2AM 24 Hammer

Having witnessed Tomas plunged to his death the heroes executed a savage reprisal against two white dragons, finishing them off as an enraged dwarf hung from the harpy’s claws while the polymorphed elf unleashed a magical bolt of lightning to deliver the killing blow.
In the cold, predawn hours of 24 Hammer, the heroes gather themselves on the approach road to the mines, knowing they are guarded by a mix of stone giants. goblinoids hiding behind palisade towers.

The night sky is dark, natural illumination is obscured by the clouds, and a light wind cuts a deep chill, and the upper altitudes.

DonBrapp takes inventory of the party’s health.  Calling forth the power of Vergadain, he administers aid to those in need.

Kailute tenderly secures the pulpy robe of Tomas’ remains as Quilro scouts the corpse of one of the white dragons.

“Mind the time, elf!”  DonBrapp shouts as Quilro hacks through the neck, dismembering the enormous reptilian head and carrying it back to the cart.

The entrance to the mines lies in a sheer bowl protected by two stone watchtowers. The wooden palisades atop the upper parapets appear weathered and poorly maintained, but fresh logs stand in the entranceway, the bowl itself is about 150 feet by 200 feet of open space surrounded by steep cliffs with some graduated plateaus, allowing access to the northern watchtower.

3 adits reinforced with timber allow entrance into the mountain side.  Mixed squads of orcs and stone giants appear to man the towers.

During the first watch of the evening Draxos hears approaching footsteps but nothing closes within observational range.

As Kailute takes over, the temperature drops significantly about 20 degrees, well below freezing but with very little wind.  The sky clears out and the moisture evaporates.  It's very cold and very, very dry with ample ambient light reflecting off the snow and ice.

As the group awakens to breakfast the barbarian and ranger note the scent of giantkin on the wind.  The four remaining house huardsman of Bloodstone Manor are delighted to enjoy some of the rations that the group is brought out.  In return they offer what little hardtack and dried they have.

“Wait for dwarf; he makes much better food than salted beef.”  Says Petra to the Bloodstone soldiers.

The group makes its breakfast as the spellcasters focus on their restorative studies.
After rest and replenishment the group steps off through the snow, moving cautiously.  The recent tracks of giants and other humanoids are visible in and around the approach to the mines.  The tracks suggest patrols are conducted in the area, but not consistently.

Crouching behind boulders the heroes take a position about 300 feet from the approach road, and survey the entrance to the mines.  Two stone watchtowers protect a fresh timber palisade.  The lumbering hulks of stone giants and the smell of goblinoid waft off the mountains below the sheer cliffs that rise beyond the small valley.

As the group gazes up, DonBrapp whispers a small prayer of healing to aid Quilro’s wounds from the previous night.  Smiling at the cleric, the dwarf offers a curt nod as he applies similar restorative magic to his own wounds.

Furrowing his brow, the dwarf slides back down the rocks to where the cart is protected by the Bloodstone soldiers.  He rifles around under the tarp before producing the staff of healing energy.  Covering himself in a white light of magic, the soldiers step back in mild awe.  Smiling at them, the dwarf reaches over into his pack and pulls forth several of his own made potions before scrambling back up the hill to distribute to his comrades.  After a sidelong look from the Vistani, the dwarf flips a potion to Petra as well.

Scrutinizing the visible guards, they group compares the sentries to Quilro’s report of giants wearing well-kept plate and leather and armed with enormous swords.  Spears were stacked on the parapets to feed ballista sized crossbows.  The stone giants keep a disciplined watch while the goblinoids appear to be a hungry rabble.

“…any more of them libations, Coinfather?  Perhaps we can all drop in from the wing?”  Quilro suggests, thinking of a spell ambush.

“Plenty enough..  for me.”  The dwarf responds.

“How ‘bout we pretend Draxos is my captive, and take them from both sides?”  Kailute whispers, and the ranger offers a slight nod of agreement.

“I could make you all ‘disappear,’ if you’d like….” Quilro offers, sensing the dismissive snarl on Kailute’s face before it even appears.

“Ye’ve been good with child-eater more’n often then not…  but yer lucks gotta run dry sometime…”  DonBrapp mutters.

“Enough.  I’ll use yer tricks, eelf.  Ain’t dropped me yet….”  The dwarf kicks at Quilro, who then utters an arcane phrase that causes both to disappear after invoking the magical power of flight.

Kailute arranges the rangers weapons to appear secured to him but are actually readied for Draxos to pull of and employ when appropriate, and makes a loose binding of the elf’s wrists.  To anyone not looking intensely, it appears Draxos is Kailute’s prisoner.

Petra and the soldiers look on as the barbarian and ranger slapfight each other, and perform minor calisthenics to increase the appearance of recent melee combat.

“We vill wait here and cover you.” She says, pointing out defensive positions to the house guards.

The plan set, Quilro and DonBrapp invisibly take to the air as the half-orc and his “prisoner” move onto the road to approach the watchtowers.

“HOLD, greenskin!  Identify yourself!”  Calls out one of the stone giants.

“Broken teeth!  OPEN THE GATE!  They’re not far behind us!”  Kailute yells, flustered.

The stone giant gives a signal and a large mechanical noise from within the bottom of the watchtower pulls back the palisade just enough to allow the two to enter.  Within the courtyard nearly 20 orcs, hobgoblins and goblins look up from small fires.  The group appears to be the mixed remains of several goblinoid tribes, as no consistent symbols or unity are evident in their coverings.  As the half-orc and ranger enter, the goblinoids return to vacantly picking at bones or attempting to boil leaves into something nutritious.
“Who’s leads here?”  Kailute demands.  As some point to the stairs that lead up to the northern tower he drags Draxos in that direction.

“I have information!”  One of the stone giants begins to move toward the two, as the elf and dwarf quietly float toward the cliff face above the three mine entrances.  As they descend, Quilro gives a deliberate squeeze to the dwarf’s shoulder and DonBrapp quaffs his potion.  As they get close to the mountainside, the attenuarium thrums with energy, indicating something of an intraplanar arousal.

“The murderers approach!  They look like the ones who slew Romulus not far from here.”  Shaking Draxos, the barbarian leans into a mix of fear and outrage.  “They slew two dragons, and I believe they are on their way to slay everyone here as well!”

As the stone giant finally closes within range, Kailute removes his hand from the elf to deliver a surprise slice that cuts deep into the seam of the giant’s armor at his thigh.  The monster lets out a surprising bellow of pain that initiates the fight.

Jumping backward while grabbing his bow from the barbarian’s back Draxo looses a volley of arrows, the final one entering the giant’s mouth and exiting the back of its skull, sending the enormous humanoid falling into the courtyard below.

Becoming momentarily visible Quilro silently descends, and with the moonblade inverted uses both his flying momentum and magical strength to plunge the weapon into the brain stem of another stone giant, who collapses with a gargle to the ground.  The elf is masked by the enormous corpse, but the second giant guard lifts his crossbow to take aim at the companions on the far wall.

Crouched behind the dead monster, a psychic tug pulls at Quilro’s mind from the sheath of his dagger…

“Have you forgotten me…” the weapon bemoans.

Following closely to the elf, DonBrapp descends becoming just visible as he begins to speak the holy words of divine retribution…  but catching his foot on the landing causes him to miss connecting to the giant.  The dwarf stumbles and instead elbows the giant’s knee.  Stupified the creature stares down at the cleric who just appeared below his legs as his partner fell to the ground dead.

Quilro leaps back into the sky as Draxos looses another series of bow shots.  The giant in front of DonBrapp thrusts his enormous sword down on the dwarf’s shoulder, and cleric can feel the rending of muscle and bone.

The nearest goblinkin swarm toward Kailute, but none are able to connect with the nimble warrior.

DonBrapp returns the favor in kind with a powerful blow to the foot of the stone giant, who howls as he steps back.

Sweeping several of the monsters aside, Kailute hoists his weapon over his head and bellows “I am Kailute Crashhawk, horde-master of Vaasa!  STEP ASIDE OR DIE!”  Several of the orcs pause and cock their heads at this command.

Spinning he turns and delivers another slicing wound to the giant still on the parapet.
“The stone kings had the wisdom to submit; DO YOU?!” He shouts at the wounded leviathan.
The giant is finally out of adrenaline, and takes to a knee in front of the barbarian as he drops his weapon to hold to what wounds he can.

As the monster attempts to surrender, Draxos ends his misery with two shots to its oversized head.
As the
giant falls Kailute turns to address the monsters in the courtyard.

“…my kill.” Draxos whispers.

On the southern tower the wounded giant takes two hands and catches the dwarf in the gut with a wild side swing, knocking his breath away and nearly causing the cleric to fumble his hammer.  Instead of returning the blow the dwarf breathlessly croaks out the words to healing magic as Quilro swoops behind the giant, blade ready.

“…always keeping the city-dwarfs alive on the open road…” the elf says with a smile as he makes a passing thrust from the air.  The giant bats at the elf, knocking him sideways while grimacing at the fresh wound.

DonBrapp uses the distraction to his advantage, taking the giant’s leg off with a wild swing.  The monster crumples with his lifeblood draining from his amputated leg below the knee.

“Follow me…” Kailute commands the curious orcs in his immediate area and begins to walk toward the courtyard.

“We've killed your Dragons.  We killed your giants. There's no need for you to die today. Lay down your arms and go assemble against the northern wall or face my blade. “

Many of the goblinoids continue to passively observe, as the heroes consolidate their victory.

One of the Red-Ears steps forward and identifies himself as Ilkarn.  He relates that none of the goblinkin entered the mines, only giants.  No one fitting the description of lady Christine had passed or entered recently, and the monsters were mostly the remnants of the group vanquished in the steading.

Kailute acknowledges the Red-Ear, and then directs him to open the palisade to allow Petra and the guards inside with the mules and cart.

“Two dragon corpses lie on the road and mountain below.  Plenty to eat, if you gather it.  Take no further arms against us, and we will no run you out of these walls.”  The barbarian directs the assembled remaining monsters.

Ilkarn and several of the remaining orcs offer their services to Kailute as several others begin to head down the road to investigate the offer of dragon meat.