Chapter 3: Races of the Realms
AER0N IS HOME TO MANY RACES, SOME OF
them immigrants from other worlds who
found their way here in ancient times when
gates and portals were more plentiful,
and easier to traverse. Others are relative
newcomers to the world, still finding a
place for themselves among the long-
established races. The civilizations of the elder races
have declined, while those of the younger races are
flourishing and spreading ever outward.
The character races described in the Player's Hand-
book are all found in the Realms, along with some
subraces unique to Faerun. Each character race has all
the traits of the primary race, as given in the Player's
Handbook, plus traits for each subrace that are unique
to those individuals. This chapter provides racial traits
for a subrace only when they differ from or replace those
given in the Player's Handbook. The information in this
chapter is specific to the Realms, so if something stated
here differs from what's presented in the Player's Hand-
book, this material takes precedence.
Dwarves
The Stout Folk are deliberate and steadfast, with a
proud history as great artisans, builders, and warriors.
Although the glory of their empires faded long ago, the
dwarves still hold to their ancient ways and traditions.
They stubbornly defend what remains of their old do-
mains beneath hill and mountain, and some seek to
reclaim what they have lost to the depredations of ores,
goblins, and the inexorable march of time.
According to their own legends, dwarves were formed
from iron, mithral, earth, and stone on the Soulforge of
Moradin. After the All-Father breathed life into them in
the heart of the world, dwarves found their way to the
surface and, from there, spread across each continent.
Thousands of years of settlement and separation
divided the dwarves into distinct subraces: the shield
dwarves, most common in the North and the Sword
Coast; the gold dwarves of the southern lands; and the
gray dwarves, or duergar, of the Underdark.
The Dwarvish language of Faerun uses a runic alpha-
bet called Dethek, whose characters are easy to etch
into stone and metal, as evidenced by the runestones
and way-markers found in ancient dwarven tunnels
and mines.
SHIELD DWARVES
The ancestral home of the shield dwarves is in northern
Faerun, where ancient dwarfholds exist in the North,
Damara, lmpiltur, Vaasa, the Vast, and the Western
Heartlands. The most famous of the old shield dwarf
cities is Citadel Adbar, north and east of Silverymoon.
Many of these dwarfholds have changed hands over the
centuries in a cycle of invasion by enemies, followed by
reconquest by the dwarves.
Living in a near-constant state of war for generations,
shield dwarves are a hardy people, slow to trust, with
long memories and often an equally long list of griev-
ances against their ancient enemies. The more conser-
vative among them want to maintain the traditions and
remaining holdings of their people, isolated from the in-
fluence of outsiders and safe from invaders behind thick
walls of stone. Shield dwarves of a more adventurous
bent are interested in exploring the world and seeing
what lies beyond the bounds of their ancient dwarfholds.
Shield dwarves have the racial traits of mountain
dwarves in the Player's Handbook. Their skin is usu-
ally fair, eyes green, hazel, or silver-blue, and they have
brown, blond, or red hair. Full beards and mustaches
are commonly seen on male shield dwarves.
Shield dwarves are renowned artisans, particularly in
metal and stone. They tend to focus more on sturdiness
in their craft than on the artistic flourishes and gilding
favored by their gold dwarf cousins. Shield dwarf craft-
ers build to last, and each one's signature mark placed
upon an enduring masterpiece serves as a way of gain-
ing immortality.GOLD DWARVES
Gold dwarves are common in the lands to the south and
east. They are formidable warriors, proud of their long
traditions, with strong ties to clan. They are gruff and
haughty and have a love of fine craftsmanship and an
eagerness to trade.
Significant settlements of gold dwarves exist in the
Great Rift, the area surrounding the Dragon Coast,
as well as in the Old Empires of eastern Faerun.
Smaller communities are found in the Smoking Moun-
tains, in the Giant's Run Mountains, and the Western
Heartlands.
Because they have not endured the same cycle of
invasion and displacement, gold dwarves tend to be
more optimistic than their shield dwarf cousins, but
they're still standoffish and prideful as only a dwarf
can be. They believe their race's stable history is the
result of their attentiveness to tradition, and have little
doubt that the future of the gold dwarves will be just
as peaceful, if they remain true to their customs and
principles.Monastic Traditions 130 Dwarf Clans of the North
All dwarves count their clan heritage as an important part
of their lineage and identity. While in some cities a single
clan dominates (or is the only one in residence), in other
dwarven communities there is a complex relationship be-
tween family, clan, and the larger society.
Some of the dwarf clans in the North are Arnskull,
Battlehammer, Blackbanner, Blackhammer, Bucklebar,
Darkfell, Deepaxe, Deepdelve, Eaglecleft, Foehammer,
Gallowglar, Hillsafar, Horn, lronshield, jundeth, Narlagh,
Orothiar, Quarrymaster, Rockfist, Sstar, Stoneshaft, Stone-
shield, Stoneshoulder, Trueforger, Watchever, Worldthrone,
Wyrmslayer, and Yund.
Some dwarves hail from the family that founded or rules
a given clan, and so they use the clan name as their family
name. Others are simply "of" the clan, but bear the clan
name with as much pride as their own surnames.