Road to Sundabar

October 29, 2020

The group had found the giants that took bert's family and were noticed quickly.  Gorstag took this opportunity to rush forward and attack the hill giant, with many brutal attacks. Rolen attacked with arrows as Dio rushed forward.  Rikard and Kaji found a spot and were casting spells at the giants.  Gorstag weathered the counter by the hill giant and again hit him hard.  Then the frost giant at the back cast some healing spells!  A hill giant starts advancing toward the caster but when the other hill giant falls, the other one rushes toward Gorstag and Dio, looking for revenge.  Gorstag held his own until the frost giant came forward and savaged him with his axe.  Dio and him knocked the frost giant down and the other one must have been out of spells because he strode forward and chopped Gorstag down.  Then brought the axe down on Gorstag again, opening a vicious wound.  

Rikard didn't hesitate.  He started combining several spells in a new ways.  It was something he had been trying to do for a while and focused, willing the parts to finally come together.  A circle slowly formed in front of him, edged with runes.  The edges rounded and came together, Rikard struggling to keep it in his mind and form it in front of himself.  As the circle clicked together, it glowed with white light.  Another circle formed under Gorstag, matching this one, and Gorstag fell through across the battlefield to land in front of Rikard.  Maybe the landing hadn't been gentle enough but as Rikard watched, the life went out of Gorstag's eyes.  

Again, no hesitation, Rikard started casting another spell.  Kaji, seeing Gorstag come through, flared with flames and heat, almost becoming a living fire elemental.  The gem and staff adding flames to it as blast peeled off and struck the frost giant.  A few missed but most slammed into the frost giant.  Dio pushed forward swinging his hammer at the remaining giants.  Rolen's bow thrummed as arrow after arrow found its mark on the giants.  

Gorstag didn't know if this was death or worse.  He seemed to be watching the fight from the ground and Tempus was here to collect him.  Yet, Tempus was talking to Rikard, who looked at Gorstag, and nodded.  Tempus nodded and Rikard sent the energy into Gorstag.  For once, the healing power from Rikard didn't hurt.  It was warm and inviting and Gorstag could move again.  He looked up at Rikard, who nodded as tears streamed down his face looking at his friend, and then collapsed.  Gorstag yelled in rage and crawled to Rikard.  Rikard's eyes glazed over and he didn't move.  As Gorstag fumbled for a healing potion, he couldn't find any wounds.  Gorstag looked into Rikard eyes and saw nothing.  Nothing remained of his friend.  Gorstag wasn't sure what happened, he wasn't sure he saw what he saw, but he knew Rikard had taken his place.  

The giants were down and bert was yelling and slamming the cages.  Those inside were also trying to open the cages thinking that they weren't hitting it hard enough.  Kaji finally goes and finds the keys on one of the giants and opens the cages.  After reuniting with his clan, bert turns to the group.  "Dwarf secret."  Then he and his clan start that ambling stride and headed west.  Dio and Rolen didn't want to lose what the trolls would show him so when Kaji and Gorstag signaled they would stay with Rikard's body and catch up when they could, they went after the trolls.  

Rolen doesn't think they went more than a mile to find a crevasse in the ground.  It stretched only ten feet and was maybe three feet at the widest point.  Rolen and Dio couldn't see the bottom, though.  

"What is this," asks Dio, looking at bert.  bert points at the hole.  "Dwarf dig."

"Yes, but where does it go," persists Dio.  

"Dwarf dig," replies bert, pointing down.  

"Okay, but what is there," continues Dio.

bert looks perplexed as he responds, with some hesitation, "dwarf... dig?"  

Rolen is trying not to laugh as Dio keeps asking questions even though the answer is the same.  When Dio finally asks if bert will take him down there, bert nodes and picks up Dio and then starts climbing down.  The claws at the end of bert's hands and feet are like natural climbing tools and he is able to descend rapidly.  Rolen sighs and puts his bow on his back and then follows after them, finding his own footings.  

Kaji and Gorstag sadly create a litter and put Rikard's body on it.  Gorstag easily follows the tracks of the others and finds the trolls by the newly made chasm into the earth.  When the trolls indicate their friends went down there, Kaji says he can get Rikard down.  They get Rikard's body over there and Kaji pulls magic from the weave to make he and Rikard's bodies fall more like a feather.  After forty seconds of falling, Kaji was wondering if he would have to cast it again when he finally touches down.  Kaji figures they went nearly five hundred and fifty feet down.  There is a cave here but an opening into carved walls exists.  They found something!  

They don't go very far into it before Dio confirms that it is dwarven.  Then the clicking.  click. click click.  It doesn't take long to see who does it, as spiders emerge!  Compared to the giants, though, this doesn't seem as bad.  There were probably more than a dozen of them but Kaji burns half of them with a wall of fire, Rolen takes out one with two arrows and Gorstag is able to cut one down with his attacks.  Once the spiders are gone, Dio is amazed at what he sees.  They search it more but other than some caverns with iron rails set into the ground, the big room with pillars and some side rooms.  They do wonder if this is the low road and it would take them to Sundabar.  They also are tired and everything that happened comes rushing back.  They head back to their camp.  

The group manages to get a few hours of rest and they better prepare Rikard's body to go back to Sundabar.  Dio surprised the group by not wanting to go back.  He cast an augury to find out if the tunnels took them to Sundabar.  Dio thinks they do but collapsed sections won't let them make it, so they have to travel overland.  They head out toward to Sundabar.  

The group considers stopping in Mudstrand but with no temple, the town offers nothing.  They decide to keep moving and even skirt around it.  The days blur as they keep going.  Gorstag got the sense that Rikard would come back and they know they need to get to Sundabar to have a chance for someone to be able to cast the raising spell.  They notice the worked fields increase and smaller villages and hamlets of farmers.  They probably don't need watches at night when they see patrols from Sundabar but by this time, it's habit for them.  

When they arrive at the gate, the guards ask what happened and then offer condolences on their fallen friend.  They are allowed entry into town and head to the temple of Tyr and Erik, the high priest.  They are also well met at the temple.  Scott, an acolyte of the temple, tells them where to find the high priest and says he will take care of Rikard's body.  They make sure to know where Rikard is laid and then go speak to Erik.  Erik also offers his condolences and asks what they want for Rikard.  When the group says they want to see if he will come back, Erik nods and says he can do it.  Erik then says that he will need a diamond to perform it and they don't keep them on hand.  The group wants the ceremony performed tonight and wonder if the jeweler would be open yet?  Erik sends Erin, an acolyte, with a writ to get the needed diamond.  

Then Dio lays out for Erik the news of the giants.  Erik takes it all in and asks if they are willing to repeat it to the council.  Erik has several acolytes prepare the dining area and sends invitations to the council.  It's all a blur to the group as the council members arrive.  The don't like the moneylender, Homilar Drace, but the rest seem fine.  They eat and hear about the guild wars that have been happening in the town.  The stone masons don't like the smiths.  The jewelers and the miners aren't getting along.  The stone cutters and miners have issues.  Those guilds at odds with each drag the many others into it, such as lumber guild and trading costers.  All have their specialties which rely on the others and it sounds like a complex web of alliances and entanglements.  Only the farmers and herders have been spared and so food is still being produced.  When they are done eating, Erik introduces them and Dio tells the council what they have seen.  The giant council.  The beholder.  Wanting to strike at Sundabar.  Westhold being occupied, Elkwall having fallen.  

The council members surprise Rolen at first at how almost blase their reaction is.  Then Rolen remembers that they know how to reign in their emotions with all of the negotiations they do.  Further, while they will have to respond to this, the council members have time.  It's not like Kristoff in Ashriver that has giants nearly at his gate.  They do start speaking about scouting partys, Martin and Peter discuss supplies and routes to check.  Guldrim and Olga talk about verifying the low road and fortifying that as well due to the beholders.  Homilar does engage when it comes to supplies for the militia and calling up the reserves.  Homilar also speaks about how to help their allies to the southeast, not wanting to lose Turnstone Pass.  For some reason, Rolen didn't think Homilar would care even that much.  Before the council gets mired in details they stop and Guldrim turns to Dio.

"Do ya see yourselves involved in this?" he bluntly asks Dio.  Dio and the group look at each other and then Dio says, "We want to help defend Sundabar."  

"Aye, lad, I get that.  Are ye ready to enlist?"  

At that, Dio pauses.  Gludrim continues.  "Are ye ready to pledge to the town and take orders?"  

With that, the group realizes several things.  First, they aren't landed here and so they won't be officers.  At best, they might be sergeants getting to lead some.  Then it hits several that they won't stay together.   Kaji, and Rikard if he comes back, would be in a magical group.  Gorstag might be in some reserve unit, due to his fighting style.  Rolen would be attached to an archer division.  Dio might lead a group but would otherwise be infantry.  It's unlikely they would be together.  

"I ..." starts Dio, looking at this friends.  He sees that they all have had the same thoughts.  "I guess not.  We will have to find our own way to help."  

"That be fine, lad, and we understand.  Let's speak more of this at the council hall?" Guldrim says to his fellow councilors.  They all nod and slowly get up.  They thank Erik for his hospitality and the group for the news they bring.  When they are gone, Erik turns to the group.  

"If you still want to stay here, which is not uncommon, I have prepared the next room over with cots and blankets for you.  The acolytes will show you where you can change.  And the bath house is across the street.  I suggest you use it.  Perhaps twice," he says, a smirk barely concealed on his face.

"Are you implying we stink," accuses Dio, with a smile.

"No, I'm saying," retorts Erik, laughing.  "My acolytes and I will tend to Rikard and get ready for the ceremony.  We will perform it in the morning."  The group nods, cleans up and sleeps.  

The next morning, they are up before the acolyte comes to get them.  They are told that they can have their weapons in the room but not on them.  They are shown robes to wear and dress in them.  They go into the preparation room and Erik directs them to stand around Rikard.  Dio at the head, Rolen at his feet, and the other two by his side.  Erik takes out the diamond and holds it in his hand.  

"I will open the way to his soul but it will be all of you talking to him.  It will be up to you to ask and receive his answer of coming back."  He then nods to each one of them, making sure they are ready.  When they signal yes, he starts walking counter clockwise around the body, holding the diamond.  He calls upon Tyr to show them the way to Rikard.  

Dio could not believe he was the one who remembered.  They found themselves in a library and even Gorstag immediately distracted himself when he saw books on Tempus and fighting.  Rolen wanted to see fighting techniques against giants, and Kaji saw books talking about how to call upon Kossuth's fire.  Sure, Dio saw the books on Moradin, on forging, and even the Hammers, but this was Rikard and he wasn't going to let his friend down.  It seemed to take forever.  He would round up two but turning to the third, let one of the others wonder off again.  Eventually, he got them back to where they came, which was a place where eight different paths converged.  Dio was wondering how they would find Rikard in all of this when he walked from the stacks and saw them.  

"My friends!  Have you seen the books?"  his gruff voice happy as he carried books and scrolls.  

Dio worried this would send the rest of the scatttering again and spoke up, "We are hoping you will come back with us, Rikard."  

"Come back with you," as puzzled Rikard asks.  "Where did-, oh."  Memories seemed to flash in his eyes.  "I remember."  He turns to Gorstag.  "Are you okay?"  

"I am," replies Gorstag.  "And I hope you will come join us."  

"My friends, I'm touched that you would come for me like this.  I am willing to come back."  Dio was happy at those words.  "But."  Dio did not like that word.  "If I come back, I come back as undead.  I don't know which kind, either.  I could be a ghul."  

"That would be ironic," said Rolen.  

Rikard nods at him.  "Yes.  Or anything else  Lich, vampire, or any thinking undead.  My god has said that is the only way I am allowed back.  I'm fine with that but I wanted you to know that."  The group talks about it a bit but finally Dio says, "If that's the price to come back, we accept it.  We would like to have you back with us, Rikard."  

Rikard opens his arms, still holding books and scrolls, and they fall but fade away and never hit the ground.  He nods and joins them in the center of this area.  Then Dio and the rest head back.  

Dio, Rolen, Kaji, and Gorstag open their eyes.  They are back in the chamber standing over Rikard's body.  Or maybe they never left?  It's hard to tell.  The diamond that Erik holds shatters as Rikard's eyes snap open and he starts coughing.  After several hard coughs, he catches himself and sit ups.  

When Rolen starts to ask a question, Gorstag interjects.  "We can talk in a while after Rikard has recovered.  We have taken up enough of Erik's time."  The group agrees.  Erik nods to the group, smiling that their friend is back with them.  He tells the acolytes to start picking things up as Rikard puts his legs over the side of the table.  

9750 xp

GM Notes

• I had added Rikard back when they were going after the ghuls because I knew it would be tough and he does fight them.  When they asked him to continue, I was ready for that because I intended him to do this.  I knew some things were going to be tough and it was my way to allow for something bad to happen but to be able to do something about it.  
• Basically, he was my contingency if something got too tough or they didn't run away. 
• One of the things I understand in being older is how much reputation would matter at this time. 
• Some nobodies showing up and claiming something would and could be dismissed.  But having someone speak up for them adds weight to it.
• It also worked out that they earned their reputation with Kristoff and even Countess Tamara. 
• If I had the time, the idea of having them sign up for the army could have been a great storytelling element.
• I could have individual sessions with each of them, talking about what they did and contrasting how different it would be. 
• Then they could realize they could do more together and come back together as a group.  I think that would be a good story.
• Tough to play with a table top game.  That's several sessions, or maybe a Microscope session or two, of either only a few players and me. 
• It would be an interesting story but I don't think it would work to pull off in a group.  Or at least, I'm not ready to do that. 
• The intelligence check wasn't to see if they would fail or not but how long it would take them.  They had been warned that it could take actual days to find Rikard and bring him back.
• It's perfectly fitting that Dio was the one success and managed to keep the group together.  There is symbolism in that. 
• I did a mini campaign adventure path check in after this session.
• I told them how I never intended Viktor to be as big of a villain as he was but went with it when the group made him one.
• I always had them returning to Sundabar and a lot sooner but this worked out. 
• From my outline, we just finished part one!  I had five parts figured out. 
• Having said that, we have touched on several aspects and while they might happen, they will look different. 
• I do think it gives a good idea how to play a long campaign, something I never grokked before, so that's awesome.  It's all in the details. I'm 
• I'm still unsure of 5E overall.  Probably due to the contrast of the PF1 campaign.  The four giants that took down Gorstag were tough.  And would always be tough.  More hit points would draw it out further, and perhaps more powerful spells might kill their enemies faster, but in theory, that fight should be like that even at higher levels.  Maybe one or two more giants and some ogres.  Contrast that to the tens of ogres, hundreds and half ogres, and several giants the PF1 group and fought and defeated. 
• In the end, I guess it's not better or worse, just different.  What do I see with high level characters?  I don't see even two more levels changing that battle all that much.  That's both good and bad. 

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