Wild Dwarves

Wild dwarves are actually considered by many mountain dwarves as generally honor-less hill dwarves and it is said that many grudges still remain amongst the clans of the mountain dwarves toward the clans who would become the Wild Dwarves. The Wild Dwarves are descended from Mountain and Hill Dwarf clans who split off from the Dwarvish people after the giants were overthrown. They protested for many reasons, accusing many of the Hill and Mountain clans of putting the yokes of their former masters back on themselves by carrying on with their traditional ways, and they urged others to abandon the old ways in favor of completely new and purely dwarven traditions and identity. This caused a great deal of turmoil in the early years after the end of the Giant’s Empire, but did not come to a head until it became clear that the dwarves intended on forming an Empire of their own. It is said that the Thanes of twelve clans sent a declaration to the Council of Urik that they would shave their beards before they would ever allow themselves to be slaves to new masters; and so they did. Four Mountain and eight Hill Clans shaved their beards and sent them to Urik’modan before picking up their holdings and leaving into the east, and they would not be heard from again for many years.

The Wild Dwarves eventually settled in the highlands and steppes of northeastern Damasia. There they took up a much more natural existence, abandoning many of the ways of metal and stone. They built small communities instead of the grand halls and citadels of the past, choosing a simpler life; one more closely tied with the land itself. They are known as great hunters and beast-tamers, possibly the best amongst all dwarven-kind. They are especially known for taming the gryphon which roost along the southern slopes of the Mirnas Peaks.

Though many Wild Dwarves are loath to admit it, they still share many common traits with their Mountain and Hill Dwarf cousins, they are a hardy, durable people, and prone to stubbornness, though unlike many other dwarves, Wild Dwarves are more comfortable with change. They are also somewhat known for being a bit more expressive and outwardly emotional than other dwarves, even more-so than Hill Dwarves and especially Mountain dwarves. Though Wild Dwarves focus less on tradition than their other dwarvish cousins, they do maintain the dwarvish sense of honoring ones ancestors and elders, though this respect tends toward a more personal and primal sort of connection. Wild Dwarves do continue to identify themselves by their clan structure, though these clans are slightly looser and less intrusive into the daily lives of individuals than the clan structures of the other dwarves.

Physically, Wild dwarves share many traits common to both Mountain and Hill dwarves. Their hair and beards tend to be more like their mountain cousins, often growing thick and full, though are less well-groomed and sometimes are even shaved off completely. The skin tones of the Wild dwarves tend to be fairer than other dwarves, though their skin generally tends more toward earth-stones like their Hill Dwarf cousins than the stone shades of the Mountain Dwarves. While brown and black hair remains a common hair color, red is far more common in Wild Dwarves than any other dwarf, and blonde is also extremely common amongst Wild Dwarves, which is almost unseen amongst Hill and Mountain Dwarves. Wild Dwarves share many of the eye colors of other dwarves, though blue and green, colors which are rare in Mountain or Hill dwarves, are predominant amongst Wild Dwarves. Tattooing is very common amongst Wild Dwarves, many covering most of their bodies in tattoos over time. These tattoos are very similar to those of the Wood Elves, tending more toward smooth curving shapes and lines as opposed to traditional blocky geometric shapes.

Play a Wild Dwarf if you want...
 * to be stubborn, defiant and tough as nails.
 * to play a dwarf with a strong bond to the natural world and its beasts.
 * to bring glory to your ancestors or serve as the conduit for the animal spirits.
 * to be a member of a race that favors the barbarian, druid, warden, or runepriest classes.

D&D 4e
Average Height: 4'3” – 4'9”

Average Weight: 160-220 lb. Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom or Strength

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light Languages: Common, Dwarven

Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Endurance

Cast-Iron Stomach: +5 racial bonus to saving throws against poison.

Dwarven Resilience: You can use your second wind as a minor action instead of a standard action.

Encumbered Speed: You move your normal speed even when it would normally be reduced by armor or a heavy load. Other effects that limit speed (such as difficult terrain or magical effects) affect you normally.

Stand your Ground: When an effect forces you to move -- through a pull, a push, or a slide -- you can move 1 square less than the effect specifies. This means an effect that normally pulls, pushes, or slides a target 1 square does not force you to move unless you want to. In addition, when an attack would knock you prone, you can make a saving throw to avoid falling prone.

Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift (even if you have a power that allows you to shift multiple squares). <h3 style="text-indent:0px;">D&D 5e In addition to the basic dwarf traits found in the Player's Handbook Wild Dwarves receive the following traits.

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 1

Wild Step: You ignore the effects of difficult terrain caused by natural outdoor phenomena, such as undergrowth, mud, snow, etc.

Tool Proficiency: Instead of gaining proficiency with one of the artisan's tools granted by the basic dwarf traits, you may choose one of the following proficiencies: carpenter's tools, weaver's tools, or woodcarver's tools.