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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9812840" data-attributes="member: 16069">There Might Be Giants Session 000: Recon 1 & 2.It's a catchy title, but here's the thing- for the first session of character creation and set up for this adventure Kev wasn't available, for the second Bear couldn't make it, and for the third- George had to leave the game half-the-way into it. Keep in mind we were just trying to get the intro done and knock up a few PCs for use on Fantasy Grounds, so not really an issue.That said, and to save time, and because we just wanted to get to the adventuring, I decided to get the players to do a little bit of recon of the steading before the mission, and so in sessions 2 & 3 (of character creation) a little time was devoted to having a look around their target.And so the PCs yomp their way- in an around-about direction, and making use of the terrain- keep in mind Phreakalus is wearing winged boots, Piniccarus has wings of his own (that boy makes me shudder) and Yen sorta runs up trees, the monk is, for the want of a better word, nippy.Anyway, the PCs take the hidden and long way round, and it's hilly, rainy and foggy here, so- no risks taken all the same, then comes a good long look at the steading itself (with a little bit of drawing from Phreakalus)- then a plan- one pair will head clockwise around the steading, the other pair go counter- meet back here in four or so hours, and then- let's get it done.And so the two pairings- Phreakalus (& son) & Thugg, and Bawg & Yen, go for a wander. The first pairing are staying a good way back from the steading, taking all the advantage of the terrain and not risking any exposure. The second pair are much sneakier than that- these two are getting as close as the can to the steading, and relying on their excellent stealth.And so... a few pictures- actually very few.[ATTACH=full]423815[/ATTACH]The steading in rain and shine.And then, an incredibly detailed drawing/painting-[ATTACH=full]423816[/ATTACH]As produced by Phreakalus.But here's the other info discovered on their circuit.The place is massive- properly massive, best guess a 1,000 feet or more end to end, and rising to fifty (maybe sixty) feet in the center, the walls are trees- not planks, actual trees- and not little trees. There are no other secret or concealed ways in other than those described below.There are various chimneys in the roof, more than half-a-dozen.Two massive gates lead into the yard- which is also simply enormous, and home to many wolves- there are doors from the yard into the rear of the steading, and into a separate large building in one corner. A large and shouty hill giant appeared in the yard briefly, and was spied upon by Phreakalus & Thugg, although the pair didn't see or hear much beyond the above reporting.The main entrance to the steading is another massive hall/porch building with a forty foot tall guard tower attached and with two twenty foot tall, and nearly as wide, metal banded wooden portals to indicate the way in. An army could march out of these doors, or at least a human-sized army.There's a hill giant up in the guard tower, there also seems to be an alarm up there- nothing elaborate, a big triangle of metal hanging down from the roof, with a beater/stick attached. The guard and the alarm need to be neutralised quickly.And that, that's about it... not a lot for four hours of watching, and sneaking, and searching- Bawg and Yen have been all the way around the steading (on the outside) although they gave the two gates that lead into the yard a wide berth, they didn't want the wolves getting scent of them, and there's really nothing else to see here.The place has no windows and no doors save the two gates and the main entrance, although there are three more doors to the interior off the wolf-filled yard.The PCs head back to their secret cavern home to plan.Note, the above was garnered over two hours of play, and involved each PC making approx. a dozen various checks (mostly to spot things or else stay in cover/stealth). The point being there's not a lot to see.Oh, one last thing- because this was always going to be Plan A. The steading, the PCs are certain- and after close examination, is not flammable, or else- the damp fog, and the more or less constant rain means that the walls and thatch of the steading is sodden, it would take a lot of oil (or similar) just to get a fire started here, and the weather would have to change for the fire to continue much beyond the consumption of its fuel. Plan A- Burn Down the Steading, is off the table (for now).And so, after lots of chatter back and forth, back in the cave, a plan eventually is put together- although, it's the bare bones of one. It's this- in essence-1) Kill the hill giant guard in the tower and neutralise the alarm, very very quietly. Enter the steading down the stairs from the guard tower.2) Sneak about killing giants when safe to do so. Don't get caught. Don't raise the alarm.3) Look for info regarding who or what power is behind the hill giant attacks. Don't start the war before this is found.4) Find all the good treasure.5) When 3) (and possibly 4) is done then unleash merry heck- kill Nosnra (take head) and as many other hill giants as possible, try to kill them all and 'take' the steading (= more treasure finding time).6) Home for crumpets.Note, Phreakalus has an ability/spell (I don't know which and I'm happy to wait to find out) that allows him to read the minds of folk nearby, he's hoping to employ this device/skill/power/spell on the chief and thereby learn who is behind these attacks. It's a thought I suppose. It might happen. Let's see.  Cheers goonalan.</blockquote>

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