TEXT: Forge of the
  Giant God
  by Tim Hitchcock
  
  Stone Giants
  Unlike many other giants that adventurers frequently encounter, stone giants are not 
  cruel, evil, or destructive. Stone giants claim that they were the first of giantkind, 
  and they served as the template the gods used to make all of the other types of 
  giants. Stone giants are plentiful in western Avistan, where the giants were once 
  enslaved by powerful wizards and forced to build grand monuments.
  Stone giants have distinct, almost 
  elongated heads.
  They are rangy and 
  have long arms.
  Stone giants have 
  gray skin that 
  looks like rock.
  
  Forge of the
  Giant God
  ADVENTURE PATH        PART 3 OF 6
  
  Creative Director • James Jacobs
  Editor-in-Chief • F. Wesley Schneider
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  and Owen K.C. Stephens
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  and Mark Seifter
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  This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the world’s oldest 
  fantasy roleplaying game.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: 
  All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that 
  have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo game product are Open Game Content, as defined in 
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  without written permission.
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  Pathfinder Adventure Path #93: Forge of the Giant God © 2015, Paizo Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, and Pathfinder Society are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.;  
  Giantslayer, Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Cards, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, 
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  Printed in China.
  CREDITS
  Authors
  Benjamin Bruck, Tim Hitchcock, Mark Moreland, Sean K Reynolds, and Greg A. Vaughan
  Cover Artist
  Jesper Ejsing
  Interior Artists
  Tom Babbey, Ekaterina Burmak, Sven Bybee, Milivoj C´eran, Johan Grenier, Miguel Regodón Harkness, Yigit Koroglu,  
  James Krause, Caio Maciel Monteiro, Maichol Quinto, Kiki Moch Rizky, Per Sjögren, and Matias Tapia
  Cartographer
  Robert Lazzaretti
  This book refers to several other Pathfinder Roleplaying Game products using the following abbreviations, yet these additional supplements are 
  not required to make use of this book. Readers interested in references to Pathfinder RPG hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books 
  available online for free at paizo.com/prd.
  Advanced Player’s Guide 
  APG
  Inner Sea Gods 
  ISG
  The Inner Sea World Guide 
  ISWG
  Ultimate Combat 
  UC
  Ultimate Equipment 
  UE
  Ultimate Magic 
  UM
  2
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Foreword 
  4
  Forge of the Giant God 
  6
  by Tim Hitchcock
  NPC Gallery 
  60
  by Tim Hitchcock
  The Mindspin Mountains 
  64
  by Mark Moreland
  Minderhal 
  70
  by Sean K Reynolds
  Pathfinder’s Journal: Tall Tales 3 of 6 
  76
  by Greg A. Vaughan
  Bestiary 
  82
  by Benjamin Bruck, Tim Hitchcock, and Sean K Reynolds
  Preview 
  92
  3
  
  TO MARKET, TO MARKET
  A
  s the PCs begin this month’s adventure, “Forge 
  of the Giant God,” they’re now powerful enough 
  to leave behind the orcs of Belkzen and face 
  the ever-greater (and larger) giant threats waiting in the 
  Mindspin Mountains. This mountain range stretching 
  the length of Avistan—from Belkzen in the north to the 
  borders of Cheliax in the south—provides the setting for 
  the rest of the Giantslayer Adventure Path. Unfortunately, 
  while the mountains are a perfect location to muster a 
  giant army in relative secrecy, they don’t host a lot of major 
  population centers for the PCs to visit. As the campaign 
  progresses, the PCs are likely going to want to head back 
  to civilization to buy and sell gear or just take a breather 
  from all of the giantslaying. So where can they go? 
  The following is a handy reference guide to some of the 
  settlements neighboring the Mindspin Mountains, as well 
  as where you can find more details on these communities. 
  Some of these cities have full settlement stat blocks (as 
  presented in the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide); others 
  haven’t yet been fully detailed, but do have established 
  sizes, which enables you to determine their base values, 
  purchase limits, and available magic items using Table 
  7–36 in the GameMastery Guide (this information is also 
  available in the Pathfinder Reference Document online 
  at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd). 
  Toward the beginning of the Adventure Path, when 
  the PCs are in Belkzen, the most obvious settlement is of 
  course Trunau (small town; Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Towns of the Inner Sea and Giantslayer Player’s Guide), but the 
  PCs might also want to visit Freedom Town (small town; 
  Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes). 
  PCs looking for a more cosmopolitan settlement can travel 
  across the border to Lastwall’s capital of Vigil (small city; 
  Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Cities of Golarion).
  4
  
  As the PCs venture farther south into the Mindspin 
  Mountains, opportunities open up for them to visit more 
  neighboring cities. The tiny community of Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune (village; see page 17) lies near Minderhal’s Valley, 
  and is thus a convenient option in this adventure for PCs 
  who don’t have much to buy or sell, but the Sky Citadel of 
  Janderhoff (large city; Pathfinder Player Companion: Varisia, 
  Birthplace of Legends) in Varisia is not too far to the west. 
  The city of Korvosa (large city; Varisia, Birthplace of Legends) 
  lies farther south and west and can provide an alternative 
  to trading with the dwarves. 
  On the other side of the mountains in Nirmathas, there 
  is Skelt (small city; Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea 
  World Guide), and the dwarven settlements of Glimmerhold 
  (small city; Pathfinder Module: Clash of the Kingslayers) and 
  Kraggodan. Kraggodan hasn’t yet been explored in detail, 
  but it’s similar to Janderhoff and other Sky Citadels. If your 
  PCs go to Kraggodan, either take the opportunity to create 
  your own settlement or use the statistics for Janderhoff. 
  As the Adventure Path draws closer to its conclusion, the 
  PCs will journey even farther south into the Mindspins, 
  bringing them within range of the cities of Molthune and 
  Nidal. The closest Molthuni settlement of note is Braganza 
  (small city; The Inner Sea World Guide). A bit closer to the 
  west is the Nidalese town of Brimstone Springs (small town; 
  The Inner Sea World Guide). By this point, the PCs might 
  want to visit a larger settlement, however. In this case, the 
  capital of Nidal, Pangolais (large city; The Inner Sea World 
  Guide), might be worth the longer trek.
  Of course, you can also make up your own settlements 
  and drop them wherever you want, either in the Mindspin 
  Mountains or in a neighboring country. The point is to 
  give the PCs options for buying new gear and selling the 
  loot they’ve acquired throughout the campaign, while at 
  the same time creating opportunities for you to expand 
  your campaign beyond what’s printed in the Adventure 
  Path volumes.
  I recommend that you take the time to determine exactly 
  which magic items are for sale in a given settlement, either 
  by rolling randomly or by choosing specific items that your 
  players might be interested in or that address shortfalls in 
  PC gear. This not only presents a greater variety of items 
  for the PCs to choose from, but can also encourage them 
  to visit multiple settlements in the hope of finding more 
  interesting or useful equipment to purchase.
  THE COMING STORM
  The Giantslayer Adventure Path kicks into high gear in 
  this month’s volume, “Forge of the Giant God.” Earlier, 
  the PCs had to deal with lower-level threats like orcs, with 
  a few weaker giants such as ogres, trolls, and hill giants 
  thrown in. Starting now, and for the rest of the campaign, 
  the PCs are going to be encountering giants—lots of giants. 
  Nearly all of the giants encountered in Minderhal’s Valley 
  have gathered there in the name of the mysterious storm 
  giant warlord Volstus the Storm Tyrant, and this holds true 
  for most of the locations in later adventures. As the PCs 
  move ever closer to their final confrontation with Volstus, 
  it’s important to build a sense of urgency concerning 
  the growing threat of this would-be conqueror. You can 
  accomplish this by allowing the PCs to overhear some of 
  the giants’ conversations that center around their eagerness 
  to serve in the Storm Tyrant’s army, the building of a new 
  empire of giants, giants ruling over lesser humanoids 
  through the might of the Storm Tyrant, and Volstus’s 
  incredible abilities—especially his mastery over fire-
  breathing dragons and the power of his immense flying 
  cloud citadel. Such exaggerated tales make the Storm 
  Tyrant sound dangerous, powerful, and almost invincible, 
  which will make the story of the PCs’ triumph over him 
  all that much more rewarding.
  Since many of the giants in this adventure (and later 
  volumes) use the same statistics, another thing to remember 
  is that it’s important to keep encounters with them fresh 
  and interesting. Keep in mind that giants, like people, 
  have names and can vary greatly in appearance and 
  mannerisms. You should make every effort to breathe 
  life into the giants’ statistics and give the giant characters 
  memorable portrayals. For unnamed giants, particularly 
  ones the PCs might interact with outside of combat, come 
  up with unique names or choose names from the following 
  list: Bathark, Brokk, Dugo, Elangora, Grangolorg, Hurd, 
  Kagaz, Korth, Mog, Morilkor, Nux, Ranthag, Tulrot, Urvol, 
  and Wothur. For more details on various types of giants 
  and how to roleplay them, check out Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Giants Revisited, available at your local gaming store 
  or from paizo.com.
  On the COver
  The stone giant inquisitor Urathash appears on this month’s 
  cover. Although he serves as a recruiter for the Storm Tyrant’s 
  giant armies at the ancient Cathedral of Minderhal, Urathash 
  has his own ambitions—namely, restoring Minderhal’s worship 
  among the giant races and bringing about a resurgence of 
  giant domination over Golarion. Whether or not he achieves 
  these lofty goals is up to the heroes.
  Rob McCreary
  Senior Developer
  rob.mccreary@paizo.com
  5
  FOREWORD
  
  The PCs should be 10th level by the 
  time they face the stone giant inquisitor 
  Urathash in the Cathedral of Minderhal.
  “Forge of the Giant God” is designed 
  for four characters and uses the 
  Medium XP track.
  ADVANCEMENT TRACK
  FORGE OF THE  
  GIANT GOD
  Part 1: tomb of the Giantslayer 
  PaGe 7
  The heroes visit the tomb of Nargrym Steelhand, but they must defeat the famous 
  giantslayer’s immortal murderer before they can claim Steelhand’s giantslaying 
  treasures for themselves.
  Part 2: minderhal’s Valley 
  PaGe 16
  The heroes make their way through the remote valley where the Storm Tyrant is 
  gathering his army, facing a variety of giants and other beasts. Along the way, they have 
  the opportunity to gather the components necessary for relighting the sacred forge in 
  the Cathedral of Minderhal.
  Part 3: Cathedral of minderhal 
  PaGe 38
  The heroes must infiltrate the ruined temple of an ancient giant god and defeat the 
  Storm Tyrant’s lieutenant to prevent the warlord from gathering an even larger army. 
  Within the cathedral, the adventurers also discover a powerful artifact that they must 
  reactivate before they can make use of its magic.
  The PCs begin this adventure 
  at 7th level. 
  The PCs should be 8th 
  level soon after entering 
  Minderhal’s Valley. 
  The PCs should be 9th level 
  before passing through the 
  Valley Gates and entering the 
  Cathedral of Minderhal. 
  6
  7
  8
  9
  
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
  In times lost, ancient stone giants claimed a secluded valley 
  in the Mindspin Mountains as their own. The giants believed 
  themselves a free people, descendants of the first giants to 
  walk the earth and the chosen ones of their god Minderhal. 
  In his honor, they erected a massive cathedral on the face 
  of a mountain they called Utgorheim at the very heart of 
  the valley. Within the cathedral, the giants enshrined two 
  powerful artifacts sacred to their patron: Minderhal’s Forge 
  and Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking.
  In the centuries that followed, hundreds of tribes of nearly 
  every type of giant came to Minderhal’s Valley to pay their 
  respects. While some of these giants simply moved on, 
  others stayed and built settlements, and the valley grew 
  into a center of giant culture. Unlike Minderhal’s Anvil 
  in Varisia, the Cathedral of Minderhal never fell under 
  the domination of Thassilon’s Runelords, but as centuries 
  became millennia, the giant civilization in Minderhal’s 
  Valley faded. The reasons for the decline in giant culture 
  were as varied as the types of giants themselves—infighting, 
  drought, disease, and war, among other calamities—but they 
  all contributed to the same end results: the giants abandoned 
  their settlements, the Hammer of Unmaking was stolen from 
  the cathedral, and Minderhal’s Forge went cold, leaving the 
  Cathedral of Minderhal all but deserted.
  But even after the giants’ departure, their legacies survived, 
  hidden in the valley and the tales of their descendants. 
  When the megalomaniacal storm giant warlord Volstus the 
  Storm Tyrant embarked on his mission to gather an army of 
  giants to conquer western Avistan, he chose the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal as a mustering point for his fledgling horde, 
  realizing that its storied past would be well known to the 
  giants he sought to unite. To rally these soldiers to his cause, 
  Volstus appointed a stone giant inquisitor named Urathash.
  Weaned on the legends and myths of his forebears, 
  Urathash has made it his life’s work to reclaim the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal and restore his people to their former glory. 
  Urathash eagerly accepted the Storm Tyrant’s patronage, 
  and though his ultimate goal is not the same as Volstus’s, 
  the stone giant has proven to be a successful administrator 
  and military commander, transforming Minderhal’s Valley 
  into a proving ground for the Storm Tyrant’s new recruits.
  PART 1: TOMB OF THE 
  GIANTSLAYER
  As the adventure begins, the Player Characters have learned 
  that the storm giant warlord Volstus the Storm Tyrant 
  is gathering an army of giants in a hidden valley in the 
  Mindspin Mountains. So extensive are the Storm Tyrant’s 
  efforts that this army would threaten not only Belkzen 
  (and the town of Trunau), but also the other human nations 
  bordering the huge mountain range, including Lastwall, 
  Molthune, Nidal, Nirmathas, and Varisia. If the PCs returned 
  to Trunau after the conclusion of “The Hill Giant’s Pledge,” 
  Halgra and Silvermane should encourage them to travel to 
  the valley to try to stop Volstus before he can assemble his 
  army, thus preventing untold bloodshed and destruction 
  across western Avistan. Fortunately, the PCs found a map 
  to this “valley of giants” among the dowry of the hill giant 
  chieftain Grenseldek in Redlake Fort.
  In addition, the PCs now hold both halves of the geode 
  treasure map that leads to the tomb of the fabled dwarven 
  giantslayer Nargrym Steelhand. Adventurers and treasure-
  seekers have long sought the tomb, as according to dwarven 
  custom, Nargrym was laid to rest with his armor, weapons, 
  and riches—including the magical steel hand that allowed 
  the hero to wield the giants’ own weapons against them. 
  According to the map, the tomb lies on the way to the giants’ 
  valley, and if it still exists, recovering such a cache would prove 
  invaluable in a fight against the Storm Tyrant’s giant horde.
  Nargrym Steelhand’s tomb lies approximately 90 miles 
  southwest of Trunau, a journey of just over a week on foot 
  through the mountains (assuming a speed of 30 feet). This 
  adventure assumes the trip is uneventful, but feel free to roll 
  for random encounters on the Minderhal’s Valley Encounters 
  table on page 93 if you wish to liven up the PCs’ journey. 
  the Curse of steelhand’s tomb
  Nargrym Steelhand was a famed giantslayer from the 
  dwarven Sky Citadel of Janderhoff in Varisia. He slew 
  many giants to defend Janderhoff’s mining interests in 
  the Mindspin Mountains—even the fire giant Gunderoth, 
  called Dwarfskinner, who scorched the living flesh from 
  nearly 30 dwarven miners. But though Nargrym’s legend 
  remains strong, the circumstances surrounding his death 
  were grim and mysterious. 
  After Gunderoth’s defeat, Nargrym’s own squire and 
  kinsman, Lokmorr Edergun, cravenly stabbed Nargrym 
  in the back out of spite and jealousy. Lokmorr took credit 
  for slaying the giant himself, claiming it had killed 
  Nargrym, and was heralded as a hero. But a priest of Torag 
  named Byrim Forgepride discovered Lokmorr’s crime and 
  confronted the kinslayer about his betrayal and deception. 
  Believing he might still pull off his ruse, Lokmorr turned 
  upon the priest and slew him as well. Although Lokmorr 
  tried again to cover up his dark deeds, he was unsuccessful, 
  and the ruling council of Janderhoff branded his forehead 
  with the mark of the betrayer, struck his family name 
  from the dwarven histories, and sentenced Lokmorr to be 
  trapped alive in the tomb of the hero he had murdered. But 
  Lokmorr’s punishment did not end there, for his brutal acts 
  of blasphemy and murder so offended Torag that the god of 
  the forge cursed Lokmorr with immortality, condemning 
  him to eternal imprisonment in Nargrym’s tomb. Because 
  of these events, many believe that Nargrym’s tomb is cursed; 
  in the centuries since his passing, few have come to his 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  7
  
  tomb to pay their respects, and the location of the famous 
  giantslayer’s grave has been mostly forgotten.
  But Lokmorr’s heinous acts affected others as well. 
  Believing her son innocent of the crimes he was accused 
  of, Lokmorr’s mother, Gertid Ederhild, attempted to petition 
  the council on his behalf and was publicly shamed and forced 
  into exile for her actions. Despondent, Gertid lost much of 
  her will to live and became a wandering vagrant, stopping 
  only to sleep and eat whatever insects she could scavenge. 
  Her sorrowful dreams attracted the attention of Mazmezz, 
  the demon lord of vermin, who haunted Gertid’s dreams and 
  slowly pushed the dwarf from despair into insanity. Under 
  Mazmezz’s influence, Gertid eventually wandered into a 
  nest of ettercaps. In her madness, she believed the ettercaps 
  were her own children. The ettercaps came to view Gertid 
  as their own mother and she, in turn, sought to care for 
  her new “family.” Gertid led the ettercaps on a pilgrimage 
  to her son’s grave and there erected a shrine in his honor, 
  not knowing that Lokmorr still lived on in the tomb below.
  Years later, amused by Gertid and her ettercap family, 
  Mazmezz blessed the insane dwarf with another child, a 
  daughter named Luggra. To Gertid, Luggra was no different 
  from any other dwarf child, but Luggra’s arachnid eyes and 
  rudimentary spinnerets belied her true heritage. When 
  Gertid died, Luggra became the new matriarch of the 
  ettercaps. Luggra never knew Lokmorr, but she continued to 
  maintain her mother’s shrine, and in the centuries following 
  her mother’s death, her veneration of her half-brother turned 
  into something akin to worship. 
  Luggra eventually gave birth to her own daughter, Stilgrit. 
  But while Luggra was a dwarf who displayed only a few 
  arachnid traits, Stilgrit was born a grotesque abomination, 
  neither dwarf nor ettercap, but rather a hideous union of 
  both. Upon Luggra’s death, Stilgrit succeeded her mother, 
  and believing herself favored by Mazmezz, calls herself the 
  “Mother of Spiders.” Today, she still leads the ettercaps in 
  worshiping her uncle Lokmorr as the divine consort of her 
  patron Mazmezz, while the webbed and mummified corpses of 
  her mother and grandmother are venerated as divine prophets.
  Unfortunately, Stilgrit’s ettercap “children” have not fared 
  well. A brood of spider eaters has recently moved into the 
  area, and the creatures have decimated the ettercaps and 
  their spider pets. The bizarre family is on the verge of dying 
  out completely, and Stilgrit’s prayers to Mazmezz, her uncle, 
  grandmother, and mother have gone unanswered. But the 
  arrival of adventurers to Lokmorr’s shrine might be just 
  the sacrifice Stilgrit needs to appease her gods and rebuild 
  her family. 
  A. NARGRYM STEELHAND’S TOMB
  Following the geode treasure map, the PC arrive at the 
  base of Stag’s Pike, a slender stone spire in the Mindspin 
  Mountains near the border between Belkzen and Varisia. 
  From Stag’s Pike, a narrow footpath climbs into the high 
  mountains where the dwarves of Janderhoff built their 
  mining fortresses in past centuries. But the map points away 
  from those settlements, instead indicating an overgrown 
  trail that leads to a high and lonely plateau overlooking 
  the source of the Runtash River. While little is left of the 
  path, small, weatherworn stone markers placed every 
  hundred feet or so still mark the route. Upon reaching the 
  plateau, the trail heads into a secluded wood of pale, silvery 
  aspens with golden leaves swaying slowly in the brisk and 
  chilly mountain breeze. According to the map, the tomb of 
  Nargrym Steelhand lies within the wood.
  A1. Perimeter Traps (CR 8)
  The aspen wood surrounding Nargrym’s tomb is the 
  territory of Stilgrit’s ettercap family. Read or paraphrase 
  the following when the PCs enter the wood.
  Aspen leaves rustle gently, glittering like the pale, golden embers 
  of a forge fire. The wood seems peaceful and quiet.
  Traps: The wily ettercaps have rigged the perimeter of 
  their territory with a series of traps linked together with 
  web tripwires. The traps are made from bent saplings that 
  hurl wickedly sharp shards of slate coated with a paralytic 
  poison in all directions. As the PCs move through the wood, 
  there is a cumulative 10% chance per 25-foot square entered 
  of stumbling across one of the traps. As soon as a single trap 
  is triggered, additional traps suddenly trigger in a chain 
  reaction throughout the wood, potentially striking anyone 
  walking through the area.
  SLATE SHARD SPRING TRAP 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (2d6 plus slow nectar [see sidebar]); 
  multiple targets (all targets in a 25-ft. square)
  slow neCtar
  The ettercaps collect the sap of small white flowers that 
  grow on the nearby cliffs to create a paralytic poison known 
  as slow nectar, which the creatures use in their traps.
  SLOW NECTAR
  Type poison, injury; Save Fortitude DC 17
  Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds
  Effect 1d3 Dex damage plus paralysis for 1 round; Cure 
  1 save
  8
  
  S
  A. NARGRYM STEELHAND’S        
  TOMB
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  A1
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  A2
  A2. NARGRYM’S  
       TOMBSTONE
  A2
  A3
  A3a
  A4
  A4
  A5
  A6
  A7
  A8
  A9
  TO A9
  TO A8
  TOMB SHAFT 
  (SIDE VIEW)
  1 SQUARE = 25 FEET
  A2. Nargrym’s Tombstone (CR 7)
  The aspen wood thins here, forming a small clearing around a 
  large granite obelisk covered with runes. Pillars flank a small, dark 
  archway leading inside the obelisk. Above the pillars, the symbol 
  of a clenched fist is carved into the stone. A strange structure, 
  resembling a tent of shimmering gray webs woven between logs, 
  surrounds the obelisk.
  This obelisk, a pillar nearly 100 feet tall, is Nargrym 
  Steelhand’s gravestone, marking the location of his tomb in 
  the ground below. A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge 
  (religion) check can readily identify the obelisk as such. 
  The runes on the obelisk are in Dwarven, spelling out a 
  traditional dwarven funerary prayer called “Torag’s Epicede.” 
  The “tent” of logs and spider webs surrounding the obelisk 
  is the shrine erected by Gertid Ederhild in honor of her 
  son Lokmorr.
  Creatures: Two ettercaps and their pets—a female 
  giant black widow spider and two males—keep watch over 
  Lokmorr’s shrine. If the PCs triggered the trap in area A1, 
  the ettercaps and spiders move to intercept them in the wood. 
  Otherwise, the ettercaps are encountered here, performing 
  maintenance around the shrine while the spiders lurk in 
  the shrine’s webbing.
  ETTERCAPS (2)  
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 30 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 129)
  FEMALE GIANT BLACK WIDOW SPIDER 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  hp 37 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 256)
  MALE GIANT BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS (2) 
  CR 1 
  XP 400 each
  Giant spider (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 258)
  hp 16 each
  A3. Tomb Shaft (CR 8)
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs pass through 
  the archway into the obelisk.
  The interior of the obelisk houses a flight of narrow and precariously 
  steep stairs descending into a dark shaft that plummets to an 
  unknown depth within the earth. The passing years have crusted 
  the walls and stairs with overlapping rings of yellow and pale 
  green lichen.
  The stairs descend the shaft in a series of switchbacks 
  until they reach the entrance to Nargrym’s tomb 120 feet 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  9
  
  STILGRIT,  
  THE MOTHER OF SPIDERS
  below (area A4). The steep stairs are considered difficult 
  terrain; increase the DCs of any Acrobatics checks attempted 
  on the stairs by 4.
  The lichen covering the walls and stairs is harmless, and 
  a PC who succeeds at a DC 10 Perception check notices that 
  the lichen is covering runes carved into the stone walls about 
  4 feet above the steps. Scraping away the lichen reveals the 
  following words written in Dwarven:
   “Here lies the pride of our clan, Nargrym, son of Torgrym. 
  Called Steelhand, he was laid to rest with utmost honor in 
  4076 ar. May he be known forevermore as the Giantslayer.”
  The runes continue down the walls of the shaft, describing 
  Nargrym’s life and various deeds in great detail. The tale 
  expounds upon his magical hand, which allowed him to 
  heft the tremendous weapons of his hated enemies, and 
  his enchanted coat of mail, fashioned entirely from the 
  fingernails of slain giants. Eventually, the epitaph comes to a 
  section entitled “The Tragic Fall of Steelhand,” which details 
  his betrayal and murder at the hands of Lokmorr Edergun. 
  Anyone who reads the entire tale learns the information 
  presented in The Curse of Steelhand’s Tomb on page 7, up 
  to the point of Lokmorr’s punishment and imprisonment 
  (the inscription does not detail Torag’s curse or anything 
  about Lokmorr’s mother and her daughters).
  About 40 feet down the shaft, the stairs reach a narrow 
  landing before continuing down in the opposite direction. 
  At this point the shaft begins to fill with wisps of web 
  populated by numerous hairy brown spiders. Although the 
  seething webs are unnerving, a successful DC 10 Knowledge 
  (nature) check allows a PCs to identify the spiders as both 
  mundane and harmless. As the stairs descend ever deeper, 
  the webs become thicker (hardness 0, DR 5/–, hp 4 per 5-foot 
  square) and the tiny spiders become increasingly active.
  Creatures: Eighty feet down the shaft, the stairs reach 
  another landing (area A3a), where the hideous Mother of 
  Spiders, Stilgrit, hides among the thick webs with her two 
  ettercap consorts. As insane as her mother and grandmother, 
  Stilgrit believes she is the scion of a divine family and has 
  no idea how revolting she appears. Stilgrit and her consorts 
  violently attack any trespassers who dare to violate the 
  sanctity of her uncle’s shrine.
  NIRRA 
  CR —
  Female giant spider vermin companion (Pathfinder RPG 
  Ultimate Magic 37)
  N Medium vermin 
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.; 
  Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural)
  hp 22 (4d8+4)
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities evasion
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d6 plus poison)
  STATISTICS
  Str 11, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2
  Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 17 (29 vs. trip)
  Feats Dodge, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +12, Perception +4, Stealth +7
  SQ link, share spells, tricks (attack, come, defend, 
  down, seek)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round 
  for 4 rounds; effect 1 Str; cure 1 save.
  STILGRIT, THE MOTHER OF SPIDERS 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Female unique ettercap druid of Mazmezz 4 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 129)
  NE Medium aberration 
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12
  10
  
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural)
  hp 72 (8 HD; 4d8+4d8+36)
  Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +13; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell–like 
  abilities, +4 vs. fey and plant–targeted effects
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
  Melee bite +9 (1d6+3 plus poison), 4 claws +9 (1d4+3)
  Special Attacks animate webs, poison, web (+10 ranged, DC 16, 
  4 hp), wild shape 1/day
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +9)
  2nd—barkskin, pernicious poisonUM, summon swarm
  1st—hydraulic pushAPG, jump, longstrider, magic fang, ray of 
  sickeningUM (DC 16)
  0 (at will)—guidance, mending, resistance, virtue
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If Stilgrit hears intruders entering the tomb 
  shaft, she casts barkskin, jump, and longstrider, and casts 
  magic fang on her giant spider vermin companion.
  Morale Stilgrit fights to the death in defense of Lokmorr’s shrine.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10
  Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 22 (26 vs. bull rush, 26 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, 
  Vermin HeartAPG
  Skills Acrobatics +11 (+25 when jumping), Climb +17, Handle 
  Animal +11, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, 
  Perception +12, Stealth +11, Survival +12
  Languages Common, Druidic, Dwarven
  SQ extra arms, favored of Mazmezz, nature bond (giant spider 
  vermin companionUM named Nirra), nature sense, spider 
  empathy +8, trackless step, wild empathy +4, woodland stride
  Gear amulet of mighty fists +1, holly and mistletoe, spell 
  component pouch
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Animate Webs (Su) As a standard action, Stilgrit can animate 
  a 10-foot-square patch of natural webs within 50 feet 
  to entrap creatures within that area. Any targets must 
  succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save or become entangled. If 
  a target is already entangled by webs, it must succeed at 
  a DC 16 Fortitude save or become helpless. A target made 
  helpless by this ability is conscious but can take no physical 
  actions (except attempting to break free) until the webs 
  are removed. The target can use spells with only verbal 
  components or spell-like abilities if it succeeds at a DC 20 
  concentration check. A creature trapped in Stilgrit’s animated 
  webs can break free as a full-round action with a successful 
  DC 16 Strength check (the DC for a helpless creature is 
  increased by 5). Destroying the webs frees a trapped 
  creature. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
  Extra Arms (Ex) Stilgrit has four extra spider-like arms growing 
  from her sides. Although these arms lack hands, Stilgrit can 
  make claw attacks with the arms. In addition, they aid her 
  in climbing, allowing her to use her hands to cast spells with 
  somatic components while climbing.
  Favored of Mazmezz (Ex) Under the influence of Mazmezz, 
  Stilgrit is a unique amalgamation of dwarf and ettercap. In 
  addition to her animate webs ability and extra arms, Stilgrit 
  retains the hearty and stability dwarf racial traits and gains 
  a +2 bonus to Strength, a +2 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 
  bonus to natural armor.
  Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round 
  for 10 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves.
  STILGRIT’S CONSORTS (2) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  Advanced ettercap (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 129)
  hp 38 each
  A4. Tomb Entrance (CR 5)
  Webs stretch between the walls of the chamber at the bottom 
  of the shaft, supporting two large, webbed cocoons hanging a 
  few feet above the floor. A large circular stone disk stands in the 
  eastern wall of the room, surrounded by a circle of Dwarven runes. 
  Three more runes are carved on the face of the disk. The great 
  disk is flush with the wall and has no visible hinges or handles. 
  The webbed cocoons hold the mummified corpses of 
  Gertid and Luggra, which serve as icons for veneration 
  by Stilgrit and the ettercaps. Strangely, the webs leave 
  the bodies’ bellies and mouths exposed—characters who 
  succeed at a DC 15 Knowledge (planes) check identify this as 
  a sign of obedience to the demon lord Mazmezz.
  The stone disk blocks the entrance to Nargrym’s tomb. Far 
  too heavy be moved, it is sealed in place with an arcane lock 
  (CL 10th) and trapped (see Trap below). Although magic or 
  brute force can be used to break through the disk (hardness 8, 
  hp 180, break DC 38), the runes around it are a riddle that 
  provides a clue to opening it. Written in Dwarven, the runes 
  around the perimeter of the disk read, “Rest here until mine 
  sons touch upon thy blessings.” The runes in the center of the 
  disk are Dwarven symbols for “loyalty,” “duty,” and “strength.”
  Touching one of the three runes on the disk itself and 
  saying the name of the child of Torag who’s most closely 
  associated with the rune’s meaning causes the rune to glow 
  softly with a pale bluish light for 1 minute. Torag’s three 
  children and the values they identify with are Grundinnar 
  (loyalty), Kols (duty), and Trudd (strength). A PC who succeeds 
  at a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check can recall which of 
  Torag’s children is associated with which value. Worshipers 
  of Torag gain a +10 circumstance bonus on the check.
  Correctly identifying all three runes causes them all to 
  glow at the same time, bypasses the trap, and magically opens 
  the disk, which then slides soundlessly into the surrounding 
  stone. Incorrectly identifying a rune triggers the trap.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  11
  
  heartsPit
  Nargrym Steelhand took this spear from the dead hands of 
  the taiga giant warlord Neveraka, and used the weapon for 
  the rest of his giantslaying career.
  HEARTSPIT
  PRICE
  10,310 GP
  SLOT none
  CL 8th
  WEIGHT 18 lbs.
  AURA moderate evocation
  Fitted with a menacingly cruel 2-foot-long barbed iron 
  head, this Large +1 giant-bane longspear can skewer an 
  opponent, lodging beneath the flesh and holding fast. 
  On a confirmed critical hit with the spear, Heartspit’s 
  wielder can attempt a combat maneuver check to 
  grapple the target as a free action. This grapple 
  attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity 
  from the target if that creature is not threatening the 
  wielder. While grappling a creature with Heartspit, 
  the wielder can move or damage the target with 
  the spear only on the wielder’s turn. The wielder 
  is still considered grappled, though he does not 
  have to be adjacent to the target to continue 
  the grapple. If the wielder ends the grapple or 
  the target successfully breaks the grapple, the 
  target takes 4d6 points of slashing damage 
  as the spear’s barbed head is ripped free.
  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
  COST 5,310 GP
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, hold person, keen edge, 
  summon monster I
  Trap: The stone disk is trapped against would-be tomb-
  robbers. Any attempts to open the seal or break through it 
  triggers the trap, which brands the offender’s forehead with 
  the Dwarven rune for “thief.” Anyone so branded with the 
  rune takes a –4 penalty on all Charisma-based checks when 
  dealing with dwarves until the brand is removed.
  GREATER BRAND TRAP 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  Type magic; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 29
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset none; Bypass see above
  Effect spell effect (greater brandAPG, 1d6 damage, Fort DC 16 
  negates)
  Development: The bodies of Gertid and Luggra are clearly 
  dead, but should any of the PCs attempt to communicate 
  with them, such as via speak with dead, they may learn 
  more of the unfortunate family’s history. Gertid is a tragic 
  (possibly even sympathetic) character, a mother who lost 
  her son and subsequently spiraled into madness. Luggra, 
  on the other hand, was wholly devoted to Mazmezz and 
  knows nothing of her half-brother Lokmorr beyond the 
  jumbled stories passed on to her by Gertid. Of course, both 
  women are insane, and neither knows of Lokmorr’s 
  continued existence within the tomb.
  A5. Viewing Chamber
  The tightly spaced pillars that line the walls of this wide 
  chamber gracefully suspend a vaulted ceiling; walls, ceiling, 
  and pillars alike have been cut from the surrounding stone. 
  Centuries of dust coat every surface, and the air is stale. A large 
  translucent panel is set in the center of the floor. On either side, 
  a stone door sits inside a low arch.
  This room, like all of the rooms in Nargrym’s tomb, is 
  dark. The floor panel is a thick sheet of glass (hardness 1, 
  hp 5, break DC 18). Set directly above Nargrym’s sepulcher 
  (area A9), it allows visitors to view the giantslayer’s 
  sarcophagus and pay respects without entering the 
  sepulcher. The glass is 5 inches thick, and can easily 
  support the weight of the PCs. Over the centuries the glass 
  has turned a translucent yellow with grime and dust, but 
  with a little effort the glass can be cleaned enough to 
  provide a view into area A9 below. The sarcophagus has been 
  opened and its lid pushed to the side, offering a glimpse 
  of its occupant: a crumpled corpse dressed in a suit of 
  scale mail armor. While the view is centered on Nargrym’s 
  sarcophagus, a PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check 
  also notices a large, broken cage in an alcove off to the side. 
  Although the PCs can attempt to break through the glass 
  to access the sepulcher, the stairs behind the secret door 
  in area A8 provide an easier route.
  Development: When the PCs first enter this chamber, 
  Lokmorr the Betrayer is in the sepulcher below (area A9). 
  When he hears the PCs above, Lokmorr leaves area A9 to 
  move about the tomb (see area A9 for details). If the PCs 
  break through the glass panel to enter the sepulcher from 
  above, Lokmorr immediately heads to area A8 and attempts 
  to lock them in the sepulcher (see area A8 for details).
  A6. Chamber of Memory
  Huge stone panels line the walls of this chamber, each depicting a 
  carved scene, but all of the panels have been damaged or defaced 
  in some way. Hundreds of footprints crisscross the dusty floor. 
  Two doors exit the room to the south.
  This room pays tribute to Nargrym’s life and deeds, carved 
  as images into the stone wall panels. The images primarily 
  commemorate Nargrym’s battles, but the final panel depicts 
  his tragic betrayal and murder. Lokmorr is responsible for the 
  panels’ desecration, going so far as to chisel out Nargrym’s 
  12
  
  narGrym’s steel hand
  Nargrym Steelhand replaced the hand he lost to a frost giant’s 
  greataxe with this magic prosthesis.
  NARGRYM’S STEEL HAND
  MINOR  
  ARTIFACT
  SLOT none
  CL 20th
  WEIGHT 3 lbs.
  AURA strong transmutation
  Forged from solid steel, this magically animated prosthetic 
  hand is elaborately sculpted down to the finest detail. 
  Nargrym’s steel hand can be used to replace the normal 
  hand of a humanoid creature—it can’t be worn in addition 
  to an already existing hand. When attached to the wrist 
  stump of a living humanoid creature, Nargrym’s steel 
  hand magically forms a permanent bond to 
  the wearer’s flesh and nerves. Once the 
  hand has bonded to the wearer’s wrist, 
  the wearer gains full control over the hand 
  as if it were part of his own body. The hand 
  has a full range of motion and functions as 
  a normal hand. While worn, Nargrym’s steel 
  hand grants its wearer a +2 enhancement bonus 
  to Strength (treat this as a temporary ability bonus 
  for the first 24 hours the hand is worn) and a +5 
  bonus to CMD against disarm attempts. In addition, 
  the wearer can wield weapons of one size category larger 
  than the wearer’s size without penalty and without altering 
  the weapon’s designation as a light, one-handed, or two-
  handed weapon. For example, a Medium creature wearing 
  Nargrym’s steel hand could wield a Large longspear as a 
  two-handed weapon without penalty. However, whenever 
  the wearer of the hand is within line of sight of a creature 
  with the giant subtype, he must succeed at DC 15 Will 
  save or be compelled to attack the giant, as suggestion. 
  Once bonded to a wearer, Nargrym’s steel hand cannot be 
  removed except by the wearer or after the wearer’s death.
  DESTRUCTION
  Nargrym’s steel hand is destroyed if it is smashed by a 
  giant wielding a hammer of thunderbolts.
  eyes in every single image. An engraved bronze plaque above 
  each panel identifies the illustrated deeds with Dwarven 
  titles, such as “The Slaying of Drogmalak the Terrible” and 
  “Victory at Hrothbad’s Mines.” The final plaque is covered 
  in dried fecal matter, rendering the title illegible. If cleaned, 
  however, it reads, “The Betrayal of Lokmorr.” 
  Anyone who inspects the tracks on the floor and succeeds 
  at a DC 25 Survival check notices that all of the footprints 
  are identical in size and shape (they belong to Lokmorr).
  A7. Reliquary (CR 7)
  A nauseating stench of filth fills this chamber. Various items of 
  broken furniture are sloppily piled into curious arrangements 
  throughout the room. Among the piles of wreckage are toppled 
  statuettes of jade and serpentine, shards of clay and porcelain 
  urns, and several crushed drinking steins. The western wall of 
  the room bears several large cracks and a few small holes 
  where it meets the floor.
  Of all the chambers in the tomb, Lokmorr 
  finds this room least offensive. He spends much 
  of his time here, and the room stinks of his 
  putrid body odor and waste. While the reliquary 
  once contained many valuable offerings left to 
  honor Nargrym Steelhand, Lokmorr moved most 
  of the portable valuables to the sepulcher (area A9) 
  for safekeeping. He smashed the remaining tributes during 
  one of his frequent fits of rage. 
  The cracks and holes in the western wall are too narrow 
  to allow passage for all but the tiniest of creatures, but they 
  do allow fresh air to enter the tomb and provide a point of 
  entry for occasional insects and rats, which Lokmorr quickly 
  catches and eats.
  Trap: This chamber contains a double crossbow trap that 
  Lokmorr has repurposed as a defense against intruders. The 
  crossbow and its heavy wooden base sit near the south wall 
  opposite the door to area A5, loaded and aimed at the door. A 
  tripwire strung across the door fires the crossbow whenever 
  someone enters the room from the north, but Lokmorr has 
  also attached a string to the crossbow’s trigger, allowing him 
  to manually fire the crossbow if necessary (see Development 
  below). The crossbow fires two poisoned bolts at the same 
  target, stacking the poison’s effects as detailed below.
  DOUBLE CROSSBOW TRAP 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch or manual (see above); Reset manual
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (2d8+2 plus wyvern poison/19–20); 
  wyvern poison (save Fort DC 19, frequency 1/round for 
  9 rounds)
  Development: If the PCs encounter Lokmorr here, he 
  fires the double crossbow at the first person to enter the 
  room. He then moves to the east, hoping to lure the PCs into 
  area A8 and then down into the sepulcher to trap them there.
  A8. Chamber of Prayers
  Four statues of idealized dwarves stand against the walls of this 
  chamber, next to stone fonts. A dusty film covers the fonts, and 
  their basins are inscribed with Dwarven runes. A massive stone 
  panel on the room’s eastern wall bears a bas-relief likeness of 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  13
  
  dwarven warrior garbed in a suit of scale male and wielding an 
  oversized spear. The carved figure is unadorned with the exception 
  of its right hand, which is leafed with silver.
  The four statues depict dwarven deities. A character who 
  succeeds at a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check can recognize 
  one of the statues as Torag, but the other three each require 
  a successful DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check to identify as 
  Torag’s younger siblings: Angradd, the Forge-Fire; Torag’s 
  half-sister Dranngvit, the dwarven goddess of vengeance; 
  and Torag’s older brother Magrim the Taskmaster, guardian 
  of the underworld. The runes in the basins of the fonts are 
  traditional dwarven blessings.
  The bas-relief panel depicts Nargrym Steelhand at the 
  height of his giantslaying glory, and can be recognized with 
  a successful DC 15 Knowledge (local) check. Any PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 10 Perception check notices a small gap 
  between the stone panel and the wall. This secret door has 
  been left ajar, making it easier to notice. Sliding the panel 
  aside reveals a narrow, concealed passage that leads down 
  a flight of steps and turns to the west, ending at the door 
  to Nargrym’s sepulcher (area A9). 
  Development: Lokmorr left the secret door slightly ajar as a 
  ploy to lure the intruders into the sepulcher below. When the 
  PCs enter this chamber, Lokmorr attempts to hide in one of 
  the connecting corridors. If the PCs pass through the secret 
  door and enter the sepulcher, the misanthropic dwarf waits 
  for a few minutes, then closes and locks the secret door behind 
  them (hardness 8, hp 45; break DC 28), sealing them in the 
  sepulcher. Once the door is locked, Lokmorr goes to area A5 
  to observe and taunt his new captives through the glass panel.
  A9. Steelhand’s Sepulcher (CR 6 and 8)
  Two wide alcoves flank the eastern portion of this room, the floor 
  of which is inlaid with the symbol of an ornate warhammer. Each 
  alcove contains a large iron brazier and is crammed with a variety 
  of baubles and trinkets. Beyond the alcoves, the chamber narrows 
  and a flight of wide steps climb to a vaulted recess. A great stone 
  sarcophagus, its lid pushed to one side, lies in this space beneath 
  a large translucent panel in the ceiling above. A smaller alcove 
  stands on either side of the stone coffin. The northern alcove holds 
  a five-foot-tall iron cage, its bars bent and twisted out of shape, 
  while the southern alcove contains an elaborate iron candelabra 
  covered with drippings of dried purple and red wax, which holds 
  dozens of melted candle stubs.
  The body of the dwarven giantslayer Nargrym Steelhand 
  was laid to rest in this sepulcher, and his murderer, Lokmorr 
  the Betrayer, was imprisoned in the iron cage next to the 
  remains of his victim. The translucent panel in the ceiling 
  above the sarcophagus looks into the viewing chamber 
  (area A5). 
  The hammer symbol on the floor can be identified with 
  a successful DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check as the holy 
  symbol of Torag. If any of the PCs were affected by the greater 
  brand trap in area A4, this symbol causes the greater brand to 
  blaze, making that character sickened, as the spell.
  Nargrym Steelhand’s remains lie within the open 
  sarcophagus. Although the skeletal corpse still wears armor 
  (see Treasure below), its right arm ends in a stump and 
  Nargrym’s legendary steel hand is nowhere to be seen. A heavy 
  helm lies next to the shattered pieces of the giantslayer’s 
  skull. A PC inspecting the remains who succeeds at a DC 
  20 Heal or Perception check notices that the dwarf’s beard 
  seems to have been crudely hacked off and that many of the 
  bones are damaged and even display tooth marks. Even more 
  disturbing, all of these injuries were made post-mortem, 
  suggesting deliberate desecration of the corpse.
  Creature: As punishment for his crime, Lokmorr 
  Edergun—now known as Lokmorr the Betrayer—was buried 
  alive in the tomb of the man he murdered. But his sentence 
  did not end with his death, for Torag condemned Lokmorr 
  with eternal life. Unable to die of natural causes and prevented 
  by the curse from killing himself, the accursed dwarf has 
  remained trapped in the tomb for 639 years. Lokmorr began 
  his sentence locked in the cage next to Nargrym’s sarcophagus. 
  After many years, he managed to escape by breaking most of 
  his bones and brutally contorting his body, which left him 
  horribly scarred and mutilated. In the process, he became a 
  broken soul, a physical manifestation of the pain and agony 
  he has endured for centuries.
  Now free of his cage, Lokmorr wanders aimlessly 
  through the tomb, sometimes sleeping for weeks at a 
  time until nightmares and excruciating pain shake him 
  from his torpor. Although his curse prevents him from 
  starving to death, Lokmorr still feels hunger. Early in his 
  imprisonment, he fed on Nargrym’s dead flesh and bones, 
  and even tried eating many of the tomb’s treasures. Now, 
  Lokmorr occasionally catches rats that crawl into the tomb 
  and devours them when he can. 
  Centuries into his confinement, Lokmorr remains jealous 
  of Nargrym—the violation of the giantslayer’s corpse and 
  the desecration of the tomb were Lokmorr’s doing. As soon 
  as he escaped from his cage, Lokmorr hacked off Nargrym’s 
  beard and crushed his skull. He stole Nargrym’s magic spear, 
  Heartspit, and even chewed off his own hand in order to take 
  Nargrym’s fabled steel hand for himself.
  As soon as the PCs break the seal on the tomb’s entrance 
  and enter area A5, Lokmorr hears them walking above him 
  and begins monitoring the intruders, moving freely about 
  the tomb. Stealth is not one of Lokmorr’s strong suits, but 
  the mad dwarf remains patient enough to trail the PCs a bit 
  and wait for them to place themselves in a disadvantageous 
  location before attacking. He prefers to fight in the dark 
  and attempts to extinguish his opponents’ light sources 
  14
  
  LOKMORR THE BETRAYER
  before attacking, if possible. See the Development sections 
  of the tomb’s other locations for Lokmorr’s actions if the 
  PCs encounter him in one of those rooms. Otherwise, he 
  attempts to lure the PCs into area A8, hoping they’ll see the 
  opened secret door and venture down into the sepulcher 
  below. If Lokmorr remains undetected when the PCs enter 
  area A9, his first effort is to lock the secret door behind 
  them and trap them inside.
  LOKMORR THE BETRAYER 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Male unique broken soul dwarf fighter 7 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 4 24)
  CE Medium humanoid (dwarf)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
  hp 99 (7d10+56); fast healing 10
  Fort +13, Ref +3, Will +3 (+2 vs. fear); +2 vs. poison, spells, and 
  spell-like abilities
  Defensive Abilities bravery +2, curse of immortality, defensive 
  training; DR 5/—; Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5, 
  sonic 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft.
  Melee Heartspit +15/+10 (2d6+11/×3) or
  torturous touch +12 touch (2d6 plus 1d6 Dex damage 
  and convulsions)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with Heartspit)
  Special Attacks agonized wail (DC 13), baleful gaze (DC 13), 
  hatred, torturous touch (DC 13), weapon training (spears +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Lokmorr begins with an agonized wail to 
  terrify his opponents, then indiscriminately attacks those 
  creatures within the reach of Heartspit, using Power Attack 
  and Bloody Assault.  
  Morale Enraged and insane, Lokmorr continues fighting as 
  long as his curse of immortality and Diehard feat allow 
  him to. If he’s finally slain, however, Lokmorr’s body 
  crumbles into dust as 707 years of aging finally catch up 
  to him.
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 23 (27 vs. bull rush, 28 vs. disarm, 
  27 vs. trip)
  Feats Bloody AssaultAPG, Combat Reflexes, DiehardB, 
  EnduranceB, Great FortitudeB, Improved Initiative, Iron 
  Will, Power Attack, Stand Still, ToughnessB, Weapon Focus 
  (longspear), Weapon Specialization (longspear)
  Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +12, Perception +1 (+3 to notice 
  unusual stonework), Stealth +2, Survival +3
  Languages Common, Dwarven
  SQ armor training 2
  Gear mwk breastplate, Heartspit (Large +1 giant-bane 
  longspear; see page 12), Nargrym’s steel hand (see 
  page 13), elaborately braided dwarven beard decorated 
  with three gold rings (worth 50 gp each) and an intricately 
  engraved platinum beard clasp in the shape of a castle 
  sitting atop a cloud (worth 1,300 gp)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Curse of Immortality (Su) Cursed by Torag with eternal life, 
  Lokmorr does not age and his ability scores are unaffected 
  by aging effects. He cannot die from old age, starvation, 
  thirst, or suffocation, though he can still be slain by physical 
  damage. This ability grants Lokmorr fast healing 10, but if he 
  is reduced to –22 hit points or fails his saving throw against a 
  coup de grace, he dies.
  Hazard: Lokmorr has stored many of the valuables 
  he looted from the tomb in a rolled-up rug in the large 
  northeast alcove of this room (see Treasure below). Unrolling 
  the rug exposes the sizable patch of yellow mold (Pathfinder 
  RPG Core Rulebook 416) growing in its dark folds.
  Treasure: After escaping from his cage and desecrating 
  Nargrym’s corpse, Lokmorr looted the rest of the tomb. Once 
  he discovered himself still trapped, he dragged his treasures 
  back to this room and stashed them in the brazier alcoves. 
  For easy transport, Lokmorr rolled a number of the items up 
  in a rug infested with yellow mold (see Hazard above). The 
  carpet lies in the northeast alcove and contains a bronze 
  abacus with hematite beads (worth 600 gp), a large drinking 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  15
  
  horn engraved with entwining oak leaves and silver inlays 
  (worth 135 gp), an ivory measuring rod with carved Dwarven 
  numbers (worth 25 gp), an obsidian statuette of a female fire 
  giant (worth 250 gp), a wooden box containing a set of eight 
  bronze measuring weights (from 1/4 ounce up to 5 ounces) 
  carved to resemble squatting goblins (worth 130 gp), and a 
  sack holding 400 cp.
  The valuables inside the southeast alcove include a pair of 
  boots of the winterlands, a clay vase on an iron stand sculpted 
  to look like a coiled dragon (worth 65 gp), three chunks of 
  azurite (worth 6 gp each), a golden yellow topaz (worth 300 
  gp), and a small leather-embossed casket holding 2 pp, 
  35 gp, and 150 sp.
  Beyond Lokmorr’s looted treasures, the most valuable 
  item in the room can be found in Nargrym’s sarcophagus, 
  still worn by the giantslayer’s corpse: Nargrym’s giant’s nail 
  scale mail, a coat of scale armor crafted from the fingernails 
  of slain hill giants (see the sidebar).
  Development: If Nargrym’s descendants, Ingrahild and 
  Umlo Nargrymkin, are accompanying the PCs, the two 
  dwarves are ecstatic to have discovered their ancestor’s tomb 
  and avenged Nargrym’s murder. If they have traveled with 
  the PCs this far, they are well aware of the impending giant 
  threat and have no problem with the PCs using the contents 
  of Nargrym’s tomb—particularly his armor, spear, and steel 
  hand—to aid the PCs’ giantslaying endeavors. The siblings 
  ask only that the PCs respect Nargrym’s remains and help 
  seal up the tomb afterward. For themselves, Ingrahild and 
  Umlo request a single heirloom to return to their family: 
  Nargrym’s platinum beard clasp, which was crafted from 
  a cloud giant’s ring. Lokmorr has the clasp among his 
  possessions, still attached to Nargrym’s shorn beard.
  PART 2: MINDERHAL’S 
  VALLEY
  After exiting Nargrym Steelhand’s tomb, the 
  PCs can continue on their journey to the hidden 
  valley where the giants are gathering to join the Storm 
  Tyrant’s army. According to the PCs’ map, the valley 
  is about 40 miles southeast from the tomb. Assuming 
  a speed of 30 feet, it should take the PCs approximately 
  3 days to reach the valley traveling on foot through the 
  wooded mountains.
  The following encounters take place as the PCs approach 
  the valley; they are presented in rough detail only, allowing 
  you customize details and maps for your own campaign. 
  In addition, you can add wandering monsters from the 
  Minderhal’s Valley Encounters table on page 83 as you see fit.
  LONE COTTAGE (CR 6)
  On the second day of the journey, after about 18 miles 
  of travel, the PCs reach a small stream that flows from 
  the southeast, the same direction they’re traveling. An 
  overgrown footpath runs alongside the stream, allowing 
  the PCs to set a faster pace. After a few hours, they come 
  upon a remote cottage.
  In a small clearing a few hundred feet from the stream, a wisp of 
  smoke trickles from the chimney of a two-story stone cottage. Its 
  front door has been bashed inward, its splintered panels hanging 
  crookedly from a single hinge. Several large chips mar the exterior 
  stonework and a sizable hole has been torn in the thatched roof. 
  Loud crashing noises come from within.
  Giants from the nearby Minderhal’s Valley have begun 
  raiding the surrounding lands, including this isolated 
  house. Too large to enter the premises, the giants simply 
  bombarded it with rocks until the occupants fled, then 
  chased after them through the woods.
  While the giant raiders dragged away most of the cottage’s 
  residents for their stewpots, one remains behind—a 
  whimpering infant girl swaddled in a coarse wool blanket 
  and stuffed into a basket on the second floor of the cottage. 
  Inches from the child, beneath the hole in the roof, a large 
  boulder lies wedged between cracked floorboards. The 
  Giant’s nail sCale mail
  Nargrym Steelhand crafted this scale mail coat from 
  fingernails pried from the hands of hill giants he had slain.
  GIANT’S NAIL SCALE MAIL
  PRICE
  9,200 GP
  SLOT armor
  CL 7th
  WEIGHT 30 lbs.
  AURA moderate necromancy
  This thick coat of +2 scale mail is crafted from waxy 
  scales of varying sizes with a sickly, jaundiced color—the 
  grime-stained fingernails of dead hill giants. Any 
  creature of the giant subtype who comes 
  within 30 feet of giant’s nail scale mail 
  must succeed at a DC 16 Will save or 
  take a –4 penalty on attack rolls and 
  saving throws for 1d4 rounds. This ability 
  functions as a gaze effect. It is a mind-
  affecting fear effect, but it does not stack 
  with other fear effects to create stronger 
  fear conditions. A giant who succeeds at the 
  saving throw is immune to this effect for 24 
  hours. If a giant rolls a natural 20 on its saving 
  throw, it becomes enraged by the sight of the 
  armor. The giant gains the effects of the rage 
  spell for 1d4 rounds and is compelled to attack 
  the armor’s wearer for the duration of this effect.
  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
  COST 4,700 GP
  Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear, rage
  16
  
  STRAYA KRAUM
  PCs can hear the baby mewling with a successful DC 10 
  Perception check; once they hear her, they can find her 
  automatically. Fortunately for the child, the cottage’s current 
  occupant (see Creature below) has been unable to reach her.
  Creature: Determined to leave no spoils behind, a lone 
  troll still prowls about the cottage. More than anything 
  else, this troll loathes human children, and the smell 
  of the baby wafting from the second floor is driving 
  her crazy, as she is too big to fit up the cottage’s 
  narrow stairs. Stymied, she has flown into a rage 
  and is currently tearing apart the ground floor. 
  As soon as she spots the PCs, the troll turns her 
  aggressions toward them and attacks.
  ADVANCED TROLL  
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 75 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 268)
  Development: Farther along the trail beyond 
  the cottage, smoke rises from the remains 
  of two more stone cottages, spaced a few 
  hundred yards apart. Both cottages 
  show signs of extensive damage; their 
  interiors have been ransacked and large 
  boulders litter the ground around the buildings. 
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 12 Perception or 
  Survival check also notices footprints and other evidence 
  that suggests that giants initiated these raids. Unlike at the 
  first cottage, there appear to be no living survivors here. 
  SHINNERMAN’S FORTUNE
  A half-mile down the trail from the sacked cottages, the 
  PCs arrive at the edge of a village called Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune. The village’s populace consists almost entirely of 
  prospectors, with individuals claiming large swaths of land 
  along the stream, and the settlement is uncharacteristically 
  spread out. The villagers mostly prospect for gold and 
  silver. Though they are not wealthy, they earn enough to 
  have a stable income, and the surrounding lands provide 
  additional resources. The citizens of Shinnerman’s Fortune 
  thrive upon their independence, both as individuals and as 
  a community. A small council of elders provides what little 
  government the village needs, but the council’s primary 
  function is to represent the villagers as a single business 
  entity for the purpose of trading with outsiders. In all, the 
  residents of Shinnerman’s Fortune are a hardy folk, usually 
  quite capable of defending themselves against local threats.
  SHINNERMAN’S FORTUNE
  CG village
  Corruption –1; Crime –1; Economy –6; Law –7; Lore –3; Society +0
  Qualities independent, insular
  Danger +20; Disadvantages hunted
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Government council
  Population 88 (79 humans, 5 dwarves, 3 gnomes, 1 half-elf)
  Notable NPCs
  Speaker of the Council Tarram Shinnerman (CG male 
  human commoner 6)
  Alderman Jerak Sneth (N male human commoner 3/ranger 1)
  Alderwoman Straya Kraum (NG female human witch 5)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 400 gp; Purchase Limit 2,500 gp; 
  Spellcasting 3rd
  Minor Items +1 tower shield, miser’s maskUE, 
  shatterspike, oil of shillelagh; Medium Items 
  +1 thawingUE throwing axe, improved ring of 
  climbing; Major Items — 
  NOTES
  Independent: The villagers of Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune are individualistic and self-sufficient. 
  They look after themselves and mind their own 
  business, coming together as a community 
  to take care of any problems. (Economy –1; 
  Law –1)
  The Village’s Misfortune
  When the PCs arrive at Shinnerman’s Fortune, 
  panicked villagers are scrambling about trying 
  to organize and recover from recent giant attacks. A small 
  band of villagers quickly gathers to greet the PCs, led by 
  a stern-looking middle-aged woman with graying hair 
  and a burly man with a salt-and-pepper beard wearing 
  worn leather armor. The woman introduces herself as 
  Alderwoman Straya Kraum and the burly man as Alderman 
  Jerak Sneth. The two quickly inform the PCs that they have 
  arrived in the wake of a savage giant attack on the village—a 
  wandering band of giants passed through the region the 
  day before the PCs’ arrival. Straya describes the brutal raid: 
  after bombarding the village with rocks, the giants rushed 
  into the settlement, indiscriminately attacking those they 
  encountered, maiming or killing a number of villagers. 
  The giants eventually retreated back into the mountains, 
  but only after seizing livestock and several more people as 
  “tribute” and promising to return for more later.
  According to Straya and Jerak, there are at least a dozen 
  people whose whereabouts are unaccounted for, most notably 
  Tarram Shinnerman, a descendant of the village’s founder 
  and the speaker of the council. The villagers pray that 
  the giants have not yet eaten the captives and that at least 
  some of them still live, but the threat these giants pose has 
  left these people feeling helpless. Few of the townsfolk are 
  qualified to fight orcs, much less giants. They fear that the 
  giants are going to return soon to exact more tribute, and 
  they plead for the PCs to help find their missing kinfolk 
  and put an end to the giant threat.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  17
  
  It’s up to the PCs whether to help the people of 
  Shinnerman’s Fortune. The townsfolk have little to offer 
  the PCs, but they can equip the party with basic supplies, 
  including enough food and water for 2 weeks. Individual 
  villagers might also be willing to sell the PCs a few magic 
  items (see the settlement’s statistics on page 17 for available 
  items).  If the PCs request a reward for their services, the 
  town can muster up to 2,500 gold pieces to hire them, but 
  they aren’t pleased about it, as these meager funds represent 
  almost all of the community’s wealth and are needed to 
  rebuild their shattered homes. In any event, the giants 
  headed south when they left the village, and according to the 
  PCs’ map, Minderhal’s Valley lies in the same direction. If 
  the PCs do agree to help, they encounter the town’s attackers 
  during their journey.
  Development: If the PCs rescued the baby from the troll in 
  the previous encounter (see Lone Cottage on page 16), Straya 
  Kraum instantly recognizes the child as her granddaughter 
  Abria and bursts into tears of gratitude. She immediately 
  takes the infant into her home, but soon returns and rewards 
  the PCs with a family heirloom: a small silver cloak clasp in 
  the shape of an arrow that turns out to be a brooch of shielding.
  Story Award: Award the PCs 2,400 XP for rescuing the 
  baby from the Lone Cottage and bringing her to safety in 
  Shinnerman’s Fortune. 
  CYCLOPS STALKER (CR 9)
  After leaving Shinnerman’s Fortune, the PCs can continue 
  on toward the giants’ valley. About a mile outside the 
  village, the PCs can attempt DC 15 Perception checks to spot 
  a pair of humanoid creatures darting through the thickets.
  Creature: The humanoids turn out to be pair of villagers 
  fleeing through the woods from a giant (if necessary, use 
  the statistics for a miner from page 256 of Pathfinder RPG 
  NPC Codex for these villagers). As soon as the villagers spot 
  the PCs, they call out for help, inadvertently drawing the 
  attention of their eager pursuer: a towering jotunblood 
  cyclops named Gsurak. A few rounds later, the forest echoes 
  with pounding stomps and cracking branches as the huge 
  giant lumbers out of the woods, ferociously attacking anyone 
  in his way—first with his eye blast, followed by swings of 
  his Huge greataxe.
  GSURAK 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male variant jotunblood cyclops (Advanced Bestiary 184, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52)
  NE Huge humanoid (giant)
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +16
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 8, flat-footed 22 (–2 Dex, +2 insight, +14 natural, 
  –2 size)
  hp 119 (14d8+56)
  Fort +13, Ref +2, Will +8
  Defensive Abilities battle insight, ferocity, rock catching; SR 20
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee greataxe +17/+12 (4d6+13/×3)
  Ranged rock +7 (3d8+13)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks eye blast (60-ft. line, 10d6 force, Reflex DC 20 
  half, usable every 1d4 rounds), improved rock throwing (150 ft.)
  STATISTICS
  Str 29, Dex 6, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8
  Base Atk +10; CMB +21 (+23 bull rush); CMD 31 (33 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack
  Skills Intimidate +13, Perception +16, Sense Motive +9, 
  Survival +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
  Languages Common, Cyclops, Giant
  SQ flash of insight
  Gear greataxe
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Battle Insight (Su) A jotunblood cyclops gains an insight bonus 
  to its AC equal to its Wisdom modifier.
  Eye Blast (Su) Every 1d4 rounds, a jotunblood cyclops can 
  release a 60-foot line of energy from its single eye. Those 
  struck by the beam take 10d6 points of force damage 
  (Reflex DC 20 half). The save DC is Charisma-based and 
  includes a +4 racial bonus.
  Improved Rock Throwing (Ex) This ability functions as rock 
  throwing, but with increased damage and range increments. 
  In Gsurak’s case, a thrown rock deals 3d8 points of damage 
  plus 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus, and the range 
  increment is 150 feet.
  Development: If the PCs defeat Gsurak, the escaped 
  villagers tell the PCs that another group of giants is up 
  ahead, still moving downstream and dragging behind them 
  a chain of at least half a dozen bound villagers. The giants 
  have left behind a sloppy trail that can be easily followed.
  OGRES’ PICNIC (CR 7)
  Creatures: The giants mentioned by the escaped villagers 
  in the previous encounter are four ogres. The ogres’ human 
  prisoners tired quickly, forcing their captors to drag them 
  and slowing the giants’ movement considerably. As a result, 
  the PCs can quickly catch up to the group when the ogres 
  make camp.
  The ogres are sitting around a small campfire, arguing 
  over their human captives. If the PCs approach the camp 
  stealthily, they can overhear the giants’ argument. Three of 
  the ogres are hungry and are trying to convince the other 
  to roast at least one of the prisoners. The fourth ogre, who 
  seems to be the leader, insists on keeping the captives alive 
  to use as a bargaining chip with a more powerful giant 
  18
  
  MINDERHAL’S VALLEY
  B
  C
  D
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  I
  J
  H
  F
  K
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  P
  X
  W
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  V
  Q
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  Z
  8 MILES
  0
  called Gristlecrack. If the ogres detect the PCs’ approach, 
  they douse their campfire and hide nearby. They leave 
  their captives behind as bait and hastily attempt to set up 
  an ambush.
  OGRES (4) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 30 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 220)
  Treasure: Among the various junk in their sacks, the 
  ogres also have a broken set of fine china, a gold censer with 
  platinum inlays (worth 400 gp), a gold flute (worth 1,000 
  gp), a small marble statuette of Torag (worth 300 gp), and 
  600 gp in assorted coins.
  Development: The ogres’ captives include four villagers 
  from Shinnerman’s Fortune and three prospectors who were 
  working claims upstream. All are bruised from beatings. 
  They know at least one more band of giants went on ahead 
  with more prisoners, but few among them have any hope 
  that those victims have survived. They aren’t sure whether 
  Alderman Tarram Shinnerman was among those taken, 
  as all of the prisoners were bound, gagged, and had thick 
  leather sacks tied over their heads. If anyone mentions the 
  name Gristlecrack, the rescued villagers agree that the 
  leader of that other giant band, a large, brutish female giant, 
  answered to that name. 
  One of the prisoners, a middle-aged woman named 
  Cerrina, recalls the giants conversing about meeting at some 
  sort of cathedral called the Tinderhall. A PC who succeeds 
  at a DC 20 Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (religion) check 
  infers that Cerrina probably misunderstood a conversation 
  about the giant god Minderhal. Long ago, ancient giants 
  constructed a massive cathedral to Minderhal in a remote 
  valley somewhere within the Mindspin Mountains—likely 
  the same valley the PCs are currently searching for. If so, the 
  cathedral would be a natural gathering place for the giants.
  Another captive, a boyish-looking prospector named Hap, 
  remembers a conversation about not wanting to be late for 
  the mustering for the Storm Tyrant’s army. Hap assumes 
  (incorrectly) that the aforementioned Gristlecrack is the 
  Storm Tyrant.
  minderhal’s Valley
  After leaving the ogre camp, the PCs eventually reach the 
  edge of the mountain forest, where the stream they’ve been 
  following—now a river—drops down into a large, winding 
  valley. A wide, well-trodden trail, which is clearly the path 
  the giants used to raid Shinnerman’s Fortune and the 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  19
  
  surrounding area, descends into the valley alongside the 
  river. The giants call this canyon Minderhal’s Valley, after 
  the ancient cathedral built in honor of the giant god. The 
  Storm Tyrant chose this location to muster his army because 
  of its secluded location and its status as a sacred site known 
  to giants throughout the region. 
  The valley lies beneath the slopes of several tall mountains, 
  carved by a snaking river fed by numerous mountain streams 
  that spill from the Mindspins’ icy spires. These mountains 
  are thousands of feet high, with steep slopes, cliffs, and rock 
  walls (see pages 428–430 of the Core Rulebook for details on 
  such mountain terrain). It is immediately apparent that 
  moving across the valley floor will be significantly easier 
  than traversing the mountain slopes above the valley. The 
  valley floor is considered trackless plains. Assuming a speed 
  of 30 feet, the PCs should be able to cover 18 miles per day. 
  The riverside trail into the valley leads to area B.
  Although their final destination is the great Cathedral 
  of Minderhal (area Z), the PCs can take whatever route they 
  want as they explore the valley. Eventually, they’ll need to 
  visit nearly every location within the canyon’s confines, 
  both to defeat the scattered bands of gathered giants and to 
  find the various components needed to relight Minderhal’s 
  Forge (see area Z5), but they can do so in whatever order they 
  wish. It’s even possible for the PCs to begin Part 3 before 
  they’ve fully explored all of the valley in Part 2, meaning 
  they’ll need to exit the Cathedral of Minderhal later on to 
  visit more of the valley’s locations.
  B. LEUCROTTA ATTACK (CR 7)
  This encounter occurs on the first night after the PCs enter 
  the valley, shortly after the moon rises. It’s tied to a mood 
  rather than to a specific location, so it should be run where 
  needed based on the PCs’ actions. Read or paraphrase the 
  following to set the mood before the encounter.
  A pale moon struggles to peek through the heavy clouds that have 
  gathered over the jagged peaks that hem the secluded valley. 
  As the temperatures quickly begin to drop, the vestiges of the 
  ancient mountain trail become nearly impossible to identify in 
  the darkness.
  Creatures: A pair of leucrottas claims the surrounding 
  territory as their hunting grounds. The malevolent creatures 
  stalk and study the PCs for a while before splitting up to 
  surround their prey—one approaches from behind while 
  the other races ahead to try to get in front of the PCs and 
  block the path. Allow the PCs to attempt Perception checks 
  opposed by the leucrottas’ Stealth checks to detect the 
  beasts’ approach. Once the leucrottas are in position, the 
  one bringing up the rear uses its lure ability to attract as 
  much attention as possible as its partner leaps from its 
  hiding place.
  LEUCROTTAS (2)  
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 57 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 178)
  Treasure: The leucrottas can be tracked back to their 
  lair with a successful DC 17 Survival check. Among the 
  undigested remains of their prey that the leucrottas have 
  vomited up inside the shallow cave they call home are a 
  +1 giant-bane heavy crossbow, a wand of crushing despair 
  (32 charges), two opals (worth 600 gp each), a green sapphire 
  (worth 900 gp), 40 pp, and 210 gp.
  C. REJECTED CONSCRIPT (CR 8)
  The dusty path eases down a gentle slope littered with small boulders. 
  Jagged gray mountains rise on all sides, their peaks resembling the 
  broken jaw of a fallen god. On the surrounding slopes, small copses 
  of fir trees cling desperately to patches of rocky soil, their exposed 
  roots tenaciously grasping the earth in knotted tangles.
  Creatures: An ettin and a cave bear are walking up the 
  trail at this point, heading in the opposite direction of 
  the PCs. If the PCs are proceeding in relative silence, 
  allow them to attempt DC 15 Perception checks to hear 
  the grumbling giant’s approach. This ettin journeyed here 
  to join the Storm Tyrant’s army, but was rejected. The ettin 
  is arguing loudly with himself, each head angrily blaming 
  the other for failing to impress the recruiter during the 
  ettin’s last few pit fights.
  If the cave bear detects the PCs with its scent ability, it 
  growls a warning, silencing the ettin. The ettin then readies 
  his weapon and one head says to the other, “Now I’ll show you 
  how to pound flesh.” Then he yells up the path. “Whoever’s 
  hiding up there, show yourself and die!”
  CAVE BEAR 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Dire bear (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 31)
  hp 95 
  ETTIN 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 65 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 130)
  Treasure: The ettin carries a ring of swarming stabs 
  (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment 175).
  D. OPPORTUNISTIC SCAVENGER (CR 9)
  Creature: Attracted by the PCs’ battle with the ettin, a rift 
  drake swoops out of the sky a few rounds later to attack the 
  survivors. The drake attacks indiscriminately, so it might 
  first grab a nearly defeated opponent, gut and devour a PC’s 
  horse (if the PCs happen to have one), or just attack a random 
  20
  
  target. The drake has come seeking an easy meal, not a fight, 
  so reducing it to fewer than 40 hit points drives it away.
  RIFT DRAKE 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 126 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 106)
  Development: The purpose of this encounter is to 
  discourage the PCs from flying around and heading 
  straight for the Cathedral of Minderhal in Part 3. Feel free to 
  incorporate more encounters with additional drakes or other 
  flying creatures to keep the PCs on the ground as needed.
  E. DRUNKEN FAILURES (CR 8)
  The shouts of a raucous argument echo from somewhere up the 
  path ahead. The voices are deep and guttural.
  Anyone able to speak Giant can understand the shouts, 
  which consist of curses, insults, and threats hurled in heated 
  argument. The valley widens at this point, with exits to the 
  northeast, southeast, and southwest. The river the PCs have 
  been following flows out of the southwest gorge.
  Creatures: Three drunken giants called veds, currently 
  engaged in beating the hell out of each other, are blocking 
  the path through the valley to the southwest. Veds are 
  brutish, hairy giants with overly large, misshapen heads 
  and enormous lung capacity. Like the ettin in area C, these 
  veds failed to impress the Storm Tyrant’s recruiters and 
  were turned away. The veds drowned their sorrows in strong 
  drink, and their drunken quarrel over who lost the worst 
  in the pit fights soon turned to violence. 
  One of the giants has two black eyes, one has a badly 
  bleeding nose, and the last one has just spit out a couple of 
  yellow teeth, but each is claiming superiority over his or her 
  opponents. As soon as the giants spot the PCs, they turn their 
  attentions and aggressions toward the newcomers, taking 
  turns using their gale breaths against their foes. Eager to 
  prove themselves, the veds fight to the death, but if two are 
  slain, the third attempts to flee to safety.
  VEDS (3) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Irrisen, Land of Eternal Winter 61
  NE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init –3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 8, flat-footed 16 (–1 Dex, +8 natural, –1 size)
  hp 57 (6d8+30)
  Fort +5, Ref –1, Will +4
  Weaknesses drunk
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee club +8 (1d8+5)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks gale breath
  STATISTICS
  Str 25, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 9
  Base Atk +4; CMB +10 (+12 bull rush); CMD 22 (24 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
  Skills Climb +5 (+9 when climbing rocks), Intimidate +2, 
  Perception +4, Survival +4 (+8 in snow); Racial Modifiers 
  +4 Climb (when climbing rocks), +4 Survival (in snow)
  Languages Giant
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Drunk (Ex) The veds are currently drunk and are considered 
  to be sickened (this is already incorporated into the 
  statistics above).
  Gale Breath (Su) Every 1d4 rounds as a full-round action, a 
  ved can draw in a mighty breath and expel it outward in a 
  30-foot cone. Targets within 10 feet of the origin of this cone 
  must succeed at a DC 18 Strength check or be knocked prone. 
  Those who succeed at the check or are standing farther away 
  from the ved treat the effects of the gale breath as a gust of 
  wind spell.
  Development: If the PCs manage to subdue one of the veds 
  for interrogation, the brutish giant refuses to cooperate or 
  answer questions. Instead, it makes empty threats about the 
  Storm Tyrant, his “pet” dragon, the massing of hundreds 
  of giant troops, a mighty fortress to the south, and a holy 
  forge soon to be restored upon which the giants shall again 
  forge powerful weapons to conquer the world. While the ved 
  knows no further details, much of the information it reveals 
  is true, if incomplete.
  F. DEAD GIANT (CR 8)
  The mountains’ glacier-carved slopes steepen above the rim of this 
  side valley, where a dozen or so small trickling mountain brooks 
  converges into a wide, shallow stream. The icy, roiling waters send 
  smooth pebbles tumbling along the bottom of the streambed. 
  As the PCs explore this area, one of the streams takes 
  on an eerie pinkish color. If they follow the stream, they 
  discover that the color is the result of blood flowing from 
  the corpse of a slain hill giant lying face down in the water. 
  The giant is another failed applicant to the Storm Tyrant’s 
  armies, whose companions tossed her into the river after a 
  fatal loss in a pit fit. 
  Creatures: A flock of four perytons crowd around the 
  waterlogged corpse, greedily gorging themselves on the giant’s 
  flesh. The beasts seem relatively content with their meal, but 
  readily abandon the carrion as soon as they spot live prey. The 
  perytons first fly over the PCs with their shadow mark ability 
  before diving to attack their selected victims.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  21
  
  PERYTON
  PERYTONS (4) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 42 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 207)
  Treasure: With a successful DC 10 Perception check, a 
  character notes that the dead hill giant is wearing a guardian 
  gorget (Ultimate Equipment 258) as an earring.
  G. CHIMERA’S CAVE (CR 8)
  A narrow footpath heads west through a field of boulders and 
  dense scrub into a small side canyon that branches off from the 
  main valley. Windswept piles of dead leaves and branches clump 
  between boulders poking though the thin, dry topsoil. Patches 
  of green and pale yellow lichen cling to the rocky canyon walls.
  The footpath continues for several hundred yards, 
  emptying into a wide, boulder-filled clearing at the western 
  edge of the canyon. A dark cave opens in the cliff face 30 feet 
  above the valley floor. Fragments of cracked and broken 
  bones litter the ground below the cave mouth. A character 
  examining the bone fragments can attempt a DC 16 Heal 
  skill check to note that the bones are those of a variety of 
  animals, mostly larger mammals and possibly even some 
  humanoids and giants. The condition of the bones suggests 
  that they were pounded or gnawed to pieces.
  Creature: A giant chimera with the head of a black dragon 
  makes its home in the cave in the cliff wall. For the last 
  century, the creature has claimed this section of the canyon as 
  its own, growing larger and more powerful over the years. The 
  giants refer to the chimera as the “Black-Headed Beast,” and 
  for the most part shun this region to avoid its attacks. When 
  the PCs arrive, the chimera is lurking in its cave. As soon as 
  it detect intruders in the canyon outside, it creeps to the cave 
  entrance and spews acid on anyone in the clearing below.
  BLACK-HEADED BEAST 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Giant chimera with black dragon head (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  295, 44)
  hp 103
  Treasure: In the back of the chimera’s cave lies a sizable pile 
  of bones mixed with a small treasure hoard containing 
  a suit of +1 banded mail, a Large suit of chainmail, a 
  masterwork chain shirt, a locked gauntlet, a Large 
  gauntlet, a +1 corrosiveUE longsword, a +1 rapier, a 
  Large masterwork heavy crossbow, a masterwork 
  quarterstaff, a potion of cure moderate wounds, a 
  leather scroll case holding a scroll of flaming sphere 
  and a scroll of water breathing, a broken water clock (worth 
  750 gp unless repaired), a climber’s kit, four sunrods, a clear 
  quartz crystal (worth 30 gp), a smoky quartz crystal (worth 
  20 gp), a red-brown spinel (worth 80 gp), a golden yellow 
  topaz (worth 252 gp), a silver ring set with azurite (worth 30 
  gp), 19 pp, 288 gp, 1,360 sp, and 2,200 cp.
  Development: A hill giant hunter and recruiter called 
  Kragmuld has been keeping an eye on the Black-Headed 
  Beast as a potential foe for giants seeking to earn a 
  ranking position in the Storm Tyrant’s army by battling 
  the creature in the fighting pits (area X). If the PCs kill 
  the chimera, Kragmuld discovers the slain beast 2 days 
  later. Greatly upsets by its death, Kragmuld is determined 
  to find the butchers and demand they pay him some sort 
  of recompense. He immediately begins tracking the 
  PCs through the valley. Should he catch up to the PCs, 
  Kragmuld confronts them and demands that they replace 
  the chimera or pay him in goods or coins worth at least 
  3,000 gp. If the PCs refuse his demands, he informs them 
  that if they can’t pay him, he’ll simply salvage what he 
  can from their corpses after he beats them to death. 
  See page 42 for Kragmuld’s full statistics.
  22
  
  H. THE DARK PASSAGE (CR 8)
  At the end of this valley, the surrounding ridges merge, forming 
  a tapering gorge edged in rocky escarpments. A series of giant, 
  stone-carved stairs climb from the base of the ridgeline to several 
  cave openings that pock the cliff face.
  Seven caves are carved into the cliff face at the eastern end 
  of this valley. The caves are mostly shallow shelters only a 
  few yards deep, but one of them hides an entrance to a far 
  deeper cave system known as the Dark Passage. This 2-mile 
  warren of both natural and excavated caverns passes under a 
  narrow section of the ridgeline, connecting the western outer 
  valley to a small vale south of the Cathedral of Minderhal 
  containing the encampments of new recruits (area Y).
  During the height of their rule, the ancient giants built the 
  Dark Passage as a shortcut between the outer valley and the 
  Cathedral of Minderhal. The giants also used the tunnels as 
  a focal point for their geographic measurements. While their 
  surveying techniques were primitive and consisted mostly 
  of counted steps and stone markers, they were able to map 
  the valley with relative accuracy. By exploring these tunnels, 
  the PCs have the opportunity to gain a better understanding 
  of where important sites lie within the valley.
  The stone giant recruiter Urathash, the current commander 
  of the Cathedral of Minderhal (see area Z16), has sent a 
  number of cave giants and rock trolls—whom he believes 
  are a general nuisance and thus expendable—to explore 
  these lightless passages and recover anything of possible 
  value or interest to his cause. So far, the giants have certainly 
  lived up to Urathash’s expectations; they’re slow and prone 
  to infighting, and their efforts have hardly been productive.
  Creatures: Two cave giants lounge in one of the shallow 
  caves in the cliff face, guarding the entrance to the Dark 
  Passage. They spend much of their time sleeping and eating, 
  but as soon as any non-giant attempts to enter one of the 
  caves, the giants immediately leap to their feet and attack. 
  Sensitive to direct sunlight, the giants do not leave the 
  shadowy cave during the day, even to pursue enemies.
  CAVE GIANTS (2) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  hp 67 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 127)
  Development: The rear of this cave contains the entrance 
  to the Dark Passage, a dark, 10-foot-wide tunnel. The passage 
  heads east under the ridgeline for approximately half a mile 
  before reaching area H1. Use the map on page 25 for this area.
  H1. Guardpost (CR 10)
  The meandering passage widens into natural cavern containing 
  two huge columns formed from grayish-white calcite. While the 
  walls and ceiling have a natural appearance, the floor of the cavern 
  has been hewn and leveled. The air feels damp, and moisture 
  collects on the walls and in small puddles on the floor. Hundreds 
  of bats cling to the ceiling, forming a living carpet that constantly 
  moves and shifts.
  Creatures: Two rock trolls lurk behind the stalactites 
  in the northeastern portion of the cave, guarding 
  against intruders. Grumchog, a slightly more intelligent 
  monstrosity called a buggane, oversees the rock trolls. 
  A somewhat foreign ogre-like creature, Grumchog is 
  nevertheless well suited to maneuvering in the lightless 
  caves of the Dark Passage. 
  Grumchog orders the trolls to remain silent and hide 
  behind the stalactites until intruders move beyond the pit 
  traps to the southwest (see Traps below). Then he orders 
  the trolls to bull rush any opponents backward into the 
  spike-filled pits. Once two of the giants have been slain, the 
  survivor flees northeast to area H4, shouting warnings to 
  its allies deeper down the passage.
  GRUMCHOG 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  Buggane (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 26)
  hp 51
  TACTICS
  During Combat Grumchog uses his earth distortion ability to 
  position himself behind enemies and block escape to the 
  south while making full attacks and attempting smash and 
  bash attacks. If an opponent falls into a pit, Grumchog uses 
  earth distortion to enter the pit and attacks the individual 
  one-on-one at close quarters to prevent the victim’s escape.
  ROCK TROLLS (2) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  hp 80 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 272)
  Traps: The trolls have dug two deep pits lined with great 
  spikes of jagged stone in the southwestern part of the cavern 
  to catch any intruders—or as the trolls call them, “snacks.”
  TROLL PIT TRAPS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect 30-ft.-deep pit (3d6 falling damage); stone spikes (Atk 
  +15 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d6+2 damage each); 
  Reflex DC 20 avoids; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-
  square area)
  Treasure: Grumchog wears a curious necklace consisting 
  of a leather thong from which hangs a glimmering, 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  23
  
  reddish-black chunk of mineral with a hole bored through 
  one end. The mineral is a piece of magnetite, and its magnetic 
  properties are immediately apparent when it’s placed near 
  any ferrous metal. This magnetite is a component for the 
  compass in area H3.
  In addition, any PC who succeeds at a DC 16 Knowledge 
  (local) check recalls that while rock trolls prefer to eat 
  humanoid flesh, they are also known to consume rocks 
  and minerals, including gems. The belly of one of the trolls 
  contains a finger-length chunk of slime-covered green 
  alexandrite worth 630 gp. A dark, polished stone inside the 
  stomach of the other troll appears to be a stone of good luck, 
  but is instead a cursed stone of weight.
  H2. Resting Cave (CR 6)
  An opening in the passage leads to a roughly circular cavern that 
  stinks like a filthy kennel. Meat scraps litter the floor while piles 
  of dung and other refuse line the edges of the cave. 
  The giants have set up camp in this cavern, where they 
  eat, sleep, relax, and relieve themselves. 
  Creature: A single rock troll sits alone in the darkness 
  in this cavern. If disturbed, the troll greedily attacks, 
  screaming loudly in an effort to attract the attention of its 
  allies in the nearby passages. The troll sits on a chiseled 
  stone carved with the Giant rune for the number 10. This 
  is an ancient giant distance marker, one of several found 
  in the Dark Passage (the majority of them are stored in 
  area H4).
  ROCK TROLL 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 80 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 272)
  Treasure: The troll carries a soiled burlap sack containing 
  six dead bats, a small weighted net woven from some kind of 
  hair, and a small leather leash that turns out to be a cautionary 
  creance (Ultimate Equipment 287). The troll hasn’t figured out 
  how to use the leash and simply ties it around the necks of 
  small cave bats like a noose, flicking them against the walls 
  until he batters them to death. 
  H3. Painted Cave (CR 8)
  The passage opens into a wide cave with a high ceiling and smooth 
  walls webbed with cracks. A thick crust of cave sediment covers 
  the floor, along with a scattering of broken bones and other refuse. 
  The walls are smooth (aside from the cracks), and are painted 
  with stylized primitive images in faded colors. The most striking 
  of these paintings are four huge pictographic murals depicting 
  enormous stone buildings in a variety of settings. An arch of 
  painted runes frames each mural.
  Anyone who studies the wall paintings and succeeds 
  at a DC 15 Craft (paintings) or Knowledge (history) check 
  determines that the paintings are ancient, but appear to have 
  been changed or altered, likely over the course of several 
  centuries. Some of the modifications may have been touch-
  up work, while other changes were more extensive. 
  The runes accompanying the paintings are recognizable 
  by anyone who speaks Giant as being written in an archaic 
  form of that language. With a successful DC 15 Linguistics 
  or Knowledge (history) check, a PC notices changes in the 
  runes that suggest that not all of them were painted at 
  once. Like the murals, the writing seems to span several 
  centuries. A successful DC 20 Linguistics check or magic 
  such as comprehend languages is required to decipher the 
  archaic Giant runes, which denote the names of four 
  specific individuals—likely priests or other personages 
  of note—who served as caretakers of the sites depicted in 
  the murals: Aduromi, the Priestess of Crystals; Jogrothir 
  the Hunter; Mymrith the Maker; and Rosag, Preserver 
  of the Forge. If the PCs have already ventured to the 
  Forgeheart (area Z14) and learned about the ancient 
  giant heroes from the slag giant Etena, the names are 
  immediately recognizable.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Perception check discovers 
  carvings on the cavern floor beneath the sediment deposits. 
  Clearing the silt away reveals a huge geometric carving 
  that spans most of the floor, consisting of eight long lines 
  radiating outward from a central point, similar to a compass 
  rose. The central point is bracketed by three indentations 
  in the floor. Four of the lines point toward the four murals 
  on the walls and are divided into equal segments by small, 
  regularly spaced carved notches.
  These floor carvings do indeed form a compass, but they 
  also provide directions to the locations depicted in the 
  murals. With a successful DC 10 Survival check or DC 15 
  Knowledge (geography) check, a character identifies the 
  compass and recognizes that the notched lines denote 
  approximate distances from this cave. However, the compass 
  is essentially useless until its orientation with respect to true 
  north is correctly identified. The ancient giants suspended 
  a chunk of magnetite from a bronze stand placed in the 
  three floor indentations in the center of the compass. When 
  properly positioned, the magnetic mineral points north, 
  thus showing the orientation of the compass and allowing 
  interpreters to determine the direction of and distance to 
  each of the depicted structures.
  Any PC trained in the Survival skill can automatically 
  determine true north; using a compass or casting know 
  direction accomplishes the same result. The giants in the 
  Dark Passage have none of these tools, however, and are 
  currently struggling to comprehend the floor carvings. This 
  room’s guardians (see Creatures below) have not made the 
  task any easier. If the PCs also lack these tools, they must 
  24
  
  H. THE DARK PASSAGE
  1 SQUARE = 100 FEET
  H1
  H1. GUARDPOST
  H2. RESTING CAVE
  H3. PAINTED CAVE
  H4. CAVERN OF STONES
  J. SUNKEN TEMPLE
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  H2
  H3
  H4
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  J1
  J2
  J3
  J4
  J6
  J7
  J5
  T
  T
  T
  T
  gather the correct components to determine the orientation 
  of the compass. The buggane Grumchog in area H1 wears 
  the magnetite as a necklace, while the stand can be found 
  in area H4. If the PCs attempt to use the compass, see 
  Development, below.
  Creatures: Four of the wall drawings are actually 
  strange two-dimensional aberrations known as living 
  cave paintings. Appearing as an aurochs, cave bear, cave 
  lion, and megaloceros, these creatures were placed here as 
  guardians for the compass by the ancient giants who first 
  surveyed the valley. The paintings attack any creatures 
  entering the cavern, including the giants, who avoid this 
  area as a result.
  LIVING CAVE PAINTINGS (4) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 39 each (see page 88)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Two of the living cave paintings use their 
  captivating artistry ability to fascinate intruders while 
  the other two use their manifestation ability to summon 
  creatures such as aurochs, boars, crocodiles, and hyenas. 
  Thereafter, the paintings attack with their ocherous touch, 
  summoning more shadowy allies as needed.
  Morale The living cave paintings fight until destroyed.
  Development: Once true north is found and the compass’s 
  orientation is determined, the compass provides the 
  following information. One line points to a painting of a 
  large stone temple in the middle of a lake. According to the 
  compass, this temple lies approximately 10 miles south-
  southwest of the Dark Passage (area J, Sunken Temple). 
  The second line points to the drawing of a small chapel 
  overlooking a canyon. This area is about 20 miles to the 
  north-northeast (area M, Aduromi’s Chapel). The third line 
  indicates a small cave in the mountains around 24 miles east-
  northeast of here (area P, Jogrothir’s Rest). The fourth and 
  final line leads to a stone temple in a swamp. This temple 
  is to the east-southeast, approximately 25 miles from these 
  caves (area S, Shrine of Fandarra).
  H4. Cavern of Stones (CR 10)
  The roof of this wide cavern slopes steeply upward, forming a 
  naturally vaulted ceiling. Two natural stone columns rise from the 
  floor next to a pool of stagnant, brown water. In the northeast 
  corner of the cavern stands a collection of roughly chiseled stones, 
  each about three feet tall and carved with a single rune. Above 
  the stones, dangling from a row of spikes pounded into the wall, 
  hang long strings of dead bats tied together in clumps. Numerous 
  tally marks have been scratched into the wall next to the bats.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  25
  
  The ancient giants stored the marker stones they used to 
  measure distance while surveying the valley in this cavern. 
  Every stone is carved with a single rune in the Giant tongue, 
  each a numeral with a different value. 
  Creatures: Sorting through the rocks in this cavern is a 
  hulking cave giant named Hurag. His pets, two giant frilled 
  lizards, stand nearby. Hurag is a mongrel whose features—an 
  elongated head and gray, rock-like skin—betray evidence 
  of stone giant blood somewhere in his ancestry. Urathash 
  finds Hurag’s appearance vile and considers the cave giant 
  a degenerate throwback, but he isn’t foolish enough to place 
  his prejudice before practicality. The stone giant therefore 
  assigned the mongrel to serve as the leader of the giants 
  sent to the Dark Passage. Hurag has almost figured out 
  the purpose of the stones and compass in area H3, but 
  he hasn’t realized that the necklace worn by the buggane 
  Grumchog in area H1 is the magnet needed to make the 
  compass functional. If Hurag hears the PCs approaching, 
  he immediately grabs a stack of marker stones and begins 
  hurling them down the tunnel at the intruders. Once the 
  PCs enter the cavern, Hurag picks up his greataxe, orders his 
  pets to attack, and relentlessly whacks at the first opponent 
  he encounters. Hurag fights to the death.
  GIANT FRILLED LIZARDS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 59 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 194)
  HURAG  
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Male mongrel cave giant (stone giant ancestry) (see page 90, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 127)
  hp 67 
  Traps: The giants have dug two more spiked pit traps in 
  front of the passage to the east, a precautionary measure 
  against anyone that might wander into the tunnels from 
  that direction.
  TROLL PIT TRAPS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect 30-ft.-deep pit (3d6 falling damage); stone spikes (Atk 
  +15 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d6+2 damage each); 
  Reflex DC 20 avoids; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-
  square area).
  Treasure: Scattered coins line the bottom of the stagnant 
  pool—a total of 187 gp and 635 sp. In addition, a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 15 Perception check while searching 
  through the sludge at the bottom of the pool recovers a 
  round, bluish stone the size of a small plate once used as 
  a stone giant earplug. Cleaning the murk off the ear plate 
  reveals it to be a large, expertly cut sapphire worth 1,350 gp.
  Next to the pile of stones in the corner is a Large wooden 
  mallet and a chisel with a wooden handle carved to resemble 
  a cave bear. These function as masterwork artisan’s tools for 
  the Craft (sculptures) skill. Also near the stones is a three-
  legged bronze tripod whose top consists of a bronze ring 
  bisected by a worn bronze rod. This tripod is the stand that 
  can be used (together with a magnet or piece of magnetite) 
  to determine the orientation of the compass in area H3. 
  I. SLAG GIANT RUINS (CR 8)
  Several mountain streams converge where a side canyon intersects 
  with the main valley. Widely spaced structures built from thick coils 
  of clay and stone stand upon a black-soiled floodplain here. What 
  few buildings remain standing resemble tremendous beehives, 
  but the great majority lie in heaped piles of rubble.
  These ruins are all that remains of a once-prosperous 
  slag giant village. Master metallurgists, these giants once 
  supplied the valley’s denizens with most of their tools, 
  weapons, and armor. As the mines became exhausted and 
  deeper digging increased threats from Darklands denizens, 
  the settlement weakened, eventually falling to the raids of 
  trolls and more primitive hill and marsh giant tribes that 
  moved into the area. 
  Creatures: Following the commands of the stone giant 
  recruiter Urathash, a pair of ogres is scouring the ruins for 
  giant relics under the directions of a bald, morbidly obese 
  hill giant named Cormog Deadgut. Cormog is wearing a 
  piecemeal armored shawl made from human-sized suits 
  of chainmail (this counts as a chain shirt) and carries a 
  giant scythe with a serrated blade (he has Martial Weapon 
  Proficiency [scythe] and Weapon Focus [scythe] instead of the 
  normal hill giant feats). Absorbed in their work, the giants 
  are not expecting any interruptions and take a –4 penalty 
  on Perception checks to notice the PCs’ approach. If the 
  PCs approach stealthily and succeed at a DC 10 Perception 
  check, they can overhear Cormog grumbling commands 
  to his ogre underlings in Giant: “I don’t care if it looks like 
  junk, Urathash wants it. Whatever’s here—bones, scrap 
  metal, anything.” 
  As soon as they become aware of the PCs, the giants 
  immediately quit their activities and attack.
  CORMOG DEADGUT 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Male hill giant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  hp 85 
  Melee mwk scythe +15/+10 (2d6+10/×4) or 
  2 slams +13 (1d8+7)
  26
  
  CORMOG DEADGUT
  OGRES (2) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 30 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 220)
  Treasure: All three giants carry large sacks bulging with 
  an odd variety of collected items. Most contain shards of 
  pottery, rusted iron nails, broken giant-sized tools, and stray 
  bits of metal and other junk. One of the ogres’ bags 
  also contains a dozen badly oxidized giant-sized 
  silver coins worth 50 gp each to a collector 
  of giant relics. The other ogre’s sack holds 
  an ancient necklace made from leather, steel 
  rings, and dire boar tusks (worth 250 gp). 
  Cormog has two bags. The first contains a large 
  iron bellows with torn leather gills; a set of 
  masterwork ironworking tools; and 
  three clay tablets that are actually 
  a scroll of knock, a scroll of passwall, 
  and a scroll of stone shape. Cormog’s 
  second sack holds his lunch—two 
  dozen bruised apples, a 5-gallon 
  barrel of sour beer, and two 
  smoked horse leg shanks.
  J. SUNKEN TEMPLE
  Yellow pine and spruce trees poke through pale outcroppings 
  of gray stone, spilling down into the open grassy vale below. In 
  the center of the vale is a broad, placid lake, whose bluish green 
  surface ripples and glimmers in the light breeze.
  Long ago, a small slag giant village stood upon an island 
  in the center of this lake, along with a small temple dedicated 
  to Minderhal. One of the great priestesses of Minderhal, 
  Rosag, known as the Preserver of the Forge, hailed from 
  this village and constructed a small, personal temple to 
  her god there. The island sank during a violent earthquake 
  sometime in the Age of Darkness and both the village and 
  the temple were destroyed, their ruins now lying beneath 
  the lake’s placid surface. If the PCs have already spoken to 
  the slag giant oracle Etena in the Forgeheart (area Z14), they 
  have likely come here to find the Blessing of Rosag.
  PCs approaching the water’s edge can attempt a DC 15 
  Perception check to spot deep, dark shadows toward the 
  middle of the lake where the sunken ruins of the ancient 
  temple lie. The lake’s overall depth is about 40 feet, and 
  the uppermost stones of the ruins rest no more than a 
  yard below the surface. The lakeshore is rocky and shallow, 
  extending about 4 yards out before steeply dropping off to 
  the lake bottom.
  The ruins consist of little more than great blocks of cut 
  stone haphazardly toppled into piles of rubble. Only the 
  unnaturally symmetrical cuts of the tremendous blocks, 
  worn smooth from the passing centuries and covered with 
  a forest of algae, suggest they were once part of ancient 
  structures. The ancient temple is the only building in the 
  ruins that remains at least partially intact. While the temple 
  was originally much larger, rubble from the collapse sealed 
  these chambers, transforming them into a maze-like series 
  of interconnecting chambers.
  Exploring the ruins requires going underwater. Use 
  the rules for underwater combat on pages 432–433 of 
  the Core Rulebook during this section. PCs searching 
  the perimeter of the submerged ruins who succeed 
  at DC 20 Perception checks spot a small cave-
  like opening within the jumbled piles 
  of stone. This opening leads to the 
  sunken temple’s vestibule (area J1).
  The surviving rooms of the 
  sunken temple all face a single 
  large central chamber. Silt, 
  rocks, and other bits of detritus 
  cover the floors throughout 
  the temples. Any creature of 
  size Small or larger that comes in 
  contact with the floor disturbs the 
  silt bed, stirring up a cloud of murky 
  silt in that creature’s space. The silt cloud 
  provides concealment within its area, and all opponents are 
  considered to have concealment against creatures within 
  the cloud of silt.
  Use the map on page 25 for this area.
  J1. Vestibule (CR 6)
  Great blocks hedge in the walls of this room, sealing it from 
  the outside. Lake minnows dart briskly through cracks in the 
  walls. The floor is covered with small indentations filled with silt, 
  detritus, and pebbles. 
  With a successful DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check, a 
  character identifies the silt-filled depressions as fish nests. 
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 10 Perception check uncovers a 
  number of ancient giant bones lying among the silt. 
  Creature: A giant gar slowly swims in this room. Attracted 
  by activity of the merrows in area J5, it waits here to dart 
  out and feast on whatever meat is available.
  GIANT GAR 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 73 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 128)
  J2. Chamber of Solace
  An odd stone structure that looks like a set of terraced rings, 
  stacked from largest to smallest, stands in the center of this room. 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  27
  
  Inside the rings lies a pile of smooth, polished stones covered with 
  dead leaves and sticks.
  The stones have a faint aura of evocation. A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check recalls that 
  ancient giants used to rub these stones and recite prayers to 
  their gods to make wish offerings. The first person who rubs 
  one of these stones and says a prayer to one of the giant gods 
  gains a +1 luck bonus on her next d20 roll. This effect fades 
  after 24 hours if the bonus is not used. After bestowing one 
  such bonus, the remaining magic within the stones fades 
  and they all become normal stones. 
  J3. Antechamber (CR 5)
  This small room holds the shattered remains of several stone 
  vessels resembling barrels or huge vases.
  Hazard: The stone vases in this room once held toxic 
  dust from an ancient forge. They were smashed during the 
  earthquake that destroyed the temple, and the poisonous 
  dust is now mixed with the silt that covers the floor. Anyone 
  entering the room can attempt a DC 15 Survival check to 
  notice that the silt in this room has a reddish hue not seen 
  elsewhere in the sunken temple. The poisonous dust can 
  be identified with a successful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check 
  or with magic such as detect poison.
  Anyone who disturbs the silt kicks up a cloud as described 
  on page 27, but this silt cloud is poisonous and rapidly 
  expands to fill a 10-foot cube, affecting anyone breathing 
  water within that area (creatures holding their breaths 
  have a 50% chance of not having to attempt a Fortitude 
  save each round).
  TOXIC FORGE DUST
  Type poison, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 15
  Frequency 1/round for 4 rounds
  Initial Effect nausea for 1d6 rounds; Secondary Effect 1d4 Con 
  damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
  Story Award: Award the PCs 1,600 XP for identifying and 
  avoiding the toxic forge dust or encountering it.
  J4. Great Hall
  This central chamber is the largest room in the temple 
  ruins. The western wall has completely collapsed and now 
  consists of a pile of great stone blocks. Lake fish dart around 
  the rubble and through the fallen stones. In the center of 
  the room to the east, a short flight of stone stairs rises to 
  a small stone dais.
  Treasure: An ancient giant skeleton lies atop the dais, 
  still wearing an elaborately wrought golden headband worth 
  500 gp.
  J5. Shrine (CR 8)
  A worn, algae-coated statue of an enormous humanoid figure 
  stands at the back of this chamber. The statue holds a large circular 
  disk and is flanked by a pair of stone menhirs. 
  The statue represents Minderhal, but the badly weathered 
  stone makes the figure’s facial features impossible to recognize, 
  and the menhirs no longer bear any signs of writing.
  Creatures: The PCs aren’t the only ones interested in 
  the sunken temple and its contents. Urathash also knows 
  of its existence and suspects it holds a key to the secrets of 
  the forge in the Cathedral of Minderhal. He has ordered 
  a patrol of merrows to explore the ruins and bring back 
  any relics they find. So far, however, the merrows have not 
  recognized the significance of the disk that the statue holds 
  (see Treasure below). If faced with intruders, the aquatic 
  ogres attack without mercy.
  MERROW RELIC HUNTERS (4) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  Advanced freshwater merrows (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 292, 189)
  hp 38 each
  Treasure: Like the statue, the disk it holds is covered with 
  algae, but if cleaned, it is revealed to be not stone, but rather 
  gleaming, silvery mithral inscribed with ancient Giant runes. 
  If translated with a successful DC 20 Linguistics check or 
  magic such as comprehend languages, the writing turns out 
  to be a prayer called the “Blessing of Rosag.” If salvaged, the 
  mithral is worth 1,500 gp, but the disk is far more valuable 
  for the prayer inscribed on it, which is needed to relight 
  Minderhal’s Forge in the Cathedral of Minderhal (see area Z14).
  In addition, one of the merrows carries a ring of foe focus 
  (Ultimate Equipment 170). Another has pried out the statue’s 
  eyes, which are two chunks of chrysoberyl worth 150 gp each. 
  J6. Chuul Lair (CR 7)
  Parts of the ceiling of this room have collapsed, and large blocks 
  have crashed through in several places. At the far end of the room 
  lie the remains of a crumbled fountain. 
  Creature: A chuul has made its lair in this chamber. It 
  is aware of the merrows in area J5, but it has decided to be 
  cautious and see if they leave without disturbing it. The 
  arrival of the PCs in the sunken temple is the last straw, 
  however—the chuul fights to the death to defend its lair if 
  any of the PCs enter this room.
  CHUUL 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 46)
  28
  
  GRISTLECRACK
  Treasure: The chuul has collected a few valuables in its 
  lair, storing them in the ruined fountain. The hoard consists 
  of a waterlogged suit of +1 hide armor, a masterwork heavy 
  mace, a belt of giant strength +4, an oil of flame arrow, a potion of 
  enlarge person, a scroll of cure serious wounds, a wand of entropic 
  shield (32 charges), three malachites worth 10 gp each, a 
  tourmaline worth 120 gp, 24 gp, 700 sp, and 400 cp.
  J7. Unstable Ceiling (CR 8)
  Much of this room has collapsed. Large blocks protrude through 
  the outer walls and several have settled in the middle of the 
  chamber. A giant metal brazier frosted in a green patina stands 
  on its side, wedged in place against the roof. 
  Hazard: The ceiling is loose and precariously balanced 
  atop the brazier, ready to collapse completely if disturbed. 
  The danger can be recognized with a successful DC 20 
  Knowledge (engineering) or Craft (stonemasonry) check 
  (dwarves automatically get a check to notice the weakened 
  ceiling). Any attempt to move the brazier, or any damage to 
  the ceiling, triggers a cave–in (Core Rulebook 415).
  Story Award: Award the PCs 4,800 XP if they identify the 
  danger or if they trigger the cave-in.
  K. GIANTS’ CAMPFIRE
  Numerous giant-sized footprints scar the earth around the remains 
  of a large campfire, which lie nestled between an outcropping of 
  large boulders. 
  With a successful DC 10 Survival check, a character detects 
  heat rising from the ashes of the campfire, suggesting it was 
  only recently abandoned. Anyone who stirs up the smoldering 
  coals discovers the cracked, blackened bones of a Medium-
  sized humanoid. The bones belonged to a man named Fineal 
  Smick, a prospector from Shinnerman’s Fortune who served 
  as the giants’ most recent meal. A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 
  Perception check while searching the fire pit uncovers an intact 
  human skull and jaw—just enough remains on which to cast 
  speak with dead. If the PCs do so, they find that the condition 
  of the corpse means Fineal can give only partial answers to 
  their questions. However, through careful questioning, they 
  may be able to learn the following information.
  Fineal was taken along with Tarram Shinnerman and 
  two other prospectors by a small band of trolls led by a 
  tremendous dusky-skinned giant whom the others called 
  Gristlecrack. The giants were headed east toward a place 
  called the Cathedral of Minderhal to offer their captives to 
  some sort of giant lord named Urathash. This information 
  contradicts the earlier testimony given by one of the 
  prospectors rescued from the Ogre’s Picnic, suggesting 
  that the giant named Gristlecrack is not the Storm Tyrant.
  Development: If the PCs attempt to track the giants, a 
  successful DC 11 Survival check enables them to follow the 
  tracks eastward for approximately 6 miles to another side 
  valley (area L).
  L. GIANT KIDNAPPERS (CR 10)
  A small patrol of giants has made temporary camp at the 
  opening to a side valley. If the PCs are following the giant 
  tracks from area K, the footprints end here.
  Creatures: The giant patrol—two pairs of moss trolls 
  and trolls, under the command of a huge hill giant named 
  Gristlecrack—is traveling east toward the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal following the patrol’s raid on the village 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  29
  
  of Shinnerman’s Fortune. Towering above her allies, 
  Gristlecrack is a mongrel giant with taiga giant blood, 
  which gives her dusky gray skin, a thick lower jaw and 
  protruding fangs, and long red hair tied back in a single 
  thick braid.
  The giants have been slowed by the presence of their 
  captives, but if the PCs are hoping to find Tarram 
  Shinnerman or any of the other captives from Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune, they are out of luck. Gristlecrack built a fire to 
  signal the red dragon currently residing at the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal, who carried Tarram and the two surviving 
  prospectors back to the cathedral. Since divesting themselves 
  of their captives, the giants are no longer in such a hurry to 
  reach the cathedral and have lingered in this valley hunting. 
  Even at rest, however, the giants remain wary, and attack 
  any non-giants approaching their camp.
  If the PCs are following the giants’ tracks from area K, 
  they have 10 hours to reach the camp before the giants pack 
  up and continue on. If the PCs arrive later, they can continue 
  tracking the giants to the Cathedral of Minderhal, but the 
  giants should have an opportunity to notice the PCs trailing 
  them. If successful, the giants excitedly hunt down the PCs, 
  as Gristlecrack has come to appreciate the taste of roasted 
  humans over the past few weeks.
  GRISTLECRACK 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Female mongrel hill giant (taiga giant ancestry) (see page 90, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  CE Huge humanoid (giant)
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+4 deflection, –2 Dex, 
  +12 natural, –2 size)
  hp 105 (10d8+60)
  Fort +13, Ref +1, Will +6
  Defensive Abilities rock catching; Immune enchantment and 
  illusion spells
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee greatclub +16/+11 (3d8+16) or
  2 slams +16 (1d8+11)
  Ranged rock +4 (2d6+16)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks rock throwing (120 ft.)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Gristlecrack performs her spirit summoning 
  ritual each day at dawn.
  STATISTICS
  Str 33, Dex 6, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 7
  Base Atk +7; CMB +20; CMD 32
  Feats Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, 
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (greatclub), Power Attack
  Skills Climb +15, Intimidate +15, Perception +7, Stealth –10 
  (–6 in undergrowth), Survival +7; Racial Modifiers 
  +4 Stealth in undergrowth
  Languages Giant
  SQ taiga giant ancestry (shrewd, spirit summoning)
  Gear greatclub, hand of stoneUE
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Spirit Summoning (Su) Once per day, Gristlecrack can perform 
  a 10-minute ritual to tap into the power and insight of her 
  ancestral spirits. These spirits provide a +4 deflection bonus 
  to AC and immunity to enchantment and illusion spells. The 
  effects of a spirit summoning persist for 24 hours.
  MOSS TROLLS (2) 
  CR 3
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 30 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 273)
  TROLLS (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 63 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 268)
  Treasure: Gristlecrack carries a bag containing a +1 
  short sword, a potion of gaseous form, a scroll of mirror image, 
  a gold bowl engraved with images of dwarves fighting 
  giants (worth 400 gp), a gold flute (worth 1,000 gp), a small 
  diamond (worth 900 gp), two opals (worth 500 gp each), 
  679 gp, 180 sp, 900 cp, and a collection of 14 feet (dwarven, 
  halfling, and human)—most of which were claimed at 
  Shinnerman’s Fortune.
  M. ADUROMI’S CHAPEL
  A broad wood of young aspens and birches sweeps through this 
  vale. The trees sway softly, their pale branches glimmering in the 
  light. Near the edge of the grove, a forgotten pathway of badly 
  weathered dark stone pokes through the forest floor, leading to a 
  clearing containing a large structure of timeworn stone. Colorful 
  lichens cling to the walls, and most of the slate roof has collapsed 
  inward. Jumbles of great granite blocks lie around the building, 
  half buried beneath the soil and fallen leaves.
  The fire giant cleric Aduromi, known as the Priestess of 
  Crystals, built this chapel in honor of her god Zursvaater, 
  as well as to protect her mystical fire geodes, which the PCs 
  may be searching for if they have already talked with the 
  slag giant oracle Etena in the Forgeheart (area Z14).
  Use the map on page 36 for this area.
  M1. Sanctuary (CR 10)
  A row of five half-columns splits this foyer, their crowns carved into 
  small stone offering bowls. Beyond the foyer, a wide set of stairs 
  descends to a recessed central chamber with three long prayer 
  30
  
  benches. The stone benches are cracked and covered with moss. 
  Much of the ceiling has collapsed into piles of giant slate shingles. 
  Shrubs and weeds grow through the floor, covering everything in 
  verdant tangles. Along the west wall, two flights of stairs climb 
  to raised balconies with cracked stone railings. The first staircase 
  coils around a slender menhir topped with the crudely carved 
  countenance of a heavy-browed fire giant. 
  To the north, a set of steps climbs to a broad dais facing the 
  benches. A huge fire pit fashioned from sheets of hammered 
  black iron, bent and riveted together, stands upon the dais 
  atop an ornately forged cast iron frame. A wide stone altar 
  stands behind the fire pit, engraved with a giant helm with 
  huge fangs. The altar and dais are draped in a thick blanket of 
  stringy greenish moss.
  During the day, light spills into the ruins through the 
  open roof, feeding the vegetation growing here as well as 
  the chapel’s ancient guardian (see Creature below). What 
  at first appear to be sticks and other forest detritus poking 
  through the moss are really the skeletal remains of a dozen 
  or so creatures (an assortment of both giants and beasts), 
  left by the creature’s untidy eating habits.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check 
  recognizes the altar and the menhir as being dedicated to 
  the fire giant god Zursvaater, the Prince of Steel.
  A short wall to the east of the dais holds a secret door that 
  can be found with a successful DC 25 Perception check; the 
  door leads to area M3 behind the dais.
  Creature: To protect the secrets of the fire geodes, Aduromi 
  planted the seeds of a perennial flesh-devouring giant 
  flytrap. The flytrap is rooted behind the altar and remains 
  motionless until prey draws near. Though kept alive by 
  sunlight, it hasn’t had live prey in some time, and greedily 
  awaits a meal of fresh meat.
  GIANT FLYTRAP  
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  hp 149 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 134)
  Treasure: One of the branches on the floor is actually a 
  sapling rod (Ultimate Equipment 186), which can be found with 
  a successful DC 20 Perception check.
  M2. Aduromi’s Chambers (CR 8)
  The ceiling in this room remains whole, but dark mildew and 
  splattered patterns of black mold cover all surfaces except the 
  floor, which hides beneath a layer of stagnant brownish sludge.
  The priestess Aduromi had her personal quarters in this 
  chamber, but the room’s current state of disrepair makes its 
  original purpose indeterminable. The only objects of any 
  note are a neat pile of six round stones with a rough, rindlike 
  surface stacked in the northeast corner. Each stone is about 
  2 feet in diameter and weighs around 1,000 pounds. Aduromi 
  placed these stones here as decoys (the real fire geodes are 
  hidden in area M3). The false geodes have hardness 8 and 
  20 hit points, and can be broken open using an appropriate 
  stoneworking tool (such as a chisel, hammer, or pick) with a 
  successful DC 22 Strength check. However, breaking open 
  a false geode triggers a trap. 
  Trap: Opening one of the false geodes reveals an interior 
  filled with milky yellow crystals that begin to glow with 
  a pulsing yellow light. Anyone who casts detect magic and 
  succeeds at a DC 22 Spellcraft check identifies the glow as 
  Giant baGs of holdinG
  Giants often carry large bags filled with their personal 
  belongings, but sometimes they need even bigger sacks—
  such as giant-sized bags of holding—to carry their most 
  treasured valuables. Such giant-sized bags of holding are 
  relatively uncommon, as the weight of the bags increases 
  with the size of the nondimensional space inside, making 
  them impractical for all but the strongest Medium or smaller 
  creatures to carry. As a result, portable holes are much 
  more efficient for carrying larger items and greater weights. 
  Giants, however, have little trouble carrying heavier sacks, 
  and for them, these larger bags of holding are a boon well 
  worth having.
  BAG OF HOLDING
  PRICE
  VARIES
  SLOT none
  CL 9th
  WEIGHT see below
  AURA moderate conjuration
  This appears to be a rugged leather sack about 4 feet by 6 
  feet in size. It functions exactly the same as other types of 
  bags of holding, but weighs more and has greater weight 
  and volume limits, as shown on the table below.
   
  Bag 
  Contents 
  Contents 
  Market
  Bag 
  Weight 
  Limit 
  Volume Limit 
  Price
  Type V 
  100 lbs. 2,500 lbs. 450 cubic ft. 12,500 gp
  Type VI 
  150 lbs. 4,000 lbs. 800 cubic ft. 15,000 gp
  Because of the larger volume of a giant-sized bag of 
  holding, retrieving a specific item from it is always a 
  full-round action.
  Type V and Type VI bags of holding are most commonly 
  found in use by giants and other Large creatures, but 
  giants of Huge size or larger sometimes use even greater 
  bags of holding.
  Construction Requirements 
  Cost varies
  Type V 
  6,250 gp
  Type VI 
  7,500 gp
  Craft Wondrous Item, secret chest
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  31
  
  a delayed blast fireball spell. A successful DC 25 Knowledge 
  (arcana) check is sufficient to realize that true fire crystals 
  are deep red in color and do not glow unless ignited, at 
  which point they radiate a purplish-orange flame. Five 
  rounds after one of the false geodes is opened, the delayed 
  blast fireball triggers.
  DELAYED BLAST FIREBALL TRAP 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Type magic; Perception DC 32; Disable Device DC 32
  EFFECTS
  Trigger special (see above); Reset none
  Effect spell effect (delayed blast fireball, 10d6 fire damage, 
  Reflex DC 20 half); onset delay (5 rounds); multiple targets 
  (all targets in a 20-ft.-radius spread)
  Treasure: If the PCs search the room further, a lump in the 
  sludge turns out to be a locked stone coffer (hardness 8, hp 30, 
  break DC 28, Disable Device DC 30). Inside is a large, worn 
  leather sack—a giant-sized bag of holding (type V; see sidebar 
  on page 31) used by Aduromi to transport the fire geodes.
  Development: If the PCs return to the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal with the false geodes, Etena immediately 
  identifies them as fakes.
  M3. Secret Passage
  This narrow corridor curves around the north end of the chapel, 
  and is covered with dust that has apparently lain here undisturbed 
  for centuries. 
  Treasure: Three large, spherical stones with a rough-
  textured black surface sit on the floor at the far end of the 
  passage. These are the fabled fire geodes. Each is approximately 
  2 feet in diameter, weighs around 750 pounds, and has a 
  strong evocation aura. The geodes have a hardness of 8 and 
  30 hit points, and can be broken open using an appropriate 
  stoneworking tool (such as a chisel, hammer, or pick) with a 
  successful DC 20 Strength check. If harvested, each geode 
  yields 1,000-gp worth of raw fire crystals—deep red crystals 
  that seem to burn with an inner light but are otherwise 
  nonmagical. However, the fire geodes’ true value lies in their 
  ability to hold the dragon fire needed to relight Minderhal’s 
  Forge in the Cathedral of Minderhal (see area Z14).
  N. ABANDONED MINES (CR 10)
  A small river runs through the center of this valley. The precipitous 
  slopes of the rocky canyon walls are dotted with a few dozen 
  dark cave entrances.
  Long ago, this river-carved canyon served as the entrance 
  to a series of prosperous mines, a seemingly endless source of 
  iron and other important metals for the giants who resided 
  in Minderhal’s Valley. During the height of the giants’ 
  occupation of the valley, thousands of humanoid slaves 
  worked the mines for their giant overlords. With the decline 
  of giant culture in the valley, however, the giants vacated 
  the canyon for richer spoils elsewhere. Centuries later, the 
  dwarves of Janderhoff discovered the mines and continued to 
  exploit and expand them. These dwarves frequently warred 
  with the remaining giant clans in the region, and while 
  they were victorious for many years, as the mines eventually 
  started to play out one by one, the dwarves withdrew to 
  Janderhoff, abandoning the mines once more.
  Each cave entrance is carefully framed with a stone arch 
  set with a keystone carved with Dwarven runes—the name 
  of the dwarven family that once managed each mine. None 
  of the caves extend more than a few dozen yards into the 
  mountains before ending in a wall of collapsed rock. 
  Creatures: While the giants are too large to effectively search 
  the dwarven mines, Urathash sent three especially savage cave 
  giants to keep watch over the mine entrances. The giants are 
  sitting around a fire in the shade of a large overhang, roasting 
  several large game birds on a wooden spit. As soon as they spot 
  intruders, they pick up their weapons and attack.
  ADVANCED CAVE GIANTS (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 290, 127)
  Treasure: One of the giants carries a battered +2 dwarven 
  urgrosh, which she happened upon by chance during some 
  half-hearted excavations in one of the larger caves.
  Development: The abandoned mines consist of an 
  extensive system of interlocking tunnels and chambers. 
  The details of their contents go beyond the scope of this 
  adventure, but if desired, the GM can expand upon them or 
  set additional side adventures within the mines. 
  O. THE FORBIDDEN RIFT (CR 9)
  A giant scarecrow, crudely formed from tree trunks lashed 
  together, stands at the entrance to this forested vale. On either 
  side, steep, rocky escarpments climb sharply toward the sky. 
  Clinging boulders jut from the slopes, entwined by the thick roots 
  of twisted ash trees determined to hold themselves fast. A cold 
  breeze whisks through the rift, sending a blizzard of silvery ash 
  leaves scattering through the air.
  The giant scarecrow is 20 feet tall. Although it’s overgrown 
  with moss and spotted with lichen, a successful DC 15 Survival 
  check enables a character to date the effigy as only a few 
  months old. Urathash ordered the scarecrow built as a 
  warning to the giants not enter this side valley because of the 
  danger posed by the spire drakes that hunt this canyon. The 
  32
  
  MARSH GIANT WIGHT
  meaning of the scarecrow can be inferred with a successful 
  DC 20 Knowledge (local) check. 
  Creatures: A half-mile beyond the scarecrow, four 
  bloated, rotting marsh giants come crashing out of the 
  woods, reeking of death. These giants arrived here 2 days 
  before the PCs, having been rejected as potential recruits 
  for the Storm Tyrant’s army. Seeking to prove themselves by 
  slaying the drakes at area P, the giants ignored the warning 
  scarecrow and entered the rift. Although the giants managed 
  to kill two of the drakes, they fell victim to the third and 
  were transformed into undead wights by the drake’s soul 
  corruption ability. Malevolent creatures, the giant wights 
  rush to attack any living creature they come across, fighting 
  until destroyed. Despite being slain by the drake, the wights 
  are not under its control, and unlike normal wights, they 
  cannot create spawn of their own.
  MARSH GIANT WIGHTS (4) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  CE Large undead 
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +7 natural, –1 size)
  hp 52 each (7d8+21)
  Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +9
  Immune undead traits
  Weaknesses resurrection vulnerability
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Melee slam +12 (1d6+12 plus energy drain)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks energy drain (1 level, DC 16)
  STATISTICS
  Str 27, Dex 17, Con —, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 16
  Base Atk +5; CMB +14; CMD 27
  Feats Blind-Fight, Iron Will, Power Attack, Vital Strike
  Skills Intimidate +13, Perception +12, Stealth +17, 
  Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth
  Languages Boggard, Giant
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Resurrection Vulnerability (Su) A raise dead or similar 
  spell cast on a wight destroys it (Will negates). 
  Using the spell in this way does not require a 
  material component.
  P. JOGROTHIR’S REST (CR 8)
  High above the valley stands a massive facade carved into the 
  side of the cliff face. Of simple design, it consists of four colossal 
  tapering pillars flanking a dark opening. Just below the doorway, 
  white stains cover many of the surrounding rocks. On the valley 
  floor below lie the rotting carcasses of two large, dragonlike 
  creatures covered in long spines.
  The facade marks the tomb of Jogrothir the Hunter, a 
  legendary taiga giant hero who could summon or drive 
  off dragons with his fabled horn, which the PCs may be 
  searching for at the behest of the slag giant oracle Etena in 
  the Forgeheart (area Z14).
  The white stains on the rock are drake guano, deposited 
  indiscriminately by the tomb’s occupants, two of which 
  now lie dead on the valley floor. These two spire drakes 
  (identifiable as such with a successful DC 17 Knowledge 
  [arcana] check) were slain by the foolhardy marsh giants in 
  area O before the giants were themselves killed and rose 
  as wights.
  The opening to the tomb is about 120 feet above the valley 
  floor. While the height and steep ascent make falling from 
  the cliff face perilous, the craggy rock offers plenty of stable 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  33
  
  footholds and can be readily scaled with a successful DC 15 
  Climb check. 
  Beyond the facade is a broad, rough-hewn cavern with 
  an arched ceiling. In the center stands a great slab of stone. 
  Huge bones—those of Jogrothir, who spent his final days 
  here in contemplative solitude—lie scattered around the slab 
  amid broken shards of reddish clay. A shelflike groove cut 
  into the cavern wall runs around the entire perimeter of the 
  chamber, and is littered with a variety of dusty, giant-sized 
  baubles. The drakes have built a giant nest of branches, 
  bones, and tattered hides against the back wall of the cavern.
  Creature: The surviving spire drake, an exceptionally 
  strong specimen named Scarrak, inhabits Jogrothir’s tomb. 
  The greedy drake hunts the immediate area, looking for prey 
  and tribute. If the PCs arrive during the day, the creature 
  is out hunting, but it returns 1d6+5 minutes after the 
  PCs enter the cave. At night, Scarrak rests just inside 
  the entrance. The angry drake attacks any creatures it 
  detects entering its territory.
  SCARRAK 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Advanced spire drake (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 288, 81)
  hp 100 
  Treasure: The spire drakes were drawn to the 
  tomb by Jogrothir’s most powerful artifact, the 
  Drakesbane Horn (see sidebar), which lies in the 
  drake nest alongside a dragonfoe amulet (Ultimate 
  Equipment 257), an elixir of tumbling, a potion of spider 
  climb, a scroll of poison, a masterwork heavy pick, a cold 
  weather outfit, a portable ram, a smokestick, two sunrods, 
  two copper and silver armbands filigreed with snakes eating 
  their own tails (worth 380 gp as a set), a silver ring set with 
  three aquamarines (worth 500 gp), a piece of alexandrite 
  (worth 170 gp), a bag containing a dozen irregular freshwater 
  pearls (worth 10 gp each), four pieces of silvery-blue quartz 
  (worth 15 gp each), 14 pp, 216 gp, 940 sp, and 2,400 cp. 
  Between the bric-a-brac on the carved shelf sit numerous 
  stone tablets, each chiseled with archaic Giant runes. A 
  successful DC 20 Linguistics check or magic such as 
  comprehend languages is required to read the tablets, which 
  contain Jogrothir’s thoughts on various events that took 
  place during his life. Of particular note is one section that 
  describes in great detail how Jogrothir first lit the fires 
  of Minderhal’s Forge with dragon’s breath. While Jogrothir 
  forced a dragon to breathe upon the forge, he later speculates 
  that if the forge ever went cold, it might be possible rekindle 
  the forge by igniting the fire geodes with flame from a torch 
  lit by a dragon’s breath, or even using the blood or glands 
  of a fire-breathing dragon. This information provides the 
  PCs with clues as to how they can relight the sacred forge 
  (see Relighting the Forge on page 56).
  drakesbane horn
  The ancient taiga giant hero Jogrothir used this horn to call 
  forth the drakes of the Mindspin Mountains.
  DRAKESBANE HORN
  MINOR  
  ARTIFACT
  SLOT none
  CL 20th
  WEIGHT 7 lbs.
  AURA strong enchantment
  The Drakesbane Horn is a 4-foot-long spiraling horn 
  cut from the skull of a primordial drake. Its surface is 
  carved with an intricate pattern of interlocking knots 
  inlaid with silver and copper. When sounded, the horn 
  can drive off or attract dragons of all varieties. Lesser 
  dragons such as drakes typically flee in terror from 
  the sound of the Drakesbane Horn, while more 
  powerful dragons are compelled to seek out the 
  horn. Creatures must be able to hear the horn 
  to be affected by it.
  The Drakesbane Horn affects dragons based 
  on their CR, as detailed below.
  Creatures of the dragon type of CR 5 or less 
  within 400 feet must succeed at a DC 13 Will save 
  or be affected as if by scare (no HD limit).
  Creatures of the dragon type of CR 6 to CR 10 
  within 400 feet must succeed at a DC 22 
  Will save or be affected as if by sympathy.
  Adult or older true dragons and 
  creatures of the dragon type of CR 11 or 
  greater are immune to the horn’s effects, 
  though they are likely to seek out the horn 
  and attack its bearer.
  If the character playing the horn 
  has the bardic performance class 
  feature or the raging song class 
  feature and succeeds at a DC 15 
  Perform (wind instruments) check, dragons of CR 5 or less 
  are instead affected by fear (Will DC 16), while dragons 
  of CR 6 to CR 10 affected by the horn’s sympathy effect 
  must succeed at an additional Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the 
  character’s level + the character’s Charisma modifier) or 
  also be fascinated for as long as the character continues 
  to play the horn.
  A creature that successfully saves against the horn’s 
  effects is immune to further blasts for the next 24 hours. 
  Note that the Drakesbane Horn does not grant the 
  character playing it any ability to communicate with or 
  otherwise control creatures affected by the horn.
  DESTRUCTION
  The Drakesbane Horn is destroyed if it is soaked in the 
  blood of an ancient dragon and then played by a stone 
  giant elder.
  34
  
  Q. ROCKY GORGE PASS (CR 10)
  The boulder-strewn slopes of the mountains on either side of the 
  valley give way to a series of jagged ravines that split the valley 
  floor. A tremendous stone bridge arches over the widest of these 
  gorges, connecting to a worn path on the far side.
  The bridge is 200 feet long, spanning a gorge 100 feet 
  deep. The huge arch is stable, but anyone traveling across 
  it risks attracting attention of the creatures that guard it.
  Creatures: A pair of stone giants stand on the bridge 
  about 20 feet from its far side, ready to lob rocks at any non-
  giants attempting to cross the bridge. The giants continue 
  throwing rocks until opponents come within melee range, 
  at which point they pick up their stone greatclubs and attack. 
  If the opportunity presents itself, the giants attempt to bull 
  rush foes off the side of the bridge.
  STONE GIANTS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 102 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 151)
  Treasure: One of the stone giants is wearing a xorn robe 
  (Ultimate Equipment 219).
  R. ANCIENT BURIAL BOG (CR 9)
  The ground grows soft and muddy in this branch of the valley; 
  initially dotted with small pools of mucky water, it transforms 
  into a murky, fetid-smelling bog after a few hundred yards. Only 
  a few patches of solid earth poke from the ominous, glassy black 
  water, held together by knotted clumps of sedge grass and wild 
  rye. Deep within the swamp, an unusual arrangement of curiously 
  shaped, lichen-encrusted boulders juts from the waters, forming 
  a widely spaced pattern that appears deliberate.
  The collection of boulders in the swamp marks an ancient 
  giant burial ground. If the stones are cleaned off, the ancient 
  Giant runes upon them are revealed—the names of those 
  giants buried here. The marsh surrounding the burial 
  ground is deep bog (Core Rulebook 427), which might require 
  some characters to swim through the stagnant water. Tiny 
  biting insects swarm everywhere, skittering across the 
  surface of the water, and the bog echoes with a chorus of 
  crickets, frogs, and other swamp creatures. 
  Creatures: A gang of aquatic trolls called scrags inhabit the 
  burial ground. If they spot any trespassers, the scrags swiftly 
  head toward them, hoping to make them into a quick meal.
  SCRAGS (4) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Aquatic troll (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 268)
  hp 63 each 
  Treasure: A small timber raft strung together with 
  sinew and reed is tied up to one of the burial markers. It 
  holds a rotten crate that contains the scrags’ treasure: a few 
  humanoid bones, the bones and feathers of several large 
  swamp birds, a jar of restorative ointment, and three pieces 
  of jade (worth 100 gp each).
  S. SHRINE OF FANDARRA (CR 10)
  As the valley draws to a close, the swamp grasses begin to thicken 
  and the waters begin to take on a ruddy tinge as the sediments 
  shift from the black silty earth of the lowlands to the iron-rich clay 
  of the mountain soil. Just beyond the bog, near the far end of the 
  canyon, rises an ancient brick structure. A shallow stone channel 
  extends from an arch in the building’s cracked and weathered 
  facade, from which flows a sluggish stream of ruddy mud. A 
  broad stone patio surrounds the channel, with doors on either 
  side leading into the building.
  This temple was dedicated to Fandarra the Blood Mother, 
  the ancient stone giant goddess of earth, knowledge, and the 
  cycle of life. The stone giant priestess Mymrith the Maker 
  once presided over the shrine and created the sacred clay that 
  was used to prepare fallen giant warriors for the afterlife. 
  If the PCs have talked with the slag giant oracle Etena in 
  the Forgeheart (area Z14), they have likely come here to find 
  some of that clay.
  Use the map on page 36 for this area. The stone doors 
  leading into the shrine are not locked, but they are heavy and 
  wedged shut, having not been opened in centuries (hardness 
  8, hp 90, break DC 28). The stone channel is 5 feet deep.
  If the PCs enter the abandoned shrine, read or paraphrase 
  the following.
  The interior of the structure is a single large room. Both the 
  walls and the floor, fashioned from tremendous mud bricks, are 
  badly cracked, though the north wall still bears the faded image 
  of a crescent moon overlaying a jagged mountain peak. A large 
  mechanism stands near the center of the room, consisting of a 
  stone pipe that disgorges muddy water onto a great stone slab. The 
  water spills from the slab into a wide catch pool before draining 
  out through a channel in the floor.
  A worn workbench runs the length of the western wall and 
  wraps around the northwest corner of the room. A large stone 
  mortar and pestle sit next to a smaller table to the north. Three 
  huge clay statues stand along the eastern wall, while a tall, black-
  lacquered cabinet with ornately carved doors and iron handles 
  sits in the southeast corner.
  With a successful DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check, a 
  character recognizes the image on the north wall as the symbol 
  of Fandarra. Anyone who succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) or Knowledge (engineering) check identifies 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  35
  
  S
  M. ADUROMI’S CHAPEL
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  M1
  S. SHRINE OF FANDARRA
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  M3
  M2
  BENAIOHS (CLAY VESSEL FORM) (3) 
  CR —
  hp 52 each (see page 84)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The benaiohs make use of their freeze ability 
  to appear as inanimate statues.
  During Combat The benaiohs focus their attacks on the nearest 
  targets within range of their blindsense. As soon as it comes 
  within 20 feet of an opponent, a benaioh uses its spray slime 
  attack, then mercilessly hammers on its chosen target with 
  its slam attacks.
  Morale When reduced to 0 hit points, a benaioh’s clay shell 
  ruptures, releasing its slime form.
  BENAIOH (OOZE FORM) (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 84 each (see page 84)
  Treasure: The lacquered cabinet to the south holds several 
  large blocks of dried clay. Once mixed with water from the 
  sluice, this sacred clay is one of the components needed to 
  relight Minderhal’s Forge (see area Z14). Sealing the forge 
  requires at least 20 pounds of clay. In addition, the cabinet 
  holds a clay tablet that is a scroll of transmute rock to mud and 
  two bricks (20 blocks) of blackfire clay (Ultimate Equipment 102).
  the apparatus in the middle of the room as some sort of sluice, 
  similar to those used in mining. The workbench is cluttered 
  with an assortment of primitive sculpting tools fashioned 
  from a wide array of materials, including bone, horn, and 
  stone. There are a few more modern looking metal tools as 
  well, but they are all badly rusted. The smaller table to the 
  north holds blocks of pigment and rotted paintbrushes.
  Creatures: In ancient times, Fandarra’s priests used this 
  temple to prepare the bodies of deceased giant warriors 
  for burial. They used the sluice, fed by a nearby mountain 
  stream, to add water to clay extracted from the valley walls 
  and sanctify it. The priests then molded the sacred clay 
  around a giant’s corpse, sculpting and painting it into the 
  likeness of the deceased to create a statue-like sarcophagus 
  for the fallen warrior. Blessed flesh-eating worms were then 
  placed inside the clay vessel to devour the deceased’s mortal 
  remains, leaving behind a colony of worms that forms a 
  living, viscous ooze known as a benaioh. The three “statues” 
  along the eastern wall are benaiohs, which now serve as 
  guardians for the shrine. The creatures have remained 
  dormant for many centuries, but the presence of living 
  creatures within the temple quickly rouses them from their 
  torpor, and the oozes animate their clay vessels when they 
  sense fresh meat nearby.
  36
  
  NAKURRH
  T. GIANT PATROL (CR 11)
  A low fog rolls in, dancing between the slender gray tree trunks 
  and painting everything in a silvery mist. The blanket of brown 
  fallen leaves crunches softly underfoot and the air smells fresh 
  and earthy.
  Creatures: A hunchbacked and sickly-looking giant 
  with boil-covered skin is trudging up the canyon from the 
  southwest, leading a patrol of a several ogres. The deformed 
  giant is Nakurrh, a mongrel slag giant sorcerer with ash 
  giant blood. Urathash is disgusted by Nakurrh’s diseased 
  appearance, but her spellcasting prowess makes her a useful 
  tool, so the stone giant ordered the mongrel to take a few 
  barbarian ogres and search for any rejected giants to evict 
  them from the valley. The ogres appear to be playing a game 
  in which they hurl a furry ball at each other while laughing 
  and making jokes. On closer inspection, the ball turns out 
  to be the severed head of an unfortunate wood giant whom 
  the patrol came across. Upon noticing the PCs, however, the 
  giants end their game in favor of new sport with smaller 
  humanoid prey.
  BARBARIAN OGRES (4) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Pathfinder RPG Monster Codex 246, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 220
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init –1; Senses darkvision 
  60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 6, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, 
  –1 Dex, +5 natural, –2 rage, –1 size)
  hp 38 each (4d8+20)
  Fort +8, Ref +0, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge; DR 1/—
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee greatclub +11 (2d8+13)
  Ranged javelin +1 (1d8+9)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks rage (10 rounds/day)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The barbarian ogres rage on the first round 
  of combat.
  STATISTICS
  Str 29, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7
  Base Atk +3; CMB +13; CMD 20
  Feats Iron Will, Toughness
  Skills Climb +11, Perception +5
  Languages Giant
  Gear hide armor, greatclub, javelins (4)
  NAKURRH 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Female sorcerer mongrel slag giant (ash giant ancestry) 
  (Pathfinder RPG Monster Codex 248, see page 90, Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 4 129)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size)
  hp 95 (10d8+50)
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +4
  Defensive Abilities rock catching; Immune poison; Resist 
  acid 10, fire 30
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee mwk warhammer +16/+11 (2d6+8/×3), slam +9 (1d8+4 
  plus disease) or
  2 slams +14 (1d8+8 plus disease)
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  37
  
  Ranged rock +8 (1d8+8)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks disease, rock throwing (120 ft.)
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +10)
  5/day—elemental ray (1d6+4 acid)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +12)
  3rd (2/day)—stinking cloud (DC 15)
  2nd (2/day)—acid arrow, scorching ray
  1st (2/day)—ray of enfeeblement (DC 13), shocking grasp
  Bloodline elemental (earth)
  STATISTICS
  Str 27, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
  Base Atk +7; CMB +16; CMD 27
  Feats Combat Casting, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Weapon 
  Proficiency (warhammer), Toughness, Weapon Focus 
  (warhammer)
  Skills Craft (armor) +12, Craft (weapons) +12, Intimidate +10, 
  Perception +9
  Languages Common, Giant
  SQ ash giant ancestry (affliction immunity, diseased), bloodline 
  arcana (change energy damage spells to match bloodline 
  energy), shattering blow
  Gear +2 leather armor, mwk warhammer, amulet of natural 
  armor +2
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Disease (Su) Ash Leprosy: Injury; save Fort DC 19; onset 
  1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 1d2 Con damage, 1d2 Cha 
  drain; cure 2 consecutive saves.
  Treasure: One of the ogres carries a sack containing 18 
  giant-sized silver coins (worth 50 gp each to a collector).
  U. MANTICORE HUNTERS (CR 9) 
  Small clumps of green shrubs and twisted trees poke their way up 
  through the weathered and stony earth. Their thick roots burrow 
  haphazardly into the earth while their leafy tops mingle to form 
  a low canopy that stretches across the lazy slopes of the valley. 
  As the PCs reach the end of this side valley, a flock of 
  birds suddenly screams upward into the sky, followed by 
  a tremendous roar and shouts echoing from somewhere 
  up ahead. 
  Creatures: A cyclops and a hill giant are attempting to 
  capture a manticore to bring back to the fighting pits to test 
  the mettle of potential conscripts. As the PCs approach, the 
  manticore is frantically trying to fly away, but the giants 
  have miraculously managed to get a rope (hardness 0, hp 
  6, break DC 23) around the creature’s rear legs, entangling 
  it. In response, the manticore flings its tail spikes in a 
  wide arc, randomly targeting the giants and any creatures 
  within 30 feet of them (such as the PCs). Occupied with 
  the manticore, the giants fail to notice the PCs unless they 
  are attacked, at which point the giants quickly lash the 
  manitcore’s rope to a nearby tree before engaging opponents.
  CYCLOPS 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  hp 65 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 52)
  HILL GIANT  
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  MANTICORE  
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  hp 57 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 199)
  Weakness entangled
  TACTICS
  During Combat Unable to move farther than 30 feet because of 
  the rope entangling it, the manticore hurls tail spikes at the 
  nearest targets while it attempts to burst the rope binding its 
  legs. If directly attacked, the manticore responds in kind.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 20 hit points while still 
  entangled, the manticore dives at the giants, ferociously 
  clawing and biting until killed. If freed, the manticore 
  launches a final volley of tail spikes before flying off.
  Treasure: The hill giant is wearing giant fist gauntlets 
  (Ultimate Equipment 236) while the cyclops has eyes of eyebite 
  (Ultimate Equipment 224) among the other items in its sack.
  Development: If the manticore is freed and survives, it 
  flies off but doubles back and attempts to stalk the PCs, 
  waiting for an opportune moment to ambush and slay them, 
  preferably while they sleep.
  PART 3: CATHEDRAL OF 
  MINDERHAL
  After exploring the majority of Minderhal’s Valley, the 
  PCs should eventually arrive at that portion of the valley 
  that contains the Cathedral of Minderhal, a great temple 
  dedicated to the glory of the ancient giant deity Minderhal. 
  The primary route to the cathedral is through a gate (area V) 
  that separates the temple and its grounds from the eastern 
  portion of the larger valley, though a lesser-known shortcut, 
  the Dark Passage (area H) provides a quicker way to reach 
  the cathedral from the western part of the valley.
  The valley outside the cathedral is populated by a huge 
  number of giants—both those seeking to join the Storm 
  Tyrant’s army and those lucky few who have already been 
  recruited. It is not intended that the PCs fight all of these 
  giants; for one thing, the giants far outnumber the heroes, 
  and repeated combats against the same giants over and over 
  would be repetitive. Although this section does include 
  encounters that the PCs will face at specific locations, the 
  adventure assumes that the PCs will try to avoid most of 
  38
  
  the giants outside the temple in favor of their true goal, 
  the cathedral itself. See Navigating the Cathedral Grounds 
  on page 40 for details on how the PCs can make their way 
  through the assembled horde of giants undetected to finally 
  reach the Cathedral of Minderhal.
  V. VALLEY GATES (CR 11+)
  The mountain flanks draw together at this point, creating a 
  narrow pass that is blocked by an impressive wall that spans 
  the entire valley. Sloppily cemented stone and timber make up 
  the wall, which contains a large archway in the center blocked 
  by a massive portcullis of sharpened logs bound together with 
  thick hemp rope.
  This gate marks the official entrance to the grounds of 
  the Cathedral of Minderhal, which lies at the end of the 
  valley beyond this wall. The wall and gate are of recent 
  construction; Urathash ordered them built soon after 
  arriving at the cathedral to better manage the flow of 
  potential recruits. The wall is close to 30 feet high, but 
  only a successful DC 10 Climb check is needed to climb its 
  uneven surface. The portcullis (and the passage behind it) 
  is 15 feet tall and sized for giants (hardness 5, hp 60, break 
  DC 25, lift DC 30).
  Creatures: Two guards, an ettin and a hill giant, watch 
  the pass from atop the wall and operate the portcullis. 
  In addition, two immense saber-toothed tigers stalk the 
  grounds just outside the gate. Urathash released these 
  beasts here to drive off those not truly fit to join the 
  Storm Tyrant’s ranks. Those able to stand their ground 
  against the tigers are allowed to pass through the gate. 
  The giant guards have partially trained the beasts, and 
  can occasionally call off the cats by throwing them chunks 
  of raw meat. The smilodons usually stalk back and forth 
  outside the gate, but as soon as they sniff out anything that 
  smells like prey, they immediately track, kill, and devour 
  it. The giant guards high atop the stockade rain javelins 
  and boulders down upon any intruders foolish enough to 
  attack their pets.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  39
  
  ETTIN 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 65 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 130)
  Melee 2 flails +13/+8 (2d6+7)
  Ranged 2 javelins +13 (1d8+7)
  Str 25
  Gear lesser belt of mighty hurlingUE
  HILL GIANT  
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  SMILODONS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Dire tiger (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 265)
  hp 105 each
  W. THE EAGER THRONG
  Once the PCs pass through the outer gate, signs of the 
  massive throng of giants camped outside the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal are immediately evident. Read or paraphrase the 
  following as the PCs move forward.
  As the valley widens, all traces of vegetation disappear, having 
  been cut down or trampled into the dirt and mud. Plumes of 
  smoke from countless campfires rise into the sky, and loud, 
  guttural speech and shouts fill the air. Ahead, a towering edifice 
  of stone looms over the canyon, carved into the face of a mighty 
  mountain. Between the sheltering slopes of the surrounding peaks 
  stretches a broad, muddy expanse where countless giants have 
  set up makeshift camps. Wide roads of trampled earth traverse 
  the valley floor, connecting the camps to smaller side canyons to 
  both the north and south.
  The immense stone structure overlooking the valley to 
  the west is the ancient Cathedral of Minderhal (area Z). The 
  cathedral is cut from the stone of the tallest of the valley’s 
  surrounding mountains; a PC who succeeds at a DC 20 
  Knowledge (geography) check recalls that the giants call 
  this lofty peak Utgorheim.
  Below the cathedral, eager applicants attempting to join 
  the Storm Tyrant’s army cram into the valley. Numerous 
  ogres, trolls, and several varieties of giants have set up camp 
  here, desperate for attention and waiting impatiently to 
  prove their worth and be accepted. Most of the giants have 
  clustered together with others of their own kind; while all 
  have gathered here for the same reason, there is little love lost 
  between the various giant species, and their encampments 
  are widely spaced, with several hundred yards between them.
  In the middle of the valley, dirt- and blood-splattered giants 
  form a long, snaking column, pushing and shoving their way 
  up the western side of the valley toward the great gates of the 
  Cathedral of Minderhal. These giants—mostly hill giants, a 
  few stone and cave giants, and a smattering of lesser giants 
  (ettins, ogres, and trolls)—are all new recruits. Having proven 
  themselves in the fighting pits to the north, they wait for the 
  chance to stand before the ancient forge in the cathedral and 
  swear fealty their new liege lord, the Storm Tyrant.
  More giants trudge along the roads crossing the valley 
  floor. Those heading south drag loads of timber, herds of 
  livestock, great sacks of provisions, and other supplies for the 
  growing encampments of new recruits (area Y). The giants 
  traveling north carry little but their own weapons, and are 
  heading for the fighting pits (area X), where they will enter 
  bloody gladiatorial challenges to prove themselves worthy 
  of recruitment. 
  It should be made abundantly clear to the PCs that they are 
  greatly outnumbered and outmatched, and that any attempt 
  to attack the massed giants or the giant encampments would 
  be tantamount to suicide. On the other hand, the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal on the slopes of the mountain above the valley 
  is an obvious focal point for the giants’ attention. If the PCs 
  can reach the cathedral and take out the nascent army’s 
  leadership, the gathered giants will likely fall to infighting 
  among themselves and eventually disband. As a result, the 
  PCs’ goal should be to make their way to the cathedral 
  without attracting the giants’ notice.
  If the PCs insist on attacking the horde of giants, a battle 
  of that scale lies beyond the scope of this adventure. If this 
  happens, you should try your best to discourage them with 
  multiple waves of giant attackers, while providing the 
  opportunity for the PCs to slip past the giants once they 
  realize the futility of open combat.
  naViGatinG the Cathedral Grounds
  Getting through or around the army of giants surrounding 
  the Cathedral of Minderhal is a difficult task. While the 
  PCs cannot simply stroll around the giant camps without 
  attracting attention, none of the giants here expect to 
  encounter humans or other small folk, giving the PCs the 
  opportunity to sneak around the grounds without being 
  immediately discovered. The PCs have numerous options 
  for nonviolently bypassing the giants, including stealth, 
  trickery, and magic means such as invisibility, dimension door, 
  or teleport. Let the PCs be creative, and be generous with 
  their chances of success. The goal should be to get them to 
  the cathedral, not bog them down in combat against giant 
  after giant. 
  One option for moving undetected through the giant 
  throng is presented below.
  The Dungsweeps (CR 9)
  A small team of ogres serve as dungsweeps for the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal and its grounds. The giants here use dung in 
  concrete mixes for building walls and mold it into bricks 
  for use as fuel when timber becomes scarce.
  40
  
  MAMA DUNG
  Creatures: If the PCs study the assembled giants or their 
  camps, they notice that a group of ogres comes through 
  the area with a cart filled with dung every half hour or 
  so, stopping for a few minutes here and there to shovel 
  up the giants’ waste before heading off again. Under the 
  command of their cantankerous boss, Mama Dung, four 
  ogre dungsweeps pull their dung carts through the giant 
  camps and, less frequently, up to the cathedral itself.
  Mama Dung has a lumpy pate with long, stringy hair that 
  she ties into knots and decorates with beads and pieces of 
  tusk. She wears nothing but ratty hides, and her meaty hands 
  are black with accumulated filth. Dull-witted, crotchety, 
  and insipid, Mama Dung would be entirely unimportant 
  except that she and her dungsweeps freely wander the entire 
  valley and are able to enter and leave restricted areas without 
  being questioned. Once every 1d4 days, Mama Dung and 
  her dungsweeps make the trip up the side of the mountain 
  to the Cathedral of Minderhal to clean the sewer trenches 
  and flush the cesspit, which is forever backing up.
  The PCs could stow away on one of these dung carts, 
  coerce or charm the ogres, or even disguise themselves as 
  dungsweeps to covertly traverse the grounds to the cathedral. 
  The two-wheeled dung carts are the size of wagons: 10 feet 
  long, 10 feet wide, and sitting 5 feet off the ground. A single 
  dung cart can hold up to 2,000 pounds of waste, but even 
  when the carts are emptied, the smell is overpowering (see 
  Hazard on page 42).
  If Mama Dung or any of the dungsweeps notice the PCs, 
  they immediately attack with their large iron-bladed shovels.
  MAMA DUNG 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female ogre barbarian 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 220)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 8, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +6 natural, 
  –2 rage, –1 size)
  hp 101 (8 HD; 4d8+4d12+52)
  Fort +14, Ref +3, Will +6; +3 vs. magic, +4 vs. disease
  Defensive Abilities trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Speed 35 ft.
  Melee shovel +15/+10 (2d8+13), bite +10 (1d6+4)
  Ranged rock +7 (1d6+9)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks rage (14 rounds/day), rage powers (animal 
  fury, superstition +3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Mama Dung rages on the first round of combat.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 5
  Base Atk +7; CMB +17; CMD 26
  Feats Catch Off-Guard, Improved Natural Armor, Iron Will, 
  Throw Anything
  Skills Climb +11, Perception +11, Profession (dungsweep) +5, 
  Survival +7
  Languages Giant
  SQ fast movement
  Gear hide armor, shovel, mantle of sporesUE
  OGRE DUNGSWEEPS (4) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Ogre (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 220)
  hp 30 each (4d8+12)
  Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Melee shovel +7 (2d8+7)
  Feats Catch Off-Guard, Toughness
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  41
  
  KRAGMULD
  Hazard: The wooden timbers of the dung carts are infused 
  with the pungent stench of giant dung. The first time a 
  character comes in contact with one of the carts (whether by 
  pulling a cart or stowing away inside it), she must succeed 
  at a DC 13 Fortitude save or be sickened for 5 minutes. After 
  5 minutes, if exposure continues, the character must succeed 
  at an additional DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 
  1 minute. These are poison effects. After two save attempts 
  (whether or not the saves are successful), an affected creature 
  is immune to the stench for 24 hours. 
  Development: If the PCs manage to stow away on a dung 
  cart or impersonate the dungsweeps, they can reach the 
  cathedral easily. The guards at the cathedral’s palisade 
  (area Z) pay no attention to the dungsweeps and their 
  cargo, simply waving them through the gate without a 
  second thought.
  X. FIGHTING PITS (CR 9)
  Scores of great tents sprawl across this open field, their stretched 
  hides flapping in the cold mountain winds. Towering poles 
  fashioned from bark-stripped tree trunks display the decapitated 
  and rotting heads of beasts and giants alike, hung from the 
  posts by their scalps. Several huge pits gape in the center of 
  the muddy field pits, their perimeters staked with gruesomely 
  stained spiked logs.
  The majority of applicants for the Storm Tyrant’s armies 
  vie for the attention of Urathash’s recruiters by engaging 
  in semi-organized pit fights here. There are eight fighting 
  pits in all, haphazardly scattered across this portion of the 
  valley. Most run fights all day, squaring off various giants 
  against one another as well as against a wide variety of 
  beasts such as manticores, rift drakes, or wyverns. When a 
  fight occurs, other giants crowd around the pit, screaming 
  and making wild wagers. Contestants who draw the most 
  individual attention become recruits and are sent to the 
  Recruit Encampments (area Y). Most of those who fail to 
  impress do so by dying. The dead are either fed to beasts 
  or dragged off and burned in one of the massive fire pits 
  to the south. Losers lucky enough to survive are quickly 
  exiled from the cathedral grounds to make room new 
  candidates, sometimes leaving through the Dark Passage 
  (area H).
  The fighting pits swarm with eager giant warriors. 
  For the most part, they remain focused on the violence 
  of the pits and their own victories. It’s relatively easy for 
  smaller creatures to keep out of sight, meaning that the PCs 
  attract attention to themselves only if they run out into the 
  open or go out of their way to be seen. 
  Creature: A hill giant hunter named Kragmuld inhabits 
  one of the giant tents when he’s not out in the larger valley 
  hunting new beasts for the fighting pits (see area G). If 
  the PCs have not yet encountered him, Kragmuld is here 
  presiding over the pit fights. If the PCs are detected within 
  the environs of the fighting pits, Kragmuld soon emerges 
  from his tent to confront the intruders, hoping to capture 
  them for some new entertainment in the pits.
  KRAGMULD 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male hill giant ranger 2 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +1 (+3 in mountains); Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 
  (+10 in mountains)
  42
  
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 10, flat-footed 23 (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +9 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 116 (12 HD; 10d8+2d10+60)
  Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +4
  Defensive Abilities rock catching
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee +1 spiked chain +19/+14 (2d6+14) or
  2 slams +17 (1d8+9)
  Ranged rock +10 (1d8+13)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks combat style (two-handed weapon), favored 
  enemy (magical beasts +2), rock throwing (120 ft.)
  STATISTICS
  Str 29, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 7
  Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD 30
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Intimidating 
  Prowess, Iron Will, Pushing AssaultAPG, Power Attack, Skill 
  Focus (Survival), Weapon Focus (spiked chain)
  Skills Climb +12, Handle Animal +3, Intimidate +12, Perception +8 
  (+10 in mountains), Stealth +10 (+12 in mountains), Survival +10 
  (+12 in mountains)
  Languages Giant
  SQ track +1, wild empathy +0
  Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 spiked chain, boots of friendly terrainUE, 
  stonemist cloakUE, two huge chunks of jet (worth 200 gp 
  each), 50 gp
  Y. RECRUIT ENCAMPMENTS
  In this end of the valley, those giants who have survived the 
  fighting pits and been recruited into the Storm Tyrant’s army 
  have haphazardly pitched massive hide tents across the valley 
  floor and along the canyon walls. As giants generate a lot 
  of waste, the sprawling campsites are filthy. Every so often, 
  they attempt to reduce their refuse by incinerating it in huge 
  garbage pits dug between the tents. When not burning, the pits 
  quickly become infested with rats. One of the most popular 
  entertainments in the recruit encampments is betting on the 
  rats as they fight over food scraps tossed into the pits.
  Along the western wall of the valley gapes a large cave 
  opening. This cave leads to the tunnels of the Dark Passage 
  (area H), and provides a shortcut between the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal and the western portion of Minderhal’s Valley.
  Creatures: A variety of giants tromp about the 
  encampments, though the majority of them consist of cave 
  giants, hill giants, and ettins. A typical tent houses two to 
  six giants and double that number of noncombatant spouses 
  and children. Unless the PCs perform risky acts that attract 
  attention, it’s relatively easy for them to avoid conflict while 
  outside, but if they enter any of the tents, they are more 
  likely to be spotted by the tent’s inhabitants, particularly 
  the noncombatants, who sound the alarm.
  Z. CATHEDRAL OF MINDERHAL (CR 12)
  A great stone cathedral sits atop a wide plateau carved into the 
  side of the mountain overlooking the valley. From the grounds 
  below, a flight of huge stairs staggers up the mountain slope. The 
  two-foot rise of each step is carved directly into the mountain 
  face, and tall poles decorated with beast skulls, bones, severed 
  limbs, and similarly macabre decorations are driven into the stone 
  at each corner where the stairs change direction.
  At the top of the plateau, an immense palisade of trees and 
  slab concrete surrounds the temple. Beyond the battlements rise 
  the cathedral’s cold gray walls, carved from the ancient stone 
  of the mountain itself. Above the monumental structure, three 
  colossal towers climb hundreds of feet into the air. The central 
  spire is tallest, flanked by two smaller towers offset to either side. 
  The spire’s apex is crowned with a carved stone symbol of a huge 
  anvil. Although heavily weathered, the cathedral appears to have 
  mostly withstood the passage of time, though some walls bear 
  the evidence of crude repair work where holes have been filled 
  with ugly patches of concrete or sloppily braced with boulders 
  and tree trunks. 
  The palisade is approximately 800 feet in diameter and 
  50 feet high. A single gate leads inside. Once the PCs reach 
  the palisade, they must find a way to get inside. Fighting 
  the guards at the gate (see Creatures below) is certainly an 
  option, but will likely attract unwanted attention. How the 
  PCs breach the wall is up to them, but encourage them to 
  be creative. Possibilities include stowing away in a dung 
  cart (see The Dungsweeps on page 40), hiding in a giant’s 
  sack, climbing the palisade (Climb DC 21), or using stealth 
  or deception to slip past the gate guards. In addition, 
  if the PCs take the time to scout along the palisade’s 
  circumference, they can discover a channel dug under 
  the palisade to the southwest, which is leaking brownish 
  sludge into a nearby mountain stream. The channel is 
  much too small for a giant to fit through; as a result, the 
  gate guards mostly ignore it, creating an isolated—albeit 
  dirty and foul-smelling—means of entry into a shallow 
  cesspit inside the cathedral’s grounds. 
  Creatures: Four stone giants guard the palisade’s gate 
  at all times. They question any giants seeking entrance to 
  the cathedral (with the exception of the ogre dungsweeps; 
  see page 40). If they notice smaller humanoids such as 
  the PCs attempting to enter the cathedral’s grounds, they 
  immediately attack.
  STONE GIANTS (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 102 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 151)
  Story Award: If the PCs get past the palisade without 
  fighting the guards, award them 9,600 XP.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  43
  
  ROTTER BLOODFRECKLE
  inside the Cathedral
  Beyond the outer palisade lies a 100-foot-wide stretch of 
  trampled field where troops can assemble. Toward the 
  southwest, the stink of sewage taints the air and the ground 
  becomes muddy where the cathedral’s sewage trenches 
  collect into a shallow cesspit covered by stone and sod. This 
  is where the ogre dungsweeps go to collect the cathedral’s 
  waste. A channel leads from the cesspit under the palisade 
  and out to the plateau outside.
  Past the field stand the buildings of the temple complex, 
  including the cathedral itself. Time has destroyed some 
  of the original structures, but the giants have rebuilt and 
  repurposed several others. In addition, the giants have 
  erected two huge tents just south of the cathedral. 
  From the center of the main structure rises the cathedral’s 
  great spire, a massive stone tower that climbs over 600 feet 
  into the clouds. The main spire is flanked on either side by 
  two slightly smaller towers. The flanking towers function 
  as vent chimneys for the sacred forge inside the sanctuary, 
  though this function is not immediately apparent. Once 
  the forge is reactivated (see Relighting the Forge on page 
  56), steady plumes of black smoke begin billowing from 
  the towers.
  Two entrances lead into the cathedral’s nave (area Z4) 
  from the east; a third entrance leads to the groghall 
  (area Z7), and behind the cathedral to the southwest, 
  another set of doors provides entry to the barracks 
  (area Z13). In addition, the sewer trenches leading from the 
  cathedral’s privies (area Z10) allow a more surreptitious 
  entry into the temple. Unless otherwise noted, ceilings 
  within the cathedral are 40 feet high. The four levels of the 
  cathedral’s central spire have 50-foot-high ceilings, each 
  separated by stairs that pass through 100 feet of stone. 
  All construction within the cathedral, including doors, 
  are made of stone. Giant-sized torches set in regularly 
  spaced sconces provide light throughout the complex, 
  unless otherwise noted.
  Z1. Butcher’s Tent (CR 8)
  Anyone approaching this tent hears a loud, gruesome sawing 
  noise from within. Read or paraphrase the following when 
  the PCs enter the tent.
  The earth around the huge, patchwork animal-hide tent is stained 
  nearly black with blood. A bloodstained table fashioned from a 
  thick wooden block supported by sturdy iron legs stands in the 
  center of the longhouse. Wooden buckets filled with blood and 
  offal surround the table. Along the edges of the tent run lengths 
  of iron bar set atop large wooden posts driven into the ground. 
  From the bars hang the butchered carcasses of cows, horses, 
  mastodons, and even humans.
  Creature: The cathedral’s butcher, a noticeably pregnant 
  hill giant called Rotter Bloodfreckle for the flecks of dried 
  blood that constantly speckle her body, gleefully hacks apart 
  meat for the cathedral’s groghall in this tent. Bloodfreckle 
  is currently working up a sweat sawing off the head of a 
  butchered mastodon. She has already flensed the beast’s 
  woolly hide, which lies in a bloody heap nearby. The giant 
  is engrossed in her work and doesn’t immediately notice 
  intruders unless they actively do something to attract her 
  attraction. Once she notices the PCs, Bloodfreckle decides 
  they are a lucky find and attempts to kill and butcher 
  them for the day’s stew. She carries a giant cleaver (treat 
  as a Large handaxe) and has Martial Weapon Proficiency 
  (handaxe) and Weapon Focus (handaxe) instead of the 
  normal hill giant feats.
  44
  
  ROTTER BLOODFRECKLE 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Female advanced hill giant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 150)
  hp 105 
  OFFENSE
  Melee cleaver +16/+11 (1d8+9/×3)
  Treasure: In her free time, Bloodfreckle uses scraps and 
  offal to make mincemeat cakes. The cakes are a favorite 
  around the cathedral complex, and giants sometimes 
  bargain with them or exchange them for favors. At present, 
  Bloodfreckle has set aside six cakes on one of her benches. 
  Bloodfreckle also wears a navel ring with a tiny (compared 
  to her) pearl, traded to her by one of the giants for a handful of 
  her meat cakes. The pearl is actually a pearl of power (3rd level).
  Z2. The Oculus (CR 10) 
  A huge, horseshoe-shaped table laid with curious metal tools, 
  pincers, prongs, and other strange items sits in the center of this 
  tent. Glass bottles and jars filled with milky fluid, each containing 
  a bloated and waterlogged eyeball, balance upon haphazardly 
  arranged wooden shelves. A sizable collection of birds, including 
  crows, hawks, and owls, hang lifelessly from the tent’s roof, strung 
  upside down by their feet. 
  Creature: A gruesomely ugly “marsh giant witch” called the 
  Oculus lives within this tent. She keeps a sizeable collection 
  of preserved eyeballs in jars, which she uses to create magic 
  elixirs and philters. In reality, the Oculus is an ogre mage 
  from far-off Tian Xia. A stormborn sorcerer, the Oculus feels 
  drawn to the Storm Tyrant and his goals, but she has disguised 
  herself as a marsh giant with her change shape ability in order 
  to mingle with the giants at the cathedral and observe them 
  before she reveals her true form. If disturbed, she keeps her 
  disguise but uses all of her ogre mage abilities as needed. If 
  slain, the Oculus returns to her true form.
  THE OCULUS 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Female sorcerer ogre mage (Pathfinder RPG Monster 
  Codex 248, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 221)
  hp 92
  Resist electricity 5, sonic 5
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +11)
  8/day—thunderstaff
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +13)
  3rd (2/day)—lightning bolt (DC 19)
  2nd (2/day)—blindness/deafness (DC 17), scorching ray
  1st (2/day)—ear-piercing screamUM (DC 17), shield
  Bloodline stormbornAPG
  SQ bloodline arcana (+1 DC to spells with electricity or 
  sonic descriptors)
  Treasure: Most of the Oculus’s philters are worthless at 
  best and toxic at worst, but a few magic potions and elixirs 
  can be found on her shelves, including an elixir of fire breath, 
  an elixir of hiding, an elixir of love, an elixir of vision, an oil of 
  flame arrow, a potion of barkskin, a potion of bear’s endurance, a 
  potion of pass without trace, and a potion of protection from energy 
  (cold). In addition, a volatile vaporizer (2nd level) sits on one 
  of the shelves. Should anyone sample one of the Oculus’s 
  other wares, there is a 50% chance that any given bottle 
  contains a potion of poison.
  Z3. Main Entrance
  A flight of giant-sized steps climbs up to a pair of towering doors 
  fashioned from whole tree trunks bound together with rusty iron 
  bands. The doors hang beneath a flat stone lintel resting upon 
  two roughly hewn stone columns carved with runes. A collection 
  of bleached skulls harvested from various creatures sits atop the 
  lintel, positioned around a large, rust-specked anvil. A triangular 
  key nPCs
  Three important individuals reside within the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal. Although they can be encountered in specific 
  locations as the PCs explore the temple, they can also move 
  around the cathedral, allowing them to act as best fits the 
  needs of your campaign. 
  The first is Etena, an aging slag giant oracle tasked with 
  caring for the cathedral’s sacred forge. While she spends 
  almost all of her time in a hidden chamber below the temple 
  called the Forgeheart (area Z14), several earlier descriptions 
  make note of her. You should attempt to guide the PCs 
  toward Etena soon after they enter the cathedral, as she is 
  responsible for sending the PCs on several quests to relight 
  Minderhal’s Forge.
  The second character is Urathash, the stone giant recruiter 
  who serves as the Storm Tyrant’s lieutenant and the current 
  lord of the Cathedral of Minderhal. Urathash is the most 
  powerful giant in this adventure and his command is law. 
  He can normally be found in his quarters (area Z16) or giving 
  sermons before the sacred forge (area Z5).
  The third NPC is Etena’s disciple, a young slag giant 
  named Ferin. Ferin is initially encountered in area Z8, but 
  she frequently travels between the sacred forge (area Z5) 
  and the Forgeheart (area Z14) below.
  Urathash and Etena are fully detailed in the NPC Gallery 
  starting on page 60; Ferin is described in area Z8.
  If the PCs do not encounter or defeat these characters 
  before they relight Minderhal’s Forge, some or all of these 
  NPCs eventually make an appearance at that point. See 
  page 56 for details.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  45
  
  MOROG
  carving resembling a mountain is sculpted into the wall behind 
  and above the anvil.
  This doorway serves as the most commonly used entrance 
  into the Cathedral of Minderhal. The runes on the columns 
  are in an ancient Giant script. A PC who succeeds at a 
  DC 20 Linguistics check (or uses magic such as comprehend 
  languages) can interpret the pillars as prayer columns to 
  Minderhal demanding subservience, toil, and sacrifice. 
  The tremendous doors are unlocked, but are ridiculously 
  heavy and require a successful DC 16 Strength check to open.
  Z4. Nave (CR 9)
  The vaulted ceiling of this immense hall climbs high overhead, 
  above great stone benches that stand taller than a human. To the 
  west, the room widens, opening into some sort of amphitheater. 
  On the walls, long strands of runes divide panels set with bas-
  reliefs depicting a stone giant with a tremendous hammer in 
  various stages of assembling the world and forging its creatures 
  from fire and metal.
  The ceiling is 60 feet high in this room. Throughout 
  the day, numerous giants are ushered into this chamber to 
  swear fealty and offer tribute to Volstus the Storm Tyrant 
  and officially join his army. Each day near sunset, giants 
  cram into the benches here to listen to the sermons of the 
  cathedral’s overseer and lieutenant of the Storm Tyrant, the 
  zealous stone giant inquisitor Urathash. 
  Creatures: When Urathash isn’t holding a sermon, few 
  giants linger in the nave. At present, two ogre barbarians—
  recent winners in the fighting pits—stand on the benches, 
  their chests puffed with pride as they display bloody wounds 
  and bruises from their latest victories while their new 
  commander, a hulking two-headed troll named Morog, 
  swears them into the Storm Tyrant’s army. The giants cut 
  short the swearing-in ceremony if obviously non-giant 
  intruders enter the cathedral.
  BARBARIAN OGRES (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 38 each (see page 37)
  MOROG 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Male two-headed troll (Tome of Horrors 
  Complete 615)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision, 
  scent; Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+10 natural, –1 size)
  hp 85 (10d8+40); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +11, Ref +3, Will +5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk scimitar +12/+7 (1d8+5/18–20), mwk scimitar 
  +12/+7 (1d8+5/18–20), 2 bites +6 (1d8+2) or
  2 bites +11 (1d8+5), 2 claws +11 (1d6+5)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d6+7), superior two-
  weapon fighting
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 11, Con 19, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6
  Base Atk +7; CMB +13; CMD 23
  Feats Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Martial Weapon 
  Proficiency (scimitar), Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
  Skills Intimidate +10, Perception +14; Racial Modifiers 
  +2 Perception
  Languages Giant
  Gear mwk scimitars (2)
  46
  
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex) A two-headed troll fights 
  with a weapon in each hand. Because each of its two heads 
  controls an arm, the two-headed troll does not take a penalty 
  on attack or damage rolls for attacking with two weapons.
  Z5. The Sacred Forge (CR varies)
  The nave of the cathedral opens into a huge amphitheater. Three 
  tiers of curved stone benches are arranged in immense horseshoes 
  around the chamber’s centerpiece, a great pit filled with cold 
  black slag. From the middle of the slag pit rises a wide, round 
  platform of black basalt. A great forge, its fire gone cold, sits in 
  the center of the platform, along with a massive iron anvil the size 
  of a cow. The soot-stained ceiling arches far above the chamber 
  floor. A bridge of stone connects the platform to a dais at the rear 
  of the hall, where a towering statue of a stone giant ominously 
  overlooks the entire cathedral. 
  This area forms the sanctuary of the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal. The vaulted ceiling is 100 feet high above the 
  slag pit. Two sets of doors exit the sanctuary to the north 
  and southeast. 
  The forge and anvil in the center of the room make 
  up Minderhal’s Forge, a powerful artifact that’s sacred to 
  Minderhal, but which is currently inactive. The PCs should 
  have reclaimed Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking from 
  Uskroth’s tomb in the first adventure (Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path #91: Battle of Bloodmarch Hill 56). If one of the PCs is 
  carrying Agrimmosh, he or she can immediately sense a 
  connection between the hammer and Minderhal’s Forge, and 
  feels an impulse to touch the hammer to the forge. Upon 
  doing so, that PC is immediately aware of Agrimmosh’s 
  dormant powers, as well as the fact that together, both 
  artifacts can be used in a way that neither can accomplish 
  alone—but only if Minderhal’s Forge is first reactivated. The 
  PCs can learn how to relight the sacred forge from Etena 
  in the Forgeheart (area Z14). Also see page 56 for details 
  on relighting the forge and page 58 for a description of the 
  reawakened artifact’s powers. 
  Eighty feet above the floor, 4-foot-square openings in the 
  walls on either side of the forge connect to chimneys within 
  the cathedral’s side towers, providing ventilation for smoke 
  from the forge. Both the forge platform and the dais at the 
  rear of the room are 15 feet above the sanctuary’s floor. The 
  slag pit surrounding the platform is 20 feet deep, though 
  the slag fills the pit to a depth of 10 feet.
  The statue on the dais behind the forge is nearly 60 feet tall 
  and depicts Minderhal, He Who Makes and Unmakes, the 
  giant god of creation, crafting, and justice, and is recognizable 
  with a successful DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check. Anyone 
  who succeeds at a DC 25 Perception check discovers a giant-
  sized secret door in the north side of the statue’s base. 
  The door opens onto a flight of stairs that descends to the 
  Forgeheart (area Z14), a large chamber directly below the altar 
  containing the furnace that fuels the forge.
  Development: Only two individuals ever set foot on the 
  dais and forge platform: the stone giant inquisitor Urathash 
  (see area Z16) and the slag giant Ferin (see area Z8). Urathash 
  can be found here in the evenings delivering fiery speeches 
  to the assembled giants in the nave. Ferin, who covertly 
  serves as a disciple of the ancient slag giant oracle Etena 
  in the Forgeheart beneath the cathedral (see area Z14), can 
  visit her mentor only by using the secret entrance hidden 
  in the statue of Minderhal. Since she doesn’t want anyone 
  to find out about her relationship with Etena, Ferin enters 
  the room only when she thinks no one else is watching. She 
  typically visits Etena three times per day to bring the oracle 
  food at mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and mid-evening, 
  staying anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Otherwise, 
  the chamber is typically quiet and empty both day and night, 
  though there’s always a chance of encountering one or two 
  giants who have stopped by to pray to Minderhal or catch 
  a nap on the benches.
  Once the PCs relight Minderhal’s Forge, they attract the 
  direct attention of additional guardians, as well as that of 
  Urathash himself (if they have not yet encountered him 
  elsewhere in the cathedral). See Relighting the Forge on 
  page 56 for details on how this final confrontation plays out.
  Z6. Choir Loft (CR 11)
  A flight of stairs climbs to a large balcony blocked off by a great 
  curtain stitched together from patches of animal hides. The 
  wooden benches that once spanned this choir loft have been 
  torn out, smashed, and pushed against the walls. Toward the 
  rear of the balcony, thick woolen blankets and furs cover a great 
  pile of stuffed sacks. Nearby, flies swarm around a collection of 
  wooden casks that stink of honey and alcohol.
  Creatures: Having recently been appointed a non-
  commissioned officer, a capricious and putrid-smelling 
  hill giant from the eastern foothills called Ruddig 
  Headstomper has claimed this balcony as his personal 
  territory. The giant lounges on a pile of bearskins, 
  accompanied by two hill giant sycophants attempting to 
  curry his favor. Ruddig has spent the past hour demanding 
  his underlings bring him mead, and after drinking several 
  gallons of the stuff, he is sickened and near passing out. 
  If the PCs arrive during one of Urathash’s sermons at the 
  Sacred Forge (area Z5), Ruddig and his toadies are sitting 
  on the edge of the balcony to listen. 
  HILL GIANTS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  47
  
  S
  S
  Z. CATHEDRAL OF MINDERHAL
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  Z7
  Z8
  Z9
  Z10
  Z10
  Z11
  Z13
  Z3
  Z5
  Z4
  Z12
  Z6
  Z1
  Z2
  Z14
  TO Z5
  TO Z15
  48
  
  RUDDIG HEADSTOMPER 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male fighter hill giant (Pathfinder RPG Monster Codex 247, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init –1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 8, flat-footed 21 (+4 armor, –1 Dex, +9 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 105 (10d8+60)
  Fort +11, Ref +0, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities rock catching
  Weaknesses drunk
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee greatclub +16/+11 (2d8+13)
  Ranged rock +4 (1d8+11)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks rock throwing (120 ft.), weapon training 
  (hammers +2)
  STATISTICS
  Str 29, Dex 8, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 7
  Base Atk +7; CMB +17 (+19 bull rush); CMD 26 (28 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull 
  Rush, Intimidating Prowess, Martial Weapon Proficiency 
  (greatclub), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub)
  Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +12, Perception +4
  Languages Giant
  SQ armor training 2
  Gear hide armor, greatclub, elemental earth beltUE
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Drunk (Ex) Ruddig is currently drunk and is considered to be 
  sickened (already incorporated into his stat block).
  Z7. Groghall (CR 11+)
  Anyone approaching this room can hear the ruckus of 
  boisterous voices echoing behind its doors, punctuated 
  with the sounds of cracking wood and smashing pottery. 
  When the PCs enter, read or paraphrase the following.
  Rough wooden benches sit alongside huge feasting tables the 
  size of river rafts, stained black with beer and blood. Atop the 
  tables lie greasy piles of chipped wooden bowls of congealed 
  stew, piles of bruised apples and scorched root vegetables, dirty 
  iron cutlery, and the cracked bones of half-eaten meat shanks. 
  The floors are equally filthy and are littered with rotting straw, 
  food scraps, and puddles of slop. In huge recesses along the 
  outer walls, iron cauldrons suspended by thick chains simmer 
  above blazing fires in massive hearths of soot-blackened stone. 
  Three huge hogsheads stand against the western wall. The 
  hall is uncomfortably hot and reeks of sweat, fetid stew, and 
  stale beer. Rats skirt the room’s fringes, greedily darting from 
  shadow to shadow. 
  This is the cathedral’s notoriously busy feasting hall. 
  Giants earn the right to eat here by providing kills for 
  the pot or by beating up someone else. They sit wherever 
  there’s room, and squabbles over seats frequently erupt into 
  fistfights. Using great metal forks, giants sloppily grab food 
  from the cauldrons, as well as hunks of meat, apples, root 
  vegetables, and drinks from the tables.
  The bubbling cauldrons each contain a boiling hot pottage 
  of root vegetables, peas, offal, and thick cuts of miscellaneous 
  meats. Full, the cauldrons weigh about 450 pounds each. If 
  a cauldron is kicked over or thrown as a giant-sized greater 
  splash weapon (see page 72 of Pathfinder Adventure Path #91), 
  the hot stew inside deals 2d6 points of fire damage. 
  Creatures: Five giants currently occupy this room: 
  a frost giant, two hill giants, and two ogres. The giants 
  are preoccupied with feasting, fighting, and drinking 
  themselves blind, however, and they take a –2 penalty on 
  Perception checks to notice anyone entering or moving 
  stealthily through the room. Of course, as soon as they do 
  notice intruders, they turn dangerously violent.
  BARBARIAN OGRES (2) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 38 each (see page 37)
  FROST GIANT 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 133 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 149)
  HILL GIANTS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  Z8. Pantry (CR 7)
  Huge crooked shelves of raw timber line the walls of this room, 
  buckling beneath the weight of bulging sacks of grain, large crates, 
  and cracked plates. A large washtub filled with murky water sits 
  in one corner. In the opposite corner, an enormous broom is 
  propped against the wall.
  This pantry stores dry goods, including jerky, grains, and 
  root vegetables, as well as blankets, eating utensils, nails, 
  rope, wax, and other mundane items. 
  Creature: A young slag giant named Ferin is busy picking 
  out a few things from the larder shelves. Unlike the other 
  giants who have come to Minderhal’s Valley seeking to join 
  the Storm Tyrant’s army, Ferin was drawn to the cathedral 
  to seek out the roots of her ancestry. Officially, she serves as 
  a scullery maid in the cathedral, but this is just a cover for 
  her true role as a disciple of the Keeper of the Forge, Etena 
  (see area Z14). Ferin is devoted to learning what she can 
  from the mad oracle and frequently visits Etena to bring 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  49
  
  FERIN
  the elderly giant food and other supplies. Ferin keeps her 
  apprenticeship under Etena a secret, but unknown to her, 
  Urathash (see area Z16) is aware of the relationship. He plans 
  to let Etena groom Ferin to take her position, so that once 
  the old giantess dies, he can manipulate Ferin’s power over 
  Minderhal’s Forge to further his own goals.
  If this is the PCs’ initial confrontation with 
  Ferin, her first instinct is to call for help. She’s 
  fearful of being caught here, so her starting 
  attitude is unfriendly; however, the PCs can 
  attempt to calm her down and reason with her 
  (a successful DC 30 Diplomacy check makes her 
  friendly). If the PCs brandish Agrimmosh, she 
  immediately recognizes the weapon. Awestruck 
  by its presence, her attitude swiftly changes 
  to helpful and she tries to make peace 
  with the PCs and convince them to meet 
  with her mentor. If the PCs agree, she 
  attempts to sneak them into the secret 
  passage in area Z5 that leads to the Forgeheart.
  If the PCs have already met Etena, Ferin knows who 
  they are and introduces herself as Etena’s disciple. In 
  this case, her starting attitude is helpful, and she offers to 
  assist them in whatever way she can. Still, she has never 
  seen such small people before and is somewhat stunned 
  by the PCs’ appearance.
  FERIN 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Female slag giant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 129)
  hp 85
  Treasure: A large broom leans in one corner. It is actually 
  a broom of flying, but even though it is giant-sized, it cannot 
  actually carry a giant’s weight, so it was discarded here and 
  eventually forgotten.
  In addition, if the PCs are looking for a specific mundane 
  tool of no more than 10 gp in value, they can attempt a DC 20 
  Perception check to find it in one of the crates (though all of 
  the items are proportioned for giants). The PCs can search 
  the pantry up to 10 times, each time seeking a different item. 
  If they fail to find a requested item, it isn’t in the room. 
  Development: If Etena (see area Z14) dies, Ferin assumes 
  the role as Keeper of the Forge and acts as Etena would, 
  though if the PCs have befriended Ferin, she might be more 
  open to negotiation than her mentor.
  Story Award: If the PCs befriend Ferin, award them XP 
  as if they had defeated her in combat.
  Z9. Larder
  This room serves as a larder for perishable foodstuffs. 
  The room is stuffed with casks of beer and wine, crates 
  of bruised apples, and blocks of cheese caked with mold. 
  Dried shanks of meat hang from the ceiling. Because of 
  the giants’ lack of refrigeration and ignorance of food 
  preservation, however, anyone consuming any of the food 
  stored here must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or be 
  nauseated for 1 minute. Even with a successful save, 
  a character is sickened for 1d6 minutes after 
  eating any of this food. Still, the pungent 
  odors in this infrequently visited room 
  capably mask the scent of most humans, 
  providing an adequate hiding place if the 
  PCs need a safe place out of sight to hide 
  or rest.
  Z10. Privies
  Each of these small rooms has a packed earthen 
  floor and a thatched roof. An open trench lined 
  with flagstones runs through the northern 
  portion of each room, forming a crude waste 
  removal system for the giants. The privy 
  trenches connect to a larger sewer trench 
  outside that is sealed with clay, covered 
  with heavy stones, and concealed with sod. 
  This trench runs to the cesspit southwest of 
  the cathedral before eventually draining into a mountain 
  stream outside the cathedral’s palisade.
  While the smell in the trenches is nauseating, they 
  are wide enough for Medium creatures to crawl through 
  and can be used to covertly enter or exit the cathedral 
  grounds. Of course, the trenches are completely unsanitary 
  and anyone moving through them must succeed at a 
  DC 12 Fortitude save to avoid contracting filth fever (Core 
  Rulebook 557). 
  Z11. Chapter House
  A huge stone bench carved with strings of runes runs along the 
  circumference of this circular chamber. A narrow ledge along 
  the back of the bench holds several dozen stone busts of stern-
  looking giants. To the southeast, a high-backed granite throne 
  sits atop small platform overlooking the room. To the west and 
  northwest, six tall stained-glass windows covered with iron 
  grates line the wall. The glass is nearly opaque from centuries 
  of dusty mountain winds. Numerous panes have cracked or 
  blown out completely; the holes have been sloppily patched 
  with wads of clay and dung.
  A number of tree trunks are propped against the bench above 
  large piles of wood shavings—each is in the process of being 
  reshaped and bound into an iron banded club. Open crates packed 
  with tools, rope, wood, chunks of coal and iron ore, and other 
  objects are piled everywhere throughout the room. Dozens of 
  broken or rusted weapons and shields have been haphazardly 
  thrown into a scrap pile nearby. Near the throne, several human 
  corpses have been stacked liked cordwood.
  50
  
  This chamber was the former chapter house of the 
  Cathedral of Minderhal, but the giants have turned it into 
  a dumping ground for salvaged items and spoils taken in 
  raids. Urathash plans on melting down the scrap and reusing 
  it to forge new weapons. 
  Treasure: The pile of human corpses contains the bodies 
  of eight soldiers from a Nirmathi border patrol. Their 
  tabards bear the image of a white tree on a green field, 
  recognizable as the symbol of Nirmathas with a successful 
  DC 10 Knowledge (nobility) check. A suit of +2 giant-defiantUE 
  splint mail, three chain shirts, and three suits of scale mail 
  can be salvaged from the bodies.
  There are 20 crates in the room, each holding bits and 
  pieces of junk and broken or mundane items of little worth, 
  such as chains, hinges, rocks, spikes, and other relatively 
  useless items. Nearly all the weapons and shields in the scrap 
  heap are giant-sized. The collection consists of battleaxes, 
  clubs, maces, and only a few swords, nearly all mundane and 
  broken. Thoroughly rummaging through the crates requires 
  at least 5 minutes, but a PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Perception 
  check can find something of value in a crate. Searching the 
  scrap heap requires 10 minutes, but anyone who spends the 
  full amount of time to do so automatically finds an item of 
  value. If a PC successfully finds a valuable item, roll 1d6 to 
  determine which of the following items is discovered.
  1. A giant-sized, badly tarnished, and severely bent cold 
  iron belt buckle (worth 1,000 gp).
  2. A heavy, irregular chunk of pocked black rock about the 
  size of a human skull, which a character who succeeds at a 
  DC 25 Appraise check identifies as a meteorite containing 
  10 pounds of adamantine (worth 3,000 gp).
  3. A Large +1 dagger with a stout, wide blade and long 
  wooden handle with jet inlays.
  4. A leather sack stuffed with a small collection of smooth 
  brownish stones, one of which is an earth elemental gem.
  5. A bronze amphora containing a large bone scroll case 
  that holds an ancient, giant-sized scroll of spike stones wrapped 
  around a copper wand of call lightning (43 charges).
  6. A broken Huge +1 heavy darkwood shield.
  Z12. Spire Sentry (CR 7)
  The curved outer wall of this spacious chamber is set with tall, 
  arched windows blacked out with mud and dung. The patchwork 
  of hides stretched across the floor is stitched together with gut 
  and sinew to form a makeshift rug, but is heavily trampled and 
  caked with mud. A steep stone staircase climbs through a darkened 
  arch in the eastern wall next to a wide-mouthed stone well. Crude 
  doors fashioned from raw planks bound with hammered iron 
  bands hang in archways to the north and south.
  A wooden spindle and crank wheel lie in pieces next to 
  the well. The well is 50 feet deep and reeks of humanoid 
  waste. As the chamber’s guardian cannot leave the room, it 
  uses the well as a latrine. 
  The stairs lead to the trophy room (area Z15) in the central 
  spire above.
  Creature: A hulking, overly large ettin called Tharg Three-
  Eyes guards the approach to the cathedral’s spire. So named 
  because he lost one of his eyes to a debilitating axe blow to 
  his left head, Tharg also suffered severe brain damage, and 
  on occasion he flies into violent and berserk rages without 
  provocation. For this reason, he is kept chained to the base 
  of the stairs with a thick 40-foot-long chain and twin iron 
  choke collars. Tharg’s chain is long enough to give him 
  the run of most of the room, but if opponents can keep the 
  maddened ettin fighting at the end of the chain’s reach 
  for at least 8 rounds, he turns blue and falls unconscious.
  Tharg can also be bribed with Rotter Bloodfreckle’s 
  mincemeat cakes (see area Z1). Throwing one of the cakes 
  into the room occupies Tharg for 1d4 rounds while his 
  two heads fight over which gets to eat the cake. Two cakes 
  distract Tharg for only 1 round, however, as each head 
  quickly devours one of the treats. In either case, the ettin 
  pays no attention to anyone else in the room while he eats, 
  as long as he is not attacked or otherwise disturbed.
  THARG THREE-EYES 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Male giant ettin (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 295, 130)
  hp 85
  Z13. Barracks (CR 9)
  Squalid sleeping pallets and thick, ratty furs are spread across 
  the mud-caked floor of this circular room. Great arched window 
  frames run about the perimeter of the walls, though they have 
  been boarded shut and sealed with concrete. The scent of rancid 
  milk and vomit hangs in the air.  
  This room serves as a barracks for new recruits.
  Creatures: When the PCs enter this room, a pair of hill 
  giants are sleeping on two of the pallets, snoring softly. 
  Anyone entering the room must succeed at a Stealth check 
  opposed by the giants’ Perception checks to avoid waking 
  them (note that the DC of the giants’ Perception checks is 
  increased by 10 because they are asleep). On a failed Stealth 
  check, one of the giants wakes in 1d4 rounds unless the PCs 
  succeed at a DC 20 Perform check to sing him a lullaby or 
  otherwise coax him back to slumber. As soon as a giant 
  wakes, he grabs his weapons and kicks his companion awake 
  before entering combat.
  HILL GIANTS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  51
  
  Hazard: The entire room is infested with ettin fleas: tiny 
  parasites that suck the blood of warm-blooded creatures. 
  Named for their propensity to infest giants—especially 
  ettins—ettin fleas feast upon the blood of their hosts, 
  leaving them covered with swollen reddish bumps that 
  itch incessantly. While the bugs and their bites begin as an 
  annoyance, once they infest an area or creature, ettin fleas 
  are nearly impossible to get rid of. Infested creatures can 
  mitigate the effects of the ettin fleas’ bites with a successful 
  saving throw, but a remove disease spell (or similar effect) is 
  required to permanently destroy the infestation. Any other 
  methods prove temporary, as 1d4 days later, more eggs hatch 
  and the infestation begins anew. The infestation is also 
  contagious, and quickly spreads through physical contact. 
  Any living, warm-blooded creature remaining in the room 
  for more than 1 minute must succeed at a saving throw or 
  be infested with ettin fleas. Anyone searching through the 
  giants’ sleeping pallets is automatically subjected to the 
  infestation. See page 245 of the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery 
  Guide for more information on infestations.
  ETTIN FLEAS 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  Type infestation; Save Fortitude DC 15
  Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
  Effect –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, 
  and ability checks; an infested creature can spend a move 
  action scratching furiously at the bites to remove these 
  penalties until the start of its next turn
  Treasure: A few giants have left behind some of their 
  possessions inside three large leather sacks. The first 
  holds three throwing rocks, an iron spike of safe passageUE, 
  two torches, a large waterskin filled with oil (equivalent to 
  16 flasks), and a patchwork blanket the size of a tent. The 
  second bag contains a potion of invisibility, an adamantine 
  battleaxe, two Large axe handles, a surprisingly large 
  number of different-sized pine cones, and a small leather 
  belt with a pouch containing 172 gp and 1,348 sp. The third 
  sack holds a suit of +1 mountain pattern armorUE, masterwork 
  nunchaku, a small lump of electrum (worth 324 gp), a bag 
  of dirty giant teeth (prizes won in various fistfights), and 
  four dead turkey vultures.
  Z14. The Forgeheart (CR 9)
  Dust covers the floor and cobwebs drape the walls of this broad 
  oval chamber. Near the center of the room stands a pillar of 
  cemented soot-blackened stones illuminated by the waxy lumps 
  of crude candles and surrounded by a ring of mystic symbols 
  fashioned out of metallic dust sprinkled on the floor. To the south 
  stand a large chair and a table laid with a single place setting, 
  a clay bowl, a pitcher of water, and pot of gruel. A large framed 
  box filled with straw and covered with a couple of heavy quilts 
  and a few oversized pillows lies farther east beyond the pillar.
  This chamber once served as the heart of Minderhal’s Forge 
  in the cathedral above. The huge pillar is actually the furnace 
  that once fueled the magic forge, but for the last few centuries, 
  it has lain cold, and the Forgeheart has been shrouded in near 
  darkness. Set into the northern side of the furnace is a great 
  door of black iron with a latch handle and a sliding barred 
  grate. Stone buckets holding ancient slag stand near the 
  furnace door, along with a giant-sized bellows with cracked 
  and worn leather, a huge broom, a large iron shovel, and a 
  pile of coke for starting a fire. The candles surrounding the 
  furnace provide only dim light within this room. The room’s 
  only entrance is a flight of stairs to the west that climbs up 
  to a secret door in the base of the statue of Minderhal that 
  overlooks the sacred forge (area Z5).
  Creature: While the room initially appears empty, the 
  decrepit guardian of Minderhal’s Forge, a venerable slag giant 
  oracle named Etena, lurks in the darkness. Etena is the last 
  living descendant of the ancient slag giants who immigrated 
  to this valley after converting to the worship of Minderhal. 
  Long ago, the elder priests of the cathedral appointed Etena 
  to the revered position of Keeper of the Forge, a post that 
  she has held for centuries, even after the giants abandoned 
  the valley and the cathedral above. 
  Since that time, Etena has been the cathedral’s sole 
  inhabitant, and every day since the forge went cold, she 
  has lit candles and laid prayer symbols in the dust to honor 
  Minderhal and bless the forge. In the hundreds of years that 
  followed, she has come to believe that should Agrimmosh, the 
  Hammer of Unmaking—a powerful artifact that once resided 
  within the Cathedral of Minderhal and that possesses a 
  mystical connection to Minderhal’s Forge—ever be returned 
  to the cathedral, the sacred forge will once more roar into 
  life, heralding a new age of glory for the cathedral and 
  the worship of Minderhal. Unfortunately, the centuries 
  of isolation have driven Etena mad, and her dreams of 
  restoring Minderhal’s Forge and the Cathedral of Minderhal 
  to prominence are hopelessly entwined with a past age that 
  no longer exists.
  When Urathash and his minions first arrived at the 
  cathedral, he attempted to converse with Etena, but the 
  oracle’s cryptic ramblings spurred his temper and their 
  conversations soon turned into arguments. Frustrated and 
  feeling stonewalled, Urathash ceased consulting with Etena 
  and is now waiting for the aged giant to die. The only reason 
  he hasn’t killed her himself is that he believes allowing the 
  oracle to die of old age will usher in the dawn of a new age 
  of giants. While he desires Etena’s secrets, the ambitious 
  inquisitor possesses enough patience to wait for them. 
  When the PCs first enter this chamber, Etena senses 
  the power of Agrimmosh (assuming they are carrying the 
  52
  
  ETENA
  hammer with them). With the return of the hammer, Etena 
  believes her deranged prophecy has finally come to fruition. 
  In a quavering but forceful voice, Etena excitedly greets 
  the PCs, hailing them as the fulfillers of her prophecy. 
  In her insanity, Etena believes that if the PCs were able to 
  restore Agrimmosh to the cathedral, they might also 
  be capable of aiding her in relighting Minderhal’s 
  Forge. She asks to see the hammer, and tells the PCs 
  that they can use the sacred relic to accomplish 
  great things. If the PCs are willing to hear her 
  out, Etena addresses them, though her insanity 
  makes her story somewhat difficult to follow.
  “In times now lost, my ancestors built the sacred 
  forge in the cathedral above to honor He Who Makes 
  and Unmakes. Minderhal’s Forge is a repository of 
  awesome power, but long have its fires lain 
  cold. Only with Minderhal’s great hammer, 
  Agrimmosh—which I sense in your hands—
  can the effects of long ages be unmade and 
  the flames restored. 
  “I, Etena, am Keeper of the Forge. I 
  inherited my position from those who 
  walked this world before me, and those 
  before them. I am the guardian of the 
  sacred forge, but I am not its creator. 
  Were that the case, I would have long ago renewed its 
  fire, but this task is beyond my ability. You, however—you, the 
  bearers of the Hammer of Unmaking—you have the power to 
  relight the forge. But first, you must learn its history and what 
  must be done.”
  If the PCs ask about relighting the forge (or simply allow 
  the giant to speak uninterrupted), Etena continues:
  “According to the sacred texts, four ancient heroes first brought 
  Minderhal’s Forge to life.
  “The first was Mymrith the Maker, priestess of Fandarra, who 
  prepared fallen warriors for the afterlife by anointing their bodies 
  with sacred clay. She lined the forge with the clay to contain the 
  fire within.
  “The second was Aduromi, the Priestess of Crystals, whose 
  veins ran hot with molten metal and who could temper steel to a 
  hardness that would cut diamonds. She brought with her the secrets 
  of the fire geodes, which once ignited would burn for a century.
  “The third was Jogrothir the Hunter, guardian of the sacred horn 
  Drakesbane, which he used to call the ancient drakes native to 
  the surrounding peaks. Jogrothir brought the forge to life, for he 
  alone was able to capture the dragon’s breath, the only flame 
  hot enough to ignite the fire geodes.
  “The last was Rosag, the Preserver of the Forge. A great 
  priestess of Minderhal, Rosag held the secrets of water—both 
  its ability to temper metal as well as its capacity to quench the 
  sacred flames. She performed the Blessing of Rosag, the final 
  incantation that stoked the fires and sanctified the forge. 
  “Only by following in the footsteps of the blessed ancients, by 
  repeating those acts which have been undone, shall the fires of 
  Minderhal’s Forge once again blossom.”
  Although Etena’s impassioned but convoluted 
  speech might make little sense to the PCs, she 
  has revealed to them four quests, which, if 
  completed, will allow them to relight Minderhal’s 
  Forge (see Development below). She has no more 
  information, however, and her insanity makes 
  her difficult to communicate with clearly.
  Etena is evil, but she needs the PCs’ assistance 
  to relight the forge. She resents Urathash and the 
  other giants who have taken “her” temple 
  away from her, but she is no friend of 
  the PCs either. She is willing to work 
  with the PCs, but she cares nothing 
  for such lesser humanoids. It pains 
  her to see Agrimmosh in the hands 
  of humans, and she would never 
  willingly hand over control of the 
  forge to them, but for now, she views 
  the PCs as a means to an end. Once 
  their usefulness is ended, she has no 
  compunctions in punishing them for their 
  audacity in interfering with giant affairs.
  If one of the PCs is carrying Agrimmosh, that character can 
  sense some connection between the magic hammer and the 
  dormant forge. If Agrimmosh’s wielder has not yet visited the 
  Sacred Forge (area Z5) and discovered the existence of the 
  hammer’s dormant powers, that character feels the same 
  urge to touch the hammer to the furnace here, with the 
  same effects (see area Z5 for details).  Of course, Minderhal’s 
  Forge must first be reactivated in order to use these powers.
  If the PCs refuse to assist Etena or attack her before she can 
  propose relighting the forge, the ancient slag giant fights to 
  the death to reclaim Agrimmosh and defend the forge.
  ETENA 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 
  hp 117 (see page 60)
  Development: If the PCs agree to help Etena reignite 
  Minderhal’s Forge, she reiterates the four components they 
  need to find: the sacred clay found in area S, the fire geodes in 
  area M3, the Drakesbane Horn in area P, and the Blessing of 
  Rosag, recorded on a mithral disk in area J5. Unfortunately, 
  Etena does not know where these items are now, other than 
  they are likely located somewhere within Minderhal’s Valley. 
  She suggests the PCs visit the Dark Passage (area H), where 
  the ancient giants first mapped the valley, in hopes of 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  53
  
  finding clues to the locations of the four components. The 
  PCs can gather these items in any order. Once they have 
  found all four components and returned to Etena, proceed 
  to Relighting the Forge on page 56.
  If the PCs kill Etena before she can tell them about the 
  forge, Ferin (see area Z8) can fulfill Etena’s role instead. If all 
  else fails, you should endeavor to allow the PCs to still piece 
  together what must be done, using the information found 
  in the Dark Passage (area H), perhaps expanded upon with 
  the testimony of interrogated giants or even intelligence 
  gathered by Urathash, which the PCs should then be able 
  to discover in areas Z15 or Z16.
  Z15. Trophy Room (CR 9)
  An immense L-shaped table, carved of black walnut and polished 
  until it gleams, serves as the centerpiece of this large circular 
  chamber, surrounded by several chairs. Numerous arched windows 
  look out over the surrounding countryside. Between the windows, 
  a variety of maps, drawings, and diagrams have been tacked to 
  the walls. A line of severed heads skewered upon long iron pikes 
  runs around the perimeter of the room. Interspersed among the 
  pikes are five large iron perches. To the west, a flight of stairs 
  descends out of the room. On the opposite side of the chamber 
  to the east, a second set of stairs curves upward along the wall.
  Urathash uses this chamber as a conference room and 
  place to display his trophies. Several giant-sized ledgers and 
  sheets of parchment lie scattered on the conference table, 
  primarily rosters of those giants who have been recruited 
  into the Storm Tyrant’s army and logistics reports dealing 
  with supplying such a large number of giants.
   The maps and drawings on the walls detail the surrounding 
  region, including Minderhal’s Valley and the locations of 
  other giant strongholds in the Mindspin Mountains. One 
  of the diagrams depicts a huge castle floating on a cloud. 
  Little of the information is entirely accurate, however, for 
  Volstus trusts few of his allies, and for all of Urathash’s 
  authority here, the stone giant recruiter holds a relatively 
  low position in the Storm Tyrant’s organization. 
  The rotting heads belong to some of Urathash’s most 
  recent enemies. While they make an intimidating display, 
  they primarily serve as food for the inquisitor’s pets.
  The stairs to the west descend to area Z12. The eastern 
  stairs continue up to area Z16.
  Creatures: Urathash’s cyclops servant Surog toils in this 
  room, carrying for the stone giant’s pets: a small flock of 
  five juvenile rukhs, large two-headed vultures with greasy 
  feathers, which occupy the iron perches in the room. The 
  trained rukhs serve Urathash as messengers, and Surog 
  hand-feeds them with maggots and strips of rotting flesh 
  from the severed heads. As soon as intruders enter the room, 
  both the cyclops and the rukhs attack.
  JUVENILE RUKHS (5) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  hp 37 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 228)
  SUROG 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Advanced cyclops (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 52)
  hp 85
  Development: If the PCs take the time to comb through 
  the documents and maps in this room, they can learn some 
  important information about the Storm Tyrant’s plans. 
  First and foremost is the revelation that Minderhal’s Valley 
  is just a recruiting station for Volstus’s armies. Urathash 
  has been evaluating the new conscripts here and sending 
  the most promising recruits to a frost giant village called 
  Skirgaard for additional training. One of the maps on the 
  walls pinpoints the location of this training camp, which 
  lies in the Mindspin Mountains nearly 150 miles south-
  southwest of the Cathedral of Minderhal. 
  Secondly, the PCs can learn that the Storm Tyrant himself 
  resides in a stronghold built upon a cloud that can soar 
  through the sky, which is also currently located somewhere 
  within the vast range of the Mindspins. Unfortunately, there 
  are no clues as to the flying fortress’s exact location—not 
  even Urathash has this key piece of information.
  Z16. Urathash’s Quarters (CR 13)
  This large circular chamber is divided into two distinct areas. Great 
  arched windows encircle the perimeter of the room, offering 
  a panoramic view of the mountains and valley below. To the 
  northwest stand a table and half a dozen chairs sized for giants. 
  A curved flight of stairs descends along the northeast wall. To the 
  southeast, a huge box bed filled with a pile of fresh straw covered 
  with wool blankets and the furry pelt of a massive dire bear lies 
  against one wall. Three coffers of polished stone stand near the 
  bed. To the south is a massive stone tub filled with water, along 
  with several huge water barrels. A second flight of stairs climbs 
  along the southwest wall.
  Urathash has claimed this level of the spire for his 
  personal quarters. The stairs to the southwest climb to 
  area Z17; the ones to the northeast lead down to area Z15.
  The stone coffers hold Urathash’s personal possessions. 
  The chests weigh hundreds of pounds of each; even their 
  lids weigh nearly 25 pounds. Two of the coffers hold 
  mundane items; the third contains more valuable articles 
  (see Treasure below).
  Creatures: If the PCs have not yet encountered the 
  current lord of the Cathedral of Minderhal, the stone giant 
  inquisitor Urathash, and he isn’t performing one of his 
  services at the sacred forge (area Z5), there is a 50% chance 
  54
  
  Z. CATHEDRAL OF MINDERHAL : CENTRAL SPIRE
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  Z15
  Z16
  Z17
  Z18
  SPIRE FLOOR 1
  SPIRE FLOOR 2
  SPIRE FLOOR 3
  SPIRE FLOOR 4
  TO Z12
  of encountering him here. Urathash is accompanied by his 
  pet cave bear and two stone giant bodyguards. They attack 
  anyone, giant or otherwise, who enters Urathash’s private 
  chambers uninvited. 
  CAVE BEAR 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Dire bear (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 31)
  hp 95 
  STONE GIANTS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 102 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 151)
  URATHASH 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  hp 155 (see page 62)
  Treasure: One of the stone coffers is locked (hardness 8, 
  hp 60, break DC 28, Disable Device DC 30). The coffer holds 
  a human-sized Andoren lace wedding dress of obviously very 
  high quality, which is slightly torn and stained with blood 
  on one of its sleeves. If the dress is repaired with a successful 
  DC 18 Craft (cloth) check or magic such as mending or make 
  whole, it is worth 1,000 gp. The coffer also holds a wooden 
  game board carved with strange notches, a leather pouch 
  with 30 stones polished and shaped to resemble eggs, and a 
  collection of 12 quartzite crystals carved to resemble rocs in 
  flight. These are all part of a popular betting and strategy 
  game among giants called “Rocs.” The quartzite pieces are 
  worth 50 gp each. Lastly, carefully wrapped within oiled 
  deerskin are three torcs that Urathash sometimes wears 
  as rings. Two are forged from mithral and have designs of 
  dwarven origin (worth 500 gp each), while the third is a torc 
  of lionheart fury (Ultimate Equipment 261).
  Z17. Inquisition Room
  Carved into center of the floor of this chamber is the symbol of 
  a mountain and a giant anvil. Mystic runes painted with a fine, 
  glittering dust sprinkled over what appears to be blood encircle the 
  carving. Six iron cages stand in a circle around the floor carving, 
  interspersed with stone braziers burning small coke fires scented 
  with smoldering pine cones. A few tables holding a variety of 
  iron implements stand against the walls nearby. The walls are 
  windowless and covered with lines of carved text. Staircases at 
  opposite ends of the room lead to floors above and below. 
  Urathash performs his inquisitions here, using the 
  branding irons and other torture implements in the chamber. 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  55
  
  The carving on the floor is the holy symbol of Minderhal, 
  recognizable with a successful DC 20 Knowledge (religion) 
  check. The carved writings on the walls are scriptures in 
  Giant espousing Minderhal’s teachings.
  Four of the cages contain gaunt and mutilated humans, 
  each one curled into a fetal position. Long strips of flesh and 
  muscle have been torn from the corpses, the result of feeding 
  by Urathash’s pet rukhs (see area Z15), though whether this 
  killed the prisoners or they starved to death is unclear.
  Creatures: Two of the cages still contain living people, 
  both prospectors from Shinnerman’s Fortune, whom 
  Urathash has kept as playthings. The two prisoners lie 
  quietly starving in their cages, mentally and physically 
  broken and ready for death. Each has taken 24 points of 
  nonlethal damage from starvation and is fatigued, but the 
  prisoners are still conscious (albeit barely).
  CAPTIVE PROSPECTORS (2) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  Prisoner (Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide 270)
  hp 26 (24 points of nonlethal damage)
  Weaknesses fatigued 
  Development: If the prospectors are freed, they are 
  grateful, but they desperately require food and water. If 
  questioned, the captives can tell the PCs that they were 
  brought to the cathedral by the red dragon that lairs in 
  the chamber above (area Z18). They can also identify one 
  of the corpses in the cages as that of Tarram Shinnerman, 
  the speaker of the council of Shinnerman’s Fortune. They 
  do not know what fate befell the other villagers taken in 
  the raid, though they suspect the others were most likely 
  eaten by the giants.
  If fed and equipped, the prospectors can mostly take care of 
  themselves. These resilient mountain folk know Minderhal’s 
  Valley well enough to survive the trek back to Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune without an escort, but they likely require assistance 
  escaping from the grounds of the cathedral.
  Story Award: If the PCs rescue the prospectors and safely 
  escort them beyond the Valley Gates (area V), award the 
  PCs 4,800 XP. 
  Z18. The Dragon (CR 10)
  Cold mountain winds howl wickedly through the shattered 
  stonework of this chamber. Almost half of the tower’s floor and 
  outer wall has crumbled away, exposing the inner chambers to 
  vertiginous heights and the battering elements.
  The highest level of the cathedral’s central spire stands 
  over 600 feet above the ground. It has suffered extensive 
  damage over the years, leaving the chamber open to the 
  elements—a fall from this height likely results in death.
  Creature: Urathash allocated this level of the spire to a 
  young red dragon named Jahlvoraz. Dominated by the Storm 
  Tyrant’s Orb of Dragonkind, Jahlvoraz was sent here to serve as 
  a messenger between the cathedral and the Storm Tyrant’s 
  flying cloud castle. The young dragon is mostly bored with 
  his duties, though his magical compulsion prevents him 
  from abandoning, or even questioning, his assigned task. 
  Jahlvoraz often perches on the carved stone anvil at the 
  spire’s apex to survey the ground below, but he returns to 
  this chamber immediately if he notices anyone entering 
  his lair. A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Sense Motive check 
  notices that the dragon seems to be under some sort of 
  mental domination.
  JAHLVORAZ 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Young red dragon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 98) 
  hp 115
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Jahlvoraz casts shield before entering the fray.
  During Combat Jahlvoraz first targets as many foes as 
  possible with his breath weapon before landing to make 
  full attacks. He takes advantage of the open terrain and 
  uses his mobility to avoid being surrounded, all the while 
  commenting on how much he relishes the prospect of 
  slowly devouring his still-living opponents.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 25 hit points, Jahlvoraz 
  attempts to flee the battle, heading for the Storm Tyrant’s 
  cloud castle, many miles away to the south, to warn Volstus 
  that the cathedral is under siege.
  Treasure:  Like most dragons, Jahlvoraz’s greed has 
  driven him to accumulate a sizable hoard of treasure, which 
  he has displayed in the northeast corner of this level’s sole 
  surviving room. The pile contains a suit of dwarven plate, 
  a Large spined shield, a +1 light pick, a +2 shortbow, a potion 
  of delay poison, a potion of displacement, a potion of haste, a 
  scroll of blade barrier, a scroll of charm monster, a scroll of hold 
  monster, a scroll of summon monster V, a scroll of wall of force, a 
  noble’s outfit, a copper amulet with garnet setting (worth 
  80 gp), a brightly painted clay ceremonial mask with bronze 
  feathers and glittering blue sapphire eyes (worth 545 gp), 
  a set of three lapis lazuli carvings of leucrottas (worth 
  50 gp each), a black pearl (worth 500 gp), 180 pp, 1,240 gp, 
  4,490 sp, and 13,800 cp.
  Relighting the Forge (CR varies)
  Once the PCs have gathered the four necessary components 
  for reactivating Minderhal’s Forge, they can bring them to 
  Etena in the Forgeheart (area Z14), who will instruct them 
  on how to reignite the forge. The PCs are under no obligation 
  to relight the forge, though doing so will enable them to 
  use it (along with the magic hammer Agrimmosh) to resize 
  56
  
  URATHASH
  much of the giant-sized treasure they find throughout the 
  Giantslayer Adventure Path for their own use. 
  In order to relight the forge, the PCs must first line the 
  furnace with the sacred clay, then place the fire geodes inside 
  the furnace. They must then ignite the geodes with dragon 
  fire and recite the Blessing of Rosag over the forge.
  The first two steps are relatively easy and can 
  be performed in the secrecy of the Forgeheart 
  (area Z14), though secretly transporting the 
  recovered components into the room may 
  prove difficult.
  The third step, lighting the forge 
  with dragon’s fire, will likely prove more 
  difficult. First, this task must be performed 
  within the sanctuary of the cathedral at the 
  sacred forge (area Z5). The PCs will need 
  to secure at least the sacred forge, the nave 
  (area Z4), and the choir loft (area Z6), driving off 
  or killing any giants who might interrupt their 
  ritual. Once that is accomplished, the PCs must 
  figure out a way to ignite the fire geodes with 
  dragon’s fire.
  Remember, your objective should be to 
  challenge the PCs to find a means of igniting 
  the geodes, not to deny them the ability to do 
  so. Below are a few options, but you should 
  feel free to reward other creative solutions 
  with success.
  If the PCs have the Drakesbane Horn and have not yet killed 
  Jahlvoraz in area Z18, they can use the horn’s sympathy power 
  to attract the red dragon to the sacred forge, and either get 
  him to blast the geodes with his breath weapon or at least 
  ignite some other material with his fiery breath, which the 
  PCs can then use to set the geodes alight. If the PCs have 
  already killed Jahlvoraz, they can instead bathe the geodes 
  in the dragon’s blood and then ignite the geodes with some 
  other fire source. 
  The fourth and final step is also reasonably simple and 
  can be accomplished with little effort, but it too must be 
  performed over the sacred forge itself (area Z5). The PCs 
  can recite the Blessing of Rosag over the glowing flames 
  themselves or ask Etena or Ferin to perform it.
  At the conclusion of the ritual, a blast of fire catapults from 
  the center of the sacred forge, sending a bright shower of 
  sparks throughout the cathedral. Black smoke begins pouring 
  from the chimneys in the cathedral’s spires, and the slag pit 
  around the dais turns bright yellow and begins churning 
  with roiling molten slag. See page 58 for details on the powers 
  and abilities of Minderhal’s Forge once it has been reactivated.
  Creatures: Relighting Minderhal’s Forge serves as the 
  catalyst for several possible encounters. Depending upon the 
  PCs’ actions up to this point, they may have to face all of these 
  encounters in quick succession, but provided they’ve already 
  defeated the cathedral’s primary NPCs, they’ll face only the 
  Guardians of the Forge. Potential encounters following the 
  reactivation of the forge are detailed below. Keep in mind 
  that any combatants within 10 feet of Minderhal’s Forge 
  will be within the area of effect of the reactivated forge’s 
  magic circle against chaos and magic circle against good effects.
  Etena’s Betrayal (CR 9+): Upon witnessing the relighting 
  of the forge, Etena realizes she has fulfilled her destiny. 
  She thanks the PCs for their help, then demands they 
  surrender the hammer Agrimmosh to her and leave 
  Minderhal’s Valley. In her eyes, the PCs have finished 
  the task she needed them for, and the oracle sees no use 
  or purpose in keeping them around any longer. If the PCs 
  refuse, Etena turns menacing and reminds them of her 
  position as Keeper of the Forge; if they continue to resist, 
  she turns violent and attacks. If this confrontation 
  occurs near the sacred forge (area Z5), the shard 
  slags (see Guardians of the Forge below) act 
  as her allies. Together, Etena and the shard 
  slags are a CR 11 encounter.
  If Etena is dead, her disciple Ferin (see 
  area Z8) assumes the position of Keeper 
  of the Forge role and acts as Etena would.
  ETENA 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 
  hp 117 (see page 60)
  Guardians of the Forge (CR 10): A pair of ancient shard 
  slags, living oozes of magic-infused iron, lie imprisoned 
  within the slag filling the pit surrounding Minderhal’s Forge 
  (area Z5). During the height of the giants’ reign, priests 
  bound these creatures to the forge to serve as its guardians. 
  The slag in the slag pit melts 1d4 rounds after the forge is 
  reactivated, releasing the shard slags. Though mindless, 
  the oozes do their utmost to protect the forge and its keeper 
  (currently Etena). If Etena is present, the shard slags first 
  move to defend her, waiting upon her command. Otherwise, 
  they attack any non-giants (such as the PCs) in areas Z4 
  and Z5. The guardians fight until destroyed, but they do 
  not venture beyond the nave. 
  SHARD SLAGS (2)  
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 126 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 240)
  Urathash (CR 13): If the PCs haven’t confronted Urathash 
  by this time, the relighting of Minderhal’s Forge is an event 
  spectacular enough to attract his attention. The stone giant 
  inquisitor quickly rushes to the sacred forge (area Z5) with 
  his pet cave bear and two stone giant minions to investigate. 
  If the PCs are still there, he attacks. If not, Urathash quickly 
  assesses the situation and begins searching for the PCs. Once 
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  57
  
  he sets his mind to tracking them down, the inquisitor’s 
  pursuit proves relentless.
  CAVE BEAR 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Dire bear (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 31)
  hp 95 
  STONE GIANTS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 102 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 151)
  URATHASH 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  hp 155 (see page 62)
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully relight Minderhal’s 
  Forge, award them 9,600 XP. 
  CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
  Depending on when the PCs face Urathash and relight 
  Minderhal’s Forge, they may still have more of the cathedral 
  and valley to explore, which they can do at their leisure, 
  but once Urathash is defeated, the PCs have completed 
  the adventure’s primary goal. In the process, they have 
  likely killed or driven off the red dragon Jahlvoraz as well 
  as successfully relit Minderhal’s Forge. All of these actions 
  have consequences. 
  The most obvious ramification is that the PCs are 
  still surrounded by hordes of giants. By this point in the 
  campaign, the PCs should have learned that taking on so 
  many giants would likely equate to suicide. Fortunately, 
  it takes about a week for the gathered giants to notice and 
  question Urathash’s absence, provided the PCs killed him 
  relatively quickly and quietly, giving the PCs plenty of time to 
  make their escape from Minderhal’s Valley. Once Urathash’s 
  lieutenants realize the stone giant recruiter is gone, they 
  scour the cathedral and valley for his killers. If they fail to 
  find the killers, however, the most powerful giants in the 
  valley quickly begin scrambling to claim the inquisitor’s 
  vacant seat of power. Still, none of them have Urathash’s 
  intelligence or discipline, and the giants quickly divide 
  themselves once more along tribal and racial lines. The 
  horde gathered in this valley soon falls into chaos as the 
  giants begin fighting among themselves, and the entire valley 
  becomes a war zone. With no strong hand to organize the 
  warring tribes under the Storm Tyrant’s banner, the giants 
  eventually tire of the fighting and disperse back to their home 
  territories in roving bands that pose significantly less threat.
  If the red dragon Jahlvoraz managed to escape, he flees 
  to the Storm Tyrant’s castle and tells Volstus everything he 
  knows about the PCs and what happened at the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal. Even if the PCs never encounter Jahlvoraz, the 
  dragon is responsible for reporting events at the cathedral 
  to the Storm Tyrant, and if Minderhal’s Forge is suddenly 
  relit, he immediately leaves to inform his master of the 
  event. Likewise, if the PCs killed Jahlvoraz, Volstus is at least 
  aware of the dragon’s death (through his telepathic link with 
  Jahlvoraz), even if not the exact circumstances. Whatever the 
  case, it is most likely that Volstus is now aware of the PCs 
  and the threat they pose to his plans. While he might not 
  yet know precisely who the PCs are, they have nonetheless 
  made a powerful enemy.
  Relighting Minderhal’s Forge means the PCs now have access 
  to a powerful magic artifact. Although the forge cannot be 
  removed from the cathedral, the PCs can return here as 
  needed throughout the remainder of the campaign to make 
  use of the forge’s powers—notably, its ability to resize giant 
  armor and weapons—so that they can use much of the giant-
  sized treasure they’ll acquire during the Adventure Path.
  More importantly for the PCs’ larger goals is the new 
  information that they’ve learned about the Storm Tyrant 
  and his machinations—namely, the existence of a giant 
  training camp in the frost giant village of Skirgaard and 
  the fact that Volstus possesses a flying cloud castle, which 
  arguably makes the Storm Tyrant a greater threat than he 
  might have seemed originally. This information can be 
  discovered in Urathash’s trophy room (area Z15), but the PCs 
  can also glean these clues by interrogating the frost giant in 
  area Z7 or even Urathash himself, if he survived. If the Storm 
  Tyrant is to be stopped for good, the PCs will need to deal 
  with these threats as well. Their adventures in Skirgaard are 
  the subject of the next volume of the Giantslayer Adventure 
  Path, “Ice Tomb of the Giant Queen.”
  minderhal’s forGe
  The focal point of the great Cathedral of Minderhal in 
  the Mindspin Mountains, Minderhal’s Forge is currently 
  inactive. When relit (see Relighting the Forge on page 
  56), however, it becomes a powerful artifact. Minderhal’s 
  Forge is permanently fixed in place within the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal, and cannot be moved or uprooted without 
  divine intervention.
  MINDERHAL’S FORGE
  MAJOR  
  ARTIFACT
  SLOT none
  CL 20th
  WEIGHT —
  AURA strong transmutation [evil, lawful]
  Minderhal’s Forge appears to be a giant stone blacksmithing 
  forge and huge iron anvil set atop a basalt platform that 
  rises from a pit of slag. First and foremost, Minderhal’s Forge 
  functions as an altar of Minderhal (see page 246 of Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods for rules on altars). Any 
  creature (not just a worshiper of Minderhal) can pray at the 
  altar, though accepting the altar’s blessing is both an evil and 
  lawful act. Praying at the altar grants a +2 circumstance bonus 
  on Craft and Sense Motive checks, or one of the following 
  58
  
  weapon special abilities (creature’s choice) to one magic 
  weapon carried or wielded by the creature: axiomatic or 
  unholy. This effect is suppressed if the weapon leaves the 
  creature’s grasp, but resumes if the weapon is returned to 
  the creature.
  Minderhal’s Forge is also a fully working forge. Any creature 
  using the forge can create magic weapons, armor, or shields 
  as if it possessed the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. If 
  the creature already has that feat, the forge grants a +5 
  circumstance bonus on the Craft check needed to create a 
  magic weapon, armor, or shields. Crafting any sort of item, 
  whether magical or otherwise, using Minderhal’s Forge takes 
  half the normal amount of time.
  In addition, Minderhal’s Forge has 10 charges, which renew 
  at the beginning of each day. A creature using Minderhal’s Forge 
  can expend the listed number of charges to activate one of the 
  following spell-like abilities as a full-round action, which can 
  affect targets within 10 feet of the forge.
  • Bull’s strength (1 charge)
  • Magic weapon (1 charge)
  • Make whole (1 charge)
  • Fabricate (3 charges)
  • Major creation (3 charges)
  • Stone shape (3 charges)
  • Stoneskin (3 charges)
  • Iron body (5 charges)
  • Stone to flesh (5 charges)
  Lastly, Minderhal’s Forge can be used in conjunction with 
  Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking (Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path #91: Battle of Bloodmarch Hill 56) to resize armor and 
  weapons. When a weapon, suit of armor, or shield is placed in 
  Minderhal’s Forge and struck with Agrimmosh, the equipment 
  permanently resizes to match the size of Agrimmosh’s wielder. 
  This power is so strong that magic or even intelligent items 
  are always affected; only artifacts receive a saving throw (Will 
  DC 25 negates) to resist this effect.
  DESTRUCTION
  Quenching Minderhal’s Forge with the blood of the last 
  worshiper of Minderhal causes the forge to crumble into rubble 
  and be destroyed.
  FORGE OF THE GIANT GOD
  59
  
  ETENA
  ETENA	
  CR	9
  XP	6,400
  Female venerable slag giant oracle 7 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 
  129, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 42)
  CE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +2; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light 
  vision; Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 7, flat-footed 23 (+8 armor, –2 Dex, +8 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 117 (17 HD; 10d8+7d8+41)
  Fort +11, Ref +3, Will +12
  Defensive	Abilities rock catching; Resist fire 30
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee +1 adamantine flaming warhammer +17/+12/+7 
  (2d6+7/×3 plus 1d6 fire) or
  2 slams +15 (1d8+4)
  Ranged rock +10 (1d8+4)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special	Attacks rock throwing (120 ft.)
  Oracle	Spells	Known (CL 7th; concentration +11)
  3rd (5/day)—bestow curse (DC 17), cure serious wounds, 
  dispel magic, keen edge
  2nd (7/day)—bull’s strength, cure moderate wounds, heat 
  metal, hold person (DC 16), spiritual weapon
  1st (7/day)—cure light wounds, divine favor, doom (DC 15), 
  forbid actionUM (DC 15), lead bladesAPG, ray of sickeningUM 
  (DC 15), sanctuary (DC 15)
  0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, guidance, mending, 
  read magic, resistance, sparkAPG
  Mystery metalUM
  TACTICS
  Before	Combat If she knows combat is imminent, Etena casts 
  bull’s strength and lead blades in preparation for battle. The 
  bonuses from these spells are not included in her stat block.
  During	Combat At the Sacred Forge (area Z5), Etena casts forbid 
  action and hold person to prevent opponents from approaching 
  Minderhal’s Forge. If the shard slags (see Relighting the Forge 
  on page 56) have awoken, Etena falls back and positions herself 
  behind them, casting doom, heat metal, ray of sickening, and 
  spiritual weapon to weaken and hinder opponents. If forced 
  into melee combat, Etena casts divine favor and tries to stay 
  mobile to take advantage of her dance of the blades oracle 
  revelation, while wildly swinging her flaming hammer.
  Morale Etena is more than willing to martyr herself in 
  Minderhal’s name, and fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 19, Dex 6, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 18
  Base	Atk +12; CMB +17 (+19 sunder); CMD 25 (27 vs. sunder)
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Extra 
  RevelationAPG, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Armor, 
  Improved Sunder, Martial Weapon Proficiency (warhammer), 
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (warhammer)
  Skills Appraise +15, Craft (armor) +20, Craft (weapons) +20, 
  Diplomacy +15, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge 
  (religion) +15, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, 
  Spellcraft +15, Survival +8; Racial	Modifiers +4 Craft (armor), 
  +4 Craft (weapons)
  Languages Common, Dwarven, Giant, Infernal
  SQ ancient, oracle’s curse (clouded vision), revelations (armor 
  mastery, dance of the blades +1, riddle of steel, vision in iron 
  [7 rounds]), shattering blow
  Gear +2 light fortification chainmail, +1 adamantine flaming 
  warhammer, stone unholy symbol of Minderhal
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Ancient	(Ex) Etena’s CR is reduced by 1 to account for her 
  venerable age.
  At a young age, the slag giant Etena showed signs of being 
  blessed by Minderhal with the gifts of prophecy. Her parents 
  surrendered her to the Oracles of the Forge, a sacred order 
  of seers charged with protecting the forge at the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal. Though this wasn’t the honor it once was, as 
  Minderhal’s divine influence had waned and the mighty 
  civilization of Etena’s ancestors was long gone, Etena 
  accepted the opportunity with pride. But when she first saw 
  Minderhal’s Forge, she wept, for it was long cold, its former 
  glory only known in tales.
  Not being of stone giant blood, Etena was far from the 
  Keeper of the Forge’s first choice for a successor. Despite 
  the fact that she knew all the rituals and had passed all the 
  initiation tests, she was always passed over for the position. 
  But Etena possessed something many of her brethren lacked: 
  unshakable faith and hope, for she was one of few born with 
  the gift to sense her patron’s divine will. She alone practiced 
  Etena has spent the past few centuries fulfilling her duties to an extinct age. She stands as the 
  vigilant guardian of Minderhal’s sacred forge, yet its flames cooled long ago and she has crept into 
  her twilight years alone and isolated, slowly falling into madness.
  60
  
  the lost rituals of the elder priests, staring into the forge 
  fires for days until her eyes became dull and cloudy, and she 
  learned to hear the secret whispers of Minderhal’s wisdom 
  in the flames. 
  Etena has spent many long years in the Cathedral of 
  Minderhal, quietly serving several dozen different giant 
  regimes, all of which she has seen rise, fall, and fade. Most of 
  those giants used the temple as a symbol of their power rather 
  than as a house of worship, a trend that greatly disturbed 
  Etena, so she retreated to the seclusion of the Forgeheart 
  and grew isolated from activities within the cathedral itself. 
  She attributes the cathedral’s fall to the selfishness of these 
  same giants, for it was through their carelessness that the 
  sacred fires of Minderhal’s Forge eventually went out. More and 
  more giants left the priesthood as the giant civilization in 
  Minderhal’s Valley waned, until none remained except Etena 
  and the last Keeper of the Forge. At last, Etena’s devotion paid 
  off. Since no one else was left to take the position, the dying 
  Keeper bestowed upon her the honor and responsibility of 
  maintaining the sacred forge. Etena became the first slag 
  giant—and perhaps the last giant of any type—to hold the 
  position of Keeper of the Forge at the Cathedral of Minderhal.
  Now near the end of her natural lifespan, Etena has spent 
  almost the entirety of her tenure as Keeper of the Forge 
  within the Forgeheart. Even as Minderhal’s influence has 
  faded, Etena has clung to the belief that he will one day rise 
  again to greatness. She waits eagerly for the day of reckoning 
  when Minderhal shall reveal himself as the savior of all his 
  true followers and lead them to glory.
  Etena knows more about Minderhal’s Valley, the Cathedral 
  of Minderhal, and their history than any other living creature. 
  She loves to converse on these subjects, especially with Ferin, 
  her recent disciple. Unfortunately, Etena’s mind has begun to 
  slip away, and she’s prone to drifting off on long tangents 
  during her tales. Her recollections are both colorful 
  and clouded, for she speaks as if she were living in the 
  past, discussing ancient conversations as if they had 
  happened moments earlier, and speaking of people 
  and places long forgotten as if they were common 
  knowledge. Those able to keep up with her tales can learn 
  much, and if questioned about specific subjects or areas, 
  she readily offers whatever she knows. Still, those seeking 
  contemporary information should be wary, for she describes 
  things not as they are, but as they once were.
  Campaign Role
  Etena is the key to getting the PCs to reactivate Minderhal’s 
  Forge in the Cathedral of Minderhal. If the PCs have doubts 
  as to the powers of the forge, Etena could convince them to 
  relight it. Still, she isn’t helping the PCs out of altruism; 
  rather, she sees them as a means to accomplishing her own 
  goals. Having survived long centuries in the service of a 
  dying god, Etena is driven by her madness to bring about 
  the events she prophesied at all costs. She sides with whoever 
  appears best qualified to assist her in her mission to again 
  raise Minderhal and her people from decline to greatness.
  While Etena may seem to be the PCs’ ally, she has almost 
  no consideration for the small races, all of whom she views 
  as vermin. Any promises she makes hold no merit. Once 
  the forge is relit, Etena breaks her word freely, believing 
  she owes the PCs nothing. She believes that giants—and 
  giants alone—should control Minderhal’s Forge and reap its 
  bounties, and she forbids all others from approaching its 
  sacred fires. Furthermore, she demands the PCs hand over 
  any giant artifacts they may possess, such as Agrimmosh, 
  the Drakesbane Horn, the spear Heartspit, the giant’s nail 
  scale mail, and even Nargrym’s steel hand. If necessary, she’s 
  willing to take these items by force. Though the ancient 
  giant isn’t much of a combatant, even at her age Etena still 
  possesses greater strength than most humans.
  NPC GALLERY
  61
  
  URATHASH
  URATHASH	
  CR	11
  XP	12,800
  Male stone giant inquisitor of Minderhal 6 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 151, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 38)
  LE Large humanoid (giant)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see 
  invisibility; Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 12, flat-footed 27 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +12 natural, 
  –1 size) 
  hp 155 (18d8+74)
  Fort +17, Ref +9, Will +14
  Defensive	Abilities improved rock catching; DR 10/adamantine 
  (90 points)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 warhammer +21/+16/+11 (2d6+11/×3) or
  2 slams +19 (1d8+7)
  Ranged rock +16/+11/+6 (1d8+10)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special	Attacks bane (11 rounds/day), judgment 2/day, rock 
  throwing (180 ft.)
  Spell-Like	Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +11)
  1/day—stoneskin (self only)
  Inquisitor Spell-Like	Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9)
  6/day—strength surge (+3)
  At will—detect alignment
  6 rounds/day—discern lies
  Inquisitor	Spells	Known (CL 6th; concentration +8)
  2nd (4/day)—flames of the faithfulAPG, hold person (DC 15), 
  howling agonyUM (DC 15), see invisibility
  1st (5/day)—command (DC 14), divine favor, forbid actionUM 
  (DC 14), wrathAPG
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 13), brandAPG (DC 13), 
  detect magic, guidance, siftAPG
  Domain Strength
  TACTICS
  Before	Combat Urathash casts see invisibility and stoneskin 
  before battle.
  During	Combat Urathash activates his judgment ability on 
  the first round of combat, usually selecting healing, justice, 
  protection, or resistance as needed. He begins throwing rocks 
  while his allies engage opponents, interspersing spells among 
  his ranged attacks as needed. Once in melee combat, Urathash 
  activates his bane ability, then casts flames of the faithful on 
  his warhammer. At all times, Urathash tries to position himself 
  next to allies to take advantage of his solo tactics ability.
  Morale While Urathash serves the Storm Tyrant, his primary 
  goal is to return Minderhal’s name to greatness, an 
  obligation he cannot fulfill if he dies. If reduced to 50 hit 
  points or fewer, the inquisitor does his best to flee, but if he 
  cannot escape, he fights to the death, refusing to surrender.
  STATISTICS
  Str 25, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 14
  Base	Atk +13; CMB +21 (+23 bull rush); CMD 34 (36 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Awesome Blow, Combat Casting, Hammer the GapUC, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Paired OpportunistsAPG, Power 
  Attack, Quick Draw, Shielded CasterAPG, Stone Soul (see 
  below), Weapon Focus (warhammer)
  Skills Bluff +10, Climb +13, Craft (armor) +10, Craft 
  (weapons) +10, Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +17, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge 
  (religion) +8, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +10, 
  Stealth +5 (+13 in rocky terrain), Survival +12
  Languages Common, Giant, Infernal
  SQ cunning initiative, monster lore +3, solo tactics, stern gaze +3, 
  track +3
  Combat	Gear scroll of prayer; Other	Gear mwk breastplate, 
  +1 warhammer, cold iron dagger, dagger, silver dagger, bane 
  baldricUE, boulder bag (Pathfinder Adventure Path #91 73), 
  mwk artisan’s tools (armor and weapons), spell component 
  pouch, stone unholy symbol of Minderhal, 10 gp
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Stone	Soul Urathash’s natural armor bonus is increased by 1. 
  Once per day, he can cast stoneskin (self only) as a spell-like 
  ability (CL 9th). This feat originally appeared on page 70 of 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #91: Battle of Bloodmarch Hill.
  Urathash was born in the southern Mindspin Mountains to 
  a small tribe of stone giants who believed themselves to be 
  the direct descendants of the first race of giants that walked 
  the world long before the coming of the smaller races. 
  Born into the wrong age, Urathash is a deluded prophet of a god whose powers are on the wane. But 
  he still fervently believes in the supremacy of giants and is driven to spearhead what he believes will 
  be a second coming of giant domination over the world, in which his people will again reclaim their 
  place as the rightful rulers of Golarion.
  62
  
  As a child, Urathash grew up listening to ancient tales of 
  the coming of the Runelords and the great diaspora in which 
  his ancestors fled their homes out of fear of the Runelords’ 
  horrific rituals, which transformed giants into scarred 
  runeslaves. During his adolescent years, Urathash made 
  many forays north into the mountains that were once a part 
  of ancient Thassilon, and as he grew older, his inquisitiveness 
  turned into obsession. He ventured into Varisia’s Iron Peaks 
  to seek out the fabled temple called Minderhal’s Anvil, the sight 
  of which overwhelmed the young giant and awoke in him a 
  deep conviction that he must somehow renew his people. 
  Thereafter, Urathash made annual pilgrimages to the temple, 
  seeking to uncover the past and thus build a foundation 
  for the future. During his visits, Urathash plumbed the 
  temple’s vaults for forgotten clues and lost mysteries—
  fragments of his people’s history overlooked by time. 
  Urathash adopted Minderhal as his patron, though he 
  never felt the calling of the priesthood and instead became 
  an inquisitor of his faith. Not long after, he uncovered hints 
  of another temple devoted to his deity. In a secluded valley in 
  the mountains just north of his homeland, ancient giants, 
  perhaps even Urathash’s direct ancestors, had constructed 
  a tremendous temple known as the Cathedral of Minderhal. 
  Believing that Minderhal’s Valley belonged by right to his 
  people, Urathash launched a crusade to rediscover and 
  restore the ancient temple.
  Urathash’s efforts caught the attention of the storm 
  giant warlord Volstus the Storm Tyrant, who quickly took 
  an interest in the inquisitor and sought to incorporate 
  Urathash’s work into his own schemes of conquest. Volstus 
  saw Urathash as the perfect deputy to recruit his armies, 
  for not only did the inquisitor’s firm convictions make him 
  easy to manipulate, but Urathash shared Volstus’s dreams 
  of a giant revolution that would seize the reins of power 
  back from the smaller races and place them firmly back in 
  the hands of the giants.
  For his part, Urathash serves the Storm Tyrant only 
  because he believes that Volstus will help usher in a new 
  age for giants, starting with a renewal of the worship of 
  Minderhal. The stone giant works to gain support for his 
  religion by infusing his recruitment efforts with dogma. 
  He believes that through faith, power will inevitably shift 
  from despots back into the hands of his church. Ultimately, 
  Urathash sees himself, not Volstus, as the usher of revolution 
  and the ruler of the new age of giants.
  Campaign Role
  Urathash serves as this adventure’s primary antagonist. 
  As overseer of the Cathedral of Minderhal, he recruits 
  giants for the Storm Tyrant’s armies while indoctrinating 
  them with his personal dogma. Urathash’s doctrine touts 
  giant supremacy and encourages the extinction of all other 
  races, whatever the cost. Ironically, Urathash’s ideology 
  also includes a sort of caste system in which some giants 
  are elevated above others. Curiously, stone giants are held 
  exempt from these classifications, for Urathash preaches 
  that all giants can be traced back to the ancient stone giants 
  that Minderhal made in his own image. 
  If captured and interrogated, Urathash can point the PCs 
  toward the giant training camp in the frost giant village 
  of Skirgaard, though he would never willingly give up 
  such information. If Urathash survives and manages to 
  escape, he interprets his defeat as a sign from Minderhal 
  that his support of the Storm Tyrant was misplaced. Rather 
  than let vengeance rule his judgment, Urathash instead 
  goes into seclusion, hoping to attain greater insight and 
  enlightenment. His devotion to Minderhal could result in 
  his deity bestowing mythic power on him, and Urathash 
  could return later in the campaign to wrest power from the 
  shortsighted Storm Tyrant and inspire his people to ignite 
  a true giant revolution. 
  NPC GALLERY
  63
  
  THE MINDSPIN MOUNTAINS
  M
  ost cross the Mindspins by going through the Bloodsworn Vale. Still 
  others skirt the range entirely, risking orc attacks in the Urglin Gap 
  to the north or the predations of Nidalese shadow worshipers in the Umbral 
  Basin to the south. But those merchants who follow my lead and take their 
  goods through the hidden passes only I know are the ones who make the most 
  profits. For no brigands wait to ambush travelers along my secret roads, no 
  tax collectors stand at the mouth of the pass, not even dragons or giants 
  know of my secluded path through the treacherous peaks! Never has a guide 
  promised what I can, friend. Trust me and grow wealthy!”
  —Mountaineer Darvis Mesra, secretly the face of the  
  Mindspin Marauders thieves’ guild
  64
  
  S
  tretching nearly 600 miles from the Urglin Gap to 
  the Umbral Basin, the Mindspin Mountains are 
  one of the most prominent mountain ranges in the 
  Inner Sea region. While not the tallest peaks in Avistan—
  that distinction is held by the neighboring Kodars—the 
  Mindspins nevertheless rise high into the clouds, hiding 
  both treasure and treachery far beyond the reach of the 
  civilized inhabitants of western Avistan’s lowlands. A rocky, 
  often steeply sloped range, the Mindspin Mountains create 
  a natural border between Varisia, the Hold of Belkzen, 
  Nirmathas, Molthune, and Nidal, providing both protection 
  and isolation to these sometimes embattled lands.
  CLIMATE
  The Mindspins are a temperate range, with varying weather 
  conditions throughout the year. From late spring to early 
  autumn, the mountain slopes are green with scrub and 
  hardy grasses, and only the highest peaks remain capped 
  with snow. During this time, rain is common as moist air 
  cools when it rises in altitude over the range. In the spring 
  and early summer, these rains hasten the melting of winter 
  snows, which in turn leads to frequent landslides. As a result, 
  few permanent settlements and structures exist on the 
  range’s outer slopes. In the winter, rain turns to snow, even 
  on low-lying slopes, and the risk of landslides is replaced 
  by the danger of avalanches.
  INHABITANTS
  Despite its proximity to so many modern nations, the 
  range hosts few major settlements, though the ruins of 
  long-lost cities and citadels from ages past pepper the 
  landscape, including the capital of one of Thassilon’s seven 
  kingdoms of sin. Few passes grant access through the peaks, 
  making those few that do exist strategically significant, 
  both militarily and economically. The few communities 
  that exist in or near the Mindspin Mountains often stand 
  in close proximity to these natural roadways. Similarly, 
  however, predators and brigands know that the increased 
  traffic over these passes makes for easy prey, and giants, 
  monsters, and other dangers are common near passes, even 
  along otherwise non-treacherous routes.
  The monstrous inhabitants that can be found throughout 
  the range include a variety of giants, among them cloud, fire, 
  frost, stone, and storm giants. Though these populations 
  are generally isolationist, the threat of a giant invasion 
  into the lowlands surrounding the range is ever present. 
  The wilds of the Mindspins are full of non-humanoid 
  creatures such as chimeras, earth and ice elementals, flame 
  drakes, giant eagles, griffons, harpies, and manticores. 
  Few regions of Golarion are completely devoid of draconic 
  inhabitants, and the Mindspin Mountains accordingly 
  play host to a number of notable dragons: the adult silver 
  dragon Fexralanar, who vigilantly guards the mountains 
  north of Nidal, ever on guard to keep the Umbral Court 
  from expanding its inf luence northward; the ancient 
  cloud dragon Brithrahel, who ranges across Lastwall, 
  Nirmathas, and Molthune in search of new treasures and 
  experiences, returning to her lair in the northern reaches 
  of the mountains only to hide away a new discovery; and 
  the ambitious young adult red dragon Gamrestrax, who 
  rampages only rarely from his volcano lair in western 
  Nirmathas but is in secret negotiations with representatives 
  of Molthune to increase the frequency of his pillaging in 
  exchange for future tribute should the southern nation 
  eventually retake the rebel land to the north.
  GAZETTEER
  Bordering on so many modern nations, and having existed 
  in largely the same geological form since the ancient, 
  pre-Earthfall reign of the Thassilonian runelords, the 
  Mindspin Mountains now offer a wide variety of locations 
  of note to adventurers the world over. While most explorers 
  who venture into the range come from neighboring nations, 
  some travel from as far off as Qadira, Brevoy, and Sargava 
  to brave the cliffs, peaks, and ravines that make up the 
  Mindspins. The following are but the most prominent sites 
  within the mountain range, and it’s likely that hundreds 
  more exist hidden beneath permanent snowcaps, buried 
  beneath millennia-old landslides, or closely guarded by 
  their hermitic inhabitants.
  Bloodsworn Vale: The largest and lowest of the few passes 
  that wind their way through the Mindspin Mountains, 
  the Bloodsworn Vale lies roughly halfway down the 
  range’s length, between southeastern Varisia and western 
  Nirmathas. Until Chelish explorers colonized Varisia in 
  the Age of Enthronement, few traversed this pass, as the 
  Shoanti natives of the Varisian lowlands traded little with 
  the Taldan migrants who settled the Fangwood. Because 
  the entrance to the vale presented a natural choke point 
  for the encroaching Chelish army, the Shoanti chose the 
  Bloodsworn Vale as the site of their last stand against the 
  colonists who had already driven them from their ancestral 
  homes in the shadow of the Grand Mastaba. In 4396 ar, the 
  Chelish army led by Field Marshall Korvosa attacked, and a 
  months-long battle raged within the vale, culminating in 
  the Shoanti’s eventual defeat. From the vast fields of dead, 
  where warriors from both sides were buried in mass graves, 
  grow unnaturally bright red roses. Competing legends claim 
  that goodly fey or somber psychopomps tend to the fields 
  and keep the flowers from growing wild, but neither story 
  has ever been confirmed.
  Once conquered, the Bloodsworn Vale provided a clear 
  overland route to connect the colony of Korvosa with 
  Cheliax’s many holdings in central Avistan. During the 
  Chelish Civil War, however, this route fell into disuse 
  as Chelish attention turned to the raging conflict in the 
  THE MINDSPIN MOUNTAINS
  65
  
  THE MINDSPIN
  MOUNTAINS
  heart of the empire, and the wilds once again claimed the 
  Bloodsworn Vale. In 4706, ailing King Eodred Arabasti II 
  of Korvosa ordered the vale reopened, and his agents 
  established a permanent waypoint in the middle of the 
  vale to ensure the safety of travelers between Korvosa and 
  Nirmathas: Fort Thorn.
  In the autumn of 4714 ar, agents of Molthune, hoping to 
  circumvent Nirmathi defenses along the southern front, 
  brokered a treaty with the Umbral Court in Pangolais to 
  allow Molthuni troops to travel through Nidal into the 
  Mindspin Mountains via the Usk River. The contingent 
  of 3,000 regulars did not expect any resistance from the 
  inhabitants of Fort Thorn, the lone way station within the 
  vale, and were surprised to find it heavily defended. The 
  fort’s defenders, while Korvosan, saw that the exploitation 
  of the vale to harm their Nirmathi neighbors could easily 
  shift to threaten Korvosa if it proved effective. They thus 
  fought to ensure Molthune’s plan was unsuccessful. 
  The 3,000 Molthuni soldiers who had planned to flank 
  Nirmathas from the west now find themselves in an 
  ongoing siege of Fort Thorn, which stands as the last 
  stronghold between them and an unsuspecting Nirmathas. 
  The Molthuni commander, Major Regabard Arsticaen 
  (LN male human cavalier 13), stubbornly believes that 
  the surprisingly resilient opposition will fall in the near 
  future, despite the defenders’ seemingly endless source of 
  supplies. In truth, students from Korvosa’s Academae have 
  been teleporting equipment and provisions to the besieged 
  fortress for months as part of their conjuration education.
  Brimstone Springs: The Nidalese village of Brimstone 
  Springs lies on the western wall of the Mindspins, near 
  the headwaters of the Sulfur River. Brimstone Springs has 
  but one claim to fame: the infamous Soulsheen Baths, a 
  collection of natural cascades and hot springs that reek 
  because of the waters’ high concentration of sulfur and 
  several toxic minerals. Despite the water’s noisome odor, 
  hundreds visit the springs yearly, believing that a regime 
  of short baths heals a wide variety of aliments. The springs 
  gain their greatest notoriety from the “golden dream,” a 
  daylong poison immersion that, if it doesn’t kill the bather, 
  grants him a vision of his afterlife—at the price of leaving 
  his skin permanently stained yellow. 
  In truth, the Soulsheen Baths are the work of a sinister 
  drowning devil named Reinoks, who uses the baths as 
  a means of planting schemes of evil and dominance in 
  the minds of bathers. While the golden dream grants 
  bathers dreams of a glorious afterlife, the ritual actually 
  condemns mortal participants to eternal torment in the 
  pits of Hell. Reinoks has thus far kept his ultimate plans 
  for the baths unknown to all but his master, Infernal Duke 
  Crocell, who rules over the Palace of Delusions in Stygia. 
  The predominance of hellspawned tieflings among the 
  offspring of those who bathe in the springs is alarming, 
  Tintavex’s Aerie
  Pangolais
  Miles
  0
  100
  Windwatch  
  Keep
  Brimstone 
  Springs
  Kraggodan
  Glimmerhold
  Inverted Tower
  Citadel Vraid
  Lost Mines
  BLOODSWORN 
  VALE
  Growling Skald
  Korvosa
  Crystalrock
  Janderhoff
  Sech Nevali
  Kragnaroth
  The Sleeper
  Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune
  URGLIN GAP
  UMBRAL  
  BASIN
  U
  S
  K
   
  R
  IVER
  66
  
  however, and it’s only a matter of time before someone 
  starts investigating the location more thoroughly. 
  Despite their ignorance of the true nature of the Soulsheen 
  Baths, the people of Brimstone Springs recognize the vital 
  economic role the mysterious pools play in the survival of 
  their settlement, and anyone poking around too obviously 
  is likely to face staunch resistance lest the entire town suffer 
  from an unwelcome discovery.
  Citadel Vraid: Amid the spur of the Mindspins that 
  forms the southern border of Varisia stands one of the 
  most formidable fortresses in Avistan—Citadel Vraid, home 
  of the Hellknight Order of the Nail. Commanded by Lictor 
  Severs “Boneclaw” DiViri (LE male human fighter 4/rogue 2/
  HellknightISWG 4), the order consists of some 400 Hellknights 
  who patrol Varisia under contracts with various patrons, 
  including the Korvosan government. Comprising three 
  distinct castles, Citadel Vraid is highly defensible, and has 
  never been overrun in the 33 years since it was built. For more 
  information on Citadel Vraid, see pages 24–33 of Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Castles of the Inner Sea.
  Crystalrock: The large natural cavern in eastern 
  Varisia known as Crystalrock houses an enormous crystal 
  formation that hangs suspended from threadlike crystal 
  strands. Called the “Heart of the World” by the dwarves 
  of nearby Janderhoff, the crystal shakes and pulses with a 
  rhythm that can be felt for miles. The elders of dwarven 
  society gather at Crystalrock once each year—as they have 
  done for centuries—to observe this phenomenon, troubled 
  by the fact that the “heartbeat,” as they call it, is increasing 
  in tempo. Some believe the spirits of the ancient dwarven 
  prophets who read in the vibrations of the earth the need to 
  undertake the Quest for Sky are once again speaking to the 
  dwarves, yet none alive know how to interpret the message.
  Glimmerhold: Dwarves are a solitary people, but few 
  settlements are as independent as the tower of Glimmerhold 
  on the western edge of Nirmathas amid the mountain 
  peaks—this hold remains aloof even from other dwarven 
  communities. Rising from the center of a mountain lake, 
  this five-sided tower houses the entirety of a town of over 
  6,000 inhabitants. A decadent oligarchy has grown up in 
  recent years under the reign of King Ezelgar, who won the 
  throne through treachery and deception. Although only his 
  closest allies know the truth, the entire settlement could 
  fall prey to those he wronged should they ever seek revenge. 
  For more information on Glimmerhold, see Pathfinder 
  Module: Clash of the Kingslayers.
  Growling Skald: One of the few regions of volcanic 
  activity in the entire Mindspin range, the ridge known 
  as the Growling Skald stands on the eastern rim of the 
  mountains in Nirmathas, a short distance south of Skelt 
  along the Shining River. The geological formation earned 
  its name from its periodic rumbling, though it otherwise 
  remains inactive, and local legend claims the ridge holds 
  within it the restless spirit of a powerful giant who tells 
  his tale one slow syllable at a time. Few take more than a 
  passing interest in the ridge; its stone faces are barren, 
  and the tree line halts at a far lower elevation than normal 
  for the range, ending abruptly on the southern bank of 
  the Shining River, so it holds no particular draw for 
  Nirmathas’s many lumberers. 
  In ages past, when the reach and influence of Azlant 
  spread into the Inner Sea region, a society of Azlanti 
  astronomers used this area of restrained volcanic activity 
  as a center of study, harnessing the powers of Golarion’s core 
  to interact with the heavens. Much of this sprawling network 
  of arcane astronomical outposts has lain buried beneath 
  stone and compressed ash for millennia, a casualty of one 
  of the Growling Skald’s rare eruptions. Recently, however, 
  rumors have begun to spread that the abandoned Azlanti 
  astronomical facility possessed a portal to the surface of 
  Golarion’s moon, though such claims have not yet been 
  substantiated by a reliable source. 
  For more information on the Growling Skald, see pages 
  30–31 of Pathfinder Module: The Moonscar.
  Inverted Tower: This narrow stone tower hangs 
  precariously from the underside of a rocky outcropping 
  over a wide crevasse. Like a fabricated stalactite, the tower 
  stretches nearly 130 feet down from its base, culminating 
  in a glowing crystalline eye (actually a potent divinatory 
  focus). This marvel of architecture is bolstered by powerful 
  magic that holds the inverted structure in place and 
  reverses gravity within it, such that occupants walking 
  along the ceilings within feel as though they were right-side 
  up (glancing out of one of the tower’s many narrow windows 
  quickly rights this misperception, often to dizzying effect). 
  Few people ever venture into the tower, however, for it is 
  the well-warded and difficult-to-access hermitage of the 
  Varisian seer Fisla Dierks (N female human diviner 15), who 
  prefers a life of isolation over human interaction. What 
  contact she has with the outside world comes mostly from 
  her harrow deck, a minor artifact she calls the Deck of Sisters. 
  Each card in this incomplete deck is paired with another 
  card, and when used in a special version of a harrowing 
  allows the reader to see and hear through the paired card (as 
  clairaudience/clairvoyance). Fisla single-mindedly seeks the 
  missing cards, using her formidable powers of divination 
  to locate their whereabouts, identify their wielders, and 
  discern the most effective and efficient means of obtaining 
  them, be it through deception, diplomacy, or violence.
  Janderhoff: One of three dwarven settlements within 
  the mountains, Janderhoff is one of the legendary Sky 
  Citadels built millennia ago to celebrate the completion of 
  the Quest for Sky. Generally considered a part of Varisia, 
  the largely subterranean city is one of the most prominent 
  dwarven settlements beyond the Five Kings Mountains. 
  Like many dwarven cities, Janderhoff isolates itself from 
  THE MINDSPIN MOUNTAINS
  67
  
  nearby human settlements as much as possible, but the 
  establishment and rapid growth of nearby Korvosa have 
  meant that Janderhoff cannot remain independent for long. 
  The settlements increasingly cooperate with one another 
  in matters both diplomatic and economic, but each secretly 
  hopes to eventually rise to a position of dominance over 
  the other.
  Kraggodan: Of all the known Sky Citadels in the Inner 
  Sea region, Kraggodan has perhaps played the largest 
  role in the recent history of its non-dwarven neighbors. 
  Renowned for its legions of dedicated warriors, Kraggodan 
  sent all but a fraction of its forces to assist in the Shining 
  Crusade against the Whispering Tyrant, and their help 
  proved vital to the lich’s defeat. This victory did not come 
  without a cost, however, and the armies of Kraggodan 
  have never been fully rebuilt. Today, Kraggodan is one of 
  the most hospitable Sky Citadels toward outsiders, and its 
  third prince, Gorm Greathammer, is himself a Pathfinder. 
  Kraggodan’s lower levels hold many entrances into the 
  Darklands, drawing scores of would-be explorers to its 
  vast halls each year.
  Kragnaroth: While giant settlements (such as they are) can 
  be found throughout the Mindspins, few are as well known 
  as the fire giant town of Kragnaroth in the northern stretch 
  of the range. Comprising three massive towers surrounding 
  a mountain valley, Kragnaroth houses some 250 fire giant 
  citizens and hundreds more human, orc, and dwarf slaves, 
  who toil in the settlement’s forges and fields. The kingdom 
  is ruled by King Orynox Marchelin (LE male fire giant 
  fighter 9), who is known as much for his many short-lived 
  marriages as for his leadership. His current wife, however, 
  seems a good match for the king, and she seems to have 
  cured him of his wandering eye. Marchelin grows tired of 
  his isolated mountain valley, and fosters the ambition of 
  someday expanding Kragnaroth’s borders to the south. For 
  more information on Kragnaroth, see page 12 of Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes.
  Lost Mines: This complex of wide, twisting tunnels and 
  deep, slick-walled shafts is not known as the Lost Mines 
  because it was abandoned or fell to subterranean invaders. 
  Rather, the Lost Mines of western Nirmathas gained their 
  name because the mines themselves are lost—200 years ago, 
  the tunnels and all miners within them simply vanished, 
  leaving no traces of a cave-in or a residual magical aura. 
  Countless search parties and academic investigations 
  have sought the mines over the years, but none have found 
  anything but wild theories, each more far-fetched than the 
  last. Some claim the mines still exist, but on another plane, 
  inaccessible to anyone but the most powerful of spellcasters, 
  while others believe the mine can still be accessed if one 
  knows the proper prayers to speak to the right deity. Until 
  the Lost Mines are again found, however, the true nature of 
  their disappearance is likely to remain a mystery.
  Sech Nevali: Hanging above the dormant caldera of 
  a massive volcano, the ancient Thassilonian monastery 
  known as Sech Nevali is a mystery even to those who have 
  ventured into its storied halls. What sorts of secrets lie 
  within the walls of the monastery—which was originally 
  dedicated to the enigmatic Peacock Spirit—is anyone’s 
  guess, though recently scholars from Korvosa and Andoran 
  have set up camp within in the hope of unearthing lore 
  and power long lost to time. For more information on 
  Sech Nevali, see page 12 of Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes.
  Shinnerman’s Fortune: This village is populated almost 
  entirely by prospectors who pan for gold and silver in 
  the Mindspin range’s many mountain streams. The 
  small but sprawling settlement is isolated, and the fewer 
  than 100 people who call it home fiercely value their 
  independence. A small council sees to any governance 
  needed, but it mainly represents the prospectors’ business 
  interests. In recent months, though, the villagers have 
  had to be more vigilant, as giant activity has increased in 
  the mountains. For more information on Shinnerman’s 
  Fortune, see page 17.
  The Sleeper: Atop this ancient mountain winds a massive 
  statue of a dragon, coiled around the peak as though it 
  were the beast’s hoard. The dragon’s massive maw serves 
  as an entryway into a vast series of caverns and chambers 
  within, which leads to the lost capital of one of Thassilon’s 
  seven sinful realms, Xin-Gastash, bastion of the realm 
  of gluttony. Completely isolated from the outside world 
  for 10 millennia, the undead masters of this crumbling 
  capital remain locked in a perpetual stalemate. Even a 
  single creature discovering the sealed city could disrupt 
  this precarious balance of power and unleash the terrors 
  within upon the entire region. For more information on 
  the Sleeper, see page 9 of Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes.
  Tintavex’s Aerie: High on a cliff face overlooking the 
  Umbral Basin between Molthune and Nidal is a bone-
  strewn ledge, where lies the mouth of a cluttered cavern. 
  This aerie is the lair of one of the Mindspin Mountains’ 
  most unique inhabitants, and perhaps the most feared 
  threat to the foothills of the southern tip of the range—the 
  half-dragon griffon, Tintavex.
  Born of a magical mishap, Tintavex is the offspring of 
  parents who never met. Few know her true origin, which 
  has made her legend even more fantastic as rumors of her 
  terror spread throughout the land. In truth, a curious 
  and foolishly ambitious wizard named Hirzell Rufran 
  accidentally created Tintavex while attempting to collect 
  rare eggs from among the creatures of the Mindspins. 
  Having collected specimens from griffons, giant eagles, 
  slag worms, and others, Hirzell set his eyes upon the nest 
  of the ancient cloud dragon, Brithrahel. He succeeded in 
  reaching the mountaintop nest, and in obtaining one of her 
  newly laid eggs; he was less successful in safely escaping.
  68
  
  TINTAVEX
  With Brithrahel quickly approaching, the 
  trespassing wizard quickly cast a teleportation spell 
  to whisk him beyond the dragon’s reach. In his 
  haste, Hirzell muddled one of the complex 
  arcane components, causing unforeseen 
  effects to manifest. Hirzell and most of 
  his possessions were not teleported to his 
  intended destination of Absalom, and he was 
  never seen or heard from again. The only 
  items on his person to avoid this mishap 
  were Brithrahel’s egg and an egg stolen from 
  a nearby griffon nest. These stolen eggs 
  were teleported to a distant corner of the 
  Mindspins, but in the process were somehow 
  fused into a single egg. From this untended 
  egg hatched Tintavex.
  Now fully grown, Tintavex considers the 
  entire southern tip of the Mindspins her 
  territory; lacking guidance from parents of 
  either species, she functions entirely on 
  instinct. She is extremely territorial and 
  quick to anger. She allows travelers to pass 
  through the Umbral Basin from Nidal to 
  Molthune, but only if they promise not 
  to venture too far into the foothills or the 
  mountains themselves. Despite her independent 
  nature, Tintavex yearns to know her origins 
  and meet her draconic ancestor, who she 
  doesn’t realize lives only a few hundred 
  miles to the north.
  Usk River: While many rivers and 
  streams flow from headwaters in the Mindspin 
  Mountains, few travel though as much of the range as the 
  Usk River, which flows from the vicinity of the Bloodsworn 
  Vale down into the lowlands of Nidal. Cutting a deep 
  ravine through the mountains, the Usk is one of the few 
  largely navigable waterways that lead into the heart of the 
  Mindspins, but a coven of green hags known as the River 
  Maidens impose a high toll on any not of their kind who 
  reach the river’s headwaters. Among the many aquatic 
  minions that serve the witches are a rampage of river 
  drakes, a tribe of freshwater merrow, and an addle-brained 
  marsh giant. The hags protect the southern end of a series 
  of hidden tunnels that connect the river’s source to the 
  nearby Bloodsworn Vale, and grant passage only to those 
  who meet their sinister demands. What the soldiers of 
  Molthune who recently slipped through these tunnels 
  agreed to pay the hags remains a mystery.
  Windwatch Keep: This modest keep, built atop a wide 
  plateau overlooking Molthune, is home to a hermetic sect 
  of Gozran soothsayers who believe they can see the future 
  by reading the patterns of the wind. Though weather-
  altering magic lies well within the purview of their god, the 
  Windwatchers strictly forbid the use of such spells, which 
  they believe interfere with the messages sent to them by the 
  Wind and the Waves. As such, the sect occasionally finds 
  itself in direct conflict with mountain-bound explorers 
  who use such spells to ease their journeys through the 
  Mindspins. Recent increases in specific signs (regular 
  intervals between gusts of a particular strength, unusual 
  patterns formed by lightning, and the arrangements of 
  leaves and other detritus carried to the keep on the air) 
  have led the sect to believe a major cataclysm is soon to 
  occur, though they do not believe in warning non-believers 
  of the impending threat. In what form and at what time 
  this disaster will manifest remain closely guarded secrets 
  among the sect’s senior members.
  THE MINDSPIN MOUNTAINS
  69
  
  MINDERHAL
  T
  he god Minderhal (MIN-der-hawl) is a stone giant deity of law and 
  crafting, but his worship gained popularity with other humanoid races 
  when the Runelords ruled western Avistan. Mortals prayed to Minderhal for 
  advice on matters of architecture, justice, law, metalwork, and stonework. 
  With the collapse of the Thassilonian empire, however, Minderhal’s religion 
  fell out of favor, and now his following is almost exclusively limited to a few 
  tribes of evil stone giants, who revere him for his mighty strength, skilled 
  hands, and unyielding upholding of ancient traditions. As more and more 
  stone giants have turned away from revering deities in favor of ancestor 
  worship, Minderhal has grown increasingly angry about the decline of his 
  influence, and he now broods over ways to regain the power and influence 
  he once held.
  70
  
  S
  tone giants have an ancient culture, and according 
  to their lore, all other giants were created from 
  their kind. Long ago, they worshiped Minderhal, 
  Fandarra (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods 188), 
  and Erastil (whom they call Estig the Hunter and depict 
  as a fur-clad stone giant), along with spirits of the earth 
  and their ancestors. Today, most stone giants prefer to 
  pay homage to these spirits rather than the gods. Still, 
  although Minderhal’s influence has been on the wane 
  for centuries, many evil stone giants—especially evil 
  stone giant elders—embrace his teachings, following 
  his guidance on how to build weapons, carve stone, 
  maintain their homes, and tan furs. Minderhal 
  represents the power of traditions to 
  reinforce a culture’s accomplishments and 
  behavior. As the mass abandonment of 
  his worship has shown, however, he also 
  serves as an example of how such a 
  rigid focus on rituals can cause 
  a culture to stagnate.
  Also known as the Lord of 
  Giants, the Maker, or (more 
  formally) He Who Makes and 
  Unmakes, Minderhal treasures 
  his worshipers as if he had crafted them out of raw stone 
  with his own hands. He is filled with contempt toward 
  those who have turned their backs on him, like a master 
  sculptor condemning a journeyman who dared strike out 
  on her own without his explicit blessing. Communications 
  with his faithful are slow and ponderous; each word is 
  assigned great weight and laden with context about the 
  past and the future.
  He Who Makes and Unmakes is paternalistic and 
  domineering. He teaches that his way is the only right way, 
  that resisting change is better than accommodating it, 
  and that it is natural for the strong to dominate or destroy 
  the weak. Minderhal encouraged his worshipers to accept 
  the yoke of their evil Thassilonian masters in exchange 
  for political clout and magical might; the physical power 
  of the mighty giants (and their god-granted talents for 
  working stone) earned the admiration of many members 
  of the smaller races, spreading Minderhal’s faith to 
  new audiences. However, many stone giants resented 
  the willingness of the Maker and his followers to 
  sacrifice them to gain the rewards offered by the human 
  conquerors. Stone giants have long memories, longer 
  lives, and a detailed oral history, and now Minderhal is 
  paying the price for decisions he made thousands of years 
  ago. Although young stone giants are taught the history 
  and religion of their kind, in many tribes these lessons 
  speak of Minderhal with scorn. He’s given faint praise for 
  his might and skill, but is otherwise condemned. Among 
  tribes of evil stone giants, he is still the primary deity, 
  but he faces challenges from Urazra, a younger, more 
  aggressive evil giant deity (see the sidebar on page 72).
  Minderhal instructs his followers with well-worn adages, 
  wise parables, and poignant philosophical questions that 
  can be answered only after long introspection. Faith, 
  history, knowledge, and works of skilled craftsmanship are 
  respected. Superiors and existing practices should not be 
  challenged; if there is a conflict, it is better to exile yourself 
  with dignity than to shame yourself and your tribe by 
  violating a taboo or disputing a tradition.
  Minderhal’s stone giant worshipers prefer to portray 
  him as a bearded, strong, and wise elder giant, 
  carving his image in soft stone to capture his 
  strength and the nuances of his power. At 
  the height of his popularity, he was depicted 
  either as a powerful crafter and builder or 
  as a raging, rocky colossus. Evil tribes 
  tend to show him with narrowed 
  eyes, clenched hands, and a 
  frowning mouth, representing 
  his scrutiny, swift discipline, 
  and admonishments. 
  Minderhal can fight with his 
  huge, stony fists, but prefers 
  to use his magical crafting hammer, Weight of Tradition, 
  which he can throw and retrieve like a returning weapon.
  The deity shows he is pleased by stone chips that show 
  his face or holy symbol appearing when stones are struck, 
  heavy burdens becoming light, and the sound of clean 
  water bubbling over rocks. When he is angered, the ground 
  collapses into pits, arches settle and release dust, and skin 
  momentarily cracks like parched earth in a desert.
  Minderhal is lawful evil, and his portfolio is creation, 
  giants, justice, and strength. His weapon is the warhammer. 
  His holy symbol is an anvil on a cave floor in front of a 
  triangular background with a moon, a planet, and a star, 
  respectively, at the corners. His domains are Artifice, 
  Earth, Evil, Law, and Strength. Most of his worshipers are 
  stone giants, but some Kellid tribes in the northernmost 
  reaches of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords favor him 
  for his might. His priests are primarily clerics, with a 
  few inquisitors who slay heretics before they can turn 
  tribes away from the worship of Minderhal. Aside from 
  the aforementioned human tribes, Minderhal’s faith is 
  mostly confined to stone giants dwelling in mountainous 
  regions, especially ranges in western Avistan such as the 
  Iron Peaks, Kodar Mountains, and Mindspin Mountains.
  The god keeps his divine realm of Stonepeak—a chain 
  of unbelievably tall mountains threaded through with 
  cave lairs—just outside the edge of the first layer of Hell, 
  within sight of the smoky volcanoes of Avernus. Hills ring 
  this realm, above which the air becomes too thin to breathe 
  and strong winds buffet the peaks, forcing visitors to travel 
  Even the hardest stone is shaped and worn by 
  the mighty hands of our people. 
  —One Hundred Sacred Stones
  MINDERHAL
  71
  
  on foot. Unwanted visitors are stunned by earthquakes 
  and pelted with boulders thrown by the god’s petitioners. 
  The mountain itself is a paradise for crafters; there the 
  souls of stone giant elders produce gems, weapons, and 
  other treasures, always using traditional methods under 
  the stern eye of the god himself.
  A typical worshiper of Minderhal is an evil stone giant, 
  Taiga giant, or Kellid human following generations of 
  tradition in his or her tribe. Most focus on one aspect of 
  the god’s portfolio and become a champion of that area, 
  such as by becoming a master artisan, an enforcer of 
  traditions, or a warrior. They reject new ways of thinking 
  and acting, stubbornly clinging to the ideas that kept 
  previous generations alive and strong.
  Worship services combine deep-voiced songs, notes on a 
  lithophone made out of stalactites or crystals, and pebbles 
  shaken within a hollow stone (such as a geode). Those 
  sounds are punctuated by supplicants throwing crafted 
  offerings into a bottomless pit or crushing them under a 
  boulder. The Maker’s church has a very strong tradition 
  of marriage, and most tribes are led by a married couple. 
  Deformed, sickly, or weak infants are left on a mountaintop 
  to die, and choosing to raise one instead of disposing of 
  it in this matter is considered an admission of weakness.
  TEMPLES AND SHRINES
  Minderhal’s faithful prefer to augment natural stone 
  structures rather than build completely new ones, but 
  with giant strength, the difference between building and 
  merely augmenting is blurred when compared to human 
  construction. For an aboveground site, priests might 
  relocate a dozen menhirs to form a triangular pattern, 
  or stack human-sized boulders to form a ring or wall. 
  Underground, they reinforce and expand entrances to 
  natural caverns of great beauty, carve stalactites and crystals 
  into resonating musical instruments, and build hundreds 
  of alcoves to hold the vurras (see page 74) of past members 
  of the tribe.
  Shrines to Minderhal usually consist of a large isolated 
  piece of stone that already looks like a giant head, which 
  the giants shape to more closely resemble the god or a 
  notable hero. Rather than placing secret compartments 
  within these shrines, worshipers hide things under them 
  in tile-lined spaces that can be accessed only by using great 
  strength to lift or tilt the heavy stone.
  Minderhal’s Anvil is the god’s most famous temple. 
  It was originally built of gleaming marble and housed a 
  massive forge-altar. Its remaining walls, which overlook 
  the shore of the Storval Deep in the Iron Peaks, still attract 
  a few stone giant pilgrims each year. Stories claim that 
  an enormous crypt under the Anvil holds the remains of 
  important stone giant elders, but the entrance stones are too 
  heavy for human-sized creatures to move, and the giants who 
  visit the place give its buried crypts a wide berth. Within the 
  catacombs themselves, numerous horrors of eons past lurk 
  behind basalt pillars and in massive sarcophagi, including 
  giant mummies and the dreaded horrors known as inverted 
  giants. (For more information on inverted giants, see page 
  60 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lost Kingdoms.)
  In ancient days, Minderhal’s warrior-priests owned 
  hundreds of mammoths trained in mounted combat. 
  Although the use of war mammoths has faded among 
  many tribes, it is common for temples to capture and train 
  at least a few mammoths for this purpose. These animals 
  are always treated with reverence.
  A PRIEST’S ROLE
  A priest of He Who Makes and Unmakes is expected to 
  maintain the tribe’s traditions, interrogate those who 
  violate cultural taboos, and escort exiles to the edge of the 
  tribe’s territory to make sure the offenders leave. If a tribe 
  keeps slaves, its members are expected to educate these 
  slaves in “proper” religion and stamp out any superstitions 
  or worship that goes against what Minderhal teaches.
  It is traditional for priests to create a certain number 
  of high-quality tools or weapons for the tribe each year, 
  replacing them if they are damaged. A priest is often 
  an advisor to a tribal leader, and it’s common for senior 
  priests to take on a leadership role within the tribe. 
  Minderhal’s clerics are usually trained in Climb, Craft 
  (stonemasonry), Handle Animal, Knowledge (engineering), 
  and Knowledge (history).
  Giant priests have little interaction with those outside 
  the tribe. They do not even attempt to evangelize to 
  Urazra and the Bear CUlt
  The cult of Urazra (oo-RAZ-rah) is only a few hundred years 
  old, but has grown quickly in popularity among more brutal 
  stone giants. This godling, also known as the Breaker of 
  Bones, promises his followers great strength, fortitude, 
  and immunity to pain in exchange for acts of savagery 
  and sacrifices of flesh. The cult is contentious, even among 
  evil stone giants. Many elder stone giants oppose the cult, 
  claiming it plays to the worst, most bestial aspects of giant 
  nature and rejects both wisdom and civilization. Charismatic 
  preachers of Urazra claim that will and strength are more 
  important than faith, history, knowledge, or craftsmanship. 
  The bear cultists are largely young giants, eager to raid, 
  rend, and torture rather than herd and craft. Many of his 
  worshipers are barbarians and choose the bear as their 
  totem animal. Urazra is chaotic evil, and his portfolio is battle, 
  brutality, and strength. His weapon is a spiked gauntlet, and 
  his domains are Animal, Chaos, Evil, Strength, and War.
  72
  
  other giants, as the priests believe these “degenerate” 
  races irrevocably turned their backs on Minderhal long 
  generations ago, and must submit themselves of their own 
  volition to be brought back into the fold. Human priests 
  are more outgoing and persistent about their faith, and 
  often brag to strangers that their god gives them physical 
  might and the will to resist corrupting influences.
  It is common for priests to paint gray streaks on their 
  faces with a paste made from powdered stone. Stone giants 
  use a subtly different shade of gray than their natural skin 
  color so as to not contrast too much and interfere with 
  their ability to blend in with the surrounding stone.
  HOLIDAYS
  Though worship of Minderhal has waned over the 
  years, those who still follow his teachings celebrate the 
  following holidays.
  Day of Making and Unmaking: On the spring equinox, 
  stone giants who revere Minderhal use the day to bring 
  the community together with an eye toward creation and 
  purging their community of undesirable elements. To 
  honor the god’s Maker aspect, worshipers craft hammers 
  and tools during this holiday; some of the most treasured 
  tools a stone giant possesses were likely created on this day. 
  Sometimes the community instead comes together to build 
  a structure for shared use or work on the creation of a new 
  shrine or altar. To honor Minderhal’s Unmaker aspect, 
  his followers treat this holiday as a somber time when 
  members of the community are judged by how closely they 
  follow their ancestors’ traditions. Those found unworthy 
  are tested by various means; if they fail, they face exile.
  Day of Stone Justice: Each year on the winter solstice, 
  members of a stone giant clan can bring their disputes 
  in front of the elders to petition for justice. The most 
  respected elders hear arguments from each party and 
  dispense judgments on the matter.
  RELATIONS WITH OTHER 
  RELIGIONS
  Minderhal is ancient but has little influence outside of the 
  giant tribes. He knows he cannot throw his weight around 
  with respect to most other deities. His policy is avoidance 
  rather than confrontation, as he feels it diminishes him 
  to engage with the gods of lesser races, even though those 
  gods may be of equal or greater power. He likewise avoids 
  the gods of the other giant races except when they make war 
  on his people. He is respectful toward Asmodeus, however, 
  for his domain borders Hell and he is wary of the Prince of 
  Darkness’s greater experience and power. For the sake of 
  tradition, he welcomes the ancestor and stone spirits who 
  visit his realm, but he can’t help but be secretly jealous of 
  them because so many tribes of giants have completely 
  abandoned his faith in favor of spirit worship.
  MINDERHAL
  73
  
  The Maker is on coolly cordial terms with Fandarra, 
  much like former spouses or relatives who disagree on 
  matters but are polite to each other for the sake 
  of their descendants. The two have not openly 
  argued since the time of the Runelords, 
  and mortal giants often make offerings 
  to both of them with polytheistic prayers. 
  Parts of Minderhal’s holy text even 
  refer amiably to Fandarra, and include 
  prayers to both deities.
  Despite the deities’ differences in 
  alignment, Minderhal is friendly 
  toward Estig (Erastil). For his part, Estig 
  treats Minderhal like his family’s black 
  sheep—one who is tolerated at times 
  but is ultimately an embarrassment. 
  Even though the threads of tradition 
  and hunting are the only things 
  that tie the two deities together, 
  Estig doesn’t shirk his duties as the 
  hunter god of his stone giant worshipers. 
  This arrangement sometimes creates 
  schisms between Erastil’s faithful.
  Urazra is Minderhal’s admitted 
  enemy, but Minderhal is unsure 
  whether he can defeat the warrior deity 
  in a direct confrontation. Instead, he 
  repeats his adages about how traditions 
  and crafting have allowed the giants to 
  survive for thousands of years, and warns 
  his people that reckless aggression against 
  smaller folk is only a short-term strategy 
  that cannot sustain itself.
  NEW SPELL
  Clerics of Minderhal can prepare repel metal 
  or stone as an 8th-level spell, spike growth as a 
  3rd-level spell, and stone tell as a 6th-level spell. 
  His priests are fond of the returning weaponUC 
  spell and have access to the following spell as a 
  4th-level cleric spell.
  GRAVEL VORTEX
  School conjuration (creation) [earth]; Level druid 4, sorcerer/
  wizard 4
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Components V, S, M (handful of pebbles)
  Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
  Area cylinder (20-ft. radius, 40 ft. high)
  Duration 1 round/level (D)
  Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
  You create a hail of tiny pieces of rock and dust that batter 
  and scrape against all things in the area, dealing 5d6 points 
  of bludgeoning damage. This damage is dealt only once, on 
  the round the spell is cast. For the remaining duration of the 
  spell, fine dust rains down in the area. Creatures other than 
  stone giants inside this area take a –4 penalty on Perception 
  skill checks, and the entire area is treated as difficult terrain. At 
  the end of the spell’s duration, the gravel and dust disappear, 
  leaving no trace of their presence.
  PLANAR ALLIES
  Most divine servants of Minderhal are either ascended 
  stone giants or such giants’ spirits bound to living 
  stone colossi.
  Elder Krengath: This elegant female stone giant 
  has skin resembling black marble. A tribal elder 
  and an accomplished priestess in life, she takes 
  a conservative tack with any mortal who wishes 
  to bargain for her services. She appreciates 
  offerings of hand-carved stones bearing the 
  holy text of Minderhal.
  Vostalar: This unusually sturdy stone giant elder 
  has glowing runes on his chest and shoulders. 
  Stubborn and intractable, he is unpopular among 
  mortal worshipers, but when convinced that a 
  cause is worthy of his time, his hammer is deadly 
  and he is resistant to most magic that would kill 
  a lesser giant outright.
  HOLY TEXT
  Minderhal’s faith is described and explained 
  in a series of engraved polished rocks called 
  One Hundred Sacred Stones. Traditionally, each 
  chapter is written on its own stone, which 
  must be of a certain size, shape, and color 
  that suits the message of that particular 
  chapter. Some chapters require that their 
  stones be found underground, others 
  must be found in water, and still others 
  are worthy only after they have been 
  burned in a bonfire for a week. The 
  verses are also preserved in a song, 
  just in case a tribe is forced to 
  leave its sacred stones behind.
  VUrra
  A vurra is a carving of a giant’s head made at about one-
  third actual size. It usually portrays a god but can instead 
  depict a hero, historical figure, or loved one. Stone giants 
  use them as focus items for religious rituals or, for non-godly 
  representations, as remembrances or inspiration in their 
  daily lives. Many are crafted with magic to protect a buried 
  corpse, speak warnings to intruders, or watch over a family.
  74
  
  APHORISMS
  Minderhal’s worshipers are cantankerous and territorial, 
  unwilling to let outsiders encroach on their land, and 
  their sayings reflect this nature.
  Carry the Second Stone: It is customary to drive away 
  an invader with a near-miss from a thrown boulder. 
  The second boulder strikes to kill rather than warn, and 
  sayings referencing this second stone are common among 
  Minderhal’s faith. This saying means a giant should 
  always be ready to protect home and tribe, and have the 
  strength to do so. A weak giant would pick up the second 
  stone only if needed; a strong giant always carries it.
  The Stone Will Teach You: A wise crafter realizes that 
  different materials are best suited for specific tasks. Using 
  the wrong tool or material will break it or create a flawed 
  item. Just as artists say carving a horse out of rock is just 
  cutting away the parts that don’t look like a horse, Minderhal 
  teaches that some stones are meant to be carved into knives, 
  some are best carved into hammers, and some are suited 
  only for throwing. It’s better to discard a thing than to try 
  and change it into something it wasn’t meant to be. It is this 
  philosophy that makes Minderhal’s followers leave weak 
  infants to die of exposure, and exile troublemakers and 
  heretics rather than forcing them to comply.
  OBEDIENCE
  The following information describes the ritual a worshiper 
  of Minderhal must perform to take full advantage of the 
  Deific Obedience feat found in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Inner Sea Gods, as well as the boons for the evangelist, 
  exalted, and sentinel prestige classes.
  Obedience: Spend an hour working a piece of stone into a 
  tool, a vurra, a weapon, or a stone that is destined to be 
  engraved as part of Minderhal’s holy text using only your 
  hands or a tool that uses only your own strength and skill 
  (rather than something that requires another person such 
  as a long saw or a machine such as a mill). Recite relevant 
  passages from One Hundred Sacred Stones while you craft 
  this object. Gain a +1 profane bonus on Strength checks and 
  on attack rolls with thrown weapons.
  EVANGELIST BOONS
  1: Master of Earth (Sp) expeditious excavationAPG 3/day, 
  instrument of agonyUC 2/day, or burrowUM 1/day
  2: Hands of Justice (Su) For a number of rounds per day equal 
  to your Hit Dice, you can infuse your slams or a melee weapon 
  you wield with the power of pure law. Your attacks with these 
  weapons gain the axiomatic weapon special ability. Any attacks 
  that would damage these weapons first have their damage 
  reduced by 5 before you apply DR, hardness, or any resistances. 
  Activating or dismissing this ability is a free action, and the 
  rounds need not be consecutive. Any weapon affected by this 
  ability returns to normal 1 round after it leaves your hands.
  3: Maker’s Gift (Su) Once per day as a full-round action, you 
  can grant Minderhal’s gift of power to a willing humanoid 
  creature by touching it. The target gains a +2 profane bonus 
  to Strength or a +4 profane bonus on Craft checks relating 
  to stone. A creature can have no more than one Maker’s gift 
  from an evangelist at a time. As long as the gift persists, you 
  can speak telepathically with the target across any distance 
  (but this does not grant it the ability to reply). The Maker’s 
  gift is removed by dispel evil or dispel law. You can remove 
  the gift as a free action, dealing 1d4 points of Wisdom 
  damage to the target as a result. The target cannot attempt 
  a saving throw against this effect.
  EXALTED BOONS
  1: Will of the Unmaker (Sp) enlarge person 3/day, weapon of 
  aweAPG 2/day, marionette possessionUM 1/day
  2: Hands of Justice (Su) For a number of rounds per day 
  equal to your Hit Dice, you can infuse your slams or a melee 
  weapon you wield with the power of pure law. Your attacks 
  with these weapons gain the axiomatic weapon special 
  ability. Any attacks that would damage these weapons 
  first have their damage reduced by 5 before you apply 
  DR, hardness, or any resistances. Activating or dismissing 
  this ability is a free action, and the rounds need not be 
  consecutive. Any weapon affected by this ability returns to 
  normal 1 round after it leaves your hands.
  3: Rocky Flesh (Sp) You gain a profane bonus equal to your 
  Charisma modifier on your Fortitude saving throws and to 
  your natural armor bonus.
  SENTINEL BOONS
  1: Paragon of Greatness (Sp) compel hostilityUC 3/day, bull’s 
  strength 2/day, haste 1/day
  2: Rewarding Smash (Su) Whenever you confirm a critical hit 
  with a melee attack, you heal a number of hit points equal 
  to your Hit Dice or the target’s Hit Dice, whichever is less.
  3: Avalanche of Might (Su) As a swift action, you can increase 
  your physical might. You gain a +1 profane bonus on melee 
  attack rolls, melee weapon damage rolls, Strength checks, and 
  Strength-based skill checks, as well as DR 1/— until the end 
  of your next turn. You can use this ability a number of rounds 
  per day equal to your Hit Dice; these rounds need not be 
  consecutive. If you use this ability on consecutive rounds, the 
  duration resets; the bonuses from consecutive uses stack. 
  CUstomized sUmmon list
  Minderhal’s priests can use summon monster spells to 
  summon the following creatures in addition to the normal 
  creatures listed in the spells.
  Summon Monster VII
  Fiendish or resolute stone giant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  151, 294; Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 293)
  MINDERHAL
  75
  
  THE TRAVAILS OF  
  KILIG THE STEERSMAN
  The campfire fluttered briefly as a particularly cold gust blew across it. The group 
  looked to Kilig_it was his turn to speak. The man was brawny and barrel-chested 
  beneath his mail. He wore his red hair long and his beard close-cropped, and his 
  eyes were steel gray; his nose was a bit too long, though, and his cheeks a bit too 
  pinched, to look like one of the square-jawed heroes of legend.
  “Are you going to brush your hair all night or tell your story, steersman?” complained Silas. 
  Kilig had the presence of mind to look abashed as he hurriedly tied his flame-red 
  mane back into a tail with by a leather thong and fingered his ragged beard with 
  a robust chuckle. “There’s always occasion for pride of appearance, my comrades-
  in-arms,” he blared. He fondly patted the greataxe propped next to him, continuing, 
  “If it’s tales of giant killing you want, I can certainly deliver. I call my axe Bran 
  the Giant Killer, after the legendary hero of my people; I am, of course, pure-
  blooded Ulfen, and giant killing is something of a specialty for us.” He looked down at 
  the mangy dog whose grizzled muzzle rested in his lap. “The dog is called Bran the 
  Giant Killer as well_uh, same source.”
  “Doesn’t look like much of a giant-killer to me,” said Angriss.
  “Ha! Why, it’s a cold-forged, wide-bitted greataxe with a haft balanced for_oh, the 
  dog. Yes, his name is more of a philosophical stance than a personal statement, I 
  suppose.” Kilig scratched his nose contemplatively. “Though he was positively integral in 
  the slaying of Mush-Lips of the Gray Fen. Now that’s a story, I tell you. Why, let me 
  just fill you in on the details.”
  Bran looked up briefly and made a snuffling sound suspiciously close to a sigh as 
  the red-haired lout began to weave a tale the dog had heard too many times.
  I
  t was my third trip to the River Kingdoms, and I 
  helmed the longship Hjalmar’s Wrath south of Nystra 
  near a reeking mire that the locals called the Gray Fen 
  when my scrofulous crew mutinied and put me ashore 
  with nothing but my greataxe and my faithful hound. I 
  was slogging inland through the wooded swamp—putting 
  as much distance as I could between myself and the river 
  trolls that haunt that stretch of the Sellen—when suddenly 
  my boots sank deeper into the mire than I expected. I had 
  wandered into a bog! But when I tried to pull my boots free 
  and reach for a nearby tree trunk to cling to, I realized my 
  foot was tangled. Someone had stretched an old fishing 
  net just below the bog’s surface to create a snare, and I had 
  fallen into the nefarious trap.
  I began to hack at the netting, but the muck and water 
  deadened my blows. The racket I caused must have carried 
  across the marsh, because soon I heard the sounds of 
  something crashing through the trees coming in my 
  direction—something big. I looked to Bran—the dog, 
  not the axe—and said, “Run ahead and bark to scare away 
  whatever’s coming!”
  The dog gave me one weary look and scampered away 
  in the opposite direction. I was tempted to throw Bran—
  the axe, not the dog—after him, but by this time, I had 
  sunk to my waist and thought I might just need the axe 
  for whatever came out of the trees. I soon found out I was 
  right about that. 
  She was a monster—a huge mass of flab and fish-belly-
  pale hide with a neckless head and stumpy legs. Her wide 
  nose was flattened across her face below dead, black eyes, 
  and her cleft fish mouth had swollen lips like two carp 
  floating a week dead in the sun. She was a marsh giant, 
  and hungry by the looks of her.
  I opened my mouth to scream in terror, as would any 
  sane man caught in a marsh giant’s net. As usual, though, 
  my mutinous tongue had come up with its own plan 
  without consulting me—instead of a scream, I heard my 
  voice say, “Thank the gods you’ve come! Now hurry up 
  PATHFINDER’S JOURNAL: TALL TALES 3 OF 6
  76
  
  and eat me so I can be done with this blasted curse!” It 
  was fortunate that I spoke a little bit of the Giant tongue, 
  and even more fortunate that she did too. As she stomped 
  toward me, I made as if I were trying to cleave my own face 
  with the greataxe but was unable to because of the netting.
  Either what I said or what I was doing must have 
  intrigued her, because she checked her swing with her 
  massive gaff hook, knocked Bran from my hands—I refer 
  here to the axe, of course—and said in her great, gurgling 
  voice, “What you say?”
  Now I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but marsh giants 
  aren’t the brightest of the giant races. And in my many 
  years of reaving upon the endless waves in my longship, 
  the Valkyrie’s Fury— What’s that? Ah, you thought my ship 
  was named Hjalmar’s Wrath? Well, that was more of an 
  informal nickname really, but that’s beside the point. As 
  I was saying, in my many years as an Ulfen raider I had 
  learned that marsh giants were also superstitious—great 
  believers in their fish god Dagon and all his blubbering 
  omens and whatnot. And it was this superstition and my 
  own impromptu gambit that saved me.
  My mind caught up to my tongue as I continued. “I 
  have the stone curse. I picked it up for daring to tread the 
  streets of sunken Azlant, you know. It pains me something 
  fierce, and I wish you’d hurry up and eat me to put me out 
  of my misery.”
  She licked her lips a moment and then raised the gaff 
  before I added, “Of course, a giant who eats the man with 
  the stone curse given by Dagon gets more of the same 
  herself. The stone curse, I mean. You know Dagon; he’s all 
  about the curses and suffering.”
  The name was getting through to her and giving her 
  pause. “Mush-Lips hungry,” she said. “If I no eat you, 
  manling, then what I eat?”
  “Well, there was a dog here a moment ago,” I said bitterly, 
  looking over my shoulder. “But no! I have a better idea. 
  If you can lift the stone curse from me, then Dagon will 
  bless you by making me the fattest, most succulent, most 
  delicious meal you’ve ever had. You’ve just got to let me 
  properly cure, you know, like a ham, or a rancid muskrat 
  carcass, or whatever you normally eat. On the other 
  hand, eating me without getting the curse lifted... Well, 
  you’ve heard of stone giants, I’m sure. It’s a most painful 
  condition, they tell me.”
  Mush-Lips wasn’t sure what to make of that, but I guess 
  the thought of letting me fatten up and get stinky like the 
  other things she probably ate appealed to her. She laughed 
  and pulled me out of the bog, threw me over her shoulder 
  with one hand, and scooped up Bran—the axe—with the 
  other. Then we were off through the fetid forest, her every 
  step rattling my teeth as I hung over her shoulder.
  I soon spied the giantess’s lair. A rocky tor rose from 
  the surrounding fen, topped by a truly ancient pine tree 
  that perched precariously on its highest point. A rockfall 
  at the base of the steep hill partially covered a wide cave 
  entrance. As Mush-Lips stooped to enter the cave, I quickly 
  snatched off my glove and scooped up a handful of the 
  sand that carpeted the entrance. I tucked the sand-filled 
  glove behind my belt and planned my next move.
  Inside, the lair was actually spacious. It was obviously 
  established by some previous inhabitant of a more 
  constructive bent, who had undoubtedly ended up in 
  Mush-Lips’s bloated gut. Its stone floor was dry, with an 
  old hearth built into the center and several rock shelves 
  that could serve for storage or even sleeping in a pinch. In 
  one corner a broken paddle wheel from some long-sunken 
  riverboat served as a makeshift cage. It was into this that I 
  was thrown, after which Mush-Lips bent the metal paddle 
  blades back into place, leaving gaps just a little too narrow 
  for me to squeeze through and bars thick enough I couldn’t 
  bend them. She deposited Bran the Giant Killer—I still 
  speak of the axe here, you understand—on a high shelf, 
  and then she squatted near a pile of what must have been 
  her bedding and began to gnaw on some sort of suspicious-
  looking tubers.
  I figured it was only a matter of time before her hunger 
  overcame her misgivings about me, and I immediately 
  began to regale her with details of the dreaded stone 
  curse, using practically all of my Giant vocabulary and 
  supplementing it with grand gestures. After a bit, she 
  seemed ill disposed to continue munching on her tasteless 
  roots and came over to give me a closer look. A little stream 
  of spittle oozed from her swollen, disgusting lips.
  Just as she leaned in close to get a good look at me, I 
  suddenly feigned a monstrous sneeze and flung the 
  sand I had hidden in my glove straight into her eyes and 
  slavering maw. She gave out a startled yelp followed by a 
  fit of sneezes of her own as the coarse grains irritated her 
  eyes and the sensitive tissues of that oozing hole in her 
  fish face that she called a mouth. She coughed three or 
  four times and then looked at me in utter shock.
  I got this axe from my father, who got 
  it from his mother. She used to tell 
  stories of adventuring and killing giants, 
  so when I got it I named it Bran.
  People are always 
  getting it confused with 
  my dog.
  THE TRAVAILS OF KILIG THE STEERSMAN
  77
  
  “Oh, woe unto the son of my father!” I wailed, “It’s 
  already begun. The stone curse has started to dry my 
  insides all up. I’m no good to eat now unless I’m cured, 
  and the curse is probably catching now. I suppose one 
  little sneeze wouldn’t put the curse on you yet, I’m sure. I 
  mean, otherwise your eyes would be stinging and watery 
  right now, and your mouth would feel gritty and dry.”
  As I said this, her eyes widened as my words sank 
  through the layers of fat around her waterlogged brain. 
  “Manling! It is what you say of my eyes and mouth! What 
  Mush-Lips do now?” she shrieked.
  “Well, it looks like we’re in this together,” I replied, 
  letting her see I was trying my hardest to keep up a brave 
  face, “until you can get me properly cured and eaten. But 
  don’t you worry, mighty Mush-Lips, I won’t abandon 
  you to this horrible fate. You still owe me an eating, and 
  I’m going to see you through this so you can deliver on 
  that promise.” A tear of what I could only describe as 
  gratitude—or possibly irritation from the sand—welled 
  up in one of her black eyes. “But the first thing we’ve got 
  to do, Mush-Lips,” I added, “is fatten me up. A few sheep 
  ought to do the job nicely. Say, you know, I think I saw some 
  grazing along the river a few miles south of the swamp. If 
  only there was a way to get— ”
  She was out the mouth of the cave before I could 
  even finish my sentence. Checking the cage bars once 
  again to confirm that I could neither move them nor 
  fit through, I sat back to plot my next move and await 
  whatever fate might bring me. Being “of the blood” 
  Sczarni, though, has its advantages when it comes to 
  tempting fate. (What do you mean? Of course I’m pure 
  Ulfen, like I said. There’s just a drop of Sczarni blood, 
  on my mother’s side.)
  Mush-Lips returned that evening with the carcasses 
  of three sheep she had poached from the edge of the 
  swamp. She gave me one while she tore into the other two 
  raw; apparently suffering a fake curse can really build 
  up an appetite. I was able to talk her into letting me out 
  of the cage to build a fire in the hearth, erect a spit, and 
  roast my sheep over it.
  While I was building my fire, I found a rock-solid lump 
  of old charcoal in the bottom of the fire pit, which I quietly 
  pocketed. I ate my fill and carefully wrapped what was 
  left in an old blanket I found, saving it for later. Then I 
  returned to my cage, full and warm from the fire. The one 
  time during the night that Mush-Lips looked at me with 
  what might have been hunger, I let out a resounding belch 
  and immediately groaned as if in intense pain—mustn’t 
  let her think I had been cured too quickly, after all. After 
  that she quickly went to bed, and I was able to get a full 
  night’s rest.
  The next morning Mush-Lips found me awake with 
  lips as black as coal, which is, in fact, exactly what they 
  were as black as, since I had rubbed the charcoal over 
  them vigorously once I awoke. She gave me a wide-eyed 
  look, to which I replied, “What?” through my blackened 
  lips and teeth, and she quickly went back to whatever 
  morning rituals a ghastly marsh giant maiden keeps—
  they appeared to involve beating a half-eaten sheep carcass 
  against the rock wall of the cave to no discernible purpose.
  An hour later when I called her over, she approached 
  cautiously. I had wiped some of the coal off of my lips and 
  teeth so they were now just an unhealthy gray rather than 
  midnight black. I told her, “I think I’m feeling a bit better 
  today, Mush-Lips. Perhaps I’m beginning to get a little 
  cured. Here, why don’t you take a bite and see how I’m 
  coming along?” At this I held my gloved hand between 
  the bars with the first finger extended nearly to her 
  mouth. She must have felt better about my pallor because 
  she placed the extended finger between her teeth and bit 
  down with gusto, chomping the gloved finger clean off. 
  This was immediately followed by a howl of pain, after 
  which she spit out the chewed glove finger, which held 
  a broken chunk of charcoal, as well as a good portion of 
  split tooth. My actual finger was, of course, still curled 
  down inside the glove against the palm of my hand, 
  where she couldn’t see it.
  I knew the risks, 
  but I really 
  didn’t expect to 
  get caught by a 
  marsh giant.
  Thankfully Mush-Lips was as dumb as 
  she was strong. Actually, thankfully 
  I’m quicker with my wit than with 
  my axe.
  78
  
  She looked at the charcoal “finger.” I looked at the 
  charcoal “finger.” She looked at me, I swallowed audibly, 
  she let out a little gibber of fear, and I said, “Well, looks 
  like the stone curse has gotten worse. I hear that the 
  fingers are the first to go when the stone curse becomes 
  really advanced. And now that it’s been in your mouth... 
  Well, it’ll probably kill us both unless it can be cured at 
  its source.” Here I demurred as she and I both well knew 
  the only “source” that could save her was me. Mush-Lips 
  held a meaty, fishy palm to her swollen cheek where the 
  broken tooth still smarted while I explained to her that, in 
  the most advanced cases, the curative for the stone curse 
  required communing with powerful spirits—specifically 
  the drinkable kind. I also made sure to explain that 
  keeping the cursed victim warm was important as well.
  “Now I get the stone curse, manling?” Mush-Lips 
  blubbered to me. “Stone giants’ hair all fall out. I know; 
  I have seen.”
  “Well, I don’t want to overly alarm you, but, yes, you will 
  most certainly get the stone curse now.” I didn’t have the 
  heart to tell her that her moon head was already as bald as 
  a stone giant’s backside.
  “What I do, manling?” she wailed.
  “Fortunately for you, Mush-Lips, I may know just the 
  thing to save you. Not two days ago, my ship passed a group 
  of goblin river pirates. They gave me and my crew a wide 
  berth, but I could see they had casks of spirits and bundles 
  of furs stacked on their raft.” In truth, the bastards had 
  swindled me out of seven silver links in a game of cards 
  that I’d rigged, but this wasn’t about revenge; it was about 
  survival—mine, to be specific.
  I told Mush-Lips roughly where I had seen the goblin 
  pirates who held the key to our salvation, and watched her 
  go as I worked out the rest of my plan in my mind.
  Mush-Lips returned that evening with two casks, a 
  bundle of furs, and a string of goblin carcasses, which 
  she tore into with relish. She gave the furs and one of 
  the barrels to me while I warmed my leftover mutton at 
  the fire pit. The cask was a fine Brevic red that I enjoyed 
  immensely before retiring to the warmth of a great pile 
  of furs in my cage. Mush-Lips herself drank from a barrel 
  of rotgut Belkzen Black before finally passing out at the 
  cave entrance. The time was near for my escape; she just 
  needed a final push.
  The next morning Mush-Lips awoke, bleary eyed and 
  hungover, to the sound of an eerie wail filling the cavern. I 
  sat and looked at her with an expression of surprise on my 
  face. I held a hand over my mouth—fortunately she was 
  not great at counting or she might have noticed the finger 
  I had mysteriously regenerated—but almost immediately 
  another mournful howl filled the cave. She rushed to my 
  side and yelled in a voice that surely split her aching head, 
  “What the matter with you, manling?”
  “I’m afraid we’re too late for me, Mush-Lips. The stone 
  curse has got me in its final clutches; I’ve developed the 
  wailing whoop.” As if to punctuate this, the ear-spitting 
  howl filled the cavern once again. Now, Mush-Lips’s mind, 
  still befuddled with rotgut orc liquor and never exactly 
  an Aldori blade to begin with, was having trouble taking 
  this all in. You can’t really blame her if she didn’t see the 
  no-good dog huddled beneath the furs beside me, howling 
  every time I kicked it in its sorry ribs. You see, Bran the 
  Giant Killer—yes, yes, the dog this time—had turned up 
  the previous day while Mush-Lips was goblin hunting, 
  and, like all faithless curs, had followed the commands 
  of his stomach. Feeling hungry, he had tracked my scent, 
  hoping to get fed. I had given him a bit of my mutton, 
  hidden him beneath the furs, and let his natural laziness 
  take care of the rest. The dog was well fed and didn’t want 
  to rise so early, and a few swift nudges with the heel of 
  my boot were eliciting the mournful wails that Mush-Lips 
  took to be mine.
  She was tired, hungover, and scared out of her wits by 
  the noises she knew no manling was capable of making 
  when I told her the final chance we had to save her and 
  let her eat me required an enchanted pinecone. But it 
  couldn’t be just any enchanted pinecone. It had to be one 
  that grew atop the tallest tree, could only be identified 
  by someone infected with the stone curse, and had to be 
  harvested by a famous seafarer with an axe blessed by 
  mighty Gorum himself. She looked completely lost at 
  the laundry list of requirements I laid out for her until I 
  gave her a confident smile. “I do recall quite a large pine 
  tree atop your hill, yon axe over there happens to have 
  been forged at Gorum’s most holy temple in Kalsgard, 
  and I...” I looked down in embarrassment. “Well, I just 
  happen to be the most famous seafarer you’ve ever met.” 
  Two of those things were more or less true, but I doubt 
  she was counting.
  He may be lazy and selfish, but damn if 
  Bran isn’t a loyal dog. Most of the time. 
  Once he’s had something to eat.
  THE TRAVAILS OF KILIG THE STEERSMAN
  79
  
  In seconds she had wrenched the bars of the cage in order 
  to release me and snatched up Bran—actually, the dog and 
  the axe both this time, along with the whole bundle of furs 
  the dog was sleeping in, which she dropped in panic when 
  it gave out a startled yelp most unlike a bundle of furs. She 
  then raced out with the axe in one arm and yours truly 
  in the other. Unfortunately, as I explained to her, at this 
  advanced stage of the stone curse, I could scarcely trust the 
  strength in my own legs, so it was up to her to climb the 
  perilous cliff to the top of the tor without dropping myself 
  or Bran—solely the axe this time.
  When we reached the base of the ancient pine that 
  towered above the marsh, Mush-Lips stopped to catch her 
  breath and motioned for me to climb the tree. I just looked 
  sorrowfully at my poor, curse-ridden legs and sat down, 
  helpless, at the base of the trunk. With a little moan—she 
  was still reeling from the effects of the Belkzen Black—
  she scooped me up over her shoulder and began to climb 
  the tree. It is sad for me to say, but I made her clamber 
  over many precarious branches as I misidentified the 
  enchanted pinecone a number of times. You couldn’t know 
  for sure until you got a real close look. 
  Finally I had found it for sure. I pointed to a pinecone 
  far out on a perilous branch near the top of the tree. 
  Mush-Lips scrambled toward the high branch, which was 
  well over two hundred feet above the marsh. The entire 
  tree groaned and bent beneath her ponderous bulk, but 
  she soldiered on. Finally, she got as near to the branch as 
  she could, and I was forced to climb up over her back and 
  out onto a higher limb. In my weakened state, I couldn’t 
  possibly reach the necessary branch, so she had to brace 
  her feet on the tree’s trunk, extend far out to grasp it with 
  one hand to bend it down toward me, and hand the axe up 
  to me with the other.
  There I stood—the giant dangling helpless beneath me, 
  Bran the axe in my hand, and Bran the dog sniffing around 
  the base of the tree below. Only three of the giant’s fat 
  sausage fingers held her in place on the tree branch. I hefted 
  Bran in my hands, feeling its weight, and looked out over 
  the distant forests. You know, life can be funny sometimes.
  The speaker scratched the dog’s graying muzzle and gave 
  it a playful cuff, eliciting a low, mournful howl. Five faces 
  around the campfire stared at him a moment in utter 
  silence, shocked by what they have just heard and its utter 
  lack of any sort of ending.
  “What? Oh, you want to know the rest,” Kilig asked, 
  a look of surprise on his face. “Why, I promise you, it is 
  much too gruesome to tell in civilized company.”
  The others spent another moment looking at him 
  then at each other before guffaws and general rumbles of 
  disbelief and derision arose.
  “A likely story, your admiralship.”
  “Walked the sunken streets of Azlant, yes? More like the 
  sunken dregs at the bottom of a cup.”
  “Aye, his tongue is faster than his mind, and no mistake!”
  “How many Brans have you got, between the axe, the dog, 
  and that soggy lump of mud resting between your ears?”
  The laughter paused, however, as the man soberly 
  unrolled a waxed cloth he had pulled from his pack. 
  Within it were three fat, black, tube-like things. They were 
  wrinkled and ghastly to behold, with crusty protrusions 
  at the end that looked a bit like gnarled fingernails. 
  His companions watched as the red-haired adventurer 
  grabbed one with a gloved hand—a glove that had one 
  finger missing, revealing the man’s own digit—and 
  tossed it to the dog, who hungrily began scarfing down 
  the bloated, scabrous thing. The grumbles dwindled and 
  died, gradually replaced by an uncomfortable silence 
  and more than one stifled gag as the storyteller raised 
  another of the lumpy, swollen things to his own mouth 
  and chomped off a bite, a ruddy trickle of juice mingling 
  with the hairs of his short beard.
  Kilig the steersman looked around him at the faces 
  of his fellow travelers around the fire and noticed the 
  greenish tinge that touched some of them as they watched 
  him with a rapt and horrified attention. What? he thought. 
  Haven’t they ever seen an Illmarsh peat-cured eel sausage before?
  Well, what else would an honest-to-gods Ustalav—on my 
  mother’s side, of course—eat?
  Did they really think I 
  carted around fingers 
  from a long-dead giant?
  I wasn’t sure I could really sell the 
  joke, but one look at my companions’ 
  faces let me know I had them.
  80
  
  MARSH GIANTS
  It is a generous observer indeed who might call a marsh giant clever. 
  Considered by many to be the inbred dregs of the hill giant race_already as 
  close to inbred dregs as can be imagined outside of a cabin of ogres on Hook 
  Mountain_marsh giants live up to their reputation for crudity and a near-complete 
  lack of organization. In groups, however, they can demonstrate a low conniving 
  as their natural competitiveness and drive for survival compel them to formulate 
  something akin to strategy and planning in their actions. Lone marsh giants, on the 
  other hand, truly scrape the bottom of imaginable wretchedness.
  Lone marsh giants, having been driven from their societies to live as hermits, 
  are Considered pariahs even by their own foul kind. Gifted with intellects barely 
  above that of beasts, lone marsh giants live lives of squalor and confusion. Forced 
  to survive on their own, these specimens are often physically stronger than their 
  kin but rely on habits and taboos formulated from their own misguided observations 
  and what little they can recall from their early lives. As a result, almost anything 
  can take on a mystical, superstitious quality in the eyes of a marsh giant hermit, 
  and even seemingly nonsensical things can have a special significance.
  The place could’ve 
  used more ventilation. 
  Ugh.
  Mush-Lips had a big den, much 
  bigger than a single giant needed. 
  The place reeked of sweat, mud, 
  and rotting leftovers.
  Who’d have thought I’d 
  be imprisoned in a 
  paddle wheel?
  THE TRAVAILS OF KILIG THE STEERSMAN
  81
  
  BESTIARY
  W
  e were deep in the Kodar Mountains when we unearthed the cavern. 
  Aside from a few vermin, the cave system hadn’t been inhabited in ages. 
  In the first cavern, simple pottery still sat stacked near traces of a cooking fire 
  that burned out thousands of years ago. The second chamber was far more 
  impressive, with paintings of animals covering its walls. Some of the images seemed 
  to depict a great migration, while others showed hunters stalking the animals. 
  Our flickering torches scattered light throughout the cave, and the effect made 
  the figures appear to move about on the stone walls. Suddenly, the illusion of 
  movement became reality as a horse leapt from the wall, its hooves as real as 
  the stone. All through the chamber, the paintings slithered down to attack.
  —Tarnalos Kriegh, explorer
  82
  
  T
  his volume of the Giantslayer Adventure Path 
  contains the result of bizarre burial practices, 
  animated cave paintings, sentient statues, 
  Minderhal’s herald, and a template for giants with 
  mixed ancestry.
  INTO MINDERHAL’S VALLEY
  The random encounter table presented here features a 
  number of typical threats the PCs could encounter while 
  adventuring in the Valley of Minderhal. During the course 
  of the adventure, the PCs have a 35% chance of a random 
  encounter every 2 hours they spend exploring the region, 
  but should have no more than three random encounters 
  per day.
  Since this adventure spans a range of levels, some 
  random encounters might be too simple or too difficult 
  for the PCs, depending on where they are in the course of 
  the adventure. If the result rolled is outside the challenge 
  rating range appropriate for the PCs, roll again on the 
  table or choose a different encounter.
  To learn more about the region or get inspiration for 
  other hazards and encounters, read Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes.
  Hill Giant Hunter (CR 9): Since Kragmuld spends 
  much of his time wandering the valley, there is a chance 
  that the PCs could encounter him outside of his encounter 
  location in the adventure. If this result is rolled, see 
  page 22 for details on how Kragmuld reacts to the PCs if 
  he’s encountered randomly.
  Sinister Spectre (CR 7): The dwarven spectre (Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 256) named Begrundi Stonehold seethes 
  with anger. Originally part of a group of adventurers, this 
  unfortunate soul was betrayed by his companions and 
  left to die in the mountains. Dead for only a day before 
  he rose as a spectre, Begrundi was able to track down his 
  murderous companions before they could leave the valley. 
  As the traitors slept in their camp, Begrundi killed them 
  one by one, draining them slowly of their life force and 
  delighting in their terror. Begrundi still roams the valley, 
  preying on lone travelers. Since spectres abhor sunlight, 
  this result happens only after sundown. 
  Xorn Ambush (CR 8): After leisurely feasting upon a 
  narrow but long-stretching vein of pure quartz for weeks, 
  this pair of xorns (Bestiary 284) followed it into the valley, 
  where the vein ran out. Still mostly sated, the xorns are 
  reluctant to move on to other lands, and instead have set 
  up an ambush in the valley to take advantage of travelers 
  bearing gold, gems, and other rich foods. The two lie in wait 
  just beneath the ground in a place where the valley walls 
  narrow. Once they detect passersby with their tremorsense, 
  they spring from the stone using their earth glide ability. 
  The xorns focus their attacks on the creature carrying the 
  most weight of gemstones, precious metals, or even ore.
  SLAG GIANT BAGS
  The following list of random treasure provides a GM with 
  flavorful suggestions for the types of things a slag giant 
  might have in its lair, among its equipment, or stowed in 
  enormous bags. Whenever the PCs encounter a slag giant, 
  consider rolling on this table instead of or in addition to 
  awarding the treasure listed for the giant.
  d%	
  Result
  1–7	
  Sack	of	iron	ore
  8–13	
  Oil of arcane lock	in	a	crystal	vial
  14–18	
  Unstrung	dulcimer	that	has	been	lacquered	blue	and	
  carved	with	a	star	and	moon	motif
  19–25	
  Wire	brush	missing	half	of	its	bristles
  26–31	
  Large	boot	(with	a	500-gp	ruby	in	a	hollowed	heel)
  32–36	
  10	square	yards	of	thick	leather	(worth	30	gp)
  37–43	
  Metal	box	containing	a	flask	of	sovereign	glue	and	a	
  jar	of	salve of slipperiness
  44–51	
  Bag	of	brass	rivets
  52–56	
  A	single	Medium	stilt
  57–62	
  Wrought	iron	puzzle
  63–69	
  Ivory	tube	containing	a	dozen	tindertwigs
  70–74	
  Clay	jar	of	hand	salve	and	roll	of	gauze
  75–78	
  Steel	plate	scroll	with	three	2nd-level	spells	on	it
  79–82	
  Iron	holy	symbol	of	Fandarra
  83–88	
  Superior	steel	lock	with	two	keys
  89–93	
  Set	of	Large	playing	cards	secured	with	a	leather	belt
  94–97	
  Masterwork	adamantine	chisel
  98–100	 Carriage	wheel
  Valley of Minderhal encounters
  d%	
  Result	
  Avg.	CR	 Source
  1–6	
  1	bulette	
  7	
  Bestiary	39
  7–11	
  1	dire	bear	
  7	
  Bestiary	31
  12–17	
  1d4	flame	drakes	
  7	
  Bestiary 2	106
  18–22	
  1	greater	barghest	
  7	
  Bestiary	27
  23–29	
  1d4	ogre	spiders	
  7	
  Bestiary 3	254
  30–36	
  Sinister	spectre	
  7	
  See	below
  37–41	
  1	deadfall	scorpion	
  8	
  Bestiary 3	237
  42–46	
  1	destrachan	
  8	
  Bestiary 2	83
  47–51	
  1d8	korreds	
  8	
  Bestiary 2	173
  52–57	
  1	stone	giant	
  8	
  Bestiary	151
  58–63	
  1	treant	
  8	
  Bestiary	266
  64–69	
  Xorn	ambush	
  8	
  See	below
  70–74	
  1	aurumvorax	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	35
  75–79	
  1	greater	earth	elemental	
  9	
  Bestiary	123
  80–86	
  Hill	giant	hunter	
  9	
  See	below
  87–91	
  1	rift	drake	
  9	
  Bestiary 3	106
  92–98	
  1	titan	centipede	
  9	
  Bestiary 2	53
  99–100	 1d8	redcaps	
  10	
  Bestiary 2	233
  BESTIARY
  83
  
  BENAIOH
  This towering humanoid figure appears to be sculpted from 
  clay. Fine cracks thread through the creature’s body, leaking a 
  steady stream of putrescent slime.
  BENAIOH	(CLAY	VESSEL)	
  CR	—
  XP	1,200
  N	Large	construct	
  Init	–1;	Senses	blindsense	30	ft.,	darkvision	60	ft.,	low-light	
  vision,	tremorsense	90	ft.;	Perception	–4
  DEFENSE
  AC	18,	touch	8,	flat-footed	18	(–1	Dex,	+10	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	52	(4d10+30)
  Fort	+1,	Ref	+0,	Will	–3
  Defensive	Abilities	clay	shell;	DR	5/adamantine	and	
  bludgeoning;	Immune	construct	traits;	SR	15
  OFFENSE
  Speed	20	ft.
  Melee	2	slams	+12	(1d8+9)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	disease,	spray	slime
  STATISTICS
  Str	28,	Dex	9,	Con	—,	Int	—,	Wis	2,	Cha	1
  Base	Atk	+4;	CMB	+14;	CMD	23
  SQ	freeze,	symbiotic	senses
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	mountains	or	underground
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	guard	(3–12)
  Treasure	none
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Clay	Shell	(Ex)	A	benaioh	is	safely	encased	in	an	animated	clay	
  shell	that	is	sculpted	to	resemble	a	giant	humanoid.	The	shell	
  provides	the	inhabiting	ooze	total	cover.	When	the	clay	form	is	
  destroyed,	it	shatters	violently,	exploding	in	a	spray	of	jagged	
  clay	shards	that	deal	3d6	points	of	damage	to	all	creatures	in	a	
  30-foot-diameter	burst	centered	on	the	benaioh.	A	successful	
  DC	21	Reflex	save	halves	this	damage.	This	explosion	releases	
  the	benaioh	from	its	clay	shell;	thereafter	it	uses	its	ooze	
  form	statistics	(see	below).	The	save	DC	is	Strength-based.
  Disease	(Ex)	While	a	benaioh	is	immune	to	disease,	it	carries	
  a	contagion	with	which	it	both	infects	other	creatures	and	
  propagates	itself.	Any	creature	struck	by	the	benaioh’s	spray	
  slime	ability	is	exposed	to	this	disease.
  Wormrot:	Contact;	save	Fort	DC	20;	onset	1	minute;	
  frequency	1/day;	effect	sickened	plus	1d3	Con	damage;	cure	
  2	consecutive	saves.	The	save	DC	is	Constitution-based.	A	
  creature	that	dies	of	wormrot	transforms	into	a	benaioh	over	
  the	course	of	the	next	24	hours.
  Spray	Slime	(Ex)	Once	every	1d4	rounds	(but	no	more	than	
  6	times	per	day),	a	benaioh	in	its	clay	shell	can	force	a	stream	
  of	itself	in	a	20-foot	line	of	worm-laden	slime	from	one	of	the	
  clay	shell’s	orifices.	The	putrescent	sludge	deals	3d6	points	of	
  acid	damage	and	exposes	the	target	to	wormrot.	
  Symbiotic	Senses	(Ex)	A	benaioh	can	still	use	its	blindsense	
  and	tremorsense	abilities	while	housed	inside	its	animated	
  clay	shell.
  BENAIOH	(OOZE	FORM)	
  CR	7
  XP	3,200
  N	Large	ooze	
  Init	–2;	Senses	blindsense	30	ft.,	tremorsense	90	ft.;	
  Perception	–4
  DEFENSE
  AC	7,	touch	7,	flat-footed	7	(–2	Dex,	–1	size)
  hp	84	(8d8+48)
  Fort	+8,	Ref	+0,	Will	–2
  Immune	disease,	ooze	traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed	20	ft.,	climb	10	ft.,	swim	10	ft.
  Melee	slam	+13	(1d12+12	plus	1d6	acid	and	disease)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	disease,	engulf	(DC	22,	6d6	acid	plus	disease)
  STATISTICS
  Str	26,	Dex	6,	Con	23,	Int	—,	Wis	3,	Cha	1
  Base	Atk	+6;	CMB	+15;	CMD	23	(can’t	be	tripped)
  Skills	Climb	+16,	Swim	+16
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	mountains	or	underground
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	guard	(3–12)
  Treasure	none
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Disease	(Ex)	While	a	benaioh	is	immune	to	disease,	it	carries	
  a	contagion	with	which	it	both	infects	other	creatures	and	
  propagates	itself.	Any	creature	struck	by	the	benaioh’s	slam	
  attack	or	engulf	ability	is	exposed	to	this	disease.
  Wormrot:	Contact;	save	Fort	DC	20;	onset	1	minute;	
  frequency	1/day;	effect	sickened	plus	1d3	Con	damage;	cure	
  2	consecutive	saves.	The	save	DC	is	Constitution-based.	A	
  creature	that	dies	of	wormrot	transforms	into	a	benaioh	over	
  the	course	of	the	next	24	hours.
  Long before the Thassilonian empire rose to power on the 
  western shores of Avistan, ancient tribes of stone giants 
  migrated into the western reaches of Varisia and settled 
  in the region now called the Mindspin Mountains. As 
  their culture grew, so did their devotion to the deities 
  who blessed them with the riches of the earth. They 
  worshiped gods, the spirits of the wild world around 
  them, and their ancestors. To show their respect, they 
  erected dozens of small temples throughout the region. 
  In later centuries, much of their culture was torn apart. 
  Those who clung to their beliefs were slaughtered, and 
  their temples were sacked, looted, and burned. Anything 
  left behind fell into the care of aging priests, and over the 
  centuries, as their caretakers passed on, these remnants 
  slipped into obscurity.
  84
  
  One strange ritual from this time, typically practiced by 
  the ancient priests of the giant goddess Fandarra, involved 
  the preparation of corpses for the journey to the afterlife, 
  but created benaiohs as a side effect. Corpses were prepared 
  by decomposing them within a clay vessel that the priests 
  believed would allow the soul to escape after the body 
  decomposed. To augment this process, the priests used 
  slender, flesh-devouring worms that were imbued with 
  divine blessings. Over the course of a lengthy ritual, priests 
  sealed the deceased’s entire body in sacred clay. As the clay 
  hardened, they sculpted it to resemble the likeness of the 
  deceased, forming a sort of statue-like sarcophagus that 
  stood upright. The only portions of this clay vessel 
  that were left unsealed were holes that allowed 
  access to the individual’s eyes and mouth. Then 
  Fandarra’s priests placed three of the sacred worms 
  into each of the vessel’s openings. Lastly, the priests 
  sealed the openings with wax. In this manner, the 
  priests believed they were separating the deceased’s 
  physical body from its soul, leaving the soul 
  free to follow Fandarra (or her servitors) on 
  to its final rest in the Great Beyond.
  As a side effect, this strange burial 
  practice provided guardians for the 
  tombs, as the divinely imbued worms 
  eventually animate their clay vessels 
  as benaiohs. Since the worms are able 
  to breed rapidly and then maintain 
  a 
  stable 
  population 
  indefinitely, 
  benaiohs are capable of standing vigil 
  for millennia. A benaioh in its clay 
  vessel stands just over 12 feet tall and 
  weighs 2,000 pounds.
  ecology
  A benaioh is an ooze-like colony 
  formed by a swarm of divinely 
  imbued worms that live within a 
  morass of their own waste and digestive 
  secretions. When first created, the colony 
  consists of only nine worms; however, the 
  creatures breed rapidly, particularly when 
  they have a readily available source of flesh. 
  Over the course of several months, the 
  worms reproduce hundreds of times, quickly 
  increasing in population until they fill the clay 
  vessel. During times of dormancy or when meat 
  is scarce, the worms sustain their population 
  through cannibalism, eventually balancing 
  their reproductive and mortality 
  rates. If the colony senses 
  warm flesh, though, the 
  worms stop eating each 
  other. These worms never exhibit this type of swarming 
  behavior when encountered naturally, which indicates 
  that the divine ritual is necessary to create a colony. 
  The worms are coated with a fleshy, gelatinous slime 
  that forms as they devour flesh, and eventually this slurry 
  of worms and slime gains the ability to animate the clay 
  vessel in which they are interred. The worms’ individual 
  tiny jerking and wriggling movements work in unison 
  to move the limbs of the clay vessel. The worms innately 
  sense nearby motion as well as the body heat of most living 
  creatures. As soon as a benaioh senses fresh meat, the 
  worms begin jerking about in a sympathetic reaction, 
  activating the clay figure and sending it lumbering 
  off in the direction of the nearest living prey.
  habitat & society
  Being by-products of a long-forgotten burial practice, 
  benaiohs have no society. Few of these ancient 
  worm-filled statues have managed to survive the 
  transition into contemporary times, though 
  they can still be found in lost tombs dotted 
  throughout western Avistan.
  A number of prominent scholars have 
  questioned their existence altogether. While 
  most of these scholars accept the procedures 
  and preparations performed during burial 
  rituals, they discredit tales of magically 
  imbued worms animating the clay vessels, 
  in part because no one has ever created one 
  of these creatures in modern times—or, 
  for that matter, provided hard evidence for 
  their existence beyond a few broken shards 
  of clay and trace amounts of slimy residue.
  Many of these scholars think that this 
  burial practice is simply a variation of 
  an unusual practice from distant lands, 
  in which ochre jellies are used to dissolve 
  the deceased’s flesh. They dismiss the tales 
  of benaiohs springing to life as fables of a 
  lost age invented by giants to protect their 
  ancestral burial grounds.
  While the practice of making benaiohs 
  is most closely associated with the religious 
  practices of ancient tribes of giants, tales and 
  rumors of similar practices persist among 
  primitive humanoids in the lower depths of 
  the Darklands. In accounts of this practice, 
  the flesh-devouring worm ceremony serves 
  as a punishment or torture, but the end 
  result is similar—the creation 
  of guardians. These stories 
  go on to describe guardians 
  with powerful abilities.
  BESTIARY
  85
  
  GREAT ELDER IUU
  This ancient stone giant towers over others of his kind and has 
  a crown of crystalline growths sprouting from his head. He 
  holds a warhammer made of meteoric stone pierced by natural 
  deposits of glinting metallic ore.
  GREAT	ELDER	IUU	
  CR	15
  XP	51,200
  LE	Large	outsider	(evil,	giant,	heraldISG,	lawful)
  Init	+3;	Senses	darkvision	120	ft.,	low-light	vision;	
  Perception	+21
  Aura	courage	(20	ft.)
  DEFENSE
  AC	30,	touch	13,	flat-footed	26	(+3	Dex,	+1	dodge,	+17	natural,	
  –1	size)
  hp	216	(16d10+128)
  Fort	+18,	Ref	+8,	Will	+15
  Defensive	Abilities	improved	rock	catching;	
  DR	10/adamantine;	Immune	fear
  OFFENSE
  Speed	30	ft.
  Melee	+3 adamantine corrosive warhammer	+27/+22/+17/+12	
  (2d6+12/×3	plus	1d6	acid)
  Ranged	adamantine	rock	+19/+14/+9/+4	(1d8+9)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	rock	throwing	(200	ft.)
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	16th;	concentration	+19)
  At	will—meld into stone,	stone	shape
  5/day—bull’s strength,	cure serious wounds	(DC	16),	
  invisibility purge,	levitate
  3/day—dimension door,	dispel magic,	fly,	gravel	vortex	
  (see	page	74),	neutralize	poison,	order’s	wrath	(DC	17),	
  spike	stones	(DC	17)
  1/day—breath	of	life,	fabricate,	stone	tell,	stoneskin,	wall	
  of	stone
  STATISTICS
  Str	29,	Dex	17,	Con	27,	Int	14,	Wis	16,	Cha	16
  Base	Atk	+16;	CMB	+26;	CMD	40
  Feats	Blind-Fight,	Cleave,	Dodge,	Iron	Will,	Point-Blank	Shot,	
  Power	Attack,	Precise	Shot,	Quick	Draw
  Skills	Climb	+15,	Craft	(stonemasonry,	weapons)	+15,	
  Diplomacy	+15,	Intimidate	+22,	Knowledge	(dungeoneering,	
  history,	planes,	religion)	+12,	Perception	+21,	Perform	
  (sing)	+12,	Sense	Motive	+16,	Stealth	+17	(+25	in	rocky	
  terrain);	Racial	Modifiers	+8	Stealth	in	rocky	terrain
  Languages	Common,	Giant,	Infernal
  SQ	stone	giant	blood,	summon	boulders
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	temperate	mountains	(Hell)
  Organization	solitary	or	council	(Great	Elder	Iuu	plus	3d6	stone	
  giants	or	fiendish	stone	giants)
  Treasure	standard	(+3 adamantine corrosive warhammer,	
  other	treasure)
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Aura	of	Courage	(Su)	Great	Elder	Iuu	is	immune	to	fear.	His	
  allies	within	20	feet	gain	a	+4	morale	bonus	on	saving	
  throws	against	fear	effects.	This	ability	functions	only	while	
  he’s	conscious,	not	if	he’s	unconscious	or	dead.	
  Improved	Rock	Catching	(Ex)	Great	Elder	Iuu	gains	a	+4	racial	
  bonus	on	his	Reflex	save	when	attempting	to	catch	a	thrown	
  rock	with	rock	catching.	This	ability	otherwise	works	as	the	
  rock	catching	ability.
  Stone	Giant	Blood	(Ex)	Great	Elder	Iuu	counts	as	a	stone	
  giant	for	any	effect	related	to	race.
  Summon	Boulders	(Su)	Great	Elder	Iuu	can	summon	three	
  adamantine	throwing	rocks	as	a	swift	action.	If	thrown,	the	
  rocks	disappear	at	the	end	of	his	turn.	Any	rocks	leaving	his	
  grasp	otherwise	disappear	immediately.
  Great Elder Iuu is one of the first stone giants ever to 
  set foot upon the mountains of Golarion, and one of the 
  stone giants’ first tribal elders. After he died at the age of 
  888, Minderhal brought him to Stonepeak for a century 
  of paradise and crafting, then elevated him to serve as the 
  god’s herald. Minderhal sends Iuu to the mortal world 
  in times of great trouble or change for the stone giant 
  people, or to put an end to conflicts between tribes.
  Iuu looks like an exceptionally tall, handsome, and 
  wise elder stone giant with crystals sprouting from 
  his head like a crown and a cloak of heavy moss. His 
  weapon is Anfaru (meaning “Mountain from the Sky”), 
  an adamantine-laden stone meteorite he carved over the 
  course of 100 years into a hammer shape. Iuu has a deep, 
  booming voice that can shatter mortar when he’s angry. 
  His crystal crown and unusual weapon have sometimes 
  led ignorant members of lesser races to mistake him for 
  a stone giant king.
  Iuu uses his magical abilities to enhance, protect, 
  and support himself and his mortal allies. Having been 
  in countless battles against various creatures, he is a 
  competent tactician; he quickly reacts to specific threats 
  or enemy abilities and determines how to best use the 
  available terrain and resources to overcome threats. 
  When he gives orders, he expects other giants to obey 
  immediately and without question. He believes in the 
  inherent strength of his people, and although he is evil, 
  he’s unwilling to sacrifice their lives in risky gambits 
  unless the survival of all the stone giants is at stake. He 
  thinks little of smaller races and is indifferent to the 
  “degenerate” giant races (which, according to some stone 
  giant lore, includes all other races of giants).
  ecology
  Iuu was born a mortal giant, and although he doesn’t have 
  to eat, he still has a strong attachment to the traditional 
  foods and beverages of his people. When summoned to 
  86
  
  the Material Plane by those with means, he expects a great 
  feast to be prepared for him, and he honors his hosts by 
  participating. If those who call him are impoverished, he 
  treats whatever meager food they offer as if it were a fine 
  meal, and limits what he eats so others don’t go hungry.
  Iuu does not need to sleep, and although he needs 
  to breathe, that becomes an issue only if he is forced 
  underwater or buried alive—in which case he can use 
  magic such as dimension door or meld into stone to escape or 
  compensate for the hazard.
  As with mortal stone giants, Iuu’s flesh appears to be 
  made of rock, but he is a creature of flesh and blood. His 
  flesh is much harder than normal stone, but when injured, 
  he bleeds red. Having already lived a full mortal life once, 
  he doesn’t fear death, especially if his dying better serves 
  Minderhal or the stone giant race as a whole. At worst, he 
  would experience regret that he would not share another 
  song or teach another student about the traditional ways 
  of giantkind.
  habitat & society
  Great Elder Iuu spends decades at a time in a catatonic 
  slumber deep within Minderhal’s realm, and nearly as 
  much time crafting weapons for the god’s other servitors 
  and building architecture for the realm itself. After one 
  of his deep sleeps, it’s customary for new petitioners and 
  servitors of the god to seek him out and gain his blessing. 
  Many in Stonepeak determine their seniority by how 
  many cycles of Iuu’s waking and sleeping they have been 
  present for.
  Iuu enjoys teaching others—whether mortals, petitioners, 
  or outsiders—about crafting and the early history of the 
  giant race, using ancient songs to convey these tales to 
  eager ears. He is pleased when a student learns the songs 
  he teaches, but becomes stern if his pupil accidentally or 
  intentionally alters the words or cadence of the song. If he 
  hears an altered version of a song or tale from another, he 
  interrupts, insisting the raconteur tell it the right way and 
  honor its proper, orthodox form.
  Iuu is respectful toward shrines and priests of Estig 
  (the stone giants’ name for Erastil), Fandarra, and spirits 
  of ancestors and stone. He doesn’t allow followers of 
  Urazra to speak in his presence—the first offense merits 
  a verbal rebuke; the second, a beating; and the third, a 
  beating followed by tribal exile.
  Many mortal giants are related to Iuu through the 
  countless generations extending back to the origin of their 
  race. Stone giants of all tribes award him great respect as 
  a powerful, wise, and noteworthy hero-ancestor—even 
  those of tribes that don’t worship Minderhal or that 
  disagree with the herald’s beliefs. When a stone giant 
  exemplifies many of the god’s ideal traits, members of 
  the tribe often consider that giant a spiritual incarnation 
  of Iuu, as if the herald granted the leader a portion of his 
  own spirit at birth, destining that child for greatness.
  When he visits the mortal world, Iuu typically travels 
  with other stone giants; it’s very rare that he’s encountered 
  alone. Usually, his companions are members of the 
  tribe he came to the Material Plane to help. However, 
  in rare cases, the giants who accompany him are his 
  “proud children”—worthy petitioners temporarily given 
  mortal bodies in the form of fiendish stone giants. These 
  companions give Iuu many hands to accomplish tasks 
  that, even with his great strength and knowledge, would 
  be difficult to handle alone.
  BESTIARY
  87
  
  LIVING CAVE PAINTING
  The painted ochre lines of this stylized bison seem to shift and 
  flow, giving the primitive drawing an eerie sense of life and 
  otherworldly majesty.
  LIVING	CAVE	PAINTING	
  CR	4
  XP	1,200
  N	Medium	aberration	
  Init	+9;	Senses	blindsight	30	ft.;	Perception	+5
  Aura	captivating	artistry	(30	ft.,	DC	15)
  DEFENSE
  AC	18,	touch	18,	flat-footed	12	(+2	deflection,	+5	Dex,	+1	dodge)
  hp	39	(6d8+12)
  Fort	+4,	Ref	+7,	Will	+6
  Defensive	Abilities	amorphous;	Immune	bleed,	disease,	
  paralysis,	poison,	stunning
  Weaknesses	vulnerable	to	erase
  OFFENSE
  Speed	30	ft.,	climb	30	ft.
  Melee	ocherous	touch	+9	touch	(1d6	plus	2d6	bleed)
  Space	5	ft.;	Reach	0	ft.
  Special	Attacks	manifestation,	ocherous	touch
  STATISTICS
  Str	—,	Dex	21,	Con	14,	Int	5,	Wis	12,	Cha	15
  Base	Atk	+4;	CMB	+4;	CMD	22	(can’t	be	tripped)
  Feats	Dodge,	Improved	Initiative,	Mobility
  Skills	Climb	+8,	Perception	+5,	Stealth	+13
  Languages	Terran	(can’t	speak)
  SQ	compression,	freeze,	two-dimensional
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any	underground
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	collection	(3–8)
  Treasure	incidental
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Captivating	Artistry	(Su)	Any	creature	with	an	Intelligence	
  score	of	at	least	3	that	begins	its	turn	within	30	feet	of	a	
  living	cave	painting	must	succeed	at	a	DC	15	Will	saving	
  throw	or	be	fascinated	for	1	round.	Hostile	actions	by	
  the	living	cave	painting	that	don’t	target	or	affect	the	
  fascinated	creature	do	not	end	the	fascinated	effect.	
  Whether	or	not	the	save	is	successful,	the	target	is	immune	
  to	the	same	living	cave	painting’s	captivating	artistry	aura	
  for	24	hours.	This	is	a	mind-affecting	effect.	The	save	DC	is	
  Charisma-based.	
  Manifestation	(Sp)	A	living	cave	painting	manifests	itself	
  in	the	three-dimensional	world	by	shaping	quasi-real	
  illusions.	Three	times	per	day,	a	living	cave	painting	can	
  use	shadow conjuration	as	a	spell-like	ability,	but	the	
  shadow	conjuration	can	mimic	only	summon nature’s ally 
  III	spells.	Additionally,	whenever	a	conjured	creature	takes	
  enough	damage	to	destroy	it,	the	living	cave	painting	can	
  instead,	as	a	free	action,	sacrifice	any	number	of	hit	points.	
  Each	hit	point	sacrificed	in	this	way	prevents	1	point	of	
  damage	done	to	the	shadow	conjuration.	The	caster	level	
  for	this	effect	is	7th.	The	save	DC	is	Charisma-based.
  Ocherous	Touch	(Ex)	A	living	cave	painting’s	touch	causes	
  vicious	wounds	to	appear	on	the	victim’s	body,	dealing	1d6	
  points	of	damage	and	2d6	points	of	bleed	damage.	The	
  living	cave	painting	uses	its	Dexterity	modifier	instead	of	
  its	Strength	modifier	to	resolve	all	touch	attacks.
  Two-Dimensional	(Ex)	A	living	cave	painting	exists	in	only	
  two	dimensions,	and	has	some	qualities	in	common	with	
  incorporeal	creatures.	A	living	cave	painting	has	no	Strength	
  score.	Additionally,	it	gains	a	deflection	bonus	to	its	AC	equal	
  to	its	Charisma	modifier.	It	cannot	move	in	three	dimensions	
  (such	as	jumping	or	flying),	and	can	navigate	only	along	
  solid	surfaces	such	as	floors,	ceilings,	and	walls.	It	can	attack	
  creatures	only	by	entering	their	squares	and	touching	them	
  directly.	A	living	cave	painting	can	crawl	onto	solid	objects	
  that	can	then	themselves	be	moved	through	other	means.	
  It	cannot	fall	or	take	falling	damage,	and	it	cannot	use	or	be	
  affected	by	combat	maneuvers	such	as	bull	rush,	grapple,	
  or	trip.	It	cannot	take	any	physical	action	that	would	move	
  or	manipulate	an	opponent	or	the	opponent’s	equipment.	It	
  has	no	weight,	and	does	not	set	off	traps	that	are	triggered	
  by	weight.	A	living	cave	painting	takes	no	damage	from	
  nonmagical	attacks	and	takes	only	half	the	normal	amount	
  of	damage	from	magical	weapons.
  Vulnerable	to	Erase	(Ex)	A	living	cave	painting	can	be	
  targeted	by	an	erase	spell,	which	deals	3d6	points	of	
  damage	to	the	creature.
  Little is known of the primitive tribes that preceded the 
  great mortal civilizations of the Age of Legends. They 
  possessed no written language and built few lasting 
  structures, so little of their culture exists to this day. Yet 
  some evidence of these ancient peoples can be found, 
  hidden away in deep, remote caves protected from the 
  ravages of time. The simple paintings and sculptures 
  found in these caves speak to the primal roots of the 
  human experience, and they’re treasured in the modern 
  world as pieces of art nearly as much as they are considered 
  historical artifacts. Yet those who wish to explore these 
  caverns or retrieve such relics must be cautious. Ancient 
  guardians haunt the dark places in the earth, hiding 
  among the paintings, waiting to strike down those foolish 
  enough to disturb their millennia-long rest.
  These guardians are the living cave paintings, ancient 
  works of art animated by strange magic at the dawn of 
  human civilization. They lack true bodies, and instead 
  exist as two-dimensional beings painted across cave 
  walls in ocher and charcoal. Living cave paintings most 
  often depict herd animals such as aurochs, bison, horses, 
  or rhinoceroses, or megafauna such as megaloceros that 
  forms herds. Some others depict predatory creatures, 
  human figures, or even animal-human hybrids.
  88
  
  ecology
  A living cave painting’s temperament and behavior seem 
  to depend on the type of creature (or creatures) it 
  is painted to resemble. While all living cave 
  paintings are aggressive to some extent, 
  those that portray bison or horses tend 
  to be less violent and less predatory 
  in nature than those that depict 
  lions or bears. Likewise, living 
  cave paintings illustrated to 
  represent herd animals often 
  group together, while those 
  showing solitary creatures 
  generally eschew the company 
  of their own kind. It is a 
  mistake, however, to assume 
  that a living cave painting is 
  merely a two-dimensional version 
  of some common animal. Even 
  those that represent prey animals have 
  sharp predatory instincts, and many 
  an explorer has met a grisly end after 
  disregarding a living cave painting of a 
  peaceful herd animal. 
  Though they require no food or drink 
  to survive, living cave paintings can consume 
  small amounts of material—usually blood, ash, 
  or stone pigments such as ocher. They seem to absorb 
  these materials directly into their two-dimensional 
  bodies, growing darker or more vivid as they do so. 
  Living cave paintings sometimes accept such materials 
  as offerings, allowing creatures who present them with 
  such gifts to pass unharmed into the caverns they protect, 
  though their tolerance is tenuous and short-lived even in 
  the best of situations. 
  Scholars aren’t sure whether living cave paintings 
  age. Some living cave paintings seem to have existed for 
  thousands of years without losing any potency or vitality, 
  while others have grown faint and restive with age. It is 
  even possible that apparently mundane cave paintings 
  were once living cave paintings that either died or now 
  simply lack the will or ability to move. 
  habitat & society
  Living cave paintings reside deep in the earth, in places of 
  sacred significance to the primitive cultures that created 
  cave art during Golarion’s primordial times. Living cave 
  paintings in these caverns attack intruders out of some 
  bestial territorial instinct rather than cruel spite or 
  random violence. No matter how extensive the cave system 
  it occupies might be, a living cave painting typically 
  treats only the areas of its cave decorated with cave art as 
  its territory. It generally ignores raw, unadorned areas, 
  though it may pursue intruders into these areas if it feels 
  they are still a threat. 
  In addition to the cave itself, living cave paintings 
  are extremely protective of the mundane paintings 
  and sculptures that cover the walls of their cavernous 
  homes. Explorers who damage or deface such ancient 
  works of art, whether accidentally or intentionally, are 
  sure to draw the ire of any nearby living cave paintings. 
  Such behavior suggests that living cave paintings were 
  first created to be guardians for these sacred places, and 
  continue to act out this role long after the cultures that 
  created them have died out.
  While many living cave paintings are ancient, specimens 
  can sometimes be found in more recent sites. Some living 
  cave paintings can be found in caverns near the surface 
  that were occupied by orcs during the Age of Darkness, and 
  even more recently in caves inhabited by modern Kellid 
  or Shoanti tribes not that far back in Avistan’s past. It’s 
  not clear whether the living cave paintings found in these 
  places migrated to younger sites from older caves, or newer 
  cave art also has the potential to transform into living 
  cave paintings. Some believe (albeit without evidence) that 
  shamans among some remote tribes still preserve the age-
  old secret to creating new living cave paintings.
  BESTIARY
  89
  
  MONGREL GIANT
  This stooped giant has the tusks and posture of a cave giant, but its 
  elongated head and gray, stony skin betray its stone giant heritage.
  MONGREL	CAVE	GIANT	
  CR	6
  XP	2,400
  CE	Large	humanoid	(giant)
  Init	+0;	Senses	darkvision	120	ft.,	low-light	vision;	Perception	+5
  DEFENSE
  AC	19,	touch	9,	flat-footed	19	(+4	armor,	+6	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	67	(9d8+27)
  Fort	+9,	Ref	+3,	Will	+3
  Defensive	Abilities	ferocity,	improved	rock	catching
  Weaknesses	light	sensitivity
  OFFENSE
  Speed	30	ft.
  Melee	battleaxe	+12/+7	(2d6+9/×3)	or
  2	slams	+11	(1d8+6)
  Ranged	rock	+6	(1d8+9)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	improved	rock	throwing	(140	ft.)
  STATISTICS
  Str	23,	Dex	10,	Con	17,	Int	6,	Wis	10,	Cha	7
  Base	Atk	+6;	CMB	+13	(+15	sunder);	CMD	23	(25	vs.	sunder)
  Feats	Cleave,	Improved	Sunder,	Power	Attack,	Vital	Strike,	
  Weapon	Focus	(battleaxe)
  Skills	Climb	+7,	Intimidate	+7,	Perception	+5,	Stealth	–7	(–3	in	
  rocky	terrain);	Racial	Modifiers	+4	Stealth	in	rocky	terrain
  Languages	Giant
  SQ	axe	wielder,	stone	giant	ancestry	(improved	rock	catching,	
  improved	rock	throwing)
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Axe	Wielder	(Ex)	All	cave	giants	are	proficient	with	handaxes,	
  battleaxes,	and	greataxes.
  Giants are a diverse race that can be found nearly anywhere 
  on Golarion. As a people, they’ve grown exceedingly varied 
  in both customs and appearance. While most giants bear 
  the physical features of their immediate ancestors, on 
  occasion a giant gives birth to a child possessing physical 
  traits associated with one of the other types of giants. 
  Exactly why these “mongrel giants” (as they’re known) bear 
  attributes of different giant varieties remains a mystery, 
  particularly because giants of differing varieties who mate 
  with one another don’t produce viable offspring.
  Many believe that all giants came from a single, great 
  race of ancient giants and such throwbacks arise naturally. 
  Not surprisingly, each type of giant argues that these 
  ancient ancestors most resembled the giants of their own 
  race and the other types of giants are their descendants. 
  Hill giants are the one type of giants whose traits don’t 
  arise in other giants. However, hill giants are the most 
  prone to birthing mongrel giants.
  creating a Mongrel giant
  “Mongrel giant” is an inherited template that can be added 
  to any creature with the giant subtype (referred to hereafter 
  as the base creature). A mongrel giant retains all the base 
  creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
  CR: Same as that of the base creature, unless the creature’s 
  size changes, in which case it’s equal to the base creature’s 
  CR + 1.
  Special Qualities: A mongrel giant retains all the 
  special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature 
  and gains the following special quality.
  Giant Ancestry (Ex): A mongrel giant displays traits and 
  features of another variety of giant and gains additional 
  abilities based on this ancestry (see Giant Ancestry Traits 
  below). A mongrel giant can have only one giant ancestry. 
  giant ancestry traits
  A mongrel giant gains additional traits based on its ancestry. 
  Roll 1d4 to determine how many traits a mongrel giant 
  gains. Then roll 1d6 to randomly determine which traits for 
  that ancestry the giant possesses, rerolling duplicates. For 
  spell-like abilities, the caster level is equal to the creature’s 
  HD or the caster level of the base creature’s spell-like 
  abilities, whichever is higher. If the creature’s size changes, 
  modify its ability scores and natural armor bonus as noted 
  on Table 2–2 on page 296 of the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary.
  Ash Giant: Mongrel giants with ash giant ancestry are 
  deformed and are covered in open sores and tumors. 
  1. Affliction Immunity: The giant gains immunity to disease 
  or poison (choose one; this ability can be selected twice).
  2. Disease: The giant gains the disease (ash leprosy) 
  ability (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 126).
  3. Oversized Weapon: The giant gains the oversized 
  weapon ability (Bestiary 3 126).
  4. Simpleminded: The giant’s Intelligence score decreases 
  by 2, to a minimum of 3.
  5. Vermin Empathy: The giant gains the vermin empathy 
  ability (Bestiary 3 126).
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  Cloud Giant: Cloud mongrels giants have fine features 
  and pale blue or white skin. If the base creature’s size is 
  smaller than Huge, increase its size by one category. 
  1. Cloud Magic: The giant gains the following spell-like 
  abilities usable once per day: fog cloud, levitate (self plus 
  2,000 pounds).
  2. Giant Stride: Increase the giant’s base speed by 10 feet 
  (maximum 50 feet).
  3. Oversized Weapon: The giant gains the oversized 
  weapon ability (Bestiary 147).
  4. Powerful Slam: The giant’s slam attack deals 2d6 points 
  of damage.
  5. Smell the Blood: The giant gains the scent ability.
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  90
  
  Fire Giant: Mongrel giants with fire giant ancestry have 
  fiery orange hair and deep red or sooty black skin. 
  1. Fiery Body: The giant gains the fire subtype.
  2. Heated Rock: The giant gains the heated rock ability 
  (Bestiary 148).
  3. Heavy Armor Training: The giant gains Heavy Armor 
  Proficiency as a bonus feat.
  4. Sword Training: The giant gains Martial Weapon 
  Proficiency (greatsword) as a bonus feat.
  5. Ungainly: The giant’s Dexterity score decreases by 2, 
  to a minimum of 1.
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  Frost Giant: Mongrel giants with frost giant ancestry 
  have light blue skin and hair that ranges from frosty blue 
  to dirty yellow. Frost mongrels gain a +2 racial bonus on 
  Stealth checks in snow.
  1. Ambusher: The giant gains Skill Focus (Stealth) as a 
  bonus feat.
  2. Axe Training: The giant gains Martial Weapon 
  Proficiency (greataxe) as a bonus feat.
  3. Chilled Rock: The giant can transfer the cold of its 
  body to rocks as part of an attack action when it 
  throws rocks. A chilled rock deals an additional 
  1d6 points of cold damage.
  4. Icy Body: The giant gains the cold subtype.
  5. Ungainly: The giant’s Dexterity score 
  decreases by 2, to a minimum of 1.
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  Stone Giant: Mongrel giants with stone 
  giant ancestry have elongated heads and 
  brown or gray skin that resembles rock. Stone 
  mongrels gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth 
  checks in rocky terrain.
  1. Darkvision: The giant gains darkvision 
  to 60 feet.
  2. Greatclub Training: The giant gains 
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (greatclub) 
  as a bonus feat.
  3. Improved Rock Catching: The 
  giant gains the improved rock 
  catching ability (Bestiary 151). If 
  the base creature doesn’t have 
  the rock catching ability, it gains 
  that ability instead.
  4. Improved 
  Rock 
  Throwing: 
  Increase the range increment of 
  the giant’s rock throwing ability 
  by 40 feet. If the base creature doesn’t 
  have the rock throwing ability, it gains 
  that ability with a range increment 
  of 120 feet instead.
  5. Stony Skin: The giant’s natural 
  armor bonus increases by 2.
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  Taiga Giant: Taiga mongrels have dark gray skin, red 
  hair, and a strong lower jaw. If the base creature’s size 
  is smaller than Huge, increase its size by one category. 
  These mongrels gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks 
  in undergrowth.
  1. Quick Reactions: The giant gains Lightning Reflexes as 
  a bonus feat.
  2. Resilient: The giant gains endure elements as a constant 
  spell-like ability.
  3. Shrewd: The giant’s Wisdom score increases by 2.
  4. Skirmisher: The giant gains Shot on the Run as a 
  bonus feat.
  5. Spirit Summoning: The giant gains the deflection 
  bonus and immunity provided by the spirit summoning 
  ability (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 131).
  6. Roll twice (reroll any further rolls of 6).
  BESTIARY
  91
  
  Open Game License Version 1.0a
  ice TOmb Of The GianT Queen
  By Jim Groves
  Following the trail of the Storm Tyrant’s armies, the 
  heroes come to a frost giant village that serves as a 
  training camp, led by a frost giant graveknight who 
  issues orders from within an icy crypt. As the heroes 
  engage in guerrilla tactics to weaken the army of giants 
  and disband the training camp, they can ally with a red 
  dragon who seeks to infiltrate the giant camp for her own 
  purposes. Once they’ve broken the ranks of the giants in 
  the camp, the heroes venture into an icy crypt to defeat 
  the troops’ undead leader, and learn that the camp’s top 
  graduates are sent on to an elite military academy run by 
  fire giants.
  armOred fiends
  By John Compton
  Uncover more about some of Golarion’s most infamous 
  graveknights. Find out about their motivations and what 
  they hope to accomplish now that they’re unburdened by 
  mortal limitations.
  TiTanic aLLiances
  By Mark Moreland
  Sometimes giants form groups far greater than just mere 
  tribes. This article details four organizations made up 
  completely of giants, and explores how they plan to shape 
  the world.
  and mOre
  A dark tale of betrayal and utter destruction in the 
  Pathfinder’s Journal by Clinton J. Boomer! Plus, four new 
  monsters in the Pathfinder Bestiary.
  subscribe TO paThfinder advenTure paTh
  The Giantslayer Adventure Path continues! Don’t miss out 
  on a single exciting volume—visit paizo.com/pathfinder 
  and subscribe today to have each Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Module, 
  Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Tales, and 
  Pathfinder Accessories product delivered to your door! 
  Also, be sure to check out the free Giantslayer Player’s 
  Guide, available now!
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
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  does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional 
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  with Benjamin Bruck, Mark Moreland, Sean K Reynolds, and Greg A. Vaughan.
  92
  NEXT MONTH
  
  W
  hen the leader of the ruthless Technic League calls in a favor, the mild-mannered 
  alchemist Alaeron has no choice but to face a life he thought he’d left behind long 
  ago. Accompanied by his only friend, a street-savvy thief named Skiver, Alaeron must head 
  north into Numeria, a land where brilliant and evil arcanists rule over the local barbarian 
  tribes with technology looted from a crashed spaceship. Can Alaeron and Skiver survive long 
  enough to unlock the secrets of the stars? Or will the backstabbing scientists of the Technic 
  League make Alaeron’s curiosity his undoing?
  From Hugo Award winner Tim Pratt comes a fantastic adventure of technology and treachery, 
  set against the backdrop of the Iron Gods Adventure Path in the award-winning world of the 
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
  paizo.com
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  are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc., the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and 
  Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Inc. © 2015 Paizo Inc.
  R
  aised as a wizard-priest in the church of the dark 
  god Zon-Kuthon, Isiem escaped his sadistic masters 
  and became a rebel, leaving behind everything he knew 
  in order to follow his conscience. Now, his unique 
  heritage makes him perfect for a dangerous mission 
  into an ancient dungeon said to hold a magical 
  weapon capable of slaying demons and devils by 
  the thousands and freeing the world of their fiendish 
  taint. Accompanied by companions ranging from a 
  righteous paladin to mercantile mercenaries, Isiem leads 
  the expedition back into shadowed lands that are all too 
  familiar — and what the adventurers find at the dungeon’s 
  heart will change them all forever.
  From acclaimed author Liane Merciel comes a dark tale 
  of survival, horror, and second chances, set in the award-
  winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
  ISBN–13: 9781-60125-662-1   Paperback $9.99
  Amazing Stories Set in the 
  Pathfinder Campaign Setting
  Explore New Horizons
  ISBN–13: 9781-60125-660-7   Paperback $9.99
  
  THE ABYSS AWAITS!
  Spring
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  Embrace your mythic destiny with the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game:  
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  When demons overrun a city and threaten the whole world, it will 
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  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Wrath of the Righteous, 
  Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game are trademarks of Paizo Inc. © 2015 Paizo Inc.
  paizo.com
  
  Find Your Path
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  Paizo, Paizo Inc., Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Giantslayer, Iron Gods, Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Cards, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, Pathfinder Map Pack, Pathfinder Pawns, Pathfinder Player Companion, and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game are trademarks of 
  Paizo Inc. © 2015 Paizo Inc.
  Permission granted to photocopy this page.
  
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and the Pathfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Pathfinder Roleplaying 
  Game and Pathfinder Campaign Setting are trademarks of Paizo Inc. © 2015 Paizo Inc.
  paizo.com
  September 2015
  From Golarion’s unique human ethnicities to common foes like orcs, goblins, and strix, 
  this hardcover tome provides rules, history, and cultural details to make the denizens of 
  the Pathfinder world come alive!
  EXPLORE  
  YOUR ROOTS
  Inner Sea Races
  
  Ettins
  These dimwitted giants are a danger to all who live nearby. Despite their limited 
  intelligence, these giants are cunning combatants. Though they don’t make use of 
  elaborate tactics, their speed and the accuracy of their strikes surprise opponents who 
  expect these lumbering brutes to be single-minded. Once they enter a fight, they 
  rarely stop until all enemies (or they themselves) are dead. 
  The most identifiable trait of ettins 
  is their two heads. 
  Other than 
  their heads, ettins 
  resemble hill giants. 
  It seems that 
  each head 
  controls an arm.
  
  I
  n search of powerful weapons to wield against the Storm Tyrant, the 
  adventurers follow a map found in the lair of the hill giant Grenseldek, which 
  leads them to the tomb of legendary giantslayer Nargrym Steelhand. Armed 
  with these weapons of legend, the adventurers then head into the treacherous 
  Mindspin Mountains in search of the valley where the Storm Tyrant is recruiting 
  giants for his army. The heroes must sneak past the legions of giants inhabiting 
  the winding valley before making their way to the horde’s headquarters—an 
  ancient temple dedicated to the giant god Minderhal. Once there, they must 
  awaken a mighty artifact and disband the mustering army before the giants can be 
  unleashed on the world!
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Giantslayer Adventure 
  Path and includes:
  • “Forge of the Giant God,” a Pathfinder adventure for 7th-level characters, 
  by Tim Hitchcock.
  • A gazetteer of the Mindspin Mountains,  one of Avistan’s largest mountain 
  ranges, by Mark Moreland.
  • A close look at the faith of the giant god Minderhal, by Sean K Reynolds.
  • A tale of escape and trickery in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Greg A. Vaughan.
  • Four new monsters, by Benjamin Bruck, Tim Hitchcock, and Sean K Reynolds.
  Valley of the Giants
  Printed in China. PZO9093
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF91-96 Giantslayer/Giantslayer - 03 - Forge of the Giant God.pdf