Dirty Tolkienism

I know I probably have been pretty vague and unclear in my previous post about Khuzud-dâm. When I talk about dirty tolkienism, I mean a bastardized Middle-earth. To be more concise.

The Known Lands: The Known Lands are just like Middle-earth. There have been multiple wars against an Enemy (which was eventually defeated), there is Gondor (which is called The Empire of Men), there is The Shire, and Mirkwood, the Misty Mountains (The Gray Mountains) and even Caradhras (The Kardhas). The real difference between the Known Lands and Middle-earth lies in the folks who inhabit it.

The Elves: Dndish Elves are much more human than Tolkien ones. They are mortal, they are not that powerful, and even not that fairish. Depending on the ruleset you're running elves may be both fighters and magic-users or only one of those at a time, and even thieves. Elven Thieves? Definitely not that tolkienian. But nor are they. I imagine most of the Elves of the Known Lands to be kinda like Tolkien's Wood Elves, only more human and definitely less melancholic, more curious and way more adventurous.

Half-orcs: Half-orcs are part of the Known Lands. I wouldn't go so far as to include Goblins as a playable race, but Half-orcs are definitely in. They are, for sure, mistrusted by most, but this doesn't necessary mean that every one of them is a dick or something.

Clerics: There is no such thing as clerics in Tolkien, but they are in D&D. They may be not as influential to the destiny of the Known Lands as they were in middle ages europe, but they are definitely there. And which god do they serve? Iluvatar, no way (although I would allow northern deities for Druids and such).

Magic-users: As a matter of fact, Magic-users in the Known Lands use vancian magic. And there are no such beings as Wizards. Where does magic come from? No one knows. Actually, no one gives a fuck.

Monsters: The Known Lands have PLENTY of weird monsters! Every single creature you can imagine is out there, lurking in the darkness, slowly crawling to your couch to kill you while you're sleeping. That said, the most common monsters are definitely orcs and dire animals. Oh, and there are demons there. Lots of awful demons.

Treasure: I've always been one of those guys who thinks that less is more when it comes to treasure, and magic items in particular. But given the bastardized Middle-earth seed, I think I should give the usual random treasure placement tables a try.

All in all, I think that around 90% of the action in the Khuzud-dâm campaign should revolve around the megadungeon itself, but I would like to have other ideas clear just in case the players should decide to go traveling around the wilderness. Actually, the thing that excites me the most is the possibility of using the original Middle-earth map (which is kinda my all time favorite) to run this bastardized world.

The Haunted Halls of Khuzud-dâm

Being on vacation (university will start again on march the 7th), I decided to take another look at the notes I've made during my sabbatical, last week. I came up with this sort of introduction to the concept of a Tolkien-inspired (although not in the way you would expect) megadungeon called Khuzud-dâm (yes guys, it's Khazad-dûm with the vowels switched).

PREMISE: Having spent much of my personal Old School Renaissance blaming Gary 'G for having included elves and dwarves and hobbits and clerics instead of barbarians and gritty science fantasy in D&D, and trying to find new ways to bring yog-sothothery and 70's science fiction into my games, I used to find a little "strange" my impulse to write a Tolkien-based Supplement for OD&D. Now, finally, I've found out what I love so much in the game that often prevents me in putting too much weird stuff in a campaign. Reading jamal's musings on Tolkien and D&D made it all clear. I love thinking about D&D as kind of a perverted, way humanized Middle-earth RPG. I really love those wonderful illustrations in my first edition manuals, where everything, from clerics to elves, is gritty and dirty. That's also why I don't like art in any of the newest editions: shining armor? C'mon, look at the amazing Paladin in Hell: shining a dick!

A Paladin in Hell

Therefore, I have decided to see what happens if I try to write up a dirty tolkienian campaign. One in which all character classes are pretty much out of the box (including clerics) and you have only tolkienian races plus half-orcs (which is, everything but gnomes). Something pretty easy, where you have some kind of proto-catholic religion, but it's still not that important. And having decided so, why not try to give a megadungeon a try? And what's better than a twisted and perverted view of Moria? Crazy! Let's call it Khuzud-dâm.

An Army of Goblins enters Khuzud-dâm

The history of Khuzud-dâm is ancient as the earth itself, and only a few people still remember it. Some call it The Lost Bastion of the Dwarves, others The Ancient Home of Tharànduil, but the original dwarven name of Khuzud-dâm is almost forgotten. It is told that Tharànduil and his folk arrived at the Grey Mountains aeons before the rise of the Empire of Men, when the mountains were young and the moon still unbroken. For five thousand years they delved into the mountain of Kardhass, creating the highest and brightest reign of the dwarves ever ever known. And then the darkness fell. Perhaps they had dug too much and too greedily into the heart of the Kardhass, perhaps a new Shadow rose from the depths of the earth: none dare to discover. The dwarves began to leave the upper levels, slowly losing interest in the affairs of the ground folks, until the gates of Khuzud-dâm were closed not to be opened again. During the following two thousands years, many things changed around the Grey Mountains. The Empire of Men rose, and great wars were fought. The Necromancer, the enemy of all the Free People of the Known Lands, was defeated, and the Empire declined and fell. A new age of order was yet to come, and the forgotten halls of Khuzud-dâm were still waiting in the dark. A hundred years ago, a great expedition of dwarves hailing from the north, under the leadership of Bjiør, returned to The Ancient Home of Tharànduil to found a new reign. At first, there were encouraging signs from the dwarves of Bjiør, then darkness fell again. Nowadays orcs are residing in the Grey Mountains again, and the King of the human city-state of Hârnstadt is growing increasingly worried about the future of his people. Now, in the darkest hour of the free city of Hârnstadt, a party of heroes will rise against the perils and the otherworldly creatures who haunt the forgotten depths of Khuzud-dâm, gaining priceless treasures and mighty powers, or die trying.

More to come.