DWARF

“Dwarves are the greatest race. We are far superior to the pansy elves, smelly lacertilians, dirty muirhauts, and misshapen humans. Dwarves are perfectly shaped, solid and strong, like the stones that form our dwellings. Our skins are the color of the earth, our hair and beards are of the finest hue and texture imaginable.

“Dwarves are more than just an attractive race. Imbued with unchanging attitudes and steadfastness, we do not waver, even in the face of great adversity. Well suited to our lives underground, we can see in the dark and detect underground dangers and pitfalls. Our craftsmen have created the finest cities and buildings in the world. Our bridges and high vaulted chambers are wonders to behold, with a strength and permanence of form that other races have never duplicated.

“We have no fear of magic. We shake off its effects as easily as we slay the giak who lurk in the dark. We are impervious to poisons and noxious substances that would kill those of lesser race. Such is our vigor that even cursed weapons fail to possess us, for our inherent vitality is invincible.

“Dwarves are also great warriors, well disciplined, and organized into armies that strike fear into evil monsters everywhere. Our combat skills against the filthy dark dwellers are beyond question. It is a particularly stupid kestrel, fork-tongued lacertilian, or brainless giakahn who does not quake with fear at the sound of dwarven boots. Our battle axes have drunk deeply of the blood of such creatures, our hammers have smashed thousands of their skulls. We will continue until there are none left to kill. That is not an idle boast, it is an oath.

“Yet we are a peaceful people. We do not seek war, nor do we steal from others. Those are the actions of other, less honorable race. We see to our own and those who attempt to steal that which is ours will die. That is not a threat, it is the way of the dwarf. If you do not wish to feel our wrath, leave us alone.”

––Balor Ironbeard, Dwarf Warrior

Dwarves are known for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical punishment, their knowledge of the earth’s secrets, their hard work, and their capacity for drinking. Their mysterious kingdoms, carved out from the insides of mountains, are renowned for the marvelous treasures that they produce as gifts or for trade.

Personality: Dwarves are slow to laugh or jest and suspicious of strangers, but they are generous to those few who earn their trust. Dwarves value gold, gems, jewelry, and art objects made with these precious materials, and they have been known to succumb to greed. They fight neither recklessly nor timidly, but with a careful courage and tenacity. Their sense of justice is strong, but at its worst it can turn into a thirst for vengeance. Among minotaurs, who get along famously with dwarves, a mild oath is “If I’m lying, may I cross a dwarf.”

Physical Description: Dwarves stand only 4 to 4 ½ feet tall, but they are so broad and compact that they are, on average, as heavy as humans. Dwarven men are slightly taller and noticeably heavier than dwarven women.

Dwarves’ skin is typically deep tan or light brown and their-eyes are dark. Their hair is usually black, gray, or brown, and worn long. Dwarven men and women have beards, and they value their beards highly and groom them very carefully. Dwarves favor simple styles for their hair, beards, and clothes. Dwarves are considered adults at about age 50, and they can live for over 400 years.

Relations: Dwarves get along fine with minotaurs, and passably with humans, lacertilians, and muirhauts. Dwarves say, “The difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years.” Humans, with their short life spans, have a hard time forging truly strong bonds with dwarves. The best dwarf-human friendships are between a human and a dwarf who liked the human’s parents and grandparents. Dwarves fail to appreciate elves’ subtlety and art, regarding elves as unpredictable, territorial, and violent. Still, elves and dwarves have, in ages past, found common cause in battles against lacertilians, giaks, and dragons; and the elves have earned the dwarves’ grudging respect. Dwarves mistrust kestrel in general, and the feeling is mutual. Luckily, dwarves are fair-minded and they grant the individual kestrel the opportunity to prove themselves.

Alignment: Dwarves are usually lawful, and they tend toward good. This reflects the influence of Regulus on them. Dwarves outside of the dwarven lands and adventuring dwarves are less likely to fit the common mold. Dwarves in other lands are more exposed to the templars of the other regents, most noteably Spica, and are more likely to have other baenrahls. Adventuring dwarves are more likely to be those who did not fit perfectly into dwarven society and their alignments tend to reflect this.

Dwarven Lands: The Dwarven kingdoms are deep beneath the stony faces of the mountains of nearly all the continents, where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals and forge items of wonder. Trustworthy members of other race are welcome here, though some parts of these lands are off limits even to them. Whatever wealth the dwarves can’t find in their mountains they gain through trade. Dwarves dislike water travel, being unable to swim because of their density, so enterprising minotaurs frequently handle trade in dwarven goods when travel is along a water route.

Dwarves in the lands of other race are typically mercenaries, weaponsmiths, armorsmiths, jewelers, and artisans. Dwarf bodyguards are renowned for their courage and loyalty, and they are well rewarded for their virtues.

Regents: The chief regents of the dwarves are Reolus and Erda, it was their battle that first woke the dwarves from their slumber deep in the earth. Reolus is the tutor of the dwarves, and he expects his followers to work for the betterment of the dwarven race. Erda is their spoiled mistress, demanding huge amounts of dwarven ore and crafts. The dwarves, as all good children, strive to keep their feuding parents in harmony.

Because the dwarves were awakened from that first sleep by Erda and Reolus, and because of their innate loyalty many dwarves are still aligned to these two Urathear. However, through the millennia, dwarves have come to be aligned to all of the Lord Regents. They have accepted this diversity of loyalties and embraced them, melding them perfectly into dwarven society.

Language: Dwarves speak Denwarfrey. which has its own runic script. Dwarven literature is marked by comprehensive histories of kingdoms, noble lineages, and wars through the millennia. The Denwarfrey alphabet is also used with minor variations for the Laios, Giak, Thyslin, and Edarukris languages. Dwarves often speak the languages of their friends (humans and minotaurs) and enemies (kestrels and sky’reen). Some also learn Edarukris, the strange language of earth-based creatures such as xorn.

Names: A dwarf’s name is granted to him by his clan elder, in accordance with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has been used and reused down through the generations. A dwarf’s name is not his own. It belongs to his clan. If he misuses it or brings shame to it, his clan will strip him of it. A dwarf stripped of his name is forbidden by dwarven law to use any other dwarven name in its place. Additionally, dwarves are very guarded about their clan names and do not bandy them about amongst non-dwarves, instead prefering to take some sort of nickname as their surname. Thus the penchant for such colorful tags as Dar Steelheart, Moras Stonefist, and Dwalic Rockjaw.

Male Names: Balar, Belfin, Bifor, Boflum, Bolto, Dar, Dorlum, Dorfor, Duric, Dwalic, Fared, Filur, Glolum, Konar, Kurar, Naur, Norto, Oror, Thraic, Toror.

Female Names: Belfif, Bofif, Bomba, Dora, Dura, Faras, Gila, Goria, Koris, Moras, Naia, Noas, Norla, Oia, Oril, Thorif, Thraif, Throas, Torla, Wharif.

Clan Names: Artin, Audhild, Balderk, Barendd, Brottor, Dagrlal, Dankil, Diesa, Eberk, Einkil, Gorunn, Gunnloda, Hlin, Holderhek, Ilde, Liftrasa, Loderr, Lutgehr, Oskar, Rumnaheim, Rurik. Sannl, Strakeln, Taklinn, Torgga, Torunn, Traubon, Ulfgar, Ungart, Veit,

Adventurers: A dwarven adventurer may be motivated by crusading zeal, a love of excitement, or simple greed. As long as his accomplishments bring honor to his clan, his deeds earn him respect and status. Defeating monstrous beasts and claiming powerful magic weapons are sure ways for a dwarf to earn the respect of other dwarves.

DWARVEN RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Dwarves are stout and tough but tend to be gruff and reserved.
• Medium-size: As Medium size creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Dwarven base speed is 20 feet
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Stonecunning: Stonecunning grants dwarves a +2 race bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction, unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.
• +2 race bonus on saving throws against poison: Dwarves are hardy and resistant to toxins.
• +2 race bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
• Racial Enemy: A dwarf may select a type of creature (dragons, giants, sky’reen, kestrel, undead, etc…) as a racial enemy. Due to their extensive combats against these foes and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the dwarf gains a +1 racial bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this type of creature. Like wise he gains a +1 bonus to weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type. The bonus doesn’t apply to damage against creatures that are immune to critical hits. Dwarves are trained in the special combat techniques that allow them to fight their common enemies more effectively.
• +4 dodge bonus against giants and ogres. This bonus represents special training that dwarves undergo, during which they learn tricks that previous generations developed in their battles with giants and ogres. Note that any time a character loses his positive Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, such as when he’s caught flat-footed, he loses his dodge bonus, too.
• +2 race bonus on Appraise checks that are related to rare or exotic items. Dwarves are familiar with valuable items of all kinds.
• +2 race bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal: Dwarves are especially capable with stonework and metalwork.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Denwarfrey. Possible Languages: Tabashis, Oagrieveish, Laios, Algiazsha, Thyslin, Edarukris, and Skritch. Dwarves are familiar with the languages of their enemies and their subterranean allies.
• Favored Class: Fighter. Dwarven culture extols the virtues of the fighter, and the vocation comes easily to dwarves.