Today is that reviled day of the year in which I must officially acknowledge that I am one more year older than dirt. Boo! Hiss! If you feel inclined to give a birthday gift, then consider giving a gift to myself and yourself by placing a preorder. Okay, sales pitch over, now to get on to the interesting stuff.
Today I’ll be talking about the 2nd rarest of the Dwarven subspecies. The Zaltruscans and wanderers from other kingdoms refer to them as the Sartval, making this their most common name, but they have other names elsewhere - Elbegast in Hanaen, Yimeeri in the Frozen North. No one knows if the elves of Lanadalaria have their own name for them since the elves of the eastern nation don’t really talk with outsiders.
The Sartval are a savage race, their only interaction with outsiders taking the form of raids. They usually take as many prisoners as possible to use as slaves and eventually food. Just what caused their degradation into such a violent people with a preference for the meat of intelligent humanoids is a topic of much debate among scholars, debate which has failed to find any common conclusion.
Some theorize that they are exiles and/or descendants of exiles from Thierdenvolgenlunder who turned savage out of desperation over their banishment, though some argue that they were likely already such savages which is why they were exiled. Thierdenvolgenlunders would be quick to inform you that there have not been near enough exiles since their founding to account for the whole of the Sartval race, if Thierdenvolgenlunders even knew of their savage cousins’ existence that is. Others believe that the Sartval only became this way after the 2nd fall of the Melexi and Thirosian empires, their culture falling in parallel to those of goblins, orcs, giants, and various lesser known savage humanoids. Still others believe that they worship and/or have pledged their services to demons, dragons, debauched elemental lords, or whatever otherworldly bogeyman the speaker prefers and it is their pursuit of this worship/service that they commit vile acts.
The only things that are known are that Sartval are some of both the strongest and toughest of opponents in battle, and that they don’t speak to outsiders unless it is to bark commands.
That’s all I’ve got for the update section today, though I will be posting up my feeble attempt to make the Sartval a playable D&D 5th edition race. For those of you who don’t play D&D, I’ll close as always by saying thank you for your time and support. Keep reading and enjoying!
- Ability Score Increase: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
- Age: Typically reach adulthood at around 60-70 years and live up to 450-500 years(though most die in battle before this).
- Alignment: Can be any alignment, but most commonly are NE.
- Size: Medium, stand between 4’ - 4’8", though on vary rare occasions there may be an individual who reaches as tall as 5’.
- Speed: 25’.
- Dwarven Toughness: +1 maximum HP per level.
- Armor Training: Proficient with Light and Medium armor.
- Combat Training: +1 damage with 2 handed or Versatile weapons.
- Weapn Training: Proficient with Greataxes, Greatswords, Mauls, and Pikes.
- Tool Training: Proficient with any 1 of the following - Leather worker’s tools, Potter’s tools, or Smith’s tools.
- Relentless Endurance: When reduced to 0 HP but not killed outright, drop to 1 HP instead. Can only use this feature once between long rests.
- Proficient in Intimidate and Survival skills.
- Languages: Draconic and 1 of the following - Abyssal, Dwarvish, Giant, or Infernal.
