
Category | Strongholds |
Continent | Brucrumus |
Region | Aerie of Dragons |
Founded | 29 Brightstar 8672 DE |
Map | Enkii Jusk |
Gulfrek Hjard is an ancient bastion in the Hokzii Stov peaks. It was built near in the end of the Dawn Era by the Thraedli. These eldritch giants served in the armies of the primordials in a war spanning worlds and systems. With the primordial's defeat in the Creation War, the gods and angels spared most of the eldritch giants. Only the die-hards seeking to bring back their primordial lords felt angelic wrath.
In the Demon Spawn War, the giants of Gulfrek Hjard put up a stiff resistance to Orcus's demon hordes. Seen as a black mark on their history, they only saved themselves by teaching the demons their arcane craft. When Orcus's control of the surrounding region began to falter, the eldritch giants turned on the demons, joining with the angelic armies in the assault on Ghak. After the war, the soldiers of Gulfrek Hjard returned to their mountain redoubts.
In the Lith-Crillion Era, the giants of Gulfrek Hjard learned of a race highly skilled in the arcane. When this race refused their peaceful overtures of knowledge exchange, Gulfrek Hjard marshaled her forces and marched against the Lith-Crillion. They used rocs to move their army from the southern reaches of the Aerie of Dragons to the alluvial wastes of the Sands of Hell. In 1115 LE, the eldritch giants sacked the Pyramid of Life. They made off with Lith-Crillion technology, including daggers and swords with blades forged of a piece of Golruwyrm's tail.
In the Horgon Era, Piamauza settled in the lowlands of Enkii Jusk. They eventually made contact with the eldritch giants of Gulfrek Hjard. The rising might, arcane ability, and cunning of Kathodrarg's leaders convinced the eldritch giants, for a time, into taking a path of friendship whereby the giants taught them ancient lore and introduced schools of magic that were then unknown to them. The school that got Mir'piamauza in trouble was conjuration. The eldritch giants knew that their thirst for power, in-grained in them from exposure to the Hells and undoubtedly Asmodeus, would bring their downfall.
They will summon otherworldly allies, and after tasting this power will eventually summon even bigger and badder things. It will take time, perhaps two centuries, maybe three, but this wait will be nothing compared to the servitude to Orcus which lasted nearly the entirely of the Demon Spawn War.
- Saereid, from her book History of Gulfrek Hjard - "Hells Teaching"
After the fall of Mir'piamauza, the eldritch giants decided that they wanted less dealing with other peoples, so they erected powerful wards which still shield Gulfrek Hjard today. These wards are good at keeping most out, but those persistent enough can find a way in. Once inside, the giants of Gulfrek Hjard are quite friendly to those less knowledgeable than them, but if they think that knowledge seekers have something they do not, then they will find a way to obtain it.