Cast:
Ackranon - The Guardian of Kienor (The Dwarf)
Imalen - The Current High Priestess of the Temple of the Sun
The Heroes - The Player Characters
The Villagers - Denizens of Anakien, a village in the valley
The Enemy Soldiers - A company of about 500 white cloaked Imperial pathfinders making their way up the valley (searching for the PCs)
Locations:
The Valley of the Senscalene - A coniferous valley draped in snow and battered by gusts of wind. The valley is a desolate place with but one village and no roads to speak of. In summertime there is a small river here, but now the river is hidden beneath the thick carpet of snow. Ravens and crows make the valley their home, and it is ripe with game such as deer and wild boar.
Anakien, the Haku village - Anakien is a walled compound wherein the Haku dwell in longhouses. There is a minor temple of the Sun God here, and the adventurers can trade with the villagers for primitive equipment, food and clothing.
Mount Kiebral or simply The Kiebral- The Kiebral is a snow draped mountain with more steep cliffs than any of the other mountains in the entire range. It is almost as if some angry god once lashed violently at the Kiebral, splitting it and piling huge rocks atop each other. As a result rocks jut out from their perched placement, and most of its sides are sheer cliffs. A tremor in these mountains would be devastating, as city sized rocks would come crashing down from the Kiebral.
The Kiebral is a place haunted by moaning winds. It is a place where few dare venture. Its terrain is rugged and few trees make it their home; the trees that do exist are bent and twisted mockeries of their brethren, almost seeming hateful, like they curse the gods for their very existence.
The Halls of Kienor - This is a huge, dome shaped surface citadel of dwarvish make. On the exterior the dome has arching windows and the walls might once have been sturdy, but are now in partial ruin. At the far back end of the domed citadel, it connects with the mountain, and it is here that the Stairs of Kienor begin. The dwarven Halls are fleshed out more properly in the text far below.
The Cave of the Black Haku - This is a natural cave whose entrance is almost blocked by ice and snow. To enter it, a traveler might have to dig a hole as the entrance is snowed shut. The cave extends a few hundred yards until it ends in a large chamber with a central shaft descending further into the mountain. This is where the Black Haku live. They are a small clan consisting of 9 individuals, and they sleep on beds of fur. The Black Haku worship the mountain and rock carvings adorn every wall. Treasure found herein are of the colourful rock, fur and primitive weaponry variant.
Plot:
This is a journey based plot. When the characters flee from hostile forces, to save their lives and that of an infant child, they enter the valley of Senscalene*. Here the mighty Mount Kiebral bars their path and to pass it they either have to head further down the valley, and sneak past a force of Imperial pathfinders, or they must go by the Kiebral. There are two ways in which they can do this: Through the ancient halls of Kienor, or by using the old mountain paths. But the Kiebral is an accursed place and it will not let the PCs pass willingly.
What initially appears to be another trek through wintry mountain landscapes will be revealed as a true struggle for survival. For the mountain known as the Kiebral is an ancient evil, its secrets are countless and its power is immense. Can the PCs outwit a power from the dawn of time, or will they succumb and be trapped for all eternity?
* So named after a religious group of old that once made their home here. The only remains of this group are the ruins of their old monestary far east in the valley, but that place is now covered with winter snow.
Notes:
- The title 'the Stairs of Kienor' refer to the highly magical stairs found within the Kiebral, stairs made by dwarves and the Kiebral as a result from a pact many centuries ago.
- This plot uses spirits of nature as a premise for understanding. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, you can read about it here: 1201
- Credits goes to Murometz, manfred and Scrasamax (in no particular order), thank you guys.
Index:
- The Kiebral Unearthed
- The Pact of the Dwarves
- The Village of the Haku
- Path #1: The Stairs of Kienor
- Path #2: Ascending the Kiebral
- In the Home of Long Man Death
- Path #3: Sneaking Past the Imperial Pathfinders
- Legends of the Kiebral
- Roleplaying the NPCs