Dvergur (4e Theme)

Dvergur Theme

AI Generated Art [1]

Dvergur

The Dvergur were a strong, industrious, and ambitious race, producing many great castles, fortresses and cities. They were exceptionally strong, and closely resembled humans, except much larger and with what would know be associated with Dwarven features. They were tall and muscular, and very wide, appearing as if very tall Dwarves would. The Dvergur were a precursor race to many Dwarven species, being an offshoot of humans who eventually went a separate path. Although they were successful and industrious, they broke off in to many factions, and after many centuries of treacherous wars, were driven deeper underground or forced to the surface, where they evolved in to modern day dwarves. Few Dvergur survive today, and most are mistaken for Humans or unusually tall Dwarves, with their bloodline often diluted if they reach the surface. Only a few havens exist for them, largely ancient ruins of a now forgotten Kingdom of Du'all, which many believe to be abandoned, thus protecting the few remaining Dvergur. Most remain in secret, fearful their enemies in the Underdark or the Orcs would come in and slaughter the few remaining members of their race if they were ever exposed. Although the Dvergur wish to bring their race back to it's former glory, many have recognized the sheer impossible nature of this.

The Dvergur are unlike Dwarves in that they are quite large, tend to be much more serious and calm than the more jovial Dwarves, and largely are relegated to a small number of hidden settlements not well known by the rest of the world. They produced large volumes of technologically advanced equipment for their era, and managed to mine large volumes of the mineral Mithril, which the Dwarves used to fashion much of their equipment. The Dvergur were among the first humanoids to mine this rare material, and eventually developed features to help them mine it. The Dvergur unlike Dwarves have a heavier emphasis on Swords and Blades rather than hammers, being master swordsmiths and forgers of sophisticated steel and mithril weaponry and tools. They are tinkerers, and manufacture gadgets as well as blades and hammers, and other tools. They made very sophisticated and complex tools, and used them to build large ancient cities and buildings scattered around the world. They are directly responsible for the rise of the Dwarves as well as the majority of ancient mysterious cities few truly understand.

Dvergur are not living constructs, however they due to their advanced technology commonly attached these components to their bodies. They were known for messing with gadgets and trinkets, and frequently forged these components. Despite lacking the features for it, Dvergur were commonly artificers, and had a culture of developing complex technology, a feature lost to the ages. They were known to build many of their pieces of equipment out of mithril, and animate them using magic. The Dvergur would send living constructs to go mine for them, and the Dvergur were responsible for the creation of many of the first Warforged, who use the same components the Dvergur can attach to themselves. Dvergur as a result are often seen with complex mechanical components attached to their bodies, even though they are not themselves a living construct. Dvergur live and age at approximately the same rate as Dwarves, despite their closer appearance to humans. They also have many of the same mannerisms and characteristics of Dwarves, from their beards to their stocky body profile. Although many Dwarves directly descend from the Dvergur, Dwarves existed at the same time as the Dvergur, and curiously had a parallel development to them. Modern Dwarves share large amounts of Dvergur ancestry, but were not derived directly from the Dvergur. The Dvergur were absorbed by the other Dwarves and taken in, and due to their small numbers over many generations were eventually breed out, with few Dwarves possessing obvious or overt Dvergur characteristics. This is similar to Neanderthals and humans. Virtually all modern Dwarves have some latent Dvergur ancestry, however those with the least amount of the Duergar, who were reflexively hostile to the Dvergur and killed many on sight, being agents of the Underdark. The Duergar especially hate the Dvergur, as they have been tasked with their Gods with their complete destruction, particularly Lolth, the Spider queen, who revels in the destruction of others and say the Dvergur's expansion as a future threat to her empire.

Building

Only dwarves and those closely related to them can have attributes of the Dvergur. Your latent Dvergur ancestry is particularly strong, manifesting itself in a number of unique ways.

Class Prerequisites

None.

Race Prerequisites

Dwarf. Only dwarves can have an ancestral heritage to the Dvergur, the precursor race from which all Dwarves come from.

Associated Skill: Insight and Dungeoneering

Starting Feature

Dvergur Aptitude

Benefit

For purposes of determining prerequisites, such as for feats or paragon paths, you are considered both a Dwarf and your original race. You gain a +2 bonus to Insight and Dungeoneering, given your natural perceptive abilities and the nature in which Dvergur live deep underground. As well, you are treated as if you are a living construct, and may add warforged components as if you were a living construct. For the purposes of meeting prerequisites, you have the "living construct" racial trait. This means you can attach and embed components as if you were a warforged (see "Warforged Components," page 113 of the Eberron's Player Guide). As well, when you use your second wind, you gain temporary hitpoints equal to your highest ability modifier.

Additional Features

Level 5 Feature

Underdark Heritage

Benefit

Dvergur lived deep underground, and spent considerable time building massive underground cities and mining mithril, giving them a natural aptitude when living underground. You gain Dark Vision as a result of your natural affinity for living underground. In addition, you may add 5 to your strength modifier to determine the load you can carry, push or drag.

Level 10 Feature

Moradin's Resolve

Benefit

Benefit You have a natural aptitude for utilizing weapons and equipment of the Dvergur. Your race not only used these weapons to fight, but for every day practical use, for mining and smithing, making you a natural expert at their use, possessing a particular grace and skill unmatched by others. You may gain a +1 bonus to all attack rolls using hammers, maces or picks. In addition, you may increase the range by which you can throw a hammer or mace by 5/10.

Optional Powers

By Rui Zhang [2]

Moradin's Will	Theme Utility 2
You share your Strength with others, improving the will of those around you.
Encounter
Free Action	Personal
Trigger: You use your second wind.
Target: Self
Effect: In addition to the usual effect, each ally adjacent to you may spend a healing surge and gains a +2 bonus to their defenses and a +1 bonus to their attack rolls until the end of their next turn.

Moradin's Fury	Theme Utility 6
The thrill of battle invigorates you, with spilling blood only further increasing your determination to fight.
Daily
Minor Action	Personal
Target: Self
Effect: You expend a use of your second wind. Instead, you enter the "Moradin's fury" stance. While in the stance, you gain a +1 bonus to all defenses, cannot be knocked prone, stunned, or dazed, gain a +1 bonus to all attack rolls with all Hammers or Maces, can perform a critical hit with any power on a roll of 18-20, and deal an extra 1d6 extra damage to any damage roll involving a Hammer or Mace.

Moradin's Hammer	Theme Utility 10
Like all dwarves, you have a special affinity and knack for using Hammer's and Maces.
Encounter
Free Action	Personal
Trigger: You make a melee or ranged attack with a Hammer or Mace.
Target: Self
Effect: With any melee or ranged attack power in which you would ordinarily use a hammer or mace, you may instead treat the attack and the hammer or mace as a ranged attack with a range of 10/20.

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