Dwarf

In the days of the First War, an era that marked the initial curiosity of myriad nations towards Luyarnha, a scattering of Dwarves from far-flung reaches of the world found themselves irresistibly drawn to this beleaguered city, a crucible of turmoil and devastation. Amongst those who joined the cause, the majority were mercenaries, whilst others were noble souls seeking to lend aid, and finally a few harbored ambitions of extracting wealth from the faltering nation. As the tides of war shifted, those Dwarves who had chosen to engage in the struggle were offered homes and gold in gratitude for their service, persuading many to remain, forever entwining their destinies with that of the city. The few families that had settled in Luyarnha commenced the trade of precious ores, using their connection to their homeland and harnessing the sophisticated railway system already in place there, thus expanding it within the very walls of the city-state.

The Cardinal Sin

"Thou shalt not steal," a dwarven tenet as ancient as their race itself, yet one that an unfortunate number amongst their kin failed to honor. In their homeland, theft was deemed a cardinal sin, punishable to the utmost extent of their laws, at times even by death. Those dwarves harboring avaricious desires deep within, biding their time for the perfect moment to sin unpunished, saw their opportunity amidst the war-torn Luyarnha. Concealed within the ranks of their well intentioned brethren, they entered Luyarnha only to scatter, some swept away by the tide of war, but those who survived coalesced into marauding bands preying upon the vulnerable. Their plundering persisted until they dared to trespass upon a dwelling that should have remained undisturbed, its walls etched with an archaic language, and its occupant patiently awaiting their intrusion. Unwittingly, they had captured the attention of an entity far more formidable than they could fathom. On that ill-fated day, the lives of these dwarves were irrevocably altered, as they metamorphosed into the Y'ha-nthlei, the enigmatic Deep Ones, a destiny far grimmer than death.

A Long Night

A multitude of dwarves had chosen to dwell within the Waterfront district, where the ships dock lay, their shared culture fostering a harmonious coexistence. In a mutually beneficial relationship, they imbued the district with distinct dwarven elements, adding to the gothic architectural landscape and bequeathing the area with a unique aesthetic that endures to this day.
Yet, the enigmatic Deep Ones, though but a minority amongst Luyarnha's dwarven populace, insidiously encroached upon the Waterfront district. They renounced their thieving ways and instead, embarked upon a sinister campaign of abduction, forcibly indoctrinating their unsuspecting brothers into the worship of their slumbering sovereign, slowly corrupting the inherent goodness that once thrived within the district's walls.
One fateful night, the Deep Ones executed a vast, coordinated kidnapping, spiriting away hundreds of dwarves in the span of a single, darkened eve---the Long Night. Wanted posters soon plastered the city streets, while the cursed bloods and scions marshaled their forces, and the church dispatched their hunters, all determined to unearth the truth behind the sudden, inexplicable vanishings. And, as mysteriously as they had vanished, the dwarves reappeared, slumbering upon the shoreline, fragrant with the potent aroma of alcohol. The House of Blood's interrogations yielded naught, and soon town criers announced the incident a grand dwarven celebration of the new lunar year, characterized by inebriation and disorientation, leaving the dwarves with no clear memory of the events. Yet from that day forth, a heightened presence of hunters and wardens patrol the district, either to impart a sense of security or, perhaps, because those in authority are privy to some unsettling secret.
Ever since, the dwarves of Luyarnha have felt a disquieting shift in their lives. Though many remain untouched by the insidious corruption of the Deep Ones' cult, blissfully ignorant of its existence, uncertainty lingers in the air as to how long this fragile equilibrium will endure, before another Long Night befall the remnants of dwarvenkind within Luyarnha, reducing them to nothing but enslaved thralls.

Raiders to Smugglers

The Scions, scientists skilled in melding life through electricity to craft manikins and other constructs, grew increasingly reliant upon trade, their experiments demanding gold, mithril and other alloys capable of withstanding the forces of lightning. Yet, as the Scourge surged anew and Luyarnha was once more besieged, the Scions found themselves in dire straits, the resources essential to their groundbreaking research now perilously scarce.
In this desperate hour, the Y'ha-nthlei emerged, their singular mastery of smuggling enabling them to procure vital materials from beyond the beleaguered city. Young Deep Ones, proficient in navigation and seamanship, who retained greater control over their faculties, could alone navigate the hazardous routes into and out of Luyarnha, defying the lockdown imposed on the city. These enigmatic dwarves proved invaluable to the Scions, and in exchange for their services, the Y'ha-nthlei furthered their inscrutable goals, burrowing ever deeper into the city's fabric, drawing the unwitting populace closer to the unfathomable depths of their eldritch master's influence.
Owing to the secretive nature of the Deep Ones and the waning number of "ordinary" dwarves, the race is seen less frequently by the city's denizens. Although they continue to trade and offer their expertise in architectural planning and resource gathering, these skills diminished in importance as the Scourge expanded. Many dwarves adapted their inherent talents to farming, their stout physique ideally suited for laboring within the town's greenhouses, striving alongside others to produce sustenance for the populace. A handful of thrill-seeking dwarves enlisted in the ranks of the hunters, unfortunately a sizeable portion of battle-hardened dwarves unburdened by scruples have already fallen under the thrall of the Y'ha-nthlei, now toiling to fulfill the sinister objectives of their eldritch master rather than fighting for freedom.

Deep One Dwarf (Y'ha-nthlei)

Far removed from the splendorous halls of their ancestral kingdoms, the dwarves of Luyarnha have undergone a profound transformation, the likes of which none of their kin foresaw. These once grand merchants perpetrated a sin – coveting that which was not rightfully theirs – and for this dereliction of morality, they begot a curse of unspeakable malevolence, condemning their blood to the compelled service of He Who Lies Dreaming.
His Blessing. Their very nature was irrevocably altered, much like those who dwell beneath the fathomless depths of the ocean; relinquished was their mortality, traded for the cold embrace of eternal slavery. They would never perish, but instead live out their days alongside He who had walked the earth long before the advent of humankind and would endure their demise for wretched ages, forever bound as pawns in the insidious machinations of their infinite master. Their tragic fate---wrought by their own rapacious avarice---is the exorbitant price they paid for their crime, and one they cannot escape.
Deceptive Appearance. This curse has warped their flesh, normally so averse to magic, and created within them gates of eldritch arcane, imparting them with the peculiar ability to cloak their twisted forms, using illusions that can deceive even the keenest adventurers into seeing them as bona fide dwarves.
Accursed Immortality. Despite possessing full control of their mental faculty from a young age, their physical form twists and contorts as the impossible weight of the gift of the Slumbering One scrapes them minute after minute. Their once sturdy limbs warp and bend in grotesque fashion, their eyes become sunken and hollow, and their skin takes on a sickly gray pallor. The sanity of their younger days begins to slip away, leaving them at the mercy of His malevolent dreams and to dwell within their once dwarven flesh. This destiny---a fate more dreadful than death---is something that their aging mind anticipates with glee.

Deep One Dwarf Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Aberration. Your creature type is aberration, rather than humanoid.
Age. Deep One Dwarves mature much faster than humans, reaching maturity at the age of 10. They cannot die of old age; instead their aging mind progressively loses grip over their body, turning them into brainless servants of He Who Lies Dreaming when they reach 50 years of age.
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 and you have a swimming speed of 25 feet.
Otherworldly Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against cold damage.
Illusory Body. Although your body is covered in tentacles, clams, seashells, and other eldritch appendages, you are covered by an illusion which makes you appear like a normal hill dwarf to others. You can use an action to turn this illusion on or off. Other Deep Ones can see through this illusion.
Sailor Training. You have proficiency with cleavers, tridents, and firearms.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Cosmic Knowledge. Whenever you make an History check related to the origin of an eldritch item or construction, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Guiding Light. You know the dancing lights cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for the spell.
The Dreamer's Curse. Your mind is clouded by the dreams of the Slumbering One, and you find it hard to discern between reality and dream. You have disadvantage on saving throws against illusions.
Fathomless Limb. Your body has been altered beyond recognition by the Slumbering One, giving you one of the following body alterations:

• Coiling Arm. Your arm is nothing but a writhing mass of tentacles that flail the air. On your turn, after hitting an enemy with a melee attack, you can attempt to grapple them as a bonus action (normal grappling restrictions apply).

• Brutal Pincers. Your forearm---a massive pincer---is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. If you are targeting a creature you are grappling, the damage die becomes a d10 instead. You cannot use this arm to make any precise hand manipulation.

• Mucoid Extremities. Your hands and feet are palmed and covered in cups. Your swimming speed increases to 30 feet, and you gain a climbing speed of 20 feet.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Deep Speech, and Dwarvish.
The Dreamer's Gifts (Optional Trait at the GM’s Discretion). Your devotion to the cosmic being that warped your species is rewarded. Starting at level 5, you gain the following benefits:

• • Whenever you fail an ability check or saving throw, you can draw upon your master’s powers to succeed instead. Once you've used this ability, you can't do so again until the Dreamer has replaced one of your d20 rolls with a 1. The GM decides when this unfortunate moment happens.

• You are immune to the curse of the Slumbering Moon.