Homebrew Dwemrlin Species Details

 

Members of the Dwemrlin race are rare to find, thanks to the ongoing battle between Dwarves and Goblins, but not unheard of and can usually be found living in solitude, if found at all. Most Dwarves look down upon them, calling them clanless and casting them out of their grand halls. Whereas Goblin tribes will enslave them and make them work tirelessly to death. Most Dwemrlin travel the world, looking for mercenary work with guilds or working trade jobs in human villages. 

Short and Stubborn 

Bold and hardy, dwemrlin are known as skilled warriors, miners, and workers of stone and metal. Though they stand well under 5 feet tall, dwemrlin are so small and compact that they can weigh half as much as a regular dwarf but still twice as heavy as a standard goblin. Their courage, endurance, and stubbornness are also easily a match for any of the larger folk. 

Dwemrlin skin is very similar to dwarven skin and 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 dwemrlin often have red hair. Other Dwemrlin traits can be attributed to their goblin heritage, sharing in their slenderer body shape, red or yellow eye coloring, with pointed ears and sharp teeth.  

Long Memory, Long Grudges 

Dwemrlin can live to be more than 400 years old, similar to dwarves, so the oldest living dwemrlin often remembers a very different world. Most Dwemrlin settle in near vacant villages of only a few huts with basic supplies and resources and will help build up their village, lending their expertise and skill set where needed. Over the course of a few centuries a meager village can rise to a bustling city thanks to even the help of a single dwemrlin who would be renowned and respected as a noble.  

Dwemrlin are solid and enduring like the stone they love, weathering the passage of centuries with stoic endurance. They respect the traditions of their clans, regardless of being deemed clanless by traditional dwarves. Dwemrlin can still trace their dwarven ancestry back to the founding of their most ancient strongholds in the youth of the world, and don’t abandon those traditions lightly. Part of those traditions is devotion to the gods of the dwarves, who uphold the dwarven ideals of industrious labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge. As for the dwemrlin’s goblin ancestry, it’s largely ignored or even frowned upon by most dwemrlin to follow the traditions of goblins. Even so, the hardships of being rejected by both dwarves and goblins can cause a dwemrlin to turn down a dark path. These solitary dwemrlin will live hidden off the edge of settlements, stealing food and supplies just for spite against the world and will often find more comfort with bandits and thieves, rather than with others of their own kind. 

Clans and Kingdoms 

Thanks to thousands of years of war between goblins and dwarves, dwemrlin are often outcasts, left to wander the world in search of somewhere to belong. As much as they love dwarven traditions and share in their love of precious metals and gems, a dwemrlin could try and prove themselves worthy to rejoin their clan but they would be very, very unlikely to succeed. Even if they did, the dwemrlin would still be ridiculed and bullied by other dwarves, even attacked in more extreme situations. Any dwemrlin would more likely accept the fate of wandering on their own, rather than be surrounded by hate. 

Even among their goblin relatives, the dwemrlin would merely be slaves if they were to try and join their villages. Goblin society relies heavily on societal standing, and each goblin loves to abuse their power over the lower ranks. Having a tough dwemrlin as a slave would only improve the societal rank of a goblin rather than give any benefit to the dwemrlin at all. They would more likely be worked tirelessly until they died of exhaustion. 

Wandering Dwemrlin will often settle in villages of various other races that accept them and will usually try their best to uphold the name of their inherited dwarven clan. They may even find a clan of their own if they should choose to do so, however it may be many, many millennia before that clan would be officially recognized by dwarves of other clans. A dwemrlin may even aspire to build up a kingdom of their very own over the course of many centuries, digging deep beneath the mountains like dwarves as well as having a sprawling kingdom above ground. Members of most other races would also be welcome and even viewed as equals to the dwemrlin, although there will always be some dwemrlin that aren't so quick to accept others.  

Whatever resources they can't find within their mountains, the dwemrlin would gain through trade, often employing others for sea trade routes of course, as dwemrlin share the dwarves dislike of boats and traveling over water in general. 

Dwemrlin Names 

Dwemrlin names are often granted by their parents, who may choose to follow dwarven tradition naming, or goblin traditions. A dwarf’s name is granted by a clan elder, in accordance with tradition. But because a dwemrlin is considered clanless, this is not usually the case unless the dwemrlin child was born outside of dwarven clans, in a new dwemrlin–made clan. Goblin naming follows much the same rules as hobgoblins, using few syllables and hard consonants as well as “z’s” very commonly. The dwemrlin’s parents may choose a dwarven name, a goblin name, or a combination of both. 

Goblin Male Names: Bret, Graaz, Drot, Gelk, Wekz, Dadnalk, Obboics, Zreednact, Artebs, Albug 

Goblin Female Names: Jialm, Chulm, Gobblez, Nenxe, Stiertai, Uilkeh, Cakuiz, Eguirti, Chumviz, Thrugbelk 

Dwarf Male Names: Savec, Nurafeag, Krostous, Sirbod , Lurferlig, Ruzear, Rardraet, Aghouc, Orirock, Toreghouck  

Dwarf Female Names: Demdaeren, Houkgroserd, Rumwere, Dhobrela, Gafegrett, Ratreanelynn, Grakranelyn, Throsdraline, Azmetryd, Grougnetalyn  

Clan Names: Bouldergrip, Coinhand, Mithrilbow, Goldenbeard, Flintmaul, Largetoe, Emberarmour, Eldhamar, Blessedmace, Battlehood, Mountainbringer, Earthbow, Strongbelt, Mudfoot, Goldenbuckle, Deepbraid, Chaoshorn, Goldhelm, Bluntthane,  Onyxbelly 

 

Dwemrlin Traits

As a Dwemrlin you will benefit from advantages of both races. An assortment of abilities from both Dwarves and Goblins alike. Traits can vary depending on what type of dwarf and goblin you inherit your dwemrlin genes from.

Appearance

Your appearance will vary greatly depending on the subrace of Dwarf you choose, those being Druergar, Hill Dwarf, and Mountain Dwarf. Choosing Druergar Dwarf will give you darker hair and more of a gray coloration, whereas Hill dwarves are more of a tanned complexion and Mountain Dwarves are fairer skinned with red hair. Other features may come from Goblin heritage such as red or yellow eyes, pointed ears and sharp teeth. Dwemrlin also share the goblin trait of bearing a mark or item in some way that is a showing to elevate their way in society with many preferring tattoos or shiny gold jewelry. 

 

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 3. Your Dexterity Score increases by 2.

Age

Thanks to your Dwarven heritage, you share in their longevity and your lifespan will average roughly 400 years or longer, reaching adulthood at the age of 50. 

Fury of the Small

When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature’s size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 

Size

You are small size due to your Goblin heritage, and you will have a similar average height, averaging between 3' and 4' 6" tall, (slightly taller thanks to your Dwarven side) 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 28 feet, an average between 25 feet for Dwarves and 30 feet for Goblins. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor thanks to your Dwarven heritage.

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.

Dwarven Resiliance

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Tool Proficiency

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

Nimble Escape

You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Goblin, and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.