War Band of the Last Mead Hall

The laughter of Ogradin can still be heard in the mead halls

of Wolfheim, echoing in the sonorous chanting of the
warrior skalds and the drunken singing of the reaver
dwarves. Lord of the ale horn, he of unending laughter,
Ogradin is a legendary hero of the Wolfheim dwarves who
was known to drain large ale barrels in a single, long quaff.
A ferocious fighter, warriors say his battle cry could split
the frost-covered stones, splinter the shields of his
enemies and cause even the iceblooded trolls to quake in
terror at his charge.

Honored in death, Ogradin was elevated beyond the ranks

of mere hero and rose to become the lesser god of
constitution, and patron of the mead hall. Just as many dwarves have died trying to live
up to his prowess at drinking as have fallen under the axes of the giants, or so the tales
say. Ogradin’s priests hold court in taverns throughout the Northlands, extolling his
virtues and exhorting his followers to greater heights of reckless combat and drunken
revelry.

Legends abound of fearless warriors being granted the boons of Ogradin, which can
manifest as a bottomless stomach in the alehouse or an equally unending thirst for
combat. Rarer yet are the stories of warriors coming into possession of actual physical
gifts that the god bestows on the most faithful or worthy. One of these is a legendary
item known as the War Band of the Last Mead Hall. This heavy gold and mithral ring is
worn around the heavy war braids reaver dwarves wear in their beards during battle.

This artifact snaps together in a clasp that features an upturned ale horn grasped in
the mouth of a wolf. Its lustrous metals gleam even in dim light and it marks the wearer
as a favored champion of Ogradin and a warrior worthy of admiration.

Beyond the honor it confers, the band holds a deeper magic. Legends say Ogradin let
out a great war cry just as the band was created, forever trapping the power of his
deep voice within the reverberating metal. Wearers of the band are able to tap into the
god’s powerful battle cry to encourage their allies or smite their enemies.

Three times per day, as a free action, the wearer can strike the metal band with a free
hand or weapon haft, causing it to resonate with the god’s power. The next sentence
that escapes the wearer’s lips will be delivered with the full force of the god’s breath,
blasting forth as if the wearer’s voice had been magnified tenfold. The cry can be heard
over the din of the most bloodthirsty battle, and will carry for miles in the lonely places
of the world.

This masterwork war band grants a +2 social benefit to the wearer among reaver
dwarves of the Northlands. In addition to its ability to magnify the wearer’s voice, the
wearer gains a +2 to Communication (Leadership), or Strength (Intimidation) tests in
the round it is activated.

In the heat of combat, the band also can be used to blast foes with the power of
Ogradin’s mirth or anger. For four Stunt Points, the wearer can perform a
special Hammer Shout stunt that causes up to two enemies within six yards to be
knocked prone. For each additional Stunt Point spent, the wearer can increase the
range of the stunt by two yards or affect an extra enemy. These additional effects can
be combined, and unleashing the power of the band in this manner uses up one of its
daily charges.