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Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden
Starring:
Valravn, level 9 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 9 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast/Fighter
Celeste, level 9 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 9 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 9 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger
After securing the Id Asecendant, the Marshals help themselves to the advanced alien technology found within. Namely: a weapons crate full of laser rifles and grenades, and a few bio-organic magic items.
After rolling for the grenades, the total loot haul is as follows:
- 3 laser rifles
- 2 laser pistols
- 4 flashbang grenades
- 3 fragmentation grenades
- Eyes of Minute Seeing
- Helm of Telepathy
In order to identify and use the advanced alien tech (the weapons and grenades), the PCs would need to succeed on DC 15 Intelligence checks.
The grenades require only a single success. But fail by 5 or more, and the grenade blows up in your face! The rifles and pistols initially require four successes, with each success beyond the first determining how many shots each weapon had remaining.
With a +4 INT modifier, artificer Edmond is the obvious choice to start analyzing all the gear. But a DC 15 is no joke. Even with his Flash of Genius and Valravn’s Bardic Inspiration, he has about a 50% success rate, resulting in weapons with around 5 – 15 shots each.
Thimbleweed ends up blowing up one of the flashbang grenades when he tries to inspect it, while Celeste and Fray succeed, thanks to stellar rolls of Bardic Inspiration. Fray and Edmond divide up the rifles and pistols between them. And yes, the irony of the bloody barbarian making every INT check or save — oye!
After securing the Id Ascendant, the Marshals help themselves to the advanced alien technology found within. Namely: a weapons crate full of laser rifles and grenades, and a few bio-organic magic items.
After rolling for the grenades, the total loot haul is as follows:
- 3 laser rifles
- 2 laser pistols
- 4 flashbang grenades
- 3 fragmentation grenades
- Eyes of Minute Seeing
- Helm of Telepathy
In order to identify and use the advanced alien tech (the weapons and grenades), the PCs would need to succeed on DC 15 Intelligence checks.
The grenades require only a single success. But fail by 5 or more, and the grenade blows up in your face! The rifles and pistols initially require four successes, with each success beyond the first determining how many shots each weapon had remaining.
With a +4 INT modifier, artificer Edmond is the obvious choice to start analyzing all the gear. But a DC 15 is no joke. Even with his Flash of Genius and Valravn’s Bardic Inspiration, he has about a 50% success rate, resulting in weapons with around 5 – 15 shots each.
Thimbleweed ends up blowing up one of the flashbang grenades when he tries to inspect it, while Celeste and Fray succeed, thanks to stellar rolls of Bardic Inspiration. Fray and Edmond divide up the rifles and pistols between them. And yes, the irony of the bloody barbarian making every INT check or save — oye!
The party long rested, using Valravn’s elven trance to keep an eye on the gnome ceremorph pilot, Vorryn.
They ship brought them to the mountain home of the goliath tribe of Wyrmdoom Crag. While adventuring in Sunblight, the Marshals had rescued a goliath named Kapunuk. He had temporarily joined the party in gratitude, helping defeat the chardalyn dragon, before returning to his people. Before leaving, he had invited the party to come visit his tribe.
The party smartly grabs the Psi Crystal before leaving, forcing the ship to land and unable to leave without them. Vorryn isn’t a fan of being grounded again, but he can’t do much about it.
Following Kapunuk’s directions, the party reaches the bone pile of long-dead dragon, with cave entrances beyond, and a raised arena where a group of goliaths are engaged in a sporting match.
Flitting through the bone piles are small nature spirits called Chwingas. Thimbleweed and Celeste shoo them away, but Valravn and Fray indulge the odd little creatures. The one fascinated with Valravn begins combing his beard with a pinecone, while Fray’s new friend simply climbs up to ride her like a horse.
Edmond rolls an 18 Arcana check, identifying these things as harmless and strange nature spirits. However, treating them with kindness can lead to a supernatural reward.
Armed with this information, Edmond draws the third one toward him, who begins whistling and waving at him. Edmond reciprocates, and three of the party know have tiny little companions following or riding around with them.
Moving on, the party ascends the arena to find a group of goliaths playing goat-ball, a form of dodge ball on raised platforms. The goliaths are surprised and shocked to see visitors, but thankfully Kapunuk is there (getting tagged out by the distraction).
Kapunuk is pleased to see his former companions, requesting that they meet with the chieftan, and regale the tribe with the stories that he’s been trying to convince them of — that Ten Towns is in grave danger after barely surviving a terrible attack from a dragon made of ice.
However, when he leads the party into the caves and to the chieftan, she immediately recognizes the runic axe that Fray carries. Chief Ogolai calls out to Fray, demanding to know where she got it.
Fray doesn’t lie. She explains that she won it from a fallen goliath who died in battle. Chief Ogolai is sad but satisfied at this, knowing her son, Mokingo Growling Bear, would never part with the axe while he still lived.
The axe was forged here in Wyrmdoom Crag and bestowed upon him when he left to pursue his own adventures.
A random goliath from the crowd rose up to challenge Fray for the axe. His name was Jaagrik, and as Mokingo’s best friend, he believed he was far more worthy of it.
Fray accepted the challenge is ready to fight — but that’s not necessary. This is a tribe of sports jocks, and the challenge is a wrestling match!
Perhaps believing that Fray would not take losing very well, Valravn immediately sets about buffing her with a Potion of Growth and Bardic Inspiration (as well as trying to dissuade Jaagrik from the challenge). fray quaffs a Potion of Frost Giant Strength.
Now she has a +10 to STR checks and advantage, and a d8 Bardic Inspiration die. Damn!
The wrestling match requires the winner to make two consecutive contested Athletics check. Needless to say, the uber-buffed Fray absolutely wrecks the challenger, suplexing and pinning the young goliath.
He shakes Fray’s hand afterward, understanding that she’s far stronger than she looks!
Kapunuk explains that the goliaths could help humanitarian efforts in Ten Towns. While they also suffer from the everlasting rime, they still have food and able-bodied people to help rebuild. But first they need help dealing with their own problem: a bitter feud with a rival clan.
Before she can share the details, Chief Ogolai offers the Marshals permission to enter the rune tunnel, a rite of passage for young goliaths to become full-fledged members of the tribe.
Fray and Valravn are interested; Fray to become closer to the goliaths, and Valravn because he’s just curious about a unique cultural event.
Climbing through the tunnel is a harrowing experience, however. Both PCs are faced with physical and mental challenges, which equate to CON and CHA saving throws. Fray has to use her Bardic Inspiration and her well-fed dice to succeed, but both make it through the other side, becoming honorary members of the Thuunlakalaga clan.
Chief Ogolai tells the story of how, decades ago, a young child from her clan was accidentally wounded by a griffon from the Skytower clan during a game of goat-ball (she absently rubs the scars on her arm). The griffon hunted their people, and they were forced to slay it. The Akannathi took great offense at this, and a bitter cold war fell on both clans.
Both sides have invited the other leader to concede and make amends, and both sides have refused. Chief Ogolai doesn’t think their leader, Chief Arn, will ever accept diplomacy. She’s okay with wiping out the entire clan (or at least killing Arn), if it makes her people safer.
Kapunuk still believes in diplomacy, however, and knows the Marshals are as good with words as they are with blades. He hopes that they can simply talk to the Akannathi, and bury the hatchet between the clans.
If the Marshals can pull it off, the goliaths of Wyrmdoom agree to help with Ten Towns. To add a bit more personal incentive, Chief Ogolai reminds Fray that the runic axe was forged here, and their weaponsmith can enhance it further, if they complete the mission.
The Marshals reluctantly agree to help, unlocking the location of the rival goliath clan of Skytower Shelter. Chief Ogolai warns that they will not be nearly as welcoming as her people have been.
MVPC – Valravn
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