Azerblood
The Forgotten Realms are many things, but one thing in particular that people tend to forget about is that they are absolutely lousy with portals to the various planes of existence. As magocracy after magocracy has risen and fallen, usually attempting to exploit the creatures of the Outer Planes and Elemental Planes for their own end, Faerun has built up a diversity of planetouched native races exceeded in official Dungeons & Dragons lore only by Sigil. Issue #350 of Dragon Magazine covered four of these planetouched races in particular; the Azerbloods, the Celadrins, the D'hin, and the Worghests, expanding upon other such races as baphitaurs, fey'ri and tanarukks.
Azerbloods are a planetouched race of dwarf stock, born from shield dwarf clans that interbred with azers - as you can probably guess from the name. The result is shield dwarf with metallic skin the color of brass, flame red hair, and glowing irises that dance like tiny flames. Azerbloods in the Realms mostly descend from the fallen Clan Azerkyn, which once ruled the southern caverns of the Adamant Kingdom of Xothaerin. This means that in the modern era, azerbloods are most common in the Small Teeth Mountains of western Amn, though smaller clans and bloodlines can be found amongst the shield dwarf clans near the Lake of Steam.
- +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma
- Medium size
- Base land speed 30 feet
- Shield Dwarven Blood: For all special abilities and effects, including regions of origin, an azerblood is considered a shield dwarf.
- Darkvision 60 feet
- Fire Resistance 10
- Weapon Familiarity: Dwarven Waraxes and Urgroshes are Martial Weapons for Azerbloods, not Exotic Weapons.
- Stability: +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on he ground.
- +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
- +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
- +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against mephits (fire/magma/steam only) and salamanders.
- +4 Dodge bonus to AC against Giants.
- +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks that are related to Fire, Metal or Stone.
- Spell-like Ability: Heat Metal 1/day as a caster level equal to character level, DC is Charisma based.
- Forged: +1 bonus on all saving throws against heat, fire spells, and fire effects; this bonus increases by +1 per 5 additional levels the azerblood gains.
- Fire Elemental Kin: An azerblood qualifies for the Bloodline of Fire racial feat.
- Favored Class: Fighter
- Level Adjustment: +1