Post by DM Leverage on Mar 9, 2013 5:09:55 GMT -5
Halls of the Hammer
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting -
In the northeastern High Moor, due east of Highstar Lake, is a pit quarry connected to a long-abandoned dwarf hold. Nearby stands Hammer Hall, a palisaded, long-abandoned lodge constructed by adventurers exploring the hold. Many bands have come to grief exploring the hold, which is named for a glowing, flying, animated warhammer (according to dwarven lore, it guards the hold and won't leave). Adventurers tell tales of helmed horror guardians; a huge central chamber that's sometimes full of a hundred human corpses dangling from a forest of ceiling chains, and is sometimes empty; and at least five roaming watchghosts (see Monsterous Compendiuum: Monsters of Faerun).
- Volo's Guide to the North -
West of Mt. Hlim, near the shores of Highstar Lake, is a pit half full of loose rubble. An opening cut in its rock walls leads into the Halls of the Hammer, a long-abandoned dwarf hold.
Nearby stands Hammer Hall, a log house and stables encircled by a palisade. Hammer Hall was built by an adventuring group who called themselves the Men of Hammer Hall as a base to explore the dwarf hold from. On several occasions the adventurers, who hailed from Waterdeep, fought off trolls, orcs, and bugbears from this fortified home—but they went north several years ago, and have not been heard from since. Hammer Hall has reportedly been broken into several times. I found it deserted, and with stones dug up in a corner to reveal a storage niche (empty, of course). It remains, however, a stout building offering shelter to travelers in this wilderness area. Stacked, dry firewood even waits beside its main chimney!
The humanoids that roam the High Moor know its location, of course, and can be expected to attack anyone seen traveling to it. Wood smoke will draw them, of course, but in a blizzard or blinding rainstorm, Hammer Hall may prove a refuge worth the harrying. The design of its entrance forces intruders to make a sharp turn down a wooden hall, or chute, fitted with ports for archers or spearmen to attack from. A lone swordfighter can hold the narrow entryway beyond. Inevitably, rumors have spread of treasure buried by the adventurers in Hammer Hall and not recovered. The dug-over state of the grounds suggests that many have come looking, but none have found.
Rich treasure may well lie in the dwarf hold. The Men of Hammer Hall told a bard of their adventures once, and the tale he recounts has been echoed by later adventuring groups. The dwarf hold (the Halls of the Hammer) is said to have a large central chamber wherein a hundred human corpses dangle from the ceiling in a forest of chains—an illusion that vanishes and reappears from time to time, for no known reason. At least five watchghosts (powerful wraithlike things) roam the halls beyond, guarding a glowing magical war hammer that floats by itself in a chamber guarded by helmed horrors and magical defenses. What powers the awesome-looking hammer possesses, who put it there and why, and how to win past its defenses are all mysteries as yet unsolved. Seeking the answers has killed at least 20 daring but unlucky women and men thus far.
Adventurers wishing to join in this deadly game are advised that the pit with the opening into the dwarf hold can be found by traveling south and east from Highstar Lake, following a line of three hills whose tops are all bare rock. The hill closest to the lake has a spring gushing from it that joins the waters of the lake, and it is the only crag on the eastern shore of the lake with a spring that does so.
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting -
In the northeastern High Moor, due east of Highstar Lake, is a pit quarry connected to a long-abandoned dwarf hold. Nearby stands Hammer Hall, a palisaded, long-abandoned lodge constructed by adventurers exploring the hold. Many bands have come to grief exploring the hold, which is named for a glowing, flying, animated warhammer (according to dwarven lore, it guards the hold and won't leave). Adventurers tell tales of helmed horror guardians; a huge central chamber that's sometimes full of a hundred human corpses dangling from a forest of ceiling chains, and is sometimes empty; and at least five roaming watchghosts (see Monsterous Compendiuum: Monsters of Faerun).
- Volo's Guide to the North -
West of Mt. Hlim, near the shores of Highstar Lake, is a pit half full of loose rubble. An opening cut in its rock walls leads into the Halls of the Hammer, a long-abandoned dwarf hold.
Nearby stands Hammer Hall, a log house and stables encircled by a palisade. Hammer Hall was built by an adventuring group who called themselves the Men of Hammer Hall as a base to explore the dwarf hold from. On several occasions the adventurers, who hailed from Waterdeep, fought off trolls, orcs, and bugbears from this fortified home—but they went north several years ago, and have not been heard from since. Hammer Hall has reportedly been broken into several times. I found it deserted, and with stones dug up in a corner to reveal a storage niche (empty, of course). It remains, however, a stout building offering shelter to travelers in this wilderness area. Stacked, dry firewood even waits beside its main chimney!
The humanoids that roam the High Moor know its location, of course, and can be expected to attack anyone seen traveling to it. Wood smoke will draw them, of course, but in a blizzard or blinding rainstorm, Hammer Hall may prove a refuge worth the harrying. The design of its entrance forces intruders to make a sharp turn down a wooden hall, or chute, fitted with ports for archers or spearmen to attack from. A lone swordfighter can hold the narrow entryway beyond. Inevitably, rumors have spread of treasure buried by the adventurers in Hammer Hall and not recovered. The dug-over state of the grounds suggests that many have come looking, but none have found.
Rich treasure may well lie in the dwarf hold. The Men of Hammer Hall told a bard of their adventures once, and the tale he recounts has been echoed by later adventuring groups. The dwarf hold (the Halls of the Hammer) is said to have a large central chamber wherein a hundred human corpses dangle from the ceiling in a forest of chains—an illusion that vanishes and reappears from time to time, for no known reason. At least five watchghosts (powerful wraithlike things) roam the halls beyond, guarding a glowing magical war hammer that floats by itself in a chamber guarded by helmed horrors and magical defenses. What powers the awesome-looking hammer possesses, who put it there and why, and how to win past its defenses are all mysteries as yet unsolved. Seeking the answers has killed at least 20 daring but unlucky women and men thus far.
Adventurers wishing to join in this deadly game are advised that the pit with the opening into the dwarf hold can be found by traveling south and east from Highstar Lake, following a line of three hills whose tops are all bare rock. The hill closest to the lake has a spring gushing from it that joins the waters of the lake, and it is the only crag on the eastern shore of the lake with a spring that does so.
