About 1m30 to 1m40 when adults, they are stocky, strong, tough and generally very hairy, except for women who do have very thick and lustrous hair.
They live very long lives, up to 800 years, although most will die violently before they are 500. The average life expectancy is 350.
They are considered mature at the age of 20, but not old enough to run a business until they are 50. They usually find a union partner around 60 to 80. Dwarf still single at 150 is considered to be a strictly business person.
Although all genders are tough as nails and about the same height, they do differ in physiology beyond sexual attributes. Women have wider hips, rounder faces and usually no beards, with softer and huskier voices, even though they have the same baritone range.
Dwarven babies are born with lots of hair on their head, some will lose it within a month only to have it regrow around 2 years old, but most will keep it and have it grow at an incredible rate.
Births are not a common occurrence and for that reason most of any dwarf will give their life fiercely protect them under most circumstances.
So, when a baby is seen in public, most citizens will stop what they are doing to take a good look at it with a proud smile on their face, but from a respectful distance. It is unusual for a stranger to come close, but clan members and especially family members will often come to talk to the parent to check out the new born. The closer the relation, the longer the talk. For that reason, a lot of parents do not go out very often with their newborn.
This stage is considered to be the most crucial stage by any parent. This is the time when they will impart their wisdom by teaching what is right and what is wrong, what must be done, what should be done and what should be avoided.
Most family members, even close clan members and friends will step in and add their bit of wisdom.
At this stage in their life, a dwarven child is given free rein to do whatever they want with very few limitations or rules. They are pushed to experiment, to learn from their errors and most of all accept the consequence of their act.
This stage helps infants discover what they like, what they don't like and to find their place within the family and clan.
In order to drive your dwarves to have excellent health, learn discipline and get a taste of the adult world, teens are enrolled as runners in different organizations, like the military, the bureaucracy, the mines...
They are expected to be diligent and to run at maximum speed at all time. Often, runners are pitted one against the other in order to push them to their limits.
Infant and teen dwarves are obligated to keep their hair short, as a sign of respect to their elders and to remind them that wisdom comes with age (sometimes).
This all changes when they turn 20. Here, male dwarf start having facial hair.
Usually there's a big celebration where the whole clan shows up, mostly because no dwarf would miss the chance to drink, laugh and have fun with their peers, to mark the end of childhood.
During this epic gathering, in front of the whole crowd, a last symbolic haircut is given to the dwarf, which is then formally given the scissors. This touching little ceremony done, the parents give a nice, often long, speech ending with the new name of their offspring.
This is also the age where natural mortality rate drops radically for dwarves. So, there is no such big celebration at birth or before it is 20, because this new life is yet to be confirmed.
Usually, most dwarf already know with whom they want to apprentice when they turn 20 and usually move in with them the day after their name day. For 30 years, they will learn everything they need to know in minute details.
Independence day marks a dwarf's entry into adulthood and is another large celebration albeit more formal than the rowdy affair of Hair Day. Officiating are officers of the guild which the new adult will join at this point.
The former master will be present, as well as most of their clan and many guild members. Again, few dwarves will miss an occasion for drink and fun.
In the middle of it all, there is an official signature of the book of the guild members, payment of the dues and sealing of the granted work permit.
At 50, most dwarf will already have scouted where they want to work and if their family or clan is rich enough, be able to buy or build the place outright. Fifty is also the age where wrinkles start to appear.
Around 500 years old, most dwarves' senses will start losing their sharpness, usually not their eyesight, which is their strongest sense even before smell and touch, and their hair will start turning white or gray. This gradual decline has no effect on their stamina or strength and rarely will their dexterity be affected.
Most everything comes to an end, and around 700 years old, all dwarves will feel it coming. Their legendary strength and stamina will finally start to give, injuries will be difficult to heal, their hair, even sometimes their beard will start to thin, their skin, will become paper thin...
If you're looking for a dwarven name, you might want to check out this website: FNG.
The name given at birth is not considered a true name by dwarves. Usually, only close family will use this name, and only clan member will even know about it. Others will simply use generic designation like "your baby".
A birth name often reflects what the parents hope will be the future of their child. On rare occasions, it might reflect an augury.
At the end of childhood, a dwarf will be given a hair name, which is temporary. Although this name will be more widely known, only close friends will use it, whereas the family will continue using the birth name. Others will generic designation like "daughter of" or "apprentice to".
Anyone but friends using a dwarf’s hair name are trying to emphasis they have a lower status, that they are a learner, somebody who is not in charge of their destiny.
Anyone but parents or maybe siblings depending on the circumstances, calling an adult dwarf by their baby name is insulting them, calling them a baby but with intimate knowledge making it worst.
Anyone, except maybe very close friends, calling an adult dwarf by their hair name is trying to indicate that they are subordinate to them, and that would only really happen with prior masters where there was such a relationship.
Each dwarven realm is governed by a queen or king, a hereditary position, but they do not have total authority. They are checked by the Council of Guilds.
The Council is composed of the headmasters of each guild. The most powerful headmasters are usually those from the Smithing Guild and Mining Guild.
Membership is for life, and unless deemed unanimously unfit by the other headmasters, a member cannot step down.
The Council can oppose any decision the current ruler makes if a notification is sent within a day and a decision made within a week.
What this means is that the ruler usually convene the Council before making any major decision or a decision that might be contentious.
The Council represents the Body of Laws. They codify every law, can present new ones and modify old ones with the consent of the ruler.
The Council is also responsible for the royal succession. When the issue is contentious, they have the final say. They can also remove a ruler if they unanimously found them unfit to rule.
Dwarves have very thick compendiums of laws, especially concerning property, work, crating, contracts, trading and mining.
There are no real prisons. All punishments are fines. The gravest of offenses will also result in exile. If exile is too much and a fine not enough, ostracism (the temporary expulsion of a citizen from the realm) for a period of 10 to 100 years and in a few cases longer, is often considered on top of a fine.
Once a punishment is paid, including ostracism, a citizen is welcomed back into society, but few things will make a dwarf forget. If a fine cannot be paid within the set amount of time, the culprit is automatically ostracized for 10 years or until he can pay, whichever is longer.
Outsiders are fined, canned, they're expulsed and banned from ever coming back. Coming back means twice the fine and twice the canning.
In dwarven society, everyone is taken care of, usually by their clan or by their guild. There are no beggars, orphans or homeless people. Exile is the strongest punishment because of this.
Like elves, dwarves are not as religious as humans. They have a healthy business-like approach toward deities. Usually, there is only one temple per settlement large enough to have one, there is a main deity, but it also has altars to various other ones.
Contrary to most other aspects of dwarven life, religion is only loosely organized. If someone feels like being part of the cult of a certain deity, they can easily be part of it. Whether they are an acolyte or a priestess depends entirely on their dedication.
Their religions are so loosely organized that there are ceremonies only when an acolyte or priest feels like having one. They will go through the street and announce that they will officiate, welcoming anyone who has time and interest, sometimes letting people know what the subject of the sermon will be.
Those who show up do, those who do not show up don't. It is perfectly normal to leave one's work or close up shop in the middle of a transaction to follow a priestess, as it is to show up in the middle of their speech or not at all.
If a settlement doesn't have a temple or a shrine, it usually gets one when a dwarf feels close enough to a god to petition their follow citizen for the building of a shrine or, if money permits, a temple. It will be dedicated to the deity in question.
The same principle is applied to new deities. If a dwarf feels close enough to one who doesn't have a spot in the temple or shrine, they can petition their fellow citizens to build an altar or statue to this new deity within the existing temple.
Most dwarven realms have a close relationship with Treocs communities. In exchange for protection, manufactured goods and the promise not to kill goats, treocs will sell dwarves grains, vegetables, fruits, cheese, clothes and other agrarian products, including goats and dried goat dung which is a cheap replacement for coal as a source of low heat fuel.
There is a large specie of goats that dwarves are especially fond of. They use the females as beast of burden and males as war mounts. Their size and agility are perfectly suited to the mountains. In the tunnels, these large goats love feeding off the large very nutritious mushrooms found in various cave.
Even being as stubborn, greedy, suspicious and grumpy as they can be, as a lot they're good people. Soft-hearted, caring protectors and steadfast friends, they are in through thick or thin, right to the end.
They are the worst enemies you can have, but the very best of friends to conquer. They do not easily give their friendship, but it is well worth it.
Strong and Tough. If you aren't, you're not a dwarf. They never show weakness or fear, and will only shed a tear for the great occasions such as a departed loved one.
Stubbornness. This trait often turns into a problem. To them, it's extremely important to stand by what you believe. They are very loyal and will stick with their principles. They will argue you to exhaustion, but if you're right in the end, they come around in a day or two and admit it to you. You’d better not make a big fuss about it, because you might lose that argument.
Truth. Although you can catch an overly greedy dwarf in a lie, by far and large, they see truth as a primordial element, which is why they can be very suspicious. They see truth in steel, gold, gems, rock and fire. They almost venerate them, seeing them as foundation elements of society.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution ability score increases by 2, and one other ability score increases by 1.
Age. Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they're considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.
Alignment. Most dwarves are lawful and tend toward good alignments.
Size. Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.
Long Memory. You have proficiency in the History skill.
Natural Worker. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill and one crafting Tool Set (not Thieves' Tools, Poisoner's Kit or the like)
Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
Brave. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Bred Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Darkvision. 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 Endurance. You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off fatigue or even injury. When you gain a level of exhaustion or take damage, you can use your reaction to either ignore 1 level of exhaustion or some of the damages. For damages, roll a d12, add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
If you are using my No-Race Characters rules, use this template as a basis when using this race for your racial appearance.
The following traits are mandatory for this race. If a cost is indicated in parentheses, you must pay it.
Darkvision (4).
This race enables you to choose from the following list of traits and no other when spending points acquiring specific traits.
Brave (2) or Stubborn Beyond Reason (4).
Bred Toughness (12).
Focused (2).
Poison Resilience (6).
Steady Foot (2).
Stubborn Endurance (16) or Tireless (4).