Game summary for June 27, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Denessia Rapidarma (Dwarf Gunslinger/Paladin played by Casey Scruggs), Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Dwarf Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Svala Alehorn (Dwarf Unchained Barbarian played by Todd Hughes), Ten-Penny Tacey (Half-Orc Rogue played by Shane Bradley), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.
The team, rested from their encounter with the demons, continued through the forest toward Artrosa. Along the way, they encountered a frightening cold rider fey astride a great boreal elk! The creature dropped an ice storm on the party, but they retaliated with searing light and flame strike accompanied by arrows and bullets! Kenwrec made it to the creature most quickly and suffered several bad injuries from its frosty glaive. Most of the team got free of the ice storm and closed in. Denessia aimed her pistol and shot it right between the eyes as Greta cut the elk out from under it. The team looted the corpse, and Magnus questioned it with speak with dead. They learned the fey was following the demons that had come from the frost giant camp further north.
After a few days’ travel, the team arrived at Artrosa. Deska sent her serpentine owl figurine up to scout and discovered the Maiden statue had an entrance at the top surrounded by bones and a large tree. She then used the power of the figurine to bring forth a giant owl, and she turned into a giant vulture. Between them, they were able to ferry the party to the top as Erdija bade her farewells and returned to the centaur camp.
Atop the Maiden, they discovered a powerful witch tree with a disemboweled centaur in its clutches. The tree demanded a sacrifice to pass. The team spoke with it for a bit and finally revealed themselves to be Black Riders. The tree reluctantly offered them a chance to solve a riddle to avoid a bloody sacrifice. The team listened to the riddle and debated for a while until they collectively figured out the answer! The disappointed tree allowed them safe passage and warned them half-a-dozen giants and a hammer-wielding centaur had gone in a day ahead of them.
The team progressed and heard two deep female voices arguing in some kind of broken mishmash of Giant, Goblin, and Orc languages. They were discussing if they should have let the giants, escorted by the hag, to pass. They thought maybe they should kill them on their way out. The team entered the room and tried to talk to them in Common. They learned the voices came from one creature, a female ettin! She did not understand Common, so she opted to try and kill them. She put an evil eye on Kenwrec and then forced him into deep slumber. Svala charged and landed some good hits while Denessia opened fire. Clever Ten-Penny moved for a flank as Tulvur strode up into the fight. Deska hit the ettin with a flame strike, but she partially avoided it. Greta kicked Kenwrec hard in the ribs to awaken him. Magnus cast blessing of fervor on much of his team to bolster their abilities. This greatly increased their effectiveness, and the team flanked and slaughtered the ettin with a barrage of rapier stabs, axe blows, and bullets.
