Dwarves hardened by four hundred years of imprisonment and war. Not even death will stop their march.

Shadows danced along the tall valley walls as the flames slowly consumed the tents. Vala watched the orc chieftain as he approached. He'd been wounded, an ugly gash in his leg, his right eye was swollen shut, and numerous bruises covered his body, but he still stood defiantly. She admired his tenacity.

The ancestor's eyes blazed brighter than the flames from the burning village. "Thank you, daughter." Vala ordered the men and women of her party back. They climbed to the top of the ridge that led into the valley, but they still heard the screams of the orcs as the dwarven ancestors slaked their hunger.

Break the Stereotype

Dwarves are gruff beings that live in the mountains and under the earth. They love hammers and axes, heavy armor, mining, they're excellent smiths, and usually superior brewers. Personally, they're usually good natured once you get past their stony exterior, and as a race they'll rebuff calls for alliance, but when times are tough they'll march into battle to help save the day in the nick of time.

This Uncommon EVIL features gruff dwarves, but these undead worshiping, necromacy practicing, barbarian dwarves make their cousins look like rays of sunshine by comparison. Imprisoned underground and forced to fight for their lives for over four centuries, the Takotans had a reason for being dour. It was only recently that they won their freedom from the drow and returned to the surface. Now they want to reclaim their ancestral land, and only a horde of orcs and a few human settlements stand in their way.

Descent into Darkness

The dwarves of Takot had lived with war for centuries. They were trapped, pinned between brutal and vengeful orcs above, and malevolent and sinister drow below. The dark elves had always been a menace to the Takotans, but the dwarves used to live in the valleys and on the slopes of the Drakenteeth mountains, and encounters were less frequent. Then orcs poured into the mountains, pushed deeper into the wilds by the expanding human empires, and their numbers were too much for the dwarves.

The Takotans were steadily forced underground, where they were able to hold the orcs at bay. However, their move pushed them deeper, and this brought them into almost constant conflict with the drow of Vaethineril. Weekly, the strong sons and brave daughters of Takot marched forth to defend their people, and invariably some would never return.

The dwarves refused to yield. They survived but they also suffered - the average life expectancy dropped to just over one century, and the hardships and constant war changed them. The Takotans had little time for anything but the necessities of life. They neglected their arts, learning, and spirituality - everything that makes a rich society - and they descended into barbarism. It was a gradual descent, but by the fourth short generation the sun, grass, trees, everything from the "above," were only tales passed down by the elders. In some ways they were no better than the mountain orcs, and the dwarves even preyed upon them for food when stores we're scarce.

The Life and Death of Bahdur

Bahdur was a gifted young dwarf, one of the few that could still commune with ancestors and cast magic. Like every dwarf, he had to prove himself and protect his people, and he was sent to support a bastion at the edge of the Wastes, the no-man's land between the borders of the drow and the dwarven holdings. The drow led an assault against the fort, many of the dwarves were captured, including Bahdur.

The young priest spent a number of years under the yoke of drow slavery. He tried to use his gifts to provide succor to his brothers and sisters whenever he believed they were alone, but Bahdur's actions were eventually discovered by a male drow wizard named Saseril. Normally he would have been punished, but the wizard took the dwarf in, he needed a servant that understood the importance of magical texts and components, and knew to be careful.

Bahdur prospered under Saseril while he was forced to watch his people suffer and die. He grew to hate the drow, orcs, even the mythical humans - anyone responsible for the dwarven predicament - and he dedicated himself to finding a way to free his people. The priest used his relative prestige to make contacts among the slave community and lay the foundation for an organized revolt. While he also began to learn arcane magic in secret, hoping it would help him and his people to stand against their enemies.

Years into Bahdur's slavery, Saseril obtained a magic item - a short staff rumored to be the Nightstaff, and it obsessed and infuriated the drow constantly. The staff was powerful, Saseril knew it and even the burgeoning dwarf wizard could feel it, but apparently the drow couldn't unlock its secrets. The slave heard his master raging throughout the compound and he often became brunt of the wizard's ire.

Bahdur knew in his heart that the Nightstaff was the key to dwarven freedom - and he set the rebellion in motion. It started with a small conflict, not uncommon amongst the strong willed dwarves, but thanks to his actions the small spark fanned into a strong flame. The rebellion culminated in a short war that engulfed a quarter of Vaethineril, centering around Saseril's compound, and Bahdur used the confusion to steal the Nightstaff and then flee to help his brothers and sisters.

The drow eventually mounted a powerful offensive - they offered no quarter and forced the dwarves into retreat. Their fates looked grim, but the Takotans slaves mustered for a last stand on the bridge over Qinsadrin's Gap. Bahdur stood against his former master, and in the ensuing arcane battle he discovered how to wake power within the Nightstaff - he slew Saseril with an amazing burst of necromantic energy and then summoned forth a number of "ancestor spirits" that decimated the drow and allowed the slaves to escape.

Bahdur returned to Takot a hero, but he knew the drow would come for revenge and he spent long hours studying the magic woven into the Nightstaff, searching for arcane ways to help his people. The powerful artifact opened itself to Bahdur, he learned more about magic - that of the ancestors and the arcane magic of the drow - in the few short weeks after the revolt than he'd ever known. He bolstered Takot's defenses with ranks of dwarven dead, and taught his brothers and sisters how to tame and control their ancestors.

The drow came in force, determined to crush and enslave all the dwarves, but they weren't prepared for the might of the dwarven undead. The battle was brutal, drow magic ravaged the living dwarves, but the forces of Takot were victorious. Then Bahdur pushed his people to the limit: calling upon the Nightstaff, he helped raise an army of ancestors and attacked Vaethineril while the drow were weakest. However, it was a battle the dwarves wouldn't have won if Bahdur hadn't sacrificed himself - the Lord of the Nightstaff and two gifted acolytes crept into the heart of the city and unleashed a powerful blast of fell energy that decimated the drow.

Just over three hundred dwarves returned from the conflict - all that remained of their people - and they mourned for Bahdur and their lost heroes, but they rebuilt and recovered. They were free from the drow, and for the first time in centuries they were happy.

Then, after a decade of peace and quiescence, Bahdur returned - brimming with dark power, seemingly stronger than before the fall of Vaethineril, and just as driven. He'd entered the halls of their ancestors and spoken with the great kings - it wasn't his time, he still had much to do, and they were behind him. The King of Two Worlds proclaimed it was a dwarf's birthright to walk upon the slopes of the mountains and farm the lush valleys - he would lead his people to live under the sun once again.

Contested Territory

Bahdur helped the Takotans nurture their strength and then sent them forth into the upper tunnels. The orcs weren't prepared for the dwarves, and even less for the dwarven ancestors. It was a winter night when the first dwarf in over three centuries felt the crisp mountain air, but they knew their time had come.

The dwarves of Takot want their land back, all of it - the mountains, foothills, and valleys. Bahdur's forces systematically raze every orc camp and settlement they find, and they won't stop until they've scoured the Drakenteeth Range. The Lord of the Nightstaff and the dwarves hate the orcs almost as much as the drow, the brutes drove them underground and continued to harass them, and the Takotans offer little or no mercy when they encounter their foes.

It's inevitable that the dwarves will run into the humans that claim the lowlands and some of the mountain valleys. Bahdur has little compassion for humans - in his eyes they're partially responsible for what happened to his people - they drove the orcs into the mountains and didn't care what happened to the dwarves. He's ordered his forces to give humans the option to leave peacefully, the King of Two Worlds really doesn't want another war, but the Takotans won't be denied their lands. If the humans don't leave, the dwarves will remove them - they'll restrain themselves, but their ancestors have have no love for anyone save the dwarves, and they won't be as gentle.

The dwarven ultimatums and the fact they work with undead won't set well with the human leaders. Once the Takotans finish removing the orcs, it's inevitable that they'll encounter humans more and more.

King of Two Worlds

Bahdur died the moment he completed the fell ritual that ended the Drow War. He used his body as a conduit for the necromantic energy, and it snuffed out his life like a candle in a hurricane. However, the presence of the Nightstaff altered the situation in subtle but important ways. The artifact bonds with the soul of the wielder that unlocks its power, so while Bahdur's life force was quenched, the staff sheltered his soul. Then, acting on its innate enchantment and utilizing the life energy ripped from the drow, it worked to reanimate the dwarf theurgist. Bahdur awoke nine years later, dead but alive, a lich-like entity bound to the Nightstaff, but possessing a flesh and blood body.

Few living dwarves know his secret, only his inner circle, and they are devout in their belief in the King of Two Worlds. The undead ancestors are well aware of his nature - they can sense his kinship in both soul and body, and it's one of the reasons they follow his commands so willingly.

Bahdur was gifted with a strong will and keen mind at birth - he was a naturally powerful ancestral priest, and his mental alacrity enabled him to learn drow wizardry without a tutor. While his time spent building the rebellion taught him how to lead. The following transformation, the energy instilled in him, only heightened his natural abilities.

The King is also a powerful theurgist - a magical practitioner that understands both the divine magic of his ancestors and the arcane magic of the drow. Bahdur has collected and written a library full of tomes on magic, ranging from mundane books of spells, to texts on magical theory and practical advice. He can cast a wide variety and number of spells, but his strongest spells aren't quite as powerful as if he devoted himself to one magical path.

Bahdur cares for his people, he is kind and just to the dwarves of Takot, and wants nothing more than to see them free to live their lives as they choose on their ancestral lands. Conversely, he is merciless to outsiders, and doesn't care what he, his people, or the ancestors have to do to obtain his goals. His world is filled with clear-cut distinctions: the drow and orcs have always been the oppressors and racial enemies of his people, at best deserving a quick death at the end of a club or axe.

The human presence is an unknown and a moral dilemma - he's initially leery because their ancestors didn't help his people, but they didn't continuously harass them either. Thus he's willing to be reasonable, according to his black and white world view - if they return the land they took, or agree to live under his rule, he can accept their presence, but the moment they stand against him, he'll crush them.

The Warriors of Takot

The dwarves live and fight alongside their reanimated ancestors - the undead are a fact of life and they don't fear them. They wouldn't be free if it wasn't for their ancestors, and the Takotans respect and venerate the dead and undead. Due to the spiritual connection, the ancestors don't molest the dwarves and often follow their requests without the need for compulsion. However, the undead are still manifestations of generations of angry, downtrodden, and battle hardened dwarves, and given free reign, they will vent their fury against any non-dwarf they encounter.

There are a wide variety of ancestors that fight with the dwarves, all of them correspond to some form of regular undead, but they don't necessarily look like standard undead: father (ghouls - minus the diseased bite), grandfather (wights), venerable one (ghosts), and nightfather (wraiths) are the most common. Namely they keep themselves relatively kempt, and they are armed with fine dwarven weapons and armor. When a dwarf speaks of or to one of the ancestors he will always refer to them by their title.

The dwarves of Takot are different from other dwarves - their hard lives have changed them in spirit, mind, and body. They are slightly taller than their cousins and leaner - fat Takotans don't exist - and their skin has a pale redish-gray cast to it. Many of the Takotans are barbarians, although fighters and rangers are growing more numerous now that they have returned to the surface, and necromancers and ancestor worshiping priests are the elite.

Takotans haven't interacted much with outsiders without an axe or a club being involved, but they would be even more quiet and gruff than regular dwarves. As a whole they are slightly jealous of the "fat" races - they haven't lived a life of constant trial - while at the same time they look down upon them for being soft.

Between themselves Takotans are open, supportive, and often loud - they live life to its fullest because tomorrow they could be standing amongst the ancestors. They have numerous rituals and festivals that often involve chanting, singing, drums, brightly painted bodies, and mock battle dancing.

Basic force - Village Guard - 1 necromancer, 4 fighters, 4 fathers (ghouls)
Basic force - Assault Squad - 1 priest, 4 barbarians, 2 grandfathers (wights)
Advanced force - Orc Hunters - 1 priest, 2 rangers, 2 grandfather (wight) rangers
Advanced force - Shadow Walkers - 1 necromancer & 2 nightfathers (wraiths)
Elite force - Bahdur's Fist - 1 priest, 1 grandfather (wight) necromancer, 2 fighters, 2 nightfather (wraith) monks

Bahdur also has a number of very loyal supporters that help guide his growing empire. His first among the raised ancestors is a powerful wight cleric named Druenor, the wight respects Bahdur, and all the ancestors respect the wight priest. The general of the King's forces is a highly skilled warrior named Vala; she is Bahdur's queen in all but name, but prefers to stay "in the field" where she can take the battle to the orcs.

Sajnsand and Upper Takot

Sajnsand was once the seat of dwarven power before they were forced underground, and Bahdur has ordered it to be returned to its former glory. After years of neglect at the hands of the orcs, the great walls and tall buildings are being repaired, and new temples are being built. The great towers of whitewashed stone can be seen for miles, and Sajnsand serves as a symbol of hope and progress to all of the dwarves that still fight to push back the orcs.

The King of Two Worlds has ordered that all the former fortresses and towns be rebuilt, and throughout the mountains the dwarves are unearthing and trying to reclaim their past. It is an epic task, unlikely to be completed in one generation, especially with the abundance of orc tribes and humans to worry about. But it gives the dwarves something else to concentrate on besides war.

Vaethineril

The great city of the drow still remains in ruin - the dark elves that survived fled to deeper tunnels, and few others have dared enter its crumbling structures. Necromantic energy still permeates the sprawling ruins, slowly sapping the life of would be explorers, and dwarven ancestors prowl Vaethineril even after all the years, creating another hazard for the foolish or brave. But there is something to be found in the ruined city - at epicenter where Bahdur completed the great ritual, the true Nightstaff lies hidden. Bahdur hid it here when he woke, realizing it was his key to immortality, and then crafted a replicate as a ruse.

The theurgist is loved by his people, but realizes any attack will come from outside - the drow, orcs, humans, or another group he hasn't even encountered yet. Bahdur has created a number of false leads and possible alternate sites, but he's hoping no one discovers his true nature - it's a well guarded secret. However, if someone does uncover the truth, he's placed a handful of powerful golems to guard the site as a last line of defense.

Campaign and Adventure Use

Ancestral Rights was designed to be incorporated into a campaign world with minimum effort - any mountain wilderness will do. Using d20 rules, the Takotans are standard dwarves, but instead of their traditional stonecunning ability, they have a +4 diplomacy bonus when dealing with Ancestors, and their favored class is barbarian. The dwarven Ancestors correspond to ghouls, wights, ghosts, and wraiths as outlined in "The Warriors of Takot" section, and they're still evil (usually lawful or neutral), but they have a friendly attitude when interacting with Takotans.

Bahdur is a multiclassed priest and wizard with prestige levels in mystic theurge. The ritual at Vaethineril turned him into a lich (and the true Nightstaff is his phylactery), but he looks like a standard dwarf. The Nightstaff he wields is effectively a Staff of Necromancy, while the true Nightstaff that is buried in the ruined drow city is a Major Artifact with whatever powers best suit the campaign.

Encounters with Takotans would fit well into any wilderness or frontier campaign. The players could save a group of dwarven warriors from an orc surprise assault, or the party themselves could be saved by a well timed Takotan raid on the orc encampment where they're being held. Once the two groups are together the different personalities, and the fact the dwarves will have ancestors in their mix should lead to many interesting roleplaying opportunities.

A campaign centering around the expansion of Takot means things won't be black and white - the dwarves aren't inherently evil, but it could still be epic. Fending off angry dwarven warriors, routing hordes of undead, and trying to broker peace with a necromancer king sound like tasks fit for heroes.

Comments (2)

Extending the Idea

1 Tuesday, 22 April 2008 17:04

JK

Let's assume the dwarves win. Just came across something that would do a very good job of extending the setting - Dragon online published "Mavet Rav," a necro-oligarchy that makes heavy use of Hebrew as a linguistic base. I find that Hebrew works very well for dwarven, both atmospherically and in deeper ways (one f'rinstance: both languages designed to be carved into stone): Mavet Rav http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080416a&authentic=true If you flipped most of the established population to Dwarves, kept the humans/Haim and halflings as residents of the conquered vales, integrated the concepts here as core/origins, and used the Mavet Rav NPCs et. al. with slight tweaks, it would definitely work. Bahdur remains, but he's very much in the background of his own creation. These days, references and invocations to "the watcher unseen" are generally believed to refer to undead generically, and The Crypt in particular; Lt. Gen. Yodekh Kola is amused to see the moniker drifting toward him specifically, and does nothing to stop it. In fact, the phrase was planted by and refers to Bahdur himself, who has stepped outside the daily workings of his creation to watch over and guard it. Even his subordinates (now Council members and other prominent Almetim) think he's gone. Instead, he's a cross between King Arthur and Paul Muad'Dib in Dune Messiah. More to the point, he's free to pursue his own paths as he sees fit, without attracting attention from the enemies that any power base must accumulate. That last factor was a potent motivator. In time, the wise dwarf realized that his secret must out, and the motivation to strike at the community's heart would inevitably lead to searches for his phylactery. That must not be. The lifeless heart of the Takot shall beat, and Great Grandfather will watch forever over his people. Their enemies will never see him coming...

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Great!

2 Friday, 25 April 2008 19:45

Writer Errant

I really like it! Your analysis of the article and evolution of Takot has a lot of possibilities for a richer setting. I see interesting dynamics rising from the interaction between the Ancestors and the "new" undead nobility.

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