“It is not our toughness that is our greatest asset. It is our patience and our stubbornness.”

It is said that the Gods carved Dwarves out of stone, and then breathed life into them. Dwarves do not dispute this. Neither does anybody who has ever dealt with them.

Though somewhat shorter than a Human, Dwarves are not so much shorter as many make them out to be. While a male Dwarf typically stands a meter to a meter and a half in height, most humans stand only 25cm taller on average. However, Dwarves are proportioned very differently from Humans, with longer arms and shorter legs, giving them almost a simian appearance. This is compounded by their large skulls, large orbital ridges and heavy jaws. But that large skull protects a very powerful brain, and those who doubt the intelligence of a Dwarf quickly realize their mistake.

Dwarves are very hirsute, and even their women often grow beards. They are physically powerful and robust, able to resist a large amount of damage with little concern. Their physiologies are particularly resistant to toxins and disease, and their mindsets inured to hardship and stress. The Dwarven lifespan is long, allowing them to focus their considerable patience on their education, and this gives them a broad and diverse skill set.

When you select Dwarf as your ancestry, increase your Body and Education by +1, but decrease your Agility by -1.

Dwarves have a speed of five meters. However, they may consider their Body to be one higher for purposes of wearing armour.

Dwarves start with fifteen stamina.

The Dwarven language is noted for its emphasis on vowels and its guttural consonants. When you select Dwarf as your ancestry, you begin play being able to speak Dwarven and Trade. You may select additional languages, spoken or written, equal to your Education bonus.

Dwarves are extremely difficult to kill. They take favour on Body saving throws to survive taking hit points of damage.

While Dwarves are known for living in the hills and mountains, there are no small number of Dwarves that reside in plains or grasslands as well. When you select Dwarf as your ancestry, choose one of the three following Heritages.

The Hill Dwarves live in forested hills, and are skilled woodworkers and masons. Their villages are often in harmony with nature, with a mix of wood and stone used in their construction. They are the most welcoming and hospitable of Dwarves, and their alehouses are open to all. If you select Hill Dwarf as your Heritage, take a +1 bonus to your Charisma, and place one training rank in Bows. They tend to prefer crossbows over arm bows, however.

These are the Dwarves that everybody thinks of. Shortest among their peers, the Mountain Dwarves are master artisans, skilled metalworkers, miners and masons. Their communities are typically all stone, even if wood is available. If you select Mountain Dwarf as your Heritage, take a +1 bonus to your Dexterity, and place one training rank in the Crafting skill.

The Savannah Dwarves live in the praries and arid grasslands, and are well known for their textiles, metalworking and ceramics. They are the only Dwarves who regularly sail, though they tend to only sail on rivers and small lakes. If you select Savannah Dwarf as your Heritage, you gain a +1 bonus to your Foresight, and you are trained in the use of shields.