War is coming. War like this land has not seen for many turns, since before the elves walked boldly, before even the human races shed their barbarism for hedonism- a war from an age when the ground shook with the steps of its masters, and the oceans writhed with the fury of their inhabitants.
The land has been quiet these last few thousand years, but it is stirring now, and the Dwarven sages have felt that stirring, and have begun preparations to avert this coming war, and failing that, to wage it at all.
This is the reason you find yourself called to the mighty dwarven hall Janderhoff, where a small group of elite warriors meets to hear the words of the eldest sage.
Go to "my account" page and create an alias. Use standard stat block format for his statistics.
Questions like these generally go in the discussion forum, which you'll find a tab for above this.
A burly 4'4" dwarf with wild black hair and beard, in blackened armor, carrying a large size longaxe in both hands while a huge sized waraxe is strapped to his back. Comes up to the gates of Janderhoff and starts pounding on the gates to get the guardsman attention.
Gates easily taller than most trees lumbers open with a deep rumble, grinding to a halt merely two paces open.
A grand hall greets Eldak, with statues ten times the height of a dwarf gracing the walls. Each carries a different weapon- axe and shield, ugrosh, chain, bow, staff, even one holds pen and tablet. Barely visible against the far wall, two statues flank a marvelous seated sculpture, this one's features indistinct, his crown heavy and expression grim.
A small dwarf with a robe and diamond monocle rimmed in runescribed gold inspects Eldak closely, before clearing his throat and booming an announcement throughout the hall.
with a slightly stern voice he corrects him by saying
Its clan not Cloudripper that Was Edrukks' title, for he was able to go toe to toe against the giants and I have his blood running thick in my veins to be able to do the same
like a staff he brings the long axe to its full height and taps it on the ground to show of its power
The dwarf, notably unimpressed, looks over a stone tablet he carries. After squinting for a minute, then simply responds Hmmph.
Eldak! A hearty greeting echoes through the hall, issued from a barrel chested dwarf decked in glimmering black plate, his beard as black as the steel but shot with gray.
I'm glad you made it. Come, a council has assembled. Ushered through a labyrinth of spiral staircases and twisting passages up into the heights of the mountain, Eldak finds himself in a surprisingly well lit room of smoother stone, a table in the middle carved from a vein of marble. Closer inspection reveals the light is on fact daylight, funneling through a sort of crystal lattice. Around the table are seated eight clan elders, clerics and sages, headed by the great general Vorin himself, wearing his trademark stone mail.
His voice is gravelly, brusk but not harsh.
Eldak, good, welcome. We were just discussing some troubling news. Giants that live on islands far west have begun trying to find a way to cross the sea using magic.
He sighs.
There are some differences of opinion as to how to combat this eventuality... What is your opinion?
With a heavy regretful kind of sigh
As you know I haven't had the militaristic upbringing as you, vell not in full at least, only vhat my Vater taught me those many years ago.
At his mention of his father he fiddles around with the his clans signet ring. Regaining himself he continues
So as far as tactics the best I can say is to hit them hard and hit them fast. Cause if ve give them the chance it be over. Our greatest advantage to them is the training that has been engraved into our very
Making a fist he slams it in to his chest
core!
Vill ve have the aid of the Ninth Battalion?
As we speak the ninth scours the old places of this world, closing rifts to the plane of earth below us. A battalion would not go unnoticed, and would be destroyed immediately by the savagery we have seen in scry orbs.
This is the opinion of an elder, completely bald save his silver beard, neatly combed and braided over his earthsilk shirt.
That is why we must find Ramsbellow! exclaims a short, whimsical dwarf with wild reddish hair, his beard and chest hair nearly indistinguishable.
with a questioning tone
Vhat's Ramsbellow?
It's a myth! Responds the elder.
With more reserve, Vorin strokes his beard before responding.
Ramsbellow is an ancient horn capable of leveling mountains, if the stories are to be believed. It is, however, lost, and its power has only been documented in stories and the like. Even if it could be recovered...
Yet another dwarf enters the chamber, a bear's hide hanging from his shoulders, and a thick tome under one arm.
Ah have seen et, he says in a thick accent. It's clear that Gnomish is his first language from the inflection.
The horn resides deep en tha moontains to tha nor'h, where et was loost.
A grave silence falls over those assembled.
The halls of fire, Vorin asks, after a long pause.
Silghtly aggravated that he doesn't know what most of the darves in the chamber do
And Vhere are the halls of fire?
The halls of fire lie far to the north. In the giant war, Fire giants pushed south allied with a great dragon, hoping to crush Janderhoff in its youth. A brave warrior and his small band of men pushed the giants north, harrying them back to their keep. Ambitiously, the hero, his name lost to history, entered the fiery keep in the hopes of using his magical horn, taken from Torag's mount itself, to lay waste to the volcano in which the giants made their home. That was the last twas ever heard from him or any of his warriors, and smoke still billows from that ancient place.
Sense motive
It is clear that the dwarves in this chamber are at the tops of their fields. A respected general, a powerful mage, the eldest of the sages. However, they seem to represent only Janderhoff- you sense that this is because other clans will not take the threat seriously, or perhaps because they were simply not invited.
Suddenly, it strikes you as strange that you were announced at all, and stranger that your clan name was not included correctly.
The red-bearded dwarf nods emphatically.
The horn rests even now, untouched, in the giant keep. They cast it into the pool of magma at its core, hoping to destroy it, but it was not so easily destroyed. We need only retrieve it.
He shakes his head sadly.
It will be a dangerous mission, but will allow us to destroy the fire giants guarding the northern pass, if we are victorious.
Standing up to his full height with his arms leaning on the table and his hands made in to fists
I have reasons enough to hate the giants. And will fight them in battle anytime but if you think I am to be cannon fodder in this plan of yours I will leave now and go protect my home from real threats
Vorin chuckles.
I like him.
He stands as well.
It's true, this plan, it is too risky. There is no guarantee we could find the horn, and even if we could, no guarantee it would work. On top of that, it is too well guarded.
Pardon me, sah, but in fact the horn itself is unguarded. Should we attempt to hack mandlessly through legions of giants, no doubt we should fail, but this is noot what Ah suggest.
Geheim stands as well, though he's so short that it hardly matters.
Besahds, the giants have all boot left behand the keep. A small team could easilah break in with a bit o' luck and some good ole know-how.
Talk to me straight vhat are your plans and vhy have ye summoned me
You were invited to this council on account of your well known martial prowess, as well as for our concern, announces a burly dwarf with a deep voice seated directly under the crystalline light. His sharp features are in shadow, but his clothing announce his importance, and his station.
We are concerned that giants are to wage war here in the human land of Varisia. As the only other Dwarf Lord able, or willing, to meet, you have a say in how we combat this new threat.
After finally being talked with not talked to he sits back down ready to listen
Thank you. So tell me vhat I need to know to be caught up with the rest of ye
You know as much as me by now, Vorin says with a sigh.
Giants to the west are preparing to cross the seas, which is the only barrier holding them back. We suspect they will try and use the great arch of Riddleport as a portal, or perhaps the plane of earth, coming up in the darklands through the great pit in the far, far north.
As he talks, the table's surface shifts and morphs, becoming a three-dimensional representation of first the arch, and then the pit.
We must find a way to stop this invasion, as after it has started it will be too late. We have asked after destroying the arch, but it is made of an unusual rock, and cannot be easily sabotaged- besides, doing so would incur the wrath of the human nations, something we must try to avoid.
The means are avahlable. We need only recover the horn and use it to destrah the ahland, drowning the giants and averting any attack.
Bah! We are yapping like pups. Enough talk! If none else will go, I will see this keep for myself, aye, and retrieve the horn if possible!
He stands up with the long axe above his head
With a slight humor in his voice
I can't let you have all the fun of killing
And a wicked smile on his face at the mention of killing giants appears
Geheim pounds his own fist on the table, which comes up to his chin.
Well it's decahded, then! We leave at first laght!
Taking 10 on knowledge nature giiants for a total score of 33 I would like to find out about streangths and weakness as well as what company they keep when its a large force
In your research you discover that Fire giants are immune to fire.
In addition, they have a correlating weakness to cold.
Following this trend, you calculate that should the giants follow the standard tactic of throwing large boulders, that the rocks would be imbued with great heat.
Fire giants are organized combatants, charging over and through opponents to reach prime targets. They possess a particular glee in destroying the weapons and armor of smaller races, seeing this as the ultimate insult. Most wield greatswords themselves, making them adept at cleaving through even hardened defenses.
Adult males weight approximately four tons, and often reach heights of about twelve feet.
Hellhounds are often seen with fire giants, and they have on occasion allied with red dragons. Trolls and ettins are known to be used as shock troops, as the fire giants can keep trolls in line easily.
Only martially-inclined fire giants of the rarest sort rise to be lords over large establishments.
You recall that trolls regenerate unless staunched with fire or acid, and that they fight with tooth and nail. They are quite stupid.
Ettins are two-headed monsters in the open. Fighting with huge weapons in both hands easily, they are capable of holding off or even decimating large forces very quickly. However, they are particularly clumsy and even stupider than trolls, despite having two brains.
Eldak searches the Bazaar for Sandals of the Fire Walker.
Diplomacy
Eldak spends a few hours asking around, but he's not making any progress (or any friends).
He's only able to buy some basic potions before morning.
Errybodah redah? The curious dwarf asks in his heavy accent.
Without really waiting for the responses, he casts a spell on the two of you, and you feel yourselves become insubstantial and buoyant.
He kicks off the ground, wheeling north, and takes off with a practiced ease.
Taking the large long axe in one hand he sets off at a brisk pace beside the mage
Lets get going!
It is a three day trek even flying to the small craggy cave that is to be your base of operations. While earth elementals conjured from the cliff set to work building fortifications, Vorin gazes at the looming volcano to the north. Black smoke seeps ominously from the jagged mountain, pooling in black clouds high above.
Stirrings of movement in the valley below catch his eye, and he points out the tribe of orcish raiders.
Likely here for an alliance, but they'll attack if they know we're here. Likely as the sun falls.
Eldak holsters Angrawut and has Trumacht at the ready
They vill be a good varm up to keep ourselves ready for the battle ahead
Earth elementals complete some basic fortifications.
(ten feet of difficult terrain in front of partial cover)
You determine that the mountains will cause it prematurely, in only three to four hours, depending on cloud cover.
Can't get a good map uploaded.
Your survival check also determines there will be a thunderstorm shortly before nightfall.
Cave entrance is 20' wide and opens to the north, where there is twenty feet of ledge followed by an incline for a further 50' then a cliff.
Fortifications are constructed to enclose the entrance completely, which is a line of earthworks with tree spikes driven into the earth.
You are on first watch, you have four hours. The rain starts two hours in and does not abate.