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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kae'Yoss" data-source="post: 3547277" data-attributes="member: 4134">As I have something going here, I'll continue with dwarves, why don't I? (Races of Stone is a nice source here)1. how do dwarves learn to fight?Most dwarves learn to fight, though not quite all of them. Some only put a bit of effort into it (and learn like one simple weapon), but no one gets by quite without. They're big about a militia. The Underdark's a dangerous place, and good living space isn't exactly in profusion, so they have to repell their fair share of would be invaders.There is some militia duty for every growing dwarf, and for many, the lessons stick. The race produces more fighters than everything else, probably because they come to like the fighting. Dwarves are fond of hard physical activities, be it mining or bashing enemies' skulls. 2. how do dwarves organize an army?Dwarves are quite lawful, organised. Their armies are thoroughly organised, too. They believe in strict chains of command, and wouldn't dream of disobeying an order, unless it's really atrocious (but since most dwarves wouldn't dream of using their clanmates in such a way, and those who do quickly find themselves relieved of command, it isn't much of an issue, anyway).A dwarf knows where he's supposed to stand. They practise regularly, so a dwarf could sleepwalk to his spot in the platoon.3. how do dwarves go to war?They usually don't have to go to war, because war comes to their doorstep and knocks. That said, they choose the place of the confrontation, and it's a place where they downplay any potential advantages their usual enemies have over them, and maximise their advantages. Oh, and that place lies beyond a veritable gauntlet. One death trap after the other. Those who survive it face an army of dwarven fighters, armed and armoured with dwarf-made weapons and armour, which tend to be high-quality, and on the heavier side (especially armour). They're not particularly fast, but nothing short of a couple of ripped-off legs will slow them down. It's like an unstoppable force, a tidal wave washing over you. Their stamina is probably superiour to their enemies, and theirs wasn't tested by a claustrophobic nightmare of fine dwarven traps.4. What is the dwarvish Art of war?(ie. strategic outlook)They like to have a plan. They like things going according to plan, because their rigid mentality isn't that well-equipped to deal with change, so they carefully think about all the contingencies. They work together, exceptionally so. They coordinate their attacks, flanking enemies, covering each others' back. They know each other well, because they train together and often live together as well. A dwarf will die for his brothers or fellow clansmen.5. What are the core values of the dwarvesHonour. That of the individual, and much more important, that of the clan. That doesn't mean that they won't exploit advantages or pull a sneak attack, but they do cleave to a code.Tradition: They prefer to do things the way their ancestors (which they honour) did. They think long and hard about any change anyone would enact, because just doing something differently for no good reason would insult their ancestors, so a change has to improve things in a non-trivial way.Hard Work: They like to work up a sweat and feel their muscles. Their endless toil made them what they are: Some pretty tough monkeys. They take pride in the hardships they endure, and they make them feel alive.Privacy: Physical privacy often is not an option for a dwarf. Down in the dephts, living space is at a premium, and not every young dwarf will get his own chamber. In fact, there's even some married couples whose privacy zone is created by curtains hung in the common room. So they value mental privacy. They don't chatter about everything with anybody. Their thoughts are theirs, and they don't like to give up that privacy easily.</blockquote>

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