Up the Grim Downs
2020 initial content created
History
When did it start? CY 9116
-50 years: Dew Gate Opened
-50 to -45 years: The strange cold decade
-44: A bursting of graves
-40: Goblins too! Begin the retreat from the Hill Country
-35: A giant problem
-30: Fallback to Athlapoole; The last of the southern Hill Country flees to Athlapoole (Cunaigh Family)
-29 – current: The Grimdowns
Original Dew Gate Opened in Ancient Times
A band of settlers to the area disturbed an ancient archway built by the Druunad, a closed Dew Gate to the Feywild. Since then, the veil between the dreamlands and Athla Hill Country have been thin. Huran, the hill giant king, led his tribe through the Dew Gate, from the Feywild into the area of the Riverdans. A mischievous pixie agent taunted him, stole a personal item, and led him on a chase to the gate, evading his grasp. The pixie served the Unseelie Fey, and was stirring up trouble – this was a planned act. Angered, the giant collected his tribe to retrieve their sacred object, and discovered an area on the other side of the gate where there was few soldiers, and many settlers to plunder and eat. After several battles, dozens of deaths and countless wounded, the giant king was slain. The last of his blood, which would not dry and could not be burnt such was its hate, was captured into a vial by druids and blessed and buried with his bones to seal the gateway to the Feywild. That was thousands of years ago, it was mostly forgotten and passed into local legend. A shrine to the Green Church was built over the site.
New Opening of the Athla Dew Gate: Eliash, a low level functionary in the Winter Queen’s court was delivering an object to one of her agents, and chose to look in the box. Seeing the frozen tear, and the sunlight glinting off it, he realized it was a means of opening a gate to the summer lands, and drawing through it all manner of fell creatures. A jest, a joke, an assault on the queen of summer. He took it for himself however, and used it to try and make himself rich. Unfortunately it stranded him between the Feywild and the lands of men on Helca – the ancient Dew Gate and the new one caused a resonation that worked imperfectly. It did work, he just could not contain it and could only go through it one way. He began trying to manipulate mundanely everything happening around it in the Athla Hill Country. At first it used the ice queens magic to cast a wave of necromancy over the Athla Hill Country – the dead began to rise over the next few years.
The Necromancer Discovers the Ancient Dew Gate
Zturahk the Old (who left the message at the temple ruins) stumbled onto some ancient references in literature. An itinerant necromancer, Zturahk is descended from an ancient Gwinnish mage house, but struck out on his own in 8641. He was disgraced and wandered, researching and using necromancy to extend his life far beyond its natural span. He studied among the houses of the dead in Ados. He is also bitter – extremely bitter – toward the world of youth and beauty, and hates the advancement of time and age. As such, in spitefulness, he from time to time plants “seeds of death”: small magical effects or changes to a place that sometimes take root and slowly rot the place from the inside. Such was his creation of the skeleton king and its poisoning of the Athla Hill Country. The skeleton king Huran’s blood was used to animate his bones.
Becoming the Grimdowns
A servant of the Fey winter court used a powerful item to open a passage to the Feywild, unlocking and corrupting the ancient Dew Gate magics. The Dew Gate to the Feywild was reopened, though its power also kept the animation of Huran from going anywhere.
The “seeds of death” magics of the necromancer with the blood of Huran on a site of a gate to the Feywild triggered a series of events that lead to the skeleton of the giant Huran being animated when the gate reopened, and many strange events that has driven the locals away. Almost 50 years ago strange mists began to permanently settle in the valleys of the rolling grazing lands. The river was slowly taken over by a constant fog after 10 years, leaving all trade by land. People vanished in the mist, and it was avoided by all. Orrish raiders became a constant pain at night, and most of the population of the hills were forced to move out after larger creatures began to appear over time. The last straw was the winter solstice of 9131, when many cemeteries disgorged the bones of buried ancestors en masse and skeletal remains attacked the churches, killing the priests of the Wyld Faith and the last strong defense in the area. Since then, strange creatures are rumored to walk the area – even giants, which vanished long ago. Over the last few years, many have braved the region seeking treasure left behind by those that fled… but they do not return.
Watching the Necromancer and his lasting effects gave Eliash an idea. He lured a Hag through it, and they agreed to lure mortals to their death in a honey pot scheme with a “princess” and dragon. More Hill Giants and elves, goblins and others wandered through over time. Even Eliash does not know how to close the Athla Dew Gate, and he is having the time of his life. The Athla Dew Gate has remained open. During that time, several bands from the Feywild have wandered through. The elves have detected the presence of the Blood of Huran, the hill giant uber-king through the gate, and sought to destroy it. They have been unsuccessful, though several have been forced to seek shelter and hide (in the Arebor Tower ruins). In that time, elves, trolls, and more goblins and hobgoblins have continued to come through.
Summary: The Town of Athlapoole
The People: The people are dour. They don’t talk to strangers, and shake their head at most questions – preferring not to get involved in anything. Pestering them gets them pointed to the mayor’s office, or the Inn next door – and a few mutterings of “just leave it be”.
Athla Hill Country
Factions and Interests
Locally, only the mayor is left as a real power, and his political power is null. His only job now is to greet visitors, warn them of the Grimdowns, and keep trail markers visible with symbols and words of warning at the edge of the Grimdown known boundaries.
[i] Some say it was when the Umbakians settled the area [false].Cunaigh Family: They want to not be part of any struggle, they are afraid of being wiped out. Unless the party says they will go to every authority, has solid proof, and backs them in any contest, they will not press any claims that may come to light.
Mayor: Paul Semits (been mayor for 10 years – nothing changed, they keep a close watch on the Grimdown Fog/area and make sure markers are up to date). He can tell the party about the town, but prefers to keep it simple and dissuade anyone from traveling into the Grimdowns. Paul Semits, wife claudia and daughter.
- Don’t care about what caused it, wants it removed
- Don’t care who sent the party
- Needs some token so the local folk know the threat is ended
“Its cursed, so they say. Many adventurous types have tried to seek out the source or find treasure… it’s not to be had, seek it elsewhere. You won’t get much help from folks around here, all of them lost someone to the Grimdowns generations ago, including Frederick the foole. His family left him behind 15 years ago when they abandoned this place… you have to excuse poor Fred, he raves about ‘the guardian dog’ all the time.”
Foole: Frederick Tane (was born a bit “off”, his parents left 5 years ago and left their burden behind)
[He raves about the guardian bitch (dog) and aught else, except a sun low in the sky that will swallow Athlapoole soon.]
Town/Mayor/Scribe (Addoye) Services
Can’t identify anything the group has found so far, unless it’s an antique. Can detect magic. Recommends the capital for a temple that’s willing to roll the bones or whatever to figure out mystical things.
Part 2: Removing the Grim
Author: Kelly Berger; 2019-2020
NPCs
Addoye
He is the mayor’s scribe and the town archivist and “master of record”, as he likes to be called. Been here 40 years, retired wizard 3. Fled an organized crime hit in Oerdney. He gets a monthly stipend from the magistrate of Oerdney. And he’s a 1/4 elf; He’s 70, but looks 40.
1st: Detect Magic, Comprehend Languages, Jump, Feather Fall, Long Strider, Burning Hands, Unseen Servant
2nd: Enhance Ability, Knock, Locate Object, Scorching Ray
Addoye’s Spellbook: The spell book has the markings of the Magistrate of Oerdney which cannot be marked out. The subdivision, station, and any other identifying marks are blotted out beyond recognition – including the owner’s name and the seat of a protective glyph.
Outcomes
Will gladly write a glowing recommendation of the party to the Green Church (1 Inspiration each named individual)?
- Afon Ddu (The Black River)
- PLAYER PAGE – Athla Hill Country/Grim Downs
- Beedel Transforms
- Removing the Grim
- After the Grimm