The Owlbear Adventurers geared up in LeBroad before returning to the imposing fortress lair of the troll warlord, Harlurga. Opting for a stealthy approach, they chose a hidden cave entrance to the south, a path Ashla remembered from her captivity. Their caution was immediately tested when Keston and Ashla stumbled into a cleverly hidden caltrop trap. After taking the time to clear a path and gather the traps for their own use, they pressed onward.
Their exploration led them to a desecrated dwarven shrine. As the party entered, ghostly images of dwarves appeared, and Clicktick was struck down by a wave of psychic energy, overwhelmed by a vision of the dwarven god Torag. The holy presence subsided only when Ashla, a Lawful warrior, offered a prayer of respect. Venturing further, they discovered a hidden stairwell which they ascended, leading them to a grim chamber filled with severed heads and a hulking, two-headed troll.
A brutal fight ensued in the cramped quarters. The troll regenerated from most wounds, but the party fought strategically. Ashla landed powerful blows with her mace while Yohei’s musket shots rang out. The beast was finally dispatched when Keston doused it in acid, melting it into a pile of goo. Searching the room, they found a small hoard of treasure, including a mysterious Jade Orb Ioun stone that began to orbit Clicktick’s head.
Pressing on, they found the bedroom of Harlurga and his sorceress wife. The battle was immediate and chaotic. The sorceress blasted the party with lightning, knocking Clicktick unconscious, while Harlurga laid into them with a thunderous morningstar, felling Keston. Through coordinated assaults and timely healing from Izzy, they turned the tide. Yohei landed the killing shot on the sorceress, and Keston, after being revived, struck down the enraged warlord. Their victory was short-lived, however, as the turncoat Puck arrived with a warband of trolls and hobgoblins, forcing the adventurers into a desperate retreat.
OUTLINE:
Preparations and Infiltration
- The party bought healing tinctures and acid flasks in LeBroad.
- They decided to enter Harlurga’s Lair via a southern cave entrance.
- Keston and Ashla were injured by a hidden caltrop trap.
- The party spent time clearing the caltrops and collected three bags of them.
The Desecrated Dwarven Shrine
- The party discovered a shrine to the dwarven god Torag.
- Clicktick suffered psychic damage from the shrine’s lingering holy power.
- Ashla calmed the spirits with a prayer, removing the oppressive feeling.
- They found a hidden staircase leading up to another level of the fortress.
Battle with the Two-Headed Troll
- Upstairs, the party was ambushed by a large, two-headed troll.
- The troll regenerated from its wounds during the fight.
- Keston defeated the creature by dousing it with a flask of acid, melting it completely.
- They searched the room and found treasure, including a Jade Orb Ioun Stone.
Confronting the Troll Leaders
- The party found the bedchamber of Harlurga and his sorceress wife.
- A difficult battle began, with the sorceress casting lightning bolt and Harlurga wielding a thunderous morningstar.
- Clicktick and Keston were both knocked unconscious during the fight.
- Izzy used mass healing spells to keep the party alive.
- Yohei killed the sorceress with a musket shot, and the party ganged up to defeat the enraged Harlurga.
Ambush and Desperate Escape
- A nearby door was broken down by reinforcements led by the traitor, Puck.
- Facing a new warband of trolls, hobgoblins, and hounds, the party decided to retreat.
- Ashla spiked the door to the throne room to delay pursuit.
- Keston, Yohei, and Clicktick fled towards the stairs.
- Ashla and Izzy hid in the treasure room, spiking the door, and later escaped in the confusion.
- The party successfully escaped the fortress and regrouped in LeBroad.
NPCs:
- Harlurga: The massive, one-headed warlord of the trolls in the fortress. He wielded a giant morningstar with thunderous power and fought furiously to protect his mate.
- Harlurga’s Wife: A powerful troll sorceress who aided Harlurga in keeping his followers in line. She fought with potent lightning magic, blasting her foes from a distance.
- Puck: A former adventurer and companion who turned to the dark side. Now a pale-skinned figure with long white hair, he leads the trolls’ raiding parties and wields a deadly black razor.
- Two-Headed Troll: A hulking, gray-skinned, two-headed troll brute found guarding the upper level of the fortress. It was capable of rapid regeneration, making it difficult to kill with conventional means.
ITEMS:
- Acid Flask: A ceramic flask containing a vial of potent acid. When thrown, it shatters and deals acid damage, preventing troll regeneration.
- Caltrops: Small, four-pointed iron spikes designed to be scattered on the ground to injure and slow pursuers.
- Grim Lantern: A lantern made from a shriveled, desiccated skull. It is fueled by the souls of sentient beings, emitting a green, Baelish fire.
- Healing Tincture: A vial containing a magical liquid that restores health when consumed.
- Jade Orb Ioun Stone: A small, magical jade orb that orbits its owner’s head. It grants immunity to poison.
LOCATIONS:
- Dwarven Shrine: An ancient, desecrated shrine to the dwarven god Torag located within the troll fortress. It contains a font of pure water and is haunted by ghostly dwarven spirits.
- Harlurga’s Lair: A large, stone fortress carved into a cliffside that serves as the main stronghold for Harlurga’s tribe of trolls, giants, and hobgoblins.
- LeBroad: A nearby town where the adventurers can rest, resupply, and collect bounties for troll heads.
FACTIONS:
- Harlurga’s Warband: A loose coalition of trolls, hobgoblins, and other monstrous creatures under the command of the troll warlord Harlurga, operating out of a stone fortress.
QUESTS:
- Eliminate the Troll Threat: The party has been tasked with clearing out Harlurga’s Lair to stop the trolls from raiding the surrounding lands.
PLAYER CHARACTERS
- Ashla: A resilient warrior recently rescued from captivity within the very fortress she now seeks to cleanse. She is a pious and effective fighter, wielding a mace and longbow with skill. Her knowledge of the fortress’s layout proved invaluable for the party’s infiltration.
- Clicktick: A summoner who fights alongside his powerful Eidolon, a creature that acts as the party’s frontline combatant. Clicktick himself is physically average and prefers to command his Eidolon from a safe distance, making him a self-described ‘peasant-ish friend’ and ‘coward’. He is also a staunch atheist, a fact that caused him trouble in a dwarven shrine.
- Izzy: The party’s indispensable cleric, whose healing magic repeatedly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Izzy provides crucial support with mass healing and protective spells like Shield of Faith, all while being willing to get into the thick of combat himself.
- Keston: A brave paladin who is often at the forefront of battle. He is protective of his allies and makes tactical decisions, such as shoving enemies prone to create openings, but isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, even if it means bathing in a holy fountain to wash off oil.
- Yohei: A skilled marksman wielding a powerful musket that deals devastating damage from a distance. He also possesses a sinister Grim Lantern that can capture the souls of the fallen to fuel its light. Though effective, he is quick to retreat when danger gets too close.
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