The dam is about twenty miles upriver, so if the party sets out first thing in the morning they can expect to get there early in the evening, with a check for forced marching. Otherwise, Fort Rannick is on the way, and the party can rest there overnight and get to the dam during the following day.
"I say we don't force the march!"
"I agree with you. I mean, we dwarves may be hardy, but that's no reason to push ourselves, you know?"
"That's fine by me."
I speak quietly. "Thank you for fixing that problem, it was going to slow me down. I can march all day lets go."
The party stops for the night at Fort Rannick, finding that the rangers have started to clean the place up. They're still staying outside in the fort wall, though...it isn't that clean yet.
The next morning, refreshed, the intrepid adventurers continue their trek north. Fortunately the rain has stopped for the moment It's still a slog, as the choice of path is between dense forest and recently waterlogged riverland.. Eventually, though, the end of the march comes into view.
Spanning the great breadth of the gorge is Skull’s Crossing. The massive wall of stone holds back the waters of the Storval Deep—but only just. Thousands of skulls have been carved into the dam’s face, with five larger ones decorating the middle length. The easternmost of these immense skulls is all but hidden by a steady flow of cascading water pouring through what appears to be a recent break in the dam. For now, the ancient dam seems to
be holding its own against the Storval Deep, but unless these rains end soon, the recent flood looks to be but a minor precursor to a fantastic disaster.
The eastern slopes of the gorge are sheer and slick with rain. On the west side a narrow stone stairway winds up toward a cave mouth near the western rim of the dam. From this distance you can tell that the edge of the stairs are decorated with some sort of poles or fence, but it's hard to pick out details. Just then, the rain restarts.
Hey! Look sharp! There are several lumbering shapes moving around the top of the dam! Cordwin says quietly as he points to where he saw the shapes.
+2 vs unusual stonework, +1 vs giants
"Yeah there are. Probably up to no good you suppose?"
"What where?"
"Indeed." Reynard says, nodding. "More ogres, you figure?'
Druamin looks where Trox is looking. "Yeah, I don't see anything there either." Then he notices the others looking up at the wall and he nudges Trox with his elbow and points. "I think they're talking about up there."
"You know, I think climbing up on the east side is going to be pretty much impossible for most of you. I can shift into some animal and get up there pretty easily but that won't help anyone else. So, I guess it's the path on the west. But I'd say we should get up there soon. I don't think that this dam is going to hold much longer the way it is. I mean, I'm not really an engineer or anything but it seems pretty obvious."
"I agree with Druamin, let's get going." Skarn proceeds to go up the western path.
"The path it is, I could climb but it seems silly."
The party heads up the spray- and rain-slicked path, a seven-foot winding stairway of stone climbing the cliff face some two hundred feet before ending at a cave mouth. Hundreds of stakes line the edges of the stairway, many of them decorated with skulls--some animal, some humanoid, but all marked with a strange skull-shaped rune on the brow.
The steps are sized for large creatures, so anyone who's not a giant or ogre has to struggle a bit to ascend.
Trox gives a boost to any that need it is they traverse the large stairs. He looks at the skulls and shrugs.
"Trolls! I hate trolls! Of course, the feeling is mutual. I have acid at the ready to finish them. Fire or acid anyone?"
Skarn will proceed, taking 10.
"Trolls? That sounds about right."
Entering the cave, it's a short passageway that ends in a small alcove. However, there's an opening fifteen feet above the ground that opens to the west.
Cordwin will gladly accept a boost from Trox!
Reynard scampers up the oversized steps easily enough.
Nothing disturbs the party as they struggle up the oversize stairs, eventually reaching the cave.
"A rope would not be unappreciated, but make sure you are safe from attack first."
Udent flits up invisibly, then returns to the cleric. "There's a two-headed giant up there, sitting against a wall and chewing on a dead human's leg."
"Shall we go kill it?"
"Eating a leg, probably nor a new friend. Never seen a two headed giant anyway, lets go."
"If one of you can hit me with guidance, I believe I can make myself invisible and shimmy right on up this cliff and bring the fight to that beast!"
"Give me a minute, I've got a better solution." Reynard says, as he begins pulling out assorted vials and flasks from various pockets.
"I can get up there easy enough in short order. At worst I can hold it where it is."
"When your ready to help the others I will head up and keep it busy. I am sure it wont be that tough."
”I too can make it up, and invisibly at that.”
Druamin tilts his head up to the tunnel entrance. "I'm sure I could finagle a way to get myself up there but not sure about Kobu. If Reynard could carry us up, that would be good. But, did any of you consider lure the giant down here?"
"I offer that we can try any plan we want, but that we can only have one. To attempt this with several plans at once would be lunacy. Therefore, I will withdraw my own plan, and we will choose one of yours."
"Skarn, I'd rather Trox not have to solo that giant while I ferry everyone else up. Why don't you and Trox both go, and I'll drop the others just after." Reynard says, as he starts drinking extracts.
"That sounds good, from the time I go invisible, I can be to the top in under 12 seconds I expect. Are there any buffs desired by the group before we start?"