Against the Jotuns

[arscott]

So, I was thinking about the GDQ series of modules (G1-3 against the giants, D1-3 Descent into the Depths and Vault of the Drow, Q1 Queen of the Demonweb Pits).

It struck me that the main antagonists (giants and drow) both draw a good deal of their inspiration from Norse Mythology. So I've decided to adapt the modules to 3.5, and tweak them to reflect a more Nordic flavor.

The party begins by crossing the Ymir's Brow Mountains from Midgard to Jotunheim, where they fight the Hill Giant Cheif, the Frost Giant Jarl, and the Fire Giant King. From there, they descent into the depths of Svartalfheim to combat the dark elves, Before travelling to Niflheim and facing Hel, goddess of the dead.

So how would you bring cool Norse flavor to this setting? I have some Ideas of my own, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

 

[Wycen]

I just ended, (well it died) a campaign where the players had to escape from Jotunheim.

Use the landscape itself for encounters, such as lava falling seemingly from nowhere (from one layer or plane to another). Mention the midgard serpent. Dragons should be called linnorms. Battlefields littered with corpses, who then get up and go to a fest hall after the sun sets.

Monsters are the spawn of Loki, not simply a 'winter wolf' or 'fire giant'.

Don't forget the Yggdrasil is available to use as a plane hopping device. "Climb the Terrible One's Horse" was a clue I gave my players on how to escape after they cast one of those high level divination spells they almost never use.

The Terrible One is Odin, Wotan, whatever name you want to use. His "horse" is the Yggdrasil.

Contests don't all have to be combat. Who can catch the biggest fish, or brew the best beer might work. Thor did such deeds in his tales.

 

[Quartz]

Don't forget the Yggdrasil is available to use as a plane hopping device. "Climb the Terrible One's Horse" was a clue I gave my players on how to escape after they cast one of those high level divination spells they almost never use.

The Terrible One is Odin, Wotan, whatever name you want to use. His "horse" is the Yggdrasil.

I thought his horse was Sleipnir?

 

[Garnfellow]

So how would you bring cool Norse flavor to this setting? I have some Ideas of my own, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

I think that's an extremely cool take on it, and a neat way to spin a familiar module in an new and interesting direction.

 

[Kafkonia]

I thought his horse was Seipnir?

Sleipnir, I believe. And don't forget it had six eight legs, which makes it pretty distinctive.

Odin hung himself upside down from Yggdrasil to gain insight, as well, impaled on his own spear.

 

[Quartz]

Bother - I forgot to refresh before editting. You got there first, Kafkonia. The story I learned was that Odin gained wisdom by visiting Mimir's well and plucking out his own eye.

 

[Kafkonia]

Bother - I forgot to refresh before editting. You got there first, Kafkonia. The story I learned was that Odin gained wisdom by visiting Mimir's well and plucking out his own eye.

According to pantheon.org, we're both right. On the tree he learned "nine powerful songs, and eighteen runes." His eye he "traded for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge."

They also say the well is located "under... the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree."

 

[Henry]

As for the Giant Chiefs themselves: Nosnra needs his name changed, but Grugnur and Snurre ought to be OK for a Norse-flavored campaign.

Dark Elves should be more like humans than like elves, but twisted in form; really high-level spells that bring daylight should probably force a fortitude save from them or they turn to stone.

 

[JustKim]

The first time Odin asked for knowledge from the Mimir, he paid with one of his eyes. When he wanted more, the Mimir told him that he must die, so he hung from Yggdrasil for nine days with a spear in his side. Since Yggdrasil was an ash tree, the myth is sometimes confused as Odin hanging from "an ash tree" or "the World Ash".

"Under the roots of Yggdrasil" is also misleading. Three of Yggdrasil's roots held the worlds together by being buried in three fountains. There was the Fountain of Mimir in Midgard, the Spring of Hvergelmir in Nilfheim, and the Well of Urd in Asgard.

 

[mmadsen]

I thought his horse was Sleipnir?

The "horse" (in quotes) was a metaphor, or kenning.