[D&D 5e] There Might Be Giants G2 Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl Session: 030 TRAPPED!!! (for a bit).

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 3.
Session 025: The Other White Dragon.
Mission Time: 00:35 to 01:16

Here we go again...

Bawg leads the Giantkillers in, into the Dragon's Lair (or else that's what they think). There's a dense warm mist in here- most odd. Keep in mind all of the PCs are Invisible atm.

But...

It's just a very warm (from beneath) ice cave which is therefore very misty and very slippery. The invisible Giantkillers slip slide away, and around. Thugg spends a while scooting around on his backside while shouting "Yippeeee!". Not like a child you understand, he shouts "Yippeeee!" like he's a General and its an order.

Sadie isn't playing.

And so when the fun and frolics are all done (Thugg is the last to leave) Bawg goes scouting ahead again- with only a minute or two of invisibility left.

Into a Frost Giant barracks, deserted and obviously already searched- there is nothing and nobody here.

The Giantkillers head on, and eventually meet back up to the places they have previously explored, basically they have now been all the way around the western edge of the great rift here.

And so we break for another twenty minutes of semi-bickering.

Remember this image-

Again, this was taken from the write up here. In Fantasy Grounds when a new session starts all progress on the map made in the previous session disappears, I think I ticked a box to make it do so. Therefore the PCs have to orient themselves anew every session- or else come here to the write up and find map to latch on to. Hence the image above getting so much replay. Anyway, the blue (maybe, colour blind) circle at the bottom is the only place left to explore- on this level, they think. I'm not helping them in any way.

Note, it's not uncommon these days for all of the players in the game to have this write up open on another screen because, well- we're daft old men with memories like sieves. At least that's my reasoning.

Anyway, the Giantkillers, a little less cautiously, head on round to...

Bawg is sneaking again, and out on a ledge and in the perma-blizzard. He's spotted another secret door- or else what passes for a secret door here which is an opening wedged shut by a rock and then iced over by the, well... ice. It's everywhere.

Door located- check. But to open it.

That requires Thugg, and something over 20 on an athletics check. We get there.

Bones. The cavern is ice cold and full of bones. DCI Bawg goes for a sneak about, he's particularly keen on the passage to the south. There's something glistening and shiny in the center of another cavern at the end of it. A large gemstone? Maybe.

That's not suspicious at all.

Appears in Discord. Keep in mind the four PCs are all psionically linked (or something like that) and communicate freely within range (what is the range by the way Bawg?). This because the rogue (Bawg) is psionic. Of course he is. Goddamn broken characters. Why I oughta...

Bawg chooses not to pick up the large gemstone.

Bawg's stealth is something-like '31' atm. He's not breaking cover, but he can see nothing untoward- although there are a lot, a lot of bones.

Bawg continues on.

And then spots something- something large, white and lumpy-bumpy, and the same white as the ice walls here- which are also rather unhelpfully lumpy-bumpy too. The creature is some sort of perfectly camouflaged frog or toad- motionless, clinging to the wall- about twenty feet up- face down.

But not seeing Bawg.

He thinks.

Bawg tells his friends.

Just a moment too late.

I didn't have a white toad picture, or else I didn't look. I know which one my money is on. Another of the ice toads (not shown on the image above) has just jumped down "Surprise" on Thugg- a Crit. Go me.

It gets violent, look away.

Stabbed, burnt and blasted- the Ice Toad is dead. The other guy (spotted by Bawg) hasn't moved, although the rogue has backed off.

But then...

Another ice toad leaps down and begins hopping towards the action with Thugg et al, Bawg has still not been spotted. Ice Toad on the right, but in white, use your imagination, its what its for.

The hidden rogue calls his colleagues to the kill.

Bawg uses his Psychic Blade to silently(-ish) finish the job.

But then there's another Ice Toad.

But it doesn't last long. The Sorlock demos its broken-ness by firing six Eldritch Blasts into the creature. Add Hex damage on and that and it would just about take care of a Hill Giant.

Bugger.

However, Bawg has broken cover.

But it's Thugg and Yen that are sent to deal with the newly arriving Ice Toads, this after Bawg disengaged and ran away. Here's the thing that the PCs are just discovering (because they mostly killed the other Ice Toads so quickly). The Ice Toad's have a 10ft icy-icy-cold zone (1d10 cold damage at the start of your turn). That's 1d10 cold for every aura that the PC is within.

This lesson is being reinforced atm, and hence Bawg running away.

Bawg is by far the squishiest.

But here's the thing- the Ice Toads don't last.

The large gem is taken, it is oddly shaped (a little) like a toad, and as big as Thugg's fist- so valuable.

Thugg scalps and ice toad and makes a cap for himself.

He doesn't, of course, he makes a bloody mess- and then puts it on his head. But let's leave him to his imaginings.

But, time to get on.

Next stop down the slope to the next level, at least that's the Giantkiller's thinking.

Here we are, the passage to the south slopes down, and as it does so the temperature rises (a little), and there's less ice, less snow- a bit more mud, but mostly just hard stone, and here and there (towards the bottom) loose stones underfoot.

Oh, and there's a light down there- a flickering light, like a torch.

Maybe two torches.

We go down to here...

There are two giant-sized torches on the walls here, one on either side of the entrance to the massive cavern (and another torch ahead in the image above) the enormous hall-like chamber is easily seventy feet high at the center, and the walls either side are carved with images of Frost Giants battling a variety of their equally large and fearsome (generally) prey- mastodon, huge bears, dragons, etc.

Thugg thinks it looks nice.

Bawg is back to sneaking.

And he's spotted something, following the eastern cavern wall- there's another large rock that has been clearly wedged into a hole or opening, a Frost Giant secret door.

With Thugg's help (eventually) the door is opened.

We're in.

Bawg, as usual, is sent ahead.

But what's this...

Treasure. And when I say treasure- there's a pile of it, a slew of it, a... horde.

The cavern is massive and this seems only to be the entrance- it gets even bigger further in.

Thugg dives into the treasure pile and swims in it. Thugg is very happy.

His colleagues remain wary.

And, as it turns out, Thugg is the safest PC in the cavern.

The other White Dragon is back, and somewhat healed- the dragon has just detached from the ceiling high above, it is still in flight, and round about thirty feet up when it looses its icy breath.

Yen is the first to react, the Monk runs up the wall next to the dragon and attempts to leap on its back, he makes a bit of a rick of it and ends up hanging onto one of the dragon's legs- and slashing at the beast with his flaming sword, while trying to hang-on.

Bawg grabs his pistol out and shoots it.

And then...

The dragon screeches in pain, wing-turns, and then swoops off to the east, gaining altitude as it moves away, it tears at Yen as it departs. That's a Crit. Nice.

But...

Sadie is having none of it, the Sorlock starts blasting- but only remembers to Hex the thing after her first salvo. The White Dragon is almost spent, it was still injured from its previous encounter with the PCs.

And...

Bawg shoots it out of the sky. The dragon screeches one last time and them plummets seventy feet into the cavern floor, at the last possible moment (natch), Yen jump-tumbles away from the dead wyrm. He comes to his feet and turns to bow to his audience (no damage taken from the fall).

Note, Thugg threw a few javelins (badly) and then swore at the dragon on his turn- you should have seen him- he was magnificent.

But that's the end of the session.

Book of the Dead.
Ice Toad x6-ish.
Young White Dragon x1

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.

 

[Mannahnin]

Thanks again for documenting these fun adventures. I'm glad that the group gets good use out of your reports as well.

 

[doghead]

Here we go again...

Yep. And once again a joy to behold. Toad skin hats aside.

thotd

 

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 3.
Session 026: The Magic Has Gone.
Mission Time: 01:16 to 04:03

Sitting comfortably?

Good.

Let us begin...

The Dragon's lair is simply enormous, the ceiling a hundred feet, at least, over head. The vast sleeping ledge on the east side of the cavern is found by a flying Sadie, and then investigated by Yen- the monk finds a pouch of very nice looking gems up there but nothing else. The place is reassuringly empty- no more enemies.

The giggling Giantkillers therefore decide to spend a good deal of time with their newly discovered horde.

This goes less well.

There's lots of money and gems, and things (possibly of value) to be snaffled, eight nice looking chests that Bawg spends an age opening (very carefully) and lots of other stuff- nearly a dozen suits of armour, more than two dozen weapons (of wide variety) and endless (could-be) potion flasks and other (maybe magical) items.

But...

Can you smell magic?

Can you pick a random weapon up, swing it around for a while and then discern it's magical ability?

Can you use a very basic herbal skill/talent to detect magic?

I'm sure there were other equally stupid suggestions, but the truth of the matter is no-one in the Giantkillers can detect magic.

And so, the following sequence takes just over an hour (game time) to play out, and just less than an hour (real time) from my life- which I am never getting back.

The Giantkillers have, between them, three Bags of Holding- when they leave this cavern one of them is full to the brim, another almost so, and the last only half-filled.

In short they take pretty much everything they can from this place because even the stuff that seems to be worthless, well... it could be magical, and so...

There's a lot of bickering going on, but let's leave that for the moment.

They're rich of course, so some consolation- there was the best part of 25,000 coins in the horde, and a lot of them gold coins.

It doesn't feel like a victory however.

The Giantkillers go on...

Bawg sneaking a little ahead as always.

And...

A giant-sized storeroom is found, containing giant-sized sacks and crates, all of them are falling apart. There's no treasure to be found and the place looks long abandoned.

Bawg heads on again...

Into an equally abandoned-looking Frost Giant barracks, only there's a carpet of gold coins in the center of the chamber. Thugg doesn't need to be told twice, the half-orc mercenary is to it, and on it, in seconds. The rest of the Giantkillers watch their portable trap detecting device (Thugg) in action, but... nothing happens.

Thugg gathers up the gold.

The less avaricious adventurers go for a wander.

But there's nothing much to be seen- save old and broken giant-sized beds, and tables, and... well, the usual fare. Bawg eventually breaks stealth and starts searching.

It's soon after this that the Ice Toads attack, leaping down from their wall-side perches- and now without their winter wear they're perfectly camouflaged to appear to be nothing more than irregularities on the cavern walls.

Bawg is never surprised, and my dice rolls are mostly filth.

However...

Back in the main part of the cavern Sadie is surprised, and seconds later bitten, and grabbed, and restrained.

And now the PCs can roll initiative, the surprise turn is over.

My sodding dice. I've been doing this DMing malarkey for a few more than 40 years now. Can I get a bonus?

Thugg (the hero) rushes off to rescue Bawg who is a long way away from the rest of the PCs, and... squishy.

He's also making it clear that he is keen to be rescued, remember they have the psionic comms thing going on, as always.

Another (hidden) Ice Toad leaps down and interrupts Thugg's dash.

But that just causes Thugg to start slamming his greataxe into the filthy-froggy-bastard (his words).

However, the thing you have to watch out for with these guys is...

Their cold aura, Bawg's teeth are chattering, and so he Disengages and runs as fast as he can back towards the safety of his friends.

But, like a hero... natch.

And then with an inspiration point, and still slightly out-of-breath, he puts a cap in the backside of the Ice Toad menacing Thugg. You'll note the arrival of another Ice Toad in the image above, this guy tried- and failed- to leap down on the fleeing Bawg. I think I rolled a '1'.

And so here we all are...

This is the moment just prior to Thugg going bonkers. Sadie is being helped by Yen atm- the Ice Toad is attempting to swallow the Sorlock. Anyway. Take a good look at it all. It's not going to last.

I can't remember the exact order of events, I could go back to the CHAT text and figure it all out but... who has the time for that.

This happens...

Got it?

And then a moment later, and...

Yep. Seen enough?

Thought so.

I know I had.

And yet...

They're all dead. All of 'em. Two turns. That's all. Two turns. Keep in mind the other guys were for a variety of reasons missing mostly- or else rescuing Sadie from being eaten. Thugg managed four Crits in six attacks. Both turns he rolled attack #1 hit, did lots of damage; then attack #2- a Crit- lots of damage. And Thugg has some sort of power/ability that if he rolls a crit, or else kills a foe, then he can make another attack. And so he does. And his free attack is yet another Crit. Both turns. Thugg delivers the killing blow to all of the Ice Toads in the above picture.

He's a bugger.

The Giantkillers take a moment- mostly to giggle at the gore-covered Thugg, who is keen to re-tell the tale of the battle- and then to get back to grabbing up the spilled gold.

Then, they get on, only...

There's no further 'on' to go. Beyond the abandoned barracks is a blocked/caved-in corridor. The area is very cautiously investigated- it takes a while, and plenty of rolls, and then someone brave enough to actually go into the tunnel (Yen) but eventually a little sense is made of the situation.

Amongst the bones of a long dead Frost Giant- half-buried in the rubble here, Yen discovers a fragment from a giant-sized map. It seems the Jarl's treasure chamber is buried along here.

Which causes things to, for a while, grind to a halt.

All manner of checks are made, all manner of thoughts are expounded upon (most of it idiocy). The conundrum is- how to dig their way through to the Jarl's treasure chamber?

This goes on for a while.

I'd get yourself a drink.

Pffft.

Hrr...Hrr...Hrr.

Mmmm... mmmm... mmmmmmmmUH!

Oh, here they are- they're back.

And the results are in.

There's no way that they can fathom to dig through what may turn out to be hundreds of feet of stone to the Jarl's treasure chamber, also- there may be another way in elsewhere. Also, where have all of the Frost Giants gone?

It gets shouty for the last few minutes.

Somebody tries (but fails) to sound very earnest about something.

The players re-hash a few old arguments, or else 'discussions' and then, we go on.

To here...

Which is the first level. But this is actually a screenshot harvested from Discord a few weeks ago, and reproduced here because... Well, I mean, because... Oh, here it is- plain and simple- the Giantkillers have not got a VERY SWEARY WORD clue where they should be going.

At one point one of them started screaming, I think at himself.

It was otherwise a very informed discussion.

But then comes enlightenment...

The Giantkillers exit the lower level.

And head here, it's the only thing they can agree upon at this point.

To here...

Familiar? It's where they fought the Remorhaz. Back on the upper level.

And so over the course of the next ninety minutes (game time) and about half-of-the-previous (real time) the adventurers dig up and loot the bodies of Phreakalus and his puppet son- Piniccarus.

The Piniccarus bit is easy.

The broken puppet is swiftly located in a nearby mound of snow and robbed.

Simples.

The Phreakalus element of the operation takes forty five minutes, a lot of shouting, a lot of rolling, a lot of very stupid ideas, and a whole-hearted and even at times- heart-warming, commitment to excavating and robbing the dead.

To make clear- none of the PCs possess the tools to dig (the burrow has mostly filled in) or the ability to get the stuff dug- out of the hole- and the tip of the Remorhaz is thirty feet down in the snow and rubble, and Phreakalus is another ten feet down inside the Remorhaz.

The solution, as it turns out- who knew, involves Sadie casting Eldritch Blasts, while flying above the burrow, lots of back-breaking work for Thugg and Yen, while Bawg keeps watch.

It takes a while.

I may have said that once or twice.

Sorry.

But, it did.

Take a while.

In the end it is Yen that is lowered into the jaws of the dead Remorhaz for a rummage around- he finds half-of-a-Phreakalus, the top half thankfully, and his bag of holding.

The entire operation is terrible and magnificent at the same time.

But this does feel like a victory for the Giantkillers, there is hooting and hollering.

Particularly when the bag of holding is recovered intact.

I hate to burst their bubble but...

I have to.

How are they going to identify any of the magic items that Phreakalus was carrying?

Yes, they've seen maybe a couple of them in action- his winged boots (only they've not found Phreakalus' legs as of yet so their still missing) and they've seen him use his magic crossbow- but that was one of his artificer crafted items and so... he's gone, and so it's gone.

So, and in summary.

The Giantkillers various bags of holding- Sadie takes Phreakalus' old bag, are all full of stuff, most of it is going to turn out to be non-magical trash.

Oh, and they're starting to think the Frost Giants have just gone.

They're really not happy.

Whereas I'm feeling a bit better about things.

Have a great day.

That's the end of the session.

Book of the Dead.
Ice Toad x6-ish.

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 3.
Session 027: Dem Jyant Cheaturs.
Mission Time: 04:03 to 07:28

Here we go some more...

The plan is... well, there's no 'real' plan as such. The next idea however that occurs to the Giantkillers is to head down into the Rift. Which is what they are doing in the image above, lead by a sneaking Bawg, but the rift is over two hundred feet down from the ledges, and so it takes a while. Also, it's a white-out (almost) down there.

And so...

Bawg makes it to the bottom of the Rift, and it is a white-out down here, only the PCs darkvision prevents them from not seeing very much at all. Note we've replaced the PCs darkvision with a light on Fantasy Grounds mainly because the Fantasy Grounds version of darkvision is... well, for want of a better word, dark. Which doesn't make for nice pics. Hence.

But we get on, and so a while later (a good while mind) and we get to this-

And when I say we get to this I mean exactly that, it takes a while, initially Bawg wanders off ahead and... very suddenly the three PCs following on cannot see where Bawg has gone- the DM informs them, and likewise Bawg cannot see where the rest of the gang are any longer. Yes, both parties can see where they are on the map in Fantasy Grounds, but that's not the experience the PCs are having. The DM briefly teaches the PCs what it is to get lost, and then the PCs come up with a solution, obviously it also helps that they've still got their psionic comms going.

No more sneaking, the Giantkillers travel together, as a group- although Bawg still likes to get a little ahead.

A short while later we get to here...

Which is a giant-sized fishing hole, or else that's what it looks to be. Thugg is much less convinced and riffs on the theory (his theory) that the watery hole is a secret passage to the under-ice 'true' Frost Giant lair of the Jarl. I mean...

Obviously, I just leave them to it.

It takes the gang maybe twenty minutes to swim back to the surface (the theoretical surface, no-one actually gets in the ice-hole) when three of the four PCs (in not-so-many words) declare Thugg's theory to be utterly ridiculous.

But you get that they're grasping, right?

I'm having semi-fun.

They go on.

This being a hollow tor or else rock formation- which the Giantkillers briefly glimpsed from one of the ledges up above, they've been trying to find this place in the rift, they thought it might be a building. It isn't a building it's a cavern in a rocky piece of geography. The place is explored- Thugg (oddly) is very keen.

Best guess after a lot of dice rolls this was the lair of the Remorhaz, but... it's just ice, and rock, and snow.

Morale is fairly low atm.

Here are the Giantkillers- in the bottom, of the bottom, of the Rift. It's a metaphor for something.

And then they do it, the thing I have been waiting for.

Two of them go wandering off.

Party split.

That's nice.

I've been waiting for that to happen.

Sadie gets hit by a big rock, flung- as it helpfully states- by an as-of-yet unseen Cloud Giant. Nice.

And keen to share the experience...

That's Thugg and Yen apres the Fireball.

To make clear, there's a Cloud Giant hovering/flying through the blizzard, and flinging rocks at Sadie and/or Bawg, while over two hundred feet (through difficult terrain) there's a flying cloaked ogre throwing Fireballs (the second one will be here soon) at Thugg and Yen.

Both enemies are flying high and are therefore very hard to see/hit because of the ongoing blizzard.

Here's the big picture-

Oopsie.

And so...

Thugg fails to run up the wall to get to the flying Ogre, Sadie using the psionic comms- predicts this event.

Meanwhile...

Sadie covers herself in Darkness, and then starts Eldritch Blasting. Bawg gets his pistol out and blasts too, and then between shots scurries somewhere nearby and then hides. It's a strategy.

Oh, but just a minor interlude, I asked for a picture of the following-

It's the top row of the game (Fantasy Grounds) and as you can see PCs have been outnumbered by Bags of Holding. It's easier to keep a record of what's in what bag if you just build them as PCs and give them 500lb carrying capacity.

And then we're back to the action...

Bawg's stealth is up around '30' and so the Cloud Giant peppers the darkness, and... Sadie takes another hit, and my damage dice are (at last) finding the high numbers.

And, down south...

That's another Fireball, and just to say Yen didn't manage to run up the wall and get to the cloaked Ogre either, the enemy departs the encounter.

However, the Cloud Giant hangs around a while, long enough to take a lot more Eldritch Blasts (and pistol blasts), also long enough to land another rock in Sadie's face.

Sadie (played by George, as was Phreakalus) is down to maybe half-a-dozen hit points.

But, Thugg has a plan.

The plan involves a potion of speed, and... Yen.

Here we go-

Thugg rushes to the Cloud Giant encounter (he's psionically guided in by Bawg) and then flings Yen at the flying Cloud Giant, just to say he needed- '15', the Cloud Giant is approx. fifty feet above the ground.

So close, but no cigar.

Yen falls back into/onto the ice and snow, and takes zero damage, as usual.

But then...

The Cloud Giant (now beyond bloodied) floats up and away. Leaving the Giantkillers a little bit put out, or else angry and confused.

There follows quite a lot of shouting, briefly interspersed with fervent calls for the PCs to find somewhere safe to do their arguing, although these are soon forgotten as the bickering resurfaces and everyone has something (very loudly) to say.

It circles for a while.

Eventually we get to here-

Which is back out of the rift, off the ledges and in a random cavern. Note, all of the Rift is first explored- there's nothing there to find.

And so...

We get back to bickering.

Until...

It gets to this. This is all of the PCs (actually it was just Bawg and Thugg moving their tokens, the other PCs are presumed to be following only twenty feet behind this pair, the DM has agreed to this) running around the entirety of this level, stopping to look every now and then for oddities, secret doors, or... well, just about, anything.

This takes a while.

I think I've said that before.

I think I've said that before.

But...

They've got nothing.

As Thugg said at the time-

"Dem 'iding. Dem jyant cheaturs", and for once all of his friends concurr.

WTF are the Frost Giants.

Feel free to write in if you know because the PCs are at their wits end.

That was the best part of three hours.

Oh, and they're going for another search around the lower level next session.

That's the end of the session.

Book of the Dead.
Nada.

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 4.
Session 028: The Air Force.
Mission Time: 00:01 to 00:23

The first thing to say is Mission #3 is over, the PCs- with help from the GM, figure out that they have effectively been on the go for just shy of 12 hours now. They played through Mission #2 (1.5 hours), zooped back to Waterdeep in the teleport chain, spent ttime running around trying to buy various bits of stuff (3 hours), and then shipped back out to the Frosty Rift, for Mission #3 (7 hours), but that proved to be a bit of a bust.

So, the PCs go back to Waterdeep, quick-sell all of the treasure they have found in Mission #3- about 10K (gp), and then hit the shops. They also get an extended rest in, they basically spend (in total) twenty four hours in Waterdeep, the rest of the time prepping for Mission #4.

Real time- ten minutes spent selling, followed by ninety minutes spent shopping.

Although, it needs to be said that Yen was pretty much done spending in thirty minutes, as Kev said at the time- "I don't need much."

As it turns out Yen is probably the best prepared.

Then, at last- it's already 9.30 PM and we've done nothing yet- we get back to the Rift.

And soon after to here-

The Giantkillers are heading in, following the ledges- in a blizzard, as usual, when a human head-sized nugget of ice and stone smashes into the wall just above Sadie's- showering those nearby.

The Cloud Giant is back.

He's not happy.

Keep in mind the Cloud Giant is flying, and therefore very hard to see in the blizzard, and retreating (flying back up and away) at the end of each of his turns in order to make himself even more difficult to spot/attack.

So, it sucks to the be the PCs atm.

The flying cloaked Ogre also shows up and casts Darkness on (or rather, near) Sadie, and then it too flies up and away.

Note all ranged attacks in the blizzard are at disadvantage- for both sides, also all of the PCs (except Bawg with his passive perception '25') can only see sixty feet in the blizzard.

The Giantkillers are severely hampered, and so try (and fail) with a few silly ideas and then... mostly run away, they try to get off the ledges and into the nearest cave.

Which turns out to be the very icy cave, which brings on repeated dexterity saves.

However...

Yen, once again, is ahead of the curve. In short order the halfling monk swigs down two potions- Growth, and Fly. So, he's a bit bigger (and has advantage on his Strength-based checks- see later) and he can Fly.

The issue with flying here is that because of the blizzard all flying creatures must take an Athletics check every turn of flight to see how well they battle the swirling blizzard-winds.

Sadie, and Phreakalus before her, had problems with this.

And so,

Yen leads the line, flying (eventually) one hundred feet up to go toe-to-toe with the Cloud Giant.

Although...

At this point Yen is flying beneath the Cloud Giant's feet trying to stab the big bastard in the underside of his foot, but- low rolls.

Meantime the rest of the PCs are doing the following-

Bawg, getting frustrated- he can't see the Cloud Giant to get a shot in.

Thugg, getting angry because he can't see the enemy to attack it, and he spent almost all of his cash on a magical heavy crossbow back in Waterdeep. So, he's mostly waving this beast around and shouting (swearing) atm.

And Sadie?

Sadie is running for cover, but also looking for targets.

Note, Sadie has a Flying Broomstick but is loathe (atm) to use it.

Thugg gets engulfed with Darkness, the flying Ogre keeps on popping up, and Yen takes a battering- the Cloud Giant slams his morningstar into the monk twice.

But then...

DCI Bawg, with help from a psionically linked Yen- guiding him in, gets to beneath the Cloud Giant, he can just see the big bastard's feet. Then, and even with disadvantage, and a few other negatives, the rogue-detective manages to shoot the flying giant, in- as he states- 'the gooch'.

The Giantkillers get the brief scent of victory as blood rains down from up above.

Sadie takes to the air, on her broomstick, and somehow manages to fly far enough up to see both the Cloud Giant and the cloaked Ogre, both now flying/hovering just over a hundred feet above the ledges.

She unleashes a salvo...

There's a lot of missing, and it doesn't help that the Cloud Giant has a high AC. It's like the big guy has prepped for the battle.

But then...

Yen stuns the Cloud Giant, which is not enough to drop the Giant out of the sky, but it is enough to leave the big guy open to attack. Yen calls in the pile-on.

In point of fact he starts the pile-on.

The Cloud Giant, cloaked Ogre and Yen are approx. 100 feet up, Sadie is maybe only sixty feet up. Bawg and Thugg are groundlings, and both getting pissed off. Why didn't I think to buy a Flying Potion or two? Is the refrain from the pair.

And then...

The cloaked Ogre, it seems, knows who Sadie is. The creature attempts (very badly- '1' & '3') to gut Sadie with its massive glaive.

Back to the Cloud Giant...

Bawg is making promises. But that's not how it goes...

No hits!

But the flying Giantkillers have got the scent of blood, Yen & Sadie- soon after, have both swigged down Potions of Speed, the pair are Hasted. Sadie, also swigs down a Potion of Heroism- they need all the help they can get.

Sadie's second salvo on the (still Stunned) Cloud Giant contains a good number of hits.

And then seconds later...

Yen really gets into his work. The Cloud Giant (no longer Stunned) is soon down to only a handful of hit points.

Note, down below throughout this- Thugg is constantly complaining about the fact that... well, he has no idea what's going on up above.

The poor lad is very unhappy/out-of-sorts.

But the flying Giantkillers don't have it all their own way...

Sadie gets picked up (actually, pulled down) by the wind and almost dashed into the cliffs (below).

You'll note however that the cloaked Ogre and the Cloud Giant are no longer in the picture.

The cloaked Ogre just disappears and is gone.

While the Cloud Giant momentarily blinks out of existence and then re-appears at least thirty feet straight up, and from there he flies up, off and out-of-sight.

Chased by...

Both Sadie and Yen, although now both of them are having problems with the blizzard, they've both been blown off course.

But that, already, is the end of the session.

There was a fair amount going on with enemies at differing heights etc.

To make clear the enemies have departed the scene (it seems) and at present neither Yen nor Sadie can see where they have come from, or else are going to- they're flying high (both nearly 200ft above the ledges) and are lost. Well, lost-ish. The pair are still psionically/telepathically linked to their comrades.

Yen doesn't have too many turns left of flying.

So, we'll see what happens next.

Book of the Dead.
Nada (again).

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 4.
Session 029: The Ambush.
Mission Time: 00:23 to 00:59

Here we go again-

The Cloud Giant & cloaked flying Ogre are gone (the PCs reckon). Yen is doing okay with his flying circuit- looking for the bad guys, Sadie- not so much, Sadie is being blown around and is forced to go down- descend, to try and get out of the winds/blizzard. She's eventually forced to land, and then has to walk her way back out of the rift. Note, flying creatures have to make an Athletics check every turn- Yen passes all of his, Sadie doesn't pass any, but has the wherewithal to get out of the hazard.

It takes a while for the Giantkillers to reunite, and then- after a modicum of semi-bickering, and a bit of nascent planning (who knew they were capable) they head to here-

The PCs are of the opinion that the answers lie below, here they are- heading back down below. But... spot the difference? Yep, that's right- the Monk's got taller, that's big Yen (full-sized token) his Potion of Growth is still in play. Look again above, I just have, are Bawg and Thugg related?

And then here we are-

The ex-White Dragon's lair. They're searching- looking for other ways to go, this because the large rock that blocked the door to this place had been moved. DCI Bawg spotted the change.

But there's nothing here to find.

And then- back out in the entry hall Bawg also notices that there are more lights ahead- torchlight down the corridor with the collapsed section, the Giantkillers explored this area previously too.

There are lights ahead, flickering torches, and the murmur or rather rumble, of voices. Also, the PCs take a look at the map that Yen found earlier in the rubble, are there any clues to be found here?

Eventually it is decided, when it becomes apparent that the rumble of voices ahead are speaking the Giant tongue, Bawg is back to sneaky mode, and with a pinch of Dust of Disappearance to aid his endeavor's.

Ogre Guards, a bunch of them, Bawg goes for a nosey.

And is advised by Yen to try and find out what these guys are saying...

And then...

Hmm, there follows a discussion (via psionic telepathy) between the PCs, this while invisible Bawg continues his wandering, the PCs suspect that this may be a trap- maybe.

However, it's only three members of the adventuring party that are in the discussion, only three of them are engaged in trying to crack this problem, to solve the mystery here (perhaps).

The odd man out is Thugg.

Thugg is sneaking forward, never a good plan. He very rarely rolls anything higher than '10'.

The psionic telepathic link comes alive but, Thugg makes it to the cavern, he's still not been spotted by the chattering Ogres within...

There are four of these pictures in Discord, each one issuing a different imprecation- all aimed at Thugg, telling him not to start the fight.

But that makes no difference...

Thugg throws a handful of gold coins into the cavern, an Ogre approaches the scatter, looks about- nothing, and then begins picking up the spilled coins. At which point... well, Thugg will be Thugg.

It kicks off.

Much to Bawg's chagrin.

Yen finishes off the Ogre Guard that Thugg beat-up, while Thugg rushes into the cavern- shouting and screaming (although not yet raging) he wants to gather them all up. Thugg can take it.

We'll see...

Note there were a few more Ogres down south, that Bawg didn't spot in his wanderings, I think there were eight of them in the fight- all armed and armoured.

Here we all are. Loving life.

It very quickly becomes obvious that Thugg needs to rage.

Big hits but the Ogres are tough (I upped these guys hit points a little, and maybe a few others- who knows, I'm always tinkering).

However, and in his own words...

Thugg has not lost his confidence.

But these are just Ogres...

And then Bawg breaks his invisibility, and the Ogres are not going to last.

We get to this in maybe two turns-

You'll note Sadie is flying atm, and blasting from on high- although high is not that high, the center of the chamber rises to nearly seventy feet, where Sadie is only 25-30 feet up here. The DM mentions this every turn.

I am ignored.

Sadie atm is more concerned with Thugg, he keeps on getting hit.

The DM is rolling high for once.

The Ogres are almost over.

And so it's time for my ambush...

This is/was a trap.

Even the PCs figured this out ahead of time.

The Winter Wolves lead the charge, they're fast. Oh, and there are seven of them, and big beasts (I may have added a few HP here and there). A flying Sadie gets caught in a Winter Wolf's cold breath blast.

And then Alrick arrives and makes things very clear.

And Alrick has got all of his armour on. Ready for war.

And a few more hit points, natch.

Alrick's first hit is a Crit, for fifty damage. The big lad follows up with another hit on Sadie. I did let her know that the chamber ahead had a very high ceiling but she insisted on hovering in the doorway here.

I tried.

Bawg is enjoying himself...

Bawg is the deep thinker of the group, and also the talker.

And so here we all are (albeit briefly, keep reading)...

The Ogre Guards are dead, as is one of the Winter Wolves. Sadie has flown up and away and then engulfed herself in darkness, which means the machine gun Eldritch Blasts (most likely) are coming soon. Oh, and Olaf has turned up to help out.

It doesn't last, of course, it never does.

Yen uses an IP to toss a Fireball into the mix, before doing his stuff- low rolls for damage however. Oh, and we worked it out that Yen only fails to Evade all damage on a save roll of '2'. Unless his auto re-roll (Halfling Lucky) for a '1' conjures another '1'.

And then, maybe a second later (the same turn)-

Bawg's Fireball- much better damage roll. Yen, again, evades all damage.

And then...

Thugg takes multiple AoO's to get to the Frost Giants, and then misses with both of his attacks. In short order he takes a kicking- he's bloodied already.

But brave, Thugg's a team player after all, his last words to comrades- "I'll 'old up deez lot!"

You've got to have some brass balls charging two Winter Wolves and two heavily armoured Frost Giants.

As for the Winter Wolves already in the chamber-

That's Sadie's Fireball, and the save DC is somewhat higher, but Yen once again evades all hurt. Only two Winter Wolves left (both badly wounded) from the five big wintery beasts that made it into the chamber.

But that's the end of the session, or else this is...

Sadie follows up with a trio of Eldritch Blasts- her Fireball was a Quickened spell, all the fun of the Sorlock.

It's not going well for my guys, although Thugg is down to maybe fifty hit points, but from memory taking Thugg down (unconscious) never seems to last long- either Sadie will get him up with a spell/scroll, or else Yen will arrive with a big healing potion.

Do I go all in?

Is this the time to make my stand?

The DM vacillates.

I guess we'll find out next time, because I'm not sure atm.

Book of the Dead.
Ogre Guard x8.
Winter Wolf x3 (and counting).

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.

 

[Mannahnin]

Do I go all in?

Is this the time to make my stand?

The DM prevaricates.

Vacillates?

 

[Goonalan]

Vacillates?

Yeah, like I wrote.

Thank you.

Cheers Paul

 

[Goonalan]

There Might Be Giants​

PCs
DCI Bawg Race: Unknown Class: Rogue Level: 12 Background: City Watch Investigator
Sadistica Ashdaughter Race: Half-Elf Class: Sorcerer & Warlock Level: 9 & 3 Background: Acolyte
Thrunorus "Thugg" Garn Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian Zealot of Bradlust & Fighter Level: 8 & 4 Background: Mercenary Veteran
Yen Stonefist Race: Stout Halfling Class: Monk Level: 12 Background: Hermit

Dead PCs & NPCs
Phreakalus Nevrospastos Race: Human Class: Artificer Level: 12 Background: Courtier
Piniccarus, Phreakalus' animated puppet 'son'. Just weird.

Mission 4.
Session 030: TRAPPED!!!! (for a bit).
Mission Time: 00:59 to 04:32

Here we go again, fighting still-

The Giantkillers are making a mess of my ambush/encounter, although Thugg's down to maybe fifty hit points, when did that become a milestone worth mentioning? This lot are wearing me down.

And now a warning.

If you are squeamish, or else of a nervous disposition, then look away.

Do not read on.

Ready?

Ok, here it is...

A hasted Yen kills both of the wounded Winter Wolves (nearby) and then heads off to mix it with Alrick and Olaf, the Frosties.

And by judicious use of an IP, a haste attack, and a splurge of ki points, he, well...

Alrick registers his complaint, Yen is rolling very high. Even Thugg is impressed and says so.

Although Yen is keen to set the record straight-

Keep in mind Yen necked a Potion of Growth earlier in the mission and is a towering six feet tall. He feels like a giant, and says so repeatedly.

Thugg takes over...

Alrick started with the best part of 180 hit points, same for Olaf- or thereabouts. The Winter Wolves between 80 and 90 HP each.

Bawg comes next, keep in mind the Frosties et al initiative rolls are garbage.

And when Bawg's first shot with sneak et al doesn't kill Alrick, he IPs and does it again for much less damage- see above, but enough. Alrick falls.

Then, the fight back, keep in mind it'll be brief- so blink and you'll miss it.

Here goes...

Cone of Cold!

Two can play at that game. Suddenly a swathe of freezing hurricane air cuts through the fracas.

Well, for a few seconds.

Result- Thugg takes around twenty points of cold damage.

That's it.

Although the PCs can now spy a cloud of darkness (from which the Cone of Cold emerged) up around the ceiling of the cavern- as shown above.

What the...

But Sadie can see through the darkness with her infernal sight, and... oh look, the Oni is back.

Actually the Oni never went away.

But that's another story.

Keep in mind that the PCs are still communicating via telepathy atm, so all info is being shared.

Sadie is tasked with looking after the flying Ogre.

While...

Yen goes bonkers again- hits with all of his attacks, after tripping Olaf, and then Thugg unleashes merry heck. All 170-something of Olaf's hit points are gone before we get to his initiative again- he missed both of his attacks last turn, as did all of the wolves (even with Pack Attack).

But as Olaf falls, there's a sudden CRACK- THUD! sound and the ground/terrain bucks and then settles, and then the corridor behind dead Olaf fills with dirt, dust and flying debris.

The earth bound members of the Giantkillers all make their Dex saves.

Bawg blasts a Winter Wolf dead- as if nothing just happened.

And...

The Oni disappears.

Sadie ain't happy.

And so...

The last Winter Wolf dies (a lot).

At which point Thugg rushes into the corridor to the north, the rubble has stopped flying there- although there's still a fair amount of dust and dirt in the air.

Note this is the corridor the Giantkillers traversed to get to this chamber.

The only way in.

Or out.

And so...

Several PCs very patiently explain to Thugg that 'that' couldn't have been there, else they would not have been able to get in.

It takes longer than you'd think.

Eventually Thugg gets it.

TRAPPED!

The Giantkillers, of course, take this new info in their stride, they settle in for a short rest, while Thugg mithers Sadie incessantly to heal him.

Then.. a lot, a lot of searching.

Almost all of it done by Bawg.

So, an hour later and three of the Giantkillers are sufficiently recovered, while Bawg is certain that there's no hidden way out- that he can see, and he's put in the checks.

Here we are...

And that's the map they found here previously, the PCs are scratching their heads atm.

They figure they can teleport out, but- they're not keen to have to start again.

And so they reckon they should try and dig their way out.

But which way?

The corridor collapse, or... the treasure room indicated on the map above.

It's not really a choice is it?

It's at this point, fortuitously, that Thugg remembers he's a dwarf.

Got that? No? Let me explain- Thugg is wearing a Belt of Dwarvenkind, he is therefore (his words) "jus' a tall dwarf!"- he goes on to state- "I lyke killin, I lyke drinkin', an...", only he says this like two things is a) a list, and b) irrefutable proof.

Thugg digs.

And sings.

For quite a while.

With middling success.

Well, he makes progress, but not significant progress.

But, Thugg cannot be dissuaded, he is steadfast.

And retarded.

This goes on for so long- with the other PCs shorn of all other ideas, that even the DM gets bored.

We, very eventually, get to here...

The Brains Trust (& Sadie). Actually, Sadie is only here to cast Guidance. Bawg discovers that the cave in here can be cleared- there's a lot of loose rubble at the top, and providing they can get up to it then... there's a way out to be had (with lots of checks and plenty of effort).

Bawg (& Guidance, I mean Sadie, sorry) then repeat the checks in the collapsed passage in which Thugg is at present (very slowly) digging. Bawg is as certain as he can be that egress cannot come this way. This tunnel is settled solid rock, the other one is rubble.

Note, Bawg (smart fellow) even commanded his Rope of Climbing to find a way through the recently collapsed passage, and while the magic item could not communicate it's success, Bawg got the feeling it had made its way to somewhere through the blockage.

And so...

Thugg, with a little help, first installs a digging ledge and then sets to work, Yen helping with the manual stuff- Bawg directing and Guidance* helping where she can.

*Sorry, I mean Sadie.

Twelve successful checks later...

And two hours...

Thugg is speaking Dwarvish now, although none of his companions can understand the language, and so...he doesn't keep it up for long.

The Giantkillers are back into the caverns on the giants, and so swiftly deploy their anti-stealth tactic.

Thugg fills the massive cavern with his Orcish/Dwarven decibels.

No response.

And so the Giantkillers, the rest of them, head on through to freedom.

Bawg calls his colleagues back, he's on a roll- and investigating.

Actually, he's just tracking.

The Frosties and the Winter Wolves they just fought came from here...

Here is a wall of stone, and then a little later...

Here is a solid lump of rock, about ten feet broad and maybe twenty feet high.

It's a proper Frost Giant sized secret door, and was very hard to find.

All they need to do is open it.

Thugg steps up (with Yen for the bonus and Guidance for the Sadie, I mean...).

The DM patiently explains the size of the task ahead, Thugg needs a '20', or a total score over '30'.

Thugg rolls a '20' twice in a row, just to prove the first one wasn't a fluke. The massive stone wedge pivots- there's a way in.

He's a bloody bastard at times.

Anyway, they're in...

Into a huge entrance hall like chamber- empty, but with more lights ahead.

Bawg hushes his compatriots and goes Stealth Mode.

There are more passages and chambers off the central passage, which is (relatively) well-lit by giant-sized torches. The air is warmer here- there's no mud and less dirt, there's the smell of food coming from somewhere. Although the chamber to the south on the image above stinks to high heaven, and is filled with dozens of Ogre-sized beds and bedrolls, and the other detritus of slovenly giant-life.

But here's the thing.

There's no-one about.

Here's the bigger picture-

At bloody last, the PCs have found the other half of the map.

Bawg leads the gang into a (relatively) well-furnished chamber.

They investigate, but save for everyday things there's nothing (treasure-like) to be found. Empty.

They go on- Bawg stealthing ahead.

There's another Frostie secret (boulder) door here, Bawg however finds another way around into the chamber beyond the boulder.

Here it is-

This chamber is also well-presented, and the chest is full of gold, and so everyone's a little happier, although...

Where is everybody?

They go on- same tactics.

Bawg discovers another boulder blocked passage (just to the north of his three compatriots in the image above) but still there's no-one here they can find.

But, that's the end of the session.

Book of the Dead.
Alrick & Olaf- Frost Giant x2.
Winter Wolf x4.

Until next time.

Cheers goonalan.