Season Two / Session One
Having obliterated the skull of the Orking and reformed the necromancer bent on his resurrection, the Heroes board the Ambuscade and sail north, to the icy elven nation of Drura. The temperature plummets as they traverse the Great Northern Sea, sudden flurries of snow make the deck treacherous with ice. The Ambuscade passes floating icebergs occupied by colonies of vicious dire penguins. Eventually, after the better part of a month on the open water, the Heroes reach the harbour town of Neverthaw.
Miasma immediately notices that the climate is much colder than normal. The Rimefloe River leading north into mainland Drura is completely frozen over. The Algorstone begins to pulse with power as it draws closer to the elven heartland (Miasma gains the ability to cast the Freezing Ray cantrip (2d8) as an action).
The docks in Neverthaw are in chaos. A line of elven guards are trying to hold back a horde of shouting commoners. The frozen river forces Captain Tuk to anchor the Ambuscade some ways out and the Heroes must gingerly cross the ice to reach the town. Suddenly, the mob surges and breaks through! Dozens of people start charging across the ice, towards the ship. Sir Henry implores the crowd to turn back, but is trampled underfoot for his trouble. Poddlebrim and Miasma combine their magical talents to create the illusion that the ice is breaking apart under the weight of so many people. The terrified commoners panic and retreat to dry land.
The Heroes question some of the scared townsfolk and learn that a terrible ice giant called Feldryd Frostmane has lead an attack on Jaanalume and slain King Tarsus! Miasma lets slip that King Tarsus was her dad and she is a princess of Drura! Captain Elanil Eilsalor of the Elven Guard overhears and recognises Miasma at once! The good captain spouts some more exposition and explains how she lead the refugees from Jaanalume south and is overseeing their evacuation by sea. Two problems;
1: she doesn’t have enough boats to evacuate everyone safely, and
2: there is a horde of yeti on route, led by an abominable yeti called General Vatash.
The Heroes volunteer the Ambuscade to help evacuate the civilians and agree to help Captain Elanil defend the walls, buying Tukvo the time he’ll need to clear the harbour. While Miasma inspires the troops, Sir Henry raids a warehouse for barrels of flammable oil. Darvin and Ezeke move the deck-mounted ballista from the Ambuscade to the back of a wagon, that they can move to where it is needed most. Poddlebrim meditates and Endon Ettin-Slayer (preceded by his celebrity status) basks in the adoration of his adoring fans. Mazoga Strongtusk (guest player Sant) visits the infirmary and ‘recruits’ a half-dozen dead elves to the defence of the town.
A fierce blizzard rolls in, reducing visibility. Large, lumbering shapes approach under cover of the snowstorm! The yeti attack! The zombies under Mazoga’s control shamble forward and elven archers detonate the barrels of oil strapped to their backs. BOOM! The enemies’ frontline is decimated – but the battle is far from over! The yeti’s prove to be amazing jumpers and leap right up onto the walls! Darvin, Endon and Pobblebrim hold the eastern wall, but the yeti overcome the elves along the western wall and swarm into the streets below. Ezeke and Mazoga teleport (Dimension Door) to the cart-mounted ballista and hunt down the rampaging beasts!
General Vatash assaults the gatehouse. Captain Elanil intercepts an attack meant for Miasma and loses her life. Sir Henry clambers up onto the battlements to challenghe this abominate foe! Vatash exhales his icy breath over the walls and both Sir Henry and Miasma are frozen solid! The abominable yeti begins tearing down the gatehouse, stone by stone! Pobblebrim darts across the collapsing roof and clouts the Vatash with his Stunning Fist! The General is stunned (or doomed, as is often the case after Poddlebrim stuns something). Darvin finishes the stunned General off with a barrage of Magical Missiles!
Darvin uses his magic to thaw Sir Henry and Miasma from their icy prisons. They both require urgent medical aid. The elven refugees escape aboard the Ambuscade, leaving the Heroes stranded in Drura, until Captain Tukvo can return to pick them up. With Captain Elanil dead, the surviving elven warriors turn to Princess Miasma for orders. Miasma hand-picks a squad of five warriors to serve as her honour guard while she traipses across the frozen countryside, leaving the rest to garrison Port Neverthaw.
The Heroes learn that a powerful wizard has erected a magical barrier to protect the town of Windstall from wandering monsters. Perhaps this wizard can reverse Sir Henry’s fishy transformation – or direct them to the fabled elfspring where Darvin’s curse can be lifted? The Heroes harness a pack of huskies to sleds that will carry them across the tundra and set off – FOR ADVENTURE!
TBC
