The Frosthunger Horde was an allied army of goblinoids and gnolls from Dragonscar Gorge that was active in the late 15th century DR.[1]
Activities[]
The Horde were raiders whose presence contributed to Dragonscar Gorge's reputation as a dangerous route to travel, even by the standards of the Frozenfar.[1]
With the arrival of Shattercrown, the goblinoid members of the Horde were forced to excavate the ruins of Thrymstone, a massive fortress long buried in the snow and encased in ice. This was backbreaking labor that the Horde only completed owing to their fear of Shattercrown and of his subordinate, Horrengar. Shattercrown further used his strength to gain the loyalty of the winter wolves of the Wintergnaw pack, whose ever-present howls served the place of whips to keep the laborers in line.[1]
Tactics[]
The main force of the Horde were goblins supported by Chillsparker spellcasters. They were led by bugbears and fought alongside gnolls. The frost giants served Shattercrown directly, and defended the fortress of Thrymstone.[1]
The goblinoids of the Frosthunger Horde were notably brave and fierce in combat, but also disciplined. Likewise, the gnolls were fast and ferocious, but also surprisingly patient. The Horde preferred to ambush their enemies, and would wait until travelers stopped to look at a scenic view or vista before striking. They were also adept at using the harsh conditions of the Frozenfar to their advantage: they were more accustomed to the cold than most travelers, knew how to capitalize when the glare of the sun off the snow was in their favor, and would time their attacks to coincide with gusts of wind in order to disorient their foes.[1]
When victorious, the Horde celebrated with taunting battle cries. When beaten back, sometimes they would regroup for a rapid counterattack while other times they would make tactical retreats to favorable positions which they would then fortify. When defeated outright, they worked to rebuild their strength.[1]
Possessions[]
Members of the Horde would travel light in order to be able to carry more plunder from their raids.[1]
Relationships[]
The Horde served Shattercrown in the late 15th century DR.[1]
They battled the white dragons of the Frozenfar, led by Kovanyrach, who strived to stop them from excavating Thrymstone.[1]
History[]
Shattercrown arrived in Dragonscar Gorge in the late 15th century DR and forced the goblinoid members of the Frosthunger Horde to excavate the ruins of Thrymstone.
After several years, a large number of goblins and bugbears led by Broargarg escaped from the hard labor of the excavation and fled out of Dragonscar Gorge and into Shimmersky Valley. These invaders drove out the Valley's inhabitants and clashed with its elemental guardians—drawn to the region's raw cold—including ice mephits and bheur hags. They eventually seized the Valley for themselves, save for continued battling with the mephits, and made their homes in the remains of the old inhabitants' houses, which were much more comfortable than what they had been accustomed to in Dragonscar Gorge. This lasted until the arrival of adventurers sent by the Open Lord of Waterdeep, Laeral Silverhand, to investigate the attacks on travelers.[1]
The adventurers soon clashed with goblin ambushers along the roads before pushing deep into the Valley despite repeated efforts by the Horde to stop them. They proved both too powerful and too stubborn to be dissuaded by the goblins' tactics, and too skillful to be pinned down by the mephits who now harassed both sides. They eventually faced and defeated Broargarg, and then followed the retreating bugbear and his forces as they fled back toward Dragonscar Gorge. At the entrance to the Gorge, they defeated the gnoll guards led by Yarach, who managed to let out a series of warning yelps that alerted the rest of the Horde to the approaching adventurers. As they continued to fight through the Gorge, the Horde's resources began to be taxed as they struggled to maintain their strength.[1]
Eventually, the adventurers discovered the excavation of Thrymstone, and realized that if the Horde was successful in reclaiming the fortress, it could reignite the ancient war between frost giants and white dragons which had buried the fortress in the past. They also surmised that the Horde labored against its will, and that they would scatter if Shattercrown was slain. Accordingly, they stormed the unearthed Thrymstone and defeated both Horrengar and Shattercrown, causing the frost giants to flee and the goblinoids to scatter.[1]
In the aftermath of the fighting, some of the surviving members of the Horde chose to settle peacefully in Shimmersky Valley.[1]
Members[]
The Horde was made up of goblins, bugbears, and gnolls—all of whom had pale coloring owing to being native to the snowy north—supported by winter wolves and frost giants. It included a number of goblin spellcasters known as chillsparkers.[1]
Notable Members[]
- Broargarg, a white-haired bugbear who led the goblinoids who fled to Shimmersky Valley.
- Horrengar, a frost giant warrior who was in awe of Shattercrown.
- Shattercrown, a powerful frost giant dedicated to reclaiming the ancient fortress of Thrymstone.
- Yarach, a white-furred gnoll who served as the leader of the Horde's guards at the entrance to Dragonscar Gorge.[1]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Video Games
- Warriors of Waterdeep