Clan & Hammer Teaser #1: Axecracker Clan

Here's a little teaser of the kind of stuff you're going to find in Clan & Hammer. This is an early draft of one of the clans player characters can select for their characters at creation. I give you, the Axecracker Clan.

Axecrackers

“Ahahahahahahaha! Is that all ye got ye wee daisy-eating pig-stickin' pointy-eared bastard?”

All dwarves are warriors in one capacity or another. But not all dwarves are driven to gleeful, fearless bloodlust in battle. Axecrackers are the regarded as mad by other clans and its quite possible they may be right. It is said that Axecrackers are born with a blade in their hand and blood in their beards. They crave battle for the sheer joy of it, one and all. Fearless and without any regard for their own safety, they will leap happily into flaming maw of a dragon or a horde of goblin spearmen, simply for the thrill of combat and the off chance that if they survive, they'll have one hell of a story to tell. Scars great and small are regarded as badges of honor to Axecrackers. Whether it's a scar from a barbed arrow or an eye lost to the bite of a giant spider, members of this clan wear their war wounds openly and as proof of the glory they've won for the clan. Indeed, most do not regard an Axecracker as having entered adulthood until they have their first battle scar.

When not cracking skulls and terrorizing their foes, Axecrackers are master weapon smiths. Their axe blades are broad and sharp, their hammers fall like an avalanche. They forge no armor – such foolish protections are the province of the Stonebones – and instead craft arms so deadly as to rival the weapons of the gods, or so they claim.

Clan Strength: Axecrackers are skilled in battle, one and all. Regardless of their class, they can wield any melee weapons they choose in battle. In addition, facing a foe or number of foes whose hit dice are twice their level or more, they receive a +2 on all melee “to-hit” roll, +2 to all melee damage rolls, and automatically succeed on any saving throws made to resist fear-based effects.

Clan Weakness: Because of their recklessness, all Axecrackers refuse to use ranged weapons in combat, with the exception of the thrown war hammer or thrown hand ax. Even then, this is only done as a prelude to charging into melee combat. In addition, whenever faced with an opportunity to slay a goblin, dragon, or other hated foe of their clan, the Axecracker must make a saving throw or immediately throw caution to the wind and charge into battle.

Clan Craft: Axecrackers are masterful weapon smiths. Their Legacy Items are always weapons that are passed down from generation to generation.

Smasher One-Eye, Axecracker Warslayer speaks his mind regarding the other clans

Silverbeards: “Well hello Mr. Fancycoin. Ain't ye all pretty with your finely combed whiskers and your pretty words. Lets see how y' do when the horde comes out 'ta the darkness gnawin' at yer bones.”

Stonebones: “As good a dwarf outside the clan as can be found, but'n they need to be more willin' to split skulls and spill blood instead of using those mattocks for chippin' away at the rock. Nice armor, though – if'n yer inta that sorta thing.”

Brewbeards: “These lads are the ones y' wanna have patchin' ye up and pourin' yer pints when its all over. They'll be singin' yer praises and that of yer fathers long after yer in tha' tomb.”

Rockspeakers: “I dunna know about all this blood of the earth and speakin' ta stone business, but they're tapped inta something queer, and I'm not rightly sure they're to be trusted...”

Beardless: “Only good one's a dead one. Faithless dogs who don't deserve ta taste me axe. Worth less than goblin piss in me book.”