Barbarian - Arctic Dwarf (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Class Requirements 	Fighter, ranger (no multiclassing for latter)
Racial Requirements 	Dwarf (arctic)
Ability Requirements 	Constitution 15, Strength 15
Prime Requisite 	Constitution, Strength
Aligments 	Any (most LN; some LG, LE, N)
Social Rank 	Lower class
Hit Die Type 	d10
Attack as 	Warrior
Save as 	Warrior
Advance as 	Fighter
Spell Ability? 	No (see below)
Exceptional Strength? 	Yes
Exceptional Constitution?	Yes
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	None (see below)
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	4
Initial Weapons 	Primitive (see below)
Additional WP Slot 	3
Additional Weapons 	Any (see below)
Nonproficiency Penalty 	-1
Nonweapon Slots 	3
Additional NWP Slot 	3
Available Categories 	General, Warrior
Bonus Proficiencies 	Endurance, hunting or fishing, survival (arctic or mountain), weaponsmithing (crude, CRH)
Recommended Proficiencies	Appraising, blind-fighting, bowyer/fletcher (eyklak-see below), camouflage (CRH), direction sense, local history, mountaineering, set snares, singing, tracking, weather sense
Secondary Skills 	Bowyer/fletcher (eyklak see below), fisher, hunter, trader/barterer, trapper/furrier, weaponsmith (primitive)
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==Overview==
The arctic dwarves (Innugaakalikurit, pronounced EE-nu-GA-ka-LEE-ku-rit) of the Great Glacier are among the most reclusive and rare of all dwarven peoples. Because of their long war with local frost giants, however, some arctic dwarves have set off in search of knowledge and devices to give them the upper hand against their enemies. Occasionally, such warriors arrive in the main part of Faerûn and gain great experience and wealth adventuring before they return home to do battle with the giants. Repeat visits to the outside world are possible.
Arctic dwarves originate from the mountainous and frigid central Novularond region of the Great Glacier. There they make their homes in fortified surface villages, many with tunnel complexes beneath them for use when frost giants attack.
==Description==
An arctic dwarf stands about 3 feet tall, and looks like a normal dwarf who has been squashed. The male has long, white, curly hair that hangs down to his mid-back, a short white beard, and a narrow, twisting mustache; the female has no facial hair. Their eyes are bright blue, and cheeks are red. The skin of the blocky body is white with a blue tinge, and the dwarf has a pinched face, narrow eyes, stubby legs, thick fingers, and wide, thick-soled "snowshoe" feet that are always bare. Arctic dwarves are immune to cold, and if the arctic dwarf has been sunbathing (as they love to do), he may be sunburnt cherry red from head to toe, though this causes no discomfort. Both sexes wear only short tunics and loincloths of polar bear fur, though scouts and hunters wrap themselves in white furs to serve as armor (AC 8) and snow camouflage. An arctic dwarf has a high gentle voice and can sing well.
==Roleplaying==
Arctic dwarves are descended from a group of exiled shield dwarves in the Tortured Land, who arrived in Novularond over 2,200 years ago. They adapted to their new land and generally have kept to themselves. However, just over 600 years ago, a group of arctic dwarves were enslaved by frost giants after they were convicted of stealing a catapult from the giant; the descendants of these captives are still slaves of the giants, and this infuriates some of the dwarves. Further information on their homeland can be found in The Great Glacier.
Most arctic dwarves lead peaceful lives of hunting, raising children, and sunbathing. Their largest village is Gomwemk, with a population of about 450 adults. The village is a facade, as all the dwarves here live in tunnels in the ice out of fear of attack by frost giants. A growing number of dwarves here, called the Surfacers, are in favor of moving to the surface again and challenging the frost giants, eventually freeing their enslaved brethren. Arctic dwarves have received little support from other peoples of the Great Glacier, so some have turned to the outside world for assistance, advice, and weapons.
Arctic dwarves are similar in most respects to shield dwarves except as follows. As a rule, arctic dwarves are easy-going and amiable. They are not interested in crafts or mining and spend their recreational time engaged in singing, storytelling, and contact sports like wrestling or boxing. (The growing rage they feel at the frost giants, however, is sure to boil over in the near future.) These dwarves do share a fascination with weapons, and some have large collections of unusual weapons traded to them by (or taken from the frozen bodies of) adventurers.
Arctic dwarves are all immune to the ill effects of normal or magical cold, and thus take no damage from sub-zero temperatures, cold-based spells, white dragon's breath, etc. Because of their long isolation, arctic
dwarves gain no bonuses to attack humanoids such as orcs and goblins. These dwarves have infravision to 60 feet in temperate climates, though this improves to 90 feet under arctic conditions because their eyes become far more sensitive at picking up heat sources on the Great Glacier.
All arctic dwarves speak a dialect of Ulutiun, the language of the human tribes of the Great Glacier. Though it has roots in Thorass (Ancient Common) like Common, Ulutiun is not comprehensible to Faerûnians. These dwarves could also know the languages of white dragons, frost giants, yeti, selkies, and a sort of pigeon Common, all initially chosen based on the Intelligence score and available language proficiencies. More languages can be learned later.
Arctic dwarves are similar to shield (mountain) dwarves with regards to aging, saving throw bonuses, resistance to magic, combat abilities vs. giants, and abilities to detect underground phenomena. Initial ability scores are modified by a -1 penalty to Charisma and Dexterity, and a +1 bonus to Strength and Constitution. The minimum/maximum ability scores for arctic dwarves are: Str 14/18, Dex 3/16, Con 13/18, Int 3/18, Wis 3/18, Cha 3/14. Use the height data for halflings, the weight data for half-elves, and aging data for dwarves in the PHB, Tables 10 and 11.
Arctic dwarves can become fighters of unlimited levels, or rangers or thieves of up to 8th level. Only fighters gain weapon specialization. They cannot become paladins, wizards, priests, or bards. Multiclassed fighter/thieves are possible but not ranger/thieves+ Rangers cannot cast priest spells, but they can hide in arctic terrain, rocky terrain, or shadows using their roll for hiding in shadows. All rangers have either yeti, white dragons, or frost giants as their species enemy. Some are regarded by their kind as troublemakers for deliberately seeking out lone frost giants to slay, provoking conflicts.
Arctic dwarves eat fish, caribou, and polar bear meat, and they hunt ice toads and winter wolves for meat and body parts, too. They are accustomed to speaking their minds freely and openly, and enjoy family time, singing, telling stories, and wrestling or boxing. Most are lawful neutral and live in clans. They have a normal movement rate of MV 6.
==Special Advantages==
An arctic dwarf fighter's skin is toughened by outdoor living. He cannot feel pain from light bludgeoning attacks that do not pierce the skin; he thus takes only half damage (round fractions down to a l-point minimum) from punching or wrestling. This applies to rangers, too but no other class.
An arctic dwarf fighter gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls against frost giants. (Rangers gain this bonus, too, unless they select frost giants as their species enemy, in which case they get the standard +4 bonus to attack.) Because they are quite fascinated with weapons, arctic dwarf fighters have only a -1 nonproficiency penalty when using weapons with which they are not familiar; other classes (including rangers) have normal nonproficiency penalties.
The favored weapon of an arctic dwarf is his eyklak, a bulky bow with a high-tension pull that fires long, thick, barbed arrows. Treat this as a short bow in all respects, except that the long arrows inflict 1d8 points of damage. The awkward-looking bow is carefully shaped for an arctic dwarf to use, so he has a +2 bonus to attack rolls made with it; other races have a -2 penalty to attack rolls when using it. Fighter specialization with this weapon is very common, as it is so useful in hunting large, dangerous game—and for killing frost giants.
==Special Disadvantages==
An arctic dwarf does not know how to use a shield. If given the proper training, the dwarf can take a weapon proficiency with the shield (using a small shield or bucklers only) in order to use it properly.
As a barbarian, an arctic dwarf starts out with no Faerûnian money. He may choose up to 10 items other than weapons to take with him on his travels. These items include sacks, dried food rations, capes, fishing gear, rope, and tools (for skinning, sewing, or digging).
He also gains possession of four primitive but well-made weapons that his tribe normally makes and uses; these are also his initial weapons of proficiency. An arctic dwarf must select initial weapons only from the following: club (wood), mace (footman's, stone head), spear (stone point), stone dagger, eyklak (bulky bow), battle axe (stone head). Punching or wrestling may also be selected as weapon proficiencies, requiring no equipment. However, the arctic dwarf may learn new weapon proficiencies as the situation allows.
An arctic dwarf does not speak Common very well. Any communication with him should be played out as slow, halting, and hard to understand. Apply a 50% chance that an NPC does not know what the character is talking about, and a 25% chance if this happens that the NPC thinks the arctic dwarf said something rude, insulting, or in very bad taste. Comic results are also appropriate.
The arctic dwarf's strange appearance produces a +1 modifier to NPC reaction rolls, though no result should become hostile. Onlookers are merely put off by or curious about the dwarf's looks. Frost giants of the Great Glacier, however, always attack arctic dwarves and need not check reaction to them.
An arctic dwarf is not accustomed to warm temperatures. If attacked by heat- or fire-based spells, he suffers +1 extra point of damage per die. He can get around quite well in hot weather but sweats profusely and drinks vast quantities of water and other liquids. Sunburn never affects him, of course.
No metallic armor exists in the Realms that is sized to fit the squat, broad form of an arctic dwarf. If the arctic dwarf manages to gain and wear any sort of metallic armor, he takes a -1 penalty to all attack, damage, saving throw, and proficiency check rolls, as the armor feels so unnatural and strange. This problem lasts for 6d6 days of constant armor use, then disappears as the dwarf finally adjusts to it. The problem does not reappear for that dwarf.