Source
r/DnD•
Treetimer

Seeking opinions for part of an original campaign! Having trouble bringing this particular area to life...

I am currently DMing a built-from-scratch campaign that uses fifth-edition parameters. I have not been adhering to canon lore, and have thus far only used one canon creature (Gloom Dragon), so feel free to be as liberal as you'd like in your suggestion.

The area in question is called the Bentagi Tribelands, and is situated on the southwestern corner of the continent that serves as the campaign's primary setting. The details so far:

The people living in the Bentagi Tribelands have very pale skin. They are somewhat primitive, shamanistic people who place a heavy importance on ancestry and spirit communion. The Bentagi Tribelands are surrounded; the western half is coasline, and the eastern half has a wall built around it by the very nearby human city that fears them and looks down on them for being primitive, unpredictable and possibly being in cahoots with the demon movement that is threatening the continent.

The wall has stood for a little over 100 years, and no word has come in or out of the area during that time.

The primary problem I'm having is one of detail. What could the houses be made of? The area is primarily swampy with flat topography and a complex river system, if that helps. What could be the general demeanor of the people? Would they be afraid of anything "outside," would they hate all things "outside," or could they be relieved to have access again?

Any other ideas, details or impressions are appreciated. Thanks for your time!

Posted Mar 3, 2015, 6:13 PM UTC

16
Charybdis1618•

Put yourself in the shoes of a Bentagi Tribal. (Or footprints, if they don't wear shoes.) What resources are readily available. What skills do your people place at your disposal? What do you want out of a home? How do your beliefs impact this decision, if at all? Now build that house.

Do the same with the people. Think about the culture you have established already. Think about how their beliefs impact upbringing and social interactions, both internal and external. Now think about how that might affect someone's attitude towards outsiders?

Now wipe the marsh mud off your feet, and put your DM shoes back on. What do the huts you just helped build look like from an outsider perspective? What would someone see when they first walk into the village? When you encounter the NPCs, how do the characteristics you built in the previous paragraphs affect the NPC's treatment of the party?

If all else fails, default to the Rule of Cool. Which option would make a better story? Which world will they like better?

2
planet_irata•

Since the area is swampy, the houses could be built on stilted platforms. Here are some ideas:

Perhaps give them a reason to find a way over/around/through the wall. Perhaps their main food source has dwindled and they need to seek out new sources of food. Whatever the reason, they need to expand beyond the swamp.

1
purefirePaladin•

Based on what I picked up in your post, here's my comments:

the houses/huts are likely made of a variety of materials. some from old shipping crates that washed up onshore from an unknown source. The Shaman's hut has some scribbling on it in an unknown language, believed to be the script of the gods - yadda yadda.

The other huts are various combination of mud/branches/trees/bones/fur with the Chieftan's hut being robed in the hide of an owl-bear, a testament to his strength, wisdom and vigilance.

The tribe's base teachings are that all things are as the sea, the sun, and the tree. The sea moves mightally and will carry away those who are not careful - just as our anger can move mightaly against our foes or in protection of our homes. The sun drifts across the sky but gets weary, hiding itself longer each night as winter sets in. We must be vigilant even though we tire. The tree stands tall though the waves crash against it in the storm, the sun beats down on it and the winter robs it of it's leaves. We must be like the tree, strong, unyeilding, providers of shelter to others.

If the outsiders come in as conquerers, the tribe responds as the waves crashing over them. If they come in as friends, they may earn a place beneath their branches.

1
Dubhdarragh•

Depends how you want to go with it really.

If they're primitive then probably wood huts with reed roofs, probably woven reeds would be an artform and if peaceable amongst themselves them probably have developed art and storytelling culture all their own.

Assuming they don't fight amongst themselves then a warrior class would probably not exist (except perhaps ceremonially) so they would probably accept outsiders with curiosity rather than suspicion.

If how ever there were skirmishes between tribes then they'd be much more likely to treat outsiders with suspicion and have a functioning 'warrior class' being a much more militaristic society.

The difference between the two could be down to population and food supply so just pick your variables of the terrain/history and see what pops out.

1
Zimzalabim_1•

The aztecs built incredible structures in and around swampy/marshy land, google them and you should find plenty of ideas you could incorporate.

1
peace_maybenot•

Maybe the Bentagi do worship demons and they are actually more sophisticated than the humans in the nearby city. Let's say that the Bentagi were indigenous to the land and the humans actually set up the wall 100 years ago because they saw that the Bentagi had a very large amount of power and so they secluded themselves from that. Maybe it's just been a story that the Bentagi are primative and that's why the party hasn't truly seen the power of the Bentagi that are hidden somewhere within the swamplands. The party could start to see powerful spirits in their dreams at night that eventually lead them to some type of Bentagi sacred place of worship where they discover the Bentagi's true power with their pacts with the demons of the world. This would make the general demeanor of the people be very untalkative and introverted. The houses could be of mud, straw, and clay. But what about underground? Maybe they have some connections over the seas and the party just hasn't stumbled across the boat yet and since it's been so foggy, they haven't been able to see a nearby island. Maybe the swamp is an entity in and of itself and the party can learn from one of the estranged Bentagi how to hear the trees speak in some very primitive way.

1