| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:05:04
|
|
So I've (temporarily) beaten back the elves that are plaguing my campaign and I'm getting around to creating the Dwarven Mindstalker (Illithid-bane) Monastery. I've found some great lore here at the 'Keep regarding dwarven martial arts and had hoped for some equally excellent ideas about Dwarven Cavalry. I can think of a few instances of dwarves riding great tusked-pigs into battle and I know Duergar sometimes ride giant-spiders. Any suggestions for other creatures I could use for war-mounts? These dwarves aren't your typical dwarves, they have some psionic abilities, so I'm willing to entertain some rather fanciful monstrosities.
|
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
Edited by - Fellfire on 06 Mar 2011 17:07:28
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:07:55
|
There is a pic somewhere of a dwarf riding a 'warbear' - I'm fairly certain it was core (3e) D&D, but I'm not positive.
If anything, I would try RoS first (certainly my least favorite 'line' of splats - I stopped buying WotC products on-sight after RoD).
EDIT: Found THIS in the Eberron Five nations book. Not what I remember (dwarf on bear), nor another pic I saw yesterday (A warbear - a bear wearing armor, a'la The Golden Compass... which are another really cool concept, BTW).
EDIT2: Found THIS - not bad...
I think maybe the pic of a dwarf riding a bear may have been 2e.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
Edited by - Markustay on 06 Mar 2011 17:40:41 |
 |
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:09:49
|
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
If anything, I would try RoS first (certainly my least favorite 'line' of splats - I stopped buying WotC products on-sight after RoD).
Destiny or Dragon? |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:11:56
|
Ponies, boars, large dogs, bears...
And when I saw the title of this thread, I was thinking warbeasts like what Hordes has. That made me think of things like dire/giant badgers, giant armadillos... And if you want to go way out there, ankylosauri, maybe with howdahs on their backs. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:13:10
|
| Interesting that the first suggestion would be a bear. I had toyed around with that idea last night, but decided keeping a stable of bears underground was going to be problematic. It does make for some iconic imagery though. I would like to see that pic. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
Edited by - Fellfire on 06 Mar 2011 17:20:52 |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:18:06
|
| Now, Ankylosauri sounds promising, but maybe more of a pygmy variety. I may have to create something whole-cloth there. Great ideas, Scribes. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
Edited by - Fellfire on 06 Mar 2011 17:19:53 |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:35:47
|
| What do y'all think of Underdark Rhinoceros or Battle-Tortoise? |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 17:52:31
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
If anything, I would try RoS first (certainly my least favorite 'line' of splats - I stopped buying WotC products on-sight after RoD).
Destiny or Dragon?
Races of Destiny
After I bought it, I decided from then on I would first 'peruse' a book, read through it, decide if it was something I would actually use, and THEN purchase the physical book (and have done so, with at least 5 other 3e splats). I found that system saved me a LOT of heartache over mediocre books.
Although, strangely, that book, bad as it was, included one of my favorite races - the Sharakim (although I hate the name). My assumption is that they are the race from which Scro derived from (a sort-of Vulcan vs Romulan type of situation). I also theorize (in my own FR) that the Ondonti are of this breed as well.
Anyone remember the canon (D&D) pic of the Dwarf riding the bear? I couldn't find it in the WotC galleries. I also couldn't find the really cool Warbear pic I just saw yesterday or the day before, while looking for Hobgoblin illustrations for the other thread.
I KNEW I should have saved that info somewhere... I didn't know at the time this thread would come about.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
Edited by - Markustay on 06 Mar 2011 17:53:26 |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 18:29:01
|
| Centipedes was just suggested to me as well. I really like that idea, what do you think? |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 18:38:55
|
I think that dwarves would ride whatever they could, that is local to their environment.
Remember, Dwarves live in the Underdark, Coldlands, deserts (Maztica & Zakhara), The South, Jungles, the East (with both eastern and western varieties in The Wastes), and just about everywhere else (including wetlands). That means that not every creature will be available to them in every environment (although bears seem to be able to fit in nearly all those extremes).
I think a group of Spider-riding Duergar would be awesome (and HIGHLY insulting to the Lolth-worshiping Drow).
I think there is a canon group of those dwarves that raise some type of riding creature, in the Underdark source, either beneath or around Thay. I can't remember if it was lizards or something more exotic (like those screaming, sightless reptiles).
How about a group that rides a massive War-Golem (like a juggernaught)? Dwarves with tanks!  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
Edited by - Markustay on 06 Mar 2011 18:40:06 |
|
|
|
Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
879 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 19:11:40
|
| The skyriders of the Great Rift are mounted on hippogriffs. |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 19:20:42
|
| I just got the Mindshadows Campaign book and in there is a section devoted to Dwarven, Powered Armor Battle Suits. Kind of Mech/Golem. Some interesting stuff. The dwarves I will be working on are non-Duergar Underdark dwellers. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
Edited by - Fellfire on 06 Mar 2011 19:23:42 |
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 19:21:49
|
| Google-Image 'Dwarf Mount' - some hella-good images right there (too many for me to post). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
|
|
|
Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 19:31:45
|
I used a Dwarven Construct called a "Tunnel Tank" in one of my games; the King of Tethyamar then created about half a dozen to guard his lower tunnels.
Essentially it is a Glass-Steeled sphere with a golem animation. Has a hatch that can be closed and sealed, as well as legs that can be extended for rougher terrain (six of them), and when the thing isn't in "fast movement mode" it can extend those legs (for stability) as well as another hatch that fires what amounts to a Flaming Sphere that can be directed by the "driver" as well as the vehicle having the ability to lay down caltrops, has a built in battering ram, and so on.
I got the idea from an Artifact in the 1e Dungeon Master's Guide; but these machines were no where near as hard to destroy...though it was fun to watch King Mort's face the first time the Duergar used the first one on HIS forces! 
I thought that might be something that Psionicist Dwarves might propel with their own mental ability...though in my game it ran on Charges and such.
As for actual beasts, Albino Cave Bears...Giant Bats (good source of mushroom fertilizer!)...Giant Beetles...Giant Lizards (good for wall crawling cavalry)...four legged "Battle Golems" that are mobile firing platforms...Psionic Powered Fly Discs...
I dunno...just a few off the top of my head. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
|
|
|
Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 20:27:47
|
the cover of "the bloodstone wars" 2e has a very good picutre for me - THIS is dwarven cavalry on a charge.
on the picture these are rather barbarians, but dwarves would suit this perfectly IMHO |
|
|
|
Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 20:52:44
|
| Duergar have a long tradition of steeder cavalry that has some really scary mobility in underground fighting (though it can be a nightmare to DM). Check the Ecology of the Steeder article in Dragon 245 for more info. There's no reason dwarves couldn't do something similar, though the steeders' dietary requirements would necessitate some creativity. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
|
|
|
Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 21:30:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Duergar have a long tradition of steeder cavalry that has some really scary mobility in underground fighting (though it can be a nightmare to DM). Check the Ecology of the Steeder article in Dragon 245 for more info. There's no reason dwarves couldn't do something similar, though the steeders' dietary requirements would necessitate some creativity.
I'm a big fan of the lizards the Drow use at times...those bad boys are pretty good for underdark battle! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7971 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2011 : 22:12:09
|
| I had a dwarven giant slug rider once. A shockingly destructive combination. |
[/Ayrik] |
|
|
|
The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2011 : 00:32:42
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Ponies, boars, large dogs, bears...
And when I saw the title of this thread, I was thinking warbeasts like what Hordes has. That made me think of things like dire/giant badgers, giant armadillos... And if you want to go way out there, ankylosauri, maybe with howdahs on their backs.
I must admit, the notion of dwarves on dinosaurs is something I've tinkered with before. Not only did I draw limited inspiration from Hordes, but also, from EBERRON as well -- where the concept of halfling-riding dinosaurs suggested other similarly sized races could also make use of such beasts.
I can envision dwarven herders collecting small numbers of Dromaeosauridae-type dinosaurs from the Stonelands. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
|
|
|
The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2011 : 00:33:45
|
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
Centipedes was just suggested to me as well. I really like that idea, what do you think?
Aside from a lack of speed -- supposedly necessary should a dwarf-riding-centipede combination wish to charge an enemy line -- I don't see anything wrong with it. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
|
|
|
Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2011 : 01:33:29
|
"No, no, I got no time to play. Got a thousand little legs that don't get me too far in a day..." -Conrad the Caterpillar, Widespread Panic
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Seriously though, I am thinking along the lines of the Earthcancer Centipede from Age of Worms here. Are there any artistic-type Scribes out there willing to do a quick sketch of such a thing? I have very little to offer besides my sincere thanks and the challenge of the subject matter. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
|
Edited by - Fellfire on 07 Mar 2011 01:34:06 |
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2011 : 02:39:42
|
A friend of mine owns the company that produces THIS mini, which demonstrates my suggestion for a battle-platform mounted on a very large beast.
The company is called Wyrd Miniatures, and the owner is a great guy (I was doing a sculpt for a mini for him to produce, but like everything else, sadly I never finished it). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
|
|
|
Galuf the Dwarf
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2011 : 03:01:28
|
According to Races of Faerun, shield dwarves tend to favor the following creatures as mounts by region.
Iltkazar: Riding Lizard
The Far Hills: Dire Bat
The North (or any Shield Dwarf region that has many barbarians or battleragers): Dire Boar
Other regions: Ponies, often of Island, Nether or Whiteshield stock.
For gold dwarves, they generally favor riding lizards underground and war ponies above ground.
Duergar employ either steeders or riding lizards. |
Galuf's Baldur's Gate NPC stats: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8823
Galuf's 3.5 Ed. Cleric Domains: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14036
Galuf's Homebrew 4th Edition Races: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13787
Galuf's Homebrew Specialty Priest PrCs: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14353
Galuf's Forgotten Realms Heralds and Allies thread: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8766 |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2012 : 12:25:56
|
I have adapted the WoW Gray/Brown/White Ram for my current game and named it "Starspire Ram". It shares more or less the same statistics as a mule. (suggestions/feedback is welcome)
Starspire Ram:
A cross between a Rothé and Tethyrian Highland sheep suited for riding or carrying loads with similar capacity as a mule yet even more surefooted. The wool of the Starspire Rams is used in the same way as traditional wool, though less preferred outside of Sondarr. It does not tolerate underground environments, but due to its coat it survives all but the harshest winter weather outside. [to ride a Starspire Ram, a character must have 1 rank in both Handle Animal and Ride]
Combat:
The normally docile animal can be quite stubborn at times and will kick when it feels threatened, but is more likely to butt with its massive curved horns (used by some Battlebellow dwarves to carve drinking horns).
Carrying Capacity:
A light load for a Starspire Ram is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231-460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461-690 pounds. A Starspire Ram can drag 3,450 pounds.
Skills:
Starspire Rams have a +2 racial bonus on Dexterity checks to avoid slipping or falling.
Statistics
Starspire Ram
Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative: 1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9
Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d4+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Endurance
Environment: Mountains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 1
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: — |
|
|
|
Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
|
|
Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2012 : 14:53:46
|
That rust monster idea is terrifying, but I'd hate to see the logistics problems of keeping a large (comparitively, at least) number of rust monsters in a dwarven hold. They might become a sword that's too sharp to be worth wielding.
Still, if you wanted to go ahead with it, there's plenty of rules in the Dark Sun books that could help equip them. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
|
|
|
Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
|
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2012 : 13:57:06
|
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
So I've (temporarily) beaten back the elves that are plaguing my campaign and I'm getting around to creating the Dwarven Mindstalker (Illithid-bane) Monastery. I've found some great lore here at the 'Keep regarding dwarven martial arts and had hoped for some equally excellent ideas about Dwarven Cavalry. I can think of a few instances of dwarves riding great tusked-pigs into battle and I know Duergar sometimes ride giant-spiders. Any suggestions for other creatures I could use for war-mounts? These dwarves aren't your typical dwarves, they have some psionic abilities, so I'm willing to entertain some rather fanciful monstrosities.
It would greatly depend on the type of dwarves (Hill Dwarves, Mountain Dwarves, Deep Dwarves, Jungle dwarves). For instance, I can see Mountain dwarves using flying mounts and animals known for their climbing abilities (like possibly some dire cats). For the hill dwarves, more hill/forest oriented animals like bears, wolves, possibly big moose. The deep dwarves, more lizardy type creatures. The jungle ones ... hell, maybe they rid specially saddled gorillas. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
|
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2012 : 14:02:05
|
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
Well, that's a simple enough problem to solve- stone "stalls", or maybe some wood fencing. (Sans nails, of course- woodshop students would know that there are plenty of ways to join wood without metal.) The fun part is lettingthem loose against the enemy!!
I can definitely see jungle dwarves doing the rust monster cavalry. Or maybe a community of dwarven druids. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
|
|
Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2012 : 16:29:32
|
Actually, I hadn't thought about stabling conditions at all, since, yeah, they're relatively doable. I was more worried about how you keep your erstwhile cavalry from charging your own, heavily-armored, ranks. It would really only be effective against other heavily armored races like say the drow and duergar. If you're menaced by illithid, or cloakers, or bigger-but-less-organized monsters, it probably would be more harm than good.
I like the great cat idea. Of course, I'm a cat person, so I'd lean toward it anyway. But it brings up an interesting point: are we looking for cavalry for the underground, for surface holdings, or cavalry that can do both equally well? Great cats, at least those on Earth, wouldn't do well below ground, I don't think, but if a dwarf hold has a lot of external territory to patrol against things like orcs, then they might be useful. Anyone know of subterranean cats/near-cat monsters? |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2012 : 16:50:11
|
| Displacer Beasts? |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Dwarven Warbeasts
