Alternate Use

Chapter Four 43

Vabrin’s Forge

Vabrin,a surprisingly intelligent ettin,discovered a new way to create intelligent magic items. These items gain levels—with their own skills,feats,and abilities—just as characters do.

Those wishing to learn the secrets ofintelligent magic items,or to obtain one for themselves,can come to Vabrin’s underground forge.But do not expect to simply buy one ofhis creations—he looks upon that as slavery.

Background

Vabrin was always an outcast.Rejected by his own kind because ofhis intelligence and lack ofinterest in traditional ettinish things (hunting,killing,exploiting the weak),he wandered about the countryside alone.When he fell victim to a particularly virulent plague that inflicted death upon many in the wilderness where he lived,Vabrin managed to survive,but not without cost.His left head withered and “died.” Now Vabrin was more alone than ever—in a way that no ettin is ever meant to be alone.

Insane with griefand loss,Vabrin invaded a wizard’s tower and killed her.He taught himselfto read and eventually learned the fundamentals ofmagic from the dead mage’s library.Much to his delight,while he did not understand everything he read,he found that he had a natural talent for spellcasting.He immediately turned to developing magic that would bring his left head back to life,not realizing that such effects normally fell under the purview ofdivine,rather than arcane,magic.

Vabrin failed.He failed so spectacularly that he severed his “dead” head and almost killed himselfin the process.But in his research he discovered a means to give “life” to objects. Although he could not accomplish what he had set out to do, he now possessed the ability to create intelligent companions that looked upon him with favor and gratitude (usually).He left the wizard’s tower (which was too small for him anyway) and found some caves where he set up a forge and a number ofworkshops.Vabrin has even developed relationships with other nearby mages,to whom he teaches the secret ofhis discovery in exchange for materials to create more items.He is also willing to trade—but never sell—his creations for like amounts ofnonintelligent magic items or other valuables for his work—but he will only send them to a “good home.”

Within the last year,a powerful cleric granted him a boon and regenerated his lost head.Much to the ettin’s surprise and disappointment,however,the new head has the intelligence and predilections ofa normal ettin.Thus,it only serves to help him fight (which he loathes to do anyway), and it eats a lot.

Recently,Vabrin has been having problems with a pack of destrachans that found their way to his caves (through underground tunnels they blasted out with their sonic powers) and are trying to destroy his creations.

Using This Location in Your Campaign

The clearest use ofVabrin’s Forge is as a source ofmagical knowledge—specifically,the creation ofintelligent items. Even ifthe PCs have no interest in gaining such knowledge, it’s likely that other NPCs will and would reward those who figured out how to find Vabrin and his new lore.

In order to obtain an intelligent item,or to grant intelligence to an already existing item,characters must convince Vabrin that they will treat the item well.They can accomplish this through a combination ofdeeds and words.A character needs to make a Diplomacy check (DC 20) to even begin the negotiation.Then,the character must show that he or she is an even-tempered, fairly level-headed person who treats inanimate objects with care and maintains personal possessions.Showing up with a tattered cloak or a rusty shield does not help one’s case.

Vabrin won’t accept money for an item or for knowledge. He is,in fact,insulted by the proposition.Ifa PC wants to learn the item creation feats that Vabrin has developed,the ettin asks for at least 10,000 gp worth ofvaluable materials or magic items per feat.Likewise,the value ofan item must be traded for,not paid in gold.Ofcourse,interested characters could also perform a service for him.Appropriate services might include destroying the destrachans that threaten the forge or obtaining some special material for an item he wants to create.Vabrin can become the source ofmany adventures.As an ettin and a powerful arcanist,Vabrin possesses strange contacts throughout many lands and could prove a useful source ofinformation.

Placing the Portal

Ideally, the portal from the Nexus allows visitors to emerge in the entrance chamber to Vabrin’s Forge (see the map on page 44).

Alternate Use

Alternatively,Vabrin could be a normally evil ettin,or one under the control ofa more powerful evil figure (perhaps