#ingir

[ingirvein]

Dwarven Warfare

Dwarves do not fight war as Men ken such things. From the perspective of the young and audacious men, they see single battles.

The Dwarves will attack, conquer, and build. In a few decades it will turn into a vibrant trading hub, home to many races.

And then another attack. Another point conquered. Another town built.

Then Ken wars in the spans of hundreds of years, and will not, of their own accord, fight wars without proper supply chains.

For the long-lived races, it does not matter if you love or hate a Man, he will die.

That all said, if Dwarves do not have the chance to prepare for war, then they will instead fight with complete bedlam, to the point that few other races could ken their fleeting desires.

[weathermanpolls]

Let's Make a Standard English Fantasy Kingdom

So, we'll Befriend the Elves.

Trade with Dwarves. They played hardball on tariffs and moving fees, but in truth we'll be better off because of it, (they understand economics a hell of a lot better than we do).

We have programmes to try and coax Gnomes out of their forests, and join societies for the betterment of the country, but otherwise left alone.

The Dwarves and Elves have managed to work together long enough to give us baths that heal the body and cleanse disease. Naturally, they've been taken over by prostitutes. The Elves are happy about the cooperation. The Dwarves are happy that they can provide much better baths for a much lower cost; even by charging less than Mannish bathhouses, they can still make a fortune.

What should we do?

Take the win. Everyone is cleaner and healthier.

Mandate a minimum wage for prostitutes, as Elf whores keep underbidding us.

Mandate a minimum price for the bathhouses so we can compete.

Bath houses can only have one race of prostitute. Separate but equal.

Create cathedrals around them, so the church can minister and administer them.

Crack down on the prostitutes, thereby driving them into the dark, fetid corners

Use the bath houses to recruit Gnomes, and other itinerate Greater Races.

Create a Holy Order of White / Grail Knights

Voting ended onOct 26, 2023

[vaityadil]

s m i t e

[ingirvein]

Did the Dwarves ever dig too deep? Is there a jungle underneath the worlds mantle where Dwarves ramboing it up to hunt for rare magical sources? What about Atlesian Dwarfs strolling across the bottom of the ocean looking pearls and the like?

Dwarves have "mining suits" to travel underwater in mines, but the great black abyss of the oceans is too much for most Dwarves. Though, there are some clans with underwater cities.

There are regions underground that use artificial sunlight to grow plants, and thus create ecosystems. There are other places were creatures learn to survive off of magic, and create their own ecosystems.

Did the Dwarves ever dig too deep? The Dwarves don't think so. The Elves do.

Men are of a mixed opinion.

And Dwarves are always out hunting for rare resources, or at least thinking about it. But, Dwarves are patient, long-lived, and the masters of logistics, so Dwarven expeditions tend to be well planned and supplied, rather than spur of the moment things.

This does suffer a bit from "It seemed like a good idea at the time." though. Especially if a Man is foolish enough to encourage them.

[weathermanpolls]

Let's Make a Standard English Fantasy Kingdom

So, we'll Befriend the Elves.

Trade with Dwarves. They played hardball on tariffs and moving fees, but in truth we'll be better off because of it, (they understand economics a hell of a lot better than we do).

We have programmes to try and coax Gnomes out of their forests, and join societies for the betterment of the country, but otherwise left alone.

The Church has taken custody of the major bathhouses, and agreed to a minimum price for prostitutes. The bathhouses who have had their cathedrals completed have become significant waystations. The Elves involved are teaching the Church how the holy healing magicks works, with the intent to create a knightly order.

We invite the barbarians to a mid-day feast to lull them. When we show them the baths and cathedrals, they were so impressed that many of the chiefs instantly wished to convert. The nearest barbarian tribes are now good servants, and wish to serve the kingdom. The Dwarves have agreed to help us shore up them defences to bring them into the fyrd, while the Elves help them keep the other tribes at bay. Gifts of oxen were given to them.

With the wildmen, we have to interact more with the Fey. What do we do?

Catch them with iron cages, like non-lethal rat traps.

Sit with Elves in Fairy Rings, braiding each other's hair.

Collaborate with Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes to create tiny villages for them.

Send emissaries to establish relations with both the Summer and Winter courts.

Mandate that all buildings must have oak doors and window trim.

Ignore them. They aren't causing that much of a problem.

Crusade.

Education campaign on the importance of Exact Words.

Encourage people to leave out milk and honey in their houses overnight.

Voting ended onOct 28, 2023

Because I didn't think of it at the time, Exact Words education also included mandatory middle names.

[ingirvein]

How common is summoning a ancestor from the dead in Dwarven court? What are the dwarven equivalent of Judge, jury, and persecutor?

Dwarves mostly live in tribes. This means that court only comes in between tribes.

Each side have their advocates.

There is a neutral party from the Dwarven crown that oversees it.

As for the Jury, they have to find unbiased Dwarves, or at least ones without grudges involving either of the parties. This is difficult, so Men will often be brought in.

Court happens in waves, and can stretch on for decades if not centuries.

[weathermanpolls]

Let's Make a Standard English Fantasy Kingdom

So, we'll Befriend the Elves.

Trade with Dwarves. They played hardball on tariffs and moving fees, but in truth we'll be better off because of it, (they understand economics a hell of a lot better than we do).

What about the disparate Gnomes of the Woods?

Turn into counties and managed as such.

Enslaved

Allowed to come and go as they please.

Encouraged to enter organizations, such as magicians, scholars, etc.

Voting ended onOct 25, 2023

[ingirvein]

Fey-Touched Spellbeasts: Unicorn

Often considered the most sacred of beast, at least from those not cursed to dwell beneath the earth, far away from God's glorious sun.

They are attracted to chaste maidens. People often forget the difference between Chaste and Celibacy. Celibacy means a complete abstinence of sex, while most of what a husband and wife do together can be considered chaste. Unicorns are always female, and can transform into the appearance of a beautiful woman with radiant skin. In their form of beasts, they can be violently protective of their realms, though a Unicorn would never attack a creature that is not evil without giving warning. This often in the form of prophetic dreams, though if they do not work, the Unicorn will simply approach and warn them plainly. While normally described as white horses with spiral horns, they also adopt some traits of goats, making it functional, if not perfectly descriptive.

The extend of their powers are completely unknown to Mankind, as though blessed by them rarely speak of it. But the rumours have them capable of raising the dead, or helping heroes to slay great beasts and monsters.