The Riverhammer, The Hammer That Forged Itself

[Tornadofyr]

Throughout history, Dwarven Pharaohs have been named Riverhammer. The first Pharaoh was known as Riverhammer, the eighth Pharaoh was a Riverhammer, and the seventeenth Pharaoh went by Riverhammer.
Each of those Pharaohs wielded a powerful warhammer, and would never let anyone else touch it. It was rumored they slept with it in their hands.
There has only been one Riverhammer, and there will always be a Riverhammer.
The Riverhammer is a powerful sentient Dwarven hammer, powerful enough that Dwarves automatically fall under its sway when they touch it.
If the Hammer has no wielder, Dwarves are compelled to grab it, rolling a Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage (DC 15). On a failure, they will sacrifice their lives to get a chance at getting it.
Stats are irrelevant. You don't gain its abilities, you give it some.

[JNAProductions]

This feels odd.

Also, why world-building forum?

[Tornadofyr]

This feels odd.

Also, why world-building forum?

I thought it was more of a lore thing than a mechanics thing. How does it feel odd?

[Tornadofyr]

Any other opinions/questions/suggestions?

[the_david]

Okay, tell me more about these Dwarven Pharaohs. It somehow makes sense. I mean, who else could have build the pyramids?

Or maybe the Dwarves are just slaves of the Pharaos? That would work too, but you'd miss out on Riverhammers.

[Tornadofyr]

My Dwarves use a Mesopotamian and Egyptian aesthetic, instead of the standard Norse one.

Most of the Pharaohs have been Dwarves, and before you posted all of them had been, except for Riverhammer. But now I'm thinking that some of them might have been dragons, Giants, or demons.

In my current campaign, the only Dwarf PC has the Sailor background, which might be a common dwarven profession because the Dwarven Capital city is always being invaded every 1000 years or so.

But why is it that the Dwarves are invaded?
Is it just because they work hard?
Do they have some magical... something that immortals can use but mortals can't?

[the_david]

Dwarves might be sailors because they live near the sea? Egypt is connected to both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. It would be weird if your Not-Egypt would be landlocked.

If the Dwarves are only getting invaded every 1000 years, you've got a very peaceful civilization. That is not historically accurate, at all.

[Tornadofyr]

Both of your points are correct.

[Bohandas]

I thought it was more of a lore thing than a mechanics thing.

As an aside you may snag some additional views and feedback if you post a copy and/or a link in the Deities and Legends For Everyone thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?561642-Deities-and-Legends-for-Everyone)

[Tornadofyr]

Alright, thank you!

[Tornadofyr]

Here's a revised version:

Throughout history, several Dwarven Pharaohs have been named Riverhammer.
The first Pharaoh was Riverhammer.
The eighth Pharaoh was Riverhammer.
The twentieth Pharaoh was Riverhammer.
Each of those Pharaohs wielded a powerful warhammer, would never let anyone else touch it, and were never seen without their warhammer. It was rumored they slept with it in their hands.
Those rumors were true.
Those Pharaohs were the same person.
The Riverhammer, which claims to have somehow crafted itself, is a magical warhammer with a soul so strong it possesses any Dwarf that picks it up.
For the last three generations, the Riverhammer was entombed deep in the desert of Raelio.
The Riverhammer’s head is crafted from baked clay. Many runes have been carved into it. The handle consists of a metal core and fossilized river reeds woven around it.
Sometimes called the Treasure King, the Riverhammer talks to relics and magic items like they were people. Perhaps to the Riverhammer, they are. When fighting Riverhammer, be wary of any magic items you wield. They might struggle out of your hands, and begin dancing around the battlefield, gleefully fighting for the Treasure King.
The Riverhammer manipulates water and clay with the same ease with which a mortal breathes.
When the Riverhammer speaks, it might sound similar to an expert craftsman patiently instructing a bumbling apprentice, or it might portray itself as a kind and generous king.

[Squire Doodad]

Well, if a "Riverhammer" forged itself, then wouldn't it be a naturally occurring piece of hammer? As in, the hammer and the handle are one and the same, and were "forged" through natural means. This would probably be in a myth of some sort - perhaps the hammer was a broken off chunk of a mountain, and was blessed by a curious water-elemental as it flowed with the river through seas and streams until it reached the land the kingdom would be at. (The locals don't know this though, they just know it as "the hammer that fell into the river and forged itself in our sacred lands"). From there, the Riverhammer was forged and crafted by...someone, and got the runes that gave it its name. Maybe the spirit of the water elemental is what is inside the hammer, or maybe it forged it.

This is just about "forging" it though, the rest of it sounds fascinating. Is the Riverhammer inherently somewhere on the alignment chart (does it default to being a good and honorable king, or is its rule marked by an iron grip?), or does it toy with different perspectives each time (immortality gets boring, of course)?

[Tornadofyr]

This is just about "forging" it though, the rest of it sounds fascinating. Is the Riverhammer inherently somewhere on the alignment chart (does it default to being a good and honorable king, or is its rule marked by an iron grip?), or does it toy with different perspectives each time (immortality gets boring, of course)?

I like the idea that it changes ruling styles every time. That's pretty cool.