ua toward Unicorn Run, a gently flowing river that pours ‘out of the High Forest. SuccEsTED ENCOUNTER ‘Two teenage cattle ranchers named Albie Grizlow and Leshonna Daar (CE male and female Tethyrian human commoners) mounted on riding horses intercept the characters as they approach within five miles of Uluvin, ‘The teenagers tell the party that the village has fallen tohill giants and goblins and that many villagers have taken refuge in the nearby forest. Characters can give the village a wide berth, or they can deal with the threat. If they get within three miles of the village, they start to see scattered farmsteads surrounded by dry fields. At each farmstead are 346 goblins; they either are searching the cottage and barn for treasure, chasing chickens and swine in the field, or dancing around 1d4 tied-up prisoners (commoners), ‘The goblins have covered their captives’ heads with old buckets, flowerpots, and feedbags so that they can’t see. There is a 50 percent chance that an ogre is also pres. ent, trying to catch a pig or lift a cow and take it back to Grudd Haug (see chapter 5, "Den of the Hill Giants” The goblins and the ogre are too distracted to notice the adventurers if they stick to the road. The ogre and most of the goblins have no treasure, but the goblin leader at each farmstead carries a trinket (roll on the Trinkets table in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook). Ifthe characters enter the village, they see dusty ‘wood-frame buildings with tall facades lining the Iron Road. Three hill giants are outside in plain view, over- turning wagons, smashing through clay-tiled rooftops with their greatclubs, and stuffing into their sacks any- thing that catches their eye. Characters can easily take these hill giants by surprise. An inn and saloon called the Black Bull's Tail stands at the intersection where the road branches. Two more hill giants have ripped through the inn's facade and destroyed most of the fur. nishings, including the stairs leading up to the second floor, and are in the midst of gorging themselves on food and ale. If they hear sounds of combat outside, they investigate, hurling benches, rain barrels, and whatever else they can find in lieu of rocks. TREASURE Each hill giant has a sack containing 246 * 100 cp and, 1d4 mundane items, determined by rolling on the Items ina Giant's Bag table in the introduction. Once the monsters are driven out, the characters can travel north to the edge of the High Forest and let the villagers know that it's safe to return. If they do so, a grateful old widow named Zoranda Heller (LG female Chondathan commoner) gives them a ring of protection that her late husband, a rancher, found in a field. UTTERSEA See the “Tuern” section. ‘VALLEY OF KHEDRUN ‘The frozen vale on the southern fringe of the Spine of, the World is named for a legendary dwarf hero who ‘used his axe to carve out the homeland of the dwarves. CHAPTER 3 | THE SAVAGE FRONTIER in the North from lands dark with wolves, orcs, and gob- linoids. The Valley of Khedrun is haunted by the Great. Worm tribe of Uthgardt barbarians. Vorprorn Forest The pine forest south of Citadel Adbar is sometimes called the Ghostwood for two reasons. First, its prox- imity to the Ice Mountains leaves it constantly shrouded, in cold mists. Second, undead are known to haunt the Vordrorn Forest, particularly incorporeal types such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts. These restless spirits ‘seem content to remain in the forest and rarely trouble travelers who stay away from their territory. ‘WATERDEEP The City of Splendors is a bustling, walled city on the ‘Sword Coast. Some merchants have dubbed Waterdeep the best supply center in the world, with the largest col- lection of superb craft workers, experts, useful contacts, and potential hirelings to be found anywhere. Others caution that the city houses a veritable army of potential ‘enemies for those who aren't careful—and everyone agrees that its wide, crowded streets are full of spies. ‘Waterdhavian noble families and guilds hold tre- mendous political and economic sway up and down the Sword Coast, but within the city itself, true power lies with the Masked Lords of Waterdeep rulers who convene in secret and whose identities are largely un- known. The public face of this ruling body is the Open Lord of Waterdeep. The current Open Lord, Lady Laeral Silverhand, has held the position for only a few months. Many of the city’s nobles and guildmasters are vying {for her attention while conspiring to wrest power away from her office. There's also trouble brewing between the Zhentarim, which has gained an economic foothold in the city, and the Xanathar Thieves’ Guild, which con- trols much of the city's criminal underworld. Characters who belong to the Harpers, the Order of the Gauntlet, the Lords’ Alliance, or the Zhentarim can find faction representatives in Waterdeep. For a map of, Waterdeep and more information about its features and inhabitants, see the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. SuccEsTED ENCOUNTER Shortly after the characters arrive in Waterdeep, a cloud giant castle emerges from the clouds overhead and Tooms above the city, its ominous shadow causing wide- spread panic. Lady Laeral Silverhand dispatches her- alds to calm the people and assure them that no harm will befall the city. Ifthe adventurers decide to investi- gate, they must devise a method of reaching the giant castle, which hangs 1,000 feet in the air. The castle has configuration similar to that of Lyn Armaal (see chap- ter 9, "Castle of the Cloud Giants”) and is home to a neu- tral good clan made up of four adult cloud giants, three young cloud giants, four pet griffons, and cight stone that serve as guards. The young cloud giants use the hill giant statistics, with the following changes: + The young cloud giants have an Intelligence score of 10 (+0) and Wisdom and Charisma scores of 12 (+1).