Dwarf Canals!

[Tonguez]

Ws read Monstrous Regiment (Pratchett) and the reference to Dwarf barges travelling along a network of underground canals took my fancy (especially in light of recent discussion on Dwarfish beast of burden). Its a brilliant (and unusual) concept but makes perfect sense when you think about it - Dwarfs have built a network of canals and locks under their mountaisn which pretty much takes them whereever they need, unseen by the surface world. Then I though - what if the entire underdark (or campaign equivalent) was a network of canals with 'Islands' of dry caverns upon which the various residents dwealt

Anyone else ever used Dwarf canals in their game?

 

[Ferret]

No, but that is a superb Idea I'll have to pick up my Monstros regiment book more.

 

[tarchon]

We actually did one of those in Greyhawk. As I recall it ran from the Gnarly Forest to Celene.
I once wrote a very bad short story with a similar setting as well.

 

[Nifft]

IMC, Dwarves have these stone ships that sail through rock just like Elven ships sail through the air. They can sail between worlds using the Riven -- basically, go deep enough and you're in a plane that's caught between Shadow, Pandemonium and Elemental Earth. It's dangerous, but you can get anywhere... and that's also why so many monsters are in deep places on the Prime. They swam up from Riven.

-- N

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Dragonlance has a dwarf delve with an underground sea on which barges are pulled back and forth by cables attached to the cavern ceiling.

 

[Jolly Giant]

Terry Pratchett's fantasy books are actually excellent sources for DM inspiration, IMHO. They're not all wackyness! It's been said that his Diskworld is what you get when you put all the fantasy clichès together and add a healthy dose of logic and common sense.

 

[Dogface]

How about Dwarf Canals on Mars?

 

[Hand of Evil]

I have but it was only for a group of caverns that would flood twice a year, the canals were built to spread the water out to keep it from flooding the city, the canals went for miles and were used for trade. Also used the idea of hyroponics for crops, caves that were flooded but had isles for plants, fish and crayfish would be harvested from the channels and plants from the isles to feed the city, spells were used to light the area.

 

[shilsen]

Terry Pratchett's fantasy books are actually excellent sources for DM inspiration, IMHO. They're not all wackyness! It's been said that his Diskworld is what you get when you put all the fantasy clichès together and add a healthy dose of logic and common sense.

And I'm one of the people who says that Anybody trying to do a dwarven culture should read "The Fifth Elephant". If that doesn't give you some great ideas for how to use dwarves in your campaign, I'll eat a rat on a stick. Without ketchup.

 

[Arnwyn]

Anyone else ever used Dwarf canals in their game?

Yup. The dwarven kingdoms IMC are fairly impressive feats of engineering.