Unfortunately, dwarves get a bad rap. They are modeled off of Scottish axe wielding fantasy characters and are Dark Sun modified to be bald. Physically, they are as exciting as a pile of rocks.
However, dwarves are a wonderful race to play because of one alluring aspect: The focus. And as a staunch stoic, religiously so, the dwarf focus is especially attractive to me. So I wrote this guide for new players who could benefit from my time doing dwarf RP along with generous staff input!
Please weigh in your opinion. This guide is not the ONLY way to play a dwarf. Don't limit yourself to the opinion of one player, but it's my hope that it will inspire you to visit dwarf RP from a place of excitement instead of annoyance.
Myth 1: Dwarves are not a race.
Dwarves are not a race, they are a philosophy. One that has been biologically coded into a sub species of humans. My belief is that the dwarf was created to become the ideal slaves by an ancient sorcerer king. Not only are they strong at lifting, they are unable to rise above their owners. (because they are so short)
Think about it. The best trained dogs are the ones who are undistracted. A bomb could go off and they will still ‘stay put’.
Myth 2: Dwarves are not stupid.
Low wisdom is a coded attribute of the dwarf. Being stubborn and slow witted is a characteristic often used to describe them. But this is a myth. It only would appear they are slow witted and stubborn on the outside, but in reality, they are brilliant geniuses.
Let me explain. The brain of most mammals has five sense organs. Those that see the full color spectrum, can differentiate sounds, and have control of their breathing would be bombarded with sensory data. The body, would be unable to process all of it. Therefore... realistically the brain only captures six to twelve streams of information at any one time. This is why photographic memory is a myth also. (The exception is the sense of smell, which bypasses all of this and is why we get hit with memories of grandmas kitchen when we smell a whiff of soured potato starch)
Biology of a dwarf’s brain: The reticulated Activation System. (RAS)
So, there is a filtering mechanism within the brain of mammals. In humans it’s particularly well developed. It’s called the RAS or Reticulated Activation System. Humans can control from their prefrontal cortex what our filtering mechanism should focus on. This way we can make use of and cope with the billions of bits of information our sense organs gather.
Now imagine the RAS system gets biologically stuck? This is a dwarf. There is a theory of pathogenesis to OCD being related to the RAS system and this is what makes a dwarf a dwarf. Once the RAS system gets locked on, every bit of information the dwarf receives from their sense organs will be filtered through the lens of their focus via a mutation in the RAS.
Have you ever desired to buy a new car and once you start thinking about it you suddenly keep seeing it all over the place? This is the RAS system at work. (at least we think it is) This is what it’s like to be a dwarf. This is why a Dwarf, as far as their focus is concerned, is an absolute genius.
Have you ever been so well concentrated playing Armageddon and your spouse asks you something and you don’t hear it? (maybe your mom, for you dorks living at home in your 30s) You’re so focused that you don’t even notice them. You’re figuratively in another world! Your RAS is fired up to gather 100% of data from one source that other inputs into your sensory organs get missed.
Does this make you stupid? NO. Does this make you stubborn? No. It makes you focused. This is a dwarf all the time.
Note: If your dwarf is deep in conversation with someone about a topic related directly to their focus, their RAS system should fire up so much that if a magicker threw a ball of fire at the bartender, you would not notice. You’re a paleolithic slave biological bred to have an overdeveloped RAS system. So behave accordingly!
Logically the Focus must be formed AFTER puberty:
If it was before puberty then the race would be unplayable and would remain a slave race. Why? Because otherwise the RAS system would lock onto extremely childish ideas.
I can’t imagine a bunch of dwarves obsessed with sucking titties for milk, trying to grow up into humans, or whatever crazy shit children think up. I know. I have a child.
“Ohh Stoa, a dwarf pup wouldn’t have crazy ideas.” Yes. They. Would. Without context granted by life experience a dwarf would lock onto a focus that is utterly out of touch with reality. Therefore, it only biologically makes sense that a dwarf’s focus would develop later-on in development.
It’s my opinion that a dwarf will have the concentration of a full-blown adult human, as a child, thanks to the mutation in the RAS. But will not lock in on a single focus until AFTER they finish hormonally developing. This explains why dwarves have adult focuses, not everlasting childish ones.
However, some immature dwarves who develop early may have their RAS solidify around a childish goal, so it’s not unrealistic to have a crazy goal with your dwarf.
Dwarves would have lots of siblings:
If you play a dwarf, unless you were an orphan, it is likely you have several siblings, likely dozens. The rational behind having a child, to begin with, would be to make the children be in service to the parent’s focus.
Why would a dwarf have a child? Think about it. If their RAS got stuck on one goal, and a child could help you in that goal, and you had the scope of a 100-year lifespan, you’d have as many as you could get. With the long-life spans of a dwarf, producing children of great utility is a wise long-term thought.
However, who gets to direct the focus of the child, the mother or the father? Therefore, it is unlikely dwarves would be only children. And it would be difficult for dwarves to align perfectly enough to agree to go through the energy investment of a child.
Furthermore, the dwarf who’s focus is to raise children, would have maybe a dozen or so, perhaps more because of their resilient biology and long-lifespans.
Development of focus:
So how does a child develop a focus. Imagine you’re a dwarf pup with the ability to concentrate like a full grown human adult. You can service the family as directed and will likely be guided into activities that serve the parent’s focus.
Your focus will probably end up being their focus.
If you are an older child, your focus may end up being protective, to protect the younger pups. This is your combat architype. (dwarf children are called pups, and the group of siblings is called a litter, or cohort)
If you are a younger child, your focus may end up being crafting in service to the family. This is your merchant architype.
If you are a middle child, you might feel rebellious that you’re being slaved out to do your family’s work. This is the sneaky architype or unique focus architype.
As you mature as a dwarf, with the concentration of an adult human being, eventually your biology solidifies in the RAS and you become obsessed. You’re now an adult dwarf. Welcome to Armageddon.
Myth 3: Dwarves cannot manipulate
I agree that deception would be hard for a dwarf. It requires temporary suspended belief in the truth in order to lie. A locked up RAS system will make this more difficult unless there was some real effort put in.
However, I disagree that dwarves cannot manipulate. Matter-of-fact I’m of the opinion that a Dwarf is more likely to manipulate because the Dwarf focus will out-weigh concepts of ethics.
This does not mean a dwarf would not be ethical. Depends where they were at, emotionally, when the RAS solidified in the brain.
Encoding codes of conduct into a dwarf’s focus:
A Dwarf can encode certain rules into their focus. If they were raised correctly, or are a slave, this could be done by someone else. The RAS would follow a certain stubborn logic. It does in humans, like we say we’re incapable of murder, except if our children are threatened. However with a dwarf encoding ethics would have no exceptions.
At the time of forming the focus, if the dwarf has certain rules for that focus, they must follow the rules.
Example 1: It’s Diplo’s focus to become the best guard in the known. His focus developed protecting his younger siblings. He decides at the time his focus solidified in the RAS that the definition of the “best guard” would be one who would never betray their client. Also, a guard would protect the reputation of the client and never spread rumors or break a secret of a client.
Example 2: It’s Magna’s focus to manufacture the best cloaks. The best cloaks are true to their material, so she would program the ethic of never embellishing the quality of craftmanship or lie about the material’s origin.
Relationships with dwarves:
A dwarf will attempt to use ANYONE who could service their focus. But they will become friends with those who could service their focus AND who also appear concentrated on their own tasks.
Humans and other races who seem without direction would be given contempt and likely not ever get the respect of a dwarf. If that human also cannot service the dwarf’s goal, or pose a threat to that dwarf’s goal, they would not exist. Just like your mother hopefully ceases to exist, even when calling your name, while you’re enthralled in an intense mudsex scene. (You dirty fking pervert.)
Therefore, attractiveness and mating to a dwarf are first with those who have strong motivations and also aligning goals. Sex without the purpose of making children would be considered a mutual manipulation of the other dwarf to get them to service their focus. It would be a battle of wills, who will give into servicing the other’s mission first?
Because of this orphan dwarves are born, or single parent dwarves may be born. This may just be you.
However, with deception so difficult, this is unlikely. I’m of the opinion that most dwarves are born to a large litter. But you can play your dwarf however you want.
Don’t call it a focus in game:
Focus is an OCC concept. Please use any of the following:
“My Mission”
“My Important work”
“My Goal”
“My Concentration”
Have Fun
Obstacles become opportunities as a Dwarf. You get to learn the essence of Stoicism while playing a game so have fun! If you want reading to help you with your focus please pick up the book by Ryan Holiday called “The Obstacle Is The Way” This is your Bible on dwarf roleplay, and also an excellent resource to live by.
Cheers!
