Hi folks,
This is my first post to the ENWorld Boards so please be gentle
Please take a look at a major race from my DnD3e campaign setting and let me have any thoughts you may have.
Tanned "Tobacco" Dwarves
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
The Tanned, also know as “Tobacco” dwarves live under the belief that they moved from their ancestral mountain homelands to the Scattered Isles after having been told to do so by their god Stalbar. According to religious text Stalbar appeared at the same time to the heads of 3 Noble Houses and told them if their House was to ever increase its prosperity they would need to move away from their homelands to seek a new life.
The dwarves being a religious people took up the “quest” placed before them by their god and proceeded to leave the mountains they had always called home. Over the coming years they tried to settle in many lands but were always driven out or forced to leave as the environment couldn’t support them. Eventually they broke with dwarven tradition and set out in sailing vessels across the ocean.
The journey across the oceans took many months and many people died of starvation, thirst and disease. When all seemed lost land was spotted – The Scattered Isles.
The Isles at that time were inhabited by tribal humans and various “minor races” more commonly referred to as monsters. The dwarves set about creating for themselves a new home. They chose to build from wood rather than the stone they had always used as a sign to their god how much they were willing to change for the benefit of their future. The local tribesman, after an initial period of distrust had passed, taught the dwarves how to survive in their new environment and what crops could be grown in the tropical, humid setting of the Isles. Slowly the dwarves formed a completely new society to that which their ancestors had known, yet still they retained traditional dwarven values of hard work, austerity and honour.
200 years ago the idyllic lifestyle of the Scattered Isles were shattered by a serious of “invasions” by the Dhamjel. The Dhamjel although an educated and very civilised culture in general are driven by a need to expand. The Scattered Isles were seen as a perfect locale for their expansions. Since the initial period of minor skirmishes the Tanned Dwarves have lived in relative harmony with the Dhamjel, unfortunately the tribal peoples of the Isles have all but vanished after being exposed to the strange illnesses and diseases brought to the Isles by the Dhamjel. Today the Dhamjel govern the Isles for the most part with integrity and benevolence, however, like all societies, hidden in its deepest recesses lurks a darker heart that occasionally shows itself.
Records are held by the Tanned Dwarves in the form of “Dragaper”. The “Dragaper” are the records of the people and are recorded by using arcane runes carved into dried and treated lengths of wood approx 2 hands long in length. The "Dragaper" are stored in dry cool places and usually protected by many scribes. The people have “Dragaper” containing their history, myths and legends stretching back nearly 3000 years. Many of these records haven't actually been read for almost their entire lifespan however they are still in as good a condition as they day they were made.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE/DETAILS
The Tanned Dwarves have retained much of the appearance of their ancient mountain cousins. Slightly taller than their underground brethren they are usually 4 ½ ft tall on average with a maximum height of no more than 5 ft. Stocky in build it is not uncommon for them to weigh the same as an average human. Their skin is usually tanned from their hours spent under the hot sun of the Isles and as they get older they start to take on a more weathered appearance. Their eye colour ranges from a “lighter” brown to almost black. Their hair is usually dark colours although very rarely a blonde dwarf is born. This child is usually seen as a portent of something important that will happen to the child’s House during its lifetime The men folk usually wear beards and both males and females usually allow their hair to be free and loose rather than tying it into braids etc.
Although the Tanned Dwarves have developed their own dialect of dwarven and indeed have added many 1000’s of new words, they still use what passes as an ancient dwarven language. This leads to many interesting encounters when the paths of Tanned Dwarves and those of their ancient kinfolk from the mountains cross. The Tanned Dwarves appear to be utilising very formal and flowery speech that has long since vanished from normal dwarven speech. In understandable terms the Tanned Dwarves still use “Thee’s and Thou’s”.
POSSESSIONS/MATERIAL WORTH
Strangely despite the scores of generations since the Tanned Dwarves split away from their mountain brethren they still maintain their love for fine gems and beautifully carved stone. The most prized possession owned by many Tanned Dwarves is a family heirloom, usually jewellery of some form inlaid with either a precious or semi precious stone.
The Tanned Dwarves have a nickname, the “Tobacco Dwarves”. This is derived from the fact that the Tanned Dwarves have established themselves as major producers of tobacco, something that hasn’t gone unappreciated by the Dhamjel. Although unusual to be owned by an individual many “Noble Houses” amongst the Tanned Dwarves possess at least one if not several tobacco plantations. These are further supplemented by olive and almond groves both of which thrive in the Scattered Isles environment.
The traditional dwarven weapons of hammer and axe appear to have long fallen into disuse by the Tanned Dwarves. Now heavily influenced by their “plantation culture” and the Dhamjel influence on their society in general it is more common to see a Tanned Dwarf carrying a scimitar, scythe or pistol. Those with a more exotic and martial preference may be seen carrying weapons such as the flax, crescent sword or chakram.
With the intense humidity and heat of the Scattered Isles wearing armour of any type is guaranteed to exhaust its wearer very quickly due to its weight and heat retention. The most common armour that is worn, however, is layered cloth. Many dwarves have adopted a form of layered robe very similar to those worn by the Dhamjel. This form of garment was already well established prior to the Dhamjel influence in the region.
HOMES/DWELLINGS
The Tanned Dwarves in the absence of immediate caverns chose to honour their gods request for change by choosing to build their first homes on the Scattered Isles from wood. This tradition is maintained to this day. One change to the original settlers buildings though is that many families have chosen to dig a large basement under their wooden house. The majority of properties are 2 stories above ground with about 40% having a level below ground. The buildings are usually spacious with a single large room occupying the ground floor that is then in turn divided up by using screens or hanging tapestry etc. The upper floor is nearly always a sleeping area with small rooms for both storage and sleeping. In larger properties it is common for the ground floor to have a covered veranda that surrounds the property.
As stated above the most common material used to build the dwarven properties is wood. This is usually bamboo or wood from coconut trees that is bound together and then covered in a layer of dried plaster made from a mixture of mud etc. The roofs are usually covered by dried palm leaves, however it is not uncommon to see a roof also made from bamboo or even pottery tiles in wealthier homes.
It is not uncommon for their to be in excess of 12 people living in a house. This is driven by the dwarven desire for maintaining strong families. Many dwarven families have both sets of parents, as well as themselves and any children living under the same roof. This family unit is what binds Tanned Dwarf society together and what enables them to maintain the traditions as laid out by their ancestors
SOCIAL SKILLS/RELATIONSHIPS
The Tanned Dwarves are very open with those of other races. When they first ventured forth from their ancient homelands in many places they were treated as outcasts and vagrants, however, the dwarves saw this as a test from their god to test their resolve and chose to never strike back but instead just accept they’re fate. When finally they arrived at the Scattered Isles they realised if they were to survive they needed the friendship of the local tribes-people. Since this period in their history the Tanned Dwarves have always maintained a friendly approach to strangers and it is not uncommon for them to offer food and drink in exchange for stories of goings on in the world away from the Scattered Isles – especially if they concern dwarves. The strange exception to all this is when they deal with other dwarves. As a race the Tanned Dwarves view other dwarves with caution. This is a trait that developed after the original tanned dwarves were ridiculed by their ancient cousins. Although there is no direct hostility between the races there is always the potential for a heated argument to arise if either of the races says the slightest thing out of turn.
The Tanned Dwarves accept change as a necessary part of life. They realise that although change may not necessarily be for good its nearly always inevitable. They will usually attempt to embrace change where it is not completely opposite to their moral viewpoint. If the change is opposite to their beliefs and morals you can expect no less of them than the hostility that the majority of dwarves and their sub races have shown throughout history.
The Tanned Dwarf society is based upon the teachings of scribes who have passed their history down through the ages. Due to this a scribe is always seen as a high ranking person within society. Second to the scribes and quite often one and the same are the societies holy men. Whether these men are priests or the more militaristic clerics matters not. Many Tanned Dwarf communities are led by their priests, clerics and scribes in normal day to day activity. In times of war or strife the people tend to defer to the Noble Houses that exist for leadership. Most of the time the Noble Houses keep to themselves and do not really interfere in day to day life.
DIET
On a day to day basis the majority of Tanned Dwarves eat a diet of fruit, vegetable, fish and poultry. This is supplemented further by dairy products produced from goats, a species of which they brought with them from their mountain homes.
The Tanned Dwarves have become surprisingly good fishermen and the fish used in dwarven cooking are always fresh. Many dwarves grow vegetables and fruit in plots of land around their houses. In addition to this many tobacco plantations also put aside land for olives, avocados and other fruits.
On special occasions the dwarves traditionally eat the red meats that don’t normally feature in their diets. This is usually meat from local wildlife and not the traditional meats of cow or horse that other races eat. It is not uncommon to find meat from monkey’s for example on the menu. If red meat is not easily available from simple hunting then the dwarves will purchase the meat they wish from Dhamjel markets.
The Tanned Dwarves have developed a reputation for developing two particularly “fierce” drinks using local fruits, The first is a kind of beer made from fermenting bananas (shukash), and the other a particular strong drink made from distilling coconut milk over several weeks (shulmak). Both drinks will render those of a weak disposition unconscious within a matter of minutes if they are not careful. It is traditional to offer shulmak to guests as a welcome drink. This is because it brings warmth to the whole body and is perceived as a sign of friendship and trust. The trust part probably relates to the fact that those unused to it could be unconscious in minutes and have to trust their host not to rob and kill them.
The only type of food that the Tanned Dwarves will not eat are the fungi traditionally cultivated by their ancestors. This is because it is seen as clinging onto the past, something they do not wish to do
When a meal is prepared it is traditional for the whole family and any guests to all sit down together to eat it. This can even be seen in the various inns and hostelries run by Tanned Dwarves on the Scattered Isles. It is usual to find a huge table with copious amounts of food served upon it. Those who wish for food simply pay a fee and join everyone else sat at the table.
FASHION & DRESS
The majority of the populace wear the long loose fitting outer robes that cover lightweight shirts and pants that are practical to the region. The clothing is not only functional due to its simplicity it is also cool, very important in the heat.
The clothes are usually made from cotton. For those with some wealth then silks are the preferred choice. In the cooler winter months a “heavier duty” robe will be worn around the shoulders usually made from woven goats wool.
The Tanned Dwarves do tend to prefer bright colours over any particular style. This is mainly because the style of robes worn have changed little in the last 2000 years. Since the Dhamjel have arrived in the region more vibrant coloured cloth has become available and the dwarves make good use of the materials creating some truly stunning items of clothing.
EDUCATION
The society views education of both male and females to be of equal importance, however, it is rare that males are taught skills such as cookery and needlework and females taught martial skills. All children are expected to spend a large portion of the day in the company of a scribe learning the history of their race and general knowledge of the world around them. As the child gets older they spend more time with family members who teach them skills most applicable to their sex and also any skills deemed as family business e.g. fishermen, tobacco farmer etc. Martial skills are initially taught to all children but just to boys as they get older. This ensures that even those who will never normally pick up a scimitar at least understand which is the dangerous part of it.
The children that are especially bright are also taught to read and write. From this group the societies scribes, clerics and others are usually chosen. It is not uncommon to apprentice a particularly bright child to a scribe.
COMMUNICATION
The Tanned Dwarves use an old dialect of Khazell, the dwarven language. Although understood by speakers of Khazell it is seen as flowery and poetic in its formation of sentences.
Heard for the first time by a non speaker it sounds very sincere and formal even to those who do not understand the language. This is due to the slow, controlled manner, in which the language is spoken, with great emphasis being put on the pronunciation of all words.
It is very rare indeed for a Tanned Dwarf to shorten a word and create a “slang” word. As the language is so formal in its make up such a thing would truly be deemed improper. This, however, is not the case amongst non Tanned Dwarves speaking the dialect. When such a thing occurs it is not uncommon for the pronunciation to be corrected by a Tanned Dwarf as if he/she was chiding a small child.
The Tanned Dwarves have a proper name for all things that exist in whatever form. Although they do not hold any particular belief in the power of names as such they do believe that if something is named then it is therefore more “real” and therefore not to be feared in any way.
The use of body language and hand gestures are common amongst the Tanned Dwarves. They are, however, almost always subtle in speed but fairly pronounced and as flowery in a physical way as the spoken language is.
It is customary for both sexes to show respect by a simple gesture of placing their right hand on their heart whilst bowing their head. This is also used between partners to show their love although in this case they would place their right hand on their partners heart.
Although education is seen as very important to the Tanned Dwarves, being able to read and write is not. Only 10% of the populace can read or write in any form and only 2% can do so with any great skill.
PROFESSIONS
Amongst the Tanned Dwarves magi and arcane magic users in general are very rare. When one of the race shows some ability in this field invariably they tend to leave to study it elsewhere and very rarely return. Magic is not shunned it is just so rare to make it seem almost “freakish” in nature and the same applies to those of the race that use it.
Warriors are viewed as a necessity to maintain societies laws and keep the peace in general. In addition to this with the constant rise in piracy that has started to plague the Scattered Isles warriors are seen as essential for the survival of the society as a whole.
Although “rogues” do exist amongst the Tanned Dwarves you will not find anyone that can be called “thief”. All Tanned Dwarves respect others possessions and the though of taking something that does not belong to them is quite simply – unthinkable. Please note however if the item does not have a clearly living owner e.g. those items that may be found in a long abandoned dungeon, then the dwarves will have no problem with taking them.
The roles most Tanned Dwarves would love their children to aspire to are cleric or scribe. Both of these professions carry great social status amongst the Tanned Dwarves. Second to these professions is that of merchant. The Tanned Dwarves have created for themselves a reputation as good, honest traders of the highest quality produce. The vast majority of their produce is grown on their plantations scattered across the Scattered Isles.
MEDICINE & HEALING
The Tanned Dwarves do not have a natural ability to heal over and above the normal bodily function to recover from illness, disease and non fatal wounds. Like all Dwarves they are very hardy individuals and can normally take a little more punishment than a human of a similar ability.
It is not uncommon to find a few dwarves, mainly females who have studied the healing arts and perhaps more importantly - midwifery. These individuals take care of the general populace when dealing with common illnesses and injuries etc. If the injury or illness is beyond the ability of the healers then a cleric from the nearest holy place will be asked to attend and hopefully offer the aid of Stalbar to the “patient”.
The majority of treatments are quite effective when administered within a reasonable time span of the onset of illness or injury. The healers themselves take great pride in their work and it is not uncommon to find several healers in a large community working together in a kind of hospital.
If a patient dies, despite the administrations of the healer or cleric, then the body is returned to the family. It is the responsibility of the family to arrange the funeral service and burial and in turn this is usually carried out within 2 days of the death for practical reasons e.g. the intense heat and humidity does not mix well with a corpse.
It is worth noting that almost every settlement containing 50 or more people will have a healer of some sort. The Dwarves view such a person as vital for the continual prosperity and growth of the community and ensure that such a person is available to those in need.
There are no restrictions in Tanned Dwarf society about who can become a healer although by tradition it is usually seen as a female role.
SOCIAL FACTORS
To a Tanned Dwarf honour and honesty to your companions, friends and family are more important than anything else.
Although the telling of “white lies” does happen it is usually for the protection of the person being lied to. It is very rare a Tanned Dwarf lies about anything and he/she would never knowingly lie to a friend or family member.
The Tanned Dwarves strongly agree with the idea of marriage as they perceive the concept of a strong family as necessary for the sustained prosperity of their society. Courtships tend to be long affairs usually spread over many years. This is due to the fact that the husband to be is ensuring he has enough wealth and property etc. to ensure that the family he is going to build has a good chance of further improving Tanned Dwarf society and will not become a burden to it.
For a Tanned Dwarf the ideal is to live a life where you have contributed fully to society. You have made a substantial amount of wealth or have brought great honour and happiness to your family, preferably all of the above. This of course is not always the case but very few families want the shame of having a burden to society amongst their ranks and take steps to ensure the individual becomes an asset, usually sending this person off into the wide world to seek knowledge and wealth to improve the family at home further.
RELIGION
The Tanned Dwarves worship Stalbar. Stalbar is a benevolent god who over the past few 1000 years has guided the Tanned Dwarves into the prosperity they now have. He was the one who laid down the challenge to them to make the change needed in their existence to improve their lot in life.
The majority of dwarves do not, however, make a point of visiting the temple. Instead the dwarves tend to have a small shrine within their home or carry a simple holy symbol to remind them of their religious duties.
RULES
+2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity - the Tanned Dwarves have retained their toughness but are far less dextrous than other dwarves..
Medium Size
Base Speed 20ft
Low Light Vision - Tanned Dwarves can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. They still retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
Stonecunning - strangely the Tanned Dwarves still retain the ability to spot unusual stonework and changes to the environment went tunnels or stone work is involved. See pg 14 PHB for rules.
+2 Racial bonus on saves vs poisons
+2 Racial bonus on saves vs spells and spell like effects
+1 Racial bonus to attack rolls against aquatic races such as the Sahuagin. The Dwarves are taught from an early age to defend themselves against attacks from those races that were the races biggest threat when they first settled the region.
+2 Racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to rare or exotic items.
+2 Racial bonus on Craft or Profession checks that are related to farming or fishing. Both skills of which are necessary for the continuation of the Tanned Dwarf lifestyle and society.
Automatic Languages: Common and Khazell (Dwarven).
This is my first post to the ENWorld Boards so please be gentle
Please take a look at a major race from my DnD3e campaign setting and let me have any thoughts you may have.
Tanned "Tobacco" Dwarves
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
The Tanned, also know as “Tobacco” dwarves live under the belief that they moved from their ancestral mountain homelands to the Scattered Isles after having been told to do so by their god Stalbar. According to religious text Stalbar appeared at the same time to the heads of 3 Noble Houses and told them if their House was to ever increase its prosperity they would need to move away from their homelands to seek a new life.
The dwarves being a religious people took up the “quest” placed before them by their god and proceeded to leave the mountains they had always called home. Over the coming years they tried to settle in many lands but were always driven out or forced to leave as the environment couldn’t support them. Eventually they broke with dwarven tradition and set out in sailing vessels across the ocean.
The journey across the oceans took many months and many people died of starvation, thirst and disease. When all seemed lost land was spotted – The Scattered Isles.
The Isles at that time were inhabited by tribal humans and various “minor races” more commonly referred to as monsters. The dwarves set about creating for themselves a new home. They chose to build from wood rather than the stone they had always used as a sign to their god how much they were willing to change for the benefit of their future. The local tribesman, after an initial period of distrust had passed, taught the dwarves how to survive in their new environment and what crops could be grown in the tropical, humid setting of the Isles. Slowly the dwarves formed a completely new society to that which their ancestors had known, yet still they retained traditional dwarven values of hard work, austerity and honour.
200 years ago the idyllic lifestyle of the Scattered Isles were shattered by a serious of “invasions” by the Dhamjel. The Dhamjel although an educated and very civilised culture in general are driven by a need to expand. The Scattered Isles were seen as a perfect locale for their expansions. Since the initial period of minor skirmishes the Tanned Dwarves have lived in relative harmony with the Dhamjel, unfortunately the tribal peoples of the Isles have all but vanished after being exposed to the strange illnesses and diseases brought to the Isles by the Dhamjel. Today the Dhamjel govern the Isles for the most part with integrity and benevolence, however, like all societies, hidden in its deepest recesses lurks a darker heart that occasionally shows itself.
Records are held by the Tanned Dwarves in the form of “Dragaper”. The “Dragaper” are the records of the people and are recorded by using arcane runes carved into dried and treated lengths of wood approx 2 hands long in length. The "Dragaper" are stored in dry cool places and usually protected by many scribes. The people have “Dragaper” containing their history, myths and legends stretching back nearly 3000 years. Many of these records haven't actually been read for almost their entire lifespan however they are still in as good a condition as they day they were made.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE/DETAILS
The Tanned Dwarves have retained much of the appearance of their ancient mountain cousins. Slightly taller than their underground brethren they are usually 4 ½ ft tall on average with a maximum height of no more than 5 ft. Stocky in build it is not uncommon for them to weigh the same as an average human. Their skin is usually tanned from their hours spent under the hot sun of the Isles and as they get older they start to take on a more weathered appearance. Their eye colour ranges from a “lighter” brown to almost black. Their hair is usually dark colours although very rarely a blonde dwarf is born. This child is usually seen as a portent of something important that will happen to the child’s House during its lifetime The men folk usually wear beards and both males and females usually allow their hair to be free and loose rather than tying it into braids etc.
Although the Tanned Dwarves have developed their own dialect of dwarven and indeed have added many 1000’s of new words, they still use what passes as an ancient dwarven language. This leads to many interesting encounters when the paths of Tanned Dwarves and those of their ancient kinfolk from the mountains cross. The Tanned Dwarves appear to be utilising very formal and flowery speech that has long since vanished from normal dwarven speech. In understandable terms the Tanned Dwarves still use “Thee’s and Thou’s”.
POSSESSIONS/MATERIAL WORTH
Strangely despite the scores of generations since the Tanned Dwarves split away from their mountain brethren they still maintain their love for fine gems and beautifully carved stone. The most prized possession owned by many Tanned Dwarves is a family heirloom, usually jewellery of some form inlaid with either a precious or semi precious stone.
The Tanned Dwarves have a nickname, the “Tobacco Dwarves”. This is derived from the fact that the Tanned Dwarves have established themselves as major producers of tobacco, something that hasn’t gone unappreciated by the Dhamjel. Although unusual to be owned by an individual many “Noble Houses” amongst the Tanned Dwarves possess at least one if not several tobacco plantations. These are further supplemented by olive and almond groves both of which thrive in the Scattered Isles environment.
The traditional dwarven weapons of hammer and axe appear to have long fallen into disuse by the Tanned Dwarves. Now heavily influenced by their “plantation culture” and the Dhamjel influence on their society in general it is more common to see a Tanned Dwarf carrying a scimitar, scythe or pistol. Those with a more exotic and martial preference may be seen carrying weapons such as the flax, crescent sword or chakram.
With the intense humidity and heat of the Scattered Isles wearing armour of any type is guaranteed to exhaust its wearer very quickly due to its weight and heat retention. The most common armour that is worn, however, is layered cloth. Many dwarves have adopted a form of layered robe very similar to those worn by the Dhamjel. This form of garment was already well established prior to the Dhamjel influence in the region.
HOMES/DWELLINGS
The Tanned Dwarves in the absence of immediate caverns chose to honour their gods request for change by choosing to build their first homes on the Scattered Isles from wood. This tradition is maintained to this day. One change to the original settlers buildings though is that many families have chosen to dig a large basement under their wooden house. The majority of properties are 2 stories above ground with about 40% having a level below ground. The buildings are usually spacious with a single large room occupying the ground floor that is then in turn divided up by using screens or hanging tapestry etc. The upper floor is nearly always a sleeping area with small rooms for both storage and sleeping. In larger properties it is common for the ground floor to have a covered veranda that surrounds the property.
As stated above the most common material used to build the dwarven properties is wood. This is usually bamboo or wood from coconut trees that is bound together and then covered in a layer of dried plaster made from a mixture of mud etc. The roofs are usually covered by dried palm leaves, however it is not uncommon to see a roof also made from bamboo or even pottery tiles in wealthier homes.
It is not uncommon for their to be in excess of 12 people living in a house. This is driven by the dwarven desire for maintaining strong families. Many dwarven families have both sets of parents, as well as themselves and any children living under the same roof. This family unit is what binds Tanned Dwarf society together and what enables them to maintain the traditions as laid out by their ancestors
SOCIAL SKILLS/RELATIONSHIPS
The Tanned Dwarves are very open with those of other races. When they first ventured forth from their ancient homelands in many places they were treated as outcasts and vagrants, however, the dwarves saw this as a test from their god to test their resolve and chose to never strike back but instead just accept they’re fate. When finally they arrived at the Scattered Isles they realised if they were to survive they needed the friendship of the local tribes-people. Since this period in their history the Tanned Dwarves have always maintained a friendly approach to strangers and it is not uncommon for them to offer food and drink in exchange for stories of goings on in the world away from the Scattered Isles – especially if they concern dwarves. The strange exception to all this is when they deal with other dwarves. As a race the Tanned Dwarves view other dwarves with caution. This is a trait that developed after the original tanned dwarves were ridiculed by their ancient cousins. Although there is no direct hostility between the races there is always the potential for a heated argument to arise if either of the races says the slightest thing out of turn.
The Tanned Dwarves accept change as a necessary part of life. They realise that although change may not necessarily be for good its nearly always inevitable. They will usually attempt to embrace change where it is not completely opposite to their moral viewpoint. If the change is opposite to their beliefs and morals you can expect no less of them than the hostility that the majority of dwarves and their sub races have shown throughout history.
The Tanned Dwarf society is based upon the teachings of scribes who have passed their history down through the ages. Due to this a scribe is always seen as a high ranking person within society. Second to the scribes and quite often one and the same are the societies holy men. Whether these men are priests or the more militaristic clerics matters not. Many Tanned Dwarf communities are led by their priests, clerics and scribes in normal day to day activity. In times of war or strife the people tend to defer to the Noble Houses that exist for leadership. Most of the time the Noble Houses keep to themselves and do not really interfere in day to day life.
DIET
On a day to day basis the majority of Tanned Dwarves eat a diet of fruit, vegetable, fish and poultry. This is supplemented further by dairy products produced from goats, a species of which they brought with them from their mountain homes.
The Tanned Dwarves have become surprisingly good fishermen and the fish used in dwarven cooking are always fresh. Many dwarves grow vegetables and fruit in plots of land around their houses. In addition to this many tobacco plantations also put aside land for olives, avocados and other fruits.
On special occasions the dwarves traditionally eat the red meats that don’t normally feature in their diets. This is usually meat from local wildlife and not the traditional meats of cow or horse that other races eat. It is not uncommon to find meat from monkey’s for example on the menu. If red meat is not easily available from simple hunting then the dwarves will purchase the meat they wish from Dhamjel markets.
The Tanned Dwarves have developed a reputation for developing two particularly “fierce” drinks using local fruits, The first is a kind of beer made from fermenting bananas (shukash), and the other a particular strong drink made from distilling coconut milk over several weeks (shulmak). Both drinks will render those of a weak disposition unconscious within a matter of minutes if they are not careful. It is traditional to offer shulmak to guests as a welcome drink. This is because it brings warmth to the whole body and is perceived as a sign of friendship and trust. The trust part probably relates to the fact that those unused to it could be unconscious in minutes and have to trust their host not to rob and kill them.
The only type of food that the Tanned Dwarves will not eat are the fungi traditionally cultivated by their ancestors. This is because it is seen as clinging onto the past, something they do not wish to do
When a meal is prepared it is traditional for the whole family and any guests to all sit down together to eat it. This can even be seen in the various inns and hostelries run by Tanned Dwarves on the Scattered Isles. It is usual to find a huge table with copious amounts of food served upon it. Those who wish for food simply pay a fee and join everyone else sat at the table.
FASHION & DRESS
The majority of the populace wear the long loose fitting outer robes that cover lightweight shirts and pants that are practical to the region. The clothing is not only functional due to its simplicity it is also cool, very important in the heat.
The clothes are usually made from cotton. For those with some wealth then silks are the preferred choice. In the cooler winter months a “heavier duty” robe will be worn around the shoulders usually made from woven goats wool.
The Tanned Dwarves do tend to prefer bright colours over any particular style. This is mainly because the style of robes worn have changed little in the last 2000 years. Since the Dhamjel have arrived in the region more vibrant coloured cloth has become available and the dwarves make good use of the materials creating some truly stunning items of clothing.
EDUCATION
The society views education of both male and females to be of equal importance, however, it is rare that males are taught skills such as cookery and needlework and females taught martial skills. All children are expected to spend a large portion of the day in the company of a scribe learning the history of their race and general knowledge of the world around them. As the child gets older they spend more time with family members who teach them skills most applicable to their sex and also any skills deemed as family business e.g. fishermen, tobacco farmer etc. Martial skills are initially taught to all children but just to boys as they get older. This ensures that even those who will never normally pick up a scimitar at least understand which is the dangerous part of it.
The children that are especially bright are also taught to read and write. From this group the societies scribes, clerics and others are usually chosen. It is not uncommon to apprentice a particularly bright child to a scribe.
COMMUNICATION
The Tanned Dwarves use an old dialect of Khazell, the dwarven language. Although understood by speakers of Khazell it is seen as flowery and poetic in its formation of sentences.
Heard for the first time by a non speaker it sounds very sincere and formal even to those who do not understand the language. This is due to the slow, controlled manner, in which the language is spoken, with great emphasis being put on the pronunciation of all words.
It is very rare indeed for a Tanned Dwarf to shorten a word and create a “slang” word. As the language is so formal in its make up such a thing would truly be deemed improper. This, however, is not the case amongst non Tanned Dwarves speaking the dialect. When such a thing occurs it is not uncommon for the pronunciation to be corrected by a Tanned Dwarf as if he/she was chiding a small child.
The Tanned Dwarves have a proper name for all things that exist in whatever form. Although they do not hold any particular belief in the power of names as such they do believe that if something is named then it is therefore more “real” and therefore not to be feared in any way.
The use of body language and hand gestures are common amongst the Tanned Dwarves. They are, however, almost always subtle in speed but fairly pronounced and as flowery in a physical way as the spoken language is.
It is customary for both sexes to show respect by a simple gesture of placing their right hand on their heart whilst bowing their head. This is also used between partners to show their love although in this case they would place their right hand on their partners heart.
Although education is seen as very important to the Tanned Dwarves, being able to read and write is not. Only 10% of the populace can read or write in any form and only 2% can do so with any great skill.
PROFESSIONS
Amongst the Tanned Dwarves magi and arcane magic users in general are very rare. When one of the race shows some ability in this field invariably they tend to leave to study it elsewhere and very rarely return. Magic is not shunned it is just so rare to make it seem almost “freakish” in nature and the same applies to those of the race that use it.
Warriors are viewed as a necessity to maintain societies laws and keep the peace in general. In addition to this with the constant rise in piracy that has started to plague the Scattered Isles warriors are seen as essential for the survival of the society as a whole.
Although “rogues” do exist amongst the Tanned Dwarves you will not find anyone that can be called “thief”. All Tanned Dwarves respect others possessions and the though of taking something that does not belong to them is quite simply – unthinkable. Please note however if the item does not have a clearly living owner e.g. those items that may be found in a long abandoned dungeon, then the dwarves will have no problem with taking them.
The roles most Tanned Dwarves would love their children to aspire to are cleric or scribe. Both of these professions carry great social status amongst the Tanned Dwarves. Second to these professions is that of merchant. The Tanned Dwarves have created for themselves a reputation as good, honest traders of the highest quality produce. The vast majority of their produce is grown on their plantations scattered across the Scattered Isles.
MEDICINE & HEALING
The Tanned Dwarves do not have a natural ability to heal over and above the normal bodily function to recover from illness, disease and non fatal wounds. Like all Dwarves they are very hardy individuals and can normally take a little more punishment than a human of a similar ability.
It is not uncommon to find a few dwarves, mainly females who have studied the healing arts and perhaps more importantly - midwifery. These individuals take care of the general populace when dealing with common illnesses and injuries etc. If the injury or illness is beyond the ability of the healers then a cleric from the nearest holy place will be asked to attend and hopefully offer the aid of Stalbar to the “patient”.
The majority of treatments are quite effective when administered within a reasonable time span of the onset of illness or injury. The healers themselves take great pride in their work and it is not uncommon to find several healers in a large community working together in a kind of hospital.
If a patient dies, despite the administrations of the healer or cleric, then the body is returned to the family. It is the responsibility of the family to arrange the funeral service and burial and in turn this is usually carried out within 2 days of the death for practical reasons e.g. the intense heat and humidity does not mix well with a corpse.
It is worth noting that almost every settlement containing 50 or more people will have a healer of some sort. The Dwarves view such a person as vital for the continual prosperity and growth of the community and ensure that such a person is available to those in need.
There are no restrictions in Tanned Dwarf society about who can become a healer although by tradition it is usually seen as a female role.
SOCIAL FACTORS
To a Tanned Dwarf honour and honesty to your companions, friends and family are more important than anything else.
Although the telling of “white lies” does happen it is usually for the protection of the person being lied to. It is very rare a Tanned Dwarf lies about anything and he/she would never knowingly lie to a friend or family member.
The Tanned Dwarves strongly agree with the idea of marriage as they perceive the concept of a strong family as necessary for the sustained prosperity of their society. Courtships tend to be long affairs usually spread over many years. This is due to the fact that the husband to be is ensuring he has enough wealth and property etc. to ensure that the family he is going to build has a good chance of further improving Tanned Dwarf society and will not become a burden to it.
For a Tanned Dwarf the ideal is to live a life where you have contributed fully to society. You have made a substantial amount of wealth or have brought great honour and happiness to your family, preferably all of the above. This of course is not always the case but very few families want the shame of having a burden to society amongst their ranks and take steps to ensure the individual becomes an asset, usually sending this person off into the wide world to seek knowledge and wealth to improve the family at home further.
RELIGION
The Tanned Dwarves worship Stalbar. Stalbar is a benevolent god who over the past few 1000 years has guided the Tanned Dwarves into the prosperity they now have. He was the one who laid down the challenge to them to make the change needed in their existence to improve their lot in life.
The majority of dwarves do not, however, make a point of visiting the temple. Instead the dwarves tend to have a small shrine within their home or carry a simple holy symbol to remind them of their religious duties.
RULES
+2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity - the Tanned Dwarves have retained their toughness but are far less dextrous than other dwarves..
Medium Size
Base Speed 20ft
Low Light Vision - Tanned Dwarves can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. They still retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
Stonecunning - strangely the Tanned Dwarves still retain the ability to spot unusual stonework and changes to the environment went tunnels or stone work is involved. See pg 14 PHB for rules.
+2 Racial bonus on saves vs poisons
+2 Racial bonus on saves vs spells and spell like effects
+1 Racial bonus to attack rolls against aquatic races such as the Sahuagin. The Dwarves are taught from an early age to defend themselves against attacks from those races that were the races biggest threat when they first settled the region.
+2 Racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to rare or exotic items.
+2 Racial bonus on Craft or Profession checks that are related to farming or fishing. Both skills of which are necessary for the continuation of the Tanned Dwarf lifestyle and society.
Automatic Languages: Common and Khazell (Dwarven).
