Hill Dwarves

Culture

Those who wander into the hill dwarven strongholds might be surprised to find a people far more confident and secure in their future than most dwarves. Whereas the mountain dwarves suffered serious setbacks during their history, the hill dwarves stood firm against the challenges thrown against them and so had few doubts about their place in the world. As a result, hill dwarves could come off as haughty and prideful, believing themselves culturally superior to all other races and lacking the fatalistic pessimism of their mountain dwarven cousins. Powerful and wealthy traders, hill dwarves are often praised for their shrewd bargaining skills, but at the same time, are often seen as greedy by other races.

Physical Description

Hill dwarves were stout, tough individuals like their shield dwarf brethren but were less off-putting and gruff in nature. Conversely, Hill dwarves were often less agile than other dwarves. The average Hill dwarf was about 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall and as heavy as a full-grown human, making them somewhat squatter than the more common shield dwarves. Hill dwarves were also distinguishable by their light brown or tanned skin, significantly darker than that of most dwarves, and their brown or hazel eyes. Hill dwarves have black, gray, or brown hair, which faded to light gray over time. Hill dwarf males and some females could grow beards, which were carefully groomed and grown to great lengths.

Stats and Meta Info

Hatred: Dwarves gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the goblinoid subtype and creatures of the vermin type because of their special training against these hated foes. Instead of Stability, a Hill Dwarf can gain: Treasure Sense Some dwarves have learned to sense the presence of material wealth with dragonlike precision. This ability functions as scent, except it can detect only precious metals (copper, silver, and gold) and creatures primarily made of such materials.