Dwarf

Dwarves, more properly the tumnii, are the kindred most unchanged by time. Their ancestors at the end of the First Age, nearly 20,000 years ago, were titans, masters of order and runes. The ruling council, committed an act of hubris. They created the so-called Orb of All Might to destroy their longstanding enemy, the wyrm (ancestors of dragons). To empower the Orb, they drained the power and potential out of the “weaker” elements of their society. These were the first dwarves. Sons and daughters of the earth and runes, they change only grudgingly. This carries over to their physiology. Dwelling in the mountain depths has sharpened their eyesight and the stone in their blood gives them increased endurance.

Tumnii are overwhelmingly born as fraternal twins, one male and one female. Dwarves are considered Adult at age 25 and generally live until they are about 150. Overall, they tend to be shorter than humans, standing between 4′0″ and 5′2″, but broader and more muscular. Generally, all adult dwarves have beards. Whether one or both sexes shave is a cultural matter. Of all the lineages of Quartus, there is the most in-group physiological difference between cultural groups of tumnii, as their physiology directly adapts to their circumstances at the clan-group level.

Three major ethnic variants exist, although this is more social rather than directly physiological.

Lineage Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. +1 Constitution
  • Age. Physically Adult at 20, live until 150-ish
  • Size. Medium. 4′ - 5′6″, 150-250 lbs
  • Speed. 30 feet
  • Status. Core
  • Languages. You know Common and Tumni (Dwarven). You can read most written Too-til (Giantish) with some difficulty.
  • Darkvision. You have darkvision out to 60 feet.
  • Poison Resistance. You have resistance to poison damage and make Constitution saving throws against being poisoned at advantage.
  • Stone’s Endurance (+). When you expend a hit die as part of a short rest, you can choose to either remove a level of exhaustion (keeping the rolled healing) or maximize the healing received from that hit die. You can use this feature once per short rest.

Abandoned

Abandoned dwarves come from the high-mountain regions in the Giant’s Spine. The influence of malign creatures and magics, as well as the lack of resources, leaves these dwarves visibly different from most others. Their skin tends to the grey (and most often much paler), and they tend to be bald or shave much of their heads. Their eyes are red or violet, leading to an albino look. They tend to be slightly taller but much more slender than other dwarves, giving them an ungainly (to other dwarves) look, although they claim it’s the other dwarves who are squashed. They have even more sexual dimorphism than surfacer dwarves, and looser attitudes toward marriage and family.

Culturally, they are much less clan-oriented and much more individualistic. They often violently reject traditional mores, which causes friction between them and the other cultures.

  • Ability Score Increase. +2 Intelligence OR +2 Dexterity
  • Additional Proficiencies. You have proficiency in your choice of Arcana or Survival, as well as Too-til (Giantish).
  • Mental Fortitude. When you start your turn and are affected by a condition (such as stunned) that prevents you from taking actions, you can choose to end that condition. If you do so, you gain a level of exhaustion. Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you have no more levels of exhaustion.

Deep Mountain

Deep mountain dwarves live in the hard conditions deep inside the mountains. Their clans rarely come to the surface except to trade. As such, they tend to be shorter and more overtly muscular than surfacer dwarves. There is virtually no visible sexual dimorphism between male and female deep mountain dwarves [at least until you take their clothes off –IB]. Many Uulani dwarves, especially the most traditional, are deep mountain dwarves.

  • Ability Score Increase. +2 Strength OR +2 Wisdom
  • Born to the Craft. You are proficient in two artisan’s tools of your choice. When you make a check with either one, you add twice your proficiency bonus instead of your proficiency bonus.
  • Stone’s Resilience. When you are reduced to 0 hit points and not outright killed and do not have any levels of exhaustion, you can use this feature to not become unconscious and be able to act normally. If you do so, you gain a level of exhaustion. You still make death saves as normal, including when you take damage, and the normal effects of death save results still apply.

Surfacer

Surfacer dwarves have ancestors that lived above ground and were craftsmen and traders. They tend to be taller than deep mountain dwarves (averaging 4′8″ with 5′0″ not being too uncommon) but more wiry and slender than mountain dwarves. Sexual dimorphism (while muted compared to other races) is more pronounced in surfacer dwarves than in deep mountain dwarves. This mainly shows up in facial features and body build. Height, weight, and strength are only minimally different. Female surfacer dwarves tend to have sharper features and straighter, longer hair than males. Both have elaborate beards (at least in the Uulani and Southshore regions). Almost all dwarves native to the Jungle of Fangs fit into this culture. Surfacer dwarves are most known as merchants and traders, using their logical mindset to make deals.

  • Ability Score Increase. +2 Charisma OR +1 Constitution and +1 Strength
  • Additional Proficiencies. You are proficient in Persuasion, one artisan’s tool of your choice, and one common language of your choice.
  • Persuasive. When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check and do not like the result, you can choose to reroll the check (including any advantage or disadvantage) and use the second result. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once) and recover all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
  • Shared Endurance. When a creature you can see within 30 ft makes a Constitution or death saving throw, you can share some of your fortitude with them. You take one level of exhaustion, and they add your Constitution modifier or Charisma modifier (whichever is higher, minimum 1) to the save result.