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Dwarf Species Details

One of the Elder Folk, Dwarves make their homes beneath the mountains of Taelgar, carving great halls of stone and light beneath the earth, aided by their innate runic magic from their connection to their gods, the Bahrazel. Short, broad-shouldered, and often bearded, the first dwarves built majestic underground cities of light and splendor. While many dwarves still dwell in their ancestral mountain homes, they have spread around the world and are one of the more common of the Elder Folk seen in the realms of other species on Taelgar, as travelers, visitors, and long-term residents.

Dwarven culture and society are shaped by ties of kinship and clan, and by the mystical bonds of their thuhr, a uniquely dwarven combination of guild, secret society, and found family. Dwarves, no matter where they live, have a mystical connection to the Bahrazel, that deepens when they reach adulthood and complete the rite of name-taking, becoming part of a thuhr. There are seven thuhr, each associated with one of the Bahrazel: Ruler, Runecrafter, Priest, Farmer, Stoneworker, Traveler, and Warrior. The thuhr function as a combination of guild, mentorship organization, found family, and secret society, creating ties between clans.

Creating Your Dwarf Character

To create your dwarf character, consider your relationship with your thuhr and the Bahrazel. Some dwarves have a deep and abiding connection to their thuhr, to the extent it may replace the bonds of clan and family; for others, their thuhr may have opened doors to apprenticeships or training, but faded in relevance later in life; for yet others, it may be simply part of the background noise of their lives. You are free to decide how significant or insignificant your thuhr is as you roleplay your character.

All dwarves also have a connection to the Bahrazel, as this is what grants you your rune magic trait, described below. The guiding principle of Dwarven religion is based around a set of obligations and debts to the divine, in exchange for power and favors. It is up to you how much you want to make this part of your character: while some dwarves feel a particular connection to one of the Bahrazel, many dwarves are not particularly religious. Even divine magic users may not be particularly devote in dwarven society; the Bahrazel work in mysterious ways, and may grant divine power for their own purposes to even the most unlikely dwarf.

Finally, you might want to consider your upbringing. Did you grow up in a traditional dwarven settlement, in or under the mountains, part of one of the major dwarven kingdoms of the world? Or did you grow up among humans, perhaps living in the dwarven quarter of some city?

Dwarf Names

Dwarves typically have personal names, revealed to them when they make their pilgrimage to the Heart of the Mountain, and clan names which mark their familial associations. Young dwarves who have not made their pilgrimage yet (and are thus thuhr-less and nameless) typically go by diminutive nicknames given by their parents, which tend to be one syllable and are genderless in dwarven society. To choose a name for your Dwarven character, you might consider using one of the choices below, looking at a name list or a generator for inspiration, or you might invent your own.

Male Names: Adrik, Baern, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Vondal

Female Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra

Child Names: Adi, Art, Bar, Brot, Dag, Del, Ein, Eld, Gunn, Kat, Kel, Mar, Osk, Ris, Rur, Tak, Tor, Tra, Ulf, Von, Vis

Clan Names: Battlehammer, Boulderlock, Brawnanvil, Cragfire, Deepmine, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Goldborn, Hardcrown, Highkeep, Ironfist, Redbeard, Rockhammer, Sparkhorn, Stronghelm, Stoneaxe

Basic Traits

Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Your size is Medium.
Speed: 30 feet
Age: Dwarves mature at a little more slowly than humans, and are not considered full adults until they reach their age of majority at 25 and make a pilgrimage to the Heart of the Mountain to receive their name and thuhr. Dwarves have a long lifespan, often reaching 350 year of age.
Languages: You may select four languages during character creation, which should usually include Dwarvish. Like all characters, you may choose to replace one of these language proficiencies with a tool proficiency.

Dwarf Traits

As an Dwarf, you have these special traits.

Darkvision

You have Darkvision with a range of 120 feet.

Stonecunning

As a Bonus Action, you gain Tremorsense with a range of 60 feet for 10 minutes. You must be on a stone surface or touching such a surface to use this Tremorsense. The stone can be natural or worked. You can use this Bonus Action a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Thuhr

As adult dwarf, you belong to one of seven thuhr: Ruler, Runecrafter, Priest, Warrior, Traveler, Stoneworker, Farmer. Your thuhr does not limit your choice of class or profession. Rather, it reflects your role and place in dwarven society. While your thuhr has no direct mechanical effects, if you wish to represent a typical life experience for a dwarf of your thuhr, you may select a special Background representing each thuhr.

Binthuhr Dwarves

If you are a binthuhr dwarf (a young dwarf who has not visited the Heart of the Mountain, or an adult who failed to complete their pilgrimage), you do not have a Thuhr, Baharezel’s Blessing, or the Dwarven Rune Crafting trait. You may instead choose one 1st level feat to reflect your upbringing.

Bahrazel’s Blessing

Your innate connection to the Bahrazel provides you with a supernatural blessing. Choose one of the following options:
- Tarbaka’s Blessing of Craft. You learn the Mending cantrip. In addition, you have an uncanny ability to understand raw materials and how to shape them. You gain proficiency in two Artisan’s Tool of your choice. When you Craft items with your chosen Tools, you require only half the time and raw materials that would normally be required.
- Azar’s Blessing of Resilience. Your Hit Point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level.
- Oshkir’s Blessing of Aid. You learn the Guidance and Spare the Dying cantrips.
- Karthel’s Blessing of Shaping. You learn two cantrips from among Elementalism, Shape Water, Mold Earth, Gust, Control Flames, Thaumaturgy, or Light.
- Maganna’s Blessing of Communication. You learn the Message cantrip. You also gain proficiency in one additional language, and whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can pray to Maganna allowing you to exchange this language proficiency for another language.
- Fanrukel’s Blessing of Lore. You learn the Identify spell. You can cast this spell at will, but only as a ritual. If you cast this spell as a ritual, it does not require material components.
- Uzdan’s Blessing of Leadership. When you finish a Long Rest, you can inspire bravery in yourself and your allies. Choose a number of creatures up to your Proficiency Bonus. Each target gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus. While a character has these Temporary Hit Points, they are immune to the Frightened condition.

Dwarven Rune Crafting. As an adult dwarf who has completed your pilgrimage to the Heart of the Mountain, you gain an innate knowledge of one rune from the list below, which can create a magical effect. When you complete a Long Rest, you can inscribe one item with the rune, which can be used once, after which the rune fades. You can have up to two items inscribed at 5th level, three items at 11th level, and four items at 17th level. You may choose Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, or Constitution as your ability score for rune effects.

  • Rune of Defense: Sanctuary
  • Rune of Exploration: Longstrider
  • Rune of Lore: Fanrukel’s Insight*
  • Rune of Stone: Locate Stone or Metal*
  • Rune of the Forge: Tarbaka’s Flame Ward*
  • Rune of Life: Goodberry
  • Rune of Truth: Uzdan’s Compelled Truth*

Fanrukel’s Insight

Casting Time: Reaction, which you take when you take the Study action and fail on the d20 Test
Duration: Instantaneous

You can reroll the d20, adding your spell casting modifier to the roll in addition to any normal modifiers that apply to the check. If you roll less than 10 on the new roll, treat the roll as a 10.

Stone Sense

Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: Instantaneous

You extend your senses and gain knowledge of the surrounding area, extending to a range of 1000 feet from you in all directions. Choose two of the following facts; you learn those pieces of information for the area.

  • The locations of any significant deposits of unworked metal ore, unmined gemstones, or unquarried valuable stone.
  • Name a specific type of gemstone, metal, native element, or natural stone. You learn the location of the most significant stationary deposit of the named material. You can select this option twice.
  • The most prevalent kind of mineral and/or stone in the area.
  • Whether any tunnels, burrows, or other significant underground excavation is present in the area.

You can alternatively replace one or both of your questions with information of similar scope, at the DM’s discretion.

Tarbaka’s Flame Ward

Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 1 Hour

One of your appendages becomes immune to fire damage. While this effect is active, you can use your Reaction (trigger: when you take Fire damage) to gain resistance to Fire damage until the start of your next turn. The first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 Fire damage. When you use your Reaction in this way, the Flame Ward ends.

Uzdan’s Compelled Truth

Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 10 Minute

Choose one creature you can see within 15 feet. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you know if the target speaks a deliberate lie while the spell is active. You know whether a creature succeeds or fails on this save. An affected creature is aware of the spell and can avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive yet must be truthful.