Session 36: A Path of Frozen Corpses

General Summary

The Fateful Battle

  Bāo Whitespine returned to the Frost Giant Hunting Camp at speed on Selphis's back, bounding toward the rest of The Regulators, who were taking their respite by the large bonfire in the centre of the encampment, yelling sharply;  

"Giants! 3 of them... and a goliath! Heading this way! GET UP!"

  The party leap to their feet, as a large bundle of snow and ice flies over the rocks and toward them, they scramble out of the way just in time as more giant, compact balls of ice and snow come raining down on the camp, extinguishing the warm bonfire.   Thinking quickly, Cortez Alexander cast Tongues, allowing him to speak and understand all languages. He called out to the enraged Frost Giants as they charged toward the camp.  

"We mean you no harm! We just wish to speak!"

  The Giants roared in fury upon hearing that and one angrily replied;  

"You are Giant Slayers and your deaths shall serve as payment for your crimes!"

  The Giants were encircling the camp on the other side of the rocks, using them as cover to throw balls of compacted ice and snow at the party, one of the adults circled around behind and attempted to get the jump on the party, but Cane was ready for that and as the Frost Giant crept around behind, Cane charged forward with his great duel-headed hammer, summoning the power of his faith, he smashed his hammer into the Giant's knee, causing his legs to buckle and fail, as the Giant crashed to the ground, Cane spun the hammer around, driving an upper-cut into the jaw of the fallen Giant, before landing one last hit in the centre of the Giant's temple, rendering it bleeding and unconscious.   Reza Dimona cast Greater Invisiblity and hid amongst the rocks, casting ice spells and angrily realising they had no effect on frost giants.   Cassius Sanderson activated his Ring of Blinking and parkoured over the rocks and into combat with one of the adult giants, managing to stun him and send him flying off his feet and ploughing through the snow.   Bāo Whitespine and Gual’kthor charged up with Cortez Alexander to deal with the younger Frost Giant who was attempting to make a grab at Cassius Sanderson.   Cortez Alexander charged forward slinging his horn around to meet his lips as he focused in on the younger Frost Giant, catching a glint of fear in the Giant's eyes, Cortez fixed onto that and with a low haunting bellow from his horn, the Giant shook its head as the music reached its ears... the haunting notes gave him pause... he knew he needed to stop... stop and... do nothing.... yes... SLAP! The goliath shaman, wearing a necklace of wolf teeth splaced his hand upon the leg of the giant and uttered in Giant; "You will not falter now young paladin!" and the young giant shook his head violently, causing the cape depicting the flag of Frosdorous to shift to his shoulder and billow in the mountain wind, the fierce look of concentration on stopping, falls and quickly fills with rage and he turns back toward Cortez and swings wildly, missing both times.   Bāo leapt into combat with the young Frost Giant threatening Cortez, deflecting a few big swings from the great club of the Giant with his Soravan Legionaire shield and his shaed spear flitting into the Giant causing swaths of pain.   Gual’kthor, bellows out a cry of anger at the Giants and leaps from the rocks down onto the Giant Cassius Sanderson had ploughed into the snow and stunned, hacking into the great being's neck, carving huge chunks out of its neck and turning the snow and rock dark with crimson rain.   Cassius blinks back into reality in time for both him and Cortez Alexander to notice the Goliath Shaman placing his hands across his chest and making a tearing motion, as a wreath of invisibility grows from the motion and covers him, rendering him invisible, Cassius's sharp eye catches motion in the snow as he tracks footprints heading around the mountain, he whistles out to Cortez and points, Whilst the young Frost Giant is distracted with Bāo Whitespine he quickly scrambles around his person and yanks the Lantern of Revealing from under his thick, feathered owlbear cloak and illuminates it, raising it out to cast its arcane light out onto the snow, revealing the Goliath Shaman, but something seems off to Cortez, the way the Goliath moves isn't at all like Gual’kthor, and the footprints seem.. smaller than the foot of a large Goliath... something about this Goliath isn't all that it seems, so Cortez Alexander gives chase, engaging into a spell duel with the shaman, bolts of arcane energy fizzing and clashing in the air as the Goliath begins to clamber up a large rocky cliff.   As Cortez gave chase the rest of the party made short work of the giants, Cane coming to join Bāo Whitespine and Cassius Sanderson in dealing with the other two giants, Cassius Sanderson managing to knock the other adult giant down which had gotten up and grappled Reza Dimona and was getting ready to throw her, Cassius Sanderson gracefully catching her as she slipped from the Giant's grasp as it began to crash to the ground. Reza Dimona promptly stomped over to the unconcious Giant, and furiously placed her hands to her throat and cast Dragon's Breath, summoning dark caustic acid forth from her mouth, coughing it all over the body of the Giant, her form shrouded and silhoeted from the smoking and steaming of the melting corpse. Cassius Sanderson takes off after the swinging lantern and sparks of arcane energy shooting back and forth between Cortez and the Goliath.   Bāo Whitespine relentless attacks make short work of the young Frost Giant as he presses it back toward the smouldering body of the adult Frost Giant, in a flash of thoughtless battle fury, Bāo threw his Shaed Spear sending it through the kneecap of the young Giant, causing it to collapse to the snowy ground, summoning the Shaed Spear back it punctured through the chest of the fallen Giant, pulling through and tearing out a viscera of blood and bone.   Bāo muttered a regretful; "Oops..."  

Arcon Revealed

  Cane tracking the flashing of the spell duel saw it was heading for a break in the rocks and sprinted in that direction, hoping to cut the Goliath off, sure enough as he rounded the rock he saw the Goliath leaping down into the snow with Cassius Sanderson and Cortez Alexander attempting to lay their blows upon the great grey man.   They see a wry grin on the Goliath's face and in a strangely thick northern accent, not dissimilar to Reza's northern accent;     With a flick of his wrist and a spark of ice shards, the goliath disappeared, reappearing next to Reza Dimona. Reza takes a step forward, conflict on her face, before setting it firmly, and casting Hypnotic Pattern attempting to subdue the Goliath who she now knew was the spy of Sundrion, The Insane, Arcon Dimona. The spell failed, and Diylan Sprinkletoe who had been hiding in a Arctic Owl form, transformed back, and in a moment of fear cast Sleet Storm, realising the actions of The Fidi Antistasi had lead to death and destruction upon the mountain... failing his task but choosing to instead help the party and stop the death of others. A swirling storm cloud formed above Reza and Arcon Dimona, making the ground slick and slippery with ice and obscuring their vision through the thick sheets of icy rain.   The rest of the party charged after him, seeing the storm clouds brewing on the far side of the Frost Giant Hunting Camp, Bāo Whitespine landing a few solid hits on the dragon sorcerer, even through the heavy rain and ice. Arcon Dimona spun around and snarled, summoning the snow, ice and rain to his hands before blasting it out in a Cone of Cold toward Bāo Cortez and Cane. Cortez Alexander took the full brunt of the freezing blast, freezing him in place. Arcon Dimona turned once more to Reza yelling through the swirling storm;       Reza Dimona did not move, and with a furious snarl, Arcon teleported once more, away from the incoming wrath of the rest of The Regulators, appearing atop one of the rocky rises. Diylan Sprinkletoe dropped concentration on the Sleet Storm spell, Reza yelled numbly to the rest of the party as they turned and gave chase to Arcon;     Bāo, atop his mount Selphis, turned to give chase but saw Cortez frozen solid. He was torn, he could reach Arcon Dimona and bring an end to all this or free his... companion? friend? lover? It was all still quite confusing for the white dragonborn. He shook his head and stopped to lay a hand on Cortez's cold form, summoning the life energy imbued upon him by Kyrik, thawing the ice and returning life to the black dragonborn. Bāo spurred Sephis onward and they leapt up onto the rock behind Arcon Dimona.   There was sombre look on Arcon's face as he raised his arm and pointed a finger down to Reza.   A thin ray of dark necrotic energy shoots from his finger, he raises his second hand as Bāo leaps up behind him and with a grunt excerts his power to split his arcane energy to cast Disintergrate from both hands, hitting both Reza and Bāo. The beam of necrotic energy hits Bāo with a glancing impact to the left side of his face, disintegrating the hardy scales and flesh, he cries out in pain and anger, but still stands, fury bubbling in his eyes.   Reza Dimona, the girl who sought freedom for her family from Sundrion, The Insane and had a firey spirit, gave one last wide eyed look at Cassius Sanderson as the beam hit her square in the chest, and her form was rapidly consumed by the dark magic turning it to dust.   Ending the life of Reza Dimona.   Arcon Dimona, with a grim-set expression teleported once more, attempting to make his escape, but The Regulators would not allow that. Cassius Sanderson was the first to respond, feet hitting the snow, charging in the direction he spotted him, Arcon Dimona dancing just out of range of his fists, giving him an angry look.   Cortez, thinking quickly cast Polymorph on Cane turning him into a Giant Ape screaming;     Gual’kthor full of rage and malice, the red filter of vengenance blurring his vision. He had no idea where the one who ended his brother's life had gone, he had nothing to drive his vegenance toward... then he saw the unconcious form of the other Frost Giant, its great chest still heaving with air slowly, not for long though. Gual’kthor roared and leapt from the rock, driving his axe down into the Giant's skull, ending the rise and fall of its chest.   Bāo Whitespine atop Selphis, and full of every kind of anger, sped toward Arcon Dimona pulling his sword free, and with Arcon's back to him, leveled his blade with his neck, sliced his head free from his body.   Killing him instantly.    

Farewells

  Cassius Sanderson ran to the remains of Reza Dimona, finding a ring with the siglet of House Dimona and the Cloak of Displacement. Cortez dropped concentration on the Polymorph spell and sat down heavily. Cane approached Bāo who he could hear snarling angrily at his steed, Selphis. As Cane approached the white dragonborn, he noticed the skull and flesh half of Bāo Whitespine's face and the head of Arcon Dimona in his lap. Bāo hands Cane the head of Arcon and growls;     Cane returns to Cassius and Cortez standing by Reza remains.   Cassius Sanderson clears his throat;     Cane hands the head to Cassius as Bāo slowly walks over. Cassius pulls the Ring of Blinking from his finger and hands it to Cortez.     Cortez pulls the amulet crafted & enchanted for him by Scratch. He presses it into Cassius' hand and tell him;     Bāo hugs Cassius, clasping him firmly, and says strongly;     Cassius Sanderson looks down and clasps Bāo's hand;     Bāo Whitespine looks away, his blackened horrific wound coming into view.   Cortez almost catches a hint of relief in Bāo's voice.     Cassius Sanderson turns to Cane and gives him a nod.   He shoulders his provisions, takes a deep breath, and turns.   Trudging away through the snow, back down the mountain.   Cane turns to check for the unconcious Frost Giant he had knocked out, to find Gual’kthor's great-axe driven through it. A deep anger bubbled up within Cane, this was not how things should have gone, he needed to complete this mission... he needed to prove his worth to The Eternal Pillar... Cane's eyes narrowed, locking onto Gual’kthor who had his back to him, patching up some of his wounds.   Cane adjusted his grip his great double ended hammer.   One swing.   Two swing.   And one sickening third swing.   Gual’kthor crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes, the back of his skull a sickening shape.   Bāo and Cortez turned and stared quietly at Cane, and the three warriors, werely stared at eachother, snow sifting between them in the light wind....

Missions/Quests Completed

Task of The Fidi Antistasi: Completed, Arcon Dimona decapitated by Bāo Whitespine.

Character(s) interacted with

Arcon Dimona Diylan Sprinkletoe Gual’kthor

Created Content

Reza Dimona's Final Words