Dwarven and Gnomish ruins [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dwarven and Gnomish ruins [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Raistlin84
07-25-03, 12:34 AM Are there popular dwarven and gnomish ruins that are very special to their eyes as Myth Drannor is for the elves.

I'm asking this, because I wan't to make the players in my campaing descendants of those who used to live in one of those ruins or city, so that they can get a quest where they wan't to go there to do something special, like getting a family treasure or something like that.
KCDinc
07-25-03, 01:26 AM Originally posted by Raistlin84
Are there popular dwarven and gnomish ruins that are very special to their eyes as Myth Drannor is for the elves.

I'm asking this, because I wan't to make the players in my campaing descendants of those who used to live in one of those ruins or city, so that they can get a quest where they wan't to go there to do something special, like getting a family treasure or something like that.

There are dwarven halls scattered around in the north, but no single dwarven ruin is like myth drannor, if only because of their independance from magic.

And the idea of a gnome ruin makes me laugh, that might be fun.
cwslyclgh
07-25-03, 01:55 AM And the idea of a gnome ruin makes me laugh, that might be fun.

from the Wyrms of the North articles on the main FR site:

Daurgothoth's Lair

The Creeping Doom lairs in the abandoned gnome city of Dolblunde, which is north and east of Waterdeep. Known entrances to this subterranean labyrinth include the "Bandit Tunnels" in nearby Maiden's Tomb Tor, certain passages in the vast dungeon complex of Undermountain, and a flooded tunnel leading from the muddy bottom of the River Dessarin itself. This latter, largest route is the one most often used by Daurgothoth, though the dracolich does employ teleport spells on occasion. Daurgothoth's spells have hollowed out many large caverns for his convenience, forming an ever-growing chain that is tunneling slowly northwest, to a planned emergence shaft in the mountains north of Waterdeep.

the whole article is available on the web site
>>>HERE<<< (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=fr/fx20020327wn)
Selvarin
07-25-03, 03:37 AM Look for FR 11 Dwarves Deep and Volo's Guide to the North.
primemover003
07-25-03, 05:50 PM The Kingdom of Deep Shanatar is very much like Myth Drannor for Dwarves. Many of the Thunder Generation from the Great Rift have set out to reclaim it. This Army of Gold however has run into the Army of Steel, a Duergar army intrent on claiming the lost halls for themselves. All this is in RoF. Deep Shanatar lies beneath modern day Amn and Tethyr IIRC.
avian tiefling
07-25-03, 09:59 PM you could use the Dwarven city of Mithril Hall (from Salvatore's works) in the North, when it was still ruled by gray dwarves,

or Gauntlgrym, another lost Dwarven underground fortress, supposedly inhabited by spirits. its mentioned in The Thousand Orcs, and is located somewhere in the Fell Pass, just north of Mithril Hall. it is even more mysterious than the MH, having been lost long before MH was even founded.

or another possibility, there is an abandoned drow settlement deep beneath Raven's Bluff. it was lost when the drow abandoned it after a failed attempt to make a drow equivalent of a Mythal, which now causes a random anomaly called "wildfire" that gives a rare few people natural magical abilities, such as enabling them to cast spells much more easily and quickly than a normal mage or sorcerer. such a character could be useful in your party.
think about it.
(all of that is described in "City of Ravens")

hope that helps.
Poiniard
07-25-03, 11:34 PM All of the Vast was a dwarf kingdom at one time, from DR610 to 649, called the Realm of Glimmering Swords. Just about every major human city in the Vast is built on dwarven ruins.
Iegan
07-26-03, 10:00 PM Did the gnomes ever retake Blingdenstone or is it the den of some horrible bassalisk or something now?
Selvarin
07-26-03, 11:59 PM Originally posted by Iegan
Did the gnomes ever retake Blingdenstone or is it the den of some horrible bassalisk or something now?

Nope, it's still not theirs. The survivors likely won't have it back for many years, if ever.
ord
07-27-03, 01:00 AM the often over looked folk.(bards i lean toward not) aother underdark gnome city must be out there. they more than likely have done trade with dwarves in their areas. i am sure that some underdark far off the beaten path there is a smalll tribe of underdark barbarian gnome? :smirk:
Gotrex
07-27-03, 11:02 AM Swifneblin (deep gnomes) have many cities in the underdard

but most of these cities are so well hiden that not even drow or beholders can find them so there not well documented
Raistlin84
07-27-03, 11:29 AM But isn't there any other gnomish city or ruins beside Blingdenstone, I looked in the old empires section of the FCS and didn't find anything. The only other thing I saw is in 2nd edition in the North guide to savage frontier, it's the castle of illusion. According to that book, gnomes were once populous, but are now nearly gone, their realms having been overrun by orcs.

Even if they are few, there must be certain cities of gnomes and ruins of their ancient realms somewhere.
cwslyclgh
07-27-03, 11:52 AM Even if they are few, there must be certain cities of gnomes and ruins of their ancient realms somewhere.

Dolblunde, see my previous post above.
Faraer
07-27-03, 11:56 AM Gnomes and deep gnomes don't record or pass down their history as dwarves do, but we know of several of their former haunts: Dolblunde, other part-gnomish ruins of Phalorm and the Kingdom of Man, Shinglefell Gnome Burrow, Wavecho Cave, abandoned settlements beneath Calimport and several other human cities, and various unnamed ruined settlements across the Sword Coast North, e.g. in the Sword Mountains.
Selvarin
07-27-03, 02:34 PM Ed o' the Greenwood did an article dealing with gnome and halfling settlements, more hints of ruins (in particular the deep gnomes) may be found there.
Faraer
07-27-03, 04:03 PM It's "The Adventures of Volo: Hin Nobody Knows" in Dragon #269. I skimmed it for gnomish ruins and the Calimport reference is from there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Raistlin84 07-25-03, 12:34 AM	Are there popular dwarven and gnomish ruins that are very special to their eyes as Myth Drannor is for the elves. I'm asking this, because I wan't to make the players in my campaing descendants of those who used to live in one of those ruins or city, so that they can get a quest where they wan't to go there to do something special, like getting a family treasure or something like that.
KCDinc 07-25-03, 01:26 AM	Originally posted by Raistlin84 Are there popular dwarven and gnomish ruins that are very special to their eyes as Myth Drannor is for the elves. I'm asking this, because I wan't to make the players in my campaing descendants of those who used to live in one of those ruins or city, so that they can get a quest where they wan't to go there to do something special, like getting a family treasure or something like that. There are dwarven halls scattered around in the north, but no single dwarven ruin is like myth drannor, if only because of their independance from magic. And the idea of a gnome ruin makes me laugh, that might be fun.
cwslyclgh 07-25-03, 01:55 AM	And the idea of a gnome ruin makes me laugh, that might be fun. from the Wyrms of the North articles on the main FR site: Daurgothoth's Lair The Creeping Doom lairs in the abandoned gnome city of Dolblunde, which is north and east of Waterdeep. Known entrances to this subterranean labyrinth include the "Bandit Tunnels" in nearby Maiden's Tomb Tor, certain passages in the vast dungeon complex of Undermountain, and a flooded tunnel leading from the muddy bottom of the River Dessarin itself. This latter, largest route is the one most often used by Daurgothoth, though the dracolich does employ teleport spells on occasion. Daurgothoth's spells have hollowed out many large caverns for his convenience, forming an ever-growing chain that is tunneling slowly northwest, to a planned emergence shaft in the mountains north of Waterdeep. the whole article is available on the web site >>>HERE<<< (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=fr/fx20020327wn)
Selvarin 07-25-03, 03:37 AM	Look for FR 11 Dwarves Deep and Volo's Guide to the North.
primemover003 07-25-03, 05:50 PM	The Kingdom of Deep Shanatar is very much like Myth Drannor for Dwarves. Many of the Thunder Generation from the Great Rift have set out to reclaim it. This Army of Gold however has run into the Army of Steel, a Duergar army intrent on claiming the lost halls for themselves. All this is in RoF. Deep Shanatar lies beneath modern day Amn and Tethyr IIRC.
avian tiefling 07-25-03, 09:59 PM	you could use the Dwarven city of Mithril Hall (from Salvatore's works) in the North, when it was still ruled by gray dwarves, or Gauntlgrym, another lost Dwarven underground fortress, supposedly inhabited by spirits. its mentioned in The Thousand Orcs, and is located somewhere in the Fell Pass, just north of Mithril Hall. it is even more mysterious than the MH, having been lost long before MH was even founded. or another possibility, there is an abandoned drow settlement deep beneath Raven's Bluff. it was lost when the drow abandoned it after a failed attempt to make a drow equivalent of a Mythal, which now causes a random anomaly called "wildfire" that gives a rare few people natural magical abilities, such as enabling them to cast spells much more easily and quickly than a normal mage or sorcerer. such a character could be useful in your party. think about it. (all of that is described in "City of Ravens") hope that helps.
Poiniard 07-25-03, 11:34 PM	All of the Vast was a dwarf kingdom at one time, from DR610 to 649, called the Realm of Glimmering Swords. Just about every major human city in the Vast is built on dwarven ruins.
Iegan 07-26-03, 10:00 PM	Did the gnomes ever retake Blingdenstone or is it the den of some horrible bassalisk or something now?
Selvarin 07-26-03, 11:59 PM	Originally posted by Iegan Did the gnomes ever retake Blingdenstone or is it the den of some horrible bassalisk or something now? Nope, it's still not theirs. The survivors likely won't have it back for many years, if ever.
ord 07-27-03, 01:00 AM	the often over looked folk.(bards i lean toward not) aother underdark gnome city must be out there. they more than likely have done trade with dwarves in their areas. i am sure that some underdark far off the beaten path there is a smalll tribe of underdark barbarian gnome? :smirk:
Gotrex 07-27-03, 11:02 AM	Swifneblin (deep gnomes) have many cities in the underdard but most of these cities are so well hiden that not even drow or beholders can find them so there not well documented
Raistlin84 07-27-03, 11:29 AM	But isn't there any other gnomish city or ruins beside Blingdenstone, I looked in the old empires section of the FCS and didn't find anything. The only other thing I saw is in 2nd edition in the North guide to savage frontier, it's the castle of illusion. According to that book, gnomes were once populous, but are now nearly gone, their realms having been overrun by orcs. Even if they are few, there must be certain cities of gnomes and ruins of their ancient realms somewhere.
cwslyclgh 07-27-03, 11:52 AM	Even if they are few, there must be certain cities of gnomes and ruins of their ancient realms somewhere. Dolblunde, see my previous post above.
Faraer 07-27-03, 11:56 AM	Gnomes and deep gnomes don't record or pass down their history as dwarves do, but we know of several of their former haunts: Dolblunde, other part-gnomish ruins of Phalorm and the Kingdom of Man, Shinglefell Gnome Burrow, Wavecho Cave, abandoned settlements beneath Calimport and several other human cities, and various unnamed ruined settlements across the Sword Coast North, e.g. in the Sword Mountains.
Selvarin 07-27-03, 02:34 PM	Ed o' the Greenwood did an article dealing with gnome and halfling settlements, more hints of ruins (in particular the deep gnomes) may be found there.
Faraer 07-27-03, 04:03 PM	It's "The Adventures of Volo: Hin Nobody Knows" in Dragon #269. I skimmed it for gnomish ruins and the Calimport reference is from there.