Game summary for December 20, 2007; present characters included Chuck Ahammer (shield dwarf master thrower/rogue/thunderthrower), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Grim Firestorm (shield dwarf barbarian/battlerager/frenzied berserker/warmain), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
After a short bit of fact-finding, the party decided they needed more information via magical spells to locate Kongen-Thulnir, so they used secure shelter to make camp on the edge of Skull Gorge. During one of the watches, the group discovered they were being watched by Gazzilfek, the Ominous Fabler they had met back in the court of Tyrant Tarnheel Embuirhan, in Mintarn. He presented himself as a bard spriggan on a mission for a stone giant chieftain. He indicated he sought information on the Age of Worms as well and wanted to accompany the party and document their adventures. The party knows there is something shifty about the Fabler, but they agreed to allow him to come with them for now.
Morak used find the path to locate the giant city of Kongen-Thulnir and lead the party in that direction. After a few days of travel, the Mercenaries found the cliff side city of kings under siege from dozens of dragons. Wyrms of green, black, blue, and even red scales flew about belching fire and acid and otherwise ransacking the city. For their part, the giants were doing an able job defending the city, with many dragons already dead or badly injured. The Mercenaries decided it was a prime opportunity to slip in under the cover of invisibility. It took some time and effort to descend down to the city and slip through the smashed gates, and their magical cloak faded soon after moving within.
No more than a few dozen paces into Kongen-Thulnir, and the Mercenaries suffered their first attack. A massive, hellish green dragon swooped down from hiding on a tower and breathed acid across the group. It landed nearby and prepared to assault the front lines. Eolas wasted no time unleashing a pair of disintegrate rays at the monster. Grim activated his magical boots and moved close to the dragon. He entered a mindless battle frenzy and brutally assaulted the creature. In desperation, it was able to grab him in its mouth and fling him off of the cliff side down 200 feet to the rocks below; however, his stubborn dwarven skull refused to crack, and he dragged his injured self back to his feet. With terrible wounds and an entire party of adventurers facing it (minus Syvarius and Gazzilfek, who had both fled in terror at first sight of the wyrm), the dragon decided this was more than it could currently chew. It slid off the edge of the cliff and began flying away.
Several of the party members leaned out over the cliff to take parting shots at the fleeing dragon; meanwhile, Grim dusted himself off, calmed down, and activated his flying armor to return to the group. As he ascended, a dozen hill giants burst forth from a building and tore into the Mercenaries. Their clubs landed several bruising shots, and Lyrin was hurled into the chasm. Fortunately, he had feather fall to protect him. Morak and Aridarye began blasting away with fire and sonic spells, and Eolas began gutting giants. Chuck used his acrobatics and stealth to get the drop on several as well. Iapetus appeared in bad position, surrounded by giants, but he was able to withstand the onslaught and land some telling blows of his own. Grim, returned from his rock-slam vacation, tore into the giants while Lyrin used his own magic to make his ascent back up the gorge.
Taravin, the group’s knight in tarnished armor, continued urging for diplomacy, and finally the giants (the last two standing) relented. They knew they had been beaten and were eager to find a way to spare their lives. The dumb brutes were not incredibly informative; however, they were able to tell the party of two groups of giants in power in Kongen-Thulnir, the Riftlords and the Rift Crawlers. They indicated the leader of the Rift Crawlers, Charlgar, was trying to overthrow King Silvereye. Unfortunately, they think Charlgar may have gone down in the initial dragon assault. They have not seen the body but are sure their leader would come to organize them if he were able. The Mercenaries let the giants live, and they promptly fled back into a tower.
Now the Mercenaries find themselves in a besieged city of wicked giants. If the dragons were not enough of a problem, the giants seem to be in some kind of civil war. Somewhere in this chaos lies the phylactery of Kyuss’ general, Dragotha. Somewhere else, a hellish green dragon knows of the party’s arrival and will certainly muster her allies for a second confrontation. No matter where the Mercenaries go from here, violence is almost assuredly imminent.
