Jonkga wrote:I'll go on record and state that I have no problem with Dwarven wizards, or paladins for that matter. Sure, old-school greyhawk said they were not common, and in most dwarven societies either mistrusted (arcane spellcasters) or just absent (paladins), but to think that our campaign world is not evolving, and that the existence of dwarves alongside human cultures could not have caused their to be examples of these character classes among dwarves, even if whole traditions did not spring up (yet), is just short sighted, as far as I am concerned.
If we were playing a generational campaign, I'd agree with you, but as Bob notes, time just isn't passing that swiftly in Greyhawk. Since the campaign began, only six years have passed, game-time (starting in CY 586 and leading up to the current year of CY 592).
The Greyhawk Wars provide an excuse for evolving certain institutions within the demihuman races, but even if you were to add arcane spell casters and "paladins" to the dwarven mix, I'd still rather they be something unique to the race, with their own unique take on things. Allowing dwarven paladins into this setting as is dilutes both the concept of a dwarf (hey, they're just short, stocky humans right?) and paladins (they're just fighters with shinier swords/axes/whatever).
Now if we play Eberron, sure -- make all the dwarven paladins you want, but that's an example of what you're talking about, an evolved magical society. Greyhawk might get there in 20, 50 or 100 years (though in that case, magic will be either declining or dead) but not now.
That said, Obsidian Bay -- with its melting pot of adventurers, races, classes, etc. -- makes a good excuse to try out a dwarven sorcerer or (shudder) a dwarven paladin, but they would be outcasts, and in the case of arcane casters perhaps even abominations to be hunted down and punished by certain particularly paranoid dwarves. Great role-playing potential, but it's not the same as saying they're widely accepted. Heck, a dwarven mage might be the *only* dwarven mage in the Flanaess (or at least the only known one).
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Forgive me. I'll try and be a tad more quiet as I desperately struggle to break free -- and save all creation!" -- Doctor Strange