Musings from Elsewhere

Thoughts and makings in the realms of fantasy, roleplaying, reenactment, and more.

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In this episode: a storeroom and a secret vault!!

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A dwarven workshop in isometric, including smithy, carpenter, and mason.

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Building out this isometric dwarven fortress.

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The Tuber Dwarves, the Fir Friebhe (pronouinced Fur-Freeve)

“These ‘Root men’ your village speak of are my cousins! If you’re in need of food just ask them, you great lumbering toadstool! They’re not going to curse you for asking!”

—Atherthorn Ironbow to a local tallerman. Year 780, the age of heroes.

Appearance, behaviour and lore

Closer to nature than their brothers in the mountains or their kin in the hills, the Fir Friebhe (pronounced “Fur Freeve”,) or “Root Men,” are considered near to the fey. Quiet stewards of the land and what grows there, the Friebhe protect the ecology of the hills, forests, and plains. Often, humans and elves will leave tribute to these mysterious dwarves, that they might have a good harvest, or that the spring might come early. The Fir Friebhe oftentimes do help, nurturing the ground and fertilizing the soil from beneath. Humans tell stories of the little men in the ground, and revere the Fir Friebhe as kind spirits.

Fir Friebhe are plump and typically shorter than their dwarven kin. They have rough skin of earthy tones, mottled tans, browns, grays, and greens. Though the men have bald heads, they have rootlike beards, fine and usually a lighter shade of their skin. Fir Friebhe have been known to sleep with their beards dangling in bowls of ale. Unique as well are their understated ears and noses, barely more than small holes each. Their three fingered hands are often a curiosity among other dwarves.

Known for their quiet contemplative nature, the Fir Friebhe are difficult to rouse any emotion from, apart from relaxed contentment, apathy, or gentle mirth. They often have large social groups of many dozen individuals, and are renowned for hosting large “extravagant” tea parties. Most who know a Fir Friebhe call them friend.

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The Asomaloi, dwarves of the eastern seas.

“...and there was founded Kosmona, the World Ship. In a sheltered bay scarcely wide enough to contain it, my forefathers mined the mountains hollow, and laid the forests low to build it. The ores in the deep, rich tetrahedrite and rare cassiterite, were extracted. So extensive was the plunder that fifty years from inception, the very earth gave way, and spilled Kosmona unto the Underrealm below. Untold was the hubris and despair of our loss.”

—Quinctius Ambrolix, year B620, the age of myth.

Asomaloi are shorter than most dwarven folk, little more to them than an oversized head with arms and legs. Their bodies are compact, often easily concealed behind their large beards. Their skintones range from dark umber or even onyx up through olive. Their hair is typically dark and can be curly or straight. Their proportions seem odd to outsiders, and Asomaloi think much the same of the tallermen and elves.

None surpass the Asomaloi in the arts of shipwrighting and the working of bronze. Their ships, great galleon hexaremes and nimble galleys dominate the oceans wherever the bodyless settle. Sometimes, massive ships of titanic size are constructed, entire nations built upon floating fortresses, only docking to pursue the materials of their obsession: copper and tin.

Bronze is the lifeblood of the Asomaloi, and none can work it better. Their bronze is as hard and strong as iron, and their culture has developed alloys to widen its capabilities. Like bronze, they similarly are fond of brass, the alloy they reverently call “Orichalcum.” Much of their economy revolves around the trade and refinement of such copper alloys, and it colors every corner of their civilization.

Asomaloi are opinionated, brash, and fiercely passionate about decorum. Their definition of decorum also happens to include threats, wrestling, and judicial duels. The bodyless are known for their large public forum spaces, where citizens may discuss and debate the issues of the day. It is said the mosaic floors of an Asomaloi forum are grouted with the teeth of the incorrect.

Despite such zeal, the Asomaloi produce perhaps the greatest thinkers of dwarvendom. Some suspect it’s their large craniums. Others suspect it’s their long-lived culture, and history of knowledge making. Regardless of the reason, many dwarven civilizations are built from the doctrines and systems developed by the Asomaloi in ages past.

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An unused cover art from the quisckstart. Still pretty happy with the illustration; it's just not ideal for TUM.

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Cadifax! An illustration from my ttrpg, Those Under the Mountain.

A mountain dominates the landscape ahead, a broad valley stretching before it. A river can be seen snaking from the high places further west, and friendly grasslands are broken by stands of sturdy trees. The mountain meets the foothills in one place with a sheer cliff face, perched above the valley with a panoramic vantage.

Where the cliff meets the ruddy soil of the foothills, your fellowship dismounts, surveys the land, and decides by unanimous vote: this will be Cadifax, “Battle-haired” after the king of the Mountainhomes back east.

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The landscape beyond. This was a quick bit of pen work to use as a backdrop in the Quickstart to Those Under the Mountain, evoking a wide world of posibility, clad in resolute stone.

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TUM has magic. This was a hard-won outcome, since I originally daned to omit magic altogether from the core rules. It adds so much to the workload of the game, so many pages to the book... But alas, everyone loves magic in fantasy, and the creative humors were flowing. Anyway, here's a dwarven runesmith presenting a newly enchanted blade to his jarl.

Check out the Alpha to Those Under the Mountain. It's got RUNESMITHING!!!

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Just a dwarven explorer in a mushroom forest.

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TUM Solo rules, and the next Alpha update

The first order of business for the time being is drafting a version of the afformentione solo rules. As I'm pretty unfamiliar with all bu t

A devlog about solo-rules for Those Under the Mountain :)

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I yearn for the mines...

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I figure a ttrpg all about dwarves needs to have interesting and diverse dwarves.

In one instance, I've been into the idea of dwarves inspired by central american, First nations, and Mexica influence (imo a criminally untapped wealth of culture and vibes for fantasy). Here's the resulting ancestry draft from my ttrpg, Those Under the Mountain.

Espantekatl: the Redmane

“If a mild-mannered Redmane exists, they likely plucked the feathers and left to live with the bloody gnomes.”

—Arnja Bor, year 704, the age of heroes.

Redmane Features

Jungle Ambushers: Redmane begin play proficient in stealth and marksdwarfship.

Mistsight: Vision tuned to jungle mists, Redmane can see twice as far through obscuring fog.

Volatile: Redmane receive disadvantage on diplomacy checks when dealing with non-dwarves.

Heritage (choose one)

Children of the Great Dragon: The most prolific of Redmane lines, these dwarves are particularly resistant to poison, and thus have built a strong cultural identity as those who make and hunt with it. All Children of the Dragon have resistance to poison damage, and are proficient in herbalism.

The People of Crimson: These Espantekatl worship the blood god, and are passionately militant. Adorning their bodies with deep red tattoos. They wear and display trophies of their kills such as teeth, claws, and fine jewelry of bone. They begin play proficient in a martial skill as well as butchery, and have the Bloodbath feat.

The Leopards of the Old Jungle: Proud, wise, and known for their vast stone citadels in the deep green places of the west, the Leopards have distinctive skin patterning of darker and lighter greens and grays, typically tiger stripes or leopard spots. Their plumage is patterned with black and brown. The affect altogether is that they are well camouflaged in most forest and jungle environments. They gain the Natural Camouflage Redmane feat, +1 to DEF, and begin with proficiency in masonry and riding.

Appearance, behaviour and lore

Hailing from dangerous jungles and ancient swamps, the Espantekatl are the most mysterious of the dwarvenkin. Little is known of them by the outside, and their reputation is as red as their plumage. With bright feather-manes, the Espantekatl roam the deepest forests atop giant snapping turtle mounts, and employ poisons to paralyze prey. They favor weapons made from fine obsidian, and are known for their blowguns and atylatyl.

Espantekatl are slimmer than mountain dwarves and have complexions ranging from dark jade green to seafoam. They sport feather hair and beards of incredible colors, all in patterns unique to the individual, often bright red. Their eyes are typically all black with thin greenish or red irises, and they’re known for intricate tattoos, usually with feathered serpent and snapping turtle motifs.

Extremely social, though territorial, Espantekatl are known by the rest of dwarvenkin to be spontaneous, friendly, boisterous, and occasionally prone to sudden rage. It is said that a Redmane friend is a friend for life, and a Redmane enemy is a friend for death.

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Dwarves using timberframing techniques on giant monolithic stones lives rent-free in my head. This is a corner illustration from my ttrpg.

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The vile Blithler, a cave-dwelling ambush predator from my ttrpg. They're also an excuse to use the word "Radula."

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A little landscape.