Deep-dwarf
Most deep-dwarves see themselves as the true manifestation of dwarven ideals. Their period of enslavement, and the revolt against the mind flayers led by Tharidal Ashbight, purged the influence of Duun from their souls. Thus, according to them, made them into the superior race. Deep-dwarves have no appreciation for beauty, and any thought of recapturing it was obliterated by the betrayal of their own kin in the form of the Earthen Flame Pact. Many deep-dwarves lead bleak, grim lives devoid of happiness or satisfaction, but they see that as their defining strength—the root of deep-dwarven pride, as it were—rather than something to be corrected.
Duunhollow's throne room with the full force of his army and personally beheaded King Anbuurn Bronzeheart II. As a warning to the rest of the clan holds, he put the former High King's head on a pike for all to see.
Nogduur's fifty-year reign was one of tyranny, death, and oppression, particularly to non-dwarven races, which only worsened when the armor's maddening curse took hold. He disgraced his clan's name by slaying and devouring his own daughter, who was next in line for the throne, both as a way to preserve his own seat in power and to appease the voices rumored to torment him at night. This earned him the moniker of 'The Cannibal King' from his dissenters. While known to Bronne, nobody else is quite sure if it was a curse put on the tyrant king by another who thirsted for his throne, or if it was genuine madness that took him in his senior years.
Nogduur's oppressive reign sparked the War for the Silver Crown; a bloody civil war between loyalists of High King Nogduur Ashbight and loyalists to the deposed clan Bronzeheart. The loyalists to clan Bronzeheart rose up and rebelled, successfully thwarting clan Ashbight and killing Nogduur on his throne. His followers were exiled from Duunhollow and the rest of the Silver Kingdom's territories.
The three clans fervently fought each other, too blind to notice the greater threat looming nearby. Unbeknownst to them, the zeal with which they fought was brought about by an Elder Brain. Before they discovered the ruse, they were soon enslaved by the Elder Brain and its colony of Mind Flayers. The illithids had no trouble overwhelming the remaining dwarves with their psionic power and soon put them to work.
The dwarves proved to be able slaves and hosts for their newborn tadpoles, but the elder brain saw within them another kind of usefulness. The dwarves' innate ability to resist the effects of harmful substances such as poison made them suitable subjects for a variety of grisly experiments. Generations of psychic surgery and physical alterations mutated the captives into creatures that had special powers of their own.
Tharidal Ashbight. After many centuries, a leader arose among the enslaved dwarves. Named Tharidal, he was one of the descendants of Nogduur Ashbight. He escaped the clutches of the mind flayer colony and wandered the deep-dark for days until he discovered a beacon of light in the form of a dragons' egg. Unbeknownst to him, this was the long lost scion of Astria. Tharidal used the glowing egg to search the deep-dark for a way to free his people until he found it in a deal with a beholder named Nec'rathis. In exchange for the egg, Nec'rathis would conquer the colony and free Tharidal's people. Tharidal promptly accepted. Thus, with the aid of an Alhoon named Mor'tath, who was exiled from the mind flayer colony for practicing the dark arts of Necromancy and sought to depose its Ulitharid leader Vul'osh, Nec'rathis overthrew the colony, exiled Vul'osh, and bent the Elder Brain to its own will.
Triumph Turned Sour
While the dwarves were free of the influence of the mind-flayers, they gained a new master in Nec'rathis. Using the Elder Brain, Nec'rathis nudged and gnawed at the dwarves' every thought, grooming and influencing them into becoming its warriors and servants. They served alongside the mind-flayers, who also followed the Elder Brain's whims. As part of the deal, Tharidal and his dark priests were free of this influence and worked with Nec'rathis to unite the previously warring clans under Tharidal's banner. Under the influence of Nec'rathis and leadership of Tharidal Ashbight and his dark priests, the dwarven clans conquered the way through the deep-dark, provoking territorial wars against Deeplings, Arachis, Rodent-folk, and Myconid colonies alike.
During the campaign, a bold new leader emerged among the Flamekeeper clan. Daenin Pyrefist questioned the greatness of the Ashbight lineage, and urged that making enemies of the surface dwarves was madness—all dwarves bled the same blood. He argued that Tharidal had made them mind-slaves on the whims of Nec'rathis—that Tharidal and his followers had exchanged one master for another. He also preached that the eternal flames of the earth were not meant to be bent and enslaved as Tharidal commanded, but rather something to revere and respect.
The deeplings, who had been captured from Deeptop by mind flayers, enslaved by the deep-dwarves, and subsequently freed by Grunka and the rest of the adventurers, listened to Daenin and agreed. That day, an alliance was made between the reformed Flamekeeper clan, and the Deepling Firespeakers called the Pact of the Earthen Flame.
Surface dwarves prioritize safety and defense, realizing there is little to be gained from mounting large-scale assaults against deep-dwarves. They protect their strongholds, keeping careful watch for signs of tunneling, and sending bands of warriors out from time to time to deal reprisals to Ashbight camps and fortresses. In addition to these rare offensive thrusts, surface dwarves send small squads of explorers or scouts into the deep-dark to learn about Ashbight clan activity or to recover stolen treasures.
This enmity between deep-dwarves of clan Ashbight and surface dwarves doesn't consume either side; both have other concerns that take more time and attention, At the same time, the never-ending state of war is never out of mind—every dwarf knows that a chance encounter with a deep-dwarf of clan Ashbight could be fatal, and every deep-dwarf of clan Ashbight would like nothing better than to have such an opportunity.
In a typical stronghold, workshops occupy a central chamber. The smoke that belches from them fills the air and drifts into surrounding passages. The outer edges of the stronghold are honeycombed with mining operations. The deep-dwarves wrestle rock from the cavern walls and process the chunks in search of useful ore, pulverizing them with powerful mechanical devices and sorting metals, minerals, and gems. Between the mines and the workshops stands a ring of fortresses, each ruled by a noble and occupied by the noble's followers. The stronghold's king commands the largest edifice. The dark priests of Nogduur and Tharidal reside in the second-largest fortress, which houses the armies of clan Ashbreaker. The priests organize patrols, guard duty, and oversee armories.
Steeders and wurms used as mounts and war beasts by clan Steelspitter are housed in stables that stand between the workshops and the fortresses. Each enclosure is virtually an individual prison since the creatures must be kept apart lest they tear into each other or wreak havoc in some other way. Only careful supervision and brutal discipline keep them in line when they are out of their cages. Each noble is responsible for maintaining a set of pens, and a squad of Steelspitter deep-dwarves are assigned to train and supervise them.
A deep-dwarf from clan Flamekeeper may be far more amicable to a party, even friendly, but will invariably be distrustful towards a deep-dwarf of clan Ashbight, as both clans have a recent and bitter history with each other. A Flamekeeper dwarf is far more likely to share treasure with the party, and will typically make more of an effort to gain the trust of a dwarven party member.
A deep-dwarf of clan Flamekeeper may even tend to a campfire or cauterize a wound with an almost spiritual reverence
Female Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra
Clan Names: Ashbight, Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ingotspitter, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart
Deep-dwarven History
As the Silver Kingdom recovered from The Green-Skin Wars, the dwarves of clan Ashbight felt resentment not just because of their long-held grudge against the ruling clan Bronzeheart, but because of what they saw as abandonment by the wider Silver Kingdom in their time of need. Bitterness clung to their hearts and they hoarded the most valuable gems discovered beneath Druvenholme to themselves to rebuild their hold, yet the rest of the Kingdom demanded they tithe their fair share for the betterment of the whole so that other holds might also rebuild. Clan Ashbight believed in not only the superiority of the dwarven race to all others but the superiority of their own clan. They looked on with disgust at the Silver Kingdom as it consorted and traded with lesser races; humans and halflings, and yet the Silver Kingdom dared to ask them to pay a tithe that might fall into the hands of such unworthy creatures? 'Degeneracy', they said, and refused outright. The Silver Kingdom was too busy trading with lesser races to help them in their time of need.Nogduur Ashbight, and the War for the Silver Crown
Decades went by and bitterness brewed into hatred, fanned by the King of Druvenholme at the time, Nogduur Ashbight, a fiery, violent, and revolutionary leader. The dwarves of clan Ashbight banded together underneath him to initiate a siege upon the capital of Duunhollow after they had excavated a Mountainpass highway route that connected Druvenholme directly to the capital city. Clad in golden armor fashioned and secretly cursed by his personal armorsmith, Bronne Farrikson, Nogduur stormed intoExiled and Fractured
Clan Ashbight dug deeper into the earth to create their own kingdoms and holds, content to live in isolation away from what they say as a sick man's kingdom. Over time, the fortress citadel of Blackforge was built. The home of the deep-dwarves became a great city of dark iron surrounded by a moat of lava, where black spires of industry billowed choking smoke high into the cavern ceilings. Warring and infighting became commonplace among the members of clan Ashbight. Lords, ladies, barons, and baronesses led their own armies to take control of the Ashbight crown. Eventually, the clan split apart into smaller clans who vied for supremacy, each proclaiming to be superior examples of the dwarven race. The clans of Ashvar and Hornbreaker clashed on the battlefield, while the clans of Steelspite and Slagspitter constructed war machines of dark iron, and tamed great Rockwurms to shred and smash into one another. Clan Flamekeeper used the powers of fire to conquer and overwhelm their rivals with superior Magic. Over time, the weaker clans were battered into submission and absorbed. Clan Ashbreaker. Born from the merging of clan Ashvar and Hornbreaker, clan Ashbreaker became the heart of the deep-dwarven military. With clan Hornbreaker's Steeder calvary and Ashvar's skilled axemen, they chose to overwhelm the other clans with superior numbers. They were known for their prowess in traditional battlefield combat, and all proudly risked their lives to wade into battle. Clan Steelspitter. The Steelspitter clan was forged from the merging of clan Steelsmite and clan Slagspitter. Together, the beast tamers of Steelsmite and the master blacksmiths of Slagspitter crafted great weapons of war. They bound plates of deep-iron armor to the hides of great wurms, and forged runic weapons of magical flame. While few in number, their penchant for creating living siege engines was unrivaled. Clan Flamekeeper. A stoic and stern lot, the priests of clan Flamekeeper became a respected and feared order of shamanistic deep-dwarves that harnessed the elemental forces of fire deep from within the bowels of the world. Summoning and binding elemental spirits to their whim, they scorched and incinerated the other clans who dared to stand in their way.
Enslavement
The three clans fervently fought each other, too blind to notice the greater threat looming nearby. Unbeknownst to them, the zeal with which they fought was brought about by an Elder Brain. Before they discovered the ruse, they were soon enslaved by the Elder Brain and its colony of Mind Flayers. The illithids had no trouble overwhelming the remaining dwarves with their psionic power and soon put them to work.
The dwarves proved to be able slaves and hosts for their newborn tadpoles, but the elder brain saw within them another kind of usefulness. The dwarves' innate ability to resist the effects of harmful substances such as poison made them suitable subjects for a variety of grisly experiments. Generations of psychic surgery and physical alterations mutated the captives into creatures that had special powers of their own.
Tharidal Ashbight. After many centuries, a leader arose among the enslaved dwarves. Named Tharidal, he was one of the descendants of Nogduur Ashbight. He escaped the clutches of the mind flayer colony and wandered the deep-dark for days until he discovered a beacon of light in the form of a dragons' egg. Unbeknownst to him, this was the long lost scion of Astria. Tharidal used the glowing egg to search the deep-dark for a way to free his people until he found it in a deal with a beholder named Nec'rathis. In exchange for the egg, Nec'rathis would conquer the colony and free Tharidal's people. Tharidal promptly accepted. Thus, with the aid of an Alhoon named Mor'tath, who was exiled from the mind flayer colony for practicing the dark arts of Necromancy and sought to depose its Ulitharid leader Vul'osh, Nec'rathis overthrew the colony, exiled Vul'osh, and bent the Elder Brain to its own will.
Triumph Turned Sour
While the dwarves were free of the influence of the mind-flayers, they gained a new master in Nec'rathis. Using the Elder Brain, Nec'rathis nudged and gnawed at the dwarves' every thought, grooming and influencing them into becoming its warriors and servants. They served alongside the mind-flayers, who also followed the Elder Brain's whims. As part of the deal, Tharidal and his dark priests were free of this influence and worked with Nec'rathis to unite the previously warring clans under Tharidal's banner. Under the influence of Nec'rathis and leadership of Tharidal Ashbight and his dark priests, the dwarven clans conquered the way through the deep-dark, provoking territorial wars against Deeplings, Arachis, Rodent-folk, and Myconid colonies alike.
Attack on Duunhollow, and the Battle for the Cinder Den
This culminatied in a second attack on Duunhollow to capture the High King of the Silver Kingdom, Bratorr Jornmire, as part of a component for a ritual that would allow Nec'rathis to find the location of Astria. However, the attack on Duunhollow was thwarted and the High King's life was saved. In response, the Silver Kingdom sent a number of intrepid, heroic adventurers into the depths to investigate the cause of the attack: Inquisitor Ager of the High Chalice Inquisition, Liska Aul'Luma, Legionnaire of the Steel Legion, Sao-Yuun Greymind of the Empire of the Celestial Dragon, Velum Harbridge, a blacksmith from the Kiteshi Empire, and Grunka, a Deepling of Deeptop. Together, they stumbled upon a grand plot to overthrow not just the Silver kingdom, but all of Meyland itself, culminating in the Battle for the Cinder Den. With Nec'rathis, Tharidal, and Mor'tath defeated, the mind flayer colony was unwittingly freed from the beholder's influence, and Vul'osh retook its place as the colony's leader, second-most to the Elder Brain itself. Vul'osh spared the lives of the adventurers, and when they returned to the Cinder Den, the dwarves once under the sway of Nec'rathis' influence had broken free. Confused and bewildered, a deep schism formed between the clans of Ashbreaker and Steelspitter, and clan Flamekeeper. To the clans of Ashbreaker and Steelspitter, loyalty to the Ashbight lineage was to be without question, as without the Ashbight clan, they had neither identity, nor unity.
Daenin Pyrefist, and the Earthen Flame Pact
During the campaign, a bold new leader emerged among the Flamekeeper clan. Daenin Pyrefist questioned the greatness of the Ashbight lineage, and urged that making enemies of the surface dwarves was madness—all dwarves bled the same blood. He argued that Tharidal had made them mind-slaves on the whims of Nec'rathis—that Tharidal and his followers had exchanged one master for another. He also preached that the eternal flames of the earth were not meant to be bent and enslaved as Tharidal commanded, but rather something to revere and respect.
The deeplings, who had been captured from Deeptop by mind flayers, enslaved by the deep-dwarves, and subsequently freed by Grunka and the rest of the adventurers, listened to Daenin and agreed. That day, an alliance was made between the reformed Flamekeeper clan, and the Deepling Firespeakers called the Pact of the Earthen Flame.
A People Divided
Arguments erupted, and many saw sense in Daenin's words, joining the Flamekeepers by his side. Inquisitor Ager offered the Flamekeeper clan a new home among the peoples of the Karthan Commonwealth, and Daenin accepted. Together, they would renew relations with the surface and build a new existence for the once-exiled deep-dwarves. However, clan Ashbreaker and clan Steelspitter refused to join their brethren, seeing them as traitors to the race. The two factions parted, but the Arachis they fought during the battle ambushed them in one last-ditch attempt to exterminate their opponents. The loyalists beat them back; both armies were weary from fighting, and while the Arachis had greater numbers, the loyalists had greater armaments. This last battle proved to clan Ashbreaker and clan Steelspitter that they were better off united against the dangers of the deep-dark. The loyalist army limped back to the citadel of Blackforge battered and bruised, where they nurse their grudges and hatreds to this day. Few understand or appreciate the true scope and intensity of the battles between the deep-dwarves of clan Ashbight and the surface dwarves. Viewed on a grand scale, the conflict between the two is a great war of attrition. However, on a personal scale, combat is brutal, with no quarter given or expected. The deep-dwarves loyal to clan Ashbight fight a persistent guerrilla war of sudden raids and brutal attacks against isolated populations of dwarves. Ashbight deep-dwarves attack by burrowing into a dwarf settlement from below, then bursting out in a vicious assault that leaves few survivors. If robbery is the goal, an Ashbight war party might dig for weeks to penetrate a dwarf treasure vault, hoping to seize a clan's riches from beneath its nose.
Deep-dwarven Society
Deep-dwarven society is a dark mirror of the dwarven clan. Where dwarves toil for the love of industry, deep-dwarves do so to create and own as many goods and treasures as possible. Their dark priests assign vocations and arrange marriages, but only to ensure that clans continue to exist, not to create a legacy. In many ways, the culture of clan Ashbight is fundamentally hollow. For all their wars and all the treasures they have accumulated, they feel no happiness or satisfaction. They simply exist as ever-turning cogs in an engine of destruction that is the antithesis of the dwarves' joyful cycle of creation.
Three Rules of Conduct
All aspects of deep-dwarf psychology, culture, and society stem from three principles set down by Nogduur Ashbight during his reign. Adherence to these precepts is now enforced by the leadership of clan Ashbight. Our pockets are never full. The deep-dwarves of clan Ashbight are fueled in all their actions by two feelings: ambition that never flags and greed that can never be satisfied. Though they scheme and plot at great lengths to gain treasure or prestige, success is never celebrated. Each acquisition is like a meal that quickly loses its appeal, leaving deep-dwarves hungry for more. No matter how much wealth or power they gain, it's never enough. Our fight is never done. As deep-dwarves acquire treasure and prestige, they need to become stronger to hold on to what they have. When the deep-dwarves of clan Ashbight wage war on other races, they demonstrate that the weak aren't fit to possess that which is meant for the strong. To them, no creatures are more unworthy of holding wealth than surface dwarves. When clan Ashbight has an opportunity to strike at surface dwarves. especially in their strongholds, the clan fights with utmost viciousness and cunning, matching the value of the spoils to be gained with the intensity of their onslaught. Our resolve is never shaken. Any show of weakness is sacrilege among dwarves of clan Ashbight. This extends to personal conduct as well as deep-dwarf clans who pledge allegiance to them. Displays of happiness, contentedness, and trust are forbidden. This is why clan Flamekeeper is so hated by most other deep-dwarves. The deep-dwarves are bound together in a rigid society—a marriage of necessity rather than choice. In the deep-dark, they must cooperate to survive. Within their society, each individual fills an assigned role and must perform it to the best of their abilities. Warriors of clan Ashbreaker epitomize this lack of emotion and individuality. In battle, they wear heavy armor and scowling masks that hide their identities. When assembled in ranks, they move like army ants. They are a relentless foe, marching over the corpses of their fallen comrades to press the attack.Inside a Deep-dwarf Stronghold
Deep-dwarf strongholds are best defined in terms of how they compare to those of their surface kin. Both bustle with activity, and forges and picks and hammers are always at work, but that's where the similarity ends. In the strongholds of the surface dwarves, the atmosphere is one of optimistic industry. Dwarves enjoy what they do, and their dedication to furthering the clan and leaving a legacy shows through in every aspect of a clan's operation. In contrast, clan Ashbight cares nothing for the dwarven ideal of achieving mastery of a craft. For this reason, they pay no mind to neither environment nor aesthetics. In their strongholds, the atmosphere is one of drudgery. Quantity, not quality, is at the heart of their efforts, as they strive to craft as many items as possible in the shortest period of time. Deep-dwarven goods aren't flawed or substandard but are plain to the point of austerity. To the deep-dwarves, a manufactured object is useful only for the function it performs.
Building Better Slaves
For years while under the subtle influence of Nec’rathis, deep-dwarves have relied on humanoid captives to perform unskilled labor in their workshops. Only the lowest, most miserable deep-dwarf would consent to do grunt work that requires no artifice or skill. In recent months, however, clan Ashbight has begun to move away from slavery. Some have discovered that mechanical servitors powered by psionic energy are more durable and more efficient than slaves. Thus, various automatons have been developed, each designed to fill a role within a deep-dwarf stronghold. The Steelspitter clan has plans to make raiding parties more formidable. Other blueprints include digging and tunneling machines—golem-like monstrosities that tear through rock and extract the ore.Power of the Mind
During their period of slavery under the mind flayers, the deep-dwarves were the subjects of a variety of bizarre experiments that endowed them with psionic abilities. Every deep-dwarf is born with some amount of psionic talent. The typical warrior can turn invisible or increase in size, and some deep-dwarves take up a more formal study of psionics to enhance or augment their capabilities. These individuals push their abilities beyond the normal limits, using what they learn to create new talents that they can then teach to others. Despite these efforts, deep-dwarves s still have a limited understanding of the true extent of their psionic capabilities. From the perspective of most other creatures, such abilities are seen as merely another flavor of magic. After all, they reason, what does it matter if a deep-dwarf turns invisible by using magic or a psionic ability? The outcome is the same either way. Deep-dwarves who delve into psionic research describe the process as accessing a dimensional space in which they can tap into the energy exerted by living minds. Using this power source, a small number of deep-dwarves can alter their bodies and those of other creatures, tap into thoughts and bend them as they see fit, and impart a spark of locomotion and even basic intelligence into objects. Deep-dwarves of truly exceptional skill can move objects without touching them, view creatures from a great distance, and push their bodies to achieve incredible feats, such as lifting a boulder or transforming into a liquid to flow through a crack in a wall.Deep-dwarf Adventurers
Deep-dwarves who become adventurers are almost invariably exiles from their society or members of the Flamekeeper clan. Deep-dwarves have no patience for those who fail to conduct themselves with an appropriate amount of ambition and cruelty. Any deep-dwarves who leave the deep-dark and take up adventuring, after having been raised by those loyal to clan Ashbight, are paranoid about possible treachery from within the party. One might insist on sleeping separately from the rest of the group, never displaying or sharing treasure, and trying to hoard treasures that can help
Deep-dwarf Names
A deep-dwarf’s name is granted by a clan elder, in accordance with tradition. Every proper name has been used and reused down through the generations. A deep-dwarf’s name belongs to the clan, not to the individual. A deep-dwarf who misuses or brings shame to a clan name is stripped of the name and forbidden by law to use any dwarven name in its place. Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, VondalFemale Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra
Clan Names: Ashbight, Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ingotspitter, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart
Deep-dwarf Traits
Age. Deep-dwarves mature at the same rate as dwarves. On average, they live about 120 years.
Alignment. Most deep-dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. Most deep-dwarves loyal to clan Ashbight tend toward neutrality or evil, while those loyal to clan Flamekeeper tend towards good or neutral alignments.
Size. Deep-dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision. Accustomed to life in the Deep-dark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
Deep-dwarf Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
Deep-dwarf Magic. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself once with this trait, using only the spell's enlarge option. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell on yourself once with this trait. You don't need material components for either spell, and you can't cast them while you're in direct sunlight, although sunlight has no effect on them once cast. You regain the ability to cast these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Deep-dwarf Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, illusions, being charmed or paralyzed, and you have resistance against poison damage.
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.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Trade-tongue, Dwarven, and Under-tongue.
Notable Deep-dwarves
Deep-dwarf Traits
As a deep-dwarf, you have the following traits. Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2, and increase a different one by 2, or increase four different scores by 1.Age. Deep-dwarves mature at the same rate as dwarves. On average, they live about 120 years.
Alignment. Most deep-dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. Most deep-dwarves loyal to clan Ashbight tend toward neutrality or evil, while those loyal to clan Flamekeeper tend towards good or neutral alignments.
Size. Deep-dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision. Accustomed to life in the Deep-dark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
Deep-dwarf Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
Deep-dwarf Magic. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself once with this trait, using only the spell's enlarge option. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell on yourself once with this trait. You don't need material components for either spell, and you can't cast them while you're in direct sunlight, although sunlight has no effect on them once cast. You regain the ability to cast these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Deep-dwarf Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, illusions, being charmed or paralyzed, and you have resistance against poison damage.
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.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Trade-tongue, Dwarven, and Under-tongue.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
120
Average Height
4' 5"
Average Weight
120 lb.
Geographic Distribution
- Nogduur Ashbight
- Tharidal Ashbight
- Daenin Pyrefist
Flamekeepers
Exiled from the rest of deep-dwarven society, Flamekeepers are few and far between, numbering only in the tens of thousands compared to those still loyal to clan Ashbight. Lead by Daenin Pyrefist, the deep-dwarves of clan Flamekeeper are a nomadic and stoic people by necessity, but if one were to ask any Flamekeeper deep-dwarf about the future, one might receive a hopeful response. Flamekeepers are new to the surface world, though many races, especially surface-dwelling dwarves, look upon them with distrust and suspicion. Flamekeepers realize the long and sore past that deep-dwarves have cultivated with the surface dwarves, and most would prefer to mend such relations. Unlike the deep-dwarves of clan Ashbight, those of clan Flamekeeper see the surface dwarves as family and kin. Flamekeepers seek to rekindle the blood bond they once had with their fellow dwarves centuries ago since before the The War for the Silver Crown. They look upon the reign of Nogduur Ashbight as a stain upon their past worth not repeating. Despite this, they retain decades of austere culture inculcated into them by Nogduur's reign and find many of those same traditions difficult to break. Flamekeepers are deeply spiritual people. They revere a force they call the Eternal Flame; the elemental force of fire. To them, fire is an element present within the bosom of forges, in the warmth of a campfire, and the comfort of a hearth. Fire is not something to be feared, but respected as a force of both creation and destruction. If misused, the Eternal Flame can start great forest fires and burn flesh, but as the sun's rays burn and the volcano erupts, the Eternal Flame allows crops to grow, land to form, cooks food, and makes room in forests for new trees to grow from the ashes. After the Battle for the Cinder Den, Daenin Pyrefist and the Deepling leader of the Tunnel Scouts, Flizz, formed the Earthen Flame Pact, an alliance of common ideals between clan Firespeaker and clan Flamekeeper, both as a way to cement military alliances in tumultuous and uncertain times for both races, and to spread the common faith of fire worship.
Deep-dwarves and Ale
Unlike their dwarven kin, deep-dwarves drink alcohol only in moderation and avoid overindulgence. They have learned from bitter experience that those who drink too much risk awakening deep racial memories of their ancestor's cruel treatment at the hands of the mind flayers. The psychic agony that these memories evoke manifests in a severe flight-or-fight response. An intoxicated deep-dwarf might flee in panic and search for a safe place to hide until the effect wears off. Others might respond by brawling with anyone in the vicinity, venting the rage they harbor against their former masters.
A Psionic Awakening
"I performed the ritual just as the book described. As the magic turned the aboleth's brain to dust, I inhaled deeply of the leavings, and a nearly infinite roll of years began to unspool before my eyes. I saw a black sun hanging in the sky over a desolate land, where great temples spanned for miles and were suddenly decimated by a cataclysm. Then they slowly sank into a sea of dust. I saw an alien empire spanning across the horizon vanish in the wink of an eye, its children left to fend for themselves. I felt the pull of a force more ancient than the gods, one that remained beneath the surface of my consciousness but was ready to receive a new disciple. Since the day of my awakening, I have felt a presence in the back of my mind, something that pushes me to be set free as I struggle to stifle it. It grows, even as my ability to keep it inside falters. Will there come a day when my mind is no longer my own?"
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