The Newcomers, a strange new alliance of outcasts, gathered in the fishing town of Arrowford. Forgoing a grim return to Hagga Rock, they instead heeded the call of their newest member, the hobgoblin Gortac. He spoke of a legend from his former legion: a great ivory fortress that fell from the sky and crashed into the northern Mirefen swamp. Lured by the promise of treasure, the party ventured into the fetid bog.
Their journey was quickly interrupted by a pair of hulking, catfish-headed giants disemboweling a massive snake. Brother Jones’s attempt at peaceful diplomacy failed, sparking a brutal battle. The giants proved to be formidable foes, with one nearly crushing Daisy under a hurled rock before Gortac managed to stabilize her. After a desperate struggle, one giant was slain, and the other fled into the mists. Following its tracks led them to a crude lair containing the grisly remains of Gortac’s former comrades, along with a chest of silver and a magical ring capable of deciphering any spoken language.
Pressing onward, they finally laid eyes on the Tooth Fortress, a colossal white structure sunk at an angle into the mud. Near the entrance, they found a Shadow Finders’ camp and a dossier revealing the fortress’s origin from a plane of pure chaos. Once inside, they encountered a terrifying manticore guarding the main hall. Through quick thinking, Gortac used his new ring to bargain with the beast, sacrificing their pack mules to secure safe passage.
Their exploration led them to an ambush by more hobgoblins and then into a hall of statues. When they picked up the pieces of a shattered silver greatsword, three other swords sprang from the statues’ grasp, animating into a deadly whirlwind of steel. The fight was a harrowing ordeal in which every member of the party fell, only to be revived by their desperate comrades. After finally felling the last sword, the battered and bleeding heroes fled the fortress, making a harrowing retreat back to the relative safety of Arrowford.
OUTLINE:
A New Direction in Arrowford
- The party decided against returning to Hagerock to search for missing villagers.
- Gortac proposed a new quest: to find a mysterious ivory fortress, known as ‘The Great Charboogle,’ that crashed in the Meyerfen swamp.
- The party agreed to Gortac’s plan and set out north into the swamp.
Battle with the Marsh Giants
- The party encountered two massive, catfish-headed giants gutting a large snake.
- Brother Jones’s attempt at a peaceful greeting failed, leading to combat.
- Daisy was knocked unconscious by a hurled rock but was stabilized by Gortac.
- The party killed one giant, and the second one fled.
The Giants’ Lair and a Fallen Captain’s Loot
- Following the giant’s tracks, the party found a crude lair filled with the bodies of hobgoblins.
- Gortac recognized the dead as members of his former legion, the Blind Skulls.
- They found a chest with 600 silver coins and took a magical platinum Envoy Ring from a dead captain.
Arrival at the Tooth Fortress
- The party reached the massive, white, tooth-like fortress sunken into the swamp.
- They discovered an abandoned Shadow Finders’ campsite with a dossier explaining the fortress’s extra-planar origins.
- Inside the entrance hall, they found more dead hobgoblins and encountered a manticore named Skullnasher.
- Gortac used the Envoy Ring to bargain with the manticore, trading their two pack mules for safe passage.
The Hall of Animated Swords
- After an ambush by more Blind Skull hobgoblins, the party entered a new hall.
- Picking up a shattered silver greatsword from the floor caused three other swords held by statues to animate and attack.
- A brutal fight ensued where every party member was knocked unconscious at least once.
- Through a desperate series of attacks and stabilizations, they finally destroyed the swords and fled the fortress, returning to Arrowford.
NPCs:
- Jacob Sr. & Jacob Jr.: A father and son duo who run a fishing supply and boat repair shop in Aerofort. Jacob Jr. is an aspiring adventurer, eager to join the party.
- Marsh Giants: A pair of 16-foot-tall, brutish giants with the heads of catfish. They are territorial and hostile, wielding crude, oversized weapons.
- Skullnasher: A manticore (human-faced lion with bat wings and a spiked tail) guarding the central chamber of the Tooth Fortress. It is intelligent enough to bargain, though its primary motivation is hunger.
- Warlord Krull: The leader of the Blind Skull Hobgoblins and Gortac’s former commander. He is known to be a powerful and ruthless figure.
ITEMS:
- Bloodstone Pendant: A gemstone pendant that serves as a rank insignia for a junior officer within the Blind Skull Hobgoblin legion.
- Envoy Ring: A well-worn platinum ring that allows the wearer to understand any spoken language for one hour per day. It also creates a permanent illusion, making the wearer’s clothes appear to be fine garments that match the local culture.
- Giant Toes: A sack full of severed giant toes, harvested by Brother Jones from the dead marsh giant for potential alchemical use.
- Giant’s Dagger: A crude dagger wielded by a marsh giant, so large it is the size of a scythe or short sword to a normal person.
- Shadow Finder Dossier: A wrinkled piece of parchment found in an abandoned camp, detailing the politics of the Blind Skull hobgoblins and the extra-planar origins of the Tooth Fortress.
- Silver Greatsword: An elegantly crafted greatsword with looping sigils. As a silver weapon, it is effective against lycanthropes and other supernatural creatures.
LOCATIONS:
- Arrowford: A sizable fishing town of about a thousand people, built along a wide bay. It serves as a hub for the local region.
- Mirefen: A vast, boggy, and fetid swamp located north of Aerofort. It is filled with dangerous creatures and hidden locations.
- The Village Inn: The local tavern and inn in Aerofort where the party went to celebrate after their harrowing adventure.
- Tooth Fortress: A colossal, white, tooth-shaped structure of extra-planar origin that crashed into the Mirefen. Its interior is alien, lit by glowing red orbs and filled with strange statues and deadly guardians.
FACTIONS:
- Blind Skull Hobgoblins: A militant hobgoblin legion seeking to build an empire in the northern wastes, led by Warlord Krull. Gortac is an exile from this group.
- The Shadow Finders: A guild dedicated to archiving historical artifacts and knowledge. They are often accused of being plunderers who take relics for their own purposes, akin to a ‘British Museum’ of magical items.
QUESTS:
- Find the Missing Villagers: Villagers from Aerofort went missing after being dared to visit a place called Hagerock. This quest was put on hold this session.
- Investigate the Tooth Fortress: Gortac told the party of a giant, ivory fortress that fell from the sky. The party set out to find it, hoping to discover treasure and secrets.
PLAYER CHARACTERS
- Brother Jones: A Samsarin cleric, a race of beings who reincarnate upon death. He has cobalt blue skin and solid black eyes and is a devout, almost annoyingly lawful good, follower of the deity Madeira.
- Daisy: A half-Triaxian (rabbit-person) bard who was once a bastard noble before becoming a charlatan. She uses her wit and magic to mock and hinder her foes, though she is not particularly durable.
- Gortac Syntax: A massive Hobgoblin barbarian who was exiled from his legion due to his rage issues. Despite his intimidating appearance and past, he tries to be friendly, though he is the focus of much fear and suspicion in civilized lands.
- Ygritte: A bearded Dwarven Skald with a background as ‘Energy Scarred’. She is a priestess of Madeira, equipped with healing and protective spells to support her allies.
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