For Dwimmermount, the characters are starting at 2nd level and start with an extra 100gp (plus starting gear from class and background). Characters start with Maximum Hit Points for both 1st and 2nd level (after that I am debating). Character creation is the basic point buy (27 points) from the PHB 5th ed. Variant Humans are allowed but the 'base Human' gets the following +1 to all six stats with an additional +1 to one stat (in effect getting a +2 to one stat, +1 to the other five). Base Humans also start with one additional trained Skill of their choice. All the basic races from the PHB are allowed. I have the Sword Coast Adventure Guide and while the game is NOT set in the Forgotten Realms you can use stuff from in there.
I like the idea that the heroes have traveled together for at least a bit and have arrived at the gates of Muntburg as the game opens. None have ever been here before (after all the ONLY draw to this town is the dungeon themselves and they have been totally sealed for at least a hundred years).
Legends say the dungeon was created thousands of years ago in the First Age of Telluria (the world) by some ancient god-like Race that roams the planet. This race either left the world in ancient times or was destroyed, depending on whom you ask. The Servitor Races of the Ancients they came to rule the world, caretakers and followers of the Ancients. These include the first Humans, Elves and Dwarfs. They were almost as powerful as the Ancients and ruled the world for thousands of years during the 2nd Age. Mighty kingdoms and Magic were the rule of the day. At the end of the 2nd Age, the Red-Elves, themselves almost god-like in the mythical powers of Chaos came and threw down the Servitor Races. These elves enslaved most of the other races and warped and twisted others (they also almost wiped out the Dwarven race). They were overthrown (also thousands of years ago) and disappeared from the world (the end of the 3rd Age) although the chaos they inflicted onto others still lingers.
Three centuries ago, during the 5th Age, all life was threatened with the rise of the Liche-Lords and their undead armies. Only with the banding together of the civilized races where they defeated and the world set right.
It is now the 7th Age. Most of the magical items of this world are from these first three Ages, a time of legends and unknowable power. The secrets of magic creation have been lost over the years and now the nations all seek out old lairs of the either the Ancients, the Servitors or the Red-Elves, seeking the collect the magical items for their own use and power.
The 'gods' of this world are mostly quite although Clerics etc. gain spells by praying to them. I will probably just use the Forgotten Realm gods for easy.
Muntburg is a fortified town that serves the dual purpose of keeping watch over the passage through The Wintertops Mountains and Dwimmermount itself. As the Dwimmermount has been 'quiet' and sealed for the last century it sees like business beside a stop over for caravans traveling to more important places. Muntburg itself is located about three miles form the 'mountain road' to the few 'know' location for the most common entrances into the dungeon mountain (near its peak). The 'mountain' itself is around just over 1,500 feet tall but the climb up the stairs is steep. There are rumored to be others but they seem to change with the times and at presents no other ones are commonly known. From the trade road stairs can be seen ascending towards Dwimmermount’s peak.
