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| "What can you do?" "Well, I'm good with rocks" |
Timekeeping
This session began on May 15th, 2025, with the player characters adventuring for 2 days until May 16th. Downtime for these characters begins the next day.
Player Characters Present
Sever the Wrathful (Level 8 Pegasus Corps Ranger of Machodor, wielder of Were'shbane and wearer of the Girdle of Cloud Giant Strength, rider of Mustang)
with henchmen Paul (P1) & Poindexter (M3)
Giuseppe (Level 7 Paladin of Rome, Brovenloft, wielder of the Dragonslayer and the Shield of Protection from Missiles, rider of Bonecrusher)
with henchmen Bishoy and Tawadros (F5) and Rhoikos (M2)
Sheamus (Level 7 Irish Fighter from Brovenloft, rider of the Rocket Cycle and wielder of the Drewblade)
with henchman McScales (Lizardman F4)
Gurt the Green (Level 6 Paladin of Machodor, wielder of the Liberator, bearer of the Fabled Ice Jewel of Frigia, rider of Artax)
with henchmen Solaire (PF3) and Anri (M4) and Cedric (C1)
During the week Sever kept up his surveillance on the steading, now with help from the pack of Dire Wolves he had previously talked into abandoning the giants. Having been led by Sever to a nearby waterfall and pool (and former giant fishing hole) which they liked a lot, these creatures were now helping the ranger keep the steading under watch. During the week there were one or two attempts to escape by lowly orcs; but, curiously, no giants were spotted.
Session Report
The giants had in fact been busy, under what leadership the party did not know, but someone had given them advice on how to defend their home with the forces that were still remaining to them. Their strategy was one of traps and ambush.
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| session map |
Knowing the sound of the Rocket Cycle, they kept watch from inside the steading; once they heard it coming they sprang their trap: starting by letting out 20 or so Orc slaves who were too overjoyed to see that they would never reach freedom. From their aerial vantage point the party could only see the orcs making their way south at a trot, so they closed in for the kill.
But 3 Stone Giants were hiding near the gate, ready to throw deadly rocks at the orcs--or anyone else in view. Gurt was the only one to sense the danger, he rode up towards the gate with his henchmen, putting himself--and them--in the firing line.
Combat #1: Stone Giants
Rounds: 2
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: Stone giants have a massive range they can throw rocks, 30", nowhere in front of them was safe. Once the stones started flying the party laid off the orcs and went after the bigger enemies, however the dire wolves did not heed Sever's call and kept on after the orcs into the nearby forest. Two out of three heavy rocks clattered into Solaire.
One Stone giant fled into an out building, while the others took the brunt of a charge from Giuseppe and the others, but not before landing another rock in a fatal blow to Solaire, the unlucky former paladin and Gurt's henchman. The giants soon paid for this with their lives, but the mood was sombre as Sever tracked the runner into the out buildings (23).
A search found a secret door in a barracks fireplace (24). There was a shaft leading down, disappearing out of sight into what sounded like watery depths below. The players saw this as an elaborate ruse to lead them into danger (it was).
Instead they choose to move into the main building. Here, based on Gary's clever guidance, there were traps galore! First a rock trap pelted the players as they entered. Interestingly, elsewhere in this series Gary gives such traps the same chance to hit and same damage as the monster that set them. Since in this case it was Stone Giants, I based the damage on them. After the first trap the party suddenly decided to work out who was equipping the +3 Shield obtained last session. Having decided this, they then advanced, but only made it about 20 feet when six spears thrusted out at them from murder holes hidden on either side of the corridor between rooms (8) and (9).
Combat #2a: 6 Bugbears (room 8)
Rounds: 4
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: A scythe trap on the door leading into the bugbear's room caused havoc in the ranks. Sever used his great strength to break the spears thrusting out at him. Once inside the room the players were surprised to find more enemies than just the three with the spears, but the result was never in doubt.
Also inside this room they found that peep holes had been drilled through the walls. They gave the observers a good vantage to both the former wolf pen and the front approach to the steading.
Without waiting for the others Sever went around through a small dining room (10), survived another rockfall trap, and then burst in on the spear wielders in the arms room next door (9). Instead of bugbears he was facing six ogres.
Combat #2b: 6 Ogres (room 9)
Rounds: 2
Result: Party Victory
Highlights: One of the ogres had just found the 5 Javelins of Lightning that were in this room. He gave Sever a nasty surprise that nearly killed his henchman Thomas. But when the rest of the party joined in the ogres soon went the way of the bugbears.
Wounds were tended and some loot gathered, then they went over the dining room with a fine tooth comb. Rabbit's presence enabled them to easily find a door to the west, concealed behind a hanging manticore hide, but he also found a trap in the door's handle. Saddened, and impatient, after the death of his comrade, and with all hope of Solaire's redemption gone, Gurt rashly tried the handle himself. A poisoned needle shot out, he failed his save and was Dead! Fortunately, he had more comrades who would ensure he had another chance back in Minas Mandalf, perhaps. Confident this was the case the rest of the party searched the landing beyond the dining room and found a jackpot; a map to the steading, along with a note written in hill giant (on a parchment of human skin no less). With these items secured they returned to the Ice Castle without further incident.
Session Statistics:
Wilderness travel: 36 Miles
Combats: 2
Rooms explored: 7
Combat rounds: 8
Treasure & Items
4000sp
6300gp
8 Gems 100*7, 600*1
Ogre Jewellery 3432gp
4 Javelin's of Lightning 1000xp
Giant Otter Fur worth 2000gp
Monsters
20 Orcs 300 xp
2 Stone Giants 5000 xp
6 Bugbears 1290 xp
6 Ogres 1140 xp
21,962 XP & 13,232 GP Assignment
Sever (E) 3,878 XP & 2036 GP
and Rabbit (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
and Thomas (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
Giuseppe (E) 3,878 XP & 2036 GP
and Steelvein (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
and Symeon (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
Shaemus (E) 3,878 XP & 2036 GP
and McScales (E) 8,474 XP & 4780 GP
Gurt (N/A) 0 XP & 0 GP
and Anri (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
and Cedric (E) 1,689 XP & 1018 GP
and Solaire (N/A) 0 XP & 0 GP
Graveyard
Gurt the Green (Paladin level 6) killed by a poison needle trap in session #114 RAISED FROM THE DEAD (with a roll of 94!)
Solaire the Fallen (Henchman Fighter (paladin) level 3) killed by Stone Giants acting as catapults in session #114
Paul (Henchman Paladin level 1), reduced to 0 hit points by white dragon breath when climbing down a rope ladder in session #108. Killed not by the fall; but by the sudden stop at the bottom. RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Ignatius the Smiter (Cleric level 1), horrifically mutilated and killed by double hit from a Shoggoth in session #106
Domby (Henchman with Dex 5), double surprised and turned into a pin cushion in session #87
Luke (Half elf Fighter/Cleric level 1), tragically killed by a normal hydra while trying to cauterise one of its neck stumps in session #86
Gurt the Green (Paladin level 3), killed by a hydra bite in session #86 RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Pleasance (Footman level 0), killed by a phase spider bite in session #81
Siegward (Henchman Fighter level 1), killed by a phase spider bite in session #81
Tawadros (Henchman Fighter level 4), killed by a phase spider bite in session #81 RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Patria (Footman level 0), killed by a two headed snake bite in session #81
Deltacron (Dwarf Fighter/Thief level 1/1), threw his last flask of oil at, and was level drained to death by, a Vampire in session #76
Petrov the Prestidigitator (Magic-user level 1), wrong place, wrong time; killed by Sever the Ranger in session #72 RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Petrov the Prestidigitator (Magic-user level 1), killed again by the toxic gas of an Achaierai in session #72
Red (Paladin Level 1), always popular with the ladies, he was eaten up by a female Roc in the Pizza Slice of Doom during session #67
Jacques Ocular (Magic User level 1), a fat green worm burrowed into his head and turned him into a Son Of Kyuss in Brovenloft in Session #43
Pino (Dwarf Footman level 0), Killed by a Frost Giant axe in the head in session #39
Paro (Dwarf Fighter/Thief level 2/2) Killed by Winter Wolves and frozen in session #39
Zabib (1/2 Elf Fighter/Magic User level 1/1), Killed by Frost Giant rocks in downtime prior to session #39
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