Physical description
Dwarves stand, on average, about 5 and a quarter feet tall, and are built along much the same lines as most other humans. They take great pride in their appearances and hygiene, being fastidious groomers and frequent bathers. They have a tendency to prefer long hair, and many males wear long beards, often braided, but this is not universal. They tend to be light skinned, with and their natural hair colors are usually shades of grey, including white or black, or metallic colors. Their irises are usually metallic colors or dark grey.
Environment
Dwarves live in two main environments: mountains and underground caves. Mountain dwarves tend to either live in burrows or cities carved out of caverns that are fairly close to the surface, while cave dwarves usually live in cities located in caverns deeper underground than mountain dwarf settlements. Cave dwarves rarely live in high elevation areas, while mountain dwarves almost always do live in such areas.
Both mountain and cave dwarves are known for working stone, metal, and wood. Mountain dwarves are also known for mining. Cave dwarves also mine, but they don't get quite as much ore out of their environment as mountain dwarves. Mountain dwarves do a lot of above ground farming, which provides the bulk of their food supply, and, while they usually live underground, they spend a lot of time above ground. They tend to locate near mountain streams for the water supply they provide.
Cave dwarves usually don't live in the mountains, preferring deep underground caverns in low altitude areas. They usually settle very close to underground lakes or rivers. They mostly live off of funguses and whatever other plants they can cultivate, whatever underground animals they can catch or raise, seafood, and the bodies of their dead. Mountain dwarves and other human races often find this practice rather repulsive, but cave dwarves view it in a positive light. To them, it is a better fate to be used to nourish one's family and friends after death than to have their remains dumped in a hole and covered up.
Society
Dwarves tend to be monarchial, but they prefer constitutional monarchies over absolute monarchies. They appreciate a leader with the power to do what needs to be done, but dislike rules who can do whatever they want without challenge. Dwarven societies have been known to descend into tyranny, which just reinforces their preference for an enforced constitution. Most Dwarven governments are large confederations of allied city-states, each with it's own monarch who answers to a confederate leader usually elected by the monarchs or their parliaments. They tend to be politically and socially conservative, seeing little reason to change what works.
Dwarven society is generally fairly lawful, and they are usually fairly appreciative of their governments, though crime is not at all unheard of and corruption is often a problem. They respond to this with strict judgment of criminals meant to dissuade others from repeating their mistakes and turn criminals into law abiding individuals, prefer a period of labor over prison sentences or fines, and tend to like the idea of punishments fitting the crime when this is practical. They aren't very fond of the death penalty (aside from the occasional tyrant), as most see having to use it as a failure of society, but they do use it when they feel it is necessary. They just don't take much pleasure in it, seeing it as something unpleasant and unfortunate, but necessary for public safety.
Dwarves have a very hard work ethic, with a love of working stone, metal, wood, and gems. When it comes to art, they favor sculpting and carving a great deal. They generally have healthy senses of humor, and enjoy music, dancing, and alcohol. They put a very large amount of importance on family and close friends, and are very loyal. They generally aren't particularly religious, putting more faith in their leaders, family, and friends than they do in the gods. Dwarves can be intolerant of those different from them and hesitant to change when necessary do to their conservative bent. They place a lot of importance on family, and can be rather unpleasant to those from families with poor reputations, born out of wedlock, or without much of a family at all.
Dwarves have an great appreciation of technology and science, and are responsible for a large number of technological and scientific innovations. They see a massive array of possibilities in the study of wizardry, and many eagerly take to it. They are also very serious about their defense, and generally have a large force of well trained soldiers available. They tend to prefer roles that require training, education, and professionalism. It is not unusual for a dwarf to leave the mountains or caves for the lands of other human races, where their skills and professionalism are prized assets. There are a very large number of dwarven mercenaries, scientists, engineers, and magicians living among other human races.
Mountain dwarves do not always live in cold, forlorn peaks. Some do, but dwarves are often found in places like this, this, this, this, this, or this.
Do you like it? Any suggestions for a couple twists on traditional dwarves I could add?
Half those images are permission only.
That said, the kind of mountain doesn't seem to be that big of a difference. Not like say- Seafaring Viking Dwarves.
I can see all of them :/
I just wanted to point out that they can live in many different mountainous environments. How do you feel about the rest?
I'm hitting 403's on the first 3 pic links.
That said, I approve in general, though I'm still speculating on the sociological aspects.
Any speculation on sociology would be very much appreciated.
No idea what's wrong with the pictures. They are of Southern Chinese mountains. VERY beautiful.
I've always had issue with Dwarves being subterranean, yet using axes. Wouldn't their weapons be variations on tools, and thus they would be using picks and hammers? There aren't any trees down there to chop up. Spears and short polearms too.
I've always had issue with Dwarves being subterranean, yet using axes. Wouldn't their weapons be variations on tools, and thus they would be using picks and hammers? There aren't any trees down there to chop up. Spears and short polearms too.
Mountain dwarves use swords, axes, hammers, and polearms. Then again, mountain dwarves are only part subterranean, not fully subterranean, and they do have uses for axes (they cut down trees for wood all the time). Cave dwarves use swords, hammers, and polearms, and are fully subterranean.
Both mountain dwarves and cave dwarves favor polearms the most, with axes, swords, and hammers being secondary or close combat weapons. It makes sense. Polearms would be incredibly effective in a tunnel.
Looks like we've both been using the same reference photos for our dwarf mountains! Much more pleasant to look at than your "Standard Cold Gray Fantasy Mountains." Also gives them more of a challenge with places for the trolls and wyverns to hide. Danged pesky wyverns.
I actually took the Chinese mountain thing from you. You mentioned it, and I went and did an image search, and decided to use them.
There are dwarves who live in "Standard Cold Gray Fantasy Mountains", but there are more who live in these more lively Chinese-style mountains, or heavily forested mountains, or sandy mountain ranges, and so on. There are a wide variety of mountainous terrains that dwarves are native to, and cold, gray mountains are in the minority.
Then we have the dwarves who live in cave complexes below sea level and make their living from the underground lakes and rivers.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
TMI, way TMI. That's between you and the dwarf and the motel owner.
I just follow Dwarves of Golarion... :|
I just follow Dwarves of Golarion... :|
I don't use Golarion, I use a homebrew setting.
Gemstone eye colors are a common feature among dwarves.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
good climbing skills would be prevalent. Check out the Native americans who carved their settlements into high cliffs. They were accessed by carved handholds that could be climbed.
see also Mesa Verde
I've given some specifics in the other threads on dwarves, but I would note that I am fairly prone to having dwarves being semi-homogenous across regions and styles of culture, perhaps with a modification to make them fit better with a real-world analog; dwarves in a more Chinese analog would be making xiaoxang instead of ale, and possibly working more with gunpowder and, if the areas are very vertical, having a slightly increased tendency towards sorcerty of the earth and magics of the wind to keep from falling to their deaths repeatedly - in fact, it makes for unexpected dwarven wuxia. By contrast, if they are in a more Indian motiff, I shamelessly crib from Mindshadows, because their take on the dwarves is somewhat homaging of the Sihk culture, and they have steampunk mecha.
More when I wake.
Okay, awake again.
In general, everything is spot-on after a re-read, though I am still somewhat uncertain of denying them their traditional theological devotion - is the setting one of low interaction of the divine? Is there a cultural or societal cause for turning away from faith? That could impact a number of cultural tendencies, including their choice of governance. Given the favoring of a more constitutional monarchy, there's an inference that the belief in a divine mandate of rulership is non-existent.
You mention the significance of family, a decidedly dwarf-appropriate trait; are they still a low-fecundity race in your perspective, thus emphasizing the significance of children? Or are they more fertile than admitted, with some manner of secret ominous pogrom to control what sort of children are born, due to resource scarcity or situational needs?
One thing mentioned was a generally clannish/family-biased vantage point in regards to others, including non-dwarves; how do the scorned and ostracized typically handle this? Do they make for some manner of 'outsider district' where non-dwarves have most of their dwarven interaction unaware of the sociopolitical ramifications? While traditionally dwarves are dwarf-interested only, I wonder if such marginalized dwarves experience amorous affections outside of their people, even if children would not result.
I know the intention is not to say 'Chinese Dwarves', but the idea was somewhat percolating in my thoughts while I dozed off, so coming back to this thread I was trying to see how much influence was from culture as much as the mountain scenery. In Nyambé, on thing that came up was that the dwarves practiced ritual cannibalism, which was handled differently than how your cave dwarves addressed it - does such anbthrophagy as a measure of respect for foes exist for the cave dwarves as well, or is it more of a matter of providing final rites for the deceased, but not a regular practice?
Okay, awake again.
In general, everything is spot-on after a re-read, though I am still somewhat uncertain of denying them their traditional theological devotion - is the setting one of low interaction of the divine? Is there a cultural or societal cause for turning away from faith? That could impact a number of cultural tendencies, including their choice of governance. Given the favoring of a more constitutional monarchy, there's an inference that the belief in a divine mandate of rulership is non-existent.
Dwarves do have religion, they just aren't very devoted about it. It's kinda like Christians who rarely go to church. They believe, they just don't desire to serve. That is part of why they prefer constitutional monarchy, as they don't buy into divine mandate.
You mention the significance of family, a decidedly dwarf-appropriate trait; are they still a low-fecundity race in your perspective, thus emphasizing the significance of children? Or are they more fertile than admitted, with some manner of secret ominous pogrom to control what sort of children are born, due to resource scarcity or situational needs?
They have the same fertility rate as other humans, but it takes a long time after pregnancy (several years) before they become fertile again, so they do have a lower birth rate. They have about the lifespan of other human races (on average around 120 years).
One thing mentioned was a generally clannish/family-biased vantage point in regards to others, including non-dwarves; how do the scorned and ostracized typically handle this? Do they make for some manner of 'outsider district' where non-dwarves have most of their dwarven interaction unaware of the sociopolitical ramifications? While traditionally dwarves are dwarf-interested only, I wonder if such marginalized dwarves experience amorous affections outside of their people, even if children would not result.
I imagine it more like the Scottish. They have their clans and families and are proud of it, but with the exception of a dislike for bastards, orphans, children from reviled families, and the like that is by no means a universal trait, they aren't particularly hateful or mean about it. They generally tolerate non-dwarves, though they expect them to respect dwarven customs while in dwarven land. They do not restrict them to special districts. Dwarf/non-dwarf hybrids do happen, and many dwarves loathe them, though this is again not universal.
I know the intention is not to say 'Chinese Dwarves', but the idea was somewhat percolating in my thoughts while I dozed off, so coming back to this thread I was trying to see how much influence was from culture as much as the mountain scenery. In Nyambé, on thing that came up was that the dwarves practiced ritual cannibalism, which was handled differently than how your cave dwarves addressed it - does such anbthrophagy as a measure of respect for foes exist for the cave dwarves as well, or is it more of a matter of providing final rites for the deceased, but not a regular practice?
Some will eat fallen foes, while others would prefer to respect the customs of those who do not like cannibalism. Cave dwarves would rather be eaten than buried, as they consider it an honor to be put to some sort of final use. The whole practice has very little malice inherent in it, and I consider cave dwarf cannibalism to be an act with no evil connotations do to the respect inherent in it.
Should dwarves get racial weapon proficiencies? Which ones? They use hammers, swords, and, if mountain dwarves, axes, but their favored weapons are polearms. They use them more than they use hammers, axes, or swords, because in the close confines of an underground cavern a polearm can effectively put an enemy in a situation where they can't advance on the dwarves without getting hit. Image a bunch of reach weapons in a small tunnel. You can't get around them, you have to go at them. Go at them, however, and they can stab you before you get into melee range. That's why polearms are favored more than any other weapons by dwarves.
Should they be automatically proficient with any polearms?
Alternatively, there is no way to transport a polearm into a narrow winding tunnel, which is what most cave areas are. A shortsword or a climbing pick/ handaxe may be the best and most prevelent weapon, because you will actually have it.
The climbing axe has another advantage in that it is a usefull tool to have in hand, so you will probably have it ready when attacked.
Alternatively, there is no way to transport a polearm into a narrow winding tunnel, which is what most cave areas are. A shortsword or a climbing pick/ handaxe may be the best and most prevelent weapon, because you will actually have it.
The climbing axe has another advantage in that it is a usefull tool to have in hand, so you will probably have it ready when attacked.
Depends how long the polearm is. I don't see it being too difficult unless the tunnel is REALLY thin, and dwarves would probably seal those up and use larger tunnels.
As for the axe being a useful tool, lots of cultures use weapons that aren't tools, and dwarves do carry and fight with hammers and axes. They just prefer polearms.
There's the advantage of fighting on your own turf, you know there isn't a hairpin turn or a squeeze that will keep you from bringing your best weapon.
Well, do you really want to give them ALL polearms?
Longspear is already a simple weapon.
Also, as for the pick, it is listed as a martial weapon, yet it would be something that all dwarves would use in their daily lives, making it comphertable to use. It also gives a genuine expansion of options to a player.
If you still want to give all polearms, there is nothing to say you can't keep picks or axes. After all, the elves have bows and swords.
But polearms have alot of variety in their abilities, so i'd double check to see if there may be anything you may be overlooking. Do you really want all dwarves to be familiar with ripsaw glaives?
That said, polearms indeed dominate tunnel encounters when they can be employed. (crossbows and alchemical items will be the counter)
There's the advantage of fighting on your own turf, you know there isn't a hairpin turn or a squeeze that will keep you from bringing your best weapon.
Well, do you really want to give them ALL polearms?
Longspear is already a simple weapon.Also, as for the pick, it is listed as a martial weapon, yet it would be something that all dwarves would use in their daily lives, making it comphertable to use. It also gives a genuine expansion of options to a player.
If you still want to give all polearms, there is nothing to say you can't keep picks or axes. After all, the elves have bows and swords.
But polearms have alot of variety in their abilities, so i'd double check to see if there may be anything you may be overlooking. Do you really want all dwarves to be familiar with ripsaw glaives?
That said, polearms indeed dominate tunnel encounters when they can be employed. (crossbows and alchemical items will be the counter)
Dwarves don't only fight with polearms. They also use axes, hammers, swords, and crossbows. They just really like polearms, and prefer to fight in places where they can employ them.
I think I phrased the question badly. When I said any polearms, I meant "are there any polearms they should automatically be proficient with" not "should they be proficient with all of them". I don't want them proficient with them all. They like polearms, but they don't dominate dwarven combat THAT much.
Proficiency with one or two polearms for all dwarves, picks or hammers for cave dwarves, and axes for mountain dwarves would be nice.
Dwarves in one section of my homebrew don't go underground AT ALL. They were driven out and have since stayed out. They have a racial fear of enclosed places. The dig pit mines that allows them to still mine and be Metallurgists but also keeps rock from being above them.
They use the tailings and rocks from the pit mines to build Motte-and-bailey type settlements.
Quick question, after generations of eating their own dead, have the cave dwarves suffered from the brain ailments associated with this practice? The Shakes or Kuru?
Ahh. That makes alot more sense.
Longspear is simple, so thats a no.
Lucerne hammer is less probable as there is no room to swing.
They should have brace and reach to fit the style you described soooo.....
Fauchard and Dwarven Urgosh are nice. But the urgosh has no reach. Both are exotic
Top picks: The Guisarme, the Glaive-Guisarme, and the Bill
Dwarves do have religion, they just aren't very devoted about it. It's kinda like Christians who rarely go to church. They believe, they just don't desire to serve. That is part of why they prefer constitutional monarchy, as they don't buy into divine mandate.
I am interpreting this to mean that dwarves are, for lack of a better phrasing, spiritual but not religious; does this infer a greater tendency, on the matters of divine magic, to favor oracles over clerics? That is, to say, they believe, but do not require organized religion as much to express their belief?
They have the same fertility rate as other humans, but it takes a long time after pregnancy (several years) before they become fertile again, so they do have a lower birth rate. They have about the lifespan of other human races (on average around 120 years).
This makes sense - less a matter of low fecundity over all as much as a reproductive equivalence of an increased...well, refractory time, I suppose. Given the length of pregnancy, and likely how resource-intensive I'd speculate those gravid times to be, it makes a lot more sense that way.
I imagine it more like the Scottish. They have their clans and families and are proud of it, but with the exception of a dislike for bastards, orphans, children from reviled families, and the like that is by no means a universal trait, they aren't particularly hateful or mean about it. They generally tolerate non-dwarves, though they expect them to respect dwarven customs while in dwarven land. They do not restrict them to special districts. Dwarf/non-dwarf hybrids do happen, and many dwarves loathe them, though this is again not universal.
This is plausible, though I was going to suggest that if you have differing regional variants, that some might be a bit more restrictive of 'outsider access' if they feel stronger about said mentioned possible hybrids. Given how much goes into the making of a dwarven child, I could see the cause for resentment if those same resources only get half the dwarven results.
Some will eat fallen foes, while others would prefer to respect the customs of those who do not like cannibalism. Cave dwarves would rather be eaten than buried, as they consider it an honor to be put to some sort of final use. The whole practice has very little malice inherent in it, and I consider cave dwarf cannibalism to be an act with no evil connotations do to the respect inherent in it.
This works very well - as well as addresses the point of distinction I was trying to make. The Cave Dwarves don't practice active anthrophagy - they do not kill other sentient beings for their dietary needs necessarily. The consumption of the dead is a rite of respect, as much as a practical reclamation of resources for the good of the Clan.
Tying into this, then, I trust it is also a way of helping prevent the problem of unwelcome undead - corporeal, at least - and possibly a way to harness any potential incoporeal undead to their favor as the esteemed departed would have a spiritual investiture in making sure that those who honored them by taking a part of themselves into them would be able to call upon the ancestors in times of need, even if it is not a major part of their theological workings - perhaps an increased proclivity towards the 'haunted' type of oracle amongst their ranks?
I do like how, deliberately or otherwise, the Big Three motivations are addressed (food, shelter, intimacy) in your overview. Are there, aside from weapon specifics (which I'm terrible at, truth be told), any particular details you're seeking to expand upon, or themes you wanted to explore with your homebrew dwarves?
The only weapon suggestion I had in mind was something of a mercury-filled hammer, or a variant firelance for those that would work with demolition-style mining of an explosive variety; lances/spears with explosives designed to be lodged in an enemy, then detonated, with shields to block the resultant debris. I'd picture it almost as though there were four sticks of dynamite beneath the 'head' of the polearm, and the design would work that once the spear was lodged, a twist of the shaft would light the fuse-equivalents and give time enough to duck behind a tower shield, with hopefully insufficient time to allow the foe to remove the polearm in question.
Thanks, Anti-Elite. What details would you like to see more about?
I think I should point out that while cave dwarves are subterranean, mountain dwarves are semi-subterranean.
I like how one of those southern Chinese mountains was the flying islands from avatar. You can even see their helecopter in the picture.
Thanks, Anti-Elite. What details would you like to see more about?
I think I should point out that while cave dwarves are subterranean, mountain dwarves are semi-subterranean.
Glad to be of help, and most of my curiosity tends to be things that would more often be revealed in play or short-fic, depending on the situations. For example, who you had in mind on an acting/cinematographic level when you were conceptualizing your take on the dwarves, what particular stand-out changes you see are most embodying of the differences, whether or not there are regional differences that are less sub-race than cultural variations, particularly known traits that most commonly cause them to go xenophilic compared to their peers, specific non-standard taboos and cultural frailties that might not be issues for other races, and the like.
I would anticipate that agoraphobia is not uncommon; I would also see a greater attraction to others within their height ranges, rather than going fully in the direction of getting their proverbial freak on. While I doubt that orientation politics will be as prevalent as in some games and settings, I do wonder about what sorts of beliefs, privileges, and conceits hold in society, from basic aphorisms to unchallenged philosophies born of relatively static society, excepting of course where there have been periods of drastic upheaval or tumultuous revisionism.
Given their technological niche, would their influence have spread in regards to the workings of transit and trade? Would dwarven goods ever see a ship's cargo, if they've got a deep underground series of trade routes possibly on mine cart rails to get their materials about? Are there shafts that head underground from major cities that allow for a sort of network of drwarven shipping? If not, are there plans for such a thing? Are there particular technologies that hold their interests more than others? How popular is alchemy, and how much does it interact with their alcohol making? Is alcohol even remotely as important to them as all other dwarves across the multiverse? Do dwarves float or sink? Are there any exotic requirements for their dietary habits, cannibalism notwithstanding? Any particular ailments that are more prone to happen to them than to others?
Given their technological niche, would their influence have spread in regards to the workings of transit and trade? Would dwarven goods ever see a ship's cargo, if they've got a deep underground series of trade routes possibly on mine cart rails to get their materials about? Are there shafts that head underground from major cities that allow for a sort of network of drwarven shipping? If not, are there plans for such a thing? Are there particular technologies that hold their interests more than others? How popular is alchemy, and how much does it interact with their alcohol making? Is alcohol even remotely as important to them as all other dwarves across the multiverse? Do dwarves float or sink? Are there any exotic requirements for their dietary habits, cannibalism notwithstanding? Any particular ailments that are more prone to happen to them than to others?
Cave dwarves do have such a deep underground series of trade routes, relying on both carts and ships. Mountain dwarves do not, preferring to trade above ground. Alchemy is rather popular (as is wizardry). Alcohol, while enjoyed greatly, is not the obsession it is in most depictions of dwarves. They don't react any different to other human races in water, and they do not have special dietary requirements. Disease-wise, they have an obsession with cleanliness partially do to the way disease can spread underground. They don't really have many unique ailments, but fungal infections are more common among cave dwarves than pretty much anyone other ethnic group.
I've come up with two dwarven subraces: tree dwarves and sea dwarves. I see dwarves as technological and architectural experts, but they don't necessarily have to live solely underground. Tree dwarves live in cities suspended in high treetops, and many tree dwarves never set foot on the ground, living their entire lives in these treetop cities. Sea dwarves live on massive ships that were built as floating cities, and many of them never step foot on shore.
Basically, I see dwarves as a race of architects that have no desire to live in homes built on solid ground like every other race does. They love building more unique and difficult cities. This often means the classic underground communities, as with cave and, to a lesser degree, mountain dwarves (who live both on the surface and underground), but it doesn't have to. It can just as easily mean cities suspended between hundreds of trees or giant ships that are basically floating cities.
Any ideas for other subraces that could be created along this theme of unusual architecture?
I also have a variant of Tree Dwarfs:
They live in Jungles vs forests and they shave/Lime all hair away as it is just too hot to be bearded. They go for tattoos in place of beard grooming as a point of pride and they work wonders with wood like other dwarfs work with stone.
They are particularly adept at forging/growing weapons from the Ironwood trees where they grow their homes. Particular to this jungle, the ironwood can actually be melted and forged at a specific temperature and with a process the dwarfs have perfected.
Unlike elves, the dwarfs force their will on their home trees, using forms that they lash in place to make the trees grow into certain shapes as well as using heat and hammer to finish shaping.
They tend to hunt and have become adept at arboreal travel and have domesticated a breed of apes as hunting beasts/guard animals.
These dwarfs are probably the least technological of all dwarfs on my world and are seen as Barbarians by most folks in the surrounding areas.
I also have a variant of Tree Dwarfs:
They live in Jungles vs forests and they shave/Lime all hair away as it is just too hot to be bearded. They go for tattoos in place of beard grooming as a point of pride and they work wonders with wood like other dwarfs work with stone.
They are particularly adept at forging/growing weapons from the Ironwood trees where they grow their homes. Particular to this jungle, the ironwood can actually be melted and forged at a specific temperature and with a process the dwarfs have perfected.
Unlike elves, the dwarfs force their will on their home trees, using forms that they lash in place to make the trees grow into certain shapes as well as using heat and hammer to finish shaping.
They tend to hunt and have become adept at arboreal travel and have domesticated a breed of apes as hunting beasts/guard animals.
These dwarfs are probably the least technological of all dwarfs on my world and are seen as Barbarians by most folks in the surrounding areas.
I like some of these ideas, but not all of them.
I am really excited to see what I can do with tree dwarves and sea dwarves.
I have 8 human races in this campaign setting. Of these races, Dwarves are the only one to frequently form their own countries. The other seven human races generally live in racially mixed countries, usually politically dominated by either Elves or Magni, though isolated communities of primarily one race are very common. They just aren't independent nations. All eight human races can be found in the majority of environments (both urban and wilderness) with the exception of Dwarves, who generally live in architecturally difficult cities.
Dwarves fit the role of archaeological and technological experts, and can usually be found in difficult to build cities, such as underground, suspended from trees, on giant ships, and so on.
Magni are the most common race, and look like Homo Sapiens. They are very difficult to generalize about, as they have a lot more cultural diversity than other human races. While other races generally have one main culture with regional variations, Magni have hundreds of cultures.
Elves are the oldest human race, as well as the most aristocratic, with a long, proud history. In this world, they are the only race to maintain many elements of feudalism or chivalry. Many see them as tyrannical elitist bastards, and a very large and vocal minority of elves do act like this, but the majority of elves aren't necessarily bad people.
Wildkin (Pathfinder Bestiary 3 Catfolk and associated races [Dogfolk, yo]) are a proud warrior race, who were originally primitive hunter gatherers before being enslaved by elves for use as soldiers. They have long since been freed from their bonds, ad the past several generations have lived among other human races as a free and proud people.
Divni are humans who need to drink blood as part of their diet. They are not vampires, though there are certainly a lot of similarities, and vampires hold a major place in their folklore. Do to the whole blood thing they have strained relations with other human races, and tend to form small insular communities within larger communities of other human races.
Changeling are humans kidnapped and enslaved by fey who later escaped, carrying a trace of fey magic.
Planetouched are humans with planar influence on their blood, such as Aasimar, Tieflings, and elemental planetouched.
Hybrids are crossbreeds between the races listed above.
The last three races have small populations and no unified culture.
I've always had issue with Dwarves being subterranean, yet using axes. Wouldn't their weapons be variations on tools, and thus they would be using picks and hammers? There aren't any trees down there to chop up. Spears and short polearms too.
Actually, axes would be pretty useful tools underground. They are excellent for climbers, and you'd be doing some climbing.
I've decided that mountain dwarves do not live underground at all. That is a cave dwarf phenomenon. Mountain dwarves carve their cities out of the fact of the mountain.
On your knees so you're at their height.
Huh? Average height for mine dwarves is between 4'9" and 5'3".
Given their technological niche, would their influence have spread in regards to the workings of transit and trade? Would dwarven goods ever see a ship's cargo, if they've got a deep underground series of trade routes possibly on mine cart rails to get their materials about? Are there shafts that head underground from major cities that allow for a sort of network of drwarven shipping? If not, are there plans for such a thing? Are there particular technologies that hold their interests more than others? How popular is alchemy, and how much does it interact with their alcohol making? Is alcohol even remotely as important to them as all other dwarves across the multiverse? Do dwarves float or sink? Are there any exotic requirements for their dietary habits, cannibalism notwithstanding? Any particular ailments that are more prone to happen to them than to others?Cave dwarves do have such a deep underground series of trade routes, relying on both carts and ships. Mountain dwarves do not, preferring to trade above ground. Alchemy is rather popular (as is wizardry). Alcohol, while enjoyed greatly, is not the obsession it is in most depictions of dwarves. They don't react any different to other human races in water, and they do not have special dietary requirements. Disease-wise, they have an obsession with cleanliness partially do to the way disease can spread underground. They don't really have many unique ailments, but fungal infections are more common among cave dwarves than pretty much anyone other ethnic group.
The cart and boat system for the deep dwarves makes sense, really - were it not for the necessitated or implied hassle involved I could see them sort of being the 'behind the scenes' logistics masters of the dwarven race. I could see such role also coupled with the reputation of them being otherwise antisocial, even if such is not true. The alchemy answer is good too, though the wizardry comment prompts me to wonder if there is no problem with arcane resistance among your dwarves; if there isn't, it makes perfect sense. However, I draw the line at curtailing their alcoholism! ;) I jest, of course.
Lack of special dietary needs is fairly sound, though that is in correlation to them not being denser than the average human, so metabolism and dietary circumstances mesh along with not sinking like proverbial or literal stones. I DEFINITELY approve of the cleanliness fixation, even if not fully OCD in implementation - I daresay that, depending on the rest of your setting, dwarves as the 'cleanest' race around would be both entertaining and intriguing...especially given that fungal infections would likely be a very distinguishing mark on a dwarf's reputation.
Do they keep their legendary greed, or is theirs a different deadly sin, in your setting?
I wouldn't call them universally greedy, but they are the most mercantile race, and they do have a reputation for greed.
I play tall characters and our dwarves are shorter than that.
I play tall characters and our dwarves are shorter than that.
What?!?
OH! I get it. You're a troll.
I play tall characters and our dwarves are shorter than that.What?!?
OH! I get it. You're a troll.
You don't really have many constructive things to say it seems. Regardless I don't feel there's much point to altering dwarven culture and lore considering it's already filled with flavor. Spout your nonsense if you want I'll just move along with the next thread.
You don't really have many constructive things to say it seems. Regardless I don't feel there's much point to altering dwarven culture and lore considering it's already filled with flavor. Spout your nonsense if you want I'll just move along with the next thread.I play tall characters and our dwarves are shorter than that.What?!?
OH! I get it. You're a troll.
The thing is, I don't want to just use dwarves the way they always are. I want to be more original than that. There isn't anything wrong with traditional dwarves, but it gets boring having them they same way in every setting.
This is part of why dwarves so distrust powerful religion.
Dwarves have, however, always had a sizeable force of skilled druids, who's magic is are useful in the environments they live in, while lacking the baggage of other divine casters. Dwarves have a larger number of druids compared to their population as a whole than any other human race, and only wizards and alchemists can approach their popularity with dwarves when it comes to spellcasters.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Removed a post. Pretty unnecessary and NSFW.
Once again, I know it wasn't the intent, but I figured these merited viewing.