Races of Stone - 3.5e

Page 15

DWARVES

elder charged with running the militia, taking their orders directly from him. The position of clanwarden is one of great prestige within the clan. An individual has to be greatly trusted and must have proven his prowess in battle before being allowed to hold such a post. For more than one dwarf, the road to chieftain has started in the militia, with his elevation to clanwarden as his first real taste of responsibility. The Clanless Even in such a tightly knit society as the dwarves possess, some simply cannot fit in. Frequently, these dwarves cannot subjugate their needs as individuals to the needs of the group as a whole. Others cannot easily withstand the rigid rule of law, chafing under the restrictions it requires or simply choosing another way to live. Still others are thrust unceremoniously from the bosom of the clan in payment for crimes they have committed. These groups all form the lowest rung of dwarf society: the clanless. Clanless dwarves come from all manner of backgrounds— criminals, rebels, the dispossessed, and the orphaned. They have no hall to welcome them, no patriarch to give them succor. They often live in the poorest section of the dwarf cities, often in the industrial districts near their businesses or jobs. They sometimes work as common laborers, though those with a more adventurous spirit usually head for the surface world and try to make their fortunes there.

CHAPTER 1

Illus. by J. Nelson

Despite their dour reputation, dwarves enjoy a good celebration

Because of the affinity the clanless have for the adventuring life, most clanholds look upon adventuring dwarves (or those without an obvious affi liation) with suspicion. Because they are suspected to be misfits at best and criminals at worst, any offers of hospitality to clanless dwarves are usually made with one hand outstretched and the other resting meaningfully on the nearest weapon. No dwarf will turn away another in need, but the clanless typically receive a much shorter invitation and much less comfort than any other. Because of this treatment, some groups of clanless dwarves are rumored to have set up surface freeholds in the style of their clan cousins. Since no clan member would be invited to such a place, however, much less willingly set foot inside it, the rumors are difficult to substantiate.

FAMILY UNITS Dwarf family life is very full, made up not only of the immediate relatives but also the extended family. Each family begins with a married couple and their children, and often encompasses grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, and grandchildren. A dwarven home is considered to be the property of the couple to whom it was first granted. Those individuals are guaranteed a home for the rest of their lives. Their children are also allowed to live there as long as they wish, even after they take spouses and have children of their

15

620_96567_RacesOfStone.indd 15

6/14/04, 7:19:31 AM


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Articles inside

Thrum Worm

3min
page 190

Stone Drake

4min
page 189

Earth Whisper

3min
page 187

Hammer Archon

3min
page 188

Dire Eagle

2min
page 186

Holidays

9min
pages 183-184

in a Campaign

5min
page 170

Magic Forges

2min
page 166

Racial Substitution Levels

34min
pages 145-152

Armor and Shields

12min
pages 155-158

Feats

46min
pages 133-144

Stonespeaker Guardian

9min
pages 127-128

Stonedeath Assassin

14min
pages 124-126

Runesmith

9min
pages 118-119

Stoneblessed

9min
pages 122-123

Goliath Liberator

8min
pages 112-113

Shadowcraft Mage

8min
pages 120-121

Iron Mind

9min
pages 114-115

Peregrine Runner

8min
pages 116-117

Divine Prankster

14min
pages 107-109

Earth Dreamer

8min
pages 110-111

Deepwarden

8min
pages 105-106

Dawncaller

8min
pages 103-104

Cragtop Archer

8min
pages 101-102

Blade Bravo

9min
pages 99-100

Stonechild

8min
pages 92-93

Dream Dwarf

3min
page 88

Whisper Gnome

10min
pages 94-96

Feral Gargun

11min
pages 89-91

The Stonespeakers

7min
pages 82-83

History and Folklore

12min
pages 69-71

Important Kathaal Members

20min
pages 76-79

Naki-Uthai, the Brave Climber

2min
page 67

Laws and Justice

6min
pages 63-64

Tribal Structure

5min
pages 61-62

Arts and Crafts

5min
page 59

Gnome Names

4min
page 49

History and Folklore

11min
pages 46-47

Religion

5min
page 42

The Glutton

3min
page 44

Description

7min
pages 32-33

Psychology

2min
page 34

Gnomes and Other Races

2min
page 41

Creating Dwarf Characters

5min
page 29

The Dwarven Economy Example Settlement:

3min
page 27

Technology and Magic

2min
page 9

Description

5min
page 6

Dwarves and Other Races

5min
page 16

Cities and Settlements

2min
page 26

Psychology

2min
page 7

Thautam

2min
page 20

Clan Structure

7min
pages 13-14

Family Units

2min
page 15
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.