Mul

Born
from the unlikely parentage of dwarves and humans, muls combine the height and
adaptable nature of humans with the musculature and resilience of dwarves. Muls
enjoy traits that are uniquely their own, such as their robust metabolism and
almost inexhaustible capacity for work. The hybrid has disadvantages in a few
areas as well: sterility, and the social repercussions of being created for a
life of slavery. Humans and dwarves are not typically attracted to each other.
The only reason that muls are so common in the Zerim is because of their value
as laborers and gladiators: slave–sellers force– breed humans and dwarves for
profit. While mul– breeding practices are exorbitantly lucrative, they are
often lethal to both the mother and the baby. Conception is difficult and
impractical, often taking months to achieve. Even once conceived, the mul takes
a full twelve months to carry to term; fatalities during this period are high.
As likely as not, anxious overseers cut muls from the dying bodies of their
mothers.

**Alignment**

Muls tend towards neutrality
with respect to good and evil, but run the gamut with respect to law or chaos.
Many lawful muls adapt well to the indignities of slavery, playing the game for
the comforts that they can win as valued slaves. A few ambitious lawful muls
use the respect won from their fellow–slaves to organize rebellions and strike
out for freedom. Chaotic muls, on the other hand, push their luck and their
value as slaves to the breaking point, defying authority, holding little fear
for the lash.

exception, muls are born in the slave pits of the merchants and nobles of Iachor.
Most are set to work as laborers, some as gladiators, and fewer yet as
soldier–slaves. Very few earn their freedom, a greater number escape to freedom
among the tribes of ex–slave that inhabit the wastes.

#### **Magic**

Muls dislike what they fear,
and they fear wizards. They also resent that a wizard’s power comes from
without, with no seeming effort on the wizard’s part, while the mul’s power is
born of pain and labor. Mul wizards are almost unheard of.

#### **Relgion**

Even if muls were to create a
religion of their own, as sterile hybrids, they would have no posterity to pass
it on to. Mul clerics tend to be drawn towards Oruer or Rathar.

#### **Language**

Muls speak Common, but those
favored muls that stay in one city long enough before being sold to the next,
sometimes pick up other languages. Because of their tireless metabolism, muls
have the capacity to integrate with peoples that other races could not dream of
living with.

#### **Names**

Muls sold as laborers will have
common slave names. Muls sold as gladiators will often be given more striking
and exotic names. Masters who change their mul slaves’ professions usually
change their names as well, since it is considered bad form to have a gladiator
with a farmer’s name, and a dangerous incitement of slave rebellions to give a
common laborer the name of a gladiator.

#### **Adventurers**

Player character muls are
assumed to have already won their freedom. Most freed mul gladiators take
advantage of their combat skills, working as soldiers or guards. Some turn to
crime, adding rogue skills to their repertoire.

### **Society**

Muls
have no racial history or a separate culture. They are sterile and cannot
reproduce, preventing them from forming family groups and clans. The vast
majority of muls are born in slavery, through breeding programs. Often the
parents resent their roles in the breeding program and shun the child, leaving
the mul to a lonely, hard existence. The taskmaster’s whip takes the place of a
family. For these reasons, many muls never seek friends or companionship, and
often have rough personalities with tendencies towards violence.

Mul
gladiators are often very successful, and win a lot of money for their owners.
Highly successful gladiators are looked after by their owners, receiving a
large retinue of other slaves to tend to their whims and needs.

Muls
not trained as gladiators are often assigned to hard labor and other duties
that can take advantage of the mul’s hardy constitution and endurance.

### **Mul Racial Traits**

* **Ability Score**: Muls gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma. Combining the human height with the Dwarven musculature, muls end up stronger than either parent race, but their status as born–to–be slaves makes them insecure in their dealings with others.

* **Type**: Muls are humanoid creatures with the dwarf subtype.

* **Size**: Muls are medium creatures, and as such have no bonuses or penalties due to size.

* **Base Speed**: Mul base land speed is 30 feet.

* **Languages**: Muls begin play speaking Common. Muls with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Gith, and Giant.

* **Darkvision:** Muls can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

* **Dwarven Blood:** For all effects related to race, a mul is considered a dwarf. Muls, for example, are just as vulnerable to effects that affect dwarves as their dwarf ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are only usable by dwarves.

* **Hold Breath**: Muls can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating.

* **Indomitable:** Damage Reduction 3/Lethal. Muls are difficult to subdue, and do not notice minor bruises, scrapes, and other discomforts that pain creatures of other races.
* **Tireless:** Muls receive Endurance as a bonus feat at 1st level.