Peoples, Tribes, and Gangs in the Montporte Dungeon

It wasn't necessarily my intent to run a dungeon that had factions as its central theme. However, the brave adventurers have come across a number of groups--past and present--that have made a home for themselves in the Montporte Dungeon. The following list is a compilation of what the player characters have learned so far about some of the dungeon denizens, past and present.

Groups from the Past

Mysterious Pane of Glass

Mysterious Denizens: At this point, little is known about the group except for:

• The mysterious denizens are responsible for the oldest section of the dungeon so far discovered by the player characters--a series of rooms and obelisks that contain powerful but, so far, unavailable magic (the discovery of this area was made during the last session, Session 33, the notes for which will be posted soon).
• The strange and unexplained pane of glass magic items found in Session 6 and Session 22.

The Elementalists (see below) had discovered the key to understanding the magic of these mysterious denizens as part of their quest of discovering the fundamental nature of the universe.

Elementalists: The core area of the Montpore Dungeon was built by a group of humans who, for lack of a better term, are referred to as the Elementalists. Pliny the Alder described the elementalists this way:

And the people who live there are human, men and women who have dedicated themselves to understanding the very fabric of the universe by study and contemplation of the four elements. They have made themselves disciples of the natural physical order, but also follow the teachings of their elders. These disciples of the elements do not seek to possess material possessions and share all that they have with each other. They believe that violence and war among humankind erupts from the desire for ownership. They are, therefore, a peaceable people. (Pliny the Alder, Lost Scroll)

In a similar fashion, the first dwarven companions of the Elementalists described them like this:

The Elemental Monastery was started by a number of devout humans, who had dedicated themselves to the study and contemplation of the nature of the universe. They focused on learning about the nature of the world around them, particularly its physical makeup. They also spent considerable amount of time and energy in contemplation and study. Unlike our folk, they do not devote themselves to the gods and goddesses. They are not religious, but they are pious and devout. They lead simple lives, sharing property in common, giving to the poor and needy, and treating everyone fairly, with much kindness and respect. (Dwarven Construction Record)

However, the player characters had learned from Allindrihl the Elf (in Session 10) that the Elementalists had suffered a series of civil wars. Ultimately, the Elementalists split into three groups: (1) A group now known as the "Breeders;" (2) A group of demon worshipers; and (3) a third unknown group.

According to Golnar the dwarf, the elementalists "went mad" as they discovered and used the secrets of the mysterious denizens. This led to their demise.

Dwarves: The Elementalists engaged a small group of dwarves to assist them in the construction of the Montporte Dungeon. The story of their early history is recorded in the Dwarven Construction Record. The player characters also discovered a dwarven document, a letter, from civil war period. The dwarves were all but wiped out by the demon worshiping faction of the Elementalists during the civil war. The dwarven goddess, Doluth, hid the last remaining dwarves (Session 22 and Session 33, the most recent session).

Gnomes: Like the dwarves, the gnomes of Montporte were caught in the crossfire of the Elementalists civil wars. The player characters have found some evidence that some of the gnomes managed to escape destruction. The most obvious evidence is Dwemmon, the gnome rescued from hobgoblin slave traders in Session 29. Dwemmon claims that he was living in a subterranean forest until he was taken prisoner by the hobgoblins.

Groups in the Present
Orcs: The player characters started their adventures in Montporte Dungeon by rescuing a group of humans from a band of orcs. The orcs were using the Montporte Dungeon as a temporary base in their ongoing conflict with local kobolds. The player characters finished off the orcs in Session 4, rescuing the human captives in the process.

Kobolds: Somewhere in the northern part of Level 1, a band of kobolds have made a home for themselves as they follow the meglomaniac dreams of their leader, Degmar. Little Larry, the player characters' kobold henchman, gives a history of the kobold band in the telling of his own story.

Ants: There is an ant colony on Level 1 of unknown size. The Dwarven Construction Record mentions an ant colony in the same location. If it is the same colony, it has existed for thousands of years.

Allindrihl and the Uyoga: Led by Allindrihl the elven mushroom farmer, the uyoga (mushroom folk) live in a colony on Level 2 of the dungeon.

"Breeders:" The Breeders are one of the three groups that resulted from the demise of the Elementalists. They breed various forms of humans for food, for slaves, and for soldiers. They are currently ruled by Elias the One and the Council of the Eternals. They are known to have a sacrificial ritual, using gnomes, to ward off the aging process and natural death, but the player characters know little of the process.

Rebels: The rebels are a small ragtag group who live on Level 3 of the Montporte Dungeon. Using guerilla tactics, the rebels have managed to survive despite the overwhelming power of the Breeders. Daria, a former Breeder novice, is the leader of the rebels. She is also a former apprentice of Allindrihl; he continues to help Daria when and where he can.

Demon Worshipers: The second of the three groups descending from the Elementalists. Little is known about them, except that they dwell deeper in the Montporte Dungeon.

Lost Elementalists: Allindrihl the elf mentioned a third group or faction that resulted from the Elementalist civil war, but he provided no other information.