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Beneath the indomitable mountain ranges which scrape the very skies with their snow-capped peaks, below the fells and heathered moors, live the dwarves in their halls of stone. A race best known for their craftsmanship, dwarves are the unrivalled masters of masonry, metallurgy and jewelling. Skilled carpenters, glaziers, brickmakers, coopers and cobblers are also to be found amongst dwarvenkind.
Dwarves are wont to be thrawn and taciturn. Industrious, diligent and generally humourless. Though often characterised as a miserly, belligerent and swindlesome race (a reputation not entirely undeserved), most dwarves are honest, hard-working folk; if lacking in heroism and friendliness, a dwarf is a dependable companion.
Short and stout, dwarves stand between three and four feet in height on average. Despite their short stature, dwarves are thick-boned and compact, being of equal weight to men two feet taller. The difference in average height and weight between the sexes is less amongst dwarves than humans. Dwarves are, as a rule, dark-haired and dark-eyed. having buff skin with a ruddy hue. Lighter complexions are not unknown, but rare. Both sexes are capable of growing beards, though male dwarves' beards are longer and bushier.
Dwarves make their homes in hilly or mountainous regions, cutting halls out of the rockfaces or living entirely below the surface. There are many dwarven kingdoms across the foothills of the sundry mountain ranges, their cities nestled beneath the earth. Dwarves are, as a rule, far more comfortable underground than above the surface, and much dislike the sea and other bodies of water. They herd goats for their wool and milk, and keep ferrets as ratters, but are otherwise not overly fond of beasts. They will ride ponies at need, but are quite wary of larger steeds.
Strong and resilient for their size, dwarves have exceptional resistance to toxic substances. As such, they have a poison saving throw bonus of +1 per 3 points of constitution. Additionally, due both to their natural hardiness and also their knowledge of enchantment, all dwarven characters make saving throws against attacks from magical wands, staves, rods, and spells with the same bonuses they get against poison.
Because of their sturdy builds, dwarves add 1 to their initial Constitution scores. Their dour and suspicious natures cause them to subtract 1 from their initial Charisma scores.
A character of the dwarven race can be a bard, cleric, fighter, thief, illusionist, or wizard.
The initial languages a dwarf can learn are common, dwarvish, orcish, and any others your DM allows.
In addition to your afforded non-weapon proficiency slots, all dwarves gain two bonus slots which can be used for the following skills; appraisal, carpentry, gem-cutting, mining, smithing, or stonemasonry.
Dwarves are miners of great skill, spending much of their time below the surface of the Earth. While underground, they can detect the following information when within 10 feet of the particular phenomenon (but they can determine their approximate depth below the surface at any time).
| Detect Grade or Slope in Passage: | 1-5 on 1d6 |
| Detect new tunnel/passage construction: | 1-5 on 1d6 |
| Detect sliding/shifting walls or rooms: | 1-4 on 1d6 |
| Detect stonework traps, pits and deadfalls: | 1-3 on 1d6 |
| Determine approximate depth underground: | 1-3 on 1d6 |
Note that the dwarf must deliberately try to make these determinations; the information does not simply spring to mind unbidden.
Additionally, being well-accustomed to the dim and dank of their subterranean homes, dwarves are better capable of moving through and fighting in low-light conditions. Thus, in total darkness a dwarf suffers a penalty one point less than non-dwarves; -2 rather than -3 in total darkness, -1 rather than -2 in starlight, and no penalty in moonlight. Also, while moving in darkness, a dwarf suffers only half the normal movement penalty of non-dwarves.
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