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Dwarves

Dwarves are a familiar race in most fantasy settings, and Arcadian dwarves draw heavily from traditional ideas and sources. Dwarves are short and sturdy; they are diggers, miners, and craftspeople; female dwarves are rarely seen; etc. Several cultural notes follow the specific advantages and disadvantages listing. Some of the advantages and disadvantages listed here would apply only to Dwarves living among humans.

Dwarven Racial Template [30 points]

Many of the notes below would apply only to Dwarven males. Dwarven women are exceedingly rare: perhaps one female in six to ten Dwarven births. Dwarven females would not be appropriate as player characters without an unusual background (and lots of discussion).

Characteristics [5 points]

Dwarves have ST+2 [20], DX-1[-20], HT+1 [10], and Move -1 [-5].

Dwarves are one foot shorter on average than humans but weigh 100 pounds more, averaging just under five feet in height and just over 250 pounds in weight. Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans but live much longer; some in excess of 200 years. Because of their short stature, Dwarves are slow of foot.

Advantages [50 points]

The Dwarven frame is well suited to lifting and carrying (+2 Lifting ST [6]), and they are indifferent to discomfort (High Pain Threshold [10]). Their bodies are naturally somewhat resistant to heat and flame (+2 DR (Limited: Heat/Fire -40%) [6]). They live about twice as long as humans do, the oldest reaching ages of 200 years or more (Extended Lifespan [2]). Dwarves are naturally adept at craft (Talent: Artificer +2 [20]). Finally, Dwarves are well adapted to low-light conditions (Night Vision +6 [6]).

Disadvantages [-25 points]

Dwarves are frugal and rarely spend money for needless things. Treat this as Miserly [-10 points], but see Mindset, below. Dwarves living in human lands (including all PC dwarves) have a Social Stigma: Minority Group [-10 points].

Dwarven Culture

Society

Dwarven culture is tribal and familial. There are three great tribes of Dwarves in Arcadia in the post-cataclysm era: Magnus (mahg-nus), the Kain (Kay-in), and the Thurok (Thoo-rok). Dwarves are highly aware of their genealogy, and nearly every member of each tribe can recite the line of his fathers back to the tribes founder. Inheritance and leadership trace exclusively to the eldest male descendant with direct, male line ancestry who is known as the “All-Father” (although they have adopted the title "King" for use when dealing with Humans). 

Because of the rarity of Dwarven women (see above), they command huge dowries and are usually guarded deep within the halls of the tribe. Dwarven women have little control over their lives, and though ceremonially revered are little more than property in Dwarven culture.

Dwarves practice familial polyandry. Only the eldest brother may take a bride, but that bride is considered to be married to the entire family. Once the eldest brother has sired a son, the next brother in line will have the opportunity to do so. All dwarves with the same mother consider themselves brothers despite having different fathers.

Dwarves love stories and tales of all kinds, but do not embellish them. They have a long written history and tell many stories of the line of the All-Fathers for their tribe. 

Mindset

Dwarves appear to humans to be emotionally aloof. In fact, it is an important Dwarven virtue to be in control of one's passions. Dwarves seek to be totally free from the passions of consumption (in game terms, things like Lechery, Gluttony, and Greed) and passions of fear (like Phobias and Combat Paralysis). Many common human foibles would be anathema to Dwarves. 

The quest for wealth is not seen as an end to itself, despite what humans may believe. Dwarves believe that surrounding one's self with good things is the path to happiness, but Dwarves do not believe that money or materials of themselves are good. Rather, they respect what can be done with money. Like so much else in their culture, wealth is seen as a tool. What humans would consider miserliness is in Dwarven eyes a virtue: the tool of material wealth should be respected and put to good use. A well-crafted war axe should not be used to chop firewood when a lesser tool would do nor should money be spent on creature comforts or fanciful finery when lesser things will do.

Dwarves do not seek out creature comforts and are largely indifferent to their environments. For instance, while the same range of temperatures (roughly speaking) is comfortable to both humans and Dwarves, a dwarf would be unconcerned about the cold until he was in danger of frostbite. Dwarves are not indifferent to suffering, however. While a Dwarf would not give money to a beggar, he might find some task for the beggar to perform in exchange for necessities. With their veneration of the ancestral line, Dwarven families take good care of their old and infirm.

Finally, Dwarves believe in the orderly and rational nature of the world. They are passionate about understanding the workings of things and have advanced the sciences and engineering within their culture. They have many "inventions" kept secret from humankind, for they do not trust these tools in human hands. Above all, they believe that what happens happens for a reason. They do not believe in luck or fortune.

Works

Dwarves are associated with great works in stone and metal. Their tribes maintain vast halls in the far east both above and below ground, and their craft with stone is both utilitarian and beautiful. There is a uniquely Dwarven aesthetic at work in all the places that they live and work, and they create highly planned and structured communities, homes and shops.

The most significant focus for Dwarven craft items is utility: craftsmen are taught to make the blade strong, true and durable first and beautiful second. The mountains in which they live house the most significant deposits of iron, coal and other elements used in the manufacture of steel (the only significant human source is in the Iron Hills region through which the border between Meldania and the Shieldlands runs). The mountains also have valuable metals such as gold, silver, and copper, and dwarves make many things both functional and beautiful from each of these elements.

Dwarves do not, as a rule, swim or sail. However, they have become accomplished shipwrights and have been responsible for many nautical innovations used by humans in ship construction.

Religion

Dwarves in older times revered the elemental spirits of earth, air, fire and water. Of these, fire (Ahg in the Dwarven tongue) was the most significant. Dwarven metal-craft is an important element of their culture through ancient association with these elemental gods. Earth, air, fire and water were represented by metal, fuel, flame, and temper in ancient times. Their reverence for the Gods has passed, but not for the value of craftsmanship and lore.

In modern times, the Dwarves have no religion nor do they typically join in human observances. They understand the nature of the Eldar and consider them the great Architects of Arcadia, but the Dwarves believe that their lives and destinies are in their own hands. In their view, the work of the Eldar is complete.

Magic

Dwarves only occasionally have the advantage of Magery, even less frequently than humans. However, many Dwarves are practiced in the lore of runes or of the enchantment of arms. The vast majority of Dwarven spellcasters are Sorcerers, using elemental magic.