Dwarves

**Physical Description:** Dwarves are stocky creatures, that bear human like features. Men and Dwarves are considered to be descendants of the same ancestor, and as such do share a remarkable number of traits. Dwarves however,er have a far thicker accumulation of body hair, and often fairer skin for their time in their mountain homes.

**Society:** Dwarven subcultures are diverse and varies, much like another race, but all share one trait in common. They all consider themselves to be children of the earth, and the inheritors thereof. The dubious origins of the humans make them good candidates as settlers of the realm, but not as owners, and the vile elves that are descendants of the sky have no place on their realm. They are fiercely territorial, and the grounds beneath their domains becomes sacred. It is the earth that will support them and their future generations for centuries. They value ownership and conquering as an aspect of life, but on the other side of the coin ownership means nothing if it goes to waste. Dwarf societies only claim as much land as they can handle, unlike human societies who claim vasts amounts of land that go unused. They transform the landscape they are living in, into a design that comes from their minds. They are skilled architects, and can transform whole mountains into molding clay that they used to sculpt works of art. They leave behind masterful works of art in every region they touch, often leaving statues, carvings, and buildings at random over a landscape. Although they are considered permanent dwellers, they are not afraid of travel, and those that settle near waters are responsible for beautiful works of naval equipment. Their boats, low and stocky, carry precious tradings goods all over the world.

Because of their territorial nature, they are naturally aggressive and warlike, but they are also cunning merchants willing to part with their master crafted goods only for the right price or higher. In their culture being a merchant has as much honor as a warrior, and as such are often called Warrior Merchants. They view conflicts with other countries as sports and scrimmage, to the dismay of countries who are not naturally warlike.

They are almost always in conflict with the elves. The elves who believe the world is the body of Gaia, and should be treated as an entity to respect and share, goes against the total domination ideology of the dwarves who believe the earth is theirs to own. Dwarves although stoic, attack most conflicts aggressively, leaving nothing to atrophy.

Despite their apparent industriousness, they are too stubborn to adopt new methodology. Their ways have become iconic religious symbolism. They are strictly traditionalists who find little room for change.

The return to Stone: All dwarves, as they age, return to the state in which they believe to have been created. As they age, and their skin gains a grey palor, and their joints grow stiff, they begin to petrify. All dwarves that die turn to tough bundles of stone. They are often buried as they died, with modifications from sculptors who turn them into catacomb art. Legends say that it is because the dwarves are children of the earth, and return to it once they perish. Others say it was a defense against the elves, so that their corpses could not be eaten, and embolden those that felled them. Others say that it is a natural defense against Rot Disease, and corpse laden illnesses that the other races suffer from. Their natural hardiness prevents their body from being decomposed by corpse rot, in other words, literally too healthy to rot away.

**Adventurers:** Warriors, Rogues, priests, and paladins. Dwarf society allows for prosperous adventurers of all categories.

### **Standard Racial Traits:**

* **Ability Score Racial Traits:** +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma.
* **Size:** Medium
* **Base Speed:** (*Slow and Steady*) Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
* **Languages:** Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
* **Hardy:** Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
* **Hatred:** Dwarves gain a +1 to attack damage, and AC against elven foes.
* **Stability:** Dwarves gain a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
* **Darkvision**: Dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

Traits:

* **Mercantile:** Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks made to determine the price of non-magical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.
* **Stonecunning**: Dwarves gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.

Alternate Traits

* **Barrow Scholar:** Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks to identify undead and can attempt them untrained.
* **Barrow Warden:** Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to their AC against undead.
* **Behind the Veil:** Characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks while benefiting from concealment or cover.
* **Craftsman:** Dwarves are known for their superior craftsmanship when it comes to metallurgy and stonework. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks related to metal or stone.
* **Deep Warrior:** Dwarves with this racial trait grew up facing the abominations that live deep beneath the surface. They receive a +2 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the aberration type and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to grapple such creatures (or to continue a grapple).
* **Dimdweller:** Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks.
* **Lasting Grudge:** Dwarves are notorious for their long-lasting grudges. Those who live up to this racial reputation gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against any individual creature that has attacked them 1 day ago or longer.
* **Lorekeeper:** Dwarves keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies.
* **Mountaineer:** Mountain dwarves are skilled at climbing and navigating narrow ledges. Dwarves with this racial trait are immune to altitude sickness and do not lose their Dexterity bonus to AC when making Climb or Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or slippery surfaces.
* **Relentless**: Dwarves are skilled at pushing their way through a battlefield, tossing aside lesser foes with ease. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on combat maneuverchecks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent.
* **Siege Survivor**: Dwarves who make their homes in the Sky Citadels are trained to outlast sieges and serve as vigilant guards. They gain Endurance as a bonus feat. In addition, during rounds in which they have not moved, they gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against foes who also did not move since their last turn
* **Spiritual Support:** Dwarves greatly value loyalty in faith, and their gods readily reward them for it. They gain a +1 racial bonus to their caster levels when casting conjuration (healing) spells upon allies.
* **Unstoppable**: Some dwarves train from a young age to outlast orcs on the battlefield. They gain Toughness as a bonus feat and a +1 racial bonus on Fortitude saves.
* **Surface Survivalist**: Some dwarves have dwelt so long above ground they have lost their ability to see at night. However, their adaptation to extreme environments allows them to treat wind conditions (when determining whether or not they are checked or blown away) and either hot or cold climates (choose one) as one step less severe.
* **Stoic Negotiator:** Some dwarves use their unwavering stubbornness to get what they want in negotiations and other business matters. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Profession (merchant) checks.
* **Slag Child**: Dwarves from dishonored families must append “-slag,” “-slagsun,” or “-slagdam” to their surnames to indicate their shameful status. These dwarves are commonly banished or ostracized; they are forced to seak out a living at the fringes of dwarven settlements or in bleak wilderness areas. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth and Survival checks.
* **Healthy:** Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saves against disease and poison, and they need one fewer consecutive successful save (minimum 1) to be cured of diseases and poisons.
* **Builder:** Some dwarves are naturally gifted with complex imaginations. These dwarves likely later go on to be architects and designers. These dwarves gain a +2 to knowledge engineering, and +2 to a single craft and profession score. Additionally once per day they can roll one of these skills twice and take the higher result.
* **Rock Crushing Style:** Whenever a Dwarf with this traits makes an attack to sunder a targets armor or weapon, they also deal damage to the target of the attack. This damage is equal to the dwarfs strength modifiers. The dwarf with this trait gets a +2 to sunder checks.
* **Berserker:** Competitive warriors are common in dwarven society. Those that enjoy the thrill of battle are deemed berserkers. These dwarves get +2 additional damage with weapons that are being two handed.
* **Salt Beard:**  A dwarf with this trait gains +2 to profession sailor or appraise. Additionally their standard racial traits become +2 constitution, 2 charisma, and -2 to wisdom.

### Racial Power:

**Mindshaper:** Once per day, a Dwarf can cast Fabricate and mend.