Post by ConcreteSequential on Jan 23, 2009 20:11:57 GMT -5
Battleragers
Dwarven battleragers, or kuldjargh (“axe idiots”), are legendary
berserker warriors who can enter a battle frenzy through ritu-
alistic singing. They are believed to have been touched by the
dwarven gods of battle, who taught them that if they die in
battle, they will return to Faerûn stronger than before as a just
reward. Therefore, they have no fear of death. They are given
to drinking, rowdy and boisterous singing, and drunken dancing.
Battleragers command grudging, if fearful, respect within dwar-
ven society, where they are known to have coined such philo-
sophically complex dwarven maxims like “head first” and “if it
moves, kill it.” Most live short, glorious lives.
While enraged, a battlerager’s face becomes distorted and twisted. His teeth grind together as spittle flies from his mouth and dribbles down his beard. His eyes enlarge, bulge, and become bloodshot. Charging into battle, he bellows forth his clan or holy war song, throwing his hammers and axes all the way, before cleaving his foes with his mighty dwarven waraxe. In short, he becomes almost unstoppable. Battleragers are often covered from head to toe in body art, from tattoos to brands to ritual scars. They prefer to wear spiked armor, and some of them ride specially trained boars into battle.
Battleragers are usually single classed barbarians before taking
the prestige class, though multiclass barbarian/fighters are also
common. Barbarians/rangers and barbarian/clerics (known as
“vindicators”) are not uncommon as well. Other multiclass com-
binations are almost unheard of.
The battlerager fills a particular niche in dwarf society and
culture. He is a fearless and impulsive warrior, able to enter into
an insane rampage. Battleragers are ruthlessly used by dwarf
generals for their shock power against attacking armies. NPC
battleragers often come from a familial clan made up predom-
inantly of battleragers. These clans often form guilds or halls
within dwarven society, though these “guilds” are often more
akin to a family or fraternal order. Regardless, battlerager guilds
are often located on the fringes of dwarven society, kept out of
view and away from easily influenced dwarven children, who
often hear of the kuldjarghs’ fearlessness but rarely their folly.
While heroic battle is honored in dwarven society and battle-
ragers often excel in this, more often than not they also epito-
mize lives wasted in stupid rage, something most dwarves realize
they cannot afford in a world filled with orcs and goblins.
Source:
Races of Faerun. Battle rager PC entry. Pg 178
Dwarven battleragers, or kuldjargh (“axe idiots”), are legendary
berserker warriors who can enter a battle frenzy through ritu-
alistic singing. They are believed to have been touched by the
dwarven gods of battle, who taught them that if they die in
battle, they will return to Faerûn stronger than before as a just
reward. Therefore, they have no fear of death. They are given
to drinking, rowdy and boisterous singing, and drunken dancing.
Battleragers command grudging, if fearful, respect within dwar-
ven society, where they are known to have coined such philo-
sophically complex dwarven maxims like “head first” and “if it
moves, kill it.” Most live short, glorious lives.
While enraged, a battlerager’s face becomes distorted and twisted. His teeth grind together as spittle flies from his mouth and dribbles down his beard. His eyes enlarge, bulge, and become bloodshot. Charging into battle, he bellows forth his clan or holy war song, throwing his hammers and axes all the way, before cleaving his foes with his mighty dwarven waraxe. In short, he becomes almost unstoppable. Battleragers are often covered from head to toe in body art, from tattoos to brands to ritual scars. They prefer to wear spiked armor, and some of them ride specially trained boars into battle.
Battleragers are usually single classed barbarians before taking
the prestige class, though multiclass barbarian/fighters are also
common. Barbarians/rangers and barbarian/clerics (known as
“vindicators”) are not uncommon as well. Other multiclass com-
binations are almost unheard of.
The battlerager fills a particular niche in dwarf society and
culture. He is a fearless and impulsive warrior, able to enter into
an insane rampage. Battleragers are ruthlessly used by dwarf
generals for their shock power against attacking armies. NPC
battleragers often come from a familial clan made up predom-
inantly of battleragers. These clans often form guilds or halls
within dwarven society, though these “guilds” are often more
akin to a family or fraternal order. Regardless, battlerager guilds
are often located on the fringes of dwarven society, kept out of
view and away from easily influenced dwarven children, who
often hear of the kuldjarghs’ fearlessness but rarely their folly.
While heroic battle is honored in dwarven society and battle-
ragers often excel in this, more often than not they also epito-
mize lives wasted in stupid rage, something most dwarves realize
they cannot afford in a world filled with orcs and goblins.
Source:
Races of Faerun. Battle rager PC entry. Pg 178