Against the Giants: Session Two, Part Three

Truly the Hill Giant fort was not particularly tough. We had enough clerics and fighters to take the hits, and a 9th level wizard that could take down large groups. My own spell list at the time was fairly limited, Phantasmal Forces being my main spell. I could combine it with Audible Glamour, but that proved to be a tricky combination.

I guess it would have been harder if we did not have the Rod of Security. Alas for Burl's Giants. The Rod of Security that Great Scott has acquired allows us to spend weeks or even months training and resting inside a pocket dimension, whilst outside barely seconds have passed. This is very useful as it allows us to regain spells and fighting ability in the middle of a dungeon, enabling us to resume the hunt almost immediately after it paused. This time around only a few characters have enough experience to level up, and we spent about two weeks inside the rod of security. Rhonda at this time leveled to 3rd/3rd/2nd, Valxian became 3rd, Leia 5th, and Kenneth 7th. When we finally jump back out into the dungeon we quickly pursue and slaughter the remaining goblins in an eastern complex which is obviously a prison, a few moans coming from the cells. While we do so a trio of Fire Giants come rumbling on our rear, and It becomes quite hairy as the fighters quickly shift back and forth between the two lines. Finally we stand victorious, and we use the keys on one of the guards and free the prisoners, all of them being orcs. They tell us they were imprisoned for not working hard enough, or outright defying the giants, and that there is a rebellion with a large army going on somewhere in this complex. We split up the party into two groups with the orcs and move throughout this lower level, killing giants and eventually coming to the supposed rebellion, about 200 orcs. We promise them freedom and a fair share of the treasure if they fight with us, and they agree. In the middle of this level we come to another prison block, this time with civilian prisoners. A few merchants, an elf and a dwarf are found. Hwonalon explores another cell and winds up fighting an ambush of three skeletons with a fake gold ring.

The elf and dwarf introduce themselves as Oaklock Gilderleaf and Mongo, respectively. They want to fight, but have no weapons. We take some loot and excess baggage, including elven chain, from our Portable Hole, and hand them over to the new DM-run NPCs. A plan is being run across the table as to what we can do with this new army of ours. Coleth and Cared, the two longest running players, also being Lawful Good, take a firm hand and say that the party will be using the Orcs to help destroy the Hill Giants, and we will give them a fair share of the treasure. There is some grumbling, but everyone falls in line. The DM sighs and says he will find his Warhammer Orks, and we all pack up for the night. This session of raiding the lower levels comes to an end.