Air Temple of the Elemental God (Background)

An Elven Mage named Thayra Silveroak, has arrived in the Village of New Moret seeking help from the party. She’s heard about the party and their reputation to take on dangerous tasks and solve problems. Thayra is about 5 ft 4 inches, has blond hair and blue eyes and appears to be very ill. Thayra represents a group of Elven Mages from the City of Loftwick in the Yeomanry. Loftwick’s main industry is the mining of silver and it’s army is dedicated to the protection of that industry. Over the past three months, raging storms, chaotic weather patterns and Giant attacks have all been reported in the upper Jotens. Thayra tells of rumors from miners and trackers that strange creatures and wild storms of hail, wind and rain have been seen in the deep ranges of the Jotens. Many men have not returned from the mountains and the army is more concerned with guarding the silver mines in the lower range than going after the lost men in the deep mountains. The threat of more Giant attacks has spread out Loftwick's forces and they cannot afford to send a rescue expedition into the mountains.

The party will be offered employment by the Eleven Mages to find the cause of the strange storms and put a stop to them (and if possible, to find the missing men.). The city will offer a payment of 2,000 gp’s per character in the party for accomplishing this task, not including any treasure found along the way. The Elven mages will supply fresh supplies and rough directions into the mountains but they will not supply any man power to help in this expedition. The Elven mages want to keep this expedition a secret from the general population because it would generate fear of another attack by the Giants. Once the characters leave the city, they are completely on their own.

Loftwick is a strong, powerful and well-equipped armed city. Most of the city’s residents (men, women, peasants, artisans, etc.) wear some sort of armor (at least leather) and carry a weapon as well. There are training camps in the city where common people are practicing with their weapons under the supervision of army officers. These common people form the militia that protects the city so the army can patrol the borders

The people are preparing for more raids from the Giants and humanoids that overran the Geogg and the Sterish or from an attack from their old Keolandish occupiers. The army is mainly comprised of human spearmen, mountain troops, crossbowmen, dwarven mailed infantry and elven spear and bow units. The city is wealthy from trade of its silver and gems but it only uses its own people and the refugees from Sterich in its army.