Taking out the big guys.
It was a two meeting hunt and destroy mission but the group did take out the Frost Giant eventually. It required all their skills and a goodly bit of luck to make it happen, but they did prevail. Giants, Dragons, and the ilk are special to me when the characters face them mostly because it should be something memorable. It's not something that should be measured like a tally mark (ie orcs, kobolds, etc...) but something that they group remembers and notes as a poignant perioed in their progression as characters.
Write up follows:
We gathered together and healing was dispensed, bringing most of us back to full or a close as we could get it. From there we approached the walls of Njor citadel, Guyus feeling ahead for any sensations of evil – encountering none.
The outer walls were 30’ tall and the main gateway was closed with a dropped portcullis of heavy wooden bars, the double doors beyond still open. There was a huge courtyard of slicked icy snow pounded flat and featureless. No one walked around the expanse of ground but we assumed that through the many arrow slits in the citadel itself our approach to the walls was watched with care.
We stayed near the side of the gateway, staying out from under the overhang of the barbican above, very away of the fanciful carved nooks and hollows above were actually disguised murder holes. We wanted to get in but to do it swiftly before the frost giant could regroup or the Grylians could find us. Norris called upon his bardic skill and sung up a charm making the entire group invisible.
While we were talking about how to get in exactly Guyus felt the approach of two evil creatures walking above. We stayed quiet and the paladin informed the party that they were in the barbican above. We needed to make them move. He summoned his war steed and there was excited noise from the Grylians above. Something was dumped down the holes and it splattered on the animal as Guyus sent it racing away from the citadel. Some of the liquid also hit his leg greave and he heard it hiss.
We watched the war steed run for a bit until it seemed lamed from the liquid eating at its hind quarters. Then some arrows were shot at it and we heard the giant on top of the citadel 80’ up shout his frustration. Guyus made his steed fade away as it was staggering and just before the thrown boulder smashed into where it was once standing.
The Grylians and Njor talked for a bit and we deduced that they were wondering what happened to us (we were invisible). The portcullis was raised about 12’ and locked in place. And we waited. Njor and the Grylians on the roof disappeared from view and the two in the barbican remained there. Our plan was for Draugmor to climb the wall in one place and the rest of us would sneak in through the open portcullis. If possible, lock the gate open.
We crept in slow, the party all holding hand to shoulder while the elven thief scaled the wall. One by one we all made it past the open bars and around to the courtyard. The yard was very slick, the packed snow making footing treacherous. We stayed at a slow pace as we wound about. The call was made to probably follow the inner wall and make the long circuitous way to the citadel entrance itself.
Meanwhile, Draugmor made it to the parapet top without issue, looked right toward the barbican and saw the two Grylians there. However, near the stairs top here was another one. He froze. When an opportunity came he tried to make it to the stairs and down to the courtyard but came to close to the Grylian who whirled and slashed the air, nicking the thief’s ear and causing him to bleed. Draugmor took the steps at two at a time, leaving a trail of blood drops behind him. He leapt from the steps off the side and hurled a handful of blood away from him. Then he used his cloak pressed hard to the side of his skull and doubled back to the wall near the stairs.
The Grylian was hissing in its language loudly and excitedly and it attracted Njor back to the top of the citadel. He hurled a rock at the area the Grylian commented about and it churned up ice while a few arrows were shot about – nothing hitting anywhere near Draugmor who had gotten away from the area.
The giant jumped from the citadel top, the snow catching him and breaking his fall. He strode to the area while three more Grylians came from the citadel’s door and others were massing along the parapet walls. The group was inside the walls but frozen and invisible, not trusting out ability to not be seen. We needed to do something and do it fast.
And then Detheron decided for us. He pointed up to the sky and called another one of his ready lightning bolts from the clouds above. It arced down and blasted into Njor with the fury of Frey. The giant roared in fury, his voice shaking the snow. Thurin shouted out a hold person spell and froze three of the Grylians near the citadel entrance. The party snapped forward, bows firing as we took advantage of our invisibility and surprise on the unsuspected giants and Grylians.
It did not last long and the Grylians unheld began to take the stairs hard and race towards us. Njor, his beard smoking, grew wroth at Detheron and made to strike him. Another hold person went out and stopped another swath of the Grylians. A called lighting obliterated another Grylian and Njor was forced to back up. The frost giant called out a shout and erected a wall of ice between the group and him. Detheron was shot with an errant arrow and fell down in pain. He had his tiger, Jerrig, drag him to safety behind the wall while the rest of us tried to get to the giant and not get pegged anymore from the Grylians.
Unable to see for sure Detheron called another one of his dwindling supply of lightning bolts from above, slamming it down where he thought the giant was. He missed a direct shot but did manage to burst a large section of the wall. Njor shoved the teetering ice wall forward and it fell about the party. A large piece was hurled at the group and finally Draugmor and Guyus got within melee range. The thief tried a poisoned dagger at the giant’s back but missed horrible getting buffeted in the process. Guyus charged by leaping onto his summoned steed and plowing into the giant. Njor gave one more blow at the party and then ran for the citadel itself, once more in retreat (this time down to ¼ hit points!!!). We tried to slow him down but were unable to as he made it through the door and fled again.
Furious now we polished off the last of the held Grylians out here and stayed behind the wall for cover while more healing was dispensed. A new plan was hatched in which Detheron was going to make a huge fog cloud to block the courtyard and we would sneak upon the door of the citadel. Once inside we would take the fight to the giant and finish him once and for all. Not anticipating much left arranged against us, Mebali (still invisible) and Norris was told to return to the Dritka wood and return with the sled ASAP and get back here before sunset.
The fog cloud was summoned and Aleron and Smokey made their way first towards the citadel door, the bear’s strength to be used to smash the door open. A long corridor was there, leading to a foyer or some sort. Murder holes were on both sides of the corridor. Guyus let us know there was only “evil” on the right side.
Using his Illumination wand, Draugmor fired a sunflare through the murderholes on that side and blinded whoever was in there. And then we charged in. Coming out of the right hand side were three dazzled Grylians and Aleron plowed into them, sword and dagger working end over end. Njor appeared from the stairs and hurled a boulder at the group, slamming into the lead of the party. The three Grylians ganged up on the ranger, ripping through his chainmail and trying to tear his helmet off. He was bleeding freely from dozens of scratches and was becoming overwhelmed.
Detheron hurled a flaming sphere across the room and it blew up against Njor, the Frost giant screaming horribly as he was burned. Smokey waded in and then arrows and crossbow bolts were shot and the giant fell over with slow ponderance before dying on the stairs. Aleron was saved from the chaotic melee and the battle came to an end.
Once more healing was handed out from our diminishing stores and we checked out the area. The room on the right was an armory with bows, stone axes, and many of the obsidian javelin sized arrows as well as a barrel of arrow heads.
We also looked over some of the floor and discovered a barracks with sleeping area for 10 Grylians and a cloakroom. We were going to check out a fourth chamber before ending it for the night.
No comments:
Post a Comment