Session #90

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​21 H’rarmont (09:00)

 

Heimdall casts Teleportation Circle and transports you all to his hometown of HillHome. You arrive in the dark, in a circular room 20 feet in diameter 15 feet high with a dome celling.  A door is located on the wall.

 

Heimdall has never seen this place or room before.

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After opening the door of the circular room.

You stand within a modest dwarven temple, its vaulted ceiling supported by thick, intricately carved pillars.

Yet something feels... wrong. The church is eerily empty. No acolytes bustling about, no families lighting lanterns at the altar.

Across the wide hall, near the great anvil-shaped altar, an old dwarf — robe of gold and green draping his stocky frame. He is adjusting a collection of worn holy symbols on a table.

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He turns at the sound — freezes — his hands styling mid-motion.

 

Its Bromli Stonechant, HillHome Priest.
"Oh my..." he breathes, blinking in disbelief. 

"The Circle... it lives again?"

He takes a cautious step forward, peering at the group — and then his gaze falls on Heimdall. His expression softens and a low chuckle rumble from his chest.

"Is that you, lad? Heimdall Fireforge... has come back t’us!" I’m so terribly sorry about Flint, he will be dearly missed…

The old priest hurries forward, arms outstretched, grasping Heimdall’s shoulders with surprising strength for one so aged.

He looks at all of you and says : "You know, I presided over yer Naming ceremony, boy... still remember it clear as if it were yesterday. You screamed like an angry forge-hammer the moment they placed you on the anvil!"

He laughs warmly, but there's a note of sadness underneath. He glances about the empty pews, his voice lowering.

"Strange, though. This morning, the town hall bells rang... yet none came. to the temple.   

Not a soul. The pews... should be full for the morning blessings."

The old priest rubs his palms together nervously, casting another glance toward the heavy wooden doors of the church as if expecting trouble to stride through at any moment.  He places a hand briefly on Heimdall’s shoulder, squeezing with paternal warmth.

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"Go now. An' may the stone guide your steps."

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You exit the temple, the streets are mostly empty, only a few are in the streets.  You head to the Town hall.

You walk up a broad stone path that leads to a large building — Hillhome’s Town Hall. Its wide iron-banded doors left slightly open. From inside, the muffled sound of many voices drifts out — low, urgent, tense.

You step cautiously into the hall.

Rows upon rows of stone benches are packed with villagers — nearly a three hundred and fifty dwarves are seated on stone benches.  Elders with braided beards streaked in silver sit at a raised stable at the front, their faces grim. Torches flicker along the walls, casting long shadows and bathing the chamber in a sullen amber light.

The meeting is already in a heated uproar.  A gruff elder with a deep scar running down one cheek slams his fist into the stone table (This is Durik "Ironfist" Hammerhand):

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"We cannot wait! Word from Thorbardin says dragons blacken the skies. Silvanesti Lands are abandoned — will Hillhome be next ?!"

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A female dwarf rises to her feet:
"And where would we go, Thorbardin?? Burrow deeper like rats? This is our home! Our fathers' fathers built these halls with their hands!"

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Another voice from the crowd shouts:
"We should send messengers! Call for aid from Thorbardin!"

 

Someone scoffs loudly:
"Aid? The Mountain Lords care naught for us hill dwellers! We'd be left to burn!"

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Heimdall calls out and agrees, some of the villagers turn and notice Heimdall and the group.

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There’s a swell of murmuring, some agreeing, some jeering. An elder in green robes stands, raising both hands for silence.

"Enough! We must know the truth: how large are these Dragon Armies? Are the tales exaggerated by fear, or is this truly the end...

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At this, a heavy-set dwarf clutching a smith's apron steps forward from the crowd:
"My cousin from Gateway says entire villages burned... they ride beasts bigger than the town square! Magic twisted in their favour!"

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A younger voice, full of anger, cuts in:
"Then we must fight while we still have axes to swing! Better to die on the stones of Hillhome than suffocate hiding like moles!"

As the council leans into a heated debate — some shouting for preparing defences, others urging to dig deeper retreats, a few arguing for opening negotiations if the Dragonarmies approach.  The word of strangers has made its way up to the council.

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You stand near the back, unnoticed for a time, the tide of fear and stubborn pride crashing back and forth across the room.

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Then... A sharp-eyed elder, his beard intricately woven with tiny silver rings, leans forward, His voice rings out sharply, cutting through the noise:
"Who stands yonder, strangers at our door?"

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Instant silence falls. All heads turn toward you. You feel the sudden, uncomfortable weight of a three hundred and fifty cautious, judging eyes.  The elder taps her gavel once, sharply.

"No one enters Hillhome unseen or unspoken, not in these days of shadow. Step forward, travellers. Name yourselves, and state your purpose."

One of the dwarves in the crowd says out loud, "its Heimdall.. with strangers"

 

Heimdall? Another council member stands and comes toward you,

it’s your brother Ruberick.

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Brother, you are back, you must go see mother... i

f she finds out you are here and you don't go see her, well you know what will happen...

 

 

Ironfist adjourns the town meeting and send them all back home.

You meet with the council of elders and discuss what you know.

 

You explain that you’ve been involved in different adventures with Dragons and such and confirm that the Dragon Armies are quite real.

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The elders tell you that :

• They know the Dragonarmies are real, not just rumours.

• They have received confirmed reports of:

  • Attacks on Solace and Gateway (towns razed or abandoned).

  • Sightings of dragons in the skies south of Solace and even near the fringes of the Plains of Dust. (red and Blue Dragons)

  • Displaced refugees from the North now camped south of Thorbardin.

  • Silvanesti lands have been abandoned.

• They believe the armies are composed of mercenaries, goblins, humans, draconians, and worse.

• They suspect Hillhome may be on the path to Thorbardin or other mountain strongholds, but they have no clear indication of whether Hillhome is a target yet.

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Ironfist recommends that they reconvene later in the evening to discuss options.  In the meantime, Heimdall, you might want to visit you home, Mama is worried.

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As the meeting ends, an aid comes in and warns Ironfist that they have spotted Hobgoblins on the edge of the village.  Ironfist orders his guards to investigate, but Heimdall insists that your group will intervene.   He accepts..

 

You all head to the edge of the village and intercept 4 Hobgoblins that are infiltrating the village, spying. Two are eliminated, and two of them are captured and charmed, you manage to get some information about their objective.

• Sent to investigate and assess the village defences. (not much, the village defences seem inexistent.)

• They seem to be part of one of the Blue Army battalions (a few hundred strong)...

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21 H’rarmont (11:30)​​​​​​​​​​

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