Grudd Haug

Grudd Haug, literally "River Mound" in Giant, was the temporary home on the Kingfisher River of a tribe of hill giants led by Chief Guh.
In Elient of 1496, the Heroes of Saltmarsh drove the giants away from Grudd Haug, forcing both Bo Latarn and Chief Guh to flee. Shortly afterwards, the citizens of Leilon dismantled the dam, destorying Grudd Haug.

Purpose / Function

Though the location of Grudd Haug was thought to be strange, as its close proximity to Leilon brought the giants and residents of Leilon into instant conflict, this antagonistic relationship was actually the design of the Aboleth S'gothgah, who aimed to use the chaos and fear brought by the giants to empower the Feast of Corruption as a part of the greater Banesmark Crisis. S'gothgah's will was imparted onto the Hill Giants through Bo Latarn, a Hobgoblin monk from the Twilight Monastery who was acting as an advisor to Chief Guh.

Architecture

Thanks to the assistance of Bo Latarn, Grudd Haug was far more elaborately crafted than would be expected from a hill giant hold, featuring multiple levels, rooms fit for giants, a basic defensive perimeter, and was overall architecturally sturdy.

Defenses

Like many hill giants, Chief Guh's tribe aimed to defend themselves through overwhelming force and large numbers. In addition to a contingent of Hill Giants, the tribe also boasted a sizeable number of Orc followers and a two-headed ettin, which tended to their captured sheep.
The monk Bo Latarn also posed a serious obstacle for any attackers, and his speed and intellect contrasted sharply with with the bulk of the dam's forces.

History

In late 1495, the hill giant tribe of Chief Guh was approached by Bo Latarn, a shadow monk from the Twilight Monastery. The monastery's leadership had been corrupted by the aboleth S'gothgah two years earlier in 1493 with the aim of spreading fear and terror across the northern Sword Coast. Using Bo Latarn's advise, the tribe of Chief Guh became extremely effective raiders, leading to a contingent of orcs joining them.
Due to the hill giants diminished intelligence, no giants were inflicted with the Banesmark and were instead manipulated by Bo Latarn into creating an encampment near the town of Leilon with the promise of plunder and spoils.
This encampment became Grudd Haug, a large dam on the Kingfisher River, and was completed in the late summer of 1496.
For a few weeks, the citizens of Leilon, at the recommendation of the Sterling Vermin, attempted to appease the giants by offering them cattle, in the hopes that they would grow satisfied and leave. However, this appeasement only made the giants more bold, and Leilon became increasingly threatened.
During this time, the tribe took numerous hostages including local farmers, a human tribesman, and Gaelin Dragonmoor, a member of the Emerald Enclave who wanted to investigate the giants' erratic behavior and was branded with an incomplete Banesmark.
In Elient of 1496, the Heroes of Saltmarsh arrived in Leilon seeking their aid against the town's sahuagin threat. In exchange for the aid of the Leilon Lancers in defending Saltmarsh, the Heroes drove off Bo Latarn and killed many of the giants, forcing the tribe to abandon Grudd Haug and flee.
A few weeks later, the citizens of Leilon banded together to destroy the dam, allowing the Kingfisher to flow freely again.

by Wizards of the Coast

Grudd Haug as it stood before it was destroyed by the Heroes of Saltmarsh.

RUINED STRUCTURE
1496

Founding Date

1496

Type

Dam

Owner

Guh