Troll Hunter's Rise (Side Quest Line)

This plot is a series of side quests that connect to one another to create a small sub plot that can be run in parrallel with the Master Plot.

Potential Hooks

• After winning the Holmgang Trials players find a secret note hidden amongst their rewards.
  
  I watched you in the games. I was impressed by you and your teammates and I could use a group with your expertise. Meet me at the clinic in Beastmaster's Keep if your interested.


• As Grata Trollbrew bestows her blessing upon the winners of the Holmgang Trials she leans to one and whispers
  
  Meet me at my clinic in Beastmaster's Keep. I'll have a pot of tea ready for you and your friends.


• When in town, players come across a news board with a flyer offering a quest.
  
  It is time for the next great generation of troll-slayer's to rise! Strong, fast, able bodied warriors needed to wipe out local menaces. Talk to Matriarch Grata Trollbrew at her clinic in Beastmaster's Keep. Rare items and gems rewarded for each kill.

When players arrive at the clinic they will be met outside by a man they may recognize known as 'Lok.' The players may have previously encountered Lok when they rescued him from trolls in the cloudcap mountains. Lok is actually Lokindras Addenrift using his illusion powers to disguise his elvish traits. After being rescued, Lok made his way to the Othala tribe in a stolen raft and used his ethereal wordlsoul powers to remain hidden. He landed at Grata's Clinic to receive treatment for his wounds, where he has won the compassion and trust of Grata Trollbrew. He has recently been serving as her assisstant at the clinic in exchange for room and board.

Introductions and Background

Grata will invite the players to sit around the table and offer them a cup of delicious tea and a sandwich while she discusses the quest she has for them.

Well truth is the whole ordeal has been a long time coming. Recently, I've seen a big increase in the number of troll related problems around the village. What I've been seeing is eerily similar to the way things were when my husband, Rivar, and I first moved here. Food stores raided and contaminated with troll-borne diseases, property destroyed in their meddlings, children out past sunset getting gobbled up and never returning home to their mothers; suffice to say, things were in a dire straights when we showed up. Rivar wouldn't stand for it though. He rallied the best hunter's of the tracker's lodge together and led them on a dangerous quest to drive these pests out of our lives. Now as I'm sure you would guess, killing even one troll is no small feat, let alone entire dens of them. He did it though. My husband was one of the best troll hunters out there. He was always so good to me, would bring me back trophies of his kills and tell me the grandest tales of his conquests. However that was all a very long time ago. My husband succeeded in his mission, but once he died the fire he lit in those men died with him. Most of them are far too old to be hunting trolls nowadays anyway. In the nine years since I buried him, I have yet to find a man with the grit to kill a troll, let alone inspire others to do so.
In that time the troll's have creeped their way back into our lands and brought all their mischeif with them. One of the first marks of their return was when they collapsed the bridge we'd built over the southern passage and stole our community timepiece. Never understood their weird obsession with bridges. Either way, that's not the worst of it. What has me worried the most is the kinds of trolls we've been sighting. Bigger, stronger, and worst of all smarter. Rumors have even started to spread of trolls doing magic which has folks more scared than ever. But Mariah Forgekin tells me that one of you came into town bearing multiple troll tusks! She was impressed to say the least, and well, so was I. Especially after your performance in the Oskopinir. That is why I have asked you here. It is time for the next generation of troll hunter's to rise, and protect our people. You lot are the first ones in nine years to give me any hope that could become a reality.

Grata's request will be that the players go to the various locations where troll dens have been discovered, and clear them out. She will also ask that they inform her of any unusual abilities or behaviour in the troll's. In return, Grata will pay them in gems, make them specialty items that can be made from troll bits.
A big part of this quest will be harvesting the troll's after killing them and using the harvested bits to make items or sell for gems. Inform players of this option and direct them to the following places when seeking these services.
Grata's Clinic - Grata will be willing to make Trollbrew and Troll Jerky for players that bring her the ingredients as well as other troll related medicines.
Hargulf's Herbalism - Hargulf will buy troll ingredients from players as well as sell them recipes for troll related Henbane Mixtures.
Tracker's Lodge - the tracker's lodge will buy troll ingredients as well as make select troll related weapons for accomplished hunters. Patrons of the lodge are also the most likely to have information about trolls.
Smith's Keep - Certain shops in Smith's keep will make armor and weapons out of troll hide and bone.

Themes

These quests are meant to reinforce the viking mythology feel in the campaign, as well as give players an equipment and skill boost. This series of quests will expand upon the lore of the world and give players an introduction to one of the main villains, Lokindras Addenrift. This quest line can serve as one of the more direct presentations of the reviving worldsoul and it's effects, as well as give players a strong motivation to stop Lokindras the next time he resurfaces.

Related Characters

• "Odd" Grata Trollbrew
• Lokindras Addenrift

Related Locations

• Grata's Clinic
• Heimdall's Citadel
• Othala Village

Troll statblocks:
Cave Troll
Troll Brute
Troll Mage
Trolling
Blue Troll

Troll Hunter Quests in order:
Courtyard Encounter
Troll Burrow