OGGM's Hook Mountain Massacre (Inactive)

Game Master Jeff Przybylo

"I don't think that would be a problem. If they plug it up, it won't be done well. The real problem is if they decide the little buggers are tasty and try to catch more."

"Do the lizard caves open up into the compound or the keep itself?"

"If you want wind to blow the smoke, maybe I can be of help. I have enhanced my powers to be able to direct wind." she says as she tosses back her head smiling. Her hair tumbling over her shoulders.

Rhianni has Gust of Wind as one of her spells..

"Do the lizard caves open up into the compound or the keep itself?"

Vale replies, "They open up into the lower levels of the keep. There is a secret door in the caverns that leads to the jailers room. This room is just off of the small prison we have...had." He corrects himself ruefully.

Jakardros speaks, his voice bitter. "If anyone survived and was captured, they may be there." He looks at you with a grim face. "But this cute plan of yours won't work unless you open that door first. And to do that, one of you will have to sneak past the lizards."

"I do believe that we have the skill, the magic, and the luck to be able to do that."

"Not to mention that if there are prisoners, they'd be in the line of fire of the lizards. If we don't threaten the lizards, will they still attack us?"

"They attack anything that disturbs them, normally. During mating season, all bets are off."

"I don't know for sure, but I believe that season is past us."

The silence is palpable, as everyone waits for someone to make a plan and act on it.

"I'll need today and tomorrow to scribe," Lym says. "After that, I recommend we start travelling at dawn. Ogres have good night-vision anyway, so we might as well make it easy for us to travel and see them, rather than be spotted in the dark without knowing."

"If we have a workable plan, at least until we get there, I will be busy making the acquaintance of some of the fine townsfolk."

"Maybe the town has some books on these types of lizard, we can find useful things from them?" asks Rhianni naively. "If we know what sort of creatures might go past them without disturbing their routines, I might just be able to use a little magic to help. I might be able to become that creature for a short while, enough to bypass the lizards?"

Rhianni explains the spell Beast Shape I

"Or I could try putting them to sleep.. but I doubt I'm powerful enough to put them all asleep."

"If Lym has a powerful invisibility spell, I could also sneak through as well without disturbing them. If Vale or Jakardros can give me a hint, I should also be able get the door open with minimal noise as well. It should also give me a chance to reconnoiter the cells for any of your comrades...hopefully."

Kellen flexes his hand in thought and again looks to Shalelu on his next comment. "Even if we don't need to spook 'em, I'd like to have the bark handy in case, if you can help with that."

Hearing the other suggestions he adds:"Sounds like we have a plan to start from; we take a few days rest and prepare; and then we go from there, eh?" He looks at the mayor lastly: "Good sir, you know if there might be an herbalist or potion maker around that I might speak with?"

The silence is palpable, as everyone waits for someone to make a plan and act on it.

Lol! HAHA! That's a good one!

"A few days? Blast that sounds like it's gonna make us fall farther behind. Oh well, I guess I can catch up on some of me missed sleep." He shrugs.

So you have two days while Lym preps her magic. Addressing the other issues:

Tomaru can wander about Turtleback Ferry. Many here are glad that the Grauls are gone, and even gladder that someone is here to see what happened at the Fort. Although now that the news is out that there are only two of the Black Arrows survivored, the level of concern goes up dramatically.

There are no books of lore on shocker lizards that Rhianni can find. Some old wives tales, perhaps, but no better source of knowledge than Vale, and that is scant.

Herbalists and potion makers are scarce here, the people get most of what they need from merchants up from Ilsurian.

Thordak sleeps.

Two days pass, and the rains do not let up. Sometimes a light drizzle, sometimes a downpour, but never ceasing. The water levels are dangerously high - coming within a few feet of the Temple of Erastil/Town Hall. People grumble that if this keeps up even a few more days, the roads will be washed out. Twice in the last two days creatures that normally dwell out in the lake have been encountered near town. No one has been hurt, but its only a matter of time before a giant constrictor or an alligator gar kills someone. Shalelu and Vale have been busy with Mayor Shreed, working with the townsfolk to patrol the edges of Turtleback Ferry.

Jakardros hardly leaves his room. He is mired in a black mood, and will see no one except Shalelu.

Praxim would also have been on the patrols. As the water levels rise, he gets more and more antsy to be on the move, before they aren't able to get to the fort at all.

Kellen nods on the information and decides at this point to stay put. He spends the first day assisting with patrols - if needed, but also time in the pub drinking mulled cider to "ward off the chill." Day two he'll accompany Rhianni (if she doesn't mind) in her search for information - if only to get a better feel for the town.

With all the rain, he does take time to ask around about if this rain is normal or not this time of year - given the flooding.

On day three, his tone is more business-like. "Looks like we best get moving, neighbors - don't wan this rain to be slowing us down now."

Will the remaining Arrows be joining us on the trip? Was Shalelu able to pick up some birch bark?

Tomaru does his best to get to know as many of the locals as he can within the two days, and nights, they spend there. He keeps an eye out for any more of the Sihedron marks on people.

Lym will spend her time scribing, preparing a scroll of Greater Invisibility for Kellen, two scrolls of Scorching and Freezing Ray* for Rhianni, and a scroll of Summon monster IV for her own use.

* Scorching and Freezing Ray: a Scorching Ray, altered so half the damage it deals is fire damage, and the other half is cold damage. At this level, it's two rays.

Did I read correctly that the town is picking up the scribing bills? ;) If not, let me know so I can calculate the costs and start begging you guys for a loan…

The town is paying for the writing mats. Although a donation to the Temple of Erastil wouldn't be a bad idea...

If Praxim or someone else mentions it to Tomaru, he'll chip in 100gp

Kellen will do the same and chip in gold. "'Better to have the angels on your side than against you,' my uncle used to say."

Praxim would bring it up, and will chip in 100 gold towards the donation.

The Mayor thanks you profusely for both the donations, and for the help watching the town.

Two days later you set back out down the road that led you the encounter with the Grauls. The road runs along the south side of the river for some miles before crossing over a wooden bridge to the opposite side. The river runs against the dirt track, even overlapping the road in places. These spots are knee-deep in water, forcing the your horses to wade. The rains don't let up, and the storm clouds hang heavy overhead. The southern edge of the mountains creeps down to within a few hundred yards of the road here, the rocky crags sheer where they can be seen over the trees of the Kreegwood. Check your map!

Dusk is approaching as you enter the region of the fort. Vale grows watchful and nervous, but his leader, Jarkardros, wraps himself up in his cloak and rides head bowed. Shalelu is out ahead, scouting the road.

From out of the rain, the half-elf ranger returns, concern etched on her slim features.

"The road ends a hundred yards away there beyond the turn," she begins, wiping a wet lock of her blond hair from face. "It's...not pretty. The ogres have marked their territory. I could see some dark shapes on the walls, but it doesn't look like they are watching very closely." She looks at the Black Arrows. "They tore the hell out of that fort, trying to get in. The walls are in bad shape."

Vale just stares straight ahead, knuckles white where they grip the reins of his horse. Seeing Jakardros doesn't look up, Shalelu just shrugs.

"We can make it up to the turn, and cut into the woods to observe from there. There's plenty of birchwood here, so I'll get some when we stop." She takes one more glance at her father, then turns her horse about, and leads off.

"Ok. Let's do that. Let's make use of this rain to help mask our approach."

Kellen also nods, but also keeps a steady eye on Vale and Jakardos. "Sounds like a plan - now's a time to put that knowledge to work, eh?"

The ranger gets off of her horse and leads you from the road into the woods. At a point some distance from fort's approaches, she ties her horse off to a tree and signals for you to follow.

Once the group is in a secluded location, Kellen asks: "Do we wait for dawn, or we going to try and sneak through the waterfall tonight?"

If the plan is the former, he will offer to take a late watch and also see what kind of movement they see during that time.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

"Good question. How well do ogres see at night? Do they sleep during the day or night?" Tomaru looks at the others hoping someone knows.

"Lym mentioned they have good night-vision, so it wouldn't really help us. Don't know about their sleeping habits though."

"Let's get a nights sleep, be refreshed for the morning. As darkness puts us at a disadvantage, it seems stupid to try and attack tonight. Besides, we might be able to find some useful information, if we are careful tonight, I can use my magics to make one or more of you invisible for 7 minutes, if it helps." rhianni offers up as she shakes the water from her dripping wet hair.

"Ogres can see in the dark, but like dwarves and goblins, can't they? Which means, their field of vision will be limited. If we don't have to get close enough, we can slip by in the darkness and they'll never know. Lym and Thordak can guide us if needs be."

"He's right. I got no problem seein' in the dark. Me and the lass," he nods toward Lym, "could lead you through if ya want. You gotta remember, those of us with night sight can only see so far in the dark; but in the daylight, it's much easier to see at a far greater distance. Just sayin'," he shrugs.

"You'd have to be very careful crossing that open ground." Shalelu adds, nodding out towards the castle. "Even with the clouds covering the moon tonight, there's nothing to hide you out there."

"We built it that way." Jakardros growls, speaking for the first time since you left. "Easier to defend, easier to see a relief effort coming..." he finishes darkly, pulling his cloak tighter around him.

Maybe it's the rain, maybe just the distraction of the task at hand, but in the silence that follows Jakardros' statement, you take note of your surroundings. The smell of smoke, blood, and stale urine waft out from the fort on the winds of the storm. All around you in the woods, you can see the ogres have marked their territory: corpses hang in the trees, impaled on huge hooks like meat in a butcher shop. The Black Arrows and their people, hung out as a warning.

Lightning crashes in the dark, and thunder rolls heavily over Hook Mountain...

"We're going to have to cross that open ground regardless of the time. This is why I thought a diversion might come in handy. Can any of you spellcasters create a diversion that doesn't look like an attack? A bolt of lightning from the sky striking the battlements, perhaps?"

Kellen nods in agreement: "That's my thinking as well. Invisibility to sneak close and then a flame spell to set a building or wood pile on fire. Nothing explosive; something minor."

"Perhaps something more subtle; though with ogres I don't see if it will work. A ghostly illusion perhaps - if any of you have that kind of magic."

He rubs his chin and adds: "Given that open space, and with Lym and Thordak's help, then we go in tonight through the waterfall."

"The only thing I could do would be to summon minor creatures, as I tried to do at the Graul household," Lym says in a soft tone of voice. "That, or..." She falls silent, muttering and frowning. "It might work," she says, dubiously. "But it will be tricky. I can summon a steam mephit and order it to blow its steam overhead, imitating a dense fog. If Rhianni can make the Mephit invisible, that will be helpful -- and we could move in under cover of the 'mist'. If Tomaru has a summoning spell prepared as well, we could bring in two of them and increase the fog."

"I don't think we really need one. We sneak across to the base of the mountain and skirt it until we get to the waterfall. The rain and the ogre's stupidity will keep them from noticing us. And even if they do, the whole fort won't come out for us. We kill whatever party they send which will reduce the number we'll need to face later. If they send out another one we kill them too or better, by the time they send out another, we're already in the secret tunnels with the shocker lizards. No need to use any spells except to kill ogres."

"I worry," Lym says, sombrely. "These Ogres never managed to conquer the fortress by themselves. There is a working mind behind all of this somewhere... If that mind is present, or at least nearby, things may go very badly if we are spotted."

Tomaru perks up and gains a mischievous smile. "Well you can stop worrying. You have Desna on your side."

"Yes, but that thinking mind isn't likely walking the walls with the sentries. I like Tomaru's plan. We'll need all out resources once we're inside."

"Then let's make the move, eh? If we feel we can manage without the distraction, then let's be on our way."

"One moment," Lym says. "These are the spells I prepared," she tells them in a lowered voice. "Keep them in mind for our strategies in there."

0 - Acid splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Detect Poison
1 – Enlarge person, Feather fall, Mage armour, Magic Missile* x2, Shield, Summon minor monster
2 – Knock x2, Scorching ray* x2, See invisibility
3 – Daylight, Fly, Fireball*, Freezing ray
4 – Black tentacles, Iceball*, Summon monster IV, Wall of ice*

Asterixes denote Evocation spells.

"We can cover the gate from here. If you are spotted, and something comes out of there, we can pull them off." She looks over at her father, still brooding under his cloak. With a look of exasperation, she elbows him sharply in the ribs. "Get crackin' Ranger!" She hisses through clenched teeth. "Plenty of time to feel sorry for yourself if we live through this!"

Jakardros looks up at her, his face angry. "Who do you think you are?" He starts, taking a step backwards. "You have no idea what I'm thinking! You weren't there! You don't..."

Vale lays a hand on his shoulder, but Shalelu is quicker. She grabs him by the collar with both hands, hand gets her face nose to nose with his.

"Really?" She says in a low and menacing tone. "First of all be quiet. Second, do you want to go there? Left all alone with a dead mother, and village destroyed, and a father who abandoned me? Do you really want to hash this out here? Right now?

Jakardros trembles, caught between rage and shame. "You don't...I didn't know you were.."

Shalelu shakes him, her eyes never leaving his. "Maybe you did, and maybe you didn't. But you have a chance to do something about it now, and I...we...are counting on you. So get it together, Ranger! Take your post and keep an eye out." She releases him with a shove and moves over to a point between the boles of a large tree, where she strings her bow and looks out over the fort.

Jakardros looks as if he is going to say something, then his mouth snaps shut. He moves to spot a few dozen feet from the half elf, and takes up a watch. Behind him, a faint smile smile passes over Vale's face. As he looks at all of you, he gives quick nod.

"If you want a mist, I can create one." says Rhianni.

"Vale, you're coming with us. Having someone inside who knows the place will give us an edge. Tomaru steps over to Shalelu and gives her Desna's blessing (Bit of Luck). He then goes over and does the same for Jakardros. After that he starts off.