Dwarf

Dwarves are shorter and stocky, hardened by long ages spent underground and in wastelands. Their faces are always adorned with long brown to black beards, which soon turn grey. On average they live to the age of two hundred years.

They dwell in the mountains, where they build vast, richly decorated halls. In the dark underground they developed a special ability - they can see in the dark. Stonework is one of the arts in which dwarves have no equal. They are also excellent at working iron, silver, gold and the precious stones they mine.

Dwarves love various precious items, cut gems and gold jewellery, expensive clothing and comfort.

A peculiarity of the dwarven kind are dwarf women, who are the only women of all races to have beards.

Dwarves generally do not like water and rarely master skills connected with water.

Their lonely life in dark caves has deprived them of any sense of humour. With rare exceptions they are always serious and gloomy. They stand by their word and rarely break a sealed agreement.

An advantage, but at the same time a certain shortcoming of dwarves is their determination. Once they set their minds to something, nothing stops them from their chosen goal and they will achieve it, even if it takes a hundred years. This is also what costs them in dealing with others and in their overall impression. They can be so stubborn that nobody and nothing will convince them, and they will not do a thing the simple way, because tradition and obstinacy tell them to persist.

In battle they are exceptionally brave. They are masters of the axe (especially the great axe and the war axe), which is their traditional weapon. From a lost fight they retreat only reluctantly.

Summary of abilities

Dark vision

A dwarf can see in the dark. However, they do not see the same as by torchlight or sunlight; rather they perceive the outlines of a room and movement (they cannot read or distinguish colours in the dark).

Stability

Dwarves stand as if rooted to the ground, so they get a bonus against being knocked down.

Environment

Dwarves always have at least partial knowledge of the Underground (from woodcraft).