Akthar

In the destruction of the Great Delve of the Fallen Star, most of the defenders were killed and raised again as undead in the service of the Shadowqueen. Those who escaped, however, were nonetheless forever tainted by the power of the dracolich.

Dubbed ‘Akthar’ or ‘The Lost of the Father’, these cursed dwarves, as they have come to be known, were shunned by other delves, and viewed with suspicion during the MistWar. After the end of the Second Age, isolated pockets could be found in many of the lands that would fall under the sway of Men. Ever few in number, the Akthar nonetheless manage to survive, ever yearning for a way to remove the taint of the Undead from their souls and rejoin their ancient kin.

Personality
Somber, stoic, and often grim, Akthar do not easily jest or engage in frivolity. By the same measure, they are equally unlikely to cry out or show outward signs of pain or distress. As a result of their ongoing exile, the Akthar have the greatest experience with other races, and are most likely of the dwarven people to call those outside their race friends. Many Akthar turn to drink to forget the pain of Sslira’s taint, as well as the emotional hurts of exile and ostracism, and alcoholism is not an unknown affliction, even unto death.

Physical Description
Lighter of build than most dwarves, Akthar generally stand within three to five inches of four foot, and mass between 110 and 160 lbs for males, and from approximately 90 lbs to 130 lbs in the females. Akthar hair is sparse and thin, and the women do not have beards. Even among the males of the race, the beard is generally short and scruffy, or whispy. Akthar hair is generally black or grey, but white hair is not unknown. Eye color is always dark, and their skin is extremely pale, sometimes appearing almost transluscent. Akthar lifespans range over 300 years, and they are considered adults within their clans at 40.

Relations
The Akthar often relate best to other ‘outcast’ groups, such as half-elves and half-orcs, and to the races of the Third Age, the humans and halflings. Gnomes of all stripe are mistrusted as troublemakers, and elves are generally viewed with suspicious wariness. Other types of dwarves can expect a chilly reception at best, as the Akthar do not forget who it was that made them exiles.

Alignment
Athkar of all manner of morality and ethics can be found, though most commonly they choose neither good nor evil, and though they consider Kivi to have abandoned them to Sslira’s taint, their innate sense of propriety usually provides a more Lawful and ordered outlook.

Culture
Cultural development among the Akthar has largely stalled, from the time of their exile. As such, they cling to many ancient traditions of their people, often more slavishly than even the most hidebound Nithar. Family ties are extremely important to the Akthar, as is the fate of their entire race. No Akthar will kill another, though whether this stems from a sense of solidarity, or a fear that in death, the Shadowqueen will claim their soul, they refuse to reveal.

Class Preferences
Akthar, like all dwarves, are strong and tireless fighters, and devoted clerics. Exile has made them somewhat less concerned with property rights however, at least those of non-Akthar, and so rogues are more common among them than their brethren. Akthar bards can also be found, performing laments and dirges that tell the tale of their people. Exposure to the capricious ways of the surface has produced a fair number of barbarians among their ranks, while paladins, monks, rangers, and druids are all but unknown.

Racial Traits
Akthar Racial Traits are identical to those listed for Dwarves in Core Rulebook I, with the following exceptions:
 * Ability Modifiers: Constitution +2, Wisdom +2, Charisma -2. Akthar retain the endurance of their race, but Sslira’s taint has left them slightly less personable, and touched their people with the wisdom of long suffering.
 * +2 Racial Bonus on saves vs necromanctic and negative energy effects. This replaces the normal racial save bonuses of dwarves.
 * Akthar cannot be level-drained. All attempts automatically fail.
 * +1 to all Attack Rolls vs Undead. This replaces the +1 attack vs goblinoids and orcs.
 * Superior Turning: Akthar clerics and paladins are considered 2 levels higher for the purpose of turning/rebuking undead.
 * -2 Racial Penalty to Handle Animal and Animal Empathy checks.
 * Clerical Focus: Negative. All Akthar clerics, regardless of alignment, rebuke/command undead, and convert spells to Inflict spells. Akthar clerics cannot choose to Turn undead or convert spells to Cures. This does not affect the ability of Akthar paladins to turn undead.
 * Taint of Sslira: All Akthar possess an evil aura equal to that of an Undead of their HD for purposes of Detect Evil.
 * Effective Character Level: All Akthar are ECL +1 characters. Thus, a 1st level Akthar of any class is considered a 2nd level character.
 * Weapon Familiarity: Akthar may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.