|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:25:50 GMT
TL;DR: - topic: ...what the title says.  - thread character: brainstorming & collecting stuff together (a.k.a. ' this shall not be just me posting my own stuff but an invitation for all members to join & contribute' Long version: As I said here, I just started making a whole terrain set featuring an abandoned dwarven mine, which is a fantasy and thus roleplaying classic ever since a certain group of mostly dwarven adventures stood before the linguistically riddled stone gates of a certain mine ...and got attacked by giant tentacles. That should have taught them about trespassing property of the stout folk. I intend to scavenge each and every dwarf-related product I can find for inspiration: Mithril Hall, Gauntlygrym, Moria, etc... I'll be happy if you can point me towards cool plans, pictures and books (ebook and dead-tree books alike) of all things Moria. The goal is a combination of all the coolest stuff that can be found in such a setting - so let's start hoarding dwarfen goodness!The first few postings will be placeholders where we'll collect material for easy finding and fast reverence, so do not wonder why there are several empty postings below this one. I'll collect not only canon lore but also fan material if I deem it useful enough. Contrary to the 2.5D approach, I'll be doing a set with several levels stacked upon each ofther (but I hopefully won't overdo it, making the whole thing toppling down on the game table *g*), so that the PCs can shoot down from balconies or have to duck behind giant crumbling pillars to get cover from spell-hurling orc shamans riding giant bats, etc. |
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:26:08 GMT
placeholder posting
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:26:21 GMT
General dwarven lore- One of the best dwarven products is Wolfang Baur's Halls of the Mountain King. Honestly, I think this is easily topping every list of dwarf-related products. - The ADnD 2nd edition adventure module 'Axe of the Dwarvish lords' has lots of inspiration. Almost 200 pages full of dwarven goodness! - I.C.E.'s Moria - The Dwarven City module: detailed sketches of dwarven architecture, tools, contraptions, level plans, etc. Seriously, try to get this one! You should at least simply google it. *hint*
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:26:41 GMT
Gauntlgrym loreI recently got the WotC's 4E campaign book 'Neverwinter' which has some cool stuff on Gauntlgrym, an ancient and lost realm of the dwarves in the Forgotten Realms. I quickly googled and found some pictures from the game: - www.capsulecomputers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Neverwinter-Gauntlgrym-Screenshot-01-600x337.jpg- 3.bp.blogspot.com/-EI4dBSwZwGc/VA8mR5Jk2uI/AAAAAAAACNk/2Qpmhw3ItGw/s1600/stonefang_pass_entrance.jpg - www.arcgames.com/de/games/neverwinter/news/detail/6003493-auteur-foundry-de-la-semaine- ...heck, I even found Grym's craftwar build!  My guess is that the Neverwinter computer game will be a huge ressource, but I don't want to buy & install it (let alont spending hours and hours gaming through) just for scavenging material, so I'll probably just see what's on the internet. Should be enough for me... I intentionally took the following pics with bad quality so I don't run into copyright issues - I don't think that small and blurry pictures make any problem.here's the door from the Here's the door of the city from Neverwinter campaign book, plus some other inspirational pictures.  The Iron Tabernacle is the city's heart, where all the temples and shrines are. All (or most) ways eventually meet in this hub, and the picture was my initial inspiration to make a 3D dwarven mine terrain set.  No dwarven mine game is complete without some crazy mine-cart chase fun!  I'm on the lookout for cheap rails from model rairoad auctions, and will age them properly.  [ongoing url collection, updated more or less frequently]
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:38:26 GMT
Tethyamar lore The great Candlekeep forum has already covered a lot of sources here: - another thread here with lore directly from George Krashos, one of the Realms authors - someone even made a Fat Dragon Games papercraft terrain set related to Tethyamar here. Wow!  [ongoing url collection, updated more or less frequently]
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 14:49:16 GMT
Here's the start: Giant pillars made from pringles cans. Using cans has several advantages: - uniform size - I can use them without having to cut them to size - they have a magnetic bottom, so I can use neodyms - I can store smaller stuff in the cans when not gaming I paint them up like DMG and DMScotty do their dungeon floors. Basepainted black (first time I used a sponge brush)  Stippled with a sponge Stamped with a smaller sponge  I'll be making cuts at several heights of the cans so I can stick plywood in, making the pillars hold the different levels and balconies. At least that's the plan... |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2015 16:48:15 GMT
Gauntlgrym loreMy guess is that the Neverwinter computer game will be a huge ressource, but I don't want to buy & install it (let alont spending hours and hours gaming through) just for scavenging material, so I'll probably just see what's on the internet. Should be enough for me... Neverwinter is free to play. Unfortunately you have to be level 60 before you enter Gauntlgrym. If I get there before you are finished I'll take screenshots of anything interesting I find. |
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 17:26:47 GMT
@danceswithhippos: Screenshots would be awesome, but I think we can find them already online. It's probably more efficient to add the most useful pics from there. Nevertheless, you're more than welcome to post whatever interesting stuff you'll find there! Not only pictures, but also descriptions of what's there in the game that we might craft for terrain. |
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 3, 2015 17:33:41 GMT
That would make an awesome dwarven monument. Heck, it might even animate - what's cooler than a giant flying dwarven hammer? Source: Scarab Gaming Convention |
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 4, 2015 10:19:21 GMT
Painted the black gaps between the stones...  I'm not happy with the outcome, it simply doesn't look convincing to me.  I don't think that adding white highlights (as per DMG's method) will change it into a properly convincing 'blocks of stone' look, but I'm willing to give it a try. If it looks halfway decent, I'll paint the other three pillars up as well, if not, I'll put them aside for a while. However, here's another line of thought: For a proper dwarven mine setting, I'll need tons of masonry. I could make a cardboard moria and paint all pieces up, but after the pillar experience, I seriously doubt that the end result will be fun to look at. So how about casting most of the stuff I need instead of making it out of cardboard? I just had a little ebay shopping spree and ordered different masonry pieces from a miniature railroad seller. I need only one of each and then make moulds. I know it's not allowed to resell them or otherwise use them commercially, but since that isn't my intention at all, I should be fine. [update] This seems to be a great seller: Not only did he already pack everything up (it is sunday afternoon!) and waive the shipping costs (which saves me 6 €), but he also promised to put several free tiles in, among others stuff that isn't even on sale in his shop. If you're from Germany or anywhere else where shipping costs aren't that much higher, I can recommed this guy now already - and I haven't even got the package yet. [/update] Can't wait to get on with casting! Now that it's obvious that I'll do lots of casting, I start wondering about casting materials. Plaster comes to mind, but I want something that doesn't break and chip easily. Hotglue is an excellent option - durable, flexible and light - but en masse it's too expensive, and it takes too long to fill each mould. Any ideas? |
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 4, 2015 10:43:54 GMT
Added the white highlights, and it looks a bit better than before:  I think I shouldn't have used a uniform grey when I stamped the pillars - DMG didn't mix the black and white, so he gets a more visually interesting pattern. Guess I'll have to repeat the stamping... |
|
|
|
Post by thedmg on Jan 4, 2015 13:42:04 GMT
This should be a good one  Copyright is not a problem when you are using images for the purposes of review or educational purposes. It is considered fair use. The fact that you are essentially building a tutorial should be perfectly fine in terms of image use However it is always good to bare copyright in mind. |
|
|
|
Post by curufin on Jan 4, 2015 15:02:13 GMT
Two modules come to mind that offer a plethora of dwarven mine info and inspiration are (and I feel silly for even suggesting this) I.C.E.'s Moria for the MERP/Rolemaster system and Axe of the Dwarvish Lords for D&D 2E.
I.C.E.'s Moria gives cross sections and details for the seven deeps. Just flipping quickly through it conjured a desire to run it. (Or at least watch FotR again).
Axe of the Dwarvish Lords is a module not to different form a Moria/Erebor situation. A dwarven stronghold (mountain) has been routed by monsters and lost to the ages. It contains detailed maps for multiple levels of the mountain including a two-level mine. It is less than $10USD on Amazon.
Glossing over these two modules gave me some ideas of features you could add to your build.
Dumbwaiter systems for transporting ore
Boring contraptions that run off of water wheels
Chutes for dropping coal to furnaces
Forges/foundries
molds for pouring ingots
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 4, 2015 15:51:15 GMT
curufin, I have Axe of the Dwarvish Lords (in fact I had scavenged this module years ago in another adventure but had completely forgotten it yesterday when typing the posting *g*), it is full of dwarfen goodness. I think I also have ICE's Moria module, but I'll have to look for it in my collection... Your ideas are great - they go straight to my 'candidates to craft' list. One of the best dwarven products is Wolfang Baur's Halls of the Mountain King. Honestly, I think this is easily topping every list of dwarf-related products.
|
|
|
|
Post by DnDPaladin on Jan 5, 2015 0:15:23 GMT
the problem you have comes fromt he size of the brush. those black marks should be much thinnner.
i have the same problem, even using the smallest brush i always get the lines too big and it just looks too weird.
i'm trying to find a solution and i may have an idea, but i still need to test it out.
quite simple an idea... using some thin rope that put paint on and then just circle around.
not sure this will work, but if it does, it will do it faster then hand painting it all.
but overall, yeah the problem is the size of the brush. those black lines are way too thick.
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Jan 5, 2015 18:41:36 GMT
thanks for the advice! I hadn't even thought into that direction. I'll see what happens with a thinner brush. After all, I have still 3 pillars left. |
|
|
|
Post by DnDPaladin on Jan 6, 2015 15:01:57 GMT
i am now using a 10/0 brush for them picky details like cracks and the stuff like that.
definitely much better details. but i know there are thinner brushes then that still.
|
|
|
|
Post by curufin on Jan 6, 2015 16:15:08 GMT
I have been combing my RPG collection looking for more dwarven related modules and I am quite surprised that there doesn't seem to be as many as one would think.
I did find two more. Both offer old dwarven strongholds filled with monsters.
L3: Deep Dwarven Delve. The last of the "L" series and the last printed AD&D 1E adventure.
The Forge of Fury. One of the early 3.0 adventures.
|
|
|
|
Post by lyonhart on Jan 20, 2015 5:18:23 GMT
I will be following this thread with great interest.
|
|
|
|
Post by tauster on Feb 21, 2015 15:12:39 GMT
I recently saved a detergent bottle,...  ...cut it in half...  and textured it with spackle. At the moment it's drying, and I hope that it doesn't flake off.  I'm aiming for a large stone structure with an arch - this will make fun terrain in a battle. |
|
Cheers!