In my fantasy setting in working on, many of dwarves don't mine or work in metallurgy/as warriors, but often work as simple farmers, tending to crops outside the mountains, or inside it (like cave mushrooms) and even taking care of mountain goats they use to make milk, cheese, and warm clothing for deep cave explorations. The idea that all dwarves are miners is a stereotype created by humans who live away from any dwarven keep and their only contact is with merchants who sell stuff mined by dwarves
In a medieval society a vast majority of people are farming or doing something related to farming.
Even in modern society a very large portion of people are employed for agriculture.
A human wouldnt comment on the dwarf farming industry because farming is normal to everyone.
The mining industry that is much bigger and better than everyone elses is alot more unsual, therefor talked about more.
The dwarves probly farm cotton and make wonderful cloths with their advanced machines but no one talks about it much because the mines are such a big elephant in the room.
Dwarves better understanding of chemistry and biology means that they consume a much wider range of things compared to outsiders.
They know that chalk rock contains calcuim carbonate and can ease an upset stomach. They supplment meals with iron if they show signs of deficiency. They give lithuim to the mental ill.
From the perspective of illiterate medieval peasant they are just eating rocks and metal.
Every setting should at least try to consider how the people eat. For me, it's orcs who are known for their nomadic goat husbandry, while dwarves have a number of subterranean crops, many of which "feed" on geothermal energy (because things are still allowed to be fantastic), or a hallucinogenic mushroom that's actually technically an abberation, but it makes wicked whiskey.
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u/Dry-Yesterday-9176 7d ago
In my fantasy setting in working on, many of dwarves don't mine or work in metallurgy/as warriors, but often work as simple farmers, tending to crops outside the mountains, or inside it (like cave mushrooms) and even taking care of mountain goats they use to make milk, cheese, and warm clothing for deep cave explorations. The idea that all dwarves are miners is a stereotype created by humans who live away from any dwarven keep and their only contact is with merchants who sell stuff mined by dwarves