A settlement in the north comes under giant attack. You decide which location to use: the walled town of Bryn Shander in the cold heart of Icewind Dale; Goldenfields, a fortified farming settlement and abbey northeast of Waterdeep; or Triboar, a frontier town and caravan rest stop in the Dessarin Valley. This chapter includes a map and a detailed overview of each settlement. The attacking giants have a specific goal. If the characters help defend the location against the giants' onslaught and succeed in defeating or driving off the attackers, the characters are rewarded with quests that lead them deeper into the adventure. Be warned: these encounters are designed to test the party’s leadership and tactical skills, and characters who don’t exercise some degree of caution will likely perish.
Special NPCs
In this chapter, each player runs not only a player character but also an NPC who has ties to the settlement that the characters are defending. Once you’ve determined where the adventure begins, note the six NPCs corresponding to the location you’ve chosen. These NPCs are gathered in appendix D. Each NPC comes with a brief description, personality traits (a bond, an ideal, and a flaw), and a stat block. When the giant attack begins, give one NPC to each player and tell the player where the NPC is at the start of the encounter, as noted in the encounter description. If your group has more than six players, one or more of them won’t receive an NPC, and that’s okay. (Let the players decide who gets one and who doesn’t.) If your group has fewer than six players, give one NPC to each player and put the extra NPCs aside. These leftover NPCs don’t participate in the battle.
After giving out the NPCs, read the following explanatory text to the players:
In addition to your character, each of you has received a special nonplayer character with ties to the location where the adventure begins. Take a moment to review your NPC’s personality traits and statistics. One of your goals in this part of the adventure is to keep your special NPC alive. For each of these NPCs that survives, your party will receive a special quest that yields a reward upon its successful completion. The details of these special quests won’t be revealed until the end of this part of the adventure.
The player-controlled NPCs are intentionally simpler and easier to run than the players' own characters, and the NPCs help bring the location to life. The players will be far more inclined to defend the location knowing that its inhabitants are more than just faceless figures with hit points. These NPCs are predisposed to aid in their settlement’s defense, but players might try to keep them out of harm’s way instead. Each NPC has an ideal, a bond, and a flaw, and though you should encourage players to roleplay these traits accurately, players can portray the NPCs as they choose.
Rather than have each player roll initiative for a special NPC, assume that the NPC acts on the same initiative count as the player’s character, immediately after that character’s turn. If an enemy is forced to choose between attacking a player character or an NPC, assume it attacks the NPC unless it has a strong incentive to do otherwise.
At the end of the battle, regardless of the outcome, take back all the special NPCs. For each NPC who survives, give the characters that NPC’s corresponding special quest. A special quest is imparted even if the NPC didn’t participate in the battle. These special quests shouldn’t be revealed to the players until you’re ready to move on to the next part of the adventure. Once the dust has settled, the surviving NPCs approach the characters and present their quests (not necessarily all at once). The characters are under no obligation to accept and complete a quest, though doing so usually leads to some kind of reward.
The adventurers don’t receive any quest (or the reward gained from completing it) that is tied to an NPC who dies and isn’t brought back to life using a
If you are running the adventure for inexperienced players, you can run one or more of the special NPCs yourself and use them to assist or advise the player characters, rather than have the players run the NPCs in addition to their own characters. If the NPCs survive the battle, award one special quest per character in the party.
Bryn Shander
Bryn Shander is the largest of ten settlements known collectively as Ten-Towns, located in the frigid heart of Icewind Dale. Here, caravans from the south converge with traders from across Icewind Dale to swap goods and rumors. Fishers, trappers, furriers, and sellswords rub elbows in the town’s taprooms, and gruff dwarves, wide-eyed travelers, and skulking ne’er-do-wells wander its streets. Merchants from the south trade dyes, hardwood, dried herbs and spices, textiles, fruits, wines, and other commodities for scrimshaw and other items made from the bones of the knucklehead trout that populate the region’s rivers and lakes.
The town is situated atop a hill south of the mountain known as Kelvin’s Cairn, a major landmark in Icewind Dale. From its windswept perch, Bryn Shander has a commanding view of the surrounding tundra, and an attacking force must climb the barren hillside under fire from archers before it can assault the outer wall. The circular wall that surrounds Bryn Shander stands 30 feet high and is made of tight-fitting stone blocks. Defenders stand atop a planked walkway that hugs the interior of the wall. Spaced along the wall are stone watchtowers, wherein guards can take shelter during blizzards and warm their hands and feet by iron stoves.
The buildings of Bryn Shander are plain wooden structures with pitched rooftops to keep snow from settling on them. Clouds of white smoke issue forth day and night from stone chimneys and holes in rooftops.
Each community in Ten-Towns has an elected speaker who leads the residents and represents their interests. The current speaker of Bryn Shander is Duvessa Shane. She has appointed Markham Southwell as her sheriff, making him responsible for training the town’s militia and keeping the peace.
Locations in Bryn Shander
The following locations are identified on map 2.1.
B1. Outer Gates
The town has three sets of 15-foot-high hinged wooden gates, dubbed the North Gate, the East Gate, and the Southwest Gate. These gates can be barred from the inside with heavy, iron-banded hardwood beams. Barred gates have AC 15, 200 hit points, a damage threshold of 10, and immunity to psychic and poison damage. Forcing open a set of barred gates requires a successful DC 28 Strength check.
Two 30-foot-tall cylindrical stone towers flank each gate and watch over one of the trails that lead to and from the town. The trail from the North Gate travels two miles north to the village of Targos on the frozen shore of a lake called Maer Dualdon. The trail leading east, called the Eastway, stretches roughly thirteen miles to the town of Easthaven on the shore of Lac Dinneshere. The southwest route, known as the Caravan Trail, is called the Ten Trail where it passes through the Spine of the World. This trail is the safest way to the lands south of the mountains, but it is nigh impassable in the winter.
Under normal circumstances, the gates of Bryn Shander stand open, and the guards assigned to the gatehouses say and do nothing as people come and go. When Bryn Shander is threatened, however, the guards close and bar the gates, refusing to open them unless ordered to do so by the sheriff or the speaker. There are four guards at each gate at any given time. Another eight guards are on patrol, moving between the stone watchtowers along the wall. Most of the guards are human, with a sprinkling of shield dwarves, half-orcs, and other races.
A sheriff’s deputy named Augrek Brighthelm often stands watch at the southwest gate. She delights in greeting first-time visitors to town. In fact, she has a well-rehearsed speech that makes some of the other guards at the gate roll their eyes:
Augrek
“Well met, travelers! Keep yer fingers and extremities under wraps, lest Auril bite them off! Mind yer tempers, and you’ll be most welcome here! Brought goods to sell? The market lies straight ahead. Craving a warm drink? May I recommend a drop of Firebeard’s Firebrandy, sold only at Kelvin’s Comfort, located on yer right as you enter the market square!”
(If the characters arrive at a different gate, you can relocate Augrek to that gate.)
B2. Stables
These stables stand against the outer wall. Any horse, pony, or mule brought into the city can be quartered here and fed for 1 sp per night.
B3. Council Hall
Located near the southwest gate, the council hall is a nondescript warehouse where the speakers of Ten-Towns engage in discussions about matters that concern their communities. When no meetings are in session, the building stands empty. In the event of a crisis that affects the other settlements of Ten-Towns, the council hall can be converted into a shelter for refugees.
B4. House of the Triad
Bryn Shander’s largest place of worship, the only one that truly deserves to be called a temple, is an impressive stone edifice built by the dwarves of Kelvin’s Cairn. The House of the Triad stands about halfway between the southwest gate and the central market. It honors the three gods known as the Triad: Tyr, the god of justice; Torm, the god of courage and self-sacrifice; and Ilmater, the god of endurance in the face of suffering.
The temple is attended and maintained by visiting priests and acolytes from Neverwinter and Waterdeep, who usually stay for no more than two years before returning whence they came. At present, the temple is home to a priest of Torm from Neverwinter named Dellvon Ludwig (LG male Illuskan human priest) and his faithful friend, Sirac of Suzail
Sirac knows that he’s a son of the immortal Artus Cimber and thus carries the Cimber bloodline, not that it has ever benefited him. Artus’s immortality, it is said, comes from a magic ring-a ring that Sirac has never seen. Sirac’s parents gave him up as a baby; he was raised in an orphanage and learned his survival skills as a teenager living on the streets of Suzail. He traveled west with a caravan to Baldur’s Gate, then sailed up the Sword Coast to Neverwinter. He came to Icewind Dale three months ago to try his hand at knucklehead trout fishing, and ended up befriending Dellvon Ludwig. Sirac has since come to appreciate Torm’s mantra, espousing courage and heroism above all.
B5. Speaker’s Palace
The Speaker’s Palace is the private residence of the town speaker. The “palace” part of its name is an overstatement, compared to such buildings elsewhere in the world. Yet, fashioned by dwarves out of cut stone, with a pitched slate roof and a colonnade in front, the palace is so out of place among the rough wood dwellings in Bryn Shander that it looks as if it had been magically transported here from some other region of Faerûn.
The current elected speaker, Duvessa Shane, is the daughter of a trader from Waterdeep who settled in Bryn Shander after she fell in love with a local tavern server. Duvessa inherited her mother’s talent for negotiation and her father’s charm, and she can argue and debate for hours without tiring. Others might bristle at her temerity, but she usually gets what she wants.
B6. Town Hall
Bryn Shander’s town hall is the largest building that borders the central square. It is reserved for community feasts and gatherings on various holy days and other notable events. The hall can also accommodate refugees from neighboring settlements in times of emergency.
In the back of the hall is a short flight of stone steps that lead down to a sunken cellar with walls of frozen, hard-packed earth. The cellar has been converted into a sheriff’s office and an adjoining jail cell. The sheriff, Markham Southwell, spends little time here, and the jail cell is usually unoccupied. When troublemakers need to be locked up, two deputies (LN male or female Illuskan human guard) are assigned to watch over them. Sheriff Southwell carries the key to the cell door, which can be picked open with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. If the guards need to get into the cell for some reason, one of them leaves to fetch the sheriff while the other waits.
B7. Marketplace
The marketplace is a roughly circular space in the center of town where local and foreign traders sell their wares. Tents and covered wagons provide some shelter against the cold wind, but not much. In a few places, campfires with people huddled around them crackle and smoke.
One heavily bundled figure commonly seen loitering about the market square is a haggard, homeless young woman named Beldora. She wears boots that are much too big for her feet, and thick gloves made from walrus hide. She earns coin by helping to tend other folks' campfires, staying warm and overhearing rumors at the same time.
Beldora’s secret is that she’s a Harper agent. She likes to huddle next to strangers and learn what they know. She conceals a
B8. Kelvin’s Comfort
The most popular tavern in town, owing to its extensive stock of dwarven ales and brandies, is Kelvin’s Comfort. The common room is bedecked with dwarven craft of Battlehammer make, but most of the liquors are imported from Mirabar, on the other side of the Spine of the World. The one Ten-Towns specialty of note is a treacly mead from Good Mead, a neighboring settlement. Caravan masters and guards with plenty of coin often come here, as do visiting dwarves from Kelvin’s Cairn. The proprietor of Kelvin’s Comfort is Ogden Flamebeard (NG male shield dwarf commoner), who has a temper as fiery as his signature drink-a Mirabarran rotgut he gets for cheap and rebottles as Flamebeard’s Firebrandy (reselling it at a sizable markup). In his youth, Ogden worked in many famous mines, and he has contacts throughout the dwarfholds of the North, including Mithral Hall.
One of the patrons of Kelvin’s Comfort is Sir Baric Nylef, a knight of Tyr and a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. He’s hoping that a few shots of Flamebeard’s Firebrandy will keep a nasty cold at bay while he keeps an eye out for a dwarf named Worvil “the Weevil” Forkbeard, a criminal rumored to be hiding in Ten-Towns. The Weevil led a gang of dwarf brigands that raided summer caravans traveling between Luskan and Mirabar. He also spearheaded several raids on the Mines of Mirabar, stealing food and drink mainly. The Order of the Gauntlet captured most of his gang, but Worvil disappeared into the mountains. Interrogation of the captives led Baric to discover the Weevil’s mad craving for Flamebeard’s Firebrandy. So, Baric has adopted the guise of an unemployed caravan guard, and his plan is to hang around Kelvin’s Comfort for a few days, on the chance that his quarry will walk right through the door.
B9. Armory
The town armory is situated just off the central square. Only the town speaker and the sheriff have keys to this building, which stores arms for the militia.
B10. Blackiron Blades
This small shop and smithy stands just north of the town square and is well known as a one-stop shop for adventurers and other travelers in the region. Rather than attempting to compete with the dwarf-crafted weapons from Kelvin’s Cairn, the smith, Garn (N male Illuskan human commoner) makes his living by manufacturing the cheapest blades in Ten-Towns. His sister, Elza (NG female Illuskan human commoner) runs the shop. Elza has expanded the business in recent years by offering a selection of adventuring supplies-rations, fur cloaks, leather gloves and boots, ice picks, snowshoes, and other survival gear. While a Blackiron weapon typically sells for half the price listed in the Player’s Handbook, Elza marks up other goods by 50 percent to keep the business profitable. Most of the town’s veteran sellswords disdain Garn’s smithcraft, and jokes told about hapless newcomers to Icewind Dale often end with the line “… an' ‘e was carryin’ a Blackiron blade, to boot!”
B11. The Hooked Knucklehead
This longstanding inn caters to the scrimshanders and traders who come to Bryn Shander from other towns to conduct business. The innkeeper, Barton (NG male Illuskan human commoner), doesn’t meddle in his clients' affairs. The accommodations are meager, and the few private rooms lack hearths and are bitterly cold at night. Most of the clientele sleeps in the spacious common room, near the large stone hearth.
B12. Rendaril’s Emporium
This is the largest trade house in Bryn Shander, on the site of the original cabin around which the town sprang up. The entrance facing the market square serves as the storefront, where visitors can view an assortment of the finest goods for sale in all of Ten-Towns: fishing rods fashioned from elven yew, yeti-skin coats with scrimshaw buttons, mithral fishhooks, axe heads and daggers crafted by the dwarves of Kelvin’s Cairn, and more. Around the back of the building is an entrance for wholesalers, where caravan traders offload their stock and local adventurers sell pelts and tusks collected on their travels. The owner, Rendaril (CG male half-elf commoner), is a shrewd merchant who learned his trade in the cutthroat markets of Waterdeep. More coin passes through his hands in a week than most other businesses in Bryn Shander see in a season.
B13. The Northlook
The Northlook is the inn most frequented by mercenaries and adventurers, and as such it’s the rowdiest and most dangerous place to stay in Bryn Shander. At the same time, its taproom is the best place in all of Ten-Towns to get the latest news and rumors, including leads on profitable ventures. The proprietor, a retired sellsword who goes by the name Scramsax (N male Illuskan human veteran), takes advantage of the high hopes and good fortunes of his customers by charging the most exorbitant rates in town. (His prices for room and board are double those listed in the Player’s Handbook.) Scramsax often cuts a break for customers who are between jobs, allowing them to stay on credit and then presenting them with a bill inflated by interest charges after they earn their next payday. Those who don’t settle their accounts discover that the former mercenary doesn’t take “no money” for an answer, and he still remembers how to handle a blade.
B14. Geldenstag’s Rest
One of the oldest inns in town, Geldenstag’s Rest is run by Myrtle (LN female Illuskan human noncombatant), a gray-haired widow. Myrtle makes it her business to know everyone else’s business, asking her guests a lot of questions about what they’re up to each day. The inn’s accommodations are lackluster-the small rooms are furnished with only a stool, a chamber pot, and two cots with dirty furs thrown over them. It might seem the kind of place that would attract lowlifes and troublemakers, but Myrtle’s pestering tends to drive away people who have secrets to keep. The absence of that element from its clientele makes Geldenstag’s Rest a popular destination for travelers who aren’t looking for too much excitement during their stay in Bryn Shander.
Attack on Bryn Shander
Twelve frost giant come to Bryn Shander looking for Artus Cimber and the
Beginning the Encounter
The characters are in Bryn Shander when the attack begins, either together in one place or scattered throughout the town. Read or paraphrase the following boxed text when the attack begins.
Another dreadfully cold day in Icewind Dale has you bundled up in your warmest furs. Bryn Shander’s market square bustles with knucklehead trout fishers selling their finest scrimshaw to traders from the south, while other common folk warm their hands and faces by small campfires. Everywhere across town, people are trudging through snow-covered streets on errands. The town’s outer walls block the worst of the wind, but not all of it. A sudden blast occasionally catches everyone by surprise, causing shivers and grumbling all around.
The mood of the town changes abruptly. Something is amiss. Pedestrians are vacating the square with great haste, disappearing into their hovels. As spear-toting guards with grim faces move with purpose toward the southwest gate, you hear a booming voice from that direction as it calls out, “Surrender Artus Cimber or die!”
The frost giants believe that a male human named Artus Cimber is holed up in Bryn Shander, and Drufi demands that the town hand over Artus and all of his possessions to her immediately. Duvessa and Markham know of no such person, and no such person steps forward.
Drufi carries a horn made from a mammoth’s tusk and can blow it as an action. The horn can be heard out to a range of one mile. If her demands aren’t met immediately, Drufi uses the horn to signal the other frost giants, who advance to within 100 feet of the town and begin hurling rocks over the walls, not targeting anyone or anything specifically but looking to cause widespread panic. As townsfolk take cover, Drufi and her two giant bodyguards try to break down the southwest gate and fight their way inside. While this is happening, a young man named Sirac at the House of the Triad learns what the giants are after and realizes he might be able to save the town.
Defense of Bryn Shander
The threat of a full-scale frost giant attack throws the town of Bryn Shander into chaos. Many guards abandon their posts, leaving the defense of the southwest gatehouse to the adventurers. The characters can either confront the giants and the winter wolves that are breaking through the southwest gate or deal with the rock-hurling giants as they see fit. Once the characters choose their enemies, assume that Bryn Shander’s militia is dealing with the other threats.
Give each player one of the following NPCs to play during this encounter:
Statistics and roleplaying notes for these NPCs appear in appendix D. How the players run their NPCs during the battle is up to them, but encourage the players to review their NPCs' ideals, bonds, and flaws. For more information on how to use and run these NPCs, see the “Special NPCs” section at the start of this chapter.
If the players try to keep the special NPCs out of the fight, you can endanger them by having one or more giants break through the wall, storm the town, and threaten the NPCs directly, thereby requiring the players' NPCs to act.
Treasure
Drufi’s ivory horn is worth 750 gp intact. The frost giant also has fifteen 100 gp gemstones set into her helm that can be pried loose. Each other frost giant carries a sack that holds
Development
If the characters and their allies defeat Drufi, her two frost giant bodyguards, and her two winter wolves, the remaining frost giants abandon their assault on Bryn Shander and retreat westward, toward the Sea of Moving Ice, where a giant longship waits to transport them to Svardborg (see chapter 7, “Berg of the Frost Giants”). They don’t remain there long before Jarl Storvald sends them back out in search of Artus Cimber.
Drufi won’t leave Bryn Shander until she has either the
Once the characters defeat the frost giants, they gain special quests and rewards based on which NPCs survived the battle.
Bryn Shander Quests
For each special NPC who survives the attack on Bryn Shander, the party receives a quest and gains a particular reward for completing that quest. The quests encourage characters to explore other locations throughout the North. Whether the characters travel over land or by sea, use the “Random Wilderness Encounters” section in chapter 3 to stage encounters along the way.
Augrek Brighthelm’s Quest
Hoping to win favor with Sheriff Southwell but unwilling to leave her post, Augrek asks the characters to meet with one or more representatives of the Brighthelm clan in Ironmaster and ask her clanfolk to send reinforcements to Bryn Shander. She warns the characters that the dwarves of Ironmaster don’t allow non-dwarves inside their lands. But, she says, if the characters travel toward Ironmaster, stand next to one of its menhirs, and wait, some dwarves will eventually approach them.
If the characters announce that they’ve come on behalf of Augrek, one of her older cousins, Gwert Brighthelm (LN male dwarf noble armed with a warhammer instead of a rapier), will be summoned to hear what the characters have to say. Gwert promises to take Augrek’s request to the clan elders.
Treasure
At the end of the conversation, Gwert gives each character a 100 gp gemstone as payment for delivering Augrek’s message.
Development
If the characters aren’t sure where to go next, Gwert suggests that they visit Dasharra Keldabar, a griffon rider and trainer living in the village of Fireshear, and use the gemstones to pay her to train them to ride griffons. (The gemstones aren’t enough to pay for the training, but Gwert doesn’t know this.) For more information on Fireshear and Ironmaster, see chapter 3.
Sirac of Suzail’s Quest
Realizing that the frost giants are after the
If they travel to Waterdeep, the characters learn that the Roaringhorn family has a villa, called the High House of Roaringhorn, in the city’s North Ward. Although it’s one of the grandest residences in Waterdeep, and currently hosting one of its many infamous parties, this one a welcome celebration for visiting relatives from Cormyr. Upon their arrival, the adventurers are greeted by Lord Zelraun Roaringhorn (LN male Chondathan human archmage). Having quaffed a few
Zelraun asks the characters who sent them in his direction. If they reply truthfully, he engages them in conversation about where they have come from and where they’re headed next.
Treasure
Once he realizes that the characters have important work ahead of them, Zelraun gives each of them a magic item. To determine each item, roll on Magic Item Table B in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, or allow each player to choose one item from that table.
Duvessa Shane’s Quest
After dispatching scouts to check on the other settlements of Ten-Towns, Duvessa tells the characters that she has an aunt (her father’s sister) living in Waterdeep who is the captain of a ship called the Dancing Wave. Duvessa writes a letter to her aunt, Inirva Coldwater, asking her to provide passage and accommodations to the characters if they need to travel up or down the Sword Coast.
If the characters seek out information about the Dancing Wave, they learn that the ship is missing and several weeks overdue. It was transporting goods from Luskan to Waterdeep when it disappeared. Rumor has it that Neverwinter privateers aboard a ship called the Moon Maiden sighted floating debris while traveling south to Waterdeep.
The characters can find Osk Thunderhale (CN male Illuskan human bandit captain), the captain of the Moon Maiden, taking it easy at the Hanging Lantern, a festhall near Waterdeep’s docks. Thunderhale is a skilled fiddler (Performance +6). In fact, he’s playing his fiddle to amuse his crew and other festhall patrons when the characters show up to question him.
If they confront him, Thunderhale takes umbrage and tries to pick a fight. Twelve members of the Moon Maiden crew (CN male Illuskan human bandit) stand ready to leap into the fray. If the characters reduce Thunderhale to 32 hit points or fewer, he surrenders, smiles, and offers his hand in friendship while complimenting the characters on their fighting prowess. If the characters defuse the situation by not responding to his initial attack, Thunderhale is just as pleased. He pays for their drinks and covers any damage to the festhall, then claims to be in the employ of Lord Dagult Neverember of Neverwinter.
Thunderhale has no proof that the debris he saw came from the Dancing Wave, but he’s aware of no other Waterdhavian merchant ships that have gone missing of late. Furthermore, he claims to have seen “a ship as big as a mountain” prowling the northern waters and thinks it might have attacked and destroyed the Dancing Wave. If the characters express interest in mounting a search, either for the Dancing Wave or the mysterious vessel, Captain Thunderhale commits his ship and crew for 10 gp per day and two-thirds of whatever spoils are found. He can be talked down to an even split of the spoils with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Once a deal is reached, Thunderhale agrees to set sail whenever the characters are ready to depart, and he reminds them that they must secure their own provisions.
The Moon Maiden is anchored in the bay and can be reached by rowboat. Eight crew members (CN male and female Illuskan human bandit) stand watch on deck while the ship is in port. Use the ship deck plan in appendix C of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to represent the Moon Maiden, if necessary.
Treasure
Captain Thunderhale keeps a wooden treasure chest in his ship’s hold. It’s locked and rigged with a poison needle trap (see the “Sample Traps” section in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Thunderhale wears the key to the chest on a string around his neck. The chest contains 1,100 cp, 800 sp, 120 gp, nine 50 gp gemstones, and
Markham Southwell’s Quest
The sheriff asks the characters to patrol Icewind Dale and return at once if they see further evidence of giant activity in the region. If the characters accept the quest, Southwell deputizes them and gives them three weeks' worth of provisions, as well as a signed letter attesting that they are acting on his behalf. Characters can present the letter to the town speaker of any other Ten-Towns settlement and expect to receive free room and board.
You can plan encounters as the characters explore Icewind Dale using the random encounter table in the “Icewind Dale” section in chapter 3. After encountering one or more frost giants, they can return to Bryn Shander and report to the sheriff. If they return with the heads of one or more slain giants, Sheriff Southwell rewards each of them with the title “Defender of Icewind Dale” and spreads news of the party’s heroism throughout Ten-Towns. As long as the characters do nothing to sully their reputations, Ten-Towners are friendly toward them and extend them every courtesy.
Shortly after the characters earn their new titles, they are approached by a pair of freelance bounty hunters named Sorelisa Zandra (N female Tethyrian human spy) and Naeremos (N male Illuskan human thug). The bounty hunters wear thick cloaks over their armor, and Naeremos is missing his left arm (which was torn off by a troll).
Although they claim to work for the government of Mirabar, Sorelisa and Naeremos are actually working for the Zhentarim. They are searching for a dwarf fugitive known as the Weevil, who is wanted for banditry. Sorelisa shows the characters a crude sketch of the Weevil (a dark-haired dwarf with a mad gleam in his eyes) and asks them if they know his whereabouts, while failing to mention that the city of Mirabar has placed a 5,000 gp bounty on the Weevil’s head.
The Zhentarim wants to protect and recruit the Weevil, not turn him over to the Mirabar authorities. Zhentarim operatives stationed in various cities of the North have seen neither hide nor hair of him, leading Sorelisa to suspect that the Weevil is hiding in one of the smaller settlements. Sorelisa promises that if the characters capture the Weevil and deliver him to her and Naeremos alive, she will match Mirabar’s bounty, offering the party a cache of gemstones as payment (see “Treasure”).
See the “Xantharl’s Keep” section in chapter 3 for more information on the Weevil and his current whereabouts.
Treasure
Sorelisa and Naeremos share a room in Geldenstag’s Rest (area B14). A hidden compartment in one wall holds a fat leather pouch containing 10 500 gp gemstones. A thorough search of the room accompanied by a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the hidden compartment, which is not trapped.
Beldora’s Quest
Beldora urges the characters to head southwest and take Ten Trail through the mountains to the mining settlement of Hundelstone. She suggests they make contact with a gnome named Thwip Ironbottom, who lives there year-round. If one or more of the party members are Harpers, she tells them that Thwip serves as the organization’s eyes and ears in Hundelstone. Beldora uses her sending stone to inform Thwip that the characters are coming.
Treasure
Upon the characters' arrival, Thwip gives them a gift: a Tiny clockwork dog made of copper and tin, along with a copper wind-up key. A character must use the key and an action to wind the dog, after which it follows that character for 12 hours. At the end of that duration, the clockwork dog stops until wound again. The dog has AC 5, 1 hit point, and a walking speed of 30 feet.
Development
When the heroes are ready to leave Hundelstone, Thwip urges them to visit Everlund and seek out Krowen Valharrow, a Harper wizard who resides at Moongleam Tower (see the “Inner Circles” section in chapter 3). The gnome describes Krowen as a powerful wizard known to sponsor adventurers.
Sir Baric Nylef’s Quest
Sir Baric is determined to find the Weevil. At this point, however, he fears that the trail has gone cold. He plans to remain in Bryn Shander only a couple more days before searching elsewhere, and he doesn’t want to waste the characters' time in what could end up being a futile hunt for the criminal. Baric believes it’s more important to keep the Order of the Gauntlet apprised of his whereabouts and intentions, so he asks the characters to locate another member of the order and report on Sir Baric’s status. He suggests that they seek out Sir Lanniver Strayl, a devout follower of Tyr who lives in Neverwinter.
Sir Lanniver (LG male Tethyrian human knight wearing a
- The Gilded Eye has taken root in Helm’s Hold, a monastery south of Neverwinter.
- The Gilded Eye believes that demons and their vile worshipers are spreading corruption throughout the North.
- Gilded Eye inquisitors have taken their worship of Helm to extremes and are determined to destroy anyone they believe is under the demons' sway, as well as anyone who challenges the edicts or their beliefs.
Sir Lanniver has no quest for the characters but warns them to be careful when visiting Helm’s Hold. See chapter 3 for more information on this location.
Treasure
If the party includes a member of the Order of the Gauntlet (or a character with a strong commitment to stamping out evil), Sir Lanniver gives that party member his
Goldenfields
Goldenfields is a huge, walled temple-farm dedicated to Chauntea, the goddess of agriculture. Called “the Granary of the North,” it’s the only reason many Northerners ever taste soft-fleshed fruit larger than bush berries. Waterdeep and its neighbors consume the temple’s reliable output: carefully husbanded grains and dried, oil-packed, or salted foodstuffs preserved in vast storage cellars, vats, and squat stone grain-towers.
Run by Abbot Ellardin Darovik, Goldenfields is a stronghold of the Emerald Enclave. Members of that faction are as welcome here as clergy of Chauntea; many of them stay for months at a time to help with the work and the vigilant defense of the farm against insects and blights, as well as would-be vandals and plunderers. Hired guards and adventurers patrol the walls and the land immediately around them. Inside the farm, young treants allied with the Emerald Enclave hide within stands of trees, ready to animate trees to repel invaders. More than five thousand people live and work in Goldenfields year round, farming more than twenty square miles of tillage in gangs of hard-working gardeners.
The sprawling temple-farm is built on higher ground than the surrounding fields, and it’s enclosed on all sides by a wall of mortared stone. The outer wall is 60 feet high (20 feet high inside the compound) and 30 feet wide. The wall is built out at several points, spaced at least a mile apart, with stone pagodas and barracks at those locations. These watch posts have unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside.
The outer wall is in need of repair in many places. Time and weather have eroded some of the mortar, creating ruts between the stones that can serve as handholds and footholds. Scaling the walls requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
The entrance to Goldenfields is a large stone gate house set into the middle of the south wall. Beyond its gates, dirt roads crisscross the interior of the compound, providing passage between and through its fields and orchards. Roads also run along the inside of the wall, connecting the various watch posts. During the harvest season, wagons make their way between the fields, gathering food and grain and transporting it to cellars beneath the watch posts, where the food is kept under lock and key until caravans from Waterdeep and other settlements arrive to pick it up. In addition to the large grain fields, fruit orchards, and vegetable gardens, smaller gardens hug the outer walls. These gardens grow berries, rhubarb plants, and other such fare.
Most of Goldenfields' workers live in a small town situated near the abbey, where the abbot hosts morning, noon, and evening prayer. North of town is an enormous inn called Northfurrow’s End. Visitors planning to spend the night in Goldenfields are directed here.
Goldenfields Locations
The following locations are identified on map 2.2.
G1. Gatehouse
The Northfurrow trail ends before a magnificent stone gatehouse carved with images of a full-bodied woman (representations of Chauntea) cradling cornucopias. The gatehouse is a fortress in its own right. Above its tall, thick wooden doors are arrow slits that seem to peer down suspiciously on all visitors.
The gatehouse has an inner set and an outer set of double doors. When locked, these doors are too thick to be forced open using brute strength. They can be damaged and broken down, however. Each set of doors has AC 16, 500 hit points, a damage threshold of 10, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
The gatehouse staff operates in three daily shifts that end at five bells in the morning, one bell in the afternoon, and nine bells at night, respectively. Each shift consists of a priest of Chauntea (NG male or female Illuskan human), four acolyte (NG male and female humans of mixed ethnicity), a hired mage (N male or female Illuskan human), ten scout (N male and female humans of various ethnicities) hidden behind arrow slits, and thirty well-trained guard (N male and female humans of various ethnicities). The gatehouse castellan is a Waterdhavian noble who is appointed by the Masked Lords of Waterdeep and holds the post for a year, beginning on the first day of winter. The current castellan, a boorish twit named Hantanus Tarm (LN male Illuskan human noble), is responsible for defending the gates but has no military experience. The gatehouse guards report to him, but his position is seen as mostly political and ceremonial, and he has no influence anywhere but at the gatehouse. The gatehouse is spacious enough to accommodate the members of all three shifts, and any attack on the gates brings the full force of the gatehouse staff to bear.
Merchants and other visitors who come seeking food are rarely turned away, but their wagons and belongings are thoroughly searched in the gatehouse to make sure they contain nothing that could damage crops, such as rodents and vermin. Guests who want to spend the night are directed to Northfurrow’s End (area G8).
G2. Watch Posts
At more or less regular intervals around the perimeter of Goldenfields, the outer wall (which is 60 feet high on the outside and 20 feet high on the inside) widens to accommodate broad stone parapets with buildings atop them. Each parapet features a 30-foot-tall stone pagoda topped by a weather vane. A wooden statue of Chauntea stands in the middle of each pagoda, holding a large bronze gong and surrounded by cornucopias. Next to each pagoda are one or two stone outbuildings that serve as barracks. A 10-foot-wide, moss-covered stone staircase leads from the top of the parapet down to the compound. A set of locked, ironbound wooden doors at ground level provide access to storerooms and cellars located underneath each watch post. Picking a door lock requires thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. The rooms and cellars are packed with harvested fruit and vegetables in the fall and are empty by midwinter.
The watch posts are crucial to the defense of Goldenfields. Stationed at each post are thirty scout (NG males and females of various races and ethnicities) two thirds of whom are on duty at any given time. The rest are asleep in their bunks. Of the twenty scouts on duty, twelve are stationed on the parapet, spread hundreds of yards apart and looking outward for signs of trouble. The other eight patrol the adjacent walls in pairs.
The watch posts are far enough apart that shouts of alarm are ineffective. If a watch post needs to sound an alarm, a guard runs to the pagoda and strikes the gong with a heavy mallet. The pagodas are designed to amplify sound, allowing the ringing of each gong to be heard as far as two miles away. Any other watch posts within that range ring their gongs as well, putting more of the compound on alert.
The watch posts were designed to warn Goldenfields of approaching armies and dragons. Even though the watch posts and the wall patrols provide a great measure of security, a small group of invaders could scale the outer wall and enter the compound undetected if they were lucky enough to avoid the notice of the guards.
G3. Earth Mother’s Bounty
The first thing visitors to Goldenfields see as they pass through the gatehouse is a 20-foot-tall wooden statue of Chauntea, depicted as a plump, smiling woman standing with her hands on her hips in a garden of golden wheat, surrounded by a dirt roundabout. North of the statue is a stone building with an open front, above which hangs a sign that reads “Earth Mother’s Bounty.” Visitors can buy seeds and cornucopias here. Tasked by the abbot with overseeing the store and its inventory is Sevembra Tumbleleaf (LN female strongheart halfling druid), a member of the Emerald Enclave who sells nothing but the finest seeds. She also gives away lots of free samples.
G4. Grain Towers
Grain is stored in these squat stone towers.
G5. Livestock Fields
On the outskirts of the town are two large fields of roaming oxen and cattle, with cordoned-off pens for sheep, chickens, turkeys, and pigs. Each field is roughly a half-mile in diameter and enclosed by wooden fences with rearing horses carved into their posts. During the day, shepherds as well as workers with milk buckets and wool shears can be seen moving among the herds of cows and sheep.
One of the new shepherds, Shalvus Martholio, is a Zhentarim spy-a wolf in sheep’s clothing, as it were. His assignment is to determine how easy it would be for the Black Network to gain control of Goldenfields, and report his findings to Nalaskur Thaelond in Bargewright Inn. Shalvus often leaves the livestock pens to hang around Northfurrow’s End. He returns to the pens at night to check on the animals.
G6. Town
The buildings that house most of the residents of Goldenfields are arranged in concentric half-rings around a central square where locals can socialize and gather for picnics after midday prayers. Orderly rows of wooden longhouses, each one large enough to house a hundred people, face inward toward a central plaza, with the abbey of Chauntea off to the southeast. Each longhouse is a work of art, its beams sculpted with images of a particular animal, thereby differentiating it from its neighbors. Most of Goldenfields' workers are human commoner. A handful of peaceful Chauntea worshipers (NG male and female druid of various races and ethnicities) live and work among them.
Wagons and wheelbarrows are parked just about everywhere, free for anyone to use. The oxen needed to pull the wagons are kept in the livestock fields (area G5).
A grove of trees south of town is home to three young treants. If the town or the abbey comes under attack, their job is to animate nearby trees and aid in the town’s defense. The grove is also home to an awakened tree named Lifferlas. Created by a long dead druid, Lifferlas is the oldest living resident of Goldenfields. It speaks Common and has long entertained the children of the workers with harrowing, often humorous tales of heroes and monsters, as well as legends about the gods, Chauntea in particular. The tree allows children to climb it while it walks about cautiously with hosts of them clinging to its boughs and screaming with delight.
G7. Harvesthome Abbey
The largest and most elaborate building in Goldenfields is the abbey, Harvesthome, a centuries-old stone edifice whose outer walls have statues of Chauntea at every corner, her hands raised to the sky as though casting a spell to summon rain. Well-tended hedges surround the foundation, and a sun-shaped window of stained glass is set above the entrance and the steps leading up to it. Narrow windows of stained glass decorated with images of wheat, fruit, and vegetables light the pillared arcades within. Toward the back of the building, mounted between sturdy roof beams, is a large bronze bell that is rung fifteen minutes before prayers every morning, noon, and evening.
Wandering the abbey halls are two old black bear named Darlow and Tilbee. A few months ago, they startled some workers in the south fields. No one could fathom how the two bears crept into the compound unseen, spurring rumors that they were gifts from the Earth Mother. Rather than drive them out, the workers sheltered and fed them. The bears eventually followed workers into the abbey. They try to mooch food from visitors while posing no danger to anyone.
The Abbot of Goldenfields, Ellardin Darovik (NG male Damaran human priest), is a worshiper of Chauntea and a member of the Emerald Enclave. He’s a generous, reserved man who avoids confrontation and doesn’t like to ruffle feathers. He leads prayer services at nine bells in the morning, highsun, three bells in the afternoon, and six bells in the evening, and though attendance isn’t mandatory, most workers take a break from their chores once a day to hear the abbot’s words.
There are no guards in the abbey, just a handful of acolytes. One of them, Zi Liang, has scolded Father Darovik many times for putting the defense of Goldenfields in the hands of incompetent military leaders, which has made her somewhat unpopular. When she isn’t busy with chores or prayers, Zi takes it upon herself to patrol the outer walls.
G8. Northfurrow’s End
Standing north of the town is a three-story stone edifice with arched windows that offer a view of the surrounding gardens. Thin plumes of smoke issue from its many chimneys on rainy days and cold nights. Life-size statues of rearing horses flank the double doors that lead to the common room. Above these doors hangs a wooden sign that proclaims the name of this grand establishment, Northfurrow’s End, in fancy lettering. West of the main building is a stable house that can hold and feed up to fifty horses.
The proprietor of the inn is an elder member of the Fellowship of Innkeepers guild of Waterdeep and, as such, must operate within the strictures of his guild. His name is Miros Xelbrin, and he’s a retired carnival attraction-dubbed “the Yeti” during his heyday because of his barrel-shaped body and the thick, white hair covering his arms, chest, back, and head.
Miros is a staunch supporter of the Emerald Enclave and offers free room and board to members of the organization and their companions. His rooms are spacious and comfortable, his food plentiful and delicious (made with only the freshest ingredients). He has little tolerance for rabble-rousers and can spot adventurers from a mile away. Miros employs a staff of twenty cleaners and servers. He sells a local brand of beer called Goldengulp, though the first flagon to a new customer is always free.
In the back of Northfurrow’s End is a pottery kiln that Miros uses to make the inn’s trademark flagons. These large, varnished clay mugs have sheaves of golden wheat painted on their sides. Miros doesn’t sell these minor works of art, but the mugs are occasionally stolen and sold elsewhere.
One of the patrons of Northfurrow’s End at present is a visitor from Waterdeep. That city’s Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors has an agreement with the abbot. Every midwinter, the guild sends one of its members to Goldenfields as a sign of its commitment to protecting Waterdeep’s interests. The wizard serves for one year and acts as a liaison between the city and the abbot, while also aiding in the defense of Goldenfields. The guild’s current attaché is Naxene Drathkala, a quiet and bookish young woman who lives in a lavishly furnished suite above the inn’s stable house and spends most of her time writing papers on subjects both arcane and esoteric. In addition to being a member of the Watchful Order, Naxene is an agent of the Lords' Alliance and a loyal spy for Lady Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep. Miros has tried to court Naxene, but she ignores his halting advances.
Among the other guests of Northfurrow’s End are numerous actors, musicians, acrobats, and other performers from Waterdeep and Daggerford. These spirited folk entertain locals during afternoon picnics in the town circle (area G6). A halfling singer and lute player named Oren Yogilvy is the only permanent resident of the inn among them. He has a fondness for Goldengulp and gets free room and board for keeping the residents of Goldenfields entertained. After a few drinks, Oren likes to wander the compound in search of inspiration and often wakes up in a field the morning after.
G9. Goldengulp Brewery
Goldenfields' brewery is a stately, two-story manse where a beer called Goldengulp is made, using the finest local barley and hops. Visitors aren’t allowed in the brewery, which is locked up tight at night. Longhouses in the brewery’s front yard are home to the sixty commoner who comprise the brewery staff. In the same area is a locked stone warehouse packed to the rafters with casks of Goldengulp. A locked door can be picked open with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Rising from the back of the brewery is a cylindrical watchtower, known to locals as the Dragon’s Spire because a young bronze dragon once perched atop it on a quiet winter afternoon in 1374 DR, the Year of Lightning Storms. The stone tower serves as the headquarters for the Captain of the Guard, who is responsible for Goldenfields' defense. It has its own ground-floor entrance and is four stories tall, with a flat roof enclosed by green marble battlements. Two guard (CG male and female Illuskan humans) stand at the base of the tower, and four more stand watch atop it. The current Captain of the Guard is Strog Thunderblade (NG male half-orc veteran). Boredom and easy access to fine food and beer have made him fat and lackadaisical. He falls asleep early, wakes up late, and leaves the tower once a day around three bells in the afternoon to meet with the abbot and submit a daily report. Strog has a pleasant, easygoing demeanor, and the abbot likes him despite his obvious shortcomings.
G10. Freshwater Spring
Northwest of the brewery is a natural spring that bubbles up to form a small lake. A river flows gently eastward, then northward, then eastward again, passing under two arching, moss-covered stone bridges before bleeding into the rice paddies. Frogs gather around the edge of the lake at night, filling the night air with a symphony of croaks.
G11. Rice Paddies
Water-filled furrows nourish the rice paddies of Goldenfields. On warm days, workers in sandals wade through standing water and muck, tending the rice crop.
G12. Vegetable Gardens
Dirt paths crisscross large tracts of land where carrots, onions, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, radishes, and other vegetables are grown. Workers till the gardens and tend the crops from dawn to dusk.
G13. Wheat Fields
Nearly half of the tilled earth in Goldenfields is set aside for growing wheat. During the harvest season, the wheat fields are full of workers wielding scythes and carrying bushels of sheared wheat over their shoulders.
G14. Herb Gardens
The road along the inside of Goldenfields' western wall detours around a pair of semicircular herb gardens. Stone cottages located nearby belong to a dozen druids (N male and female humans of various ethnicities), who worship Chauntea. The druids not only grow the herbs but also roam the fields and gardens of Goldenfields, tending to sick plants.
G15. Orange Orchard
Rows of orange trees populate the section of the Goldenfields compound that lies northwest of the wheat fields.
G16. Apple Orchard
Many a bard has sung songs about Goldenfields' apple orchard; its old yet seemingly ageless trees yield thousands of baskets of tart apples every year. Much of the apple picking is performed by children, who climb the trees and gather the picked fruit in baskets, leaving them to be transported by adult workers. A grove of trees to the southeast of this area harbors a pair of young treants. Their job is to make sure no harm befalls the orchard.
G17. Corn Field
By the end of summer, the stalks of Goldenfields corn are at least ten feet tall. After the harvest, the field is bare until it is tilled and new crops are planted in the spring.
G18. Barley Field
About one-sixth of the barley grown in the compound goes into making Goldengulp. The rest of the harvest is shipped out to supply other settlements.
G19. Hops Field
Hop plants, whose flowers are used in the making of beer, are grown here. The workers who tend the hops and the barley field live in a large house nearby.
G20. Pumpkin Patch
This field produces some of the largest and firmest pumpkins found anywhere in the North. A large house overlooking the pumpkin patch houses workers who tend both the patch and the berry bushes that grow near the outer wall.
Attack on Goldenfields
Guh, the self-styled chief of the hill giants, has driven off her female rivals and conquered their husbands. Now, she tasks her mates with collecting food for her voracious appetite. Two of these big dummies, Lob and Ogg, wandered the hills and valleys south of Grudd Haug, the den of Guh’s tribe. They eventually blundered into the Forlorn Hills and, a few weeks ago, stumbled upon a gang of bugbears and goblins. The goblinoids told Lob and Ogg about a large farm on the far side of the Dessarin River. It occurred to the hill giants that they should attack it. So, the giants waded across the river and hurled rocks at Goldenfields, pounding its outer wall and alarming its residents. Archers on the wall retaliated with a barrage of arrows. The giants and goblinoids withdrew to nurse their wounds, leaving Goldenfields' defenders to wonder when the next attack would come. The attack hasn’t changed the mood among the residents, who place great stock in the strength of their outer defenses and militia.
Lob and Ogg spent the next month lost in the hills, trying to find their way back to Grudd Haug. When they got there, they told Guh about the “big farm.” Guh dispatched a horde of hill giants, ogres, bugbears, and goblins to pillage it. With Lob and Ogg leading the way, the horde got lost in the hills and blundered into a copper dragon’s territory. Many giants, ogres, bugbears, and goblins died that day. The survivors fled, only to stumble into an Uthgardt barbarian ambush. At that point, it became clear to those who remained alive that Lob and Ogg were poor guides and detrimental to the success of the mission. The bugbears took over from there, leading the remnants of the horde to Goldenfields, with Lob and Ogg bringing up the rear and blaming one another for their misadventures.
The following monsters make it to Goldenfields and participate in the attack:
- Six hill giant, including Lob and Ogg
- Twelve ogre, six of them fitted with goblin huckers
- Twelve bugbear
- Sixty goblin, split into two groups of thirty
All of the bugbears, and half of the ogres and goblins, climb over the walls in the dead of night. They slip into the wheat fields in search of food to plunder, not realizing that most of the edible food is stored in cellars under the watch posts along the walls. As the intruders quietly prowl Goldenfields in search of food, the six hill giants stand beyond the wall with open sacks, waiting to catch whatever food the goblins and bugbears toss over the wall. Meanwhile, the remaining six ogres and thirty goblins lurk in the darkness outside the wall.
Luckily for the people of Goldenfields, a half-drunk halfling named Oren Yogilvy (see area G8) spots the monstrous trespassers and sounds the alarm.
Beginning the Encounter
The following boxed text assumes that the characters are staying at Northfurrow’s End (area G8)
A mighty yell shatters the night’s silence. “We’re under attack!” the voice calls out. “To arms! To arms!” Gathering your wits and weapons, you stumble outside the inn. A low mist blankets the quiet gardens to the north and slinks between the rows of darkened longhouses to the south. A small figure stumbles around the corner of the nearest longhouse, loses his balance, and falls. You have never seen such a clumsy, disheveled halfling.
Not long after the initial attack on Goldenfields, the abbot received reports of giant sightings throughout the Dessarin Valley. He shared these reports with Strog Thunderblade, his Captain of the Guard. Unfortunately, Strog did nothing to prepare for another giant attack. In fact, he never got around to briefing his men or drafting workers or adventurers to help patrol the outer wall, as per the Abbot’s instructions.
Thanks to Strog’s lackluster handling of the situation, the ogres, bugbears, and goblins are able to scale the eastern wall at the point marked X on the map and enter the wheat fields (area G13) undetected. Once over the wall, they split into three gangs, with two ogres, four bugbears, and ten goblins per gang. The Moon Biters gang reaches the animal pens (area G5) at the same time that the Eye Stabbers reach the town (area G6). The Hill Howlers get lost in the wheat field and emerge near a random cluster of grain towers (area G4). Once they realize their mistake, they head back into the field and make their way toward the abbey (area G7). Oren Yogilvy spots the Eye Stabbers while wandering through town, half-drunk, mulling over lyrics for a new song. Using his powerful set of lungs, he sounds the initial alarm and rushes back toward the inn.
Defense of Goldenfields
The guards at the gatehouse (area G1), on the wall (area G2), and at the brewery (area G9) are too far away to hear Oren’s call to arms, but adventurers in the town, the abbey, or the nearby inn hear him loud and clear, as do various special NPCs. Give each player one of the following NPCs to play during this encounter:
Statistics and roleplaying notes for these NPCs appear in appendix D. How the players run their NPCs during the battle is up to them, but encourage the players to review their NPCs' ideals, bonds, and flaws. All of these NPCs are familiar with Goldenfields' defenses and can run to get help, if that’s what the players want them to do. For more information on how to use and run these NPCs, see the “Special NPCs” section at the start of this chapter. If the players try to keep the special NPCs out of the fight, you can endanger them by having one or more groups of monsters threaten the NPCs directly, thereby requiring the player-controlled NPCs to act.
Each gang of monsters is a separate encounter. If the abbey’s bell hasn’t been rung by the time the second gang of goblinoids is defeated, the abbot rings it. (It takes time for the abbot to realize something is amiss and reach the bell in the dead of night.) The ringing bell can be heard for miles and puts all of Goldenfields' defenses on alert. The bell panics any ogres, bugbears, and goblins that are still inside the compound, and they flee back toward the wall.
During this time, inexplicably, Lob and Ogg decide to climb over the wall and enter the compound rather than flee, while the other four hill giants regroup with the ogres and goblins lurking outside Goldenfields. The giants leave behind their greatclubs, since they can’t climb the walls with their clubs in hand. A handful of guards confront the two foolish giants, but they retreat once Lob and Ogg start breaking off and hurling wall battlements (treat as hurled rocks). The two giants eventually make their way toward the abbey (area G7). If either giant is reduced to 15 hit points or fewer, he surrenders (see “Development”).
If forced into melee combat, an unarmed hill giant can use its action to make two unarmed attacks. Replace the giant’s greatclub attack with the following attack option:
Unarmed Attack
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (
After the characters deal with the threats inside the walls, townsfolk emerge from their longhouses and begin to scour the fields for stray threats. Characters who join the search find trails that lead back to the wall. By this time, the sky to the east has lightened enough to reveal the presence of giants, ogres, and goblins outside the wall. The invaders close to within 120 feet of the wall and begin hurling rocks and goblins.
Goblin Huckers
The six ogres that remain outside Goldenfields wear hobgoblin inventions called goblin huckers. Each of these contraptions is essentially a portable trebuchet strapped to a leather harness. The contraption rests on an ogre’s back and shoulders, and despite its cumbersome appearance, it doesn’t inhibit the wearer’s mobility or fighting ability. It takes 10 minutes for someone else to attach or remove the elaborate harness, or
The sling of the trebuchet is big enough to hurl a rock, a flaming cask of pitch, or a similarly sized projectile—but the contraption was designed to fling goblins. A goblin used as a projectile typically wears a spiked helmet, so that it deals piercing damage to the target on impact. The thirty goblins outside Goldenfields are equipped with helmets. A goblin rarely survives the experience of being hurled through the air in this fashion. The goblins here stand ready to be flung at enemies on the wall, while the ogres position themselves 300 feet away from their targets.
The wearer of a goblin hucker launches its payload in a high arc, so it can hit targets behind cover. Loading the sling is an action that the contraption’s wearer can’t perform. A goblin willing to serve as a living projectile can load itself, if necessary. The ogre must then use an action to aim the weapon and pull the cord that releases the sling and hurls the projectile through the air.
Goblin Projectile
Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150/600 ft. (can’t hit targets within 30 feet of the hucker), one target. Hit: 5 (
Treasure
Each hill giant carries a sack that holds
Development
The monsters inside the compound are smart enough to realize that they can’t survive in Goldenfields for long after an alarm has sounded. Those that escape rejoin their comrades waiting outside the wall. Lob and Ogg are the exceptions; more afraid of Guh than of the Goldenfields defenders, they hate the thought of returning to their chief without a mountain of food. But neither giant wants to die, and each surrenders if reduced to 15 hit points or fewer, falling to the ground and beginning to sob like a big baby. If questioned, Lob or Ogg responds by blubbering incoherently. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check pries the following information out of a defeated but conscious hill giant:
- “Guh want food.”
- “Me get food for Guh.”
- “Guh big. Real big. Bigger than me.”
- “Grudd Haug. Home.”
Characters who successfully intimidate one or both giants can command them to lead the way to Grudd Haug. But because neither giant has a good sense of direction, any such expedition is doomed. The hill giants become disoriented while leading the party into the Forlorn Hills east of Goldenfields. Stupid beyond belief, Lob and Ogg are unable to find their way back to Grudd Haug no matter how strongly the characters motivate them.
Captured monsters that are left to the tender mercies of the Goldenfields defenders are put to death, by order of Captain Strog Thunderblade. The captain then takes credit for defeating the monstrous horde that attacked Goldenfields. The abbot, being much more sensible, thanks the adventurers profusely and makes sure they’re cited for their heroics and well supplied when the time comes for them to leave. If the characters call for Strog’s resignation, the abbot vows to give their recommendation serious thought.
Whether or not the characters thwart the attack on Goldenfields, they gain special quests and rewards based on which NPCs survived the battle.
Goldenfields Quests
For each special NPC who survives the attack on Goldenfields, the party receives a quest and gains a particular reward for completing that quest. The quests encourage characters to explore other locations throughout the North. Whether the characters travel over land or by sea, use the “Random Wilderness Encounters” section in chapter 3 to stage encounters along the way.
Shalvus Martholio’s Quest
Shalvus asks the party to escort him overland to Bargewright Inn so that he can report everything that has happened to his boss, Nalaskur Thaelond.
After making his report, Shalvus takes his leave and shacks up with some friends in Bargewright Inn until Nalaskur gives him a new assignment. Grateful for their assistance, Nalaskur offers the characters a warm dinner and clean beds for the night, free of charge. The next morning, he asks the characters to accompany a beer wagon to the Troll in Flames, a tavern in the village of Mornbryn’s Shield. Two draft horse pull the wagon, which has a pair of drivers named Jostin and Lessilar (N male Illuskan human thug). They take turns at the reins.
If the delivery is made, the characters pass Nalaskur’s test. Unless they do something to turn the Black Network against them, the characters receive an anonymous bundle from the Zhentarim the next time they visit Bargewright Inn, Everlund, Mirabar, Silverymoon, Neverwinter, Waterdeep, or Yartar (all of which have a strong Zhentarim presence).
Nalaskur’s Test Locations:
The bundle contains a block of excellent cheese wrapped in silk, a black bottle of “Old Bargewright” wine, and a folded piece of parchment on which are written the following words:
Zira
The Happy Cow
Daggerford
Any character who has spent time in Daggerford can, with a successful DC 10 Intelligence check, recall that the Happy Cow is a halfling-run tavern in town. If the adventurers visit the tavern, a female adult bronze dragon in half-elf form buys them a round of drinks. The dragon, Zirazylym (“Zira” for short), is on the Black Network’s payroll.
Treasure
If the characters seem nice, Zira grants them a special favor (see the “Marks of Prestige” section in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). When they call in the favor, Zira does her best to help them, though she will not cause direct harm to others or violate local laws. She tries to hide the fact that she’s a dragon, but if the characters need swift transportation to some far-flung destination, she offers to fly them there. She can also hook them up with a spell scroll containing any one spell of 5th level or lower.
Lifferlas’s Quest
Lifferlas urges the characters to seek out its creator, a moon elf druid named Aerglas. The awakened tree tells them that Aerglas was not only a member of the Emerald Enclave but also an adventurer who slew many giants in his day. Aerglas left Goldenfields thirty years ago on a pilgrimage to Shadowtop Cathedral (see chapter 3). The druid planned to follow the Dessarin River and seek out an old treant named Turlang. Lifferlas suggests that the characters do the same.
Turlang isn’t at Shadowtop Cathedral when the characters arrive, but a morose satyr named Greenwhistle assures them that the treant “will be along any time now.” Greenwhistle is disappointed because a dryad spurned his advances, so he sits by a pool playing sad songs on his panpipes day and night. Between songs, Greenwhistle repeatedly assures the characters that Turlang “will be along any time now.” The treant arrives on the third night after the characters arrive, in the company of a friend named Tharra Shyndle (NG female half-elf druid), who is a member of the Emerald Enclave.
The treant is initially indifferent toward the heroes and not of a mind to please. If one or more characters approach the treant in a nonthreatening manner and initiates a conversation, Tharra urges the treant not to lose its temper. The treant groans audibly and answers brusquely. It doesn’t know Lifferlas but remembers Aerglas fondly. The treant hasn’t seen the druid in many years and doesn’t know where Aerglas can be found. If the characters reveal their opposition to the giants, Turlang offers them help in the form of two awakened tree and one awakened shrub. These awakened plants speak Common and heed the party’s commands.
Treasure
Tharra offers to guide the party to the Evermoor Way, north of the forest. If they accept, they have no hostile encounters en route. Once they reach the forest’s edge, Tharra makes a decision whether to befriend the characters or not. If they seem friendly and show concern for the fate of the natural world, she declares her friendship by giving them a pouch of
Development
As she guides the characters through the forest, Tharra says she plans to visit an old friend-a ranger named Quinn Nardrosz who lives in Jalanthar. If she’s friendly toward the characters, she invites them to join her, saying she could use the company. If the characters accept the invitation, Tharra leads them to Everlund, then east to Jalanthar by way of the Rauvin Road. Quinn is so delighted that the characters took the trouble to accompany Tharra that he gives them three magic items that he “acquired” during his days as an adventurer; roll on Magic Item Table F in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the first item, and on Magic Item Table B for the other two.
Zi Liang’s Quest
In addition to being an acolyte of Chauntea and an Emerald Enclave sympathizer, Zi is the beneficiary of a considerable inheritance from her parents, who traded in silk, whale oil, fine glass, maps, and other commodities. They were based in Baldur’s Gate but owned several businesses in Waterdeep.
Treasure
Zi gives the characters a black pearl pendant (worth 750 gp) that she keeps hidden among her belongings and tells them to bring it to Cauldar Marskyl (LG male Illuskan human commoner), the head butler of House Thann in Waterdeep, where he will give them a gift in exchange.
House Thann is one of Waterdeep’s leading vintners, and although Cauldar is elderly and forgetful, he recalls with perfect clarity that the Thann family and Zi’s family are allies. He has been entrusted with some items that once belonged to Zi’s parents, and though Zi is now old enough to have them, she has no immediate need of them and prefers an ascetic lifestyle. If the characters show Cauldar the pendant, he understands that Zi has bequeathed her inheritance to them. He sends servants to the attic to retrieve an old wooden trunk and bring it to the characters, then unlocks it with a key and lets them claim the two magic items inside. Roll on Magic Item Table C in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine each item. Cauldar offers to keep Zi’s pendant and see it safely returned to her, but he doesn’t protest if the characters insist on keeping it.
Miros Xelbrin’s Quest
Miros suggests that the characters travel to Amphail and “give his regards” to Arleosa Starhenge, the proprietor of a local tavern called the Stag-Horned Flagon. If the characters do so, Arleosa is delighted to hear that Miros is well and offers to buy them a round of drinks. The two performed together in a traveling carnival troupe many years ago.
If the characters make the effort to get to know Arleosa and reveal that they’re adventurers, Arleosa playfully recalls that she captivated a few adventurous admirers in her day. One of them, Arleosa says, was so enchanted with her that he gave her a wooden ring adorned with dancing nymphs and told her that it represented a special favor. Should she need anything, all she must do is whisper his name (“Keltar Dardragon”) into the ring, and he would appear and provide assistance. She never found the need to do so, but she offers the ring to the character she likes the most (as determined by you). The ring radiates evocation magic under the scrutiny of a detect magi c spell.
Development
If a character whispers Keltar’s name into the ring while wearing it, a friendly halfling apparition appears within 5 feet of the ring’s wearer. The ring loses its magical property once the apparition appears. Nothing can alter Keltar’s cheery demeanor. The dead halfling points them in the direction of an old tower in the wilderness, claiming (in Common) that they’ll find useful items hidden inside it. If the characters follow Keltar’s directions, run the “Old Tower” encounter in chapter 3. The apparition can’t be harmed and provides no other assistance. It vanishes forever once it has imparted its information, waving goodbye as it fades away.
Naxene Drathkala’s Quest
Every bone in her body tells Naxene that the attack on Goldenfields is just the beginning. She’s heard “rumblings” that other settlements have been impacted by the sudden appearance of giants-and not just hill giants but also stone, frost, fire, and cloud giants. Naxene is convinced that now is not the time for half-measures. She has read books about the ancient conflict between dragons and giants, and she urges the characters to seek out a powerful good dragon, convince it to contact other good dragons, and use them to combat the giants. Naxene is confident that the Lords' Alliance will support this plan, given the gravity of the situation. She couldn’t be more wrong.
Naxene is unaware that the Lords' Alliance leaders would rather hurl themselves into the Nine Hells than deal with dragons. She recommends that the party speak to an acquaintance of hers-a “dragon expert” in Waterdeep named Chazlauth Yarghorn (CN male Illuskan human mage). Naxene provides directions to his residence in the city’s North Ward: a tall stone house with a tower on one corner.
Chazlauth has a silver dragon wyrmling companion named Irizzorl that he keeps hidden in his tower, along with several cat that the dragon likes to terrorize. The racket in the tower is constant during the party’s visit, during which Chazlauth dismisses Naxene’s crazy plan and proposes an even crazier one. He suggests that the characters travel to the Kryptgarden Forest and seek out Old Gnawbone, a powerful and eccentric green dragon rumored to possess a collection of crystal balls that she uses to scry on everyone and everything. Based on what Chazlauth knows about green dragons, and Old Gnawbone in particular, he doesn’t think the dragon will harm the characters if they seem intent on ending the giant threat, and he’s willing to risk their lives to test his theory.
Treasure
If the characters agree to seek out Old Gnawbone, Chazlauth plucks a handful of potions from a shelf in his tower and gives one to each character. One of them is a
Development
Run the suggested encounter in the “Kryptgarden Forest” section in chapter 3 once the characters enter Old Gnawbone’s domain.
Oren Yogilvy’s Quest
Oren is spooked by rumors that giants are rampaging throughout the North. He asks the characters if they could check on his sister, Lily, who works at the Happy Cow tavern in Daggerford. He also wants them to deliver a hastily written letter to Lily that tells her he’s doing fine, and would she please send him some more money.
Lily (LG female strongheart halfling commoner) married into the Hardcheese family, which owns and operates the Happy Cow tavern in Daggerford. The real family business, however, is moneylending. The halflings use the tavern to attract new clients, and while the Happy Cow breaks even, it’s not a big moneymaker, and right now the Hardcheese moneylending business is on the ropes. The Black Network has agents in Daggerford handing out interest-free loans (but breaking the arms of anyone who fails to pay up); the Hardcheeses simply can’t compete.
If the characters deliver Oren’s letter to Lily, her husband Koggin Hardcheese (LG male strongheart halfling commoner) asks them to speak with Nelkin “the Snail” Danniker, a Zhentarim operative who is staying at the River Shining Tavern and Inn, and kindly tell him to back off. Koggin would do it himself, but he thinks that the adventurers stand a better chance of persuading the Snail to relent. Nelkin is described in the “Daggerford” section in chapter 3. If the characters agree to his terms, as outlined in that section, Nelkin will stop undermining the Hardcheeses' moneylending business.
Treasure
Oren gives the party a cask of Goldengulp (worth 15 gp) as a gift before they leave Goldenfields.
Koggin Hardcheese gives the characters a cornucopia stuffed with fresh fruit and bread if they come to terms with the Snail. If the characters are visibly unhappy with this reward, he throws in a bottle of winterberry wine (worth 10 gp).
Triboar
The bustling mercantile town of Triboar stands where the Long Road meets the Evermoor Way. Triboar’s name is thought to have come from a traveler’s tale of slaying three boars here in the same day, over four hundred winters ago. The town is built on flat, fertile land, with a few natural rises here and there. Nearly half of Triboar’s population lives outside the town proper, on sprawling ranches and neighboring farmsteads, most of which lie to the north or east.
The current lord protector of Triboar is a good-natured Harper and ex-adventurer named Darathra Shendrel. Darathra enacts and modifies local laws (known as “the Lord’s Decree”), which are then enforced by the Twelve-a squad of a dozen mounted warriors drawn from the militia.
Triboar is a market for the horses raised by nearby ranches. Blacksmiths, harness-makers, and wagonworks also flourish in town. In addition, a number of guides operate out of Triboar. They take merchants and other travelers all over the Sword Coast, typically for stiff fees.
Locations in Triboar
The following locations are identified on map 2.3. Outlying ranches and farmsteads are not described here, since they have little bearing on this part of the adventure. You can develop these outlying areas as you see fit.
C. Cottage
Each of these plain stone cottages is home to
F. Farm
Each of these plots of land contains a modest stone farmhouse, a wooden outhouse, and a tilled garden or pasture. The farm is occupied by
T1. Market Square and Tower
The center of Triboar, where the Long Road meets the Evermoor Way, is a huge open space used as a market by local farmers and visiting peddlers. Dominating the space is the two-story Tower of the Lord Protector, a simple stone keep that leans decidedly to the east. Hanging above the entrance is the dusty banner of the lord protector, which depicts three black boars running toward the head of the banner on a blood-red field.
The current Lord Protector of Triboar is Darathra Shendrel, a Harper agent from Waterdeep elected by the people of Triboar to command the town militia, settle disputes, and keep the peace. Her association with the Harpers is not widely known, but she is widely regarded as a fair and clear-headed leader.
The regular militia takes turns serving in the Twelve, a mounted police force (good-aligned male and female human veteran of various ethnicities on riding horse) that patrols the town, the roads that lead between the outlying ranches, and the eastern half of the Triboar Trail. If needed, Darathra can muster a well-armed militia of fifty in the night, and three hundred by highsun the next day. The lord protector also has the authority to draft mercenaries and adventurers, as needed.
T2. North Caravan Campground
Caravans passing through Triboar use this fenced-in field as a place to park their wagons and contain their oxen for free. There’s also plenty of room to pitch tents and build campfires. Fresh water can be drawn from a 30-foot-deep stone well in the southeast corner of the yard.
A cottage stands in the east corner of the lot. Its elderly occupant, Darz Helgar, is paid by the lord protector to keep the town’s campgrounds clean by removing the garbage and burying the excrement. Darz has also buried his shady past; he was a member of a thieves' guild in Waterdeep who was caught and imprisoned for his many crimes. After his release from prison, he moved to Triboar to start a new life.
T3. West Caravan Campground
This campground is similar to area T2. A 30-foot-deep stone well in the middle of the yard provides fresh water for guests.
T4. Happy Horse Ranch
The Karnveller family raises, trains, sells, and stables horses. Three large buildings stand on their property: a two-story log house with a detached outhouse (the family estate); a stone storehouse full of used saddles, bridles, and reins; and stone stables connected to a fenced-in riding yard and grazing field.
Janele Karnveller (NG female Chondathan human commoner) is the family matriarch, a feisty middle-aged widow who enjoys the company of horses more than people. She has three adult sons named Aldo, Hingo, and Rasko (LG male Chondathan human veteran), all of whom are members of the town militia.
T5. Wainwright’s Wagons
A longtime fixture in Triboar, Wainwright’s Wagons has its own horse-driven sawmill and large buildings for lumber storage. The establishment originally catered to the wealthy elite by crafting the finest, most expensive wagons in the Dessarin Valley. The current owner, Tosker Wainwright (N male Illuskan human commoner), is more interested in profit than quality. Lacking the carpentry skills of his ancestors, he relies on underpaid apprentices to assemble wagons that are little better than ordinary, yet they cost five times as much. The Wainwright brand name is the only thing keeping the establishment in business… for now.
T6. The Lion’s Share
This building was recently purchased and refurbished by the Lionshield Coster, a merchant company based in the city of Yartar. Above the store’s entrance hangs a polished shield emblazoned with the head of a stylized golden lion on a blue background.
Lionshields are not well liked in Triboar, since Triboar and Yartar are bitter rivals, and few locals spend their money in this place. The store caters mostly to caravans and out-of-towners, selling provisions and animal fodder up front, and adventuring gear, armor, and weapons in back. Rooms on the second floor contain accommodations for the store’s young proprietors, Alaestra Ulgar (NG female Illuskan human commoner) and Narth Tezrin, as well as a hidden vault containing their wealth. Alaestra and Narth run a successful business even in the face of local insults and mild harassment. They have an agreement with the lord protector not to sell weapons to anyone they think might be a threat to the town. In exchange, the lord protector makes sure the store isn’t victimized by vandals and local troublemakers.
Treasure
A closet-sized vault on the second floor is hidden behind a secret door that requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot. The vault contains an empty
T7. Ransor’s Open Road
This establishment once sold feed and caravan supplies, as well as the services of caravan guards. Its owner passed away many years ago, and the business has been closed ever since. The yard is a riot of weeds, and the buildings have become havens for rats and other vermin. Locals have removed most of the wooden shingles from the rooftops, using them to replace the old shingles on their own roofs.
T8. The Cart and Coin
This establishment sells and swaps horses and draft animals, and also deals in feed, horseshoes, and gear. The owners are a married couple named Arn and Syreen Widdens (NG Chondathan human commoner). They have four young children (noncombatants) and employ half a dozen workers (N male Illuskan human commoner) to feed and exercise the animals, clean the stables, and replace horseshoes.
T9. The Triboar Travelers
Merchant sponsors can hire the personnel and the vehicles of the Triboar Travelers to make caravan runs to Waterdeep and back, for 600 gp each way, plus 25 gp for each wagon beyond the tenth. Runs to Everlund and back are 800 gp each way, as monsters from the Evermoors are known to prey on caravans along this route, plus 30 gp for each wagon beyond the tenth. The company hires mercenaries and adventurers to serve as guards, paying each person 4 gp per day plus food and drink. Each guard also receives a bonus of 25 gp if all caravan goods arrive at the destination.
Urlam Stockspool (N male Illuskan human spy), a shrewd, immaculately dressed businessman, runs the caravan company and is a recruiter for the Black Network. He’s proud of his affiliation: he lost an eye in combat several years ago and wears a red eye patch emblazoned with the black serpent symbol of the Zhentarim. Urlam is rarely seen without his suave bodyguard, Valken Naspeer (N male half-elf assassin). Although Urlam and Valken are good-humored and speak highly of the local authorities, they know that the lord protector keeps a watchful eye on them. They have no idea that Darathra is affiliated with the Harpers, but it wouldn’t surprise them to learn as much. At any given time, the bunkhouse next to Urlam’s residence holds
Characters might approach Urlam looking for work. He has nothing for them unless one or more characters are members of the Black Network, in which case he gives them a quest. If they complete the quest, he gives them another until they’ve completed three quests. The three quests are as follows, and every quest the characters complete earns them a 500 gp gemstone as payment:
- Urlam suspects that Othovir (see area T11) is hiding a secret, and he wants to know what it is. To complete this quest, the characters must learn that Othovir has blood ties to House Margaster in Waterdeep. Othovir won’t divulge this information willingly, so the characters must either charm or interrogate Othovir to learn the truth.
- Urlam is convinced that Tolmara Hysstryn (see area T14) has a secret, and he wants to know what it is. The characters can complete this quest by finding Tolmara’s dead husband in the attic of the Six Windows rooming house.
- Urlam believes that Nemyth (see area T16) has a secret, and he wants to know what it is. In truth, Nemyth has no secrets, and Urlam’s belief stems from prejudice toward tieflings. If the characters wish to complete this quest, they must contrive a secret and convince Urlam of its veracity, which can be accomplished with a successful Charisma (Deception) check contested by Urlam’s Wisdom (Insight) check.
T10. Northshield House
Northshield House is a fine local inn-stately, clean, and quiet. The proprietor, Urgala Meltimer, is a retired adventurer who bought the inn from the Phorndyl family a little over ten years ago, after her wife (a wizard) vanished in the Underdark on an expedition. She much prefers retirement and warns armed guests to keep their blades sheathed during their stay. Urgala has three mastiff (hunting dogs) that sleep in the ground floor common room, and she employs a staff of six loyal, well-paid commoner (LG males and females of various races and ethnicities). Guests sleep in private rooms on the upper floor.
T11. Othovir’s Harness Shop
A skilled harness-maker named Othovir lives and works here, making the finest elk-skin harnesses in the Dessarin Valley. He hunts the elk, keeps their skins, and sells the rest to the Lionshield Coster (area T6). His harnesses have elaborate designs pressed into the leather, and his work is popular among Waterdhavian nobles who enjoy horseback riding. Although he hails from a prominent Waterdeep family (the Margasters), Othovir never speaks of his past or his family, and he has no interest in describing how he ended up a shop owner in Triboar. The truth is, several members of Othovir’s family are secret worshipers of Asmodeus, and he wants nothing to do with that.
T12. The Talking Troll
The Troll is what Waterdhavians would call a dive-a dim, smelly, low-beamed place crammed with mismatched, battered old furniture and drunks. Part of the roof caught fire two summers ago and has yet to be repaired. The holes in the roof have allowed birds to build nests among the beams, and the floor and tables are speckled with bird droppings. The Troll’s one redeeming feature is its large, well-stocked cellar. The owner and proprietor of the Troll is a struggling actor named Kaelen Sarssir (LN male Illuskan human commoner). He “inherited” the tavern after the previous owner fled in the wake of a scandal and has done the minimum amount of work necessary to keep it operational. Kaelen has dreams of turning the Troll into a theater, but he lacks the funds and the ambition to do so. He shares his dream with new patrons, hoping one or more of them might make a donation or otherwise sponsor the endeavor. Kaelen might even be persuaded to accept a business partner, provided there’s little or no risk to him.
A priest of Helm named Silvarren Loomshank (LN male Illuskan human) sleeps in a drunken stupor in a corner of the common room, barely noticed by the Troll’s other patrons. A lifelong resident of Neverwinter, he was “banished” by his superiors to the Allfaiths Shrine in Red Larch. He has yet to arrive there, choosing instead to stop and drown his sorrows in Triboar. He hasn’t lost his faith in Helm, merely his faith in himself and his superiors. Consumed by self-pity, he sees himself as a victim of “temple politics.” He has spent all of his traveling money and racked up a drinking debt of 5 gp. He won’t leave Triboar until the debt is paid off. If the characters settle Silvarren’s debt, they can persuade him to attend to his duties in Red Larch with a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
T13. The Frost-Touched Frog
This old inn is boarded up and empty. Vandals have carved lewd phrases into the planks covering the doors and windows, and tall weeds have the building surrounded.
T14. Six Windows
This chilly, creaking, decrepit wooden rooming house is run by Tolmara Hysstryn (CN female Illuskan human commoner), a deranged middle-aged woman. Visitors unable to secure rooms at Everwyvern House or Northshield House might be forced to bunk here, but they rarely stay longer than a night because they quickly discover that Tolmara isn’t shy about spying on them through keyholes and listening at doors while chuckling to herself.
Locked in the Six Windows' attic are the bones of Tolmara’s dead husband, Mirak, of whom she rarely speaks. Tolmara hides the key to the attic door in her brassiere. The lock can be picked with thieves' tools and a DC 10 Dexterity check. If Mirak’s bones are touched, his skeleton animates for
Any character who casts a
If the characters report Tolmara’s crime to Darathra Shendrel, the lord protector has Tolmara arrested and imprisoned pending a trial. Darathra also notifies Mirak’s two brothers, who work on a nearby ranch. For years, they were led to believe that Mirak had left town with another woman; they are grateful to the characters for unearthing the truth and offer them a
T15. Boar’s Rest
Built on a ridge that overlooks the rest of town, Boar’s Rest is the stone mansion of a rich, retired adventurer named Hyuth Kolstaag (NE male Damaran human mage). Ever since Kolstaag had the place built and moved in five years ago, his unbridled arrogance and sense of self-importance have won him no friends in Triboar. Moreover, he has been targeted by so many enemies and rivals that other townsfolk consider him a magnet for disaster. He lives surrounded by trophies of his past adventures, and rarely emerges from his estate. He never condescends to protect the town or use his wealth to aid the less fortunate.
A few weeks ago, a trio of assassins slipped into town one night and tried to slay the mage in his sleep. The rest of Triboar was awakened by peals of thunder and blasts of lightning coming from Kolstaag’s estate, and though the assassins survived, they were forced to steal horses from the Cart and Coin (area T8) and murder a stablehand to make good their escape. Kolstaag never offered to reimburse the Widdens family for their loss and never admitted any responsibility for the event.
Since the latest attack on his person, Kolstaag has enlisted four gargoyle to perch on the corners of his rooftop and serve as living sentries. To alleviate their boredom, the malevolent gargoyles swoop down on townsfolk from time to time and terrify them for the sake of amusement, which has led to some tense meetings between the lord protector and the wizard of Boar’s Rest, who doesn’t see the harm.
Treasure
Kolstaag hides his valuables with the aid of a
T16. The Triboar Arms
The Triboar Arms has burned to the ground twice and been rebuilt twice. Its owner and proprietor is Nemyth (NG male tiefling commoner), a savvy businessman with a wicked smile. He likes to lean against the taproom doorway, drying and polishing a mug while nodding and smiling at passersby. His prices are reasonable, his staff cordial.
The tavern is a popular hangout for rangers and scouts, most of whom sell their services as wilderness guides. One of Nemyth’s “regulars” is a friendly and capable guide named Zindra Winterbow (NG female half-elf scout), a member of the Emerald Enclave. She charges 10 gp per day for her services, regardless of the danger. She has noticed more and more hill giants, ogres, and Uthgardt barbarians wandering the hills around Triboar recently, and she warns adventurers leaving town to be wary of them.
T17. Uldinath’s Arms
This hilltop smithy across the road from Foehammer’s Forge (area T18) is run by Harriet Uldinath (LG female Illuskan human commoner), the great-granddaughter of the establishment’s founder. Harriet has known Ghelryn Foehammer since she was a child, and the two are friendly rivals. Harriet sells fine weapons stamped with the Uldinath family glyph, which generally increases their value by 25 percent.
T18. Foehammer’s Forge
Ghelryn Foehammer makes fine weapons, armor, and other metalworks. Ghelryn is getting a bit long in the tooth for the daily grind of metalsmithing, so he’s looking for a skilled apprentice, but no one has met with his approval so far. A year ago, Ghelryn made splendid suits of ceremonial armor for King Morinn and Queen Tithmel of Citadel Felbarr, and the royals were so impressed that they bestowed upon Ghelryn the honorary title of Royal Armorer. For that and other reasons, the Foehammer name is synonymous with top-quality goods throughout the Dessarin Valley, and Ghelryn intends to keep it that way.
Ghelryn hates orcs and giants. During the War of the Silver Marches, he obtained reports of orcs and giants attacking dwarfholds throughout the North. Many times he wanted to take up arms and travel north to join the war, yet he restrained himself because he had a business to run. But when giants attack Triboar, he refuses to stand back and idly watch.
T19. Merivold Pony Park
North of the Evermoor Way, a quaint cottage stands near a brightly painted barn topped with a pony-shaped weather vane. A white picket fence encloses a small field behind the barn. Set among flowers on the front lawn is a sign that reads “Merivold Pony Park.” Two spinster-sisters named Janna and Leera Merivold (LN female Illuskan human commoner) raise and train ponies here, including riding ponies for halflings. At any given time, the Merivolds have
T20. Everwyvern House
This expensive inn caters to Waterdhavian nobility and other well-to-do folk who wouldn’t be caught dead in a more modest establishment. The property is situated behind the Pleasing Platter (area T21) on a beautifully landscaped patch of land with private stables, private gardens, and a meandering path through a small orchard. The inn itself is a beautiful stone building with lamps hanging from its eaves and a turret in one corner.
The snobbery of Everwyvern House is equaled by its elegant foppery. The atmosphere in the place is like a parody of the grandest Waterdhavian noble parties. Folk come here to be awed by it, to be amused by it, or to feel at home in it. Minstrels play quiet background music among floating plants and many-hued driftglobes, while startlingly gowned women and dashingly sashed and ruffled men chat, stroll, dance, and sneer at each other. Several of these well-dressed fops are actually escorts (N male and female human commoner of various ethnicities) employed by the inn’s proprietor to enhance the mood. They are coached to speak and parade about like nobles, but they are nothing more than low-paid actors.
The Everwyvern’s condescending peacock of a proprietor, Draven Millovyr (NE male Illuskan human mage), tried and failed to gain membership in the Arcane Brotherhood. When that career path didn’t pan out, he used his inherited wealth to buy Everwyvern House. The Everwyvern’s beds are comfortable but horribly overpriced (15 gp per night), though the fee includes room service and companionship, if desired. The meals on the menu are prepared just as they are in Waterdeep’s finest restaurants, but nonetheless they are extraordinarily expensive (25 gp per plate). Draven employs spies to keep him apprised of the latest dining and fashion trends.
Draven doesn’t allow “nobodies” to stay at his inn, and he employs six bouncers (NE male Illuskan human thug) to throw out the trash. Adventurers of noble blood and their servants are welcome; others are not.
Draven keeps his wealth in his locked quarters, located on the top floor of the Everwyvern’s turret. He carries the only key to the door. Its lock can be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. A
Treasure
A locked chest in Draven’s quarters contains 540 gp in mixed coinage-funds that Draven uses to pay his staff and maintain his “modest” lifestyle. A secret compartment in the chest’s lid holds three bejeweled necklaces (stolen from visiting Waterdhavian noblewomen) worth 750 gp each. The compartment can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Draven carries the key to the chest, which can otherwise be opened with thieves' tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
T21. The Pleasing Platter
This fine restaurant is next door to the grandiose Everwyvern House, and it has adopted similar pretensions. Its tables are far apart. Each is screened from the others by strategically placed plants, statues, or pillars. Minstrels play soft and soothing music in the background. Service is fast, polite, and deft, with special requests honored swiftly and obligingly to meet a guest’s culinary preferences. House specialties include smoked quail, rothé steak cooked in wine and nuts, and grilled silver-tail fish. Prices are comparable to those at Everwyvern House, and free flasks of sweet water (see area T23) are served with dinner. The owners and chefs are Heltzer and Pentavasta Duncask (LG male and female Illuskan human commoner), a cheerful and randy older couple.
T22. Graveyard
Perched atop a ridge at the south end of town is an old cemetery where many of Triboar’s first settlers are buried under weatherworn headstones. The oldest graves are located on a plot of land enclosed by an old, unpainted picket fence.
T23. Apothecary
Across the road from Northshield House (area T10) is the town apothecary, a slouched wooden cottage with ivy-covered walls. Tarmock Felaskur (CN male Illuskan human commoner) sells herbal medicines and salves of questionable efficacy. Parked outside the apothecary’s front door is a ramshackle wheelbarrow, hanging above which is a wooden sign shaped like a potion bottle. In addition to herbs and salves, Tarmock sells “sweet water” for 1 gp a flask. The sweet, naturally carbonated water bubbles up from a tiny spring in the shed behind Tarmock’s cottage. Tarmock makes most of his money selling the water to the proprietors of The Pleasing Platter.
T24. Gwaeron’s Slumber
Gwaeron Windstrom, the god of tracking, is said to visit this mystical forest. Rangers who venerate Gwaeron or Mielikki, the goddess of forests, come here for inspiration. Some claim to have seen Gwaeron walking among the trees, appearing as a tall, muscular man whose long, white hair and beard whip and billow as if in an endless breeze, even when there is no wind. It is also said that worshipers of Gwaeron or Mielikki who sleep in this wood will receive prophetic dreams. In truth, Gwaeron never visits those who come seeking him, though he appears unexpectedly in the grove on rare occasions.
To avoid angering Gwaeron, the law in Triboar forbids cutting any wood from these trees or hunting any creature in the woods. Many of the trees in Gwaeron’s Slumber are trapped in a perpetual autumnal state, with leaves in dazzling shades of yellow, orange, and red.
An oni that lives in a hillside cave west of Triboar occasionally visits this grove to feast on unsuspecting rangers as they sleep among the trees, appearing before them as Gwaeron Windstrom. The oni cleans up after itself, leaving little evidence of its victims behind. This “tidiness” has led others to believe that sometimes Gwaeron, rather than sending prophetic dreams, appears and spirits a worthy supplicant away to his divine domain.
T25. Marshaling Field
An old, partially ruined wooden fence encloses a large, muddy field south of town. In years past, armies gathered and camped here before marching off to war. The field has seen little use in recent years.
Attack on Triboar
Thousands of years ago, giants and dragons fought a great battle here, during which the giants unleashed an enormous dragon-slaying construct called the Vonindod. Part of the construct broke off and was embedded in the ground. Over time, this fragment became buried deep in the earth. Today, it lies under a campground in the heart of town (area T2).
Fire giants loyal to Duke Zalto have been using rods of the Vonindod to locate fragments of the construct. One such rod has led a mated pair of fire giant named Okssort and Ildmane to Triboar. Their entourage includes five orog, six orc mounted on axe beak, and twelve magmin split into two gangs of six.
Beginning the Encounter
Around highsun, the town is shaken from its peacefulness by the screams of women and children, followed by a man yelling, “Giants! Run!” Perplexed residents and shopkeepers emerge from their domiciles in time to see a large rock fall from the sky and crash onto an old cart, splintering it. As a cloud of dust erupts from the wreckage, a second rock hits the ground, tumbles through a fence, and slams against the wall of a building, startling a pair of mules tethered to a post nearby. All around you, people begin to shriek and scatter.
Okssort and Ildmane’s plan is to barge into town, dig up the Vonindod fragment, and haul it back to Ironslag (see chapter 8, “Forge of the Fire Giants”), destroying anything that gets in their way. As they approach the center of Triboar, they hurl boulders into the town to strike fear into the hearts of the townsfolk, hoping to frighten most of them away. The magmins run alongside the giants, eager to please. Whenever a fire giant points to a building or other flammable structure, a gang of magmins runs toward the target and tries to set it ablaze.
The orogs, clad in heavy plate mail, march ahead of the fire giants, knocking down fences and clearing the way of rabble. Anything the orogs don’t knock down is crushed underfoot by the advancing fire giants. The orogs spread through town, attacking civilians who cross their path and drawing attention away from the fire giants.
The orcs ride their axebeaks into town after the initial volley of boulders. Their job is to distract the town’s defenders and engage enemy archers in melee combat. The axebeaks act on the orcs' initiative count. Rules for mounted combat can be found in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook.
The fire giants and their entourage approach from the northeast, damaging Othovir’s Harness Shop (area T11) and destroying Ransor’s Open Road (area T7) as they make their way toward the north campground (area T2). The fire giants are so intimidating that most townsfolk stop what they’re doing and flee, heading south along the Long Road. Others hunker down in their homes and businesses.
If either fire giant is reduced to 81 hit points or fewer, the giants realize that they have underestimated Triboar’s defenses. They quickly leave the way they came while commanding their underlings to cover their retreat.
Defense of Triboar
After receiving reports of orcs attacking ranches to the southeast, Lord Protector Darathra Shendrel sends the Twelve to Merrymeadow Ranch and Broken Yoke Ranch to ascertain the extent of the danger and aid the ranchers. These attacks are merely distractions. While the Twelve are away, the fire giants attack from the northeast, leaving the adventurers and a handful of determined townsfolk to defend the town. Give each player one of the following NPCs to play during this encounter:
Statistics and roleplaying notes for these NPCs appear in appendix D. How the players run their NPCs during the battle is up to them, but encourage the players to review their NPCs' ideals, bonds, and flaws. For more information on how to use and run these NPCs, see the “Special NPCs” section at the start of this chapter.
If the players try to keep the special NPCs out of the fight, you can endanger them by having stray orogs or magmins threaten the NPCs directly, thereby requiring the player-controlled NPCs to act.
Vonindod Fragment
Ildmane clutches a
Any character who inspects the broken adamantine ring can, with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, determine that it was once part of some kind of enormous construct. Casting a
Treasure
Ildmane carries no treasure other than a
Development
If the fire giants obtain the Vonindod fragment and leave town, they make the long trek back to Ironslag with their prize, avoiding roads and settlements. If the fire giants are forced to leave without the Vonindod fragment, they retreat to the Surbrin Hills and roust four hill giants, returning to Triboar
Whether or not the characters thwart the fire giants, they gain special quests and rewards based on which NPCs survived the initial battle.
Triboar Quests
For each special NPC who survives the attack on Triboar, the party receives a quest and gains a particular award for completing that quest. The quests encourage characters to explore other locations throughout the North. Whether the characters travel over land or by sea, use the “Random Wilderness Encounters” section in chapter 3 to stage encounters along the way.
Darathra Shendrel’s Quest
Darathra doesn’t have much contact with her fellow Harpers, but it strikes her as odd that fire giants would make it this far into the Dessarin Valley without her receiving some kind of warning. She wants to make sure her organization is aware of the gravity of the situation. She gives the characters a platinum badge (worth 50 gp) bearing the Triboar insignia (three boars charging forward) and urges the characters to travel east along the Evermoor Way, visit Danivarr’s House in Everlund, and give the badge to Dral Thelev, the one-eyed half-orc proprietor.
If the characters follow Darathra’s instructions, Dral pockets the badge, uncorks a flask of elven wine that he claims is Silverymoon’s finest, and pours its contents into small wooden cups-one per character. Characters who take even the smallest drink of the wine are teleported to a parlor in the heart of Moongleam Tower, the Harpers' stronghold in Everlund (see the “Everlund” section in chapter 3). Dral explains how the magic of the elixir works after one party member takes a sip and disappears, expecting that the others will want to follow.
The parlor in Moongleam Tower contains austere furnishings and a dozen harmless, domesticated tressym behaving like house cats. A silent
Treasure
After showing them the teleportation circle in Moongleam Tower, Krowen gives the adventurers a small wooden coffer that Darathra sent him for his birthday a few years back. The coffer’s interior space is divided into six compartments, each of which contains a rolled-up spell scroll. The spells written on the scrolls are
Darz Helgar’s Quest
Darz relates to the characters that he was recently visited by an old acquaintance, a merchant from Mirabar, with an interesting tale to tell. The merchant saw a dwarf cleaning stables in Xantharl’s Keep, a fortified village on the Long Road, and later recognized him from a wanted poster he saw while traveling south through Longsaddle. The merchant is sure that the dwarf he saw is a wanted brigand known as the Weevil; according to the wanted poster, whoever delivers him alive to the authorities in Mirabar can collect a reward of 5,000 gp.
Darz briefly entertained the idea of going after the Weevil himself, but then admitted to himself that he’s too old for such things. Passing this information along to the characters is his way of thanking them for their help during the attack.
Development
If the characters head to Xantharl’s Keep, they can catch the Weevil and turn him over to the Axe of Mirabar. See the “Xantharl’s Keep” section in chapter 3 for more information.
Narth Tezrin’s Quest
A few months ago, the Lionshield Coster received a payment from one Amrath Mulnobar, castellan of Noanar’s Hold, for five horse harnesses made by none other than Triboar’s finest harness-maker, Othovir. Othovir recently finished the last of the harnesses, and Narth needs to arrange for their delivery to Noanar’s Hold. Since the recent giant attack, he has become worried about the safe arrival of the shipment. Narth has never been to Noanar’s Hold, but he describes it as a village near the High Forest that once attracted wealthy hunters.
Narth packs the harnesses in a large crate with the Lionshield Coster emblem painted on its sides and asks the characters to make the delivery for him. If they accept the quest, he tells them how to get to Noanar’s Hold by following the Evermoor Way. When they’re ready to leave, assuming they haven’t made provisions to transport the shipment by other means, Narth has a cart waiting for them with the crate loaded on it, pulled by a draft horse named Boris.
Treasure
Narth offers them 100 gp up front to make the delivery. Narth also lets the characters keep Boris and the cart once they complete the delivery.
Development
When the characters arrive at Noanar’s Hold, they are told that they can find Amrath Mulnobar in the keep overlooking the village. Amrath takes the harnesses off their hands without so much as a thank you. Thus ends the quest.
With no other settlements nearby, the characters might be inclined to spend the night in the White Hart Inn, where they meet three middle-aged brothers from Neverwinter (LE male Illuskan human noble) who are gearing up for a hunt. Their names are Rantharl, Marthun, and Lezryk Daerivoss, and they tell the characters that they’ve come to Noanar’s Hold to hunt hill giants. The brothers don’t want company. They quietly saddle their horses, strap on their rapiers, and ride out at dawn. The younger brothers return before dusk, but Rantharl is not with them, and Marthun has a laceration on his right shoulder that a successful DC 11 Wisdom (Medicine) check confirms is a rapier wound.
If pressed, the brothers claim that a hill giant killed Rantharl. Marthun claims that he was struck by the giant’s spiked greatclub and denies any assertion that his wound was caused by a rapier. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check confirms that Marthun and Lezryk are lying, though Marthun welcomes any healing that the characters can provide.
The brothers are playing a murderous game with their inheritances at stake. The agreement was simple: the brother who first deals the killing blow to a hill giant would gain the inheritances of the other two. Rantharl won the contest, but Marthun and Lezryk turned against him. A fight ensued, Marthun was wounded, and Rantharl died. With Rantharl gone and no clear winner, Marthun and Lezryk have agreed to track down another hill giant.
If the characters follow the brothers on their hunt and are spotted, the brothers attack them. If the characters do nothing, Marthun and Lezryk begin another hunt the following day, but they encounter no hill giants. Lezryk betrays and kills Marthun, then returns to the inn to rest before making the long trip back to Neverwinter to deliver the sad news of his brothers' untimely deaths at the hands of “rampaging hill giants.” Characters can blackmail Lezryk for a cut of the brothers' inheritance (worth 10,000 gp total), or deal with the treacherous cad in some other manner as they see fit.
Urgala Meltimer’s Quest
In the aftermath of the battle, Urgala relates to the characters that one of her former adventuring companions, a wealthy knight named Harthos Zymorven, had a giant slayer greatsword. (Change the weapon to a giant slayer greataxe if that would be more desirable to a party member.) The last time Urgala spoke with him, Harthos was living in Zymorven Hall, his ancestral keep on the Rauvin Road northwest of Silverymoon. Urgala thinks Harthos might be willing to part with the weapon if the characters mention her name to him and explain their reason for needing it.
If the characters journey to Zymorven Hall, they find Lord Harthos Zymorven, but he is sad to report that his son Harthal has stolen the giant slayer. Harthal committed this act after Lord Zymorven disowned him for marrying a common thief from Yartar (whose name he doesn’t recall). What Harthal did with the sword, Lord Zymorven can only imagine.
The characters can travel to Yartar and search for Harthal there. After a few polite inquiries, it becomes apparent that the local thieves' guild, the Hand of Yartar, might be their best hope of finding Harthal. A character can bribe a tavern server at the Wink and Kiss (5 gp is sufficient) to learn the identity and whereabouts of a known Hand of Yartar member. They’re as common as rats. If the characters obtained a letter of recommendation from Tamalin Zoar (see the “Calling Horns” section in chapter 3), they can show it to the Hand of Yartar member, who promises to have the information they need in a few hours. Otherwise, the thief demands a 500 gp payment up front. When the thief returns
The characters can try to relieve Brenner of the weapon by force. The man has many enemies, so he usually travels with eight guard (LE male and female humans of various ethnicities). He refuses to relinquish the weapon willingly. Under normal circumstances, the death or disappearance of a watch member would trigger an investigation, but in Captain Brenner’s case, Waterbaron Nestra Ruthiol is happy to be rid of him and doesn’t order one.
Any character who belongs to the Harpers or the Zhentarim can approach his or her faction for help. If the character succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, he or she locates a faction safe house and gains entry. A failed check can be rerolled after another day spent searching, until a check succeeds or the character gives up the search. Inside the safe house, the character meets a faction representative, who sets a few wheels in motion. A few hours later, the stolen weapon is delivered to the safe house.
A character who belongs to the Lords' Alliance can petition the Waterbaron for help. The character must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check to gain an audience. Deception is appropriate if the character makes false claims to gain an audience; otherwise, use Persuasion. A failed check can be rerolled the next day, but each failed check increases the DC by 1. If a character succeeds on this check, the Waterbaron wrests the sword from Captain Brenner’s clutches and sees it delivered safely to that individual.
Treasure
Lord Zymorven’s weapon is indeed a giant slayer greatsword (or greataxe).
Othovir’s Quest
After his close call during the giants' attack, Othovir expresses his gratitude to the characters by sharing a secret with them: he knows the location of a stash of magic items that the Margaster family, his kin, keeps locked away for emergencies. If the characters ask him how he came by this information, Othovir tells them that he has a history with the Margaster family, which he despises for reasons he’d rather not discuss. The family owns a three-story tower in Silverymoon that has a detached carriage house on the property, and it is here that the characters must travel. He provides the following details:
- The carriage house is a 30-foot-square stone building with two floors. The windowless ground floor that holds the carriage has a big wooden sliding door in the front. The upper floor is an apartment with a floor made of wooden planks and a barred window set into each wall. An open wooden staircase in one corner of the building connects the floors.
- Two human guards with spears are stationed in the upstairs apartment.
- An
arcane lock spell protects the sliding wooden door. - The carriage has two draft horse harnessed to it, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. The carriage is protected by an
alarm spell, set to go off when a carriage door is opened. - The magic items are hidden in a compartment under the passenger seat inside the carriage.
Othovir doesn’t know what magic items are included in the stash. He also doesn’t know that the human guards are actually two cambion using
The
Treasure
The compartment has four magic items. Determine two of them by rolling on Magic Item Table C in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the other two by rolling on Magic Item Table B.
Ghelryn Foehammer’s Quest
As a reward for their efforts, Ghelryn writes the characters a letter of recommendation (see the “Marks of Prestige” section in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) and suggests they present it to King Morinn or Queen Tithmel should they find themselves in Citadel Felbarr. See the “Citadel Felbarr” section in chapter 3 for more information on the king and queen.
Treasure
If the characters pay a visit to Citadel Felbarr and show Ghelryn’s letter to King Morinn and Queen Tithmel, the royal couple ask about Ghelryn’s well-being, commend the party’s devotion to ending the giant threat, and award the characters a special gift to help them in their war on giants: two figurines of wondrous power (golden lions).
Character Advancement
If the characters help defend Bryn Shander, Goldenfields, or Triboar, they should advance to 6th level before setting out to explore other locations or beginning any of the special quests in this chapter.