Onward Through the Galenas

First light 1 Hammer 1358

The heroes stand warily around waning fires as the dimmest deep blue sliver of light begins to creep over the wintry peaks of the Galenas.

The wind cuts into the many layered clothes the group as acquired, and a night of combat without sleep leaves all bone weary and surrounded by the debris of combat.

Lying on his back, Darkon moans between chattering teeth. He is desperate both to stop the bleeding of his many wounds and attempting to flail closer toward the warmth of a fire.  His tabard carries the livery of a blue bear enclosed with an upside-down white triangle.  While the bear is the herald of Morov nobility, the white triangle is associated with followers of the goddess Auril, Queen of Frost and Decay.

The small valley is littered with corpses; mostly bearing weather appropriate masterwork leather or banded mail, stuffed with dark rags.

DonBrapp eyes Darkon’s armor, wondering aloud who among the heroes might fit in such a suit of mail.

With a nod, Durnkin sets the Oriothar to their tasks.  In addition to moderate pouches of coin, the loot of the group has clearly been taken from families of modest means rather than ancient barrows or stately mansions.

As DonBrapp is pulling a ring from the crippled dwarf, Quilro palms it.

“I’ll take that.  You’ve no business with items such as this.”

The dwarf barely notices, lost in thought about the construct of the multiverse, and the realization that there may be many locations in the Galena mountains that could serve as intra-planar portals, and possibly open unto Zenghyi’s castle.

Looking to Darkon and Delburin, Quilro posits offering them positions to join.

This breaks DonBrapp from his reverie:  “Are ye out of yer feckin’ mind, eelf?”

Fyrnlocke absent-mindedly flips open one of the thieve’s satchels and a small pile of family treasure spills onto the snow.

The party decides to keep both prisoners, and DonBrapp administers the most basic of healing magic to keep them both from death’s door at Quilro’s request.

As Quilro braces the warrior to be bound, he whispers through gritted teeth “Beware that elf.  He’s with us.”  Indicating Tanthalas.

As Tanthalas approaches his step quickens upon recognition of Darkon.

“Look at the scum we’ve captured!”  The elf sneers and suggests immediate execution of the Morov Noble.

“Slaver.  Thought we left you die with the giants.”  Darkon spits blood as he speaks.

Quilro steps between them, and the prisoners are bound.  Summoning Petra, Quirlo provides her a magical ring of spell storage.

Durbalin vomits himself awake and shimmies over to the fireplace, jamming his amputated leg into the fire, grimacing in pain before shambling over to the wagon designated for prisoners.

The maps suggest the rift atop Hillsafar Hall is at least ten miles away, with two days of travel ahead in driving wind and snow.

As soon as Milan begins to pull the wagons around to shield from the snow, Tanthalas liberates a wineskin from one of the fallen.

“Much rather be making merry in Westgate than with legless dwarves..  AND WORSE!”  He snarls, slamming back several glugs of fiery liquor.

Garlen and Graylen have replenished their weapons and outerwear, having lost their previous rags due to the muscular explosion brought on by the enlarge potions provided by the cleric of Vergadain.

As the group sets to watch, the lads begin to reminisce about Bloodstone.

Durnkin walks up from behind “Worry not lads.  These are heroes…  they will put to rights all yer ma and pa may have lost.”  The forge-dwarf says.

Quilro directs Petra to mind the prisoners with a spell of electric shock at the ready.
“Soft city boyz…  easy kills.”  She smiles.

Milan agrees to take a long watch if someone else will take the wagon reigns the following morning.
In the early hours of the evening Milan awakens Kailute with a spark of wonder in his eye.  The wind is blowing hard to the southeast, and the barbarian signals silence to the war boar.

Milan steps silently backtracking his steps.  As they head up out of the camp, the night sky is filled with a variety of multi-colored hues blinking in and out like heat lightning.

Fifty yards ahead two pony sized faerie dragons are playing with one another, lobbing spells and frolicking among the snow drifts.  The sound of the creatures play is dampened by the moisture filled air, but eventually the two playing dragon like creatures fly off to the northeast.

The following morning all have rested and dried their equipment and clothing.  The wind has still not abated, and not an insignificant amount of snow has obscured what tracks were revealed during the night.
The group begins trudging up the mountains.

“We have a dwarf with us!  He can lead the way!”  Quilro jabs at DonBrapp.

Tanthalas is hopping from frozen foot to foot attempting to restore circulation to his legs and limbs, clearly not prepared for the elements of the mountains.

Fyrnlocke and Quilro scout ahead.  For forested mountains, there appears to be far less game than Kailute believes there should be.

The paths of the giants are marked by the flattened snow of hundreds of humanoid and monster feet making the pathway.

In the afternoon the party discovers the tracks of small humanoids.  They appear to have split into two groups, one headed east back toward the plains of Damara and another smaller group continuing along the path but staying to the scattered woodline.

“What know ye of halflings, Durnkin?”  DonBrapp asks.

“Waukeshire.”  Durnkin grunts, relaying that they are likely run out of their forest home within Bloodstone valley.  The halflings are skilled ambushers, and masterful cooks.

The party decides to keep the main group moving along the road while Quilro scouts along the tracks aside the trail and Kailute and Durnkin follows the larger group that headed east.

Quilro leaps into the sky in the form of a snowy owl and soars north skimming the treeline.  Only a few miles away he observes a scout camp of five halflings.

The snowy owl lands in the middle of their camp, and then walks toward them changing form.

The halflings are awed at first by the creature then again as the elf appears and bids them “Well met!”

“I am Quilro, and I am here with a group of adventurers to cleanse this land of evil!”

“Well, I hope you brought a lot of cleaning supplies!”  one of the bowman retorts, unknocking his arrow from the ready.

Melbo and Tellucht introduce themselves as Quilro identifies his foes and companions.  The group agrees to join the elf and backtrack toward the wagons.

Several miles away Kailute and Durnkin are approaching an encampment.

“Hey!  Know any hafling songs?”  The half-orc cheerily proposes.

“Did you just ask me if I knew any halfling songs, greenskin?” Durnkin responds flatly.

“Dwarf songs?  Bird songs?  I care not but I want to demonstrate we’re not foes;  something that could be more challenging if I lead!”

Acknowledging the wisdom of the situation, Durnkin pushes himself up and begins belting out a glorious dwarven marching chant.

One of the guards steps out from being nearly invisible and acknowledges Durnkin without totally lowering his weapon.  The dwarf introduces and explains the situation as befallen the Oriothar, and the guard nods knowingly.

Motioning the group farther into the woods, the group finds itself at the leader of the haflings, Fredegast.  Durnkin vouches for Kailute and the two observe a mobile raiding camp.

Kailute directs Shuos to entertain a clutch of halfling children, earning smiles the children had not shorn in weeks.

Fredegast is initially overjoyed at the mention of the heroes, but somewhat tempered when the true size of the HoW is revealed.

The haflings have been conducted hit and run raids against giant patrols, but know most of the routes through the mountains.

Fredegast agrees to lead the group to a location that provides observation of the rift atop Hillsafar Hall.  He notes the giant patrols are hunting twice daily for enormous amounts of food.

Eventually, all groups meet up and continue to move along the path in the mountains.  The Bloodstone lads are ecstatic to meet up with the haflings, and regale them with the exploits thus observed.

After several miles, the woodline to the east recedes and a bluish-green scar marks the manipulation of ice atop a crevasse like opening in the mountain.

“Behold, Hall Hillsafar!”  Durnkin points with his ice encrusted leather gauntlet.

A mile and a half down into a mountain crevasse a path is beath submerged into the snow that appears to lead straight into the rift.

The halflings press forward a couple more hours, peeling off the road to a forested bowl that affords protection as well as observation on the approaches to the rift.

The group establishes a camp and the halfings take staggered posts overwatching the camp as well as the paths below.  There are assessed to be 20-30 giants below, possibly trapped dwarves and your standard array of subterranean lair dwellers.

Tanthalas falls out of the back of one of the wagons, cursing and blind.

Hearing Quilro’s voice, he calls out for assistance.  After asking about magic, the elf dispels the blindness, earning the demonstration of slavish thanks from Tanthalas.

Returning to the wagon with Petra and the prisoners, the maimed dwarf appears to be constructing some sort of limb for his wound.

Petra acknowledges DonBrapp had poked his head inside the wagon earlier.

After a quick meeting, the dwarf leans back into the wagon, and looking directly into Tanthalas’ eyes embraces him with magical paralysis.  He is soon bound and remanded into the back of the wagon hog-tied.  The dwarf liberates a series of jewels, components, and a piece of paper with 60 names scribbled upon it.

A magical green jade dagger is also among his possessions, and DonBrapp directs him gagged.

The dwarf revels in the glory of Vergadain and fresh mountain air!

Durnkin identifies Derbulin as a reaving renegade dwarf based upon the testimony of other dwarves and having observed him moving through the steading with the giants as an ally.

2 Hammer morning

Tomas attempts to identify some of the recent loot but is overpowered by some of the items.  He identifies the Gith weapons, and a ring of cloud giant strength.

He slinks off to rest in the wagons.

A pale greenish-blue scar appears in the valley below.  Packed snow belies a trail walked by larger and heavier humanoids.  Many footfalls have made their way in and out, varieties of humanoids of all sizes and type of boot or shoe.  The path has beaten down a path in the snow so deep as it descends toward the wound like scar in the valley below, the path soon rises up about 12’ blocking the view outside and around.

Barely piercing the howl of the wind, the abominable cries of something feral are heard below.  A scurry of white furred canines, and several frost giants emerge from the mouth of the valley.  The party observes six giants, as many winter worgs and there appears to be something traveling with them but cannot be directly observed.
The group pauses briefly outside the approach to the rift, and then turns south back down the direction of the path the party had come from.

Kailute collects boar spoor to devise a lure trap in front of the patrol exiting the rift.  The barbarian double backs along the road searching for a location that will afford an advantaged ambush site.

“Have that ring, lass?” Quilro asks Petra, before magically imbuing her with ability to fly and turning himself into a harpy.  Shocked, then amazed as she lifts off the ground, the Vistani mageling then vanishes from sight with a gasp.

The halfling scouts and the heroes advance to the ambush site along the western side of the road.  The halflings move with discipline and silence and take up positions in the trees.

Elf and mage observe a line of wargs, followed by giants.  They appear to be hunting.  Moving throughout the formation large albino ape like creatures a loping about.  Quilro signals to wait until the giants come into magical range.

Kailute directs Shuos to remain behind cover until the ambush begins.

Two of the wargs begin to find the scent of something upon the air.  This causes the yetis to become more alert, but not alert enough to avoid the gargantuan magical fireball released from the sky that envelopes all of them before the battle line is shocked through by an powerful arc of electricity.  The air is immediately filled with the steam of boiling water that further scalds the creatures as well as severely limiting visibility.

DonBrapp invokes the protections of the Coinfather before scurrying across the icy road, slipping over the large whaleback formation in the path and then sliding behind a tree.

Fyrnlocke creeps forward toward the battle while Fredegast and his bowmen remain hidden in the trees.

“YARGNOFOL!  HARLO!”  The giants call out, now recognizing a powerful ambush and taking up their arms.

Falling gracefully from the sky Quilro lands on one knee next to Petra and releases another devastating lightning bolt into the last line of advancing giants, now scorched, scalded and electrocuted in triple measure.

Kailute slices open the underbelly of one of the winter wargs before it exhales a biting cold breath weapons.  Two of the yetis lunge at Kailute but cannot land blows.

On of the giants looses a ballistae bolt and Petra is knocked from the sky to the ground, broken and bleeding.
Two of the giants launch ice boulders toward the barbarian, and one lands with a bruising impact on the half-orc.

The line of giants divide their attention from the magical threat to the west, and the newly emerged half-orc to the south.

DonBrapp crawls forward and levels his hammer to release another bolt of electric energy against the giants and worgs, evaporating the cloud of steam.

Fyrnlocke slides up next to Kailute to protect his flank.

Smelling the scent of fresh blood one of the yetis runs toward Petra’s broken body and makes a chest thumping gesticulation of dominance.

One of the wargs breaths frost on the dwarf who is protected from the chill from Vergadain’s favor.
Fyrnlocke takes cold damage from another wolf and returns the attack with double attacks felling the beast.
Kailute and Shuos attack;  the barbarian cuts deep into his enemies while Shuos leaps too high and misses the strike.

DonBrapp calls forth a pillar of flame onto the mountainside, repeating the effects of the previous fireball.  One of the giants is immediately slain, and the scent of wet fur and burning flesh is enveloped within another cloud of steam.

Kailute dances through another series of strikes as one of the wolves paws Shuos in the air.
The remaining frost giant lands a smashing blow on Kailute’s shoulder, and to the north the yeti and wolf begin to bite at Petra’s inert body.

Two ballistae shots fly toward the airborne harpy-elf but miss wide as he levels another lightning bolt at the creatures near Petra with his wand.  Their bodies shake with the jolt of electricity and their attention is turned from a potential meal to the flying threat.

DonBrapp slips to the side of a wolf who snarls but misses and releases another lightning bolt strike against the giants.

Quilro invokes magical speed but is unable to avoid the breath attack of the nearest winter wolve.
DonBrapp is likewise enveloped in a frost attack, but he stands through the onslaught and delivers another magical bolt of lightning from the hammer.

One of the giants lodges his weapon in the ground in front of Kailute who returns the strike with a series of slashing sword thrusts.

Quilro slashes at the winter wolf slicing straight through the beast and enabling another hasted attack that rips open the chest of the ape-like winter beast.

Kailute delivers a devastating upswing through the crotch of a frost giant, severing a leg at the hip as the enormous titan falls dead in the snow.

DonBrapp slays a wolf with a crushing blow, and the remaining yeti howls and swings at the elf protecting Petra but is cut down with Quilro’s riposte.

Kailute is grazed by the claws of a yeti which draws superficial blood.
Quilro lunges forward attempting to clear the monsters from Petra and slays one of the giants with two magically enhanced thrusts of his moonblade.

DonBrapp sprints forward, shaking off a raking wolf claw and slams his hammer into the shin of a giant.
Kailute leaps toward the giant DonBrapp is engaged with and punctures his knee from behind as Shuos leaps upon the yeti and paws the creature.

At this time the warband begins to reconsider as Quilro executes another giant with his ancestral blade and Kailute delivers a killing blow to another.

DonBrapp lays his hammer directly into the shoulder of a winter wolf and sends it flying into the opposite treeline where its corpse rolls a crumpled ball of fur.

As the remaining monsters begin to reform their line to disengage, Quilro leaps forward swinging and causing the giant great fear as it has never seen such a small creature defeat so many of his kin.

“The first of you to drop your weapons will live; those who do not will serve us in hell for eternity!” Kailute shouts as he and Shuos leap forward, slashing and raking their way through another giant.

One of the remaining giants lands a glancing blow on the barbarian, as Fyrnlocke charges up and joins the attack.
As Quilro delivers another devastating attack a giant surrenders; DonBrapp lands a crushing blow to the giant’s hip sending the creature to the ground crippled and he also surrenders.

Kailute finishes the last yeti with a series of thrusts and slashes.

Two grievously wounded frost giants remain, one bleeding out while the other only crippled, enormous arms in the air prostrate on his back.

Kailute attempts to assist moving the ambulatory giant out of range, where he questions him on the hunting party’s intent.

The wounded giant reports about 30 giants in the rift, and the incredible appetites of two baby dragons.  This is confirmed by independently questioning the other giant.

DonBrapp lays his hands on Petra’s wounded body as the sun appears near it’s height in the sky.  The replenishing favor of Vergadain refills the Vistani with life force, and she coughs awake.

Finishing the healing, DonBrapp strides over the crippled giant and caves its skull in with a sick sound collapsing the large face around the head of the hammer.

All the giantkin slain, DonBrapp begins to drag the giants corpses head to head in a star formation in the path.  He simultaneously begins to count the value of both yeti and winter wolf pelts and how to ensure the maximum collection of wealth.

Kailute, Milan and the halflings begin to scavenge the corpses to the dwarf’s direction.

DonBrapp lays the runes, prepares the sacrifices and calls forth to raise two of the frost giants to serve him enthralled to Vergadain.

Having called forth the negative material plane, DonBrapp offers healing to the rest of the party.

Noon 2 Hammer

The group moves the corpses into the treeline.  DonBrapp withdraws to further seek the Coinfather’s favor in order to animate additional undead, calling forth two more frost giants.

Upon contacting the negative material plane, the cleric feels his efforts are noted by some powerful entity with deep connections to the negative material plane.

While Kailute counsels that interplanar beings may be aware of their intrusions, the dwarf shakes off any concerns with his utter faith in the heroes’ abilities and the providence of Vergadain.

Even Fyrnlocke registers his concerns, but DonBrapp is adamant that undead giants are the best way to their end of routing the rift.

Fredegast is concerned about the undead; and the dwarf is incensed at being challenged by such lesser creatures, but Kailute does his best to mollify them.

The group slogs back through the gray blustery day toward the camp arriving there around 2pm.

The henchmen establish a watch while the spellcasters rest and study to regain spells.

The sun begins to set around 8pm, and another similar patrol emerges from the rift path.  The group moves south along the path out of view.

The heroes rest, and the second patrol never returns.

3 Hammer

Over breakfast, the party discusses their plan for the assault on the rift.  Milan, Tomas, and two of the Oriothar remain behind agreeing to train Tomas in weaponry.

DonBrapp hands DemonStryker to Durnkin with solemn commitment to liberate Hillsafar Hall.

The heroes, halflings, bloodstone lads, Petra and Durnkin stand on the ridge, observing the entrance to the rift.