Attribute Modifiers: +2 CON, +2 WIS, -2 CHA. Dwarves are tough as stone and wise as the mountains, but they are also blunt to a fault.
Size: Medium
Slow: Dwarves have a 20ft base move
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to sixty feet
Slaver’s Mark: Dwarves have been slaves so long they’ve learned social deference to their betters. They gain a +2 bonus to diplomacy and knowledge nobility checks.
Reevanthara’s Eye: All dwarves have a natural understanding of the earth. They gain a +4 bonus to appraise checks dealing with minerals.
Runty Bastards: Dwarves gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.
Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell like abilities.
Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against bull rush and trip attempts.
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Cultural Description
Millenia of brutal purges, slavery and forced breeding have destroyed the dwarves’ cultural identity. Every known dwarven civilization was utterly crushed, and it’s coffers looted by the Elentian Empire during the height of it’s power.
The last to fall was fabled Enuria, built upon the Forge of Reevanthara, the Great Smith. The Enurian Dwarves used this Catalyst to forge Enurian Steel, a fabulous metal both lighter and stronger than enchanted steel. From it they crafted weapons and armor far beyond anything seen before.
Enurian Steel made the dwarves wealthy, but it also made them a target for t kingdoms that purchased their wares. They resented the kingly sums required by the dwarves, but they paid it grudingly.
After centuries of production the fabled Enurian Steel abruptly ceased. The dwarves had mined all the ore and held back nothing to sell. Three of the largest kingdoms refused to accept this. Enestius, Lukantria and Arlen formed a coalition and invaded the dwarven city.
They seized the riches they’d given, slaughtering the dwarves with the very weapons they’d created. The last dwarven city was consumed in fire and blood, leaving them a truly broken people.
Today it is rare to find two dwarves together. More often than not a single dwarven slave serves a specific household, but it is extraordinarily rare to find an enclave of free dwarves. Those who do exist typically avoid human settlements, often creating small strongholds in remote mountain ranges.
Ironically the only race dwarves consider honorable are the orokh. During the time of Enuria the orokh served the dwarves as bodyguards and allies, often protecting them from bandits or other threats.
When the coalition came to destroy Enuria the orokh battled alongside their dwarven friends, dying to a man to defend the freedom of those they’d pledged to protect. The dwarves never forgot this sacrifice, and the survivors of the sacking of Enuria spread the word to their brethren.
Today many ‘dwarves’ are not dwarves in the truest sense of the word. Since their numbers were depleted by the near constant purges their masters found a clever way to replenish them. They brought untyped trolls to the Hammer of Reevanthara.
The Hammer Catalyzed the trolls into dwarves, creating a nearly endless supply of slaves. Such dwarves have not bred true, and cannot reproduce. However, very few buyers care as dwarf breeding is not the most profitable of enterprises anyway.
This forced creation of dwarves is considered a heinous crime to all free dwarves, yet they lack the power to affect change. They are forced to watch as new dwarves are created and enslaved, powerless as such attrocities are committed right in front of them.
Physical Appearance
Dwarves are short and stocky with broad shoulders and bulbous noses. Traditionally they kept long beards and long hair, but this has changed since being enslaved by Hasra. The Hasran’s quickly realized how much pride dwarves took in their beards, so facial hair is forbidden. Most are kept bald as well.
Religion
Dwarves of old worshiped the god Reevanthara, whom they believe survived the godswar. Reevanthara was the great smith, and taught the dwarves of Enuria the secrets of forging Enurian steel. The Hammer and Forge of Reevanthara are constant reminders of his incredible power, and the dwarves nurse a secret hope that one day he will return to free them.
