Psychology

GROOMING

While dwarven clothing options might seem staid and homogeneous when compared to those of the elves or humans, it is only because clothing has little value in their culture. Instead, the dwarves prize their hair, whether it is on their scalps (for both genders) or on their faces (for males). The dwarven love of textures and patterns is applied to hairstyles as much as anything else, with intricate braids worn by both males and females. A regular three-part braid might be suffi cient for daily life, but an important occasion might see particularly old or revered dwarves sporting up to a twenty-part braid, or multiple smaller ones braided together. Metal fasteners or providing dwarf settlements of all sizes with fresh water and bathing areas. Dwarven baths are public, though segregated by gender into separate areas, and attendance is considered an important social function. As a result, dwarves are typically far cleaner and better groomed than most surface races. PSYCHOLOGY Those who encounter a dwarf adventurer for the first time might think him rude, dour, taciturn, and infl exible. Human cultures, especially those that prize the rights or

Dwarves take a great deal of pride in the needs of the individual over those of the group, are often at odds with dwarven sensibilities. presentation of their hair Elves, ever mindful of the need for personal and beards expression and experience, often complain that dwarves are not much different from the stones among which they live. In truth, however, one’ s fi rst impression of a dwarf is usually deceiving. Dwarves come from a very closed environment, with little in the way of personal space or privacy. Expansion of any one settlement is greatly dependent on the location and earth in which it is set. Digging out new living space can be an expensive, timeconsuming, and possibly dangerous activity. For every dwarf city nestled in a roomy expanse of trackless caverns, thousands of

Illus. by R. Spencer

ornaments are common additions to both hair and beard braids, but again, these are preferred as accenting touches, and most dwarves wear no more than two or three on a particularly festive occasion. While many picture dwarves as dusty, dirty smiths and miners, the truth is quite the opposite. The dwarves’ familiarity with their underground habitats lets them fi nd and harness underground hot springs, pools, and rivers, smaller settlements exist in which every room was hewn from the surrounding stone by hand. As a result, living quarters are close together and regularly house entire extended families. A society of people living in close contact with each other day in and day out must, by necessity, place the needs of the group above the needs of the individual. The rule of law becomes paramount in many ways, for only in such a society can disputes be settled fairly and expectations kept reasonable. This cultural trait has become an ingrained habit for nearly all dwarves and is considered a virtue among their people. He who holds to his duty and obeys the law, even