Dwarves

Dwarves

Dwarves are known for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical punishment, their hard work, and their capacity for drinking ale. Dwarves are slow to jest and suspicious of strangers, but they are generous to those who earn their trust. They stand just 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall, but are broad and compactly built, almost as wide as they are tall. Dwarven skin varies from deep tan to light brown, and their hair is black, gray, or brown. Dwarven men value their beards highly.

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Shield Dwarves

The dwarven kingdoms of long ago became locked in eternal wars with goblin-kind and other dwellers in the Underdark. One by one, the dwarven empires of the north failed, leaving only scattered survivors in the mountains or unconquered sections of the Underdark. The clans that survived these battles are the shield dwarves, and they are the most common type of dwarf seen throughout the Realms.

Ability Adjustments:

• Constitution, +2
• Wisdom, +2
• Charisma, -2

Racial Features:

• Medium Size
• Favoured Class, Fighter
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks when inside.
• Skill Affinity (Lore): +2 bonus to Lore checks.
• Weapon Proficiency: Dwarves are proficient in using dwarven waraxes.
• Hardiness vs. Poisons: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
• Hardiness vs. Spells: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
• Battle Training vs. Orcs and Goblinoids: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs (including half-orcs) and goblinoids (including goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears).
• Battle Training vs. Giants: +4 dodge bonus to armor class against monsters of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls, and hill giants).

Level Adjustment: None

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Gold Dwarves

The gold dwarves maintained their great kingdom in the Great Rift and managed to survive terrible wars against evil humanoids. While they practiced some magic, they never acquired the hubris that caused the downfall of some human nations. Confident and secure in their remote home, the gold dwarves gained a reputation for haughtiness and pride. Since the Thunder Blessing, many young gold dwarves have left the Great Rift and are exploring the rest of the region. The folk of other lands have learned that while some gold dwarves are aloof and suspicious, for the most part they are forthright warriors and shrewd traders.

Ability Adjustments:

• Constitution, +2
• Wisdom, +2
• Dexterity, -2

Racial Features:

• Medium Size
• Favoured Class, Fighter
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Stonecunning: +2 bonus to search checks when inside.
• Skill Affinity (Lore): +2 bonus to Lore checks.
• Weapon Proficiency: Dwarves are proficient in using dwarven waraxes.
• Hardiness vs. Poisons: +2 racial bonus to saving throws against poison.
• Hardiness vs. Spells: +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
• Battle Training vs. Aberrations: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against aberrations.
• Battle Training vs. Giants: +4 dodge bonus to armor class against monsters of the giant type (such as ogres, trolls, and hill giants).

Level Adjustment: None

Examples of Dwarven Origins

Most ordinary dwarves of the Realms hail from one of the following regions. However, adventuring dwarves are by their very nature out of the ordinary, so please don't feel limited by the following.

The Spine of the World:

This is a vast mountain range that lies across the edge of Sundren and far beyond. It extends from foothills on the western shore to the border of the Great Desert known as Anauroch, far to the East.

The mountains to the east of Sundren are home to some of the most famous shield dwarf kingdoms of the North, such as Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall. These lands were once part of the great northern dwarven realm of Delzoun. Along with many other surrounding kingdoms, Delzoun fell centuries ago to a great orcish invasion, which left shattered holdings and a few scattered hold-outs in it's wake. Favored Deities: The Dwarven pantheon.

The Sword Coast:

Many dwarves live in the human cities that lie to the south along the Sword Coast.

The city of Neverwinter lies about three hundred miles along the coast to the south, and is home to many shield dwarf merchants, smiths, and weaponmakers. Further south is the great city of Waterdeep. Several large and prosperous shield dwarf clans inhabit Waterdeep and its immediate environs, including the Forlorn Hills and the Sword Mountains. Favored Deities: Dumathoin, Marthammor Duin, Moradin.

The Galena Mountains:

Flanked by Impiltur, Danamara and the Vast, the Galena Mountains (and the nearby Earthspur Mountains) far to the east are home to numerous shield dwarf delvings. Favored Deities: The Dwarven pantheon.

The Great Rift:

Mightiest of all the dwarven realms, the Great Rift far to the south-east is the ancestral homeland of the gold dwarves. Favored Deities: The Dwarven pantheon, Moradin in particular.

The Smoking Mountains:

The gold dwarves of the Great rift have established strongholds, foundries, and smelters near the volcanic fires of the Smoking Mountains and the Black Ash Plain of Unther. Favored Deities: The Dwarven pantheon.

Turmish:

The Aphrunn Mountains and Orsraun Mountains to the south-east are home to many shield and gold dwarves. Favoured Deities: The Dwarven pantheon.

Underdark:

Ancient Shanatar, once the homeland of the shield dwarves, fell many centuries ago. But Iltkazar, the Mithral Kingdom, still remains. Other small delvings lie scattered through the deeps like pearls on a necklace, small fragments of a once-greater whole. Favored Deities: Dumathoin.

Being a Dwarf

"A grudging, suspicious race."

           - Alaundo the Sage

Firstly, dwarves are whatever they damn well want to be! Like any race, not all dwarves are alike. They have their outcasts and unusual characters, and you can probably find a dwarf, somewhere, doing any task or profession you care to name. If you want to play a dwarven sailor, druid or thief then go for it!

However, it is true that most dwarves in the Realms share certain traits, and it is these that are described here.

Dwarves tends towards being dour, proud, taciturn, and inflexible. More than simply wanting to greedily amass all the wealth they can, which is the common human and halfling view of dwarves, the Deep Folk love worked beauty. They prefer beauty through skill, somehow improving on nature, rather than the beauty of nature "as is", the beauty prized by "lazy" elves.

Dwarves are also a devout folk, until very recently a race in decline that looks often to its gods who, in turn, serve their steadfast worshippers diligently. Dwarven traits such as grim defiance and greed are not implanted or forced upon the dwarves by their deities, but are things inherent in a dwarf that the gods recognize and play upon.

Dwarves are usually pessimists, as is revealed by their common sayings "every fair sky hides a lurking cloud" and "the gold you have yet to win gleams the brightest". As such they tend to prepare for the worst, preparing back-up weapons, food caches, escape routes, and booby traps for potential enemies.

Dwarves tend to keep their word. For example, the village of Maskyr's Eye in the Vast is named for a wizard who asked the dwarven king Tuir for land. The king, not wanting to give up any land to humans, but also not wanting to face the attacks of an angered wizard, said the land would be Maskyr's only if the wizard plucked out his right eye on the spot, and gave it to Tuir. Maskyr, to the astonishment of the court, did so, and Tuir then respectfully kept his end of the bargain.

The dwarves have always had close relations with gnomes, and workable relations with halflings. They have always harbored a special hatred for orcs and other goblin-kin, and they have never gotten along with their own deep-dwelling kin, the duergar.