Why are there no dwarf orphans?

[teacake]

I have examined all the SW orphans and they all appear to be human. I have never seen a dwarf orphan. I like to think this means that all dwarf children left without their parents are taken in by others so there is no need for an orphanage.

(Yes I've never seen a gnome orphan either but it's the dwarfs that concern me atm.)

[Valas Azuviir]

I have examined all the SW orphans and they all appear to be human. I have never seen a dwarf orphan. I like to think this means that all dwarf children left without their parents are taken in by others so there is no need for an orphanage.

(Yes I've never seen a gnome orphan either but it's the dwarfs that concern me atm.)

Dwarves are very clan oriented, that's pretty much true of nearly every dwarven community regardless of setting. Even the less pleasant dwarves like Duergar and Derro seem to operate in that manner. If, your parents kick the bucket, then it'll be your kinfolk who take you in.

It's pretty much Clan, Kingdom, friends, outsiders and in that order as to where their loyalties lie. Hence, why there have been a number of very vicious encounters between dwarves and elves. One elf gets into an argument with a dwarf, dwarf ends up hurt for whatever reason. Congrats, you just created a blood feud with the entire family gunning for your pointy ears.

Course, the ties of loyalty go both ways, the family will back you up, but you'll need to back up the family as well.

[elsegundo]

dwarves are born fully grown.

[odinsnephew]

dwarves are born fully grown.

:shocked: poor female dwarves ;)

[tralkar]

Haha, i was going to say there all the same size so you can't tell..

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

I have examined all the SW orphans and they all appear to be human. I have never seen a dwarf orphan. I like to think this means that all dwarf children left without their parents are taken in by others so there is no need for an orphanage.

(Yes I've never seen a gnome orphan either but it's the dwarfs that concern me atm.)

Dwarves -- like was mentioned, most likely the clan/extended family takes them in, so no orphans.
Gnomes -- Wait, you mean those aren't children anyway?
Night Elves -- They are turned into wisps for a while, then restored back after their bodies mature.

Trolls -- Orphans get thrown in the stew pot for added flavor
Tauren -- Where do you think the Trolls get their hamburger from?
Forsaken -- Umm... kind of obvious, if you think about it.

The other races tend to have orphans (Draenei & Blood Elf ones are in Outland, if memory serves)

[teacake]

I would speculate that both the Draenei and the Blood Elf would not take in a child whose lineage was unknown (after a war there would be many infants and young left with no record of who they are.) Some real world cultures have very low rates of adoption because of heavy emphasis on lineage.

Great information people, thanks. I am working on the backstory for my dwarf hunter. She was found as an infant by a human priest, wrapped in a cloak, in a locked box in Frostmane Hold. Being in a hurry to complete some business in the Hinterlands he left her with his friend Muninn Magellas of the Explorer's League in Ironforge, hoping her parents would be found. His business kept him away longer than he had anticipated but he did not forget the infant as he felt responsible for her after finding her in such circumstances. Returning eventually to Ironforge he sought out Magellas who told him no missing child had yet been reported and no kin found. He offered to take the infant to Stormwind to be raised in the orphanage but Magellas gruffly rejected this suggestion and declared the wee lass would be raised among her own kind.

Then there's a whole bunch more about her upbringing and choice of professions as well as a dark secret that Magellas has kept.. for in truth he had made some discoveries concerning this infant child left in a Troll cave, discoveries he kept close to his heart and did not reveal to anyone.

(lol, at least I can post this stuff on the rpg forum)

[CocoBoh]

Dwarfs don't die.

[teacake]

Dwarfs don't die.

Why would you say that? Who is buried in the Kharanos graveyard?

[Valas Azuviir]

Draenei probably have fairly low birth rates, considering that they can live in excess of 25.000 years. Most humanoid races, with such extended lifespans tend to produce few offspring, lest they overtax their environment into un-sustainability.

Chromatic Dragons* are one of the few exceptions to this, but considering where they lair and the expectation that the hatchlings do look after themselves, not forgetting to mention the almost kill or be killed environment within the nest (think of birds pushing siblings out of the nest in order to gain more food for themselves). Well, higher numbers are a necessity, considering few survive to reach the young stage.

*: Note, considering their more friendly nature, this probably doesn't apply to the Warcraftian Dragons.

[det]

Draenei probably have fairly low birth rates, considering that they can live in excess of 25.000 years.

They live only shortly when Horde meets them in Battlegrounds, though. :grin:

But if we DO take this seriously and pretend there is life and death in Azeroth...do Forsaken age? And since they hate the fate that was brought over them and freed themselves from the Scrouge...they wouldn't create new members with the Plague, would they? Aren't they bound to die out as a race then?

[Valas Azuviir]

But if we DO take this seriously and pretend there is life and death in Azeroth...do Forsaken age? And since they hate the fate that was brought over them and freed themselves from the Scourge...they wouldn't create new members with the Plague, would they? Aren't they bound to die out as a race then?

I'm guessing that they age in the same way that any undead would. Old Age is definitely not going to kill them, that's for sure.

As for them dying out.. Hardly.. They fully intend to turn every living sentient creature into something like themselves, makes it easier to defeat the Scourge, plus less worries about folks turning on you, once you're done with common enemy.

It's in the Forsaken quest lines concerning the new plague that they've been brewing up. It's not just to knock out the Scourge. They're not above stabbing everybody else in the back, whilest they're at it.

Forsaken are essentially sociopathic when it comes to those not like themselves.

[teacake]

Draenei probably have fairly low birth rates, considering that they can live in excess of 25.000 years.

25,000 years!!! I guess that explains their pompous attitude.

And any love story between a Draenei and another race is a tragedy from the start.

[Valas Azuviir]

25,000 years!!! I guess that explains their pompous attitude.

And any love story between a Draenei and another race is a tragedy from the start.

Well, Velen at least is that age, then again, he is one of the oldest of their race.

And if Nordrassil was still granting immortality to the Night Elves, then they'd probably be one of the few races, together with the dragons, to whom a romance with a Draenei wouldn't be a heart-ache from the start. Both races have very long lifespans as well.