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View Full Version : Dwarves without kilts... no, wait, but still wearing something else!



Snowfall
2008-03-28, 09:29 AM
After the images of dwarves - umm... swinging free, flees your head, perhaps you can help with an age-old discussion.

I've played the gruff dwarf, the drunk dwarf, and a heavy metal rock band demigod dwarf. But I feel it's much more common to see the dwarf that sounds like a 4'3" version of James Bond (the good Bond, not the pansy Bond), or the father-in-law of an axe murderer dwarf, and certainly the crazy, but likely misunderstood, groundskeeper dwarf.

My plea is this, what are some good ways to roleplay a dwarf, especially dialogue, beyond he/she speaking with a scottish accent? And is there any way to avoid using the phrase "lad" when speaking to a halfling?

Example dialogue and actions would be appreciated. For example, in such situations as:

when face to face with an orc
giving advice to a halfling
commenting on another stupid human mistake
wooing the opposite sex


Thank you.

Sofaking
2008-03-28, 09:33 AM
When face to face with an orc.

"WHY AM I ON THESE BLOODY STILTS!?"

shakes019
2008-03-28, 09:43 AM
The key to all of these is to actually think about what your character values and believes, and play those straight. You don't have to have an accent, just play the traits that you know dwarves have.

- They value craftmanship, and produce high-quality arms and equipment.
- They are longer-lived than humans and halflings, and value their elders and orderly society.
- They hold long grudges and are quick to take offense.
- They don't have high expectations for the younger races.


when face to face with an orc
"You call that an axe? My uncle Frostgrim could craft better when he was half your age!"

giving advice to a halfling
"why am I even talking to you? Are you going to listen this time, or can I expect you to bahave like the idiot child you are?"

commenting on another stupid human mistake
"Well, it appears that today will not be different."

wooing the opposite sex
I'm not sure how this one would be role-played. I tend to view the Dwarf society as one where arranged marriage is pretty common, and sex out of wedlock is rare. So the question of wooing would be pretty moot. You can always fall back on:

"How're you doin'?"

Xefas
2008-03-28, 09:48 AM
When face to face with an orc.

"WHY AM I ON THESE BLOODY STILTS!?"

Haha! I never thought I'd laugh at another 'dwarves are short' joke. Nicely done!


Wooing the Opposite Sex


"I have great confidence that I'd still be attracted to you sober."

loopy
2008-03-28, 09:52 AM
I'm playing my current Dwarven Factotum as a kind of 'Oxford Scholar' stereotype, with a lot of overly complex wordings and references to obscure texts. In fact my one abiding regret is not giving him spectacles.

Swooper
2008-03-28, 09:52 AM
Dwarves in my homebrew campaign setting aren't Scottish. They're Russian :smallbiggrin: Yup, no dwarven empire here, just a communistic Clan Council to rule the dwarves. (There's a link in my sig iirc)

But really, think about it. It fits. Races of Stone gave me the idea - the Daily Life chapter talks about how, in their underground mine-fortresses, dwarves don't have much personal space. They share most things with their clanmates. Their mindset demands that the good of the clan comes before the good of the individual. So... I thought it would be reasonable to extend this logic and make dwarves officially communists. This, in turn, demanded some RL references, like a Russian accent, Russian style names, Russian reversal jokes and the 'golden hammer and pick crossed on a red background' symbol :smallsmile:

Use as you wish - I like it as a fresh angle to roleplay dwarves at, although it's not quite what you asked for.

shakes019
2008-03-28, 09:56 AM
Dwarves in my homebrew campaign setting aren't Scottish. They're Russian :smallbiggrin:
<snip.>
This, in turn, demanded some RL references, like a Russian accent, Russian style names, Russian reversal jokes and the 'golden hammer and pick crossed on a red background' symbol :smallsmile:


Sadly, my attempt at a Russian accent sounds mysteriously like a Scottish one. :P

Ascension
2008-03-28, 10:11 AM
Dwarves in my homebrew campaign setting aren't Scottish. They're Russian

That sounds like a really fun way to run dwarves. I'm not too fond of the whole Scottish-dwarf stereotype (Where'd that come from, anyway?). The lack of half-dwarves has always confused me, too.

The image of dwarves has become so iconic it's fun to mess around with people's preconceived notions about them. My pet project is a campaign setting in which they don't actually like living underground... the deep gnomes forced them into the tunnels to work as slaves. Over centuries of servitude they have adapted to their underground environment, but they still loathe it.

Draz74
2008-03-28, 10:13 AM
Sadly, my attempt at a Russian accent sounds mysteriously like a Scottish one. :P

Heh ... and my attempt at a Scottish accent sounds mysteriously like a Russian one. (Since I actually know how to do a Russian one.)

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 10:25 AM
When face to face with an orc.

"WHY AM I ON THESE BLOODY STILTS!?"

:smallbiggrin: A short Orc, then? Actually, does using the word bloody make you Scottish? Or the very least from some island or extremely populated nation that's crazy about cricket?


Sadly, my attempt at a Russian accent sounds mysteriously like a Scottish one. :P

Ah yes, my problem exactly. All accents sound like they're Scottish... maybe that's the problem with the dwarves, not so much they're association with the Scots, but just our total lack of ability.

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 10:33 AM
You don't have to have an accent, just play the traits that you know dwarves have.

- They value craftmanship, and produce high-quality arms and equipment.
- They are longer-lived than humans and halflings, and value their elders and orderly society.
- They hold long grudges and are quick to take offense.
- They don't have high expectations for the younger races.


Thanks, great suggestions!

But are dwarves typically short-tempered? I'd imagine they'd be pretty patient, or at least outwardly so.

Ascension
2008-03-28, 10:38 AM
Ah yes, my problem exactly. All accents sound like they're Scottish... maybe that's the problem with the dwarves, not so much they're association with the Scots, but just our total lack of ability.

They don't sound Scottish if you give them an outrageous "Franch" accent. If you can make a stereotypical Frenchman sound Scottish, then I'm afraid I really can't help you.

This is not to say I like the concept of French dwarves, but it should at least be easy to do.

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 11:02 AM
This is not to say I like the concept of French dwarves, but it should at least be easy to do.

Ah, thank you for the perfect image, a dwarf channeling the spirit of Pepé Le Pew...

"Ah, my bearded darling, it is love at first sight, is it not, no?"

"Ah! This leetle one wishes to commit suicide to prove her love for me. What a sweet gesture. Never-the-less, I must prevent eet!"

"I am ze captain, and you are ze first mate. Promotions will follow quickly!"

riddles
2008-03-28, 11:14 AM
in fantasy, dwarves are usually played one of two ways:

- reserved, thoughtful. only acting in response to others. their affinity with stone lets the world flow around them. they just are. however, when roused, they are fearsome in defence of any ideals.

OR

- drunken warriors who will scrap at the drop of a hat, take crap from no man and generally be a nuisance while also possessing finely crafted weapons and having an overactive appreciation for gold and gems.

anywhere in between these two extremes is what i would consider a "good" dwarf. your classic (and therefore PC) dwarf is loyal, lawful, likes a good drink to remind him of the festhalls, likes his gold and gems but not to the point where it gets him/his mates killed and has an appreciation for finely crafted weapons/armour/stonehalls

UglyPanda
2008-03-28, 11:17 AM
I think the whole "Dwarves are Scottish" thing is because Dwarves have huge beards and live in countries adjacent to medieval England. So writers figured, which country is close to England and their men have long beards? I'm not sure which author started it, it could have been Tolkien, but I haven't read those books in a while.

Tsotha-lanti
2008-03-28, 11:29 AM
How on earth would Tolkien's dwarves have been remotely Scottish? If anything, he was very aware of the dwarves' Nordic roots, since that's where he got them. (Incidentally, isn't "dwarves" a misspelling he made that got popular? Should be "dwarfs"?)

... and where do dwarves live in countries adjacent to medieval England? I'm not too sure Scotland, Wales, or Ireland have dwarves in their myths; if anything, the Saxons and Normans would probably have brought legends involving dwarves to England.

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 11:47 AM
(Incidentally, isn't "dwarves" a misspelling he made that got popular? Should be "dwarfs"?)


Hmm, I think you are right, though it is Dwarven vs. Dwarfen I think...

Reminds me of a song, actually:


RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
She has skin white as snow-

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Did you learn her name?

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
No,
There's a dwarf standing guard.

BOTH
Agony!
Such that Princes must weep!
Always in thrall most
To anything almost,
Or something asleep.

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
If it were not for the thicket-

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
A thicket's no trick.
Is it thick?

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
It's the thickest.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
The quickest
Is pick it
Apart with a stick-

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
yes, but even one prick-
It's my thing about blood.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Well, it's sick!

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
It's no sicker
Than you thing with dwarves.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Dwarfs.

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Dwarfs...

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Dwarfs are every upsetting.

BOTH
Not forgetting
The tasks unacheivable,
Mountains unscalable-
If it's conceivable
But unavailable,
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

Agony!

UglyPanda
2008-03-28, 11:53 AM
I don't mean that the English thought their was a country of Dwarves, I mean that in countless stories, you see races only existing within their respective countries, of which one has to be relatively adjacent to a human country. I only said Tolkien because everyone blames him for it, I'm personally not sure if he did so since I can't find my books.
Besides, it's personal opinion, not fact. I'm not sure of the origin, it was an educated guess.

shakes019
2008-03-28, 12:21 PM
With regard to the history of the Dwarves: I think they were introduced by Norse Mythology, in which they were excellent crafters, prone to violence and grudges, and collected in family groups. They were also generally treated as villains to be defeated or overcome in some way.

Regarding the usage: "dwarfs" vs. "dwarves". Both are acceptable, and the 'v' is more common in North American English. If you're using the verb (as in "In size comparisons, the dragon dwarfs the giant."), then the 'v' is not used.

Swooper
2008-03-28, 01:02 PM
With regard to the history of the Dwarves: I think they were introduced by Norse Mythology, in which they were excellent crafters, prone to violence and grudges, and collected in family groups. They were also generally treated as villains to be defeated or overcome in some way.
As someone who has read Völuspá (the book that is the source of most Norse myths and mythologies still known today), I feel obliged to correct that a bit. Crafters: yes, very much. They made, among other things, Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, but also finer things - when Loki cut the hair of Sif, Thor's wife, the dwarves made new hair out of gold. Finally, they spun the thread that was to hold the Fenris Wolf (out of things like the footsteps of a cat, the breath of a fish and such). Prone to violence: not so much. They were tricksters, not warriors. Collected in family groups: no more than was standard at the time, I believe. Most importantly, they were never villains - more neutral than anything, their help could be bought but never cheaply.

Telonius
2008-03-28, 01:07 PM
"I have great confidence that I'd still be attracted to you sober."

"... should that occasion ever arise, Moradin forbid."

More seriously, I think that dwarven wooing would probably involve compliments about craftwork. Dates might involve building something together. I have this great image of a very serious relationship being marked by the couple sharpening each other's axe.

dman11235
2008-03-28, 01:10 PM
As for wooing, check out the BoEF, that's what it's there for.

Also, RoS has their personalities down pretty well.

I do more of a norse/scot mix, with a splash of Irish in there. I add the scot for the whole non-nature feel that they have. Irish thrown in because I am Irish (well, a little, and my unlce is totally irish.

Wolf53226
2008-03-28, 01:18 PM
More seriously, I think that dwarven wooing would probably involve compliments about craftwork.

Just to take this to the extreme:

"My, aren't you a sturdy lass!"
"I could carve me a breech in her stronghold!"
"Look at the rubies on that one!"

OK....I'm done, that is all.

TheThan
2008-03-28, 01:20 PM
Dwarves in my homebrew campaign setting aren't Scottish. They're Russian :smallbiggrin: Yup, no dwarven empire here, just a communistic Clan Council to rule the dwarves. (There's a link in my sig iirc)

But really, think about it. It fits. Races of Stone gave me the idea - the Daily Life chapter talks about how, in their underground mine-fortresses, dwarves don't have much personal space. They share most things with their clanmates. Their mindset demands that the good of the clan comes before the good of the individual. So... I thought it would be reasonable to extend this logic and make dwarves officially communists. This, in turn, demanded some RL references, like a Russian accent, Russian style names, Russian reversal jokes and the 'golden hammer and pick crossed on a red background' symbol :smallsmile:

Use as you wish - I like it as a fresh angle to roleplay dwarves at, although it's not quite what you asked for.


I did Arabic dwarves.

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 01:20 PM
(Incidentally, isn't "dwarves" a misspelling he made that got popular? Should be "dwarfs"?)

Ah hah, Wikipedia to the rescue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf#Etymology), and who doubts wikipedia?



The plural form dwarfs has been traced to the 17th century. The alternative plural dwarves has been recorded in the early 18th century, but was not generally accepted until used by philologist J. R. R. Tolkien in his fantasy novel The Hobbit. Neither spelling represents the regular phonetic development of the Old English plural dweorgas, namely dwarrows; rather, they descend from a new plural formed in Middle English from the singular stem. Similarly, the old inherited plural dwarrows acquired a singular dwarrow.[5] Although dwarrow has passed from the language, both dwarfs and dwarves are in current use. Many grammarians prefer dwarfs, many fantasists prefer dwarves. The form dwarfs is generally used for real people affected by dwarfism; the form dwarves is used for the mythical people described by Tolkien and others.


Hmm, to be a grammarian or a fantasist, I think I'm leaning one way...

Actually, lots of useful history on that Wikipedia entry, including discussion of the whole Norse roots as well as Tolkien's influence.



Modern fantasy and literature has formed an intriguing weave of concepts, from the original dwarf, later Norse mythology, the dwarf of folk-tales, and other mythology. The modern stereotypical dwarf has distinctive features, such as short stature, excessive hair, and skill at mining and metallurgy. After Tolkien, the standard dwarf has become similar to those of later Norse Mythology. It has none of the associations with death and the afterlife, and the late association with shortness has stuck. It continues the image of old-age (through appearance), if not explicitly. Other characteristics of dwarves include long (but mortal) life, antipathy to elves and distrust to other races. Many but not all are portrayed as having Scottish accents.

TheThan
2008-03-28, 02:15 PM
double post due to slow forums , please ignore

Eldariel
2008-03-28, 02:42 PM
Dwarves had an important place in the Norse Mythology, yes, and if you're interested in that, watch the Opera of Nibelung's Ring. That unfortunately doesn't help with the accent though; I suppose German isn't horrible. Or just strive for Vikingish Dwarves; while not perfectly accurate, it's an interesting prospect.

Mephisto
2008-03-28, 03:04 PM
How on earth would Tolkien's dwarves have been remotely Scottish? If anything, he was very aware of the dwarves' Nordic roots, since that's where he got them.

You just gave me the best idea ever.

VIKING DWARVES! :smallbiggrin:

Ganurath
2008-03-28, 03:09 PM
You just gave me the best idea ever.

VIKING DWARVES! :smallbiggrin:I think the Warhammer Dwarven culture works well. Millenia old, and inventors of such advances as forged metal, rune magic, and the rant golem.

Zenos
2008-03-28, 03:10 PM
As someone who has read Völuspá (the book that is the source of most Norse myths and mythologies still known today), I feel obliged to correct that a bit. Crafters: yes, very much. They made, among other things, Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, but also finer things - when Loki cut the hair of Sif, Thor's wife, the dwarves made new hair out of gold. Finally, they spun the thread that was to hold the Fenris Wolf (out of things like the footsteps of a cat, the breath of a fish and such). Prone to violence: not so much. They were tricksters, not warriors. Collected in family groups: no more than was standard at the time, I believe. Most importantly, they were never villains - more neutral than anything, their help could be bought but never cheaply.

I remember a story about a pair of dwarves who killed a giant and made ale from the giant's blood which granted wisdom or something.

Telonius
2008-03-28, 03:11 PM
Awesome! The horned helmets will be great.

Just make sure you have a couple wizards with cat familiars among the Vikings. Because Viking Kittens are made of pure win.

Archpaladin Zousha
2008-03-28, 03:14 PM
Hmm, I think you are right, though it is Dwarven vs. Dwarfen I think...

Reminds me of a song, actually:


RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
She has skin white as snow-

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Did you learn her name?

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
No,
There's a dwarf standing guard.

BOTH
Agony!
Such that Princes must weep!
Always in thrall most
To anything almost,
Or something asleep.

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
If it were not for the thicket-

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
A thicket's no trick.
Is it thick?

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
It's the thickest.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
The quickest
Is pick it
Apart with a stick-

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
yes, but even one prick-
It's my thing about blood.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Well, it's sick!

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
It's no sicker
Than you thing with dwarves.

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Dwarfs.

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Dwarfs...

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE
Dwarfs are every upsetting.

BOTH
Not forgetting
The tasks unacheivable,
Mountains unscalable-
If it's conceivable
But unavailable,
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

Agony!


Into the Woods! I love that musical!

I can totally see my brother doing a Russian dwarf. Although knowing what he thinks about Russians he'd have his character trying to do a backflip tomahawk throw over barbed wire.

Eldariel
2008-03-28, 03:17 PM
It's worth noting that Vikings were farmers above all else, which doesn't really translate well into Dwarves, but if you replace that with mining as their primary income, they'll work out (although Farmer Dwarves with their military consisting of Naval Raiders could be an interesting twist).

Ascension
2008-03-28, 03:25 PM
It's worth noting that Vikings were farmers above all else, which doesn't really translate well into Dwarves, but if you replace that with mining as their primary income, they'll work out (although Farmer Dwarves with their military consisting of Naval Raiders could be an interesting twist).

I'd give them some sizable racial bonuses to Profession (sailor) and a minor bonus to Swim checks, maybe reduce the armor penalty for swimming to keep the dwarven love of heavy armor, take away stonecunning, and roll back to low-light vision instead of darkvision. A couple new exotic weapons/armor might be nice. Maybe give them a bonus to charging if they have a helmet on... :smallamused:

ColdBrew
2008-03-28, 03:37 PM
"You what the best about being a dwarven adventurer is? Nobody outside the mountains knows a damn thing about dwarves. You can pretty much get away with anything. Did you know it's customary for dwarves to greet human women by grabbing their breasts? Me neither, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!"

Swooper
2008-03-28, 04:00 PM
I'd give them some sizable racial bonuses to Profession (sailor) and a minor bonus to Swim checks, maybe reduce the armor penalty for swimming to keep the dwarven love of heavy armor, take away stonecunning, and roll back to low-light vision instead of darkvision. A couple new exotic weapons/armor might be nice. Maybe give them a bonus to charging if they have a helmet on... :smallamused:
Dwarves? Swimming? Heresy! Dwarves don't swim, they walk along the bottom!

Snowfall
2008-03-28, 04:02 PM
"Did you know it's customary for dwarves to greet human women by grabbing their breasts? Me neither, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!"

Great, now I'm imagining a John Belushi dwarf, now sure why.

Hmm, lots of good ideas on this thread, some history, and more than a few funny posts. Perfect.

Archpaladin Zousha
2008-03-28, 04:19 PM
I wanna play a dwarf shpetznatz now!:smallbiggrin:

Ascension
2008-03-28, 04:33 PM
I wanna play a dwarf shpetznatz now!:smallbiggrin:

I know what you mean. I hardly go a day on these forums without getting a character concept, a campaign idea, or both. Don't these people understand I don't have the time to play all the neat things they suggest?

WhiteHarness
2008-03-28, 05:08 PM
I completely missed out on the "Dwarves are Scottish" thing, too. It's news to me. I've never been able to see Fantasy Dwarves as anything other than pseudo-norse. Why Scottish? What do Scots have to do with Dwarves? Seriously...

Glyphic
2008-03-28, 05:24 PM
Wooing the Opposite Sex


"I have great confidence that I'd still be attracted to you sober."

Why does this only work for the opposite sex?

Arkhaminmate
2008-03-28, 08:32 PM
Well for the wooing the opposite sex thing, one of the WoW /flirt command for a dwarf is pretty funny:
* "Enough of the chit-chat. Let's get to it then."
* "You'd like to run your hands through my beard, wouldn't ya?"
* "Let's get on with it then, I've got a quest to do in 15 minutes."
* "You look pretty. I like your hair. Here's a drink. Are you ready now?"
* "Where are you from? Heh, not that it matters."
* "I must be asleep, 'cause you are a dream come true. Also, I'm slightly damp."

Archpaladin Zousha
2008-03-28, 10:22 PM
Well for the wooing the opposite sex thing, one of the WoW /flirt command for a dwarf is pretty funny:
* "Enough of the chit-chat. Let's get to it then."
* "You'd like to run your hands through my beard, wouldn't ya?"
* "Let's get on with it then, I've got a quest to do in 15 minutes."
* "You look pretty. I like your hair. Here's a drink. Are you ready now?"
* "Where are you from? Heh, not that it matters."
* "I must be asleep, 'cause you are a dream come true. Also, I'm slightly damp."

That's what I like about dwarves, Arkhaminmate. Straightforward to a fault!:smallsmile: Never played WOW though.

Archpaladin Zousha
2008-03-28, 10:23 PM
I know what you mean. I hardly go a day on these forums without getting a character concept, a campaign idea, or both. Don't these people understand I don't have the time to play all the neat things they suggest?

My feelings exactly. I didn't even know what a shpetznatz was until my brother told me about them.

Jayabalard
2008-03-28, 11:20 PM
wooing the opposite sex"Dwarfish courtship is an incredibly tactful affair, primarily concerned with finding out which gender the other dwarf is. Despite the awkwardness that comes of this, it is traditionally considered rude to discuss female dwarfs in conversation."

Jayngfet
2008-03-29, 05:36 AM
Awesome! The horned helmets will be great.

Just make sure you have a couple wizards with cat familiars among the Vikings. Because Viking Kittens are made of pure win.

actually, vikings didn't wear horned helmets, thats a different society.

and who says dwarves even need an accent?

Jokes
2008-03-29, 06:14 AM
Swedish Dwarves?

"Dee Axke in dee throatskie, börk! börk! börk!"

Zenos
2008-03-29, 07:38 AM
Swedish Dwarves?

"Dee Axke in dee throatskie, börk! börk! börk!"

Doesn't sound very sweedish to me.

Rion
2008-03-29, 08:04 AM
Wouldn't a Norwegian or Danish accent be better? The swedes where more of a "Explore Russia "(which was named after them), than a "Raid England, France or Germany".

Snowfall
2008-03-29, 08:16 AM
Swedish Dwarves?

"Dee Axke in dee throatskie, börk! börk! börk!"

Thanks, Jokes, I was waiting for that... :smalltongue:


Doesn't sound very sweedish to me.

Are you calling Svenske Kocken (Swedish Chef) a phony?!!!

Tsotha-lanti
2008-03-29, 08:36 AM
You just gave me the best idea ever.

VIKING DWARVES! :smallbiggrin:

It's really not a revolutionary idea, considering dwarves are based on Nordic svarfalfar and the nibelungs of the Nibelungenlied and the Volsunga Saga.

So yeah, Nordic or Dark Ages Germanic cultures are the most appropriate "touchstones" for dwarves. Danes, Saxons, Normans.

Also, Telonious: one smack for associating horned helmets with vikings. If anything, you'd get the (even more appropriate) spangenhelms (steel caps with nose guards) and heavy, heavy mail hauberks (which made the Danish viking infantry of the 1000s infamously heavy). An unbreakable wedge of mailed steel and glinting blades. The Dane/Viking connection is pretty appropriate, really, aside from the seafaring.


Are you calling Svenske Kocken (Swedish Chef) a phony?!!!

As a Finn, I'd guess yes. (Pretty sure "Svenske" isn't Swedish, at that.)

Ralfarius
2008-03-29, 08:55 AM
IAs a Finn, I'd guess yes. (Pretty sure "Svenske" isn't Swedish, at that.)
I wouldn't second-guess a swedish muppet, if I were you.

Jayabalard
2008-03-29, 08:57 AM
As a Finn, I'd guess yes. (Pretty sure "Svenske" isn't Swedish, at that.)This translator disagrees: http://www.tranexp.com:2000/InterTran?url=http%3A%2F%2F&type=text&text=Svenska+kocken%0D%0A&from=swe&to=eng

Not that I'm Swedish or speak it... but I can google a translator to check what he said


My plea is this, what are some good ways to roleplay a dwarfSo, to extend what I posted earlier: I often like taking bits and pieces of the discworld dwarves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarfs_(Discworld))

One things that leap to mind as good guidlines for roleplaying dwarfs:

Most dwarfs are intensely literal-minded, even by Discworld standards, and have absolutely no sense of metaphor or allusion. This is primarily a practical survival trait; as quoted in Guards! Guards!, "Rocks are hard, the darkness is dark. Start messing around with descriptions like that and you're in big trouble."

Jokes
2008-03-29, 09:18 AM
In Sweden the Swedish Chef is known as "Svenske Kocken" ("The Swedish Chef" in Swedish).

Wikipedia agrees with Snowfall.

And a suggested video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc_UCc8EQcQ&feature=related) of old SC in action if you still have no idea what we are on about :P

And I think that should end that, back to dwarves.

Eldariel
2008-03-29, 12:44 PM
This translator disagrees: http://www.tranexp.com:2000/InterTran?url=http%3A%2F%2F&type=text&text=Svenska+kocken%0D%0A&from=swe&to=eng

Not that I'm Swedish or speak it... but I can google a translator to check what he said

Svenske is a slang-term, and hence something not taught to us Finns. But yea, it's perfectly correct Swedish, if not the generally used written form. And I'm not at all sure why we're talking THIS here.

Snowfall
2008-03-29, 06:49 PM
Svenske is a slang-term, and hence something not taught to us Finns. But yea, it's perfectly correct Swedish, if not the generally used written form. And I'm not at all sure why we're talking THIS here.

Because we want to do explore whether or not "Yorn desh born, der ritt de gitt der gue. Orn desh, dee born desh, de umn bork! Bork! Bork!" might be a better inspiration for a dwarf than say,


"I was wrestlin' wolves back when you were at your mothers teat"


or say


"I'm not kiddin'. I've got a crap on deck that could choke a donkey. Aww, it's SQUIDGY. Christ, I'm gettin' all emotional from it, ya know?"


Of course, for rp'ing purposes, at least one where the other players don't want to kill the dwarf, I like a lot of the advice here about looking at the root of different cultures, the motivations, then dropping the accent and going from there.

Eldariel
2008-03-29, 07:03 PM
My question was really related to the very specific question of whether 'svenske' is a Swedish word, which I don't think has a place here.

Snowfall
2008-03-29, 07:26 PM
My question was really related to the very specific question of whether 'svenske' is a Swedish word, which I don't think has a place here.

Wait, so you're clarifying a question which you don't think we should continue to discuss here? :smalltongue:

Outside that word, which I will no longer mention, I would love to hear more about how certain mythologies (e.g. swedish or finnish) could help inspire roleplaying of D&D dwarves. Doesn't need to be real, just needs to ring true.

Eldariel
2008-03-29, 07:51 PM
We Finns unfortunately have a separate mythology from the Norse which doesn't really contain Dwarves per ce, so I cannot help that much in that regard, beyond what I've seen in Opera.

What I can say is that the Norse Dwarves (without going too deeply into the appearance) had magical abilities related to metal, so if you want to go to that direction, you could further emphasize the dwarf's appreciation of fine metallic craftsmanship along with the usual stonehugger fluff. That's really the major defining trait of the dwarves; while they aren't exactly born of stone, they have a really close connection to the depths. You could have your dwarves use only metallic weapons unless absolutely forced to otherwise and have them very uncomfortable in wooden buildings, or overall under the sky.

RyanM
2008-03-29, 08:30 PM
Oldest instance I know of dwarves having Scottish accents is in the computer game version of Betrayal at Krondor. Ach, what is it now?

Given the ridiculous deviations of the games from the books in casting, however, I dunno if Scottish influences were present in the books (never read them) or campaign setting (never played it).

Zocelot
2008-03-29, 08:46 PM
Half elves exist because raping humans find elves attractive
Half orcs exist because raping orcs find humans attractive
Half dwarves do not exist, because absolutely nothing finds a dwarf attractive.

GammaPaladin
2008-03-29, 08:49 PM
Also because human-dwarf pairings are explicitly infertile without outside magical interference.

Jayngfet
2008-03-29, 09:38 PM
Half elves exist because raping humans find elves attractive
Half orcs exist because raping orcs find humans attractive
Half dwarves do not exist, because absolutely nothing finds a dwarf attractive.

what about alter self, if it works for dragons(even the ones that cant change) It may as well work for dwarves.