Homebrew Forgeling (Dwarven Upbringing) Species Details

Kingdoms rich in ancient grandeur, halls carved deep into the Prismatic Caverns, the echoing of picks and hammers in deep mines and blazing forges, a commitment to clan and tradition, and a burning passion for merchantilism—these common threads unite all dwarves. This represents life for most deep dwarfs but not Forgelings.

Strong and Stubborn

Determined and resilient, forgelings are half-bloods raised by deep dwarfs out of respect for blood ties. They must however work hard to prove themselves worthy of a clan name often undergoing rigorous tasks that frequently prove fatal. Once a forgeling has been considered proven they are then ceremoniously "Forged", and will from then on belong to Clan Forgeborn and be considered as dwarfs. Skilled warriors, miners, and workers of stone and metal. Their courage and endurance are also easily a match for anyone.

Forgeling skin ranges from deep brown or human tones, but the most common shades are light brown or deep tan, like certain tones of earth. Their hair, worn in common dwarven styles is usually black, gray, or brown, though paler dwarves often have red hair. Male dwarves value their beards highly and groom them carefully.

Long Memory, Long Grudges

Forgelings live an average of 200 to 400 years old so the oldest living forgelings often remember a very different world. For example, some can recall details of a specific day, more than three centuries ago. This longevity grants them a perspective on the world that shorter-lived races lack.

Forgelings are sturdy and fierce like the metal they mine, weathering the passage of centuries with stubborn determination and little change. They respect the traditions of their clans, tracing their 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.

Individual forgelings are determined and motivated always feeling the have something to prove. True to their word and decisive in action, to the point of absolute stubbornness. Many have a strong sense of justice, and they are slow to forget wrongs they have suffered. A wrong done to one dwarf is a wrong done to the dwarf’s entire clan, so what begins as one dwarf’s hunt for vengeance can become a full-blown clan feud.

Clans and Kingdoms

Dwarven kingdoms stretch deep beneath the mountains into the Prismatic Caverns 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. They dislike boats(especially due to colficts with their outcast brethren), so enterprising humans frequently handle trade in dwarven goods along water routes. Trustworthy members of other races are welcome in dwarf settlements, though some areas are off limits even to them.

The chief unit of dwarven society is the clan, and dwarves highly value social standing. 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 clanless 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

It's not uncommon for Forgelings to take up adventuring motivated by a desire for treasure or valor—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 one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. 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.

SLOW TO TRUST

Dwarves get along passably well with most other races. “The difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that certainly poinst to how difficult it can be to earn a dwarf’s trust.

Dwarf Names

A dwarf’s name is granted by a clan elder, 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. Some examples of names are provided below:

Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Grimfall, 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, Forgeborn, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim, Strakeln, Torunn, Ungart

Forgeling (Dwarven Upbringing) Traits

Your half human half dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of your halfblood nature.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age

Forgelings mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 200 to 400 years.

Alignment

Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.

Size

Dwarves stand between 5 and 6 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

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.

Stubborn Determination

Whenever you roll an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, before the outcome is determined, you may immediately reroll the check, accepting the result of the reroll. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Human Combat Training

You have proficiency with the greatsword, longsword, shortsword, mace and shields.

Dwarven Combat Training

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

Tool Proficiency

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

Dwarven Craftsmanship

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