Barbigazl: Part Zero

[Guest blogger time! This is from Peter A, who GMed the mission before the previously chronicled Temple of Death. This will be a series of posts over the next few weeks, in pairs of mission summaries and then GM notes. I joined about half-way, so will reserve me commenting until then.]

Introduction and Scenario: The Return of the Dwarves

Twenty years ago great war was waged across the great Continent. The forces of darkness were destroyed, but in their wake much upheaval was wrought among the allies of man. Many of the Elven kingdoms burned and their people scattered, and Orcs too were rendered extinct, never to be seen again in the Great Continent. Deep in the mountain halls of the Dwarf Lords echoes rang, for they too had been diminished and made homeless and their once mighty kingdoms in the blink of years be forgotten. So would this have remained, but for the chance discovery of the fabled Forge of Nikulburg by a petty thief who was imprisoned and executed by his human masters for the discovery. His friend, using a powerful Wish to know the truth of his disappearance, sped the story of the found Forge; and from this moment Dwarfkind rewoke. Lost kingdoms were sought again by new alliances of Dwarven folk, old grudges were kindled and vengeance sought, and a Dwarven Renaissance was born, inspiring a new generation to dream of reclaiming the power they had yielded to others. As more of their kind joined the movement to rebuild their culture and thrones of power, competition between the remains of their even Kingdoms was a natural product in itself.

From the Dwarf king Hurin Hewstone comes the request for aid in his attempt to recover the last legenday Dwarf kingdom of Barbigazl – home of the Frostbeards. Olbin, a Dwarf Lord in Hurin's service is an old friend of the Pentad, a band of veterans and specialists who once knew the same slain thief and fit the bill required; for Hurin has Dwarf heroes in abundance, but none with the skills of Thievery, Magic or the gift of healing. The Pentad answer the call, and bring with them a few other heroes for good or bad measure. The party consists of the surviving Pentad:

Kogaun the Magic User,
the Elf hero Habenath,
the Cleric Alrick,
the Thief Thaddeus

and outside of the Pentad, the Cleric Panadin Dol Curin Fighter of old Argon Pynsyneedles – under cover for good reason, being of the same kin who vied to hide the secret of Nikulburg from the outside world. Finally there is a further Magic User Oban Dol Asbestos, whose family, like those of the Dol Curins are indeed no friend to Dwarfkind.

Knowing he likely has rivals ahead of him, Hurin has enlisted Dwarfs loyal to his cause, some heroes of great repute, among them Dwarfs once dead and resurrected with the ancient power of neighbouring Dwarven forges. There is grim Honger Once-Dead, and his cousin Findul. The brothers Mufin and Pikulur once fallen and revived are there, and the simple but virtuous Balinor who was drowned long ago but had life breath again as a favour from Hurin's cousins in noble Barak-Kund. Finally, a retinue of ten Dwarves of low level completes the party and no doubt provide ample arrow-fodder from which the noble heroes might hide.

Next Time: The Road from Hermitage.

[END]