Dwarf Wizard

It could be said that Imperial Dwarfs generally view magic as an unreliable, untrustworthy source of power that corrupts those who use it; they believe its risks are far greater than its benefits. The fact is that the Dwarf race has seen countless numbers of wizards fall under the power they claim to have mastered hasn't offset this perspective in the least. Instead, Dwarfs are wary of wizards even when they are allied for a common cause.

In contrast, the Dwarfs believe that the magic granted by the Ancestor Gods to their clergy is very reliable. It is, they claim, as incorruptible as Runic magic. If a cleric begins to covet the power that his spellcasting abilities grant him, it's a small matter for the Ancestor God to strip the offender of their divine gift. Then again, it is also a matter of Dwarf justice.

Since wizardry is anathema to Imperial Dwarfs, only Expatriate Dwarfs can become wizards. These "wizardly" Dwarfs engender a great distrust and near-loathing in other Dwarfs, particularly those in the mountains that ring the Empire. Even Expatriate Dwarfs who fancy themselves as freebooters or mercenaries tend to be suspicious of any Dwarf who prefers wizardry to brawling.

Expatriate Dwarfs desiring to learn the sorcerous arts must do so from human masters. They will seek out only those who will teach them on a one-to-one basis; Dwarfs tend to view "colleges" as an odd concept when it comes to learning what amounts to another craft. After all, there aren't any colleges teaching one how to be a blacksmith or (proper) engineer.

Expatriate Dwarf wizards have limited magical aptitude when compared to their human and Elf counterparts, which further restricts the disciplines they study. Most Dwarfs tend toward Battle magic as it is simplest to master and has a wide range of applications. Unlike Colour magic, which they just cannot grasp (nor do they care to), Dwarfs don't see Battle magic as tainted by the Elves.

They will admit that Emperor Magnus the Pious allowed that charlatan Teclis to re-establish, revitalise and reorganize the study of magic in the Empire, but the Dwarf wizards know that many of the Battle magic spells predate the meddlesome Elf and his "Chaos" theories. In fact, they will maintain, that these spells were just simply considered as "basic" magic that all masters taught their apprentices.

The few Expatriate wizards who attend magic colleges can be found in either the University College of Nuln or the Wizards' and Alchemists' Guild in Middenheim.

A number of Dwarf wizards undertake the discipline of Elementalism, generally leaning towards either Earth or Fire-based magic. These areas of specialization are the most natural fit for Dwarfs given their cultural history. It should be noted that Dwarf elementalists are less likely than their human counterparts to live a life of seclusion in the wilderness. They prefer to be near a community of some sort, even villages where there are no other Dwarfs, so they can do more than simply study their craft. For example, some Dwarf elementalists may take on the added duties of being the village herbalist or blacksmith.

Dwarf wizards hold a very low opinion of Illusionist magic, and it's a rare Dwarf wizard, indeed, who is willing to waste their time in the study of this trickery. Rarer still are Dwarf necromancers and daemonologists. It is highly unlikely that an Expatriate Dwarf will trust anything that hints at "an easy road to power".

Source

 * Warhammer Fantasy RPG 1st ED -- Stone and Steel
 * pg. 68

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