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Message: <blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 9447923" data-attributes="member: 2067">To the Lore!The main distinctions between mountain dwarves and other dwarves in the common lore sources are:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves live in the mountains (duh)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves are ruddier and paler and taller (pure fluff)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves are more standoffish and skeptical of outsiders, even considering other dwarves outsiders (also fluff)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves are more likely to use spears and less likely to use crossbows (fluff, but could inform fighting styles)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves are heartier (more hp)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mountain dwarves have a special patron deity - Dumathoin.</li> </ul>This is all kind of weak, tbh. So if we want a distinction between mountain dwarves and other dwarves, we're going to have to find a little hook in this material and dig in, and any choice is going to be a little arbitrary.I think I would lean into that patron deity, myself. Dumathoin, the "Keeper of Secrets Under the Mountain," is a god of mining, gems, metals, and underground exploration. This means that mountain dwarves lean hard into the specific dwarven stereotype of a mining kingdom, wealthy, mineral-rich, where people descend into caverns each day to extract wealth and metal from the bones of the earth.And because this is the nature of the creature and not part of the culture they've adopted, we have Dumathoin's blessing as a key component of the mountain dwarf - it's part of what makes them special. It's why they're not just tall, rude dwarves. They're different in the very soul of them.idk exactly what the 2024 dwarf has as its package, so I'm not sure what I'd swap out, but here's some abilities I'd consider swapping in:Improved Darkvision120 feet rather than 60 feet. Mostly a fluff ability (marginally useful for ranged characters).Treasure SenseA mountain dwarf just knows when they're near gems or metals. Maybe also out to about 120 feet, they can sense these things even through rock and stone if they're conscious and they take about a minute to "see with eyes unclouded by stone." They can look at a treasure chest and tell you if there's a pile of gold inside, look at a cave wall and tell you if there's a seam of silver in there. This is mostly fluff, but clever players might get some good utility out of it. Elemental LanguageA mountain dwarf speaks Terran. Not because anyone taught it to them, it's just kind of...an innate language. Mostly fluff, but I like that this helps center them if the adventure involves earth elementals (who Dumathoin would get along well with!)Fire ResistanceThey're forging metal in the heat of a dwarven forge - this resistance lets them stoke the flames hotter than any other dwarf, and so leans into the metallurgy of it. Helps balance out the "metal" theme with something that's related, but not quite so literal. Earth MagicYou learn blade ward and mold earth. I like having an active ability that a character can choose on a round to shout their species to the world, and blade ward makes a lot of sense. Depending on the 2024 version, maybe they have an enhancement or two to it (cast it as a bonus action!). Mold Earth is just kind of fun and mostly harmless - good for roleplaying out of combat. Keeper of Secrets Under the MountainTo jazz this up a bit, here's a juicy little RP element: When you reveal a secret to a creature that is not a mountain dwarf, Dumathoin isn't happy about it (he is the keeper of secrets after all - what are you doing, you big gossip?) and you get a flaw until you finish a long rest: "I don't want to talk to anyone about anything, just leave me alone!" Basically, a little RP-only curse that enforces the idea of mountain dwarves being standoffish and skeptical. It costs them something to tell a secret, and they can basically only do it once per day, so if they're going to do it, it's going to be someone they seriously trust. (this might not work at all tables, but mine would eat it up)</blockquote>

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