Dwarves (Also known as “Shorty”, or “Lawn Ornament”, but never to one’s face)
Physical Description: A short, stocky humanoid, that would be mistaken for a short human in most
circumstances. Male dwarves take great pride in cultivating a long beard, whereas females cannot grow
facial hair. Dwarves have slightly pronounced canines.
Most humans describe dwarves as “Good men to have at your back in a fight”
Most elves describe dwarves as “Old fuddy duddies who never have any fun, and they smell”
Types: Mountain, Hill and Deep
Height: 5’2 to 5’6, females 5’ to 5’3
Weight: Denser than humans, 70-120 Kg, Stocky build
Hair color: Black, Gray, Dark Red, Dark Brown. There are few blond Dwarves
Eye Color: Black to light gray. Dwarvish eyes reflect red in torchlight.
Skin color: Pink, though most dwarves are heavily tanned. There are communities of black
skinned dwarves, but tend to live to the south.
Life Span: A dwarf will live between 250 and 300 years
Community: Dwarves normally live in communities of 30 to 1000, but can be up to 10,000 (Rare!)
They are usually led by a king (Who normally doesn’t want the job) When the old king dies, a new one is
elected, and is usually a hero, someone who has done a great service to the community, or a master smith.
It is not unheard of for a human to become a king, but is exceedingly rare. Normally it takes upwards of a
decade to elect a king, and then another to convince him to take the job. Dwarves are Patriarchs, and no
woman has ever taken a dwarfish throne in recorded history. Dwarves, contrary to popular opinion, don’t
live in the ground, but in villages and strongholds on the sides of mountains or hills, and raise goats and
other hardy mountain breeds.
Children: Dwarvish women can have children once every 5 years, and will generally have one
child, but twins are not rare. Children are fiercely protected, but expected to be able to defend themselves at
an early age. Children reach maturity at age 30.
Religion: Dwarves worship their own gods, but do not have a priesthood as such. The dwarven
smiths will normally dedicate their work to one or another of their gods, and see fine workmanship as the
only form of respect necessary. A Dwarf will commonly put his clenched fist over his first mug of ale in a
night in simple benediction
Magic: Dwarves are absolutely forbidden to use any kind of magic. Any dwarf dabbling in the art
will be put down by his fellows for the good of all. Any dwarf that learns magic will be hunted down and
destroyed by any number of powerful beings (Including gods, demi-gods, arch-demons, Lich, Dragons, etc)
who may destroy the entire community (and in fact any dwarf within a thousand kilometers), out of fear of
corruption. Dwarves, on achieving 8th level, automatically are able to create magical weapons and armor,
with normal chances of failing. This is the only magic talent allowed to dwarves.
Notes: Deep dwarves live wholly underground, and unlike their brethren tend to evil. Deep
dwarves are albinos, and less intelligent than their above ground cousins. They are fiercely hunted when
discovered in the deep passages.
Dwarves love precious metals and gems, and often go to great lengths to mine them. Some are
traded for luxury items that are normally unavailable in their home. Though they can spend vast lengths of
time underground, dwarves prefer to sleep in a bed, at home with wife and family. As one dwarf said “Lets
face it, the underground is great for gems and stuff, but it’s damn depressing after a while, and it’s hard to
get a good ale out of rock”
Dwarves also tend to be fiercely proud of their champions, heroes and kings, and woe be the
person who says a derogatory word about any of them. The most mild mannered dwarf will likely pitch you
into the river tied to an anchor. Most of them aren’t as forgiving. Dwarves like their blood-bowl too, and
tend to bet heavily, especially if the opposition is composed of Kobolds, mountain trolls, goblins or orcs.
There have been instances of the entire opposition team being slaughtered, but winning because the
dwarves just charged them, and ignored the ball altogether. As yet there has never been a recorded incident
of a Dragon playing bloodbowl, but apparently the dwarves have a pool going in hope.
Dwarves, humans and elves cannot procreate. They are different species.
Bonuses/Penalties:
Advantages:
Advantages: Dwarves eyes have special adaptations to allow them to mine more effectively.
Basically they can swap their eyesight at will to see in the infra-red spectrum, at the same time, they will be
able to see magnetic fields, enabling them to see several foot into solid stone (But not through it!). This
ability makes it seem as though dwarves can “smell” gems and precious metals. A dwarf can tell two
varieties of granite apart simply by how they lose heat, as well as their magnetic signature. A dwarf can see
any precious metal or gem within 10m (1m of stone).
In game terms, this also allows the dwarf to see perfectly in pitch darkness, and to see invisible
creatures and objects. Dwarves also have a +50% chance to detect secret doors while their “Infravision” is
on. However a dwarf may not use his infravision in anything more than starlight, or take the chance of
becoming permanently blind. For every candle lit above one, the dwarf has a cumulative 10% chance of
being blinded (Half that of being blinded permanently). If someone casts a spell that produces light, or
suddenly unshutters a lantern, the dwarf may roll ‘vs reflexes to close his eyes. Dwarvish infravision is
absolutely useless unless there is no light whatsoever. Dwarves do not have night sight and are thus like
humans at night until less than starlight is achieved.
Dwarves can “Smell” precious metals and gems even in normal light, but only has a 10% + 6%
per level of doing so.
Dwarves are slightly supernatural and thus can run for 3 days plus their endurance in hours solid
without rest, they can also consume vast quantities of alcohol without becoming drunk. They are also the
only intelligent species known that can eat dwarven bread (They are not very happy about it, but they can
do it).
Dwarves begin with a perception of 12.
Dwarves gain +2 to stealth in mountains, hills and underground.
Because they live in a somewhat magical environment, dwarves gain +1 to MD
Dwarves may have a maximum strength and endurance of 19
Disadvantages:
Dwarves, as said above, may not use or learn magic. They tend to be somewhat clannish, as well
as intolerant of new ideas “if it was good enough for my pa, it’s good enough for me.” Dwarves dislike
Dragons (Who couldn’t care less) as well as mountain trolls, orcs, goblins and kobolds (each of whom care
a great deal more). Dwarves cannot swim. They cannot learn to swim. If a Dwarf falls in any water, he will
sink like a stone to the bottom. For this reason, dwarves rarely bathe (And therefore tend to smell).
Dwarves have difficulty refusing a challenge, especially a drinking challenge.
Dwarves have a maximum psychic talent of 13