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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stormborn" data-source="post: 2818077" data-attributes="member: 14041">You want a dwarf controlled world, or at least region?  Simple.  Make them builders of dams and tappers of underground sources of water in a large arid region.  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_empire" target="_blank">Hydraulic Empire</a>.  It doesn't matter if humans and elves have iron and steel if they can't water their crops because the dwarves have moved the river.  Smart dwarves will play one faction off against another: "We will give you water if you support us against them."  Add to that a control of underground salt reserves (there would be other ways to get it but the price of the dwarven variety would mean they would soon corner the market) and you have a powerful resource driven empire. Throw in the gnomish alchemists. Their great contribution to the Empire?  Distilleries and breweries.  The dwarves would want human and halfling civilization to advance to a certain level,not only becuase it would be hard to stop them, but because they would make better second class citizens.  Also, a more technologically advanced civilization is easier to control through resource management than a more primative one.  The more technologically primative civilization needs less and is thus less dependent.  Also, the idea of water, salt, and beer as the source of the underground empire's might means that they can't be countered with magic.  Even if the dwarves, or their human puppet warlords on the surface, have huge witchhunts and pogroms to suppress magic, there is always going to be the possibility of a hidden clan of sorcerers riding out of the woods with elven allies and causing trouble (cause magic weapons, even if bronze or wood or stone or obsidian, are going to give iron and steel a run for their money).    Water, salt, and beer might not be as glamourous or as PC effecting as iron or gold, but in the long run those are what really can effect a civilization.EDIT: Let me add that overall i agree about the dwarven culture presented in DnD not leading to conquerers.  However, if just one large clan got it in their heads to do so, they could take over a large area...say a subcontinent.  Particularlly if they are able to keep their true numbers secret and use politics and mercenary armies, both human and goblinoid, to keep their subjects fighting amongst themselves.  And keep in mind, there is no need for this to be a truly stable empire, it just has to last long enough to have a campaign or two.  Say a couple of human generations at most.</blockquote>

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