Where are all the half-dwarves?

[Feddlefew]

Tolkien did say all Dwarves had beards in The War of the Jewels if I am not mistaken.

However, I too am in agreement that we let the poor Dwarven women have clean faces.

Why? They're not humans.

[Lord Raziere]

Why? They're not humans.

Why not? They're not humans!

[neonagash]

Í

This isn't Tolkien; it's Jackson. Books made no mention of female dwarfs.

Yes they did. In the books he told a hobbit. That's the only difference

[Zaydos]

Why not? They're not humans!

Because with the exception of humans excessive (by human standards) body hair is the norm

Actually the real answer is not an in universe one.

Do your players want it one way (especially your female players)?

If you have bearded dwarves will everyone just take it as a Discworld reference and expect your dwarves to replicate in detail Discworld dwarves?

With my players the answer to the first has been "No," or "No, unless it's a Discworld reference" which would not play out well.

[neonagash]

Because with the exception of humans excessive (by human standards) body hair is the norm

Actually the real answer is not an in universe one.

Do your players want it one way (especially your female players)?

If you have bearded dwarves will everyone just take it as a Discworld reference and expect your dwarves to replicate in detail Discworld dwarves?

With my players the answer to the first has been "No," or "No, unless it's a Discworld reference" which would not play out well.

In 20 years of gaming I remember this issue coming up exactly once. And it was in a LoTR setting .

The table concensus ( including girls) was "who gives a F, where's the treasure?). So I have always stuck with bearded dwarves

[Anonymouswizard]

However, I too am in agreement that we let the poor Dwarven women have clean faces.

Give them razors then.

I'm in the camp of dwarf men having big bushy beards, while female dwarves having thinner beards.

[LibraryOgre]

Where does it say female dwarves have beards? Seriously this always bugs me.

I know that Dwarves Deep specifically mentions that female dwarves have beards. Complete Dwarves mention that deep dwarven women wear their beards long, but women of other dwarf subraces tend to shave theirs.

[Segev]

I once posited that all dwarves are born bald. When they hit puberty, as with human males, their beards start to come in. Male dwarves have beards on their chins/faces (as one might expect); female dwarves have them on top of their heads. In the dwarven language, "hair" and "beard" are the same word. Male dwarves never grow hair on their heads (and, to them, hair on the head is a decidedly femanine trait, making humans and especially elves and halflings look effemanite).

[dafrca]

I once posited that all dwarves are born bald. When they hit puberty, as with human males, their beards start to come in. Male dwarves have beards on their chins/faces (as one might expect); female dwarves have them on top of their heads. In the dwarven language, "hair" and "beard" are the same word. Male dwarves never grow hair on their heads (and, to them, hair on the head is a decidedly femanine trait, making humans and especially elves and halflings look effemanite).

Fun way to look at it. Now how would they see a human with long hair and a full beard?

[Segev]

Fun way to look at it. Now how would they see a human with long hair and a full beard?

Probably the same way we tend to react to "bearded ladies." Some combination of "that's funny" and "that's disturbing."

Alternatively, think of how you react to the notion of "female dwarves have beards." The range of reactions from humans on that subject likely reflects fairly accurately the range of reactions dwarves have to human males with full heads of hair and beards (e.g. Santa Clause).

[hymer]

I once posited that all dwarves are born bald. When they hit puberty, as with human males, their beards start to come in. Male dwarves have beards on their chins/faces (as one might expect); female dwarves have them on top of their heads. In the dwarven language, "hair" and "beard" are the same word. Male dwarves never grow hair on their heads (and, to them, hair on the head is a decidedly femanine trait, making humans and especially elves and halflings look effemanite).

I have a dwarf culture where it's the norm for men to shave from the ears up (save eyebrows), and for women to shave in the other direction.

[Feddlefew]

I have a dwarf culture where it's the norm for men to shave from the ears up (save eyebrows), and for women to shave in the other direction.

Mind if I take this?

[dafrca]

Probably the same way we tend to react to "bearded ladies." Some combination of "that's funny" and "that's disturbing."

Alternatively, think of how you react to the notion of "female dwarves have beards." The range of reactions from humans on that subject likely reflects fairly accurately the range of reactions dwarves have to human males with full heads of hair and beards (e.g. Santa Clause).

Or when we see a woman who is bald. Gets some interesting reactions from folks. Friend of mine went through chemo and lost 100% of her hair on her head. No eyebrows or anything left. She received some interesting comments when she went out in public. Lots of stares as well. I thought it made her look younger though. LOL

[Segev]

Or when we see a woman who is bald. Gets some interesting reactions from folks. Friend of mine went through chemo and lost 100% of her hair on her head. No eyebrows or anything left. She received some interesting comments when she went out in public. Lots of stares as well. I thought it made her look younger though. LOL

Mom did what many women do: she sore a bandanna to cover her bald head. (I understand men are more likely to wear hats.) She also had a wig that she wore for more formal occasions. She's since let her hair grow back out, but never to the length it once was.

[dafrca]

Mom did what many women do: she sore a bandanna to cover her bald head. (I understand men are more likely to wear hats.) She also had a wig that she wore for more formal occasions. She's since let her hair grow back out, but never to the length it once was.

Yes, my friend wore a scarf outside to protect her head from direct sunlight, sunburn of the scalp is not fun.

[Anonymouswizard]

I have a dwarf culture where it's the norm for men to shave from the ears up (save eyebrows), and for women to shave in the other direction.

Of course, there is a counter culture where the opposite happens.

I just realised something, surely long bushy beards would get in the way at the forge.

[goto124]

That's why you tied up and braid your beards.

Beardcare, everydwarf.

[Flickerdart]

I just realised something, surely long bushy beards would get in the way at the forge.

That is exactly why dwarves might value beards - a skilled blacksmith (or an overseer/other fancy in-charge type who doesn't do manual work) will maintain a clean beard despite the soot and flame of the forge, while a lousy one (or one who performs a lot of manual labour) would have a singed beard. This way, a dwarf's beard is an excellent indicator of social class, much like long fingernails were in China.

I love the idea of dwarves not having a distinction between head-hair and beard-hair, though. In fact, you could crib a line from our good friend the lion and give male dwarves a magnificent mane, with female dwarves having short head hair and no beards.

[Anonymouswizard]

That is exactly why dwarves might value beards - a skilled blacksmith (or an overseer/other fancy in-charge type who doesn't do manual work) will maintain a clean beard despite the soot and flame of the forge, while a lousy one (or one who performs a lot of manual labour) would have a singed beard. This way, a dwarf's beard is an excellent indicator of social class, much like long fingernails were in China.

I love the idea of dwarves not having a distinction between head-hair and beard-hair, though. In fact, you could crib a line from our good friend the lion and give male dwarves a magnificent mane, with female dwarves having short head hair and no beards.

That reminds me of an idea I read on these forums: dwarves have fur, and the men have manes.