Do'Urden.jarlaxle. and other heroes. Where ~aegera
sleeps now, the intense heat it generates once again fires
the Great Forge of Gauntlgrym.BACK IN OPERATION
Unde r Bruenor's watchful governance. the Great
Forge has again begun to produce metalworks. If
th e characters are in the market for any metal goods
(including arms and armor). or have any such goods in
need of repair or replacement. the dwarves of the Great
Forge are happy to help. o magic weapons or armor
are available for sale. although damaged magic items
can be repaired.
The king has left the day-to-day running of the
Great Forge to a pair of experienced smiths: Helgrim
Candlewick and Rollo Summergold (both shield dwarf
veterans).GREAT fORCE RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
The Great Forge is always occupied by either Helgrim
or Rollo. their apprentices a nd assistants (2d4 shield
dwarf commoners). and shield dwarf veterans working
in squads of six to guard the active furnaces. The
characte rs might also encounter other c reatures if they
explore the unoccupied a reas of the Great Forge. Check
for s uch an encounter once per hour of travel or rest
outside th e protected areas of the forge by rolling a d20
and consulting the Great Forge Encounters table to
determine what, if anything. comes out of the darkness.
If the he rots call for help. four shield dwarf veterans
arrive in ld4 + I rounds to aid them.GREAT fORGE ENCOUNTERS
d8 Encounter
1-14 No encounter
15 1d4 + 1 doppelgangers disguised as shield dwarves
16 1d2 fire elementals and 3d6 magmins
17 1 salamander and 1d4 + 1 fire snakes
18 l spirit naga
19 3d6 troglodytes
20 1 wraith leading 1d6 + 1 spectersEVENTS IN GAUNTL GRYM
This chapter is dominated by negotiation, social activity,
and diplomacy-first directed at the characters, then
directed by them. The adventurers must first hear what
King Bruenor has to say as he entreats them to head
back into the Undcrdark to find out more about the
rising threat of the demon lords. Then the characters
mus t help convince the other factions summoned to
Gauntlgrym to aid them on their mission. This section
of the adventure has some opportunity for action, but
players who enjoy plotting. making plans. and pitting
NPCs against one another can shine here.
Ta kc note of your players· preferences. ff they're not
much for long periods of conversation with NPCs. you
might want to move things along a little more quickly.
On th e othe r hand, you can really bring to life not just
th e faction representatives a nd the dwarf king in this
c hapte r, but also highlight the personalities and goals of
the characters and any NPCs who remain with them.
C H AP! ~!It 8 I AU[)["~CF. I~ O A U:-ITLC RYM
AUDIENCE WITH BRUENOR
After the characters arrive and are shown to guest
accommodations. they are allowed some time to refresh
and prepare themselves. They are then called to a n
audience with Bruenor Battlehammer. the king of
Gauntlgrym. Read or paraphrase the following:You are taken to a mighty hall in which a red-haired
dwarf of fierce and proud demeanor sits upon a
massive stone throne, flanked by a number of guards
and advisors. Although a long stone table has been set
to one side, laid out with refreshments, there do not
appear to be any other guests. "Welcome, friends," says
the king. "I've a mind to know about the rumblings and
rumors about goings· on in the depths outside my city. If
ye relate to me what ye know, we can talk about what ye
might want to do next."King Bruenor listens carefully to what the adventurers
have to say. Once the adventurers have told their talc,
Bruenor might have a few questions. particularly
concerning the threat of the demon lords. The dwarf
king answers questions from the characters if they
have any. llowever, if asked about his overall plans, he
says s imply that he mus t conside r all the information
presented to him and consult with advisors. With the
audience at an e nd, Bruenor tells the characters he will
consider all they have told him, and that they will speak
again at a welcoming feast late r that night.GUESTS AT THE FEAST
Afte r the characters have had a chance to speak with
Brue nor a nd take care of any personal business,
the Vault of Kings plays host to a memorable feast.
In attendance are re presentatives of differe nt
factions from the s urface world. who have come to
Gauntlgrym following rumors of bizarre events in
the Underdark. If any of the adventurers belong to a
faction, representatives of that faction might e ven be
following up on information provided by the characte rs
themselves. See "Forging an Alliance" for more
information.
The celebration serves both to welcome the
adventurers, who are seated at the high table with
Bruenor, and to provide an opportunity for the
representatives of the diffe re nt factions to gather socially
and be officially introduced to the adventurers. In addition
to the king and his allies, a number of dwarves from
Bruenor's court and important citizens of Gauntlgrym
are also present. The feast is also an opportunity for you
to include NPCs of your c hoice who might either be from
or visiting Gauntlgrym, or part of the entourage of one of
the representatives.
This is a free-form scene, which you can play out
as best suits your group. It can range from a detailed
roleplaying session, with characters mixing and
mingling with their potential allies and membe rs of
Gauntlgrym society. or just a brief description of the