Dwarves

Stone Dwarves

They are feudal in organization and are ruled by King Drekor Sunkenfist.  Trade with the surface world is funneled through Hobgoblin and Rock Gnome outposts near the surface.  Completely untrusting of all other races, visitors to their subterranean halls are rare.  They are in a constant state of war with the subterranean races of Aboleths, Beholders, Drow, Illithids, and the Slaad as well as having to weather the occasional raid from the Frost Giants and White Dragons.

Occasionally members of one of the Clans will leave their caverns and travel throughout the world.  These clanless dwarves are the default PC Dwarves for the continent.  There are no changes to the Dwarf template in the Players handbook for these dwarves.  They will be taken back into the mountain strongholds if they return with great prestige or power so this becomes the driving force for many of them.

• Stonecunning: Stonecunning grants dwarves a +2 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.
• +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids.
• +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items.
• +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
• Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.

The eastern coast is home to the Sea Dwarves of the Calougi clan.  Due to their isolation from the other sentient races after the mage wars, they have developed a seafaring lifestyle.  Carefree and aloof, they have become more like elves than others of their race.  They live in seaside coastal caves instead of deep in the earth.  Gremet of Duli (Du-lie) leads the Dwarves in their Republic.  Several other sub leaders exist who rule a particular cave complex but report to Gremet for larger decisions.  Their closest neighbors are the Sahuagin who raid the caves for slaves and food.  Although they are not warlike, the Calougi can be a terrifying fighting force when retaliating against their enemies. 

Adventuring Dwarves from the Calougi clan tend to be more free and careless than their more stoic brethren from the north.  Consequently, they are less apt to war on their neighbors and they hold a higher premium on personal expression and freedom.  Instead of gaining a +1 racial bonus to attacks against orcs and goblinoids, the Calougi gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells and effects.  Calougi favor the Monk class instead of Fighter. 

• +2 Saving Throw bonus against Enchantment spells and effects.  
• Seacunning: Seacunning grants Sea Dwarves a +2 racial bonus on checks to notice something amiss in the sea, such as underwater reefs, large creatures beneath the surface, stiff currents, and the like. Something that isn't in the sea but that is in a large body of water also counts as "something amiss in the sea. A dwarf who merely comes within 50 feet of something unusual can make a check as if he were actively searching. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing the approximate depth of the water as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Sea Dwarves have a sixth sense about water, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their seaside homes.
• Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Sahuagin, Aquan, and Elf.
• Favored Class: Monk.

The Dragon Mountains in the center of the continent is home to the majority of Dwarves on the Continent.  These dwarves are slaves to the vicious Jagenash and his cruel race of Dragons.  The proud dwarven civilization has been reduced to slave labor to feed the Dragon King's greed.  Nominally ruled by Clan leaders, the dwarven towns are actually ruled by a draconic overlord who supervises their mining production and doles out the wealth taken from the earth. 

Dwarves who manage to escape from the rule of their dragon overlords tend to be bitter and brooding.  Most develop a phobia against dragons and their kind.  This is represented by a Will saving throw whenever they see a dragon (DC = Dragons HD).  Failure means they are paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.  These dwarves are actually immune to a dragons Frightful Presence as the phobia replaces it.  Dragon Mountain Dwarves gain a +2 moral bonus on saving throws against fear (This bonus does not apply to their phobia checks).  There is a 1% chance per encounter with a dragon that the dragon actually recognizes the scent of the "renegade" dwarf.

Some dwarves who have successfully escaped the Dragon Mountains have become hunters of Draconian entities.  These dwarven Dragonslayers are unique to dwarves who have lived under rule of these terrible dragons.  Often, these Dragonslayers will return to their former mountain homes and attempt to lead gorilla actions against the dragon overlords.  Tragically, most of these heroes have a very short life spans.

Stonecunning: Stonecunning grants dwarves a +2 racial bonus on checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.

• +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids.
• +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items.
• +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
• Bonus Languages: Dragon, Giant, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.

In the lands of the Empire, Field Dwarves comprise the major population.  Field Dwarf stats are identical to those of a Stone Dwarf.  Due to the reign of the Empire, Field Dwarves are considered Surfs and servants only.  With the Wind Elves, the Field Dwarves cultivate the Yuan-ti lands.  The Yuan-ti overlords allow the Field Dwarves to rule their own lives with little interference.  Due to this, the Field Dwarf elders do all that they can to dissuade dissidents and troublemakers.