Session Preface
Even to your well-trained half-elven ears, the room is painfully silent. You seem to notice the weight of the quiet even more in this daunting stronghold where these behemoths have spoken nothing but their native tongue, one you did not study in your years in the keep. The feeling of not knowing would once have driven you mad, but perhaps it is better to let Hawk guide the conversation anyways. After all, this rendezvous with giant royalty is far beyond the scope of your research and both he and Thaust have more context in the given moment. And there will undoubtedly be ways to prove your worth beyond this conversation, as you have already done countless times since the chance meeting in Red Larch.
Taking a sweeping glance of the room, you notice once again the fire giant and cloud giant sit next to one another in the amphitheater seats behind you, still whispering and muttering to one another with various expressions of masked dismay and concealed determination splashed across their faces. The stone giant sits alone near the top while the frost giant sits the closest to you, also alone, but his hand resting on the hilt of a battle axe equally worn but quite less impressive as Harshnag's.
Before you, the third storm giant princess sits in a masterfully crafted throne levitating in the air. The bottom of the throne is adorned with four huge dragon skulls while scales line the throne itself. The arms roll out like skinned claws of the giant's sworn and ancient enemies. The back of the throne, carved from a rich blue mithral, traces the bone structure of the dragon's spine and wings with the edge of the throne extending outwards like dragon's razor sharp teeth.
As you memorize the ornate details of the throne, you are shaken from your thoughts by the giant princess addressing your party, speaking in common with surprising ease and grace.
"My guests, welcome to Maelstrom, the royal keep of King Hekaton, the storm giant over all. May the Storm King's Thunder echo on. I believe you have already met many of my fellow giants, but allow me to introduce them to you properly. Behind you sits the stone giant thane Braxow, the frost giant jarl Hellenhild, the fire giant duchess Tartha, and count Vaal who visits on behalf of the cloud giants." In turn each giant formally stands and bows to Princess Serissa, though you can't help but observe a bit of hesitation from the fire giant Tartha.
To my left is my eldest sister, Mirran, whom I believe you had an opportunity to hear perform with her lovely singing voice earlier this evening. And opposite Mirran is our middle sister, Nym, who you might recall accompanied her on the hulking crab. And here seat to my left is Uthor, my uncle and advisor. And my name is Princess Serissa, the regent of Wyrmskull Throne. Now, please, tell me your names, and in your own words, how you came to be here and why."
Session Summary
Thanks to the diplomacy of Hawk and sincerity of Thaust, the party successfully gains the favor of the Princess Serissa. Sharing most, but not all of the details of their visit to the Oracle, the adventurers reveal their interactions with giants across the Sword Coast, Harshnag's untimely fate, as well as the betrayal of the court - a giant hired the humans who killed Queen Neri and it is her death which has shattered the Ordning. This news did not sit well with any of the giants in court, fueling further frustrations and seeds of doubt amongst Serissa's sisters, advisor, and ambassadors.
With the balance of power and peace hanging by a thread, Serissa assigns the party a crucial task only they can complete. She, like her mother, believes small folk and giants are not so unalike and wishes to see an alliance formed. But she must compromise with her harsh and traditional advisor Uther, who requires proof of the party's loyalty and capabilities.
Serissa's second advisor Imyrith has reported a fire giant by the name of Duke Zalto is working to recreate the vonindod, a giant war-machine built for the destruction of dragons. His success would not only spell ruin for the Sword Coast, but would possibly put the warmongering Fire Giants atop the Ordning, meaning chaos and destruction even after the Ordning was restored. Iymrith has sent reports that Zalto has hired drow to sneak into Gauntlgrym and capture an ancient creature of fire incarnate, translated into common as a Dawn Titan, which would power the forges of Zalto's work.
With giants unable to access Gauntlgrym and Serissa's hands tied with the current sense of unease in the court, especially following the revelations brought by the party, she requests their assistance in this mutually beneficial task. Serissa also notes that if they are successful, she would seek their aid once more in helping her find her father, King Hekaton, which she believes will lead to stability once more. With the terms of the task agreed upon, Princess Serissa uses the Wyrmskull Throne's power to teleport the party to the only small folk civilization she is familiar enough with to deliver them safely.
The party then finds themselves thrust back into civilization, dropped unceremoniously into the already bustling docks of Waterdeep at dawn. Hawk, still rattled by the nerve it took to navigate negotiations with a chamber full of giants, heads straight to the nearest drink, which he finds at the Sumptuous Mask, a nightclub still open from the night before. After calming his nerves, Hawk joins Thaust in seeking much needed rest at a nearby inn. Given the recent events, the Maelstrom's Notch is the first to come to mind. The pair order delectable seafood omelettes and mimosas which are consumed hastily in their quarters before they promptly collapse from their exhaustion.
In the meantime, Emmyth darts off into the city to see to visit a library, researching what he can on Gauntlgrym and related topics. He also drops off a letter at the home of Kobrostos, meets with his current employer, and then follows the lead of his compatriots seeking rest. The party wakes in the afternoon during which they make their way to The Prestige to restock on potions and prepare for the next leg of their journey. The party is greeted by Kelnelis, who is pleasantly surprised to see his nephew Emmyth return after nearly a decade away from Waterdeep. While they catch up, Thaust enjoys sharing magic tricks with the young Elya who assists Kelnelis in keeping the shop.
The party purchases a variety of new weapons, potions, and magical items to keep them safe and well-armed for the dangerous days ahead. Thaust learns of the nature of the mace given to him by Eiregon's ghost, called Mnenor's Memory, which is designed to be exceedingly efficient against dragons. Hawk shares some of the strange gold from the pyramid with Kelnelis, who recognizes the symbols as pertaining to a distant land of powerful magics called Revne and an ancient kingdom of Rhain.
Following their visit to the Prestige, the party go their separate ways running errands and preparing for the journey ahead.
Inventory Added
- Sleep Scroll for 100g - Emmyth
- Thorns for Roses for 400g - Hawk. Once per long rest, cast Hail of Thorns at second level as a bonus action without expending a spell slot.
- Pendant of Premonition for 400g - Hawk. Once per short rest, re-roll initiative if rolled below a 10. Keep higher roll.
- Staff of Scorching for 700g - Emmyth. When a target takes fire damage, target must succeed a 14 DC CON saving throw or take 1d4+2 fire damage at the start of each turn.
- Gauntlets of Life-Giving for 300g - Thaust. Three times per long rest, caster can add their CON modifier to a healing spell.
- 3 Potions of Healing -300g
- 1 Greater Potions of Healing - 225g
- Bag of Holding - 150g
(Traded away 5 potions of animal friendship , 7 potions of horrifying appearance, 2 potions of mirror image as well as the scale mail armor imbued with a green dragon scale.)
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