Human, Dwearh
The People of Earth and Fire
Dwearh are the children of the elemental lords of earth and of fire. These behemoths of old created the dwearh as slaves to forge the weapons and mine the ore required to create world-conquering armies. The dwearh, stubborn and stalwart, were the first to revolt against the elemental lords. Although the rebellion initially failed, it lit a spark among the humans - created by the elemental lords of air and water - who eventually joined the cause and fought alongside the dwearh to eventually overthrow the influences of the elemental planes on Baennor.
Physical Description
Dwearh are taller than humans, typically standing between 6' and 7' tall. They are far more heavily built than humans as well, the the average 6'6" dwearh weighing nearly 400 pounds. Many dwearh have very little hair on their heads and bodies - many have bushy eyebrows with blocky features like eye ridges, square knuckles, and jaws. Most have bronzed, almost metallic brown skin and gray to green eyes. The typical dwearh lives with a body temperature in excess of 108 degrees, making the cooler climes more appealing to most of their species.
Society
Dwearh society is very rigid and caste based. Since the beginning when the elemental lords created the dwearh, there were those who were so in tune with the elements, they were able to almost commune with the earth around them. These individuals hold the highest station among the dwearh clans, rising to great political, spiritual, and military heights. On the opposite end of the spectrum, are those dwearh who have either lost or never possessed this innate talent. These dwearh are among the lowest caste, and relegated to laborious and menial tasks with the clans.
Crossing the boundaries of these castes is strictly forbidden. Those who insist on ignoring this tradition become entirely casteless. They are physically branded and cast out of the clan to fend for themselves. It is in this manner the seemingly harsh ways of the dwearh have been maintained over the centuries.
Dwearh Cultures Across Eryphir
The Dversig-Hoch
The Hecveig
The Veiweg
Relations
These mountain people are often short-spoken and abrasive when they talk at all. It would not at all be out of character for a dwearh to say no words at all during any given day. Generally speaking, they get along fine with their daonni cousins, but see aos si as frail fairie-folk who live the woods somewhere. In short, they do not have much in common with the aos'si and inherently distrust their alien ways.
Most other species on Baennor consider dwearh to be either very easy to get along with - because they often just go along with the consensus, especially if they are not in charge - or terribly stubborn and pig-headed, since they do not often talk, and once they have their mind made up, it is very difficult to get them to change course. They are not at all known for their ability to think on their feet.
Alignment and Religion
Dwearh tend to be lawful. Depending upon their caste, they can vary between good and neutral. The higher castes, the more liberty and freedoms they tend to have and thus lean more towards good. The lower the caste, the more often these dwearh have a tendency towards lawful neutral. In some cases, the lowest castes and casteless find themselves in evil territory, manipulating the system towards their own goals.
Several dwearh were among the group of heroes who ascended to the Radiant Realm to become the pantheon of Gods on Eryphir. When Zryk'ukx - the Earth Elemental Lord - was freed, it was the dwearh who led the charge to stop and destroy him. Many of the original dwearh Gods were slain in the resulting battle and were never replaced.
Dwearh tend to revere the entire remaining pantheon of deities, and not just one specific god and have struggled over the years since losing contact with their spiritual guides after the Void cut off the dwearh's clerical connections to them. Depending upon the circumstances, a dwearh might pray to the God of the Forge for a blessing while creating something at the smithy, and to the Goddess of Wisdom and Light for inspiration while doing the same. Dwearh find the daonni tradition of dedication to one particular deity odd and self-limiting.
Agents and Adventure
Dwearh adventurers are very common. Since losing their homeland to Zryk'ukx, there are many dwearh who do nothing but adventure as a way to provide for their clan. Additionally, dwearh possess a near fascination with metals and gemstones. Exploring the world and delving into ancient dungeons lends itself well to meet satiate this fascination.
Names
Male Names: Herndrumir, Doralgomri, Nurfoeck, Orormeag, Dewmunri, Breazor, Arakdraik, Grurebeth, Dworghous, Vakgreck
Female Names: Nottrude, Khulmella, Bramnaedred, Gradreasar, Owosera, Sadrebera, Yododrid, Deradgrani, Arerika, Syromweabo
Dwearh Traits
Ability Score Increase: You gain a +2 bonus to your Strength score
Age: Dwearh are more long-lived than daonni. Similarly, they mature slightly slower as well. Dwearh are generally considered adults by age 40 and live to be up to 200 years old.
Size: You are medium.
Speed: Your movement is 30.
Machinespeak. Dwearh are renowned for their ability to get the root of a mechanical or technological problem. When there is any question whether you can operate a machine, keep equipment functioning for "just a little longer", or understand what is wrong with a piece of machinery, you may roll a Wisdom (Machinespeak) check. You also make a Wisdom (Machinespeak) check to control a device or vehicle. Once per day, you can gain advantage on this check.
Stone Lore: You are well aware of exactly where you are underground at any particular time. You can tell how deep and which direction you are facing while underground. You have advantage on any roll that would keep you from getting lost underground.
Tool Proficiency: Dwearh are proficient with tools based upon their caste
Languages: You speak Common and the dwearh dialect of your clan.
Dwearh Subtypes
Castes
Earthsworn (priests, nobility, chymists)
Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Mittlemacher (warriors, merchants, artisans)
The mittlemachers are the backbone of the dwearh society. Nearly everything that is created, constructed, manufactured, or enchanted comes from this caste. They are not quite as in tune with the elemental earth as the Earthsworn, but still possess a great deal of understanding and knowledge about mining, rocks, and the earth.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Master Craftsman: Choose one additional set of tools, including thieves tools. You are proficient with these tools.
Fix Anything: As long as you possess a set of tools with which you have proficiency, you may take Advantage when making a repair check on non-magical equipment or devices.
Rubbleraff (casteless, no attunement to the earth)
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Civilization and Culture
History
When the majority of The Dreaming had passed through the Inner Spheres, the Prime was left to their own devices for many millennia. Over time, the behemoths of the elemental planes took the opportunity to expand their influence on the Prime. On Eryphir, for example, the elemental lords of water and air created humans as their slaves and workforce. They worked the seas, plowed the earth, and eventually took to the skies to capture and harness the energy of the elements, all at the bidding of their elemental masters.
The elemental lords of Earth and Fire created the Dwearh who took to the forge and dug deep into the ground, harvesting prized elemental earth and fire. The dwearh did not like humans (or any of the surface races, for that matter) and stayed deep underground in their mountain fortresses, shunning the world and toiling for the masters of fire and earth.
Eventually, as is usually the case when strong personalities class, the dwearh had enough of their elemental lords and revolted. While utterly unsuccessful in the beginning, eventually the dwearh won their independence from the collective might of the elemental planes of earth and fire. The humans too shed the yolk of their masters and rebelled - creating the first human and dwearh pantheon of Gods on Beonnis. The elemental behemoths were imprisoned and the destiny of both races was unknown for the first time in their existence.
The Dwearh Kingdom grew and eventually spanned the entire length of the Reimhelm mountains on Eryphir. The dwearh discovered the process for creating mithril and adamantine - giving them a distinct advantage over the other races in the realm. They were also responsible for many great inventions, including superb tunnel machines, and even a flying warmachine they used against the orcs of Mhagor. There were incursions into the realm of the Aos Si, and the warmachine of the dwearh even appeared to be turning its guns towards the human tribes in the fertile plains below the Reimhelm.
In the end, however, the greed of the dwearh exceeded their senses and with all of their machines and technology, they dug too deep - freeing the Earth Elemental behemoth, I'hux. Upon her release, I'hux utterly destroyed the dwearh capital of Weragnam in an instant. Hundreds of thousands of dwearh were thought killed in the fury and fire that followed. Over the course of the next seventy-five years, I'hux punished the dwearh along with those humans it could crush underfoot as well. It was not until the Gods descended and fought I'hux directly, that the torment of the dwearh finally ended.
The elemental lord was twice defeated, but the damage to the dwearh was more than complete. The kingdom held together under the leadership of King Gradgrim of Goldhouse for roughly fifty years after I'hux was released, but by the time the Gods intervened, the Last Kingdom of the Dwearh had collapsed. The majority of the dwearh who remained left the mountains for the first time and flooded into the lowlands. Some went east into the hinterlands, while many, many more went West into the lands of the humans.
Their reception was cold at first and it took many years for most dwearh to be accepted, but overtime their art at the forge and their skill at mining and geology won the human clans over.
Today, there are clusters of dwearh everywhere across Rion, whether it is within larger human settlements or villages of their own. Most work with their hands, whether that is some sort of smith, or working a labor intensive job, or, still others often serve as mercenaries or guards.
Zephyr - Tales from the Void
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The Species of Baennor
Getting Started in Zephyr History of Baennor The Species of Baennor Geography & Maps of Zephyr
The Species of Baennor
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