Gameplay and text written by Maestro (TDD Design Lead)
edited by elijy (tDD Community Manager)
Hello there!
Welcome to our fist Development Log, called "Dwarves of the East".
Since we have been asked to leave ModDB, we haven't been able to publish any kind of DevLogs.
But from now on, you can expect to see here, from time to time, shorter and much more interesting updates on the progress of the mod.
One word before we begin.
We know that you haven't seen much in terms of content from The Dawnless Days: the truth is that we have taken some much needed rest after the 4 huge releases that took place last year
and we have used this time to move into more complicated parts of our work, such as architecture, map-making and of course, the campaign.
While work has been going on the latter, we still have no concrete news to give you: but rest assured, work has been done.
Without further ado, let's begin our tour of the East!
During these years, we have been troubled by Ered Luin as a faction, both for problems in lore and gameplay design. However, we are keen to have at least two Dwarven factions in our mod. The Dwarves deserve it, as do all their fans!
After a team-wide consultation and discussion, we decided to do as follows:
- To cut Ered Luin as a playable faction, though leaving room for sub-modders and for us to develop a Dwarven faction in the area in the future if there is a desire to.
Ered Luin will still receive a handful of units both in their and in Erebor's AOR roster
- To add two Orocarni factions
- To already release both Orocarni factions at least upon 2nd release, preferably first
There are many reasons why this decision was ultimately taken. From a lore perspective, Ered Luin’s basis is exceptionally frail, accounting for the destruction of Nogrod and Belegost and exodus from the area to Khazad-dûm and later to Erebor. From a gameplay perspective, Ered Luin’s potential gameplay opportunities are too weak to justify their inclusion in spite of lore problems. Ered Luin is far removed from any real enemies, which would force us to either bend or break the lore even further by allowing wars between unlikely enemies, or make the campaign heavily script-based.
On the other hand, the Orocarni Dwarves have much better gameplay prospects, greater lore credibility and with more room for creative ideas.
This makes the Orocarni Dwarves a significantly better candidate as TDD’s second (and third!) Dwarven faction and why we have taken the view that they should replace Ered Luin as in our mod.
Yes, but talk about the O-R-O-C-A-R-N-I !
There are four known Orocarni Houses:
the Ironfists
the Stiffbeards
the Blacklocks
the Stonefoots
These clans are subject to much speculation, fan-fiction and rumour. Nonetheless, it appears the Ironfists and Stiffbeards were likely on good terms, whereas the Blacklocks were with the Stonefoots. Furthermore, it is said that Orocarni Dwarves aided the Longbeards in their struggles against the Orcs of the Misty Mountains in the late Third Age. The Ironfists are rumoured to have rendered most aid. We know there are canonical theories by Tolkien that some Dwarves were tempted and persuaded to join evil. Opportunism, greed or ignorance would be likely culprits in this respect as known weaknesses of Dwarven character typically exploited by the Shadow.
Faction icons made by Don Maeroni
Based on this limited information we have,
we have chosen to split the Orocarni faction into two, for a grand total of three playable Dwarven factions, including Erebor.
These two Orocarni factions will be split as such: the Ironfists & Stiffbeards on one hand, and the Blacklocks & Stonefoots on the other. Both factions will start neutral to all their neighbours and to each other. However, the Ironfists & Stiffbeards will be on good diplomatic terms with Erebor, whereas the Blacklocks & Stonefoots will have agreeable relations with the main Easterling clans. As such, it is not a given that either side should go to war with the other, or that one coalition of clans is always to follow a path of good where the other is to follow evil. But, it will give some definition to the two different factions and, for us, some guidance as to how to design their rosters.
The most recent Campaign map starting positions, with the Orocarni all to the East
The player can start a campaign as either coalition.
If he chooses to play as the Ironfists & Stiffbeards, he will start in the northern ranges of the Orocarni. These lands are safer from Easterling strength and further away from Mordor, but their starting position is weaker than that of the Blacklocks & Stonefoots with only two minor settlements for starts. On the other hand, the Blacklocks & Stonefoots start with three settlements, one of which is the heart of the Orocarni Mountains and very much the capital of all Orocarni Dwarves. Thus, they are more dominant, but positioned closer to Shadow’s main strengthbase.
Neither clan coalition starts allied or at war with anyone.
The player has freedom to shape his own campaign and strike where he likes.
However, given the starting setting, it may prove wise for the Ironfist & Stiffbeard player to remain on good terms with Erebor, whereas it may prove harder to do so for the Blacklocks & Stonefoots given their proximity to the Easterling and Mordor heartlands. Opportunism inclines the latter to instead side with the Easterlings and with Mordor and seize a chance to take full control over the Orocarni Mountains through force, perhaps ultimately challenging Erebor itself.
Concept by Maeron
Regardless of the player’s choice,
it seems that conflict among the Dwarven Houses of the East is hard to avoid.
Careful diplomacy is required to maintain, although ideological differences, opportunism or even coercion from neighbours are likely to lead to war in the Red Mountains among the Dwarves. However, if control over the mansions of enemy clans is secured and hostile leadership of the opposing coalition removed,
it will become possible to recruit military units of the other clans into the ranks of the player’s own clan.
The player’s own clan’s units will likely be more widely available, but the other coalition’s units will no doubt be a welcome addition to the player’s armies.
This is because each clan has a different style of warfare.
Concept by Maeron
Ironfists are, like their Erebor kin, excellent in holding defensive positions, with a particular speciality in fending of cavalry.
The
Stiffbeards aid their Ironfist kin with excellent skirmishing potential, mastering some of the Easterling’s marksmanship and Dwarven axe-throwing.
On the other hand, the
Blacklocks specialise in offensive warfare, adopting the mace from their Easterling neighbours, supplemented by more traditional two-handed Dwarven axes.
Stonefoots, in turn, bolster the Blacklock ranks with powerful polearms and pikes, specialising in tightly-packed formations both for attacking and defending purposes.
You can check their full rosters at
https://trello.com/b/igTEaPWc/the-dawnless-days-rosters-public
.
With the addition of two Orocarni factions, The Dawnless Days strives to increase the representation of the Dwarves in the game, increasing the final number of playable Dwarven factions to three.
In addition, it strives to rely on Tolkien’s work as much as possible, with any additions staying faithful to his philosophy and style as much as possible.
Our mod strives to mimic that which Tolkien would have created if he had chosen to develop the lands to the south and east more.
More than that, we hope to give the player a unique experience with every faction, and the Orocarni factions are unique in their virtually neutral starting position, diplomatic relations and unit roster.
We are confident both Orocarni factions will play very differently from all other factions in the mod and to be unique experience to Dwarven fans and fans of our mod in general.
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I will remind you that if you desire to be notified about these DevLogs you should pick the @Followers role clicking on the green reaction in server-rules.
That said, I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this one, it has been on our minds for a long time! Comments are very welcomed in general-chat!
See you in the next DevLog folks!
elijy (tDD Community Manager)
Follow developments here:
Discord
Nexus
HOW TO INSTALL THE DAWNLESS DAYS
UPDATED TO VERSION 0.6.0
(custom battles only - NO CAMPAIGN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mxqu4Mmdws