Genuine Imitation Lizard Skin

As Thesis powers down through the dark waters, he feels his mind start to drift.
It’s taken him over a year to grow accustomed to his new body.
His altered senses were strange to him at first, but he’s grown to like his enlarged size, armoured skin, razor-sharp teeth and enormous lungs.
He’s even gotten used to the four-foot tail!
Something is still wrong though…
He should be more than he is.
More than just a Warrior.
More than just a meat shield for the ungrateful Spellcasters.
A greater glory is calling to him…
But what?

Short on Experience

Although I annoyingly keep ending sessions half way through encounters, it's not fair that certain characters don't get rewarded.

If he doesn't drown before the finish, Durin will get enough experience to go up to 15th level!
Josh, roll your new d12 for HPs in front of Dag or Sven and have your character sheet ready.

As for the last round of level ups, I allocated one above average HPs just for the sake of the sheets.
Assif's boys rolled him a disloyal minimum of 6 for Thesis but what did Hawkmoon and Bodush really get?
Are their character sheets correct?

New Banner: We said Spank Us, not Kill Us!

Utterly gorgeous Sirenes with a craving for human flesh. But this time, they didn't want to eat, merely to have a taste. If we hadn't been greeted by a loathsome Hag and her Scrags, we might have just let the sailors have their way.

Instead carnage ensued.

The situation is not particularly good though. We have swum through a water tunnel to find ourselves in a water filled cavern faced by said Hag and Scrags. Rapidly running out of breath, I think this may go badly!

By the way, some of the funniest parts of the adventure were earlier when we got a rather annoyed Elder Air Elemental to "blow" us. Classic.

Kudos goes to Yousef for being cleverer than a room full of PhDs :)

End Game

As a few players have pointed out, I’ve been hogging the Dming duties since November last year.
In an attempt to finish, I will not force the Party to search the mainland of ‘Sirenity Island’ or turn around and head for ‘Savage Island’ or ‘Cob Island’ or even to stop at ‘Mammouth Island’.
All the Party has to do is finish/escape the current situation with the Sea Hag and get back to Shalalah for the final showdown with Estaban.
I’m happy to play any week and any day.
Please help me work out when all six of you are free at the same time.
I don’t want to delay the next session but I NEED everyone present.
It would be mean to kill you all piecemeal.
;)

Railroading trick Number 2

Peril as you like it

The eight beautiful Sirens lie on the rocky shore giggling together. Their mother has just warned them that visitors are approaching.
‘I can’t wait for them to come. They may be cross though… Do you think they’ll spank us?’
‘Well you’ve been ever so naughty. Perhaps they’ll spank us all… And then do as they like with us!’
‘Yes, we all deserve a good spanking!’
Tossing back their luxurious long hair, their laughter rings merrily across the water.

What the Sea Saw

The old crone lets her gnarled hand dip into the seawater.
‘I sense a disturbance in the depth. Someone has angered the Kraken. Someone travelling by ship. Someone very powerful. Come my beautiful daughters, let us prepare them a suitable welcome.’

Let your Wind Blow Free

Eolar finds it impossible to meditate over the incessant whispering of the Iron flask in his pack.
Turning it over in his hands, he can see the writing engraved upon its smooth surface.
It is written in ‘Infernal’ but that is of little consequence to a cleric of St Cuthbert.
A simple prayer deciphers the two phrases:
‘May this flask be your home’ and ‘Be free only to serve’.
By the cool temperature of the flask and the howling whispers he can hear, Eolar can guess that a powerful creature of air is currently trapped inside.
A useful ally in any situation.
The only issue will be when a situation's bad enough to warrant its release.

New Banner: Knowing When To Stop

Oh brave valiant heroes ... not!

So, having masterfully executed a less than perfect plan and taken out all the male giants and any threat, we find ourselves again close to death through sheer stupidity.

The female Fomorians were ready to surrender and bow to our wishes, but we attacked them in their caves. Coming out in a rage they trampled all over us sending us scattering, but still they offered surrender.

Did we take it, no we didn't.

Ragnar chose mistook raised arms for menace and carried on with the attack.

Eventually, barely alive (especially Durin) we took their final surrender.

On the upside we got a magic boat and armfuls of fancy treasure and useful magic.

Onward to the conclusion of this Odyssey of Lunacy ...

The Bigger they are, the more experience for all

At last the Party managed to fight worthy creatures and gain vital xp.
The Giant snakes gave shed loads and the Fomorian giants gave massive amounts.
:)
Working out what Bodush deserved was difficult but worthwhile in the end as he still (just) managed to level up, as did Thesis and Hawkmoon!

The current scores (In experience order):

Mendez: Level 17: 147,696xp
Eolar: Level 17: 146,253xp
Thesis: Level 16: 138,350xp (Up to 17th level!)
Bodush: Level 15: 120,099xp (Up to 16th level!)
Durin: Level 14: 103,468xp
Hawkmoon: Level 13: 91,651xp (Up to 14th level!)
Mara’ch: Level 13: 88,745xp
Ragnar: Level 13: 85,062xp

Dag, Scott and Assif roll your new HPs in front of the first available witness and let me know.
Regardless of the dice roll, Thesis is the first of us to break the 200HP barrier!

Let’s Kill the Battered Women and take their Stuff!

The remaining giantess sends one of the children to fetch the ‘boat’.
Hawkmoon , suspecting treachery trails after the boy and watches him like his namesake.
Making his way to the dead leader’s cave, the boy pulls aside a heavy rock and exposes a secondary, smaller cave.
Inside are piles of gold and silver coins, gems and various items that can only be magical.
The giant boy retrieves a small box and moves to come out of the cave.
Despite their obvious size difference, Hawkmoon blocks his path and indicates the rest of the treasure. Simple gestures make it clear that Hawkmoon expects the boy to bring it all.
Scowling, the giant boy does as bidden.
Pulling out sacks, the boy drags the treasure out of the cave and down to where the Party are waiting.

It’s a big haul.
4,012gp.
6,829sp.
241pp.
18 gems.
A golden statuette of Moradin (God of the Dwarves).
An ornamental silver shield of St Cuthbert.
A golden crown set with rubies.
A Tapestry showing a victorious battle of Hextor.
A leather quiver containing 20 arrows.
An Arcane scroll: Identify/Sleep/Web.
An Arcane scroll: Dismissal/Arcane Eye.
Potion.
Potion.
An impressive looking Tower shield.
A Throwing axe.
Some sturdy leather gauntlets with iron rivets.
A chain shirt.
A wooden box that has some Elven words caved on it’s lid: 'Size of a: Box/Boat/Ship'.
And finally a silver flask. (When Durin put it to his ear, he could swear he could hear the sound of the wind and a voice pleading for release.)
Also, Hawkmoon hands over the Masterwork, 'flaming' sword he found tied onto the Fomorian chief’s spear.

Not wanting to hang around for the returning giant warriors, the Party make haste back to Bodush’s ‘Magnificent mansion’ where they can divide up their 'earnings' in safety.

Can't live without him?

Four Arms glares at the tiny interlopers.
They’d attacked early and despite their precautions had somehow caught them by surprise.
A few of his warriors had left to tend the flocks already, but most everyone else was here.
These had to be the creatures who’d attacked and killed the boy Gronk and the Beast-master.
They don’t look scary, yet two of his dogs have been destroyed and one of his brothers lies dead at his feet.
Killed by magic!
Spinning around to look for the culprit, he sees the vile Sorcerer hovering in the air.
Their eyes lock.
Despite his massive size, Four Arms is surprised to see something strange in the Sorcerers gaze…
Fear?
Amusement?
It’s impossible to tell what exactly but the Sorcerer is definitely planning on leaving.
But why would he abandon his underlings so soon?
What does it mean to their plans?

Short-handed against Tall Fee Fi Foes

Well, apart from Dag and possibly Moritz, we stil have four players for next TUESDAY (the 9th of March).
If you four survive the rest of the 'Giant' encounter, I'll try to get you all back to Shalalah.

New Banner: Those Colours Are Insane!

Ahh, the wonders of Prismatic Spray. Drove one of the giants completely nuts and made a lovely statue of a dog to remember us by.
Sadly though not enough damage was done by the many other beams and we find we have only killed one of the giants so far.

Following a neat if poorly executed plan we find ourselves ambushing a Troll-Giant stronghold. The Fiery Demon conjured by Eolar has been consumed. Great work from Bodush, Eolar, Hawkmoon and Marach so far, but next it will be the turn of the fighters. If only we can praise Ragnar away from the lady giant he is molesting ;)

Bring on the Wall! Sorry ... Giants!

[Edit: Eolar having conjured big beasties to battle giants and persuaded his pet bear ... sorry Ragnar ... to go fight the ladies, bravely placed himself out of harms way behind a shell of repulsion.

Nothing new there you might say, but the problem with this one is that his friends can't move back to him for healing either :(

Maybe he will unleash devastating divine fire from afar?]

Properience?

After an odd few sessions, we’re going into the next one mid-battle with the Giants.
This is unfortunate as a few of you should go up a level before the final confrontation with Estaban.
You’ll need to!
Assuming the Party is victorious against the giants and that Thesis and Bodush survive, they should both go up a level.
Thesis up to 17th and Bodush up to 16th!
Hawkmoon may also squeak up to 14th.
As such, can you work out your new character sheets and have them ready?
Dag can roll his new d4 in front of Sven.
Assif and Scott will have to allocate average Hps until the day of the next session.
Hawkmoon can have 4 + con bonus and Thesis gets 7 + con bonus (Assuming he takes another level of Barbarian).
Considering the way we play, the Party might not get to Estaban’s mansion…
But you might!