Thursday 15 December 2011

The Dhezereth Dwarves of Peakvale {Campaign Setting}

In the Peakvale campaign setting I want to shake up the common conceptions of kindred and give them a fresh new look. This includes turning battle-hardened dwarves into more gentle and caring creatures. Don't get me wrong, these guys were born warriors, but they have a soft side to them too.

The dwarves of the Dhezereth Mountains form the major dwarvern community in Peakvale and create the backbone of the kingdom's coal and ore trade. The middle-class of the capital of Peakvale, Thornguard, tend to look down on the dwarves as they march into the city every week to deliver their commodities. The general view is that dwarves are filthy creatures who love to wallow in dirt and hit each other with blunt weapons. The dwarf traders, also called 'Rock Merchants' by Thornguardians, are often humiliated as they enter the city and actively try to avoid making the journey there.

However, Dhezereth and the city within (of the same name), is a society build on trust and kindness. The city is ruled over by Councillor Ghazamm Rrockcracker, who is known for his loyalty to his people and his caring disposition. Although a member of the Peakvale Council and therefore answerable directly to the king, Ghazamm leads a double life - one with his people and one in the halls of government where he must appease the king.

Ghazamm has a great secret that has been kept from the king and other councillors since the great banishment. He has given asylum to many urooks who were cast out of Thornguard and other places in Peakvale, offering them a safe haven from the king's Storm Soldiers who would see them dead. This deed has earned the councillor the utmost respect among urooks, even in the Greyshades. Many urook shamans even predict that Ghazamm will become the rightful ruler of all of Peakvale and a new age of peace and prosperity shall fall on the kingdom.

More about the Dhezereth Dwarves will be found in the upcoming book 'A Delver's Guide to Peakvale'.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting start, I look forward to your spin on the various other kindred. Which ones will be explicitly present in the setting?

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  2. @akfu23 So far I have all the common kindred (hobbs, dwarves, humans, elves, leprechauns and fairies). There are also urooks and ratlings. Urooks definitely play a huge part in the setting. But with the Wyrd being as it is, anything can and will pop into existence.

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