Homebrew Mountainborn (goliath/dwarf) Species Details

One might not expect the collaboration between the one of the realms largest sapient races with one of the smallest, but Goliath and Dwarves have a long shared history. Both creatures that often roam the mountains and hillsides, they had to work together to avoid territorial wars. Both societies highly favoring hard work, and holding the security of the clan above all else, they had much in common.

While the Dwarves built massive empires underground, the Goliath patrolled the surface. Dwarven society benefited from this union as they no longer had to worry about enemies coming from the surface, safe under the care of their ruthless neighbors. The Goliath hoardes benefited because of trade, a luxury few Goliath experience. The Goliath warriors were outfitted with high quality armor and weapons, further strengthening their ability to protect the Dwarves. Truly this companionship was a match made by the Gods.

Children of Two Clans

Because of this strong bond between the races, finding Dwarven Goliath hybrids is somewhat common. Children of these cross-race relations are known as Mountainborn, and they are easily identifiable as such. They share the striking grey skin of their Goliath heritage, yet the large and round features of the Dwarves.

They are almost always adorned with the essential Goliath body tattoos, but frequently the designs take a more Dwarven aesthetic to them, with bold lines and intricate braided patterns.

Many Mountainborn, due to their Goliath ancestry, have trouble growing facial hair. This is rarely a problem in Goliath circles, but often makes one the target of mockery among Dwarves. Dwarven culture sees the lack of facial hair as a disgrace, regardless of gender, and is seen as a lack of strength. To compensate for this, many Mountainborn design their tattoos to mimic facial hair, densely covering their lower face, neck, and even chest.

Not Fitting In

There is a large height variation across the Mountainborn, some closer to the stoutness of Dwarves while others hold more Giant heritage and tower like the Goliath. Most, however, fall around the 5 to 6 foot range. This difference in height between their clan members often leads to difficulties in the Mountainborn's life. They are often too large to fit into the mines that are perfectly sized to Dwarves, this leads many Mountainborn to pursue a life on the surface. However, they are also frequently excluded from Goliath training and combat, their smaller size being perceived as weakness.

This is not to say that Mountainborn are shunned by either society. Many Mountainborn find peculiar niches due to their size that neither Dwarf nor Goliath can fill. Mountainborn can find plenty of work in the processing and transport of mined materials, being able to carry much heavier loads than most Dwarves can. And many Goliath do see the benefits of a smaller warrior, as Mountainborn's stoutness makes them harder to spot, and their darkvision is invaluable in night-raids. Still, the feeling of not quite fitting in with their clan is common among Mountainborn, and is frequently what drives them from home.

Strong as Stone

If there is one thing that Dwarves and Goliath share in common, it is their incredible resilience and strength. Whether enduring the heat of a forge or the blows of an enemy, putting your might into the swing of a pickaxe or a sword, or simply laying your bedroll in an inhospitable environment, Mountainborn are the toughest around. This sturdiness often translates into tough-headedness as well, either inherently or taught by their clans. Few Mountainborn will go out of their way to seek comfort, often taking on challenges as a way to prove their strength to their peers. This may be related to the Mountainborns fierce loyalty to their clans, as both Dwarves and Goliath favor their clan above all else. This concentration of devotion may lead to the signature aversion to the easy road, as taking up too many resources or taking your time with your work may be seen as not providing for your clan. Even the Mountainborn that leave their clans for this exact reason find it hard to shake their old habits, refusing help at all costs.

Mountainborn Names

The names of Mountainborn highly depend on where they were raised. Those raised underground in Dwarven mines are much more likely to have Dwarven names, while those roaming the surface with Goliath hoardes are more likely to have Goliath names. This difference can be trivial, as both societies have similar naming conventions.

The most important parts of a Mountainborn name is the Individual name and the Clan name. These are self explanatory. The Individual name is the name of the Mountainborn, while the Clan name, which takes place of a surname, is that of their Clan.

The main difference in naming conventions is the Goliath tradition to have a middle name or nickname, often originating from an impressive feat or embarrassing story about the Mountainborn. It is up to you whether your Mountainborn would have such a moniker.

Mountainborn (goliath/dwarf) Traits

As a Mountainborn, you have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increases

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age

Mountainborn live longer than their Goliath parents, but not as long as their Dwarven parents. On average, they live about 200 years.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid.

Size

Mountainborn height's fall between the stout Dwarves and the towering Goliath. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Little Giant

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill, and you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Darkvision

Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Stone's Strength

Your ancestry has made you incredibly hardy. You can choose either resistance to cold damage or poison damage.

Stone’s Endurance

You can supernaturally draw on unyielding stone to shrug off harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total.

You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Dwarven Training

Dwarven culture is heavily centered on ones profession. Dwarves spend their entire lives honing their skill in whatever career they see as the most valuable to their clan. When mixed with the values of the Goliath, most often this career choice is centered around warfare. You can choose proficiency in either the use of Dwarven weaponry and armor, or in the tools of Dwarven craftsmanship.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, and Giant.