Dwarf Technology

From: David Ingram <D.M.Ingram_at_mmu.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 07:32:23 +0100


I am in the process of begining a campaign based on the Endless Games complete Dungeon master series. The first of these ``The halls of the Dwarven Kings'' deals nicely with an abandond dwarven settlement which has been over run by northern barbarians. In the senario their is a workshop containing bits and peices of machinary and items such as an attempt at a robot. This technological miscelleny has been created by two drawven craftsmen who are considered to be extremely eccentric by the other dwarves. Their fascination with machinery such as steam powered water pumps, davincian flying machines etc is considered to be a sign of mental instability and they are permitted to continue their "harmless" work by the comunity as a sort of therapy whereby they may the futility and error of their ways!

I must say that I whole hartedly agree with dwarven technology being kept as far away from the European industrial revolution as possible. I feel that the bysantian steem engines which can work the massive temple doors as if by magic accompanied by fire and steam effects from the vents are much more likely. Military technology such as black powder weapons, cannons, match/wheel lock musketry are permissible if rare, the mettal working skills to accurately cast/manufacture reliable barrels are extremely difficult and must entail a large amount of higly specialised rune magic. If it goes wrong you can end up with ``Mons Meg'' the enourmouse seige cannon made of segments of metal bound together which was only ever fired as a salute, never in anger (by the time the gun had arrived the seige was over!) and then burst its breach.

From personal experience I can only say that black powder weaponry although potent in large numbers is wildly inaccurate (barn door at fifty paces), unreliable (they often missfire) and unpredictable (a gun once went off two minuets after the pan had been ignited). Is this realy the kind iof technology a self respecting Mostali commander would use?

E-Mail: D.M.Ingram_at_mmu.ac.uk


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