Dwarf

Dwarves, sometimes called the Stout Folk, were a humanoid race common throughout both Anakara as well as the known region of Vahşi Alanlar. Dwarves are a tough, tradition-abiding folk known for their strong martial traditions and beautiful craftsmanship.

Description

Dwarves were a short race, as their name implied, standing from 4'3"–4'9" (1.3–1.45 meters) on average, with hill dwarves a bit shorter. What dwarves lacked in height they made up for in bulk; they were, on average, about as heavy as a Human. A dwarf could weigh anywhere from about 160–220 lbs (73–100 kg). Dwarven males were a bit taller and heavier than their female counterparts. Like humans, dwarves had a wide variety of skin, eye, and hair colors, typically pale among mountain dwarves, more tanned amongst hill dwarves, and dark brown for cave dwarves. Hazel eyes were common throughout the race, with blue eyes more common amongst mountain and deep dwarves and brown or green eyes found amongst the hill dwarves.
Male dwarves were often bald and grew thick facial hair, which was sometimes used to display social status. Unusually for humanoids, both sexes naturally grew ample facial hair, though the majority of dwarf females shaved their beards off. This hair was often dark in hue, though among mountain dwarves blond or red hair was just as common. Hill dwarves took the care of facial hair to an extreme, carefully oiling and grooming it, with some adding perfume and ornamentations.
Dwarves were a long-lived race, though they woudln't live as long as an Elf, and reached physical maturity somewhat later than humans. A dwarf was traditionally considered an adult once he or she reached age fifty. Dwarves aged much like humans but over a longer period of time, remaining vigorous well past 150 years. Most dwarves lived to see their bicentennial and a few lived to be over 400. A dwarf was considered to be young until they reached the age of 50.

Subraces

Hill

These dwarves were a the aloof, confident, and sometimes proud subrace of dwarves. They were known to be particularly stalwart warriors and shrewd traders. Hill dwarves were often trained specifically to battle the horrendous aberrations that were known to come from the Underdark.

Mountain

Mountain dwarves were among the most common of the dwarven peoples. Once the rulers of mighty kingdoms across Anakara, they had since fallen by the wayside after centuries of warfare with their goblinoid enemies. Since then, mountain dwarves were less commonly seen, though they still hold on to the great kingdom of Drepost.

Cave

Cave dwarves were an almost unknown subrace of dwarf, found almost exclusively in their kingdom of Strana in Vahşi Alanlar. These dwarves were once known for their excellent eyesight in darkness and keen ability to find and identify gemstones. However, during a particularly turbulent period of dwarven history most of the cave dwarves either fled their homelands or were captured by mindlayers and turned into Duergar.

A cave dwarf sailor

Personality

Whether or not the dwarven claim that they'd been carved from the world's stone was true, dwarves shared many qualities considered similar to the stone they lived with. Strong, hardy, and dependable, dwarves were polite, particularly to elders, and possessed a wisdom beyond that of many other races. Dwarves valued their traditions, regardless of the subrace they came from, and looked for inspiration from ancestral heroes. Dwarves were also known for their stubborn nature and cynicism, traits widespread amongst the dwarves but which contributed to and were commonly offset by their bravery and tenacity. Dwarven friendship was hard to earn, but was strong once won. Naturally dour and suspicious, the stout folk were slow to trust others, specifically those outside their family, suspecting the worst of an individual until the outsider had proved their good will many times. Once this trust was gained, dwarves held their friends to it and viewed betrayals, even minor ones, with a vicious propensity for vengeance. A common gnomish oath, remarking on this dwarven sense of justice, was "If I'm lying, may I cross a dwarf."
For dwarves, loyalty was more than a word and they felt that it should be both valued and rewarded. Dwarves believed it a gift and mark of respect to stand beside a friend in combat, and an even deeper one to protect that ally from harm. Many dwarven tales subsequently revolved around the sacrifice of dwarves for their friends and family. Just as dwarves were known for their dependability as friends and allies, dwarves also harbored grudges far longer than many other races. This might be on an individual basis between a dwarf and one who had wronged them, or against entire races, even if warfare with the enemy had long since ceased.
Dwarves were careful and deliberate, with a more serious disposition than other races, who they sometimes viewed as flighty or reckless. A dwarf did all things with care and a stubborn resolve, with brash or cowardly behavior unusual for them. However, dwarves did succumb easily to wrath or greed, which were their most common vices.
Dwarves who left their homeland to become adventurers did so for a number of reasons. In part, a dwarf might be motivated by simple avarice, given the dwarven love of beautiful things. As often, however, a dwarf might be motivated by a drive to do what was right for others (particularly their clan) or a love of excitement because, as settled as dwarves were, they rarely tired of thrills. But even these wayward dwarves retained the spirit of their brethren, hoping that their accomplishments abroad could bring honor to themselves, their clan, or both. Given that successful dwarven adventurers were likely to recover rare items or defeat enemies of the dwarven people during such challenges, this was a hope not entirely without merit.

Abilities

Dwarves were unusually tough for humanoids, in more ways than one. Dwarven stomachs, for instance, were resistant to virtually all poisons and it took less effort for a dwarf to get back on their feet than other races. Dwarves also had dense bodies and were difficult to push around as a result, as well as having the capacity to bear loads that other races might find hindering with little ill effect. Dwarves also had a sense about them that few races did, with a preternatural awareness of their surroundings useful for a subterranean race as well as good judgment all-around in general.
Many dwarves were difficult to like and lacked the charm of many other smaller races, such as those possessed by a Halfling or Gnome, though this was not a trait common to all dwarves and some possessed a great deal of charismatic power. Furthermore, dwarves were not entirely unsocial and more than a few had a natural knack for bartering or judging the value of an offer, something that sat well with their legendary crafting abilities.
Dwarves could see in the dark, out to about 60 feet (18 meters). Many dwarves had an affinity for the caverns in which they lived, possessing a knack for recognizing unusual patterns in stonework that could seem almost supernatural at times.

Society

Culture

Dwarves highly valued the ties between family members and friends, weaving tightly knit clans. Dwarves particularly respected elders, from whom they expected sound leadership and the wisdom of experience, as well as ancestral heroes or clan founders. This idea carried on to relations with other races and dwarves were deferential even to the elders of another, non-dwarven race.
Likewise, dwarves, perhaps moreso than most other races, turned to their gods for guidance and protection. Non-evil dwarves looked to the divine for comfort and inspiration, while the wicked looked to their divine overlords for methods through which to obtain power over others. Individual dwarves might be faithless, but the race as a whole, regardless of subrace, had a strong inclination for religion and almost every community maintained at least one temple or ancestral shrine.

Clans

Most dwarven societies were divided into clans built along family ties and political allegiances. These clans were usually led by hereditary rulers, often monarchs of a sort and descended from the founder of the clan. Dwarves strongly valued loyalty to these rulers and to the clan as a whole and even objective dwarves tended to side primarily with their kin over other races or communities.
Most dwarven clans focused on one or two kinds of crafting, such as blacksmithing, jewelry, engineering, or masonry. Dwarves strove to avoid overspecialization by sending some of their youths to other clans to serve as apprentices, which also helped to foster racial unity. Because of their longevity, these apprenticeships might last decades.

Homelands

Most dwarves preferred living in underground cities near the surface and above the Underdark, built around mines that provided much of their livelihood. Mountain and cave dwarves, however, were not unacustomed to living in open areas, although even still they tended to live in hills if not in mountains. Carved into stone, these cities might take centuries to complete but were practically ageless once finished. Though dwarves were typically a martial race by nature, these cities had civilian populations that made up about one fourth of the total population and which were made up primarily of the young, the elderly, or a few regular adults. Females typically composed as large a portion of the military as male dwarves did.
Dwarves could be found all across the world, with the last great kingdom of dwarves in Anakara being Drepost, ruled by mountain dwarves but containing a sizable hill dwarf minority. The cave dwarves of clan Duergar (not to be confused with the Underdark dwelling subrace Duergar) resettled in Vahşi Alanlar, creating the kingdom of Strana, during the period of internal conflict and Mindflayer attacks, known as Raskolot.
In their own homelands, dwarves continuously carved out new living space, mining the mountains' riches as they did so. Dwarves in general stuck to these locales, disliking travel, but those who lived in human lands could make themselves quite comfortable. The cave dwarves were the only group who seemed to not oppose traveling by water. Most who did made a living as mercenaries, smiths, or artisans of various kinds. Dwarves were eagerly sought after as warriors, their reputation for courage and loyalty making them excellent choices for bodyguards.

Interracial Relations

Dwarves were firm believers in the righteousness of their own ways, yet were surprisingly tolerant of the cultures of others, much of which was due to their natural introversion. Polite dwarves normally declined to speak their minds about others regardless of their true feelings; behavior considered "good enough" was left alone and not considered their business. Certain violent behavior might prompt more direct forms of response, but for the most part dwarves would live and let live. They got along passably well with most other races, their pragmatism and sense of honor serving diplomacy well, and few reasonable societies could not come to some level of agreement of them.
However, most dwarves commonly believed that true friendships could only be forged over long periods of time and a common saying was that "the difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years", meaning that few members of the shorter-lived races ever forged strong bonds with dwarves. There were exceptions, however, and some of the strongest friendships were those between a dwarf and a human whose grandparents and parents were also on good terms with the dwarf.

Allies

Dwarves and gnomes had a history of cordial relations, mutually seeing each other as a sort of unrelated family, however distant. One dwarven myth proposed that the gnomes were once dwarves and Grap Gelukkig a long-forgotten dwarven deity of magic known as Garal, who turned his devoted into gnomes. Dwarves held the outlooks the two had in common in strong regard, looking at gnomish culture with affectionate bemusement and gnomes often felt that dwarves had a grounding in the greater truths of the world that they themselves lacked. However, long-term contact between the two would likely cause irritation, for while they envied the dwarves, gnomes were unwilling to stick to their lifestyle. Dwarf strongholds were always open to gnomes, but few dwarves were comfortable enough with gnome ways to stay for long in their settlements.
Similarly to gnomes, dwarves had a fondness for halflings comparable to an older brother's concern for a smaller, more awkward sibling. Dwarves prized the halfling talent for fitting in and lending a hand, while halflings admired the strong family ties and industriousness (as well as the nose for profit) of the dwarves. However, dwarves were usually stodgy and somewhat provincial in contrast to the more adventurous halflings. Furthermore, halflings, who did not hold martial prowess as important, saw dwarves as too war-like. Some dwarves mistook their disinterest for inability and could prove patronizing, yet halflings quietly dismissed this overbearing and somewhat arrogant attitude as part of dwarvish nature. Dwarves remained blissfully pleased with their relations besides vague concern and diplomatic offers of military aid.
More than any other race, humans were capable of dwarven behavior, readily absorbing their virtues and able to value them almost equally. They looked up to the tradition, honour, conviction, and family values central to them, and admired dwarven martial skill and stonecraft. The two races had always been cordial neighbors at the very least, and when humans modeled their societies after dwarves, it was a source of pride and joy. However, humans were so morally and ethically flexible that they could also be almost elf-like, seeming flighty to their slow-paced ways. What all human nations shared was a short memory, and human adaptability was countered in their minds by cultural inconsistency. Still, if dwarves were good at anything, it was finding potential hidden below the surface, and so even in the darkest times, they never gave up on humanity.
Dwarven and elven relations were infamously volatile, their vastly disparate perspectives on the relationship between the individual and society resulting in countless misunderstandings and feuds. While dwarves subjugated the individual in favor of the group, elves did the opposite, and while both ways of life worked for their respective races, it made it hard for the two to agree on specific plans. Dwarves were both frustrated and amused by their apparent flightiness, lack of family focus, and irresponsibility of a race that, given their long lives and magic power, should be some of the most responsible of all. The emotional elves usually saw the naturally reserved dwarves as too dour, foolishly failing to express themselves and their opinions. Dwarves and elves both tended towards good, however, and so agreed on the most important issues; like squabbling siblings, they jumped to the others' defense against outside forces despite their threats, shouts, and insults.
Though primitive to their eyes, dwarves regarded the Goliath people as kindred spirits, followers of the ways of Korol even if not consciously aware of it. Dwarves perceived them as gentle giants and felt affection for their distant friends, leading them to make the extra effort of frequently visiting their villages for trade. For their part, goliaths held dwarves in high regard; most couldn't make their jewelry or metal crafts and held in high esteem those that could, wishing that they had a similar aptitude for weapon-crafting. They would eagerly trade furs and meat for dwarven (and gnomish) wonders, and some of the bravest of their numbers would traverse to The Great Divide to trade with dwarven communities.

Enemies

Dwarves did not forgive past wrongs easily and the entire race would more or less try to wipe out any Goblin or Orc they came across. Many dwarves viewed these races as a foul infestation of their mountain homes and felt it was their duty to purge them. Likewise, many dwarves viewed Drow and grimlocks with a similar hatred and few dwarves had forgotten their ancestral hatred of the giants who'd once enslaved them.[9] As competitors for underground resources, dwarves and kobolds frequently fought over subterranean claims. The anti-social sentiments and persecution complex of the kobolds made diplomacy difficult, and while the two didn't always attack each other, neither side needed much provocation to start fighting. Not helping their relations was how dwarves frequently allied with or fought for gnomes against kobold tribes. However, if the two ended up working together due to circumstance, they could discover a common work ethic able to form the foundation of respectful friendships.

Crossbreeds

Dwarves had few set opinions on half-elves, each being a reflection of whatever culture they were raised in. Perhaps more than that of elves or humans, the Half-Elf mindset was acceptable with that of the dwarf, combining the relative order of humanity with the long view provided by elven blood. Wise dwarves knew half-elves to be acceptable intermediaries when dwarves and elves desperately needed to cooperate, while half-elves also appreciated the dwarven understanding of the long view and lack of sheer pretention sometimes displayed by elves. However, half-elves could just as easily combine elven frivolity with human hubris, and their wanderlust was difficult for dwarves to understand. Half-elves generally saw dwarves as inflexible and unyielding, unable to understand their inability to negotiate and try new things.
Given the racial enmity between dwarves and orcs and the importance dwarves placed on lineage, it was easy to understand their temptation to treat a Half-Orc with distrust. Half-orcs meanwhile thought dwarves would be funny if not so dangerous, for despite their capacity for drinking and raucousness they were serious, judgmental, task-oriented, and strict. However, half-orcs held respect for the strength and martial prowess, and further admired dwarven skill with stone and honesty while sharing an appreciation for simple pleasures. Dwarves were predisposed to letting those so inclined prove themselves, and the two could be surprisingly staunch companions, to the point that less traditional clans would adopt particularly worthy half-orcs, demonstrating the possibility for even the oldest grudges to be wiped clean.

Subspecies

In regards to Duergar, dwarven opinions varied. Many viewed their distant relations with sympathy for their prior enslavement. On the other hand, duergar and dwarves had long been enemies, though trade between them was a possibility.

Related Organizations

• Council of Magi
• Subservience of Swynwyr

Player Race Features:

• Ability Scores. Choose any +2; choose any other +1.
• Size. Your size is Medium.
• Speed. 25 ft. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
• Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
• Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
• Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
• Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan's tools of your choice: Smith's tools, brewer's supplies, or mason's tools.
• Stonecunning. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.
  

Subrace: Hill

• Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Subrace: Mountain

• Ability Scores. Choose any +2; choose any other +2. This replaces the Ability Scores feature from the race.
• Dwarven Armor Training. You have proficiency with light and medium armor.

Subrace: Cave

• Superior Darkvision. Your Darkvision extends to 120 feet.
• Sparking Strike. When you hit a creature wearing metal armor with a weapon attack, you can use a special technique invented by your people to strike it in such a way that sparks fly from the point of impact, the target takes additional fire damage equal to another roll of the weapon damage die. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
  

Spellstain

Mark of Warding

• Warder's Intuition. When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check or an ability check using thieves' tools, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
• Wards and Seals. You can cast the alarm and mage armor spells with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast the arcane lock spell with it. Once you cast any of these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
• Spells of the Mark. If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Warding Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.
1st Alarm, Armor of Agathys

2nd Arcane Lock, Knock

3rd Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle

4th Leomund's Secret Chest, Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound

5th Antilife Shell