(Plane Shift: Kaladesh)
To the artisans of Kaladesh, a device’s beauty is almost as important as its function. Different artists, though, have different definitions of beauty, and to most dwarves, the highest mark of beauty is quality. Nothing is more exquisite than a machine that endures—one that functions perfectly, with a minimum of maintenance, despite the passage of years. Dwarves don’t understand laziness or shortcuts. Just as a machine must function smoothly at all times, so too an artisan should work steadily and with care. Dwarves take pride in their work ethic, and abhor any attitude or behavior that would undermine the quality of their work. They are more thorough than speedy, and although a dwarf’s work might take longer to complete, its quality makes the time worthwhile. If a job must be done, a dwarf will see that it is done correctly. And when a dwarf repairs a machine, it will work as well as it did when it was first built, if not better—and it will last.
Among the folk of other races, dwarves have a reputation for being utterly fearless. This is largely because their work often finds them scaling tall buildings or hanging from the undersides of airships. Far from being reckless, though, dwarves enter any potentially dangerous situation with firm safeguards in place, thoroughly prepared to avoid any accident. With an unshakable trust in the quality of harnesses, scaffolding, and handiwork, a dwarf has no need to fear falling.
Dwarves gravitate to where the work is. Accordingly, many dwarves appreciate the Consulate as an inexhaustible source of work opportunities. For its part, the Consulate values dwarves for their painstaking, perfectionist approach to building and maintenance. As a result, dwarves are employed at every level of the Consulate government, including having representatives among the Enlightened Keepers, the consuls themselves. Dwarf edificers keep the machinery of the cities running smoothly, while dwarf enforcers protect property and help keep the peace. However, it is the potential for making great things, more so than any philosophical leaning, that ties most dwarves to the Consulate.
Dwarves are not typically drawn to politics, but some do take issue with what they see as slapdash construction carried out in the Consulate’s foundries. Mass production on the scale of the Consulate’s efforts is an affront to the ideals of true artisanship, they argue, and those who are most offended by this insult sometimes align themselves with renegade groups.