Homebrew Dwarf (Oull) Species Details

Short and Stout

Born of the earth, dwarves are known as skilled miners, and workers of stone, gems and metal. Dwarves are grown from minerals in the ground through a process called “noding”. Though they stand well under 5 feet tall, dwarves are so broad and compact that they can weigh as much as a human standing nearly two feet taller. Their courage and endurance are also easily a match for any of the larger folk.

Dwarven skin ranges from deep brown to a paler hue tinged with red, but the most common shades are light brown or deep tan, like certain tones of earth. Their hair, worn long but in simple styles, is usually black, gray, or brown, though paler dwarves often have red hair. Dwarves value their whiskers highly and groom them carefully so they can sense minerals and find their way around their tunnels easily.

Clans and Kingdoms

Dwarven kingdoms stretch deep beneath the mountains where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals and forge items of wonder. They love the beauty and artistry of precious metals and fine jewelry, and in some dwarves this love festers into avarice. Whatever wealth they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through trade. Trustworthy members of other races are welcome in dwarf settlements, though some areas are off limits even to them.

Dwarven settlements are ran by an elected monarch who will rule until the others deem them no longer fit to do so. If a monarch dies earlier than that, their heartstone is retrieved and the monarch is re-noded to regrow them again. After emerging, they are taught much like a young human ruler would be so they may retake their throne.

Even dwarves who live far from their own kingdoms cherish their clan identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves, and invoke their ancestors’ names in oaths and curses. To be banished is the worst fate that can befall a dwarf.

Dwarves in other lands are typically artisans, especially weaponsmiths, armorers, and jewelers. Some become mercenaries or bodyguards, highly sought after for their courage and loyalty.

Gods, Gold, and Clan

Dwarves who take up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure—for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help others. Other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to their monarch. A dwarf might seek to restore a clan’s lost honor, avenge an ancient wrong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within the clan after having been exiled. Or a dwarf might search for the axe wielded by a mighty ancestor, lost on the field of battle centuries ago. It is common for adventurer dwarves to travel as a unit comprised of them and their twin dwarf and they would lay their lives down for one-another.

Dwarf Names

A dwarf’s name is granted by their parents or their monarch, in accordance with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has been used and reused down through the generations. A dwarf’s name belongs to the clan, not to the individual. A dwarf who misuses or brings shame to a clan name is stripped of the name and forbidden by law to use any dwarven name in its place.

Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal

Female Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra

Clan Names: Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart

Dwarf (Oull) Traits

Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1

Age

Dwarves emerge from the ground physically mature after 2 years, and are considered adults after a further 20 years of learning. On average, they live 400 years, with rare cases of dwarves reaching 500, after death they turn to stone.

Size

Dwarves stand between 3 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Small or Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Dwarven senses- Darkvision and Mineral sense

Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.

Your whiskers also allow you to find minerals with ease, granting you advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) to find gems, ores, metals and stones.

Dwarven Resilience

Due to your mineral form, you have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “Combat” section).

Dwarven Combat Training

You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, war pick, light hammer, and warhammer.

Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools.

Dwarven Toolforming

You can use your action to morph your hand into a hammer, pickaxe, chisel, crowbar and can use it as you would the tool. This lasts for 10 minutes, and you can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. A bonus action can be used to morph it back to a usable hand.

Additionally, Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. In Oull, Dwarvish involves grunts and harsh syllables, with the inclusion of hand-morphs to help refer to professions.