Dark Dwarves
"Hot-headed, smart and full of dangerous ideas, dark dwarves always make for excellent company in a bar fight" - Brodrick Grey, bounty hunter
Sorcerous Exiles
The Darkbeard clan was one of the original clans within Mordenheim. In ancient times during the dwarves' countless wars with the orcs the Darkbeards served as artillery support, and runic warriors who helped strengthen their allies in the heat of battle. Their use of runic magic would prove as an essential and powerful tool in the hands of the dwarves and would help cement their footing in Naz'gora permanently. Over time the master smiths and "Rune-Seers" of the Darkbeard clan would perfect their craft and later become some of the first artificers, powerful magical blacksmiths. Although while many saw this as a great boon at first, the Darkbeards would slowly use more and more magic and many of the other clans grew mistrustful of them as they delved into more taboo schools of magic. Dwarves in general are superstitious of magic and often do not trust it, but this mistrust grew even more into prejudice as sides were taken within Mordenheim on the topic of magic. Eventually the divide between both sides grew to a fever pitch as some Darkbeards began practicing necromancy or even in summoning demons. Violence finally erupted within the city, what would be later known as the "Arcaneum Incident" would forever split the dwarven people forever. The Mountainhides demanded the disbandment of all magic usage in the city afterwards, but the leader of the Darkbeard clan, Gogen Darkbeard, had had enough of the prejudice and short sightedness of his dwarven brothers. He would take his clan and any other clan who wished to continue to practice magic, out of Mordenheim to build a new mountain-city for themselves.
Far into the badlands of Naz'gora the dark dwarves established their city of Gogenheim, built within the highest and largest mesa within the badlands. Here they developed into the modern wonder their known as today. The city of Gogenheim is a technological marvel with mechanical golems patrolling the streets and dwarven artificers crafting multitudes of wondrous devices. Eventually to the east a colony of Lightsmen would settle nearby, and the two cultures would eventually become strong allies with each other, helping each succeed in the wild and savage lands of Naz'gora.
Far into the badlands of Naz'gora the dark dwarves established their city of Gogenheim, built within the highest and largest mesa within the badlands. Here they developed into the modern wonder their known as today. The city of Gogenheim is a technological marvel with mechanical golems patrolling the streets and dwarven artificers crafting multitudes of wondrous devices. Eventually to the east a colony of Lightsmen would settle nearby, and the two cultures would eventually become strong allies with each other, helping each succeed in the wild and savage lands of Naz'gora.
Clever yet Hot-Headed
Dark dwarves are without question incredibly intelligent and cunning dwarves. Their invention of firearms and mechanical golems gave them an impressive edge in combat especially, many often become rangers or magic users of some sort. Although while they are indeed clever, their tempers often get in the way. Dark dwarves are known to have short fuses and often are quick to offend and quick to anger. Many dark dwarves present themselves as arrogant and often rude to others. But there is two sides to every coin, many as well can be pleasant folk to be around (as long as you don't anger them) and can often be great companions. They also tell great stories around the tavern, as long as they don't start a bar fight first.
Physical Traits
- Age - Dark dwarves mature around 25 or so and on average live to be around 300 years or so.
- Speed - Dark dwarf base walking speed is 25 feet.
- Size - Stocky and stout dwarven males stand well under 5 feet tall with females shorter than males. Although while they may appear short, dwarves are so broadly built and compact they often weigh the same as a human standing nearly two feet taller than them. Their size is medium.
- Complexion - Most dark dwarves have a lighter complexion, ranging from a pale hue with a tinge of blue all the way to a light ashen gray. Dwarven males often start growing a beard at a very young age and most have long flowing beards as adults. Many dark dwarves decorate their bodies with magical runes and tattoos, dark dwarf mages and artificers often use these runes as their spellcasting focus. Common hair colors for dark dwarves include black, brown, silver, burgundy, blond and gray.
- Eye Colors - Most dark dwarves have either brown, black, green, pale blue, gray, or red eyes. But other eye colors are often seen too.
D&D Race Stats - Dark Dwarf
- +2 Constitution, +1 Intelligence, +1 Dexterity
- Dwarven Heritage - (See the Dwarves Page for more details)
- Sharpshooter Training - Gain proficiency in handaxes, shortswords, crossbows (all) and firearms.
- Artificer's Training - Gain proficiency with one of the artisan’s tools of your choice: engineer's tools, alchemist's supplies, or smith's tools.
- Artificer's Creation - Starting at level 3 and depending on the artisan tools you are proficient in, you gain one of the following abilities:
- Engineering - Your skill as an engineer allows you to make the following items for 5 gold each and with 1 hour of labor.
- Flashfire Bomb - You create a small bomb mixed with blastpowder, scrap and shrapnel inside. When thrown (max 60 feet), all creatures within 5 feet of the bomb must make a Dexterity saving throw of 13. On failed saving throws, creatures take 3d6 Fire damage, on successful saving throws they take half damage.
- Dragonclaw Grappling Gun - You create a motorized grappling hook gun to shoot the hook up to 50 feet in any direction. Make a ranged attack onto the area you wish to grapple to (DM discretion for difficulty), if the hook plants firmly, you and any creature who uses the motor and is within the rope's carrying weight automatically succeeds the climb/descent.
- Alchemy - Your skill as an alchemist allows you to make the following items for 5 gold each and with 1 hour of labor.
- Crimson Brew - You create a potion capable of healing minor wounds. When consumed, the potion heals the user for 3d4 + 3 health. The potion has a pleasant taste to it, tasting similar to that of a tart berry juice with a smooth aftertaste.
- Stoneblood Poison - You create a vile toxin to coat your weapon in: when applied to a piercing or slashing weapon (or ammunition), each successful hit with that weapon forces the creature struck to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 13) or take an extra 1d4 poison damage on failed saves, half damage on successful ones. Lasts 1 hour after applying.
- Runesmithing - Your skill as a runesmith allows you to make the following items for 5 gold each and 1 hour of labor.
- Rune Warding - you magically imbue armor with dwarven runes of magic absorption, allowing you to choose a non-physical magic type to absorb. Once chosen and applied, the armor is semi-absorbent to that type of magic. When the wearer takes magic damage of the chosen magic type, the runes absorb 1d4 of the damage. This effect lasts 24 hours, but can be reapplied at half cost. After reapplying 5 times, the enchantment becomes permanent to the armor.
- Rune Brand - You brand a weapon with a magical rune of minor elemental power. Choose a elemental magic type for the rune, once chosen, the rune can be activated as a free action (either by touching the rune or by speaking its elemental word of power) and allowing the next successful weapon attack to add proficiency to the damage, in the chosen elemental type. Can be used once per short rest, and lasts 24 hours. The rune can be reapplied for half the original cost and after reapplying 5 times the brand comes permanent to the weapon.
- Engineering - Your skill as an engineer allows you to make the following items for 5 gold each and with 1 hour of labor.
- Languages - Dark dwarves can speak, read and write in Common and Dwarvish (dark dwarf dialect and accent).