Sheriff Hemlock leaves with a small contingent of guards to apprehend Titus Scarnetti based on the evidence found in his letters. The party takes some time to say farewell to notable individuals in Sandpoint, but they’re not hanging around for the possible trial and verdict.
There’s a giant problem and it’s time to roll up the sleeves and take care of it.
Fyn gathers the group together and they teleport to Ravenmoor. The small village is mainly desolate, save for the numerous ravens that roost in the surrounding moors. Quite the perfect namesake, wouldn’t you say?
They continue north and begin to notice signs of entering dangerous giant territory. Nestled along the Lampblack River, they come across an abandoned giant campsite. Besides the numerous bones of discard humanoids, the burnt remains of an enormous aurochs rest lazily on the forgotten coals. There were likely six unique giants in the area, more than a week ago.
Later on, they come across a large cairn, marking a significant grave. Fobias locates manticore tracks nearby and signs of a struggle between the monster and some other giants. It is common, Fyn recalls, for giants to mark their dead in this way. If nothing else, this discovery informs the party that they’re approaching relatively uncharted regions that are densely populated with aggressive creatures.
Finally, the party comes to the Storval Stairs. Flanked by two towering statues of Runelord Karzoug, the two-foot high steps extend 400 feet upwards towards the Storval Plateau. When they arrive, a hill giant keeping watch on the top of the right statue calls out and throws a boulder at the pyramid-like structure. Right on cue, five other hill giants come out from the opening to see what the commotion is about.
Time to fight!
Ascending the Stairs
The stairs were made for giants, so traversing them is a challenge unto itself. Luckily, Fyn confuses the majority of the giants, who spend a great deal of time fighting amongst themselves. Thanks to the spell, the party slowly makes their way up the stairs.
Richard leads the way, stretching out his enlarged body. It takes a few moments for him to gain coordination, but he eventually starts dishing out the damage. Fyn casts plenty of magic missiles from the back, while Krask unleashes his barrage of arrows. Meanwhile, Fobias gets in attacks with his spear where he can.
Trace and Barnaby continue their slog up the stairs, weighed down by their armor and size respectively.
Occasionally, one of the giants will gain enough composure to hurl a boulder down the stairs. Although seemingly random, a couple find their way to Fyn, colliding with the poor, less-than-dextrous wizard.
The battle itself isn’t a spectacular one; it takes more time for the party to ascend the staircase than it does the actual fighting. Trace patches up Richard’s wounds while the rest of the group searches the structure for treasure. They don’t have to scour much; there’s a hefty pile of treasure tucked away in a nearby corner.
Piles of Treasure
Krask relishes (of course) in the gold and other valuables, including a +2 defensive bladed scarf, an efficient quiver filled with magical arrows, several curing salves, and a crown wreathed in illusion magic. Using his knowledge of the world’s great nobility, Fyn (NOT Barnaby, sadly) dispels the magic obscuring the crown, uncovering the Lost Crown of the Pallgreaves clan in Janderhoff.
With their latest treasures in-tow, the party completes the rest of the journey to Jorgenfist without incident. As they look down into the Valley of the Black Tower, they see a circular wall of stone surrounding an ominous black tower and numerous watch posts. Tents and campsites dot the landscape around the fortress, alive with giant activity.
GIANT ACTIVITY!
What horrors await the party at Jorgenfist? How will they penetrate the multitude of defenses to get to Mokmurian? Did Barnaby ever make it up that long staircase?