Session 16

=June 7th, 2018 - Attack of the Hill Giants=

Attack of the Hill Giants
The session began right where it last left off, as a swarm of goblins, ogres and two hill giants rushed down the hill towards our parties caravan. The fifteen wagon long caravan was in chaos as defenders prepared for the charge, horses were crazed with fear, and travelers fled. The party made up the majority of the rearguard of the caravan, with their personal covered wagon containing Elysian third from the last. Rachen’s employer’s wagon was the final one in the train. The wave of monsters split into two major groups and slammed into the caravan, with the large ogres first to make contact.

The frontline melee combatants of the party - Rachen, Barlo, and Cadmus - met two ogres head on while the ranged members stayed near the wagons for cover. A swarm of about ten goblins was right behind the ogres, showering the party with arrows. Finally, one of the two hill giants came lumbering down the hill swinging his large tree trunk of a club. With Rufus, Thia, and Rhogar getting in good ranged attacks the party was able to focus down the two ogres quickly, but the giant was another story. The other nearby caravan guard had been killed by goblin blades, and the party could hear screams and death curdles ring out along the rest of the caravan as other battles raged.

The warriors of the party encircled and tried to deal with the hill giant’s powerful but slow swings as the ranged tried to take out the goblins. The little greenskins however kept maneuvering and tried to take advantage of the focus on the hill giant. In just under a minute the group worked together to eliminate most of their goblins, and Barlo made the final killing blows to the hill giant. First, he severed one of the giant’s legs completely, then, after it came crashing down screaming in agony Barlo landed his battle axe in the giant’s face. From across the caravan the cry of the second hill giant could be heard, “Og!!! No!!!”

The second giant tossed aside the guard he had been fighting and was in a full run towards the rear of the caravan. His eyes were locked on Barlo in a fury. The giant crushed goblin and defender alike as it made its way, about fifty feet away it slowed and ripped a boulder from the hillside. Then, as it came running towards the rear of the caravan it tossed the boulder towards the party. While the rock missed hitting any people, it continued rolling and smashed the wagon behind Elysian’s into splinters and crushed the horse attached.

The party engaged the second hill giant as the rest of the caravan defenders fought off the remainder of the ogres and goblins. Without the support of the rest of the attackers, the second hill giant was quite outnumbered by the party. Cadmus came close to falling after taking the giant’s club to the chest, but in the end the party killed it too. After the second giant fell, it was not long until the rest of the goblins and ogres either died, or fled. The caravan remained at the battle site for the rest of the day as they burned the monsters, buried their dead, and took stock of the destruction.

All counted, three wagons were destroyed, four horses and eight members of the caravan died. Five of those were guards, and two were travelers that had fled and were hunted down by goblin arrows before the fighting stopped. That left thirty nine members of the caravan. All of the suspected cultists survived. However, it wasn’t all bad news, of all the junk for loot, one of the more outfitted goblin’s that the party suspected was a leader, had a very special sack.

This sack turned out to be a magical Bag of Holding, containing other valuable items the monsters seemingly had accumulated. The party separated out the few items and inspected them over rest, and found they had acquired a few more minor magical items: a pair of Goggles of Night, granting a user Darkvision or increasing it if they already had it, and a bottle of Oil of Slipperiness. The party discussed who should take ownership of these items for the time being, and as none required a permanent bond each was of high value. Of particular debate was the goggles, but it was determined that Rufus would use them for now.

Rufus revealed he had also acquired a small pouch filled with Dust of Disappearance. His Brotherhood contact had left it for him as a reward for being successful during their mission in Black Landing. The next day the caravan continued on northward along the Coast Way, while one merchant returned to the Landing as his wagon and wares had been destroyed, the owners of the other two destroyed wagons continued on. The journey was somber for many days, and still the cultists would not be social with others. The party was thought of by many in the caravan as heroes for killing both hill giants, and while rumor had begun to spread their cargo was a living dragon hatchling, none of the travelers seemed to care.

Except for the cultists, whom if anything seemed suspicious and avoided the party further.

Fungus Humungous
Almost a tenday later on the twenty fourth day of their journey, now well north of the Trollclaw Hills, the caravan encountered multiple days of fierce storms. Likely it was a single great storm that lasted for days, but they could not tell the difference. The caravan made little progress the next few days, and merely tried to shelter at the highest ground they could find. On the morning of the twenty seventh day the caravan awoke to a strange sight. The rain had stopped, the sky was filled with clouds, and the entire countryside was blanketed in a carpet of small purple mushrooms.

When anyone, or any horse, stepped on the shrooms a loud shriek of pain was let out. After only a few minutes, the mushrooms were visibly growing in size. After an hour, they had grown almost a foot tall. The caravan camp was starting to panic, as travelers and merchants were certain all was doomed. It appeared that nothing actually happened to anyone who touched the mushrooms, or inhaled their small black spores, aside from being overcome by feelings of grief and remorse.

Eventually, it became obvious they were strange and hallucinogenic but not deadly, and slowly a group of caravan travelers was able to clear a path. All in all, it only slowed the caravan down by about a day. The weather improved over the next few days, and the caravan passed through an area of relative calm, with farmland and villages dotting the road. Travelers continued to join and leave the caravan in small number as they passed through. Coming up on the journey to Ironbay was an area of dense forest for many dozens of miles, and roadside villages would be much less common.

As the journey had progressed over the last month, the party noticed one particular merchant whom appeared to mistreat his horses. This male half elf merchant, Beyd Sechepool, frequently ignored their care, skimped on their feed, and whipped them when the aching hungry animals didn’t pull hard enough. On the thirty third day of the caravan journey, one of Beyd’s horses collapsed in the middle of the Coast Way road. Pockets of trees and small woods were growing denser and more frequent, but they were still on the outskirts of the larger forests ahead. Beyd whipped his horse for a long time, as the entire caravan came to a stop which only infuriated the half elf further.

As a small crowd gathered, it appeared as if Beyd would beat the horse to death. He threatened to do just that or ‘cut it loose’ if it wouldn’t stand. Which clearly the pained animal couldn’t do. The rest of the caravan just wanted to keep moving. It was Rachen who stepped forward and stopped the beating. While Beyd had two bodyguards, one lightly armored knight and a female mage, Rachen took it upon himself to step in and say he would care for the horse. Saying after a few days of care it could once again help pull Beyd’s load and he would ensure it is fed and looked after.

Satisfied and his anger abated, Beyd agreed and after a short rest the caravan continued its journey into the region of dense forest. The session ended here, on the thirty third day of the caravan journey, which is the fifty second day since the raid on Greenest. The party is just over half way from Black Landing to Ironbay.

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