Trow

Trow are a species of monstrous humanoid, distantly related to both dwarves and trolls, presented as a playable race for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the article "Dark Ages" in Dragon Magazine #257. As its name suggests, this article presents suggestions on how to run AD&D campaigns set in Dark Ages Britain.

Trow are a coastal breed of humanoid that tend to live in colder regions; in the Dark Ages setting, they are native to the northern isles off the coast of Scotland, both the Shetlands and the Orkneys. The species consists of two strains, one that still lives predominantly on the land and the other having adapted to live underwater. Even land trow have a somewhat piscine cast to their features, being a race that relies predominantly on petty thievery and fishing to survive; they're notoriously cowardly. They are a short, squat race, possessed of flat faces with wide, flaring noses that dominate their features, offsetting sunken, piggy eyes, and small, thin mouths. Trow have extremely bad eyesight, but their sharp senses of smell more than compensate.

Trow will shamelessly do just about anything they need in order to survive, and this has led to odd alliances of convenience. More notably, trow parents whose children are starving have been known to steal human infants and replace them with their own spawn, in hopes of giving their progeny a chance for a better life. Some of these changelings grow to adulthood without realizing their true nature, and these often become adventurers.

Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/17, Dexterity 9/18, Constitution 4/17, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/16

Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Dexterity, -1 Strength, -1 Constitution, -1 Charisma

Class & Level Limits: Fighter 4, Illusionist 5, Transmuter 4, Thief Unlimited

Multiclass Options: Fighter/Thief, Illusionist/Thief, Transmuter/Thief

Thieving Skill Adjustments: Pick Pockets +5%, Open Locks +5%, Move Silently +10%, Hide in Shadows +10%, Read Languages -10%

Natural Armor Class: 10

Trow can automatically penetrate illusions, including invisibility, unless they either include an olfactory component or there is a distracting olfactory effect present.

An aquatic trow can breathe water, but must re-immerse itself every (Constitution score) hours to survive.

-2 penalty to all saves vs. gasous and olfactory attacks.

When using missile weapons, past a range of 30 feet, trow suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls (which stacks with any other penalties due to range).

Trow have a superstitious dread of the moon, believing it to be the eye of an evil god. If forced to operate during the night of a full moon, a trow suffers a -4/-20% penalty to all die rolls.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Carpentry, Fishing, Leatherworking, Swimming