Game Session 8 - Enter the Red Lake Fort

Summary 

The party has entered the Red Lake Fort and found Umlo and Droja. Umlo is covered in scars from all the fighting he had done with Grizzly and Dire bears. Droja says that she knows the party and plans to help them defeat Grenseldek. But can they trust her? What is she? Come to Game Session 9 and find out if the team can kill Grenseldek and save Trunua!
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The party loses Chenerey and Ragmor to marsh sickness, and they both had to stay at the kettle boat as Bloodtusk and Ingrid assist Belin, Samson, and Zarzo to sneak into the Red Lake Fort and kill Grenseldek. As they sneak up to the fort they find a quiet roaming patrol of a Hill Giant and 4 Twisted Nail Orcs. They are not spotted by the patrol and are able to get within 500 yards of the fort. There they see the same patrol enter the fort by a ladder that is at the front gate of the fort. The party waits a day and the same patrol comes out. They manage to kill most of the members of the patrol, but Bloodtusk is crushed by the Hill Giant that leads the patrol.

Ingrid quickly ties up the final living Orc to investigate the situation. He tells Ingrid as much as he can about the Fort and its current defenses. Informing her about how there are 3 factions within the fort. The first is the orcs, ran by General Ragmar. Then there are the ogres led by another leader. Then finally a small group of giants that are with Grenseldek, the leader of all three factions. Since the fall of Trunua Grenseldek hasn’t come out of her room all that much. So the 3 factions are now ready to kill each other for control of the fort. Ingrid kills the orc and then the party waits another 24 hours and no other patrols come out.

Finally Belin gets bored, and with his incredible swimming skills leads a group of the party to the dam that holds the river water back from re-filling the old moat that surrounds the fort. They manage to upon a couple of flood gates and let the water back into the perimeter of the fort. Which causes a number of orcs to drown. The leader of the orcs, General Krandar, is smart enough to realize that this group of adventures were the ones who killed the patrol and also opened up the damn. He decides to ask the party to help him fight the Ogres and Giants. Then he runs off to start a war with the Ogres.

The party follows the orcs into the fort to go and find Umlo, Ingrids lost brother that they heard fighting Bears earlier. They find him with a weird looking Oracle that says she will help them defeat Grenseldek.

Game Session 7 - The Vault of Thorns

The party completed their investigation of the Vault of Thorns.

Here the party is getting rid of the small flowers in this hallway of plants

Here Rogar's spirit is flirting with Ewigga!

The party has completed their investigation of the Vault of Thorns. There is the treasure, as well as a number of small animals that players could choose to befriend and use as a familiar. If you have skill in handle animal. Spending time in Trunua, which has so little life (plants, animals), everyone in the party has been somewhat amazed at all the things that have been seen visiting the Ghostland Marshes...

Now the party returns to the tug boat that Bloodtusk and crew have been patiently waiting for the party to return. They have been spending the past couple of days hunting and foraging. Therefore they begrudgingly award the party with a bountiful meal upon their return.

But it is a somber occasion, because they are familiar with the Redlake Fort. They warn the party that the Orcs that patrol that area are not nice. After a half-day of travel the boat stops at a point where Bloodtusk tells the party they can attempt to sneak up to the fort. Providing a rough map of the terrain and sketch of the fort. (Which GM will provide to party next game session.)

... Bloodtusk seems like such a pussy for being a Gladiator Hero, perhaps he wants to help the party out with some bloodshed...

GM Notes
1. Everything appeared to go well, no criticisms this time, unless I missed something?

Game Session 6 - Visit the Ghostland Marsh

Bloodtus, Coxswain, and Half-Orc Posse have had their hands full assisting the party on their way to the Ghostland Marsh's Vault of Thorns. With a Orc ambush as the site of the Thorns.

The party met a bi-polar dwarf that they were able to determine was under some kind of curse. They found a potion of cure curse in her gear that they gave her. Which then gave her sanity back to her. Now she has helped the party get to the Vault of Thorns. Where they had to fight a Marsh Giant.

Now the party has entered another dimension and the Vault of Thorns. What lies in this mysterious vault no one knows for certain...

GM Notes
1. Earl did not prepare the fight properly of the Marsh Giant, the creature had a number of special abilities that were not properly.

Game Session 5 - Journey to the Marshlands

Summary

The party has to deal with 3 drakes that attack the Keelboat. Once this is done Bloodtusk and Coxswain are impressed with the parties prowess. Bloodtusk gives the party a tour of the ship, but then they discover a secret passage that leeds to the bottom hidden layer of the keelboat. Here they find a stowaway that was responsible for the sabotage the crew has been having to deal with. After a brief discussion, Bloodtusk decides to let her off the boat. Finally the party find a remote outpost that appears to be in the middle of being looted...

Story So Far

The orcs attacking Trunau have been defeated, but the danger remains -- the hill giant chieftain Grenseldek (Gren sells dick) still wants the treasures of the tomb beneath Trunau. In order to protect their chosen community, the heroes must leave it and travel by riverboat through the orc-ruled Hold of Belkzen to the abandoned border fort that the giant has claimed as her lair. Yet even putting down Grensldek and her squabbling monstrous minions may not be enough to save Trunau. For the hill giant ahas sent a fateful letter, and a storm is brewing on the horizon....

Bloodtusk is having a tough time dealing with Ragmor's goating to have a fight with him. Since Bloodtusk and Coxswain (Cock swane) into a real confrontation, the party may massacre the entire crew of the boat.

Bloodtusk gives the party a tour of the ship, but then Ragmor's supernatural perception discovers a secret passage that leeds to the bottom hidden layer of the keelboat.

Here they find a stowaway that was responsible for the sabotoge the crew has been having to deal with. After a brief discussion, Bloodtusk decides to let her off the boat. In which being off the boat is very dangerous and most likely she will be captured by the roaming packs of Orcs that continuously hunt the plains of Belkezen.

Finally the party discovers the wreckage of a small human outpost that they are now starting to explore....

Here I made the mistake of drawing the bottom most 3rd level of the ship. If it hadn't been drawn, I suspect the party might not have actually tried to search the ship to see what is down there. And only a few of the crew knew about the secret part of the Keelboat.

GM Notes

1. The battle with the drakes could have gone smoother if the party knew exactly how the drakes were flying in and attack the party.
2. A discussion after the game took place in regard to PFS versus DnD. In which some had opinion that PFS is much more challenging due to its strict rules and sense of accomplishment as you level up your character.
3. Sound system was somewhat missed, so it'll probably be back at next game session.

Game Session 4 - River Esk - Out of the Frying Pan, into the Fire!

The party killed the Hill Giant and a few Orcs that appeared to be guarding a new hole in the side of one of the cliffs of Trunua. As the party enters the cavern they realize it is a large tomb that has been locked up for a number of years.

Once inside they see a set of walk ways that lead off to the east, west, and north. The party decided to go along the western side of the cavern since they could hear water trickling from the east.

As they went around a large opening to a murky pit below, they see a large room full of treasure and large Giant skeletons. Most of which appeared to be truly dead, except for one large skeleton that starts to move as soon as the party senses it not being actually dead. Sorzo noticed it being alive and had a small surprise round to prepare for the assault.

The party starts to fight the skeleton, as well as a small rat, that appeared to be incorporeal during combat. As the party is getting close to destroying the skeleton, two large dire wolves come around enter from the other side of the room and attack Val. Given their versus bites, they kill Val.

Behind the two dire wolves is a half-orc who appears to be an alchemist, who throws a series of bombs at the party.

But the large skeleton is upset at the wolves presence in the tomb, so he attacks one of the wolves. Then the party retreated out of the room, which then causes the half-orc, and a troll to leave the room as well. In which the half-orc yells at the troll in giant to assist him in searching for something.

The party heals up and then goes back to pursue the half-orc and troll. Which appear to have left the final room in the tomb through another access point. But the troll makes a lot of noise and causes some spiders and Gulks to attack the troll and half-orc.

The party finishes off the half-orc and loot the body. There they find a poster size note as well as a large rock. They discover that the rock is actually a 3 dimensional map of a part of the Mindspin Mountains.

The session ended as the party goes on an assignment from Halgra and the Trunua Council of Defenders meeting. Now they are on a boat that is going through the heart of Belkzen to the Ghostlight Marshlands.

GM Notes
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1. Having Tony handle initiative sped up combat.
2. A players death has led to internal discussions regarding new player's joining the group, level progression, and loot management.

Game Session 3 - Trunua - Finding The Forgotten Tomb

Our band of eclectic adventurers have assembled a treasure trove of loot from the Plague House and Inner Trunua district. Kurst has assisted the group by providing a very scared courier named Pug to help with keeping track of the loot and storing it in the Longhouse for the party.

Now Omsteld needs the parties help as he plans to defend his ramshackle barracades he has put up to stop the raiding Orcs that you see lining up to attempt another assault on the 2nd tier of Trunua. "Trunua has never fallen to Orcs and never will" he screams as he ties another set of sticks to the barracades he has made.

The party can see that Omsteld is visibly drunk. Casting cure sickness on him and taking away his flask of spirits appears to have made a difference. These appears to straighten him up. "Ok people, lets get this party started!"

As he motions that invaders are going to come at us, a group of Twisted Nail Orcs start to use a battering ram on the portcullis. They are able to destroy it after a round and one sprints through the hole toward the party. Ragmor questions the validity of just one Orc charging through, but the gods are good this night.

The party fights 4 rounds of Orcs with their Ferocity, fighting to the bitter end of life. Once the enemies are destroyed and looted the portcullis is brought back down and the last remaining Orcs are picked off by archers in the towers. The party runs to the top of the tower to get a view of the carnage. There they see off in the distance the catapult is still active and lobbing large stones and explosives at the town.

The party goes down and lights the last pile of wood. Then they set off and kill the last few Orcs commanding the catapult.

The guards motion for them to return. As they return they see a Cave Giant at the entrance of a large hole! There they wade through the water and kill the Giant and his chained trainers.

GM Notes
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1. Players were a little frustrated with the pace of combat, suggestion is to have Tony do the initiative management so GM can focus on creatures and their combat operations.

2. Some of the combat was too easy, in which the barracades and other items that could be used to crush the hordes of Orcs entering through the gates were too easy to destroy. This could have been made more challenging by having more Orcs throwing things into the combat. Or have a larger number of Orcs coming through the gates.

Game Session 2 - Trunua - Clear out the PlagueHouse and Clear out the Orcs

The town is morning the loss of one of their dearest leaders. In which he appears to have been murdered by an unknown assailant. The party has found a number of clues that are presented to Kurt Garth. Kurt is grateful that the party has been able to find out so much in regard to the mystery that is taking place.

The party then spends the night in the Ramblehouse, getting up early the following morning. They set off back to the Plaguehouse to complete their investigation of the old burned out Church. This time they enter the Plaguehouse from the other side, which has a very scary large opening on the side of the building. As they approach they notice a haunt is set in a large room which appears to have been used for the plague victims from years ago. Zarzo detects this haunt and uses her wand of cure light wounds on the haunt. Which does enough divine damage to destroy it for now...

They search the room and find some items of value. Then they continue to scrounge the rest of the building and find a lot of loot. As well as a kidnapped young boy Othgath. He has some interesting and unexpected interactions with Chenerey.

They go back to the Longhouse and find Kurt. Zarzo gives the hopeknife that was found in the Plauguehouse to Brinya. Then they use the knife during the cremation funeral ceremony for Rodrick.

As the funeral procession end and the sun sets. An attack of the city starts, in which the Orcs use the darkness to their advantage.

Kurt commands the party to help light the pyre's that are setup throughout the city encase of an attack such as this. The party sets off to the first pyre which is close by in Upper Trunua. As they approach they see a mob of people getting ready to lynch Brinya. The party helps Brinya by telling the mob that she isn't the cause of this catastrophe and we all need to work together to destroy this foe that is attacking the city. This works, giving the party their first Reputation Point.

As they head toward the second pyre Kurt sees them again and informs them to clear out any lingering raiders in the inner Trunua district of the city. He then has the last remaining gaurd to raise the portcullis for them to enter the area.

They go into the area and find it in complete disarray. In which there are numerous bodies of orcs, guards, and town folk littering the area.

The party goes into Sara Morningstar's burning house and help save her. Another reputation point.

Then they go and kill all the orcs in a tower. Another reputation point.

Then they find a couple of thugs assaulting a human villager. They save the villager. Another reputation point.

Then they find an unconscious druid that they know in the city. Another reputation point.

Finally they find Omar Sandosh, who is setting up a number of barricades to block any further assaults from Orcs. He asks for the help of the party to defend this point. After a few moments he says brace yourselves! Here they come!

And this is where we stopped in our Giantslayer adventure of Trunua. Will the party be able to survive the hordes of Orcs that will attempt to assault the city? Hopefully in two weeks we will know the answer!

GM Notes

Pros
1. Brought sound system with Syrinscape to provide background music while gaming.
2. Brought a number of miniatures and maps to use for combat

Cons
1.Didn't like all the similar Orc combats that were back-to-back. Would have liked more variation in the inner Trunua district.