Dwarven focus

[SMuz]

OK, just wanted to ask one thing. Is it possible for a dwarf to change his focus? Let's say, for example, my dwarf started off with the focus of killing all templars because he thinks all of them are evil. Later on a templar saved his life from a raider or so, so he realizes that he maybe he was wrong after all.

Should it be possible at all to change his focus? Would he simply make an exception not to kill the templar who saved him? Or would he maybe change his focus.. albeit after a month of soul-searching and being traumatized?

[Zoltan]

In my opinion, the only thing that could change a dwarf's focus is the accomplishment of that focus. Maybe, just maybe, a horribly traumatic event could effect it somewhat. But that would be rare. Again, that's just my two 'sids.

[fourTwenty]

OK, just wanted to ask one thing. Is it possible for a dwarf to change his focus? Let's say, for example, my dwarf started off with the focus of killing all templars because he thinks all of them are evil. Later on a templar saved his life from a raider or so, so he realizes that he maybe he was wrong after all.

Should it be possible at all to change his focus? Would he simply make an exception not to kill the templar who saved him? Or would he maybe change his focus.. albeit after a month of soul-searching and being traumatized?

Seriously drunk fucking dwarf.

[musashi]

I think the idea of a focus is that it's an unwavering, irrational obsession ... and not prone to change. It's one of those things that makes dwarves what they are in Arm so in my opinion, nah ... I don't know it should be changable unless you actually fufilled it.

[Thunkkin]

Probably the situation would just inspire a paranoid response. "He saved me for a reason. An evil reason.  It's all part of their evil plan to persecute me."

[Zira]

Probably the situation would just inspire a paranoid response. "He saved me for a reason. An evil reason.  It's all part of their evil plan to persecute me."

I have never played a dwarf in Arm, but I fully agree with this. It just seems to fit.

Granted, a dwarf with a focus like that probably wouldn't live to long:



>Kill templar
You swing at the tall, muscular templar and miss.
The tall muscular templar calls down the thunder, and turns you into a steaming pile of ash.

Welcome to Armageddon!

[Tlaloc]

In short, no, not really. These should help you out.

http://www.armageddon.org/general/races.html#dwarf

http://www.armageddon.org/rp/racial/dwarf.html

[FantasyWriter]

(DarkSun answer)
A dwarf that does not complete his/her focus (in their belief, if not reality) will become either a goul or a a gollum (cant remember which) upon death, destined to live in eternal torment.

There were a few instances where dwarves chose not to complete theirs for reasons similar to yours (one, who was a slave, betrayed his focus for his freedom).  They believed their souls were still doomed.

Someone who has read more, correct me if I am wrong.

[Bilanthri]

The task to which a dwarf is presently committed is referred to as his focus. A dwarf's focus must be a feat requiring at least one week to complete. Shorter term goals cannot be considered a focus....
Actually, a dwarf's focus is based in his physiology- those who complete their lives before they complete their foci live out their afterlives as banshees in the wastes, haunting their unfinished works!
...An Athasian dwarf takes notice of other beings based upon his focus. If the other being is also actively committed to the dwarf's focus, the dwarf will consider him a sensible and dependable companion. If, however, the other being is vehemently opposed to the dwarf's focus, the two will be irrevocably at odds until one or the other is dead. There is very little room for compromise in the mind of a dwarf.

Heh....knew I kept those old printings for a reason.

[SMuz]

...An Athasian dwarf takes notice of other beings based upon his focus. If the other being is also actively committed to the dwarf's focus, the dwarf will consider him a sensible and dependable companion. If, however, the other being is vehemently opposed to the dwarf's focus, the two will be irrevocably at odds until one or the other is dead. There is very little room for compromise in the mind of a dwarf.

:O So if it means my focus is to be the greatest warrior, then all other warriors are my enemy?

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

...An Athasian dwarf takes notice of other beings based upon his focus. If the other being is also actively committed to the dwarf's focus, the dwarf will consider him a sensible and dependable companion. If, however, the other being is vehemently opposed to the dwarf's focus, the two will be irrevocably at odds until one or the other is dead. There is very little room for compromise in the mind of a dwarf.

:O So if it means my focus is to be the greatest warrior, then all other warriors are my enemy?

No, but your closest competition sure is, after you start actually thinking you are among the best.

[SMuz]

No, wait, I worded that wrong. Lol, it's kinda like he thinks that people are doing something the wrong way and wants to correct it.. but he can't really correct it if everyone else is doing it better than him. And those people spent their whole lives training at doing what they do, so they won't let him correct them either. In a sense, everyone around him is hindering his focus. Seeing how well everyone else is doing what they do without his advice would make the average humanoid give up.. but apparently looking over it a few times, that's definitely not going to stop him. His char wisdom means that he'll be less single-minded, which simply means he'll be a lot more devious and patient with it

Speaking of the focus - another question. Some people say that dwarves are supposed to openly talk about their focus, but the RP documentation says that they don't even realize that they have a focus. I personally avoid talking about it because it's strongly against the OOC and IC motives of some characters.

Also, at what age do they get their focus? I take it that it's something that slips into their head some time in their lives and never gets out. So, is it like possible that a dwarf could live for 30 years without getting a focus?

[Lizzie]

It's an obsession. People who have obsessions, will talk about whatever that obsession is - but they won't spend all day telling people "I have an obsession." They may not even realize they're obsessed.

A dwarven focus is the same. A dwarf knows he *must* accomplish something specific. He will be obsessed with it, and his life will revolve around accomplishing it. But he won't be sitting at the bar saying things like, "You must help me complete my focus!" If he's looking for a job, he won't tell his employer "my focus requires that I work for you." But he might tell the employer, "I want to work for you, because I really -really- love chopping trees, and I know your House is the official tree-chopping house of the north."

As for other warriors being his enemy, no. More like they would be the -perfect- tools to help him complete his focus. He might pick out certain ones and attempt to get into their good graces, so that they can teach him how to be as good as they are - and THEN - he can work on being better than they are. Until he's better than all of them. At that point, they won't be enemies either, because he's already completed his focus and would shift to a new one. If he runs up against someone who insists she is the best warrior in the world, then maybe he can incorporate her claim into his focus - "Oh - okay so now I know what it will take to be the best. I'll have to be better than she is." - that doesn't mean you have to kill her. It just means you have to be better. Of course killing the competition is always possible - but it isn't always necessary.

[Bilanthri]

Also, at what age do they get their focus? I take it that it's something that slips into their head some time in their lives and never gets out. So, is it like possible that a dwarf could live for 30 years without getting a focus?

The dwarven mindset that causes them to develop foci is inherent to their race. Dwarven children would develop short-term foci, like "learn to ride", "best all my friends in wrestling", and "craft a pot worth selling at market". Don't be mistaken in thinking that a dwarf only gets one focus in his/her lifetime. Many dwarves regularly complete their current focus and move on to the next. It's about obsessing over what ever your current goal is, until that  goal is complete.

I think the idea of a singular focus stems from the common "hero" characters that choose foci that are nigh unattainable. However, there are examples of dwarves gaining new foci in DS literature. The dwarves that study the ancient dwarven citadel in "The Crimson Legion" change their focus when Rikus shows up and becomes the chosen heir.

[Marauder Moe]

I think it helps to remember that the word "focus" is not a term used in-game.  A dwarf won't up and say something like "I'm obsessed with building houses!", because that much is obvious, as though you had said something like "I have a nose!".  He may, however, ramble on about construction material, ways of acquiring cheap labor, paint colors, or whatever.  Or, he may have a focus that he realizes would be bad to talk about, like learning sorcery or something, in which case he would definitely not talk about it casually.

[evil_erdlu]

I'd like to ask something similar.. May a dwarf's focus improve? Like, a dwarf is obsessed with being the best wagonmaker in the known world. Time passes and he finds out the best wagon is the one with an unpickable lock, so may his focus become: "Making the best wagon with the door having the strongest lock in the known world." from "Making the best wagon in the known world"? Damn.. Not the best example, but may a dwarf attach similar goals to his main goal during his life? What do you say?

[Tisiphone]

I'd like to ask something similar.. May a dwarf's focus improve? Like, a dwarf is obsessed with being the best wagonmaker in the known world. Time passes and he finds out the best wagon is the one with an unpickable lock, so may his focus become: "Making the best wagon with the door having the strongest lock in the known world." from "Making the best wagon in the known world"? Damn.. Not the best example, but may a dwarf attach similar goals to his main goal during his life? What do you say?

Absolutely. This is especially true in the case of lack of knowledge: let's say a dwarf has lived in Red Storm East all his life, and his focus is to obtain the best pair of boots in the world. Problem is, his whole world is RSE - he's never been outside of it. So, when he finally hears about Tuluk, and how they make boots known for their quality, (bear with me here) his focus expands.

However, this is also the case with something like what you posted above. Let's say a dwarf has a focus to kill all of the mekillots. Well, he sits and thinks about it, and realizes that in order to kill all the mekillots, he'll need to be a hellishly good warrior. So his focus is 'modified' to becoming a hellishly good warrior, but still with the intent of killing all of the mekillots. Let's say then that he becomes really, really good. On his way to becoming really, really good, he hears someone say that metal armour can turn aside almost all blows. At the time this bit of information isn't important, but he has a good memory, and remembers this. So now his focus is to get a set of metal armour, but again, only because he sees that as part of the task of killing all of the mekillots.

Examples like this are borne out in the racial roleplay guidelines.

[fourTwenty]

I'd like to ask something similar.. May a dwarf's focus improve? Like, a dwarf is obsessed with being the best wagonmaker in the known world. Time passes and he finds out the best wagon is the one with an unpickable lock, so may his focus become: "Making the best wagon with the door having the strongest lock in the known world." from "Making the best wagon in the known world"? Damn.. Not the best example, but may a dwarf attach similar goals to his main goal during his life? What do you say?

I think this is the perfect example of how a dwarves focus would work. His focus wouldn't change from making the best wagon but he would become obsessed with finding/making an unpickable lock to help him achieve his focus. He might then want the strongest unbreakable door and then maybe the shiniest wheels. My favorite dwarves are ones that would obsess over every little thing in order to achieve their focus as a whole.

[Delstro]

I don't think a dwarf could change his focus completely. I really liked how the previous two posters summed it up.

Take a dwarf with the Focus of "Killing all Templar." How would he kill all the templar?
Become the Best warrior.
Stop the Creation of templars. (He could do this by destroying a city state, overthrowing the King, destroying the noble houses, kill all the newborn nobles.)
Kill each templar as they are made.
Kill each young noble of breeding age that is on the path to Templar-ity.
Scare children of nobles into believing that if they become a templar, they will die by torture.

[Bilanthri]

I don't think a dwarf could change his focus completely. I really liked how the previous two posters summed it up.

Take a dwarf with the Focus of "Killing all Templar." How would he kill all the templar?
Become the Best warrior.
Stop the Creation of templars. (He could do this by destroying a city state, overthrowing the King, destroying the noble houses, kill all the newborn nobles.)
Kill each templar as they are made.
Kill each young noble of breeding age that is on the path to Templar-ity.
Scare children of nobles into believing that if they become a templar, they will die by torture.

It seems a lot of people are of the mind that a dwarf picks -one- focus and spends his/her entire life working on it. This, I feel is the exception rather than the rule. For instance, lets say that the afore mentioned dwarf manages to actually kill all Templars and halt the production of more. Does he waste away, trying to figure out how to keep working on his focus when there's no more Templars around? Or does he choose his next obsession and move on with his dwarvish life?
Dwarven focus fulfillment has been written about in many of the DS game books and novels, and, while a dwarf will never be without a focus, they do strive to complete them. To think that every dwarf, known-world wide, works their whole life towards a goal, only to finish it at their demise would imply that the dwarven race is rather ineffectual, when they are actually some of the most industrious and effective workers on the planet.

Whether a dwarf acquires new foci in their lives is entirely dependent on what kind of focus they've chosen. Make the perfect wagon....okay....what next?

[Zoltan]

I'd like to ask something similar.. May a dwarf's focus improve? Like, a dwarf is obsessed with being the best wagonmaker in the known world. Time passes and he finds out the best wagon is the one with an unpickable lock, so may his focus become: "Making the best wagon with the door having the strongest lock in the known world." from "Making the best wagon in the known world"? Damn.. Not the best example, but may a dwarf attach similar goals to his main goal during his life? What do you say?

I think this is the perfect example of how a dwarves focus would work. His focus wouldn't change from making the best wagon but he would become obsessed with finding/making an unpickable lock to help him achieve his focus. He might then want the strongest unbreakable door and then maybe the shiniest wheels. My favorite dwarves are ones that would obsess over every little thing in order to achieve their focus as a whole.

Yeah, in my opinion dwarf RP is all about their obsession and the -tiniest- of details. I had a young dwarf that was focused on creating the ultimate party argosy. But what -is- the ultimate party argosy? So he would quest after the best booze and drugs. He'd drink to excess not to relax or let loose, but to test how truly awesome that booze was, and after deciding "it goes on the argosy" or "not quite good enough", he'd move on. Then he'd need whores. And dancers! And waiters and shit, but where would he find those? And oh fucking Krath, he's gotta learn how to pilot his fucking argosy. Gah, but he needs the 'sid to buy one first, right? How many wheels? What would be -perfect-?

And though he would frequently bring it up in conversation (even when it wasn't warranted), he of course never conceptualized it as his "focus". It was just the coolest damn thing that -anyone- could do, and that was just the thing that was worthy of his life's work.

[Riev]

Zoltan plays dwarves how I play dwarves.

Its all in the intricate details. There is always a bunch of things leading UP to your goal that need to be accomplished, and if -those- aren't perfect... the goal could never be.

[Tisiphone]

Perfection's also an important part of the focus. Everything must be -perfect-.

That's not to say that the product of the focus need be perfect. You could even have a dwarf whose focus (in the medium-term sense) is, "Build a well that's good enough to water the village." However, that same dwarf will find and use and build EXACTLY and PRECISELY what he figures is "good enough," even if he would freely admit that the end product isn't the best of all possible wells.

[number13]

Dwarves can change focus, and their focus can be modified intentionally by external forces, or else they would make terrible slaves.  Clearly, they are pretty good slaves.

That's my take.

[musashi]

Maybe back in the day (during the Empire of Man) there was a magickal way to just implant a focus into a dwarf and that was sort of like mental programming for your little slave ...

But I don't imagine the process being so easy or precise in today's Arm. I'm game for a focus being able to change, but I don't think it should be arbitrary, and maybe the staff should get a heads up.