Rise of the Runelords

After looting as much as you could of the dragon's hoard before it was inclined to return, you hid out in the tunnels for a bit before deciding to 'take care of' the abominable snowmen.  On your way there you had a nuisance encounter with a half a dozen hill giants.  There were dead before they knew what was happening.

A few miles closer to the snowmen dome, Balros noticed a blob on the road some distance in front of you.  As you approached, he said it looked like it might be a pile of dead giants.  Cautiously approaching even closer, Balros soon grabbed Wolfgar, who was walking next to him.  "It's squirming?"  As all were peering to get a better look, the mass of flesh that was the pile of giants started to move.  Beneath it were the remains of at least a couple giants.  The group started to spread out and move closer, again to Edwin's opposition.  The beast opened the melee with a stinking cloud that caught most of the group, knocking them out for several rounds.

Those who could move did so very slowly.  The beast cast another spell which all shrugged off as some sort of compulsion. Pirozzi started launching magic missiles finding only that the creature had spell resistance.  Many of his spell failed to have any effect.  Wolfgar was the first to approach and was surprised at the amount of reach the beast had as it took a bite out him.  The damage delivered was not that worrisome.  Rather it was the associated Wisdom drain.  Golian was working his way around the beast and Henrik and Balros were approaching from the front. The beast dramatically slowed their approach with a grease spell. 

Edwin, Malloric and D'Argo were able to focus again.  Edwin went to help Henrik and Balros.  Malloric started doing what he does best and D'Argo too found his spells had little effect.  Edwin was able to pull Henrik from the greased area while Balros had already extricated himself.  Wolfgar was swinging away and taking more Wisdom drain from each bite. Pirozzi gave up on direct damage and instead started casting restorations on Wolfgar to keep him alive. Balros entered melee and was son unconscious from Wisdom drain. Henrik approached as Malloric scored a massive arrow strike.  From where the arrow hit the beast a short gout of foul smelling liquid (digestive juices?) shot back toward him falling just short of hitting Henrik.

As the group was surrounding it, it returned to spellcasting and created many mirror images and targeting a few individuals with some sort of compulsion which you were easily able to avoid.  Malloric was the most effective at eliminating images as the arcane casters had a hard time affecting the beast with magic missiles.  Soon the images were gone and Golian had finally maneuvered into the right spot. He struck the beast, scoring two massive blows.  To his horror, from each wound spewed large amounts of this nasty smelling, greenish-black liquid.  He did the best he could to step out of the way, but was still covered.  The acidic liquid started eating into his armor and  exposed flesh.  The beast was killed shortly after.

You healed and moved on to the snowmen.  After the customary "You go away now" speech from the snowmen, you attacked. It was a pretty straight forward assault.  The only real  challenge was maneuvering on the pile of rubble, on which of course they seemed to have no problems.  You looted a cave you found and retreated to the building that Morgiv showed you to some days before.

Preparing for rest and setting watches, a booming giant voice came from the darkness, "Chosen Ones, are you in there?"  You quickly and quietly prepared for a fight. "Chosen Ones, I have something of yours," came the voice again.  Wolfgar yelled back, "Yeah, we're here.  What do you want?"

From around a large arch way, came Morgiv, being held by the scruff of his neck. As the arm holding Morgiv off the ground continued, you were relieved to find  it belonged to Gyukyak, your Stone Giant ally (or closest thing to it). "I found this skulking around the giant camp.  It says it know you. Do you want it?" 

Lowering weapons, Wolfgar replied, "Yup, that's ours.  You can set him down."  The giant did so and informed you that Morgiv was found sneaking around the giant camp stores and could easily have been killed and eaten.  You were also told that the patrols have been upped. He assumes that whatever you have been up to have irritated the wrong people (or right people depending on perspective.)  He said he knows about the attack on the dragon only because there are now three flying around day and night - the blue, a red and another he is not sure of.  You asked about the spires and what it is like.  He didn't know, but asked if you had rings as he has noticed that all those that come from the tower were the same kind of ring.  He does not know if is a password kind of thing, or some protection needed, just that they all have them.  He described the rings and you realized you have one - taken from the vampiric tentacle creature.  You thanked him for returning Morgiv and spent the night.

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