Dwarf
From Valwiki
Size: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Life Span: 250-300 Years.
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons. Stability: A dwarf gains bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Racial Bonus: Slight immunity against poison. (+2)
Racial Bonus: Slight resistance against spells and spell-like effects. (+2)
Racial Bonus: Fair appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items.
Racial Bonus: Craft checks that are related to stone or metal. (+3)
Racial Flaw Being stout they do not move as dexterious as humans, and only move at a landbase speed of 20ft (-2 Dex)
Racial Flaw They are often very stuborn and refuse outside help from anyone. This limits what they can do, and are often keep to themselves so may not gain vital technologies the outside world has found.
Racial Flaw Dwarves often distrust magic and magic users and often cast out those who are magic users of their own, so Dwarves tend to have little to no knowledge of magic aside from its being an unpure thing. Thus it is harder for a dwarf to learn the ways of the arcane. (-2 Arcane knowledge)
Favored Class: Fighter, Barbarian.
Restrictions: Rogue, Bard, Wizard.
Description: Dwarves are a short, stocky, barrel-chested humanoid race. The average dwarf stands between 4 and 4 1/2 feet tall. Yet, the dwarves are so broad and solidly built that they often outweigh humans. In addition, dwarves have dense muscles and are remarkably strong for their size. These attributes make many believe that dwarves are born from the very rock in which they live.
Backstory for Hammerforge
As written by User:Zangus and looked over by User:Setzer
The Dwarves of Meridiem have always been under constant pressure to keep their home a secret, hidden, forever vieled from the wrath of Meridallas and his Orcish hordes. However, it was at the coming of the great waves that Meridallas' presence ceased from the land. Then came these men from a northern land cultivating and making heavily fortified ports. But the Dwarves only heard news of this after they've already moved on. The Dwarves only had one ally they could trust, and that was the native wild Elves to Droth Danor. Though originally they fought, they soon found each could live in the mystic valley. Though only a handfull of Wild Elves survive these days.
A time of rejoice began when news was heard that the large horde of Orcs deminished and began to seperate into multipule groups again. Giving the Dwarves a long needed sigh of relief that they've been waiting upon centuries for.
And relief did happen for awhile. Then Bugbears we're sighted all to close to their secret valley. And It wasnt long until a full barage of Bugbears swept into the lower foothills and established there. It was up to the Dwarves to keep their valley safe and so set forth against the Bugbears.
Many, many battles wore on and It looked like the Dwarves were upon victory when their King passed. Leaving his two twin sons in charge. Each having a very different view on ruling. This caused friction and the Dwarves to lose a major battle. While the majority of others stayed behind to finally fend off the Bugbear threat. Soon after a few of the Droth Danor Dwarves loyal to one of the twins set forth to the lands rumoured so much about in the north...To Kharlia. But neither sides send messangers, for each are stubborn to forgive.
There they found ruins of a old mountain town, occupied by variouis peoples or so it seemed. They also had to ward off a strange foe who wore emblems of 'D', however it seemed after a few skirmishes the strange foes were uninterested in battle and soon left on a single ship.
The Dwarves didnt take long to establish the kingdom as they had with them one of the greatest masons known to Dwarven kind. He and his men quickly shaped the old ruins into a strong fortress. Though these Dwarves may not know much of these lands, these lands will soon know the force of HAMMERFORGE.
