The defining trait of Dwarves is their
single-mindedness. A given Dwarf will choose a profession (called a
“Line”), and work without deviation towards it for their entire
lives. The oldest Dwarven child of each gender will inherit the Line
of the correspondingly gendered parent, although all others are free
to choose their own Lines.
As the name implies, a Line continues
through generations, and a strong Lineage is a great honour among
Dwarves. Due to the oldest-child-only inheritance though, Lines tend
to be fairly short, and even a 4th generation Lineage is
respectable.
Dwarves are typically humourless,
emotionally flat, and lack sex-drive. They care little for
appearances (other than beards), and lack creativity. The two great
exceptions to these are:
- If any of these traits are required for their Line. Because of their dedication, they will seemingly instinctively develop any required personality traits.
- As a subnote, if a Dwarf does not think they will be able to complete their life's work in their lifetime, they will develop an incredible urge to procreate so that their heir may finish it. If their same-gendered first-born dies and their Line is broken without completing their life's work, they will fall into despair, or work madly with such a looming and literal deadline.
- Or, if they are drunk. Intoxicated Dwarves are generally quite uproarious, horny, emotional, and free-thinking. This boost to creativity is what drives many Dwarves to drink, although alcohol often causes as many problems as it enables them to solve.
Alcohol is prevalent in Dwarven
society; because of the aforementioned lack of sex-drive, Dwarven
populations only dwindle without alcohol, so they have “evolved”
to include some form of alcohol in all Dwarven societies.
A Dwarf will follow their line to all
ends of the earth; it is not uncommon for Dwarves to:
- Become hermits, producing whatever masterful works they have dedicated themselves to for its own sake
- Leave Dwarven society to pursue their craft; this is most common for anything artistic, as they will find little audience or market for art and performances there
- Create a single masterpiece in some obscure location; this may be a giant statue in the desert, an intricate dungeon beneath a wine-cellar, an epic mansion in the middle of a forest, or whatever
- Create an enormous number of the same thing, far beyond any market's demand for them.
- Beggar themselves when their Line is not profitable, or amass an unspent fortune when it is
- Choose a life of crime for their Line. Almost every famous pirate whose name ends in “beard” is a Dwarf. Remember that Dwarves will aim to be the best at what they do.
Stereotypes about Dwarves mostly come
from a few famous Dwarves and their Lines. This is mainly miners and
warriors.
Dwarves who do not inherit a Line are
referred to as Progenitors, Firsts, Primes, Forebearers, or Bears.
Firsts is the most casual, and most commonly used, as Dwarves care
little for formality (Dwarves often address each other based on their
Lineage number, so calling someone a Second or Fifth is common). They
typically spend most of their childhood trying a bit of everything,
and seeing what sticks with them. If a Dwarf cannot find their Line,
they will often fall into alcoholism, and such Dwarves are referred
to as Lost (collectively, The Lost), but this is less common than
you'd think. A Dwarf typically irons out what his Line will be
throughout puberty.
If a Dwarf refuses to inherit their
rightful Line, they are typically shunned, and often become Lost or
outcasts, even if the take up another Line. This is quite rare, due
to the social stigma.
Some Dwarves will try and continue a
Line with someone other than the first-born (either a later sibling
or an adopted child); this is most common when the first-born dies,
especially for miscarriages. This is generally accepted, although
their Lineage is spoken with some disdain, as it is not been truly
“earned” in public opinion.
It is difficult to find a Line, and
many Dwarves end up helping out other Dwarves (i.e. being assistants,
apprentices, salesmen, etc.). This can create the awkward position
where a Dwarf's Line has become obsolete, or cannot be done anymore
due to the death of their master Dwarf. They may get another Dwarf to
take up their master's mantle (occasionally forcefully), they may
take it up themselves in some cases, or they may end up going insane;
sweeping the floor of a long abandoned shop, or selling wares that do
not exist.
Dwarven debts are carried through a
Line, although note that any Firsts are free from these debts. This
includes financial debts, debts of honour or other obligations, and
prison sentences.
Dwarves are very proud, although the
only two things they typically care about are their Beard, and their
Line. Various styles of beard exist, and this is the one area where
Dwarves will care about fashion. Both genders of Dwarf have beards,
although there are different styles associated with each gender,
although this can differ geographically and temporarily. In many
cases, an exposed chin is a sign of femininity, although there are
several distinctly masculine styles with a naked chin. In general,
simpler Dwarves like simpler styles, and more urban Dwarves have more
elaborate tastes.
A shaved face is a sign of shame or
repentance for a Dwarf, depending if they were shaved by themselves
or someone else. Many feuds were started by cutting a Dwarf's beard,
and several peace treaties were signed because of a clean shaven one.
Such feuds typically only last as long as it takes to grow the beard
back, but if further cuts are made during that time, then things can
get messy.
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