Kingmaker: Ep. 26

The Owlbear Adventurers set out for the foreboding Talon Peak, following a gremlin map that cryptically marked a location as ‘giants’. The long journey through the grasslands was interrupted by a chance encounter with a magnificent, riderless black stallion. Through patience and a surprising offering of tofu skewers, the ethereal skald, Pepper, was able to befriend and tame the great beast, creating a striking image of a swirling void atop a powerful black steed.

Upon reaching the base of the mountain, the party discovered a colossal amphitheater carved into the rock, guarded by two lumbering, two-headed giants. An attempt at diplomacy by Pepper quickly soured when the giants demanded to know if they were ‘Guvral,’ a term the party did not understand. Their confusion was taken as a hostile answer, and a fierce battle erupted. After felling the guards, the heroes ventured inside, only to be confronted by a female giantess who was also triggered by their ignorance of the word ‘Guvral.’

Just as combat began anew, the blare of a war horn announced the arrival of a hobgoblin war party in the courtyard. Thinking fast, the adventurers barricaded a massive stone door and fell back deeper into the stronghold. They made a desperate stand at the bottom of a grand staircase, setting oil traps and using the narrow passage as a bottleneck. Paddock held the line with his radiant shield against a tide of ogres, while Yohei and Izzy provided support from the back lines. But their defense was not enough. A second door was smashed open, revealing not only more ogres but two towering, rune-skinned giants. Overwhelmed by the onslaught, Pepper and Paddock fell in battle. Yohei and Izzy, seeing the fight was lost, fled back up the stairs, only to find themselves cornered and forced to surrender to the giants’ powerful leader, Vizal Tezak.

OUTLINE:

Journey to Talon Peak

The party set out on a six-day hike to Talon Peak, following a map to a giant stronghold.
They encountered a wild, massive black stallion in the grasslands.
Pepper successfully befriended the horse with offerings of food and claimed it as a mount.

The Amphitheater Gates

The adventurers arrived at a colossal amphitheater at the base of the mountain.
They discovered two two-headed giants (ettins) guarding the main entrance.
Pepper attempted to parley, but the conversation broke down when the giants repeatedly asked if they were ‘Guvral.’
The party’s confusion led to combat, and they defeated the two ettin guards.

Intrusion and Alarm

The group entered a side passage and found a female ettin in a guard post, ready to sound a gong.
They briefly de-escalated the situation by asking for the leader, Vizal Tezak.
A war horn sounded from outside, heralding the arrival of a hobgoblin war party led by Govril Birdbinder.
The giantess attacked after the party again failed to confirm they were ‘Guvral.’

The Bottleneck Defense

The party retreated deeper, barricading a massive stone door behind them.
They set up a defensive position at the bottom of a giant-sized staircase, laying an oil trap.
Paddock single-handedly held the choke point against four charging ogres.
Yohei’s flaming sword ignited the oil, creating a wall of fire that burned the ogres.

Overwhelmed and Captured

A reinforced door was smashed open by another ettin, two ogres, and two powerful, rune-skinned giants.
The party was overwhelmed by the sheer number and power of their enemies.
Pepper was slain in combat and his body dissipated. Paddock and Izzy were knocked unconscious.
Yohei and a revived Izzy fled upstairs but were cornered by hobgoblins and more giants.
The survivors surrendered to the giant leader, Vizal Tezak.

NPCs:

Ettins: Warty, green-skinned, two-headed giants who serve as guards and soldiers in Vizal Tezak’s fortress. They are brutish and quick to anger, communicating in a gravelly language and fighting with massive clubs.
Govril Birdbinder: A tall, ochre-skinned hobgoblin commander clad in plate mail. He arrived at the giant stronghold with a contingent of troops to parlay with Vizal Tezak, just as the party began their assault. He carries a silver war horn and claimed Pepper’s black stallion after the battle.
Ogres: Dim-witted, nine-foot-tall brutes with tusks and heavyset frames that serve as shock troops for the giants. They wield large kitchen cleavers and charge into battle with little regard for their own safety.
Rune Giants: Elite, 18-20 foot tall giants with black skin and glowing runes. Clad in black plate mail and wielding huge greatswords, they serve as Vizal Tezak’s lieutenants and commanders.
Vizal Tezak: The Cairn Lord and Thane of the Giants of Talon Peak. He is a massive, black-skinned giant whose skin is engraved with glowing golden runes. A powerful commander, his voice carries magical authority that can compel his underlings to fight past their breaking point. He now holds the surviving party members prisoner.

ITEMS:

Kelsinger: Izzy’s magical sword, which he can cause to combust with flames in battle.
Paddock’s Shield: A special shield that glows with a holy radiance when Paddock invokes his faith, granting him enhanced protection.
Pepper’s Black Stallion: A massive, Clydesdale-sized black stallion tamed by Pepper at the start of the session. It was a powerful and loyal mount until it was claimed by the hobgoblin Govril after Pepper’s death.
Silver War Horn: A loud, piercing hunting horn made of silver, carried by the hobgoblin leader Govril. Its blast announced his army’s arrival and echoed throughout the stronghold.

LOCATIONS:

Fort Owlbear: The player characters’ home base, a reclaimed fort in the hills where their allies and supplies are kept.
Talon Peak: A cold, craggy mountain range that is home to a gigantic eagle and, as the party discovered, a formidable giant stronghold. Its slopes feature alpine meadows and steep, rocky paths.
The Giant Stronghold: A colossal fortress carved into Talon Peak. The scale is immense, with 40-foot-wide corridors, four-foot-tall stairs, and 30-foot doors. It serves as the seat of power for Vizal Tezak and his followers.

FACTIONS:

Giants of Talon Peak: A coalition of giants, ettins, and ogres led by the rune-skinned giant lord, Vizal Tezak. They have allied with a hobgoblin army and seem to be consolidating power in the region.
Hobgoblin Army (of Govril Birdbinder): A disciplined force of ochre-skinned hobgoblins allied with the giants of Talon Peak. They fly a banner depicting fangs chomping down on a stylized hawk.

QUESTS:

Establish a Foothold for Lady Kremenko: The party’s overarching mission to establish a friendly power base in the Sword Lands, currently centered at Fort Owlbear.
Investigate the Giants of Talon Peak: Follow a map recovered from gremlins to a location marked ‘giants’ on Talon Peak and ascertain the nature of the threat there.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

Izzy: An Oread Priest of Yama who has been rejected by multiple gods. He provides crucial support to the party, using his divine magic to stabilize fallen comrades and casting spells to blind his enemies. Though not a front-line warrior, he is willing to get his hands dirty with his sword, Kelsinger, when needed.
Paddock: A stalwart Half-orc Fighter who worships Esa. Once committed to a fight, he stands firm, using a special shield that glows with divine radiance to protect himself and hold the line. His immense fortitude allowed him to single-handedly block a stairwell against multiple ogres, buying his allies precious time.
Pepper: An Astomy Skald, a being composed of a swirling, dark, nebulous void. Lacking a mouth, Pepper communicates telepathically and appears as a mysterious, silent cloud of a person. Despite his intimidating appearance, he attempted diplomacy first, but his unusual nature and lack of knowledge about local giant customs ultimately led to his demise.
Yohei: A Kitsune Gunslinger whose shapeshifting nature remains a secret to this particular group of allies. He prefers to fight from a distance, using his firearm to pick off key targets with deadly precision. He also carries a lantern capable of consuming souls to unleash fiery attacks, though he held it in reserve during this fight.