Khazad-Aul
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The Khazad-Aul are the most common dwarf seen on Gaea. They are what springs to mind when most people think of the typical dwarf in personality, abilities and attitude. Mountain Dwarves can be found in all major clans and traditionally, the ruling line of Thanes and Kings comes through them. Their history is rife with great and fallen kingdoms, legendary works of weapon and armor smithing, ambition, greed and great deeds of valor and battle skill. Though they are today a scattered people they concentrate much of their effort around Khazad-Duin, waiting for the day when they can reclaim their lost kingdom and re-establish their King under the Mountain. The elemental heritage that the Mountain Dwarves have cultivated affords them supernatural ability tied to the stone of the earth.
Physical Description
The average mountain dwarf is about a foot shorter then most humans. They are broad-shouldered, large-boned and heavily built. They favor beards which they grow their entire lives. Dwarven females cannot grow beards, though as the men favor their beards, so the women favor thick manes of hair which they often style just as intricately. Dwarven skin colors can range from lighter shades to deep earthy browns as if indicating their affinity with the stones and earth of the world. When they speak it is often with deep robust voices that command attention and are almost always louder then they need to be. Technological innovators and a race that embraces of artifice and steamcraft, the dwarves have been among the leading races in the development of industry and artifice.
Society and Lands
The clan is the basic societal and political unit for dwarvenkind with some clans contains no less then one hundred individuals and others numbering into the thousands. The memory of clans is long, due both to khazad record-keeping, their races' innate steadfastness, and their own lifespans.
Alliances, intermarriages, clan moots and other assortments of things are common. Ruling over the clans themselves is a council of Thanes who are drawn from the highest clans of nobility.In the past, a High King was chosen from among them and a family line established. A general list of clans can be found in the overall summary of the dwarven race.
The ancestral home of the dwarves is the great mountainous region known as Khazad-Duin. This area is located in the south central area of the lengthy Sky Curtain mountain range, which segments Arcania into western and eastern halves. Travelers can marvel at the great legendary gates of The Kingsforge, greatest of Dwarven cities, with entrance gates hundreds of feet high, built into the sides of the mountains of Khazad-Duin, embossed in mithril, grey stone granite, and blue laen. Patrolled by dwarves in enduring Damascus Steel wielding weapons of adamant and iron. Hundreds of dwarven clans lay scattered throughout the major mountain ranges of northwestern Arcania in Khazad-Duin.
As a type, khazad are said to be as solid and enduring as the mountains. They respect the traditions of their clans (though these traditions vary, and should not be confused with real-world traditions), and are said to not abandon them lightly, or the value of one's word. They favor strength in battle alongside determination and loyalty, and good government. Many khazad possess a strong sense of justice, though they may also be slow to forget wrongdoings.
Alignment and Religion
Mountain Dwarves do not make friends swiftly but they do hold onto friendships for life and with those who have lesser lifespans then their own, their hospitality and friendship extends to their children and children's children. They have a strong sense of honor and justice. Mountain Dwarves reverence Reos the Forger, who is by many names in other lands. Reos is held to be their patron and creator. The Mountain Dwarves believe that they are descended from a race of mighty beings known as The Crafters, and that these same being aided Reos in the forging of the world. Other good and neutral deities that appeal to the dwarf sense of valor, strength, practicality, warfare and pragmatism can also be found in their pantheon. Given their strong clan and family focus, clerics of Althea are also not uncommon.
Two unexpected quirks of khazadi life are their clerics' pogonomancy, and a shamanic caste who find strength and a cause for service due to the disjunction of their bodies and souls. These khazad often serve a more spiritual role within their community, though they are not as widely known outside the clans. Khazadi clerics are known for their talents in pogonomancy, or divination by beard reading.
Other Races
The khazad and oruch have had rivalries from nearly the dawn of the Age of Mythology, though this has lessened between the khazad and Adom's oruch, who are more enlightened and noble then their Fel brethren. Likewise, they are slow to trust the giant-blooded and have great reason to hold onto their distrust due to the ancient betrayal caused by the Iron clans during the fall of Morduzum. Their ire against the Iron clans is matched only by their distaste for the mul, who were Ur's close allies at that time. The fact that Gnomes are related to khazad is some cause of alarm and they tend to find Halflings and most elves far to flighty to be worth much notice. Humans and khazad have the strongest link and Khazad-aul have long supported humanities' efforts in war and industrialization provided human kind is working towards the greater good or are closely matching the khazad ideal.
Adventurers
Among the enlightened races, dwarven adventurers are somewhat rare but there can be many reasons for a dwarven adventurer to leave the rigid strict society of their clans and holdings and strike out into the world. This can range from seeking wealth, fame and power to aid in the reclamation of a families fallen or conquered holding, to seeking to spread their religious doctrine and belief to aiding in the industrialization efforts of an allied land to even fighting in wars as a mercenary in search of gold and a name for himself.
Mountain dwarves orient themselves towards a number of classes, though their fighters and warriors are well known.
Khazad-Aul Racial Traits
The average dwarf stands about 4 to four and a half feet tall, with a broad and compact form. They mature around age 40, and may live to be more than 400 years old.
The below numbers below assume an "average" person. That is, they probably have a strength and constitution within the 9-11 range. Higher physical stats will make these numbers go up. In other words, a character with 18 strength will weigh much more than one with 9. This site can be used to gauge weight though remember some races possess unique composition, bone structures, or even additional appendages and so on that may influence.
| Khazad-Aul Average Height and Weight | ||||
| Name | Base Height | Base Weight | Modifier | Weight Multiplier |
| Khazad-Aul, male | 3ft 9in | 150 lbs | +2d4 | x7 lbs |
| Khazad-Aul, female | 3ft 7in | 120 lbs | +2d4 | x7 lbs |
| Khazad-Aul Starting Age | |||
| Adulthood | Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer | Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger | Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard |
| 40 years | +3d6 | +5d6 | +7d6 |
- Classification: humanoid (dwarf)
- +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff.
- Medium: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
- Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Defensive Training: Dwarves get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.
- Greed: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise skill checks made to determine the price of non magical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones.
- Hatred: Dwarves receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the giant subtypes, and mul'niessa, due to training against these hated foes.
- Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
- Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
- Stonecunning: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
- Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word "dwarven" in its name as a martial weapon.
- Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Khazdul. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Goblin-Talk, Hand Speech, Jotun, Undercommon, Yrch-Speak.
Character Options
Khazad-aul Racial Feats
The below are racial feats for this race. All races receive a bonus racial feat at 6th level (when you level, send in a +request to staff). House feats and feat summaries may be found on the Feats page. Items with a * have had their pre-reqs altered to fit the setting (see Feats page). You must meet the pre-reqs for any racial feat you select.
- Fight On, Iroguts, Stone-Faced, Stone Singer, Steel Soul, Ironhide, Stone Sense, Orc Hewer*, Giant Killer*, Shatterspell, Ledge Walker, Goblin Cleaver, Toxic Recovery
Optional DM Rules
Ea's magic responds to its people. Wizards, sorcerers, the uncovering of Aspects are not the only ways in which magic manifests.
The following are options for any storyteller, for use in PrPs, scenes, backgrounds, and small stories. If some of these rituals come across as "didn't we always have--!??" that is part of why these are being offered: to illustrate just how active magic is in Ea. Also, just because there are no given mechanics for them does not mean they shouldn't exist.
These rituals and options are beyond the scope of any one PC working on their own.
They are meant to be used as story devices, and tend to require a story element, such as a visit to the sylvanori elders. In addition, they require the presence of more than one person from that community--they are NOT means to add to individual PCs' power levels. Finally, all rituals work according to story. Sometimes rituals sometimes work perfectly, and other times do so to varying degrees (that's just saying they are story-dependent, and not a means of power).
You are welcome to build on these ideas, or expand on them.
Ritual Magic
Erothknurl gerdum: A group of khazad may draw upon their inner nature and make oaths more binding--strong rituals may even make oaths last generations. "Erothknurl gerdum," or Oaths of Stone, are rarely done without an important purpose. In this way, however, some clans may possess very old oaths. Children of a clan are taught of erothknurl gerdum from birth. It is the presence of erothknurl gerdum that makes orphanage chancy: a clanless child may discover they possess an unusual oathline, which brings with it its own complications. Such children are said to feel the distant call of these ancient oaths, though whether or not they are drawn to fulfill them is up to the individual.
A khazad who adopts a clan symbolically takes on that clan's Oaths, but without ritual is not as closely bound to them.
High Weave: Male khazad are famous for their beards, and females for their great manes. What few outsiders know is that the weave of beard and mane are suggestive of history and past oaths. A khazad's hair, when braided in this way, becomes as a book to others of the stone blood. The wear of braids and manes in the "High Weave" is usually only seen at official and ceremonial functions or important occasions. Given the gravity of these occasions, it's suggested the multiple presence of these weaves lend a sense of stability and presence, by tying the participants more firmly into Navos' fabric. That is, they and the ceremony or proceedings, become harder to move or interrupt. This is a form of subtle magic.
Sacred Objects: Some forges last multiple generations. The good ones, anyway. Pieces of such an aged forge--particularly one used to make a powerful magic item--are sometimes used in community magic.
Character Page Badges
Want to show off your Khazad-aul pride on your Character Page? Use the following wikicode! (More badges here!)
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{{Badge}}
{{Badge-Icon|Dwarf05.jpg}}
{{Badge-Content}}
{{Badge-Title|Khazad-aul PC Badge}}
{{Badge-Entry|Clan}}Name of your clan. Feel free to make up some details.
{{Badge-Entry|Role}}Your role among the clans. How you see yourself.
{{Badge-Entry|Faith}}Your Faith
{{Badge-Entry|The Mountain}}Your take on the royal marriage, Khazad Duin, khazad expansion, heritage, and so on. Or whether you care at all.
{{Badge-End}}