Editing Amazon (section)

===AD&D Amazon Lore===
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[[AD&D]] had Amazons as a race: exceptionally tall and fine-looking women, though with a hard-hearted attitude as you might expect of a "barbarian" culture. They usually pack spears, swords, axes, bows, and (for younger Amazons) slings, though their weapons and skills tend to change with their home territory (so a bunch from the steppes might emphasize horsemanship and mounted combat). All of them speak Common, though a few clans have their own languages.

Unlike the original all-human Amazons, they do come in other racial flavors, with their weapons and skills tweaked to match: [[Elf]] amazons are nomadic woods-dwellers who emphasize use of the spear and long bow, occasionally backed up by [[Unicorn]] cavalry. [[Dwarf]] amazons tend to pack axes and war hammers due to their short height, with giant boars used as their cavalry. [[Gnome]] amazons lack mounts (because what the arse do you expect them to ride?), but they've got [[ranger]]-grade tracking skills and a penchant for throwing axes. [[Halfling]] amazons prefer to use javelins and slings; they're also notably better at snare-making and much more endurance-heavy than the norm.

Larger amazonian soceties tend to be reclusive or nomadic, as with their original myth-version's isolative tendencies. Regardless of their level of culture or lack thereof, they're generally viewed with distrust and suspicion by others due to being seen as "barbarians"; In turn, they tend toward being unfriendly if not outright hostile toward anyone they meet.

Crunchwise, they're impossible to surprise without being invisible due to being highly-trained barbarian fighters; they typically wear light chain mail (though this varies) and their group's favored weapons. Despite [[Troll|the view of some fa/tg/uys]], they do not in fact suffer a [[-4 Str]] penalty; instead, their strength ratings are always between 15 and 18 (18/00 is possible), and Dexterity and Constitution ratings between 13 and 18.

Amazons of less than 4th level are never older than the young adult age (15-19); see, if they don't meet the tribe's standards for being a warrior by 20, they're exiled and can't rejoin the clan (barring some seriously unusual circumstances). If she does meet their standards, she has to go through training and some kind of initiation ritual specific to the clan before being considered an adult; in general, this involves mastering the clan's favored skills and gear.

They almost invariably work in groups, usually consisting of between 10 and 30 or more 'regular' Amazons plus a leader and a witch-doctor; a group of ten or more's leader will be 5th- or 6th-level, with the witch-doctor at 2nd level. A party of 20 or more will have a captain of 7th or 8th level. If there's 30 or more, be very fucking wary indeed - this mean there's a good-ish chance (30%) that there's 1-4 other raiding parties within 5 miles of the group, based out of some kind of lair (ship, wagon train, convoy of pack animals, etc.)

In their “lair”, amazons will have a full 30 barbarian warrior women of 4th level, four leaders of 5th- to 6th-level, one leader of 7th to 8th level, and a Queen — a barbarian of 9th to 12th level. A male witch-doctor of at least 4th-level wizard ability will be present. There are twice as many (normal) males as female warriors, about half of them equal to men-at-arms, and armed and armored as their amazon mistresses. The others will have the care of 2 to 12 children. The queen will have four male guards of 2nd- or 3rd-level, and two female guards of 5th- to 6th-level.

Individual amazon warriors may be encountered from time to time, serving in various mercenary forces. These may retain the weapons of their original clan or adopt unusual weapons, armor, or fighting styles to which they have been exposed.

Amazons of the plains and flatlands employ war chariots. These are light, two-horse chariots with a driver and a warrior, having a movement rate of 18 and a supply of javelins and war arrows. Amazons chariot riders are armed with powerful composite short bows, which they can fire from a moving chariot as if standing stationary on firm ground.

Amazons of the steppes are skilled horse archers. Their mobile communities are based on great wagons that can be circled into a fortified camp. These amazons are reputed to have almost supernatural skill in horse handling.

Island-dwelling amazons build light, maneuverable galleys, which they use for trading and occasional piracy. All amazons from this culture can swim and all have exceptional small boat skills. Their base will be a walled city with a large marble temple to their goddess; the witch-doctor is replaced by a priest-magician of equivalent skill. Island amazons are exceptionally skilled with the long bow.