In the countdown stream the dwarves were mentioned a lot, and Tom said they have to be able to get resources like wood. What about you put huge roots underground, allowing dwarves to effectively get wood while staying underground?
In Age of Mythology, norse campaign, you can also get wood from large roots underground. Makes perfect sense for the dwarf setting, and fixes the wood problem!
Opinions?
@LegendHoods I like the idea… I not had the opportunity to look at the stream but will once home from work.
I guess I might need to compare to Minecraft, there are mods where you are only underground and roots are one source of wood in those mods.
In addition, there could be woody mushrooms or other plants that have some resemblance in their properties as in being more easy to form than stone.
Mushrooms are a great idea for forageable food underground! @Tom
@LegendHoods as we are talking about Dwarves , I was just thinking… what are usual explanations for how Dwarves can survive underground. In nearly every RP it is mushrooms ^^
Depending on how and where they live, they add in farms above grounds (often behind thick walls or in valleys) and wildlife they can tame or hunt, especially below ground.
Or they could build a staircase to the outside world and get wood from that.
Of course they could, but underground wood would add something to the whole dwarf mood!
from all the fictions i’ve read, Dwarven used minerals from construction, e.g. Coal for Burning, Iron/Stone & Mithril for structural, equipment & etc.
would be pretty cool to see trees falling down, as a dwarf empire expands underneath them. As this is a fantasy world we could probably event something new.
such as plant that grows from biolumance.
@Netkr0 question:
how did they mine the first stone?
how did they mine the first coal?
how did they mine the first ore?
how do they secure the mines?
Guess they would have been in need of some kind of less sturdy tool and material to support their long tunnels aka mines 
My take would be-
Or just add something fitting the underground theme and create some variation! ^^
All races should have access to the same materials to make it fair.
Of course they would be able to get above ground, how else are they ever going to meet other players etc.?
It’s just something that would make sense given the mood, and adds some nice variation.
Roots or Bioluminescent Trees.
I understand the variation. But too much can cause an unbalanced game.
Well another thing most of you are forgetting is that dwarfs aren’t dwarfs without a drink in their hands! So they would have to have at least some surface dwelling if for nothing more then growing hops hahaha.
I don’t see how more variation of trees could cause a lot of balance issues.
Dwarfs do need ale though haha!
How about a special dark treetype that only grow underground, that could have magical abilities? Like, if you make a chest out of it it will hold more items, or if you make a bed it will make you rested faster. Or better shields and whatnot…
Maybe some special roots? ^^
I like the idea of a plant growing underground, but instead of it using photosynthesis it uses the geothermal energy in the earth for energy, so the further down you go and the hotter it gets the more plant life can thrive.
So as you’re just starting out with the dwarves you will rely on the trees on the surface for wood (since according to the live streams the dwarfs are not going to be starting in a cave, or at least it’ll be unlikely). Then after you’ve got a good mine going you can then make the transition to using this new source. A possible buff from using this material in armour/buildings/supports could be an increase in heat resistance that allows you to withstand the higher temperature and pressures of deep mining.