Despite reports that the darkhafts and the Stone
Guards have received about the growing crisis outside
he city's walls, hubris and the onset of madness
?revents them from mounting any sort of response
-:>r campaign. blind to the corruption that festers
around them.
CLAN CAIRNCORM
The stone giants of Clan Cairngorm lead quiet lives
f art and contemplation in Gracklstugh. Although
reclusive and averse to conflict. the giants have sworn
_n ancient oath of loyalty to the Deepking, and have
oeen serving his line for as long as any can remember.
:-his oath, however, was given only to the Steelshadow
·lao. If the throne passes to another dynasty, the stone
«iants will cease to be the city's allies.
"' The leader of the stone giants is Stonespeaker
clgraam, a priest of Skoraeus Stonebones, the god of
his people. Hgraam is wise and knowledgeable. He
!las sensed that some great evil has broken into the
undcrdark, but isn't aware of the threat's danger or
extent. The giants will rise to defend Gracklstugh if
any dc::mons dare to invade, butt hey are unaware of the
danger creeping into the city from within.
KEEPERS OF THE fLAME
:his order of psionic clerics tends to Themberchaud's
needs. enjoying great influence and helping Horgar
'- stay ahead of the machinations of the Council
,fSavants.
The Keepers of the Flame are currently distracted
.Jy their ongoing vendetta against the Gray Ghosts.
who recently stole a valuable dragon egg that would
.1ave hatched Themberchaud's eventual successor.
.':omplicating matters, Themberchaud himself is
~rowing stronger and more resistant to the clerics'
::oaxing, appeasement, and psionic manipulation.
THEMBERCHAUD THE WYRMSMITH
This adult red dragon keeps the city's smelters and
orges ablaze, receiving treasure, free meals, and
constant pampering in exchange. Themberchaud
doesn't know that. like other Wyrmsmiths before him.
he is doomed to be slain before he grows too strong,
replaced by a new red hatchling. However. the line of
succession was interrupted when the Gray Ghosts stole
.. red dragon egg from the Keepers of the Flame.
The Wyrmsmith is beginning to chafe under the
Keepers' control. He now wonders why he;: is content
n-1th a mere trickle of gold and a paltry handful of
"laves. when he could simply force the entire city to
bend knee to him and give him everything he desires.
For now. his action~ are limited by how lillie he cares
.. bout the duergar and how much the Keepers speak
~on his behalf.'' But he has begun taking an interest in
thf' affairs of Gracklstugh and the opportunity to recruit
c:w servants from outside the Keepers of the Flame.
~og his outings to rekindle forges and smelters as a
means to ke;:ep an eye out for promising subjects.
THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
The madness of the demon lords has not reached
Gracklstugh in full, but it already has a foothold through
the work of the derro and their savants.
A splinter group of the Council of Savants began
worsh1p1ng Demogorgon even before the current crisis,
and the1r foul ntuals accelerated the spread of madness
in the city. To make things worse, the divided nature of the
city, both geographically and socially, resonates strongly
with the dual aspect of Demogorgon. The derro cultists
plan to offer the ent1re city to their newly arrived master.
Many duergar N PCs the characters interact with are
showing the first signs of infection. Though their madness
has not yet overwhelmed them, 1t manifests in behavior
such as Errde Blackskull's conspiracy theories, Gorglak's
corruption, and Gartokkar Xundorn's paranoia.GRAY GHOSTS
The Gray Ghosts are the only true thieves' guild in
Gracklstugh and the Deepkingdom. Its members a re
duergar and derro outcasts, plus the odd escaped slave.
T he Kc::epe;:rs of the flame caught and executed the
Gray Ghosts' previous leader, who stole;: their red dragon
egg but never revealed its whereabouts. The relentless
vendetta forced the thieves into hiding and restricted
their activities. but they persevere thanks to the three
renegade derro savants who are their current leaders:
Uskvil and the twin sisters Aliinka and Zubriska.EMPTY-SCABBARD KILLERS
The Forak-Eracll-Naek ("Empty-Scabbard Killers·· in
Common) are a folktale in Gracklstugh, their name
derived from an ancient. obscure Dwarvish dialect.
They are an order of psionic assassins practicing
disciplines unknown to even the savviest derro or the
wisest priest. More than a myth, these killers have been
plying their trade for centuries, their motives unknown
and their methods inscrutable.
The Empty-Scabbard Killers are duergar soulblades
(see appendix C) who roam the streets of Gracklstugh
searching for psionically gifted children to abduct and
train. They also keep an eye out for worthy calassabrak
(see below), offering I hem a chance to join a new
community from which they can strike back at those
who cast them out.LIFE IN THE CITY OF BLADES
The duergar are called gray dwarves not only because of
the color of their skin, but also because of their drab and
joyless lifestyle. While rhey make no time for merriment,
the duergar have a culture as rich and complex as any
other. and nowhere is this so evident as in Gracklstugh.
Work never stops in the City of Blades. and the gray
dwarves take pride in efficiency and perfection even as
they abhor waste and carelessness. They are merciless
roasters to the derro and sla\'es who toil and suffer
under them.STRICT HIERARCHY
By appearance;: and bearing, all ducrgar know their
place and whe;:rc they belong. Whether as individuals.
families, or entire clans. duergar below other duergar
in the social order don't seek to bring their rivals downCIIAPT'ER 1 I GRAt.KLSTUCH
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