Flint Rock
Flint Rock, also written as Flintrock, was the ancestral mound of the Elk tribe of Uthgardt barbarians located in the Evermoors region of the Savage Frontier. It was used for veneration of the of the Elk beast totem of the god Uthgar. It was a set of concentric hills, with a central depression that was shaped like the profile of a leaping elk.
Whereas most Uthgardt ancestral mounds were of earth, Flint Rock was formed from piles of heaped stones. It was quite a bleak-looking place, being devoid of any vegetation but for mosses and constantly enveloped in fog. It was built in concentric rings, with outer and inner cairn rings divided by a narrow vale and with an inner vale where the central altar mound stood at the very heart. Like many Uthgardt ancestral mounds, it was shaped roughly like its totem beast, with the inner vale resembling a leaping elk stag if seen from above.
The outer ring held a number of cairns, in which were interred the remains of the Elk tribe's most exceptional champions.
The inner ring bore four menhirs of gray stone, with one in each of the cardinal directions Between them stood twelve totem poles. With these, shamans could track the seasons, the calendar dates, and the stars.
At the very centre of Flint Rock was a massive stone slab that served as the altar. Rectangular in shape and with smooth-worn surfaces, it was 10 feet (3 meters) by 6 feet (1.8 meters) and 3 feet (0.91 meters) high and weighed several tons.
Buried beneath the central altar was a spearhead taken from a magical giant-crafted spear—a massive piece of mithral weighing 75 pounds (34 kilograms) and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length. It emanated a faint aura of divination magic to the likes of a detect magic spell, but whatever powers it had had faded by the late 1400s DR. It was considered a relic of the giants of the North.
Elk were known to live in and around the mounds.
Whereas most Uthgardt ancestral mounds were of earth, Flint Rock was formed from piles of heaped stones. It was quite a bleak-looking place, being devoid of any vegetation but for mosses and constantly enveloped in fog. It was built in concentric rings, with outer and inner cairn rings divided by a narrow vale and with an inner vale where the central altar mound stood at the very heart. Like many Uthgardt ancestral mounds, it was shaped roughly like its totem beast, with the inner vale resembling a leaping elk stag if seen from above.
The outer ring held a number of cairns, in which were interred the remains of the Elk tribe's most exceptional champions.
The inner ring bore four menhirs of gray stone, with one in each of the cardinal directions Between them stood twelve totem poles. With these, shamans could track the seasons, the calendar dates, and the stars.
At the very centre of Flint Rock was a massive stone slab that served as the altar. Rectangular in shape and with smooth-worn surfaces, it was 10 feet (3 meters) by 6 feet (1.8 meters) and 3 feet (0.91 meters) high and weighed several tons.
Buried beneath the central altar was a spearhead taken from a magical giant-crafted spear—a massive piece of mithral weighing 75 pounds (34 kilograms) and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length. It emanated a faint aura of divination magic to the likes of a detect magic spell, but whatever powers it had had faded by the late 1400s DR. It was considered a relic of the giants of the North.
Geography
Flint Rock was found in the southeastern Surbrin Hills that lay in the southwestern part of the Evermoors, on top of a gnarled outcropping of flint, hence its name. It was approximately due east of Longsaddle and, in relation to the Underdark, the city of Gracklstugh was located almost directly beneath it.Elk were known to live in and around the mounds.
Purpose / Function
A sacred burial ground, it was here where the most accomplished chiefs and shamans of the Elk tribe were interred.
Members of the Elk tribe also held their Runemeet at Flint Rock each year on the autumn equinox. Here, like other Uthgardt tribes, they would venerate the Elk totem of Uthgar, make laws and policies, hold marriages and funerals, and celebrate births and formalize adoptions. Meanwhile, both experienced warriors and youths seeking to be accepted as adults undertook a hunt of a ritual enemy, who for the Elk tribe was "the ancient ones"—in practice, any ruin, tomb, or sign of a lost civilization counted.
However, every autumn, the orcs of the Evermoors would also gather and make plans to attack the humans during their Runemeet, so they could serve as a ritual enemy too.
In the mid-to-late 1300s DR, when the Elk tribe had turned to other, darker gods, Flint Rock was near-deserted and only a few still came here for Runemeets. Without the faithful to upkeep it, it fell into a decrepit state. They seemed to have abandoned these gods and returned to the Elk totem and revived the holiness of Flint Rock in the late 1400s DR, however. They were not in the habit of taking outsiders there, however.
Members of the Elk tribe also held their Runemeet at Flint Rock each year on the autumn equinox. Here, like other Uthgardt tribes, they would venerate the Elk totem of Uthgar, make laws and policies, hold marriages and funerals, and celebrate births and formalize adoptions. Meanwhile, both experienced warriors and youths seeking to be accepted as adults undertook a hunt of a ritual enemy, who for the Elk tribe was "the ancient ones"—in practice, any ruin, tomb, or sign of a lost civilization counted.
However, every autumn, the orcs of the Evermoors would also gather and make plans to attack the humans during their Runemeet, so they could serve as a ritual enemy too.
In the mid-to-late 1300s DR, when the Elk tribe had turned to other, darker gods, Flint Rock was near-deserted and only a few still came here for Runemeets. Without the faithful to upkeep it, it fell into a decrepit state. They seemed to have abandoned these gods and returned to the Elk totem and revived the holiness of Flint Rock in the late 1400s DR, however. They were not in the habit of taking outsiders there, however.
History
In ancient times, early followers of Uthgar who would found the Elk tribe interred the magical giant-crafted mithral spearhead under the altar at Flint Rock to empower the ancestral mound.
In the Year of the Bloody Stone, 775 DR, the Uthgardt Alliance stood against an army of goblins and orcs led by ogres that marched out of the Evermoors. Though the Uthgardt defeated the horde, the Elk tribe warriors were nearly annihilated when they defended the Flintrock ancestral mound. The loss of the Uthgardt warriors and the suffering of the tribes led to the dissolution of the Alliance over the following five years. In the aftermath, the Elk tribe was close to dying out. Though they survived, they eventually became not much more than bandits.
By the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the ancestral mound was nearly abandoned, yet it was still used during Runemeets at that time. With each year that passed, the site grew more decrepit.
By the 1480s DR, Flint Rock seemed in better condition, but it was not uncommon to find no one there. When adventurers went to the Eye of the All-Father temple to seek guidance in resolving the shattering of the giants' ordning, the oracle there asked for the giant relics taken by the ancient Uthgardt as tribute. The mithral spearhead from Flint Rock would open the way to Countess Sansuri of the cloud giants.
In the Year of the Bloody Stone, 775 DR, the Uthgardt Alliance stood against an army of goblins and orcs led by ogres that marched out of the Evermoors. Though the Uthgardt defeated the horde, the Elk tribe warriors were nearly annihilated when they defended the Flintrock ancestral mound. The loss of the Uthgardt warriors and the suffering of the tribes led to the dissolution of the Alliance over the following five years. In the aftermath, the Elk tribe was close to dying out. Though they survived, they eventually became not much more than bandits.
By the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the ancestral mound was nearly abandoned, yet it was still used during Runemeets at that time. With each year that passed, the site grew more decrepit.
By the 1480s DR, Flint Rock seemed in better condition, but it was not uncommon to find no one there. When adventurers went to the Eye of the All-Father temple to seek guidance in resolving the shattering of the giants' ordning, the oracle there asked for the giant relics taken by the ancient Uthgardt as tribute. The mithral spearhead from Flint Rock would open the way to Countess Sansuri of the cloud giants.
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