Hill Dwarf
The Shield Dwarf
Shield Dwarves, also known as hill Dwarves, are the aloof, confident and sometimes proud subrace of the Dwarven race. They are known to be particularly stalwart warriors and shrewd traders. Hill Dwarves were the first of their race to leave the Dwarven realm to live upon the surface of Kelios. Hill Dwarves were hunters, often trained from an early age to use ranged weapons, trained in the art of survival, hunting and tracking wild animals and other creatures, and in battle to protect the Clan from other races that coveted their cavern homes. Hill Dwarves are stout, tough individuals like their mountain Dwarf brethren but are less off-putting and gruff in nature. Conversely, shield Dwarves are often more agile than other Dwarves. Hill Dwarves are between 4 feet and 5 feet tall, averaging about 4 feet 6", and are as heavy as a full-grown human, making them somewhat squatter than the more common mountain Dwarves. Shield Dwarves are also distinguishable by their light brown or tanned skin, significantly darker than that of most Dwarves, and their brown or hazel eyes. Hill Dwarves have black, grey, or brown hair, which fades to light grey over time. Hill Dwarf males and some females could grow beards, which were carefully groomed and grown to great lengths. Shield Dwarves are both materialistic and ritualistic, valuing themselves and others by what they possess and by the reputation of their family. Hill Dwarves are deeply conservative, rooting their values and beliefs in traditions that have survived for millennia even as the world changed around them. From infancy, hill Dwarves were taught that their life was determined by tradition, from what their profession should be to who they should marry. Dwarves who lacked faith in the old ways or who went so far as to challenge cultural taboos were seen as dangerous deviants unworthy of friendship or trust by the majority of other Dwarves, creating an enormous social pressure to conform. In part because of their conservatism and staunch belief in their own cultural superiority, hill Dwarves rarely ventured far from their homelands. The Thunder Blessing was the first event in a long while to push the race out of their conformity, forcing young Dwarves to seek their fortunes outside of the overcrowded Deep Realm. Other than such demographic pressures, the only motive for adventuring deemed rational to the average hill Dwarf was the desire to seek out their fortune in unclaimed lands, perhaps to build a stronghold of their own. Hill Dwarves who did become adventurers would most often choose to be a Fighter, Barbarian, or Ranger though a Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, or even arcane spellcasters were not unheard of, particularly a Sorcerer, Wizard, or Elementalist.Traits
Ability Score Increase:
WISDOM +2 and STRENGTH +1.Dwarven Toughness:
Your HIT POINT Maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.Dwarven Armour Training:
You have Proficiency with LIGHT ArmourDwarven Combat Training:
Proficiency with LIGHT CROSSBOW and SHORT BOW.Extra Languages:
Basic Information
Anatomy
Humanoid (Dwarf): Head, Torso, Two Arms and Two Legs.
Genetics and Reproduction
Female Dwarves have live births between 8 and 9 moons (months), having one child, it is fairly common to give birth to twin children, but very rare to have more.
Growth Rate & Stages
Age 50 (Young Adult), 100 (Adult), 150 (Mature Adult), 250 (Old), and 400+ (Ancient)
Dietary Needs and Habits
Omnivore
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Darkvision 60ft
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Male
Anarr, Arbek, Arik, Bram, Bramrus, Bruenor, Bjarki, Bjorn, Bodvar, Borr, Borri, Brokk, Brokki, Brodri, Brom, Bronn, Dain, Darri, Dori, Drokki, Dunil, Durgin, Duri, Durrag, Egil, Eldrik, Eldrun, Erik, Flint, Furtag, Gann, Garag, Glome, Glynn, Haki, Halgar, Halgor, Harald, Hartt, Hedin, Hulfthorn, Jora, Jorah, Jorn, Ketil, Kili, Lokki, Lokri, Mardin, Nar, Nari, Nod, Nor, Nori, Ori, Otto, Quinn, Raum, Rik, Rikki, Rurik, Skadi, Skalf, Skoll, Snarri, Snorri, Ulf, Ulfgar, Vali, Vari, VoriFemale
Agne, Agnes, Anina, Arina, Arlina, Asabelle, Atheki, Ayen, Barma, Bela, Bella, Belladonna, Beyla, Bindilnera, Bindomera, Bindolmera, Bredi, Breda, Brega, Brynhild, Brynhilda, Cali, Dara, Dooni, Dora, Dunhilda, Eir, Eitri, Elli, Embeth, Freki, Freyja, Glynda, Grimhild, Grimhilda, Gylwyn, Hildr, Kaila, Kimril, Krimhild, Krimhilda, Lind, Lindli, Medina, Morwind, Morwen, Magni, Magna, Nidi, Neda, Ninadek, Ragnhild, Rauma, Srinn, Storm, Siggy, Sudri, Svanhild, Svanhilda, Svori, Var, Vigrid, VorSurnames
Axeshard, Barbedbraid, Battlebrow, Bearcloak, Bearhelm, Blackaxe, Blackbraid, Boarhelm, Boarshield, Dirgehammer, Dragoncloak, Dragonhide, Dragonmantle, Dragonrune, Dragonshield, Evenaxe, Evenfall, Flintcoat, Flintfoot, Flintshield, Giantaxe, Giantcloak, Giantsbane, Gnollbane, Gnollcloak, Goblinbane, Goblincleaver, Greatmaul, Greatspear, Greatshield, Greatstone, Greybloom, Halfaxe, Halfshield, Hardhide, Hardstone, Iceaxe, Icebeard, Iceborn, Irontoe, Mountainstone, Orcbane, Orchelm, Orcskull, Plainstride, Proudmane, Shatteraxe, Stormbelly, Stormbelt, Stormpelt, Strongchest, Strongcoat, Strongfall, Trollbane, Trollcloak, Trollhide, Trollmane, Umberbane, Umbercloak, UmberhideMajor Language Groups and Dialects
- Dwarvish,
- Amorian Language (Northern Common), or
- Kelldorian (Common),
- Orcish,
- Goblin, and
- Giant/Giantish/Giants Speech
Common Dress Code
- Wool garments of brown, green, and russet,
- Furs cloaks, hats, and boots,
- Leather waistcoats, breeches, shoes, or boots,
- Studded leather armour,
- Chainmail or bandedmail armour,
- Platemail armour and shields
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Culture
Humans who wandered into Shield Dwarf strongholds might be surprised to find a people far more confident and secure in their future than most Dwarves. Whereas the mountain Dwarves suffered serious setbacks during their history, the hill Dwarves stood firm against the challenges thrown against them and so had few doubts about their place in the world. As a result, shield Dwarves could come off as haughty and prideful, believing themselves culturally superior to all other races and lacking the fatalistic pessimism of their gold Dwarf cousins. Shield Dwarves speak a distinctive dialect of Dwarven, which is an archaic tongue largely unchanged since the days of the first Dwarven Chieftains. However, hill Dwarves, in spite of their cultural supremacism, often took the time to learn the languages of neighboring lands as well.Art and Leisure
Shield Dwarves are a deeply materialistic race who believe that the resources of the natural world existed only to serve the purpose of conscious beings. To a hill Dwarf, there is no greater purpose than to fashion the minerals of the earth into things of beauty. Shield Dwarf guilds take great care in their craftsmanship, often spending centuries to perfect their work and mark it distinctively as their own, a practice that is carried down to even the most simple tools, marking such items with detailed runes and carefully shaped flairs. Hill Dwarf warriors employ a large number of finely crafted weapons and armour, often enchanted with runes or prayers. Most commonly, Dwarves employ weapons that can also be used as tools, such as axes, picks, or hammers, alongside more specialized weapons like the urgrosh or spear-axe. Some unique items of note crafted by hill Dwarves were repeating crossbows, black powder bombs (grenades), and specially designed saddles used for riding a Hippogriff. Shield Dwarves enjoy the company of small lizards as pets, such as the spitting crawler or shocker lizard. Deep Rothe are frequently kept as livestock as well, alongside pack lizards and mules as beasts of burden. For mounts, hill Dwarves usually use riding lizards, war ponies, or, more rarely, hippogriffs.Magic & Religion
Unlike most Dwarven peoples, the shield Dwarves were not particularly superstitious about magic and, while still cautious in its use, were no more so than any wise human mage, and hill Dwarves even created a number of spells unique to them. In part, hill Dwarves were open to magic because of their heavy use of enchanted arms and weaponry, but primarily this tolerance came from the age of Dwarven civilization, which through sheer longevity had given rise to several magical traditions. Divine spellcasters remained more common among the shield Dwarves, however, though hill Dwarves were less fervent in their beliefs than the openly devout gold Dwarves. Hill Dwarves most commonly favour the worship of Oberon 'The Lawbringer' and Moradin, in part due once again to the age of the civilization, which stretched back to when many of the Dwarven Gods had not yet become widely known. While the hill Dwarves were not particularly devout, clerics of Oberon and Moradin held great prestige within hill Dwarf society, the clerics of Oberon in particular for their responsibilities as genealogists and guardians of tradition. The most sacred site in Dwarven civilization is The Fortress City of STORMHALL, where the first church of Moradin was built. There, Moradin's clerics sponsored a rich culture of manufacturing and craftsmanship. Clerics of Oberon serve as the city's executive and judiciary branches of government. Every Dwarven settlement has a regional church/temple dedicated to the Gods Moradin and Oberon.Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Hill Dwarves are a proud race confident in their race's future after millennia of stability and because of this they had earned a somewhat deserved reputation for xenophobia and supremacism. Shield Dwarves believed Dwarves to be the greatest of all races and themselves to be the greatest of all Dwarves, placing themselves at the top of the cultural pyramid. Hill Dwarves in particular look down upon the Fey, especially Elves, whom they loathed in part due to their ancient enmity with The Drow.
Of the monstrous races, the Shield Dwarves' opinion was even lower. Among many key differences between Hill Dwarves and their more common kin was that the traditional enemies of the Shield Dwarves were not Goblinoids at that time, but Trolls, Underdark beasts, but most of all, Aberrations, against whom many Shield Dwarves had some defensive training. But this did not mean Hill Dwarves enjoyed the company of the Goblin or Orc, whom they lumped the Half-Orc in with.
However, Hill Dwarves did not see all races besides themselves with enmity. For instance, Shield Dwarves had an atypically high value of the Human species and their planetouched kin for non-human races, valuing the often-profitable trading arrangements they'd had with human realms throughout history. Similarly, Shield Dwarves are, as a rule, rather fond of the Halfling Stout, seeing them as kindred spirits for their propensity for industriousness and honour.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid (Dwarf)
Lifespan
250 To 450 Years of Age (300 Average)
Average Height
4ft To 5ft (Averaging 4ft 6")
Average Weight
130lbs To 220lbs (Averaging 150lbs)
Average Physique
Short and Stocky, Muscular, Broad shoulderd
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Shield Dwarves have light brown or tanned skin, significantly darker than that of most Dwarves, and brown or hazel eyes. Hill Dwarves have black, grey, or brown hair, which fades to light grey over time. Hill Dwarf males and some females could grow beards, which were carefully groomed and grown to great lengths.
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