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farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Mar 2018 : 23:41:43
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One of my players is a dwarf from the North and I need some ideas to shape his Clan. We used the backgrounds of 5E and in our story his backstory is the was exiled from his Clan unjustly after discovering something rotten/evil in his Clan's leadership.
What I thought first was to have some kind of a connection with the Duergars but I am not sure yet. Perhaps the Clan's leader or the High Priest had a deal with the Duergars and is a traitor while the rest of the Clan doesnt know about it... or something.
We thought to place the Clan either somewhere in the Spine of the World mountains or somewhere near the Icewind Dale.
Where do you think is best to place a smallish dwarf clan in the North? And what do you think is a good conspiracy or corruption that my players character discovered and subsequently got unjustly exiled for?
Thanks
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 00:48:06
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There are tons of dwarf-holds and dwarf clans in the north you can use. If you specifically want one near Icewind Dale then I'd suggest Mirabar - aside from the Mirabar dwarves themselves, there are at least a dozen smaller clans that fall within their sway ('the Mines of Mirabar').
Further east we have Mithral Hall, Citadel Felbarr (Formerly Many Arrows Keep), Sundabar (former solely dwarf surface city that still has a very large dwarf population), and Citadel Adbar. There are smaller clans and holds all over the north that were never named in canon (I am still waiting about 5 years or more for Ed/THO to provide me with some names LOL). There is a very tiny clan in the Kryptgarden Forest (Krypthome) from Dungeon magazine #52, and the mines of Phandalin (5e adventure) also involved a dwarf clan around the Neverwinter region.
As for the 'deep secret' - I don't think it should be something outright or overtly evil, because then all your player has to do is make it known (even if people are more likely to believe the other parties involved, they still wouldn't want him babbling 'the truth' to anyone who will listen, because doubt will spread regardless). How about this... he thinks its an 'evil plot', but it is something more benign? Suppose he came across some evidence that the King isn't who he says he is (or the 'clan leader', in the case of a small clan). Maybe its a dopplganger or some-such and he saw it change. Whatever... he thinks there is an evil plot and he wanted to expose it.
But the truth is, the king was killed accidentally while hunting (or whatever), and the kings two sons are not only idiots, but they will fight over who gets 'the crown' (a practically worthless accolade in the case of a small, poor clan). The King's advisor(s) decided it would be best to just replace the king, and not let anyone know what happened to him, 'for the good of the kingdom'. Knowing of a group of Dopplers that live nearby in the Underdark, he approaches them, and they agree to have one of their own impersonate the king. And life goes on... except for your PC who stumbled upon the truth.
But here's the rub: What if the Doppleganger likes being King? What if he and his cronies are planning a bigger takeover? What if the advisor(s) himself has been replaced since your character was forced out? Thus, even though he was forced to leave for very good reasons, it might be a good idea for him to return with the truth someday.
And some of this may have even been explained to your character - that it was for 'the greater good' that an imposter is acting like the King, and it would be best for him to leave, in case he spills the beans accidentally (dwarves do get drunk, plus other things could happen that would trigger him blabbing).
This scenario works best for a small, inconspicuous clan. if you want to do this with a more noteworthy bunch (like from one of those locales I mentioned above), you might be better off replacing the King with his brother, who was himself exiled years earlier for embarrassing his clan (so they found him and made him king, to avoid a 'war', but the guy is still a jerk, so the rest still fits - he may have offed the advisor himself and replaced him with one of his buddies).
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 26 Mar 2018 00:52:03 |
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Balmar Foghaven
Learned Scribe
Canada
124 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 14:40:26
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| You described the very situation currently at play in Citadel Adbar. With the death of the brother-kings Harbromm and Harnoth, the council of elders has opted to place a doppleganger in King Harnoth's place to prevent a public outcry or somesuch thing. So farinal perhaps your player uncovered this secret replacement king and thought it was some sort of overthrow of the monarchy by the council of elders. |
"Despair not, for in the end all things shall work out for the best - in at least one timeline." |
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Balmar Foghaven
Learned Scribe
Canada
124 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 15:48:41
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| Alternatively, perhaps one of the dwarves in said clan secretly knew about the drow and orc ambush which killed Harnoth in canon, but decided to not act on this knowledge due to some vendetta or ambition. |
"Despair not, for in the end all things shall work out for the best - in at least one timeline." |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 18:45:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Balmar Foghaven
You described the very situation currently at play in Citadel Adbar. With the death of the brother-kings Harbromm and Harnoth, the council of elders has opted to place a doppleganger in King Harnoth's place to prevent a public outcry or somesuch thing. So farinal perhaps your player uncovered this secret replacement king and thought it was some sort of overthrow of the monarchy by the council of elders.
WAIT... thats canon somewhere? 
I mean, Dopplegangers replacing people is normal in FR, but that was a little too specific. How old is that lore? If its pre-4e it may have been something I read, then, and have forgotten about.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Balmar Foghaven
Learned Scribe
Canada
124 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2018 : 20:39:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
quote:
Originally posted by Balmar Foghaven
You described the very situation currently at play in Citadel Adbar. With the death of the brother-kings Harbromm and Harnoth, the council of elders has opted to place a doppleganger in King Harnoth's place to prevent a public outcry or somesuch thing. So farinal perhaps your player uncovered this secret replacement king and thought it was some sort of overthrow of the monarchy by the council of elders.
WAIT... thats canon somewhere?
I mean, Dopplegangers replacing people is normal in FR, but that was a little too specific. How old is that lore? If its pre-4e it may have been something I read, then, and have forgotten about.
Oh no it's quite recent. It's mentioned in Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide and is a major plot point in some of the latest Salvatore novels. |
"Despair not, for in the end all things shall work out for the best - in at least one timeline." |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2018 : 08:03:44
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Weird. I haven't read that source, nor any recent RAS novels.
REALLY weird.
Like, CREEPY weird. 
(perhaps there was a discussion around here?)
If I am now coming up with the exact same plots as RAS I may have to question my own future participation here. Next thing you know, I'll be naming characters Tipsy Bigglesnort. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2018 : 23:46:44
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quote:
Originally posted by farinal
One of my players is a dwarf from the North and I need some ideas to shape his Clan. We used the backgrounds of 5E and in our story his backstory is the was exiled from his Clan unjustly after discovering something rotten/evil in his Clan's leadership.
What I thought first was to have some kind of a connection with the Duergars but I am not sure yet. Perhaps the Clan's leader or the High Priest had a deal with the Duergars and is a traitor while the rest of the Clan doesnt know about it... or something.
We thought to place the Clan either somewhere in the Spine of the World mountains or somewhere near the Icewind Dale.
Where do you think is best to place a smallish dwarf clan in the North? And what do you think is a good conspiracy or corruption that my players character discovered and subsequently got unjustly exiled for?
Thanks
Pick up The Complete Book of Dwarves and Dwarves Deep, both are 2E supplements, but are pretty much the awesome when it comes to dwarven characters. |
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farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2018 : 11:41:40
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Thanks everyone for great comments.
@markustay: I really dig the location of Krypthome as our campaign first started at Amphail and they are fairly close to each other. It is kind of really small but I guess it fits well for my player's character to be able to get the spotlight. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2018 : 17:27:07
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quote:
Originally posted by farinal
Thanks everyone for great comments.
@markustay: I really dig the location of Krypthome as our campaign first started at Amphail and they are fairly close to each other. It is kind of really small but I guess it fits well for my player's character to be able to get the spotlight.
Also, nothing says you can't expand it within your own game - say its a dwarven hamlet with around 200 people. Not every dwarf is an axe-wielding killing machine, and these could just be simple prospectors and their families who were in need of help (for that adventure). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2018 : 02:48:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Not every dwarf is an axe-wielding killing machine, (snip)
What are you, an elf? Speaking so poorly of the valiant dwarven people is an offense to all dwarfkind!
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Ideas on a small northern dwarf clan
