The D&D Dynasty: The Path of Alzar the Mighty

[Tellistto]

Excellent to see Alzar back, Abe.

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Who says he's back?

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Ragone

Reading this makes me really miss my old school d&ding with buddies.. they all moved away and really don't feel welcome at the local comic/gaming shop in kc(mostly young kids now)

would really love to find a forum game or somesuch

A lot of people are playing on G+ now. You can do video games. Of course there's forum gaming and such too, but it seems the G+ stuff is hot, you can get right into a pickup game.

I played for years on IRC when I didn't ahve a group and had a great time.

[Poli]

Just saw this thread.

How cool!

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar hasn’t been on a long adventure since he took out the Temple of Elemental.Evil five years prior. Sur,e there have been some short range missions to destroy or investigate nearby his enclave, but he has really been focused in. He tries to decide who to bring with him and here is his full roster of allies and minions, as of today, which includes new folks gained in the last five years:


Constructs:

Coils
Fangs
#9 Flesh Golem
Bokus, Flesh Golem
Megala, Alzar’s Homunculous


Coils is an Iron Cobra that he made from the dead one he found while adventuring. He took it apart and figured out how it worked, and built a new one. He then moved to a Necrophidus, a snake-like skeletal construct. Both guard his fake treasury. He has a treasury with almost 30,000 gold worth of coins, gems, and a few minor magic items. It is designed to entire people into beleivng that is the real treasury, when he real one isn’t even in the complex at all. Guarding the passageway is Coils and Fangs.


Summoned Creatures:

Eyes, a Spectator Beholder-kin Alzar summoned and agreed to guard his fake treasury for 101 years two years ago.

Dryshik, his Mephit Familiar

Hathast, Vala’s Quasit familiar


Undead:

Taurian Mummy
Agarats, Tapi, Ghouls, Ghasts
Numerous Skeletons, Zombies, Animal Skeletons
Pack of Shadows


4 Gargoyle Cloaks to turn people in Gargoyles sorta


Current People Minions:

Wassilon
Svartálfar
Level 4/5 Fighter/Thief
Neutral
Str 17 - +1,+1 in combat
Dex 17 - -3 AC in combat
Con 16 - +2 hp per level
Int 12
Wis 9
Cha 10
HP 26
XP - 11,000
Thief skills – 45 PP, 37 O Locks, 35 Find/Remove Traps, 33 Move Silently, 25 Hide, 15 Hear Noise, 88 Climb Walls, 20 Read Languages

Handed chain mail and long sword and shield. AC is now 1, deals 1d8 damage in combat.


Estaish

Carum

Vala Goldspire, 5th level Pathmage Apprentice



Ally People:

Aleigha

Maerie

Darley


Other:



His Ebony Fly which can be a steed, Zadaxx



More than 20 Orcs and humans in a nerby watchtower that work for him

[Abe Sargent]

He decides to bring the following with him:



Bokus

Carum
Estaish
Wassilon


Ebony Fly


10 Skeletons
4 Zombies with Gargoyle Cloaks

10 Animal Skeletons

Dryshik
Megala


Vala will stay home and tend the place while he and his are away. Wassilon is brought along in case a thief is necessary.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar


7th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 10th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 16
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Wis: 15
Int: 19
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 57
THACO: 14
AC: 0 (Bracers, Cloak, Boots) Gets +2 when fighting with one handed weapon
Total XP: 285,000
Age 48, Body - 34

Race Abilities:

None Taken

Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain):

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds


Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon Bonus:

Tactical History 14
Fire-Building 16

Riding 11
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 13
Survival 14
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 13
Endurance
Heraldry 13
Hunting 10
Fishing 14
Weather Knowledge 10
Orienteering 15

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 14
Netherworld Knowledge 10
Herbalism 14
Alchemy 12
Poison Use 11
Ancient Languages 10
Spellcraft 12
Ancient History - 14


Languages – Typic, Sis’sharr


Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory


Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength


Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer, +1


Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Alzar’s Father’s Ring)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.


Stalked by a Death Servant, who merges with his shadow. If he ever is about to take a fatal blow, the Death Servant will jump out, take the blow instead, and Alzar will be fully healed.

Immune to starvation

Can cast ESP once/week

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar’s Spell Books:

5/5/4/3/3


First Level:

Alarm
Alzar’s Undead Porter
Armor
Animate Dead Animals *
Cantrip
Charm Person *
Conjure Spell Component
Detect Magic
Enlarge
Friends
Identify
Hypnotism *
Locate Remains
Mount
Protection from Good
Protective Amulet
Read Languages
Read Magic
Sleep * *
Spoil Holy Water
Unseen Servant
Wizard Mark



Second Level:

Alzar’s Axethrow
Alzar’s Bookmend
Alzar’s Familiar
Attract Ghoul
Blastbones *
Choke
Continual Light
Embalm
Empathic Control *
ESP
Forget
Knock
Leomund’s Trap
Locate Object
Ray of Enfeeblement *
Ray of Ondovir *
Speak with Dead
Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter
Undead Mount
Vocalize
Wall of Gloom
Wizard Lock



Third Level:

Bone Knit
Curse Tablet
Dire Charm *
Dispel Magic
Fly
Haste *
Proof Against Teleportation
Protection from Good 10’ Radius
Searing Serpent
Sepia Snake Sigil
Slumber
Skulltrap *
Suggestion
Undead Summoning I
Vampiric Touch *
Watery Double


Fourth Level:

Alzar’s Quest
Alzar’s Scrollmend
Alzar’s Undead Expertise
Bestow Curse
Charm Monster *
Contagion
Dimension Door
Disfigure
Evard’s Black Tentacles *
Greater Malison
Magic Mirror
Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens *
Putrefaction
Ray of Oblivion
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer
Remove Curse
Special Effects
Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity



Fifth Level:


Animate Dead
Conjure Earth Elemental *
Contact Other Plane
Deathmaster’s Vial
Domination **
Magic Jar
Teleport
Transmute Rock to Mud
Vile Venom
Xult’s Magical Doom



Sixth Level:
Alzar’s Golem Heal
Alzar’s Spellbookmend
Curse of Lycanthropy
Enchant an Item
Ensnarement
Geas
Invisible Stalker
Legend Lore
Seizure
Spell Mirror
Stone to Flesh
Transmute Bone to Steel



Alzar has gained some new spells such as Remove Curse, Contact Other Plane, Slumber, Magic Mirror and a few others. Asterisks represent those memorized.

He has read and uses the Tome of Leadership and Influence and gained +1 charisma

Alzar gained the Ancient History proficiency

[Abe Sargent]

Before embarking, Alzar uses several divination spells and his Crystal Ball to spy on the steading. It appears to be a normal wooden enclosure with no windows.

The Magic Items Alzar has equipped


Cloak of Displacement -2 AC
Bracers of Defense AC3
Boots of Striding and Springing -1 AC and can leap far
Belt of Flying with three gems giving CHA18 to LE, regen 1 hp/turn and immunity to Charm/Suggestion spells
Robe of Useful Items
Ring of Free Action
Ring of Sustenance normally but switches in dungeons to what is needed at the time
Gauntlets of Ogre Strength – Strength becomes 18/00
Bracelet of Swimming
Necklace of Adaptation
Amulet vs ESP and Crystal Balls
Periapt of Health
Periapt Against Poison +2 save vs poison
Gingwatzim Amulet – +1 to saves
Ioun Stone – Incandescent Blue Sphere (+1 spell level)


5 Bags of Holding.
+2 Cursed Battle Axe with curse removed
Sword of Lyons on Right Thigh
Alicorn inside breeches, strapped to left thigh - +7 save vs poison
Several +2 daggers on bandolier
Wand of Magic Missiles with 28 charges, Frost, and Lightning Bolts on bandolier on chest, as well as the Paralyzation one with two charges and Rod of Terror.
Gem of Seeing, Ear Ring, and Monocle of Read Magic are kept handy on belt, in secure containers for each.
Several important potions are in metal vials on belt – such as Extra Healing and Gaseous Form. There is a leather brace on the arm with the Ring of Sustenance that has the following rings available to pull off quickly – Mud Ring, Warmth, Fire Resist, Spell Turning, Spell Storing Rings, Seeing and Human Control.

Most importantly, Alzar has the Orb of Golden Death strapped over his shoulder. It:

Travel to, and survive comfortably in each of the four elemental planes.
Can Wind Walk, Earthquake, Flame Strike and Wall of Ice once per week each
Can Conjure 8 hd elemental with max HP (64) once each week per type.
Summon and control a demon Type I, II, III and Babau three times per day per type, but not more than once total per hour.

That’s in addition to Know Alignment, Detect Lie and Poison automatically.

His Axe also:

Battle Axe - +2, -2 vs Chaotic Evil (so it’s neutral against CE). It is cursed, but that was removed. It has permanent scrolls in the haft, and the command words are in the ancient language, which he can now read. Three times a day he can activate each of these – Push, Passwall, Burning Hands.



Alzar’s AC is 0 without Axe, -2 with it, and -4 with Mordenkainen’s spell in play.


He has a Bag of Holding with all major items handy, including Censer of Controlling Air Elementals, Stone of Controlling Earth Elementals, Rope of Entanglement, Daern’s Instant Fortress, a full slate of scrolls, extra potions, and more.

Because he’s traveling, a second Bag has all of his spellbooks, as well as those he has found in his adventurers.

His Spell Storing Rings:

Ring of Spell Storing – Detect Magic, Sleep, Ray of Ondovir (1,1,2)
Ring of Spell Storing with these spells – (5, 3, 3, 3, 1) Conjure Earth Elemental, Searing Serpent,
Skulltrap, Dispel Magic, Sleep
Ring of… 1, 2, 3 and 3 Spell Storing – Charm Person, Locate Object, Fly, Fireball


He also has temporary spells:

Level 1 - Spoil Holy Water
Level 2 – Knock
Level 3 – Vampiric Touch
Level 4 - Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Level 5 – Teleport


Which he can use in an emergency


Protective Amulets allow a save made if they fail one and are destroyed


Level 2 – Forget
Level 5 – Domination

[Abe Sargent]

Three days later, Alzar and his retinue take off for the Steading. He is traveling with his wagon of workshop and lab, another of undead and a golem, and a third for him and the people.


It takes five days to arrive at the Steading, and Alzar finds the place as expected. He continued to spur on it as he voyaged closer. There were some minor raids by the giants, but nothing major. He has the group berth at a large cave that is about 6 miles away from the steading. He slays the bears in here easily and they have a nice berth to keep the wagons in while he moves out to investigate the hill giants.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar will be taking extra people with him, because I want to slow him down a bit. Frankly, I think he could do a good job at soloing the adventure. But the XP would be incredible. One Hill Giant is 3000 XP. If he slays 30 over the course of the adventure, that's 90k right there. Add in all of the other creatures, and he could easily wind up with 200k for the adventure. That's waaaaaaay too much XP for him. Then add the XP for soloing the next two, and you could have him at level 15 or 16 by the time this is all done. Instead, he'll take along people as protection, because Alzar doesn;lt believe in overkill, and thus we slow his development

[Abe Sargent]

He saw some visitors arrive while he was spying, but no new ones seemed to leave. There should be some Hill Giants in there plus. There are no guards posted outside the wooden fortress and the road goes up to a large set of double doors that is roughly four times Alzar’s height. With a lot of room to move into, Alzar sends Megala and Dryshik to fly around. There are two doors in the back, both closed. There are also ten chimneys. A tower overlooks the door, and there appears to be a dozing hill giant in there, but they can’t see in further.

Alzar wants to enter the keep without causing a major alarm if he doesn’t have too. The Gem of Seeing reveals nothing, and the Ear Ring at the door also is silent, save for snoring which could be the giant upstairs or something else. Opening the door this big will awaken anybody around.

Wassilon tries to move silently but fails. There is no sound of anyone noticing. Alzar grabs a Broom of Flying from the Bag and flies up, and sees that he can just squeeze into the space in the watchtower. He fits through, draws his battle axe, aims for the neck of the giant, and…

He hits it for 32 damage, which slays it.

[Abe Sargent]

He then tosses the broom down to Estaish and Carum and Wassilon who all come up.

Downstairs are two sleeping giants in front of the door. They are dispatched by the foursome, and the door is opened and the rest arrive.


Items Found:

Gold and gem belt buckle, 1400 gp

Hill Giants Slain – 3


This room has a lot of cloaks and coats and furs on pegs and hanging. Here are a few weapons, bags and sacks here. In the center of the fall wall from the watchtower is another giant pair of double doors, and then doors half as large flanking in and far to the sides. The Ear Ring reveals loud sounds from behind the double doors. A bit of listening reveals there to be dozens of voices inside. Alzar is very tempted to summon a pair of elementals off the Stone and Censer, and bust down the door and hit whatever is behind here. He needs info first, so he takes the…right door (random)

[Abe Sargent]

This room has a lot of cloaks and coats and furs on pegs and hanging. Here are a few weapons, bags and sacks here. In the center of the fall wall from the watchtower is another giant pair of double doors, and then doors half as large flanking in and far to the sides. The Ear Ring reveals loud sounds from behind the double doors. A bit of listening reveals there to be dozens of voices inside. Alzar is very tempted to summon a pair of elementals off the Stone and Censer, and bust down the door and hit whatever is behind here. He needs info first, so he takes the…right door (random)

There is a corridor some forty feet in length that Ts. On the left side, 30 feet down is a large door. Opening it reveals the room of a giant who is out, but a sleeping giantess on the bed. They slay her instantly, and search later


980 cp
320 cp
1500 gp
Silver Combo with Gems -300 gold
Copper Mirror – 200 gp
Gold Hair Pin with a Pearl – 800 gp

Hill Giants Slain – 4

[Abe Sargent]

They head back and look down both possibilities. Left goes thirty feet and then turns right. Right goes 60 feet, there is a door on the faaaar right and it turns left. They head right and find a long corridor of roughly 80 feet with a door at the end and two on the left. They open the door and find the barracks. Snoring in rhythm arrives. Wassilon manages to sneak around while the flyers enter and two giants are sleeping. They are dispatched without an alarm and they keep going.

110 pp
Hill Giants Slain – 6


The first door on the left opens into a room that is about 80 feet long and ends at another door. The door opens into a dorm with a dozen smaller, young giants play fighting and wrestling. They move towards the door and Alzar opens it up. Battle begins.

They fight like ogres, and will give XP like them as well

Alzar orders the Gargoyle en-Cloaked Zombies in first as shock troops, and then behind them move Carum, Estaish, Wassilon, Bokus. Megala and Dryshik fly up out of range, and the weak skeletons and animal skeletons are kept back.

Alzar’s Sleep spell drops three before battle begins. The gargoyles and the young giants clash and the gargoyles don’t take any damage due to immunity to normal weapons – which makes them great shock troops. The younglings waste their first round hacking at the gargies, which one is put down by Carum and another by a gargoyle. 7 left

The gargoyles continue to dice into them, and this round, only one moves away and attacks Estaish, but misses. He shouts to everyone else to move targets, and next round they will. One more is slain by a gargoyle, as Alzar moves up with his axe.

He wins init and his axe cleaves one dead. 5 left. One attacks hi and would hit save for his Cloak – misses first attack that would hit. Two more die to Wassilon and a Gargoyle. Meanwhile, they attack back and miss. The next round they are finished.



Young Hill Giants Slain - 12
Used: Sleep Spell

Searches later find no treasure of note in the children’s room

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar spends a few minutes checking, while Invisible from the Sword of Lyons, to ensure that no one heard the noise. It was quite loud, but perhaps the children playing is just normal for them. The other door opens into the corridor that was at the other end of the initial T, and there are no other doors in that corridor. Now that he has a Gem of Seeing, Alzar does a basic sweep of all rooms and corridors, and he discovers a secret door in this corridor. It opens in the same direction at the large double doors from before, and his Ear Ring shows the same sounds back here. They return to the corridor with two doors remaining, one of the left and one in front of them when it ends.

The door on the left opens into what is likely a maid’s chamber. Four giantesses are here, one of which is older and barks orders to the other three, and they all move to attack.

Gargoyles fly up and meet them. Killing the unarmored giantesses is easy, and nothing else is even needed.

3000 gp
4 potions (Extra Healing, Healing, Poison, Hill Giant Control)
3 bracelets worth 4000 gp each

Using his ability to ID items based on his knowing of crafting them, he has a 50% chance of IDing anything. He checks out the potions, and can only suss out one. It’s an Extra Healing potion, which is nice and he pockets int. The rest are taken into a bag of Holding for later. I mention what they are now in italics so you will know them.

[Abe Sargent]

They leave the room and head to the door at the end of the hallway. This opens into a giant hall. There is a corridor twenty feet across heading left and it ends at another pair of huge double doors sixty feet later. Down a twenty feet corridors in front of him is another double doors 80 feet away, and the corridors appears to bend. To the right the place opens into a large hal and a smaller set of double doors Megala checks it, and it’s vacant, but there is another door ot the rear of the hall. It has trophies, a large fireplace, tables ,chairs, furs, shields on the wall and more. There are no occupants. A Gem of Seeing check finds a magic shield on the wall, and a quick check shows it to be a +3 one.


+3 shield
Feldspar Statuette – 2000 gp

They go to the door at the rear of the chamber, because it’s on the same wall as the one they entered, and thus likely doesn’t have anything behind it. This is a large 40x50 room in the corner of the building, with another fireplace. It appears to be a nice bedroom for this building, and inside is a pet cave bear, that roars and attacks. Alzar jumps in front with his axe out. He kills it before it can even hit him.

Later they will find, in a pouch in the room:

Gems worth 5000, 3x 1000, 4x 500, 8x 100, 5x 50, 8x 10 gp


Slain – 1 cave bear, 10 Hill Giants, 12 Younglings

[Abe Sargent]

They grab the smaller set of double doors in this area and they open into an even better and bigger bedroom. There is nothing of value here, but the Gem of Seeing finds a secret door into the corridor that goes forward from the enters they opened. They move to that corridors now and head up.

They are now at the smaller set of double doors. To the left the 20’ corridor continues and ends 40’ into another set of smaller double doors. The Ear Ring reveals barking beyond the door they are at. Alzar decides to continue down the corridor instead of taking these doors. So far, they’ve not been discovered.

There are no noises and the doors open to reveal a smaller dining room with space for about ten giants comfortably. There is another door in here, and the Gem reveals a secret door as well. Inside the first door is and armory, with lots of giant sized weapons of various condition. A Gem finds 5 javelins and Alzar can’t decide what they are. He also finds a large otter pelt worth 2000 gp.



Giant Otter Pelt, 2000 gp
5x Javelin of Lightning



The secret door opens into a small closet and stairs leading down. Inside the closet are several scroll tubes, one of which has instructions about gathering the giant tribes together for a large set of raids that are about the begin, and signed by one Eclavdra. There are plans for the steading as well, and Alzar now has a map, but the stairs down to another level aren’t on the map.

He retreats and moves into the wolf area. This is a large open area with a small compound on the other side. In here are double doors on what appears to be the exists, and this is the room that the exits outside both come into. 14 dire wolves are here, and they move to attack as a pack. Alzar has been waiting for a situation to finally use the Fireball spell in the Ring of Spell storing, so he can put something else in it. It blasts and incinerates all of the wolves, and slays them, without making too much noise.


Slain – 1 cave bear, 10 Hill Giants, 12 Younglings, 13 Dire Wolves

Used: Fireball in Ring of Spell Storing

[Abe Sargent]

They move to the doors on the other side and that small compound and enter.

They enter a guard room with a horn. There are more weapons arranged here, along with shields ,and two exits in the far wall. Nothing reveals as magical, so they move to the door that’s closest. This is a barracks, empty of people. The other is as well.

They find:

1300 gp
8x 100 gp gems

Alzar returns and they move to the double doors to the great hall. Apparently, no one has noticed the dead maids, bear, wolves, guards or children yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Alzar prepares his group. He activates the Censer and the Stone and summons to Elemental allies.

Earth Elemental – 43 hp
Air Elemental – 45 hp

He also summons a Babau demon from the Orb:

Babau – 57 hp

He orders the elementals and Babau in front and they slam open the doors. Here is what is inside:

This is the Great Hall of the Steading. It is where the chief holds audience, they eat and play and socialize. It has many tables, benches, firepits, and more. At the back is a large table with the chief, his wife, the sub-chief ,a cloud giant and three stone giants seated.

In the rest of the room is a cave bear underneath the table eating from the chief’s hand, 8 ogres serving food, more than 20 hill giants (22 to be exact) for a total of 38 combatants.

Time to get busy.

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 1

Alzar orders in all of his troops, with the elementals and demon spearheading an offensive. A pair each of Gargoyles will flank them and protect him and his men from being surrounded. This is not an occasion for subtlety, such as Dominations and Charms. This is a time for pounding.

Alzar’s group wins init.

Alzar begins by casting Evard’s Black Tentacles in the middle of the room in the thickest clump of giants. 13 tentacles appear. They have AC 4 and take 11 hp before dying. These 13 tentacles immediately snake out and try to attack nearby anything. 13 attacks commence on random nearby things. Two hit chairs and tables. The tentacles will remain for 11 hours or until destroyed, squeezing and damaging what is grabbed by them each round. 11 tentacles lash out. Three attack ogres and two are entangled and a third takes 2 damage and destroys the tentacle that tried to grab him. The entangled ones take damage and can’t get away.

The remaining eight attack Giants. One giant is very close and he is attacked four times . Two entangle him for 14 damage and another two are broken by him for 4 more. 22/40 for that one

Another one is attacked twice, hit twice and takes 11 damage – 26/37

The remaining four tentacles eahch attack one giant. One is hit for 10 damage and locked down – 17/27. Another takes 8 and is locked down – 32/40. The last two are out and take just a bit of damage and those tentacles are gone.

The elementals each attack a nearby giant and hit twice total for 21 damage and the giant is at 18/39. The babau follows and slays it after attacking it with its 19 strength. The gargoyles attack and one hits for 8 damage and another for 3. An Ogre is at 23/31 and a giant at 36/39. Carum, Est and Wassilon each attack. They each hit and deal a total for 23 damage to a giant. 17/40. The skeletons and animal skeletons each attack and deal little damage. Bokus punches the wounded giant for 8 damage. 9/40

The giants are scattered by the tentacles and the sight of an attacking force. Chief Nosra grabs a ballista on the wall and loads it this turn. He will fire it as a crossbow next turn. The Cave Bear is released and all ot the giants converse, with several attacks coming in. They coalesce on the Earth Elemental and dole out 19 damage to it. 23/42 – Earth Elemental

Slain 1 Hill Giant

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 2


The next turn, the giants win init. In comes a Ballista Bolt at….Estaish and it nails him for 19 damage. The giants attack in force and slay the Earth Elemental. Attacks at the gargoyles are wasted, a skeleton falls, and one of the tentacles is freed on the first giant with two on him.

31/50 - Estaish


The tentacles squeeze. One tenacled Ogre is slain, and the other has 7 hp left. The rest are held tight.

Alzar enchants the skull on his belt with Skulltrap and throws it at the chief and those around him. It arrives and…

It deals 31 damage to the six target in the area, save vs half. Nosnra makes the save at takes 16. His wife fails and takes the full damageTwo stone giants fail, and one makes it. A nearby ogre dies. Estaish kills the wounded giant. Carum hits another for 6 damage and the others miss.

The Air Elemental and Babau punch and slay a wounded Giant that hobbled over from the tentacles. The gargoyles deal damage but are really holding the fort by having several creatures attacking them for nothing. Four skeletons attack the Cave Bear that rolled it and deal 3 damage in two hits to it.

49/65 – Nosnra, 10/41 – Wife, 20-51, 17/48, 27/43, 40/43 - Bear


Slain 3 Hill Giants, 2 Ogre,

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 3


Alzar’s group wins init. The Ogre tentacles dies. One giant is down to just 10 hp, out of 35, and the others are wounded. Everyone has moved past them. Alzar casts haste on the Air Elemental, Babau, four gargoyles, Bokus, and four skeletons. They will each attack twice.

The Air Elemental attacks and swirls a Hill Giant for 15 damage. The babau attacks twice times two and hits three times, slaying the wounded giant. Gargoyles bring down another giant. Carum misses, Est does too. Bokus punches and hits the Cave Bear for 15 and the skeletons on it attack 8 times for three hits for 11 damage total. Dryshik is ordered to breath and tries to breathe one of his balls on the Chief. It misses.

Three skeletons die, including one hasted. Many attacks ensue and..

Babau takes 10 – 47/57
Carum takes 13 – 51/64
Estaish takes 12 – 19/50

Alzar is attacked and misses by a Cloak and bad attack rolls.

49/65 – Nosnra, 10/41 – Wife, 20-51, 17/48, 27/43, 14/43 - Bear




Slain 5 Hill Giants, 3 Ogre,

Slain – 4 skeletons

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 4


On the next turn. Five ogres pour through a door on the other side and join the fray. Alzar’s squad loses init. One giant frees himself from a tentacle by slaying it. The Babu is hit several times but takes half damage from most attacks, and is dealt 17 damage. The Air Elemental is hit twice for 11 damage. Another ballista bolt flies at Estaish but misses. Wassilon is nailed twice for 20 damage. Carum takes another 7 and an animal skeleton and a skeleton die.


Babau – 30/57
Air Elemental – 34
Wassilon – 5/25

Alzar orders Wassilon to retreat behind the line. He casts Conjure Earth Elemental and summons a 50 hp guy to add to the fray. The Air Elemental hits once for 7 damage on an Ogre. The Babau slays the ogre. The one on the tentacles dies., and a hill giant also dies. The gargoyles damage two giants seriously, and each is at 13 hp remaining. Bokus punches the Bear for 10 damage. A skeleton hits it and slays it. Another attacks a giant for 9 damage. Estaish hits for 6 damage.


Slain 6 Hill Giants, 5 Ogre, 1 Cave bear.

Slain – 5 skeletons, 1 animal skeleton

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 5


The next turn arrives. They keep initiative. A Stone Giant clubs the Air Elemental for 14 damage and a few giants follow it up and kill it. The Sub-Chief has ordered the giants and ogres on the gargoyles to move to the center of the line with the elementals and demon. They also hit Carum for 8 and Bokus for 9.

43/64 – Carum
39/48 – Bokus

The Earth Elemental swings and hits a wounded stone giant for 6 damage. The babau claws into it for 22 damage and it dies. The two hasted skeletons left finish off an entangled hill giant. The gargoyles move in to finish off a 13 hp giant while Carum throws his spear at the other moving away and pins it for 14 damage and slays it too. Dryshik breathes and blinds the chief for 3 rounds. Alzar follows with Domination spell cast on the unwounded Cloud Giant. It….misses the save and the Cloud Giant is told to stop fighting and returns to its seat, which it does.


49/65 – Nosnra, 10/41 – Wife, 20-51, 17/48,


Slain 9 Hill Giants, 5 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 1 Stone Giant – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 1 animal skeleton

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 6

Turn 6 sees another Hill Giant rushing through the west door and joining the fray. Alzar’s group wins init this time. The gargoyles attack a unwounded hill giant collectively and bring it down to 6 hp. The babau misses all four of its attacks – amazing. The Earth Elemental swings and hits once for 11 damage. Carum is twirling his Sling of Seeking and Alzar ordered him onto the wife in the back, directing the fight. He misses her. Bokus punches a wounded Stone Giant and hits three times for 22 damage. It’s dead. Estaish can’t connect. A weak little animal sksleton finishes off a weakened hill giant that was brought to 6hp. The tentacles finish off the last entangled giant. Alzar grabs his axe and swings, targeting the wounded stone giant that ‘s left. He hits for 18 damage.

49/65 – Nosnra, 10/41 – Wife, 2/51 Stone Giant

On the counter attack, the Ogres that joined have formed up on the Sub-Chief and attack as a unit on the Babau. They hit three times for 12 damage. 18/57 hp for it. The others swing at various targets. Two animal skeletons are crushed underfoot and Alzar is missed twice.

Slain 11 Hill Giants, 5 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 2 Stone Giant – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 3 animal skeleton

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 7


The next round sees them win their init back. They concentrate on the Babau and manage to bring it down. Only Alzar is attacked this round otherwise, and he takes 11 damage.

Alzar – 46/57

Alzar swings and kills the wounded stone giant. He gets a second attack this round and misses. Carum hits the wife for 4 damage. Estaish stabs at afresh hill giant and hits it for 9 damage. Bokus adds 19. The gargoyles slay an unwounded ogre. The undead do nothing.

49/65 – Nosnra, 6/41 – Wife,

Slain 11 Hill Giants, 6 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 3 animal skeleton



Turn 8



On the next round. Alzar wins init. He swings at the newly wounded Hill Giant and kills it. The Earth Elemental crushes a unwounded Ogre for 14 damage. Bokus adds 10 while Estaish stabs it twice for 14. It has 8 hp left. Carum misses the wife. Dryshik breathes on the Chief who can now see again and misses. He has no more breathes. The gargoyles kill another ogre and deal 12 to another.

The chief uses the ballista to attack the wounded Wassilon in the back. He can’t get it on target. Their group forms on the Sub Chief who orders attacks on the golem and Bokus takes 27 damage.



12/48



Slain 12 Hill Giants, 7 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 3 animal skeleton

[Abe Sargent]

Turn 9

Alzar wins init again. He switches to his Ring of Shooting Stars and uses it’s Spark Shower ability which he can use once/day inside. Everybody in front of him for a bit takes 2d8 electrical damage if they don’t have metal armor or weapons, and an addition a4d4 if they do. Bokus is in front of him and has metal plates in his body, so he takes both. Since electrical damage heals him, he gains 21 damage. Those attacking him take 10 damage or so each, which slays a wounded Ogre. He also hits two hasted gargoyles for 10 damage each and slays three of his animal skeleton due to the area effect. Carum hits the wife for 8 damage and slays her. Estiash misses. Bokus attacks and kills an ogre on him after hitting three times for 31 damage. The Earth Elemental misses, and the gargoyles attack a hill giant and deal 21 damage to him - he has 9 left after taking 10 from the spark shower. Wassilon is ordered out of the room.

Bokus 33/48


They form up and try to attack Bokus again. They hit and deal 24 damage. Their chief reloads.

9/48 – Bokus

Slain 12 Hill Giants, 9 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton




Turn 10



Alzar wins init and switches to the Wand of Lightning. A Bolt crashes into the golem for 34 damage/healing. After the attacks are through two giants are dead. Bokus takes 21 and a bolt smahes into Carum for 22 damage

22/48 – Bokus
21/64 - Carum

Slain 14 Hill Giants, 9 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton

[Abe Sargent]

The remaining turns of the battle


This time, they win init. Bokus takes another 20 and is sitting at 2/48. They’re just aren’t enough left anymore. They got lucky to do that much. Their chief loads.

This time, four giants fall to Bokus, hasted gargoyles, the Earth Elemental and the fighters. Alzar heals another 33 on the golem.

35/48 – Bokus


Slain 18 Hill Giants, 9 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton


There are 5 giants, 4 ogres, the chief and sub-chief left. They form up and lose init. Alzar cleaves into an ogre for 16 damage. Estaish stabs it twice and slays it. The Earth Elemental punches a wounded giant and slays it. The battle line has moved towards the chief and reached him. Bokus punches four times and hits once for 6 on a ogre. Carum misses but an undead bite adds 7 and the gargoyles finish him off.

They move their attack to the golem that can be healed to the Elemental and dole out 14 damage to it in three hits.


Slain 19 Hill Giants, 11 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

Slain – 5 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton

They win init and deal another 17 to the elemental. Alzar double swings and kills a giant who had only taken 10 damage from sparks. The sub chief is now exposed, and the gargoyles move in and attack. They deal 23 damage to him. Alzar orders two gargoyles to fly out and cover the other doors to prevent them from running, although the field of tentacles has helped to hem them in. Bokus deals 14 to a giant.


Slain 20 Hill Giants, 11 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

49/65 – Nosnra, Sub-Chief 26/49


Slain – 5 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton

The next round Alzar’s group wins. Two more giants are slain and the sub-chief himself falls before Estaish’s blade. The giants attacks and a ballista bolt deals 22 damage to the elemental, which added to a minor hit slays it and it is down.

Slain 22 Hill Giants, 11 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

49/65 – Nosnra,

They win init and focus on the skeletons. Two are slain, one of the hasted ones. They finish off the three ogres that are still around, leaving just Nosnra and the giant that came in to help left. The next turn they are finished off easily.


Slain – 7 skeletons, 6 animal skeleton


Used: Evard’s Black Tentacles, Haste, Skulltrap, Conjure Earth Elemental, Domination, 2 charge on Wand of Lightning


Slain 23 Hill Giants, 13 Ogre, 1 Cave bear, 3 Stone Giant, 1 Wife, 1 Sub-Chief, 1 Nosnra – Dominated 1 Cloud Giant

[Abe Sargent]

After wards, Alzar discusses with the Cloud Giant what is happening. It tells Alzar that someone has been building up a unity in the various giant races and preparing for mighty raids all across the mountains. Alzar can’t have this. There would be a clarion call for mighty heroes all over the area to unit, and who knows what they might find while scouring for giants. The Cloud Giant says that some items were magically sent to the Frost Giants, as a way to get them on the side of the power that is unifying the giants. Alzar’s hammer was likely among them, because he hasn’t found it yet.

Alzar and his group finish exploring this level. There are no combatants left, just some orc slaves, a few giantess who offer no resistance and are forced out, and another set of stairs down in a hallway. In this room, and on the rest of the floor, Alzar will find:

Ruby Studded Collar 1000 gp
8 pieces of jewelry – 4000 gp each
52 pieces of jewelry – 600 gp average each
100 gp earring
1000 gp gem

An arsenal has tons of helmets, weapons, shields, etc for giants

The kitchen and larder have tons of provisions. Literally, tons.

955 sp
705 gp
79 pp
381 cp

+2 warhammer
2 potions (Storm Giant Strength, Delusion)
+2 two handed sword, +4 vs giants, Int 14, 8 Ego, Neutral Good, detects enemies – belongs to the Cloud Giant in his room so he takes it.



29 orc slaves, and two wounded ones, who tell Alzar of an orc slave rebellion in the underground. He should hail orcs as friends.


After clearing out this level, Alzar decides to take the secret stairs down, rather than the open ones.

[Abe Sargent]

They arrive in a long corridor. A Gem of Seeing shows a hidden room. A portcullis prevents further going down the hallway into a room. The secret door enters into a treasure roo, and a skeleton dies as it is captured by a pit trap which resets, Wassilon disarms it.

2 skeletons left

The gem of seeing dispels some illusions, and the treasure is gathered

23840 gp
A locked chest that Wassilon opens, 4139 pp

41x 100 gp gems
13x 500 gp gems
8x 1000 gp gms

Jewelry pieces worth 7850 gp total

There is a map that shows the Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, and an obsidian box. The box has instructions on and a chain. This is a chain that, when held by up to 6 people and the special word is read, will teleport them to any place you have a map too, but it only works once. It can send the group to the Frost Giant’s place immediately if Alzar were so included. He is not.

11x +2 arrows
+3 spear

Flaming Sword, Chaotic Neutral, Int 10, Ego 12, Detects Gems, Empathy

Flaming Sword, just a generic one, no intelligence

[Abe Sargent]

They move into the room and open the portcullis. It closes around them and bars release four maddened masticores.







Alzar orders the gargoyles over to them, and Dryshik drops a Wall of Fog around everyone else. The gargoyles slay them.

4 Manticores Dead

A Gem reveals a secret door, and they take it. Inside are levers for the portcullies, and they are raised.

They move left to the room the manticores wer in, and there is an exit. This opens into a smaller treasure room.

13000 cp
27300 sp
7140 ep
27 copper ingots worth 400ccp each
Potion (Poison)
11 ivory tusks worth 1000 gp each
980 gems of 1 gp value each

They return to the top level and come down the other stairs.

[Abe Sargent]

This is a huge room, 80X100 and three corridors and three doors leading off it. It’s a marshalling area with benches and such, but no people. Alzar picks a door and they find a room with the Keeper of the Cells. He is an old twisted Hill Giant with two nasty Carnivorous Apes as his entourage. Alzar’s Axe cleaves into him for 10 damage and he orders everyone else back. After four rounds, they are all dead ,and Alzar took another 17 damage. Two bugbears ran it during combat and were slain easily.


29/57 hp


2 apes, one more HG slain; two bugbers taken out

+3 battle axe
5400 gp
5x 500 gp gems
4x 100 gp gems
4x potions of Water Breathing

Keys for cells.

He heads back and tries the open door opened by the bugbears jailers and discovers five cells. They open all five, and one has a trap with three skeletons rising to attack, which Alzar immediately controls.

+3 skeletons

Inside is an insane merchant, a human engineer to help with the expansion of this level, 5 captured orc rebels who join Alzar’s cause, andhe gets them crossbows , and a qwith fighter/magic-user named Haden. Haden is a level 5 fighter, lvel 8 mage, and has no spells memorized. He is NG, and won’t serve Alzar beyond this adventure. He has 14/31 hp. He is given the bugbears’s weapons and armor, as are the orcs and engineer getting armed before he goes to the third door .

[Abe Sargent]

Since the long Hill Giant fight was split up into several posts, I'll give you this whole thing in one.


They arrive at the door and open it. Inside are a dozen bugbears who shout for aid and battle is joined.


Alzar drops three with Sleep. The rest move in. A door opens and more bugbears can be seen but no one knows the count.

Battle begins

Alzar’s group wins init. The Dominated Cloud Giant is happy to attack these, and his magic sword cuts into one for 6 damage. Carum spears it for 6 and Estiash misses. Bokus punches once for 15 and slasy it. Alzar casts Sleep from his Ring and drops another 4. Gargoyles eat one. Crossbow bolts hit one for 5 damage and the undead don’t have anything to do, not enough spac.e The bugbears attack various people, and miss.

A dozen more Bugbears have poured into the room and more are coming.

Alzar’s group wins init. His final Sleep from another Spell Storing Ring drops another three. Bokus and ht fighters slay two more. Bokus takes 16 as a commander Bugbear orders concentrated attacks.

19/48 – Bokus

Alzar again wins init and orders Bokus back. He Vamp Touches one for 18 damage and slays it and gains that in life. The Cloud Giant kills another and bolts fly into a third and slay it. 10 more bugbears have arrived. The Cloud Giant takes 8 and Alzar is attacked heavily and unsuccessfully.


47/57 - Alzar


Slain – Bugbear - 18


They win init and Alzar takes 21. Another five enter the room. He orders everyone back and casts Skulltrap from his Ring. He flings it and hits 19 bugbears and himself for 22 damage save vs half. He slays 8, and takes 11. No one else can attack save for Carum; sling which misses and orcs that finish a wounded bugbear.


The next turn arrives


Another group of Bugbears enter, and now there have been fifty come in. Those that can attack Alzar do so, and he takes another 5 damage from two hits.

Slain – Bugbear - 27

31/57 - Alzar

With him in front, he casts the Faithful Shield-Maidens to drop his Ac twice and to give him two attackers. Bolts slay another wounded bugbear. The gargoyles are flanking Alzar and protecting everyone else from melee attacks, but preventing them from attacking.


Slain – Bugbear - 28


Alzar’s axe is out as he wins init. He carves a bugbear dead. A maiden hits and deal 5 damage and Carum kills it with a slingstone. The bugbears in the back have grabbed spears and chuck them at Alzar, but miss (Cloak).

They attack back and Alzar takes 15 (With AC4, its hard to hit him) Two axe attacks sly two more bugbears, and another dies to missiles and a fourth to gargoyles.


16/57

Slain – Bugbear – 34

He wins init again. He grabs the Orb of Golden Death and casts Wall of Ice as a horizontal ice sheet on the ceiling, and it falls on the bugbears in front of him. There is no save, they each take 3d10 damage. I roll and its 19 damage. With no save, that slays all of the remaining Bugbears in the room.


Used – Sleep x3 which includes both from Ring of Spell Storing, Vampiric Touch. Skulltrap #2 from the Ring, Shield-Maidens.

Slain – Bugbear – 50

[Abe Sargent]

There are several rooms in the Bugbear complex.

300 gp
31x10 gp gems


They return to the big chamber and head up.

They find large gallery under construction. No one is here right how. All of this dungeon looks relatively new. Someone is planning something big.

There’s another unfinished chamber here, and finally, an quarters for three more Stone Giants. They see Alzar approach and make mo menacing gestures. They talk, and the Stone Giants agree to leave but Alzar forces them to leave behind everything but their weapons and some food. In a chest they left is

14230 gp

There is nothing else here so they return and take another pathway from the giant chamber.

They find a storage room with normal stuff in it and a wine cellar. There is an exceptional rare vintage here with 13 five gallon tuns with a bung seal. They are worth roughly 500 gp per QUART.

There is also a cistern back here as well. Nothing else though. They head back and take the final hallway.

It Ts and there are numerous doors here. Three doors reveal 78 orc slaves, which Alzar frees.

They head right. There is a torture chamber with two dozing hill giants easily dispatched

2 more HG slain

Gold Chain with Fire Opal – 2000 gp

[Abe Sargent]

T the north are three chambers guarded by three bugbears which Alzar slays easily.

3 more bugbears killed

88 orc slaves are here and freed as well. The corridor ends down and arrives at an armory and smithy with two fire giants and 7 slave dvergr.

Alzar casts Domination on a Fire Giant as they move. It fails. Battle begins.

Alzar casts Charm Monster on a Fire Giant and…It works and Alzar has his new friend back away. They other is slain by Bokus, a Cloud Giant, many bolts, and such.

2 Fire Giants answered

The Dvergr are freed. One joins

Hrothgr
Level 8 fighter, 18/29 Str, 8 Int, 11 Wis, 10 Dex, 17 Con, 6 Cha, 70 hp, Neutral

4000 gp in a sack the Fire Giants had

[Abe Sargent]

The armory has a badly damaged corridor to an abandoned temple. Alzar recognizes a temple to Ralishaz, and uses the Gem from the doorway. The altar is radiating strong evil and a trap. They stay away and just head through to the other side. There is a large natural cavern here and they come across the 78 orc rebels. They join their fellows and almost 300 orcs are now together. They were captured form many different tribes, and Alzar suggest that they form a new tribe, which they do. The Tribe of the Bleached Skull is formed, and Alzar will relocate them to an area somewhat near his home where they can build a home and raid.

There are a tribe of 33 trogs to the north of the orcs. With the orcs leaving, they can spread out to the whole huge cavern and grow.

The orcs inform Alzar of a hidden cavern to the north past the Trogs. Entering a stream will take you to a large cavern of carrion crawlers where they take the dead of many to consume them at their leisure. Alzar agrees to check it out and switches to the Elvenkind Boots. He goes alone and invisible with the Sword of Lyons.

As a reminder, Carrion Crawlers can paralyze you, but that’s it. Due to his Ring of Free Action, Alzar is immune to paralysis, so he can ignore and slay Crawlers at his leisure.


A day later, he has slain 12 crawlers and found:

250 ep
250 cp
150 sp
150 gp
120 pp
12 gems total 2400 gp
2 jewelry worth 2000 gp total
Ring of Depetrification – 13 charges
Ring of Water Walking
Wand of Wonder, 13 charges
Wand of Fear, 52 charges
+2 Mace, +3 Short Sword

Not a bad haul all in all.

[Abe Sargent]

And with that, the Steading has been cleared out. For the next ten days, Alzar leads the orcs back to their new home and watches over them. The Cloud Giant manages to throw off his spell four days into it and Alzar slays him. And takes the weapon. The Fire Giant is slain “accidentally” by Alzar as well, since there is no place for him in his place.

He also restocks the Rings of Spell Storing ,and uses the time to find and scry on the Jarl. By the time they arrive at the tribe’s new home, he knows it very well, and has id’d all of the items.

Here’s the tally of the dungeon:


XP total – 183000 for the adventure

Split:

Alzar - 337500 (Level 10, level 11 is at 375k)
Estaish – 161,000 (Level 8, level 9 is 250k) – Leveled up - Now with 59 HP
Carum – 141191 (Level 8) – Leveled Up - Now has 72 HP.
Wassilon – 33,900 fighter (level 6, level 7 at 64k)/33900 thief (Level 6, 7 at 40k) – leveled up a lot – gained 14 hp – 39 hp total

Hrothgr – 150000 (Level 8) – 70 hp


Alzar sells all of the unlabeled jewelry and gems for 90% of their price in gp – 86976 total gp

[Abe Sargent]

Items Found:


Gold and gem belt buckle, 1400 gp
Silver Comb with Gems -300 gold
Copper Mirror – 200 gp
Gold Hair Pin with a Pearl – 800 gp
3 bracelets worth 4000 gp each
Feldspar Statuette – 2000 gp
Giant Otter Pelt, 2000 gp
Ruby Studded Collar 1000 gp
27 copper ingots worth 400 cp each
11 ivory tusks worth 1000 gp each
13 five gallon tuns of rare wine, 500 gp/quart
Gold Chain with Fire Opal – 2000 gp



After converting all coin to gp we have: 80, 653

For a total of – 167, 629 gold total in pieces

Teleport Chain, 1 shot to a map location for 6 people
Map of Glacial Rift

11x +2 arrows
+3 spear
Flaming Sword, Chaotic Neutral, Int 10, Ego 12, Detects Gems, Empathy
Flaming Sword, just a generic one, no intelligence
+3 shield
5x Javelin of Lightning
+2 warhammer
2 potions (Storm Giant Strength, Delusion, Poisonx2, Extra Healing, Healing, Hill Giant Control)
+2 two handed sword, +4 vs giants, Int 14, 8 Ego, Neutral Good, detects enemies
+3 battle axe
4x potions of Water Breathing
Ring of Depetrification – 13 charges
Ring of Water Walking
Wand of Wonder, 13 charges
Wand of Fear, 52 charges
+2 Mace, +3 Short Sword

This adventure felt generous is gold but stingy in items. Name one item that Alzar will use regularly.


55 bugbear corpses
35 hill giant corpses
2 fire giant corpses
1 cloud giant corpse
4 stone giant corpses

Alzar had the orcs carry these back in litters and wagons. They will make nice undead later.

[Abe Sargent]

The new Rings of Spell Storing List:

Ring of Spell Storing – Sleep, Sleep, Ray of Ondovir (1,1,2)
Ring of Spell Storing with these spells – (5, 3, 3, 3, 1) Conjure Earth Elemental, Searing Serpent,
Skulltrap, Dispel Magic, Hypnotism
Ring of… 1, 2, 3 and 3 Spell Storing – Charm Person, Forget, Suggestion, Vampiric Touch


We changed several spells and now have Forget, Hypnotism, an extra Vampiric Touch, and Suggestion.

[Abe Sargent]

G2. The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl

[hoopsguy]

It will be interesting to see if any of these other giants are going to be able to represent themselves better than the Hill Giants. Alzar's army looks pretty invincible right now.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar has spent some time scouting this area, with the map and divination magic. The Rift is not a structure like the steading of the Hill Giants was. Instead, it’s a large set of ice caves and caverns made in the glacier by melting ice over the years and years. There appear to be many wild creatures here, such as yeti, wolves, giants, and more.

Hrothgr is joining us for the rest of the Giant missions, and then we’ll see where he stands then. (Again, I want to cut into Alzar’s experience. One Frost Giant gives 7000 XP.

Alzar’s Rope of Climbing will be out for this mission, wrapped around his shoulder. He can pull out to help him and his group climb. Due to the precarious nature of some of these places, he will not be bringing any skeletons or animal skeletons with him.

Four zombies with gargoyle cloaks


Bokus is agile enough to climb but will not be coming with us.

Carum, Estaish, Alzar, Wassilon, Hrothgr

Dryshik, Megala

And that’s it

Hrothgr is given appropriate magic weapons and armor for the battle.

Alzar wears Ring of Warmth instead of Sustenance for this mission until something happens to force him into something else. Estaish is wearing the other on, switching his Fire Resist Ring for it. He is also wearing the Boots of Elvenkind, which leave no track in the snow at all, rather than the ones he normally wears.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar has a new set of spells memorized and is leaving behind Bokus – let’s discuss why.

Ogres are tough enemies certainly, but they aren’t that much to handle these days. In the Hill Giant’s great hall, the hp of an Ogre ranges from 20 to 31. The hp range for Hill Giants is 27-44 in that room. Roughly, Ogres are in the 20s usually, and Hill Giants in the 30s. Don’t let the Giant in Hill Giant fool you. They are not a major threat.

Frost and Stone Giants, however, are at the next level of difficult. Frost Giants are to Hill Giants what Hill Giants are to Ogres and what Ogres are to Bugbears. Each will have, roughly, ten-15 more hp and be a bit easier to hit opponents. Here is what a Frost Giant needs to hit an opponent who has a great AC of 0. They need a 7 on d20. Bokus has an AC of 4, so they would easily crush him. This is not the adventure for him.

A thrown boulder or ice chunk by a Frost Giant will hit with alarming accuracy and deal 2d10 damage. You can expect them to average around 11 points a hit with them at range, and in melee, attack with a giant weapon which deals 2d8+9 damage from their strength, or another 18 damage roughly per hit. Unlike their dim cousins the Hill Giants, they tend to wear metal armor that drops their AC to 0, and thus are harder to hit as well (compared to the HG’s natural 5 sometimes dropped to three with hides). The Frost Giants are clever, and you can expect them to do more tactics than the HG’s did, with more hp, better chance of hitting, and harder to hit. They are also known, like humans, for taming some wild creatures and using them for pets.

Now, consider the spell Skulltrap. Let say you cast it on four Frost Giants, and roll 26 damage. They make their roll, and 13 damage each is a scratch. Even if one fails, it may take off half damage and you still have a lot of damage coming your way. Where is the power with it? Also, Alzar can’t get in front and bring in the hits from the others, due to a low AC and such. They’ll pound him even with his AC of -4 from Bracers, Cloak, Boots, Axe and Shield-Maidens. They only need an 11 on a 20 to do it.

Here are the spells Alzar knows for this adventure:


Hypnotism x2
Sleep x2
Charm Person
Empathic Controlx3
Ray of Ondovir
Continual Light
Dire Charmx2
Haste
Vampiric Touch
Charm Monsterx2
Shield-Maidens
Conjure Earth Elemental
Dominationx2

This is a much different slate of spells. It almost looks like Alzar is an Enchanter rather than a Fivefold Path Mage! The following spells are NOT in the Enchantment/Charm school – Continual Light, Haste, Shield-Maidens, Conjure Elemental. All of the rest are.

This spell-list shows Alzar wants to turn his foes against themselves. This is a more subtle, but perhaps more powerful list than the one he used against the Giants, where raw force was useful.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar will be using the Orb more. It’s an artifact, and he has it, so expect him to continue to use and abuse it. The last time, he used it very little – just for a Wall of Ice and a Babau once. He will not hold back this time, and leans into it. He can summon one demon every hour, and it lasts an hour, so Alzar will have one demon with him at all times, rather than just for a big fight.

Here are the demons the Orb will summon, based on the 2nd Edition Description (Which gets rid of generic Type I, Type II demons) – Vrock, Babau, Hezrou, Glabrezu




There is no cave of safety here this time, and the Rift is another 125 miles past the Steading away from Alzar’s home. It would take a long time to get there the old fashioned way. Alzar teleports the party back and forth over a couple of days, staying inside his Instant Fortress about twenty miles from the rift. After the whole party is gathered together, and without his normal laboratory and workshop as a result, Alzar and crew move in.

Getting there requires some cautious climbing and the Rope’s aid, but there is no major danger.


The Rift is very windy and visibility is low. They find the entrance to the Rift, a worn trail of Frost Giants. They can enter the right to the right or left. Each comes out on a ledge overlooking the rift about 250 feet in the air. The powerful gusts stop any planned flights, because use of a simple Broom of Flying would cause random directions to go.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar choose the…right (random). He summons a Vrock to help the team as they explore.


Vrock – 60 hp, AC - -2, 2d6+6 damage from one claw, two attacks per turn, it can cast Mirror Image/day, THAC0 12



It can fly with us and move with s, and weighs 500 pounds, so it’s not likely to blow off course due ot the nasty winds.

[Abe Sargent]

We move.

Alzar is always in front, invisible, and about thirty feet away from the group. The path arrives on the north side of the glacial rift, and Alzar and his team move into a large ice cavern that opens behind them to the north. The plateau continues on.

Alzar scouts and discovers this is the lair of six Yeti and a leader, This should be a fairly conventional fight, so he brings up the group and they move in for battle.

Alzar’s invisible axe bites deep into the leader for his max damage – 8 rolled x2 for Ambush is 16, plus 2 for magic, +2 for expertise with weapon +6 for strength – 26 damage. Rar! Battle begins as the warriors, Gargoyles and Vrock rounds the bend.

Alzar is attacked by all of the yeti. Two wound have hit but miss due to the Cloak, and one of those was the Chief with a glowing sword.

On the next turn, they win init and Alzar takes 9 from one hit by the chief. The rest miss due to the Cloak or his -2 AC. Alzar slays the Chief with his first attack, and deals 11 damage to another. The group arrives and can attack next turn.

On the 3rd round, Alzar wins. He carves the wounded yeti for another 15 damage and slays it. The Vrock attacks and hits once for 10 damage on a yeti. Estaish hits for 6 on it. Carum misses, Wassilon misses, Hrothgr hits for 7 and a gargoyle finishes it off.

They attack, and Alzar is misses by them all.

They win init and Alzar takes 6 from a hit. Alzar carves into one for nothing after he critically misses and drops his axe. Carum spears one for 5 damage, Estaish adds 10, Wassilon finishes it off. The gargoyles and Vrock slay another – one left.

Alzar’s team wins init and finishes the yeti.

Slain – 7 Yeti

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar – 44/57 hp

Alzar picks up the glowing cold sword and investigates it. It’s a +3 Frostbrand sword


+3 Frostbrand Sword
11 Ivory Tusks – 800 gp each


The Frostbrand is +3 and +6 vs fire creatures. It glows when in below freezing. It acts as a Ring of Fire Resistance by its wielder and can extinguish fires by being pushed into one. It’s a good weapon, but not for here and Alzar pockets it in an extra dimensional Bag of Holding. You don’t want t be using it against creatures that take less damage from cold attacks.

Alzar and his retinue continue along the plateau. They find a cave that opens o the north as the plateau widens. There is a path down to the glacier, but the plateau continues on, and more caves and tunnels can be seen.

The first cave that opens is nothing but a misty cave fogged up with a warm spring that causes a strong mist. Alzar checks it heavily even with gem, but there is nothing in here.

Another cave opens up and Alzar investigates. As he does, a growl is heard above and two snow leopards spring on him. They could smell him through the Invisibility and attack him. One would hit, but misses due to his cloak. The other misses. His Axe is unslung and battle begins.

They win init. One attacks him and can’t get his bite on target. The other hits, but it’s the one that missed before. Now both have hit him and the Cloak won’t cause a dodge anymore. His axe swings and dashes into a leopard for 13 damage.

On the next turn, Alzar wins init. He hits just once out of two attacks, but finishes off the leopard, and the other misses him.

It wins init again claws him for 5 damage. His axe bites it for 13 damage. He wins init and finishes it off.


Slain – 7 Yeti , 2 Snow Leopards


Alzar – 41/57 hp


There is nothing in their lair.

[Abe Sargent]

Go down to the Rift, continue along the plateau, or check out this big, giant cavern complex?

They move to the big complex to the northwest

Alzar tells the group to stay behind as he scouts deeply after seeing what he thinks he sees. There are four large caverns in this area, and each has Frost Giants. Three of them have four giants, and the last has six.

Alzar returns and orders the Vrock to attempt to gate in Dretches. It has a 35% chance of success and these are weak little demons. It can only try once per day and these folks don’t like to do it but the Vrock is fully under the control of Alzar.

It tries and…fails. Ah well, it would have been nice to have some cannon fodder. Alzar positions the gargoyles just inside of the cave but way out of sight of the Giants. It’s time to be clever.

Alzar goes back out and has Carum come with him. Carum grabs the Diminution Stone and shrinks, and Alzar places him under his cloak.

Alzar moves to the easternmost cave, which is the one by the entrance. He finds a place where he can only see one of the Frost Giants in the room, and casts Dire Charm on it. He wants to Dire Charm the Frost Giant which is far away and turn it loose on its friends. Then, while they are taking care of that, the gargoyles move to the mouth of the cave. They are to prevent any other giants from entering. Alzar and Carum will handle the remaining Giants in here, as they are distracted by the one Dire Charmed. That’s the plan.

[Abe Sargent]

Here we go. Alzar casts Dire Charm. It…works! The Frost Giant rolled an 8 and failed his save. One of the Giants will now attack whoever is closet, enemy or friend it doesn’t matter. Alzar grabs the Sword and goes invisible again. It picks up a boulder and heaves it at another Frost Giant.

Alzar randomly magicked the second most powerful giant in the room. It attacks the strongest and hits him for 15 damage. 34/49 hp left.

Battle begins. They win init and three boulders fly at our Dire Charmed friend. Two hit for 27 damage. 20/47 left. It roars back and throws a boulder and adds 14 to the wounded one. 20/49. Alzar has run up and the gargoyles are in place.

The next turn arrives.

We win init. Alzar swings his axe and surprises the Giant farthest from the Dire Charmed one for 22 damage. Carum grows and attacks and misses. Our Giant attacks and misses with a boulder. Two throw boulders at it. One hits for 9 damage – 11 hp left for our guy. The third attacks Alzar and rolls a 6 – miss.

On the next turn , they win init. They finish off the Dire Charmed Giant and Alzar is hit so missed due to the Cloak. Alzar swings twice and hits both times, finishing the giant they attacked. Carum throws his spear at the injured giant and hits for 8 damage. 12 left on it. Other giants have arrived at the entrance but they can’t get in, they are body blocked by the gargoyles, who attack them.

The next turn arrives, and Alzar’s group wins. Carum slings the wounded giant for 6 damage and Alzar grabs a +2 dagger from his bandolier and throws it and hits for 8 and slays it. 1 left. It throws a boulder at Alzar and hits, miss due to cloak.

Alzar wins init again. Carum and Alzar charge this turn across the large room. The giant throws a giant boulder and critically misses Alzar. The Frost Giants break off from the gargoyles and move, but the gargoyles stay put.

The giants win init. Alzar is attacked by a large axe and it rolls an 8 – hit on his AC-1 (no Boots of Striding and Springing). He takes 14 damage. His axe bites back for 12 damage and Carum adds 5. 26 hp left four our giant.

Alzar’s group wins init. They finish it off with four attacks this round. They begin to retreat, as the gargoyles cover, but no Frost Giants are left to pursue, they are elsewhere.

[Abe Sargent]

As Alzar and Carum move out of the cavern, a few boulders pop out of the nearby rockface, and out pour 14 Frost Giants. They had a concealed entrance/exit in case of emergency. Smart. Alzar didn’t see it because the Gem of Seeing does not notice natural camouflage. 14 Frost Giants are about to attack, and Alzar has no plans, and no sneaky stuff available. His plan backfired. He wanted to fight Giants in a small group and ended up with a large force!

The others are right here, and he orders them in.

Alzar’s group wins init. He needs to get his people to a place where they can melee the giants who have strong missile attacks. If he succeeds on a Domination or something, he still only takes out one Giant this turn. Instead, he draws the Orb and casts Wall of Ice vertically in front of the Frost Giants. He creates a physical barrier between them. The rest of his group moves in just behind the Wall this turn.

The Giants pound the wall and destroy it. Their axes cleave the ice in big chunks, and their turn is gone. Now what happens, and who will win init?






They roll a 9 and Alzar’s group rolls a 5, so they go first – lower is better cause that means you are faster.

The Vrock and Gargoyles fly into one in the front and attack it. It takes 32 damage from the attack and has 18 hp left. Carum, Estaish, Wassilon and Hrothgr concentrate on another and hit for 28 damage. It has 20 hp left. Alzar needs an answer. So far, they haven’t killed a single Frost Giant. He needs to give his people time to do stuff, so he shouts at the Frost Giants that they are cowards and casts Hypnotism. He wants them to look at him. Three do. The spell goes off and…4 targets of the spell roll for saves and…three fail (looking him in the eyes gives a -2 to the save). He forces them to drop their weapons and to not attack. This round and next round, three random giants will not attack.

Here comes 11 attacks, and Alzar’s cloak isn’t there to take any. They know not to attack the gargoyles now, and there are no wasted attacks. Afterwards

Vrock – 46/60
Estaish – 39/59
Carum – 58/72
Wassilon – Missed
Hrothgr – 55/70



20/48 – Random Giant
18/50 – Random Giant


They win init this round., Rough. Another 11 attacks


Vrock – 38/60
Estaish – 31/59
Carum – 41/72
Wassilon – 25/39
Hrothgr – 55/70


Alzar uses Hypnotism and two more drop weapons and will miss next turn and the next – 2 rounds missed in all.

The flyers slay their wounded one. The Fighters lay their wounded one and extra attacks deal 32 to another who now has 17 hp left.

Slain in this Battle – 2 Frostys, 12 left