Dwarves

Dwarves were a slave race nearly five thousand years ago, held in bondage by the Darkdragons until the events of the Uprising. As slaves, they were forced to build immense underground complexes for their draconic masters, some of which still survive to this day. However, a dwarf named Kothar began teaching the dwarves how to use their mining tools as weapons , while the nearly blind dwarf Thoth invented a language using runic symbols to combat illiteracy. As the knowledge of combat and “drawing sounds” spread throughout the slave ranks, eventually Kothar and Thoth could spread their message: revolution. Kother proposed that the dwarves begin installing deadfalls and other traps within the underground palaces being built for the Darkdragons so as to trap them inside or kill them outright once triggered. Eventually the day came when these renegade dwarves took action, collapsing many of their creations on unsuspecting masters. The dwarves that escaped made up a sizable force, forming the first underground resistance against the Darkdragons. In retaliation, the Darkdragons killed one in four dwarves still in bondage and instituted new rules that caused slave life to become even more hellish.

Despite wishing to act sooner against the Darkdragons, the dwarf resistance waited (mostly) patiently until Thoth's part of the plan came through. Thoth used groups of dwarves known as Tunnel Runners to contact the surface world Highdragons and explain the plight of the dwarves. Highdragons were draconic beings that did not see eye to eye with their Darkdragon brethern on many issues, one among them being dwarven slavery which lead to them having a mass exodus to the surface world. Not many dwarves actually believed the Highdragons existed, but after a few years, some of Thoth's Tunnel Runners returned bearing good news. One Highdragon in particular, Daun, had agreed to an alliance between their kind so to free the dwarves to find their own way. A bloody war ensued, costing many lives on both sides. However, the climax of the war occurred at a battle known as “The Fireball Gambit”, where Highdragon allies and dwarven warriors combated Darkdragons and their crossbred abominations at an exposed mountainside that had been the victim of explosive sabotage thanks to an underground methane pocket. As it became more clear that the resistance was going to win, the All-Father Kingu, god of dragons, intervened in what was the first vulgar display of power in the god's history. With a breath from his massive form, he decimated the dwarven army and their allies. This caused Ea, the Overgod to intervene. Stopping time and paralyzing Kingu, the being explained that his actions were unacceptable to a plan alien to even the dragon god's mind. Ea offered an ultimatum: either voluntarily commit suicide, crippling his beloved race or be smited by Ea, to where he and his draconic kin would be nothing but myth to the universe. Loving himself beyond all others, Kingu chose to die, at which point Ea reversed the events that had occurred up to Kingu's intervention. When the battle resumed, the few surviving Darkdragons found themselves without magic and an intelligence that was beginning to dull. Eventually over time, this intelligence would degenerate into that of a child, becoming more feral with each passing generation. Kothar and Thoth were raised to godhood by Ea, as was Daun for her assistance. The Highdragons vanished overnight, their presence still visible on the surface but their rookery's empty. The surviving dwarves moved into these surface cave cities and began to start life anew.

Today, the dwarves still reside in many of these “rooks” as they call them (the greatest of them known as Ekrund), but there are cities with demand of dwarven architects and guerrilla tactics, so much so that these cities have a strong dwarven presence and places among the elite. With the disappearance of their last king during the Battle of Thule, the dwarves remain leaderless, but not lost. Some dwarves venerate their lost king and hope one day for him to return, making their way in human societies where they have no elected voice. Other dwarves exist in barbarian like tribes called Rik'drengi (literally: elite cult of slayers) that focus on mastery of the land and scoff at the idea of the civilized man. Dwarves still bear a strong dislike for magic, calling it “the taint of Kingu” and believing “magic used is magic abused.” Certain fanatical dwarves believe that blood mages (i.e. sorcerers) are signs of Kingu's return, a belief that other races have latched onto for personal gain in most cases. Dwarves are still taught how to fight with their ancestral weaponry as a rite of passage and an enduring belief that everyone must be prepared to defend their homes against would be conquerors. In addition, the dwarves utilize a fighting style called Dukaz (literally: low work or tunnel work). Dwarves view Dukaz more as a racial sport, one of pride and legacy. This fighting style focuses on closing with your opponent and dealing as much damage “within the pocket” as possible, leading to dwarven brawlers being some of the most exciting to watch within the Arenas or even local bar pits. While various branches of Dukaz focus on certain elements (grappling, knife fighting, etc.), all of them utilize the inherent dwarven toughness to take damage to deal damage. Among dwarves in civilized society, Dukaz is a sport they enjoy to keep in shape and in touch with their roots and sometimes as a way to settle an argument without loss of life. Dukaz is used among Rik'drengi is sometimes used as a greeting among friends to see who has grown stronger over the time passed. Given the brutality of the fighting style and the dwarves sense of honor, this has lead to the human slang “due cause”, a play on the pronunciation of the sport, to describe a justifiable murder or assassination.

DWARF STATS

+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma Dwarves are both tough and determined, but also a bit gruff.

• Medium: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  
• Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
  
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
  
• Relentless: Dwarves can move through natural difficult terrain while underground (including caves) or narrow passages that require squeezing at their normal movement rate and without penalty. In addition, they gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the dwarf and its opponent are standing on the ground.
  
• Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
  
• Stonecunning: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
  
• Eustress: Whenever a dwarf is reduced to half its hit points or fewer and has no conscious ally within 30 feet, it gains a +2 racial bonus on melee attack rolls and to Armor Class.
  
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves are proficient with warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon. (dwarven bladed crossbow, dwarven dire pick, dwarven waraxe)
  
• Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven.