Appearance:

All Dwarves are short, stocky individuals who stand between 4 to 4½ feet tall and typically weigh between 150 and 200 pounds.  There are four sub-races of Dwarves; Claennaugh, Durranaugh, Kharanaugh, and Duergar. The differences between Claennaugh, Durranaugh and Kharanaugh are largely coloration and preferred dwelling, and all are seen equally as 'Dwarves' by the rest of the Arr-Kelaanian population. The Duergar, however, are a different breed entirely; cruel and evil denizens of the Underdark, they are to Dwarven-kind what the Drow are to Elven-kind.  Claennaugh, often called the 'fair Dwarves', are the lightest in coloration. Their skin tones range from light tan to nearly as fair as a human albino. Their hair colors range from light blonde to pale grey and pure white. Even young Claennaugh Dwarves can have grey hair. Their eyes are almost always light grey or blue.  Durranaugh, sometimes called 'red Dwarves' are the darkest in coloration. Their skin tones range from deep brown to the earthen color of red ochre. Their hair is usually brown or rusty red. Their eyes are usually black.  Kharanaugh, typically called 'steel Dwarves' fall in between the other two races in appearance. Their skin tones range from leathery brown to a light sandstone tan. Their hair is usually black, steely grey, or slate blue. Their eyes are dark blue, steel grey, or silver-flecked.  Duergar, known as 'grey Dwarves' are typically taller and more slender -- sometimes actually looking emaciated -- than their kin. Their skin tones are always an ashen shade of grey. Their hair is also grey, tending toward the lighter shades with some actually having white hair. Their eyes are nearly always very dark, nearly solid black.  Regardless of color, male Dwarves wear their hair about shoulder length. All male Dwarves have long beards unless they shave it off (as a sign of mourning or protest). Dwarven males are considered youngsters if they cannot tuck their beards beneath their belts. Female Dwarves have longer hair and do not have beards, but are fond of 'side-whiskers' grown a inch or so before the ears, along the back of the jaw, and to whatever length might currently be in style. Sometimes, female Dwarves braid their side-whiskers with gold or silver wire.

Personality:
Dwarves tend to be very serious-minded, are typically stubborn and opinionated, and are given to hard work rather than flippancy. The one exception to this is music; all Dwarves are possessed of an intense love for music. All have rich, powerful singing voices and most learn to play at least one instrument. A Dwarf need only hear a song once to learn its rhythm and melody. Horns, drums, bagpipes, and flutes are the most commonly played instruments as Dwarven fingers are too short to play stringed instruments well.

Lifestyle:
Dwarves organize themselves into nations subdivided into clans.  Each clan consists of related extended families and can be quite numerous. The clans live and work together and all swear fealty to the King of the nation who is chosen by the chiefs of each clan at huge gatherings.  Each Dwarven nation is almost entirely independent and tends to remain tied almost exclusively to a single mountain chain.  Contact between Dwarven nations is maintained but never of great volume.  However, the introduction of RailShip lines is improving the communication and travel between Dwarven nations.

Durranaugh and Kharanaugh make their homes in the vast mountain ranges of Arr-Kelaan, living in complex underground citadels with the Kharanaugh preferring ocean cliffs and the Durranaugh preferring more central locations amid the mountain passes. The Claennaugh typically settle the remote mountain highlands in small villages of low, sturdy stone buildings above underground halls and storage facilities.

The nature of the Dwarven homelands leave little opportunity for farming. Beneath the earth, the Durranaugh and Kharanaugh grow a vast variety of delicious mushrooms, edible mosses, and raise fish, such as blind catfish, in underground lakes and rivers. Above ground, the Claennaugh farm hardy species of highland corn and other grains as well as keep bees and raise goats, sheep, and a breed of rugged, woolly cattle all of which can thrive on the sparse plant life of the highlands.  The Claennaugh are relied upon by the whole of a Dwarven nation for supplying red meat as well as the honey and grains necessary for brewing ale, mead, and spirits; in exchange, a poor Claennaugh harvests are always subsidized by mushrooms and fish from the Durranaugh and Kharanaugh.

Dwarves are a long-lived race, typically living 400 to 450 years. Dwarves are typically considered mature at about 70 to 80 years.

Dwarves distrust magic and spell casting, but excel in martial arts and the scientific arts; such as construction and engineering. Dwarves have considerable manual dexterity and the ability to shift the focus of their eyes to view very tiny objects with great detail, which makes them very well suited to creating delicate mechanical objects.

Names and Language:
The Dwarven language is gruff and deep, with a large number of small words which are easily heard over the clanging of hammers on anvils. The most common consonants are B, D, G, K, N, R, and T and the most common vowels being A, I, U, and AE.

Dwarven names are always expressed by a first name (i.e. Baerin, Turak, Taurin, Kharan) followed by a clan name, with most clan names being related to their lifestyle (i.e. Clans Battlehammer, Hammerhand, Ironfoot, Steelblade, Jewelcutter, etc.).

Equipment:
Dwarven equipment is typically sturdy and exceptionally well-crafted.  Ornamentation is common, but never extravagant.  The triangle, the shape of the holy mountain, is sacred to the Dwarves and figures heavily in any device or decoration.

Dwarves treat their armor and weapons and tools as part of their family.  A Dwarf would no more neglect his armor and weapons than he would strike his wife or children. An exception to this are the battleragers, who tend to view dented armor and notched weapons as badges of pride.

Pantheon:
Most Dwarves pay homage to the god of craftsmen Durill, the ForgeMaster, though followers of Beyurn, Mykke, and Krushkor are also found.

History:
Dwarves are the most ancient of the races, the first born of the Elemental Sovereign of the Earth.  They were the first made to stand against the Evil of the early Humanoids.  They were born into the mountains of the world with the knowledge of how to craft stone.

Though decidedly non-magical in nature, Dwarves have lead the way throughout the millennia in technological advancement.  Dwarves were first to work with metal (copper), and learned smelting and mixing of metals to create bronze and usher in the Bronze Age.  Dwarven bronze weapons and armor fought and won the Dragon Wars as the Dwarves, along with the equally non-magical halflings, were spared the pain of surrendering their empire to control by infiltrating dragons during the Dragon Wars.  Many great battles of the GodWar were won on the edge of a Dwarven bronze battleaxe.

Weapons of Dwarven iron, steel, mithril, and adamantite were used by all of the races to shatter the power of the Conclave of Wizards during the fearsome War of Magic and aided the advancement through all of the Classical Age.  And, Dwarves opened the horizons of the Modern Age with their steam power technology.

Dwarves as Player Characters

Classes and Kits
Dwarves are well suited to the roles of warrior, thief, and priest.  They may function as fighters, clerics, thieves, fighter/clerics, and fighter/thieves, or as a specialized bard known as a Chanter (see TSR's Complete Bards' Handbook).  A Dwarf who manifests the ability of ForgeMagic may never devote themselves to a life of adventuring because of the importance they play in Dwarven society.

Dwarves have an exceptionally broad choice as to kits, many available only to Dwarves (see TSR's Complete Book of Dwarves); but in general, Dwarves learn more towards the militaristic kits (battlerager, hearthguard, mrymidon, noble, sharpshooter, etc. ) and avoid the shadier and mystical kits (beggar, mystic, smuggler, etc.).

Standard Abilities

• -4 Attack penalty for ogres, trolls, ogre magi, giants, or titans
• Infravision 60' (120' for Duergar)
• Saving Throw Bonuses (Table D1)
• Enhanced surprise (Duergar only)

• Mining Skills (Table D2)
• +1 Attack bonus when fighting orcs, half-orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins (no Duergar)
• +1 Attack bonus with Crossbow
• +1 Attack bonus with Khuraath (Dwarven battle axe)
• +1 Attack bonus with Banurak (Dwarven warhammer)
• +1 Attack bonus with Dhuraka (Dwarven falchion)

• Khuraath
• Banurak
• Dhuraka
• Crossbow

• Direction Sense (below ground only)
• Sound Analysis

• Armorer
• Blacksmithing
• Brewing
• Engineering
• Musical Instrument
• Singing
• Stonemasonry
• Weaponsmith