Knuratura (Nuh rah tyur rah)

The Knuratura or 'Nursers' are little seen or thought of, and as a feature of dwarven society they are almost entirely invisible to outsiders, yet they fulfil a role that is very necessary to the ongoing functionality of the guild system which is the primary structure of that dwarf society. Certainly, without the Knuratura, the tensions between working and raising the next generation would be much harder on those who have children. Some may make jokes about the dwarven pride in diligent productivity, and the cliche that a dwarf 'would rather die than take time off', but the truth is that there is an element of the dutiful dwarven mindset that makes complex comparisions between the short term and the long term, assessing very different types of 'productivity'. Dwarves are generally very dedicated to their trade; their guild is their family. While they take pride in producing quality goods for their trade, which is the life-blood of their guild, they also recognise that without producing and raising the next generation of dwarven workers, they will become unable to continue their way of life. However, it can be considered another feature of the particular dwarven mindset that they treat the raising of children into productive adults with as much professionalism as any other part of life. This, then, is the role of the Knuratura. Comparing this role with how other cultures handle the process, you may consider them to be nannies, or teachers, but the role of a Knuratura is much wider than that. They are responsible for the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of their charges, and their ongoing development from weaning to adulthood, requiring them to encompass a wide range of skills and knowledge. When dwarves become adults and are apprenticed into their guilds, it is the culmination of a careful process of assessment and training to enable the individual to develop their natural tendencies and talents towards a trade. The recognition that an individual may be better suited to a different trade than that of their parents relies on the Knuratura. This means that as well as knowing all stages of dwarven developmment inside out, they must also know the rudiments of every other trade in order to assess and encourage their charges. Of course, within the Knuratura, some tend to excel in different areas of knowledge, and consulting others as 'specialists' is common. However, it is absolutely key to the process that the child is provided with continuity of support and emotional bonding, and therefore any specialisms are secondary. Although they are unlike the other guilds, the commitment of a Knuratura to their trade is unparallelled.

Type

Education