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ROR:Session/21

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Starring: Calum, Haneet, Isra'a, Karaz, Agofon Warbullion
Guest Starring: Thassilonian Descended village
Challenge: Below
Location: Varisia
Date Played: 13 Aug 2016


Prairie Hole Companion

Chapter 4: Fortress of the Stone Giants - Part 2: Journey to Jorgenfist


Travel, Trials and Tribulations

Agofon Warbullion As we traveled overland we had many adventures together, some fun, some violent.

Prairie Holes

Agofon Warbullion Calum is missing and we suspect that he has been swallowed up by the giant glowing holes in the ground. We are cautious as we approach. Karaz wishes to explore and I agree, though I advise caution. I send forth Prying eyes on an hour long recon. I sketch out a map as Karaz waits (mostly) with patience. I then sketch a second map, in case Karaz goes missing while on the search for Calum.

The next day we discover that Calum is not sleeping. I attempt to advise remedies and he gets upset. How was I to know that his bonnet is an magical sleeping aid? I offer my assistance and curse Calum to sleep for 8 hours when the word "Elephant" is heard. I make reasonable efforts to ensure that we are the only two to know the word.

Isra'a
Over the past year I have found Calum to be a generally cranky person, especially when on the road. After disappearing down some hole he found on the road he has become even more irritable. I wonder if there is any way I can work this to my advantage.
Haneet
THERE ARE HOLES. EVERYWHERE. And then Calum stopped sleeping, and that was no fun, because when I make noise at night, nobody else YELLS at me, they just groan and stuff. But Calum yells. ☹️

Acorn on the loose

Agofon Warbullion Haneet misplaces his acorn while in a marketplace and it ends up nearly baked in a pie.

Isra'a
We made our way into a small village – while here Haneet decided to do Haneet things. In the process she lost her prized acorn. Being a constant source of amusement to me (not to mention she is much quieter in squirrel form) I decided to help her locate it. A local magistrate had bought the cookware that the acorn had fallen into – we were able to secure its return.
Haneet
😱 MY ACRON! 💩💩💩 It's like using emoji, and that makes me angry. There's a 🐀, and a 🐇, and a 🐿 and even a stupidface 🦄, BUT THERE IS NO SQUIRREL. AND WITHOUT THE ACORN, THERE IS NO SQUIRREL. DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM?

It was in a stupid pot, and I couldn't berak the stupid pot.I mean, I could have, but like , they didn't let me. Stupid pot.

Thassilonian Rednecks

Agofon Warbullion As we make our way through the forest we are accosted by "locals" who are bent on trouble. They converse amoungst themselves in a language that is foreign to me but is known to Calum—Thassilonian. It appears that they trace their family back to Thassilon. Violence is averted through a shared interest.

Isra'a
More talk – as boring as this is, the fact we avoided a fight is nice. I had enough fighting mutants at the Graul farm.
Haneet
Like, I totally forgot this even happened. 🍰

Ogre Cowhands

Agofon Warbullion As we cross farmland a family approaches us, shouting for help. Their livestock and some goods were stolen by a band of ogres. We agree to come to their aid. As we approach the ogres they begin swinging the bodies of cows as clubs at us. I decide, as I usually do, to put the risk of the battle on the opponents, so I weave my spell and enter the gem. From there I proceed to take over the body of an ogre, declaring to Haneet, "Coup de Grace me" as I use my opponent against his allies.

Isra'a
Ogres, more ogres – I suppose we are hunting for a giant army. Agofon helped us close the gap in a hurry and no matter how many times I see the magic jar; I will never get sick of it. We really made short work of these ogres – like we know what we’re doing. There was some argument over the distribution of loot – everyone knows… I get paid.
Haneet
Giants hit me with a 🐮. 😂

The dead litter the road

Agofon Warbullion As we get closer to our destination we find bodies of powerful entities, weeks old. Wyvern. Fire Drake. Haneet is convinced that we have done this through chronomancy. His fanciful daydreams make the travel less burdensome.

Isra'a
I really shouldn’t egg Haneet on, it probably isn’t good, but it is so funny watching the others get exasperated with her. Clearly – it was chronomancy.

Gargoyles

Agofon Warbullion I am set upon by a pair of gargoyles, raking, slashing, and rending. My companions are under assault as well but I'm nearly powerless to help. I fall into the black quickly, while just as suddenly my eyes open. The terror of the assualt continues and I cloak the area in mist to slow things down. The battle is long and I must admit that I consider going back to being a merchant once more.

Isra'a
These are new, multi armed beasts – gargoyles? The fight is not going well for us, Agofon releases obscuring mists and we gain some respite. I spend the next few seconds? Minutes? Circling with one or more – I blend into the mists and strike. The fight moves to the edge of the mists and we have beaten all the foes, save for one. He stands over a fallen Agofon – it threatens to kill him if we don’t let it go. I imagine it is nearly beaten if it is bothering to negotiate with us. My companions hesitate – I slip a potion into Agofon’s mouth, hoping to buy a precious second.
Haneet
The 🤖 were all 👊 but we were all 💪 and smashy smashy. 💯.

Arrival at the Storval Stairs

Agofon Warbullion Our arrival is heralded with a wealth of boulders being tossed down the stairs by Hill Giants, who scatter once we arrive at the top of the stair to face them.

Isra'a
We have finally reached the Storval Stair – let’s hope we can locate Jorgens Fist before the army finishes massing.

Meanwhile...

Calum
We left the Sandpoint locals to start the cleanup and repair of the town, while we went in pursuit of the latest manifestation of Karzoug's mischief. Along the way we met up with some incredibly irritating gargoyles who just wouldn't leave us alone until they were all dead. A vaguely useful witch named Agofon decided to attach himself to our party, perhaps with delusions of grandeur and ideas of being a hero. Unfortunately, we had to save him from the gargoyles after he got himself almost killed by them.
Tokki
Personal Log. Entry 141.27: The devastation is palpable. I feel as though Madam Mvashti caused more damage than the collapse of the dragon, Longtooth. There is no way I can leave Sandpoint in this condition. I'll have to help with repairs and inform Magnamar of what transpired.
Address to Magnamar
Salutaitons from Sandpoint,
The good news is that Sandpoint still stands and the defenses held as to be expected. Unfortunately, no plan often survives first contact. Additionally, two Hellknights and one Ranger abandoned their post before the attack, so we were left shoft handed from the origional defense plan. With them, defenses would have held and saved many thousands of gold pieces of damage.
Sandpoint no longer needs the help of military forces and the regiment lent to the down has been dismissed. Sandpoint has the materials and means for repairs, but lacks the manpower. If the labor guilds have those in need of work, they are welcome to bid on positions. Our current needs include skilled lumberers and stonemasons.
A separate letter contained a detailed account of the losses. Myself and Hilma of Torag have volunteered ourselves to look over the ill and injured after the attack to save the capital money and manpower. It is our duty, after all, to have the best interest of the commonwealth in mind.
Our companions have gleamed some information that may help prevent future attacks. We do not wish to go into details in correspondence in case of spies. Rest assured, we will do all in our power to assure the safety Magmanar and its interest.
Regards,
Tokki Bumblesnarf
Karaz and Company
Hilma

Dear Brother,

I write to you with great sadness today. Though my companions and I did all we could to fortify and protect the town and its occupants, still the giants and the dragon Longtooth devastated Sandpoint.
I myself was humbled by the dragon as I was thrown from my mount and knocked unconscious. Although I am sure you will not heed this request, I ask you not to worry over my own well-being, Hilfred. I have been through worse and have healed up just fine. Instead, I ask that the subject of your prayers be the people of this town, who did not, as I have done, seek out adventure but rather had this fate thrust upon them.
As I have convalesced, I have been seeing the repair of the town, both physically and spiritually. Oh, if a few buildings and bridges were all that were lost in such tragedies, the world would not be such a hard place. But the loss of life and destructions of homes shakes our faith, too, and I fear that for as many as turn towards their gods for comfort during such times, an equal number turn away, angry and bitter. They forget that the gods, too, feel anger and sadness and that the gods, too, will mourn with them. I try my best to remind my neighbors of this as we rebuild.
I hope that life is more peaceful and happier back home. Send my love to Klrundi and the children. I remember that when last you wrote me, you said she was with child again, and I wonder whether this letter will arrive to you before or after that sweet baby. I long to see your faces, but I know that Torag still has so much work for me to do here. The things we have faced send chills down my spine. I know I could not rest easy at home knowing what is still out here.
May Torag's hearth always warm you,
Hilma

🎲 DM Section

Encounters

Ogre Cattle Rustlers (CR 11)
Tweaked Armored Ogre (CR 5) x3
Random Encounter (Replacing
The Storval Stairs, which was hand-waved as too routine)
Five four-armed gargoyles (CR 9 each) = CR 13.5 encounter

Recap Reward

This chapter
1 hour resting equates a full night's rest. ("A fast rest".) Refreshes everything as if you'd spent an overnight. (Once.)
  • Agofon, Tokki, Isra'a, Hilma, Calum, Haneet
Not done
  • Karaz
Expires
End of Chapter 4 (short).