Smoke and Strong Whiskey: Some Thoughts On Dwarves

[Felix]

Consider:

The dwarves live underground and are rarely glimpsed by other races except when they venture outside.

The dwarves have a mining culture and centuries to employ their expertise.

The dwarves have an innate knowledge of exactly how far underground they are.

Nobody knows how many dwarves there really are.


Want to have an interesting dwarven culture in your campaign? Model them to the fremen from Dune. Instead of a few scattered bands of fremen like the Harkonnens thought, they existed in vast numbers easily out of sight and knowledge of other people.

The fremen bribed the spacing guild to keep satilities away from the outer desert; can not dwarves bribe governments with silver, gold, mithral, and iron?

The fremen easily survived passage accross the deserts by riding worms; can not dwarves also mine their own highways underground, extending for thousands of miles from mountain range to mountain range.

Dwarves exist in an excellent trading environment: thier highways are paved, straight, level and smooth, possibly on rails, that allow the easy transport of goods accross the lands untouchable from brigands and theives.

Dwarven culture, like the elves', seems fatalistic and dying; this only perpetuates the myth that they are few and isolated. The dwarves of the world exist in vast numbers of interconnected underground cities to whom the widest gulfs of sea present no problem that the dwarves cannot tunnel under. So why indeed does the dying dwarven culture seem that different from the elves'? Because they know what you don't: there is no power on earth that would stop the dwarves were they to choose to assualt the surface. Their re-inforcemets can arrive quickly from unthreatend cities leagues away; their enemies' strongholds tunneled under and into to hemmorage raging dwarven warriors inside the defender's walls; underground wells of beseiged cities are not safe from dwarven poison; crops are not safe from the stockpiles of salt the dwarves have come accross in their mining.

We should be so lucky that the dwarves tolerate us surface dwellers.

 

[William Ronald]

Another excellent essay SHARK. I just moved from your essay to Machiavelli and back again without any appreciable difference in the author's tone. I salute you.

If I may put a point on your essay, as one particular dwarf from my own imagination has observed, "They don't have to outfight us, they're just going to outf--- us."

Birthrate ultimately decides the fate of of any civilization.

Semper Fi

One thing that the dwarves and the elves could do in such situations, with lower birthrates, are find ways to stimulate their own birthrates and decreas that of their enemies.

For example, elven and dwarven clerics and other spell casters could develop ways to increase fertility. In many cultures, extended families help raise children and this might be one of the ways to deal with an increase in birthrate.

Cultures will often find ways to adapt to new challenges, so I think that elves and dwarves are only doomed if a DM decides that is the case.

 

[William Ronald]

Excellent point, but population growth isn't simply a function of, er, f---ing. A civilization has a birth rate and a death rate, and the real issue is how to feed and protect the members of that civilization.

It's quite plausible that the dwarf legions could hold their mountain stronghold against any assault, and I'm sure such a stronghold could store years of rations, but how are the dwarves producing food in the first place?

As a land-locked race in a war-torn world, I doubt they can feed themselves through trade alone.

There are peoples who have farmed on mountains, including in the Andes. So, I imagine the dwarves make good use of mountainsides, valleys, and other areas of their territory to grow food. Plus, they may have mushrooms and other foodstuffs from underground. So, dwarves and the other "civilized" races in most campaign worlds likely practice agriculture.


Also, even if dwarves do have a charisma penalty, they would probably see the sense of making alliances with others who may have several of the same enemies. Beyond the military value of such alliances, it could also help set up trade for raw materials -- including emergency food stuffs.

 

[Tonguez]

To my mind dwarfs are not a dying race per se rather they are a territorially limited one and this is what keeps them from dominating the world.
Unlike humans who can adapt to any environment Dwarfs have evolved to survive in alpine caverns, a limited habitat range in which they thrive as evidenced by the sprawling mine/kingdoms of the Dwarfs.
However once a Dwarf moves beyond this habitat range they begin to suffer negative effects. However dwarf stamina is legendary and they can endure even the most extreme environmental conditions even those they find in temperate lowlands or in coastal cities where humans seem to swarm.

This explains why outside their habitat Dwarfs are so often dour and gruff, they are most likley suffering or are at least uncomfortable and are enduring the discomfort regardless. In their natural habitat Dwarfs thrive and can be quite jovial.

Living in Alpine caverns Dwarfs have become master miners and engineers. Engineering is the highly regarded skill in dwarf culture and all leaders are primarily master engineers. Of course dwarfs are well away of the danger of earthquake and rock affecting magics and build safeguards into their design

In warfare Dwarfs make great sappers and have the stoutest fortifications. The idea of dwarf ranks is kewl but is it likely given th the need to travel down narrow tunnels? Instead dwarfs form small defensive clusters perhaps 5-10 dwarfs in a turtle formation back to back and standing their ground. Dwarfs are heavily armoured to enhance this fortification effect.
I see the Military philosophy of the Dwarfs placing emphasis on getting the best fortified position and holding it against all attacks. This is balanced with the Sappers code of going in at the foundations of an enemies position and undermining it so that it collapses in upon its self - this can be applied metaphorically to develop a role for the Dwarf Spymaster

Dwarfs can easily hold a monopoly on metals and this can be the basis of their trade agreements even if they may not be the most charismatic negotiators. Of course Dwarfs are lawful and usually regarded as trustworthy as reflected in the ordered and traditionalist culture of the Dwarfs, an approach which maintains peace in the relatively cramped surroundings of the Mines. Their monopoly on metals combined with their engineering bent also makes Dwarfs master metal crafters and this is the second most highly regarded of skills and the Engineering and Forging clans dominate the dwarf hierarchy.

Of course there are the 'Zerhaker'* clans who venture to the surface to harvest wood for the forges and to reinforce the tunnels. By extension the Zerhakers also hunt and farm surface animals (like goats, sheep, llama, yaks) and gather alpine foods including tubers (including spud and sweet potato) and berries. They are not prestigious clans but they are respected for their efforts, Zerhakers are also the Dwarfs most likely to be encountered by surface races.

Zerhaker = Woodcutter (sometimes used as a derogatory term)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I think of high dwarves as having an incredibly fierce love of family, and extremely close family ties.
The children of high dwarves are worth more than their weight in adamantite to dwarven parents, and dwarven children love their parents more than a mountain of mithril. Teenaged dwarves revolt, as usual, but this does not produce the friction that occurs amongst human parents and teenaged children. Dwarves simply work things out, even in extremis, when it comes to family.

What goes for family, goes for King and Country. Honor and riches are heaped upon heroes and the valiant. Slain dwarves are offered resurrection (with their low reproductive rate, this is required) and granted great honor and reward. The King is typically a dwarf who has shown the greatest of valor, the height of personal nobility, the greatest of charity to his people, and the deepest of wisdom. His advisors are chosen for these traits too.

Laws exist to be obeyed (not twisted or used for one's own benefit.) Traditions are honored, because they are there to protect the dwarven people. Arbitrators (what we would call lawyers and judges) work to protect the dwarven interest (not their own pocketbooks) and to ensure that justice (as opposed to law) is carried out.
Mercy, tolerance, and understanding are paramount. Exalted thinking is common (although few dwarves are truly exalted characters.) Life means something to dwarves. Life is to be cherished and realized, even as one works for the greater good.
Dwarves may be gruff, but they are (to use the cliche) people with hearts of gold.

Dwarves are good at diplomacy, good at working with other races, and highly social in general (which is why they are commonly seen in most nations and cultures.) Their diplomats work tirelessly to protect and advance the dwarven cause, appreciating the value of allies, and appreciating the larger picture of the world.

Dwarves definitely have a work ethic. They have such a work ethic it is an Extraordinary Trait. And they have a high constitution to match the ethic, averaging 16 or better.
As a Supernatural Trait, dwarves regard work as a kind of play, in that work is 'fun' to them. Hard, backbreaking work, counts as 'fun.' Working yourself half to death is 'playing too hard.'
Actual WORK work, in which a dwarf thinks he or she is working in the sense a human would consider work working, is a 100 hour work week, working as hard as the dwarf can. Wartime work, as dwarves would think of it, is working for upwards of a week without stopping, and then only for 4 or 5 hours of sleep, before working another straight week, going as fast and hard as possible.

Not even the most dedicated elf can match a driven dwarf, unless magic intervenes. No human can come close to matching the endurance and tenacity of a devoted dwarf.

The Hylar of Krynn are a good example of the classic High Dwarf. They are not as portrayed above, but there are some similarities.
The Dwarven Nations of Krynn supplement was a good sourcebook for dwarves, and had all different manners of dwarves therein. There were the Hylar, the Daewar (decent sorts), the Theiwar (dark dwarves with strong magic), the Duergar (somewhat like grey dwarves), the Klar (insane dwarves), and the famous Aghar (gully dwarves) amongst others. The ancient Smiths are also there, beings of legendary power and ancestors to all the dwarves of Ansalon on Krynn.
A really good supplement to have, the Dwarven Nations of Krynn.

 

[Ace]

Dwarves are not a dying race IMC. while they only have about 1/5 of man kinds fertility and numbers they are harder to kill and live 5 times longer.

They are second only to men in the world and as great craftsman and soldiers welcome almost everywhere.

Dwarves personality wise are pretty gamer standard with Russian, Scottish, German and hint of Vietnamese elements to them.

Dwarven clan names are limited to about a dozen elements so combination of

Axe
Hammer
Shield
Forge
Beard
Vein
Measure
Steel

Red
Gold
Silver
Black
Iron
Stone
White

 

[ashockney]

Greetings Shark!

The dwarves of the FR have seen nations rise and fall. They have held their own place among the greatest and most productive nations on Abeir-Toril. Their underground, mountainous strongholds are still the greatest labyrinths that the FR have to offer: Mithral Hall, Illefarn, Undermountain, etc. They have unique access to the most powerful metals and gemstones of the realms. They use these as a powerful negotiating and diplomatic tools to forward their agendas. They are beseiged from below and above, by insanely powerful enemies: drow, goblin, orc, giant, dragons). The dwarves must be patient, resolute, and demonstrate an endurance that no other race or military force has faced.

Indeed, the dwarves are powerful and excellent ally, and a tenacious enemy.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

It's quite plausible that the dwarf legions could hold their mountain stronghold against any assault, and I'm sure such a stronghold could store years of rations, but how are the dwarves producing food in the first place?

This is one of the questions that led me to my concept of dwarves in my campaign world. Years ago, the dwarves were much like "standard" dwarves - clan structure, etc., with a large empire. They maintained this through conquest, including the use of slaves, particulalry goblinoid races (hobgoblins are goblins that underwent dwarven training/indoctrination - think of something like the barbarian portions of Rome's army, and better nutrition leads to larger size and strength). Conquered areas brought food back to the dwarven "core" realms.

Over the years, reliance on slaves for labor an military might had much the same result as in Rome - a certain level of decadence set in. The Dwarves started to deal less in crafting and more in banking, making use of their immense wealth (though they are still the best at what they do - armor and weapons).

They are also very conservative in terms of what they make - in my world, gunpowder is in use in most of the world, but the dwarves to this point refuse to use it, or make guns. Instead they've worked at perfecting what they do - repeating crossbows and hand crossbows, etc.

These elements combine to create conflict in dwarven society, as some dwarves feel they have lost their way, and should return to their oldest ways. The formerly great empire has split into pieces (with one having been taken over by the obligitory dragon), and the race is in decline, although not so much in population numbers as in power and prestige - and even that is arguable, as their power in the financial realm is unassailable.

 

[mmadsen]

Through peaceful times I'd raise goats and sheep, and plenty of bamboo (good for every use under the sun); perhaps rice; underground I suppose there's mushrooms and various edible insects.

I wouldn't expect quasi-Nordic dwarves to grow bamboo and rice in an alpine environment.

 

[Wik]

The main problem with dwarven defense is any enemy worth his salt is just going to have a high level spellcaster cast earthquake a few times. (or with DMM, Widened Earthquake)

How well will the dwarves fight when their precious tunnels are collapsed?

I live in an area that has earthquakes every couple of years, and big earthquakes every 100 years ago.

It's also riddled with caves that have stood, unharmed, for a hundred thousand years.

Earthquake is not a reliable way of taking out an underground structure.