Play Day 12 - 23/11/2012

Date: Oathday 2nd Desnus. The party begin this session in the underground corridors of the Shadowfell Keep.

Having dispatched all the inhabitants of the Keep, including the evil master Kalarel, they awake in the secured chamber of the former Hobgoblin Chieftain - who's dead body now lays with so many others upon the cold stone oors of the keep.

The party, understandably tired and sore from the last few days effort, break camp slowly and casually. The hectic and cautious approach of the last few days abandoned for a deservedly more relaxed and carefree approach. Each of the party are smiling and happy, sharing jokes and enjoying each other's company.

All that is except for Delina.

The Gnome witch of Desna is still quiet and sullen. The once smiling, energetic and curious Gnome has become withdrawn. She shares no smiles with the rest of the party, nor takes any joy from knowing that she has helped saved the people of Winterhaven. Her thoughts lay with the loss of her life companion, Hoodlin; whom she watched burn to death in the depths of this unholy place. His body, still conned within this keep, to remain here for all of eternity. She clasps the rapier that once belonged to Hoodlin to her chest and sits in the corner alone.

Mindful of her loss, the rest of the party respectively leave Delina in peace.
*********

During this time the Monk of Irori stands up proudly before the group and announces, "When we rst meet, I had no name, being unworthy of having one. Now, I have faced my trial and earned my name, you may now call me Seng."

Once the party are ready, having collected all their newly acquired loot, they slowly leave the dark connes of the Keep. The warm morning sun feels good upon their skin. The dead bloody body of Favion still lays upon the ground near the exit of the keep. His body shows signs of having been gnawed upon by some unknown animal. The party pay little attention to the deceased traitor as they pass.

The journey is slower this time around as they carry more gear back than when they came here. The party take the walk back easily and arrive at Winterhaven just after lunch.

Waiting at the village are numerous people in obvious celebration. There is music playing by various locals and child are running around. The large gates of the village, secured shut when the party left, are now open again.

Captain Kelfem and two guards approach your group as you arrive.

"Friends you've returned," begins the Captain smiling. "The orcs and goblins that were surrounding and ambushing the area have left in droves to the northern forests. Valthrun tells us that someone has thwarted the arrival of Orcus - we knew you must have succeeded! Well done friends. Please you must join me and some of the locals tonight for a feast in the Wrafton Inn in your honour. Lord Padraig will not be joining us, as he still holds up in his Manor, unwilling to leave until the reinforcements from Fort Dinbury, in the south, arrive. He believes we are still all to perish under the might of Lord Orcus. Friends I must go but I will see you tonight."

The Captain leaves as many other locals come up to you and start to clap your backs and shake your hands.

You are indeed the heroes of Winterhaven.

When the party rst arrived you were inexperienced. Now each of you is hardened and more skilled. Truly a party of heroes. Delina, with her faithful hawk on her arm, moves to the front of the group and speaks, her eyes looking at each of you in turn. "Friends, for that is what we are now, I must speak from my heart. When I started this journey I had joy in my heart for the adventure of traveling and exploring a new land. Hoodlin," and with that name spoken aloud her voice falters slightly and she coughs before continuing with a trembling voice.

"Hoodlin and I spoke often of the many adventures we would share together. Now that dream is over. Friends, my love for adventure is gone. I must leave you now and return to the northern forests of Cadwood. I will bury this rapier in the soil under the trees where Hoodlin and I played as children. I think Hoodlin would like that."

With that last sentence, Delina's face bows down and tears come from her eyes. Isabella approaches the Gnome and crouches down, so that her head is level with Delina's, and places her arms around the Gnomes sobbing shoulders. "Peace be with you my friend," Isabella begins, "I shall pray to Cayden Cailean for the service that Hoodlin gave this party and for your loss. You shall always be our friend. Take care on your journey."

Each of the group come up and embrace Delina. When it comes to Elamros's turn, the embrace that Delina gives is a little longer and rmer.

Quietly and with no further words spoken, the Gnome witch walks away, still clutching Hoodlin's rapier rmly. The party lose sight of her small body as she passes into the moving crowd. *********

The afternoon is spent taking care of the newly acquired loot. After taking those items that are useful and allocating them to the party, the rest is sold, at a very reasonable price, to various shops. New gear and provisions are also purchased. The party arrive at the tower of Valthrun the Wizard, to sell and buy some goods and also to see the Wizard as a massage had been passed to the party earlier, informing them that the Wizard wished to see them. The wizard greets the party warmly, "Friends, thank you for coming. I have a proposal for you. I have here an ex-apprentice of mine, Arforth. He trained with me here before leaving to nd adventure and hire out his services. He has returned now from the city of Lington where he spent the last year earning money from his skills. He is once again looking to hire out his services. He was planning on going south to offer his services but I thought you might wish to speak to him rst to see whether he may be of benet to your group."

Standing next to Valthrun is a young male Elf. His long white hair is tied up in a pony tail. Blue piercing eyes look at each person in the party, showing determination and also some arrogance. After introductions are made, Arforth is questioned at length by the party. He is a Fire Wizard and quite a skilled practitioner of the eldritch arts. With the loss of Delina the party now have no arcane caster within the party and will need one if they are to continue adventuring successfully. Isabella eventually comes to a mutually agreeable arrangement with the elf and with the shaking of hands, Arforth agrees to call Isabella his new master.

*********

As the evening approaches large numbers of locals arrive at the Wrafton Inn. Salvana Wrafton is madly moving about, serving the large number of customers.

Each of many locals that the party have meet over the last weeks come and share drinks and thanks with the party. Orten of the Guard, Eilian the Old farmer, Valthrun the wizard, Thair Coalstriker the blacksmith, Bairwin Wildarson of the Grand Shoppe, Captain Kelfem, Sister Linora and many others.

Arforth, the new member of the group, keeps to the side and watches. He is not sure what to make of this new group he travels with. It seems interesting times will be coming to the Fire Wizard if things continue like this for this group of adventurers. The evening continues late and many drinks are consumed. Eventually the party retire to their room in the Wrafton Inn. *********

With the coming of the morning, on Fireday the 3rd of Desnus, the party arise and ready for departure. After a hearty breakfast at the Inn, supplied free by the grateful Salvana Wrafton, who made more money last night than she would normally in a month, the party leave the Inn. Gathering their gear and loading it onto the nearly acquired cart and horses, the party leave Winterhaven, heading west towards Winewold; which lays about four days travel to the west. Some of the locals wave cheerfully at the leaving party. With one last long look behind them the party leave the peaceful village of Winterhaven. Arforth seats at front of the cart, holding the reins of the two light horses. Krondor sits atop a light combat horse riding just ahead of the cart. The rest of the party sit in the back of the cart. Travelling at a slow pace they follow the well travelled road west. Every now and then other travellers are passed. Some on horses and some in carts. At the end of the rst day, as the day grows darker, the party stop and break camp a distance away from the road. Watches are set and the night passes uneventfully. *********

In the morning, on Starday the 4th of Desnus, after normal preparations are made the party begin the journey west again. Through out the day more travellers are meet. Some even stop and talk. The party learn that the is a large festival being held at Winewold, the Harvest Festival. Each year many people ock to Winewold and enjoy this festival. Winewold is well known for its incredible wines, which are possible due to the fantastic weather that they enjoy every year. The party are intrigued to learn that this incredible weather is actually caused by some enchanted device that is called the Vernal Key and Cup.

As the shadows grow longer and night approaches the party again leave the road and make camp some distance away from the road. The Haven Hills lay to the south whilst the Changrove Forrest lays to the north. This is wild country.

Setting watch for the night, the time passes uneventfully until Arforth takes his turn to keep watch. Half way through his watch he can hear loud, heavy foot steps a fair distance to the south. He quickly wakes the rest of the party who ready them selves.

The footsteps get louder and soon, in the darkness the sensitive eyes of Krondor, Arforth and Elamros can make out a very large human shape moving towards the camp from the southern hills. The gure is huge, easily two and half times a normal human. It moves with a solid stride. Its skin appears to be stone and its face is long and at. Only a simple dirty cloth wraps around its hips and in one hand a large and heavy looking club is raised in the air.

Krondor looks worried, "Get ready you lot. There's a stone giant heading our way and he don't look happy!" As the giant approaches closer, Elamros res an arrow that hits the creature squarely in the chest. A small chunk of stone drops off but the creature appears not to even notice. Krondor runs up towards the giant shouting behind him, "I'll hold it back THROW EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IT!"

Arrow, bolt and arcane energy y towards the giant. Chunks of stone come inging off it. Cracks appear on its stone skin but still it advances. Isabella attempts to hold the creature with a powerful prayer but the spell appears to have no effect on the creature. As it approaches Krondor, the Dwarf swings his heavy war axe and strikes the giant on one leg with a loud crack. Stone dust explodes out from a crack on one leg. The giant raises its hand and swings the club, easily the same size as the Dwarf, towards Krondor. The club hits the raised shield of Krondor but the share force of the blow causes the Dwarf to y back a few feet. The shield crashes backwards into the Dwarf and hits him squarely on the head, opening a large bleeding gash.

"By the gods," shouts Krondor. "That thing packs a punch! We may be in trouble."

Seng, with the lightning fast speed of a trained Monk, moves towards and behind the stone giant and begins to kick and punch the creature. Flesh against stone. With each blow cracks appear in the stone.

Arforth, shows his new companions his skill with re. As he gazes at the creature ames erupt from the wizards eyes. Bright, intense ames of re erupt on the stone giant. Molten stone drops off onto the ground and sets alight the grass.

Again the club of the giant comes down upon Krondor. He is unable to stop the blows and takes injury after injury, that would have killed a normal man but the stalwart Krondor continues to stand his ground bravely. Isabella sends prayer after prayer towards Krondor, each time healing his wounds and keeping him from certain death. The battle continues for many minutes. Slowly, bit by bit, the stone giant is damaged. Large cracks appear through out its body and large stone chunks drop off. It starts to move in jerky, trembling motions and appears to be having trouble standing. The giant starts to turn and move away from the party but as it does so the party continue their attack at the retreating creature. As it tries to get away one nal blow breaks one of the legs of giant, it slowly falls over towards the ground, like a toppled tree. As it it's the ground, the large cracks in the creature explode and it shatters into large bits of grey stone that y into the now dusty air. A deafening boom lls the night.

The creature is defeated.

The party stand sweating and Krondor, bleeding, moves towards Isabella. "Thank you Cleric. Without your aid I would be speaking to my ancestors now." Isabella reaches out a hand and places it on the shoulder of Krondor, "No, thank you master Dwarf. Never have I seen a braver sight. One lone Dwarf running towards a stone giant. We have you and Seng to thank for holding it off and giving us the time to defeat it." With the dawn still an hour away the party return to the camp and return to sleep for a couple of more hours before breaking camp. *********

And that is where the play session ended.