Hill Dwarf

The hill dwarves are the most often seen of sub-race of dwarves. Being the only true surface dwelling dwarves, these are the dwarves most races are likely to see and encounter, even if their mountain dwarven cousins are the most widely known. The hill dwarves love the earth, mountains and caves just as much as the mountain dwarves, however they love certain elements on the surface just as much, and are far more tolerant of other races. Many races are grateful for the hill dwarves as without them they would very rarely, if ever, seen their architecture, culture and trade without venturing into the underdark. Most hill dwarf settlements have gnomes living with them, and as a result they are able to utilize most of their technologies, including firearms, without the usual penalties (so long as they were taught by their neighbors).
Common starting classes for hill dwarves are: Cleric, Knight, Fighter, Ranger, Thief Rare starting classes for hill dwarves are: Druid, Paladin, Assassin Very rare starting classes for hill dwarves are: Magic-User, Illusionist

Additional Information

Social Structure

The clans of a hill dwarf are very kingdom-like in structure. There is the king of the clan who rules over the six chiefs (usually the heads of the founding families). The six chiefs will oversee a number of dwarf families, the number depending on the size of the clan itself. For example, a clan with six families (small) would mean one family for each chief to oversee. A clan with eighteen families (moderate) would mean three families for each chief to oversee. Below them are occupants, or residents who are not hill dwarves. Occupants can either be people who joined for a home, or honorary clanmates. The king and the chiefs are considered nobility, while the rest of the clan are clanmates (or occupants). It is important to note that beyond these three separate social classes there is no other, for they do not discriminate the weak from the strong.

Facial characteristics

The hill dwarves will always have hair colors ranging between copper, ginger, gray, or brown. Occasionally they can have a blend of these hair colors with that of the hill dwarves should their parents be of both sub-races, in which case they have a hair color in between one from the mountain dwarves and one from the hill dwarves. Such a blended shade is referred to dwarves as 'dirty hair'.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Unlike the mountain dwarves the hill dwarves mostly construct their cities on the surface as opposed to underground. They mostly prefer to build their homes on mountaintops, however they are also comfortable building on top of hills and raised rocky areas. Their architecture generally conforms to the same as their mountain dwarf cousins, as while they are not underground (and thus less natural ceiling structure to work with), they still construct their cities around the natural shape of the mountains. As a result, most people often miss their cities mistaking them for actual mountains. They do have some of their cities inside mountains and hills, but very rarely. While they live on the surface rather than underground, they will never choose forests. They will always prefer rocky rolling hillsides, small mountains, or full mountains if not occupied by mountain dwarves.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Hill dwarves in general have three names: one personal and two family names. In order, the first name spoken is their personal name. This can be anything, but most hill dwarves prefer to name their children after things of the earth and of the skies, such as stones, minerals, crystals, and stars, planets, comets, moon & sun. They can also absorb naming traditions from other cultures, such as humans, and name their children after some meaning or phrase. Their first family name is that of their immediate family. These tend to relate to their family's profession, status, reputation, and/or overall theme. Their second family name is their clan name. This is an incredibly important name for a hill dwarf, as to have left your clan name behind or have it stripped from you is the greatest shame any hill dwarf could possibly have.

Gender Ideals

Very similar to the mountain dwarves, the male dwarves are often the ones who are kings and chiefs of their clans, and are nearly always warriors. However unlike the mountain dwarves, this does not mean that there are never any female kings, chiefs or warriors. One in ten dwarf warriors tend to be female, and women dwarves who have the personality of the men have just as much chance of becoming a chief as their male clanmates. While female dwarven warriors and leaders will possess characteristics the men have (pride and stubbornness) they are not as extreme in that regard, and are more flexible. Regardless of their position, in a family, unless they are the chief or king of a clan, they will play the supporting role in the family as seen in mountain dwarven culture.

Average Technological Level

The hill dwarves are just as skilled in their masonry and architecture as the mountain dwarves, and while they share skill in blacksmithing (though their skills do not compare to that of the mountain dwarves), the hill dwarves who dwell alongside gnomes are moderately skilled with small tinkering devices. Most importantly the firearms such as the flintlock, rifle, scattershot, and gun-axes. Because of this, the firearms penalty is reduced (All "To Hit" penalties for range differences are reduced by 1. Penalties cannot be reduced to 0). They are no where near the technological mastery of such technologies as the gnomes, but they know enough to dismantle, repair, and craft their own firearms. Beyond firearms they have limited skill in other technologies of the gnomes, though they prefer to use a mixture of black powder and steam power to run their machines, which are mostly limited to elevators, furnaces and smelteries, drawbridges, and so forth.
Beyond this their technology is mostly like their mountain dwarf cousins, though their smithing skills are not as superior.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Hill dwarves have their own language, which they call "Tongue of the Stone Hills". Other than this, the languages they know conform to the main dwarf article.

Common Etiquette Rules

Hill dwarf etiquette is mostly the same as the mountain dwarf's etiquette save for a few differences. The biggest difference is that they are more tolerant of minor breach of etiquette since they dwell on the surface alongside the other races, and thus are also more forgiving should the impolite gesture have been by accident or by ignorance. Table etiquette applies to far more than just the table, overall applying to any situation that isn't considered work, perilous, tedious, or a private moment. While they are not as high and proud as the mountain dwarves, they still demand a certain level of respect from everyone. They are still dwarves of the mountains, and are proud to be so.

Common Dress Code

The hill dwarves overall adorn their clothing in less silver and gold than their mountain dwarf cousins, and prefer to stick more to earthen colors than the rich colors of blue, red, purple and the like. This is partly because they are surrounded by races who use every color attainable, and themselves prefer the colors of the earth, such as shades of brown, gray, black, white, and greens, all usually dark shades and rarely bright. However it's also to further help establish the difference between the nobility of the Hill Dwarves and the nobility of the Mountain Dwarves; for the hill dwarf nobility will wear earthen colors adorned with silver and gold, while the mountain dwarf nobility wears rich gemstone and precious metal colors such as rich blue, purple, red or greens adorned with silver, gold and platinum.
The priests and paladins of the hill dwarves all choose to dress in pure white clothes or armor, sometimes adorned with silver.

History

"The humans of this world seek to build many tall constructions to try and reach skywards. They have even built atop the mountains in their feeble attempts. We do not partake in such fruitless endeavors. For what could be more higher or majestic than the mountains of this world? You seek to make advancements, but you cannot build upon perfection and state you have overcome it. We are one with the earth, and we shall show you it's wonders."
--Thelrim Fireglyph

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Usually tan skin, with dark tan skin uncommon, and white skin rare.