both before dwarves counting rather

Khargra

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

tasty, refined metal their victim carries, they quickly flee—and will flee before that rather than risk death. Stealthy Couriers. A number of clans among the dwarves, duergar, and azers have trained

Gray Dwarf (Duergar) Legacy

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

The gray dwarves, or duergar, live deep in the Underdark. After delving deeper than any other dwarves, they were enslaved by mind flayers for eons. Although they eventually won their freedom, these

grim, ashen-skinned dwarves now take slaves of their own and are as tyrannical as their former masters. Physically similar to other dwarves in some ways, duergar are wiry and lean, with black eyes and

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering. Kind and

are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their

, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds. Dwarves. “They’re stout folk, stalwart friends, and true to their word. Their greed for gold is their downfall, though.&rdquo

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Bloodaxes. Founded in Sundabar nearly two centuries ago, the Bloodaxes were originally a group of dwarves outcast from their clans for crimes against the teachings of Moradin Soulforger. They began

enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Customizing the Puzzle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

overcome their own assumptions. An easier version of this puzzle might involve counting the letters in any type of word the guard provides and responding with that number. Alternatively, the response

to the guard’s number might be any word with the same number of letters as that number—for example, “five” has four letters, making “duck” or “smog” suitable responses. The more your puzzle plays with numbers as words rather than digits, the more challenging it’s likely to be.

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

Albino Dwarves

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

spots the dwarves, but all others are surprised. The dwarves knock characters out rather than killing them, stealing food, water, and gear from those rendered unconscious. They break off their attack if any character speaks Dwarvish to them or demonstrates peaceful intentions.

Albino Dwarves The characters are ambushed by 1d4 + 3 albino dwarf warriors (see appendix D) that attack from hidden burrows. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient

Dwarf Rangers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Dwarf Rangers Most dwarves prefer to hunker down under a mountain, rather than roam the wilderness of the surface or the Underdark. Most often, a dwarf ranger is either a shield dwarf cast out of a

clanhold or a clanless dwarf seeking a place in the world. Sometimes dwarf rangers are prospectors who explore the world seeking new veins of ore. In any case, there are two deities who appeal to such dwarves: Marthammor Duin and Dumathoin.

Barterers of Lore

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s not intrinsically interesting. In the

miser counting coins. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient relics, magical items, and other rare objects. Aside

Enemies All Around

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

to possess the material goods in a stronghold’s hoard, and would much rather snatch up living treasure. Using its powers of deception, a green dragon might try to entice dwarves it encounters to ally

Enemies All Around If the dwarves weren’t so good at accumulating treasure, it’s likely that they wouldn’t have as many enemies. As things stand, however, almost every variety of marauding humanoid

Otaaryliakkarnos

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

guidance, and should be shown Bahamut’s righteous way of living rather than ignored and treated as children. If the dragons refuse to engage the humanoids and focus only on their own advancement, the

humanoids will persist in making the same mistakes again and again. Otaaryliakkarnos’s faith in the potential of humanoids has something of a blind spot when it comes to dwarves, however. She resents

Otaaryliakkarnos

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

guidance, and should be shown Bahamut’s righteous way of living rather than ignored and treated as children. If the dragons refuse to engage the humanoids and focus only on their own advancement, the

humanoids will persist in making the same mistakes again and again. Otaaryliakkarnos’s faith in the potential of humanoids has something of a blind spot when it comes to dwarves, however. She resents

Conflict without End

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Conflict without End Few others aside from the dwarves and the duergar understand or appreciate the true scope and intensity of the battles between these two races. Viewed on a grand scale, the

fight a persistent guerrilla war of sudden raids and brutal attacks against isolated groups of dwarves. Duergar often begin an attack by burrowing into a dwarf settlement from below, then bursting out

The Dual Role of Abbathor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

their creation, or actually steal them. Greed distorts the joy that dwarves normally take from their work. It focuses on the value of the end result, rather than the importance of the process of creation

The Dual Role of Abbathor A little act of selfishness now and then is to be expected even from the wisest of folk. — Tenelar, Outcast of Five Peaks Dwarves have rigid principles and lofty

Mirabar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Mirabar Mirabar is a human city that rests atop dwarven caverns. On the surface, humans dominate the population, with some dwarves mixed in, and a handful of gnomes and halflings. The uppermost

level of the undercity is mostly dwarves, with some few humans. The mixing of races is due to convenience of trade, preference, or skill; just as some few humans like to mine, to imbibe strong dwarven

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

Alignment in the Multiverse (p. 122)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

Alignment in the Multiverse (p. 122) The first three paragraphs have been replaced with the following: For many thinking creatures, alignment is a moral choice. Humans, dwarves, elves, and other

, most devils hail from the Nine Hells, a plane of lawful evil. A devil does not choose to be lawful evil or tend toward lawful evil, but rather it is lawful evil in its essence. If it somehow ceases to be lawful evil, it changes into something new—a transformation worthy of legend.

The Path to Perfection

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

of time. Rather than imparting his skills to them, he fueled their spirits with a burning desire to follow his example. His gifts of durability and purpose gave the dwarves all they needed to devote

greatness. — Balifra Eversharp Dwarves have a strong sense of their progress, and each day that goes by must bring them closer to the standard set by Moradin. Acutely aware of their mortality, they

Setting the Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hold Back The Dead

Halvachar is a Knight of the Crown. Lord Soth’s forces are marching from Dargaard Keep. Eberron. Dwarves built the fortress in the Mror Holds long ago but abandoned it when a local mine was depleted

part of the Kingdom of Furyondy. The evil cambion Iuz, rather than Szass Tam, sends forces against the fortress.

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant

the character of the different cultures these folk have encountered since coming out into the sunlight. When a group of verdan live near dwarves, they might take on more dwarven-sounding names, only

Creature Size

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

miniatures or other tokens, follow these rules. Squares. Each square on the grid represents 5 feet. Speed. Rather than moving foot by foot, move square by square on the grid. This means you use your speed

between two things—whether creatures or objects—start counting squares from a square adjacent to one of them and stop counting in the space of the other one. Count by the shortest route.

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

scythe. Only a skilled and determined hero can hope to survive single combat with an orc. Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by their

chief can plan where to send raiders next. The territory that orc war parties cover can extend for many miles around the lair, and any encampment or settlement of elves, dwarves, or humans in that

Exemplars of Ambition

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members

of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds. Dwarves

Shrine of the Tender Oath

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

Shrine of the Tender Oath Revered sites within the Vale of Dancing Waters include temples and shrines positioned throughout the gorge, rather than a single consolidated structure. Most of these spots

and its allies sneaked into the shrine, used deceit and magic to overcome the few worshipers, and began digging. They have gone unnoticed by other dwarves in the region.

D2. Shrine Entrance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

arch are two statues of dwarves offering a greeting. Beyond the archway is an open courtyard with a statue on a raised platform in the center. All these features have been chiseled out of the side of

the mountain rather than built from fitted stonework. Two dwarf guards stand watch atop this stony shelf. Instead of spears and shields, they carry warhammers that they wield with two hands (1d10 + 1

Sundabar

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Sundabar Like Mirabar, Sundabar was a dwarven settlement atop which a human city was built. Sundabar’s recent fall should serve as an example to my fellow dwarves of what can happen when the balance

recognition of a human saving his life during the fight, the Forgemaster permitted the refugees to settle on the surface, rather than forcing them to depart once the battle was done. The partnership that grew

Appendix B: Character Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

determine a name. Even though names are associated with races in this appendix, a character might not have a name from their own race. For instance, a half-orc might have grown up among dwarves and

have a dwarven name. Or, as DM, you might decide that dragonborn in your campaign have a culture reminiscent of ancient Rome and therefore use Roman names, rather than the dragonborn names suggested here.

Approaching the Spire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

examines the protrusion can make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to discern its nature. (The dwarves’ Stonecunning trait can prove useful here.) On a successful check, the character can confirm

that the stone is neither naturally formed nor manually hewn, but rather shaped by magic. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also discerns that that the protruding rock is of the top of

Life in the City of Blades

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Life in the City of Blades The duergar are called gray dwarves not only because of the color of their skin, but also because of their drab and joyless lifestyle. While they make no time for merriment

, the duergar have a culture as rich and complex as any other, and nowhere is this so evident as in Gracklstugh. Work never stops in the City of Blades, and the gray dwarves take pride in efficiency

Exemplars of Ambition

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. EVERYONE'S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members

of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds. Dwarves

Small and Practical

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have

living thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing what they have even in lean times. Blend into the Crowd Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making

Additional Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

dwarves fend off an attack by 4 ogres and a half-red dragon veteran named Yggran. The dwarves are hopelessly overmatched and flee rather than fight. If her fellow cultists can’t save Cheela, they

leading a group of cultists that was terrorizing the dwarves. Having killed Cheela’s drakes and subordinates, the dwarves bring their prisoner to the adventurers hoping for a reward. Cheela has useful

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