From: Harald Smith 617 726-2172 (SMITHH@A1.MGH.HARVARD.EDU)
Date: Tue 03 May 1994 - 15:29:00 EEST
Some comments on Sandy's dwarf speculations--
I'm not convinced that dwarfs are born with teeth since I'm not
convinced that dwarf diet requires them. Speculation on dwarf
food to date suggests canned manufactured food (here I picture
cans of something resembling dog food to us modern day humans)
created by the Quicksilver dwarfs. Aside from Iron dwarfs
venturing into inhospitable territory where they may have to eat
things that were actually grown, I don't see a strong need to
ever develop teeth, unless they have some additional purpose
(e.g. they aid in earthsense).
I like the idea that castes are NOT hereditary. Might I suggest
that during the gestation period, the male and female receive a
specific diet prepared by the Quicksilver dwarfs to aid in
creating a member of the caste most required at that time.
Perhaps this diet includes a component or extract of the
appropriate metal or mineral. This would set the young dwarf on
the appropriate route (phase I of the dwarf making assemblyline,
so to speak). Then at passage to adulthood, as Sandy suggests,
the Gold dwarfs test them for appropriate tasks, BUT those tasks
would be within the caste they've already been prepared for (that
Iron dwarf is best with axes, but that other one handles
gunpowder well).
The reason I would suggest that the caste is predetermined during
gestation is the long development time for Iron dwarfs (per Elder
Secrets) and the uncertainty of their worldly duration (you never
know when your key Cold Lands scouting party is going to have a
negative run-in with evil growth). If your generals mistime
their battle calculations, the Gold dwarfs are going to have to
start a replacement process ASAP. Training alone could do this,
but that seems too random for dwarfs IMHO.
--Harald
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