In the oldest and proudest of the dwarven kingdoms ruled the greatest king that race had ever known. But as age crept upon the old king, he began to obsess about what would happen to his kingdom after his death, a bone-deep fear of the black gates. He started to take long walks through the catacombs of his ancestors, alone in the silent hall of urns where their ashes lay in state. On one of these trips, the kind heard a whisper, asking him what he would do to stave off death. The king's old bones cried out that he would do anything to keep out of Death's cold grasp. And the voice told the old king a ritual to perform. In a wash of blood the old king sacrificed his entire court, with each death feeling the strength that had fled his bones return. In his hunger for this new strength, none of his people were spared. The remaining dwarven nations allied and sealed away his halls. But he still waits, as do the riches of his ancient kingdom: In the Halls of the Mountain King. Instinct: Gain strength through death.

• Call the spirits of the dead to his side.
• Send the weak to their knees.
• Take the strength of the dying.
• Use one of the ancient treasures of his kingdom.
• Destroy something they treasure.