Sword of Spirit
Legend
I'm coming up with distinguishing elements of the different "subraces" of dwarves on my world, and I'm having a hard time coming up with something satisfying.
I'm using Hill Dwarves, Mountain Dwarves, and Deep Dwarves (mechanically mountain dwarves, but conceptually similar to 2e deep dwarves). I also have duergar, but their identity is pretty clear.
I want to make sure that all three subraces include the basic elements that make dwarves dwarves (gold, gods and clan, as well as tradition, mining, craftsmanship), but then each one has some sort of extra emphasis that makes it distinct and interesting.
For Hill Dwarves I'm thinking conceptually they are more connected to other races. They are more likely than other dwarves to have surface outposts, be a blacksmith in a human village, travel around in the overland world, etc. However, they still prefer their underground kingdoms and don't allow non-dwarves too deep within them.
For Deep Dwarves, they are the most isolated, and I'm thinking of perhaps having their special emphasis be history. They are the memory of the race.
For Mountain Dwarves (my favorite subrace), I'm hitting a wall. One thing I want to do is make them the fiercest warriors, and say they are less likely to interact with non-dwarves than hill dwarves. But "isolationism" doesn't make them appealing, "good at fighting" isn't really worth anything in assigning D&D identity, because it applies to almost everyone. One thing that I like is to say that they do everything bigger/grander--larger halls, more ornamentation in the artwork, more dedication in their battles against the traditional enemies of dwarves, etc.
So I might say:
Hill Dwarves: Trade and "travel"
Mountain Dwarves: Glory and grandeur
Deep Dwarves: History and Memory
But...mountain dwarves still feel off to me, as if they are being given something that isn't in the same sort of category as the other types. You go to hill dwarves when you want to buy from dwarves or otherwise talk to them. You go way into the earth to the deep dwarves when you want information on the oldest dwarven legends and accounts, or when you need access to some hidden away dwarven artifact. And you go to the mountain dwarves when...oh, you just don't. They don't want you there. Or from the DM's perspective. "Use a hill dwarf when you want them to be approachable. Use a deep dwarf when you want them to have great insight. Use a mountain dwarf when you want them to be stuck up?" It's just not working right.
Thoughts?
I'm using Hill Dwarves, Mountain Dwarves, and Deep Dwarves (mechanically mountain dwarves, but conceptually similar to 2e deep dwarves). I also have duergar, but their identity is pretty clear.
I want to make sure that all three subraces include the basic elements that make dwarves dwarves (gold, gods and clan, as well as tradition, mining, craftsmanship), but then each one has some sort of extra emphasis that makes it distinct and interesting.
For Hill Dwarves I'm thinking conceptually they are more connected to other races. They are more likely than other dwarves to have surface outposts, be a blacksmith in a human village, travel around in the overland world, etc. However, they still prefer their underground kingdoms and don't allow non-dwarves too deep within them.
For Deep Dwarves, they are the most isolated, and I'm thinking of perhaps having their special emphasis be history. They are the memory of the race.
For Mountain Dwarves (my favorite subrace), I'm hitting a wall. One thing I want to do is make them the fiercest warriors, and say they are less likely to interact with non-dwarves than hill dwarves. But "isolationism" doesn't make them appealing, "good at fighting" isn't really worth anything in assigning D&D identity, because it applies to almost everyone. One thing that I like is to say that they do everything bigger/grander--larger halls, more ornamentation in the artwork, more dedication in their battles against the traditional enemies of dwarves, etc.
So I might say:
Hill Dwarves: Trade and "travel"
Mountain Dwarves: Glory and grandeur
Deep Dwarves: History and Memory
But...mountain dwarves still feel off to me, as if they are being given something that isn't in the same sort of category as the other types. You go to hill dwarves when you want to buy from dwarves or otherwise talk to them. You go way into the earth to the deep dwarves when you want information on the oldest dwarven legends and accounts, or when you need access to some hidden away dwarven artifact. And you go to the mountain dwarves when...oh, you just don't. They don't want you there. Or from the DM's perspective. "Use a hill dwarf when you want them to be approachable. Use a deep dwarf when you want them to have great insight. Use a mountain dwarf when you want them to be stuck up?" It's just not working right.
Thoughts?
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