Dwarf

Dwarves are known for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical punishment, their knowledge of the earth’s secrets, their hard work, and their capacity for drinking ale. Their mysterious kingdoms, carved out from the insides of mountains, are renowned for the marvelous treasures they produce as gifts or for trade.

Physical Description

Dwarves stand only 4 to 4½ feet tall, but they are so broad and compact that they are, on average, almost as heavy as humans. Dwarf men are slightly taller and noticeably heavier than dwarf women. A dwarf’s skin is typically deep tan or light brown, and their eyes are dark. Their hair is usually black, grey, or brown and worn long. Dwarf men value their beards highly and groom them very carefully. Dwarves favor extravagant styles for their hair, beards, and clothes. Dwarves are considered adults at about the age of 40, and can live to be more than 400 years old.

Personalities

Dwarves are slow to laugh or jest, and are suspicious of strangers, but they are generous to those few who earn their trust. Dwarves value gold, gems, jewelry, and art, and pride themselves in crafting objects made with those precious materials, although they have been known to succumb to greed. Their sense of justice is strong, but at worst it can turn into a thirst for vengeance. Among goliaths, who get along famously with dwarves, a mild oath is “If I’m lying, may I cross a dwarf.”

In the World

The two major remaining clans, the Forgefire and Ironsworn, still reside in their mountain strongholds of Shatterhelm and Oram’s Deep. While the Forgefire dwarves of Shatterhelm has maintained traditional dwarven isolationism, the Ironsworn of Oram’s Deep have integrated themselves more with Chromian society. Many dwarves exist throughout Adragal, clanless or unbound, no longer sequestered in their keeps.

Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma.
• Size: Dwarves are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Type: Dwarves are humanoids.
• Base Speed: Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Defense Racial Traits

• Hardy: Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
• Rolling Stone: Dwarves can ignore difficult terrain created by rubble, broken ground, steep stairs, or other similar terrain when they take a 5-foot step.

Forgefire Dwarves

The Forgefire dwarves hail from the southern mountains of Icerib, their primary stronghold being Shatterhelm. One can visually distinguish a Forgefire by their dark hair and eye colors.

Additional Racial Traits

• Darkvision: Forgefire dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Heat of the Forge: The Forgefire dwarves have developed a thick skin in regards to heat, they gain fire resistance 5. Forgefire dwarves are completely comfortable in hot environments, and prefer the heat.
• Stonecunning: Forgefire dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stone or metalwork, such as traps and hidden doors located in 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.

Ironsworn Dwarves

The Ironsworn dwarves are native to the northern reaches of the world, in the peaks of the Iridos Mountains. Their primary stronghold, Oram’s Deep, has become a center of trade and culture for those of the northern tradelands of Chromia. Ironsworn are known for their red and light brown hair colors and lighter eye colors.

Additional Racial Traits

• Darkvision: Ironsworn dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Chill of the High Mountains: Ironsworn dwarves are born to the eternal cold of the Iridos peaks. They gain cold resistance 5. Ironsworn dwarves are completely comfortable in cold environments, and prefer the cold.
• Burrower’s Instinct: The Ironsworn dwarves can intuit their direction underground as if they had a compass. They also have a good sense of how deep they are, and can accurately track the passage of time without light or tools while underground or otherwise without light.

Unbound Dwarves

The Unbound are those dwarves long separated from any specific clan. Whether their great-great-great-grandfather was disgraced and became clanless, or if they hailed from a destroyed clan such as the Drossbeards, they have adapted to a different environment. It can be hard to tell an unbound from a clan dwarf, but usually the skin color of the dwarf is this biggest clue; unbound tend to have darker skin tones than those of the mountains.

Additional Racial Traits

• Low Light Vision: An unbound dwarf can see in low light as if it were bright light.
• Surface Survivalist: Unbound 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 both hot and cold climates as one step less severe.
• Gathers No Moss: Unbound gain Endurance as a bonus feat, and Climb and Swim are class skills for them.
• Eyes on the Horizon: An unbound dwarf gains a +4 bonus to Perception checks.