Dwarves are a short, stocky race, averaging about 4–41_2' tall. They often have ruddy complexions, dark hair or reddish, and piercing, dark eyes. The natural life span for a dwarf is about 350 years. They are a serious lot, given rarely to frivolity. They prefer a good, hard day’s work. Though sometimes considered dour or taciturn, few doubt the dwarves’ courage or bravery. They have little talent for magic, but excel at fighting, war craft, and arts such as engineering.

Dwarves typically live in hilly or mountainous regions, enjoying the strength of the earth and rocks that make up their underground homes. However, Dwarves can be found in many areas of the Isles but particularly in the Western area known as the Dragon's Wings, the Dragon Spine Hills and the Far Northerned Highlands. You will also find dwarves in all the major popolution centres around the Isles. Infact many of the Isles dwarves don't even live under ground - some may never venture ant deeper than the cellars of their shops!

Dwarves are most frequently thought of for their ability to mine the earth for precious metals and gems, and they are particularly fond of gold. However they also are great merchants, farmers, brewers, priests. They also make good warriors and if their general mannerism mean they don't make for charasmatic leaders, their ability as solid thinkers mean they can make for superb tactians whose advice may be sort by others.

The Dwarven Race

Players who choose dwarves for their characters have 45 character points to spend on racial abilities. These points can be spent to customize a dwarf from the general skill list below. Only 5 points can be retained for use later in the character creation process.

Axe bonus (5): +1 to attack rolls with hand or battle axes.

Better Balance (10): +1 to the Balance subability score. This allows a dwarven character to have more than a 4 point difference in the Dexterity subabilities.

Brewing (5): +2 to the Brewing proficiency score. The dwarf must have this proficiency to gain this benefit.

Close to the earth (5): Dwarves with this ability heal faster in subterranean settings. When this character is underground, he heals 2 points of damage overnight rather than the 1 point normally healed by other races. This bonus does not apply if the character is above ground.

Constitution/Health bonus (10): A Constitution/Health score bonus of +1, because the dwarf is accustomed to the cold and often damp Underdark.

Crossbow bonus (5): Because dwarves favor crossbows, they gain a +1 attack bonus with any crossbow. Hurled weapons are limited in tunnels, and other bows require large pieces of wood which are not readily accessible.

Determine stability (5): The character is an expert at determining if the ground is stable. By concentrating for one round, the character can determine if there will be a dangerous tremor, collapse, rockfall or slide when the character enters an area. The chance of success is 1–4 on 1d6.

Determine age (5): By examining a building or ruins, the dwarf stands an excellent chance of determining the approximate age of the structure. The chance of success is 1–5 on 1d6.

Dense skin (10): If the dwarf is struck by a blunt weapon, the character suffers only half the damage the attack would normally inflict.

Detect poison (5): By sniffing food or drink, the dwarf can determine if it has been poisoned. The chance of success is 1–4 on 1d6.

Evaluate gems (5): A dwarf with this ability can determine within 10% the value of any given gem.

Expert haggler (5): This dwarf drives a hard bargain. Anything he purchases costs 10% less than the listed price.

Hit point bonus (10): The dwarf gains an additional hit point each time the character attains a new level.

Illusion resistant (5): These dwarves gain a +2 bonus on attempts to disbelieve illusions.

Improved Stamina (10): +1 to the Stamina subability score. This allows a dwarven character to have more than a 4 point difference in the Strength subabilities.

Infravision (10): Dwarves have infravision to 60 feet—their eyes have the ability to see further in dim or faint light allowing them to function in most places that are poorly lit. This sight extends only to a range of 60 feet. Naturally, there must be some light for elvensight to function. No greater intensity of light than starlight is needed, for his or her elvensight to work. Elf eyes must, of course, adjust to a change in light. They can no more immediately use their elvensight any more than a human can immediately adjust to the sunlight after spending a time in darkness. In dwarves who live underground, starlight can be replaced by the luminous light given off by fungi and molds found underground.

Mace bonus (5): +1 to attack rolls with the footman’s mace.

Meld into stone (10): Once a day a dwarf with this ability can meld into stone as a priest of the same level.

Melee combat (10): Dwarves have a +1 bonus to their attack rolls vs. orcs, half-orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins. Further, when ogres, half-ogres, ogre magi, trolls, giants, or titans fight dwarves, these aggressors suffer a –4 penalty on all attack rolls. Dwarves are small and have defensive tactics against these large foes.

Mining Detection Abilities (10): A character with this skill is familiar with mining, tunneling and stonework. By concentrating for one round the character can:

• Determine the approximate depth underground, 1–3 on 1d6.
• Detect any sliding or shifting walls or rooms, 1–4 on 1d6.
• Detect any grade or slope in the passage they are passing through, 1–5 on 1d6.
• Detect stonework traps, pits, and deadfalls, 1–3 on 1d6.
• Detect new construction in stonework., 1–5 on 1d6.

More muscles (10): +1 to the Muscle subability score. This allows a dwarven character to have more than a 4 point difference in the Strength subabilities.

Pick bonus (5): +1 to attack rolls with military picks.

Saving Throw Bonuses (10): Dwarves gain bonuses to saving throws vs. poison and against magical attacks from rods, wands, and spells based on their Constitution/Health scores. Determine the dwarf’s Constitution/Health score and consult the chart below:

Short sword bonus (5): +1 to attack rolls with short swords.

Stealth (10): If the dwarf is not in metal armor, a –2 penalty is applied to opponent’s surprise rolls if the dwarf is at least 90 feet ahead of a party of characters without this ability, or accompanied only by characters with equivalent stealth skills. The dwarf is also difficult to surprise himself and receives a +2 bonus to his own surprise rolls.

Stone tell (10): Once a day a dwarf with this ability can use the stone tell ability, as a priest of the same level.

Warhammer bonus (5): +1 to attack rolls with the war hammer.

Because of their resistance to magic, dwarves have difficulty using enchanted items. All magical items not specially suited to the dwarf’s character class have a 20% (on 1d100 roll) to malfunction. A check for malfunction is made every time the dwarf attempts to use the item. If the check is passed, the item works until it is turned off, put away, or its duration expires. If the check fails, the magical qualities of the item cannot be called upon, though the item might function normally the next time the dwarf tries to use it. Malfunction checks apply to magical wands, rods, staves, rings, amulets, potions, horns, and jewels. The checks do not apply to dwarven clerics using clerical magical items, and to weapons, shields, armor, gauntlets, and girdles. If a dwarf possesses a cursed item and it malfunctions, the dwarf will recognize the nature of the item and can safely dispose of it.

Dwarves are basically good people. They seek to harm no one, merely to coexist with them, or even better, to be left alone. Because of their good nature, dwarves have been known to persevere in the face of insults and inexplicable behavior. They have banded together with men and elves in times of crisis, and have entered long term trade agreements of mutual benefit.

They have little patience for the ways of humans who simply do things wrong. Humans either waste time in petty pursuits or are so keen to achieve their goals, they are willing, almost eager, to be forceful and rude. They have no conception of the proper rhythm of the world, which is hardly surprising since they allow their lives to be dominated by the changes of night and day and the seasons. No sooner do they achieve something, than their children want to change it, replace it, or worse, lose interest in it entirely.

Elves should know better, but they lack the simplest virtues of patience, diligence, and consistency. They are renowned for wasting their lives enjoying themselves instead of producing lasting goods. The differences between elves and dwarves have led to many disagreements. This usually occurred because dwarves considered agreements to be binding until the end of time, while the elves thought they were to last as long as they were useful. Entire strongholds may have been threatened or destroyed because elves failed to honor a pledge. Perhaps some minor slight elves have forgotten, has been harbored and nurtured and passed on to the next generation.

As fellow underground dwellers, gnomes are looked upon more favorably by dwarves, though the gnomes' delight in black humor and practical jokes has caused friction.

A private people, dwarves often have difficulty expressing emotion. Their society is structured to make displays of anger, envy, jealousy, and hatred unnecessary. They are capable of harboring grudges and hatreds, but these are usually directed outside of the stronghold. Dwarves rarely insult or distress each other, but other races distress them greatly. Not giving them the respect they demand, enquiring casually about wealth, or making them the butts of jokes, are guaranteed to make dwarves angry. But this anger will normally only show itself as a scowl or a contraction of the brows. Other races have concluded, therefore, that dwarves are humorless, not realizing that dwarves do not release their anger. They allow it to simmer and increase until they explode, becoming their own stereotypes grumpy, taciturn, stubborn, and unyielding. Dwarves often despair at the extremely poor manners of other races.

Dwarves willingly live under lawful institutions, respecting privacy and personal space. Law induces order, organization, and a stable society. The society reflects the natural order of the world, with everything in its proper place. Laws exist to be obeyed, not to be broken. Society exists so that dwarves may be free from unnecessary intrusions.

Even though law is important, dwarves are fairly individualistic. They have personal views that they rarely make known to others, one reason they are seen as a taciturn race. However, when a dwarf thinks that his own views are not being heard, he will become grumpy, silent, and bear his distress stoically.

This stoicism, and the desire not to grieve others, is evident in the way they view wealth as a private matter. Only powerful and respected dwarves are expected to display wealth openly, and even then ostentatious displays are frowned upon. All dwarves are expected to, and prefer to, keep their wealth hidden.

It is considered bad manners to flaunt accumulated wealth. Such behavior is offensive and has caused dwarves who travel in the surface world to be deeply insulted. Wealth, particularly gems and precious metals, are for personal delight. They should be carefully hoarded and displayed for one's closest family or cherished friends. It is a mark of acceptance and friendship among dwarves for one to reveal his wealth. By doing so, he is not only sharing the joy of his possessions, but is saying, "You are my friend, whom I trust not to steal from me." (The exception to this, of course, is wealth displayed through excellent craftsmanship in utilitarian items. A beautifully crafted and gilded axe with an inlaid gem or two is not ostentatious if it is functional. Dwarves claim this is not a subjective distinction, but most other races find it hard to follow the reasoning.)

Other races, and elves in particular, find this attitude very strange. Humans and elves delight in the display of their wealth, allowing others to admire its beauty. No dwarf would do such a thing. It's no surprise that dwarves are considered mean and greedy by races who cannot understand their motivation.

Dwarves are viewed as humorless, if not downright grumpy, by other races. This is a fair assessment. They do not often tell jokes, and have no appreciation of practical jokes. Society is based on law, order, and a respect for one's fellows. A dwarf does not abuse that respect by ridiculing another's dignity.

Dwarven families are called hearths, a term which means "the place where children are born and raised." The hearth is the basic unit of dwarf society. A clan may be composed of two to a hundred or more families, depending on its strength.

A hearth includes grandfather and grandmother, their children, and any offspring of their children. Family members share the same dwelling and are extremely close-knit. Unlike human or elf families, the dwarven hearth is not an insular unit, but part of a larger clan. Hearths within a clan are united by blood, and this links the clan together, making it more than just a collection of individual families.

A hearth has a single line of descent. Cousins, aunts, and uncles are not part of the hearth but, as members of the clan, are close to the family.

In some ways the hearth is a convenient social organization rather than an important entity in its own right. Its primary purpose is to create a legal and social environment into which children may be born and to provide a stable environment in which children may be nurtured and educated in the rudiments of dwarf beliefs and conduct. At the core of the hearth is the institution of marriage.

Dwarves are not romantics. The vast majority of marriages are arranged by clan elders. Their main concern is to secure the continuation of the clan by ensuring that children are properly raised. They select suitable males from eligible candidates and ensure that the family has a warm and secure place to live.

Dwarf society is about one-third female. Dwarves are monogamous, and marriages are entered into for life. That, along with the fact that males outnumber females about two to one, means that many males do not marry. A woman who loses her spouse will, after a year of mourning, remarry. Grandparents play as important a role in child rearing as do parents; elders find mates for widowed grandmothers.

Divorce does not exist in dwarf society. Couples who have grown distant from one other will continue to share the hearth and the responsibilities of child rearing. Only death can end a marriage.

Dwarves reproduce very slowly compared to humans and orcs. The birth of twins is rare and triplets and quadruplets do not occur. The majority of families have only one or two children to care for. This is seen as a virtue because it allows them to lavish their time and care on one child, and give that child a better education than would be possible with several.

Until the age of 10, young dwarves are cared for within the hearth. During these formative years, they learn to speak and are taught the traditions and history of their clan and stronghold. The children socialize with others daily, often in a special clan nursery, while their parents and grandparents are at work. In the nursery the children are taught the rudiments of their clan's craft. Children from an armorer's clan will play with miniature suits of armor, those from a baker's clan will play with scales and bread dough. They are allowed to follow their natural instincts and are provided toy tools and allowed to dig tunnels and "hidey-holes" in the nursery.

At the age of 10, more formal education begins. For eight hours every day the children learn runes and local history. Training in crafts begins with basic techniques and skills constantly drilled into them. Their education continues until their 25th year

On their 25th birthday, great celebrations are held to mark the coming of age. The whole clan assembles to witness the event and join in the fun. The climax of the celebration arrives when parents deliver the youth to the clan's guild master and apprenticeship begins. Males and females both serve the same apprenticeship, with no differentiation based on sex. Once the apprenticeship begins, the youth leaves his family hearth and goes to live in the apprentices' dormitories; if apprenticed to individual craftsmen, to the craftsman's hearth. They may return home for one day a week, otherwise they are busy learning their trade. Dwarf apprenticeships are served for 25 years. At the end of the apprenticeship, celebrations are held to mark the dwarf's entry into adulthood and the acceptance of adult responsibilities. It is only then that dwarves may become adventurers. Very few dwarves under the age of 50 are given that freedom, nor would they seek it unless severe circumstances dicate it.

Once dwarves have attained adulthood, they are eligible for marriage. Most female dwarves are expected to marry at this time. Females from military clans, such as Hearth Guards, frequently delay marriage until later in life. Few young males have much hope of marrying soon, as the clan elders invariably choose suitors who have plied their craft for at least 10 years after apprenticeship. Males, achieving adult status, will spend their time honing their skills and amassing wealth. Those from military clans may now leave their strongholds to go adventuring, in the hope of acquiring wealth and reputation enough to enhance their chances of marriage. Other craftsmen may leave their stronghold for places in towns and cities in other parts of the Isles. This is probably why all dwarves seem to humans (at least) to be wise old men. In reality many of them are as naive about the outside world as their teenage human counterparts.

Dwarves don't reach middle age until around 125 years of age. An dwarf is considered old if he reaches 170 years old and they frequently live up to 250 years. Perhaps their love of gold is merely a desire to ensure they have a pension which means they can enjoy retirement in style?

Adult dwarves usually work 8 to 12 hours a day. Those with children are limited to 8 hours a day and are expected to spend the rest of the time with their children. Female dwarves work the same hours until a month before they are ready to give birth. Pregnancies are 12 months long, and tradition dictates that the month preceding the birth be spent preparing the hearth for its new member. After working hours, the time of unmarried dwarves is their own. For the first few hours, unmarried dwarves usually seek their own solitude, and an opportunity to count their wealth. Then they will visit the hearths of married relatives. Around the hearths stories are told, songs are sung, and children play. Single dwarves often congregate in one of the clan's great halls to feast and swap stories, and to be amused by entertainers with juggling, acrobatics, and other displays of skill. After an evening's amusement, they sleep 8 hours before rising to work.

Dwarf clans are family groups that are all related to one another. All the members of a clan trace their lineage back to a common ancestor. This could be the founder of a stronghold, but it may go back only as far as the previous generation.

Each clan specializes in a particular craft or skill: blacksmithing, mining, and weaponsmithing are examples.

Different clans usually live close to each other so that they can trade skills among themselves. The relationships between clans are complicated and interdependent. The blacksmith clan needs to eat, so they trade with bakers and butchers.

Most clans are concerned with the manufacture of goods and services. They love to create things from raw material, and delight in the working of stone and metal. There are clans that specialize in military and political activities. Military clans include specialists, such as Hearth Guards, Animal Masters, and Sharpshooters. A political clan is usually responsible for governing the stronghold and comprises the king's or ruler's own family, plus other high born dwarves. These dwarves have undergone long apprenticeships in their chosen trade and are experts. Like other dwarves, they are convinced that they are always right. They tend to be argumentative with outsiders, even with political families from other strongholds.

In major strongholds, each clan practices its own craft. In smaller ones, a clan may practice a number of crafts. Out of preference, dwarves practice one craft only, and that one skill may be honed to a higher level than would be possible if two, three or four skills were practiced.

Dwarf priests are drawn from all the clans in a stronghold and may be the only dwarves who are not tied closely to their clans. Many priesthoods, like those concerned with arts and crafts, are a part of their clans and closed to all others. The priests who serve the blacksmith's god, for example, are the spiritual leaders of that clan.

Clans and Guilds

The clans are regulated by guilds that legislate all matters of trade. Guilds specify weights and measures, quality, and the pricing of items.

For example, the Guild of Bakers establishes the weight, price, and ingredients of loaves of bread. All clans conform to these strictures. Those of other strongholds will have different strictures imposed by their guilds. This leads to situations where dwarves from one baker's clan will get into heated arguments with a baker's clan from another stronghold over which one's loaf is of the correct weight. This, combined with their stubborn nature and inability to compromise, is why dwarves are so wary of each other. One view is always right, and all others always wrong.

(Note, however, that this does not mean that dwarves slavishly adhere to narrow production standards. Within the limits established by the guilds is tremendous room for individual expression. In fact, two loaves of bread that conform to the same guidelines may appear completely different to the uninitiated. And each guild typically has a bewildering array of accepted standards to choose from for any specific type of item.)

Even though the guilds control the business of the clans, they may not control the clan politically. This is left to elders who handle marriage arrangements, housing, and political dealings with other clans. The elders are the oldest dwarves in the clan. They are frequently also the richest, having amassed large fortunes over the centuries. Some may be guild masters, but this is not a requirement. When this does occur, differences between clan and guild become even more blurred.

New Clans

New clans are formed when a dwarf decides to take up a different profession from that of his own clan. He may learn a new profession by apprenticing himself to another clan with the understanding that he will either become a member of the clan through marriage, or that he will practice his new trade at a different site. In both cases, he relinquishes membership in his original clan and swears never to reveal the secrets of its guild to others.

If he has served his apprenticeship and does not marry into the new clan, he is obliged to move to a different stronghold or found a new one. His descendants follow his profession. Although still related by blood to his original clan, he is no longer considered to be part of that clan. Ties to his immediate family remain strong, and he may call upon them for aid if he needs assistance. If he is attacked or insulted, his brothers and sisters will quickly come to his aid, as will others of their clan, but he cannot expect their help in matters of trade and daily life.

Clans and Society

A sick or injured dwarf will be fed and cared for by his clan. Those in good health are expected to work in order to maintain the welfare and reputation of the clan. No dwarf would ever do otherwise.

Someone who cheats or doesn't pull his own weight earns the disapproval of his fellow clansmen. He will be warned and pressure will be brought to bear to ensure that he does not bring the name of the clan into disrepute. If he does not heed the warnings, he will be ostracized. An ostracized dwarf loses all benefits provided by the clan. The clan's guild will prevent him from working and confiscate his tools if it can. If he shows a desire to mend his ways, he will be allowed back into the clan, and the guild will lift the ban. If not, he will be left to himself and even his family will shun him.

Dwarves love to work and find pleasure in it. This pleasure is so spiritually uplifting that any attempt at humor appears facile. Those not content with work or their position in life may need such diversion, but humor is seen as insult.

That's not to say that dwarves are humorless, they have a very black humor concerning their racial enemies, but their sense of humor is very different from that of humans, for example. They do not find jokes about personal suffering or failure funny. They do find those based upon clever stories entertaining. The problem is that dwarven jokes tend to follow a standard narrative pattern. Because of their great length, endless genealogies, and catalogs of dwarven concerns, it is difficult for other races to maintain any interest in them. Dwarf comedians, telling jokes to other races, are frequently annoyed when audience attention slips after 15 minutes or so, or when the audience has no concept of the importance of lineage in the joke's 'punch paragraph!' Races who have been subjected to dwarven humor fail to realize that it does not rely on the delivery of one liners, but on the slow presentation of a chapter, if not an entire book.

Dwarves love to sing. Many have rich baritone voices that echo splendidly about their chambered halls. Numerous great halls are specially constructed around natural acoustic properties. Except for solo performances by entertainers, singing is a group activity. On formal occasions songs written to display their vocal ranges are sung by massed choirs. On less formal occasions, any dwarf may sing within a hall or around the hearth.

Their songs speak of the beauty of the earth, commemorate famous deeds of valor, or sing of the construction of a magnificent bridge or other edifice. Some are laments that tell of the death of a loved one or great hero, or the loss of a stronghold to monsters. The songs tend to be long and very well written. Most races would lose patience with a spoken story, but even elves have sat entranced for hours by the story songs of dwarves.

Dwarves also enjoy playing instruments; flutes, horns, bagpipes, drums, and percussion instruments especially. They rarely play stringed instruments because short fingers are ill suited to plucking strings and picking out chords. Their music is either martial or mournful. Rarely will musicians accompany singers: music dampens the true resonance of the voice. However, special songs have been written, and are performed, for voice and instrument.

Dwarves enjoy a wide variety of food, with a preference for meat. Many dwarven clans keep cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and fowl. These animals are grazed above ground on upland meadows or plateaus.

In high ranges, mountain dwarves keep animals more suited to subterranean existence: giant lizards and beetles and these are selectively bred for cooking.

Although meat is a staple of their diet, large quantities of grains are also consumed. When possible wheat, rye and barley are grown close to the stronghold. They are harvested and kept in underground granaries. Many who live close to humans or halflings buy large quantities of grain to supplement their own production. This is used not just in food production but that other grear dwarven export - Beer and some spirits too.

Dwarves who live in the deep earth substitute various types of fungi for grains. Like the giant lizards and beetles, many of these fungi have been carefully bred to produce a wide variety of flavors to excite the palate. Dwarven cooking also makes use of vegetables for flavor and variety. They do not eat spicy or heavily seasoned food, and consequently dwarven cooking tastes bland to humans and elves, but the food is wholesome, consisting of thick stews served on broad slices of bread. While they are not voracious eaters like halflings, few humans or elves can eat as much as a dwarf in a single meal.