Session LIII: Black Ravens and Stoners

After having woken up naked and penniless in the streets of Blackmoor after a night of carousing, Thovin of the Black Church gathers his what's left of pride and his companions and head south to meet up with Baron Blackmoor's troops and Captain Vanir.

On the way they run into refugees who have escaped out of Caladan including Jack the stable boy and Onyx, the former tennant of the Tower of Zenopus (this goes back to the first few sessions).  They smuggled themselves out of Caladan with the help of the Brotherhood of the Black Hand.  For a pretty price, the Black Hand will smuggle someone in or out of Caladan.    The party also learned that the pirates and the Stygian soldiers are raping and pillaging Calladan's inhabitants all under the approval of Utasu the puppet ruler of Caladan and the Stygian sorcerer Zadir who had, in but a single night, raised a blasphemous magic tower within the walls of the old Merchant Guild.

Continuing on to the war-camp of Captain Vanir, they only await the arrival of Baron Blackmoor to lead the foot soldiers in an attack to free Caladan.  But Captain Vanir worries about the stone giant, that has been bought by Utasu and Zadir, and that may attack them from behind.  He sends out heroes along with ten soldiers to eliminate the threat of the Stone Giant.

After sending Tuk the owl forward to investigate the rocky cliffs, Gnarly turns into a raven and flies into the Stone Giant's cave opening.  There he spies twelve stygian soldiers trapped in a cage dangling from the ceiling and the Stone Giant munching on one of the soldier's legs.

The raven chats with the giant and it turns out that he was promised two virgins by Zadir only one of which had been delivered. Until the Stone Giant received the second, he refuses to do the bidding of the wizard and, instead, had been devouring one soldier a day. 

Vying to get the Giant on their side or kill him, Gnarly the raven says that if the giant will help them in their attack on Caladan he will offer up a virgin.

Now where would the party find a virgin?

Well, it turned out that Maximus the Untested was indeed a virgin.  So as a trap, they would offer up the magic-user in hopes that he would be able to place the monster into a slumber.  Maximus, of course, was in full opposition of this plan but was talked into being bait anyways. 

So offering up Maximus as a virgin captive, the Stone Giant steps out and falls for the old Chewbaca in hand-cuffs trick (used back in session 38).  After reacting to the party's attack the giant is quickly put to sleep and bound.  He is tossed over the cliff into the sea below.  The cave is raided for treasure and the stygians captured as prisoners. 

The party returned to the camp triumphant!

Wine and ale was drunk throughout the night and many invitations were offered for the heroes to feast as honored guests at tables and around campfires and to recount their infamous confrontation.

The stories, of course, have already been  'embellished' by the storytellers to include Wolf single-handedly lifting the giant above his head and over the cliffs, and of the Dark Gods protecting the mighty Thovin as he stood unmoved from the savage direct blow from the Stone Giant's club (this leads to many men questioning their faith and seeking out spiritual guidance from the dark cleric)!  The renowned virtue of Maximus who resisted the caresses of one thousand women to remain chaste and defeat the Giant (the demand for whores declined sharply that night). Stories of Gnarly the mystical woodsman who takes the shape of wild creatures and beguiles his foes.

The revelry went deep into the night.

With the arrival of Baron Blackmoor and his banner-men the next morning, all turn their firey bloodlust towards the Stygians and pirates occupying Caladan as the final plans for the assault are made...

This was a very, very entertaining session with a lot of role-playing and only two or three dice rolls.  A lot of creative game play and quite the inspiration for playing this portion of the campaign through.  Players seemed to have a great time getting into their characters and the situations.  This will be  a session to be remembered.