Great idea.
Zod sticks with Koldur.
"Excellent, we taking your winged horses or shall we go by ground this time?" Beorn asks.
Once he has a direction he packs his things, grabs a beer and meets everyone for departure.
Koldur counts the number this time.
With Zod joining them, it seems that a trip to the aerie was in order.
"Zod will be joining us it seems, then pack your belongings and rations. I'll head over to the aerie and speak with Soarwings about getting us some mounts."
Koldur with group in tow, find themselves in the grasslands near the city. Here the pagasus have made their home.
"Here we go. Let's mount up and see if we can find us some trolls. Koldur, where did they say the troll attacks occurred?" Beorn asks.
Koldur calls for Sore wings as he waits for the his friend to answer, Koldur answers Beorn
"Troll sightnings in the South but until we find or kill one, the locals will be afraid of their own shadows" He sighs.
"How I wish for an adventurer's guild at least. They can help hunt all these monsters and keep the people safe while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle."
Looking at Zod.
"I'm not sure if you can shrink yourself further but I'm sure Soar wings and his herd would appreciate it. They're strong but to carry someone of your stature is not something they do very often."
He quickly exclaims, "Ahhh, yes I shall resize." Zod nods and reduces his size to that of medium creature. Most of the pegasus are too nervous with Zod to even come close. A new member of the clan that must have come from Twin Peaks, a black beauty, comes up and brazenly offers Zod a ride.
He gets up tentatively and holds onto its neck as it begins to gallop and soon fly into the air.
Soon enough your group finds their old friends or new ones in the pegasus flock. Koldur of course rides Sore Wings. Off to the south you fly!
"I think we should go south of the lake and then follow the river. I would think people would be near the waterway and attacking trolls would be near the people. Anyone else?"
"We can also keep a lookout for those gnome explorers as well."
you smell it well before you see the strange, 20-foot-wide pool of bubbling mud which sits in a narrow defile between several hills here. The mud seems to be heated the foul-smelling vapor it gives off forces anyone within Large mounds of fungus and strange mushrooms thrive on the mud bowl’s banks, and in the noxious air, several of the fungi grow to heights of 10 feet or more.
----
a dull-witted
hill giant named Munguk tries to forget his troubles by
looking for blue wolf berries to make moonshine from,
hunting for game, and seeking a mate, in that order.
Unfortunately for Munguk, however, blue wolf berries are
not in season, his loud singing has scared away the larger
game in the area, and there are no female hill giants
within miles. Munguk has been on the hunt for 4
days now with nothing to show for it but a rapidly
diminishing jug of wolf berry moonshine, and
he is in a particularly foul mood, lashing out at
boulders, trees, and the PCs, if he even notices
them—he’s got a –8 penalty on Perception checks
due to his depression. PCs who come upon the
giant without him noticing their approach find
him squatting on a rock trying to lick the last drops
of moonshine out of a broken jug.
If the PCs offer Munguk something alcoholic to drink
(at least 3 gallons), they receive a +5 circumstance bonus
on Diplomacy checks dealing with the giant (his initial
attitude is unfriendly). If made at least friendly, Munguk
can tell them (in Giant) about the Ruined Keep (area G),
the lizardfolk village (area H), and the troll lair (area R). If
made helpful, he’ll also give them his map (see Treasure).
Munguk CR 7
XP 3,200
Male hill giant (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
hp 85
TACTICS
During Combat Munguk throws a rock at the closest enemy
on the first round of combat and then charges into the fray
with his greatclub.
Morale Munguk fights until he is reduced to 20 hit points
of fewer. At that point, he drops to the ground, crying and
Treasure: In addition to his hide armor and greatclub,
Munguk carries a crude hide sack containing his worldly
possessions. Inside are nine throwing rocks, three boots of
various sizes (Small, Medium, and Large), a wooden bowl
and spoon, an empty clay moonshine jug, a few strips of
dried dwarf jerky, a glass jar containing a partially eaten
pickled sheep’s head, a bent grappling hook and 5 feet
of frayed rope, a battered but still functional spyglass,
a gnarled piece of drifwood (actually a wand of hideous
laughter with 10 charges), a necklace of fireballs (type II) with
one 4d6 sphere remaining, and 60 gp.
Also in the bag is a crude map, sketched on the back of a
piece of smelly, uncured hide. Although the map is labeled in
Giant, Munguk is far from literate, and a DC 25 Linguistics
check is needed to decipher it. The map highlights the
location of the troll lair (area R) with the legend “mean ugly
troll-men” scrawled in blue wolf berry juice.
Story Award: If the PCs manage to negotiate their
encounter with Munguk peacefully, award them XP as if
they had defeated him in combat.
U. ABANDONED FERRY STATION
(LANDMARK)
Half-collapsed, rotting wooden buildings stand on each
bank where the Shrike River branches off of the Little
Sellen River. The buildings have been used as lairs by
kobolds, mites, and even a few groups of bandits in the
past, but currently the yare unoccupied.
Development: If the PCs establish a city here, the
abandoned ferry station grants a free Pier to the city.
Observing the noxious fungi, Koldur has Soarwings steer clear of the foul smelling plants.
He signals the others to avoid the smell as well.
Just flying over the areas looking for places or people of interest you can travel quickly over the water at first then land. The flight over the water took about 3 hours. You can see a tower of some kind on one of the small islands. Continuing south, , you fly over the grassland which has no signs of civilization. You do see a giant.
Flying near the giant you see him lashing out at boulders, trees, and any thing in reach.
As you come upon the giant you find him squatting on a rock trying to lick the last drops of moonshine out of a broken jug.
Flouncy discerns nothing.
He likely dives down towards the giant most directly. Once the pegasus, Talon, lands he takes his time to dismount. Then he moves quickly up to the other giant reverting into his large form. Within 15 feet he stops and says in giant, "My fellow giant what ails you?" Greatsword still on his back, the warhammer and pick are on his belt.
----
Zod smiles at the same sized giant as him and offers, "I am sure we could remedy two of those three problems for you. I have a companion dwarf who loves to party, I am sure he has some alcohol for you. We should be able to scrounge up some food for you." He then says over his shoulder in broken common, "He is okay. Rognar he needs a drink and some food. What do we have for him?"
This hunched giant exudes power and a crude, stupid anger, its filthy fur clothing bespeaking a brutish and backwoods lifestyle.
Skin color among hill giants ranges from light tan to deep, ruddy brown. Their hair is brown or black, with eyes the same color. Hill giants wear layers of crudely prepared hides with the fur left on. They seldom wash or repair their garments, preferring simply to add more hides as their old ones wear out. Adults are around 10 feet tall and weigh about 1,100 pounds. Hill giants can live to be 200 years old, but almost never do.
Hill giants prefer to fight from high, rocky outcroppings, where they can pelt opponents with rocks and boulders while limiting the risk to themselves. Hill giants love to make overrun attacks against smaller creatures when they first join battle. Thereafter, they stand fast and swing away with their massive clubs.
Hill giants are the most nomadic of all the humanoid giant species, preferring to travel from one settlement to the next in order to raid and pillage. While they prefer temperate climates, they’ll travel far from their preferred environment so long as the raiding is plentiful and successful. They are, as a whole, incredibly selfish creatures and rarely engage in battles they don’t automatically know they’ll win. Hill giants are known for shoving one another at terrifying foes and won’t hesitate to sacrifice a clan-mate to save their own skins. Roving bands of hill giants are common in temperate hills, and their constant aggression makes them one of the more feared dangers in this climate.
Solitary, non-evil hill giants are very rare but can sometimes be found in other humanoid societies, though they are almost never accepted in central cities or population centers. They do best as laborers and soldiers in outlying frontier towns, and often serve as rudimentary diplomats to negotiate with marauding hill giant bands. Unfortunately, hill giants who shed their racial lifestyle for civilization are mocked and often killed on sight by their nomadic brethren. Still, these “civilized” hill giants can find their place within society and many have managed to live peaceful, uneventful lives.
The giant looks at Zod with tears in his eyes. He responds in giant, "No more moonshine, no food, no woman folk..."
Flouncy knows it's a hill giant. He'll let Zod do the talking.
Rognar walks up looking in his bags and eventually shakes his head, "Somehow I have gone dry too. I have some iron rations and water..." He looks distraught at this fact.
Adney relays, "I have some iron rations, water, and somehow I am dry as well! I must have drunk that last bottle of wine."
As the rations are brought forth Zod takes them and hands them to the hill giant. In giant he apologizes, "We only have these, they are better than nothing. Maybe Beorn will go hunting and get you some fresh meat." He then looks to Beorn and asks in broken common, "Would you please hunt some meat for giant, I would but I don't remember who speaks giant."
Koldur sees the giant from Soarwings back.
Seeing Zod stepping forward to speak to the giant, Koldur waits as they have a giant to giant talk.
Hearing Zod's question though, the aged dwarf does step out.
"I do speak the language of giants."
In giant he asks, "So would you want to stay and I can go hunt some?"
"I can head out and see what I can find, that or we can go together Zod." Beorn offers.
With Zod or without, Beorn heads into the wood line to search out animal trails and look for signs of animals in the area.
Zod would join Beorn in the hunt. Doing his best to aid you and doing a great job of it. Pointing out tracks and signs of life.
"I'll stay. Both of you can go hunt. We'll need quite a bit of game to feed this one." Koldur starts and ends realizing that the two has already gone off.
Beorn and Zod return with enough food for nine people. Some berries, a few onions, and a wild pig. Luckily they didnt run into anything.
Koldur normally did not have conversations with Hill giants.
They were usually on the to kill list back home.
Here however...........he tries his best. There was always something new one had never tried before wasn't it?
"While they're gone. Tell me from where did you come from?" he tries an opening. Hoping that this giant wasn't entirely stupid.
Koldur soon realizes the horror of the conversation as he is very dull-witted and nearly stupid.
He tells you his name, Munguk, and he is trying to forget his troubles by
looking for blue wolf berries to make moonshine from, hunting for game, and seeking a mate, in that order.
Munguk has been on the hunt for 4 days now with nothing to show for it and he is in a particularly foul mood and obviously in a depression.
Beyond that he doesn't talk more as he sits by himself waiting for food.
---
You sure are glad when Zod and Beorn return. What they bring back is enough to sate his appetite as it is all eaten in four mouthfuls. He doesn't worry about cooking it, just eating it all raw from their hands. It is a gross display of how prey can be consumed. After he burps he says in giant, "Thank you."
Beorn turns away as the beast eats. He wants to ask about trolls in the area but he knows he can come off the wrong way and does not want to start a fight with this brute if not needed.
If not for Beorn and Zod returning, Koldur was close to putting the giant out of his misery. Permanently.
Flouncy is a bit leery of the giant, and can't speak his language.
He rubs his belly, and asks, Is that enough for you?
"Someone ask if he has seen the trolls, otherwise we need to move." Beorn says.
"Seen any trolls hanging around here?" Koldur relays Beorn's question to the giant.
The giant looks at Flouncy confused but then imitates him, rubbing his belly and motioning for more food to eat.
As Koldur asks, he complains in giant back to the dwarf.
"Good a destination for us, due North West for at least two days of walking. We should be there in hours. Though looking at the time maybe we should camp and pick this up in the morning?" He says in common before saying in giant, "thank you for your aid. We shall let the trolls of their poor misgivings about you. If you head North East you will eventually come to a town. Their town, don't go in it, and I will find you once I get back."
"That is how it's supposed to work. Thank you good giant. I'm good with Zod's suggestion. I'm going to drop my pack and see if I can go get the rest of us something to eat besides dried meat strips and stale bread." With that Beorn goes back into the surrounding wood line.
"Are you going to send this brute to the town nearby?" Koldur protests
"Remember what they did to you last time until we got it sorted? What do you think will happen to this one while we go troll hunting? The last thing I want is bloodshed needlessly." Koldur grumbles.
Fumbling in his pack as he attempts to find his communication device.
"Where is the stupid orb........"
Once Found, he triggers it to let the others of the council know that they've found a hill giant and sending it over to be perhaps trained to be one of their guards or something. He doesn't relish the problem that will likely come from feeding it alone.
Zod asks a bit unsure about his words now, "Um, then what should we do with him. I could stay with him and escort him to the town outskirts. Maybe stay on this side of the lake?"
Brandishing the orb in triumph, Koldur lets the others hear what Sable had replied.
"It's done. The council will take of it. Now what is it's favorite food and drink? I never thought about it....." he trails off......
Zod brightens at this knowledge and speaks in giant to find out what it likes... then relays, " meat and alcohol. Fang Berry Moonshine if possible."
Zod brightens at this knowledge and speaks in giant to find out what it likes... then relays, " meat and alcohol. Fang Berry Moonshine if possible."
Koldur laughs as he too hears what the hill giant says.
"Such expensive tastes, that particular brew is one of Sable's most common Elvish concoctions. He should have enough stock for now." He chuckles as he relays to Sable what the Hill giant preferences are like.
That stuff is strong, but there's a little sweetness to it. I can see a giant liking it.
How much do we need? Or, how much does he need?
Flouncy ponders a second. And, do we really want to hang around with a drunk giant? He might just fall on one of us and kill them.
The halfling giggles, Aw, what the hells. We've been in more danger.
He asks, apparently ready, "We ready to fly towards that troll lair?!"
"We're camping overnight to prepare to hunt trolls tomorrow. It's also to give Sable and company time to meet our newest large guest." Koldur points out.
He nods and gets himself comfortable gathering some leaves from a bush to make a bed. He then speaks in giant with the hill giant. He pulls out some rations and shares them with his new acquaintance.
A few hours go by and Beorn returns, he took his time to make sure he brought a good amount of food back, a deer, four rabbits, a turkey, and a bag full of vegetables.
---
The next morning doesn't come soon enough as sleep was nearly impossible near the hill giant. Many of you likely moved away from his snores. With the light came figures upon pegasus. Johanna, Sable, and Olivira arrive and dismount. They come forward and wait with your group until the hill giant wakes.