Skyfall Lake - Handouts
From the Temple of Knowledge
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Note! The conversion of this scenario to Hero Wars is a
fan work. The hard-working volunteer has made all interpretations of
game stats.
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An Ancient Report on Great Trolls
[Excerpt from a speech by Naravang Four-eyes in 732 ST to his household.]
The presence of a new type of trolls, which we call Great Trolls, is absolutely sure. They are
coming from Cragspider's Spire. She seems to have relocated a whole tribe of them, or has a
method of breeding them, or else has made a hole to the hero plane to enlist aid.
The truth must be known. Therefore I have taken it upon myself to secretly penetrate Cliffhome
in search of this menacing truth. I swear to return with the words to you, even upon my death
and dispersal, on this matter. If I return, the name of Naravang Four-eyes wilt ring forever as
a hero.
Farewell, wife. My last thoughts shall be of you. Keep our secret pathway open. Yelmalio smile
on you.
[Naravang was seen once since then. in a dream of his wife's. He appeared, looking gaunt and
pale, and said "No fear." Four-eye is also the name of a servant in Cragspider's household who
is a spirit of light and delivers messages for her.]
Lunar Report on Religions
[c.1595]
The most popular religion in the area is that of Arachne Solara, the goddess of nature. Cragspider,
a monster troll, is said to be high priestess of the cult. She is never seen but the pinnacle which
houses her is but 12 miles away from the lake, always visible.
Kyger Litor is popular, as wherever trolls live.
Sea Titan is another god, whose shrine is set atop the crab shell there.
A priestess of Night wanders about, hobbling and aided by a slave. She carries a lead umbrella
which she calls Argan Argar, and which shades her in the daytime.
Troll Fishing Boats, Etc.
[Fragment from an old Tarsh report to the king, c. 1423]
To catch some of the deeper monsters the trolls use whole humans as bait, hooked alive and
protected only by an air-breathing spell.
Most prized of their small lake fleet is Krakenbane, a massive ram-ship with eight magic oars
cut from giant bones and armor made from the hide of unslayable dragons.
Most fishing boats are poor imitations of this vessel. Instead of dragon parts they usually have
some portion of a dead dragonewt nailed to their wooden planking to provide protective magic.
Their nets, in the hand of a master, could provide access to almost any magic of the cosmos,
were the caster to survive the many hard tests and guardians who are tied into its magical
strands and knots.
Another Redbird Document
We had no problem in acquiring a piece of the magical rope. These trolls responded like real
friends, even though I was an initiate of two Lightbringer cults and had liberated a band of
trollkin to my care.
The guards in my hire have turned out to be among the most slovenly and vile of my experience,
for they seem to enjoy rooting about the poisonous drinks like the trolls that they are visiting.
Only myself and a servant named Willworth went out onto the lake to fish.
I drew up several creatures which were strange, and lost my bait. The most impressive was a green
snake's skull which seems to be important. Most important, of course, is that it was free.
Willworth pulled up a bronze pot with a lid closed tight. He pried it open with his knife and
peered inside, but a mustardy vapor sizzled out and burnt his whole face off. Healing did help
some and he is lucky that I saved his life then. One eye was horribly swollen and I couldn't bear
to look at it.
I immediately set off home but we were beset by one of those unpredictable dangers of the region.
A whale, measuring thrice the size of any of the greater dinosaurs in the world, rose and came to
swallow us. It seemed as big as the city of Boldhome. All of my magic was no use against it.
Willworth then rose up and proved the worth of someone even as ignorant as he, for he simply said
something and waved his hand and jumped once with a yelp of pain, and the whale shuddered and
sounded, never touching us at all and sending a wave which carried us to shore. Willworth, poor
fool, was ashock and was once again saved by my skills.
Such activities are common there, or so it would seem to me. We returned home as outlined
elsewhere in my memoirs.
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