Dwarves on the March

Art by DusanMarkovik

There's been quite a bit of discussion lately about a certain Dwarf-themed RPG Kickstarter that's been, well, failing to live up to its awesome-sounding premise. Happily, I didn't end up being one of the now-disappointed backers, but from time to time I've pondered the idea of an all-Dwarf fantasy game - I'm quite fond of them, even if they can get a bit stereotypical. Such a campaign would probably involve either the building of a new Dwarven stronghold (ala Dwarf Fortress), or the rather similar activity of resettling a previously abandoned one (ala Balin in Moria in between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings).

If that project ever gets off - or under, as the case may be - the ground, there have been a few interesting resources lately being posted around the 'net that would be worth consulting.

The first and most amazing of these is "Beards & Beers: All Dwarf Campaign Generator" by Jack over at Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque. Nine different random tables are involved, either d10 or d12, mostly describing clan trappings that can be used to combat a bit of the Dwarven sameyness that tends to crop up.

Possibly inspired by this, we have the d100 Dwarven Dungeon Dressings table from Elfmaids & Octopi, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. I'm particularly intrigued by the thought of traps that only affect those taller than Dwarves.

This one is from a month or two ago, but Dyson's Dodecahedron has the d12 Dwarven Subclasses list as part of an ongoing series of Subclass posts. And of course, while you're over there you should check out the maps for which Dyson is deservedly famous (the Mapper's Challenge, in particular, looks like some maps I've seen of Moria. Hmm . . . )

Via Subterranean Design

And of course, I have previously mentioned the Random Clan Feud Generator hosted at From The Sorcerer's Skull, just the thing for giving the PC Dwarves a break from endless battles against Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds and Elves.

Actually, that gives me an idea - so you have a huge, semi-abandoned dungeon your player's clan of plucky Dwarves are intent on colonizing. Why, if there's any benefit in doing so, wouldn't other clans -especially of course, Those Guys that the PCs have a particular problem with - want to do the same? Have the players generate their clan with the Beards & Beers rules, do the name for the antagonist clan, stick them both in the same dungeon - sounds like a pretty Dwarvish campaign premise to me.