Greetings. Welcome to the first session of /mlpol/'s first running of the classic third edition d&d campaign Red Hand Of Doom.
On this adventure, our heroes, currently three strong, will encounter dozens of trials that will test their strength, cunning, and friendship as they face an army of goblins.
If you'd like to join, there's still room for more in the party. Don't be shy to ask.
Our story begins in Elsir Vale, with our three heroes on the road to the town of Drellin’s Ferry. The three are seasoned adventurers, and exated heroes to boot. Having fought many battles together before, they are confident in their strength. Legend has it of a vast treasure in the Vault of Vraath Keep, hidden deep in the Witchwood; our heroes, have journeyed all this way to seize the vault for their own.
Despite that, they all have their own motivations to travel to Drellin's Ferry:
Sir Whiskers, a cunning and charismatic Tibbet Jester, is travelling to meet up with an old friend of his: Princess Princess Bagel Jennifurr Fluffykinz the fourth. He hasn't met his old friend since he was a kitten, and he's eager to meet with her again. She has arranged to meet up with him in Drellin's Ferry, and to accompany him on his adventure.
Sir Brozal, a mighty Orc Crusader of Pelor, has received a mission from a high-ranking Cleric of his order has received a powerful vision of war descending on Elsir Vale under the banner of a clawed red hand, and has sent Brolaz to the far reaches of Elsir Vale to avert impending disaster... Brozal isn't exactly sure if the vision was real, or if his master just wanted to get rid of him for the year, but he never turns down a good crusade.
Brother Chad, a wise and powerful Druid, has chosen to accompany his companions on their hunt for the lost treasure in the Witchwood. Sir Whiskers requested his aid because Chad is the most experienced woodsman he knows. Chad is wary of this region, for he's heard that it is ruled by a fierce and territorial Druid, but he embarks upon this jouney nonetheless, the secrets of the Witchwood too tempting to ignore.
...So tempting that he seems to have drifted off somewhere with his horse; probably fucking it again or something. Stupid hippie.
And so, let's begin:
>The afternoon sun beats down on you; the air is hot and still. The sparsely settled lands of Elsir Vale are starting to grow monotonous, with a seemingly endless line of dusty flyspecks of towns. The town of Drellin’s Ferry lies a few miles ahead of you. It’s a settlement hard on the borders of the Witchwood, and the best place from which to begin exploring the nearby forest.
This is the part where the players ask obvious questions that I thoughtlessly ignored in the first post, as well as implore about their surroundings.
1970 replies and 85 files omitted.
"This thing... it radiates a strange and haunting aura. We must take caution in proceeding."
Okay, so the party has elected to go left into giant territory out of curiosity.
Anybody want to take the liberty of scouting ahead?
>>137463With a check like that, you're able to spot a very thin plume of smoke some distance towards the west.
>>137464>Armored Lighthouse with negative Wis is scoutingAlright, that means nobody is...
The wide track appears easy to follow despite years of neglect.
>>137465So what can i do with this knowledge now?
>>137466You know that there's a fire somewhere on the path that leads into giant country, which might mean that there are creatures.
>>137467That's nice to know.
Should we keep going down this path then?
>>137468That's what I thought.
I'm typing what you see now.
Alright, since Brozal is scouting, I'm going to DM it as I would if the whole party were marching side by side.
Brozal is the slowest anyway.
The old track comes to an abrupt end in the shadow of a fairly large hill that looms up from the surrounding woodlands. At the hill’s base sits the collapsed ruin of what was once a massive and probably quite impressive wooden fortress. Entire trees were used to form the walls of this building, but now the whole thing is little more than a heap of moss-covered, rotting logs. A thin curl of smoke rises up from a great fire pit in the middle of the old walls, where an enormous boar sizzles on a spit the size of a lance.
>>137470Spot for movement. Other than the dead boar.
[1d20+16 = 30] >>137471Brozal is in the front and he walks into the camp with his mace holstered. He will do total defense though.
>>137471And with that check, Aral is easily able to see a huge, moss-covered figure looming over the fire. Were it not for his excellent perception, it would have appeared to be part of the landscape.
A lone giant sits by the fire, turning the spit and muttering to himself in his own language. He is extraordinarily tall and lean, with stooped shoulders, earth-yellow skin marked by angry red blotches, and a wild mane and beard of tangled green hair. He easily tops ten feet, even while sitting on the ground.
The lone giant appears sullen, and somewhat deranged, still muttering to himself as he looks over his fire. He appears to pay the party no mind, evidently still not having seen or heard them.
You guys are about 200 ft away.
>>137473Brozal will approach the campfire and speak to the giant. “Hello! Could a weary traveler such as myself partake in the sanctity of this place with you?” Brozal says while offering the giant ten days of rations.
If you’re wondering, yes, I am screaming internally out of character.
>>137477Assuming you had a couple minutes to hear the giant talking to himself, you might have made out:
>“Cook, you wretched piggy! Warklegnaw’s hungry!” >“Not as good as owlbear, but good enough for an old bag of bones like me...”>“All gone, all dead, all but me. Poor old Warklegnaw!”Evidently he would say this to himself in Common, despite it being his second language... Whatever..>>137474Alright, I'm assuming Brozal took a few turns walking forward. I'm going to put him 60 ft away from the giant.
At Brozal's remarks, the ancient giant wearily stands up and
fingers a massive club, muttering left and right until his lone lone eye fixates on Brozal's shining figure.
He half-bellows-half-mutters: “You little worms won’t get me! You did for my kith and kin, but you won’t get me!”
Even at your distance you can feel the earth shake as the giant stands. However, he hasn't charged yet.
>>137479Combat hasn't started, and the giant doesn't appear to be attacking (yet) so sure.
Brozal takes off his helmet and wipes some sweat from his brow. "I'm not here to bring harm to you or your kin. Simply traveling through to slay some goblins. I'm awfully tired and could use a place to rest. In return, I'd be willing to give you some food."
Rolled 25 on diplomacy.
>>137481The old giant glares down at Brozal, with his single remaining eye. He peers down at Brozal for an agonizingly silent six seconds before his expression calms and appears changes to amused. He sits down with an audible "oomf" and smiles weakly at the little presumptuous orc.
"...Warklegnaw no have guest in LOOOOONG TIME." He says, the trees shaking as he bellows the last two words
"Maybe man-creature share with Warklegnaw?" he says, gesturing to the massive dire-boar roasting on the spit
Brozal sits down near the fire and puts his helmet on his knee. "Thank you for having me. The boar smells delicious. What's your story?"
Just to be clear, the giant hasn't seen the rest of you. He's only seen Brozal.
>>137483The giant is visibly venerable, and sick to boot, his face and joints painfully swollen.
At Brozal's distance, he can see a prominent tattoo on his wrinkled forehead, a symbol that looks like a frowning tusked mouth.
"Warklegnaw king of the Twistusks!" The old giant bellows proudly, before breaking out into an earth-shaking cough.
>>137485"Before we go on, I should probably say that I have a few more friends that have waited a ways away instead of coming with me. Would it be alright for them to eat with us?" Brozal asks while pointing in the direction of his allies and signaling them that everything is okay.
>>137485The old giant rips a leg off of the roasted boar and hands it to Brozal, the tender flesh ripping off with little resistance.
It actually smells pretty good.
>>137486The old giant mutters something unintelligible before nodding gladly.
".. Yes, YES..!" He bellows
His sole eye peers into the distance, landing squarely on Misty, then Chad, then the rest of the party
"Man creatures sit. Man creatures tell story." he says, in a senile tone that sounds halfway between an invitation and an order
>>137486>>137487Me and Misty march towards them as if on cue as he glances to us.
"What do you want to know?"
I kinda just want to chill out on being the party face so I'll let Aral take the lead.
>>137488The senile giant peers curiously at the talking horse for a few seconds, before shrugging
"Warklegnaw no have guests in LOOOONG time.." the giant says, again
"What bring horse-creature?" He implores
>>137491"Just exactly how long have you been a hermit for?"
"Red hand brought us here, we are going to stop them."
>>137489The council stuff and others happened because we had no party face present at the time. Brozal's way higher Diplomacy fits better for face, and for talking long and representing the party. When it comes to sperging about goblins though, he will not shut up, if prompted. Anyway...Aral produces the map, ready to explain and support with proof what Chad just began
>>137492 >>137492"...LOOOOOOOOOOONG TIME!" the old giant bellows, unhelpfully
"..Kin leave LOOOOONG time ago.. say Bald Hill cursed since war. Never come back. But Warklegnaw stay, because Warklegnaw king of the Twistusks!" he continues, a sliver of pride shining through his sullen demeanor
"Warklegnaw born on Bald Hill, and Warklegnaw die on hill too." The giant continues, before coughing once more
>>137492The giant then asked
"Red hand.. What is Red Hand?"
>>137494"A long time?"
>>137495"A large and organized group of goblins."
>>137496"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooong time..." The giant repeats
"Warklegnaw alone since war. Kin flee to mountains. No want Bald Hill anymore... Poor old Warklegnaw..." the old giant continues.
>group of goblins"Hmmmmph! Gobbos is small. Gobbos is weak. Gobbos is is fear of giants." He says proudly
"Gobbos never march through giant country. Always turn back. Is scared of rocks."
>>137497"The goblins have came in numbers of thousands and intend to take over the region. Before you even think of offering, I can not allow you to join us in our crusade. I will see to smashing them myself."
>>137497"Which mountains?"
"Did you make that giant totem at the start of the path to here?"
>>137498
Adding to that:
"But you would at least need to prepare for them. They will arrive here too, sooner or later."
>>137500"Heehee.. Silly Orc." the giant says with a chuckle
"Warklegnaw sit. Nobody need Warklegnaw anymore..."
>>137501"Kin go West. Maybe up in mountains. Say bald hill cursed. Say Warklegnaw no king anymore..." the giant replies, sadly
"Warklegnaw no see kin in LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooong time... Maybe some is left, up in mountains..?"
>>137502The venerable old giant looks weakly over to Aral, with his single remaining eye. It's now at this distance that Aral can see just how ancient and sick he really is. His face and joints are red and swollen with angry red blotches, perhaps due to some unnamed disease, and he seems extraordinarily lean.
"Prepare? For gobbos? What need?"
>>137503"You are elderly and I would not be able to forgive myself if you were unable to live out the rest of your life in peace. Please do not get involved."
>>137503Because their numbers are legion. All tribes united. Planning to take over all the Vale.
>>137505- said Aral (forgot the quotes)
>>137501>"Did you make that giant totem at the start of the path to here?""Warklegnaw made totem LOOOOOOOOOOOOooong time ago." The old giant says, beaming.
"Totem show giants strong. No man-creatures march in giant country."
Then, he twitches somewhat, glaring angrily into the distance and shaking his fist in a deranged fit
"...Until..." he growls, struggling to finish his phrase as his memory fails him
".. VRAATH!" He roars, stomping his foot and causing the whole fortress to shake
"Vraath march on Bald Hill LOOOONG time ago. Come with army big. Burn fortress. Take chief claw." He growls, angrily, still staring into the distance, as if Amery Vraath were right there, mocking him
"Warklegnaw march on Vraath. Smash castle. Smash hoo-mans. Warklegnaw shoot Vraath, but Vraath get away. Never find him.." He says, still shaking
>>137507"Vraath is dead. I found his body myself."
>>137505>>137504The giant appears dismissive, seemingly not interested in prolonging his own life
"Hmmmph. Warklegnaw only have few winters left anyway. If gobbos march on Bald Hill, Warklegnaw stay, fight and die." He declares
"Warklegnaw sit on fortress. Nobody need poor old Warklegnaw.."
>>137508The giant looks at Brozal quizzically, as if confused that the human he fought nearly two centuries ago wouldn't still be alive.
"Vraath... Is dead?"
>>137509"You may be old, but your wisdom is indispensable. I will see about getting fellow crusaders from the temple of Pelor to aid you in making your way into the mountains so you can be with your people again. I found Vraath's skeleton inside of a secret chamber in his keep. His body was pierced by a poisonous dart or arrow."
>>137511"No.. Warklegnaw look everywhere in man-hut. No Vraath. No Claw..." The giant says in disbelief
>>137512"I have the deed to the keep right here, and I also have Vraath's weapon." Brozal shows the giant the deed and the mace. "In fact, I think if anyone deserves that keep, it's you." He adds while handing the deed to the keep over to the elderly hill giant.
>>137513>giving away the maceAre you sure you want to do that, m8?
>weapon two size categories too small for a giant>not the huge-sized spiked gauntlet, which had a symbol identical to the giant's tattoo and the sigil of the Twistusks I'm only giving Warklegnaw the deed to the keep. I was showing him that I have the mace, and I intend to keep the mace. Brozal will also give the giant spiked gauntlet to him.