Half-dwarves are rare. The relative infertility of the dwarven race, compounded by the difference in size and physiology between dwarves and humans, makes hybrids extremely uncommon. Roughly only one in a hundred human/dwarf pairings conceive, and the majority of such hybrids are stillborn. Those who survive are invariably sterile.
Yet brutal masters in the slave nations of the Inner Sea have not been deterred. Combining human size with dwarven stamina, half-dwarves are viewed by many as the ideal slave race, and vile breeding programs in nations like Cheliax and Katapesh churn out hundreds of half-dwarf children every year by forcing human and dwarf slaves to mate.
Known derisively as "muls" due to their size, strength, and sterility, the offspring of such pairings live painful lives as menial laborers or slave warriors. They are especially prized as gladiators, as their imposing physiques make them stand out in the arena. Most muls are indoctrinated from birth to accept their lot in life and toil ceaselessly under their masters' whips, but a few defiant souls take a stand for freedom. Those who are not executed for insubordination become heroes and inspirations to slaves everywhere.
Muls can be found throughout Avistan and Garund, but are concentrated in the slave nations ringing the Inner Sea - Cheliax, Rahadoum, Thuvia, Osirion, and Katapesh. Those who escape their bonds often flee into the desert and join nomadic tribes or slip away to remote ports like Sargava or the Shackles. A growing number of muls are drawn to Andoran, whose Eagle Knights welcome their abolitionist zeal into their ranks.
Due to a quirk of genetics, half-dwarves are always completely hairless and larger than either of their parent races. They average about six and a half feet in height and weigh upwards of two-hundred pounds, almost all of it muscle. Because of their size and hairlessness, dwarves see little of themselves in muls and rarely welcome them into their communities.
MUL (Half-dwarf)
CR: 1/2
XP: 200
Mul fighter (gladiator) 1
N Medium humanoid (dwarf, human)
Init: +1; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
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AC: 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +1 shield)
hp: 14 (1 HD)
Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0
Defensive Abilities: Stability
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Speed: 30 ft.
Melee: Hooked axe +5 (1d8+3/x3)
Ranged: Javelin +2 (1d6+3/30 ft.)
Combat Gear: 5 javelins
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Str 17, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk: +1; CMB: +4 (+6 to disarm with hooked axe); CMD: 15
Feats: Dazzling Display, EnduranceB, Performance Weapon MasteryB, Weapon Focus (hooked axe)
Skills: Intimidate +4
Languages: Common
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Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-8), or band (4-24)
Treasure: NPC gear (scale mail, buckler)
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Stability: Muls receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
MUL CHARACTERS (9 RP)
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma (1 RP)
Medium (0 RP): Muls are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Tireless Speed (1 RP): Muls have a base speed of 30 feet. Their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
Darkvision (2 RP): Muls can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Dwarf Blood (0 RP): Muls count as both dwarves and humans for any effect related to race.
Endurance (2 RP): Muls gain Endurance as a bonus feat.
Stability (1 RP): See above.
Weapon Familiarity (1 RP): Muls treat hooked axes and flying blades as martial weapons.
Languages (1 RP): Muls begin play speaking Common. Muls with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
ALTERNATE HALF-DWARF RACIAL TRAITS
A tiny fraction of half-dwarves are born and raised free among either humans or dwarves and never refer to themselves as "muls".
Skill Training (1 RP): Half-dwarves raised among humans can pick two skills. These skills are always considered class skills for the half-dwarf. This replaces Weapon Familiarity.
Dwarven Traditionalist (1 RP): Half-dwarves raised among dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word "dwarven" in its name as a martial weapon. Instead of the standard mul languages, dwarf-raised half-dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven, and must choose between Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon for their bonus languages. This replaces the standard mul Weapon Familiarity.
One for the Dark Sun fans. There's also a "half-dwarf" from the 3.5 Dragonlance sourcebook Races of Ansalon, but since it's literally just half a dwarf - half the racial bonuses, no extra perks - I consider the mul superior in every way.
