Dwarf

In kingdoms across the far north, where once they owed featly to the High Kingdom of Dymkrag the dwarven people are now divided. Following the Sundering and the crisis brought on by the madness of High King Ulthic Goldenhammer. The bonds of dwarven kind were broken as petty feuds began to rage as they had in ancient days. Clans of dwarves began to seek the strength in their blood as they sought to break the curse upon them. As more and more reclaimed the power of their giantkin lineage the schism of the dwarven people was solidified.

Coming to be known as Dwore, the clans that followed these new ideals restored the secret of the hand melding of metal as the ore giants once had in a bygone age. The crises brought on by the Sundering and the rise of the Dwore, many dwarves have pushed beyond where any other had dared delve before. Many holdfasts have been established at the outer bounds of dwarven lands, and even some beyond where dwarves rightly claim.

High Queen Umbren Goldenhammer still rules the kingdoms that follow Dymkrag and maintains her seat on the Arkyme Council, though this division of her position is cause for troubles amongst many under her rule. In the Sundered Age inter-kingdom strife has marked the dwarves both culturally and politically, as much of the dwarven dominion has been ceded to their vassal lords. Some still hold aspirations of unification, but feudal wars between self-named kings make such ideals impossible.

Dwarf Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Dwarves mature much as humans do, yet they are seen as youths until they are 50 years of age. Dwarves can reach ages over 500 years.

Alignment. Dwarves share a lawful nature, as clan and kingdom guide their culture. Often good natured and fair in their dealings, though ambition and greed drive them towards evil. As the Dwore have broken with their kin, they are still of a lawful nature, but far more callous in their interactions.

Death. The creation of dwarves though brought to being by a curse, embrace Dilig giving their souls a strong connection to this godly realm, to which their souls can enter, if they have lived a worthy life.

Size. Creed dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average 150 pounds, while Dwore stand near 8 feet tall and are over 300 pounds. You are Medium in size category.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet and you are not slowed by heavy armor.

Darkvision. Life underground has granted you the ability to see up to 60 feet in dim light as if it were brightly lit.

Dwarven Hardiness. The harsh and toxic tunnels that you call home grant you advantage on saving throws against poison and you have resistance against poison damage.

Ore Heart. Due to the ancient curse borne by your people, you still carry a vestige of giantkin power. When you are hit by an attack, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn as your body hardens.

Dwarven Knack. Your natural gift for craft and skill grant you a d10 knack die that can be applied to any skill check for crafting items, practicing a trade, or researching. You regain use of the knack die upon finishing a long or short rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.

Subraces. There are two subraces of the dwarven people: creed dwarves that hold to their traditions as a cursed once giant lineage and those who are beginning to break the curse, the dwore taking on aspects of their giantkin origin.

Creed Dwarf

As a creed dwarf you hold to the ancient traditions of the dwarven kingdoms and the bonds your people have built alongside the other races of the world.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Stone's Reserve. You are proficient with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, warhammer, light and medium armor.

Craft Culture. You gain proficiency with the one artisan's tools of your choice: smith's tools, brewer's supplies, jeweler's tools or mason's tools.

Dwore

As one of the dwore you have broken with all precepts of what it means to be a dwarf. You now strive to regain the strength and wisdom of the ore giants from which you are descended. Melders of metal by hand, an ancient power of the ore giants has been reawakened in you. Your beard now bristles with metallic hairs and your skin takes on a metallic sheen.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Giantkin Stature. Your walking speed increases by 5 feet and you are considered size Large when calculating your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Meldgrip. When you make an unarmed attack, you can choose to deal no damage to the creature, instead damage a nonmagical metal weapon, metal armor, or other metal object. A weapon takes a cumulative reduction in its damage dice, a d10 weapon becoming a d8 and so on. When the reduction reduces the weapon below a d4, the weapon is destroyed. Armor or shields take a cumulative -1 penalty to its AC. A shield that is reduced to a +0 bonus or an armor is reduced to an AC of 10, the item it destroyed. A metallic object takes double the amount of damage from the unarmed attack.

Runetongue. You can read, write, and speak Giant.