Dwarf

## **On Dwarves**

*"Good folk. Hard working. Smart. Loyal. Can't wish for a better friend, so long as you can win his trust."- Edvard Bisti, Human merchant, when asked who he considered to be humanity's greatest ally.*

*"Stubborn as rock and twice as dull. I'd never invite one to any place where I wanted interesting conversation."- Sylphine, Elven social planner, while creating a guest list for a most eloquent party.*

*"Dwarves are stalwart fighters and great tacticians. It was always an honor to face them on the battlefield."- Zradrul, Hobgoblin legate, in his autobiography.*

*"My cousins? Great folk! A lot like us! You just gotta get to know them!"- Graben Flinglebopper, Gnome inventor, when asked about the similarities between his people and the Dwarves.*

Dwarves primarily dwell within mountains and caverns, feeling most comfortable with stone overhead. Nothing reveals more about their personality than their choice of home. Dwarves are stocky folk, hairy and bearded. They enjoy crafting fine objects from gems, stones and metal, the brewing and drinking of various ales, great feats of strength and arguing. Dwarves are typically described as proud and gruff, often coming across as rude but they are simply set in their ways and prefer their own company. To a dwarf, the best ways are those practiced by their ancestors for generations, only fools, rebels and madmen deviate from tradition. They are an honest people, honorable and great lovers of the truth. Their are fewer better friends in Apia than a dwarf whose trust has been earned and their are fewer places safer than the great halls of the dwarves. The majority of dwarves are known as "Mountain Dwarves," and you can assume any dwarf lacking an obvious sub-race is a mountain dwarf.

## **Physical Description:**

Dwarves are a stocky people, with the tallest being barely above five feet in height but each is solidly built, weighing several hundred pounds before armor. All are excessively hairy with bushy eyebrows and long, thick hair; even baby dwarf boys are born with wispy "infant beards". Among male dwarves the great beard is a sign of personal honor and worth, being constantly maintained, braided and styled. Some even decorate their beards with fine metals or precious gems. A dwarf never cuts his beard, and allowing one to be cut is a grave insult, that can only be answered in blood. While women maintain the thick eyebrows and general body hair of the men most do not have beards, though many sport bushy sideburns. While it is not unheard of for a female dwarf to have a light, wispy beard, and is certainly not considered immoral, immodest or even unattractive, it is simply not common. Female dwarves braid and plait their hair with similarly intricate patterns and reserve for it the same reverence as men do their beards. Hair colors are mostly earthy, though reds and blondes are not unheard of. From a physical standpoint, their arms are proportionally longer than a human's and their legs shorter. Despite a stereotype of dwarves as dirty miners they actually greatly value cleanliness, bathing multiple times a week to rid themselves of the dust and dirt from a day spent mining. Dwarves dress in sturdy clothing, long shirts and breeches. Colors are metallic if possible but reds and purples are also common. As a general rule, most avoid piercings or tattoos, it is not forbidden to do so but it is uncommon. The exception to this are the "honorless" dwarves, who often tattoo most parts of their bodies. Scars, even those gained during mining or crafting accidents, are considered a point of pride and worn as a badge of honor.

## **History:**

Dwarves proudly trace their lineages all the way back to Moradin, their great God, and his fellow divine dwarves. During the War for the Heavens and the Earth when the Gods battled the abolaths and the giants, allies were desperately needed. Moradin became aware of a great trove of metal and gems beneath the earth, things that could be used to make weapons and armor. With the utmost care, Moradin crafted the dwarves in his own image, a proud, sturdy folk willing to do the hard work and retrieve the metal needed for these weapons. These beings were created from the stones themselves, mingled with precious metals, gold, silver, iron and bronze, thus setting the stage for the dwarven caste system which still exists. The dwarves forged the metals beneath the earth into weapons of war and wielded them against the giants, to great effect. After the war, when the mind flayers ruled Apia, many dwarves were enslaved both above and below ground. Some eventually became the duergar. Once the mind flayers and later beholders were bested by the combined arms of all the free races, the dwarves took to the mountain ranges, establishing their everlasting kingdoms. The largest and most prolific was the realm established within the Dragontail Mountains. This stands today and neither demon, devil nor dragon has moved it. The other major dwarf kingdom is located in The Belt of Apia. The kingdom of Everstand is mostly composed on onyx dwarves and serves as a strong outpost in the south for dwarven kind. Though not as ancient as the Dragontail mountains, Everstand was on the forefront of the Apian blood war and many of the onyx dwarves distinguished themselves in the battle against the demonic hoards besieging their citadels. Today, those techniques are well known among the dwarves and many end up serving as monster hunters of great renown.

## **Geography:**

While dwarves can be found in many lands, including Latrellus and the Dragon Empire, they are primarily found in three locations. These are the dwarven kingdoms of The Dragontail Mountains and Everstand and the minotaur land of Demauric. Dwarves tend to keep to their own company, particularly when within other nations. Major cities in these lands tend to have a "dwarf district," where crime rates are very low, the streets are clean and the buildings made of stone.

## **Personality**:

Dwarves are an honor-bound people who, despite their gruffness, tend to be friendly when you get to know them. They believe in speaking the truth, even when unpleasant and take great offense to liars and those who "bend the truth a little." Staunch traditionalists, dwarves uphold the values of their ancestors and are resistant to change. Altering any part of their society takes centuries of debate and support from honored elders. Dwarves love a good argument and will happily argue for arguments sake. (This is a passion they share with the elves though neither would admit it, with the elves claiming dwarf debates are "little better than shouting matches" lacking proper rules and etiquette.) Honor is overwhelmingly critical to a dwarf and every act he takes is preformed with both family, clan and national honor in mind, those who fail to uphold honor receive severe societal pressure and shame. A dwarf is true to his friends and would follow his companions to hell and back if they asked. Finally, dwarfs place great value in craftsmanship and work ethic. No dwarf would create a shoddy item, whether that be an axe, toy model or cabinet. Art for art's sake isn't something they prioritize, instead beauty is in the detail of the axe or in the quality of the beer. Everything should have a purpose.

## **Society**:

As fits their personality, dwarf cities are incredibly regimented. Each dwarf knows his place in the hierarchy of the greater society and his role within it. His caste has been chosen before his birth, based upon the metal Moradin mixed into the stone of his original ancestors. Gold for leadership, silver for religion and wisdom, iron for warriors and craftsman and so on. All castes are equally honored, one is not "better" than the other. Without the iron protecting the gates, the priests cannot discern the wisdom of Moradin and the kings cannot rule. It is a rare dwarf indeed who rejects his caste after all, why go against one's divinely appointed place?

Each dwarf belongs to a clan, with several clans making up a community. Even those dwarves living outside the dwarvish kingdoms prioritize their clan names and maintain their heritage fiercely. Each clan is ruled by a patriarch or matriarch who, in turn, answer the king of their hold who answers to the High King of their greater nation. While dwarves are proudly monarchistic and the commands of superiors are to be obeyed without question, it is a foolish king who does not heed the advice of his council. This leads to passionate argument in the hall of elders that can last days until ultimately the King's decision is made. Dwarves work long hours without complaint and need little policing due to their natural pride and focus on honor. A dwarf does not want to bring shame on his family. However, no being is perfect, even the dwarves, though they might argue otherwise. Dwarves are staunch monogamists, committing themselves to one relationship and marriage (often arranged) for their natural lives. While it isn't unknown for a dwarf widow to remarry, it's extremely rare and divorce is practically unheard of. Due to dwarves being roughly 70% male to 30% female, most men will never marry, and tragically low birthrates among the dwarven people is a slowly but steadily reducing their numbers.

    Dwarves that commit truly shameful acts or utterly lack honor, disgracing themselves and their families are given the title of "Honorless." This is more than just a mere title as the Honorless is forced to shave his or her head, save for a large mohawk that is usually dyed a bright color to signify their shame and then exiled from their homes. These Honorless dwarves must wander Apia doing services to dwarven society until the value of their service is worth more than the amount of shame their dishonorable act accumulated. This tally is calculated by Dignity Caste, one part priest, one part lawyers who keep careful account of these deeds and their weight in a dwarf's life. The actions of the Dignity Caste affect all dwarves who seek to live honorably within their societies and they wield much influence. Some Honorless dwarves build tallies so large they can never make up for their societal sins, and regulate themselves to a life of exile. Others wipe their slates clean and return with heads held high. Honorless are entitled to room and board from all dwarves but nothing else.

## **Religion:**

All dwarves honor Moradin, the patron of their race and their creator. Moradin is accompanied by a full pantheon of Dwarf gods but he is prioritized above all others. The dwarves believe that Mordin will make them perfect upon his forge after death and so, to prevent excess work for their God, prioritize the maintaining their bodies as whole as possible, sewing limbs and patching flesh whenever possible before laying the honored dead to rest entombed within stone.

## **Alignment:**

Dwarves are the epitome of lawful good. Their hearts are fully of goodly ideals and their society greatly encourages order. Honorless dwarves can be of any alignment as they exist outside of traditional dwarf society though many are still lawful good.

## **Relations:**

Dwarves have several races and countries that they are closely allied with. Latrellus and Delorgan have marched alongside the dwarf armies of the Dragontail mountains before and still do. Those treaties are a critical part of their society. Humans as a whole tend to be welcome in dwarf holds, though dwarves see them as young and flighty, needing some guidance in their wild lives. Dwarves and gnomes are "cousin" races and while gnomes seem to lack many proper dwarven traits, they do have enough of those same beliefs that gnomes are found living among dwarves in nearly every dwarven hold. Similarly, minotaurs and dwarves are long-time allies, each appreciating the others commitment to organized society. Orcs and dwarves are natural enemies, as are dwarves and goblinoids though individuals are known to get along. Elves and dwarves have a complicated relationship. There has never been open hostility between them but their views on what makes a good society function, family dynamics and politics are so opposed that they can rarely be in each other's presence without coming to name-calling and arguments. Still, they have both fought together against beholders and demons and thus can be counted on in a crisis.

## **Language:**

Dwarves speak dwarvish, a complex language with beautiful script. It has numerous concepts that cannot be easily translated. Many also speak common.

## **Adventurers:**

While Honorless dwarves wandering Apia, looking for ways to assist the dwarvish peoples make up for a large percentage of dwarf adventurers, they are far from the only ones. There are military experts, mercenaries, explorers and artisans, all of whom find a place out in the world at large, trying to bring honor to their families and a bit of gold for themselves. An adventuring party who earns the trust of a dwarf finds a mighty ally indeed.

### **Names:**

***Example Male Names:** Brumthrun, Botdor, Ragnik, Bramnur, Regdrom, Ermgrum, Granbek, Thalmond, Muirnik, Gulmyl*

***Example Female Names:** Bylria Gwinvia, Raenbelle, Anvan, Brallesora, Maermura, Bralros, Lassmura, Brolthel, Lysnyl*

***Example Clans Names:** Jadeshaper Coalflayer, Noblecloak, Granitebender, Blessedhide, Flintcloak, Bricktoe, Browncloak, Blackforged*

## **Racial Traits:**

Dwarf racial traits are identical to those found in the Player's Handbook on page 14.

## **Sub-Races:**

Magma Dwarf

Duergar

Arctic Dwarf

Onyx Dwarf