So one thing I’ve never got my head around is what makes Dwarf-ness unique?
I know theres the stereotypes of Grumpy, Gold-hungry, Drunken Scottish Vikings but I’ve never found that particularly appealing and more parody than personality.
Its one reason I drop Dwarfs out of any non-vanilla settings I use They just dont seem interesting enough.
So How do you portray a culture that is uniquely and identifiably Dwarf in your games? Are there any interesting published versions of Dwarf cultures?
Depends upon the game.
I happen to like the Viking (it's a job title, BTW, not a culture, but could be seen as a subculture) Dane and Viking Norse mindset: get wealth by any means - trade if they will, raid if they won't. They sound like scots, but that's an association I don't know the origin of, but suspect it's because of the much vaunted (stereoutypical) Scots frugality. They're not exactly penny pinching, but return on investment minded.
But in Tolkienian Middle Earth, late 3rd age, I run them as dour, gloomy, greedy lot, trying to make up for the cultural shame of history by buying up everything of value. Too tied to things to sail West. To tied to history to let go the hates. Too much cultural sorrow driven by the lesser lived races of Men, Hobbits, and the goblins. Exactly what each wants is a wealth, a hoard... for some, that's money. Others, knowledge, Others still, brave deeds. Driven by unnatural needs, created by a culture that brooks no disobedience at home, and where opportunity is rare without adventuring.
On my old Hero/Rolemaster campaign world of Aquanis, Dwarves were work fixated as a culture - rather martial, at that. Working the great forges, so big, so strong, that you use the exhaust, not the coals, to work metal. Proud, never broken beneath Elven swords (not the least part why being that Elves don't use swords. Nor boots). No foreigners may enter the great forge-cities, for the city is indeed synonymous with its forge in their tongue. Those who feel out of place, or lack willingness to see duty and family as the sole motivations, are given a couple months rations, and axe, an adze, and permission to go dig a canoe... and get the hell out. Just don't sail downwind of their hearth cities ... the acid rain is a bit dangerous.
In D&D, I use them seldom as a GM. Simply to avoid a specific view.
In RQ, they literally are golems, and animated by their god specifically to do specific works for the dwarven nations... thus those about outside either are on a mission, or have rejected their duties... And yes, there is a maker's mark on one of the feet. The life rune on the other. I've only had one show up in what little RQ I've run... and he was driven insane, living as a thief.
In Traveller, they dislike the term "dwarf" and prefer "Geonee"... and otherwise, are largely just any other human culture subjugated by the Bilandini.
