In the old world of Virthys, dwarven societies were mostly traditional. They had their cities in the mountains, their mines and forges. They fought shadowblood elves and other evil races in the subterranean world (they also have tales about another race of evil elves, worshipping some obscure spider goddess in the deepest depths below).
When the earth elemental Kkruuvarr became part of the Dwarven pantheon, the deity infused a group of willing dwarves with its own essence. These Children of Kkruuvarr have become a new subrace. Despite their origins, they do not necessarily serve the evil god. And as the elemental power is an accepted member of the pantheon, Kkruuvarr dwarves are just as respected in dwarven society.
The apocalypse hit the dwarves hard. They had about a dozen famous metropolises, with millions of dwarves living in cities that were many thousands of years old - even predating the Age of Spirits. They were central to their culture, filled with knowledge and wisdom. And none of these metropoles survived. The city of Var Gengarum in the depths below Delvaroth was the second biggest of them all. But as other areas crashed against the region, the resulting earthquakes led to a structural collapse in the caves. The entire city was buried by rock, and there are no tales of survivors so far. Dwarves as well as treasure hunters from other races still try to find the remains of the city, but it seems the creation of Ashandri has shifted the ruins somewhere else.
Subraces
Children of Kkruuvarr
Kkruuvarr dwarves visually resemble other dwarves in most aspects, except that their skin looks like it's made from earth and stone. About half of them also have entirely black eyes. Their cities are often built with elemental magic. Their homes and temples look very similar to the surrounding stones and caves, making it easy to miss a Kkruuvarr city even when you're walking right past it.
Despite being creations of an evil god, the Children of Kkruuvarr can choose freely how they want to live. Their society has an almost equal share of good, neutral and evil alignments, with only a slight shift towards evil. Kkruuvarr laws are harsh, and if you break them, the punishment is usually excessive. Major violations such as murder don't get you killed. Instead, the clerics of Kkruuvarr torture you until you lose your mind. You are then allowed to live the rest of your life, until the elemental god claims your soul for his realm of madness.
The kings and queens of these races are voted for. When one sovereign dies, every dwarf can nominate themselves. A month later (during which a council of advisors takes over the administration), all residents can vote for a new ruler. Whoever gets the most votes becomes the new sovereign for life.
Children of Kkruuvarr Traits:
Ability Score Increase: Strength+1
Elemental Force: You can cast Thunderwave without verbal or somatic components. The DC to succeed on the saving throw equals DC 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Once used, you can't use this ability again until you’ve had a long rest.
Conjure Elemental: Once you reach level 5, you can summon an elemental creature similar to the spell Conjure Minor Elementals. You only summon one elemental of challenge rating 1/2 or lower. Once used, you can't use this ability again until you’ve had a long rest.
Comments