Dwarf
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Dwarves are a short race, as their name implied, with gold dwarves a bit shorter. What dwarves lacked in height they made up for in bulk; they were, on average, about as heavy as humans. Like humans, dwarves had a wide variety of skin, eye, and hair colors, typically pale among shield dwarves and deeply tanned or brown with a red hue amongst gold dwarves. Hazel eyes were common throughout the race, with blue eyes more common amongst shield dwarves and brown or green eyes found amongst the gold dwarves.
Male dwarves were often bald and grew thick facial hair, which was sometimes used to display social status. Unusually for humanoids, both sexes naturally grew ample facial hair, though the majority of shield dwarf females shaved their beards off. This hair was often dark in hue, though among shield dwarves blond or red hair was just as common. Gold dwarves took the care of facial hair to an extreme, carefully oiling and grooming it, with some adding perfume and ornamentations.
Dwarves were a long-lived race, though not so much as elves, and reached physical maturity somewhat later than humans. A dwarf was traditionally considered an adult once he or she reached age 50. Dwarves aged much like humans but over a longer period of time, remaining vigorous well past 150 years. Most dwarves lived to see their bicentennial and a few lived to be over 400.
Thousands of years of settlement and separation divided the dwarves into distinct subraces: the shield dwarves, most common in the North and the Sword Coast; the gold dwarves of the southern lands; and the gray dwarves, or duergar, of the Underdark.
Basic Traits
Ability Score Increase: Constitution score increases by 2.Speed: Base walking speed is 25 feet, while wearing heavy armor provides no hindrance on walking speed.
Darkvision: See in dim light with 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Cannot discern colors in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison, and Resistance against poison damage.
Dwarven Combat Training: Proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
Tool Proficiency: Proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools.
Stonecunning: Whenever making 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.
Language: Speak, write and read: Common and Dwarvish.
Subrace Traits
Shield Dwarf
Strong and hardy, accustomed to a difficult life in rugged terrain, shield dwarves are probably on the tall side (for a dwarf). Living in a near-constant state of war for generations, shield dwarves are slow to trust, with long memories and often an equally long list of grievances against their ancient enemies. The more conservative among them want to maintain the traditions and remaining holdings of their people, isolated from the influence of outsiders and safe from invaders behind thick walls of stone. Shield dwarves of a more adventurous bent are interested in exploring the world and seeing what lies beyond the bounds of their ancient dwarfholds. Their skin is usually fair, eyes green, hazel, or silver-blue, and they have brown, blond, or red hair. Full beards and mustaches are commonly seen on male shield dwarves. Shield dwarf crafters build to last, and each one’s signature mark placed upon an enduring masterpiece serves as a way of gaining immortality.
Ability Score Increase: Strength score increases by 2.
Dwarven Armor Training: Proficiency with light and medium armor.
Source: Mountain Dwarves in Player's Handbook
Gold Dwarf
Gold dwarves are common in the lands to the south and east. They are formidable warriors, proud of their long traditions, with strong ties to clan. They are gruff and haughty and have a love of fine craftsmanship and an eagerness to trade. Significant settlements of gold dwarves exist in the Great Rift, the area surrounding the Dragon Coast, as well as in the Old Empires of eastern Faerûn. Smaller communities are found in the Smoking Mountains, in the Giant’s Run Mountains, and the Western Heartlands. Because they have not endured the same cycle of invasion and displacement, gold dwarves tend to be more optimistic than their shield dwarf cousins, but they’re still standoffish and prideful as only a dwarf can be. They believe their race’s stable history is the result of their attentiveness to tradition, and have little doubt that the future of the gold dwarves will be just as peaceful, if they remain true to their customs and principles. Gold dwarves who take up a life of adventuring, away from the clan, rarely forsake their traditions when doing so. Even though they might have to live as outsiders for a time, they hope to ultimately improve their standing in their society. They are stocky and muscular, with brown skin, black or brown hair, and brown or hazel eyes, with green eyes rare (and considered lucky). Males grow full beards that they keep oiled and well-groomed, and both genders wear their hair long and often elaborately braided.
Ability Score Increase: Wisdom score increases by 1.
Dwarven Toughness: Hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time leveling up.
Source: Hill Dwarves in Player's Handbook
Duergar
The gray dwarves, or duergar, live deep in the Underdark. After delving deeper than any other dwarves, they were enslaved by mind flayers for eons. Although they eventually won their freedom, these grim, ashen-skinned dwarves now take slaves of their own and are as tyrannical as their former masters. Duergar value toil above all else. Showing emotions other than grim determination or wrath is frowned on in their culture, but they can sometimes seem joyful when at work. They have the typical dwarven appreciation for order, tradition, and impeccable craftsmanship, but their goods are purely utilitarian, disdaining aesthetic or artistic value. Few duergar become adventurers, fewer still on the surface world, because they are a hidebound and suspicious race. Those who leave their subterranean cities are usually exiles. Physically similar to other dwarves in some ways, duergar are wiry and lean, with black eyes and bald heads, with the males growing long, unkempt, gray beards.
Ability Score Increase: Strength score increases by 1.
Superior Darkvision: Radius of darkvision increases to 120 feet.
Duergar Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against illusions and against being charmed or paralyzed.
Psionic Fortitude: Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the charmed or stunned condition on yourself.
Duergar Magic: Starting at 3rd level, you learn to cast enlarge/reduce spell on yourself once with this trait (using only the spell’s enlarge option). When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell on yourself once with this trait,without requiring a material component. Once you cast either of these spells with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
Language: Speak, write and read Undercommon.
Source: Player's Handbook with adjusted updates from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Additional Information
Social Structure
Most dwarven societies were divided into clans built along family ties and political allegiances. Dwarves count their clan heritage as an important part of their lineage and identity. These clans were usually led by hereditary rulers, often monarchs of a sort and descended from the founder of the clan. While in some cities a single clan dominates (or is the only one in residence), in other dwarven communities there is a complex relationship between family, clan, and the larger society. Dwarves strongly valued loyalty to these rulers and to the clan as a whole and even objective dwarves tended to side primarily with their kin over other races or communities.
Most dwarven clans focused on one or two kinds of crafting, such as blacksmithing, jewelry, engineering, or masonry. Dwarves strove to avoid overspecialization by sending some of their youths to other clans to serve as apprentices, which also helped to foster racial unity. Because of their longevity, these
apprenticeships might last decades.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Most dwarves preferred living in underground cities near the surface and above the Underdark, built around mines that provided much of their livelihood. Carved into stone, these cities might take centuries to complete but were practically ageless once finished. As of the 14th century onward, dwarves could be found all across Faerûn, although the greatest numbers were in the Underdark, the North, the Great Rift, and the Cold Lands. In their own homelands, dwarves continuously carved out new living space, mining the mountains' riches as they did so. Dwarves, in general, stuck to these locales, disliking travel, particularly along waterways, but those who lived in human lands could make themselves quite comfortable. Most who did make a living as mercenaries, smiths, or artisans of various kinds. Dwarves were eagerly sought after as warriors, their reputation for courage and loyalty making them excellent choices for bodyguards.
Famous Dwarven Settlements
- Citadel Adbar (Mostly Shield dwarves)
- Citadel Felbarr (Mostly Shield dwarves)
- Mithral Hall (Mostly Shield dwarves)
- Gauntlgrym (Mostly Shield dwarves)
- Far Hills (Mostly Shield dwarves)
- The Great Rift (Mostly Gold dwarves)
- Gracklstugh (Duergar only)
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
A dwarf’s name is granted by a clan elder, in accordance with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has been used and reused down through the generations. A dwarf’s name belongs to the clan, not to the individual. A dwarf who misuses or brings shame to a clan name is stripped of the name and forbidden by law to use any dwarven name in its place.
Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal
Female Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra
Clan Names: Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Dwarvish or Dwarven is the name for a family of languages used by dwarves. The dwarves call their own language Dethek, but most other races use that term to refer to the runic alphabet in which the language is written.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Whether or not the dwarven claim that they've been carved from the world's stone was true, dwarves share many qualities considered similar to the stone they lived with. Strong, hardy, and dependable, dwarves are polite, particularly to elders, and possess wisdom beyond that of many other races. Dwarves value their traditions, regardless of the subrace they came from and look for inspiration from ancestral heroes. Dwarves are also known for their stubborn nature and cynicism, traits widespread amongst the dwarves but which contribute to and are commonly offset by their bravery and tenacity.
Dwarves highly value the ties between family members and friends, weaving tightly knit clans. Dwarves particularly respect elders, from whom they expected sound leadership and the wisdom of experience, as well as ancestral heroes or clan founders. This idea carried on to relations with other races and dwarves were deferential even to the elders of another, non-dwarven race.
Dwarven friendship is hard to earn, but strong once won. Naturally dour and suspicious, the stout folk are slow to trust others, specifically those outside their family, suspecting the worst of an individual until the outsider has proved their goodwill many times. Once this trust is gained, dwarves hold their friends to it and view betrayals, even minor ones, with a vicious propensity for vengeance. A common gnomish oath, remarking on this dwarven sense of justice, is "If I'm lying, may I cross a dwarf."
For dwarves, loyalty is more than a word and they feel that it should be both valued and rewarded. Dwarves believe it a gift and mark of respect to stand beside a friend in combat, and an even deeper one to protect that ally from harm. Many dwarven tales subsequently revolve around the sacrifice of dwarves for their friends and family. Just as dwarves are known for their dependability as friends and allies, dwarves also harbor grudges far longer than many other races. This might be on an individual basis between a dwarf and one who have wronged them, or against entire races, even if warfare with the enemy has long since ceased.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Dwarves turned to their gods for guidance and protection. Non-evil dwarves looked to the divine for comfort and inspiration, while the wicked looked to their divine overlords for methods through which to obtain power over others. Individual dwarves might be faithless, but the race as a whole, regardless of subrace, had a strong inclination for religion and almost every community maintained at least one temple or ancestral shrine.
Most dwarves are of the faith of Morndinsamman ("shield brothers on high" or "high brothers" in dwarven), the dwarven pantheon.
History
Like many races, the exact origins of the dwarves were lost in myth and legend. While many non-dwarven scholars believed that dwarves were not native to Abeir-Toril or its successor worlds, most dwarves believed that their ancestors came from the heart of the planet itself, given life by Moradin and being made by the All-Father's hammer in the Soulforge. These legends held that the dwarves fought their way to the surface world, overcoming the dangers they faced below through strength of arms and skill.
The first known dwarven settlements on Abeir-Toril originated from the mountains of Yehimal. These dwarves settled underneath the junction between the three continents of Faerûn, Kara-Tur, and Zakhara, and migrated in all directions from there, spreading across the face of all the planet. Those who turned westward to what would eventually become the continent of Faerûn settled in what was later Semphar. The dwarves then migrated westward from there, founding many settlements. The first great kingdom of the dwarves was Bhaerynden, beneath the Shaar.
The dwarves in Bhaerynden prospered for centuries but gradually began to endure schisms and fractures, which drove the dwarves apart. The first of these schisms occurred twelve millennia ago when Taark Shanat, the so-called "Crusader", led a westward migration from the caverns of Bhaerynden. The descendants of these dwarves would eventually become the shield dwarves and forge the vast empire of Shanatar.
Some time after this, Bhaerynden fell to the drow shortly after their Descent following the Crown Wars, and these southern dwarves were driven into exile, ending the ancient kingdom. Their descendants became known as the gold dwarves and would return millennia later with the collapse of Bhaerynden into the Great Rift, forming a new kingdom.
The last dwarven lineage formed from the shield dwarves of Clan Duergar. These hapless dwarves who lived beneath the Shining Plains were in time captured and enslaved by the illithids, becoming the separate but related race known as the duergar. Over the ages, the twisting of illithid psionics caused the duergar to grow more and more distant from their kin.
Over the centuries, dwarves entered into a long decline and most of the ancient kingdoms that once stood had fallen by the 15th century DR. The shield dwarves saw parts of the North overrun and conquered by the orcs of Many Arrows while to the south the gold dwarves were largely driven from their underground kingdom in the Great Rift towards the surface world. In spite of this, the dwarves remained a proud and hardy people, unshaken by the pitfalls that had befallen them.
The most significant event in recent history for the dwarven peoples was the Thunder Blessing of 1306 DR, in which, after centuries of demographic decline, a sudden boom in fertility occurred, resulting in the births of many twins amongst the dwarves. The Blessing was widely believed to have been the work of Moradin, possibly as the culmination of a quest by a dwarven heroine or as part of some grander plan of the All-Father. One of the consequences of this sudden boon was, other than a demographic resurgence that helped bring the dwarves out of their decline, was a sudden shift in culture. The so-called thunder children were radical in comparison with their parents and during their lifetimes over the Era of Upheaval, dwarves took a more active role in the world and abandoned some of their oldest traditions, such as the ancient fear of magic and the arcane.
Common Myths and Legends
Origins
According to their own legends, dwarves were formed from iron, mithral, earth, and stone on the Soulforge of Moradin. After the All-Father breathed life into them in the heart of the world, dwarves found their way to the surface and, from there, spread across each continent.
Thunder Blessing
The Thunder Blessing, also known as the Thundering, occurred in the Year of Thunder, 1306 DR, and was the dwarven god Moradin's gift to his people which dramatically increased the reproductive rate of dwarves. After the Thunder Blessing most dwarven births were twins.
Why go on an adventure?
- Is it the desire of great treasures? Even just for the sake of it?
- Do you get a calling from a deity to do so?
- Maybe you seek honor or glory for your clan?
- Or you are an exile from the Underground Kingdoms?
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