Dwarves
Humans considered themselves civilized, but they owe most part of that civilization to the dwarves. Before Aztlan, when humans were only able to raise huts, dwarves were already building stone temples, and they taught humans how to do it. The Destruction of the last world might have affected this ancient race, but their temples still lean out from the cliffs of the Bronze Ridge, unscathed.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Between dwarves, it is the leader of the ayllu (the Kuraka) who choose the name for the newborn children. Each dwarven name refers to earth-bound things in their language, and each dwarven clan name (known as ayllu) refers to geographical features of the land where that ayllu had settled. The relationship between one particular lesser ayllu with one of the four greater ayllus can be noticed in the type of geographical features used in their names. Gold Ayllu and Rock Ayllu dwarves use mountains and rocks in their clan names, while Sand Ayllu and Clay Ayllu dwarves bear the name of things related to the deserts or the salt flats.
Sample dwarven male names: Akho (Sand), Akhu (Stone), Apu (Small Mountain), Khuya (Rock), Kocha (Pool), Khozhko (Hut also Center of the Earth), Ojo (Pit), Pacha (Soil), Pachacuti (Earthquake), Pikchu (Mountain Peak), Pukio (Waterduct), Tambo (House or Inn), Thuru (Clay)
Sample female dwarven names: Akllasisa (Choosen Flower), Amankay (Lilly), Huchuysisa (Little Flower), Inkhasisa (Royal Flower), Khillasisa (Moon Flower), Khura (Grass), Khori (Gold), Ninasisa (Fire Flower), Uminya (Emerald), Saksa (Hill), Waylla (Prairie), Wayta (River)
Sample dwarven ayllu names (Gold and Rock Ayllus): Hananpikchu (High Peak), Kapakapu (Great Mountain), Khorikancha (Golden Hall), Machupikchu (Elder Peak), Pakaritambo (House of the Dawn also Dawn's Inn), Umakhnyan (Treacherous Trail), Waynapikchu (Younger Peak)
Sample dwarven ayllu names (Clay and Sand Ayllus): Akamada (Dried Lake), Akapana (Dune Pyramid), Kapakkocha (Great Pool), Kalasasaya (Still Stones), Machupukio (Elder Waterduct), Saksawaman (Hawk's Hill), Tiwanakhu (Stone In The Center)
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Viracochinkha, the Dwarvish language, is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak, like the Aztlani.
The amazing fact of the Viracochinkha, however, lies in the fact that is has no written form: dwarves are a proud and ancient culture, with amazing engineering skills, but all of their science is oral culture. Every dwarvish sage is like a living book, and only if they pass their secrets, can dwarves continue its legacy. That's why some dwarves can't reproduce their old building techniques: some of them became lost when their masters died in wars or in plagues.
Nevertheless, dwarves do have a written language, aside from Viracochinkha: is the Khipu. A language that is writen in knots and beads in an abacus of guanaco wool, or in the speaker's beard (thats why dwarves try to keep it long). It is known that only the khipukamayukh dwarven caste know the secret to decipher this complex language and how "write" it, but many dwarves know how to decipher most of the messages hidden in this complex system, or how to make their own messages by beads and knots.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
THOU SHALT END THY WORK
The secret of the dwarven success is their stuborness: there is no stone heavy enough, there is no work long enough, theres no shape perfect enough. When a dwarf decides to finish something, they will achieve their goal with perfect results, no matter the cost, the time or the effort. All dwarves try to have this kind of "focus" in their dairly lives, no matter if they spend one day in finishing it, or their whole life.
Tribal tradition rules: all dwarven character must choose a "Focus", one objective. It must be something affordable, like "protect X person" or "achieve X object". Moral or ideal focuses are forbidden (any dwarf wants to survive or to be a good person, that's not a valid Focus). When their Focus is selected, anytime the dwarf character has to make an Ability check related to that Focus, they will gain an Advantage.
If the dwarf doesn't follow their Focus it will be considered a violation of the Tradition and the character can become Tainted.
Dwarf Traits
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age: Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.
Alignment: Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.
Size: Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
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 Resilience: You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Dwarven Combat Training: You have proficiency with all weapons made of bronze.
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 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.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Aztlani (Common) and you can speak Viracochinkha (Dwarvish), which has no written form. However, you can read and write in Khipu, which has no oral form.
Tribe (Subrace): Dwarves are divided into great "clans", called Ayllus. There are four Ayllus: the Stone Ayllu, the Clay Ayllu, the Sand Ayllu and the Gold Ayllu. Choose one of these subraces.
Related Ethnicities
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