Last Updated: November 6, 2023
HISTORY
Personality Traits: Bruenor will have deep conservations about arcane knowledge with his owl.
After all, the owl is smarter than his companions in such matters.
Ideal: Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself.
Bond: Bruenor seeks to restore lost and forgotten arcane knowledge to the mountain dwarves.
Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth risking the lives of himself and his companions.
Bruenor refers to his celestial owl familiar as the "Professor" and to his unseen servants as the "Spirits of my Ancestors".
Prologue
You are on a deep cavern exploration expedition to find long lost knowledge. You find what seems to be an old structure of some kind. Your archeological team is able to devise a way to get inside, as you are exploring the new wonders of this ancient dwarven temple, You hear a deep voice booming in what seems to be rough dwarvish, you should not have come here. After the voice stops speaking, you hear marching drums, and your exploration team is swarmed many duergar dwarves, you try to fend them off but they are too numerous, and you get overpowered. One of them hits your across the face with he's powerful war pick. All you see is blackness...
Chapter 1
Bruenor woke to find himself enslaved by gnolls with other captives, forced to work in their mines. After a few days, Bruenor took part in the slave uprising against the gnolls.
During the uprising, umber hulks broke into the mine, killing everything in sight. At one point, Bruenor succumbed to their confusing gaze, everything was a blur. He sensed one of the umber hulks sneaking up behind him. With all his might, he struck, knocking the creature down. Shaking off the monsters confusion effect, he looked about. The umber hulk he struck was gone. Instead, lying at his feet, unconscious, was Faeril Lastborn, blood streaming from her skull. The rest of his fellow captives having run off ahead and not able to help, Bruenor hoisted Faeril across his shoulders to carry her to safety.
Seeing the cave with the captive's gear, he took a risk and entered the cave to grab his backpack, which contained his precious spellbook, research notes and other valuable trinkets.
But the umber hulks were close and about to block their escape. With little choice, Bruenor summoned the Professor, his celestial owl companion, and asked him to distract the umber hulks. The Professor was able to do so, allowing Bruenor and Faeril to escape, but the umber hulk was able destroy the Professor's physical form before Bruenor was able to spirit him back to safety.
Inside the secret cavern, Vlad was attacked by a darkmantle, that wrapped around his head to suffocate him and surrounded Vlad in magical darkness too. Korit, Bruenor and Magoo the Magnificient rushed into the darknees to aid Vlad. Bruenor tried to first burn off the darkmantle ("oh god" he heard Vlad squeel like a frightened pig), but missed. Korit was able to free the darkmantle from Vlad's head and held it high. Bruenor attempted to squish the foul creature with his hammer, but Korit flinched at the last moment, causing him to miss the creature, and striking Korit square in the nose instead, disjointing those fine elvish features and splattering his face with blood. Magoo was able to cleave the creature in two, ending the threat.
The escaped captives took the opportunity for a long rest, allowing Bruenor to study his spellbook and research notes, letting him unlock further arcane might.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Judge eternal, throned in splendor,
Lord of Lords and King of Kings,
With thy living lightning of judgement
Purge this land of our enemies
0ola0e all its wide dominion
With the blood of their fallen warriors
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
TABLET A translation
Bruenor knew it was a risk, but it was a risk worth taking. He performed the ritual to test the tablet for ancient arcane arcana. The symbols burned bright, imprinting themselves on his mind, as his body fell into darkness and slept, with new visions forming to guide his path.
With a jolt, he awakened and bellowed in his deep dwarven voice. "I did it!" "I, Bruenor, Artisan of the Spellforge, and first in his class on archeology and ancient arts, I understand it now. The symbols, that is, I have discerned their meaning. It's easy really, once I deciphered the first tablet. The key was the phrase King of Kings, a common phrase used by those who sought to rule in ancient times. Then its a simple matter to use the key to reveal the truth. Only a word or two eludes me, either the tablet is damaged or sometimes my eyes have trouble focusing and are in need of spectacles to guide my aim. But enough, here is what I say it says. I am sure the missing word(s) is not as important as the rest, still if you all can perhaps try to make meaning of it, it is always good to be thorough.
TABLET A
Anodresh. Lord of the underworld. host of the dead. stern
holder of the boundary between death and life.
cold flesh becomes spirit. bright eyes glint from shadows.
lovers long parted unite. families join once more.
Kind one, fearsome one. all this you see and welcome. all this
you encompass, light in dark, love in death.
Anodresh unseen, lord of all who have lived and died. I pray to
you. master of dreams. giver of wealth. receiver of those most
dear to us, lost to us, treasures all. all within your realm
- re-t Anodresh. guardian of all who have passed to your
kingdom. gracious god to whom we all will go. I praise you.
Chapter 14
Bruenor bought an Enduring Spellbook from Mother Angela after getting a discount by trading information
on all he has learned about the underdark since his arrival.
Bruenor is unsure if the "Tablets of the Old Gods" are a boon or a bane, only that some of his travelling companions
appear to have been possessed. In case they pose a danger to the kingdom of the dwarves, he has decided to use
Mother Angela as a form of insurance so that their existance would not be lost should he perish in the underdark
before he can return home.
He copied the information from his Book of Lore for Mother Angela, which at the time consisted of:
In addition, he bought two more component uses for his find familiar spell.