Originally Posted by
Shining Wrath
As an example, if a random dwarf were caught robbing the temple where they worked, and died fighting the guards, would that count as honorable? You die in battle, but you were betraying a trust at the time. Or (ick) a dwarf is molesting a child, gets caught, and the parent bashes the molester's head in. Is that an "honorable" death?
I admit we haven't been told this, in comic. What we have been told is that dwarves have the most honor-bound society on the planet. But think about it. If all that's required is death in combat, honor most of the time is irrelevant - the dwarves would be better off if they did nothing but pick fights with one another. In fact, a society where people regularly gave offense sufficient to fight duels to the death would be just peachy. That doesn't seem to be the case.
I hypothesize that death in combat is necessary but not sufficient. The rest of your life also matters; that's why they have such a rigid society.