Magma Dwarf

*"They are our deep cousins. The ones we're on speaking terms with."-Balgrim Goldendelver, referring to the underholds.*

*"Mostly identical to their mountain kin in appearance and culture. These distinctions are utterly meaningless."-Urixina Oakwhisper, high elf historian, hypocritically and incorrectly.*

*"Nothing feels better than encountering a magma dwarf patrol when down in the Hollow. You actually know that you're safe for a little while."- Jek Mortle, human miner.*

## Physical Description:

Magma dwarves resemble their more common mountain dwarf cousins but their are few differences. The skin has an orange or bronze tint, similar in many ways to the magma they live so closely to. Their hair tends to be either bright orange and red or a dark black like coal. Many males are bald by choice, though there is no social responsibility to do so. They dress in practical clothing that tends to be tighter than other dwarves, ensuring they do not accidentally set themselves on fire when flowing garments get caught in a magma stream. Unlike mountain dwarves, magma dwarves adore body modification and many have tattoos, piercings or embedded gemstones, allowing them to flaunt the great wealth of their subterranean kingdoms. Very rarely, a magma dwarf will be born with hair of living fire, or skin of crackling magma, which is considered a good omen and blessing from Moradin.

## History:

After the defeat of the beholder kingdoms, the races of Apia found themselves free to settle their own affairs. Many dwarves settled in the region known as the Dragontail mountains, an area rich in various gems and precious metals while also proving a sturdy location that could be defended against all foes. Some of these mountain dwarves delved deeper and deeper underground, breaking into the upper crusts of The Hollow and discovering a great quality of adamantine, silver, gold and precious gems. These veins were surrounded by the molten streams of lava that criss-cross The Hollow like rivers do the world above. These dwarves, refusing to let so much precious material go to waste, decided to settle underground near these streams and begin mining operations. Using the heat from the lava to fuel their forges and shape their works, these dwarves slowly adapted to their new home, becoming the magma dwarves of today.

## Geography:

Nearly all the magma dwarves in Apia are found in large settlements located deep beneath mountain dwarf or onyx dwarf holds. There is something of a symbiotic relationship between them, though they are now two distinct entities. They rely on one another to move resources and supplies and this relationship treats both fine. Magma dwarf patrols are known to map out the surrounding Hollow, to avoid settling to close to any hostile colonies of abberations or drow.

## Personality:

Magma dwarves are, like mountain dwarves, honor-bound and stern. However, unlike their upper-dwelling cousins, magma's tend to be cautious. Working around such dangerous environments in territory typically the domain of drow or worse makes them slower to anger and slow to act. They are a cautious people but, when the situation calls for it, they will fight just as fiercely as their kin. Additionally, magma dwarves are quicker to adopt new ideas and new technologies. Many work quite closely with steam and magma, a few even go so far as to develop blackpowder or magmashot weapons. These dwarves bare a great love of shiny, precious things and can succumb to greed easily. Still, most of that good dwarf spirit is deep in their hearts and few allow greed to overcome their better judgements for long.

## Society:

Magma dwarves are ruled by a council of elders, as opposed to an individual king. These elders are selected from among the oldest and wisest of the males and their judgements are considered final and sound. While the mountain dwarves might see this behavior as odd they respect the choice of their kin. Unlike their cousins, magma dwarves do not have honorless, instead those who bring shame must pay a fine to the community equal to their crimes or perform acts of community service intended to help balance the scales left behind by their thoughtlessness. Magma dwarves don't waste lives or resources; it is not their way. However, that does not mean honor is unimportant to them, indeed, they are just as proud as their mountain dwarf cousins and aren't afraid to spill blood over an insult, they just won't carry it as far.

## Religion:

Moradin and the other gods of the dwarves are honored in magma dwarf halls.

## Alignment:

Most magma dwarves are neutral good. While they lack the completely rigidity of the traditional mountain dwarf way of life, they are still devoted to goodness and are far too dwarvish to even look upon chaos with any degree of acceptance.

## Relations:

The greatest ally of the magma dwarf is their mountain dwarf kin. The two groups are closely related and their societies are dependent on one another. Gnomes of all types are allies of the magma dwarf but special attention is give to the deep gnomes or svirfneblin who share their home environment of The Hollow. Good aligned tribes of kobolds also make fast friends with magma dwarves and some of their communities even intermingle. The great enemy of the magma dwarves are their twisted cousins, the duergar and to a lesser extent, the derro, kuo-toa and drow. These evil races frequent the same locations as the magma dwarves, particularly the duergar, and bloodshed between the groups is a common occurrence.

## Language:

Magma dwarves speak dwarvish though with a notable accent.

## Adventurers:

Some magma dwarves wish to see the world around them and so take up their arms and go exploring. Others seek out fortune and fame on behalf of family and clan. A few younger dwarves seeking something beyond the forges of home and set out on adventurers to discover their own identities.

### Names:

Their names are nearly identical to mountain dwarves and so those names can be used.

## Traits:

Identical to the dwarf traits in the players handbook with the following exceptions...

Weapon Familiarity: Magma dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes, dwarven urgroshes and firearms as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.

+2 racial bonus on saving throws against diseases. The various illnesses of The Hollow are rampant and the natural resistance of the magma dwarves comes in handy in fighting them. This replaces the saving throw against poison.

+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against duergar, drow, kuo-toa and mind flayers. These enemies of magma dwarves are encountered far more frequently than other creatures, and so special techniques are taught to battle against them. This replaces the bonus vs orcs and goblinoids.

Fire Resistance 5/. Magma dwarves spend so much time exposed to the extreme heat of bedrock and lava that they have developed a resistance to its effects. This replaces the +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type.