ep 42 22-29/3/4713 End of Kreegs, Lamatar Bayden & Myriana reunited HMM#13

The Pathfinders assault the Kreeghold at dusk, in a tough battle killing Dorella, the Three Hag Sisters, 7 ogre slaves and one last Kreeg, driving off their ogre slaves. The undead frost wight Lamatar Bayden is defeated. A weak later his body is returned to Myriana the undead Nymph. The spirits of the two lovers unite and ascend in the form of light, and the swamplands are restored to their natural state. Thoughts turn to Kaer Maga and the Sihedron shard that lies there...

Sephiria's Account

We decide to raid the Kreeghold as soon as possible after the fight with the patrol so the remaining ogres aren’t aware they have been killed. Using Neril’s Pass Without Trace ability we creep up the slope toward the cave entrance where we see a couple ogres standing guard. Leaving the Grey Maidens behind we circle around over a scree slope to get to the other side of the entrance and ambush the guards. On the way Quillax loses her footing but as we’re roped together Claw is able to arrest her fall.
The ogres are unaware of our approach. I manage to disable one with Tasha’s Uncontrollable Laughter while the other is quickly defeated by the rest of the party who in turn despatch the one I had enspelled. While we wait for the Grey Maidens to catch up with us Neril casts Darkvision in preparation to entering the caves.
The Grey Maidens are ordered to stand guard on the entrance while we enter the caves as stealthily as possible. At the crossroads in the centre of the cave three more ogres are standing guard planning to quickly kill them using the same tactics as worked on the guards outside. During the fight we hear the sound of reinforcements being mustered from somewhere deep within the cave. One of the ogres tries to flee but Quillax blocks its way with a Wall of Stone. We think the room it was trying to reach was the base for the hags and the ogre witch Dorella so hope that the Wall will stop their joining the melee for the time being.
A Kreeg ogre arrives from the direction of the Foundry and engages Claw and Clank. From the other direction the undead Lamatar shoots Sephiria with a fusillade of icy arrows before ducking quickly back into cover. While Clank and Claw continue to wear down the Kreeg, supported by Neril and Quillax, Jarrick hastens after Lamatar having a particular dislike for undead.
Using magical Haste, Jarrick is able to catch up with Lamatar and uses Misty Step to teleport behind him to block his further escape. Calling on the power of Iomedae he smites the undead who flees back towards the main cavern seriously injured, trying to achieve sufficient range to use his bow but Jarrick pursues him. Catching sight of Lamatar I use Misty Step to attack him with my rapier as I’d previously noticed he seemed to be resistant to fire magic. Neril is only moments behind and under our combined onslaught Lamatar falls.
At the same time, the Hags (who have been spying on us) attack Claw with a Phantasmal Killer spell but he is able to shrug off their attack. The ogre reinforcements from the deep caves finally gather behind the injured Kreeg ogre so I take the opportunity to Fireball them as they’re clustered together. I shout a warning of worse to come and they fall back in disarray. The irate Kreeg attacks one with his ogrehook trying to discourage the retreat but as it was so badly injured from the Fireball, he kills it instead. The remaining ogres run for cover.
The Hags then try to attack me with the Phantasmal Killer but I resist it aided by a Ring of Spell Turning. Quillax drops the Wall of Stone and we take the battle to the Hags and Dorella who had been trapped in the cave beyond. Quillax Confuses Dorella while Neril teleports into the cave and manages to tip over the cauldron that the Hags had been using to focus their magic. The Hags retaliate using Cone of Cold which proves far more effective than the Phantasmal Killer.
In a moment of clarity, Dorella Lightning Bolts Quillax, Jarrick and Claw while Neril is able to stun two of the Hags despite being serious injured after the Cone of Cold spells. The remaining melee is messy with the Hags catching Dorella in their Cone of Cold spells while she returns the favour and one of the Hags is likewise caught by “friendly fire”. The hags are much less resilient than the ogres and the two stunned ones are soon defeated.
When I reach the cave I animate the debris on the floor and send a tornado of bone shards to attack Dorella and the remaining Hag. Dorella Shields the first attack but the Hag is killed. Seconds later the bone shards tear into Dorella and she falls. In the cave we find a statuette of Lamashtu that Claw smashes. The magical backlash caused by its destruction injures him but he survives.
We return Lamatar’s corpse to Miriana in the Shimmerglens and break the curse on the place as the spirits of both are finally able to move on the next world. In thanks Miriana blesses Jarrick.
With the threat of the Kreeg ogres lifted from the region and the Shimmerglens returned to the light we make plans to head for Kaer Maga and the next Shard.

Gray Maidens of Fort Rannick

Grey Maiden Charter of Conduct 

In the name of Iomedae the Inheritor, I swear: 
- noble service cheerfully rendered 
- defence of any charge unto death 
- courage and enterprise in obedience to rules 
- respect for all peers and equals 
- honour to all above your station 
- scorn for those who are lowly and ignoble 
- military prowess exercised in service to House Kaddren in defence of Magnimar 
- death to all who oppress the cause 
- death before dishonour 
Let Iomedae strike me down if I should be foresworn. 

All This I Swear.

Numbers end M3 4714
Captain: Orianna
Corporals: 3  hp 45
Troopers: 12 hp 30
Recruit Trainees: 5 hp 15

The Gray Maidens have sent out recruitment notices across the territories of Magnimar and Korvosa.

ep 41 7-22/3/4713 Revenge of the Pathfinders

Pursued by Longtooth the red dragon down the mountainside, Pathfinders kill him and escape, avoiding stone giant tracking party they make it back to Turtleback Ferry.

Two weeks later in a reprisal raid with the Grey Maidens, in the woods below Hook Mountain they encounter a strong Kreeg hunting party, killing 4 kreeg, 3 ogre mooks, and a hill giant. A captured kreeg gives much information prior to his execution. Apparently the gathering giant armies at Jorgenfist are led by one called Mokmurian, who the ogre believes to be a returned Lord of the Ancient Days...
___________________

Quillax Journal

Journal 12-Feb

We were able to escape from the giants by good luck alone. We managed to group up together and sent Neril ahead to scout ahead to make sure we had a clear run of it.

It turned out instead we should have been looking behind. Despite leaving the air elemental to distract the dragon, it still gave chase and bore down upon us from the sky. As it dropped from the clouds, we had a clear view of a glowing bronze sehedron embedded in it’s chest scales.
�Sepheria kicked off blade song and then cast Fly on Claw. Jarrick cast haste upon himself and Claw floated up about 12 feet towards the dragon. As it seemed to be focused on me, I taunted it and then dropped underground, having still retained my earth elemental form.

The Dragon stayed airborne and breathed fire upon the group.

In response, Sepheria drew her wand of acid arrow and cast at it. Jarrick drew his bow and struck the dragon twice.

As the dragon glided overhead, we could see it had a golden amber ring on one talon and a silver armband. Claw flew up and attacked the dragon, landing a blow. I surfaced for a taunt and threw a rock but failed to strike it before ducking underground again.

The Dragon decided that Claw was a more threatening target and bit and scratched at him. Sepheria blew out a second wand of acid arrow on the dragon while Jarrick continued to strike with his bow, landing two more arrows. Claw, injured, managed to disengage from the dragon, landing on the cliff.

As we were at a disadvantage while it was in the air, I resumed human form and cast grasping vine, pulling the dragon towards the cliff edge so that we might get within range. However, the vine does not hold and the Dragon pulled away and flew over to land behind Sepheria. She quickly cast animate objects on the nearby stones.

Jarrick quickly crossed to Sepheria’s side and attacked the dragon, managing to balance on some very precarious rocks in an awe-inspiring display of balance. He struck with all his power, smiting the dragon but not killing it.

Claw jumped off the cliff and ran up to throw a javelin at the dragon. I tried to cast confusion as I was too far and too injured to engage in melee but the Dragon shrugged it off. It did appear to try to run but Jarrick struck hard and killed it as it turned to fly off.

We very quickly looted the dragon, grabbing teeth, scales, skin for armour and the trinkets it wore. The sehedron in its chest was cracked and smoking, having broken when the dragon died - a very quick look revealed the amulet acted like Mighty Fists amulet but it was now broker. Very conscious that the stone giants might be giving chase, we turned with our quickly gathered loot and ran.

[xp = 2500 each]

While the Stone Giants attempted to track us, we met up with Neril, who cast Pass Without A Trace and we were able to avoid them. We returned to town to rest and heal.

There, I spent some time drying the land and casting Plant Growth to assist the farmers while Sepheria researched her spells from the Giant’s Spell Book with Claw helping translate.

We hear that the Grey Maidens are recruiting and are calling other Grey Maidens to the fort via an encoded message. Sepheria raised a concern that the Maidens may not have completely honourable intentions in that matter and we decide to have them sign a conduct charter, to which they agree.

As we need to head to another area for our next investigations into the Shards and other Grey Maidens groups are known to be there (although a traitorous branch of sisters following Faceless Kade. We agree to offer her followers a chance to defect back to an honourable branch. Any who accept will come to the Fort with the pass phrase “The wolf comes down from the North” so the Maidens know they were send by us.

While we were speaking to the Maidens about the Charter, they expressed concern about the number of entrances into the fort. Although I had shrunk many previously, they wanted several closed off completely. I made the necessary changes in such a way that it would not impact the Shocker Lizards or other wildlife but that the fortress was protected.

We spoke to Orianna and expressed a need for backup as we went to take on the Kreeg once more. Aurianna assigned 2 corporals (Masde and Halanda) and three regular maidens (Eleene, Timandi, and Jora) as well as herself to join us in our raids.

We took the Ferry up to Bitter Hollow and went to pick off another hunting group. We spend a night by the lake and then in the morning, Claw noticed some tracks. Sometime in the night the Kreeg party had walked right past us but had not seen us either. We decided to follow them, despite there being approximately 12 in the party. We catch up and encounter 4 Kreeg, 1 Hill Giant, and 3 orgres.

Sepheria, blade singing, casts fireball. I cast wall of fire, splitting the ogre party. The Grey Maiden corporals charged forward and Claw moved up and prepared himself. Jarrick drew his bow and shot at them from a distance. The rest of the Maidens and Orianna charged forward behind Claw.

The Hill Giant approached the group and the Kreeg move up and engaged with Claw and also threw javelins at Sepheria, which she shielded against.

Clank moved up following the Maidens, ending up at Sepheria’s side. One Ogre move up and attacked Jarrick but the other two ran away.

Sepheria threw a fireball and I called Lightning. The Corporals managed whittle down the health of a Kreeg, which Claw finished off. Jarrick cast Fear on another Kreeg. Orianna moved up but failed to strike any blow on her target. The Hill Giant tried to attack her but she dodged the blows.

The Kreeg were mostly focused on Claw but the Ogres were focused on Jarrick. Sepheria cast animate objects and I called down lightning while the Corporals ganged up on the smallest Kreeg.

Jarrick killed the Ogre he was fighting while Orianna and the maidens target the various Kreeg and the Hill Giant. The Giant struck Orianna, who managed to stay on her feet although another of the Maidens did not when struck by the Kreeg.

In the mist of the fight, Clank managed to strike the mortal blow on the Hill Giant while Sepheria’s animated rocks took out a Kreeg. I continued to call down lightning and the Corporals killed another Kreeg. The final Kreeg surrendered.

I quickly changed form to Giant Eagle and gave chase to the two running ogres with Jarrick and Claw behind me. I killed both Ogres then flew back to the party while Claw and Jarrick checked the bodies for anything of importance.

Orianna intimidated the surrendered Kreeg horribly and he told us there were very few (if possibly no) Kreeg remaining in the stronghold. He did mention there may be some in the mines or in the woods but he hadn’t seen any in days aside from those we just killed. He told us Dorella and the Hags were arguing about leaving now the weapons were done and handed over to the Giants. He continued to tell us that the Old Masters were coming back, like Stone Giant King Mochmurian. These were not regular giants but powerful and smart, servants of the Rune Lords. They were said to be gathering at Jorgenfist, the Stone Giant entrance to Hell where the Stone Giant King resides, which would possibly be found in the Valley of the Black Tower in the Iron Peaks (due North of our location). It overlooks the Mushkall River or one could go up the Storval Stairs? He repeats that Mochmurian - an Old Master - is coming back to being back the old ways.

As there is no further information forthcoming, Orianna kills the Kreeg.

[xp 3000 each; 1500 clank]

ep 40 5-7 (dawn)/3/4713 Stone Giants, Red Dragon

5/3/4713

Journal [5-feb]
Heading up towards the Kreeg Clanhold, we see a huge caravan of ogres in the distance, coming towards the Clanhold.
Over Storval Deep, we can see a Red Dragon, either scouting or just enjoying a flight. If it spots us, it could fly fast enough to reach us in just five minutes.
We decide to proceed anyway and climb up to the hole in the ceiling and send Moncey down to have a quick look. The Stone Giant King and his bodyguard are both inside, dozing, about 100 feet from the hole at the throne area. The Stone Giant king had a spell book and an interesting headpiece so our plan changed a little.
Neril jumps down first and casts Silence on the Stone Giants, which was important not only to our plan but also because Claw landed a bit harder than we would have liked.
Just as we were approaching the Stone Giants, a Kreeg entered the throne room from behind. Sepheria swiftly cast Hypnotic Pattern on him, ensnaring him.
We converged on the Stone Giants and started to attack with Jarrick landing the first strike.
Just as we started, Dorella unstealthed and dispelled the Silence spell for a few moments, which allowed the bodyguard to be awoken.
I took Earth Elemental form and went for behind the throne, surfacing in a gold pile. Neril immediately replaced the Silence spell.
The SG King used Necrotic Blast, which stuck multiple people, including his body guard. Jarrick stuck him and ducked back. Dorella woke up the other Kreeg and tries to run. While most of the group focuses on the giants, Neril ducked out to engage the Dorella, managing to stun her.
Sepheria animated the treasure pile and aimed it at the king.
Jarrick struck the killing blow on the Stone Giant king and then we all turned our attention to the bodyguard, except Neril who was keeping the other Kreeg busy.
Dorella manages to shake off Neril's stun and both Kreeg start to run, so Sepheria drops a fireball on them but they manage to escape.
Claw landed the killing blow on the bodyguard.
We quickly scavenge the spell book, hat and treasure from the giants and manage to escape the room. We retreat back to the nearby lake and have a long rest.
[2420xp each, 0 for clank]

6-7/3/4713

We decide to go back again, despite the fact the caravan would have arrived.
Sepheria and Neril go ahead on the broom (first and fast) to scout the movement.
The Kreeg have been supplying the Stone Giants with armour and weapons to be carried out on the Mammoths - possibly leaving at dawn.
We decided we needed to try to cause an avalanche and stop them. I flew ahead as a bird and met up with Neril who travelled on foot. We each had a short rest while waiting for Sepheria to arrive on the broom. Clank had to be left behind because there was no quick way to move him around and if we had to run, no way to get him out.
Jarrick and Claw were travelling on foot and were to meet up with us as soon as they could.
The Mammoths came out with 12 stone giants. As per the plan, I used Major Image to scare the Mammoths with some illusionary sabre-tooth tigers, and the retreated back inside. Only four giants gave chase to them.
We decided to try to wait until Claw (who had knowledge of the best place to cause an avalanche) had arrived, so we engaged to buy time. Sepheria cast fireball, I threw the air elemental summoning gem I had been carrying around, and then took earth elemental form.
One stone giant made an animal companion summoning call and summoned it's DRAGON companion. (LongTooth).
Realising, we were vastly outnumbered, and taking heavy damage, and nearly losing Sephiera, we ran. I sent the air elemental after the dragon to distract it.
Very luckily, we escaped. We met up with Claw and Jarrick and retreated hastily.
[300 xp for not dying]