Session 030

## Many Factions Vie for Dominance

**Age of the Wolf, Year 5, Summer, Laelun Toil 2, days 1-4**

*The party comes to understand the connection between the fire giants, dark dwarves, and Umbrians. They free some slaves while bartering away others. They meet the king of the fire giants, a local Harii leader, and the artificer Kazak Kazdul at his ruined workshop. Old enemies continue to plague their efforts.*

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## Player Characters Involved

* Nygäär the Dark the Fey Blooded Rogue/Fighter/Dualist played by Dana
* Esbjörn Sigvardson the Giant Blooded Barbarian/Cleric/Surtr's Chosen played by Greg
* Brydd Hjarta the Jörmung Human Sorcerer/Marshal/Sand Shaper/Incantator played by Jason

## Gathering Intel

With the dark dwarves gone, the party looked to the slaves and discussed what to do next. Esbjorn cowed them into submission, plunging his flaming bastard sword in the earth and bellowing at them menacingly. Unlocking the slaves they recognized, which included Karsid Skellision, Arne the Mute, and Gormi Goutison's former slaves Blann and Alrik, they set about the task of questioning them. Nygaar also asked the huddled slaves who among them spoke dwarven, and a crafty goblin named Gramug spoke up immediately. After offering the freed slaves food and drink, the party began their interrogation.

Karsid revealed that the Umbrians had captured him and many of his people following the destruction of Visby. They had been given to the dark dwarves, along with some large chests of gold. He claimed he didn't know what the dark dwarves had to do with the fire giants and begged the party to release the human slaves. Karsid said he planned to lead his people to Aarhus, or perhaps flee to Mixin lands. The former headman of Visby seemed surly and it wasn't hard to see he was hiding something. Meanwhile, the goblin Gramug was much more forthcoming.

The goblin, a creature with blue skin and tufts of blue fur, was surprisingly informative. He spoke common, dwarven, and even the jotun tongue, and told the party that the dwarves were handing over the slaves to the fire giants as a tribute. Gormug went on to reveal that the duergar were mining both silver and mithral and that his diminutive goblin kinfolk were used to traverse the smaller mineshafts where the true metal could be obtained. Feeling he was of much use and had been cooperative, the party agreed to free the goblin slaves. The humans, however, were not so lucky.

Esbjorn again turned back to Karsid to question his motives. During this, Nygaar could sense the cleric was lying to the giant. Knowing Esbjorn's disdain for deception, Nygaar quickly interrupted the conversation by punching Karsid and stepping between the two. Nygaar warned him that his deception was obvious and he had one chance to atone or else the Surtr champion would quickly end his life. Holding back tears and with a quivering lip and bloody nose, Karsid revealed his true intentions and proclaimed that the only hope for his people would be to return to the Umbrians in Aarhus and reveal the parties whereabouts, in the hopes that his people would be rewarded and could become clansman once more.

Knowing what was about to happen, Nygaar began laughing and stepped aside and began drinking from his horn of mead. As expected, Esbjorn flew into a rage and moved to wrap the Freyr priest in his massive embrace. Karsid attempted to use divine magic to cast hold person on the giant blooded cleric, but the spell had little effect. After one failed attempt, Esbjorn succeeded in grappling Karsid, slowly squeezing the life out of him and burning him with the sacred fires of Surtr, offering his enemy up to his master. Brydd too immediately joined the fray, moving to attack the priest as soon as he mentioned the Umbrians. As Esbjorn and Karsid were locked in a deadly embrace, Brydd threw his returning spear a number of times, finally striking the priest but jolting Esbjorn with the lightning gem fitted into the spear in the process. Esbjorn bellowed in rage, and after Karsid's corpse was consumed with flames he stalked angrily towards Brydd, casting healing magic on himself as he came. Brydd stalked off in disgust, absentmindedly pulling at the threads of Esbjorn's healing spell to improve it on his way back to the fire. Esbjorn and Brydd argued, but ultimately Brydd was chastened and assured Esbjorn he would no longer mettle when it came to Esbjorn's sacrifices to Surtr.

Esbjorn had sent Droog to follow the dark dwarves retreat, and the quasit returned to report that the dwarves traveling west were heading straight for the fiery caverns of the Brann Grottoes, the home of the fire giants in the mountains. The party decided to camp a short distance away, freeing the goblins in order to gain their assistance in case the dark dwarves returned. Arne the Mute and Alrik were returned to chains, but Nygaar took pity on the human farmer Blann and outfitted him with some chain mail and a warhammer. The goblin Gramug assured the party that his people would behave themselves, and Esbjorn promised that the goblins would be free to go in the morning. One other piece of information the party learned was of particular note - the dragon they thought was Cryocrax was in fact his mate. Gramug told them plainly that Cryocrax rarely awoke, and was many times larger than the dragon they had fought. The party thanked the clever goblin once again for his insight, and the party settled down for the night.

## The King of the Fire Giants

The night passed uneventfully, and as promised the party released Gramug and his people, who scurried quickly cross-country to the south. Realizing they could not easily keep the slaves for themselves, the heroes decided to approach the fire giant stronghold to the west, the chained humans in tow. After perhaps two hours, they came upon a strange sight:

*You hear the thumping of huge feet pounding in your direction. Turning to look, you see a group of Fire Giants racing towards you, a number of them bruised and battered. Some of the giants are helping their more wounded fellows, racing as fast as they can away from something. When the giants see you, they stop short and eye you questioningly. One giant, in particular, stands out; he is massive, a full three feet taller than his fellows, who are themselves over twelve feet tall. Clearly the leader of the band, this massive giant wears a heavy bronze crown that matches his ornate armor. The hair upon his head is living flame, blazing brightly. The other giants look to their leader, waiting for instructions. He frowns down at you, then pauses sharply when he sees Esbjorn. His stern face changes to one of curiosity, and he bows his massive head almost imperceptibly. The giants behind him look to be on edge, gauging the new potential threat before them.*

 Concerned over what could make such a large group of giants flee, the party none the less stood boldly before them. Esbjorn approached and soon learned that the massive giant before him was known as Lumgrýmr, the self-styled king of the fire giants. Referring frequently to their common lord Surtr, Esbjorn used a charm that the others didn't know he possessed, and Lumgrýmr seemed to immediately take a liking to him. The fire giant revealed that the very mountain itself had come alive, and knocked two of his fellows off of a cliff. The massive stone creature was covered in ornate and intricately carved swirling patterns and spoke with a booming voice. The last the giants saw, it had pursued them for a time then clambered up the mountainside effortlessly, as if the laws of gravity did not apply to it. Thinking deeply, Esbjorn realized that the patterns described by the king were familiar, and told him that it sounded like the work of stone giants. Putting two and two together, the party realized that Heida's old friend, the construct consciousness Steinvordur, had finally gotten the physical form he had so desired. Eventually, the party even pointed out the location of Menja's cave on their map, directing the fire giants to exact their revenge.

 As Nygaar handed the human slaves over to the fire giants, Lumgrýmr explained that the duergar were paying tribute to them and that the cowardly dwarves who had fled to report the parties attack had been executed. It seemed the fire giants had nothing to do with the Umbrians, and Esbjorn revealed the alliance between the frost giants and the foreign invaders. Laughingly, Lumgrýmr told Esbjorn that the frost giants would undoubtedly turn on the Umbrians and that the dark dwarves did not intend to turn over any of the mithral they mined to the foreign scum at all. Realizing that their enemies may have made a number of missteps in courting potential allies, the party felt much better informed in their war to expel the foreign horde. Before they left, Esbjorn revealed that the former village of Visby was now a safe haven for those loyal to Surtr. The fire giant king thanked him for that information and revealed that they were using the slaves to uncover the sacred forge, long-buried. If the forge could be found, the fire giants could recover the Ember Key and open the Fire Gate, creating a passage between Midgard and Muspelheim. Lumgrýmr asked Esbjorn if he would be willing to open such a portal, and gave him a large magical fire opal that could be used once every three toils (thirty days) to contact him. Esbjorn revealed he had other work to do for Surtr, namely the slaying of the frost worm, but that perhaps they could help one another. The party bid the fire giants farewell and continued on their way, being granted permission to pass through Lumgrýmr's domain.

## A Harii Horselord

Given knowledge of the local landscape by the goblin Gramug, the party endeavored once more to seek out Kazak Kazdul at his workshop. They estimated it would take them roughly four days to reach the workshop, and they set out on their way. After a couple of days of uneventful but arduous travel, they came upon a bloody scene:

*As you trudge through the rough terrain, a rugged landscape of forest-covered hills, the sun shines brightly and a cool breeze blows gently. As you round a bend in a hill, you see before you a number of dying creatures writhing on the ground, riddled with arrows. The flatheads groan and snarl futilely, slowing bleeding to death from their wounds. Ahead you hear the grunt of some more of the savage creatures, and the twang of bowstrings echoing through the forest. There are two small hills before you, one directly in front of you to the north and another further to the northeast, and the sounds of bows firing seems to be coming from the top of those hills, although you can’t make out who is firing from your vantage point. In the distance, you hear the gentle wicker of a group of horses, but they don’t sound panicked. Its as if the horses are accustomed to such bloodshed. You look to one another in preparation for what might come next.*

Moving forward onto the battlefield, the party spotted a number of archers on the hilltops that looked like Harii clansmen to Brydd. As the archers shot down the remaining flatheads, Nygaar called out that they had permission to pass through these lands given to them by the fire giants. The leader of the band seemed none too happy with this statement, and the archers tensed. Brydd spoke up, invoking the name of his famous uncle Ulfrik Demonaxe. The leader demanded Brydd's name and after hearing it claimed he had never heard of him. He told Brydd that if he was really Harii, he would know the names of the three western bands. Brydd did and gave them to him, at which point the Harii relaxed. The leader clambered down and introduced himself.

Purely by chance, the party had met Egil Gislason, the leader of the band of western Harii known as the Jor. Brydd knew that the Jor revered horses, specifically Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi, the divine horses which usher in daylight and night, respectively. Critically examining the riches displayed by the party based on their armaments, Egil sensed an opportunity for trade. He offered the party some horses for sale at very high prices, and Nygaar looked to Brydd for guidance. Brydd knew well the reputation the Jor had as horse breeders and nodded sagely. Nygaar was not disappointed; he bought a breeding pair and was well pleased with their quality. Freshly mounted, Brydd and Nygaar rode off, Esbjorn lumbering along beside them.

## A Mountain Battlesight

After two more days of travel, the party finally reached the lonely mountain they believed housed the workshop of the dwarven artificer Kazak. The landscape was barren and dangerous, riddled with geysers, murky pools of volcanic temperatures, and even open lava flows. As they climbed the steep trail, they saw a large flight of perhaps a dozen flame drakes swooping high above them. Luckily the beasts paid them scant attention, and they continued on their way unmolested. Unfortunately, the dangers of this landscape were too much for Nygaar's servant Blann, who had been blundering along behind the party since they had freed him a few days before. Failing to watch his step, Blann tripped and fell into a scalding pool and died instantly. Esbjorn grunted in disgust and pulled the corpse out of the searing water, and the party recovered the chain shirt the foolish peasant had been wearing. But all thoughts of the slaves' death fled as they came upon the goal they sought:

*As you climb the steep path leading to Kazak’s workshop, you see the wispy remains of black smoke rising slowly into the sky up ahead of you. Littered along the trail are pieces of broken and burned machinery, the likes of which none of you have ever seen. The carcasses of fallen horses, with caparisons emblazoned with the symbol of the One God, also lie frozen on the mountainside. There are no corpses of men, but it’s clear your enemies have proceeded you. As you round the bend, you see the smoldering remains of a once majestic hall standing nearby a large cavern. The cavern looks like it was once adorned with large bronze doors, which lie broken and bent upon the mountainside. Standing upon a ledge above the cavern entrance are the ruined remains of what looks like a number of complicated ballistae, smashed to pieces.  The remains of what can only be described as mechanical men and beasts are much in evidence here, and you see no sign of the dwarf you seek. Ravens feast on horse and owlbear flesh, telltale signs of the foreign enemy.*

 After a short investigation, it was clear that the Umbrians had assaulted Kazak's abode. They all studied the remains of the clockwork constructs littered about with interest. Esbjorn was able to recover some curious pieces of steel, parts of these artificial beasts and men. Brydd, well known among his people for his skill at engineering windmills and other oddities, marveled at the complexity of the creations, in particular the complex ballista. Nygaar kicked among the ashes of the destroyed longhouse but ended up finding nothing of value. Seeing nothing else of note outside, the party turned to the cavern, looking with concern at the ruined bronze doors. They entered cautiously, Esbjorn readying himself for battle by sacrificing his blood to Surtr.

What the party found turned out to be nothing to fear. Quickly searching the caverns, they found the remains of a once complex forge built at the base of a lava pit, and some fungus farms and living quarters. The one discovery of note was a small room with an open and damaged steel door. Inside, they found Kazak wounded and heartbroken, his clothing and beard scorched. He was cradling what looked to be a magnificent facsimile of a female dwarf, the clockwork creation's head stoved in. At the dwarf's feet was a clockwork bear partially destroyed, who turned to look at the party but did not attempt to get up. For quite some time the dwarf seemed unable to hear them, quietly mumbling "they killed her, my dear sweet Urverk" as Nygaar patiently attempted to communicate with him. Eventually, the party used magical healing to mend his wounds, and that seemed to bring the dwarf back from the brink of his misery.

Kazak explained that the Umbrians had attacked him and stolen his notebooks and that he must get them back. The dwarf said the attackers had been led by Gunhild the Hag and an Umbrian warrior named Wulf. Recognizing their old enemy's name, Brydd perked up with interest. Esbjorn feared the answer but interjected to ask what this Wulf looked like. The dwarf told him he was a giant man that looked very much like Esbjorn, and the champion of Surtr realized his traitor brother had once more acted against his own people. Strangely, the dwarf claimed that Wulf had prevented the Hag from killing him.

Sensitive to his loss, the party nonetheless reminded him that his king had ordered him to return and replace Nygaar's eye. Looking down lovingly at his destroyed creation Urverk, Kazak got a look of determination on his face. He bade the party follow him and carried Urverk to his former workshop. Brydd mended some of the dwarf's tools, and he set to work. He removed Urverk's eye and requested that Nygaar lie down on his back. With Esbjorn and Brydd holding him down roughly, Kazak set about mounting the eye into the gouged out pit of Nygaar's wound. He built a metal eye socket out of steel and what looked like small slivers of platinum within Nygaar's face, sending a jolt of pain shivering through the duelist's body. The socket ready, the dwarf placed the false eye within it, and all marveled at the natural appearance of the eye in its socket. Nygaar blinked painfully but was filled with a secret joy that his sight had been returned. The party agreed to recover the dwarf's notebooks, as they realized that such technology in the hands of their enemies would only make their mission that much harder. One caveat was that Esbjorn demanded the dwarf return sight to Brydd as well, although the Harii sorcerer said that could only happen after he exacted his revenge on Gunhild the Hag and Marlow Payne. Kazak began to work feverishly to fix his loyal bear companion, named Vergae, while the party contemplated whether to stay and rest or pursue the Umbrians immediately.

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