Lockbury Henge

Lockbury Henge

Yon is home to eight clans of korreds. Queen Argantle, elected to rule over all eight clans, protects this sacred site. Lockbury Henge is meant to be a place where korreds can enjoy each other’s company while singing, dancing, and playing games.

Argantle is playing a chess-like game called Crowns with her cousin, Jagu, when a howling wind warns her of the party’s approach, giving her and Jagu enough time to stamp out the flame of their campfire and make themselves scarce before the characters arrive.

Atop a boulder-strewn plateau stands a circle of eight megaliths. In the center of this henge, a small, checkered game board with stone playing pieces rests on the ground near the dying embers of a campfire.

Each of the eight standing stones is about 20 feet tall and hewn from a different kind of rock: shale, chalk, flint, granite, slate, basalt, obsidian, and marble. Two korreds are using meld into stone spells to hide in two of the megaliths: Argantle of Shale in the one made of shale, and Jagu of Chalk (leader of the Chalk Clan korreds) in the one made of chalk. While hidden in this way, the korreds can see their surroundings as though the standing stones were transparent instead of opaque. Characters who examine the campfire and succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check notice two sets of small, sooty hoofprints leading up to the stones where the korreds are hiding.

Argantle and Jagu emerge from their megaliths if the characters properly finish the korreds’ game of Crowns (see “Game Board” below). If the characters ruin the game, deface the standing stones, or otherwise irritate the korreds, Argantle and Jagu emerge from their megaliths and attack the characters for their insolence. Otherwise, the rule of hospitality (see “Rules of Conduct” in Prismeer Overview) prevents the korreds from harming the characters. Additional roleplaying notes can be found in the bio for Argantle.

As an action, Argantle can call forth the remaining six leaders of the korred clans of Yon, each one emerging from its corresponding megalith. If combat breaks out, these six korreds help Argantle capture the characters for questioning. The other korred clan leaders are Budoc of Flint, Azil of Granite, Myzelda of Slate, Yanna of Basalt, Noll of Obsidian, and Malo of Marble.

The korreds of Yon despise Endelyn Moongrave, whom they commonly refer to as Bitter End. If the characters convince Argantle that they also consider the hag an enemy, she reveals the following:

The korreds no longer hold large gatherings at Lockbury Henge. Argantle fears the consequences of Bitter End’s meddling and has instructed her fellow korreds to ensconce themselves in stone, thus remaining in relative safety for the foreseeable future.

Bitter End used iron shears to cut off locks of Argantle’s hair. The hag fashions korred hair into iron ropes and uses them to manipulate her theater’s infernal contraptions.

Bitter End uses a contraption called the Orrery of Tragedies to glimpse all possible futures. Copper rods on the mountaintops of Yon capture lightning and channel it into this device.

Game Board

An examination of the checkered board reveals that the pieces depict a game in progress. Two sets of playing pieces, one made of shale and the other of chalk, are sculpted in the form of tiny korreds (cloven-hoofed creatures with wild beards and hair). If the characters have already visited Brigganock Mine, they see that the game pieces resemble the leering statues outside the mine’s entrance.

Characters who study the arrangement of the pieces on the board and succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence (Insight) check determine that Slate can beat Chalk in a single move. Making this move causes the victorious Queen Argantle to emerge from her stone, laughing and cheering. Jagu emerges grumpily to join her, chewing on pebbles and glaring at the characters.

Treasure. The character who helped Argantle win the game receives a gift, in accordance with the rule of reciprocity (see “Rules of Conduct” in Prismeer Overview). Argantle picks up a lump of rock, squeezes it tightly between her hands to transform it into a star sapphire (1,000 gp), and gives it to the character. If the gift is accepted, the gemstone begins to glow faintly. Until it stops glowing 24 hours later, the star sapphire has the properties of a stone of good luck that doesn’t require attunement.

Distant Racket

Any conversation between the characters and the korreds is interrupted by a commotion:

The korreds grind their teeth and stamp their hooves as the faint sound of pickaxes tapping on stone is carried to them on the wind. Queen Argantle runs to a boulder, picks it up, and hurls it a hundred feet in the direction of the noise while she screams, “Death to the brigganocks!” A peal of thunder accompanies this display of anger.

The korreds, who are feuding with the brigganocks of Yon, share the following information with characters who look like they might be capable of assisting:

The brigganocks are helping Bitter End build wicked contraptions. They also hide and guard schematic diagrams for new contraptions in their mine. (The korreds are mistaken. The hag terrorizes the brigganocks and has kidnapped their chief architect, forcing him to work under duress in Motherhorn.)

The korreds can’t stand the noise of the brigganocks’ mining, so they craft statues and leave them outside the mine’s entrance, hoping to frighten the brigganocks into leaving.

A galeb duhr working for the korreds infiltrated the mine and overheard several brigganocks talking about a secret tunnel that connects the mine to Motherhorn. The tunnel is hidden by brigganock magic.

Korred Dance

The noise of the mining soon passes. If the korreds are well disposed toward the characters, Queen Argantle becomes elated at the prospect of their assistance, drums her hooves on the ground, and begins the first korred ceremonial dance since the rise of the Hourglass Coven. If she hasn’t done so already, Argantle summons the other korred leaders so they can join in:

Two korreds drum on boulders as the others stomp their feet and jump around. The rain abates, and the sky lightens. With wild grins and wilder hair, the dancing korreds beckon you to join them.

Any character who joins the boisterous dance can impress the korreds with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Charisma (Performance) check. Characters who get a success on either check are taught a special jig which, when performed as an action, allows them to manipulate any korred hair they find in Motherhorn as if using the korreds’ Command Hair trait.

Development

The “Brigganocks and Korreds” section describes how the characters can facilitate a truce between the two groups of Fey and unite them against Endelyn Moongrave.