There was no warning. Baldenvelt the proud Dwarven capital has been overwhelmed by a massive horde of goblins descending from the Upper Reaches. After decades of undisturbed peace the city was caught completely unprepared. To make matters worse the goblin army is supported by three green dragons, terrible beasts in their own right and devastating to the capitals defences. Baldenvelt is fallen, leaving the High Rock region defenceless against the tide of war. Why did the goblins attack and what dark force binds dragons to their service? Only time will tell!
Stonebound is a subterranean world loosely based on the Underdark. It is dominated by a vast ocean of lava and is mostly populated by Dwarves. I am looking for one (maybe two) players to join this campaign at level two. This campaign is for Dwarves only and we already have the following :
Rogue
Fighter
Artificer
Barbarian
Druid (On a break)
Here is the world you will be adventuring in :
The Story So Far :
The Dwarves (and a couple of gnomes) have fled the capital and crossed the burning ocean by Stoneship. They have landed on the Isle of Guldroth and entered the city of Duragath to tell the authorities of the invasion. As you might expect they have now been employed by the authorities to help prepare for the inevitable goblin attack.
Currently they are outside the city escorting some Dwarven villagers home and clearing out the local mines of Troglodytes that have been driven down from the nearby mountains. They have also made a commitment to scout out a nearby abandoned monastery on the way back to Duragath. It seems goblins have taken up residence there. A coincidence or a scouting party perhaps?
This is Duragath :
Your Character :
Any level 2 Dwarven character will be considered. I may consider a non-dwarf if its pretty darn special and fits the campaign but I'll leave that to you. Point buy for stats please and I am green enough to not be scared by UA etc. so feel free to experiment a little.
You will be most likely starting as a citizen of Guldroth, but if you fancy somewhere else on the map as a point of origin we can talk. Points to consider :
Gnomes exist within dwarf society but were slaves until recently and are still treated with prejudice. (Already two gnomes in the party so avoid if you can).
The Temple of Moradin is against arcane magic and it is technically against the law, though that law is mostly ignored by secular society
The Temple abolished the Dwarven monarchy and set up a High Council. However, with the fall of Baldenvelt the line of kings may resurface. As it happens the last surviving High Lord is also of that royal blood and rules the nearby city of Duragath
Table Rules
As always wheatons law must be followed at all times.
As DM I will roll group rolls such as initiative for the sake of momentum, but all individual rolls in and out of combat are in your hands and are made using the Dice Roller.
We will use initiative as a guide only within the round. I encourage players to post intent ahead of their turns to allow combat to move faster.
I aim to post once a day and ask the same of players if there is a prompt in game for them to do so. However, we live in interesting times and real life always comes first so I will flex either way on this depending on the circumstance.
During a longer absence I will rag doll characters along to keep things moving
You will need to run your sheet on the site and join the campaign...
There is probably a load more that I need to tell you, but we can pick that up when you are on board.
Background: Slate has only known misery from as afar back as his memory goes. Having been a slave of an aboleth who experimented on him he finally got a chance to escape and did so, thankfully with his new power the creature granted him. Unfortunately he escaped to a place that considers the arcane arts as a crime so for the past 5 years he has lived as an urchin staying under the radar of the authorities. He swears that the gods are out to get him as now some goblin army is threatening his life once more and is escaping the destruction with some citizens and can breathe a little easier for now. Only time will tell if he will once more be in danger and he is looking for a way to change his life that fate seems to want to extinguish for some reason.
Darmun Graybeard would like to offer his services. He is an uncharacteristically weak dwarf who although trained in smithing, fails to have the strength and endurance to earn a living at it. Instead, his talents seem to have been imbued to him. Specifically, from an unnamed celestial spirit that has visited him in his dreams since he was quite young.
(So, if a dwarven celestial warlock seems like a good fit, he’d love to join.)
Class: Bard (Going spirits probably since you said UA is cool)
Kima grew up in a small town on Guldroth. An orphan at birth, she grew up surrounded by loving and caring scholars that took her in. Even though she had no blood family, much of her small village treated her as their own and she felt that they were all her family. The scholars who ran the orphanage taught Kima about her people's history, the stories of their heroes. This history was most often passed down in ballads and songs. Kima loved hearing and singing these ballads. She would often recited them as a form of blessing before major events in her village. As she grew older, she found that she had a knack for communing with her ancestor's spirits when she performed the stories. When she heard of what happened in Baldenvelt, Kima knew that there would be mighty heroes rising up to face this new challenge. Deciding that she would record these heroes actions, Kima set off for Duragath where many refugees had arrived.
Gael was raised by her mother and father until age 16 when she lost her parents, mother Helgret and her father Reirak, as well as their whole adventuring party went missing. She was then raised by her parents guild. Although she lacked her parent's guidance Gael grew up in a comfortable thanks to her success as a tracker. Hating her mundane life in the guild however, Gael saw the goblin attacks as much as an opportunity to help as to break out of the mold her life had so far made for her. She's seen what happens when the monsters come out from the dark and has taken it upon herself to become the first line of defense against the evils that lie beyond civilization's borders.
Her weapon of choice is a war hammer/pick as pictured. Hammer on one side and pick on the other if allowed. She's a two weapon ranger not an archer.
I will leave it vague to best to fit into the game. Are we playing here on DnD beyond correct?
Backstory: Long had Thokum been looking for that dig site. The one that would put his name into the history books.
Hailing from Thull, he had paid for travel to the Isle of Guldroth many months ago on a whim. Well, not so much a whim, but an ancient vague scratching he had found in the previous dig. It pointed to Guldroth as a place of interest, but he had failed to translate anything more. So there he found himself, kneeling on all fours sifting through millenia old dust when he came across an interesting statuette. This was no ordinary sculpture though. As he dusted the crud from it he felt a presence form around, no, through him. A Dao stood beside him. The Genie spoke long about being cooped up for centuries and how, by freeing him he would grant Thokum power beyond that of any mortal. Being so caught up in the moment, Thokum agreed in haste without listening. The first request came from the Dao. "Head to Duragath. Trouble will find you there, but there you must go to prove yourself worthy of my attention." And with that the Genie disappeared in a cloud of dust.
Backstory: Roth stood by his comrades...arm in arm against the goblin horde. The first day was hard, but the dwarves held firm. There was no way around the pass and the strength and martial prowess of the dwarves was stronger than the goblin horde. It's what Roth was made for. It's all he had wanted. To stand with other warriors against the foe. The second day was longer and harder still, but again the Dwarf warriors held firm.
The third day, a dark shadow passed overhead. A dragon. The Fear Struck. Many of the Dwarves fled, leaving a small unit holding the pass, suddenly surrounded, Roth prepared for the final rush and sent a last prayer to the gods...The Goblin horde charged...And a god answered. Lightning slammed to the earth and everything went black....
When Roth awakened, he was the last one left alive. Goblins and Dwarves alike stacked deep around him, friends and foe alike struck down by the fury of the Stormlord. But worse....he had something else, he had...magic. No longer would he be allowed to stand with his comrades due to the distrust of the origina of his magic, Roth is forced to find his own way....
Tharmaen Bloodstone grew up as the son of a trader in Guldroth. Although he had a good life, something about the way the gnomes were being treated didn't sit well with him. The Stories of their mistreatment in earlier generations still rang through the culture, and, although things had improved, Tharmaen got to a point where he refused to be any part of it anymore. As a young man, Tharmaen left, seculding himself from the world, devoting his life to Sharindlar and the study of the healer's arts.
Tharmaen managed to eek out a simple living, helping those in need and offering his healing service to the less fortunate. Often their payment was in food, shelter or services rendered. Tharmaen's most prized possession is his Warhammer. For 5 years he had lived with the family of a formers guardsman who had left the service of the kingdom after he had been struck by a wasting disease. Tharmaen had been unable to heal the man, but had worked hard to manage his pain and maintain his life while he supported his wife and young daughter. On the passing of the guard, Tharmaen found that he had been gifted the man's Warhammer, a token left from his time in the service. Now it reminded Tharmaen of the generosity of his people and the need to protect those around him. His servitude had also led to several opportunities to help gnomes who had escaped and were seeking a better life. Tharmaen would help them with food and medicine and in return they taught him their language and culture.
With news of the invasion Tharmaen has returned to aid where he can, to stand with his fellow dwarfs, and the recently freed gnomes, to protect their home and drive out the invaders.
Dvori, son of Dvarha, son of Dverin, of the High Clan Draka of Eranon. Once a far more prominent clan, this Guldrothian clan Draka fell into stygma and ignominy after the ascension of the High Council, Moradin's Chosen. Reputed to be a clan of sorcerers and magicians, they have retreated to their ancient island and eschewed wider contact with the other holds of the Burning Sea. As a few survivors speed their way from the ruins of Baldenvelt, however, rumors of dragons and dark magics rekindle ancient curiosities...
(Guldrothian Noble, Sorcerer, draconic bloodline. Hill dwarf chosen, because I tend to like the flavor, but happy to exchange for Mountain Dwarf if that subrace is more fitting to Guldroth. Been looking for an all dwarf campaign, and what do you know, your game shows up! All the best to this endeavor, even if I am not selected.)
“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman...You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Tunga hefted the great warhammer from her back. Holding the well-crafted weapon in her hands always made a difference. Nostalgia hit her in waves; happier times, times spent with family and friends, peace. Such was not the case anymore. Not since Baldenvelt had been lost. Now bitterness and vengeance replaced more positive thoughts; darkening her mood.
Staring down at the weapon she sighed heavily. This warhammer had saved her life. She remembered the exact place and time she had forged it. It had been as though the gods themselves had guided her hands, imbuing it with something more – as though a piece of her soul had entered the warhammer itself. She smirked at the thought.
Looking round the rest of the survivors Tunga was reminded by a painful truth – what had at first been ‘many’ was vast becoming ‘few’. It was one thing surviving the initial attack, another still to survive the resulting displacement – for outside of civilisation risks abound everywhere.
Grim faces stared at her as she held the warhammer. They had all been through a lot. Folk had lost friends, family, lovers, mentors. The weapons of war served as a constant reminder of that which had transpired. Tunga quickly put her warhammer away.
The group of survivors she had been with had made it to one of the outlying villages. Some of them had been common-folk, unused to the sights of war; Tunga, herself, had been a smith, more comfortable with crafting weapons more than wielding them. She had learned quickly though - necessity was a good teacher.
Though she yearned for nothing more than to ‘retire’ the fine weapon, Tunga knew that she would have further use of it. If her fortunes were good then she might be able to find like-minded folk, ready to attempt to reclaim Baldenvelt. For, though the thought of further bloodshed repulsed her, someone would need to be held to account for the misery caused that fateful day.
Background: Inheritor(A scarred, charred, longsword which looks like it was never quite finished)
Our tale does not begin in this generation, nor the one before it. Nay, it all begins centuries ago, with one dwarf by the name of Baldri Steelcreed. Baldri was a smith of great renown, but he wasn't quite satisfied with that. He could have gone his whole life making ordinary weapons and armour, making vast sums of money that would sustain his clan for generations and generations to come, but that didn't feel right to him. He needed more. He needed to make something truly beautiful. His magnum opus. The greatest sword to ever be crafted. He gathered the finest metals, the finest equipment, but he needed more. The paltry heat of the Burning Ocean was not enough to satisfy his needs. No, there was only one place that he could make this weapon. So, he gathered up his things and went on a short vacation to Hell.
He sought out the Lord of this infernal wasteland, and promised him something, anything, in exchange for being allowed to forge his weapon in their white-hot forges. He promised them weapons for their armies, his first born, and his second and third too, anything for the opportunity to complete his life's work. But the Lord of Hell smiled, and simply told him that the honor of having such a great smith use his forge would be enough. Foolish Baldri, so caught up in his ecstasy, forgot one simple thing. He was speaking to the Lord of Hell, for Moradin's bloody sake! You never accept a gift from a devil, much less from the Devil himself! But poor Baldri, he forgot this, and went to work. For nine hundred days and nine hundred nights, plus a bit of extra time when he misplaced his favorite tongs and couldn't find them for several days, Baldri Steelcreed worked, and worked, and he poured everything he had into his creation. Until finally, one the nine hundredth(ish) night, he held the glowing piece of metal in his hands, and quenched it in the Styx.
He named the sword Tyrfing, then he left, back up to the surface, with nothing but his masterpiece. And oh, what a masterpiece it was! It could cut through stone and metal like a knife through a soft cheese. It could rend flesh and bone like a knife through soft cheese. It could go through soft cheese like a knife through soft cheese. But, of course, things like this always have their downsides. And this downside came in the form of a particularly nasty curse. Anyone who wielded Tyrfing was corrupted by its fiendish origins, twisted into a devilish form, their souls forever bound to the blade. Additionally, any lives claimed by Tyrfing were damned, sent straight to hell, and sooner or later the holder of the blade would find themselves at the mercy of its point as well. Tyrfing was passed from hand to hand, and eventually lost, but its fiendish touch lingered on the bloodlines of those who had held it, twisting their bodies and binding their souls to the blade and its infernal masters.
So when the blade began to follow Eirik, son of Ytrid, son of Baldri, it was no surprise. He knew it would come for him eventually. It was not Tyrfing, of course, but a servant of his will, a lesser item, made to unlock and channel the curse that Eirik held within him. Reluctantly, he took it, for his appearance marked him as cursed regardless, so why not get some power in exchange for it? And with his newfound power, he ventured out into the world to seek... er, whatever he happened upon, really.
Additional note: Eirik has disguise self at will, so he'll be able to live as a citizen without being randomly slapped by clerics, don't worry about that.
Loving the ideas and frankly spoiled for choice here. I am just working through the concepts to asses best fit and I will be in touch shortly if you are in.
Recruitment is now closed. I have chosen my two and sent them a PM. I would like to thank you all for the time taken and interest shown. You made my choice a difficult one!! Good luck with what ever you play next.
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DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
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Goblin Invasion
There was no warning. Baldenvelt the proud Dwarven capital has been overwhelmed by a massive horde of goblins descending from the Upper Reaches. After decades of undisturbed peace the city was caught completely unprepared. To make matters worse the goblin army is supported by three green dragons, terrible beasts in their own right and devastating to the capitals defences. Baldenvelt is fallen, leaving the High Rock region defenceless against the tide of war. Why did the goblins attack and what dark force binds dragons to their service? Only time will tell!
Stonebound is a subterranean world loosely based on the Underdark. It is dominated by a vast ocean of lava and is mostly populated by Dwarves. I am looking for one (maybe two) players to join this campaign at level two. This campaign is for Dwarves only and we already have the following :
Here is the world you will be adventuring in :
The Story So Far :
The Dwarves (and a couple of gnomes) have fled the capital and crossed the burning ocean by Stoneship. They have landed on the Isle of Guldroth and entered the city of Duragath to tell the authorities of the invasion. As you might expect they have now been employed by the authorities to help prepare for the inevitable goblin attack.
Currently they are outside the city escorting some Dwarven villagers home and clearing out the local mines of Troglodytes that have been driven down from the nearby mountains. They have also made a commitment to scout out a nearby abandoned monastery on the way back to Duragath. It seems goblins have taken up residence there. A coincidence or a scouting party perhaps?
This is Duragath :
Your Character :
Any level 2 Dwarven character will be considered. I may consider a non-dwarf if its pretty darn special and fits the campaign but I'll leave that to you. Point buy for stats please and I am green enough to not be scared by UA etc. so feel free to experiment a little.
You will be most likely starting as a citizen of Guldroth, but if you fancy somewhere else on the map as a point of origin we can talk. Points to consider :
Table Rules
There is probably a load more that I need to tell you, but we can pick that up when you are on board.
Good Luck!
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
I have an idea for a Dwarf Cleric. I would be interested to work with you to flesh him out and have him fit into your world.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/44447609/0G0b4L
Name: Slate
Background: Slate has only known misery from as afar back as his memory goes. Having been a slave of an aboleth who experimented on him he finally got a chance to escape and did so, thankfully with his new power the creature granted him. Unfortunately he escaped to a place that considers the arcane arts as a crime so for the past 5 years he has lived as an urchin staying under the radar of the authorities. He swears that the gods are out to get him as now some goblin army is threatening his life once more and is escaping the destruction with some citizens and can breathe a little easier for now. Only time will tell if he will once more be in danger and he is looking for a way to change his life that fate seems to want to extinguish for some reason.
Darmun Graybeard would like to offer his services. He is an uncharacteristically weak dwarf who although trained in smithing, fails to have the strength and endurance to earn a living at it. Instead, his talents seem to have been imbued to him. Specifically, from an unnamed celestial spirit that has visited him in his dreams since he was quite young.
(So, if a dwarven celestial warlock seems like a good fit, he’d love to join.)
https://ddb.ac/characters/44449385/QZY5sl
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
Name: Kima Sunblight
Class: Bard (Going spirits probably since you said UA is cool)
Kima grew up in a small town on Guldroth. An orphan at birth, she grew up surrounded by loving and caring scholars that took her in. Even though she had no blood family, much of her small village treated her as their own and she felt that they were all her family. The scholars who ran the orphanage taught Kima about her people's history, the stories of their heroes. This history was most often passed down in ballads and songs. Kima loved hearing and singing these ballads. She would often recited them as a form of blessing before major events in her village. As she grew older, she found that she had a knack for communing with her ancestor's spirits when she performed the stories. When she heard of what happened in Baldenvelt, Kima knew that there would be mighty heroes rising up to face this new challenge. Deciding that she would record these heroes actions, Kima set off for Duragath where many refugees had arrived.
https://ddb.ac/characters/44462877/L8uDhZ
Name: Gael Nikabrik
Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/41049045/U2l13b
Gael was raised by her mother and father until age 16 when she lost her parents, mother Helgret and her father Reirak, as well as their whole adventuring party went missing. She was then raised by her parents guild. Although she lacked her parent's guidance Gael grew up in a comfortable thanks to her success as a tracker. Hating her mundane life in the guild however, Gael saw the goblin attacks as much as an opportunity to help as to break out of the mold her life had so far made for her. She's seen what happens when the monsters come out from the dark and has taken it upon herself to become the first line of defense against the evils that lie beyond civilization's borders.
Her weapon of choice is a war hammer/pick as pictured. Hammer on one side and pick on the other if allowed. She's a two weapon ranger not an archer.
I will leave it vague to best to fit into the game. Are we playing here on DnD beyond correct?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Name: Thokum Daerdahk
Class: Warlock (Genie)
Backstory: Long had Thokum been looking for that dig site. The one that would put his name into the history books.
Hailing from Thull, he had paid for travel to the Isle of Guldroth many months ago on a whim. Well, not so much a whim, but an ancient vague scratching he had found in the previous dig. It pointed to Guldroth as a place of interest, but he had failed to translate anything more. So there he found himself, kneeling on all fours sifting through millenia old dust when he came across an interesting statuette. This was no ordinary sculpture though. As he dusted the crud from it he felt a presence form around, no, through him. A Dao stood beside him. The Genie spoke long about being cooped up for centuries and how, by freeing him he would grant Thokum power beyond that of any mortal. Being so caught up in the moment, Thokum agreed in haste without listening. The first request came from the Dao. "Head to Duragath. Trouble will find you there, but there you must go to prove yourself worthy of my attention." And with that the Genie disappeared in a cloud of dust.
Character Sheet
Druck Ironblood
a Hilldwarf Monk
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]Name: Roth Stormborn
Class: 1st fighter, 1st Storm Sorcerer
Backstory: Roth stood by his comrades...arm in arm against the goblin horde. The first day was hard, but the dwarves held firm. There was no way around the pass and the strength and martial prowess of the dwarves was stronger than the goblin horde. It's what Roth was made for. It's all he had wanted. To stand with other warriors against the foe. The second day was longer and harder still, but again the Dwarf warriors held firm.
The third day, a dark shadow passed overhead. A dragon. The Fear Struck. Many of the Dwarves fled, leaving a small unit holding the pass, suddenly surrounded, Roth prepared for the final rush and sent a last prayer to the gods...The Goblin horde charged...And a god answered. Lightning slammed to the earth and everything went black....
When Roth awakened, he was the last one left alive. Goblins and Dwarves alike stacked deep around him, friends and foe alike struck down by the fury of the Stormlord. But worse....he had something else, he had...magic. No longer would he be allowed to stand with his comrades due to the distrust of the origina of his magic, Roth is forced to find his own way....
Tharmaen Bloodstone - Mountain Dwarf Life Cleric
Tharmaen Bloodstone grew up as the son of a trader in Guldroth. Although he had a good life, something about the way the gnomes were being treated didn't sit well with him. The Stories of their mistreatment in earlier generations still rang through the culture, and, although things had improved, Tharmaen got to a point where he refused to be any part of it anymore. As a young man, Tharmaen left, seculding himself from the world, devoting his life to Sharindlar and the study of the healer's arts.
Tharmaen managed to eek out a simple living, helping those in need and offering his healing service to the less fortunate. Often their payment was in food, shelter or services rendered. Tharmaen's most prized possession is his Warhammer. For 5 years he had lived with the family of a formers guardsman who had left the service of the kingdom after he had been struck by a wasting disease. Tharmaen had been unable to heal the man, but had worked hard to manage his pain and maintain his life while he supported his wife and young daughter. On the passing of the guard, Tharmaen found that he had been gifted the man's Warhammer, a token left from his time in the service. Now it reminded Tharmaen of the generosity of his people and the need to protect those around him. His servitude had also led to several opportunities to help gnomes who had escaped and were seeking a better life. Tharmaen would help them with food and medicine and in return they taught him their language and culture.
With news of the invasion Tharmaen has returned to aid where he can, to stand with his fellow dwarfs, and the recently freed gnomes, to protect their home and drive out the invaders.
Dvori, son of Dvarha, son of Dverin, of the High Clan Draka of Eranon. Once a far more prominent clan, this Guldrothian clan Draka fell into stygma and ignominy after the ascension of the High Council, Moradin's Chosen. Reputed to be a clan of sorcerers and magicians, they have retreated to their ancient island and eschewed wider contact with the other holds of the Burning Sea. As a few survivors speed their way from the ruins of Baldenvelt, however, rumors of dragons and dark magics rekindle ancient curiosities...
(Guldrothian Noble, Sorcerer, draconic bloodline. Hill dwarf chosen, because I tend to like the flavor, but happy to exchange for Mountain Dwarf if that subrace is more fitting to Guldroth. Been looking for an all dwarf campaign, and what do you know, your game shows up! All the best to this endeavor, even if I am not selected.)
Interested, may post a character tomorrow.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Is this still available for PC apps?
“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman...You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Name: Tunga Hewer
Race: Dwarf (Duergar)
Class: Warlock (Hexblade)
Background: Clan Crafter (Smith)
Backstory: (WIP)
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Name: Eirik Steelcreed
Race: Dwarven Zariel Tiefling
Class: Warlock of the Hexblade
Background: Inheritor(A scarred, charred, longsword which looks like it was never quite finished)
Additional note: Eirik has disguise self at will, so he'll be able to live as a citizen without being randomly slapped by clerics, don't worry about that.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Loving the ideas and frankly spoiled for choice here. I am just working through the concepts to asses best fit and I will be in touch shortly if you are in.
Thank you so much for the interest
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
If you write it, I'll read it. I am choosing tomorrow :)
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Recruitment is now closed. I have chosen my two and sent them a PM. I would like to thank you all for the time taken and interest shown. You made my choice a difficult one!! Good luck with what ever you play next.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain