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Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden
Starring:
Valravn, level 5 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 5 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast
Celeste, level 5 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 5 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 5 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger
The wider tundra of Icewind Dale proves harsher than the trails of Ten Towns as our heroes try to cross a frozen river. In the goblin fortress of Karkolohk, they make a startling discovery.
While carefully leading the reindeer and wagon across the frozen Redrun river near Ten Trail, the ice around the party explodes, large mouths and webbed feat emerging as Giant Ice Toads crawl their way up, looking for a meal.
Thimbleweed is quickly gobbled up and swallowed, leaving the others scrambling as more giant toads began breaking through the ice. The toads are unnatural monstrosities that radiate a freezing aura (1d10 cold damage!), dealing constant damage to those around them every turn.
Valravn teleports to safety back on top of the wagon, while the others engage in a brutal melee fight. Thimbleweed is able to escape thanks to his Gathered Swarm forcibly shoving him through the toad’s intestines in a unique maneuver that neither he, the toad, or any witnesses will ever forget.
As the toads succumb to the powerful strikes of the Marshals, they retreat back into the freezing water, but others take their place. One gobbles up Fray, but Valravn uses the Command spell to force it to spit her back out (fun fact: toads can’t really vomit but hey, it’s magic).
Celeste manages to free herself with an excellent Athletics check to continue her mop-related beatdowns, while poor Edmond misses every attack with his new Green-Flame Blade cantrip.
The Marshals only end up killing one of the toads, as the rest are smart enough to flee after getting heavily wounded.
With the monstrous toads defeated or routed, the party hunkers down for a quick short rest, then continues across the river. As evening approaches, Blista suggests they hurry up the mountain to the safety of the goblin fortress. A few miles of ascending mountain trails later, and the impressive goblin fortress looms before them, built directly into a cliff around several mountain peaks.
Thanks to Blista’s introductions, the goblins in the watchtowers allow the wagon to pass. A surly, larger goblin named Snubsuk glowers at them from the ramparts over the main gate. The Marshals realize he’s not keen on this weird peace treaty plan from the Chief. In fact, he’s not too keen on the Chief at all.
Though Chief Yarb-Gnock led them to prosperity in building this fortress, the goblins have fallen on hard times with the everlasting winter. Food is becoming more and more scarce, and the constant freezing is taking a terrible toil. Goblins are growing upset and anxious, and many are thinking a change in leadership is in order.
Snubsuk demands they leave their weapons in the wagon, since they are peaceful delegates. Valravn and Edmond show that they have no visible weapons, while Celeste merely carries around the tool of her trade (the mop). Thimbleweed agrees to leave his weapons behind, while Fray promptly refuses to part with her axe, instead offering to stay behind with the wagon and reindeer.
The large gate opens and the four Marshals head inside. Goblins are everywhere, along long wooden bridges, towers, and platforms, eyeing the party with looks of desperation and hunger. The wooden structures are impressive, especially for goblins, though have fallen into states of disrepair. Most of the cages are empty, and in the back near the huts, only a single goat is being milked.
The Marshals are led up to a central platform, then east toward the main keep. Snubsuk keeps a keen eye on them from atop his mounted worg.
Thimbleweed shocks everyone by striking up a conversation with Snubsuk in the goblin language. Apparently Thimbleweed can speak goblin!?
A PC that uses a skill that, let’s be honest, is probably never going to come again in this campaign, should be rewarded. The reward comes in the form of a forthcoming Snubsuk without the need for social checks, as he explains his dismay with the Chief’s rule, and the mysterious way in which Yarb-Gnock joined them following an attack on a group of adventurers about a year ago.
While Fray remains watchful on the wagon (badly rolling Perception check, maybe not so watchful…), the other three make their way inside the keep while Thimbleweed converses. The goblins let them inside a secure, bolted door, and another goblin raps on another door, calling for the Chief.
Chief Yarb-Gnock emerges from his room, and it’s quickly apparent that something isn’t right about this odd-looking goblin. The Marshals already suspect something weird is going on, and a successful insight check tells Valravn that his is someone who’s trying (quite successfully) to act like a goblin.
When Valravn suggests they speak alone, Yarb-Gnock presses them about their experience and strength. Satisfied (and now alone with the three PCs), he removes his mettalic helmet, his hands passes through magical illusion, revealing the wide-eyed gnome underneath.
“My name is Spellix Romwod, and you gotta get me out of here!”
MVPC – Thimbleweed
Post-session live discussion:
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