The Strangers Campaign - Races - Dwarves

Dwarves

Once the most prosperous and powerful race of Vermgalaec, the dwarves have become a diminished people; slowly disappearing from the world in the age of mankind. These decedents of the elder dwarves lack the ambition, nobility and stature of their forefathers. The elder dwarves changed the face of the Vermgalaec and epics commemorating their victories and romances are still sung by the balladeers of the younger races, but modern dwarves have no time for such frivolity. For them life is only hardship and toil in the shadow of humanity and their ilk.

•The dwarves did not adapt to a world changed by the presence of humans.

•The dwarves abandoned their cities and holdfasts to carve out caves and dig barrows.

•Dwarven births are few and are met with little celebration as there is always more work to be done.

Physical Description: Dwarves are a smallish people who have diminished in body just as has their presence and prominence in the world has. Most males stand about five feet tall and weigh about 135 pounds while females average 2 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter. Male dwarves tend to grow their hair long and those with beards often decorate them with a variety of clasps and intricate braids. They are attractive by human standards, but tend to have hawk shaped noses and prominent cheek bones. Female dwarves are rarely seen outside of their shadowed homes, but possess a delicate allure eotent, halflings, and humans all find captivating. There are many among the younger races who have spied a dwarf woman and scorned their own kind thenceforth. It is said by poets that the rarest and greatest treasure to be found in the whole of Vermgalaec is the smile of a dwarf maiden.

Society: The dwarves build no cities and fortify no towns. They live in small enclaves just below the earth or within human settlements. They prefer to work with metal and stone and show great expertise with such craft. Although great distance may separate dwarvish enclaves, there is little variance between them, giving rise to the human phrase “a dwarf is a dwarf”. Tradition holds that the dwarvish alphabet may only be chiseled in stone or etched in iron (or steel). Therefore, when writing in their own language, learned dwarves typically use a human alphabet.

Relations: Dwarves are equally comfortable in the presence of elves, halflings, and humans. They are somewhat standoffish towards

eotents, although ages have passed since any conflict between them. Dwarves are deeply distrustful of gnomes and resent any comparison with them.

Alignment and Religion: Dwarves tend to be lawful, but males are free to choose any alignment. They believe they are the firstborn of the gods, but the breaking of their ancient civilization has left them a spiritually shattered people. Lawful dwarves accept what has happened to their people as part of the great design and some of them believe that the Olmitigane (High King) will return one day to lead their people back to Oeraerhe, the island from which they believe the elder dwarves originated.

Female dwarves have been gifted by the gods and must be lawful. As such, they cannot take levels in any arcane spellcasting class.

Adventurers: A few dwarves want to live and feel passion like their progenitors. These types find great difficulty settling down with their kin, or in human society, and tend to wander. Male dwarven adventurers tend to be fighters, or rarely warpriests. Female dwarves may also be fighters, but are just as likely to pursue advancement as a cleric, druid, or oracle.

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