Dwarven Forgepriest

Advanced Dwarf class — see Classes for the full list.

Prime Requisite:	WIL
Requirements:	CON 9
Hit Dice:	1d6
Maximum Level:	10

Nothing is so revered among the dwarven people as craftsmanship. A dwarf’s work is his life, and the spirits of dwarven artisans are believed to live on forever in their masterpieces. The forgepriest takes this a step further, using his skill to enhance their magical ceremonies. In Sair, a dwarven forgepriest will typically follow a Sovereign tradition, such as that of Ontaar or Dolorah.

Dwarven Forgepriest Level Progression / Spell Progression

Experience	Title	Level	Hit Dice	1	2	3	4	5
0		1	1d6	1	-	-	-	-
2,400		2	2d6	2	-	-	-	-
4,800		3	3d6	2	1	-	-	-
9,600		4	4d6	2	2	-	-	-
19,200		5	5d6	2	2	1	-	-
38,400		6	6d6	2	2	2	-	-
75,000		7	7d6	3	2	2	1	-
150,000		8	8d6	3	3	2	2	-
280,000	Dwarven Forgepriest	9	9d6	3	3	3	2	1
410,000	Dwarven Forgepriest, 10th level	10	9d6 + 1*	3	3	3	3	2

Dwarven Forgepriest Attack Bonus and Saving Throws

Level	Paralysis	Death	Blast	Implement	Spells	Attack Bonus
1-2	9+	6+	13+	9+	11+	+0
3-4	8+	5+	12+	8+	10+	+1
5-6	7+	4+	11+	7+	9+	+2
7-8	6+	3+	10+	6+	8+	+3
9-10	5+	2+	9+	5+	7+	+4

Combat Characteristics

Forgepriests have some combat training in the traditional weapons of their people, but not as much as their warrior-kin, the vaultguards.

Combat Proficiencies: Forgepriests have weapon proficiency with battle axe, club, great axe, hand axe, flail, mace, morning star, and war hammer. They have armor proficiency with very light, light, and medium armor. They have fighting style proficiency with the weapon and shield and two-handed weapon styles, but not with the dual weapon style.

Combat Progression: Forgepriests advance in attack throws and saving throws as crusaders, by two points every four levels. They can cleave after felling a foe a maximum of once per round per every two class levels (rounded down).

Starting Class Powers

Attention to Detail: Forgepriests gain a +3 bonus on proficiency throws for any proficiencies they learn. (This bonus has already been factored into the forgepriest’s class abilities.)

Master Craftsman: Every forgepriest is a master in a particular type of craft, such as armor-making, leatherworking, weapon-smithing, or locksmithing. With access to craftsman’s tools, forgepriests can produce 40gp worth of items per month and supervise 2 journeymen and 4 apprentices in their craft. When examining works of his craft, a forgepriest can identify masterwork items, rare materials, and famous artisans with a proficiency throw of 8+ on 1d20. This class power is equivalent to three ranks of Craft proficiency.

Studious Divine Spellcasting: By studying holy texts, forgepriests can cast divine spells. Unlike clerics, who receive their spells from prayer, forgepriests receive their spells from study. Forgepriests follow the same rules for learning and casting spells as mages (i.e., they have a base number of spells in their repertoire equal to the number shown on the Forgepriest Spell Progression table plus their INT bonus), except as modified by their expanded repertoire ability. They record their repertoires of spells in spell books and can learn new spells from scribing scrolls, intense observation of the truly faithful, or studying other divine spell books. They select their spells from the divine spell list, rather than the arcane spell list, however, and cannot learn or cast spells found in arcane spell books. See Spells for more information.

Theology: The forgepriest has received religious instruction at a seminary, monastery, or temple. He can begin play as a member of a religious hierarchy (Judge’s discretion). He can acquire congregants through proselytizing. He can automatically identify religious symbols, spell signatures, trappings, and holy days of his own faith, and can recognize those of other faiths with a proficiency throw of 11+. Rare or occult cults might be harder to recognize. (This class power is the equivalent of one rank of Theology proficiency.)

Traditional Path I: Each dwarven forgepriest receives instruction in the sacred rites of a runic ceremonial tradition, which grants them additional powers at 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, and 9^th levels. The traditions commonly available to the forgepriest are:

• The Baaldra tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Hall and Hearth.

• The Dolazur tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Cunning and Conquest

• The Kolkorn tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of World and Wealth

• The Kolturrant tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Desire and Darkness

• The Ontaar tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Fire and Forge

• The Ouralon tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Law and Lore

• The Shaarat tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Strength and Steel

• The Szorowai tradition, devoted to the Sovereign of Rage and Ruin

Additional Class Powers

Traditional Path II (2^nd): Based on their choice of tradition, the forgepriest gains an additional class power at 2^nd level.

Traditional Path III (4^th): Based on their choice of tradition, the forgepriest gains an additional class power at 4^th level.

Minor Magical Research (5^th): At 5^th level, the forgepriest can scribe scrolls and brew potions and may research his own ceremonies.

Major Magical Research (9^th): At 9^th level the character may create permanent magic items such as weapons, rings, or staffs. He can also create magical constructs such as golems

Renown (9^th): The forgepriest’s fame begins to attract dwarves from far and wide to his service. If the forgepriest has already established a domain with a vault under his rule, 1d4+1 x 10 dwarven mercenaries and 1d6 dwarven forgepriests of 1st-3rd level arrive to serve him as followers within 1d3 months of him reaching 9th level. If the forgepriest has not yet established a domain, the followers arrive to serve him within 1d3 months of doing so. If hired, the forgepriest must pay them the ordinary rates for mercenaries and henchmen.

Traditional Path IV (9^th): Based on their choice of tradition, the forgepriest gains an additional class power at 9^th level.

Racial Traits

As dwarves, forgepriest have certain powers and drawbacks associated with their race.

Dwarf Tongues: Dwarves can speak the Common and Dwarvish tongue and, because of their frequent interaction underground with beastmen, can also speak Goblin, Gnome, and Kobold.

Hardy: Dwarves are tough. The target values for all their saving throws versus Blast/Breath are reduced by 3, while the target values for all their other saving throws are reduced by 4. (These adjustments are already factored into the saving throws on the Dwarven Delver Attack and Saving Throws table.)

Sensitivity to Rock and Stone: Dwarves gain a +1 bonus to surprise rolls when underground. When using Adventuring proficiency to search or listen, they succeed on a proficiency throw of 14+ (instead of the usual 18+). If separately proficient in either or both, they gain a +2 bonus to the throw instead.

Dwarven Forgepriest Traditional Paths

Baaldra Path

Dwarven Brewing (1^st): Followers of Baaldra are among the most proficient practitioners of dwarven brewing. The character knows the secrets of the famed beer and ale of the dwarves. Because of her familiarity with mixology, she can make a proficiency throw of 11+ to determine the magical properties of a potion or oil by smell. If she has access to dwarven brewing equipment, piltbier, and special mushrooms, she can make dwarven brews. She begins play knowing the recipe for Bird’s Tail brew plus one other recipe per rank of Alchemy and Craft (brewing).

Traditional Medicine (2^nd): The forgepriest of Baaldra practices an ancient tradition of natural medicine using healing herbs. She can identify and forage for healing herbs as if she had one rank of Naturalism proficiency. (If she already has Naturalism, she gains a +4 bonus on proficiency throws to identify and forage for healing herbs.) She can use healing herbs as if she had Healing proficiency. Given one turn (10 minutes), she can combine a pound of healing herbs with an equal gp of special components to create potent healing herbs that increase their effect by +1. The forgepriest needs a cauldron over a fire or a kitchen to make potent healing herbs. The potent herbs lose all efficacy after 24 hours.

Healing Arts (4^th): The forgepriest knowledge of the healing arts deepens. She gains one rank of Healing proficiency. If she already has three ranks of the Healing proficiency, she can gain a rank of Alchemy or Naturalism instead.

Master Hearth-keeping (9^th): At 9^th level, the forgepriest of Baaldra gains a rank of Healing, Alchemy, or Naturalism.

Dolazur Path

Natural Stealth (1^st): The forgepriest of Dolazur is adept at taking others by surprise. Opponents suffer a -2 penalty to surprise rolls when encountering an explorer approaching from outside line of sight or lying in wait in cover or darkness.

Ambushing (2^nd): The forgepriest of Dolazur is skilled at ambushing unprepared enemies. He can ambush any vulnerable opponent. Ambushes can be made in melee or with missile weapons at short range but cannot be made with missile weapons at medium or longer range. When ambushing, the character gets a +4 bonus on his attack throws and deals an extra die of damage on the attack. (This class power is the equivalent of Ambushing proficiency.)

Poisoning (4^th): The forgepriest of Dolazur becomes an expert at identifying, extracting, and using natural toxins and venoms. He can identify poisonous plants and venomous monsters and distinguish their different poisons as if he had one rank of Naturalism. He can extract venom from slain creatures as if he had one rank of Animal Husbandry. He can extract toxins from plants as if he had one rank of Alchemy. (If he already has ranks of Animal Husbandry, Alchemy, or Naturalism, he functions as if having an additional rank.) He does not botch when extracting or using poison.

Evil Eye (9^th): The forgepriest of Dolazur can tear down the unsuspecting with a simple glance. He can bestow curse as a supernatural ability once per week. Because his Evil Eye is a supernatural ability and not a spell, he does not need to declare he is casting it before initiative, nor does taking damage or failing a saving throw prior to his initiative segment prevent him from using it.

Kolkorn Path

Prospecting (1^st): The forgepriest of Kolkorn is an expert at finding ore deposits and can assess 6-mile hexes to determine if they have any minable ore. Prospecting one 6-mile hex requires one day and requires a successful proficiency throw of 15+. If the excavator also has the Land Surveying proficiency, he gains a +4 bonus on the proficiency throw. Detailed rules for prospecting for ore are described in Chapter 8: Dwarven Mining. (This class power is equivalent to the Prospecting proficiency.)

Professional Merchant (2^nd): At 2^nd level, the follower of Kolkorn gains one rank of any one of the following proficiencies: Bargaining, Bribery, or Diplomacy.

Dowsing (4^th): The forgepriest of Kolkorn can dowse for precious metals within a range of 240’. The excavator must have access to a dowsing rod of some sort. Pompous excavators may carry fancy rune-carved rods but a forked branch, cut piece of wood, or even a 10’ pole will work just as effectively. To dowse, the excavator grips the dowsing rod with both hands and concentrates for 1 round (10 seconds). He then makes a proficiency throw 8+. He can add his INT bonus (if any) and his class level to the throw, but a natural 1 always fails. If the throw succeeds, the dowsing rod begins pointing in the direction of the nearest source of precious metal. Precious metals include platinum, gold, electrum, silver, and copper. There must be at least 100 coins (or 1 lb) worth of a metal for it to count as a source. The dowsing rod continues to point in the direction of the nearest source until the excavator releases his grip or until 1 turn (10 minutes) elapses. If the throw succeeds, but there is no source of precious metal nearby, the dowsing rod simply falls limp in the excavator’s hands. If the throw fails, the dowsing rod shakes violently in his hands until released. Once a dowsing attempt fails, the excavator cannot dowse again until he eats a meal and rests. To reduce his chance of failure, the excavator can concentrate for 1 turn (10 minutes) instead of 1 round. The added time grants a +4 bonus to the dowsing throw. Because of this intuitive ability to find ore, an excavator capable of dowsing gains a +4 bonus to prospecting for ore deposits in a 6-mile hex.

Mine Management (9^th): The forgepriest becomes capable of efficiently coordinating mine workers. Each month in which the excavator is on hand to personally manage a mine, the mine’s mining families generate an additional 1gp of labor revenue each. Personally managing a mine requires 20 days of major activity. The excavator must either be the domain ruler or have the permission of the domain ruler to supervise a mine.

Kolturrant Path

Streetwise (1^st): The forgepriest of Kolturrant has learned the hard lessons taught by life as a criminal. He might begin play as a member of an assassin’s guild or other criminal syndicate (Judge’s discretion). He can engage in hijinks if he has the necessary proficiencies or thief skills. He can automatically identify gestures, signs, slang, and territory of criminal organizations in his home settlement. He can identify those of other urban settlements with a proficiency throw of 11+. Secret organizations or organizations in far-off cities might be harder to recognize. (This class power is equivalent to one rank of Streetwise proficiency.)

Criminal Network (2^nd): The forgepriest of Kolturrant builds and maintains relationships with a web of contacts, factors, and agents wherever they set up shop. Whenever traffickers buy or sell equipment or engage in mercantile ventures in a market they have previously entered, they can treat the market as if it were one market class larger than its actual size (Class I markets remain Class I markets) or they can take a +1 bonus to market impact, whichever is more useful. This increase additionally applies to transaction visibility, making their exchanges less visible to authorities (both rulers above, and underworld bosses). When traffickers engage in arbitrage, they are able to transact in even greater quantity by accepting a smaller margin. A trafficker can choose to gain a bonus to his market impact of up to his level, but the spot price will be half as many price steps worse (round up).

Hard Bargains (4^th): The forgepriest of Kolturrant demands the fairest price, gaining one rank of Bargaining proficiency. If the character already has three ranks, he may select any general proficiency instead.

Monopoly Power (9^th): If the forgepriest of Kolturrant has established a guildhouse in a settlement, he can use it to seize monopoly power in that settlement. Thereafter, he earns 1gp per month in monopoly revenue per urban family in the urban settlement. He does not need to be the domain’s ruler to earn this revenue; if he is the domain’s ruler, the monopoly revenue is in addition to his domain revenue. Only one character in each urban settlement can earn monopoly revenue from each urban family. If there is more than one character with this class power operating in the settlement, then either the character must eliminate his rival(s), or he must come to a deal to distribute the monopoly revenue between the various venturers.

Ontaar Path

Grandmaster (1^st): The follower of Ontaar gains one additional rank (for a total of four ranks) in their forgepriest craft proficiency, making them a grand-master capable of constructing 80 gp per month of dedicated activity, and supervising up to 2 masters, 4 journeymen, and 8 apprentices. Working alone or with subordinates, the character can create masterwork items appropriate to the craft. His mark or style is recognizable to characters who make an appropriate Art, Craft, Knowledge, or Loremastery throw.

Fire Mastery (2^nd): The follower of Ontaar gains Elementalism (fire) as a bonus proficiency.

Earthcraft (4^th): The follower of Ontaar gains Elementalism (earth) as a bonus proficiency.

Magical Engineering (9^th): The follower of Ontaar gains a rank of Magical Engineering as a bonus proficiency.

Ouralon Path

Thirst for Knowledge I (1^st): The follower of Ouralon is voracious for study. He gains one rank of any Profession or Knowledge proficiency of his choice.

Thirst for Knowledge II (2^nd): The follower of Ouralon is voracious for study. He gains one rank of any Profession or Knowledge proficiency of his choice.

Thirst for Knowledge III (4^th): The follower of Ouralon is voracious for study. He gains one rank of any Profession or Knowledge proficiency of his choice.

Thirst for Knowledge IV (9^th): The follower of Ouralon is voracious for study. He gains one rank of any Profession or Knowledge proficiency of his choice.

Shaarat Path

Manual of Arms (1^st): A follower of Shaarat is highly experienced in military discipline, physical fitness, and weapon drill. He can automatically identify the battle standards, equipment, great captains, military slang, and rank insignia of his homeland. He can identify those of other realms with a proficiency throw of 11+. He can fight as a regular (rather than irregular) in formed and loose units. He can begin play as a member of a legion, mercenary’s guild, or other military organization (Judge’s discretion). (This class power is equivalent to one rank of the Manual of Arms proficiency.)

Martial Prowess (2^nd): At 2^nd level, the follower of Shaarat hones their martial prowess, gaining a +1 bonus to attack throws with melee weapons.

Steely Skin (4^th): At 4^th level, the follower of Shaarat shrugs off minor injuries, receiving one less damage per die from mundane sources.

Loadbearing (9^th): At 9^th level, the follower of Shaarat is inured to heavy loads. Treat their encumbrance as 2 stone less when calculating their movement speeds.

Szorowai Path

Manual of Arms (1^st): A follower of Szorowai is highly experienced in military discipline, physical fitness, and weapon drill. He can automatically identify the battle standards, equipment, great captains, military slang, and rank insignia of his homeland. He can identify those of other realms with a proficiency throw of 11+. He can fight as a regular (rather than irregular) in formed and loose units. He can begin play as a member of a legion, mercenary’s guild, or other military organization (Judge’s discretion). (This class power is equivalent to one rank of the Manual of Arms proficiency.)

Berserkergang (2^nd): The forgepriest with this ability can enter a berserker rage anytime he takes a combat action. While enraged, he gains a +2 bonus to attack throws in melee or with thrown weapons and becomes immune to the cowering, faltering, and frightened conditions and never checks morale. However, the character has a -2 penalty to AC and becomes limited in his tactics. He cannot conduct defensive movement to retreat or withdraw from an enemy within 5’ and cannot move in such a way that the distance between himself and the nearest visible threat would increase. He must advance 5’ after cleaving if necessary to do so to engage an enemy and he has sufficient movement. Once it has begun, a berserker rage cannot be ended until combat ends. This is effectively the Berserkergang proficiency selected as a class power.

Combat Ferocity (4^th): Forgepriests who venerate Szorowai are much more ferocious in combat than other forgepriests. At 9^th level, the character may cleave one additional time each round.

Mutual Destruction (9^th): A forgepriest of Szorowai becomes capable of whipping himself into an even more destructive frenzy, by cutting, whipping, or biting himself. When he uses his berserkergang ability, he can choose to suffer 1 damage per character level. If he does so, gains +2 bonus to damage rolls for the duration of the rage.

Class Proficiencies

Proficiency Progression: At 1st level, forgepriests select one class proficiency from their class proficiency list and one general proficiency from the general proficiency list. They select an additional class proficiency at 4^th and 8^th level. They select an additional general proficiency at 5^th and 9^th level.

Dwarven Forgepriest Proficiency List: Alchemy, Battle Magic, Bright Lore of Irian, Caving, Contemplation, Craft, Diplomacy, Divine Blessing, Divine Health, Dwarven Brewing, Engineering, Expanded Repertoire, Fighting Style Specialization, Goblin-Slaying, Healing, Illusion Resistance, Knowledge, Land Surveying, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Mapping, Prestidigitation, Profession, Prophecy, Prospecting, Quiet Magic, Reliquarianism, Sensing Evil, Siege Engineering, Theology, Unflappable Casting, Weapon Focus

Dwarven Forgepriest Templates

3d6 Roll	Template	Proficiencies	Starting Equipment
3 – 4	Outcast (Szorowai)	[[Fighting Style Specialization	Fighting Style Spec.]] (two- weapon) Survival Craft (leatherworking) 3
5 – 6	Slayer (Szorowai)	Weapon Focus (axes) Intimidation Craft (bone-working)	Blank ceremony book, carved stone traditional implements, hand axe, charcoal gray tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin
7 – 8	Reliquary Guardian (Shaarat)	Goblin-Slaying Signaling Craft (weapon-smithing) 3	Blank ceremony book, iron traditional implements, well-sharpened battle axe, leather armor, black tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack, waterskin
9 – 10	Trustee (Kundarak)	Illusion Resistance Diplomacy Craft (locksmithing) 3	Beautifully-bound blank ceremony book, bronze traditional implements, battle axe, leather armor, dun tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack with blank parchment journal half-filled with entries, quill and ink, waterskin
11 – 12	Forgemaster (Ontaar)	Magical Engineering Engineering Craft (armor-smithing) 3	Blank ceremony book, steel traditional implements, morning star with carved head, engraved banded plate armor, stone gray tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin, 4gp
13 – 14	Hearthkeeper (Baaldra)	Dwarven Brewing Alchemy Craft (brewing) 3	Blank ceremony book, glass traditional implements, mace, round wooden shield painted with alchemical symbols, chain mail armor, brown tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack, 1 flask of holy water, 1 flask of military oil, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin, 4gp
15 – 16	Prospector (Kolkorn)	Land Surveying Labor (mining) Craft (jewelry making) 3	Blank ceremony book, bejeweled traditional implements, mace with diamond-shaped head, steel shield with craft insignia, banded plate armor, red and white tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, backpack, 1 lb garlic, 1 flask of holy water, 3 flasks of military oil, tinder box, 12 torches, 1 week’s iron rations, waterskin, 2gp
17 – 18	Fiduciary (Kundarak)	Expanded Repertoire Bargaining Craft (locksmithing) 3	Blank ceremony book, steel traditional implements, flail, steel shield with Kundarak insignia, engraved plate armor, blue tunic and pants, leather belt, high boots, mule, riding saddle and tack, saddlebags, 3 flasks of military oil, 2 weeks’ iron rations, waterskin, 9gp

Spells

Studious divine caster: choose the repertoire from the whole divine spell list. See Magic and Spellcasting for how repertoires work.