126
the journey to locate Gravenhollow is likely to be much
longer and more difficult.ENE M IEs AMONG Us
Even Gauntlgrym isn't entirely safe. nor is it immune to
the influence of the demon lords. During the characters·
time in the city. you can implement one or more of the
following threats to challenge them- and to potemiaUy
disrupt their negotiations with the factions.- One of the characters· traveling companions is
revealed as a traitor or succumbs to madness. This
I PC secretly serves one of the demon lords and turns
against the adventurers. - If any of the party's drow pursuers survived from the
previous chapter. they might slip into Gauntlgrym and
look to slay their quarry. - A dwarf assassin belonging to a demon-worshiping
cult steals into Gauntlgrym to kill one or more of
the faction representatives. Hoping to cast suspicion
onto the adventurers, the assassin frames them as
demonic agents. - A doppelganger spy poses as one of the faction repre-
sentatives and tries to arrange a private meeting with
one or more of the characters. hoping to discover addi-
tional information regarding the looming threat. The
doppelganger might serve a faction of the Underdark
or a surface world faction Brucoor didn't invite (such
as the Arcane Brotherhood or the Red Wizards of
Thay), or might simply be an opportunist looking tO
sell information to the highest bidder. - Maegera roars within its prison. stirred by the mad-
ness and chaos growing within the depths of the
Underdark. As a natural reaction to this new stress
upon itself. the primordial spawns a trio of fire ele-
meotals that attack the Vault of Kings, setting fire to
marketplaces and unleashing chaos upon the dwarven
residents. lf dcfcat<·d or somehow convinced to return
to the Picry Pit, the elernentals dissipate peacefully
and Maegcra falls dormant once again ... for now.
FORGING AN ALLIANCE
King Bruenor has called representatives of the Harpers,
the Order of the Gauntlet, the Emerald Enclave, the
Lords' Alliance. and the Zhcntarim to Gauntlgrym to
hear about the state of things in the Underdark and to
court their aid in finding out more about the situation.
The representatives of each faction receive a briefing
on what the characters told Bruenor. and all have an
opportunity to <·onver!>e with the adventurers before
making their decisions as tO whether they will support
Bruenor"s plans.
To play out these meeting~. use the social interaction
rules provided in chapter 8. MRunning the Game.-of
the Dungeon Waster's Guide. Some representatives
arc fine with meeting the adventurers in the Vault of
Kings, but you might have others request a private or
even clandestine meeting-perhaps in the characters·
quarters. in an out-of-the-way alcove of the Iron
Tabernacle. or in the Great Forge.
King Bruenor is the original proponent of the
adventurers returning to the Undcrdark to gatherCllAI'rER 8 I AUDlENCt. II' G.\UNTLGRYMadditional information. but he knows that success
requires the support of the other faclions-particularly
the Zhentarim. He doesn't, however, have the power
to command the factions to help-and in some cases.
can't even openly negotiate with them. As King of
Gauntlgrym. he can't be seen to favor one faction over
another. He is therefore relying on the characters to do
the legwork of getting the different factions on board.
If the characters are already invol\"ed with one or
more factions, and especially if they have previously
contacted the factions with news of developments in
the Underdark, adjust the information presented below
as needed.THE HARPERS
Members of this clandestine
network of spellcasters and
spies pride themselves on being
incorruptible defenders of the
greater good and champions of
the oppressed. Harper agents
are trained to act alone and
rely on their own resources.
When they get into scrapes,
they don't count on fellow
Harpers to rescue them.
Sometimes llarper agents must
band together to face world-
threatening foes, at which
point the deep friendships
between them forge the kind of fighting force needed to
overthrow tyranny and eradicate evil.
Harper scouts engaged in charting and blocking off
Underdark passages leading to the surface world have
recently brought back the terrifying news of the demon
lords' incursion into the Underdark. Word has spread
quickly through their network, and the finest mages in
their ranks are researching how to defeat the demon
lords and their kind.
For long years, the Harpers have sworn to put an end
to unbridled evil in all its forms-especially evil that
wields dark magic. They know th e demon lords seck to
prey on the weak and corrupt the innocent. The Harpers
feel this is the moment they have trained for, and their
conscience now calls them to act.LORD ZELRAUN ROARINGHORN
Lawful neutral male human wizard
Ideals: Freedom. opportunity. civilization
P e rsonali ty: Proud, self-assured, fickle, spendthrift
Potential Resources: Shield guardian
Lord Roaringhorn hails from a Waterdhavian noble
family. with all the self-assurance and pride that entails.
He pursued his talent for the arcane arts, but never
forgot his roots or lost his fondness for spending his
family's considerable income on the finer things in life.
He's a confident sort who likes to gamble. Winning over
Roaringhorn requires a willingness to dine. drink, and
potentially game with him.
Lord Roaringhorn is accompanied by a shield
guardian and holds its control amulet. The shield