7/30/2019 Devil in Details Dwarves

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Aaron Kesher 2012

dwarves

Their thick beards are tangled with secrets. They kindle lights in darkness, songs echoing down straightpaths tunneled through silent stone.

MANY DWARVES (Roll 1d20 or choose)

1. Learn to play a musical instrument from a very young age.2. Can kindle a light anywhere if they need one.3. With appropriate materials, can build an ad-hoc object to accomplish a simple purpose.4. Admire anything that has been finely crafted, including poems, games, trade agreements or even

arguments.5. Are morbidly embarrassed by their curse-deformed feet, wearing stone shoes to hide them.6. Have bald heads, thick beards and rough, fissured skin.7. Keep secrets extremely well.8. Wear long-piped hats colored to match their clans whenever journeying out beneath the sun.9. Wear jewelry and finely-crafted clothing.10.Are capable of killing for a cause they believe in.11. Will keep their word unto death.12. Love ritual and ceremony.13.Abhor spontaneous displays of emotion.14. Refuse to discuss whether or not dwarven women exist.15. Claim dwarves invented books.16. Fervently follow the teachings of a particular philosopher.17. Respect someone who argues well.18. Find humans to be at times frustrating, but mostly amenable.19. Find hobbits to be extremely irritating and unreliable, but admit their pipeweed is unsurpassed.20.Are bemused by elves and therefore keep their distance.

SOME DWARVES: (Roll 1d20 or choose)

1. Shun the world in order to perfect a craft or art.2. Excel as generals or teachers of combat.3. Become obsessed and dangerous.4. Long to explore the Sea.5. Break their stone shoes, openly display their cursed feet, and run wild, rejecting other dwarves.6. Befriend and train animals.7. View the other races as all insane.8. Cannot endure the sun.9. Search for dark secrets in silent, lost places.10. Believe the world would benefit from dwarven rule.11. Can learn a new language in just a few hours, from an able teacher.12.Abjure all pleasures, shaving their beards, wearing only simple robes and eating stones.13. Cultivate gardens above-ground.14.Are deadly philosophers.15.Are consummate con artists.16. Know how to make gunpowder.17. Secretly worship an antithetical deity.18. Refuse violence.19. Fall inappropriately in love with elvish women.20.Only tell the truth.

7/30/2019 Devil in Details Dwarves

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Aaron Kesher 2012

SOME COMMON TRAVELING GEAR: (Roll 1d20 or choose)

1. A compact or collapsible musical instrument.2. A well-maintained axe, hammer or short sword.3. A crossbow or throwing axe.4. A shortcloak and long-piped hat in clan colors.5. A finely detailed beard clasp.6. A carved wooden box containing essential tools.7. A favorite book of poems or philosophy.8. A broad belt with an intricate buckle.9. An exquisite lamp, oil and a tinderbox.10.A pencase and sheaf of parchment.11. A steel-frame travel pack.12.A coil of sturdy rope with a grappling hook.13.A hammer and chisel.14.A broad-bladed dagger.15.A well-used beard-grooming kit.16.A shirt of chain links, tightly interlaced, polished and well-oiled.17. A small cameo locket with their beloveds picture.18. The legal deed to a mine overrun by monsters.19.A laconic pony equally at home beneath or aboveground.20.A collapsible spade.

Q: What exactly do cursed dwarven feet look like?

A: Some say the webbed paddles of water fowl; others believe the taloned clutch of the fierce raptor; aminority swears on the cloven hooves of goats. One thing is certain: those who speculate within earshot of adwarf learn to regret their loose tongues...

Q: Do dwarves have gods?

A: Not that theyll admit. Instead they seem to revere a vast panoply of philosopher-saints.