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Author Topic: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?  (Read 28426 times)

Tenebrais

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #45 on: August 19, 2009, 08:24:44 pm »

I just picture them as short, stocky humans, waist to chest height on an ordinary adult human (particularly tall ones being shoulder-height). The dwarves in DF are probably more human than the humans are.
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Sensei

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #46 on: August 19, 2009, 09:51:05 pm »

I always like to imagine the humans as very normal humans, farming (by the way, why don't towns have accompanying fields?) or trading to feed themselves, and not (for the commoner) not aspiring to a future of much more than hard, honest work and honest rewards, or maybe to make life safer and easier. Most of their really ambitious people become traders or adventurers.

Anyway, I always like to characterize them as being alarmed or disturbed by the dwarves tendency to eat cats and create magma deathtraps, but at the same time not really having any beef with them (and wondering at their crafts).

I always like to imagine the dwarves as being addicted to alcohol, and permanently buzzed. Again this being my DF image, they become 'drunk' when their blood-alcohol decreases. Normally they don't have a strong sense of duty- when a leader leads his country to grandeur, it's his grand. A dwarf who dutifully helps do anything that benefits the whole fortress is mostly looking for their own benefit in being part of a strong community; other dwarves being happy is a bonus (unless they're friends). Either that, or I slap on a samurai code of honor to explain their actions. Dwarves are almost always proud. I always imagine the mechanics as creatively-challenged Machiavellian villains, but their general wish to kill things is directed towards the enemy- besides, the mountainhome provides their resources.

Elves are backwards in their moral priorities, and bigots, but they want what's best. Of course, how dare any dwarf that lives in the rocks tell them what's best?! They see bodies only as a vessel for a soul, and it's just nutrients when dead- either to be eaten or returned to the soil for plants. How dare dwarves try to greedily keep the earth's materials?

Goblins are poor and mean (in the older sense of the word). Goblins are big kobolds, like wolves are big dogs. Their societies are a warrior hierarchy. Nothing too creative to speak of here. I can imagine them almost as good guys sometimes though, starving in their caves while they look at the dwarves' shining towers and +RENDITION OF AN ENGRAVING OF A CHEESE WEDGE+s, and trying to take what the dwarves have in abundance.
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Fault

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #47 on: August 20, 2009, 04:28:14 am »

Dwarves are stoic, voilently masculine and gleefully mad.

Elves are self-righteous hypocrits who look down on everyone.

Humans are manipulative and xenophobic.

Goblins are hateful and stupid psychopaths.

Kobolds are humanoid vermin... scavenging for the scraps of greater races.

Sordid

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #49 on: August 20, 2009, 04:12:27 pm »

Yes, yes, I know, they're Persian/Assyrian ripoffs, so it's not that different from making them Nordic ripoffs... But at least they're not so goddamn cliche. And like I said, it's primarily their mindset that makes them so attractive for me.
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Sensei

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #50 on: August 20, 2009, 04:40:17 pm »

Those look like the Dwemer from Morrowind (Elder Scrolls III). Note, the dwemer are actually the 'Deep Elves' and not how we think of dwarves at all. Supposedly they were named by giants.

They came to exist largely because the first two games had dwarven weapons and armor, but no dwarves. When it came time to explain it though, Tolkien (which I don't believe to be different from AD&D) wouldn't suffice.

Another possible image of dwarves is as little, burrowing humanoids that steal booze.
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Stove

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #51 on: August 20, 2009, 08:57:48 pm »

Yes, yes, I know, they're Persian/Assyrian ripoffs, so it's not that different from making them Nordic ripoffs... But at least they're not so goddamn cliche. And like I said, it's primarily their mindset that makes them so attractive for me.
It isn't just that they were based on Persians, but the fact that that specific piece of concept art was obviously based on that specific illustration of Persians.
I saw a theory posted in another thread that the original dwarves of Norse mythology were actually inspired by Persians, who had advanced metallurgy at the time.
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Judas Maccabeus

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #52 on: August 20, 2009, 09:44:17 pm »

Another possible image of dwarves is as little, burrowing humanoids that steal booze.

Of course, in Dwarf Fortress, that job is taken by the mountain gnomes.
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Im_Sparks

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #53 on: August 21, 2009, 12:06:50 am »

There's THESE Dwarves


Or, there's THESE Dwarves


and for the one who really things out of the box, there's THESE Dwarves



All dwarves look the same. There's little to no difference in the series, they're all short, beardly, violent men(and women) who drink lots of booze, invent shit, and forge great axes/hammers. They commonly talk in a scottish accent, and no matter how you dress 'em up, they're ALWAYS. THE. SAME.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2009, 12:16:32 am by Im_Sparks »
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martinuzz

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #54 on: August 21, 2009, 04:14:39 am »

If I had to pick one picture from the OP that reminds me most of DF dwarves, it would be the Scandinavian dwarves at the forge by Brian Froud and Alan Lee.
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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #55 on: August 21, 2009, 05:57:23 am »

Dwarves aren't always the same, have you ever read Artemis Fowl? Now there's a disturbingly original take on them.
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ILikePie

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #56 on: August 21, 2009, 06:13:12 am »

Oh yes, Colfer had me pretty confused when I first read that.  When I think dwarf the first thing that comes to mind is something similar to the D&D image in the OP.
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kurokikaze

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #57 on: August 21, 2009, 07:38:23 am »

I prefer Warhammer dwarves :)
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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #58 on: August 21, 2009, 08:21:07 am »

I assure you, there are some very strange dwarves out there.

Sordid

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Re: Images of dwarfs/dwarves; how do you visualise them?
« Reply #59 on: August 21, 2009, 10:40:00 am »

Such as? I may have an incredibly narrow view of dwarven portrayals, but aside from the Assyrian Elder Scrolls dwemer I'd be hard pressed to come up with a single case of dwarves not being based on Nordic mythology.
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