Dwarf
Stout and hearty dwarves are the masters of the subterranean realm where their ingenuity and natural affinity with the earth see them digging mighty underground cities and building long-lasting civilizations.
Endless dangers prowl the lightless caverns and dwarves have developed their mastery of trap and defense against all manner of threats both above and below. Dwarven fortresses are some of the most impenetrable bastions in the known world.
While many dwarves took to subterranean dwellings as a way to avoid the horrendous scourge of Kaijan during the first supereon, an intrepid nation of dwarves stayed on the surface and fought back. Those mighty dwarves that killed a fearsome Kaijan and used an ancient, mysterious artifact to turn the Kaijan’s corpse into the first dragon are often held in reverie by other dwarven nations.
Dwarves are generally distinguished by three sublineages: the mountain dwarf, crag dwarf, and deep dwarf. Crag dwarves, or “Kharn’Khan,” build their cities within massive canyons, both natural and dwarf-made, where each layer is carefully excavated and then settled. The beardless, pale-skinned deep dwarves, or “Uhn’Gunder,” settle within the deepest caves of the earth where stories of “daylight” are told to frighten children. Lastly, mountain dwarves, or “Strugar,” carve their homes in the tallest peaks and laud their thick beards and natural resistance to the coldest heights.
Dwarven Culture
Dwarves of all types prize their craftsmanship and architecture. They honor their ancestors with massive shrines.
Crag Dwarf
Crag dwarves tend to focus their societies around ancient ruins and archeological treasures found in their mines. They are well known for their clay crafts and stonework. Many crag dwarf cities are built in restored ruins of ancient dwarven or elven civilizations and their clothes and creations are an integration of long-forgotten styles.
Deep Dwarf
Deep dwarves are naturally the most isolated of the sublineages and tend to be wary of outside influences. Their dangerous environments leave them little room for arts or frivolity and their societies focus more on survival than long term legacy. Deep dwarves have a particular affinity for the ancient technologies and structures found below the earth and have absorbed much of their discoveries into their own societies. In fact, many deep dwarf nations have large populations of remnants, as well as smaller but notable populations of raedeen.
Mountain Dwarf
Mountain dwarves celebrate rare metals and gems, often using them to embellish their crafts and structures. As such, dwarvish goods are highly valued in trade.
Dwarf Traits
Height: 3’6” - 4’6”
Weight: 120 - 240 lbs
Size: Medium
Base Speed: 20 ft
Appearance: Dwarves tend to have stocky proportions and often have skin and hair tones that reflect their environments, due to generations of evolution.
Crag Dwarf
- Crag dwarves have an earthier coloration, with skin tones like clay or sandstone and hair ranging from red to dark brunette. Generally taller and comparatively lankier than other dwarven sublineages.
Deep Dwarf
- Deep dwarves look almost alien, with pale skin that borders on translucent and large, dark eyes adapted to navigate the utter blackness of cavern living.
Mountain Dwarf
- The most plentiful dwarven lines are mountain dwarves, and there are few mountain ranges in the world where you cannot find at least one outpost. With skin colors ranging from brown to pale, most of these dwarves, regardless of gender, grow thick and bushy beards looped with trinkets of precious metals. In most mountain dwarf societies, you can tell a dwarf’s status by the length of their beards and the sheer number of gold and platinum adornments therein. Their hair ranges in shade from blonde and brunette to granite-gray or black.
Lifespan: Dwarves reach maturity around 16 years of age and can live as long as 300 years.
International Outlook: While dwarves tend to be insular in their communities, they frequently engage in trade and cooperation with friendly civilizations. They often form powerful alliances with elves, humans, and kleppin societies.
Dwarf Features
Dwarf Starting Features
At level 1, you gain the following features as a dwarf. You gain additional features based on your sublineage.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Stonesense | You have a natural affinity for caving and the underground world. Gain +5 to any History, Geography, and Navigating* checks regarding the underground. |
| Darkvision | You can see in darkness to a limit, even without any light source. Gain 30 ft of Darkvision. |
Sublineage
As the dwarves have spread across Ancerra, they have evolved to meet the unique challenges of their environment. Choose one of the following sublineages and gain bonus 1st level features based on your selection.
Crag Dwarf
Generally taller and comparatively lankier than other dwarven sublineages, the crag dwarves are well known for their massive canyon cities built within miles-deep crevices carved by time and dwarven hands. Here great waterfalls spin massive turbines that send elevator lifts hurtling upward and downward between hundreds of stone bridges that crisscross every possible level and gap. Crag dwarves dig their settlements by quarrying the dirt and stone in long layers parallel to streams and rivers, often uncovering long-buried ruins from ages past. They then rebuild such ruins, reinforcing previous fortifications and repurposing structures as they see fit. The crag dwarves are the most surface-adapted dwarves and often extend their territory into nearby forests and plains where farmlands or hunted game can supplement their stone and clay crafts.
As a crag dwarf, you gain the following features.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Stone Minded | Your WILL increases by +1. When a creature or effect attempts to impose Charmed on you, it must roll 2d20 and take the lower. |
| Ruin Dweller | Gain +6 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill.
|
Deep Dwarf
The deep dwarves are the rarest of dwarves and the least likely to be seen on the surface world. As denizens of the deepest caves, deep dwarves stand apart from their cousins by their pale skin, large eyes, and beardless faces. Their cities often contain tightly-packed and protected districts hidden behind layers of trapped corridors and hidden passageways. Few outsiders ever have the opportunity to travel their tunnels.
As a deep dwarf, you gain the following features.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Dangersense | Your ANT increases by +1. When making an AWR check made to detect an ambush or trap, roll 2d20 and take the higher. |
| Deep Dweller | Gain +6 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. You cannot put more than +4 points into a single skill using this feature.
|
Mountain Dwarf
The most plentiful dwarven lines are mountain dwarves, and there are few mountain ranges in the world where you cannot find at least one outpost. With skin colors ranging from brown to pale, most of these dwarves, regardless of gender, grow thick and bushy beards looped with trinkets of precious metals. In most mountain dwarf societies, you can tell a dwarf’s status by the length of their beards and the sheer number of gold and platinum adornments therein.
As a mountain dwarf, you gain the following features.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Frozen Fortitude | Your FORT increases by +1. When making END checks to mitigate the effects of extreme cold, roll 2d20 and take the higher. |
| Mountainborn | Gain +6 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill.
|
All Dwarf Features
You gain an additional feature at the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 29th levels. Choose from the features below.
| Feature | PreReq | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Craftsdwarf | Repeatable. Gain +6 Skill Points that you can spend on any skills with the crafting tag. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill. | |
| Darkvision II | Darkvision | Gain +30 ft Darkvision. |
| Dwarven Constitution | Repeatable. Gain +6 Skill Points that you can spend on any skills with the athleticism tag. You cannot spend more than +4 points on a single skill in this way. | |
| Dwarven Ingenuity | Gain +3 to AWR checks to detect hidden doors or traps. | |
| Dwarven Ingenuity II | Dwarven Ingenuity | Gain the Tripwire ability.
If a creature does not see you set this trap, they must make an AWR/Perceiving check against a DC equal to 10 + your AWR. A trap has 5 HP, an AR of 10, and can be disabled using the same DC. |
| Dwarven Ingenuity III | Dwarven Ingenuity II | Tripwire becomes 1/Recoup. Additionally, on a hit, your Tripwire ability now deals 1d6 sharp damage and knocks Prone in addition to being Slowed. |
| Earth-Blood | Gain Resist Toxic +3. | |
| Earth-Blood II | Earth-Blood | Gain Resist Toxic +3, Immune Common Diseases, and Immune Uncommon Diseases. |
| Earth-Blood III | Earth-Blood II, Character Level 20 | Gain Immune Toxic, Immune Common Poison, and Immune Uncommon Poisons. |
| Steel Heart | Repeatable. Your max HP increases by +5 each time you take this feature. | |
| Stoutling | You can now carry three additional weapons and a total of three items with the unwieldy tag. | |
| Treasure Hunter | Repeatable. Gain +3 to Lockpicking and +4 to Dungeoneering. |
*Updated to v1.2
| Core Lineages | Bhrunai • Dragonfolk • Dwarf • Elemental • Elf • Fiendblood • Golem • Halfling • Hondu • Human • Kettek • Kleppin • Raedeen • Remnant • Satyr • Trollkin • Undead • Urkou |
|---|---|
| Additional Lineages | Harker's: Batfolk • Dhampir • Gretchling • Hellspawn |