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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 02:28:17
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Been working a little (very little bit) on my Five Shires of the Forgotten Realms; but I'm coming up with a stumbling block for an NPC I want to include, which is the Ambassador to my Five Shires from Ironfang Keep (which is taking the place of Rockhome).
The Ironfang Keep of the Alaoreum in the mountains of northern Turmish.
I have The Vilhoun Reach sourcebook (which gives rather scant information on Ironfang Keep)...so I've got that covered.
What I'm looking for is any obscure lore in other books I may have overlooked.
Thanks for any help.
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 05:18:29
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Great Reader Darden,
Greetings. I found some interesting information from The Moonsea accessory, on multiple pages. However, the excerpt I am about to share below is just some of the really fascinating information that clearly differs from the Vilhon Reach accessory.
quote:
The first is a magic dead zone 400 feet wide, beginning 700 feet from the keep and surrounding its environs. Within this circle no magic works, magical items shut down, and spell effects end. Even summoned creatures are flung back to their point of origin (regardless of whether they are natural animals or outer planes creatures). Moving through the dead zone toward the keep, a traveler enters a 200-foot-wide wild magic zone. As the name implies, magic goes crazy in this area. Spells have bizarre and unusual effects, magical items work in erratic and unpredictable ways, and charmed or summoned creatures will act strangely or flee outright. The last 100 feet surrounding the castle environs proper is a zone where magic works normally again.
The only unusual feature of the normal zone is the massive reverse gravity spell that affects the air above. Winged creatures that approach within the normal environs will suddenly drop to the ground and take falling damage. Naturally, any riders also take damage. The zones make it impossible to approach the keep via any magical means of motion. Even spellcasters using polymorph self or druids using shapechanging abilities find themselves unceremoniously returned to their normal shapes and plummeted earthward. Even wish and limited wish are useless as means of gaining access. Magical items are equally ineffective; even artifacts cannot be used to gain entry. These two fields also make it impossible to use astral or ethereal travel to access the castle. Rumor has it that the two fields cause a certain psionic interference that prevents entry via mental powers. If PCs want to approach the keep, they must walk. There are no exceptions. Even when they get there, however, there is no easy way inside. The castle#146;s basalt walls appear immune to damage as well. Spells that normally cause structural damage do not seem to even scratch the stone. Pounding on the walls with weapons is futile. They are impervious even to iron spikes. (The Moonsea, pg.60)
Looked like pretty great stuff in there.
There was also a brief Realmslore article as well at: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130531132751/http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 07:44:30
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Grand History of the Realms:
page 67, entry 227 DR Year of the Raised Banner
The dwarves of Alaoreum [1150] fight and win an epic battle with the red dragon Stormcrossing. The dwarves win, but the humans are alerted to their presence in the mountains of Turmish.
This is the first mention of Alaoreum.
page 121, entry 1150 DR Year of the Scourge
The mohrg Borran Klosk [1370], servant of the Stalker, marches his undead armies against the cities of the Vilhon Reach. The druids of the Emerald Enclave [717, 1370] and the dwarves of the Alaoreum [227, 1220] aid the Reach in its time of need.
page 125, entry 1220 DR (interestingly no Year of for this year)
Turmish begins to wage war against the dwarves of the Alaoreum [1150, 1241].
page 126, entry 1241 DR Year of the Lost Lady
The dwarves of the Alaoreum [1220] bring the mountain down upon their own city, Ironfang [1297], removing themselves from the conflict with Turmish.
page 132, entry 1297 DR Year of the Singing Skull
The dwarf city of Ironfang [1241] emerges from its self-imposed exile.
That is it from the Grand History of the Realms. Brief mention of the Campaign of Darkness between duergar and Ironfang in the Underdark book, in the entry for Dunspeirrin.
An interesting comment in Demihuman Deities in the enrty for Duerra - during the Time of Troubles Duerra's avatar appeared in Underspires. Duerra began the assembling of armies and elite warriors who recommenced fighting with Ironfang.
That is it for my current list of entries that have not already been noted.
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 08:04:58
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Learned Scribe maransreth,
That is interesting indeed about Duerra's appearance. I never could find anything about what caused her death, but she was indeed whacked in 1383DR.
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 14:16:51
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Great Reader Darden,
Greetings. I found some interesting information from The Moonsea accessory, on multiple pages. However, the excerpt I am about to share below is just some of the really fascinating information that clearly differs from the Vilhon Reach accessory.
quote:
The first is a magic dead zone 400 feet wide, beginning 700 feet from the keep and surrounding its environs. Within this circle no magic works, magical items shut down, and spell effects end. Even summoned creatures are flung back to their point of origin (regardless of whether they are natural animals or outer planes creatures). Moving through the dead zone toward the keep, a traveler enters a 200-foot-wide wild magic zone. As the name implies, magic goes crazy in this area. Spells have bizarre and unusual effects, magical items work in erratic and unpredictable ways, and charmed or summoned creatures will act strangely or flee outright. The last 100 feet surrounding the castle environs proper is a zone where magic works normally again.
The only unusual feature of the normal zone is the massive reverse gravity spell that affects the air above. Winged creatures that approach within the normal environs will suddenly drop to the ground and take falling damage. Naturally, any riders also take damage. The zones make it impossible to approach the keep via any magical means of motion. Even spellcasters using polymorph self or druids using shapechanging abilities find themselves unceremoniously returned to their normal shapes and plummeted earthward. Even wish and limited wish are useless as means of gaining access. Magical items are equally ineffective; even artifacts cannot be used to gain entry. These two fields also make it impossible to use astral or ethereal travel to access the castle. Rumor has it that the two fields cause a certain psionic interference that prevents entry via mental powers. If PCs want to approach the keep, they must walk. There are no exceptions. Even when they get there, however, there is no easy way inside. The castle#146;s basalt walls appear immune to damage as well. Spells that normally cause structural damage do not seem to even scratch the stone. Pounding on the walls with weapons is futile. They are impervious even to iron spikes. (The Moonsea, pg.60)
Looked like pretty great stuff in there.
There was also a brief Realmslore article as well at: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130531132751/http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a
Best regards,
IRONFANG KEEP OF TURMISH...not the Moonsea cpthero2 |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 15:14:55
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Great Reader Darden,
Good morning good sir!
Whew, thanks for catching that. I think I was a bit blurry eyed when I dug that up last night, haha. That is a real puzzle for sure. I can see the challenge.
Sorry for the mix up there!
Beat regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 15:15:32
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Great Reader Darden,
Greetings. I found some interesting information from The Moonsea accessory, on multiple pages. However, the excerpt I am about to share below is just some of the really fascinating information that clearly differs from the Vilhon Reach accessory.
quote:
The first is a magic dead zone 400 feet wide, beginning 700 feet from the keep and surrounding its environs. Within this circle no magic works, magical items shut down, and spell effects end. Even summoned creatures are flung back to their point of origin (regardless of whether they are natural animals or outer planes creatures). Moving through the dead zone toward the keep, a traveler enters a 200-foot-wide wild magic zone. As the name implies, magic goes crazy in this area. Spells have bizarre and unusual effects, magical items work in erratic and unpredictable ways, and charmed or summoned creatures will act strangely or flee outright. The last 100 feet surrounding the castle environs proper is a zone where magic works normally again.
The only unusual feature of the normal zone is the massive reverse gravity spell that affects the air above. Winged creatures that approach within the normal environs will suddenly drop to the ground and take falling damage. Naturally, any riders also take damage. The zones make it impossible to approach the keep via any magical means of motion. Even spellcasters using polymorph self or druids using shapechanging abilities find themselves unceremoniously returned to their normal shapes and plummeted earthward. Even wish and limited wish are useless as means of gaining access. Magical items are equally ineffective; even artifacts cannot be used to gain entry. These two fields also make it impossible to use astral or ethereal travel to access the castle. Rumor has it that the two fields cause a certain psionic interference that prevents entry via mental powers. If PCs want to approach the keep, they must walk. There are no exceptions. Even when they get there, however, there is no easy way inside. The castle#146;s basalt walls appear immune to damage as well. Spells that normally cause structural damage do not seem to even scratch the stone. Pounding on the walls with weapons is futile. They are impervious even to iron spikes. (The Moonsea, pg.60)
Looked like pretty great stuff in there.
There was also a brief Realmslore article as well at: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130531132751/http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drrl/20071107a
Best regards,
slow down and read his request. He specified from Turmish. My mind twisted on that because I personally don't recall an ironfang in Turmish, but lord knows people reuse names (especially descriptive ones involving metals and body parts). But conflating things causes confusion, and he was trying to be specific. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 15:34:47
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quote:
Originally posted by maransreth
Grand History of the Realms:
page 67, entry 227 DR Year of the Raised Banner
The dwarves of Alaoreum [1150] fight and win an epic battle with the red dragon Stormcrossing. The dwarves win, but the humans are alerted to their presence in the mountains of Turmish.
This is the first mention of Alaoreum.
page 121, entry 1150 DR Year of the Scourge
The mohrg Borran Klosk [1370], servant of the Stalker, marches his undead armies against the cities of the Vilhon Reach. The druids of the Emerald Enclave [717, 1370] and the dwarves of the Alaoreum [227, 1220] aid the Reach in its time of need.
page 125, entry 1220 DR (interestingly no Year of for this year)
Turmish begins to wage war against the dwarves of the Alaoreum [1150, 1241].
page 126, entry 1241 DR Year of the Lost Lady
The dwarves of the Alaoreum [1220] bring the mountain down upon their own city, Ironfang [1297], removing themselves from the conflict with Turmish.
page 132, entry 1297 DR Year of the Singing Skull
The dwarf city of Ironfang [1241] emerges from its self-imposed exile.
That is it from the Grand History of the Realms. Brief mention of the Campaign of Darkness between duergar and Ironfang in the Underdark book, in the entry for Dunspeirrin.
An interesting comment in Demihuman Deities in the enrty for Duerra - during the Time of Troubles Duerra's avatar appeared in Underspires. Duerra began the assembling of armies and elite warriors who recommenced fighting with Ironfang.
That is it for my current list of entries that have not already been noted.
Thanks for all those nuggets! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 15:58:09
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Great Reader sleyvas,
Oh, I certainly agree, hence my apology. I fully agree the mistake was mine indeed.
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 16:00:08
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Ironfang Keep is referenced in 3e Underdark page 145:
"Dunspeirrin’s long-standing martial tradition was reignited by the return of Deep Duerra’s avatar in the form of Dunspeirrin’s Queen Mother and regent during the Time of Troubles. In the fourteen years since the Year of Shadows, the duergar armies of Dunspeirrin have clashed with the surface-dwelling shield dwarves of Ironfang Keep (this Campaign of Darkness continues fitfully even today), the illithids of Oryndoll, the drow of Undraeth (beneath the Aphrunn Mountains), and small communities of drow, shield dwarves, and svirfbneblin beneath the Dragon Reach. The Steel Kingdom is now engaged in an ever-expanding war with gold dwarf crusaders intent on reclaiming the caverns of Deep Shanatar, and its forces may be dangerously overextended."
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"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 16:02:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Been working a little (very little bit) on my Five Shires of the Forgotten Realms; but I'm coming up with a stumbling block for an NPC I want to include, which is the Ambassador to my Five Shires from Ironfang Keep (which is taking the place of Rockhome).
The Ironfang Keep of the Alaoreum in the mountains of northern Turmish.
I have The Vilhoun Reach sourcebook (which gives rather scant information on Ironfang Keep)...so I've got that covered.
What I'm looking for is any obscure lore in other books I may have overlooked.
Thanks for any help.
Dalor,
Out of curiosity, what are you looking to do with the NPC? Also, what era are you making this for (pre-spellplague or current day)? Given the notes I see from someone below about Deep Duerra and the involvement relatively recently with the ToT, that seems like a good "recent" development if its pre spellplague, but it becomes "ancient history" if its post spellplague.
Also, just to save anyone else the time to look it up, here's the stuff from demihuman deities
Likewise, in the late 1200s DR, the gray dwarves of Underspires waged a five-decade-long and ultimately inconclusive war with their surface kin in Ironfang Keep among the Mountains of the Alaoreum. (This is not to be confused with the mysterious fortress of the same name on the shores of the Moonsea.) That conflict, known to the dwarves of the Alaoreum as the Campaign of Darkness, has continued fitfully to the current day. In the Year of Shadows (1358 DR), during the Fall of the Gods, Duerra's avatar appeared in Underspires in the form of the Queen Mother, who was serving as regent of the duergar city until War King Olorn reached his maturity. Duerra began assembling and training an army of elite duergar warriors. Initial forays against the outlying dwarven and drow settlements of Ironfang and Undraeth served to shape the army of Underspires into its highest level of readiness in centuries. Under the leadership of their divine regent, the duergar extended their holdings to the Underdark tunnels deep beneath the Cloven Mountains, reaching the deepest mines of long-fallen Tathtar. Duerra then disappeared into the southernmost reaches of the Underdark, and the young War King ascended to the Underthrone.
If this was relatively recently (thirteen years to a dwarf being like 4 or 5 to us), then there might have been some interaction between the avatar of Deep Duerra (in the body of the Queen Mother of Underspires) and this ambassador to the Five Shires. Hell, given dwarven aging there still might have been, but the "sting" of that involvement may have worn off with time.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 16:15:13
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Like most of what I do with the Forgotten Realms, material for the Five Shires I worked on is for pre-Time of Troubles. The timeline I've worked out is here:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16585&whichpage=2
The "Hin" have had good relations with Ironfang since 1297 DR though...and I did plan on the Ambassador to be a veteran of the Duergar Wars.
The original Ambassador from Rockhome is Thrildor Blackhammer who is well regarded. I just need to spin his history a bit to make it tie closely with the Forgotten Realms. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 17:04:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
The original Ambassador from Rockhome is Thrildor Blackhammer who is well regarded. I just need to spin his history a bit to make it tie closely with the Forgotten Realms.
If he's detailed in The Five Shires, I'll look up him and see what occurs to me for a respin. Hopefully I can do that this eve. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 18:54:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Like most of what I do with the Forgotten Realms, material for the Five Shires I worked on is for pre-Time of Troubles. The timeline I've worked out is here:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16585&whichpage=2
The "Hin" have had good relations with Ironfang since 1297 DR though...and I did plan on the Ambassador to be a veteran of the Duergar Wars.
The original Ambassador from Rockhome is Thrildor Blackhammer who is well regarded. I just need to spin his history a bit to make it tie closely with the Forgotten Realms.
Thanks for the name. I found him in the five shires. Here's my take on him in short terms from what's written.
Thrildor Blackhammer is both beloved and loved by the hin children of the five shires. When he's at parties, he takes the time to personally entertain bored children with stories, rather than doing what his superiors would expect him to do, which would be to try and win over the leaders of the community. At one point, when he was walking in "seashire" with some children, he was seen by some hin parents walking towards some of their children. The parents, seeing an "untrustworthy dwarf" walking towards their children, started forward to protect their own, only to have the children jump forward and tell the parents to stop "because he's Thrildor, and he's not like other dwarves". But when it comes to adults, Thrildor Blackhammer expects them to be grown up, do their duty, and to consider others before themselves.
Here's how I view some spins you could do with the above
Thrildor reminds me of Uncle Iroh from Avatar the Last Airbender. I think maybe he's so focused on children, because like Uncle Iroh, his own children (several dwarves) and his wife were killed in the wars with the duergar. He lost his family because he failed to do what he was supposed to do (or at least he blames himself for not doing enough), and he's fraught with guilt. He doesn't want anyone else to go through the pain that he went through, and thus he doesn't put up well with slackers... even worse, with selfish criminals.
He was assigned as an ambassador because he was having problems at home. He was getting drunk. He was starting fights. He couldn't deal with seeing the place where he had fallen in love, raised his children, and finally watched them die. He was sent away to the shires by his clan elders in hopes that he can heal the pain in his heart.
Thrildor is a brother in law to the ruler of the dwarves of the Alaoreum, also known as the Ironfang dwarves. His dead wife was the king's favorite sister. His "king" (yeah, I gotta look up what they call their ruler) has decided that Thrildor needs some additional responsibility. He's assigned his youngest of ? children to serve Thrildor in a way a young page or squire might serve a knight. This child (come up with a name) actually finds himself in competition with numerous hin children who WANT to help Thrildor. As a result, this young dwarf child has become fast friends with many young hin children, much to the chagrin of his personal guards who believe he's acting a bit too "wild". Thrildor however is falling in love with his charge and considers him like one of his own sons.
Thrildor's clan (the Blackhammers) are the source of much of the adamantine (blackmetal) for the dwarves of his clan. They are also known for being some of the greatest craftsmen in making adamantine weapons and armor. Unfortunately, their mines are in areas that are very near duergar territory.
Thrildor's clan also recently discovered a special kind of cold-producing black fire amongst a vein of amethyst in the underdark in some mines PREVIOUSLY held by some duergar of Underspires. Thrildor was amongst a group of halfling sages when he received a message about this strange event, and he thought little of mentioning it to them. Thrildor was overwhelmed with questions, and eventually he led a group of inquisitive halflings back to his homeland to "study" this strange fire, because they believed they knew what it was. They eventually were brought to the vein of amethyst, where they proclaimed that a new source of "blackflame" had been found. The hin are ecstatic and are in negotiations via Thrildor to trade with the dwarves for this "blackflame", but the clan elders of the dwarves are reticent to let them have access to it (even though the stuff acts dangerously towards non-hin).
(SIDENOTE: "blackflame" and this strange amethyst could definitely be fit into the stories of "plangent crystal" from down in the shining lands. It could also be claimed to be some kind of residual energy left behind by some particularly powerful amethyst dragon. Maybe it even has ties to Jhaamdathi Udoxias AND gem dragon scales from an amethyst dragon. Perhaps unlike in five shires, some psionic individuals can control "blackflame", and the duergar were mining it for themselves. Regaining control of these mines will become a main reason that Deep Duerra's avatar attacks these dwarves in a few years... and they win them back, but only after the hin has acquired a lot of it).
Does any of that work for what you're looking for? I know a lot of times I get stuck and it helps to spam ideas with others. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 28 Oct 2020 19:01:25 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 19:01:25
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I do like the ideas for the ambassador!
The blackflame could indeed be something that ties the two groups together; I hadn't thought about that! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2020 : 19:15:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
I do like the ideas for the ambassador!
The blackflame could indeed be something that ties the two groups together; I hadn't thought about that!
Yeah, I'm looking at your timeline in that other thread right now. If you change the date that blackflame is discovered OR that Loktal Ironshield takes over, then you can actually tie those things together. For instance, maybe Loktal took over the hin, they discover blackflame, they kick out the duergar USING blackflame to aid them. The duergar become obsessed with blackflame. The duergar eventually discover their own source for it. That brings up questions of what exactly IS blackflame? It sounds an awful lot like the Athora beneath Thay, but I'd recommend against making it the same thing. I really like the idea of tying it to dragon remains from gem dragons of old (maybe those who want to die of old age "merge" with a vein of gems or something).
Hmmm, and not sure how, but if you DO tie the blackflame to something to do with psionics, you may want to also have the ghostwise halflings interested in blackflame since they are telepathic.
BTW, when you do get something ready, I'd really like to read it. I've never read the five shires other than the skimming I'm doing right now, but its got some interesting ideas. That being said, I think the "conversion" process will probably improve it that much more as a second set of eyes looks at the original material. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 28 Oct 2020 19:34:45 |
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Ironfang Keep of Turmish
