Earthome College and the Firehill Runestones

• Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Jebeddo, Lazbin, Rathgillian
• NPCs: Romualda the Librarian
• Synopsis: Holding the cryptic writings of the Historian, the Defenders are at the crossroads. The scrolls identify the Firehill Runestones, documentation of historic dwarven lore, contained at the Earthome College in Cedarspoke. Discussing their choices, the group argues between seeking out these runestones and seeking out the destruction of the Shadow Lord, still captive of the Council of the Divine. The group has recovered Cedarspoke’s payment to the Wizards of Tendale and still has in their possession the bodies of the Divine Hammer. With these bargaining chips they may be able to procure the Shadow Lord and deliver their long sought after justice. Jebeddo offers a different strategy, at least one prior to negotiating with the Council of the Divine. He offers to return to Cedarspoke and investigate these Firehill Runestones before any negotiations take place. At least then they will know what the Historian’s scripture is leading them to. As the decision is being refined, Gallipolas spots a shadow swiftly moving across the snowy floor of the clearing. The bellowing black smoke rises from the forest canopy, providing proof of their conquest for miles around. Gallipolas readies himself as a huge white dragon with bolted on steel plates swoops towards the group releasing a cone of cold. The flyby attack is preceded by an announcement of defilement and breach of agreement by one Salricasa. The white dragon’s fear sweeps across the group, shaking them to their core. Spells are loosed and the group prepares for defense, as magical fire engulfs the attacking wyrm. The next attack proves near fatal for Jebeddo as the gnome imprisoned in the creature’s maw and flung into the nearby trees. But the dragon makes a critical mistake in hovering nearby the defenders. Despite the kick-up of debris, smoke and snow drift, the Defenders find their target and drop it to the snowy banks as it attempts to flee from the overpowering group. Speeding up the decision-making process the group teleports to outside visual limits of Cedarspoke. Jebeddo is joined by Forkbeard and Lazbin who alter their appearance to mask their presence from the guardsmen. The three gain admittance to the city and make for Earthome College where Jebeddo befriends the librarian Romualda. She is perturbed by their inquiries for the Firehill Runestones and leads them to an ancient wing of the library where many dwarf runestones are kept. A barren section indicates that the Firehill Runestones they seek are lost to time. Romualda speaks of the history of the dwarf commander Dessothal Firehill. Commander Firehill lead the dwarven armies against the giant-kind during the First Giant’s War. Tales of his success are epics as he almost single-handedly repelled the attack of the giant-kind and then pursued them back to their point of origin. Dessothal Firehill was the dwarven war strategist behind the ultimate victory over the giant-kind and saved the Dragon Coast. His relentlessness in vanquishing the forces of the giants became legendary as he was bent on their eradication from the lands. The giants fled to their mountains leading to the name of the mountain range, the Giant’s Run Mountains. Firehill pursued them into the mountains only to discover some lost secret that caused him to retreat back to his fortress Scarwall. Firehill took the runestones documenting his successes in combat against the giants, baffling war strategists. His runestones also are rumored to have documented his findings in the Giant’s Run Mountains. But Commander Firehill was so full of despair and grief that he cut off all contact from the region, sealed the gates of Scarwall, and cursed the surrounding lands. Romualda says that periodically foolish adventurers hear of the rumors and seek out the fabled treasures of Scarwall, only to disappear never to be heard of again. When the Black Legion attacked earlier this year, historians and war generals sought out the Firehill Runestones, only to find that the location of Scarwall was lost to legend and lore. Rumors within Cedarspoke say that druid and ranger parties were dispatched but never heard of again, and that the Army of Nature’s Wrath abandoned the effort. With a grave warning the elf librarian grabs Jebeddo and prays for him not to join the leagues of lost souls on a fool’s quest.
• Encounters: Salricasa the Frostforged White Wyrm, Cedarspoke city guards, Romualda the elf librarian
• Achievements: defeated the mansion guardian for the Wizards of Tendale, returned to Cedarspoke and infiltrated the city walls, and learned of the ancient rumors of the First Giant’s War.