The Shadowdark rules describe azer as “dwarves with bronze, metallic skin and flames in place of hair.” It notes that they are “gifted blacksmiths.” The azer are lawful (lawful neutral) in alignment. Fire giants and titans often enslave the azer, and they are routinely in combat with efreeti.
Mechanically, azer utilize their fiery properties. In Shadowdark, azer wield flaming warhammers that cause 1d10 damage and ignite flammables. In 5e, the azer cause 1d10+3 plus 1d6 fire damage with their burning hammers. They can also burn anyone within five feet of them at the end of their turn under 5e rules. The azer are fire immune in both rule sets.
Under D&D lore, the azer do not live on the material plane and instead live somewhere between the planes of earth and fire. However, they would have an incentive to travel to the material plane for supplies (e.g., gems, metals, etc.). These seeds emphasize the lawful nature of the azer, focusing on alliances over animosity.
Encounter Seed: The characters encounter a pair of azer while exploring a cave. The azer know of a (very hot) secret entrance or exit to the cave. The azer searching for signs of gems they can use when decorating weapons.
Encounter Seed: Within a dungeon that was abandoned, seemingly without explanation, the characters come across a half-completed brass statue of an azer wielding a warhammer. Something interrupted the work long ago.
Encounter Seed: While exploring a cave or dungeon, the party comes across an abandoned flaming warhammer (burning hammer). Unfortunately, it would be impossible to wield without fire immunity. It’s pretty to look at, though!
Adventure Seed: A knight who has other business to attend to needs someone to meet with a group of azer in a cave system near a volcano. The azer have forged a flaming blade for the knight. Someone else also learns of the blade and wants it for themselves.
Adventure Seed: An azer has escaped from enslavement under the ruthless hand of a pair of brutal fire giants. He seeks assistance in freeing four his of brethren who are still imprisoned by the giants and being forced to mine a nearby cave system.
Ridiculous Adventure Seed: The azer are born from flaming brass. This is a lengthy process that occurs with great fanfare. Unfortunately, something is slowing it down even further. The azer seek a human priest to conduct a fertility ritual, wondering if that will bring things back to normal.
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This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ legalcode.