Animal Master
The Animal Master has a close affinity with the animals employed to guard strongholds. He looks after and controls them, making sure they are properly fed and exercised. He trains them to act as guards and to attack on command. Animal Masters develop a deep bond with their animals and are reluctant to endanger the animals' lives.
Role
Well respected members of dwarf society, Animal Masters are usually welcome at any stronghold, though they are treated with wary respect. If they are willing to train others in the art, they are even more welcome. Animal Masters are responsible for looking after a stronghold's animal guards. These are usually 2d4 brown bears or 5d4 wolves, but other animals such as giant lizards, cave bears, boars, or giant rats may be used. They may train a stronghold's cavalry mounts, if these are present.
Distinctive Appearance
Animal Masters frequently dress in the pelts or skins of their animal charges. This helps bond him to his animals and makes them more accepting of his presence.
Special Benefits
An Animal Master gains the Animal Training proficiency. This bonus proficiency is automatically at +1. He must choose the kind of animal he is capable of training upon taking the proficiency. He may buy another Animal Training proficiency but the second does not gain the +1 bonus. The bonus Animal Mastery proficiency allows him to train four animals at one time, instead of three. For each additional slot spent on Animal Training, one extra animal can be trained.
Because of his affinity with them, an Animal Master reduces the time it takes to train the animals by one week per slot spent on the proficiency, but it never takes less than two weeks. This extra slot includes the Animal Trainer's initial +1 bonus. He can increase the number of tasks he can teach an animal by +1 for each slot spent on Training. One who chooses brown bears as the animals for his bonus proficiency can teach four bears at one time. He can teach them 2d4+1 tricks or tasks in 2d6-1 weeks.
Special Hindrances
Animal Masters tend to be loners, spending more time with animals than with other dwarves. Consequently, there is always a level of distrust. Most dwarves, obsessed with their crafts, have little in common with Animal Masters who dedicate their lives to creating a rapport with their animals. Other dwarves react to Animal Masters at -2. This does not mean they will be antagonistic, but that they are wary of the trainer and his animals. They will show respect, but without friendship.
When working with wild animals, he gains a +4 ability modifier to his chances of taming them, if the animals are of a litter whose mother he has trained. When working with such animals, an Animal Master's commands are obeyed on rolls of 1-19 on a 1d20. Only when he rolls a 20 will the animals refuse to obey.
If an Animal Master has the Sign Language proficiency, he may direct his own trained animals with it. They must be able to see his hands for this to work.
An Animal Master with the Signaling proficiency can direct personally trained animals by using simple sound signals. When working with animals other than his own, he may direct them by making a successful Animal Training check.
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