|
The
Riverian Chronicles
Chapter
9 - "Giants 'Cross the Land"
Against the Giants
Again to Circus
at Verwood
CALENDAR:
| Leirn, Scori, Tari, |
Prici, Aqui, Lequi, Jera, |
Aves, Touri, Jema, |
Canne, Verga, Fieth |
|
(fall)
|
(winter)
|
(spring)
|
(summer)
|
44 Against the Giants
Again (5-1-0;2), Scori 8-Tari 8 758,
AL-MA 04
Background and summary: Amid growing concern about the fate of
the Zarim Dwarves, Throy from one direction and Munin-Serioge
from the other independently try to investigate, reconnoiter, and
bash a few Giants in the process. All goes well for Munin
and Serioge, but Throy dies; M+S ultimately have to go find and recover
his corpse. Meanwhile, loads of good information makes its
way to the defenders, including confirmation that the Zarim
Dwarves have essentially been wiped out.
Starting members (from Stairway
To Heaven): Throy(F-9), Munin(R-6), Serioge(R-7)
(from alpha
5): Thomasine(NtC-5)
| Sco 8 758: |
Throy leaves Verwood for Zarim via
broomstick, makes lots of stops en route. |
| Sco 11 |
Picks up a military strategist from
Riverian army and overflies invasion area east of Zarim peaks,
they come back with a dug-up skull of a Cloud Giant killed during
Giants of the Misty Forest. |
| Sco 12 |
Throy meets up with Dwapal(P-6);
they fly into mountains and go hunting Giants with some success. |
| At one point, Throy singlehandedly
takes out a Frost Giant with two blows. |
| Riverians start Speak With Dead's
on recovered skull. |
| Sco 13 |
To Melton in the Greenshire, spend
day there debriefing Hobbits on developments. |
| Sco 14 |
Back into mountains; Throy and Dwapal
take out a few more Giants, then retreat to Hobbit lands. |
| Sco 15 |
T+D return to scene of yesterday's
victory and get ambushed; Dwapal and Throy killed. |
| Sco 18 |
Munin, Serioge, and Thomasine leave
Verwood by carpet; fly around Zarim peaks via coast, then inland. |
| Sco 21 |
Arrive at Mytharia (main town of Misty
Forest Elves), start gathering news. |
| Sco 23 |
Leave Elves; spend some time making
carpet look like a bird from a distance. |
| Sco 24 |
Rescue 6 Dwarf prisoners and an Elf;
the Elf is Frank Bland(R-5) not seen since Giants
of the Misty Forest. |
| During this, Serioge does (52 + 104
=) 156 total points damage in one swing vs. Hill Giants. |
| Sco 25 |
Prisoners, and Frank, left with Elves. |
| Altheas, becoming worried as
Throy is long overdue, contacts Diora for a Commune
to find out where he is; Diora refuses until reminded how much
loot Throy represents. She learns he is dead, and the location
of his corpse, and planeshifts south. Unfortunately
for her, others get there first... |
| Altheas tells Munin and Serioge the
bad news and sends them in as a search party. |
| Thomasine leaves to take care
of the rescued prisoners; she escorts them to Riveria, eventually. |
| Sco 26 |
Munin and Serioge head into mountains,
spend a while searching for Throy corpse. |
| Sco 27 |
Find Throy-Dwapal corpses during day;
fortunately, realize they are bait for an ambush, and ignore. |
| Sneak in that night and steal Throy
corpse and parts of Dwapal. Retreat, and fly to Rithetwood. |
| Sco 28 |
Arrive Rithetwood and meet Diora,
about to mount her own loot-finding expedition. She goes back
to Luskan, disappointed. |
| Tar 3 |
Throy resurrected in Riveria.
M+S meanwhile pass loads of military info on to Richard's agents. |
| Tar 6 |
Dwapal parts left in Dashwood for
later burial. Throy retires, also in Dashwood. |
| Tar 8 |
To Verwood, spend next few weeks training
and sorting out treasure. |
Surviving members: Throy(F-9), Munin(R-7), Serioge(R-8), Thomasine(NtC-5)
New members: Dwapal
Casualties: (Throy - resurrected), Dwapal (revived in Crown
of Talarthane)
Retirees: Throy (to Capture
of Sylune, eventually); Thomasine (to Alpha 6)
Continuing party (to Temple of
Pyrate): Munin, Serioge
46 Valley of the Rainbow
(a.k.a. Rainbow Vale)
(8-6-2;0), Scori 14-26 758, MA-JN 04
Background and summary: Nyseshi-ka learns of a potentially serious
magical disruption in a small valley east of the Zarim mountains.
Even though she herself couldn't care less about magic, she knows
a problem when she sees it, thus she heads for Verwood to
look up some old friends and find some willing recruits. But all
she can find is Throg, so the two of them cobble together
a party as best they can and head out. What they find is a
dangerous wild-magic zone spreading from a ruin once the home of
a significant mage, that some see as a manifestation of one
of numerous Gods of Magic. After flirting with insanity due to
the wild effects, they find and fix the real problem: a gate
to the elemental plane of magic somehow inadvertently opened several
hundred years later than intended. Once this is closed,
the problem soon dissipates…or so everyone thinks…
A long-lost Dwarven shrine found during all this would prove
significant later.
Starting members (from alpha
series): Throg(F-6)
(from Mystery
at Neverwinter via long retirement): Nyseshi-ka(R-6)
| Sco 2 758: |
Nyseshi arrives at Verwood with an
adventure in mind but can find nobody interested; all active
Company characters are in the field. She waits. |
| Sco 5 |
Throg arrives at Verwood; Nyseshi
grabs him, and they start trying to recruit.
A wandering Bard shows up looking for a job, so Taden(B-5)
joins. |
| Sco 7 |
Unable to find anyone else here, this
tiny 3-member party heads out. |
| Sco 10 |
Recruitment at Mithra: Thistle(MU-4/T-5),
Taveuni the Brave(WrC-5), and Bonnie Dunne(NtC-4) join;
Thistle hides her MU side for some time. |
| Sco 14 |
Leave Four Rivers. |
| Sco 17 |
Start encountering worshippers of
Tseng (goddess of magic); realize they're getting close. |
| Find an insane woman in forest talking
to a rock. Nyseshi runs off to find the Tseng types met earlier,
in hopes they can help, but rest of Party fix her up long before
Nyseshi gets back: Fiari of Senwood(F-7) joins.
Party have to fit her out with spare gear as she has no possessions
at all. |
| Get close to Vale; Taden sneakily scouts
another campfire nearby, Thistle not-so-sneakily does the same
and is lucky to get away. |
| Sco 18 |
Meet more Tseng followers (this the
other campfire); on hearing what Party is up to they insist
on sending a representative, so Studley(MU-2) joins. |
| Nyseshi finally makes it back by nightfall. |
| Sco 19 |
Into mind-bending hallucinogenic mist.
Only Thistle immune; she is a high-enough level MU to resist
the wild magic, but nobody knows this and much confusion (and
suspicion) results. |
| Find and enter a ruin, once home to
Veridius the Mage. Weirdness reduced once inside. |
| A Magic Elemental shows up and makes
life very interesting; Party losing until a wild magic effect
from the Elemental gates in a rather annoyed Angel that proceeds
to pound it to pieces. |
| Another minor battle causes Thistle
to reveal her MU class. |
| Sco 20 |
Find a very dangerous open gate to
the elemental plane of magic and manage to null it (though not
close it); Fiari and Thistle nearly killed in the process. |
| Nearby, find a significant shrine to
the Dwarven goddess Berronar, long forgotten by all. |
| Party make to leave, but once outside
Bonnie gets caught by carnivorous vines and loses a foot. |
| Back to the Berronar shrine; Bonnie
drinks from its pool and gets her foot restored, at cost of
all her possessions now and fulfillment of a quest (see
Crown of Talarthane) later. |
| Sco 21 |
Head back to town after assuring Tseng
types all is well. |
| Sco 26 |
Arrive Four Rivers, start treasury
and training. |
| Tar 15 |
By now, Taveuni and Studley
have retired. Bonnie is at Mithra, researching her quest.
Throg leaves for no particular reason, and as
Fiari wants to stay with him, Fiari leaves also. |
Surviving members: Throg(F-7), Nyseshi-ka(R-6), Taden(B-6),
Thistle(MU-4/T-5), Taveuni(WrC-5), Bonnie(NtC-4), Fiari(F-7),
Studley(MU-3)
New members: Taden, Thistle, Taveuni, Bonnie, Fiari, Studley
Casualties: none
Retirees: Throg, Fiari (to t-series);
Taveuni (to War of the Giants – West);
Studley
Continuing party (to Crown of Talarthane):
Nyseshi-ka, Taden, Thistle, Bonnie
52 Crown of Talarthane
(8-3-2;1), Aqui 15-Lequi 13 758, AL-JL 05
Background and summary: Bonnie’s quest from Valley
of the Rainbow sends her and her fractious Party right back
there in search of the Crown of Talarthane, a legendary Dwarven
artifact. They find themselves in a race against Giants seeking
the same item, and barely win. Then, once back in town, a treasury
argument shatters the Party.
Starting members (from Valley of the Rainbow):
Nyseshi-ka(R-6), Taden(B-6), Thistle(MU-4/T-5), Bonnie(NtC-4)
(from Danger
at Drowsaptre): Rohn(F-6)
| Pri 24 758: |
Thistle, in Riveria to keep her thieving skills
going, meets and recruits Rohn and Mnestros(Mk-5); all
to Mithra. (Rohn’s appearance has changed considerably since
last seen, but none in current Party know this) |
| Aqu 4 |
All meet in Mithra; realize another Cleric would
be useful, so Taden and Thistle go off recruiting. |
| Aqu 8 |
Meet a Cleric near Rithetwood, so Tazkar(WrC-5)
joins. Back to Mithra. |
| Aqu 12 |
Party leaves Mithra. |
| Aqu 23 |
Arrive Rainbow Vale after a dull trip, take out
an animated plant. Some Mites disrupt sleep that night. |
| Aqu 24 |
Dig out entry stairs; all to Dwarven shrine found
on last visit. |
| Secret doors leading out of shrine have defenses;
Mnestros barely survives, then shrine reduces incurable time
from over a week to about 15 hours. |
| Aqu 25 |
Find and explore an amazingly colourful series
of glittering caverns, and remove a few unwanted occupants. |
| Giants break through into glittering caves from
other direction, Party easily defeat. |
| Find entry into Dwarven temple complex. Thistle
tries to enter, and defenses summon a Dwarven warrior to keep
her out. Tazkar leaps to her aid; between the warrior’s efforts
and Thistle shooting him in the back, Tazkar hasn’t a chance:
Tazkar killed. Party then figure out how to get in without
violence. |
| Aqu 26 |
Explore temple complex; Giants leave Party alone
long enough to find some Crown pieces, but Mnestros still manages
to get mangled again by more built-in defenses. |
| Tazkar’s corpse left on dais in main temple; it
disappears within an hour. (though Party would never know
it, the corpse goes to Tazkar’s home temple in Zarim city and
is found later, during Zarim Infiltration) |
| Aqu 27 |
More exploring, more booty, including a very magical
book. Taden opens this, starts reading, and cannot stop; for
all practical purposes, Taden leaves at this point.
He is led to the main temple, and left there. |
| A Giant and some Orcs arrive and die; Party take
in their captive, so Stormson Cloud Chaser(R-5) joins. |
| A long battle against a bunch of very large Rats
eventually produces a Crown piece. |
| Aqu 28 |
Lots of "discussion" over what to do
with Taden. |
| A Frost Giant(WrC-5), 3 Ogres, and a couple of
Orcs arrive and provide a good workout. Rohn clobbered. |
| Find an exit to another glittering cavern; this
one defended by a gigantic crystalline creature that morphs
out of floor. Party try their best but are turned back; they
take out their frustration on some doors instead. |
| Leq 1 |
A more thorough search produces the last two Crown
pieces. With this, Party scoop up Taden and leave. |
| Leq 6 |
En route to Four Rivers, Party meet Azarakh –
a minion of Clanggedon – who tells them the Crown must be given
to Dwapal so he can lead Dwarves to glorious victory…or
something like that. |
| Leq 15 |
Arrive Dashwood after a long dull trip, and learn
that Dwapal is dead. Party ask locals to please find him. |
| Leq 20 |
Arrive Verwood. As Throy was Dwapal’s
last known companion, Party ask him some questions. |
| Lots of paranoia takes root when some of Rohn’s
old companions (Zakla, Fritter, etc.) see lots of Rohn’s
expensive gear on someone who doesn’t look at all like (but
is) Rohn. Arguments follow. |
| Leq 21 |
Tapestry to where Dwapal’s corpse is, and recover
it. Dwapal resurrected by local Dwarves. |
| Leq 23 |
All arrive Dashwood. Dwapal presented with Crown;
he immediately becomes a mighty Dwarven leader, starts making
grandiose plans to wipe out the Giants, etc., etc. (and elsewhere,
the Giants become very concerned; see end of Zarim
Infiltration for details) |
| Leq 27 |
Taden finally finishes the book, gains +1 Int.
A huge argument erupts over how much Taden should have to pay
for this: Rohn and Thistle say all (normal value of such a book
is about 30K g.p.), Nyseshi and Taden say none, others say part.
Eventually resolves as "part", but Party disbands
due to this brawl. |
| Bonnie retires. Mnestros leaves
to train; reaches Nakki monastery just in time to head out to
war. |
| Stormson, Nyseshi and Taden leave;
each would separately end up fighting in War of the Giants
– West. |
Surviving members: Nyseshi-ka(R-6), Taden(B-6), Thistle(MU-5/T-6),
Bonnie(NtC-5), Rohn(F-7), Mnestros(Mk-6), Stormson(R-5)
New members: Mnestros, Tazkar, Stormson
Casualties: Tazkar (revived in Zarim Infiltration)
Retirees: Bonnie
Continuing parties (to Volcano of the Giants):
Thistle, Rohn
(to War
of the Giants – East): Mnestros
(to War
of the Giants – West, each independently): Stormson, Taden,
Nyseshi
Behind Giant Lines
(mini) (3-0-0;0), Aqui 3-Touri 15
758, JN-JL 05
Background and summary: Munin rounds up a few volunteers and
continues espionage and scouting work in the Giant-held areas
east of the Zarim peaks.
Starting members (from Assault
on Verwood Keep): Munin(R-7), Trilby(NtC-8), Simpson(MU-6)
| Aqu 3 758: |
With Trilby and Simpson along to help, and lots
of loaned gear from Serioge, Munin leaves Verwood. |
| Aqu 4 |
Arrive Misty Forest via flight, meet Elves at
Mytharia. |
| Aqu 6 |
Meet Frank, a one-time Company member now
flat broke. Trilby gives him 100 g.p. |
| Meet with an Elf general, spend a few days discussing
strategies. |
| Aqu 7 |
Meet with leaders of a few hundred Dwarves stuck
here with no place to go. Set wheels in motion to get them
repatriated to Riveria; this happens, but takes a few months. |
| Aqu 8 |
First of many flights over Giant-held areas.
This time, get into odd forest around volcano and lose two days. |
| Aqu 10 |
Still thinking it is Aqui 8, scout Giant camps. |
| Aqu 11 |
Report to Elves, find out about time loss. Spend
several weeks scouting and reporting; notice Giants are expanding
their territory to the southeast but nobody knows why. |
| Leq |
Meet Serioge who is returning to his home
for a few years’ retirement. |
| Leq 25 |
By now, notice Giants are suddenly and quickly
pulling back from southeast expansion, spend days scouting this
but cannot explain it. (in fact, Giants have learned that
what was the Crown of Talarthane adventure succeeded, and Dwarves
in Riveria now hold the Crown; they spend the next few months
preparing to invade Riveria to get it) |
| Leq 28 |
Shake off some rust by taking down two Shambling
Mounds found in forest. |
| Jer 3 |
Two lost Hill Giants provide a morning workout. |
| Jer 7 |
Notice Giants are taking down their medical camp
and moving it forward toward mountains but neither Party nor
Elves can figure out what Giants are preparing for, or why.
Many more overflights reveal little. |
| Ave 15 |
Notice a group of very large, uniformed Giants
moving from volcano to Zarim peaks; correctly guess this is
Giant high command but do not know why they are moving.
Start watching road leading from volcano. |
| Ave 18 |
Finally conclude volcano is producing a slow but
endless stream of new Giants who have no idea where they are.
Report to Elves, who throw Commune and verify this.
Also, somewhen around now realize Ancalidon(!) is in
process of taking over leadership of the Elves. |
| Ave 19 |
Arrange a co-ordinated attack for mid-Jema. Simpson
leaves to recruit in Waterdeep, and to train (to MU-7). |
| Munin and Trilby to Riverian lands but not to Verwood
– yet. |
| Ave 26 |
Meet Dwapal and try to talk him out of
attacking until mid-Jema; he has the Crown of Talarthane and
overconfidently wants to attack now if not sooner. |
| Ave 28 |
Arrive Riveria, spend days trying to get a meeting
with King Richard. |
| Tou 4 |
Meet Richard, advise him of situation. He knows
nothing of the Crown’s true significance and as yet has no idea
just how serious this all is, but agrees to help with co-ordinated
attack anyway. |
| Tou 6 |
Return to Elves; spend a few days finding Serioge
and setting him up there as a psyonic contact. |
| Tou 13 |
To Verwood at last, recruitment drive for Volcano
adventure. |
Surviving members: Munin(R-7), Trilby(NtC-8), Simpson(MU-7)
New members: none
Casualties: none
Retirees: none
Continuing parties (to Volcano of the Giants):
Munin. Trilby
(to War
of the Giants – East): Simpson
T-Series T1-T3(minis)
(2-0-0;1), Prici 7-Jera 18 758, JL 05
Background and summary: Throg and Fiari look for adventure on
their own. Fiari doesn’t last very long.
Starting members (from Valley of the Rainbow):
Throg(F-7), Fiari(F-7)
| Pri 7 758 |
Throg and Fiari meet and join an adventuring
party in Four Rivers. |
| Pri 10 |
Start T1, somewhere west of
Mirabar. |
| Pri 23 |
Fiari killed. Throg doesn’t
mourn the loss. |
| Pri 27 |
End T1, reasonably lucrative
and successful. |
| Aqu 12 |
Start T2. (no idea what this
entailed) |
| Aqu 25 |
End T2. |
| Leq 23 |
Start T3. (again, no record
of what this was) |
| Jer 18 |
End T3, and Throg now needs
training to F-8, done by Aves 14 at Riveria. |
Surviving members: Throg(F-8)
New members: none
Casualties: Fiari
Retirees: none
Continuing party (to War of the Giants –
West): Throg
Alpha Series(Alpha 6-Alpha
8; minis) (5-0-0;2), Aqui 2-Touri
9 758, JL 05
Background and summary: Some people go out and do some useful
things around the western continent.
Starting members (from various previous adventures): Tylara(F-7),
Eightfast(Cvr-5), Kairos(MU-4), Fritter(T-4), Thomasine(NtC-5)
| Aqu 2 758 |
Accompanied by Lanthir(T-6), a long-time
alpha-party type, Party leaves Verwood. |
| Leq 3 |
Start Alpha 6, taking on bandits
at eastern edge of Misty Forest. |
| Leq 9 |
Eightfast killed. |
| Leq 12 |
Kairos killed. |
| Leq 20 |
End Alpha 6, or so Party thinks
as they head for Waterdeep. |
| Leq 22 |
Start Alpha 6a, as the adventure
fights back. |
| Leq 26 |
End Alpha 6a, Party once again
head off for town. |
| Leq 28 |
Start Alpha 6b, the adventure
that would not go away. |
| Jer 3 |
End Alpha 6b, and Party find
themselves stinking rich. |
| Jer 21 |
Eightfast resurrected in Waterdeep;
lots of training, but Party can’t find anything that needs doing. |
| Ave 13 |
Start Alpha 7, bashing Bugbears
on Windward Isle. |
| Ave 25 |
End Alpha 7 after a productive
foray. Fritter leaves to train (to T-6). |
| Ave 28 |
Start Alpha 8, a continuation
of Alpha 7. |
| Tou 9 |
End Alpha 8. Tylara now needs
training (to F-8), done by Touri 23 in Riveria. |
Surviving members: Tylara(F-8), Eightfast(Cvr-6), Fritter(T-6),
Thomasine(NtC-6)
New members: none
Casualties: Kairos, (Eightfast – revived)
Retirees: none
Continuing parties (to Zarim Infiltration):
Tylara
(to War
of the Giants – West): Eightfast, Fritter, Thomasine
53. Volcano of the Giants
(13-3-1,5), Jema 1-22 758, AU 05-MR 06
Background and summary: Scouting has revealed the Misty Forest
volcano to be a slow but steady source of fresh Giants.
The Party go in to stem the flow; expecting a gate to another plane,
they find instead a simple – but elegant – ferry system that
has been bringing Giants in from all over the Riverian world. By
the time the Party are finished the ferry is theirs, the
Giants are leaderless, and the tide of war is turned.
A long and very eventful break follows, as the Party take the summer
off but are anything but idle.
Starting members (from Into the
Abyss): Mrikle(I-9), Leshendra(T-10), He’is(F-9)
(from Crown of Talarthane):
Thistle(MU-5/T-6), Rohn(F-7)
(from Behind
Giant Lines): Munin(R-7), Trilby(NtC-8)
(from Assault
on Verwood): Chiron(F-8), Chance(NtC-7)
(from Harmonizer):
Marlu(MU-8)
| Tou 25 758: |
Party assembles at Verwood; use various long-range
transport magics to get to coast road. |
| Tou 28 |
Arrive Mytharia; here meet Serioge who
re-loans Munin lots of useful magic items. Also meet Ancalidon,
and try to enlist his help as a diversion; he agrees, but takes
long enough to get going that he is ultimately of limited use.
(see War of the Giants – East
for details) |
| Jem 1 |
Leave Mytharia. |
| Jem 3 |
Party flex their muscles by easily taking down
a group of 9 Hill Giants and a Cyclops. After this, a toast
is raised to celebrate the 10-year anniversary (real time) of
the Riverian game. |
| Jem 5 |
Some Satyrs disturb sleeping Party and won’t take
no for an answer – particularly once they see Chiron – but all
are soon either run off or killed. |
| Jem 6 |
Psyonic contacts tell Party to stand down and
wait for diversions elsewhere; they do, and spend several very
soggy days observing a road through forest. |
| Jem 8 |
Figure out that cloudy weather means new Giant
arrivals. (several previous scouting groups have missed this
connection despite ample evidence; had this been known, many
things would have been done much differently…) |
| Jem 11 |
Notice Giants in numbers leaving stronghold near
base of volcano; Party sneaks in despite still having
no covering diversions elsewhere. |
| Intentions of stealth abandoned within minutes
as bashing Giants much more fun. At one point, Rohn and Munin
simultaneously fumble vs. the same Giant; Marlu fells it with
a Magic Missile the same segment! |
| He’is puts 84 pts. damage into a Fire Giant in
one swing; Party leave a trail of corpses, then sack out. |
| Jem 12 |
Another series of small battles. Trilby charms
"Longtooth", a gigantic dog, during one of these;
meanwhile, Thistle charms "Krall", an Orcish kitchen
slave, during another. |
| At some point along here, Party realize they have
lost psyonic contact with the outside world. |
| Find Elf prisoners; rescue 4 of 8, the rest are
killed by Giants. |
| Giants strike back when Party rests; Krall and
Longtooth both killed but no other real harm done. |
| Jem 13 |
Giants stumble on Party before praying and studying
completed; Marlu killed by a boulder; 2 of the Elves
killed by another. Find another place to finish praying. |
| Rescue another Elf. |
| A wall of tentacles attacks. Leshendra to –11
(saved by Death’s Door), then while being carried out
of danger by Chance Leshendra is dropped and goes to –11 again
(another Death’s Door). Everyone else survives, though
some painfully. Sack out. |
| Jem 14 |
Trilby and Chance each cast Commune, using
magical level enhancement, and get lots of good information. |
| Start rescuing prisoners. Carrine the Swift(T-11)
joins. Atlas Terex(Titan) joins. A pair of Centaurs
are rescued; one is female, and this makes Chiron’s day. (and
by weight, this is now by far the biggest party ever!) |
| Atlas proves his worth against a couple of Fire
Giants. |
| Jem 15 |
Thistle scouts some Ettins and gets mashed. Party
then mashes the Ettins, and various other Giants as well. |
| A Giants’ tomb produces a giant-size Ghost, soon
destroyed. Trilby sacrifices a Drow gem found here and becomes
ultra-powerful for a short time: Marlu resurrected, and
Thistle and Atlas both healed. |
| Jem 16 |
Wade uphill through complex bashing Giants at
every turn. |
| The Giants fight back: an ambush pushes Party to
the limit, and Atlas killed. |
| Atlas raised by Trilby but cannot move (or
be moved) from the main passage he fell in; battered Party have
no choice but to stay put. |
| 9 Giants blunder into Party; Thieves’ backstriking
pathetic (3 swings total 8 points damage) and Thistle
killed for her trouble, but Giants slain. |
| Jem 17 |
Spend day resting and curing, then set off. A
minor Giant ambush fails when Leshendra does 120 h.p. damage
to its leader in one swing, slaying it. |
| Find a strongbox with an odd dagger inside; Marlu
becomes War Cleric (Tapoketa) on picking this up (so now
MU-8/WrC-1); she also becomes rather Evil, but covers well for
now. |
| A band of Fire Giants doesn’t last long, but Party
again in rough shape after. Retreat a long way to rest. |
| Jem 18 |
Finally reach top of volcano; Krakatoa the Red
Dragon lives here, and tries to parley with Party to better
set up an ambush. But Mrikle ambushes him instead; Chance
killed, but Krakatoa soon slain. |
| Find Krakatoa’s immense hoard; celebration cut
short when cloud islands arrive and dock. Party sneak on to
an island and sack out. |
| Jem 19 |
Take a small fortress by defeating 4 guardian
Cloud Giants. He’is becomes visible during this; people now
realize an axe from dragon’s hoard has made him spectacularly
ugly, smelly, etc. (Cha. = 0) |
| Other Giants cast fortress’ island adrift; invisible
Party just fly to another one. |
| Fly various captives and rescuees to Krakatoa lair
and leave them to fend for themselves. |
| Start scouting islands. Find palace of Giant queen;
Mrikle flies in and scouts, almost gets caught despite every
possible precaution. |
| Explore, find Giant kids, leave alone for now.
Giant pets (2 Wyverns) don’t fare so well. Islands cast off,
recover the one cut loose earlier, and head northeast at high
speed. |
| A well-planned strike kills Goroda, the Giant queen,
along with several other Giants and a Human Wizard ally of theirs;
Party retreats and hides in Wyvern lair. |
| Jem 20 |
Giants sweep into Riveria; Party informed of this
via psyonics in a.m.; meanwhile, islands arrive and dock somewhere
high in mountains east of Megrim and Goroda’s consort King Fellgjar
comes aboard with a horde of attending Frost Giants. |
| Mrikle, Marlu, Trilby and Atlas fly off to scout;
find this dock has a White Dragon guardian so paralyze it, it
kills 2 Ogres when it falls on them. Cause nearby Frost Giants
to fight each other, and leave. |
| Bored Party sorties to take out 2 Cloud Giants,
Carrine and Rohn fall in lust during flight there. |
| Second sortie turns Giants and Dragon against each
other; Dragon dies, then one thing leads to another until Fellgjar
slain along with various significant allies. |
| Atlas makes himself king; Giants go along with
it for now, so Party moves into palace. |
| Jem 21 |
During night, a prisoner is rescued: Schurra(NtC-7)
joins. |
| Trilby casts Commune to good effect, then
finds a Medusa the hard way: Trilby petrified. Medusa
slain. |
| Atlas firms his command over Giants and orders
islands to cast off; island holding the Frost Giants is soon
cut loose and left behind to dissolve, a brief deadly shower
of Frost Giants falls near Jaarvikshold later. |
| Jem 22 |
Arrive back at Volcano. Marlu teleports to Verwood,
returns with tapestry; rest of Party round up Elves and Centaurs
left here a few days ago. Elves and one Centaur tapestry home;
the other Centaur – Alaika – remains and tags along as Chiron’s
companion. |
| Carrine spends day trying to talk Rohn into robbing
Party blind and fleeing to the Moonshaes; he balks. |
| All to Verwood via tapestry except Schurra, Alaika
and Carrine for now. |
| Jem 23 |
Thistle and Chance resurrected by
device at Verwood. Marlu recovers those still on volcano.
Atlas retires, takes islands to his home on other
side of world. |
| Jem 24 |
During night, Carrine takes about 65,000 g.p.
worth of lightweight goods and uses tapestry to flee. Restof
Party follow later to Waterdeep, but she has taken ship for
the Moonshaes. |
| Jem 25 |
Party puts to sea, psyonically call in a favour,
and the "Mary Rose" shows up. Catch and scout Carrine’s
ship. |
| Jem 27 |
Arrive Elistrae, scout for a few days. |
| Can 4 |
Marlu teleports to Verwood with Stone To Flesh
scroll, picks up Trilby statue, then finds Pearl. Trilby
restored to flesh form. Marlu teleports to Elistrae with
Trilby. |
| Can 8 |
Carrine’s ship arrives at Elistrae. |
| Party enter town that night, find Carrine with
ridiculous ease, capture later and planeshift to Verwood. |
| Can 9 |
Throw Carrine in Verwood dungeon, start dividing
a massive treasury. Everybody trains. |
| Can 19 |
By now, He’is’ axe – the legendary Axe of the
Dwarven Lords – has turned him into a Dwarf. |
| Can |
Sometime around now, Chiron retires to
take up life with Alaika at Verwood. |
| Fie 2 |
He’is gives the Axe of the Dwarven Lords to Dwapal. |
| Fie 3 |
He’is wakes up Human again, with no ill effects. |
Surviving members: Mrikle(I-10), Leshendra(T-11), He’is(F-10),
Thistle(MU-6/T-7), Rohn(F-8), Munin(R-8),
Trilby(NtC-9),
Chiron(F-9), Chance(NtC-8), Marlu(MU-9/WrC-2), Carrine(T-11),
Schurra(NtC-7), Atlas(Titan)
New members: Carrine, Atlas, Schurra
Casualties: (Trilby, Thistle, Chance, Marlu, Atlas – all revived)
Retirees: Atlas, Chiron (both to Revenge
of the Gith)
Continuing parties (to Circus at Verwood):
Mrikle, Leshendra, He’is, Thistle, Rohn, Munin, Trilby, Chance,
Marlu, Schurra
(to Capture
of Sylune): Carrine
War of the Giants –
East (mini) (8-0-0;2), Jema 5-Canne
12 758, No 05-MR 06
Background and summary: As a diversion to draw attention away
from both the Dwarven invasion (see War
of the Giants – West) and the party in Volcano
of the Giants, hundreds of Elves, hundreds of Monks, and
a few assorted others challenge the Giant holdings east of the Zarim
Peaks. The Monks sail through, the Elves get plastered, and the
Giants’ hold on the land is badly shaken.
Starting members (from various places): with the Elves: Ancalidon(P-7),
Simpson(MU-7), Frank(R-5)
with
the Monks: Dharmastin(R-6), Tzoitchka(Mk-4), Mnestros(Mk-6),
Veraska(Mk-6), Torvellian(Mk-7)
| Jem 5 758: |
On request from Ancalidon via Veraska’s diplomacy,
Dharmastin leads the Monks to war. |
| Jem 10 |
Monks and Elves meet up near north edge of Misty
Forest. Simpson soon shows up with a bunch of recruited MUs. |
| Jem 12 |
Combined force of about 550 Elves, 600 Monks,
and 50-odd MU’s attack and annihilate a Giant camp just outside
east entrance of Zarim. They also plug the entrance up with
Wall of Force; this doesn’t last long, and the force
of Elves left to guard it gets pretty much wiped out during
the day. |
| Remaining units regroup with the 590 Elvish reserves. |
| A force of Giants seen a few days ago by the Volcano
party arrive; another Wall of Force goes up just in time,
and – though the Elves suffer yet more casualties – these Giants
also fall. |
| Jem 14 |
Combined force attacks "center camp"
with similar result to last one: camp is wiped out, Monks barely
take a scratch while the Elves get hammered; all
elites lost ("elites become deletes"), and Ancalidon
killed. |
| During this battle, it becomes clear Giants are
for some reason specifically trying to kill Elves. |
| Jem 15 |
A few dozen Elves stay with the Monks as night
eyes, the rest retreat to Mytharia with Ancalidon parts. Simpson
and the wizards leave as well. |
| Jem 16 |
Sneak past "steading" camp and along
road to volcano; a band of Giants met en route prove tougher
than expected, thus Monks suffer first significant losses. |
| Jem 17 |
Scout "volcano base" camp, then back
off and hold road instead. |
| Jem 18 |
Ancalidon resurrected at Mytharia. |
| Jem 19 |
Road crew meet a few Giants; Tzoitchka in the
thick of things, and lucky to survive. These small battles
continue for a few days. |
| Jem 23 |
Learn Volcano party
have succeeded and no longer need diversions; Monks sneak out
of forest and spend next few weeks observing Giant movements
on plains and picking off strays. |
| Can 9 |
Monks see flashes in distant night sky, realize
someone is blasting steading camp with magic; this is Simpson
and a crew of wizards he recruited for this purpose, and they
spend a few nights reducing steading to cinders. |
| Can 12 |
Simpson killed. Giants retreating from
Zarim meet Giants retreating from steading, center camp is now
all they have, but is too tough for wizards to attack.
Wizards leave. With things now largely under control, Monks
also leave for Nakki-Nakk, and the remaining Giants are left
to their own devices. |
| Fie |
Sometime during Fieth, Simpson declines resurrection.
By now, everyone else has retired. |
Surviving members: Ancalidon(P-7), Frank(R-5), Dharmastin(R-6),
Tzoitchka(Mk-5), Mnestros(Mk-6), Veraska(Mk-6), Torvellian(Mk-7)
New members: none
Casualties: Simpson; (Ancalidon – revived)
Retirees: all
Continuing party: none
War of the Giants -
West (minis) (32-1-0;11), Jema 5-Can
4 758, NO 05-FE 06
Background and summary: Dwapal and King Richard lead separate
armies against Giants in Zarim. Lots of characters help
out in various ways; many die, yet the Giants still manage to invade
and inflict massive damage on much of southern Riveria.
Eventually, almost by sheer luck, the Giants capture Richard; on
this, they generally retreat – leaving wreckage and destruction
across south Riveria that takes years to repair and rebuild.
Starting members (from Crown of Talarthane):
Nyseshi-Ka(R-6), Stormson(R-5), Taden(B-6), Dwapal(P-6)
(from Valley of
the Rainbow): Throg(F-8)(via T-series),
Taveune(WrC-5)
(from alpha 8):
Eightfast(Cvr-6), Fritter(T-6), Thomasine(NtC-6)
(from Harmonizer):
Nigella(Cvr-7)
(from Into
the Abyss): Pearl(MU-9), Illyrah(R-7), Jane(MU-7), S’nel’be(WrC-10),
Darby (MU-6/NrC-0), Myra(B-8)
(from Assault
on Verwood Keep): Kermut(NrC-6), Khrodhar(NrC-7), Margarette(MU-6), Germanica(MU-6),
Cnutkum(F-3)
(from various retirements): Femira(T-6),
Lars(NrC-7), Lusia(MU-6), Grogmac(WrC-5), Gorlim(F-6), Christophe(B-6),
Scoria(F-6),
Flasheart(T-6), Zakla(WrC-3), Serra(F-3), Sarra(MU-3)
| Jem 5 758: |
King Richard calls Company to defense of the realm.
About 30 characters tapestry from Verwood to Imdulton in immediate
response; others arrive by various means over the
next several days. |
| By now, Gorlim is already serving with the Dwarves
under Dwapal; Grogmac soon arrives and joins. |
| Jem 6 |
Richard meets with as many EC’ers as he can.
Zarim Infiltration party is formed,
and promptly left to its own devices. Terrance(F-3) joins;
a long-time beta-party member jumps to the big leagues. All
are informed of existence of Volcano
party, and of co-ordination with Ancalidon and the Elves. |
| Kermut is sent to Dwapal as Richard’s spokesman;
the Dwarves threw the last one out as they did not find him
suitably warlike. |
| Kermut makes a much better impression on arrival
the next day, so they keep him; but still do not listen to anything
he says. |
| The wizard-types are assigned to join Riveria’s
guild MUs to provide covering fire. Rangers are sent out as
scouts. Lars is assigned to Richard’s personal guard, along
with Femira. Just about all other EC’ers with field experience
are assigned to units within Richard’s parade-ground-ready army,
to inform them what war is really like; this proves very useful. |
| S’nel’be planeshifts to Vanamore to round up some
help from the Dwarves there. |
| Jem 7 |
Richard moves his base from Imdulton to a site
about 8 miles west of Dashwood. |
| Jem 8 |
With absolutely no warning to anyone, Dwapal’s
Dwarves stage a lightning strike into the Zarim mountains. Despite
complete lack of help from anyone else, they drive
the Giants back into the peaks and slowly begin grinding their
way toward Zarim city. |
| Kermut, now with nothing useful to do, returns
to Richard and joins his personal guard under Sir Charles. |
| The wizard-types scramble to provide covering fire
for the Dwarves but don’t help very much. |
| S’nel’be returns from Vanamore with some high-powered
(and now, late) help for the Dwarves. |
| Too late to do much good, Richard begins moving
his army to Dashwood. |
| Jem 11 |
Dwarves reach Zarim city and get bogged down.
By now, Richard’s troops are in good position to cover a retreat
if needed; he is certain it will be, despite lots of Dwarvish
braggadocio to the contrary. |
| Jem 12 |
S’nel’be to Mirabar; returns with Myra and Lusia.
Lusia joins the wizards. |
| Gorlim killed in one of countless small
battles in the streets of Zarim. |
| Jem 15 |
By now starting to run out of warriors, Dwarves
begin a grudging retreat from Zarim. |
| Though none who know her realize it, Flasheart
arrives in the war zone and begins quietly looting and pilfering
when opportunities arise. |
| Jem 16 |
Richard’s wizards are not much help in covering
the Dwarvish retreat; their plans were for big blast spells
into massed groups of Giants, but what they get are individual
combats all over the mountains. |
| Jem 17 |
By now, having lost 2 out of every 3 warriors,
the remaining Dwarves are back in Dashwood. A few days of uneasy
calm follow as everybody braces for the inevitable counterstrike.
Civilians start evacuating. |
| Jem 20 |
Giants invade southern Riveria on a hugely broad
front, and meet virtually no opposition other than around Dashwood.
Massive scrambling among Richard’s forces and EC’ers to try
and cover as much ground as possible, to little useful effect. |
| Scoria killed defending a farm near Dashwood.
Zakla killed in the village itself. |
| Jem 21 |
Richard continues to redeploy as best he can.
Nigella gets badly wounded while trying to evacuate villagers
east of Imdulton; she survives, but cannot be cured. |
| Sir Charles leaves Richard’s camp and leads a foray
into forest east of Imdulton; he has correctly guessed that
Giants are using it as a staging area. |
| Jem 22 |
Richard’s base camp is overrun. Femira, Lars
and Kermut killed defending Richard, who flees into forest. |
| Charles, unaware of all this, sacrifices himself
and his last two companions to take out 26 Giants. |
| Riverian defense, disorganized to begin with, becomes
a complete shambles. Over most of the south, the only real
opposition the Giants encounter comes from roving wizards (EC
and other), a few high-powered Clerics e.g. S’nel’be, and some
heroic locals; otherwise, roaming bands of Giants bring death
and destruction at every turn. |
| Jem 23 |
Eightfast killed near Slapton. By now,
the Rangers have met with some success in Leithorn, picking
off small groups of invaders before melting back into forest. |
| Dwapal’s few remaining Dwarves take Dashwood for
their own and hold it against all comers. |
| Richard’s troops, many concerned about their own
homes and families, scatter into isolated groups and try to
intercept Giants wherever they can; as fate would have it, this
unintentional tactic proves more effective than anything they
likely could have done as a large group. |
| Jem 24 |
The war’s nadir for Riveria, and turning point.
Richard captured by Giants, who take him to Zarim. Giant commanders,
realizing they too are facing significant attrition, call a
general retreat at this point, but not all Giants get the message;
and some that do, ignore it. |
| Some EC wizards get into a battle that goes wrong:
Margarette and Lusia killed. Pearl, who by now
has become de facto leader of the wizard brigade, makes sure
parts are recovered for later revival. |
| Somewhere close to Warburton, Throg and Flasheart
meet but don’t realize they have associates in common. |
| Terrance killed defending Imdulton, in perhaps
the largest battle on Riverian soil. The town is not taken,
but is horribly damaged regardless. |
| Giants reach south end of Sapentra High Bridge
but local troops prevent crossing, so the Giants instead try
to take the bridge down, causing significant damage over the
next few days before being driven off. Elsewhere, Extrickle
town is flattened; the few survivors hide in the hills. |
| Jem 25 |
S’nel’be tries to find Richard but has no idea
he has been captured; does well just to survive. |
| Nigella killed defending helpless villagers,
having never recovered from the pounding she took some days
ago. |
| Giant invasion breaks apart into isolated roving
bands; some retreat, others stay and cause havoc. |
| Jem 26 |
Mopping-up operations commence. Queen Catherine
is informed Richard is missing, presumed dead; she assumes regency
for Prince Albert. Meanwhile, Dwapal is slowly bringing order
to the chaos among Dwarf and Human troops alike, and starts
an organized – but slow – scouring of the south. |
| Jem 28 |
Unknown to anyone in Riveria, Tylara rescues
Richard from captivity in Zarim city; she and her party start
heading for safety but dare not announce success just yet. |
| Can 4 |
“We have your King, where would you like him?”
message psyonically broadcast to many EC’ers; quickly passed
on to Catherine, mourning turns to celebration on the spot,
and general Riverian morale goes up by leaps and bounds as news
spreads. |
| S’nel’be meets rescue party south of Imdulton,
takes Richard to Riveria city; 80+ other rescuees proceed on foot,
arrive Imdulton Canne 5. (see Zarim Infiltration
for details) |
| Can |
Rest of month is spent in various mopping-up operations
and general rebuilding. Lots of people retire (see below);
a few train, and a few find other problems. Pearl and
Throg leave to Zarim Infiltration aftermath. |
Surviving members: Nyseshi-Ka(R-6), Stormson(R-5), Taden(B-6),
Dwapal(P-6), Throg(F-8), Taveune(WrC-5), Fritter(T-6), Thomasine(NtC-6),
Pearl(MU-9),
Illyrah(R-7), Jane(MU-8), S’nel’be(WrC-10), Darby(MU-6/NrC-0),
Myra(B-8), Khrodhar(NrC-7), Germanica(MU-6),
Cnutkum(F-4),
Grogmac(WrC-6), Christophe(B-6), Flasheart(T-6), Serra(F-3), Sarra(MU-3)
New members: Terrance
Casualties: Gorlim, Femira, Lars, Scoria, Zakla, Terrance, Kermut,
Margarette, Lusia, Eightfast, Nigella
Retirees: Christophe, S'nel'be, Illyrah(all to Revenge
of the Gith); Serra, Sarra, Grogmac, Germanica, Khrodhar,
Darby, Jane, Thomasine, Fritter,
Taveune,
Dwapal, Cnutkum, Taden, Stormson, Nyseshi-ka
Continuing parties (to Zarim Infiltration):
Pearl, Throg
(to Circus
at Verwood, independently): Myra, Flasheart
54. Zarim Peaks Infiltration
(14-5-4;1), Jema 15-Canne 5 758, AU 05-JA
06
Background and summary: The Dwarf Daneeza has escaped from Zarim
and knows a secret way back in. King Richard calls for volunteers
to go in with her and cause as much disruption behind Giant lines
as they can; this Party forms, but take so long getting started
their efforts end up being far too late. But they carry on anyway,
killing such Giants as they do find (while rescuing various captives)
and getting some fearsome infighting out of their systems
in the meantime. As fate would have it, one of the last rescuees
is Richard himself; on losing him, the Giants start a full-scale
retreat, and the Party return to Riveria to help with mopping-up.
A lengthy break follows, during which some Party members cause some
havoc in Baldur’s Gate.
Starting members (from North
Pole: The Leukaio Project): Araglas(F-10), Akasha(I-9),
Tovan(NrC-8), Fulvin(NrC-6/T-6)
(from alpha 8):
Tylara(F-8)
(from The
Chronos Stone, via retirement): Tamarrik(MU-6)
| Jem 5 758 |
Lots of characters arrive at Imdulton in response
to King Richard’s call. |
| Jem 6 |
Richard meets with various EC-ers and introduces
Daneeza(WrC-6), who has found a secret way out of (and
thus into) the Zarim Peaks. He calls for volunteers to accompany
her back in, and this Party forms. (reluctantly in some cases,
e.g. Tamarrik: not the least bit interested in field adventuring,
but by the time the Party realize they need an MU she’s the
only one they can find, so she gets hauled along) |
| Daneeza introduces her bodyguard: Dogrib(F-6).
The Party needs a scout, so one is provided by Richard’s troops:
Leodran(R-6). Both join. |
| Jem 7 |
Tylara, busy training, psyonically asks Party
to wait for her. They do, for days. |
| Jem 8 |
Dwarves invade Zarim without warning anyone.
Richard and various EC-ers scramble to help out (see War
of the Giants – West for details) and this Party is
largely forgotten. |
| Jem 14 |
Fulvin arrives, only just now getting here in
response to Richard’s call. Tylara also arrives, in evening. |
| Meanwhile, Dwarven invasion has stalled, in part
because this Party’s diversions are not in place. |
| Jem 15 |
Leave Imdulton. |
| Jem 17 |
Enter hidden passage into mountains. A pair of
giant bats attack from a chasm; Dogrib fumbles on his first-ever
combat swing. |
| Leodran dragged into chasm; Fulvin heroically dives
after him, catches him, and Featherfalls him to the ground
a few thousand feet below. Some brief exploration here reveals
this as a long-abandoned part of the Dwarven settlements; Party
reunite above and carry on. |
| Jem 19 |
Meet and clobber a tough band of raiding Orcs.
At one point, Tylara puts 17+60+14 points into 3 of these in
one swing; each had 3 h.p. left beforehand. (in other words,
very messy overkill!) |
| Dogrib proves his worth during this battle, holding
a very tough (F-10, AC -3, strong, lots of magic) Orc to a stalemate
on a narrow path for enough time that help could arrive. |
| Sneak into Khazatza, avoid lots of Giants, scout.
(there should have been lots more Giants, but all
spare hands were at the front preparing to invade Riveria; what
Party finds is a token guard-force, but they don’t know this
and proceed as if they really are doing something useful) |
| Jem 20 |
Take out a few Giants. Fulvin nearly killed by
an Umber Hulk. |
| Riveria invaded on a broad front in a.m.; Party
learns of this via psyonics and now realize they are far too
late and far away to provide any distraction at all. So they
carry on regardless. |
| Find prison camp Daneeza originally escaped from,
and clear it out; rescue about 15 prisoners. |
| A couple of rescuees prove useful: Sinjen(T-6)
and Graax the Aaxe(F-10) both join. |
| Take on a small band of Orcs. Fulvin takes one
to -107 h.p. Sinjen, still recovering after his rescue, gets
clobbered into deep incurability; this would become his normal
condition from here on. |
| Find an urn that teleports user to somewhere deep
in a Zarim city warehouse. Rescued prisoners left in this warehouse,
for now. |
| Sinjen becomes obsessed with opening a Dwarvish
bank vault; stays here for days, gets nowhere. |
| Jem 21 |
Take on another band of Orcs. Tamarrik charms
one: "Kung" (Int. 5, Wis. 3; i.e. utterly useless). |
| A bone on one causes Tovan to become possessed
by Gruumsh; Daneeza fixes this. Graax tries to break the bone;
he does, but becomes a Gruumsh Cleric in the process! This
also gets fixed, somehow. |
| Jem 22 |
Away team of Tyl., Ara., Dog., Grx, Leo. roam
around town breaking heads while others pray and study. |
| Fulvin scouts Khazatza offices looking for maps;
finds Giants instead, goes and gets everyone else. |
Mistmaster the Fog Giant (NtC-12) causes problems:
o Araglas sneaks forward
to take out another Giant, is noticed by Mistmaster, and cut
off;
o Mistmaster summons a
couple of Air Elementals, and fogs up Party;
o Akasha flies across chasm
to Mistmaster, gets noticed by an Elemental, chased into fog;
o Rest of Party meet other
Elemental, meanwhile Mistmaster turns the roof above Araglas
to mud and buries her; she manages to down a potion of Gaseous
Form and is immensely lucky to become one big bubble instead
of many small ones ( = instant death), she now completely stuck;
o Fulvin dispels Elemental
chasing Akasha but gets her too, luckily her flight effect survives;
o Second Elemental and
Mistmaster soon slain. |
| Much time and effort spent devising a straw to
get Araglas out of mud, eventually successful. |
| Take out a few more Giants, then find what they
were here guarding: a nursery containing 9 baby Giants. |
| Much discussion about what to do with these; Richard’s
people outside think they might be useful for ransom but are
not sure (and are busy getting slaughtered), Party told to hold
for now. |
| Akasha turns Tylara mauve; she’s bored. |
| Jem 23 |
Try to contact Femira outside and get no
response; same goes for Sir Charles. (unknown to Party, both
are now dead) Realizing they are on their own, and with no
way of caring for the babies, Party decides to slay them; Graax
does the honours. With this, Khazatza now appears to be empty,
so all to Zarim. |
| 2 Fire Giants and a supporting Illusionist draw
whole Party into battle; one of the Fire Giants Flreballs
everyone, taking both Tylara and Fulvin to -11 (Death’s Door
saves both) and Sinjen (again) and Tamarrik well below 0.
Kung killed; nobody cares. Party barely wins, then looks for
a safe place to hide. (and Tamarrik is painfully reminded why
she so despises field adventuring) |
| Find local Ki-Piddli temple relatively undisturbed.
Explore, find a Dwarf corpse on an altar, sack out. |
| Jem 24 |
Tovan uses a scroll: Tazkar(WrC-6) raised
and joins. (this the corpse found yesterday; see Crown
of Talarthane for how it came to be here) |
| All kinds of Speak With Deads on various
people produce conflicting information. |
| Leaving the incurables (Sin., Tam., Tyl., Ful.,
Taz.) behind, Party goes Giant-hunting with some success. |
| Tazkar tells Party where temple’s secret beer stash
is kept; Party recovers and broaches. |
| Jem 25 |
Tazkar leads the drinking in a.m., then goes with
healthies on another raid. Group gets split up during a battle
gone wrong; drunk Tazkar left wandering on his own while everyone
else gets back to base. |
| Akasha tries to study spells but will not pass
her telepathy crown off to Leodran while doing so. Fulvin,
by now quite drunk, noisily tries to steal it; Tamarrik takes
it for safekeeping; Akasha notices nothing until Fulvin blunders
into her. She stops studying. |
| Fulvin goes wandering off to explore. Akasha follows,
summons a shadow-Vampire and sics it on him; Fulvin loses 4
levels (to NrC-4/T-5) before Vampire sent off. Tamarrik sees
all this and uses Crown to alert Party; Akasha soon subdued
by Graax, and a big argument erupts. Meanwhile, Tazkar arrives. |
| Tylara kills Akasha during argument; more
mayhem. |
| Jem 26 |
Rest, argue, and test items all day. |
| Tamarrik uses Crown to tell many of Akasha’s death;
becomes very annoyed when various Elves refuse to deal with
her. Crown given to Araglas. Arguments go on until 2 a.m.,
then vote to put Akasha and Tylara to trial after adventure.
(between one thing and another, this trial would never occur) |
| Jem 27 |
Tazkar restores ice to temple arena. |
| Leodran, then Tamarrik, scout the city; both are
followed by sneaking Sinjen. All are shocked to find King Richard
is here as a captive of the Giants. Lots of planning ensues,
until late in evening. |
| Tylara uses Dimension Door device to join
Richard in his cage, but Giants take Richard away shortly after.
Problem then becomes how to rescue Tylara. Giants begin evacuating
city, though Party does not realize this for some time. |
| Start quietly opening cages, until a Drow Cleric
in one summons a Drider; Tovan saves several lives with timely
Neutralize Poisons, and battered Party barely win. Meanwhile,
Graax figures out where Giants have gone, and Party rescue 48
Humans and 8 Dwarves from cages. Nobody sleeps this night. |
| Jem 28 |
Tylara tries again to get to Richard and this
time succeeds; Richard rescued. All then to Khazatza via urn,
and sack out here until forced to move on. |
| Can 1 |
Travel. All Cleric spells used up by Create
Food and Waters to feed Party of 82; as some of these are
in rough shape, travel is very slow. This goes on for several
days. |
| Can 2 |
Tylara becomes curable for the first time since
Jema 23. |
| Can 4 |
Finally get out of mountains. Tylara psyonically
broadcasts “We have your King, where would you like
him?” message to all and sundry, setting off celebrations
across the land. |
| S’nel’be and a few others planeshift in
that evening to pick up Richard; S’nel’be has lots to say about
the Akasha-Tylara-Fulvin situation but most ignore him for now,
and it eventually gets (mostly) forgotten. |
| Can 5 |
Reach Imdulton, drop off remaining rescuees. |
| Can 6 |
Tazkar, Dogrib, Graax, and Tamarrik
retire. Fulvin and Sinjen start work on treasury and stay
put. Throg(F-8) and Pearl(MU-9) join from War
of the Giants – West; they and remaining Party head
out for a round of Giant-hunting. |
| Can 7 |
Find enough Giants to bump Daneeza to WrC-7.
Daneeza retires. Rest return to town. |
| Can 10 |
Sinjen arrives in Riveria, tries to sell some
banking documents found by Party in Khazatza, gets nowhere. |
| Can 12 |
Fulvin and Throg arrive and try (and fail) to
help Sinjen; Fulvin tries to interest Richard in documents but
merely manages to get himself evicted from Richard’s throne
room. They give up. |
| Can 16 |
Araglas, Tovan, Tylara and Throg set off to find
corpses of Charles, Kermut, Femira, etc., killed during
War of the Giants – West. Just about everyone else is busy
training, or soon will be. |
| Can 18 |
Find remains of Femira and Kermut, take parts. |
| Can 21 |
Fulvin restored in Riveria, and bumps to
boot (so now NrC-6/T-7). |
| Can 26 |
After much searching and digging, recover part
of Charles’ corpse. |
| Ver 2 |
Arrive Riveria, deposit corpse parts in relevant
places. |
That’s it for the adventure, but an eventful break follows:
| Ver 4 |
Throg and Araglas leave for Waterdeep,
intent on shopping. |
| Ver 5 |
Femira fails resurrection in
Riveria. |
| Ver 15 |
Araglas looks to buy a Belt of Ogre
Strength, tries it on, it’s cursed (Str = 2) and she collapses;
seller takes off with her 6,000 g.p. |
| Alerted via psyonics, Throg finds her
later and gets curse removed at a temple. |
| Ver 19 |
Araglas learns "seller"
is headed for Baldur’s Gate; she follows. |
| Ver 25 |
Throg leaves Waterdeep. Araglas arrives
Baldur’s Gate. |
| Ver 26 |
Tylara tapestries from Verwood to
Waterdeep, commissions upgrade on her +3 goupilla (to +4). |
| Ver 28 |
By now, Araglas knows her target works
on a merchant ship; ship is leaving today so she books passage
on it (back to Waterdeep), once aboard she cannot find her target
though has proof he is here; all evidence points to one crewman
but he looks much different than person who sold her the cursed
belt. |
| Fie 10 |
Araglas arrives Waterdeep, links up
with Tylara; together they capture suspicious crewman. |
| Tylara uses psyonics to charm crewman,
soon finds he is the right target but has none of Araglas’ money
left (he has gambled it all away). At Tovan’s long-range urging,
crewman is left with local Tymora temple as an eager new acolyte;
Araglas etc. set sights on ship’s captain as ship is involved
in smuggling. |
| Fie 15 |
By various means, Araglas, Tylara,
Tovan and Sinjen have all arrived at Baldur’s Gate, where captain
lives. |
| Fie 16 |
Find captain’s house; Sinjen tries
to break in and gets poisoned, fortunately Tovan finds him.
Team then tries a more cautious approach. |
| Fie 17 |
Find chest up a tree in backyard,
and loot. Then break into house, find a bit more loot and a
Guardian Cat that attacks Tovan only as he triggered it. Kill
Cat. It comes back, bigger. Throw it in a room and ignore. |
| Much argument on whether to take a
large enchanted mirror and stand; Araglas finally agrees to
carry. |
| Local Thieves interrupt, meanwhile
Sinjen sets the house on fire, and everyone flees. Araglas
puts mirror in middle of road to confuse an attacker;
it’s heavy and bulky, so she leaves it there and flees. |
| Lei 1 759 |
Arrive Waterdeep, meet Pearl who casts
ID’s on loot for days, Party say little about where it came
from. |
| Lei 5 |
Tovan attacked by Guardian Cat again
(it died in fire, came back, tracked Tovan 400 miles); it’s
bigger yet, and hurts him badly. He hauls it to his temple;
Clerics there dislodge and trap it. They know it still has
7 lives to go and will come back bigger each time; they also
pity Tovan. He gets help. |
| Pearl polymorphs Cat to a slug; Tymora
Clerics throw it in an oubliette, Araglas and Tylara take target
practice until Cat has died all 9 times. |
| Lei |
Various people train and-or retire. |
Surviving members: Araglas(F-10), Tovan(NrC-9), Fulvin(NrC-6/T-7),Tylara(F-8),
Tamarrik(MU-7), Leodran(R-8),
Daneeza(WrC-7),
Dogrib(F-7), Sinjen(T-7), Graax(F-10), Tazkar(WrC-6), Throg(F-8),
Pearl(MU-9)
New members: Dogrib, Leodran, Daneeza, Sinjen, Graax; Tazkar (from
Crown of Talarthane)
Casualties: Akasha
Retirees: Tamarrik(to Revenge
of the Gith); Dogrib, Graax, Tazkar, Daneeza
Continuing parties (to Dragonspear Castle
III): Araglas, Tovan, Tylara, Sinjen, Leodran, Throg
(to Circus
at Verwood): Pearl
(to Capture
of Sylune): Fulvin
55. Dragonspear Castle
III (7-1-1;2), Jema 5-Scori 20 758,
FE 06
Background and summary: Sinjen the archaeologist wants to poke
around Dragonspear Castle. Rest of Party can’t talk him
out of it, so they go along as backup (also, so Tylara and Araglas
can get a few ExP they need to bump). But Sinjen dies as
soon as they get there, so Party instead go hunting in the hills
before returning home.
Starting members (from Zarim Infiltration):
Araglas(F-10), Tovan(NrC-9), Tylara(F-8), Leodran(R-8), Sinjen(T-7),
Throg(F-8)
| Lei 19 759: |
Tovan finishes training (to NrC-9).
Party have by now recruited a new MU: Jhal(MU-7) joins. |
| Lei 21 |
Sinjen hears about Dragonspear Castle;
nobody can talk him out of exploring it so Party forms and goes
along, also hoping to see what use Jhal might be. Leave Waterdeep. |
| Sco 1 |
Arrive Dragonspear, explore grounds
and outbuildings; only opponent is a Wraith, soon destroyed. |
| A voice tells Party to go away, Party
start asking questions instead, so after several more go-aways
a massive Lightning Bolt backs up the request. Sinjen
and Jhal killed. (both voice and spell are Finetra’s,
the reclusive wizard first met in Dragonspear
Castle I). |
| A Jhal item blows up, resulting wild
magic surge animates all dead in area including Sinjen and Jhal;
Tovan destroys these via turning (so Sinjen and Jhal unrevivable,
ever), and Party leaves. |
| Sco 4 |
Find a small family of 8 Hill Giants
in nearby hills, observe for a few days. |
| Sco 6 |
2 Giants go off to hunt; Tylara and
Araglas follow and slay once well clear of camp, then return |
| Whole Party takes out remaining 6,
loots (these Giants are dirt poor) and leaves. |
| Sco 20 |
Arrive Waterdeep; Tylara and Araglas
spend a few weeks training. |
Surviving members: Araglas(F-11), Tovan(NrC-9), Tylara(F-9),
Leodran(R-8), Throg(F-8)
New members: Jhal
Casualties: Jhal, Sinjen
Retirees: none
Continuing party (to Caves of
Evil): Araglas, Tovan, Tylara, Leodran, Throg
Circus at Verwood (mini)
(16-1-0;2), Scori 5-Tari 759, AL- 06
Background and summary: The party returning from Volcano
of the Giants have a huge treasury to divide. This
long process goes neither smoothly nor safely, and is interrupted
by many things including a royal visit.
Starting members (from Volcano of the Giants):
Mrikle(I-10), Leshendra(T-11), He’is(F-10), Thistle(MU-6/T-7),
Rohn(F-8),
Munin(R-8),
Trilby(NtC-9), Chance(NtC-8), Marlu(MU-9/WrC-2), Schurra(NtC-7)
(from War
of the Giants – West): Myra(B-8)
(from Zarim
Infiltration): Pearl(MU-9)
(from retirement): Diora(WrC-9), Lanefan(F-9)
| Ver 4 758 |
Trilby throws Commune to find out where
various still-missing-in-action EC’ers are; determines Nigella,
Zakla, Eightfast, and Terrance are all dead, with
corpses either buried or lost. |
| Ver 16 |
The old Duke of Verwood dies; Enterprise Company
inherit the duchy and have no idea what to do with it. Major
Minor sends a message to Riveria asking direction, gets no reply. |
| Ver 18 |
A message arrives from Imdulton; someone in their
jail claims to be an EC’er and will the EC please deal with
it. Munin and He’is respond, and find Flasheart(T-7)
being held for looting. She ends up in Verwood dungeon with
Carrine. |
| S’nel’be just about goes ballistic, starts
talking about Company charters and rules again; few listen. |
| Ver 25 |
A monarchy official or functionary of some sort
arrives at Verwood, spends over a week at castle asking all
sorts of questions, mostly of Major Minor. S’nel’be checks
him out and his story holds up. On being told of Carrine and
Flasheart he suggests King Richard might be willing to
try them later. |
| Fie 3 |
Monarchy official leaves Verwood, having given
no useful advice about duchy inheritance. |
| Fie |
Sometime around now Mrikle and Marlu each buy
a huge empty spellbook for the castle, and begin design of a
full-scale wizardry lab to be built when labour resources allow.
|
| Lei 6 759 |
Word reaches Verwood of an impending full-ride
royal visit; Major Minor’s workload skyrockets. |
| Lei |
Thistle spends the month thieving in Riveria city
to little avail. |
| Sco 5 |
Up north, Diora casts Commune and learns
the fate of the Highway to Hel
party; she, Lanefan and Nanomi give up waiting and planeshift
to Verwood. A raft of old arguments resume. |
| Sco 12 |
Thistle, Leshendra and Marlu jointly purchase
a Deck of Many Things and draw some cards. Thistle killed
when a card destroys all her magic and her Drow Gem falls out
of her head. Leshendra loses 3 Int. points from a card, but
gains a treasure map. Marlu does just fine. Various to Waterdeep
seeking wishes. |
| Sco 14 |
Someone shows up looking for Marlu: Ketall(F-4)
joins as Marlu’s hench, summoned by a Deck card. |
| Sco 18 |
Rohn gets a wish cast and becomes massively psyonic. |
| Sco 21 |
Thistle revived via wish, partly paid for
by Deck’s resale. |
| Sco 28 |
Richard, his family, a few nobles, and about 110
retainers arrive at Verwood. |
| Tar 1 |
Richard speaks to the Company:
o Baron Boscombe has been
stripped of lands, titles, etc., and his daughter Sylune is
now outlaw;
o Throy,
Flasheart, and Carrine are sentenced to work together, hunting
Sylune (Throy objects); see Capture
of Sylune for results of this;
o Nigella is posthumously
knighted for bravery during the war;
o Tylara is knighted
in absentia for rescuing Richard from captivity (the messy business
between she and Akasha is never mentioned; while some were hoping
Richard would act as judge, he instead chooses to honour Tylara
and sweep the other matter under the rug);
o Pearl is given
honourary life membership in the Riveria MU’s guild;
o Major Ann Minor
is made Duchess of Verwood. (so now Lady Ann; and the EC needs
a new seneschal) |
| Tar 3 |
Richard leaves. |
| Tar 4 |
Thistle starts planting magic beans in a field
behind castle:
o a Blue Slaad sprouts
from a bean and attacks Thistle, Thistle killed by her
own fireball, Party mop up.
o Leshendra grabs beans
and keeps planting; a Succubus shows up, immobilizes Leshie,
grabs Lanefan and disappears
o Marlu summons a 16HD
Earth Elemental to help in battle;
o Succubus appears 200’
above Party and drops Lanefan, Marlu saves him with Featherfall
but loses all control of her elemental;
o Succubus power-dives
at castle, gets darkness-ed, paralyzed, shot, and psyonic blasted
all at once (i.e. utterly annihilated) en route;
o Elemental charges at
castle but Pearl polymorphs it into a 110 h.p. turtle; this
becomes castle’s mascot. |
| Thistle raised by Diora. Lanefan takes
beans from still-stunned Leshendra "for safekeeping",
and they are soon forgotten…for now… |
| Tar 5 |
Leshendra starts recruiting people to help her
find the treasure on her map. |
| Tar |
Sometime here, Chance retires to build
her own temple in or near Verwood Keep. |
Surviving members: Mrikle(I-10), Leshendra(T-11), He’is(F-10),
Thistle(MU-6/T-7), Rohn(F-8), Munin(R-8), Trilby(NtC-9),
Chance(NtC-8),
Marlu(MU-9/WrC-2), Schurra(NtC-7), Myra(B-8), Pearl(MU-9),
Diora(WrC-9), Lanefan(F-9), Flasheart(T-7)
New members: Ketall
Casualties: (Thistle[twice] – revived each time)
Retirees: Chance
Continuing parties (to Leshendra's
Treasure Map): Leshendra, Munin, Rohn, Marlu, Thistle,
Trilby
(to Loki's
Revenge): Mrikle, He'is, Schurra, Pearl, Diora, Lanefan
(to Capture
of Sylune): Flasheart
(to Coldwood
Menace): Myra
So why were all these Giants here, and what
were they doing?
The war between Dwarf and Giant has gone on,
in fits and starts, for as long as the two races have existed. Ages
ago, a legendary device brought great battlefield success to first
the Giants, then the Dwarves, then the Giants again as it
changed hands time after time; this device was the Crown of Talarthane,
and for the last thousand years or more it has lain, mostly
forgotten, in pieces in an abandoned Dwarven complex north of Zarim.
Mostly forgotten, but not entirely; the Dwarves speak of
it in legend, and the Giants dream of its return.
Within the last century, a rather unusual pair
of Giants – Fellgjar the Storm Giant and Goroda the Cloud Giant
– have come to rule a large number of Giants of all types, calling
themselves (somewhat correctly) overlords of all Giantkind.
Fellgjar and Goroda are unusual for three reasons: one, they are
highly intelligent, organized and patient, and are willing
to force these traits onto lesser of their kind; two, they have
become steeped in Giant lore
and history and are determined to use this knowledge to finally
put an end to Dwarves; and three, they are both extremely
long-lived (each is already over 200 years old) for their race,
mostly due to Fellgjar’s research into anti-aging magics,
and thus know they will have plenty of time to bring their goals
to fruition.
Somewhere along the way, these two learn of
the Crown of Talarthane, and quickly realize that if they can find
and use it they could be unstoppable. So, they spend years researching
its history and probable whereabouts, finally determining
its last known location to be somewhere in Khazatzarima, now known
as Zarim.
Armed with this knowledge, Fellgjar starts recruiting
and training an army of Giants in the mountains northeast
of Megrim. Not all Giants respond (many prefer their more normal
life of random violence and complete disorder) and some who
do – including Verbrugge, the legendary Frost Giant – soon tire
of Fellgjar’s ways and leave to set up strongholds of their
own. But Fellgjar is still able to build a significant militia
over time, overseen by a strong force of capable and organized
Cloud Giants.
Meanwhile, Goroda uses the skills of her kind
to design and build the Islands of Sakhut – a solid-cloud flying
fortress strong enough to carry Giants in large numbers at high
speed to anywhere in the world. She spends decades establishing
seven docking stations around the world and bribing huge Dragons
to guard each one; except that any Dragon she leaves guarding
the dock at Kraikos (Greece) is invariably slain by the time she
returns. Eventually, in their first co-ordinated military
action, the army under Fellgjar uses Goroda’s Islands to travel
around the world to Kraikos and there capture mighty Atlas,
the Titan near whose mountain their dock had been built (and the
reason their Dragons had been faring so poorly).
The key docking station is the one at Mythariaka,
a towering and still-active volcano in the middle of an enchanted
forest; already home to a thriving colony of Fire Giants and less
than a hundred miles from Zarim. Fellgjar spends several
years here overseeing the reconstruction of an old stronghold at
the mountain’s base, while Goroda uses the Islands to ferry
in Giants – Fellgjar’s recruits first, from the north, followed
by any other Giants she can convince to come. And come they
do, first a few at a time, then later by the hundreds. Meanwhile,
Fellgjar leaves this all in Goroda’s charge, and returns
to his realm to continue training warriors.
The forest around the Mythariaka volcano proves
problematic for the Giants, but they are eventually able to
carve a safe path through it. This path is completed in year 752;
construction of a third base at its end takes another year
while the Giants overrun a large tract of undefended land north
of the Misty Forest, and by early 755 the Giants crash against
the western mountains and Zarim finds itself at war.
The Zarim Dwarves fight gamely, but inevitably
lose the war of attrition over the next few years. The only dent
in the Giants’ armour comes in 756, when a party of adventurers
strafe and almost destroy one of their main forward camps;
this success is never followed up, and by early 758 there is little
left of Zarim as a realm.
But there is still no sign of the Crown of Talarthane.
During the spring of 758, divinations done by the Giants
tell of the key moment being close, so almost frantically the Giants
expand their search both south into the Elven lands (a large
band erroneously confuses the Sheeramaliea legend with the Crown
and wastes lots of time and resources here) and north into
the uninhabited peaks east of the Greenshire. But by sheer chance,
a party of
adventurers with subtle guidance from Dwarven goddess Berronar
find the Crown under these northern peaks just as the first of the
Giants’ search parties reach its location; they put its pieces together,
and take it to Riveria. The Giants, and thus Goroda, quickly
learn where it has gone. (Goroda’s original information was correct
as far as it went; the Crown was last seen in Khazatzarima
many centuries ago, but since that time the kingdom has shrunk
considerably to become today’s Zarim, and the Crown’s resting place
is now part of no realm at all)
This is a huge setback for Goroda, and – not
wishing to incur Fellgjar’s wrath – she does her best to set things
right. Patiently, thinking the Humans would not know what they
have and thus that she has time to plan, she recalls the
Giants from their searches, moves the command camps forward, and
sends as many troops as she can spare to invade Riveria and
get the Crown back. But a series of misjudgments doom her. First,
the Humans do know the Crown’s purpose, and waste
no time in giving it to a suitable Dwarf. Second, this Dwarf –
the Paladin Dwapal – strikes at the Giants in an unexpected
attack before the invasion can begin, and though the Dwarves are
forced to retreat, they disrupt and delay the invasion a
great deal. And third, the area’s other inhabitants fight back:
Elves attack the rear supply lines, while a party of adventurers
go right through Mythariaka and strike at Goroda herself
not long after she gives the order to invade Riveria. Goroda dies.
Without co-ordinated instructions coming from
the now-dead Goroda, the much-more-ordinary field commanders
in Riveria watch their invasion fall apart; by sheer luck they manage
to capture the Humans’ king, and use this as an excuse to
call a very disorganized retreat. Meanwhile, Fellgjar goes to investigate
Goroda’s death and is himself slain by the same party; this
costs the Giants their long-range transport, and the Giants left
in the field are now completely on their own. And they no
longer even have the king as a hostage; he was freed within
a few days of his capture by yet another adventuring party inside
Zarim city. Before long, all the Giants hold is two large
field camps, soon reduced to one after a powerful group of Waterdeep
wizards burns the other to the ground. With this, and knowing
their greater cause is lost, the Giants slowly disperse and go back
to their wandering ways.
|
