The land of the dwarves is full of old and solemn airs. The magnificent halls carved out of the rocks, the echoing pickaxes of the deep mines, the haunting hammering of the burning furnaces, the absolute loyalty to clans and traditions, the deep hatred of Orcs and Goblins, all these unite all Dwarves.
Short and stout
Brave and stubborn, the Dwarves are considered skilled warriors, miners, and craftsmen of stone and metal. Although most of them are less than 5 feet tall, the dwarves’ large and sturdy stature makes them often as heavy as a human 2 feet tall. Their courage and stamina are no less than that of any large human.
Dwarves’ skin color ranges from dark brown to reddish gray, most often light brown or dark bronze, giving them an earthy appearance. Dwarves grow their hair long, but do not wear fancy, complicated hairstyles. Dwarves usually have dark, gray or brown hair, while lighter-skinned dwarves tend to have red hair. Male dwarves value their beards as a treasure, so they are often carefully groomed.
Long Memory, Long Grudges
Dwarves can live to be over 400 years old, so dwarf elders are often remembered for a very different world. For example, the elders of Citadel Felbarr (set in the Forgotten Realms campaign) remember the day the Orcs conquered the fortress over three centuries ago, after which the dwarves were banished for 250 years. Longer lifespans have given the Dwarves a unique worldview that shorter-lived races (such as humans and halflings) do not share.
Dwarves are extremely tough and resilient, like their favorite mountains, and have remained so through the wind, rain, and centuries. They will not be easily offended or give up their traditions, and these respected traditions date back even to ancient times, when the Dwarven ancestors were still building the first fortresses. Some of these traditions reflect the reverence and love that the dwarves have for their patron gods, and these gods represent the most important of dwarven values: hard work, mastery of battle, and a love of forging.
Strong-willed and loyal, they are determined and true to their word, sometimes to the point of stubbornness. Most dwarves have a strong sense of justice, and they will never forget the shame they have suffered. An insult to one Dwarf is an insult to his entire clan, and an act of revenge by one Dwarf can easily set off an entire clan, and the Dwarves will take their revenge together.
Clans and Kingdoms
The Dwarven kingdom stretches beneath the mountains, where they mine for gems and precious metals and forge all manner of magical objects. They love the beauty and skill of the precious metals and jewels, but some dwarves have turned this love into greed. The dwarves would trade for resources that could not be found in the mountains. They don’t like boats, so skilled humans or halflings serve as important intermediaries in the Dwarven waterborne trade. Outsiders trusted by the Dwarves are welcome in Dwarven settlements, but certain areas of the settlement are still off-limits to outsiders.
The basic unit of Dwarven society is the clan, and the clan also places a high value on social status. Even those who live far away from their kingdoms are aware of their status and kinship within their clans, and can recognize Dwarves of their own clan at any time, swearing and cursing in the name of their tribal ancestors. In the opinion of a Dwarf, there is no worse punishment than being expelled from the clan.
Most of the dwarves who live outside the dwarven kingdom are artisans, mostly weaponsmiths, armorers, and jewelers. Some of them will also become mercenaries or bodyguards, and are popular with employers for their dwarven nature of courage and loyalty.
Gods, Gold, and Clan
Dwarves who embark on a life of adventure can be motivated by a variety of things: a desire for treasure itself, the need to accomplish a specific goal, or simply a selfless desire to help others. Others may be motivated by an order or direction from a god, or simply want to offer the fruits of victory to a dwarven deity. Clan and family history can also be an important motivator. A Dwarf may seek to restore clan glory, exact revenge for a clan’s past shame, or set out on an adventurous quest to regain clan recognition after being banished. Of course, a dwarf may also search for the battle axe that his brave ancestor lost in battle centuries ago.
Slow to Trust
Dwarves have an okay relationship with other races. They used to say, “It takes almost a hundred years to go from knowing each other to becoming friends.” This may be an exaggeration, but it implies that races with short lifespans (like humans) have a hard time gaining the trust of dwarves.
Elves. “It’s not wise to rely on elves. You can never guess what an elf will do next. You’re just as likely to hit an orc on the head and he’ll start singing as you are to draw a sword. They are always simple and frivolous. It must be admitted though that they do make rather fine weapons and armor, yet they don’t have many blacksmiths. Still, it wasn’t bad to have an elf behind you when the orcs and goblins came tumbling out of the mountains. They’re not as reliable as the dwarves, but they hate those orcs as much as we do, after all.”
Halflings. “They’re certainly pleasant, but have you ever seen a halfling hero? Or an empire of halflings? The victorious division of the Halfling? Least of all, is there an ancient treasure created by a halfling? How can you take a race that has nothing to offer seriously.”
Humans. “By the time you get to know a human, she’s on the last leg of her life. With luck, she might have a daughter or granddaughter as good as she is. Just when you think it’s time to become friends with a human, you have to watch them pass away. Humans always get what they want, whether it’s a dragon’s treasure or an empire’s throne. You have to admire their dedication and devotion to that, which of course often gets them into trouble.”
Dwarf Names
According to tradition, dwarves must be named by clan elders and repeat the names passed down from generation to generation. The dwarf’s name does not belong to himself, but to the clan. If a Dwarf disgraces his name, he will be stripped of it by his clan. According to Dwarven law, a Dwarf who has been stripped of his name is forbidden to use his Dwarven name again.
Dwarf Traits
Your Dwarven character has a range of innate abilities.This is a natural trait of the dwarven lineage and is an important part of your dwarven character’s characteristics.
Attribute Score Increase Ability Score Increase. your stats plus 2.
Age. Dwarves grow at a similar rate to humans, but they can be considered young dwarves until they are 50 years old. They live an average of 350 years.
Alignment: Most dwarves tend to be orderly, and believe in the benefits of an orderly society. They also tend to be on the good side and have a strong sense of fairness, believing that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally.
Size: A Dwarf is 4 to 5 feet tall in an upright position and weighs on average about 150 pounds. They are of medium size.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You will not be slowed down by heavy armor.
Darkvision: You are accustomed to living underground, so you have good vision in dark and low light conditions. In low light, 60 feet around you can be considered the equivalent of bright light. In darkness, that area is considered the equivalent of low light. You will not be able to distinguish colors in the dark and will only see black and white with grayscale.
Dwarven Resilience. you make immunity against toxins with an advantage and have resistance to toxin damage.
Dwaven Combat Training: You have a proficiency in battle axe, hand axe, light hammer, and war hammer.
Tool Proficiency: You gain a proficiency in a Craftsman’s tool of your choice: a Blacksmith’s tool, a Brewing tool, or a Stonecunning tool.
Stonecunning: Whenever you do an Intelligence (History) check on the origin of a stone item, you are considered proficient in History, and can add a double proficiency bonus to your check instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Language: You can speak, read, and write both Common and Dwarven languages. The Dwarven language is full of hard consonants and glottal sounds, which makes Dwarves bring these characteristics with them when speaking other languages as well.
Subrace.D&D The world is home to two main subspecies of dwarves: the hill dwarves and the mountain dwarves.
Hill Dwarf
As a hill dwarf, you have keen senses, precise instincts, and amazing resilience. Gold dwarf gold dwarf in the vast southern kingdom of Ferran is a hill dwarf. Neidar, the banished Nedar Dwarf, and Klar, the disgraced Klar Dwarf, in the world of Krynn, are also Hill Dwarves.
Ability Score Increase: Your Perception Score increases by 1.
Dwarven Toughness: Add 1 to your maximum Life Points, and add another 1 to each subsequent upgrade.
Mountain Dwarf
As a strong and sturdy mountain dwarf, you are accustomed to the hardships of rugged mountain life. You have a lighter complexion and a build that is considered tall among dwarves. You’re a Mountain Dwarf, a shield dwarf in the northern part of Ferren, and a member of the Hylar and Daewar clans, the ruling clans in the Dragonlance setting.
Ability Score Increase. your Strength Score increases by 2.
Dwarven Armor Training. you have proficiency in light and medium armor.
Duergar
The Grey Dwarves, or Durga Dwarves, live in the cities of the Deep Dark Territory. These evil and secretive slavers raid the surface world and take captives to sell their prey to the other races of the Underdark. Their natural magical abilities make them invisible, and they can be gigantic in size for a short period of time.