Campaign: The Turakian Age

[HewhoisMatt]

I had a great time and I am so hard to scare off. I went out and got FH Grimoire II, The Mystic World, and put the puter program on order friday after work. I also wanted to tell you guys that if you have any interest in playing at my place that would be cool. I live alone but I would need some warning to get the place ready.

[lrojas]

To be fair, the person who deserves credit for the WOT magic system is Charles Ryan. I had a little input here and there, but I actually wanted to do something significantly different. Since Charles got that particular part of the assignment, he's the one who deserves the praise.

sorry to be dense, but since i am new, and the only WOT magic system i know is the one with the d20 book, what exactly are you guys refering to in here? is this something that is available somewhere? or is it something that came in a book that i am not aware of?

[HewhoisMatt]

They are talking about the magic system used in the D20 source book based on the "Wheel Of Time" fantasy series of books by Robert Jordon. It is not a Hero source book but Mr Long gets around a good bit.

[lrojas]

They are talking about the magic system used in the D20 source book based on the "Wheel Of Time" fantasy series of books by Robert Jordon. It is not a Hero source book but Mr Long gets around a good bit.

cool, i have that book, indeed the magic system is betther than the Core D&D, it would be interesting seeing how would steve or some other could translate that to FH.

[James Gillen]

I had a great time and I am so hard to scare off. I went out and got FH Grimoire II, The Mystic World, and put the puter program on order friday after work. I also wanted to tell you guys that if you have any interest in playing at my place that would be cool. I live alone but I would need some warning to get the place ready.

I'm glad. As for the invitation, it depends on whether you have more playing space than I do. If you DID, then it would be worthwhile. I was thinking of taking up Ternaugh's offer and e-mailing for 1 or 2 other players, but there really isn't enough space in my living room for more.

In any case we have a SECOND dog and my niece staying with us now, so I think the others might be interested in a new HQ...

JG

[Gary Ciaramella]

In any case we have a SECOND dog and my niece staying with us now, so I think the others might be interested in a new HQ...

I would be... yep yep

[James Gillen]

No, must defeat 10 more CoT, finish a TF, and earn a cape.

Now where did I put that SO damage enhancment?

Hell, it was all I could do to go from midpoint of 10th level to 11th...

Anyway:

8/12/04

At this point, I don’t know exactly WHAT Dustin is doing, but he isn’t living here. It’s a family matter, and I’m not prone to all the details in any event. Suffice to say he wasn’t in the game this week, and I’m not sure he’ll be back.
However, we did get Matt Biggs recruited in to make a Barbarian character, and Matt seems to be a really nice guy. So we’re now back to four PCs. One door closes, another opens, I guess.
I don’t think I’ll get rid of Trogdor, just in case. And these guys will need all the help they can get…

SESSION ELEVEN - Chapter One

The group came down from the chapel and looked around. Valdergast, still holding the bag with the head, asked Lo’ma’ndra “What do you want us to do with this?”
”I’ll take it,” she said. “If I can give it a holy burial that should end the curse on this land and life can grow here normally.”
“What about the church?”
Lo’ma’ndra looked back at the structure. “Please burn that down, Valdergast, and do it spectacularly.”

-

Since leaving his tribe on the Gorthunda Steppes, Tanaka had tried to seek work in Vestria, realizing that the Khirkovy-folk were not going to be fairly inclined toward one such as him. He’d spent the past few months working as a caravan guard, and it was good work, sometimes even enabling him to fight Orcs, but it had become a bit routine. But since finishing his last job, he’d experienced a strange dream. The dream went like this:

A wolf came back to its den to find one of his cubs dead. A vulture was feasting on it. The vulture caught sight of the wolf and flew off. The wolf chased the vulture many miles. On the way he passed a forest where he saw a bear attack a mountain lion. The wolf smelled the vulture’s nest, but it had nothing save an egg. So the wolf ate the vulture’s egg in revenge.
The wolf went back the way he came, and saw that the bear had chased the mountain lion to a crag. Suddenly the wolf caught sight of the vulture in the sky. It flew toward the others, and suddenly the vulture changed into a dragon. And the dragon caught the bear in its talons and the wolf and the mountain lion watched it fly away.

Tanaka’s people were certainly used to the idea of mystic visions, but he was no mystic, and this made no sense to him. He’d only told one local wise-woman about the dream, and she only told him, “Go south- to the edge of the mountains.”

This Tanaka did. One morning, he crossed the ‘grey spark’ river and as he rode on, he noticed that the land had somehow become more grey and dead, as if it were entering winter while the world outside were just coming into spring. He felt the need to enter the wood and investigate. He quickly noticed that there were tracks of horses and men here, where no sane man would settle. Tanaka pressed on, and found a trail.

-

The Grey Rangers took residence in a small building and set it up as best as possible to sleep so that Lo’ma’ndra and Trogdor could recover. Resting was difficult to say the least. During the night Valdergast and Rogar thought they heard the wolf cub whimpering. Valdergast looked and realized the sound was coming from Lo’ma’ndra.

The next morning Lo’ma’ndra was well enough to take the old Druid’s head and bless the graveyard again so that Thossyryn could again receive proper rest and let the Earth recover.
She returned to the makeshift home and looked at the others. Lo’ma’ndra saw Valdergast reading some of the Scarlet priest’s diaries. She asked him, “Have you found anything useful?”
He shook his head with a smile, and handed her a journal. She looked at the Elvish writing and blanched. Valdergast said, “Anyone need a copy of necrophiliac poetry?”
Lo’ma’ndra threw the journal into the fireplace.
“More like, did this guy have any spell books?” Rogar asked.
Valdergast said, “No. This guy was a priest. There’s some writing from someone else telling him that Skarill gave him the land, but that Skarill doesn’t really care so much about what happens here. The priest is to keep the writer apprised as to the status of his… ‘Experiment.’ And Skarill is apparently otherwise occupied.”
”With what?” Rogar asked.
“The letter says Skarill is concentrating his force east to help invade Colgrave.”
Rogar grimaced. “So he may not even BE in his fortress when we get there.”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “Valdergast?”
The mage appeared suddenly distracted. He said, “Mertwig’s spotted something. There’s someone riding into town.”

-

Tanaka soon came to a Vestrian village, or something that once looked like it. Several of the major buildings had burned down and those that stood looked like they hadn’t been occupied in months. But he immediately noticed the building with the four horses posted outside. [At this point I had the players describe their characters to each other; this also helps the reader stay updated on their descriptions.]

Four people walked out of the building to see Tanaka. The first was a tall, pale-skinned man with long black hair and beard, carrying a staff, and dressed in rich red robes. Next was an exotic looking woman, also pale, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and pointed ears. She also carried a walking staff and was dressed in tasteful green and yellow robes that seemed meant to evoke a springtime motif. Directly behind her was a Drakine- Tanaka had never seen a Drakine before, but he knew from others’ descriptions that this was the only thing it could be. The lizard man was well over 6 feet tall, with long and powerful limbs, dark eyes and coppery scales, wearing a chain mail shirt and a very large sword strapped to each of his hips. The final stranger was almost 6 feet tall, tan with dark hair and eyes, dressed all in loose-fitting black clothing- vest, shirt, pants and boots- with dull metal arm guards at each wrist.

The Grey Rangers saw a very unusual horseman. He seemed short but powerfully built. He was fully clothed in tough riding leathers dyed in grey and brown, a slashing sword at his belt and an exotic, crafted horse bow at his saddle. He had a dark complexion and a tough expression on his face; his hair was black, locks of it hanging from out of his fur-lined metal cap. Stranger still, he had threaded colorful beads through each of his thin mustaches and his thin beard. His brown-and-white horse was much like the man: Short, shaggy and broad.

The woman spoke to Tanaka, in what he recognized as Vestrian. “Greetings, stranger. I am afraid that if you had business here, it has fallen through.”
Tanaka said, “I travel wherever the trail leads me.”
Rogar walked up to the horseman. He pointed to the others and said, “We should get introduced. This is Valdergast Arcanus, this is Taal Lo’ma’ndra, and this is her bodyguard, Trogdor.”
Tanaka thought, ‘Tall Lomandra? She’s shorter than me.’
He nodded to the man and said, “I am Tanaka. And you are?”
”I am Rogar.”
“Huhn! I had heard some things about a ‘Rogar’ in Vestria. Some things about starting nasty fights. Or wars.”
Rogar shook his head. “You can’t believe every thing in a person’s reputation.”
Tanaka said, “Oh yes. I try to tell the local people not to believe everything they hear about us Gorthunda. This thing that we kill and eat babies, for instance. That is ridiculous.”
He looked around a little more. “Who burned down this village?” he asked.
“I did,” Valdergast said.
Lo’ma’ndra nodded. She said, “Actually, it was first raided by Orcs several months ago.”
Tanaka snorted. “Orcs. Lousy raiders. You should never burn a village after raiding, because no one comes back.”
“I burned it,” Valdergast said. “There were lots of unquiet dead around.”
“Evil shamans,” Tanaka said.
“Yes,” Lo’ma’ndra said, quietly.
“She still hasn’t gotten over it,” Valdergast said.
Tanaka announced, “I come here from the Gorthunda Steppes. I came west seeking wealth without having to marry an ugly wife.”
Valdergast said, “Ah. You’re a long way from home then.”
He whispered to Lo’ma’ndra, “We could always use another body…”
Lo’ma’ndra nodded a little and stepped forward. Tanaka heard her utter strange words and then suddenly she was speaking to him in his language, with no accent. “I figured this would be easier for us both. We could always use additional help on our quest.”
“What quest is this?” Tanaka asked.
Lo’ma’ndra said, “The Orcs who destroyed this village had a leader. He is a Giant by the name of Skarill. I need to destroy him and take down his army of Orcs.”
Tanaka shook his head at the thought of dealing with a Giant and an army. He counted on his fingers. “There are so many of them, and there are… five of us.”
“Do these Orcs have any money?” he asked.
Lo’ma’ndra smiled and said, “The potential for income is quite high.” She paused. “We must purge these mountains of Skarill’s influence.”
Valdergast, able to understand the conversation because of his own magic ring, interjected, “She wants revenge.”
Tanaka threw his head back and laughed. “Revenge! Now THAT I understand.” He looked at Lo’ma’ndra. “Never leave a live enemy behind,” he said.
Valdergast looked at her. “SEE? Someone ascribes to my philosophy!”

-

JG

[HewhoisMatt]

Well I think I have enough room, I will just have to clean out the dining room. I will start cleaning and getting the place ready. E-mail me for directions.

hewhosleeps@yahoo.com

[irishspy]

Tanaka threw his head back and laughed. “Revenge! Now THAT I understand.” He looked at Lo’ma’ndra. “Never leave a live enemy behind,” he said.

(Delurking for a bit)
I think I'm going to like Tanaka.

[HewhoisMatt]

I hope everyone likes him. I try to rp him well with the right mind set for his background and goals.

[James Gillen]

8/12/04

SESSION ELEVEN - Chapter Two

That day, the Grey Rangers burned down what was left of the village of Thelham, just as its people had been put to final rest. Before noon, they set out into the Greywards.

Over the next day, Lo’ma’ndra used Tarastis’ map and found a mountain trail. The group rode the trail east. During this time, the four veterans and the Gorthundan became more used to each other. Tanaka noticed that Lo’ma’ndra traveled with a wolf cub, and found this to be a good omen. For their part, the others noticed that Tanaka practically never left his horse except to relieve himself, and even that he did rarely. In fact the group realized that the horse was a mare when they saw Tanaka drink its milk- straight from the ‘tap.’

The next morning, the ground became more rugged. The five riders came up a craggy hill with a thick woods to the left and the sloping hill to the right. The team ascended and without warning, large rocks were thrown down at them. Lo’ma’ndra and Valdergast were struck hard, sitting dazed in their saddles as Tanaka and Trogdor kept the horses in line. Rogar had also been hit hard but kept his senses.
“That wasn’t a rockslide,” he said. “Those were aimed at us.”
Rogar looked around and up the hill. What he saw defied all previous experience. Coming down the slope were five gigantic things that could not be Giants. Standing fifteen feet high, they seemed to be nothing but great mounds of hair from which arms and legs had been sculpted. Misshapen, uneven claws protruded from the limbs, the only sign that the things possessed body parts. Their shag was in tan, brown and mossy green, which Rogar realized allowed them to blend with the hill at a distance.

As the creatures ambled down, Rogar jumped out of his saddle and grabbed both Lo’ma’ndra and Valdergast, pulling them behind cover. Tanaka readied his bow from on horse, while Trogdor dismounted to draw swords.

Rogar jumped up with his staff and flipped in air to reach the crags and attack the lead monster, smashing it hard and causing it to stagger. Tanaka drew and fired his bow with great speed, hitting one of the monsters in back. But the shaft was so deep in fur that Tanaka couldn’t tell how bad the wound was, or even if he’d drawn blood.
Trogdor followed Rogar up the hill, facing off against one of the monsters. The opponent swung its arm into Trogdor with little effect, just as Trogdor cut its fur with negligible result. Rogar dodged his foe.
Meanwhile Valdergast looked up from cover. Gritting his teeth, he prepared Kheldred’s Flammifer. Casting the spell, he hit four of five monsters- all but the one on Trogdor. The hairy masses began to smolder, and batted about wildly. They made no sound, but their panic was clear.
Tanaka fired another arrow into his target. And with that, the four afflicted monsters began running back up the hill. Trogdor’s foe continued to attack him, but he batted away the creature’s claw with one sword even as he slashed with his right-hand blade, finally drawing its blood.
When the monsters were separated from the team, Valdergast took that opportunity to throw a Fireball at the colossal marauders.
Tanaka cried out, “Ai! I need to retrieve my arrows!”
Valdergast said, “Sorry. I think they’re toast now.”
Rogar looked around and said, “Do we really need to kill these things?”
Tanaka grunted and fired another arrow.
Trogdor took advantage of his position and slashed out with both swords, cutting deep into his opponent. The Drakine grinned in satisfaction as the monster died.
Valdergast threw another Fireball and the four remaining beasts collapsed. He looked at Rogar and said, “They were trying to kill us.”
Rogar said, “I meant to say that we’d already driven them off.”
”Not mine,” Trogdor said.
Rogar asked, “Lo’ma’ndra, are you all right?”
“Yes,” the priestess said, getting up. “I managed to heal myself.”
“I could use that,” Valdergast said, pointing to a growing bruise over his face.
Lo’ma’ndra came over and applied her divine healing to the wizard. Valdergast told Rogar, “My point is, these creatures could have been part of Skarill’s guard.”
“I can track their lair and find out,” Rogar said.
Valdergast’s owl suddenly flew to him. He nodded and said, “I can have Mertwig scout and report to you.”
The Shaman talks to an owl, Tanaka thought. This is most strange.
After a few minutes, Mertwig returned and seemed to tell Valdergast something. The wizard told Rogar, “There’s a plateau, and beyond that a hill with a lot of bones and old weapons.”
“Let’s go,” Lo’ma’ndra said. “It shouldn’t be hard for me to pick up their tracks.”
“Then I can go in and investigate,” Rogar said.
“Be sure that’s all you do,” Lo’ma’ndra told him. “Scout and return. Do not rescue the Princess and burn down the castle.”
Rogar scowled. “That woman I found was going to be in the were-rats’ stewpot. I wasn’t going to just leave her.”
Lo’ma’ndra almost said something, and caught herself. “Just… Look. I know that sometimes I have been a bitch- that I’ve been difficult to deal with. And I might have made fun of you, Rogar. But you all have become… important to me.” She paused and looked at Rogar again. “Just try to avoid dying.”
Rogar smiled. “I try to avoid dying everywhere I go.”

Once Lo’ma’ndra had confirmed the track, Rogar scouted ahead and saw the scene as Valdergast described it. There was a hill plateau and a worn patch of ground directly in front of a great cave entrance. Rogar saw large bones on the ground in piles. They could have been those of Men. Some of them were well-chewed, confirming at least that the monsters had teeth.
Checking the mouth of the cave, Rogar found more bones, including skulls. From the almost pig-like faces and tusks, they were most likely Orcish. In the midst of the pile, something caught Rogar’s eye. He saw an amethyst set in a gold medallion. Picking it up, he saw that it was on a heavy iron chain. Deciding not to wear the thing until the wizard examined it, Rogar put it in his vest.
Going back outside, Rogar looked for more treasure. However, there was only the bulk of Orcish spears, spiked clubs and similar gear, along with ripped and useless remains of armor. The weapons seemed to be of recent make, but were nothing the group really needed.

Rogar returned to the others as soon as possible. “What did you find?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
“Not much, unless you count this,” Rogar said, producing the pendant.
“An iron chain?” she said. “It’s rather ugly.”
“Maybe it’s not intended as jewelry,” Rogar said. “It may be a magic device.”
Taking his cue, Valdergast cast a detection spell on the thing. He nodded.
“What is it?” Rogar asked.
“Don’t know yet,” Valdergast said. “You found this in the cave?”
”With a bunch of Orc bodies.”
Valdergast shook his head. “This may be something Skarill uses to track his men. I wouldn’t trust it.”
“We’ll worry about it later,” Lo’ma’ndra said. “For now, let’s keep moving.”

-

And they walked. And they walked. The Grey Rangers went up the trail, and crossed into the mountain range, into the heights still covered with snow. The team paused to don their winter gear- except Tanaka, who seemed to be fine as he was. The five riders plowed on.
It had been a full night and day when Rogar asked Lo’ma’ndra, “Does this map of yours have any marks to show us where the damn place is?”
“According to the map, we should be in the valley by now! We may have passed it.”
Valdergast hit his head. “Why didn’t I think of this before!”
“Think of what?” Tanaka asked.
Valdergast said, “The more civilized Giants are usually magical. And they usually specialize in illusions.”
Rogar shook his head. “We could have been wandering for weeks and not seen it.”
“It doesn’t help that we’re in the storm,” Lo’ma’ndra said.
Valdergast said, “The storm is probably Skarill’s Frost Giant power. It’s not the right time of year for a blizzard to come up. I don’t think, anyway. But if he conjured it- that means he’s here.”
“So if the valley is concealed by illusion, then you can detect the spell?” Lo’ma’ndra asked the wizard.
“Of course,” Valdergast said. He cast an effect and gazed at the mountains in front of them. “Ah. There’s a mountain wall to the side of us that really isn’t there.”
”What’s behind it?” Rogar asked.
“We need to find out.”

With Mertwig as scout, Valdergast guided the team up the mountain side. As they led their horses, they came up a ridge and passed through the mountain face that the wizard had shown them to be unreal. And although the storm still blew above them, the adventurers looked beyond the illusion to see a marvelous scene of Nature. A small lake with pure blue water was below, surrounded by green and forested mountains. Directly before them and behind the lake was a great mountain peak, high and topped with ice and snow. The mountain itself seemed to be a habitation, with some balconies and windows carved out from its structure. And on either side of the peak, high walls were set in stone, with guard posts along the top, stretching out to the natural walls of the mountain range. The right wall led to an outer gate that faced a narrow mountain trail which led downward toward the lake.
“We have now reached the point of no return,” Lo’ma’ndra said.

“What now?” Trogdor asked.
“We need to find a space for the horses; there’s no way we can take them up to the gate,” Lo’ma’ndra said. Tanaka looked nervous.
“Does it seem like the walls are manned?” Rogar asked Valdergast.
Valdergast nodded in communication with his familiar. “Not now.”
Rogar said, “Let me see if that pendant actually does anything.”

Rogar went down from the ridge through the forest, first looking to find a vale where they might be able to conceal the horses. He found a spot near enough to the lake to allow him to observe the valley while also keeping some cover. Making a mental note, he pressed on. Reaching the mountain trail, he walked up on foot a short distance. It was pretty clear that the trail was too small to be suitable for Giants. This was probably the entrance used by Orcs and other servants.
After coming around the curve, he caught sight of the outer gate wall. It was a long hall that had no obvious entrance except a stone slab blocking the gate. However, Rogar quickly noticed that the slab was surrounded by an arch with various runes on it. He held the amethyst up. It shone briefly, and as it did, so did the runes, seeming to glow purple. Rogar put the thing back in his vest. He wasn’t sure how much he should chance before he got the others.

Rogar came back. Valdergast said, “Mertwig caught sight of you near the gate wall.”
“Yes. The pendant seems to be some kind of key for the gate. There’s a set of runes on the gate itself.”
“Well, what did the runes say?”
”I don’t know, I don’t speak Rune.”
Valdergast sighed. “I still don’t want to use the thing. It may let Skarill know we’re here if someone activates it.”
Lo’ma’ndra asked Rogar, “What about finding a base?”
“That I could do.”

The group led their animals down the paths to the valley, into the woods where Rogar had found his site. Everyone dismounted. Tanaka said, “The horses will be all right here?”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “Yes. We’ll have food set up for them. And they won’t need to leave if they’re well-trained. I assume yours is.”
“Hm!”
Valdergast said, “The main thing we need is to secure the spot so that the Giants can’t see it from across the lake.”
Rogar said, “I do have a little experience in hiding items.”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “Of course. And I think I can help. The Vines spell will enable me to create some barriers so that the camp can’t be seen from outside.”
Using their mutual skills, Lo’ma’ndra and Rogar were able to find enough brush and cover to make sure that the site was well concealed from observation.
Lo’ma’ndra picked out her things and looked at her cub. “You’ll have to stay here and help Mertwig keep watch. Sit, Ubu, sit. Good wolf.”
”Wuff!”
Valdergast said, “If we’re not using the medallion, we need to secure one of those guard posts by climbing it.”
Rogar looked out at the fortress and said, “Then let’s get ready.”

JG

[That was last week's session. Also, in this week (8/19) I *did* get Dustin back...]

[James Gillen]

8/19/04

This was the climax of Lo’ma’ndra’s personal quest, and in the gaming group we actually got Dustin back- apparently Doug got the family to let him move back in. I’m still not sure what the dispute was anyway. In any case, next week Matt is letting us game at his place, which will give us more room to move around. I also think moving the game would be a good idea since I seem to be allergic to our new dog. At least until we give him a bath.

On with the show:


Session Twelve - Chapter One

Once the group had secured the horses, they moved through the woods along the lake, toward the guard wall. Tanaka moved with a loping, bow-legged gait off his horse, and Lo’ma’ndra realized that he wouldn’t have had much experience in sneaking around.
When they reached sight of the wall, the Grey Rangers looked to see that it had at least two Orcs patrolling the walkway.
Valdergast said, “I guess they didn’t see us.”
”Perhaps they’re looking for a larger force,” Lo’ma’ndra said.
“Or Giants,” Trogdor said.
“Who can climb that wall?” Lo’ma’ndra asked. The mage and the Gorthundan stood silent. Rogar raised his hand.
“I can climb,” Trogdor said.
Lo’ma’ndra looked at Rogar. “You and Trogdor shall climb,” she said. “Then when the guards are dispatched, you can open the gate from inside.”

Rogar and Trogdor moved up to the wall, and Rogar proceeded quickly upward. Trogdor followed. However, even with his strength, Trogdor’s armor weighted him down, and he began to slip. Rogar looked over his shoulder as the Drakine fell. Lo’ma’ndra immediately threw the Entangling Vines to create a thicket of growth under Trogdor to pad his fall. Valdergast successfully suppressed the urge to howl in laughter.
Rogar looked down and motioned to Trogdor. Trogdor grunted and began another ascent. Rogar continued climbing rapidly and reached the top even as one of the Orcs heard Trogdor’s struggles and peered over the side- completely missing sight of Rogar. In that moment, Rogar drew his staff from its back sheath, ran up and smacked the guard over the skull.
And then Rogar looked around to see three other Orcs manning the gate area nearby, reaching for shortbows. Realizing that Trogdor would be a target when he finished his climb, Rogar drew the guards’ attention by raising his middle fingers, then dodged their arrows as Trogdor finished getting up to the walkway.

The Orcs dropped their bows and drew swords. Rogar advanced before they could close, knocking out a second foe with his quarterstaff. The other two met Trogdor halfway. Trogdor drew both swords and hit the Orc to his left. Trogdor’s right sword cut the other Orc deeply, and he staggered, finally pitching off the wall toward the other three adventurers.
Rogar dropped down from the walkway to check the gate. The last Orc continued an attempt to attack Trogdor, making a sword strike that the Drakine didn’t even feel through his chainmail. Trogdor hacked at him again, and then struck thrice, finally dealing a fatal blow.
By this point, Rogar had found the lever that opened the magical gate from within. Fortunately it remained simple enough for use by Orcs. In a few minutes, Lo’ma’ndra, Valdergast and Tanaka came up the trail.
“Is everything all right?” Rogar asked.
Valdergast replied, “Thanks for throwing that Orc over the wall. He had 13 Copper on him.”
Trogdor joined them as Tanaka restrung his bow. Rogar began walking down the gate hall, and the group followed, down past the murder holes and other defenses now unmanned.
The Grey Rangers walked into an entry chamber with a continued passage down and a side entrance leading to stairs down. Rogar asked, “Which way?”
Valdergast facetiously asked Trogdor, “Trogdor, could you go down there and see what’s at the bottom of the stairs?”
Trogdor: “No, that’s OK.”
Tanaka said, “I thought that’s what thieves were for,” looking at Rogar.
Trogdor then looked at Rogar and said, “Yes. Use your staff to tap the ground ahead. Then you can die and not me.”
Rogar grinned. “I’m sure. Actually… I would be best suited to check ahead.”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “All right. Trogdor, follow Rogar. I’ll back you up. Valdergast follows, and Tanaka can take rear and guard Valdergast.”
So they went down the staircase in single file. They moved carefully with Rogar checking for wires and pressure points ahead. However, about a third of the way down, Trogdor reached a step, and it collapsed under him. He fell through instantly as the step snapped back in place again.
Valdergast was the only one who understood what Trogdor yelled on the way down.

Trogdor fell through a chute, managing to get to his feet as he was deposited to the lower level. He was in some empty room. From outside he could hear heavy activity, possibly men at work.
And Trogdor heard a voice. It spoke to him in his own language.
“Are you a Drakine?”
“STOP that!” Trogdor yelled in surprise. Then he realized that he might have revealed himself. He looked around. The room opened out into a hallway. The hallway was illuminated by fire from a side chamber. Trogdor moved quietly to check this room.
The chamber was a forge, about thirty feet wide and fifty feet down to an opposite entrance. Inside, eight mature-looking, well-muscled Orcs were busy at work, stoking large forges on the side wall and in the center, and hammering red-hot weapons and other implements.
Not sure what was going on, Trogdor muttered, “Where are you?” The voice said, “I can’t tell where I am.”
Trogdor looked around. None of the Orcs seemed to hear the other Drakine, but the voice was deep and powerful. Even over the noise of the Orcs, Trogdor felt that the voice was right next to him.
“I think I’m under a forge…”

On the stair, the group was shocked. “What happened?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
Valdergast shook his head. “He was a great comrade. I’m sure he’s in a better place.”
”He’s not dead!” the priestess yelled.
“Why didn’t I find that pressure plate?” Rogar asked.
Valdergast looked behind him. He asked, “Where’s Tanaka?”
Carefully, the three walked back into the entry hall, Rogar marking Trogdor’s last step. In a minute, they saw Tanaka race in from outside, carrying a bloody Orc carcass on his shoulders.
He said, “The trap only falls with enough weight on it. So I went back and got the Orc who fell.”
”That’s- rather disgusting,” Lo’ma’ndra said.
“Why not just have two people stand on the step at the same time?” Rogar asked.
Valdergast thought and said, “Maybe you can use the body to hold the step open while we fix a rope. Just in case we need to catch up.”

Trogdor moved away from the forge. A couple seconds later he heard a loud thump.

Up above, Rogar held the Orc body at the stairwell. He told Tanaka, “Get a spike and prop this thing open when I fall.”
When preparations were made, Rogar had the Orc’s legs tied together with the rope and Valdergast and Lo’ma’ndra holding the other end. Rogar took the step. He began to fall with the corpse in his arms. He let go and said, “Now!”
Relying on the bulk of the carcass to help Tanaka hold the pressure plate open, Rogar slid down a chute. Rogar thought that the chute was about thirty feet down, but before he realized it, he’d hit dirt.
“Didn’t go as well as usual,” Rogar muttered. Then he realized that someone was walking toward him.

One of the Orcs heard the the noise from behind Trogdor. Trogdor moved back to see that Rogar had fallen down the chute. The Drakine saw the Orc arm himself with a two-handed work hammer and approach Rogar’s position. Trogdor came in and cut the Orc down with a sword slash.
Rogar got up to see an Orc enter the room, to be cut down a second later by Trogdor. “All right?” he asked.
Trogdor said, “We’re in a forge. I think they heard you.”
”Great,” Rogar said. The two moved to the forge entrance to see seven other Orcs grab weapons. With Rogar’s staff and Trogdor’s two swords, the adventurers were barely able to stand side by side in the entrance as the Orcs attacked.
Rogar struck one Orc across the torso, knocking him back. Trogdor slashed his foe once across the arm and once in the neck. Blood flowed out as the Orc died, swiftly enough to feel no pain.
Tanaka, Lo’ma’ndra and Valdergast came down and Trogdor moved into the forge. Tanaka readied his bow as Rogar continued to attack, moving against another Orc and knocking him out.
Trogdor moved forward, attacking another Orc workman, scoring two serious wounds. He heard the voice again. “I can feel you now- you’re in the room.”
Lo’ma’ndra cast her Blessing, and one of the Orcs threw a hammer at Trogdor. It bounced off the warrior’s chest. Valdergast threw Magefire at another Orc. Tanaka fired an arrow into him, finishing him off.
Rogar moved against the Orc who threw a hammer at Trogdor. His staff connected straight with the jaw, and the Orc dropped dead.
Trogdor finished his foe with two more strikes as Lo’ma’ndra threw Entangling Vines on the last survivor. She stepped forward.
“I can question him about Skarill,” she said.
“There’s someone else here,” Trogdor said.
“Who?” Valdergast asked.
The Drakine paused. “Who ARE you?” he asked.
“I am a powerful sword. I am being used as part of the forge.”
Trogdor said, “It’s a sword under a forge.”
“The Drakine is talking to himself,” Valdergast said.
“No, wait,” Tanaka said. One of the large forges in the center of the room had a glowing object buried under its coals. Trogdor saw it too. It was pretty obviously a sword-shaped chunk of metal, although details were hard to make out. It actually seemed to be the source of the forge’s heat, not merely an object heated by the forge.
“I’m taking it,” Trogdor said.
“Wait!!” Valdergast and Lo’ma’ndra said in unison.
“What?” Trogdor said.
Valdergast said, “Isn’t it weird that you’re taking advice from a talking sword?”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “No, it’s obviously a powerful item if it’s survived burial in a forge. But you’re going to pick that up red hot?”
The sword told Trogdor, “I can promise you, when you pick me up, you will never fear the heat again.”
“I can do it,” Trogdor said.
He looked at the thing again. Valdergast spoke some words and held a talisman that burned up in his fingers, then touched Trogdor.
“What was that?” the Drakine said.
“A charm of Protection from Fire,” Valdergast said. “It should be good for a few hours.”
Trogdor gripped the hilt of the blade and lifted it easily. The heat almost seemed to flow out and through him in a warm glow. And he noticed that he no longer felt the heat of the forge, although that may have been just the wizard’s spell. Trogdor looked at the sword, which now seemed to be cooled, although it still had a coppery-amber color, still seeming to radiate heat. It was a crude-looking thing by Man’s standards, a large chopping blade with several jagged edges along its length, although Trogdor had seen other Drakine weapons that were designed this way. It also had a few Drakine runes along the blade which Trogdor recognized as such even though he couldn’t read. However, Valdergast did recognize one of the runes as being the same one that wizards used in creating Protection from Fire.
“What are you?” Trogdor thought.
”I was called the Red Sword by many,” it said. “I was created with the spirit of a great Drakine general, and I gave several heroes victory against our people’s foes. And we shall find victory again.”

Meanwhile, Tanaka was getting his arrowhead out of the corpse while Valdergast checked the bodies for coin. Lo’ma’ndra came up to the Orc and used her powers to speak to him in his language.
“How many Orcs does Skarill have here?” she asked.
The workman said, “At least a hundred. There are usually more.”
“Where are the others?”
“Most of our forces are led by Giants. They’ve all gone out to help attack Vestria.”
Lo’ma’ndra asked him, “Is Skarill here?”
He nodded.
”Who else is with him?”
He shrugged in his vines. “Why should I say more? You’re going to kill me anyway.”
Valdergast told her, “Tell him it’s the difference between clean and quick or nice and slow.”
“Yes,” Lo’ma’ndra said. “If it matters how you die.”
The Orc paused. Lo’ma’ndra asked again, “Who else is with him?”
“Where’s the treasure room?” Valdergast asked.
The Orc said, “Gardvord is the chief’s main lieutenant. He is a Troll Enchanter. He has access to our soldiers’ treasury.”
”Is Gardvord here?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
”Yes- he is the supervisor of the forge,” the Orc said.
“Last question, where is Gardvord?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
“Past the entrances to the forge, on the upper level of the gatehouse next to the mountain wall, he has his rooms. The door is locked. We have never dared try to open it,” the Orc told her.
Lo’ma’ndra stepped back. “All right then,” she said. She looked to Trogdor.
Trogdor touched the Drakine sword to the vines, and the sword again became red-hot, smoldering the plant growth.
Lo’ma’ndra touched Trogdor’s sword arm. “No!” she said. “He does not need to be… burned.”
“Cut off the head then?” Trogdor asked.
Lo’ma’ndra shrugged. “The usual.”
-

[James Gillen]

Session Twelve - Chapter Two

The group left the forge and went up the corridor that led further into the complex. Dodging random Orc patrols of the halls, they managed to reach the hall where the workman’s description indicated the Troll’s chamber. Its door was certainly large enough for a Troll, and looked to have a rather elaborate decoration, including its door knob, which seemed to be a protruding lever in a larger machine depicted on the metallic door. Rogar thought to check the door for traps, and realized that Gardvord had hooked a spring blade into the lever. He had to disconnect that and reconnect the lever before he could open the door.
Rogar lit a torch and looked inside. The chamber was a rather elaborate room, and not merely because of the owner’s size. Gardvord had a Giant-size desk and large chair set up in the room, with various letters and books scattered over it. Rogar also noticed a crystal ball set up on the center of the desk. A shelf full of books was on the wall, and crude furnishings for clothes were set up next to a great bed that was largely a bale of hay packed into sewn blankets. Even that was more artistry than most greenskins displayed in their home design.
“Come in, folks, we need to look around,” Rogar said. Valdergast eagerly took advantage of the opportunity, seizing the crystal ball first and finding a blanket to wrap it in. “I need to make sure Skarill isn’t using it to look at US,” he said.
Rogar checked the bureaus of the desk and found a Man-sized belt and a metal flask with a rune on it. Meanwhile, Tanaka checked the bedding for treasure. “I found this,” he said, producing a thick leather bag.
“What’s in it?” Trogdor asked.
“Coins, many coins,” Tanaka said, putting the bag on the desk.
“How many?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
The barbarian spilled some of the coinage out, producing at least a thousand silver pieces. It did not seem the bag could hold so much, and it certainly did not seem that heavy. Tanaka put his hand in to find the bottom. The others looked in wonder as he stuck his arm past the elbow into a bag that was only a foot wide and deep.
“It’s all full of coins,” Tanaka smiled.
“Obviously magical,” Valdergast said. “I guess now we know how Gardvord carries the treasury around.”
Trogdor looked at the silver on the desk. He looked at Lo’ma’ndra and said, “Pay me now.”
Lo’ma’ndra picked up two of the coins and handed them over. “There. That’s this week.”
“Mmh.”
“Can you detect on these other things?” Rogar asked.
Valdergast checked not only the crystal ball but the bag, the belt and the potion flask. All radiated magic. “It’ll still take a while to figure out what the belt is. The potion, that’s trial and error. As for the bag, it seems to be about three feet cube in area, but it only looks like one.”
“And it doesn’t weigh as much as it ought,” Tanaka said.
“Well, then we can use it to carry the crystal ball and the other stuff,” the wizard said. “I also need to take Gardvord’s books and notes. Anything we can use to find out what the master plan is.”
“How do we get into the mountain to find Skarill, though?” Lo’ma’ndra asked. “Most of this place isn’t Giant-sized. The Orc said this was next to the mountain wall.”
“There’s always a chance that Gardvord has an escape passage,” Rogar said.
Once the group had moved some of the books off the shelf for Valdergast to look at, Lo’ma’ndra and Rogar moved the shelf around. There was a slight discoloration in the stones in the middle of the wall, and it wasn’t shaped like the shelf. And it was tall enough for the Troll.
“That’s the secret door?” Lo’ma’ndra asked.
“That’s the heavy slab that the Troll uses for a door,” Rogar said. “Trogdor… you and Tanaka are gonna have to help me move this out of the way.”

Once they did that, the five saw a dark passage extending out, apparently into nothingness. Rogar could see no torch sconces on the wall. He figured that the Troll didn’t need light to see in there. “I’m going to need a torch,” he said. “Some of us ARE Humans.”
The Grey Rangers moved a long distance down the passageway, the corridor not seeming to turn. They were going straight into the mountain core. At length they reached another slab. Rogar looked it over and said, “I’m gonna need help again…”
Trogdor and Rogar moved the slab out of the way. The five stepped out into further darkness, illuminated by strange phosphorescent patches of greenish moss. This illumination shone off reflective surfaces, and the adventurers realized that the stones themselves were covered in ice. They stood at a corner junction with corridors branching left and forward.
Wordlessly, they decided to continue in the forward passage. In less than a minute, they saw something startling. It was a lantern beam, at a Man’s eye level.
A man’s voice called out in Vestrian, “Who goes there?”
The group did not respond. “I mean you no harm,” the man said.
“We mean you harm, so go away,” Trogdor yelled.
“Shush!” Lo’ma’ndra said. “I am sorry. As long as you are peaceful, no harm will come to you.” Even as she said this, Tanaka was taking aim to cover the stranger with his arrow.
The stranger advanced as his lantern met with the group’s torches to light the scene. He was an odd sight. He had short, slightly ruffled hair and a short beard, blond going to grey, with pale skin and light blue eyes. He wore an iron collar and iron ring, with his clothing being heavy but serviceable furs over most of his body.
Lo’ma’ndra asked, “What in the name of the Blue Gods are you doing here?”
“I was captured fifteen years ago.” The man spoke with an unfamiliar, almost singsong accent.
“Fifteen years ago,” the priestess said. “That is when Tarastis was captured.”
“Tarastis.” The man’s eyes widened at the name. “What has happened to her?”
“We captured her and managed to break the spell that was on her,” Lo’ma’ndra said. “She was imprisoned in magical armor and forced to do Skarill’s bidding.”
The man nodded. “What happened to the armor?”
Valdergast said, “We donated it to the Church.”
”The High Church has it? Skarill had been wondering what had happened to her. Amazing…” the man said.
“What of you?” Tanaka asked.
The stranger shook his head sadly. “I am Valin of Karelia. When our party attacked Skarill’s hold, only three of us survived. Tarastis, me and a Ranger named Thorn. And… Skarill told Tarastis that he would let us go if she would become his mate. She accepted this. But Skarill only kept his slightest word. Once he released us, he had his forces hunt us down again. Thorn was killed. I was sent to work for the Orcs in the forges.” He grimaced. “By the time Tarastis found out, she was already with child.”
Valin continued. “So to get her revenge, Tarastis decided to cheat Skarill. A young human sorceress came to work with Skarill, for he sometimes works with others who are willing to take his silver. Tarastis approached the woman and asked her to take her daughter- Skarill’s baby daughter. And then Tarastis took weapons again and faced Skarill down. And he defeated her in battle, but by the time he realized what was going on, the sorceress had stolen off with his child.
“And so, Skarill swore deep revenge on Tarastis. Since she would no longer serve as a wife, he decided to use her battle-skills. He worked with his hired Enchanter, Gardvord, and they made a great suit of winter armor to give her the power of ice and frost. Then he hired a Man with skill at Necromancy- Hrakorth the Scarlet Mage- and he built a special enchantment into the armor to link her soul into it. From that point on, she was no longer a woman, but a cold enforcer of Skarill’s power.”

Lo’ma’ndra shook her head. Trogdor looked at Valin and said, “I’m hungry.”
Lo’ma’ndra asked, “Why haven’t you tried to leave?”
Valin shrugged. “After all this time? Where would I go? I am getting old; the people back home will probably think I am a coward. Or else a traitor for Skarill.”
Valdergast used his detection spell on the stranger and asked, “What is the enchantment on the ring?”
“It is how Skarill keeps track of me. That is also why I cannot leave.”
Rogar asked, “You can’t take it off?”
Valin said, “No, that is part of the magic. Someone else might be able- OW!”
Valdergast moved around and waylaid the older man with his quarterstaff, whacking him about the head another time to make sure. Then he quickly put rags in his mouth and set to binding him. “What are you doing, Valdergast??” Lo’ma’ndra said.
“He’s a spy!” Valdergast hissed. “This is how Skarill’s keeping track of us!”
“That’s nonsense,” Lo’ma’ndra said. “Why would he lie about what he’d said?”
Valin looked up at Valdergast. “MMERH!”
“Hold on,” Rogar said. He reached over and took Valin’s ring off. “I take it that if Skarill is using the ring to track, then he’s going in the direction the ring is?”
Valin nodded.
Rogar flicked the ring down the corridor Valin had come from. “He should be safe now. IF you think we can trust him.”
“Of course,” Lo’ma’ndra said. She looked down at Valin. “I apologize. We’re trying to storm a Giant’s fortress. It’s rather stressful.”
“Mmhr,” Valin said.
Lo’ma’ndra ungagged him. Then she pulled him up and untied the bonds. “Can you help us reach Skarill?” she asked Valin.
Valin paused and said, “This is the part of the mountain where he lives. You see how big the passageways are. Go up the other passage, you will see that the center of the keep is made of pure ice. It is cold enough and packed so densely that it will never melt here. Skarill has a whole throne room made of the black ice. He may be there.”
“Who else will be with him?” Rogar asked.
“There is Gardvord, of course. Skarill has his Orc forces led by Giants and Ogres. Most of them are not here. He does not have them all based here in any case. They are probably attacking Colgrave. The other lieutenant commanding forces here is Skarill’s daughter.
His first daughter, I mean.”
Lo’ma’ndra looked at the man. She asked, “Would you be willing to help us kill him?”
Valin looked back and finally nodded. “If you are willing to protect me, I will help you. I will lead you to his chamber.”
“Rogar, please get that collar off him,” Lo’ma’ndra said. The rogue picked the catch and the bond of slavery fell off.
“You will need protection,” Lo’ma’ndra told Valin. “Trogdor. You already have the Red Sword, so you will need to dispense with one of your blades. Give that one to Valin.”
Trogdor grudgingly complied.
“Are you ready?” Valin asked.

They took the left passage, reaching a spiraling staircase that was carved of pure ice and therefore largely transparent. It would have been small by Giant standards, but greater than any such structure that the adventurers would have seen in a Human castle. The group climbed, with Rogar and Lo’ma’ndra following Valin’s lead, Trogdor and Valdergast moving more reluctantly. Tanaka again took the rear.
As Valin had said, the ice became denser as they climbed, eventually seeming to be a form of stone in itself. Valdergast couldn’t help but feel uneasy in this atmosphere, although it wasn’t simply because of cold.
Finally reaching the head of the staircase, the group looked into a great chamber, with a much larger entrance hall perpendicular to the side stair they were at. The chamber itself had to be over 120 feet long. A great white throne, inlaid with gems and ivory was set into a dais carved of black ice. Giant sized tables were set in the center, and at the farthest one by the throne, there stood a well-formed woman with white hair, pale bluish skin and fine chainmail- standing fifteen feet in height. Behind her stood a twelve-foot tall humanoid of gnarled appearance, with ram-like horns on his head. He wore golden scale mail and had large weapons and a great shield at his end of the table. The group knew that these had to be the two that Valin described.
Rogar said, “All right, where’s Skarill?”
Lo’ma’ndra said, “We need to attack now. As long as we dare wait, he may show himself to us.”
Tanaka asked, “What direction would he be coming?”
Valin said, “Where you least expect.”
And “Valin” blinked, releasing the spell that shrank his body. He stretched his arms, and in one second grew to a full height of over sixteen feet tall. Skarill looked down on the Grey Rangers and sneered, “You naïve fools… I’ve led you to your doom!!”
“What did I TELL you??” Valdergast yelled.

Rogar reacted first. He jumped as high as he could, but realized it would be too much effort to make a called shot on the Storm Giant’s head. But before he hit the ground, he was able to make three attacks with his staff, punishing Skarill with hard shots to the torso and thighs. Tanaka drew an arrow and aimed at the Giant’s skull. Even with the size of the target, it was too high from the ground, and Tanaka missed. Trogdor used the Red Sword in his right hand and one of his other swords in the left. He struck Skarill with both, obviously wounding him. Yet the Giant did not fall.
Skarill smiled grimly and backhanded Rogar, with the rogue barely able to roll with the attack. Rogar counted himself lucky that it wasn’t a harder strike. The group saw the female Giant advance with a great sword that she wielded in one hand. Gardvord the Troll had a tower shield that would have easily covered an entire Man in his left hand, with a gleaming battle axe in the right hand that would have required a two-handed grip for even Trogdor. He did not move as quickly as the woman, but he did not seem to be as eager to fight. And during all of this, the team heard a group of Orcs marching up the main corridor.

Valdergast decided to head them off by throwing a Fireball into the corridor to take them all out. His casting seemed effective. It just didn’t seem to do any damage when the spell landed in the hall. A great cloud of fog came up, and at least a dozen Orcs came out of the great hall, carrying swords and dripping with steam. Between them and Skarill, they had the group pinned in the side corridor, with the only path to the central chamber being cut off by the Giantess, who moved to the side, yelling in Giantish, ordering the forces to surround the invaders.
Lo’ma’ndra looked up at Skarill. She lashed out with the Staff of Thorns, spinning and hitting the Giant three times, finally swinging up to connect the staff with his groin. The chieftain hit the wall with a loud slam.

Rogar yelled to Trogdor, “Take the Troll!” He then moved back to hit Skarill while the Giant was still reeling. He also hit with three staff attacks, pummeling Skarill fiercely. The leader finally slumped down, unconscious.
Tanaka then took advantage of that opportunity to take another arrow and fire it point-blank into the chieftain’s head. Blood spurted from the lord’s cranium. Even then it was hard to say if the arrow killed him, but he was surely near death. The Giantess howled. Lo’ma’ndra made eye contact with her and moved forward. She got in the first blow, wounding the woman with her thorn staff.

Before anyone else could move, the Troll spoke in a guttural tongue, and without warning a mountain of hard rock magically appeared around Valdergast, rendering him completely immobile- and unable to cast spells. Valdergast was rather annoyed at this.
The Troll, Gardvord, advanced toward Trogdor, eyeing his blade. He muttered in Vestrian, “You have the Red Blade? Its heat served me best as a stoke for my magical forges. It will give you nothing but trouble- IF I let you live.”
Trogdor gave the Troll a rude gesture with his claw. Gardvord advanced on him with his gigantic axe. Trogdor swung the Red Sword up, and barely blocked.

The Giantess looked at the group with pure hatred. Lo’ma’ndra caught sight of her face: It was otherwise a quite beautiful face by the standards of Elf or Man, and she seemed to bear a little resemblance to Tarastis. Was this the daughter Skarill had by her? Or did Skarill take Tarastis because she reminded him of a now-dead wife? But then, how could Lo’ma’ndra trust anything he’d said?
The Giantess swung her sword down, and she barely pushed the great sword out of the way with a sideways move of her staff, bringing the attacker’s momentum against her. Lo’ma’ndra quickly turned to Rogar and said, “Thanks for the training!”
“Thank me if we live through this,” he replied. Rogar looked at Trogdor. “Trogdor! You can use that weapon to cut through his shield!”
Trogdor nodded, and the Red Sword glowed again like it did when he pulled it from the forge. Trogdor sliced directly AT the Troll’s tower shield, meeting almost no resistance. The top half of the shield was shorn off in a second, with a useless hunk left in Gardvord’s hand. The Troll’s face hardened. Trogdor grinned.

Tanaka fired at an Orc, wounding him, while Rogar flipped back towards Tanaka and Valdergast to take a defensive position.
The Orcs continued to attack any target in reach, actually cutting Trogdor’s arm. Lo’ma’ndra was attacked by another, and she blocked with her staff. Gardvord dropped the shield and attacked again with a two-handed grip on the axe, and Trogdor blocked with his left sword.
Rogar used his staff to pummel Valdergast’s earthen prison, crushing in some of the rock around him. “I felt that…” the wizard said.
“I’ll try to be a bit more delicate with the rock next time,” Rogar replied.
Rogar made another swift strike with the quarterstaff, this time breaking open the earth trap completely. Valdergast emerged, a bit shaken up.

In the back, Tanaka wasn’t confident enough in his hand-to-hand skill to draw his sword. Trusting in his bow, he fired at another Orc, hitting and staggering the foe.
Rogar, realizing that Trogdor would soon be flanked by Orcs even as Gardvord attacked, flipped around the group and leaped into the chamber. He waved at the Orcs, successfully distracting three, who tried and failed to hit the frantically dodging rogue. Gardvord decided to switch tactics, sweeping his axe blade against Valdergast to his left and Trogdor to the right. Before he could react, Valdergast was struck unconscious, his Wizard’s Shield the only thing that kept Gardvord from shedding his blood and his life. However, Trogdor caught the follow-through of the axe with the Red Sword. He moved again with his left sword to parry an Orc attacking his flank.
Lo’ma’ndra gritted her teeth and made a frantic attack against the Giantess, wielding the Staff of Thorns to connect once, twice and three times, drawing the woman’s blood and almost causing her to fall. An Orc hit Lo’ma’ndra with his sword, but it bounced off her protective aura.
When Rogar got a chance to respond to his attackers, he twirled his staff around to connect against all three of them, dropping them instantly. Tanaka took advantage of his speed to grab Valdergast before Gardvord could get past Trogdor.
But instead of attacking, the Troll looked Trogdor in the eye and smiled. “Another time,” he said. And then Gardvord spoke a magic word and sank into the ice. Trogdor saw him descend, too quickly for him to dig through the ice layer even with his fiery sword.
Trogdor saw two of the Orcs try to flank him, and attacked both, causing one to fall. However, the second foe wasn’t even cut.
The Giantess saw Tanaka drag the wizard’s body behind Skarill’s bulky form. She continued attempting to hit Lo’ma’ndra with her great sword, and Lo’ma’ndra blocked again.
Three more Orcs pressed an attack on Rogar, and he used his acrobatic skill to bounce and weave between them, evading their swings.
Lo’ma’ndra parried another Orc attack. Meanwhile, once Tanaka had made sure Valdergast was safe, he made a “bull’s rush” attack into the Orc attacking Lo’ma’ndra, slamming that foe into another Orc and knocking them both prone.
Another Orc came to help the one still attacking Trogdor. Trogdor made a great slash with the Red Sword cutting one Orc’s head clean off and knocking the second Orc back.
The Giantess changed tactics, deciding to kick Lo’ma’ndra into the wall. Lo’ma’ndra knew she couldn’t block the huge foot, so she jumped directly up and back, using her staff to balance. Tanaka finally drew his sword against the Orcs nearby, wounding one.

Rogar paused and made a counterattack on the Orcs against him. He grabbed his staff in his hands, but in the cold and fog, it seemed to slip in his grasp. Rogar’s first attack knocked an Orc back, and when Rogar swung up to follow through against another foe, the staff twisted and flew out of his hands. Before he could realize it, the staff went straight up and pierced the ceiling like a spear.
And then Rogar realized that the center chamber was made entirely of ice.
And that Valdergast’s spell, however ineffectual, had served to melt part of the corridor leading in, at the point where it opened in to support the chamber.
There was a mysterious rumbling above. Lo’ma’ndra immediately recognized it for what it was. She called out, “Trogdor! Run back in here!” Neither Trogdor nor the Giantess or Orcs seemed to have noticed where the sound was coming from or what it meant.
Rogar’s eyes widened in fright, and he immediately ran toward Trogdor, grabbing him by the back to push him out of the chamber and back into the entrance corridor with the rest of the party. “What’s going on?” Trogdor asked,
As the center of the mountain shuddered, the ceiling of ice caved in, along with a large part of the weight it had supported, coming down straight on the young Giantess and the Orcs in the chamber with her. It took only a few seconds, and there was silence. For a moment.
The Orcs still conscious tried clawing out of the slush, but with another great shudder, the weight that had come down cracked the floor of the central chamber, and the ice shelf collapsed, shearing away from the stairway hall where the Grey Rangers stood. The buried monsters sank even as more ice and rocks came down from above, afternoon sunlight straining through the hollowed-out peak of the great mountain keep.
The adventurers looked out from the hall, at what had to be the largest pile of crushed ice they had ever seen. The Orcs were certainly dead. The Giantess might have survived the pressure and cold, but she was still buried.
No one moved.
Trogdor looked to Rogar and said, “Thank you for being such an idiot.”


JG

[HewhoisMatt]

Ya'll gotta wait till next time we play to get another fix.

[Nolgroth]

Ya'll gotta wait till next time we play to get another fix.

So. get to it.