[Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

There won't be a game this week (Feb 9) or next week (Feb 16), since BunnySue and I will be out of town. FMH resumes on Feb 23!

 

-----

For the next few days after arriving back in Ariean, the heroes went about their own business. After that, they got together at Hob's Hot Pot to exchange notes.

 

Kaira informed everyone that Nikki had left town, going after Ayanna and Ballestreyos (the leaders of the Circle of Thunder). She said that she would bring back information about the Riddle-King, "Even if I have to beat it out of them with a rock." This information came courtesy of an Elf named Acostus, who had been the heroes' tour-guide at the Hall of Kings. For some reason, Acostus was now following Kaira around, telling her about how huge a fan of hers he was.

 

Speaking of newcomers, Leth introduced a couple of old friends that had just arrived in town – Od and Thorsten, two Dwarves who served with him in the army. They had brought sad news; his uncle Slan had been found murdered. Leth suspected that this might have something to do with the Game, possibly the work of Hilgar the Barbarian.

 

Castilla tried to find out if her brother or his ships had come into town. She learned that one of them had been through here – the flagship of his fleet, in fact. It had come in a few weeks ago, gathered supplies, and left almost immediately (not even letting the crew out for shore leave).

 

Illy had done some research on dragons, to see if she could learn any weaknesses the heroes could exploit. Unfortunately, she learned little of immediate value.

 

Leth also produced a letter that he had received, anonymously. It contained some further information about dragons, but like Illy's research it wasn't very hopeful. It did, however, mention a great dragon-hunter who lived in the city of Brills.

 

After some discussion, the heroes decided to head north, back to Leth's homeland, to investigate his uncle's death. If it was part of the Game, the heroes knew they had to deal with it. They spent a couple of days stocking the Endeavor (including buying some trade goods) and plotting their route, then headed west across the Sylvan Gulf.

 

The trip was long and reasonably dull. After several weeks on the open water, they arrived at Drache, the capital of Demoria. Wanting to replenish their supplies and stretch their legs, they decided to stop off here for a few days.

 

Illy, Finn, Castilla, and Chrissie went out to try to sell their trade goods. They found a buyer for the load of coffee beans and got an OK deal. As they were looking for someplace to sell the load of tropical hardwood, they ran into a man who was trying to find wood to repanel his master's office and study. They offered their cargo, and he bought it, sight unseen and without haggling over the price. He told them to deliver the wood to his master's mansion by sundown.

 

Finn and Chrissie rented a wagon and loaded the wood (well… mostly Finn loaded the wood), then headed out of the city to the countryside. Just before sunset, they found the mansion – turns out it was owned by Modenkainen, the famous arch-mage. The butler invited them to sleep in the servants' quarters for the evening, so they ended up staying the night.

 

Meanwhile, Illy decided to try to find more information on dragons, so she went to the very large and very famous wizard's college, the Mystical School of Cli. Unfortunately, when she got there she was told that only people with appointments can speak with the headmaster. "Can I get an appointment?" she asked.

 

"Certainly," the guards replied. "There's an opening in one week."

 

"Can't I get something sooner?" Illy asked, offering some coins to the guard.

"I hope you aren't intending to bribe us," the guard said sternly.

 

"Oh... no, of course not," Illy backpedaled. Apparently, things in Demoria are done a bit differently than in other places (like Kidbod). "If something comes up sooner, will you please notify me?" They assured her that they would.

Illy went back to the ship and asked Leth if the heroes could stay in the city for another week, or if his business was pressing. He agreed to stay at least a few more days.

 

In fact, Leth and his two companions had found an enclave of Dwarves who lived in Drache and, longing for the company of his own people, took to hanging out there. There was little that had changed in his homeland since the time he left – the Dwarves were still building settlements on the Borish side of Titan's Pass; the cold war in Yaronista was still simmering. But there was no big news to speak of.

 

Castilla asked around the port to see if her family ship had come through here. She was told that yes, it had been seen at the docks. It stopped for resupply and then left again at the next tide, just as at Ariean. It was heading west, towards the mouth of Sard Bay, bound for points unknown...

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

We have to wait until after Feb 23?

 

Is there at least some backlog to tide us over?

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

We have to wait until after Feb 23?

 

Is there at least some backlog to tide us over?

 

Thanks much for the compliment. I'm afraid I'm going to be without net access for a while, so there probably won't be much background material to tide you over. Sry!

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks much for the compliment. I'm afraid I'm going to be without net access for a while' date=' so there probably won't be much background material to tide you over. Sry![/quote']

 

*channeling Darth Vader* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

Pardon me while I cry myself to sleep at the thought of the sheer torture of lack of a good campaign log from teh bunneh!

 

:no:

:angst:

:cry:

:weep:

 

 

Other than that, cool entry! Can't wait for the next installment in a few weeks!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

As promised, the continuing adventures of the Fearless Monster Hunters!

----------

FMH Recap for February 23, 2008

After five days in Drache, the guards finally allowed Illy and Castilla into the University. A grad student named Titus met them, holding a notepad. As they walked, he asked her a series of questions. "What are your names? What did you wish to speak with the Archmage about? Who are you affiliated with? What is the name of the dragon? Its location? Any known abilities or other facts about it?" and so on. Illy answered his questions as honestly as she could, and he dutifully wrote down everything she had to say on his pad.

"Why are you asking these things?" Castilla asked.

"Because the Archmage is very busy," Titus answered, struggling not to stare at Castilla's cleavage. "He finds it saves time if he knows beforehand exactly who you are, and what your inquiry is."

Titus brought them straight up to the Archmage’s office. It was warm and close, filled to overflowing with books, cages, bottles, beakers, stuffed animals, and all sorts of things. The Archmage, an older, bearded gentleman, was sitting at his desk conferring with another student. "Dragon troubles, yes?" the Archmage asked without even looking up. "Do me a favor. There’s a rogue sorcerer running around, named Red Palmer. He has failed to pay a sizable debt to me, and has been harming the people in a small, out-of-the-way township. Track him down for me. Rough him up if necessary, but – and allow me to be clear – no deaths. Let him know that his behavior will not be tolerated. Last he was seen was near the Platinum Hills, in a County called Dry Gulch."

Illy interrupted before he could finish. "I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced. I am Illisandri Madril, of the Fearless Monster Hunters. We've come to ask for your assistance with a problem."

"I know all that," the Archmage said impatiently, finally looking up (and glaring at Titus, who looked sheepish and shrugged).

"There is a rogue dragon attacking people, down in the Sylvan Gulf…" Illy continued.

"Yes, yes. Jade Eyes, the spawn of the Green Dragon of Illich. Titus told me all of this already. Once you complete the task I've given you, I will have your answers when you return. Can you do it, or not?"

Illy considered this for a moment. "It is within our capabilities," she said. "But I would have to consult with the rest of my companions first. We're on another mission of some importance that we have to attend to. Also, how can we be certain that your answers will help us? I'd hate to complete your mission, only to find your answer was unsatisfactory."

"Young lady," the wizard said. "I am the Archmage. I have the resources of the entire Council of Nine behind me, as well as the University of Cli and the royal government of Demoria. If I cannot find the answer to your question, then the answer simply doesn't exist. But such knowledge does not come for free. If you wish me to spend my time finding a solution to your problem, then you will complete the small task I've set before you. If that is beyond your capabilities, then good day to you."

Illy and Castilla went back to the others to explain what they had learned. Checking their map, they saw that the Platinum Hills are a long ways off, towards the northeast. The easiest way to get there would be to head east on the Demorian Road as far as Warford, and then go northwest toward the hills. It would be several weeks of overland travel. The heroes determined that it was too far out of their way, so they decided to get back on the Endeavor and continue heading towards Leth's homelands.

Not to welsh on any agreement Illy may have stumbled into, Leth instructed Chrissie to begin composing and singing songs about what a rascal and a cad Red Palmer was. Even if the heroes didn't stop him directly, they could ruin whatever reputation he may have.

So the Fearless Monster Hunters continued north, sailing out of the mouth of Sard Bay and into the Westron Ocean, and then north. They were on the water for weeks, finally pausing at the city of Kelset to resupply and buy warm, waterproof clothes (since autumn was coming hard upon them). Castilla asked after her brother's ship, and found that it had passed through here – once again stopping long enough to pick up supplies and then heading north again.

Then they continued their journey, sailing to the mouth of the Sea of Boret. However, an early storm had blown in, making entrance into the Sea dangerous. Instead, Captain Rackham ordered the ship to weigh anchor and ride the storm out in the open water.

The storm was fierce, icy wind and bitter sleet pouring down, huge waves crashing up. The sailors worked hard to keep the ship afloat. The Captain sent Finnegan to the fore to untangle some lines when, in the darkness, he saw a ship race past them. In the flash of a bolt of lightning, he saw the ship run aground on some rocks and break in half. "Ship ho!" he cried over the storm. "Rocks ho!"

The Captain ordered the Endeavor to come around, trying to stear clear of the unseen shoal. Illy heard shouting abovedecks and raced up to see what was the matter. She sent a magical flare high in the sky to illuminate the water, and everyone clearly saw the wrecked ship. It was too far away to make out the ship's name, but Illy thought she saw it flying a red flag. There were no signs of survivors or anyone in the water – and the seas were too dangerous to approach closer to try a rescue mission. The heroes spent a sleepless night worrying about those lost in the wreck.

The next morning, the storm finally broke, leaving behind choppy water and a sullen, gray sky. In the distance, the heroes saw the remains of the ship, clinging atop a shoal just offshore from a small island. Illy used her magic to look over the island and thought she saw footprints coming out of the surf and heading inland. On hearing that there might be survivors, Leth ordered Finn, Kaira, and Styggiad to the Endeavor's longboat, and together the four of them rowed to the little island.

When the heroes got a closer look at the wrecked ship, they saw it was a Demorian naval vessel, probably a long-range patrol craft out of Masingberg. The name stenciled on the bow was The King's Pride.

Leth found the footprints easily enough, and the heroes followed them up into the island, which was mostly granite, sparsely covered with stunted pines. It didn't take long for the heroes to find the survivors – three men crouching around a fourth, who lay on the ground unmoving. Finn called to them, but they didn't respond so he walked down to see if they were OK.

"My friends, we saw your wreck and came to see if we could render help," he said, touching the nearest one on the shoulder. But the man wheeled around and snarled like a wild beast. His face was ashen, his eyes glazed with death, and his mouth dripping with blood. He lashed out and caught Finnegan in the chest with its ragged fingernails.

"Undead!" Finn cried, whipping out his sword and backing away as three of them slowly advanced on him.

"Back off!" Leth ordered. "Let them come to us! Styggiad, circle around them and see about the one lying on the ground."

Kaira called on the power of her goddess and blasted the nearest one with holy light. Finn followed up with a blast of black energy. The creature, though sodden with seawater, burst into flames and collapsed to the ground. The others stumbled after the heroes, but were not quick enough to catch them. Kaira and Finn continued to blast them with magic, until all three were heaps of ash.

Meanwhile, Styggiad circled around the battle, keeping to the cover of the trees, and approached the final sailor. To her horror, she found that he was dead – and worse, had been partially devoured by the other three! He may have survived the wreck, but not the aftermath. Not certain if this one was cursed to rise like the others, she cut off its head.

Leth ordered the group to split up and search the island – there may be other survivors, or there may be more of the undead monstrosities. Luckily, the rest of the island was clear. Lest the wrecked ship be harboring more of the cursed creatures, Leth reluctantly ordered it burned to the waterline. With the King's Pride blazing behind them, the Endeavor entered the Sea of Boret and sailed on towards Masingberg.

TBC!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks for the update!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

FMH Recap for March 1, 2008

Now that the weather had cleared, the Endeavor was able to make good time to Masingberg. This is a smaller city, one of the most northern in Demoria, sitting on the coast of the Sea of Boret, guarding the coastline from attacks by the fierce Borish raiders of the north (as well as more horrible things from the sea or the nearby wilderness). At night, the harbor is chained shut with an enormous metal chain, but during the day it's busy as various merchants and tradesmen from north and south try to get their final bit of business done before winter sets in.

 

From here, the FMH were determined to make the rest of their trip to Retor overland. They didn't want the Endeavor to be forced to overwinter here, so they told Captain Rackham to sail back south to Drache and wait for their return in a few months.

 

The heroes began to split up to accomplish their various tasks when a courier approached them. "Are you the Fearless Monster Hunters?" he asked. On affirmation, he gave them an envelope. "I was told to be here at this hour and give you this," he told them.

 

Kaira took the envelope, but found herself unable to read the script. She handed it off to Leth, who was similarly unable. Finally, Chrissie took it, tore it open, and read:

Two heads are better than one.

Four legs are better than two.

So three heads and six legs must be best of all!

 

"What the heck does that mean?" Chrissie asked.

 

"I don't know, but obviously the Riddle-King has been here," Leth answered. As the heroes puzzled this new mystery out, suddenly there was a tremendous ROAR and out of the water rose an enormous beast – three heads, six legs, and 100% mean! Sailors and passers-by ran for cover as a battle broke out!

 

One of the heads lashed down and snatched Kaira up from the docks, the tiny Hobbit dangling from its enormous jaws. Another head breathed a gout of fire at Leth and Finnegan – Finn dove behind some crates and avoided the flames, but Leth stood firm and took the flames full-on. The third head snapped at Illy, grabbing her dangling longcoat and shredding it, but barely missing her tender flesh.

 

Finn drew his weapon and charged, leaping atop the head that held Kaira and hacking at it. Chrissie whispered a few charmed words and that head suddenly stopped moving. Illy froze the water around the creature so it couldn't climb up on shore. Leth charged and hacked at one of the heads with his axe, and Styggiad followed suit. Kaira swallowed a potion that Illy had given her and slipped into the Ghost-Realm, dropping out of the creature's jaws.

 

One of the heads, enraged that these little creatures were hurting it, snapped down and grabbed Styggiad, painfully biting down on her midsection and dragging her up into the air. "Sister!" Illy cried, rushing forward and grabbing her sister's hand. Illy cast a spell and dragged herself and Styggiad into the Ghost-Realm. Illy left her injured sister there and stepped back into the real world. Finn continued to hack at the paralyzed head and finally managed to sever it. Chrissie, amazed and delighted that her spell worked, cast another one at a different head. It, too, stopped moving, and Leth took full advantage, hacking at it ferociously.

 

The giant beast shook itself free from the ice that held it and climbed up on shore. It unleashed another gout of flame, singing several of the heroes. Finnegan leapt to the top of the body and began jamming his sword into its back, hoping to find a vital spot. Illy (after much prompting by the disembodied spirit of Wyssian) blasted the remaining un-paralyzed head with a bolt of magical energy, nearly severing it. Leth jumped up and finished the job with a swing of his mighty axe.

 

Kaira healed Styggiad's wounds, and she bravely ran back into the fray, slashing at the sole remaining head. That's when Illy noticed the head that Finnegan severed was slowly growing back. "Fire!" she cried. "We need fire! Cauterize the stumps!" Several nearby sailors grabbed torches and tossed them to the heroes.

 

Soon, all three heads were dead… but still the beast fought on! The enormous body continued stomping around the docks, smashing everything in its path. "What's it take to stop this thing?" Leth demanded.

 

"Just keep fighting!" Finn replied, driving his sword deep into its gut.

 

Finally, working together, the heroes killed it. It slumped to the ground, its guts spilling out of a dozen huge wounds. The heroes, exhausted from this battle, collapsed. That's when they saw the large number of Demorian soldiers rushing to secure the area.

 

"What the hell was that?" the captain barked. "Who are you people?"

 

"We don't know what it was," Chrissie told the officer. "It attacked us out of the blue; we were just defending ourselves (and the others on the dock)."

 

The captain wasn't impressed. "You're coming down to the station with me to sort this all out," he said. He ordered his men to begin cleaning up the mess, marched the heroes to the nearest guardhouse, and threw them into cells.

 

These were some of the nicest cells that certain of the heroes had ever seen (Castilla and Finn) – clean, rat-free, and very secure. Illy felt herself cut off from the Flow, her magic blocked by some force. There were two other people in the cells already – a drunk, passed out on his cot, and a guy who introduced himself as Robert the Half.

 

He seemed like a friendly guy, and started making conversation. "Not too many people to talk to down here," he said. "Drunky there isn't much of a conversationalist. So what're you guys in for?" he asked.

 

"We got attacked by a giant monster on the docks, and they're keeping us under lock and key until they figure out that we didn't have anything to do with it," Kaira explained.

 

He scratched his head. "Huh. Another one?" he asked. "Damn things have been cropping up for months. It's driving the cops crazy. I'm not surprised they arrested you – they're looking for any leads they can find. What's this one look like?"

 

"There have been others?" Leth asked.

 

Robert nodded. "Yeah, they've been showing up for six months or so. Every one of them looks different, but they've all got the same pattern to their attacks. This is the first time I've heard of one attacking within the city limits though. You guys lucked out, I guess!"

 

"So what are you in for?" Illy asked.

 

"Hunting without a license on the King's lands," he said. "No worries, though. They'll probably let me out today or tomorrow some time. I get to sleep inside for a few days, pay a fine, and then I'm back out. The system works!"

 

"Sounds to me like it encourages recidivism," Illy observed.

 

"I'm not sure what reci-whatever means," Robert said. "But I'm just a poor hunter. A man's gotta eat, and if he doesn't have any money that means he's gotta hunt. It's not my fault that the deer I was after wandered onto the King's lands. Anyway, it's not so bad. I get along with most of the cops, and they aren't like the police in some towns (or so I've heard)."

 

It was about then that Illy noticed that Robert seemed to be missing his left hand. "What happened to your hand?" Kaira asked. "Oh this?" he said, looking embarrassed and covering it up quickly. "I got in an argument with a gnoll a while ago, down in the forests," he says. "Bugs me when the weather changes, but other than that it doesn't slow me down much. So what are a bunch of southerners doing in this part of the world?" he asked, changing the subject.

 

"We're the Fearless Monster Hunters," Kaira told him.

 

"Oh, so you came about the monster problem," he nodded. "Too bad the cops have already hired someone to help them with their problem."

 

"Who?" Leth asked.

 

"Some out-of-towner," Robert said. "His name is Ismet Rory. He's supposed to be an expert on monsters. Nice enough guy. Supposed to be some kind of genius. He's renting a manor house outside of town, doing research or somesuch."

 

"The local authorities don't have the resources to deal with the problem on their own?" Leth asked. "Local mages or priests or something?"

 

"They've got resources," Robert said. "But nobody has any expertise on these kinds of critters. Usually the worst thing you get around here is a stray Giant from the mountains."

 

About that time, a guard came down to bring the heroes some food. "OK, Robert," he said. "You're free to go."

 

"Good luck to you, friends!" he waved as the guard let him out. "Look me up next time you're in jail. I'm off to try to find a job; get a few coins in my pocket before winter sets in."

 

"Hey, when do we get let out?" Kaira asked.

 

"As soon as the captain says," the guard told her.

 

After a few more hours in the cooler, the captain came back. First, he introduced himself as Captain Langley of the Draconians, then he informed the heroes of their rights under Demorian law. They were not required to answer any of his questions, but things would go much more smoothly if they did so. He was not allowed to use any type interrogation magic without the presence of a magistrate or priest, and he was not allowed to use "physical" means of extracting information. The heroes could hire a lawyer, should they desire. They told him that they didn't need a lawyer, and that they were happy to help with his investigation.

 

"Very well," he said. "First, I need to know what you had to do with the monster attack this morning. According to eyewitness accounts, the beast targeted you specifically. We also found this," he pulled out the Riddle-King's note, "among your belongings."

 

Kaira explained to the officer that they were the Fearless Monster Hunters, Generation Two. She explained that they were heading up to Retor to investigate the death of Leth's uncle (and to pay their respects). She then told him about the Riddle-King and the contest he was hosting. "We don't know where the monster came from," she said. "But it's apparent that the Riddle-King was here before us and planned this attack as a trap. We're sorry that your docks got wrecked, but we were only defending ourselves."

 

"I'll have to look into this to see if your story checks out," Captain Langley said. "You'll have to spend the night here, I'm afraid. I'll speak with you again in the morning."

 

The next morning, he returned. "Well, your story checks out," he said. "You're free to go. Try not to get into any more trouble."

 

"What happens if another monster attacks us?" Leth asked.

 

"We don't expect you to take the law into your own hands," he said. "That's what the police are for. But obviously, you should defend yourselves. Please report any disturbances to the nearest police officer or magistrate."

 

The heroes had to figure out what they were going to do next. "I'm suspicious of this Rory fellow," Leth said. "This expert on monsters shows up right after the city starts having monster problems; seems a little too convenient. Plus, his name is disturbingly similar to the Dr. Rohrbach that we know is in on the Contest. We should investigate." The FMH decided that, on their way out of town, they would circle around to Rory's house and check on things. But since they didn't know the area, they would need to hire a guide.

 

Since the heroes had already lost a day, they split up to accomplish their tasks. Finnegan and Chrissie went to buy a couple of wagons and some mules to transport their cargo north. He found a friendly wainwright who offered them a pretty good deal on a couple of "gently used" wagons. "I just finished replacing the rear axle on this one," he said. "She's well built and good to go. This other one needs a new wheel, but I can get that fixed up for you by tomorrow if you want her."

 

Finnegan said he'd be back tomorrow with cash. He asked the wainwright where he could buy weapons or armor, and the man directed him to the guildhouse of a mercenary group known as the Doomsingers. Finn had heard of these guys before – they were supposed to be a real professional outfit. He wandered over to see if he could talk with somebody.

 

He had a nice chat with a young Lieutenant. The first thing that Finn noticed was that the extensive training grounds were empty. "Where are all your men?" he asked.

 

"It's all these monster attacks," Lt. Dustin said. "We're on contract with the Draconians to provide extra manpower in emergencies – and this counts as one. Half of our men are out patrolling the roads and villages, trying to make sure that when the next beastie attacks, there's someone there to put a stop to it. I'm stuck here at HQ because one of them took a chunk out of my shoulder, and the surgeon says I have to take it easy until it heals." He sounded sad, like he wanted to be out with the rest of the men.

 

"Where are the monsters coming from?" Finn asked.

 

"Nobody knows," Lt. Dustin sighed. "But if we could find out, we'd put a stop to it for good. They just pop up at random, with no pattern as far as we can tell. We're running ourselves ragged, trying to be everywhere at once – and the Draconians are having an even worse time of it."

 

"Sounds like you need to fill your ranks," Finn suggested. "What's it take to be a Doomsinger?"

 

"I'm glad you asked," Dustin said, going into recruiting mode. "We're a professional outfit that's been in business for thirty years – since before the War of the Swords. Our biggest client is the Demorian military, but we do a great deal of work for private concerns as well. Our marines are well known up and down the coast of the Westron Ocean, guarding valuable properties from pirates and worse things. Benefits for joining our team include a free uniform, free training, and a steady paycheck."

 

Finn liked the sound of that last part. "So you get paid weekly?" he asked.

 

"Only when you're working," Dustin said. "We want to keep our men busy, and we reward those who take the most assignments. That's how we promote our officers as well. The more you put into the Doomsingers, the more you get out. We're looking for professional warriors, men who can follow orders and make our clients feel secure."

 

Finnegan thanked the man and left. On their way out, Chrissie asked him if he was going to leave the FMH. He didn't have a good answer for her.

 

Leth went to find a guide. Since they had already met someone who made his living in the woods, he sought out Robert the Half. He found the woodsman trying to coax a bartender into giving him another drink on credit. "Remember that fellow you were telling us about?" Leth asked. "The consultant, Rory?"

 

"Yeah, the professor," Robert said. "What about him?"

 

"Do you know where he lives?" Leth asked.

 

"Sure I do. I go by his place all the time," Robert said. "Are you looking for a guide?"

 

"Something like that," Leth said. "We're going to be leaving town in a day or two; we want you to go with us to show us where his house is. Can you do that?"

 

"Yeah, I'm all about that," Robert said happily. "But, uh, if you want me to stay in town for a couple of days, do you think you could give me an advance? I seem to have lost my coin purse…"

 

Leth rolled his eyes, but gave the man a little money. "I'll meet you here again tomorrow with our plans, and with another bit of coin," the Dwarf said. "Try not to spend it all on booze – we'll need you sober on the trip."

 

"I'll be as sober as a churchmouse!" Robert promised, and Leth left him.

 

Meanwhile, Kaira wanted to see the city. She had noticed a large park in the very center of town, so she wandered in that direction. While wandering around the expansive but manicured wilderness, she ran into a pair of fellow Druids. She introduced herself to them, and they invited her to walk around with them.

 

They explained to her the history of this city, how it had been built by a nobleman under the auspices of the Demorian king, some 500 years ago. The city was unique in that it was completely planned out – the streets followed a strict spoke-and-wheel pattern. Even the park in the center of town was part of the plan, and there were always two Druids here to take care of it. Unfortunately, the Druids couldn't tell Kaira much about the monster attacks – only that the creatures were completely un-natural and thus beyond their ken.

 

At the same time, Illy and Styggiad wandered the streets looking for an alchemist to buy new supplies from. Illy wanted to make sure she had enough herbs and other ingredients to make some new potions, if they needed. Eventually, they stumbled on an apothecary's shop. The kindly old proprietor invited them to sit down for some tea, and they chatted about various herbs and cures for a while.

 

Meanwhile, Castilla went back to the docks. She wanted to find out if her family's ship had come through town. To her dismay, she learned that not only had it been in town, but it just left with that morning's tide! Disappointed, she headed for the nearest bar. On the way there, though, she spotted the courier who had given them the letter from the Riddle-King.

 

"Hey, you!" she said, stopping him. "I have some questions for you! You brought us a letter yesterday. Who gave that to you?"

 

The man shrugged. "I didn't know the gentleman. He wore a mask covering his face. Very odd, but who am I to complain? He paid in good silver."

 

"Did he say anything to you?" she demanded.

 

"All he said was that a ship called the Endeavor would be docking at that particular dock, and that a group of dangerous-looking people called the Fearless Monster Hunters would come off it. I was to give the envelope to them. That was all."

 

"How did he know we would be docking there?" Castilla asked.

 

"I have no idea," the man said. "As I said, he paid quite well, so I didn't ask questions."

 

Castilla let the man go, but was still seething with frustration.

 

TBC!

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

I wonder which was worse: the monster above or the Tolkien Dragon we fought tonight in our Tribute to Gary Gygax game ? Anyway, good show !

[teh bunneh]

FMH Recap for March 1, 2008

 

After gathering their supplies, the heroes headed out along the Demorian Road, guided by their new buddy, Robert the Half. He told them he knew a way to get them to Professor Rory's manor, but since they were taking a circuitous route it would take them all day to get there. After a few hours, Robert took them off the road and onto a dirt track, heading south.

 

The ground was littered with dried leaves in red and orange and yellow. They walked past rolling and rocky farmland and towards the great dark forest. "The Silver Forest, they call it," he told them. "But up here it's more black than silver. At least, until the first snow falls." Robert was quite chatty, telling them about the forest, the local villages, and the flora and fauna of the area.

 

They followed the winding dirt road past several villages until Leth ordered them to stop a half-mile or so from the Manor. The party started to set up camp while Castilla went ahead alone to scout out the place.

 

Just as the sun was setting, she found the place. It was an old, dark castle made from black stone. As darkness began to fall, the air grew cold and a sharp wind kicked up from the north, swirling the leaves around the Jill's feet. She climbed over the low outer wall and approached the manor house. Only a single light was burning, in the upper floor, so she climbed the wall to get a better look. As soon as she topped the battlements, a vicious dog began barking and snarling at her, from inside.

 

She tried to sneak a bit closer, but the dog grew more and more wild until finally, someone opened a door to let it out. Castilla leapt off the edge of the battlement to escape the huge, fierce, black dog. The dog howled and snarled and tried to get at her while she beat a hasty retreat back to the team. She reported back to Leth, who told the heroes to settle in for the night. They would all go back to the house first thing in the morning.

 

The next morning, the heroes left Od and Thorsten (Leth's Dwarf buddies) to guard the mules and wagons and hiked back to the manor. The manor was surrounded by a low stone wall, broken by a gate in front. Written in the iron bands above the gate was the word Ravensdale. "The family that once owned these lands died out a generation ago," Robert told them. "The Crown took possession of the land. Now they're renting it out to this fellow, in exchange for his help with the monsters."

 

Leth decided to try the direct route. He politely knocked on door. A tall, gaunt man (who had to be Professor Ismet Rory) came to the door, alongside an enormous mastiff. "I have no time for vagabonds," he said sharply. "I bid you go elsewhere." He slammed the door in their faces. Leth knocked again. He opened the door a second time and, before he could draw breath to rebuke them, Leth said that they had been sent by the Demorian government to ask a few questions.

 

"I told you before that I was not to be disturbed, if you wish answers to your questions," the Professor said. "And besides, you don't look like government officials. Where are your uniforms?"

 

"We're not officials," Leth said. "We're private contractors, assisting the government in their inquiries."

 

"You may tell the Draconians that they will have my report anon," the Professor said. "Good day."

 

At this point, Robert cleared his throat. "Ahem, Professor sir?" he said. "Maybe you should invite these nice folks in for a cup of tea before sending them away."

 

"Mmm?" The Professor looked at the woodsman. "Oh, it's you," he said. "Very well. Won't you come in and have some tea?"

 

The heroes followed the Professor into the kitchen. He sat at the table while Robert poked around the kitchen, boiling some water for tea (and stealing dry goods from the cabinets). The mastiff stood in the doorway, preventing anyone from leaving the room. Illy sat next to the Professor and began explaining their situation.

 

"We're the Fearless Monster Hunters," she said. "Two days ago, we were attacked by an enormous creature with three heads. We managed to kill it before it did too much damage, but it injured several of us. We've been tasked by the Demorians to look into the attack, and they told us you were the man to talk to."

 

"Did the beast continue fighting, even after the three heads were dispatched?" the Professor asked.

 

"It did," Illy confirmed. "Though since it apparently couldn't see, it was rather ineffectual."

 

"Fascinating," the Professor said.

 

Illy spoke with him for several hours, trying to glean information from him about the monsters. However, his conversation wandered in odd tangents… except when they were discussing the three-headed monster, during which he became very focused and direct. Illy wasn’t entirely sure if he was being extremely clever and cagey, or if he was completely scatter-brained and absent-minded. However, he showed a great deal of knowledge about biology and monster lore in general, and by the end of the conversation, Illy was convinced that this was, indeed, the infamous Dr. Rohrbach.

 

Unfortunately, she had no solid proof – just a hunch. But a hunch wasn't enough for Leth to act on – he wanted evidence. The heroes thanked the Professor for his time and took their leave, heading back towards their camp. About halfway there, the heroes paused while Illy cast a spell to let her spy around through the Professor's house.

 

Her invisible eye zipped around the back of the house to check out the carriage house and barn. She found the carriage house had become a morgue of some sort – filled with the dissected bodies of a dozen or more monsters. The monsters were to be arranged in order – the smallest (a large stag with the head of a forest lion) all the way to the biggest (the beast the heroes killed the previous morning). Gruesome biological diagrams of the monsters were pinned to the wall, with notes scrawled in the margins, detailing just how each monster had been killed. Though gristly, it didn't appear to be out of order; it was in line with the job Dr. Rory had been hired for.

 

But the barn was a different story. Inside were a dozen large cages of various sorts, along with a full laboratory/operating chamber. The cages are empty, though there were signs they had recent occupants. The operating room had some notes pinned to the wall; for the most part they were simply bemoaning the lack of decent "subjects" with which to work – the creatures in the deserts of Kidbod and Masube were much better. Illy couldn't exactly identify what kind of monsters or animals had been kept in the cages, but she guessed that two of the more recently-occupied cages had some sort of bird-like creatures in them (possibly cockatrices).

 

Her suspicions confirmed, she then sent her invisible eye into the manor house to see what "Professor Rory" was currently up to. She found him in his private suite, working on some paperwork. However, as soon as her eye entered the room, the large dog sensed its presence and began barking and chasing it. Illy tried to avoid the mongrel beast, but eventually its barking attracted the attention of the Professor, who came over to see what the matter was.

 

Worried that he might spot the eye, she dropped the spell and told Leth what she had discovered. "Well, that confirms it," he said. "Let's go back there and administer some justice."

 

But before the heroes had a chance to do anything, they suddenly heard the flapping of enormous wings swooping directly towards them, out of the sun!

 

TBC!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Ooo...a cliffhanger in the classic tradition!

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Still can't rep you......

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

No game this week (one of our players was preparing for his thesis defense). FMH will resume this coming weekend!

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Good stuff yet again! Can't wait for more (even tho I managed to forget about it for a month...)

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

FMH Recap for April 5, 2008

Before the heroes could react, a giant winged beast flew down out of the sun and lunged at Finnegan. Luckily for the strapping warrior, Styggiad heard it coming and leapt between it and him, slashing at it with her spear and diverting its attack.

The heroes circled up but the beast was cagey, flapping around above them and only swooping down when it thought it had a target. Chrissie recognized it… or thought she did… It looked like a Cockatrice, but those animals don't ever grow so large, and they can't really fly like this one could. "Whatever it is, don't let it touch you!" Leth told the others. "Remember what that Cockatrice did to Trouble back in Pasion!"

Illy cast a spell to coat its head in frost, which blinded and confused it (as well as coating its deadly beak in less-deadly ice), and Styggiad managed to use her spear to pin its wing to the ground. Chrissie accidentally got too close and the beast slammed into her with its head. She flew backwards and crashed to the ground, unmoving. The rest of the party saw this and went into a fury to protect their taleweaver, and soon the monster was dead.

"We'd better get back to Rohrbach's house, before he sets another one of his patchwork monsters against us," Leth suggested, and the heroes headed back. Finn and Castilla snuck around the back, in case the Professor had any more surprises for them; the rest of the group went to the front door and knocked.

After a moment, the Professor came to the door. "No vagabonds!" he said harshly. "I'm busy – be gone with you!" He tried to slam the door, but Leth blocked it with his foot.

"We've been sent by the Demorians to place you under arrest," Leth said. "Come along quietly, else we bring trouble to your doorstep."

The Professor didn't say anything, but his dog immediately lunged at the Dwarf. Luckily, Illy was prepared for just such an eventuality. With a word, she covered the dog with a mass of thick web-like substance, pinning it to the ground. The dog, far more powerful and vicious than others of its breed, still tried to break free. Kaira attempted to calm the beast, but it was far too ferocious to listen to her calming words, so she put it to sleep instead. Finn quickly locked the beast into one of the Professor's cages before it woke up.

The heroes then questioned the Professor about his dealings. "Mostly, we're interested in your relationship with the Riddle-King," Leth told him. The Professor remained reluctant, but eventually Chrissie was able to talk him into revealing what he knew (using magical means – shhhh! Don't tell the Demorian police!).

It turned out that the Professor had a hard time settling in any one place to perform his experiments, because after just a few months in any given place, he would find himself surrounded by angry mobs with pitchforks and torches. But the Riddle-King promised to set the doctor up in a new place, far away from the superstitious and ignorant people, if the doctor would just do him a simple favor: Lure the Fearless Monster Hunters here, and kill them when they arrived.

The Professor readily agreed, and magically keyed a certain command into his creatures' gene code that would cause them to viciously attack anyone meeting the FMH's descriptions. He did not know where the Riddle-King is currently, but he seems to recall speaking with him very recently.

The heroes bound Dr. Rohrbach up and took him back to the city, presenting their evidence to Captain Langley of the Demorian police. They were instructed not to leave town until he could conduct a full investigation, so they settled in to wait. A day later, the captain told them that they had discovered enough evidence at the manor house to convict Dr. Rohrbach, and that their testimony, while welcome, wouldn't be necessary. He also presented them with a small reward for the capture of the culprit responsible for the monster attacks.

The next day, the heroes once again headed out of town, heading east and north, towards Leth's homelands in the Asgard Mountains.

TBC!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Cool stuff! Thanks for the update.

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

WOOHOO!!!

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Time to organize a Bunneh Fan Club !

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Fearless Monster Hunters Recap for April 12, 2008

The heroes were on the road to Lörm Pass, the gateway between Demoria, Boresheim, and Retor. They had to go through the town at the foot of the mountains, named South Lörm, where they found the streets crowded with angry merchants and travelers.

Kaira and Chrissie went to see what was going on, and they heard one of the Demorian officers telling the crowd that they couldn't go to the Pass. "Why not?" one merchant yelled. "I've got a load of vegetables that can't linger here in the city, I need to sell them before they go bad!"

"You cannot go up the pass," the hapless officer told them, "Because there's something up there, something terrible. We don't know what, exactly. We lost contact with the way station up there, and those we sent to investigate never came back. We've sent word to Masingberg for more men to go up and investigate, but until they get here you'll have to sit tight!"

Meanwhile, Castilla scaled the city wall to take a look up into the mountains. She saw that the pass was covered with boiling, black clouds, flickering with lightning – the fiercest blizzard she'd ever seen! (Though that wasn't saying much for the desert-born Jill).

Kaira managed to attract the lieutenant's attention and told him that they were the Fearless Monster Hunters, and asked if they could be of any service? "The Fearless Monster Hunters?" he asked. "I've heard of you guys! Do you know Lord and Lady Whitestar?"

"No, they retired long ago," Kaira admitted. "But we know their son!"

The officer invited the two ladies back to his office for some hot tea. He explained what was going on, though it wasn't much more than they'd already overheard. "It's this weather that worries us," he said. "We never get a blizzard this early. And the way it's just hanging over the mountain, not moving an inch… there's something not right about it."

"Can we help?" Kaira said. "We can go up the pass, see what's going on, and come back to report to you. That way, you won't have to risk your own men."

The lieutenant happily agreed – "If the Fearless Monster Hunters are here, the problem is practically solved!" The soldiers opened up the gates for the heroes to go out and climb up to the pass.

There wasn't much snow until they reached the top of the pass – then it was like a solid wall of bitter wind, driving snow, and biting sleet. Visibility was terrible, but Illy managed to spot the Demorian's guard tower… or what was left of it. It had been knocked down; nothing but rubble was left. Leth ordered half of the team to hunker down and keep an eye on their surroundings; the other half fanned out into the rubble to search for survivors.

After about twenty minutes of searching, Leth found a lone survivor, badly injured, in a Draconian uniform. The Dwarves pulled him out of the rubble and called for Kaira. "He's in bad shape," Kaira said, checking him over. "Both legs are broken, and he may be bleeding internally. We have to get him to a shelter."

Leth told the rest of the party to try to find the way station that was supposed to be up here. It didn't take long. It had been collapsed and burned to the ground. But Finnegan spotted the station's barn, which was untouched by violence. The heroes carried the wounded soldier into the barn, where they found the soldiers' horses and several oxen, still alive but very hungry after having been neglected for a couple of days.

While Kaira tended the wounded and Finn fed the livestock, Castilla went out to investigate the burned way station. She found that the foundation of the building had been dug out from under it. There was a wide, almost perfectly circular tunnel with glassy walls that disappeared under the mountains. Without regard for her own safety, she went down the tunnel to see where it led.

But after wandering the winding, shifting tunnel for nearly half an hour, she decided it wasn't going anywhere and headed back to the others to report.

"Well, the storm hasn’t lessened and it's getting dark," Leth said. "We'll wait until first light, then saddle up the horses and head back to South Lörm at best speed. Whatever happened here, we missed it."

The heroes set watches and climbed up into the hayloft to sleep. That night, Chrissie thought she felt the ground rumbling beneath her, but the others told her it was probably just nerves. Still, they made sure to keep their eyes open in case something came back to finish the job.

An hour or so before dawn, the injured soldier came too. After the heroes assured him that they were friends, he told them what he remembered. "I was standing watch on the tower when it happened. I saw the blizzard blowing in from the north, coming fast. The wind hit like a hammer, bringing with it stinging sleet and blinding snow. Visibility was near zero. I saw something coming down the pass, out of the blizzard, three of them – Giants, I'm sure of it! I called out a warning, but it was too late. Something hit the tower, and I fell. That's the last thing I remember."

"We'd best get ready to go," Leth said. "If there's Giants about, we need to be elsewhere."

Finn prepped the animals to leave and began leading them out the big barn doors. That's when a huge shadow loomed over him. He felt a sharp pain, and then was flying through the air. He landed heavily in a snowbank. The livestock panicked and began running in every direction as a Giant, thirty feet tall and clad in leather and chain, swung it spear at the hapless Nekian!

Leth charged over to help, but found his way blocked by stampeding oxen. Illy cast a Wizard's Wall to protect Finn, but the Giant reached over it. Styggiad acrobatically leapt over the cattle and stabbed at the Giant, injuring it and giving Finn time to leap to his feet and stab at the huge creature, too. Od and Thorsten rushed around the back to try to attack the Giant in its flank.

And that's when the second Giant stepped in to attack, once more knocking Finn and Styggiad into the snow. Both warriors were hurt, badly. Illy came out of the barn and pushed her sister into the Ghost-Realm to protect her. One of the Giants slashed at her with his spear, but the agile Elf managed to duck out of the way and was only scratched. Leth finally got out of the barn and hacked at the Giant's legs, and Finn regained his feet to help. Finally, the Giant fell to the ground, bleeding from a dozen deep cuts.

The other Giant roared in anger and frustration, took one last swipe at Leth, and then ran for the hills, disappearing quickly into the storm. "Quick, before he brings reinforcements!" Leth called to the others. "Get on them horses and let's go!" The heroes wasted no time, and in a few hours they made it back to South Lörm.

The Demorians were thrilled to see the heroes return, especially bringing with them a survivor. "What was it?" the lieutenant asked. "What did you see?"

"Giants," Leth told him. "Giants and worse. Get your men ready; this may be the start of something bad."

TBC!

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Ooh... can't wait for more!

[Enforcer84]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Well done, Bunneh!

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Ditto.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks! No game this week. FMH will resume next week.

[ghost-angel]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Took me a day or two.. but I read through all of your campaign logs.

 

Excellent stuff. I love reading other peoples games.

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks! No game this week. FMH will resume next week.

 

Thanks for the updates! I'll be waiting for the next installment.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Stories of the heroes' return spread through South Lörm like wildfire, and soon the heroes found themselves telling their story to groups of enthralled merchants and townsfolk. The town was abuzz with gossip. "Giants? What are Giants doing this far south?" "They never come this close to civilized lands!" "I'm glad I didn't try to bring my wagons up there – we'd have been killed for sure!"

 

Later that evening, Lt. Dunkin and some of his men found the heroes in a tavern. "It's bad, is it?" Leth asked.

 

"Yes, very bad," Dunkin told them. "This town simply doesn't have the manpower to stage a full assault to take back the pass from Giants. We sent for reinforcements a couple of days ago, but it will still be a few days before they get here. And what worries me the most is that storm. It never snows like that this early in the year, and the way it's just hanging over the mountains like that tells me that it's not natural."

 

"The Giants must have some kind of Thaumaturge among their number," Illy suggested. "He would have to be quite powerful to summon and maintain a storm of that ferocity, though."

 

"What of the warriors of Retor?" Leth asked.

 

"The Dwarves have their own watch-station on their side of the pass," Dunkin said. "And a small walled town on the other side. But we've not had contact with them since this all started, and I fear the worst."

 

"What if we were to go up the pass again," Kaira suggested. "We'll scout out the Giants' position, count their numbers, see if we can single out this wizard of theirs…"

 

"Maybe even pick off one or two stragglers," Leth continued. "Aye, but we'll need a couple of your best scouts to guide us and show us the back trails."

 

"You'll have them," Lt. Dunkin agreed. "And any supplies you may need from the town's stores are yours as well."

 

"Then we'll leave at first light," Leth said, telling his companions to gather up any supplies they needed and to get ready to go in the morning.

 

At dawn, the heroes were introduced to their guides: Obert, a Dwarf mountaineer who worked as a guide in these mountains, and Raymond, a human tracker who sometimes did freelance work for the Demorian army. Obert was anxious to get back into the mountains – too much time spent in the city made him soft, he said. Raymond, who didn't think of himself as a warrior, wasn't so eager but was still happy to be helping. The party headed up the mountain and by the end of the day entered the bleak storm.

 

Castilla and Finn scouted ahead, led by Obert (who knew these lands better than anyone). While trudging through the snow, Castilla thought she heard talking, so she veered off the trail and into the woods. After a few moments, Obert and Finn realized she was gone and backtracked, looking for her.

 

She was already deep in the snow-covered woods, clambering over fallen trees and ducking under pine branches laden with new-fallen snow. Up ahead, she saw firelight, and crept closer to take a look. She spotted a large bonfire with three Giants sitting around it, roasting a chunk of meat on a huge spit – a chunk of meat she guessed was one of the missing Demorian soldiers! She started to slip away to warn the others, but she slipped on an icy patch and crashed to the ground. In an instant, the Giants were on their feet. She took off running, away from the direction she had just come (not wanting to lead the Giants back to her friends). Two of them charged after her.

 

Meanwhile, Finn and Obert were combing the woods looking for her. They had just found her trail when they heard the shouts and curses of the Giants. Finn quickly ducked under a nearby pine, but Obert was not so quick. When one of the Giants came out of the forest, he spotted the Dwarf. "Run!" Finn shouted, nocking an arrow. "I'll hold him here!"

 

But the Giant batted the arrow out of the air, so Finn decided to follow his guide. They fled through the woods until they made it to the road. Finn turned around and drew his sword, cursing aloud and hoping the others would soon find them.

 

Meanwhile, Castilla managed to find a hollow log to duck into, hiding from the Giants. She heard them walk by her hiding place, speaking to one another in their guttural tongue, and she was afraid they would find her, until they heard their other companion shouting. They rushed to assist him, leaving Castilla alone. "I can't let them get Finn and the Dwarf," she said to herself. She climbed out of the hollow log and shouted at the retreating Giants, but they were too focused on their mission and did not hear her. Frustrated, she followed their trail.

 

Finnegan was unhappy about facing off with one Giant. Imagine his shock when two more came out of the woods to back up their friend! Luckily, about that time Leth and the others came along. "Quick! Into the woods! We'll circle around them!" Leth told the others. Most of the team followed him; Illy paused long enough to cast a spell that would allow her and Kaira to see better in the driving storm.

 

But the Giants had already spotted the approaching reinforcements. One of the Giants pulled a huge rock out of his sack and hurled it at the heroes. It bounce, rolled, and hit Od squarely, knocking him down into the snow. "Screw this, Finn needs help," Illy said, and with a word she vanished and reappeared right next to Finnegan.

 

The Giant saw the two little-folk standing next to each other and swung his axe in a broad arc, catching both of them in it. Blood stained the snow as they were thrown back by the force of the blow. "Sister!" Styggiad cried, grabbing Kaira and charging at full speed into the fray.

 

The battle turned into a true Charlie-Fox, the heroes doing everything they could against the huge monsters and the Giants fighting back as hard as they could. Illy managed to blind the Giants, and the rest of the team gang-rushed one of them, dragging him down to his knees and finishing him. The other two fought on until Leth managed to trip one of them up and again, the heroes piled on him with all they had.

 

Finnegan went after the third Giant, but she hurled her spear and dropped him. He fell into the snow, bleeding. Kaira rushed to help, but before she could get to him the Giant scooped him up in her massive hand. She barked something in her barbaric tongue, and Od provided a rough translation. "She says she wants a trade – the redheaded human for her husband. I think she means that one," he said, pointing to one of the dying Giants.

 

"Tell her to leave these lands and ne'er come back," Leth said. "And she can take her man."

 

Carefully, the two warring parties traded hostages (apparently, the female didn't care what happened to the third Giant). As she was carrying her husband away, she turned and shouted something.

 

"What did she say?" Illy asked.

 

"Well, my Giantish is pretty rusty," Od admitted. "But she said something about... Always Winter? The goddess with black hands is returning, with gifts? Uln's pet was the first gift (I think Uln is the dead one here). Wolves will bring winter from the mountains, and they'll eat the bones of humans and Dwarves?" he scratched his head. "The last part I definitely got – Giants will rule the earth, and the time of humans and Dwarves is at an end."

 

"The EverWinter," Chrissie said, a note of fear in her voice. "Ragnarok is coming."

 

TBC!