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Author Topic: Dwarfs view questions.  (Read 941 times)

Shadowdragon00

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Dwarfs view questions.
« on: November 16, 2017, 07:15:23 pm »

These are just a couple of strange questions from the dwarfs point of view.1 When your dwarfs make wood crossbows why don't they need string?They just use wood.2 if humans become part of the fort do the beds fit them or are they to small and are the doors way to tiny?3 (This does not relate)If you were a dwarf what profession would you pick?
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Fearless Son

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Re: Dwarfs view questions.
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2017, 07:35:39 pm »

1 When your dwarfs make wood crossbows why don't they need string?They just use wood.
Depends on the wood.  Certain parts of trees (especially certain kinds of bark) can be pulled apart into a bunch of long fiber strands, and those strands can then be braided together to make flexible cords.  Historically a lot of slings and bows before the Bronze Age were made with that method where other material was not so easily available. 

Not sure it would have the tensile strength to make crossbows, but this is also a world where fantastic kinds of wood exist and craftsdwarfs can make ice blocks that resist magma, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Immortal-D

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Re: Dwarfs view questions.
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2017, 08:03:04 pm »

Humans living in a Dwarf Fortress would be similar to how Gandalf interacted with Bilbo's home.  They can move around, just not easily.

Shonai_Dweller

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Re: Dwarfs view questions.
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2017, 10:02:26 pm »

Dwarves just build everything several times bigger than is necessary to impress visitors. That's how I justify the dancing minotaurs in my tavern anyhow...

Oh, and I hear beard hair works fine in crossbows, and there's plenty of that lying around. It's just abstracted along with the tools.
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PatrikLundell

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Re: Dwarfs view questions.
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2017, 03:42:17 am »

Beds are one size fits all (at least for the time being). As mentioned, dwarven tunnels and doorways are one tile high (which I think is 2 meters). Despite single tile tunnels being as wide, dorfs still can't pass each other by in them, but one must climb over the other one who's crawling. On the other hand, dorfs don't have any problem leading tamed giant elephants or cave dragons around in those tunnels.
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anewaname

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Re: Dwarfs view questions.
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2017, 08:22:23 am »

Many items could require multiple materials, but the amounts needed (and the value of those amounts) are usually small in comparison to the main material component. Besides the bowstrings, what about replacement bowstrings or the oil/wax/varnish for upkeep of the crossbow? Much of that would be assembled from the discarded material from other work at the butchers or kitchen.

I'd pick miner, but I'd want to do more than that.
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How did I manage to successfully apply the lessons of The Screwtape Letters to my perceptions of big grocery stores?