Page 105 - D&D - Player's Handbook

CHAPTER 3: RACES OF THE REALMS

AER0N IS HOME TO MANY RACES, SOME OF long memories and often an equally long list of griev-
them immigrants from other worlds who ances against their ancient enemies. The more conser-
found their way here in ancient times when vative among them want to maintain the traditions and
gates and portals were more plentiful, remaining holdings of their people, isolated from the in-
and easier to traverse. Others are relative fluence of outsiders and safe from invaders behind thick
newcomers to the world, still finding a walls of stone. Shield dwarves of a more adventurous
place for themselves among the long- bent are interested in exploring the world and seeing
established races. The civilizations of the elder races what lies beyond the bounds of their ancient dwarfholds.
have declined, while those of the younger races are Shield dwarves have the racial traits of mountain
flourishing and spreading ever outward. dwarves in the Player's Handbook. Their skin is usu-
The character races described in the Player's Hand- ally fair, eyes green, hazel, or silver-blue, and they have
book are all found in the Realms, along with some brown, blond, or red hair. Full beards and mustaches
subraces unique to Faerun. Each character race has all are commonly seen on male shield dwarves.
the traits of the primary race, as given in the Player's Shield dwarves are renowned artisans, particularly in
Handbook, plus traits for each subrace that are unique metal and stone. They tend to focus more on sturdiness
to those individuals. This chapter provides racial traits in their craft than on the artistic flourishes and gilding
for a subrace only when they differ from or replace those favored by their gold dwarf cousins. Shield dwarf craft-
given in the Player's Handbook. The information in this ers build to last, and each one's signature mark placed
chapter is specific to the Realms, so if something stated upon an enduring masterpiece serves as a way of gain-
here differs from what's presented in the Player's Hand- ing immortality.
book, this material takes precedence.
GOLD DWARVES
DWARVES Gold dwarves are common in the lands to the south and
The Stout Folk are deliberate and steadfast, with a east. They are formidable warriors, proud of their long
proud history as great artisans, builders, and warriors. traditions, with strong ties to clan. They are gruff and
Although the glory of their empires faded long ago, the haughty and have a love of fine craftsmanship and an
dwarves still hold to their ancient ways and traditions. eagerness to trade.
They stubbornly defend what remains of their old do- Significant settlements of gold dwarves exist in the
mains beneath hill and mountain, and some seek to Great Rift, the area surrounding the Dragon Coast,
reclaim what they have lost to the depredations of ores, as well as in the Old Empires of eastern Faerun.
goblins, and the inexorable march of time. Smaller communities are found in the Smoking Moun-
According to their own legends, dwarves were formed tains, in the Giant's Run Mountains, and the Western
from iron, mithral, earth, and stone on the Soulforge of Heartlands.
Moradin. After the All-Father breathed life into them in Because they have not endured the same cycle of
the heart of the world, dwarves found their way to the invasion and displacement, gold dwarves tend to be
surface and, from there, spread across each continent. more optimistic than their shield dwarf cousins, but
Thousands of years of settlement and separation they're still standoffish and prideful as only a dwarf
divided the dwarves into distinct subraces: the shield can be. They believe their race's stable history is the
dwarves, most common in the North and the Sword result of their attentiveness to tradition, and have little
Coast; the gold dwarves of the southern lands; and the doubt that the future of the gold dwarves will be just
gray dwarves, or duergar, of the Underdark. as peaceful, if they remain true to their customs and
The Dwarvish language of Faerun uses a runic alpha- principles.
bet called Dethek, whose characters are easy to etch
into stone and metal, as evidenced by the runestones DWARF CLANS OF THE NORTH
and way-markers found in ancient dwarven tunnels All dwarves count their clan heritage as an important part
and mines. of their lineage and identity. While in some cities a single
clan dominates (or is the only one in residence) , in other
SHIELD DWARVES dwarven communities there is a complex relationship be-
tween family, clan, and the larger society.
The ancestral home of the shield dwarves is in northern Some of the dwarf clans in the North are Arnskull,
Faerun, where ancient dwarfholds exist in the North,
Battlehammer, Blackbanner, Blackhammer, Bucklebar,
Damara, lmpiltur, Vaasa, the Vast, and the Western Darkfell, Deepaxe, Deepdelve, Eaglecleft, Foehammer,
Heartlands. The most famous of the old shield dwarf Gallowglar, Hillsafar, Horn, lronshield, jundeth, Narlagh,
cities is Citadel Adbar, north and east of Silverymoon. Orothiar, Quarrymaster, Rockfist, Sstar, Stoneshaft, Stone-
Many of these dwarfholds have changed hands over the shield, Stoneshoulder, Trueforger, Watchever, Worldthrone,
centuries in a cycle of invasion by enemies, followed by Wyrmslayer, and Yund.
reconquest by the dwarves. Some dwarves hail from the family that founded or rules
a given clan, and so they use the clan name as their family
Living in a near-constant state of war for generations,
name. Others are simply "of" the clan, but bear the clan
shield dwarves are a hardy people, slow to trust, with
name with as much pride as their own surnames.