Tears of Heaven - Enchanted lakes in the Destriel Mountains

Far in the northeast part of the Valley, in the Destriel Mountains, there exist a series of interconnected lakes, known as the Tears of Heaven.

The name, and source, of these lakes remains quite mysterious.  At the center of each lake, there is a spout of water, pouring down out of the heavens, that fills the lakes.  Because of this pouring and the splashing and diffusion of the water vapor, the whole region is constantly in dense fog.  The countryside immediately surrounding the lakes is also home to immense plant growth, and very thick forests consisting of the very tall, Cloudhome Trees, exist in a thin wall around each lake.  These dense forested areas are only half a mile thick, at most points, around the Tears.

The region around the Tears is giant country.  This includes the peaks and slopes of the Destriel Mountains, and all along the valley floors where the Tears themselves are located.  There are several species of Giant to be found here, and even among the same species (for instance, Hill Giants), there are competing groups under different leaders, who constantly make war on each other, as well as making the immediate area quite dangerous for travelers and adventurers, who might be seeking the secret of the Tears of Heaven, or one of the many Old One sites in the surrounding mountains.

Seawyrm - River Jarl Steading (2)

Seawyrm is the northern most steading of the River Jarls along the Upper Greywater River.  It is still a long way short of the edge of the Destriel Mountains, so the Upper Greywater is quite broad and wide by the time it reaches the shore where Seawyrm is constructed.

The walled town is the seat of the Jarl, Scrimjar the Axe.  Scrimjar has been the Jarl for 48 years, and comes from humble beginnings.  Previous to his reign, the Trondvar clan ruled Seawyrm.  Scrimjar was born as a thrall, to poor serf parents, but rose through the fighting schools to compete in the warrior contests that Seawyrm is known for.  As he got more and more popular, his number of followers (and his monetary winnings) grew.  He eventually had enough to buy his (and his family's) freedom from serfdom, and joined a freebooter dragonship crew to go on viking raids up and down the Upper Greywater river.  Having returned from such a journey as the leader of his ship's crew (and several other liege ships), Scrimjar got into a dispute with the elder Bjarne Trondvar, and it came to a fight of honor, where Scrimjar slew Bjarne's chief huscarl (Holvin Heigvarson), and then Bjarne himself.  Since he has been the ruler of Seawyrm.

Riverfront of the Steading of Seawyrm

The city is known for two things - first, the steep, and strong, walls facing the east.  More on these follows below.  Second, the city is also known for the fleets of dragon ships that it is home to.  Many of these river wolves ply their viking trade up and down the river, and even down into the Greywater itself.  It is not an uncommon report that tells of Seawyrm dragon ships reaching even the Great River.

One of the reasons for the raiding and trading that the dragon ships of Seawyrm are constantly at is because the city has almost no agriculture to boast of.  Almost every household in the walled steading (which has a population of approximately 2500 regular citizens - about a third of which are out of the city at any one time on viking expeditions) boasts some small garden for minor root vegetables and herbs, and it is not uncommon to have some of the northern shaggy goats of the region living on the nearly flat thatched roofs of the peasant houses.  In the trade districts of the city, more common slated and planked roofs are common, but among the commoners (and even some of the trades people) the thatched roofs (and their goats) are common.  It is a source for dairy, and occasionally meat, for a city that has little access to regular agricultural land.

The reason for the steep walls, on the eastern (land facing) side of the Steading is because of the Sword People.  These tribes of vicious and primitive savages are found mostly to the east, across the open plains between the Upper Greywater and the Shadow Woods.  These plains are known as the Blood Veldt.  The Sword People are a simple, bloodthirsty culture of savage barbarians that live in crude tribal groups (with simple shelters of sticks and skins that they erect), and make their basic economy by hunting the wooly rhinos of the Blood Veldt, and the herds of giant reindeer.  Occasionally, and all too frequently, they will have some sort of religious frenzy where the young warriors of the tribes will go on a blood frenzy, traveling in random directions, and slaying any and every living thing they come across, leaving the dead just to rot.  This is where the name Blood Veldt comes from...

Sword People

A curious encounter in the area are the rare Lionman warriors, up from the south of the Great River, who decide to go on a vision quest.  They do this, by traversing (alone, usually, but sometimes with specific companions) the plains between the Upper Greywater and the Shadow Woods for months at a time.  Only senior, experienced warrior shamans can do this, because they must be able to deal with hordes of Sword People that might attack them.  Given the nature of their questing, they do not seek long-term company (unless the companion is one that they decide, from their forays into the spirit world, that they must stay with) but a Lionman warrior would serve as a stalwart against a band of Sword People warriors, if a traveler (or band) encountered them on the lonely plains.

Located nearby is the village of Aderbak - the site of the Princess of Roses, Location 2 in the Week of Adventure Settings.

Icewall - River Jarl Steading (1)

Icewall is the name of the northern most of the River Jarl steadings.  It is the home of a very powerful clan of Storm King barbarians, the Isvater clan.  The current head of the clan is Kolfinn Haukson.  He is an old warrior, ruling his great clan, and his huscarls, with a firm but fair manner.  He has a daughter, Vigdis Kilfinndottr - who is young, lovely, and given to romantic adventures.  She has a group of friends, all young ladies, who attend her on all manner of adventures.

The steading of Icewall stands at the forefront of a great glacier that is slowly making its way down out of the Destriel mountains.  The Terrapin River (sometimes known locally as the Iceflow) comes down out of the glacier, higher up in the mountains, it flows under the ice sheet.  At the edge of the glacier, where the river comes down out of the mountains, there is a cliff wall made of both ice and mountain rockwall, and it is here that Icewall stands.

Isvater clan Steading - Icewall

There are stone pillars in the Terrapin, at this point, and they are all part of a large protected harbor, which houses the Isvater clan's fleet of dragon ships.

The glacier itself is known as the Ice Father, and is home to all manner of dangerous creatures.  In addition to the usual assortment of snow giants, mountain giants, ice trolls and other creatures of the frozen Destriel mountains, additional other creatures that have been spawned by the shadowy practices of renegade ice wizards (all sworn servants of Helgor, the Black Chieftain, god of the underworld in the Storm King pantheon).

Further north, near the headwaters of the Terrapin River, lies the mysterious and enigmatic Plains of Fire.  This is a valley, nestled down amongst the frozen peaks and glacial flows of the Destriel, that is a curious location - it is a fertile green valley, but with jets of flame erupting from among the hot springs and acidic pools that appear among the otherwise inviting green valley floor.  The Plains of Fire also are the spawning grounds of the great dragons of the north.

Some days, across mountains and ice, to the west of the Plains of Fire stands the singular mountain, the Moonspike.  Atop this curious narrow, but incredibly tall, summit stands the magic monolith known as the Great Crystal.  It is rumored, amongst the Archivists of Parn Tandalorn, that the Crystal was formed from the tears of one of the Three Goddesses, and that it is a peculiarly strong focal point of the magic from the Three within the valley.

Located nearby are the famed Dungeons of Igo Umblar (this is location 1 in the Week of Adventure Locations).

River Jarls of the Greywater (Map)

The area of the River Jarls, around the Greywater River, is an interesting place.  Here is a basic map of the region, with some items of interested noted on the map (details coming soon).

1. Icewall
2. Seawyrm
3. Bright Iron Fastness
4. Hearthhome of the White Wolf
5. Rookroost - Daughters of the River Raven
6. Clearwater
7. Mead Hall
8. Northwind Steading
9. Furlingga Tribes (Gnolls)
10. Rockhome Kingdom (Dwarves)
11. Marsh Trolls
12. Orc Clans
13. Great Bear Kingdom

A. Great Crystal
B. Ice Lake
C. Witches Three
D. Stonehouses
E. Plain of Fire
F. The Sword People
G. Tower of Belue Gorm
H. The Great Tree

Regions of the Valley (3) - Darkearth Plains

The Darkearth Plains is a region in the northern part of the valley, slightly west of the central point.  It is bordered on the north, by the Destriel Mountains, and along the southern edge by the Great River.  The western boundary for the region is the Lost Mare river, and along the east edge the boundary is the Greywater River.  The other major waterways in the region are the Nightwash River, and the Terrapin River.

The region takes its name from the rich, dark black soil that is common throughout the region, with the exception of two areas - the Great Owl Forest (the ground of which is covered by thick, thick layers of decaying leaves, over a more generally sandy loam undersurface), and the Aghanz Hills, which feature a dry dusty and sandy soil, very rocky.

I am working up maps now, using Hexographer, and Autorealm, and should release some very soon.

The peoples of Darkearth include three cities of Westron humans (Khomaes, Werms and Huygen).  There are, in addition, a number of tribes of Storm King barbarians in the region, especially in the north east, up along the very broad Greywater River, and in and around the Riven Moor, on both sides of the Terrapin River.

There are several portals that frequently appear to the Seely Court in the Great Owl Forest, and also in the Harp Woods.  This means that Wood Elves, as well as other Faery races, are not uncommon.

The Aghanz Hills are home to both the Star Tower (seat of power and learning for the Silver order of druids), as well as the gnome stronghold at Flintgate.  These areas are both well patrolled and guarded by their own interests, but much of the rest of the Aghanz remains rough, open, hilly and rocky country.  There is a presence, of a curious group of tribes of large, primitive men that do not have a spoken language, and do not work with or use metal of any sort.  They are called, simply, the hillmen by the druids of Star Tower, and the shagmen by the gnomes of Flintgate.  It is reported that they are vicious cannibals.

Dwarves have some strongholds throughout the Destriel mountains.  In some of the deeper delvings and cave systems, there are permanent portals to the Unseely Realms (mostly goblins and their related filth, as usual).

Roaming the region to the west, near the Lost Mare River, are the intelligent horses of the Great Herd.  A single herd in name only, roaming groups of these very large, very intelligent horses do all seem to answer to the leadership of the Great Khan of All Horses.

Splitting the region, from west to east, is the King's Highway, as always providing a huge barrier between the north and south part of the Darkearth Plains.  The Lost Mare river flows under the highway, in a broad and fabulous lock system, built by the Old Ones, and lined in marble.  That part of the highway is patrolled by, and made safe by, companies of spearmen from Khomaes.  Further east, however, especially as the highway draws near to the Great Owl Forest, the area just north of the highway is known as the Horned Run.  It is home to tribes of broo, known as the Horned Ones.  Wicked, unsociable creatures, they have a heartless and sadistic culture, and seek to prey on all who wander into the region.

The point where the Nightwash River leaves the Destriel Mountains, down into the plains (just west of the Aghanz Hills), there is a cliffwall at the edge of the mountains, the Nightwash forming a mighty waterfall (Nightwash Falls).  Along that cliff edge, a curious and very valuable marble-like stone is found, called Amberstone.  A group of human and dwarven miners operate a mining operation here, cutting out huge blocks of Amberstone.  It is then floated south to various trading concerns south of the King's Highway, by air travel.  The air travel is accomplished by having a curious breed of giant snail that lives on the cliff face near the Nightwash Falls.  Called the great blue skysnail, this creature has a shell with magical (levitating) properties.  The miners have methods of luring the snails to cover a block of amberstone, and a "blockrider" will ride the floating block of stone south, towards the various destinations.

Where the Nightwash (a broad and fast flowing river) finally reaches the Lost Mare River (in the middle of the grazing lands of the Great Herd), there are vast openings into the earth, along the edge of the Nightwash.  Splinter flows of the vast river flow down into those openings, and form free-fall waterfalls down into the underearth.  Deep, deep below the water falls into the vast underearth sea that is home to the Dark Elf buccaneer kingdoms.  The openings are watched after by warrior horses of the Great Khan.

Along the southern end of the Lost Mare River, as it broadens to eventually join the Great River, it opens up into a flooded basin, known as the Arriott Bottom swamp.  Curious tribes of lizard men, and other related saurial races, are found here.

Week of Encounters Day 6: Horrors of the Red Swordsmen

[Okay, I've gotten off schedule from my original planned "one week" of encounters, however I will still post encounters #6 and #7.]
This encounter takes place in the Darkearth Plains region, near a small village up where the Aghanz Hills meet the Destriel Mountains.  It is an area populated mainly by Storm King Barbarians.  The evil priests who venerate Torgin of the Void are an exception.

There are evil priests who venerate 'Torgin of the Void' - the dark god of chaotic magic. These foul practitioners who prey on the innocent in order to spread their brand of fear and chaotic discord. Once a priest of the coven of Torgin reaches 9th level, he/she is able to cast the spell "Cursed of Torgin". This spell transforms human victims into abominations - the red swordsmen of the void!

---

Cursed of Torgin (spell)
Level: 5
Duration: Permanent
Range: 30'
By casting this spell, the priest of the Coven of Torgin is able to convert a number of human victims, who must all be within 30' of the caster, and must be disabled. The victims are converted into mindless, soulless abominations who will now blindly follow the orders and will of any Torgin priest or magic user of level 5 or higher. Priests and clerics of a good alignment may attempt to "turn" the red swordsmen, however they are treated as if 2 levels higher than they are, and if they are "turned" then they will just be at abeyance for 2d6 rounds.
The number of victims affected per casting is 2d4 plus the caster's level.
Each red swordsmen thus created receives a random "red tattoo" on their face. See the writeup of the red swordsmen for details on the tattoos and their conferred powers.
This spell may only be cast once per day, and only on a moonless night.

---

The evil spellcaster who is in command of a group of red swordsmen will no doubt waste no time in putting them to a use designed to forward the spell caster's plans.

The plot of this encounter is simple: the player characters are traveling in the north, near the Destriel Mountains, when they encounter a runner from the local tribe of Storm King barbarians. The local tribe is ruled by a chieftain named Hetman Magdor. The runner was sent to a holding in the nearby hills, which was defended by a troop of warriors from Magdor's tribe, and led by his brother Otto. The runner has reported that all 12 warriors, and their riding buffalo, as well Otto have been slain. The runner further mentions that his lord, Magdor will be only too glad to hire the likes of the adventurers for a task most urgent. It seems that the local evil magician, a sickly, perverse old man named Eggulet has dispatched a marauding band of Red Swordsmen to terrorize the neighborhood. The Hetman Magdor is interested in both putting a stop to Eggulet and his swordsmen, but also (very much) in seeing his daughter back alive. She disappeared a fortnight back, coincidentally with an attack by the Red Swordsmen on the the village of Magdor, 'Briney Tor'.

---

Cursed Red Swordsmen of Torgin
Num Appearing: 2+1d4 (always in groups, or as their 'creator' instructs them)
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 6 (or better, as with worn armor)
Hit Dice: 1d-8d
Attacks: 1 (weapon, usually sword)
Damage: As weapon (plus 2)
Save: F- variable
Morale: Special
Each Red Swordsman of Torgin will also have a special tatoo that imparts some magical quality. These are the most common:

1. Body covered in rot grubs, each melee round 1d4 will leap onto the swordsman's opponent.
   
2. Ability to breathe poisoned gas 3x per day in a 10' cloud. The gas is weak so the save is +2, but if not made then the victim begins wretching uncontrollably for 1d6 rounds (during which time they are -4 to hit, and +4 to be hit).
   
3. Fast. As per Haste spell.
   
4. Flaming skin - does 1d4+1 damage per melee round to anyone not immune to heat and fire attacks. Also has a chance (25%) per round of catching something of their foe's (clothing, equipment) on fire.
   
5. Screaming Skin. Each strike against the swordsman that does damage releases a screaming, hissing escape of some steam like substance. The sound it makes on escape is horrible (all within 40', except other swordsmen, must make an intelligence test or be stunned for 1 round).
   
6. Rusting Blood. Each strike that scores damage against this swordsman with a metal weapon, will have that weapon corroded as if by a rust monster.
   

---

The DM should prepare a minor wilderness campaign with several encounters as the players track the trail of the Red Swordsmen to the tower of Eggulet. Once there, it will be revealed that Eggulet has been murdered - his tower is poor disrepair, but it should be full of treasures (enough to warrant the Player's giving it a look around). The dungeons beneath the tower, however, are a different story. They are populated by several types of magical creations, not to mention traps and tricks. If the Red Swordsmen are survived, the players should be able to score a major haul of treasure.

The Storm King's Pantheon

The various tribes of Storm King barbarians vary one from another in many different ways, however they all share one thing in common - reverence and worship of the Storm King and his associated pantheon. This is a brief overview of those gods.

Bronc is the King of the Destriel Gods, and also the King of Storms. He is rarely seen, but always present. He is in every storm cloud, and looks down on his people. The Destriel Mountains, marking the northern boundary of the Valley of the Old Ones is a cold, windy place, often wracked by mysterious storms of all sorts. It is fitting that the king of storms dwells here. When the broody Bronc (who is much more frequently called, simply, the Storm King) appears, either in artwork, or during his very rare appearances on earth, he is a dark hulking being, with a horned helmet, wearing a great black shag-cow's hide as a cape. He carries a single broadsword, called Arrios which sings to the Storm King when in combat. His common foes are the many Sun Worms sent against him by the Sun King, Photos. The Storm King dwells in his cloudy castle Windkeep with Tyrros and Othero.

Tyrros is the son of the Storm King, and is the Prince of Thunder. He is the god of thunder and lightning, and has a personality to match. He is often roaming the world, in search of combat and warfare. He carries a great warhammer named Bloodthunder. When roaming the world, he is often in his chariot, which is pulled by a pair of great blue oxen named Glangor and Feory.

Othero is the lady of the Storm King, sometimes called the Storm Lady. She is pale and golden and beautiful, but she is also freezing cold. She dwelt alone at the top of the tallest peak in the Destriels until she attracted the interest of the Storm King. He rescued her from her mountaintop by beating the giants keeping her imprisoned, and then took her back to Windkeep with him. She bore him the son, Tyrros. Now she dwells at Windkeep and controls the coming and going of winter. She sometimes, for sport, will shoot at the sun worms that encircle the fortress with her bow, Icefinger.

Helgor is the Black Chieftain. He is the ruler of the Dark Shore, and is the lord of the domain of the restless dead. All those who die an unsatisfying death are doomed to dwell on the Dark Shore, where they may be called upon by sorcerers to perform foul deeds, or worse. Nobody wants the Black Chieftain to appear, however some will pay homage to him when affairs of the dead are concerned. He appears as a tall dark man, with a helmet set by two great curving goat horns. He carries a black longspear named Soulteaser, with a slender tip that ends in flame. By his side, when he is seen traveling the face of the earth, he is sometimes accompanied by a Fell Beast (a huge wolflike creature the size of an elephant, and quite ferocious).