Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks-a divine
blessing granted to the king of Gauntlgrym by Moradin
and the other dwarven gods.
The majority of the city's current inhabitants live
and work within the vault, happy to share tales of the
city's reclamation and praise Bruenor's leadership at
any opportunity. This is where the characters reside
as Bruenor's guests, and where the representatives of
the five factions are likely to be found. Here, residents
and guests a like enjoy access to well-lit passages.
comfortable quarters, and substantial amounts of food
and drink.
GAUNTLGRYM: GENERAL FEATURES
Gauntlgrym is a city carved out of the living rock, with
halls and passages wide enough for the largest dragons
to walk through. There are hundreds of levels, twisting
stairs, functioning elevators, and a system of mine
carts crossing in and out of the central hub of the Iron
Tabernacle. The players should feel their characters
are in a place of great antiquity, poised on the edge of
reclaiming its ancient glory. By no means is the city
fully occupied. Indeed, given the relatively small size
of Bruenor's occupying force, keeping track of anyone
within Gauntlgrym is nearly impossible.
Light. In the upper levels and around the Iron Tabernacle
and Vault of Kings, Gauntlgrym is brightly lit. Driftglobes,
phosphorescent fungi, and huge braziers and troughs
of burning coals fill most hallways and chambers. Lights
in many parts of the city are dimmed somewhat during
the nighttime hours, so that its residents can mark the
passage oftime on the surface world. In the lower reaches,
around the Great Forge, light isn't as ubiquitous. Farther
down, and in parts of the city yet to be reclaimed from
the ruins of the past, there is no light other than whatever
visitors bring with them.
Mine Carts. Mining was one of Gauntlgrym's primary
sources of wealth and materials. To facilitate the
movement of ore, as well as the great quantities of
stone used to construct and expand the city, the dwarves
laid miles of track traversed by mine carts propelled
by enchantments woven into their wheels. Even after
thousands of years, the tracks remain largely intact
and the magic of the carts has not faded. Where the
carts trundle steadily throughout the city, Gauntlgrym's
residents use them for travel, hopping on and off along
the system's wide range of routes. While in Gauntlgrym,
the characters can also make use of this convenient
transportation system.
All tracks eventually lead to a switching station in the
Iron Tabernacle. There, posted operators manipulate levers
and gears to transfer carts from one track to another.
Ghosts. The shades oflong·deceased inhabitants of the
city, from the time of the Delzoun of old, haunt many of
the tunnels and hallways of Gauntlgrym. These spectral
remnants are seen passing through ruined sections of the
city as if those sections were still intact, following habitual
routes, engaging in silent conversation with one another,
and generally keeping out of the way of the living. From
time to time, the characters might run into a dwarven
ghost who warns them away from a place of danger, or
confront a less beneficial creature such as a shadow or
specter. King Bruenor has decreed the restless dead be left
alone for now unless they cause problems.CHAPT.ER 8 I AUDl..E"'C.E lN GAUNTLCRY.loi
The Vault of Kings is heavily patrolled and guarded
by shield dwarf veterans traveling in squads of six.
It is the safest part of the city, and the characters can
probably depend upon its security enough to rest
without interruption in one of the guest suites provided
to them, barring any unusual occurrences (see "Events
in Gauntlgrym'').THE IRON TABERNACLE
----------------
The Iron Tabernacle is Gauntlgrym's spiritual and
cultural heart as well as its physical center. More than
a temple, the tabernacle is an e ntire section of the city
larger than some surface towns, devoted lo the faith
of the former Delzoun Empire and of the dwarves
who answered Bruenor's call to reclaim' the city. Vast
cathedrals of stone once echoed with the paeans of a
thousand chanting voices. Great sculptures in honor
of a multitude of gods gazed across an array of shrines
and altars. Priests stood ready by night and day to tend
to the spiritual needs of their people, and hundreds of
stone tablets trumpeted the holy words of Moradin.
Like so much else of ancient Gauntlgrym, the Iron
Tabernacle isn't what it once was. The intricate patterns
and knotwork have faded from the walls, some of the
statues have begun to crumble, and many passages
are blocked with rubble. The devilish duergar, once in
control of the mines below, took delight in defiling the
holy icons of the absent dwarves. They defaced statues,
tore down altars, and carved obscenities into the sacred
tablets. Anything of value, such as silver or mithral trim,
gold icons, and hallowed weapons, has been completely
scavenged.REBUILDING FAITH
Shield dwarf priests have begun the long task
of rebuilding, revitalizing, and restoring the Iron
Tabernacle to its former glory. The area is vast, and its
halls a re numerous and multileveled. The dwarf priests
have restored many shrines and altars, and have cleared
paths through the cracked and broken hallways to the
Vault of Kings so that Bruenor can make personal visits
to the main shrines and offer thanks to the gods. This
procession often includes Bruenor's visitors or those
ambassadors from the surface who come to Gauntlgrym
to seek counsel with the king. Bruen or leads these
processions not only to show off the city and its sheer
size, but also to take measure of his guests' endurance
and patience in matters of spirit.ALL ROADS LEAD HERE
As the heart of Gauntlgrym, the lron Tabernacle is the
central hub of the city's passageways and railways.
Broad corridors, winding stairs, iron rails, roadways
carved into the earth-nearly all the city's major byways
pass through the tabernacle. Every part of Gauntlgrym
can be reached from this area, albeit sometimes
indirectly. Notably, the Vault of Kings is about a mile to
the north of the Iron Tabernacle, and the Great Forge
is several hundred feet below it and a half mile to
the south.