Homebrew Athasian Dwarf Species Details
“The worst thing you can say to a dwarf is ''It can't be done.' If he's already decided to do it, he may never speak to you again. If he hasn't decided to take up the task, he may commit himself to it simply out of spite. "Impossible' is not a concept most dwarves understand. Anything can be done, with enough determination.”
On Athas, dwarves are not subterranean miners but rather, a long-lived, slowly dying race known for their relentless focus on a task to the single exclusion of all others. A dwarf's chief love is toil, and one is never happier when tasked with a cause he can approach with a stoic, single-mindedness for weeks, months, years, or even decades. Once his mind is committed to a task, it is near impossible to sway him away from its as he will fail to listen to reason. Dwarves live for their focus, for those who die unable to complete a focus return from the dead to haunt their unfinished work. A dwarf rarely divulges his focus to anyone.
Short and Stout
Short and powerful, dwarves stand between 4 1/2 and 5 feet tall. Their frames are massive and an average dwarf weighs in the vicinity of 200 pounds. Life in the Athasian wastes makes them rugged, tanned, and callused. Dwarves are hairless and find the very idea of it repulsive.
The Focus
A dwarf's relation is often a function of his focus. Those who help him are respected, sensible companions. Those who hinder him are obstacles that must be removed. There is very little room for compromise in a dwaven mind.
Focus
Focus is the central point of your existence, and no simple job will suffice. Work with your DM to come up with a starting focus and a new one if completed. None should be easy to complete and should take at least 1 week or longer to finish to be worthwhile.
For example, Grelak, protector of his village, makes the retrieval of a sacred book stolen by raiders his focus. After a week of gathering clues, he sets out to liberate the artifact from its current owner in a trading post weeks away. On the way there, he gains the benefit of his dwarven focus for anything that would slow him because he is trying to reach the book. Later, he stops in Nibenay to rest and gets into a brawl. He doesn't receive any bonuses because he isn't actively pursuing his focus.
Dwarven Society
Dwarves are close-knit, formed around clans and focused on family. Ties of blood are honored above all but the focus. Family honor or dishonor is passed down to generation. A community is led by the Urhnomous (over-leader), and each clan by and uhrnius (leader). There are 3 main dwarven settlements in the Tableland: Kled, near Tyr, and the twin villages of North and South Ledopolus on the southwestern edge. Dwarven oral tradition shares that they were once a mighty people living in vast cities, and many of these ancient ruins are still out there, buried and forgotten.
Roleplaying a Dwarf
Remember the intensity of your focus. Breaking it has social, philosophical, and spiritual repercussions. If you dies before completion, you spirit will return as a banshee and you will have shamed your clan for generations to come. For someone to intentionally stand in the way of your focus is an assault on you. You greatest satisfaction is completing the focus. Keep a serious attitude always. The only time you show your festive side (you have one) is when you have recently fulfilled a focus or between setting a new one. At this time your full joy and humor show, but you are vulnerable in some ways because you are lost in purpose.
Dwarf Names
A dwarf’s name is granted by a clan leader, the uhrnius, after completing one's first focus. Dwarves do not have surnames and like many on Athas prefer just one name, using a town (Drog of Kled) if distinction is needed.
Male Names: Baranus, Biirgaz, Bonatar, Brulm Caelum, Caro, Daled, Drog, Fyra, Ghedran, Gralth, Gram, Jurgan, Lyanius, Murd, Nati, Portek, Rkard, Sa'ram, Sult, Veso.
Female Names: Ardin, Erda, Ghava, Greshin, Gudak, Lazra, N'kadir, Palashi, Vashara.
Athasian Dwarf Traits
Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature.Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 2, and you choose to increase your Strength or Wisdom by 1.
Age
Dwarves mature at around 35. They can live to a maximum 250 years, but Athas often consumes them well before this time.
Size
Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision
Despite living above ground, your heritage allows you to see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if in bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
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, 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 Focus
When making an ability check of saving throw directly related to your Focus, you are considered proficient and double your proficiency bonus.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.