Stoneborn Dwarfs

"And thus Helmvor took the bedrock of the Realms in his grasp and fashioned from it the first of the Dwarfs; the Stoneborn. Meticulously crafted with the hands of an expert artisan, he filled the Stoneborn with the strength and resilience of the stones themselves. As he finished, he lowered his divine gaze upon Bailin, the first of the Stoneborn, and said, "From the stone I have created you, and to the stone you shall return. Awaken." Thus, Bailin opened his eyes for the first time and looked upon the glorious mountains of Heshbenor."

The Legend of Bailin the Great

One of the Elder Races, the Stoneborn were created by Helmvor during The Golden Age. Dwarves have a well-earned reputation as a stoic and stern people, hidden away within their holds hewn of stone. While some see them as grim and humorless, untrusting and clannish, to their friends and family they are warm and caring, their halls filled with the sounds of laughter and song.
Known for their stout hearts and gruff nature, Stoneborn Dwarfs are known for their ability to endure a remarkable amount of physical and magical punishment. Skilled warriors and craftsmen, dwarfs have a reputation as loyal friends, hard workers, and a prodigious capacity for ale.

Basic Information

Racial Traits

Ability Score Modifiers

+2 to any Ability Score and +1 to any other Ability Score

Size
Medium

Speed
25 ft

Darkvision
Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Dwarven Combat Training
You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer and warhammer.

Tool Proficiency
You gain proficiency with the artisan's tools of your choice: smith's tools, brewer's supplies, or mason's tools.

Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Arcane Resistance
The Stoneborn are incredibly resistance to magic, allowing them to shrug off  spells that would trounce others. Once per short rest, when a Dwarf rolls a saving throw against a spell, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

Physical Description

Stoneborn Dwarfs stand 4'0" to 4'8", but are unusually stout and strong, and as such typically weigh even more than humans. While there is no noticeable size difference between males and females, Dwarfen males can typically be identified by their meticulously groomed beards. Dwarfen skin is typically a deep tan, but some Dwarfs that hail from other portions of Earedar, particularly the Dragon Coast and the Broken Lands, sometimes have skin of a dark brown hue. Most Dwarfs favor simple hairstyles, the exception of course being their beards, which is often a source of great pride. A longer and fuller beard often garners respect and admiration from other Dwarfs.

Dwarfen Lands

Dwarfs are most at home in mountainous regions, but have also been known to control and settle other lands. One of the Elder Races, Stoneborn Dwarfs can be found in most major cities and population centers. Known for their prodigious love of gold and wealth, they often travel outside of Dwarfen lands as merchants and artisans.

Lifespan

Stoneborn Dwarfs live to be roughly 400 years old, dependent on several factors. Stoneborn Dwarfs are physically fully mature at age 30, but their legendary beards do not fully grow in until around age 40. A common insult amongst the Stoneborn is to call someone "Beardless", meaning they are young and inexperienced. The Stoneborn on average live to be roughly 400 years old.
Dwarfs often spend several decades in an apprenticeship arranged by their parents or clan, and it is only after this period that a Stoneborn Dwarf is considered to be a full adult, usually around age 60. Males and females are roughly similar in size, and although females can grow beards as well, they are usually of a downish texture, and rarely reach the same length and size of a male.

Languages Spoken

Dwarfen, High Dwarfen

Society

Social Structure

While the lands of the Stoneborn range in size from small outposts and mountain holds all the way up to powerful kingdoms, it is the clan that is the most important in the daily life of a Dwarf. To a Dwarf the clan represents everything that is important to Dwarfen society; his family, his history and his duty. Deeds accomplished by honored heroes of the clan are passed down by each generation to the next, and it is the most fervent hope of each Dwarf that he might life up to the actions of his ancestors. A Dwarf may swear loyalty to a king, a captain, or a god, but always his first loyalty is to his clan.
Each clan is led by a chief, normally the eldest child of the previous chief, although not always. This chief can trace his ancestry back to the founder of the clan, whom is a point of great pride amongst themselves. If the line of the founder should die out, the clan is dissolved, and are either adopted by another clan, or become clanless. Each chief also appoints a Mezrödac to administer to the financial affairs of the clan. A clan can only be founded on the orders of the High King, recognizing the honor and deeds of a particular Dwarf.
While an individual hold or outpost may be ruled by one or two clans, when three or more clans settle in the same location they form a kingdom. These clans come together to form a council, composed of the chief of each clan, and elect a king or queen from amongst their number to rule over them. This king or queen then rules over the clans until their death, after which a new ruler is chosen. While it is quite possible for the children of a Dwarfen ruler to inherit the throne from their parents, it is by no means guaranteed.
The last group within Dwarfen society are the clanless; Dwarfs that either themselves or an ancestor have been rejected by the clans. These individuals normally live either on the surface or on the fringes of Dwarfen society, unwelcome in civilized society. While some of these Stoneborn are able to elevate themselves from their position and gain membership in a clan due to their accomplishments, more often than not they live in abject squalor.

Economics and Trade

The Dwarfen love of accumulating wealth is legendary, and nowhere else is that more solidly embodied than in the power of the guild in Dwarfen society. Guilds are formed by a group of merchants, artisans or laborers that fulfill the same task. The primary mission of the guild is to protect the interests of their members, which they do to great effect. Guilds are usually local to each hold, and lobby their ruling clan or king to enact policies in their own economic interests. Various guilds hold a large amount of power within the holds, sometimes rivaling that of the Sons of the Allfather. Guild leaders have been known to order their members to strike, raise prices or even refuse to do business with certain clans or individuals when they feel their demands are not being met. While the influence of each guild depends on the resources of the hold, you can count on the Miner's Guild being one of the most powerful groups in any Dwarfen city.

Religion

While most Stoneborn recognize the authority of the Church of Light, it is the Dwarfen Pantheon that holds the highest place in Dwarfen society. Most religious observances of the Stoneborn are centered around the worship of Helmvor. Helmvor's clergy is known as the Sons of the Allfather and holds a honored place in Stoneborn society. The sons often serve as trusted councilors to kings, but their primary responsibility outside of the administering of Helmvor's rites is serving as the judges and adjudicators of Dwarfen law. In Dwarfen society no individual, even a king, is above the law, and the Sons serve as the independent authorities on that law. As such, they hold an enormous amount of power within the political structure of the Stoneborn.
The two other deities within the Dwarfen Pantheon, Grugnir and Duma Soulrager, also hold important positions within the Dwarfen religious hierarchy. The warriors that follow Duma, the Bloodragers, are among the most revered warriors in any hold, fighting on the frontlines against the foes of the Stoneborn, seeking a death in glorious battle. The scholars that follow Grugnir, the Brotherhood of Mysteries, are amongst the most learned Dwarves in the land, chronicling the history of their people, and safeguarding the secrets of Rune Magic. These three religious orders come together to provide vital services for the hold, and together their rites and practices provide a backbone to Dwarfen society.

Love

Love does have its place within Dwarfen society, it is by no means a predominant one. Most marriages are those of circumstance, either by political machination or for the accumulation of wealth. Because of this it is quite common for most Dwarfs to have a partner outside the marriage in addition to their spouse, one relationship for "power", the other for "passion". It's considered quite taboo to speak of this in public however, as Dwarfen society is so thoroughly centered around the concept of duty and loyalty.

Gender

While males typically dominate clan leadership posts and the military, females do enjoy equal rights in most Stoneborn holds. Females are able to rise in clan leadership, join the clergy, fight as warriors, and anything else males can do. Females are often found fighting alongside men, and just as often leave their hold in search of treasure and adventure.

Customs and Holidays

Tradition is very important to the Stoneborn, and as such their customs and holidays often moments of great importance to the hold. Some of the most important Dwarfen customs are listed below:
The Exaltation of the Fallen
The Rite of Vengeance
The Acclaimation of Law
Some of the most important Dwarfen holidays are listed below:
Bailin's Day
The Festival of Secrets
Dwarven New Year
The Stoneborn commonly use the Dwarfen Calendar.

History

The Dwarfen homeland of Heshbenor is located in the Outer Realms. A land of towering mountain ranges and deep, lush valleys, it is here that Helmvor brought the Stoneborn into existence. It was there they dwelt until the Emerald Age, when they discovered a natural gate to Earedar, colonizing the High Halls of Durmanthor in the Stonelands . Bringing along their famed work ethic, they quickly settled the rest of the Stonelands, building what would come to be known as the High Kingdom of the Stonelands.
Eventually the reach of the High King would spread beyond the Stonelands, it's reach extending at it's peak from the Vale of the Dwarflords in the west to the Black Hills on the coast of the Inner Sea in the east. The arrival of the dragonlords of the Vraekar Empire changed all of that during the Age of Antiquity. The Dwarfen kingdom shattered under the armies of the dragonlords, settlements destroyed and holds split off from Dwarfen homeland. It was during this time that kingdoms outside of the Stonelands began to appear. While still nominally under the rule of the High King, in reality they were ruling themselves. It was only through the raising of Gaerevon's Cliff that the Stonelands were able to hold back the Vraekar.
The situation was made even worse during the Great Schism. With Shel's rise to power amongst some of the outlying clans because of his disagreements with Helmvor's teachings, and his theft of Hevedra, outright war erupted amongst Dwarfenkind. Dwarf slayed Dwarf, and the mountain holds of the Stoneborn were awash in blood. Although Shel managed at one point to bring his forces to the gates of the Vale of the Dwarflords, ultimately the Stoneborn were victorious. Helmvor banished the surviving clans from the Stonelands, and cursed Shel's followers for eternity. Thus the Exiled Dwarfs were created.
The final tipping point came during the Age of Shadows, when Belros Azul took over Rancor as the Prince of Hell and launched what came to be known as the Infernal Crusade. The Felidar Imperium, led by the Demonlords of Rancor, began to wreak havoc on all of Earedar, and one by one outlying holds and kingdoms fell. While the armies of Rancor were defeated by the alliance of the Order of the Ghiscari, the Vraekar Empire and the Oathsworn, the damage had been done.
While the Age of Storms has seen the recovery of the Stoneborn, they still have yet to recover a fraction of their former power. There are still many holds that have been lost or destroyed, and wandering clans without a home. It is during this time that High King Gomni Ironshield takes the throne in the High Halls of Durmanthor, wearing the Crown of Bailin, ready to lead his people onward.

Additional Information

Diet

Omnivores, Dwarfen fare is typically very hearty, composed of roasted and salted meats, soups, as well as potatoes, cabbage and any other vegetable that easily grows on a mountainside.

Reproduction

Dwarfs reproduce sexually, and pregnancy for a typical Dwarfen birth lasts 10 months. Dwarfs are not especially fertile and birthrates are low, with twins being extremely rare. Dwarfs are capable of reproducing with the following races:
Human
Exiled Dwarfs

Senses

Stoneborn Dwarfs have Darkvision, able to see out to 60 feet in black and white. Dwarfs are also attuned to the earth, and as such have an uncanny skill at spotting traps, hidden doors and other irregularities in stonework.

Typical Names

Dwarfs honor their children with names taken from ancestors or dwarfen heroes. It is quite rare to invent a new name or to borrow a name from another culture for a child, and when it is done it is usually to honor a significant friend or ally. When introducing themselves, dwarves tend to state their name and then their clan, such as, "Torvin Quickstrike, of Clan Bladesong".
Dwarfen names usually contain hard consonants and are rarely more than two syllables. Dwarfen clan names are often a combination of words, usually reflecting some significance around the founding of the clan. Most Dwarfs are quite happy to explain the tales behind their clan names, often regaling unwitting questioners for hours.
Male Names
Durnan, Bamur, Malgan, Bailin, Rüror
Female Names
Agna, Iskgin, Maekli, Foürna, Yuldina
Clan Names
Wyvernskull, Brokenaxe, Oakenfury, Oreheart, Greybeard

Origin/Ancestry

Dwarf

Lifespan

400 Years

Average Height

4'0" - 4'8"

Average Weight

200 - 240 lbs