Session 23: Breaking Curses, Slaying Giants, and Finding Hafrsted

General Summary

On a cold and snowy morning on the 28th day after Midsommar, the Storm Eaters traveled the road north from Anselm towards Hafrsted, where a vessel provided by the Lodge Eldritch awaited them. Other than an early blast of wintry weather, the day of travel was uneventful. Along the way the Storm Eaters discussed several topics, such as possibly finding a way to keep Eiuin protected with magic and speculating on what the Lodge Eldritch will do with Halstein, who carries the dying breath of the dragon Scalding Rain within his tiny frame, once he is delivered to them.
That night the Storm Eaters found lodging in the village of Sturka, a fishing settlement nestled in a fork of the river which accompanied the northbound road they traveled. That night the baby finger necklace around Ottar's neck, a 'gift' from Maeldun, grew restless. The tiny fingers wriggled on Ottar's upper chest and Maeldun's voice filled his head.
The mysterious hag told Ottar that she had once crossed paths with Skordal Skullbearer many decades ago. It became very clear to Ottar that Maeldun had the capability to listen to his conversations through the necklace, as that would be the only way she would know they were bound to meet with Skordal. Maeldun went on to say that Skordal took a brooch from her, and if Ottar would steal it back, she would help him live "so much more deliciously".
When Ottar replied to Maeldun, several of his companions overhead him and inquired to whom he was talking to. Ottar openly admitted that Maeldun was still with him, able to communicate through the necklace of baby fingers. This unsettled many of the Storm Eaters, especially Svagnir and Maldgrim. They felt that having the powerful and ancient hag constantly able to spy on them, and also potentially able to manipulate Ottar, was a bad thing. They decided to stage a secret intervention.
After Ottar fell asleep that night, Svagnir transformed into a giant snake and coiled himself around Ottar before he could wake from his slumber. Maldgrim then tried to place himself upon Ottar in an attempt to use his magic to remove the curse. Janicka helped restrain the confused and upset Ottar. Halstein, who wanted no part of this secret intervention, stood by watching horrified as his friends seemed to be fighting amongst themselves. Finally, Maldgrim was able to get upon Ottar's head and use his magic. A third of the baby fingers on the necklace rotted away, their cursed magic withered to nothing by Maldgrim's spell. But unfortunately, trying to remove this curse took a terrible toll on Ottar. Pain blasted through his head, nearly killing him.
The Storm Eaters then decided to physically remove the necklace, rather than use magic to remove the curse, as that plan seemed to nearly kill Ottar. The necklace was cut away and tossed across the stables where the Storm Eaters sheltered for the night. Svagnir and Janicka released Ottar, who felt compelled by the magic of Maeldun to put the necklace back on. The rogue/chef/barber-surgeon struggled with the decision to put the necklace back on, but ultimately found his strength, walked by it and out the door of the stables into the cold night. He made it two steps before the curse of the necklace once again made him pay for his disobedience. Pain lanced through his head, this time knocking him unconscious and leaving him teetering on death's door.
Halstien immediately came to Ottar's aid, feeding him a healing berry and bringing him barely back to consciousness. Svagnir and Maldgrim decided to continue removing the curse, despite the toll it was taking on Ottar. They hoped their friend could survive the immense pain he would need to endure to break the curse. The ghost druid and the magic-wielding helmet slung every spell they thought would have an effect on the cursed necklace. Wave after wave of mortal pain tore through Ottar as the necklace of fingers slowly melted away under the arcane onslaught. Halstein continued to feed healing berries to Ottar as he teetered on death's door over and over. Finally, after four near death experiences, the curse on Ottar was broken. Maeldun's screaming voice faded out of his head. And the cursed necklace of baby fingers was nothing more than a pile of rot.
But the cost of breaking the curse left its mark on Ottar. His mind was battered and exhausted. One of his eyes was now filled with pus and blood, disgustingly scarred in a way that very much echoed the yellowed eye of Maeldun. And most importantly, whatever trust he had in his companions was now possibly shattered. Svagnir healed Ottar as best he could, and the group discussed what had just happened. Ottar was reasonably upset, but his companions professed they did what they did because they believed he needed to be saved from Maeldun's curse. After a long and tense discussion, Ottar seemed to accept that his companions had his best interest at heart, despite all the pain they had caused him. Perhaps only time will tell if the rogue will ever truly trust his companions again. Halstein also seemed very upset by the entire affair and needed some space away from his companions for the night to contemplate how he felt about what had happened between those he trusted and called friends.

Ottar now shares the sweet pus-blood eye look with Maeldun

On the 29th day after Midsommar the Storm Eaters departed Sturka under a heavy downfall of wet snow and a tense, awkward understanding of what had happened between them the night before. But fortunately (or unfortunately?) the Storm Eaters didn't have long to stew about it as trouble found them on the road to Hafrsted!
Two massive giants were raiding a farmstead along the road, a mating pair, one male one female, both tall and gangly with gray skin like stone. A tense moment passed as the Storm Eaters and the giants sized each other up through the near-blinding swirl of falling snow, wondering if the other was a threat or not. Halstein acted without hesitation, using the magic of the torc he took from the dragon's lair to grow nearly twice his size as he prepared for battle. And then suddenly from out of the obscuration of the falling snow a heavily armed woman, dark of hair, stern of look and riding a giant boar, burst out of hiding. She hurled javelins at the giants and called for the adventurers to aid her in saving any survivors that still may be in the farmstead. This woman had to be a Sorrow, a member of the renowned group of warriors and hunters that protected Hafrsted from the denizens of the nearby Ten Thousand Giants Woods.
The Storm Eaters answered her call for aid, some with a touch of reluctance. Halstein, Janicka, and Eiuin engaged the female giant in melee, as the Sorrow engaged the male. Svagnir and Maldgrim, sharing a new bond of trust borne out of the successful intervention they staged for Ottar, took a key position to sling spells at both the foes. Maldgirm enfeebled the female giant with a crippling spell of necrotic energy. Svagnir summoned a pair of fierce bears that joined the melee. A terribly exhausted Ottar shuffled around the edge of the battlefield, trying to hide in the drifting snow and firing arrows as targets presented themselves.
Despite being weakened by Maldgrim's spell, the female giant pummeled Halstein to the ground under her mighty stone club. The enlarged tomte lay near death, his black Eater's blood spilling across the new fallen snow. Not long after, the weakened female giant was taken down under a barrage of attacks from all the Storm Eaters. Quickly Halstein was magically healed and pulled back from death's grasp.
With his mate down, the male giant asked for peace so that he could retrieve the remains of his fallen love. The Storm Eaters agreed to an end of the battle, and Ottar even provided the dying giantess with a healing berry to return her to consciousness. This was a surprising act of kindness from the same man who killed Jutta by stepping on her throat under very similar circumstances. Has the influence of his companions, the trauma of Maeldun's curse, or other experiences changed the dark rogue? Who knows what mercurial forces drive the mysterious man!

Hlokk and her mount Fearless, a sworn and dedicated Sorrow of Giants

While the giants fled back towards their woods, the Sorrow checked the farmstead for survivors. None where discovered, as the entire family had been slain, their heads crushed in. The Sorrow introduced herself as Hlokk Giant-Gorger, and her giant boar as Fearless. She bore a constant pinched expression that made her look angry, regardless of the warm tone of voice. She calmly asked why the Storm Eaters had not only let the giants go, but actually healed one to prevent it from dying. Ottar provided a very philosophical answer about what constitutes the nature of being a monster that Hlokk seemed to identify with. Hlokk then told the Storm Eaters that they would be welcomed at the Sorrow's Rest in Hafrsted for aiding her today, but that she could not accompany them as it was her duty to continue to track the giants and ensure they did no more harm in the lands of men.
Parting ways with Hlokk, the bedraggled Storm Eaters proceeded northward, following the last dozen or so miles of road to Hafrsted. Along the way they encountered what was most likely an elven thrall who had recently slain his masters and escaped. The Storm Eaters burned the bodies of the slain masters and gave minimal funerary rites. They also passed a group of angry young men who were burning a pile of freshly downed trees, the green wood causing a black plume of smoke to rise into the cold sky. The men claimed to be of the Cult of Greenwood, and offered the Storm Eaters to warm themselves by their fire and escape the system of oppression that dominates the Clans of the Throat. The Storm Eaters politely declined and continued into Hafrsted.
Weary from their long journey the Storm Eaters went directly to the Sorrow's Rest, passing by the docks where their ship mostly likely waited and the marketplace where supplies they desperately needed were most likely sold. They procured food, drink and lodging by using Hlokk's name, and settled in for a well-deserved rest. From the barkeep they learned that an exceptionally large, blue-skinned giant had recently been testing the defenses of Hafrsted's edges, and with most of the fighting men gone with the Jarl to battle the Wormborn, and the Sorrows stretched thin in their absence, there was a growing sense of unease amongst the population.

The Jarl's Hall in Hafrsted, overlooking the cold waters of the Throat

As the Storm Eaters eased into their rest, Skordal contacted Svagnir through the sending stone for an update. Svagnir told the old mage that they had finally made it to Hafrsted, and then boldly asked if the Lodge planned to kill Halstein for the dragon's breath within in. Skordal will have to wait until sunrise to respond.
What perils await our brave band of heroes as they seek Herja and the ship waiting to take them to meet Skordal at Thaneshall? Their last deep-water voyage, aboard the mighty Blood Kraken from Molde to Coldlight Fjord, was a trial that nearly took many of their lives. And then of course they will have to contend with the Lodge Eldritch, coming to terms with how they can work together to end the third Wormborn Plague and the Traitors Three masterminding it.

Report Date

03 Jul 2023