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In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Most dwarves are renowned for their distrust of magic, and for their skill as axe-wielding warriors and blacksmiths, with the exception of their Underdark-dwelling cousins: the evil, psychic Duergar.
Variations from the standard dwarf archetype are commonly called subraces, which include Gold Dwarves, Hill Dwarves, Gray Dwarves (Duergar), Mountain Dwarves, Shield Dwarves and Wild Dwarves. Dwarves and humans are interfertile, but their offspring are sterile. While the Azer physically resemble dwarves, they are not related at all.
In many campaign settings, the dwarven pantheon of gods consists of the leader Moradin, as well as Abbathor, Berronar Truesilver, Clanggedin Silverbeard, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin, Muamman Duathal, and Vergadain. Other dwarven gods may be present in different campaign settings.
Male dwarves all grow thick facial hair. It is often a sign of extreme sadness and mourning for a dwarf to shave his beard. A popular misconception both within the game and among players has it that female dwarves also grow beards. However, the core rulebook clearly states that this is not the case. Female dwarven facial hair does vary by campaign setting: In the world of Greyhawk they do grow full beards but generally shave; in the Forgotten Realms they grow sideburns but not beards or mustaches; and in Eberron they do not grow facial hair at all.
Dwarves in the Dragonlance Saga
Gully dwarves, or Aghar as their race was known, are not dwarves in the strictest sense (they are, in reality, thought to be the offspring of a gnome and a dwarf). Gully dwarves are first referred to in the Dragon Lance Chronicles, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, as a "miserable lot". They are the lowest caste in dwarven society, found all over Krynn, living in filth and squalor in places that had been abandoned by most other living creatures, including animals. Like dwarves they are clannish, and several clans live together, fallowing the rule of their chieftains or one particular powerful leader. Females lack whiskers on their chins but had them on their cheeks and may wear tattered overskirts wrapped around their waists extending to their bony knees. Despite their wretched appearance, gully dwarves generally lead a cheerful existence, though they are incredibly unintelligent creatures. Only a few gully dwarves can conceive of any number higher than 'two' (anything above that is 'no more than two' of any given thing), and at least one of that lucky few still licks spilled beer from the tavern floor rather than 'wasting it' by mopping up properly.
Novels
Notables D&D novels prominently featuring dwarves include:
- Dark Thane by Jeff Crook.
- Flint the King by Kirchoff and Niles.
- The Gates of Thorbardin by Dan Parkinson.
- Gully Dwarves by Dan Parkinson.
- The Icewind Dale trilogy by RA Salvatore.
- Storm Blade by Nancy Berberick.
- The War of the Spider Queen series by RA Salvatore.
Bonuses and Penalties
First & Second Edition +1 Constitution -1 Charisma
Third and Three point Five +2 Constitution -2 Charisma +1 to hit Goblins or Orcs +2 Savings throw Against Poison +2 savings throw against magic
References
- Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (TSR, 1989).
"Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)"