats of arms, or ornamentation. To a warrior from the Dalelands, sturdy armor, a reliable weapon, and a utilitarian cloak are all that are needed to defend their dale from unwanted trespassers.
==Role-Playing==
The rustic simplicity of life in the Dales often produces a rugged, self-reliant warrior who is proud of his homeland and its history of independence. He is often quite brave, especially in the defense of the Dales, but he is hardly one to take foolish chances.
Of all the adventuring classes, warriors are the most plentiful in the Dalelands. The reason for this is simple: Many a Dalesman has had to take up arms in order to defend his home from the external threats all around the Dales. As a result, many Dale warriors are reactive in their thinking, preferring to answer actions with their own rather than initiating them.
Warriors of the Dales have no difficulty at all in going to other lands to adventure, but most of them would rather deal with the problems in their home Dales first, then confront the problems within the rest of the neighboring Dales. Facing the greater evils of the rest of the Realms ranks last among the priorities of a fighting Dalesman. If they hear rumors of local menaces or mysteries lurking in their own backyards, they will seek them out first above everything else. They may often be smart enough to realize the greater threats beyond their borders need to be dealt with, but their hearts belong to their homeland first.
Like most of their fellow Dalesmen, Dale warriors are slow to trust strangers. This is manifested by a reserved approach to conversation, and a reluctance to rely on strangers for help. They are not dismissive of people they do not know, but it takes them a while to warm to people from outside the Dales. If a person presents a suspicious or mysterious first impression, it will take him or her longer (if ever) to be accepted or befriended by any Dalesman. Once the distrust fades, however, one is hard pressed to find a more loyal and dependable a comrade than a Dalesman warrior. They are brave, selfless, loyal allies who are always willing to share a healthy dose of their common sense with their comrades for the benefit of the party.
==Special Advantages and Disadvantages==
All Dalesman warriors gain a +2 bonus to morale checks when they are engaged in battle anywhere in the Dalelands. In addition, each Dalesman warrior gains a +1 to attack rolls and saving throws when fighting in defense of his home Dale.
Additional benefits and specific liabilities are listed below, according to the particular Dale.
===Archendale===
Archendale sees itself as the most influential Dale, and has the most powerful army. As a result, its warriors tend to be a bit better trained than their other Dale counterparts. To reflect this, each Archendale warrior gains one additional initial weapon and nonweapon proficiency. The nonweapon proficiency must come from the Warrior group.
In disadvantages, the arrogance of Archendale warriors is a constant irritant to other Dalesmen. To show this, assign a -2 penalty to reactions when dealing with Dalesmen from outside of Archendale, and a -1 penalty when talking with non-natives of the Dales.
===Battledale===
Despite the impressive-sounding name, Battledale is a sparsely-populated Dale with a very peaceful and heavily agricultural environment. A Battledale warrior automatically gains the agriculture nonweapon proficiency as a bonus. Also, there is a 50% chance that any two Battledalesmen in a group know each other, or at the very least have heard of each other.
On the other hand, due to Battledale's peaceful nature, warriors start out with one less initial weapon proficiency. This dale was the site of the great battle against Lashan, but that was a decade ago, and the Dale is now quite sedate once again.
===Daggerdale===
Daggerdale has endured over five decades of incursions by raiders, bandits, and monsters of numerous types. Zhentarim spies have infiltrated the Dale, making life miserable for the folk. The surrounding countryside is lawless, and Dagger Falls is still fully under the grip of the Zhentarim. Daggerdalesmen are even more paranoid about strangers than other Dalesmen, and to earn the trust of one is a difficult task.
All Daggerdale warriors get a free choice of either the agriculture or hunting nonweapon proficiencies as a bonus proficiency. Also, each warrior starts out with 500 experience points already to their credit, reflecting the fact that most of the local warriors have already been baptized in battle by blood and steel.
Conversely, the Zhentarim occupation force has managed to play havoc with the Dale's economic shape. As a result, all equipment purchased in initial outfitting costs 10% more. Also, starting cash for a Daggerdale warrior is only 4d4 (x10) gold pieces.
===Deepingdale===
Deepingdale is known for its longstanding friendship with elves and half-elves. It is also famous for its natives' overall respect for nature, replacing felled timber from the surrounding forests. Its environs are also noted for the healthy abundance of game animals, also due to Deepingdale's care in not overhunting the forests. All Deepingdale warriors get a bonus of either the hunting nonweapon proficiency or the modern language proficiency in the elvish tongue.
On the down side, this Dale's goodwill toward elves and half-elves does not go unnoticed by those races or specific persons who hate elves. Elven enemies—drow, orcs, and many others, for example—will first attack Deepingdale warriors, as "they have the stench of elves upon them."
===Featherdale===
The warriors of Featherdale are few and far between. This Dale is primarily a collection of rustic farming villages, and its natives are simple, honest farm-folk full of common sense. They are a hearty and wise people, and this is reflected in their rare warriors. Each Featherdale warrior gets a +1 bonus to his Constitution and Wisdom to reflect the characteristics of his hard-working and honest upbringing.
While the warriors of Featherdale are indeed a hearty folk with lots of common sense, these traits are offset by a lesser education and a sense of passivity and lethargy, All warriors of Featherdale have a -1 modifier to their Intelligence and Charisma during the initial character creation.
===Harrowdale===
This is the oldest of all the Dales, and Harrowdale also has become the most important port in the Dalelands. Any ranger from Harrowdale can be a member of the Grey Riders, a band of rangers which patrols the nearby woods. A Grey Rider ranger automatically starts out with a light riding horse and the riding, land-based nonweapon proficiency.
For disadvantages, a ranger from Harrowdale who is a member of the Grey Riders is liable to be summoned back to the Dale due to an emergency. There is a flat 20% chance per month that such a crisis will arise, requiring the ranger to report back to Harrowdale immediately. Once the crisis passes, however, a month goes by before the DM needs to check for a local emergency again.
===The High Dale===
High Dale is the southernmost Dale, and it is home to a proud and isolated people. The mercenary company known as the Pegasus Archery Company is based here, as is its Flying Auxiliary, and this kit assumes the warrior is a member of one of the groups. A warrior from High Dale automatically gets a weapon proficiency in either the long bow or short bow. In addition, the cost for the riding, airborne nonweapon proficiency is reduced to only one slot.
Much of the weapons-training a warrior receives in this Dale focuses on the bow and arrow. Specialization in any weapon that is not the long bow or short bow takes three weapon proficiency slots, not the standard two slots. 
Unfortunately, like Harrowdale's Grey Riders, the High Dale's Pegasus Archery Company and Flying Auxiliary may find themselves needed for the defense of the Dale. There is a flat 5% chance per week that there will be such a need, requiring the archer to report back immediately. Once the crisis passes, however, a month passes before the likelihood needs to be checked again.
===Mistledale===
Mistledale is a peaceful Dale peopled by friendly folk. Mistledale's Riders are the mounted constabulary and army for Mistledale. They also are augmented by a well-trained mounted militia. Each Mistledale warrior thus starts out with the riding, land-based nonweapon proficiency, a free light riding horse, a suit of chain mail, a spear, and a short sword.
In return for full gear and training, the disciplined and well-equipped militia of Mistledale demands three months of service per year for ten years from its warriors. The player and the DM should work out the details for this service, possibly even using it as an adventure hook. Alternately, a Mistledale warrior PC can purchase his way out of the militia, at the cost of 1,000 gp per year of service remaining. Note that when the character is created at first level, only the first year of militia service is completed.
===Scardale===
Scardale does not exist as an independent dale at the present time. It has been occupied by several different factions since the end of Lashan's war over a decade ago. All Scardale warriors automatically start out with 500 experience points, which represent their training and exposure to open warfare.
However, many people in the Dalelands have not forgotten, nor will forget, Scardale's attempt at empire-building, courtesy of the leadership of Lord Lashan. Consequently, a Scardale warrior suffers a -4 reaction penalty when dealing with Dalesmen from any of the other Dales.
===Shadowdale===
For such a quiet, pastoral dale, Shadowdale has attracted quite a few powerful personalities, including scores of adventurers. Each warrior starts out with the bonus spellcraft proficiency, due to the abundance of magic in Shadowdale and Elminster's natural longwindedness about the subject. In addition, the numerous folk who pass through Shadowdale can teach natives many things. As a result, a Shadowdale warrior can choose two of the more exotic languages of the Realms; this assumes that a traveling adventurer (or adventurers) passing through Shadowdale tutored the PC in the languages in question. Note that these two languages are not bonus proficiencies; they must be paid for normally from the allowable slots based on Intelligence.
For good or ill, Shadowdale is the home and gathering place of many adventurers and a number of the Realms' more notable personalities. Whether its visitors are Elminster, the Seven Sisters, the Knights of Myth Drannor, the Harpers, or other well-known forces of good, Shadowdale and its residents always seems to factor into major Realms-shattering events in one way or another.
As a result, there are quite a few factions and folk who carry a grudge against Shadowdale, more due to the forces of good it harbors than anything it might represent. Thus, a warrior from Shadowdale gets a -4 reaction penalty when dealing with denizens of the Underdark, Wizards of Thay, the Black Network, the Zhentilar, the Cult of the Dragon, or the Red Plumes of Hillsfar. In addition, members of the above factions will single out Shadowdale warriors in combat, to the exclusion of warriors from other locales ("You're from Elminster's town? Die, you Harper-loving dog!").
===Tasseldale===
Tasseldale has a militia composed of every able-bodied male resident between the ages of 15 and 64. Every Tasseldale warrior starts out with a free choice of a pike, short sword, or light crossbow, and a corresponding bonus weapon proficiency slot. Militia duties may recall a warrior from anywhere in the Realms back to Tasseldale, but the likelihood is only 5% every three months. In this case, it is a major threat to the Dale, which has prompted the Mairshars—Tasseldale's constables—to send out the assembly call to all active or retired militiamen.
==A Word (or Two) of Advice==
: "Ahem. 'Twould seem that the young pup Mendryll is doing what a bard does best, namely making outrageous claims and presumptions without checking his facts. When will people learn that someone must spend many a winter among the folk of the Dales in order to write truthfully about the Dalelands and its peoples? Ah well. Give the bard another century or two to mature, and mayhaps he will learn a smidgen of wisdom. After all, there is only so much one can learn in such a short time.
: Speaking as one recognized as an authority on knowledge, I can honestly say that the bard in question does the average Dalesman a disservice. Why, to hear him speak of them, Dalesmen amble about like hayseeds, hitching their thumbs under their armpits and saying "Ayup" all day. One would be inclined to believe they only pick up a sword when and only when their farms are being attacked.
: Well, good folk, the Dalelands may not be a cosmopolitan center like the City of Splendors, but quite a few heroes have sprung from this humble patch of the Realms. The centralized location and smaller popultions of the Dales all but guarantee that much glory can be gained by brave lads and lasses who take weapons and their destinies in hand and venture forth as proud warriors.
: Dalesmen are not just reactive, simply waiting for threats to come their way. Oh, certainly there are indeed many who do just that, and that gives credence to the bard's assertions of the Dalesmens' practicality. just the same, there are many Dale-born souls whose wanderlust and zest for adventure burn as brightly in their breasts as in those of any "more civilized" adventurers.
: Make no mistake about it, good gentles: The Dalelands is a birthplace of farmers and fighters alike, and not just defenders of home and hearth. 'Tis not the fault of the Dalesman warrior that his homeland has a reputation for producing common people who know when to stay home with their mouths shut, and when to go abroad and speak loudly. If more warriors from such "loftier" places as Suzail or Calimport adopted such a sensible manner, there would be much less grief rampant in the Realms, let me tell thee.
: This just goes to show ye; never take everything a bard says as absolute truth. 'Reactive warriors' indeed!"
: Now, Mendryll, about this apparent 'longwindedness' of mine..."
:: Elminster of Shadowdale