Peaks of Brutality & Giant Sized Fun
Ahead on the road to the north it looks like a small, slow moving scrum of humanity moving south. As they close, the group looks to be no more than 15 humans, demi-humans or children.
Three wagons are pulled by mules. The group wears a variety of clothing from season appropriate furs to one of the men’s feet being wrapped in bloody rags. There are about six human males walking on the periphery; some are armed with staves and farm scythes. Only one appears to have a rudimentary set of leathers. There are two sunken halflings among the group, poorly protected from the cold.
As the group approaches, they instinctively make way as if meekly frightened by the approach of the party.
“Hvala… no quarrel. Heading south before the weather calls… any food?”
“Polje. Holdfast in Brandiar. All burned out… food seized. Brigands every one… didn’t say much. Just came in the night and started putting homes to the torch…”
“Silently burnt everything. Said not a word.”
“Lord Eberlard never called his banners… don’t know if any from Goliad even knew they struck.”
“Heading south… maybe Impultur. Word of bandits… and Arcatans on the road.”
18 Nightal
The sky turns a steel gray, and the air begins to feel heavy with precipitation. The light becomes darker than normal for the hour due to thickening clouds. Thick flurry snowflakes begin to fall and accumulate, covering the tracks ahead.
Far ahead to the northwest, a whisp of smoke suggests weak campfire in the foothills that lie before the mountains to the west. As the snowfall increases, the wind picks up making movement more difficult and uncomfortable due to the cold.
The group moves warily toward the direction of the dying campfire. Quilro takes flight as a harpy and observes a group of collapsed bodies around a waning flame. They are flanked above by a group of orc and kobolds overlooking from a cliff. Several yards to the west a quartet of frost giants are felling trees and gathering wood.
Changing into a mouse the elf inspects the wagons and corpses, noting similar accoutrement to the clerics of Auril DonBrapp had previously engaged. The monsters on the ledge above appear to be on watch waiting in ambush.
“I shall go parlay.” The half-orc states signaling for the war-boar to follow.
“Brother! Where from hail!”
“Moonsea by way of Vaasa!” The group of about 20 monsters begin to chant in a low voice “ZENGHY! ZENGYHI!”
“Eagle claw tribe guards pass until word.”
The group get aroused when Kailute introduces himself as a CrashHawk clan.
Kailute and Shuos uneasily advance through the giants busying themselves with gathering firewood. Beyond them approximately 35 orcs, kobolds and ogres gather on the ridges above.
Kailute does his best to encourage the group into raiding the Arcatan lands. Their leader Grimjaw explains the goals of Zenghyi to clear the mountains.
“Smite humans? Destroy armies?” Grimjaw inquires as to location of human camps, but grows suspicious on Kailutes educated speech and lineage.
Kailute bears up on the leader, who responds with violence. “Last Crashawk! Speak challenge to Grimjaw!” And leaps forward to strike.
“I have faced the demons of Myth Drannor! The mages of Hillsfar! Do you think you can stand to me!”
DonBrapp notes the half-orc beginning to step into melee with the leader of the mixed group.
Kailute slices Grimjaws forearm from his arm and methodically cuts him down until he stands athwart him.
“It is foolish to die in a duel!” Kailute implores, and now the frost giants are making their way over toward the scrum.
Grimjaw makes an unsteady lurching punch toward the half-orc in defiance of is looming defeat.
Kailute easily sidesteps the punch and butts the leader in his head with axe.
“I intend to join the horde, but nobody here will question my honor. Let it be known who I am!” Kailute stands to face the group.
Their leader warily looks on. “Show us where we can kill pinkskins, and we shall follow.”
Quilro sinks his mouseteeth into the half-orcs achilles. DonBrapp sneaks around behind the tents.
“What you brother frostfangs?” Kailute asks, poorly translating his question.
The giants initially engage the half-orc. Nuursk and Groog begin to question who Kailute is after several poor engagements.
The orcs and kobolds look on with questioning faces. Kailute provides general direction and Grimjaw announces their intent to depart, denouncing Kailute as a bad omen.
A quartet of giants has returned to their mission of collecting wood for Zenghyi. DonBrapp lurks in the woods to the east as the small monster scrum approaches the pack animals.
“GWARSAK! Sniffs one of the orcs, belting out the curse for impotent dwarfs. The group freezes, and the twilight sky is pierced by the baying howls of the dogs below who have also scented the orcs from above.
“CRASHHAWK MATE WITH DWARVES!?!” Grimjaw turns with fury.
The group takes up combat positions as melee begins.
The kobolds turn and launch a volley of arrows at the muscled half-orc as Kailute kicks Grimjaw over the side of the mountain pass while pulling daggers from their sheaths for each hand.
Somewhat aloof the frost giants drop their tools and begin moving toward their weapons and large boulders. The sound of shamanic clerical magic in goblinoid is heard as Quilro invokes a shimmering shield of flames around his person.
DonBrapp quaffs a potion and levitates 60’ into the sky inspiring awe among the monsterkin.
Shuos leaps on the throat of a kobold and flings it over the cliff edge.
Quilro gesticulates wildly pulling spheres of elemental flame into being and hurling them at the center of the monster scrum. The guttural screams are punctuated by the scent of burning fur and goblin flesh.
“These may be the ones Zhengyi warned us about!” one of the underchiefs is heard to shout as the front line pounded by under thrown giant boulders, crushing one of the orcs completely.
A lucky kobold thrusts a strike against Kailute. Milan and Fyrnlocke creep toward the combat as Petra searches one of the corpses at the base of the cliff.
DonBrapp drops a bit from the sky to level his weapon and release the crackling energy of lightning toward the line of monsters scorching two of them before it bounces off the frozen ground toward the sky.
“I hope you won’t find this offensive child eater.” Quilro quips as he moves toward where the giants are picking up boulders.
Kailute is a blur of bladed limbs as he plunges his daggers into four orcs in a series of attack.
The elf dismisses a magical attack as he notices the half-orc within the intended area of his attack.
Cackling DonBrapp unleashes another bolt of lightning into one of the blue skinned titans hurling boulders into the group. The giant screams as it absorbs the energy and launches a boulder at the dwarf in the sky knocking it back ten feet in the air.
Kailute is bruised by another enormous rock projectile from the squad of frost giants.
“Fight for eagle claw!” the living leader of the pack of monsters screams as Shuos shreds another kobold with claws and fangs.
Through their rapidly thinning ranks one of the orcs lands another blow on Kailute who was knocked mildly off balance by the boulder strike. Discombobulated the half-orc misses a series of attacks before finding his balance. Just as he turns recentered for combat the barbarian and his boar are struck by another volley of boulders. Kailute quaffs a healing potion to mitigate the battering he has endured.
The dwarf fires another lightning bolt toward a giant and then lands dramatically to join the fight in melee combat.
Morphing into a dove before returning to elven form Quilro calls for his own magical lightning strike across the line of monsters cutting a swath in the dwindling numbers of monsters. Barbarian and boar launch a series of blistering attacks against the few remaining orcish opponents as DonBrapp transmutes several sticks into attack snakes and methodically launches them against the enemy battle line.
Having seen most of their comrades ruthlessly cut down by magic and blade the remaining orcs and kobolds begin to retreat. The easternmost giant kicks the elf off the ledge and is rewarded with the scorching return of the fire shield as Quilro activates feather fall negating any danger from the height.
As they attempt to escape Kailute cuts two kobolds down with repeated dagger strikes. The others attempt to bat the snakes from their bodies while fleeing to the north. One kobold is trapped in the lee of the cliff cowering.
Calling forth the power of Vergadain DonBrapp calls down a searing gout of flame from the sky and utterly destroys the remaining frost giant.
“Did the elf see that! Behold the power of the dwarvish gods!”
“Does anyone here need identification?” Tomas asks meekly creeping around the wagons.
The surrendered kobold writhes underneath Brapp’s snakes as the dwarf sprints to the monster corpses and begins to shake them all down for coin.
Kailute begins to interrogate the hapless kobold. The monster reveals some treasure and a fight with dwarfs occurred nearby.
“Go north, return to the horde. Tell all Kailute challenged and destroyed all that crossed the Heroes of Waymeet!” The dominated beast is supplicant and scurries away to the northwest as the dwarf counts coin, as well as an ornate scimitar and a magical short sword.
The frost giants yield a map denoting dragons, a home and a human location that can be reached through an entrance to Hillsafar Hall.
After looting the monsters the party establishes camp. DonBrapp shrouds the fire in magical darkness to protect the party from detection.
Quilro feeds some orc meat to Milan’s dogs earning a sidelong look from both the huntsman and Kailute. After that the elf impales two giant heads and a kobold upon the giant swords to intimidate any who come upon the camp after they depart.
Camp established DonBrapp and Tomas tend to the wounds of the group. After a discussion of the way ahead over dinner the cleric prepares to set up the magic font and scry for an indicator of dangers ahead.
Quilro spends several hours teaching Petra to read magical script, and notices she is apparently wearing a newly acquired Auril holy symbol. Milan and Kailute scout after the released kobold to see what they can learn. They observe several camp sites and discern the group they encountered was a medium sized reconnaissance group, and they locate the box canyon that appears to coincide with the location marked on the map as being the lair of dragons. Milan points out terrain features that could support an ambush of a larger force if magical heat or kinetic energy could be used to initiate an avalanche. DonBrapp offers him the recently acquired magical sword.
The cleric prepares the rituals, glyphs and wards to attempt his scrying. The mountain lance plundered from the catacombs of Ravenloft is consumed in the font and DonBrapp falls into a state of enlightened consciousness. He floats above the terrain and flies toward the box canyon where a sixty foot opening to a cave on the northern end is observed. A human figure exits the cave and looks in the direction of DonBrapp’s floating consciousness. The being emits a large amount of power. DonBrapp probes closer to an androgynous humanoid mail garbed in a green traveling cloak and a sword on it’s hip. The cleric is able to discern he is witnessing an illusion.
“And who might this be visiting my valley?” The humanoid asks.
“I am a visitor from the west. I am concerned with the activities of the Bloodstone mines, and the fate of the Oriothar dwarves. I am the Liberator of Azurthurax!”
The dwarf and male figure trade witty inquiries but DonBrapp is unable to get the image to reveal its name or make a full introduction. As the discussion progresses the dwarf scans the valley.
“I wish to negotiate safe passage to Hillsafar Hall.” The human’s eyes narrow and he becomes even more guarded. The dwarf presses and the individual demands a significant offering to afford safe passage through the valley.
DonBrapp remains non-committal and then searches another route to the northeast along an exposed cliffside that would severely restrict the use of wagons toward Hillsafar Hall. DonBrapp notes two poorly defended giant watchposts. Dwarven marks indicating a withdrawal south, and the opening to a large underground area with indications of many giants.
DonBrapp returns to the camp and announces “the path is clear. A dragon is seeking a gift for safe passage.” Kailute immediately doubts the veracity of dragons entreating for safe passage.
“The dragon struck me as fairly reasonable.” DonBrapp retorts.
“I’ll take a magical fire resistance now if you would.” Fyrnlocke responds.
“The scent of coin was inescapable….” The dwarf says dreamily.
Once Kailute calls forth attention to the weapon he possesses that is particularly lethal to dragons and the heroes begin to develop some enthusiasm for the idea of dragon slaying. The group converses diligently about different strategems and tactics to destroy the wyrm. Quilro suddenly realizes he was proficient in long bladed weapons the entire time! Kailute hands him the well-oiled blade.
“I must cleans this hole of coin!” Vergadain’s golden hand declares emphatically.
The cleric seeks the augur of Vergadain and it is confirmed that magical protections from fire would be a very good investment.
As the night grows dark, Milan indicates the approach of a figure just beyond the ring of campfire light.
A humanoid figure very similar to what DonBrapp had engaged in the valley earlier approaches.
The group takes up a defensive line in front of the fire and Quilro conjures a fire shield. DonBrapp calls forth flamewalk shielding the heroes from flame.
Quilro hands Petra a wand and sends her scurrying into the underbrush. “Good luck. Gods watch over you.”
“Well met friends! Here must be the one who claimed himself the liberator of Azurthurax!”
“Emancipator!” DonBrapp corrects as Kailute asks if this individual knows the wizard Sumbrar. The visitor does not recognize the name but is interested in any cult worshipping dragons.
“That is a mighty long word for such a short creature.”
“The rising tide of evil in these mountains ceases now. We will cleanse these peaks of their infection and return beauty and peace to this stricken land.” Quilro puffs out his chest with his hands on his blade.
“You are the most charming elf I have met in a some time!” the visitor responds. He acknowledges chaos rising from the west but reiterates that but for a reasonable offering passage could be negotiated through the valley.
“Nice weapon there, elf.” The visitor notices slyly.
“We’re here to eradicate the horde; I assume you are in league with them.” Quilro counters. The dragon reiterates its offer to afford passage for an appropriate offering.
Quilro gives a sidelong look to the dwarf with a nod of the shoulders. Kailute passes the magical gem of sight over his eyes and beholds an eighty foot red wyrm in illustion.
“Is this long lived lover of poetry speak for your group?” the disguised dragon asks stepping forward and a long period of uncomfortable silence follows as the heroes hesitate.
After a moment of reflection DonBrapp steps forward from behind the wagons.
“What is your offer? Your camp reeks of wealth and magic. I’d like to return to my cave with something shiny and magical. Or, I can destroy you all.”
Quilro attempts to mediate, and the wyrm smells the ancient magical tomes.
“Where’s Fyrnlocke.” Kailute surveys the prospective battlefield.
“I have a new deal.” DonBrapp states flatly.
“What do you offer Rojanalathar?” The dragon asks archly.
“You will accompany us to cleanse Hillsafar Hall and we will allow you live.” The dwarf demands.
Bemused and exasperated the dragon uncoils as Kailute leaps into the air with his axe blade held high, delivering an opening wound.
The dragon enspells Fyrnlocke who has a strange confused look in his eye.
Quilro makes powerful gesticulations and the dragon is struck dumb, its perceptive eyes suddenly registering fear, rage, and anger.
DonBrapp hurls a hammer borne lightning bolt against the dragon as Kailute attempts to flank the monster and nearly loses his balance doing so. Quilro attempts to catch the side as well.
Revealing its terrible form the beast inhales massively before releasing an enormous cloud of flame from its massive maw scorching all in its path. Most of the party enjoys magical protection from fire.
Fyrnlocke staggers back in heated fire, but then launches an attack against Quilro still harboring a confused desperation in his eyes.
DonBrapp casts a spell of sanctuary as the elf disappears from view.
Kailute unleashes a flurry of bladed attacks continuing to wound the enormous wyrmling. The dragon slashes at the barbarian with its claws, not noticing the sly elf move to the rear and take its sword to his weakest point beneath the wing. The dragon shrieks in pain and agony and falls back upon Quilro.
“Smaller dragon then I thought, mate.” Fyrnlocke says, the magical hold over him broken.
The corpse takes up enormous space along the cliffside.
“We make for the cave tonight!” DonBrapp says enthusiastically.
Kailute takes one of the giant sized weapons and forces it into the killing wound to make it appear the wyrm died in a fight with the giants. He and Milan craft a deception to make it appear members of the horde appeared to engage the dragon and burned their corpses.
DonBrapp and Tomas afford a round of immediate healing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:09, Sat 13 Mar 2021.
