North Lawn

The passage here is blocked by wooden palisades, lashed together with vine and hastily assembled. Couldn't be more than a few weeks old at this point. But beyond, in the roots of the huge mangroves that fill this swampy forest, there is a secluded lean-to. The fabric is tattered and ill cared for, but there is evidence of recent use.
The most clear evidence would be the Fortchman who steps out of it at this precarious and inopportune moment. Shouting in a broken dialect of giant he declares "Food! There are yummy people here, guys!"
Seems he isn't alone, as four of his buddies rouse from cooking around a campfire with complaints and trash talk. These are members of The Fortch Horde .

Fortchman CR: 6

Large giant, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 16

Hit Points: 109 (10d10+50) 10d10+50

Speed: 30 ft

STR

18 +4

DEX

14 +2

CON

20 +5

INT

11 +0

WIS

9 -1

CHA

7 -2

Saving Throws: Con +7

Skills: Intimidation +2, Perception +2, Survival +2

Senses: Keen Smell, Darkvision 60ft, passive Perception 12

Languages: Giant

Challenge Rating: 6

Keen Smell. The Fortchman has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Regeneration. The Fortchman regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the fortch takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the fortch's next turn. The fortch dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Strength of the Horde. You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to (1d10+5) 1d10+5 . Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Savage Frenzy. You can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Each Fortchman has the following items:
Large size cooking utensils (3 gp)
Large size longbow (16 gp)
Obsidian Crescent Blade 85% chance to be salvageable: [[1d100]] (200 gp bounty from Bozzam)
In addition there is a 30% chance [[1d100]] they have a plundered beltpouch containing [[3d8]] gp and [[4d10]] silver. It also contains a [[1d4-2]] gems of 25 gp value (negatives are considered zero)
A DC 17 Investigation check (requiring 1 action in combat) has a 60% chance to discover a Fortch Trinket

Actions

Multiattack. The Fortchman can make two attacks with a weapon or claws and one attack with their bite.
Bite. Melee Attack: +7, Reach 5ft., one target Hit:7 (1d6+4) piercing damage
Obsidian Crescent Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +8, Reach 5ft, one target Hit: 11 (2d6+4)
Fortchman's Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack:+8, Range 150/600ft Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage

This lumbering green dullards are driven by cuisine. They think with their stomach first, and anything fleshy has the potential to be cooked up just right. Humanoids are their favorite food. They dress in simple skins and but carry obsidian weapons of excellent craftsmanship.

Suggested Environments

They are found in greater densities the deeper in the Twistenwud one searched. But they often will ambush travelers along the road and river. They find it fun. Often near tree cover and swampy terrain.

If defeated, each of them carries an obsidian crescent blade. And near their campfire, some skins with scratched out writings on them.

Found in the Twistenwud

Fortch Recipe Book

Scroll

Common

This scroll seems the be written in a difficult to understand dialect of giant. Even with proficiency in the language the words seems to need additional work to comprehend. It reads thusly:

Woh to Serve Amn nda Oreth Desserts

Flnilahg Buortri

Twse ruoy lhnaflgi ni 2 sksac of niew ofr six hours. Ttah lusdho be oungeh etim for them to nmsuoce it all. Slow tsaor eovr a pit, uinlt hte lnaglfih si jtus on the dege eebewnt ayong dna arioitpxen.

Flay eht knsi fo one fle dna arwp uornad hte aeiintotcxd ingflahl rropi to atehd fllais. Cmuones edlyieammit or it onw't eb as qusriym.

Psrai llew ithw Itlgfein dsciren.

Trlaokibfb West

If you era ton genjonyi ryou Blbikortaf sa a tebi zies kcans, they can also be desu as a sabe rfo a iunusoitrt and illnigf wets. It llwi teak at salte a ondez, nad tyeh huogt to be delb and deianrd into a ascnaepu. You'll eedn this etral.

Ipseetd humna uotscm, Do Not Vahes Hte Sbbiatr. The fur is one of the alhhteiest trsap, nad sah eht added usnbo fo bsgurhin yoru tteeh welhi uoy tae. Emremrbe, uoyr eteth are eht nyol ptar of ouy that don't grwo bkca. Bring eht nezod to a lboi over a reif and tle ti sirmem grihvtoen. Yb mogrnin uroy eswt lliw be reyad.

Psair excelnltyle whit sfrhe taibbr doolb tea. Nrnoocueisss ilwl eton, taht there are two vditnciseti varfols fo Rabloikfbt. Rmeteinxpe htwi ditfnfeer itsaor ot taset.

Cost: 15 gp
Weight: 2 lbs.

Type

Room, Outdoors, Courtyard

Parent Location

Ruins of Galvani Manor

Connected Rooms

• Galvani Courtyard