Rockhome has long been friendly with Darokin, owing to a pass which connects the western lands with the kingdoms of the north.
Upon arrival in Rockhome, an audience with the King can be quickly arranged through diplomatic channels. You are provided with a tour of the capitol, a huge dwarven city sending its way through the caverns beneath the mountain range. There are endless corridors, city blocks filled with bustling dwarves, strange mechanical devices like nothing else in the world, and forges where hundreds of dwarven engineers create truly amazing weapons and armour.
After a formal introduction with the somewhat curmudgeonly fellow, King Everast, during which he constantly interrupts and talks over the top of both you and his own retinue, he gets down to business.
"We don't want to leave our Darokinian friends to the mercy of those Nomad barbarians, but we have problems of our own, let me tell you! It's those pesky frost giants, and they're raiding every caravan that passes through these mountains. At this rate, we'll lose all our business. We've sent war parties against them, but those giants are wiping out anything we've got.
Now, if a party of brave adventurers, armed to the teeth, with the latest intelligence we've got, were to go after them...we'd be very grateful...you understand what I'm saying to you?"
UPDATE - Rockhome joins war against the Nomads
In the loot of the Frost Giants, a note is found and translated:
Alrethus, First Servant of The Master, commands:
"The Master has praised your success in disrupting trade in the north, and thus contributing to the isolation of Darokin. Continue to strike against all those who aid our enemies, and we shall deliver all the dwarves into your hands.
"Above all, watch for those who seek the Crystal Dagger of Cymorrak, or who possess pieces of it. This weapon must, at all costs, be found and sent to us by the most secure way possible. Anyone with knowledge of this device must be utterly and irrevocably destroyed. One piece, we know, is in Alfheim, but it is well guarded. One piece is with the halflings, but our agents are at work there. The whereabouts of the third piece is unknown. Find it, and you shall be amply rewarded.
"Alrethus, voice of The Master, has spoken."
I think the timing of it would preclude Pan, who would be on the Jaggar mission. Possibly Kazandra, unless she was allocated to the Karameikos mission at the same time. Possibly could use a part-time NPC, but this is very much Taran home ground, and he will be the lead on the Rockhome mission.
Posted by: TheDM | December 23, 2015 at 10:46 AM
Is this a Taran only mission?
Posted by: Pan | December 23, 2015 at 10:18 AM
"My scouts know the location of the camp, and some basic information regarding their numbers.
Along with those scouts, I can place three of my infantry units under your command."
You will have 3 x 120 dwarven infantry with warhammer and spears.
The giants are camped in a box canyon surrounded by a 50' cliff, with sentries. Surprise will be near impossible, unless you have something up your sleeve.
There are 2 giants at each sentry point.
50 Giant regulars, 2H swords and throw rocks
50 Giant skirmishers, 2H swords and throw rocks
120 Dire Wolves, bite
Posted by: TheDM | December 18, 2015 at 04:09 PM
"I was hoping it would be giants, my king." Taran says, a toothy grin under his beard. "I will see to the safety of the caravans, and in turn Rockhome will be free to see to the safety of the Darokinians." Taran makes his best attempt at a gracious bow.
"What can you tell me of these giants?"
Posted by: Aki | December 18, 2015 at 09:58 AM