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v0.31:Dwarf

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Dwarf

Biome

Any location

Cannot be tamed 
Size
Birth: 3,000 cm3
Mid: 15,000 cm3
Max: 60,000 cm3

Age
Child at: 1
Adult at: 12
Max age: 150-170
This creature cannot be butchered

Wikipedia article

This article is about an older version of DF.
A short, sturdy creature fond of drink and industry.
A graphite engraving of a dwarf.

Dwarves are "intelligent" humanoid creatures with disproportionately large livers that live in fortresses carved from mountains, and are very well known for their stout appearance and the big beards covering the faces of the males. They are the featured race of Fortress Mode and are also one of the races playable in Adventure Mode. They are mainly interested in acquiring wealth and rare metals, especially adamantine. Their most hated enemies are the elves goblins.

Dwarven babies become children one and a half year after birth, grow up to become adults at their twelfth birthday, and live to around 150-170 years of age. Compared to humans, Dwarves are stronger, shorter, stockier, and hairier (male dwarven children begin growing beards immediately after birth) than humans. They are tough with a heightened sense of their surroundings and are highly focused and intellectual "intellectual" creatures.

Dwarves are the only race that sometimes enters a martial trance when beset by many foes, which gives them combat bonuses. They are also alcohol-dependent and work slowly if deprived of it for long. Some specimens have been known to develop an intolerance for sunlight.

In accounts of exploits or fun, the generic name Urist is sometimes used in place of any specific dwarf name. Several nicknames for dwarves also exist; some are less polite than others.

Dwarves in Fortress Mode[edit]

As a trading race, Dwarves will send a caravan every year in Autumn. Immigrants will be more attracted to your fortress as your wealth grows, prompted by the stories of your wealth and the goods that the dwarven traders bring back from your fortress.

You cannot start your fortress where another fortress exists.

Dwarves in Adventure Mode[edit]

Dwarven fortresses do not have any shops, but usually have a variety of fighters to recruit. You can receive quests from their monarch at their capital city.

Dwarven characters always start with steel or iron weapons and armor, making them the best-equipped race. [Verify] Unfortunately, human-made armor is too large for them to wear, and humans are the only race with shops, so all armor upgrades will have to come from looting elves, goblins, and other dwarves. Most human weapons must be wielded two-handed by dwarves, due to their size.

Ethics[edit]

Morally speaking, dwarven ethics most closely resemble human and elven ethics, agree somewhat with kobold and animal-people ethics, and disagree strongly with goblin ethics. Unlike elves, dwarves find the devouring of dead enemies unthinkable, and will not butcher or consume intelligent beings (goblins see this as a personal matter). They are entirely opposed to torture of any sort for any reason, unlike elves, humans, kobolds and animal-people (who find certain forms of torture acceptable) and especially goblins, who find all torture acceptable. Dwarves tolerate animal trophies but shun those who keep trophies of sapient beings, and find those who keep trophies of other dwarves appalling. Dwarves find the killing of animals, enemies and plants completely acceptable, unlike elves, kobolds and animal-people. An exception to this is the killing of neutral beings, which is okay as long as the killing had been officially ordered. A dwarf found to have participated in assault, theft, trespassing or vandalism will be seriously punished; some crimes such as killing other dwarves, breaking oaths, slavery and treason are punishable by death. On the other hand, lying is considered only a personal matter.

Mythology[edit]

In real-life mythology, dwarves are much like humans, but generally prefer to live underground and/or in mountainous areas. In their fortresses they have accumulated treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, and pass their time fabricating costly weapons and armor. They are famed miners and smiths, although, like humans, they can specialise in any number of trades. Generally shorter than humans, they are on average stockier and hairier, and usually sport full beards. Though slow runners and poor riders, dwarves are excellent warriors and defenders of their strongholds. Dwarves have the ability to forge magical items, which shows off their culture's and species natural craftsmanship. For instance, dwarven smiths created some of the greatest and most powerful items of mythology, which inspired the in-game strange moods and Legendary artifacts.

Races
DwarfElfGoblinHumanKobold
Subterranean
animal people
Outdoor Animals
AlligatorAlpacaBadgerBeak dogBilouBlack-crested gibbonBlack-handed gibbonBlue peafowlBlack bearBonoboBuzzardCapybaraCatCavyCheetahChickenChimpanzeeCougarCowDeerDogDonkeyDuckElephantElkFoxGazelleGiant badgerGiant capybaraGiant cheetahGiant desert scorpionGiant eagleGiant jaguarGiant leopardGiant lionGiant mooseGiant platypusGiant tigerGigantic pandaGiraffeGoatGooseGorillaGray gibbonGrimelingGrizzly bearGroundhogGuineafowlHippoHoary marmotHorseIce wolfJaguarLeopardLionLlamaMandrillMooseMountain goatMuleMuskoxOne-humped camelOrangutanPandaPigPileated gibbonPlatypusPolar bearRabbitRaccoonReindeerRhesus macaqueRhinocerosSaltwater crocodileSasquatchSheepSiamangSilvery gibbonStranglerTigerTurkeyTwo-humped camelUnicornVultureWalrusWarthogWater buffaloWhite-browed gibbonWhite-handed gibbonWolfYakYeti
Subterranean Animals
Aquatic
Humanoids
Semi-Megabeasts
Megabeasts
Nonexistent