Runeborn

The runeborn are a completely new sect of dwarves that have recently sprung into existence within the Kingdom of Vonrim. It is said that they ripped themselves out from ancient runic inscriptions, ones that were written by the first dwarves. One would assume that they were artificially created by the mountain dwarves, but that does not seem to be; even the mountain dwarves have no clue as to what kind of power awakened these beings. However, it is known that the runeborn easily adapted to the culture of the mountain dwarves and live in peace within their lands. As the mountain dwarves try to study and find answers to the existence of the runeborn, the runeborn themselves search for these same answers. Perhaps Torim or Enely decided to wake them in preparation for something, maybe the old runesmiths of dwarven legend created them as a fail safe to ensure the existence of the dwarves or maybe some lucky magical event happened and clashed with the runic writings of dwarves and brought them to life.

The term runeborn comes from the fact that each runeborn is littered with dwarven runes. These texts usually describe historical events, contain dwarven lore or other significant information that the dwarves wanted to preserve on their cave walls. A runeborn will often study the messages written on it's surface, hoping to find a link that ties it to the Realm of Mortals in some way. However, some of them have been able to find solace in the fact that the questions of their existence cannot be answered; they have instead situated themselves within the world as a part of dwarven society, and they are highly respected in these communities. The mountain dwarves however believe that the runeborn will play a large role in some major event in the future; that is why it is their duty to keep these stony cousins of theirs safe and provide them with everything they need.

## Physical description

Runeborn are tall and heavy by dwarf standards, usually standing between 160 and 170 centimeters tall and weighing about 200 kilograms. Most of their weight can be attributed to their stony bodies, even if they are partially organic. Their upper bodies contain most of their mass and their enormous backs, shoulders and chests are a testament to their physical strength. There are no female runeborn and they are usually addressed as male because of their appearance, even if they lack sexual organs and cannot reproduce naturally. Some may also refer to them as "it", but this could be seen as an insult by most runeborn.

Each runeborn has its own unique appearance and runes. They lack any kind of body hair and even their beards are made of a stony substance; these beards are usually their most distinctive feature, as most people cannot read old dwarven runes. One can tell most runeborn apart from looking at their beards. In addition to carved runes, their skin is filled with cracks and their skin colors mimic the color of the stone from which they were born. As the runeborn are still relatively young, there are no known cases of a runeborn dying of old age. Because of their tireless fortitude and ability to survive without basic needs, they are theorized to be immortal.

## Society

As the runeborn lack a culture of their own and were born in the lands of Vonrim, it is only natural that they decided to situate themselves within mountain dwarven society. The mountain dwarves treat them well and have given them a great purpose in life, even if this purpose poses them more questions about their true origins. Most runeborn like to live a modest life and their curious nature often leads them to study dwarven history. Some mountain dwarves seem to worship them as something greater, a new superior race of dwarves that will lead the dwarves to a glorious future. The runeborn themselves only find this kind of treatment troublesome and do not wish to have such weight on their shoulders; they would rather try to find a more rational and less grand answer to their birth. A select few individuals have even ventured outside of dwarven lands as they are desperate to find their true place within the world. The mountain dwarves have instructed most of these adventuring runeborn to never reveal their race to any outsiders; most of them portray themselves as awakened constructs crafted by dwarven wizards.

The prospect of immortality is also an unsettling idea to some of the runeborn. They are afraid that when nations crumble and fall and other races die out, they will be left alone, without direction or purpose. This is why many of them find good reason in taking part in other communities in order to preserve them and learn as much as they can of the existing world. While the runeborn look for answers to their existence, the mountain dwarves are also looking for answers on how to replicate the birth of the runeborn. When the first runeborn came to be, the mountain dwarves were dumbfounded and years of studying them has apparently not given them as much information as they had hoped. The old dwarven texts were restored with the help of the runeborn that were born from them, but the magic of these runes seems to have dissipated. Now this magic lives within the runeborn and it is up to them to find their own meaning in life.

## Rules

* **Ability Score Modifiers:** Runeborn are absurdly strong and tough beings, but suffer from extreme clumsiness and dullness of the mind. They gain +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, -4 Dexterity and -2 Intelligence.
* **Size:** Medium
* **Type:** Humanoid, dwarf/half-construct
	+ Half-constructs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and effects that cause either exhaustion or fatigue.
	+ ~~Half-constructs cannot be raised or resurrected~~
	+ Half-constructs do not breathe, eat, or sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. This means that a half-construct can drink potions to benefit from their effects and can sleep in order to regain spells, but neither of these activities is required for the half-construct to survive or stay in good health.
* **Speed:** (Slow and Steady) Runeborn have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
* **Languages**: Runeborn begin play speaking Dwarven. Runeborn with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Sherdanian, Terran, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Orc and Undercommon.

* **Stone Carved:** Runeborn gain a +2 natural armor bonus to their AC.
* **Runic Knowledge:** Runeborn gain a +4 racial bonus on a Knowledge skill of their choice. They also treat it as a class skill.
* **Dwarven Biology:** Unlike most half-constructs, runeborn can be raised and resurrected.
* **Defying Death:** Runeborn double their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. They also gain a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks made to stabilize when dying.
* **Stability:** Runeborn gain a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
* **Rock Stepper**: Runeborn can ignore difficult terrain created by rubble, broken ground or steep stairs when they take a 5-foot step.
* **Darkvision:** Runeborn can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

* **Rune Core:** As each runeborn has complex runic texts written on it, these texts are an integral part of a runeborn's character. Choose one the following traits and apply it to your runeborn. However, some runeborn may have more unique traits not listed here; in those cases, consult your GM.
	+ **Rune of Fire (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain fire resistance 5 and use their Fire domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
	+ **Rune of Earth (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain acid resistance 5 and use their Earth domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
	+ **Rune of Air (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain electricity resistance 5 and use their Air domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
	+ **Rune of Water (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain cold resistance 5 and use their Water domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.
	+ **Rune of Silence (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain sonic resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saving throws against sonic effects.
	+ **Rune of Mountains (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the Hardy racial trait (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities).
	+ **Rune of Deeps (Sp):** Runeborn with this racial trait choose either *Invisibility* or *Enlarge Person*. They may use the chosen spell once per day as a spell-like ability, using their character level as its caster level and affecting themselves only. This rune can be taken up to two times. The second time you take it, you must choose the ability that you do not already have. Each Rune of Deeps is treated as a separate rune with regards to Rune of Sharing (see below).
	+ **Rune of Blazing (Su):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the red dwarf racial feat *Heat Vision* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Forests (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the Healthy racial trait (+2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and poison, and they need one fewer consecutive successful saves (minimum 1) to be cured of diseases and poisons). In addition, they gain proficiency with handaxes, battleaxes and greataxes as well as a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks.
	+ **Rune of Adamantine (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain damage reduction 2/-. This damage reduction stacks with DR you gain from adamantine armor, but not with DR from any other source.
	+ **Rune of Mithral (Ex):** Once per day, runeborn with this racial trait may take an additional move action as a swift action. In addition, they gain a +5 feet bonus to their base speed. This rune can be taken multiple times. Each time you take it, the speed bonus increases by an additional 5 feet.
	+ **Rune of Viridium (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain *Toughness* as a bonus feat. In addition, they gain an additional +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease.
	+ **Rune of Living Steel (Su):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the ability to activate fast healing 2 for 1 round as a free action. This ability can be used up to a number of rounds per day equal to half their total character level (rounded up) + their Constitution modifier.
	+ **Rune of Lead (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain spell resistance equal to 6 + their total character level. In addition, they gain a +2 insight bonus on saving throws against divination spells and spell-like abilities.
	+ **Rune of Metals (Su):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the ability to briefly coat parts of their body with various metals. Once per round as a free action, they can choose to have a single unarmed attack or natural attack made by them to be treated as a magic weapon as well as either cold iron, silver, or adamantine. The attack also gains the appropriate abilities of each special material, such as adamantine's ability to bypass hardness and silver's damage penalty when attacking with slashing or piercing weapons. This ability can be used up to a number of times per day equal to their Constitution modifier. This rune can be taken multiple times. Each time you take it, you may choose two additional metallic special materials that you can coat your attacks with.
	+ **Rune of Health (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain *Great Fortitude* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Willpower (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain *Iron Will* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Quickness (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain *Lightning Reflexes* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Knowledge (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on all Knowledge skill checks and treat all of them as class skills. In addition, they begin play with a free point in Lore (mountain dwarves).
	+ **Rune of Artisans (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft checks and begin play with free points in three different Craft skills of their choice.
	+ **Rune of Spells (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft and Use Magic Device checks and treat both of them as class skills. In addition, if they begin play with levels in a spellcasting class that has a limited number of spells known, they may choose an additional 1st level spell and add it to their known spells.
	+ **Rune of Magic (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain *Spell Penetration* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Tongues (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait begin play speaking Common and Dwarven as well as two extra languages of their choice. These languages can be ones not listed in the starting languages normally available to a runeborn (except secret languages, such as Druidic and Drow Sign Language). In addition, they learn 2 languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics rather than 1 language.
	+ **Rune of War (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain proficiency with two martial weapons of their choice, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” and "vonrimian" in its name as a martial weapon. If a runeborn with this racial trait begins play with proficiency in all martial weapons, they instead gains *Exotic Weapon Proficiency* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Gunpowder (Ex):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain proficiency with one firearm of their choice. In addition, they gain *Gunsmithing* as a bonus feat.
	+ **Rune of Dragons (Su):** Twice per day as a standard action, runeborn with this racial trait can use a special Breath Attack ability. When choosing this racial trait, they must also choose an element associated with it; acid, cold, electricity or fire. Acid and electricity are used in a 20 ft. line while cold and fire and fire are used in a 15 ft. cone. All creatures in the affected area must roll a Reflex save to avoid some of the damage and the difficulty class of this save is equal to 10 + half the character level of the runeborn + its Constitution modifier. This attack deals 1d6 damage and successful saving throws reduce this damage to half of its original value. The damage of this ability increases to 2d6 at 3rd level and increases by 1d6 every two levels after that, up to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level. This is a supernatural ability.
	+ **Rune of Reach (Sp):** Runeborn with this racial trait can use *Long Arm* once per day as a spell-like ability, using their character level as its caster level.
	+ **Rune of Restoration (Su):** Runeborn with this racial trait gain the ability to heal ability damage as a free action, at a rate of 1 point per round. This ability can be used up to a number of times per day equal to their Constitution modifier. In addition, once per day as an immediate action, they can reduce the amount of ability damage they take from a single effect by 4 points, or reduce the amount of ability drain they take from a single effect by 2 points.

### Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. In addition, runeborn have access to all alternate racial traits normally available to dwarves. Consult your GM before selecting any new options.

* **Runic Mastery:** Some runeborn are filled with more runic power than others, but these additional runes have caused their skin to become more chipped and their knowledge more narrow. Runeborn with this racial trait choose a second rune from the list provided by Rune Core and apply it to their character. You cannot choose the same rune more than once unless stated otherwise. This racial trait replaces Runic Knowledge and reduces the natural armor bonus of Stone Carved by one.
* **Fearless:** Runeborn can sometimes be oblivious to the dangers that they are facing which in turn gives them tunnel vision. Runeborn with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This racial trait replaces Stability and Rock Stepper.
* **Ancient:** Other runeborn are more closer to constructs than mortal dwarves, granting them strong immunities but weakening their organic sides. Runeborn with this racial trait choose one of the following bonuses; immunity to charms, immunity to compulsions, immunity to morale effects, immunity to patterns, immunity to phantasms, immunity to disease, immunity to death effects, immunity to poison, immunity to sleep effects, or immunity to bleed. In addition, they gain Low-Light Vision, suffer -4 penalty to Charisma, and double their weight. This racial trait replaces Dwarven Biology and Defying Death.
* **Forgotten Wisdom:** Although generally strong, a number of runeborn have risen from old and fragile stones filled with forgotten tales and teachings. These type of runeborn are wiser but physically weaker from the rest of their kin. Runeborn with this racial trait gain +2 Wisdom, but reduce their +4 Strength bonus to +2.

## Runeborn Racial Feats

* **Runes Revealed**

*You have discovered more runes hidden deep within your stony skin.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn.

**Benefit:** You can choose an additional rune from the list provided by Rune Core and apply it to your character. This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time you take it, you must choose a different rune (Rune of Mithral and Rune of Metals can be chosen multiple times, and Rune of Deeps can be chosen twice).

* **Power Surge**

*You're able to overcome your natural limitations and have found the strength to use your runic powers more frequently.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn.

**Benefit:** Choose a single rune that you have which is usable once per day. You gain two more daily uses on it. This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time you take it, you must choose a different rune.

* **Rune of the Silencer**

*You can absorb more sonic energy and know how to shut people up.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, Rune of Silence, character level 3rd.

**Benefit:** The sonic resistance from your Rune of Silence increases by 5 points. At 10th level, it increases by an additional 5 points. In addition, you can use *Silence* once per day as a spell-like ability, using your character level as your caster level. The save DC is Constitution-based.

* **Runic Elements**

*The resistance of your elemental runes has become quite potent.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, one elemental rune, character level 5th.

**Benefit:** Choose a single elemental rune that you have; fire, earth, air, or water. The resistance gained from that rune is increased by 10 points. If you have multiple elemental runes, you may increase all of their resistances by 5 points instead.

In addition, once per day as an immediate action, you may double one of your resistances against a single attack, spell, ability or effect. Only the resistance gained from your rune is doubled.

* **Rune of Hardened Adamantine**

*Your skin has become even harder and you feel a closer connection to adamantine as a whole.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, Con 17, Rune of Adamantine, character level 5th.

**Benefit:** The damage reduction gained from Rune of Adamantine is increased by 1. In addition, you gain a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls made with adamantine weapons, and reduce the armor check penalty of any adamantine armor you wear by 1.

* **Rune of Sharing**

*You know how to share your runic powers with your allies.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, character level 3rd.

**Benefit:** As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you can transfer one of your runes to a single ally that you touch. You need have at least one hand free in order to perform this action. The rune physically manifests itself on their chest, like a visible arcane mark. They gain all the benefits of the chosen rune while you yourself lose them. They keep these benefits for up to 1 hour or until they willingly give the rune back to you the same way that you gave it to them. An ally cannot have more than a single rune active at a time. If a rune has a limited number of uses, your allies gain the number uses that you have left and these uses are not immediately replenished when the rune is returned to you.

The number of runic transfers you can perform each day is equal to your Constitution modifier.

* **Improved Rune of Sharing**

*Your skill of transferring runes has become more efficient.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, Rune of Sharing, character level 6th.

**Benefit:** You can transfer runes as a move action instead of a full-round action and your runic transfers do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Once per day, you can transfer a single rune to an ally within 60 feet by shouting the name of the rune as a swift action. You do not lose the benefits of the runes that you transfer, but you cannot have a specific rune transferred on multiple allies at the same time. If a rune has a limited number of uses, you need to divide the number of uses you have left between you and your ally and these uses are not immediately replenished when the rune is returned to you.

* **Greater Rune of Sharing**

*Your runic enhancements have become more numerous and can affect multiple people.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, Runes Revealed, Rune of Sharing, Improved Rune of Sharing, character level 9th.

**Benefit:** The total number of different runes that you have is added to the number of runic transfers you can perform each day. You can transfer a single rune as a swift action two additional times per day. You can have the same rune transferred on multiple allies at the same time and a single ally can have up to two runes active at a time. The effects of a specific rune do not stack if you transfer it twice on the same ally unless stated otherwise. If a rune has a limited number of uses, your allies gain one use on it and you can grant them additional uses that are expanded from your remaining uses. These additional uses are not immediately replenished when the rune is returned to you.

* **Runes to All**

*You know how to preserve yourself in order to perform more runic transfers.*

**Prerequisites:** Runeborn, Rune of Sharing, character level 4th.

**Benefit:** You gain three more daily uses on your Rune of Sharing ability. This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

## Runeborn Racial Archetypes

### Runekeeper

The runekeeper is an archetype of the cleric class, available to runeborn clerics.

*Runekeepers are runeborn that have dedicated their existence to collecting, protecting and worshiping the old runic writings of the dwarves. These runes are essentially a part of their souls and they harness their power to protect their allies and themselves.*