6o
A stone giant from Cairngorrn Cavern has succumbed
to a demonic curse that has caused him to grow a
disfigured second head. A successful DC 12 Wisdom
(Insight) check reveals that the giant is crazed and
terrified. Use the stone giant stat block with the
following modifications:- T he giant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks and on saving throws against being blinded,
charmed, deafened, frightened. stunned, or knocked
unconscious. - The giant is unar med. As an action, it can make
two unarmed strikes (+9 to hit. reach 10ft., one
target). On a hit, the giant deals 13 (2d6 + 6) blud-
geoning damage.
The rampage happens in a broad plaza, so there is
plency of space for the different combatants to maneuver.
The giant moves in the characters' direction and
lashes out. Two duergar guards and two duergar
xarrorn (see appendix C) respond to the giant's roaring,
racing in to join the fight in the second round. They
are well trained and do their best to help, but to avoid
additional complexity during the encounter, assume that
the duergar act at the end of the initiative order and deal
a flat total of 10 damage to the giant each round.
Bystanders take cover at once, but duergar citizens
are ready to jump in if the guards fail to contain the
threat. The giant ignores characters attacking from
range and attacks opponents in melee at random,
including the duergar. Both the giant and the guards
fight until they drop to 0 hit points.
DEVELOPMENT
Without the characters' help, the guards and assisting
citizens bring down the stone giant with few casualties.
If the characters are prisoners under escort when the
giant attacks, the guards who engage the giant are their
escort. The characters can use this chance to escape, or
they can help, albeit with disadvantage on attack rolls
if they are shackled. The duergar arc pragmatists and
release characters who help them deal with the giant's
threat, but they attempt to arrest them again after the
combat is over.
Once the crazed giant is put down, another stone giant
comes through the shattered gate, but this one looks
perfectly sane. He reaches the fallen giant at the same
time as a squad of three duergar Stone Guards (see
appendix C).
The guards who fought alongside the characters
explain the situation, neither down playing nor exalting
the characters' actions. The characters can speak
to the newly arrived giant while the duergar confer.
The giant introduces himself as Dorhun, apprentice
to Stonespeaker Hgraam. He reveals that the fallen
giant's name is Rihuud, and that he was another of the
Stonespcaker's apprentices. Rihuud was ''communi11g
with the stone" in Cairngorm Cavern when he went
mad, sprouted a second head, and stormed out.
If the party was not previously arrested and didn't
participate in the fight. the Stone Guards start
questioning bystanders, who eventually point out the
characters as new arrivals to the city.CHAPTER 4 I CRACKLSTUCHIf the characters knocked Rihuud unconscious instead
of dealing a l e thal blow, a grateful Dorhun asks them
to visit Cairngorm Cavern before they leave the city,
informing the Stone Guards of this. The importance
of the Stonespeaker means that the Stone Guards will
escort the party across lhc city to meet with him, though
they don't hide their displeasure at doing so.XPAWARDS
Divide 1,740 XP equally among the characters if they
cooperate with the guards to defeat the two-headed
stone giant.GUEST S OF THE S TONE GUARD
---
Whenever circumstances see the Stone Guards develop
an interest in the party (including being arrested or
witnessing the giant's rampage without taking part), the
characters are ordered to follow a squad of duergar to
Overlake Hold for further questioning.
From this point. the adventure can take different paths
depending on how you want to proceed. Talk to the
players about their preference, or decide on your own
what happens next
Gartokkar Xundorn intervenes on behalf of the
Keepers of the Flame, which can lead to a meeting
with Thcmberchaud (see ·'Themberchaud's Lair'").
The characters can continue to Overtake Hold
and meet with Captain Errde Blackskull (see
"Overlake Hold").
The draw scout Xalith approaches the Stone Guards,
claiming the characters as escaped property of her
mistress, llvara (see "Signs of Pursuit" in the "Blade
Bazaar" section). The Stone Guards arrest the char-
acters and take them to Overlake Hold, pending
negotiations with the drow. At this point, they also
meet Captain Errde Blackskull.- Droki (see "Droki" in the "Blade Bazaar" section) acci-
dentally bumps into the patrol, creating a distraction
that allows the characters to escape. - A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check con-
vinces the Stone Guards not to arrest the characters,
provided the characters agree to visit Overlake Hold
once their business in Gracklstugh is concluded. The
party remains under watch at aU times by an invisible
duergar Stone Guard (sec appendix C). lf it seems
like the characters have done what they came to do,
the invisible ducrgar reminds them to make good on
their promise to visit Overlake Hold.
BLAD E BAZAAR
---------------------
This marketplace is named after the most abundant
goods the duergar offer, but the shops here sell almost
everything available in the city, along with stalls set up
by visiting merchants. The din of people arguing, mostly
in Dwarvish. nearly drowns out the hammering coming
from the cicy's forges, and the crowds here offer a good
chance to slip away from pursuers.
Characters can unload some of the treasures they
might be carrying. Nonmagical weapons, armor, and
shields can be purchased in the Blade Bazaar.