Return of the Giants
Played on July 23, 2018
24 Flamerule, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
Hill Giant Stronghold, The Far Hills, Sunset Vale
Glyn Windriver and seven scouts from Bear’s Head double checked to make sure nothing was left behind and everyone was accounted for before leaving the steading’s dungeon.
Despite spending two days killing a colony’s worth of dire rats, a pair of giant lizards, and a few giant centipedes in the dungeon, no one in the group was seriously hurt. After a night’s rest, Glyn and the scouts made their way back upstairs to the stronghold where the summer heat was certain to be worse than in the colder dungeon.
It was the first time Glyn had been tasked with traveling to the hill giants’ steading since he joined the Town Watch in Bear’s Head three years ago. Every two years, the mayor would send up to eight members of the Town Watch to the hill giants’ steading in the Far Hills to keep it clear of wandering monsters. The other years, the town of Asbravn would send hired adventurers or even members of its famous Riders in Red Cloaks to the steading since the stronghold wasn’t far from the market town of Asbravn.
But since spring, when rumors of giants attacking the Sword Coast started spreading throughout the Vale, Grom Rockbrook the half orc mayor of Bear’s Head decided to send Glyn and several scouts to the stronghold before Midsummer to make sure it was still free of giants. Glyn had never been. But Kento, one of the scouts in his charge, had been to the steading two years before.
Fifteen years ago Deb, Caldreas, Therand, and Lo-kag, known as Company of the Siren’s Song, ventured into the Far Hills and attacked the steading of the hill giant chief, Nosnra. For days, the four led an assault against the giants until they were finally able to kill the chief, Nosnra and his allies. The attack cost the company the life of Caldreas, who would be brought back to life a decade later.
It was known that all of the young giants and several female giants survived by sneaking out in the middle of the night protected by other hill giants warriors loyal to Nosnra. From the tracks found, the giants had escaped into the Sunset Mountains.
Evidence found also suggested Nosnra and his wife Morzul, who both died defending the stronghold, had at least one offspring who may have escaped with the other giants. Since giants lived to be 300 or even 400 years old, the fear of a child of Nosnra returning to exact revenge anytime soon wasn’t cause for concern. However, the presence of a stone giant and a cloud giant, in the stronghold suggested Nosnra had allies among other giants.
After the stronghold was captured and cleared of the many dead giants and creatures found in the steading and in the dungeon below, Bear’s Head and the town of Asbravn agreed to send a group back to the stronghold every year to keep it clear of monsters that may choose to use it as a lair.
For years, everyone was concerned the hill giants who escaped would return with a stronger force to reclaim what they had lost. But after several years went by and no such force ever appeared, it was assumed the giants had cut their losses and had chosen to abandon the stronghold completely.
Neither Bear’s Head nor Asbravn wanted to claim the stronghold. It was too big to maintain and could not be inhabited by human-sized people. No one considered putting the stronghold to the torch. But after fifteen years, the thought of burning the place down to the ground was being considered.
When Glyn and the scouts arrived near the main hall, Kento, signaled for everyone to stop.
Kento had been sent ahead to make sure the way out was clear of any possible dangers. When asked, Kento said he heard two large voices talking to one another in the great hall. He said he couldn’t understand what they were saying but both were very loud.
Glyn had the others ready themselves while he carefully opened one of the massive wooden doors which led into the great hall. With the roof collapsing in many places throughout the stronghold, there was plenty of light to see by.
Inside the great hall, Glyn spotted an ogre and a hill giant. Both were armed with greatclubs. The hill giant had a large sack at its side, while the ogre also had a large javelin it was using to poke around in the debris-filled great hall.
Glyn signaled for everyone to follow his lead. He then kicked the door and stepped inside the great hall, shooting the hill giant with two arrows that pierced it’s thick skin.
**
The fight against the hill giant and the ogre proved deadly. Two dire wolves had also joined in the fight.
Ken, the younger brother of Kento, was killed when the hill giant threw a large rock the wooden post Ken was using for cover in the great hall. The rock broke through the post, and struck the young scout killing him instantly.
But Kento would be avenged.
When the fight was over, a hill giant, an ogre and a dire wolf had been slain. Glyn chased one of the wolves out into the courtyard but his bow’s string came loose as he was trying to shoot at the remaining wolf who was fleeing away along with another ogre who was well out range of Glyn’s longbow.
Glyn immediately ordered the surviving scouts to take the slain Ken and return to Bear’s Head. Meanwhile, he would travel to Asbravn to let them know about the giants. It was clear the rumors Glyn had heard of giants attacking the Sword Coast were not just rumors after all.
The giants had returned to threaten the Sunset Vale.
Dramatis Personae
Glyn Windriver (Human Male Ranger)
Bear’s Head Scouts
Plot type
Chapter
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