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Starday, 10 Calistril, 4734

The Rune Wardens have confronted the stone giant ambassador Kayalithica in her guest quarters at the royal palace in Niriath, capital of Isandria. The stone giant proves capable of summoning earth elementals and telekinetically hurling chunks of rubble. Astrid is the focus of the giant’s wrath and takes a beating.

Marcus makes clever use of spells to disrupt Kayalithica’s efforts, summoning an ice storm and then calling forth a fog cloud to fill the upper part of the chamber so the giant couldn’t see. With her attacks growing in effective, the giant is eventually worn down. Finally, Marcus finishes her off with a blindly launched fireball that blasts out a wall of the guest chamber.

Once the giant is slain, they search the chamber, acquiring an adamantine belt and some sort of gray magic bag from the body. Astrid spots a package hidden up in the trees at the top of the chamber, finding a letter from Mokmurian urging Kayalithica to step up her efforts to negotiate with “the elves” to get the artifact from Sandpoint.

Amelia uses glibness to assuage the concerts of the elf guards rushing towards the burning guest quarters. The adventurers then press on to investigate the Queen’s chambers, to look for more incriminating evidence. Amelia fast talks her way inside, where Inquisitor Inrolod and some elf guards have secured the room. The adventurers try to further confuse the elves by suggesting that the shapeshifting lamia is posing as a guard.

Astrid tries to sneak past the foyer of the Queen’s chambers to her back room, but is spotted by a clear-eyed elf guard. Inrolod reaches for his mace and the guard races for the back room. While Astrid and Zavian close with the inquisitor, Lea rushes after the guard.

Inrolod summons up a swirling ring of fire around himself. That doesn’t stop Astrid and Zavian from beating him into submission and he grudgingly surrenders.

The guard, meanwhile, has run over to a bookshelf and is fiddling with it. Lea runs up to stop him, and Amelia blinds him with glitterdust. The guard whistles, awakening one of the statues in the room, then channels negative energy. This badly wounds Marcus’ familiar Ash, who falls unconscious to the ground. The statue grabs hold of Lea.

The guard reaches through the bookshelf and carries off a brick-sized object. The elf makes a break for it, but Lea jabs out with her earthbreaker one-handed and manages to lay the it low. It falls to the ground, growing and morphing into a readheaded lamia. Marcus hits the statue with a dispel magic, rendering it inert. Lea then draws her longsword and beheads the unconscious lamia. She keeps the head.

After Ash is revived and wounds are healed, the party sends a message to their ally the Blacktree to notify him of what they have found so far. The queen’s chambers include a wizard’s laboratory in which it appears she was researching Isandari mind prisons, but otherwise there are no incriminating notes. The artifact the lamia was trying to steal appears to be a stone, the size of a brick, much heavier than it should be. They question Inrolod and determine he was not colluding with the lamia.

The Rune Wardens debate their next move and decide to wait to hear back from the Blacktree. After 10 minutes, however, a company of guards arrive and demand that they see the queen. There is no fast talking these elves, and the party ends up being accompanied by an entire platoon to the throne room.

The “room” is actually more of a courtyard, with several large stone outcroppings featuring enormous disapparating crystals. Dominating the courtyard is an enormous white tree which has grown out of the largest clusters of crystals. An enormous seat has been carved into the living tree trunk—the Sentinel Throne. Queen Tavara, dressed in white and gold, is gazes down upon them from the high seat. Standing nearby is the Ranger General Naya Hushblade.

The queen questions the adventurers and Amelia weaves a tapestry of lies, but Tavara is clearly not buying it. After a while, she cuts the story short and denounces them for lying in the sight of the Sentinel Throne.

Astrid then drops her disguise, accusing the queen of destroying her village, kidnapping the prince, and usurping the throne from the king. She urges the guards to detain the queen until an investigation can take place. The queen demands that the interlopers be arrested. Naya Hushblade looks uncertain, and the guards who accompanied the party refuse to obey.

Queen Tavara brings matters to a head, hurling a fireball at the adventurers (and incidentally catching the rebel guards). The fire scorches all of them, but the only one who perishes is the badly wounded Inrolod.

The rebel guards confront their counterparts, using only non-lethal strikes. Zavian realizes that the scattered crystal outcroppings are key to the illusory defenses of the sentinel throne. The adventurers begin smashing the crystals.

Queen Tavara, meanwhile, focuses fire on Astrid. After staring down an elvish guard and smashing a crystal, Astrid is struck with multiple scorching rays and falls to the ground, near death. Lea is too far to help. Zavian rushes over but isn’t able to stabilize her using mundane skills.

Amelia uses charm person to win over the uncertain Ranger General Naya Hushblade, who joins them in smashing a crystal and calling for Tavara’s surrender. When the last crystal cluster is destroyed, the Sentinel Throne’s defenses are withdrawn and Marcus, Amelia, and Lea concentrate on the throne and its occupant. Queen Tavara surveys the chamber one last time, then grudgingly surrenders.

The Blacktree, Shalelu, Galodar and Galebrie arrive moments later, flying in on giant owls. They explain that the queen’s sympathizers throughout the city have been defeated. They have control of Niriath. Prince Eldrin arrives and he and Astrid confront the queen.

Queen Tavara insists that she was trying to save Isandria and Eldrin’s future. She argues that the Chelish settler cities, Magnimar, Korvosa and Riddleport, will war with one another until one dominates the region and overruns Isandria before collapsing. Mokmurian’s giants will wash over Varisia like a cleansing fire, obliterating the threat. It becomes clear that she believes Mokmurian has merely unearthed ancient Runelord magics, but insists that Isandria stood free against the Runelords themselves and will be safe from the giants.

(Shalelu notes that in the age of Thassilon, Isandria was protected by the now-fallen elf kingdom in the Mierani Forest and the homeland of Kyonin.)

Tavara says that her husband was too tolerant of the humans, threatening the long-term safety of the kingdom. Astrid confronts her about the attack on her village, and Tavara says that her very existence as a potential claimant to the throne is a threat to Eldrin. Not to mention, a constant reminder of her husband’s infidelity. The queen reveals that her husband is trapped in a mind prison and his body is hidden within the Sentinel throne.

The queen is hauled off in shackles and King Thalion is revived. Still getting up speed, he welcomes the adventurers as guests, promises to get to know Astrid better, and pledges that Isandria (whose illusory defenses were shattered with the crystals) will stand against the giants.

The Rune Wardens prepare their plan to infiltrate the hidden elven kingdom of Isandria and confront Queen Tavara. The Blacktree reaches out to a merchant contact, Adalas, who has a cart tricked out with illusion magic. Lea and Zavian obtain hats of disguise. For the others, Galebrie provides enchanted acorns that will disguise them as elves for up to seven hours.

Zavian also visits the Sandpoint Cathedral and leaves his holy symbol, formally abandoning Abadar’s faith. He had come to realize that his faith was a selfish effort to hide from who he really is. His recent escalating arguments with Nualia also come to a head. She tells him to get his shit together, and leaves to take care of her own business.

Oathday, 8 Calistril, 4734

The party sets out for Isandria, traveling in Adalas’ wagon accompanied by Galebrie’s commandos. Astrid hangs onto the disapparating gem. Lea, unable to understand elvish but determined to stay out in the open rather than attempt to hide, concocts a cover story as a deaf mute the merchant took under his wing.

Fireday, 9 Calistril, 4734

They arrive at the edge of the border to find ranger guards expelling a desperate human family. Galebrie is questioned by an elven inquisitor, Inrolod. Lea,in her guise as a deaf mute forlorn elf, helps moves things along. Unable to acquire the gem from Galebrie, Inrolod searches the wagon and just barely misses detecting Amelia.

Once they are clear of the border, the Rune Wardens leave the cart and hand the gem over to Galebrie. Then the adventurers continue through the forest towards the “back door” to the capital Niriath. That night, Marcus uses a rope trick to create a safe and hidden camp site.

Starday, 10 Calistril, 4734

The next day, they hear a strange sound nearby. Astrid investigates and finds a ruined human settlement being picked over by two pixies who are arguing over a silver bell. Astrid resolves the dispute by teaching them rock paper scissors. They reward her with a pinch of pixie dust that will erase the last 5 minutes of memory. In the wreckage of the settlement, Astrid finds an inquisitor’s badge.

From there, they proceed to the waterfall cave where the back door is located. They find a wounded nereid, Meleena. After Lea heals her, the fey woman warns them that a lamia clawed its way through. Meleena kisses Lea to grant her a fey boon: the ability to breath under water. Lea promises to return with the lamia’s head.

Inside the waterfall cave, they find an elf gate, a portal known as an aiudara. With everyone hanging onto Astrid because of her royal blood, they step through. On the other side, they find themselves in the elven city of Niriath. There are murdered guards nearby. After stripping the guards of their outfits and gear, Amelia, Astrid, and Marcus activate their disguise acorns. They proceed through the city to the Blacktree’s house.

Their elvish allies prove to have successfully slipped back across the border. The adventurers warn the Blacktree about the lamia loose in the city. He warns them that there is a stone giant ambassador rumored to be in the palace, undoubtedly negotiating with the Queen over the artifact that the elves recovered from Sandpoint.

The Rune Wardens concoct a plan to infiltrate the palace with Amelia posing as an inquisitor and the rest as ranger guards. Using the bard’s glibness, they easily enter, then go after the giant said to be in the guest quarters. They end up roping in Inrolod and sowing dissent between him and Ambassador Kayalithica.

They ultimately convince Inrolod to send some guards to protect the queen, and to take the rest to guard the artifact. Amelia uses glibness to further confuse the giant, and they question her about who was responsible for the raid on Astrid’s village. They learn that Queen Tavara had hired Mokmurian to destroy the village and slay all within, with the stone giant general Galenmir personally leading the attack.

Having heard all she needs to know, Astrid reveals herself to the giantess and calls for her death.

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon

Fireday, 26 Abadius, 4734

Magical barriers have closed over all of the exits to the throne room. Valeria Endrin urges the dignitaries to remain calm as security is detaining an intruder. She then tells the party she has no idea what is going on, but doesn’t think that Amprei triggered the barrier. Their lead suspect is a half-elf violinist, who vanished from the bandstand just before all hell broke loose.

Valeria urges the party to find a way out and get to Amprei’s study in the Old Queen’s Tower. Lea suggests they see if wizarding prodigy Ryah can bring down the barriers. The princess says that she can bring down the fields briefly. Marcus quietly watches Ryah work and determines her ability to lower the door is innate.

To minimize the number of barriers they have to go through, the party decides to head out onto the side of the building. Marcus enlarges himself to carry Shayliss and Ryah, while the others use their own magic to fly or walk across the outside of the castle towards the Old Queen’s Tower.

Rounding the corner of the building, they spot the half-elf violinist slipping out of the tower with something under her arm. The Rune Wardens quickly catches up to surround her, after Zavian pins the suspect with a hold person spell.

The half-elf breaks free from the spell and morphs into her true form as a lamia: a creature with the upper half of a beautiful woman fused with the body of a lion. Astrid and Zavian are knocked prone, but Lea uses more magic to anchor her to the spot.

The creature tries to negotiate, but as soon as Lea’s spell fades she attempts to flee and is cut down. She was carrying a book embossed with a seven-pointed star, and had been using a rare Isandari artifact known as a disapparating gem to elude magical detection. Nualia swiftly lays claim to the gem.

The party traces her path back into the Old Queen’s Tower and from there to the extradimensional study that presently serves as Amprei’s laboratory. They disable the magical barriers on the castle and get back in touch with Amprei and King Aquilos, who were fighting some vampires in the dungeon below—a decoy, apparently.

Amprei soon joins the Rune Wardens in her study. She offers some more details on the disapparating gem, and is quizzed about the Runelords. She ultimately agrees to allow the party to study the book, which was an overview of the seven Runelords just before the fall of Thassilon, written by their contemporary the devil Sermignatto.

Nualia is loath to part with the gem, but eventually hands it over to Astrid for safekeeping.

Sunday, 14 Abadius, 4734

Having arrived at the Korvosan settlement of Melfesh and met with Lea’s mother Queen Cressida Kroft, the Rune Wardens settle in to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in the army camp. Remmy promises to arrange an escort for them to travel to the city.

Marcus continues crafting, while Shayliss travels the camp trying to sell his weaponry and raise brand awareness. Amelia entertains the troops with ballads of the Rune Wardens’ heroism. Zavian offers his services as an Abadarian cleric.

Moonday, 15 Abadius, 4734

A detachment of Korvosan cavalry led by a Lieutenant Syvas escorts the adventurers as they set out for the capital. The soldiers carry a royal banner with the black, red, silver and gold colors of the Houses of Kroft and Nox.

As they travel, Lea and Amelia notice that there are fewer travelers on the road than normal, even in the midst of the cold, damp Varisian winter. Lea asks Syvas, who says that with the Korvosan military deployed to the frontiers or withdrawn to the cities, there are fewer soldiers to patrol the interior. Bandits and monsters have filled into the vacuum, making travel more dangerous.

Toilday, 23 Abadius, 4734

After nine days on the road, the party enters a wooded area. Amelia is the first to spot a disheveled man leap out of the foliage and dash into the road, looking fearfully over his shoulder. He freezes and gawks at the column of warriors. The bard uses her song to fascinate him so he can be questioned.

Before that can happen, however, another figure comes charging out of the woods after the man and tackles him to the ground. The figure, dressed as an old woman, puts a sword to the man’s throat and says “Don’t you move or I swear by my pretty blue bonnet I will end you.”

This second person turns out to be not an old woman at all, but Ser Marl of Old Korvosa. A halfling named Ser Belia Bairnel arrives soon after, mounted atop the awakened riding dog Reno. The unusual trio explain that they are members of the Order of the Black Mushroom, a knightly order founded by Lady Kyra Loranth. They’d set a trap for bandit slavers who had been waylaying travelers. They plan to take this prisoner, along with several others, back to Korvosa for questioning.

The Rune Wardens link up with the rest of the Black Mushrooms, the gnome paladin Teena and their squire Gunny, and continue their journey together. Upon learning that Teena is a paladin of Sarenrae, Zavian questions her about the page from his past life’s copy of The Birth of Light and Truth. The gnome directs him to a Brother Ahmed at Korvosa’s Sarenrite temple for a proper translation.

Fireday, 26 Abadius, 4734

The party arrives at Korvosa and make their way to the castle. They immediately feel a strange sense of frisson in the air, tingling the backs of their necks and other regions. Shayliss and Nualia seem to be the most affected. The Rune Wardens suspect its a sign of Sorshen’s magic stirring beneath the city.

At the castle, they find that King Aquilos Nox has no time to speak with them, as he is entertaining the new Chelaxian emissary Zasz. He invites them to attend the Lunar Ball that night and arranges quarters for them. Elegant clothes are also arranged for those that lack them. Nualia makes use of magic to disguise her demon arm.

That night, the party attends the ball, which is being held in the throne room of the castle. The Rune Wardens make their entrance and greet the King; Lea makes formal introductions.

The party speaks with the court wizard, Gia Amprei, who offers to trade information about the Runelords in exchange for Marcus’ help with her professional feud against the aged Headmaster Toff Ornelos of the Acadamae. Marcus finds himself roped into a wizard’s duel against Ornelos’ apprentice, Princess Ryah, to take place the following morning.

Zavian and Marcus persuade Lady Jeggare to purchase the over-sized Sihedron medallion they recovered from the Kreeg Clanhold. Zavian also exchanges talk about merchat business with Lord Rolan Farima and High Arbiter Jerem Farima.

Lea catches up with Lady Kyra Loranth, who asks for her help in mending relations with Kyra’s youngest daughter Becky, who is a junior cleric at the temple of Iomedae. Lea promises to help.

Lea is then approached by a muscled young man who punches her square in the face and says simply, “I accept.”

She realizes this is Anton Jeggare, the boy whose nose she broke before skipping town. Anton says he has accepted her challenge, and expects to duel her tomorrow. Marcus chooses this moment to tell Lea that he will be fighting her sister in a wizard’s duel at the same time.

Lea chats with Laori Vaus, the city’s high priestess of Iomedae, who says she has seen the fingers of destiny touching the party in a totally platonic way, and that there is a rising danger over Varisia that takes the shape of a great golden eye peering down greedily from some elsewhere.

Lea finally catches up with Nox, asking for his advice on how to deal with the duel. Eventually, she decides that she will concede the following morning in order to minimize the harm to relations with the Jeggares.

It is at this point that Amprei warns that alarms on the entrance to the vault have gone off. Nox calls for Chammady to be summoned, and then gathers Laori, Amprei, and Kyra to investigate. He tells Lea and the others to stay in the throne room with Seneschal Valeria Endrin to protect the guests.

Shortly after the King and company have departed, magical force fields shimmer into place around all of the doors and windows.

Starday, 30 Kuthona, 4733

Having dismounted from their captured mammoth, Trumpy, Clairian Arrowsong and Flint reunite with their son Marcus. Clairian praises him for crafting his own armor, but chides him for not being stronger with the branding.

“There should be raven designs all over this!” she says, wrapping the mithral plate with her knuckles.

Flint and Clairian also reveal that the giant they brought back is still alive and available for questioning.

A platoon of heavily armored mercenaries return from their post at the Scarnetti manor. Far better equipped than any of the forces that defended the main town, “Alpha Squad” is welcomed back by Viorian Dekanti. They praise the defenses that Zavian laid down at the manor and Viorian gives him a pat on the shoulder. Feeling guilty, the cleric ropes the mercenaries into hauling the giant to a secure location—though Viorian insists on haggling for a fee.

Marcus offers to introduce his parents to his sort-of secret girlfriend Shayliss. They find her quietly trying to break back into her family’s grocery store and Marcus decides to hold off the introductions until later. Clairian uses a bit of magic to help Shayliss get inside.

Lea, meanwhile, takes Trumpy to the Goblin Squash Stables, which have not seen a mammoth in over a decade. However, the proprietor is able to make space for the creature. He gives Lea a bottle of wine as a thanks to the Rune Wardens for saving the town once again.

The paladin then heads off to check on Ameiko at the Rusty Dragon. The bard gets the Lea out of her armor and seats her somewhere comfortable to recover. Lea brags about breaking off Longtooth’s horn, and says she hopes to retrieve the whole head to serve as a new symbol of the Rusty Dragon. Ameiko’s glad she’s taking more of an interest in the business.

Marcus’ next stop is take his parents back to Das Korvut’s house. The blacksmith survived the battle, and he prepares tea while Marcus recounts his adventures. The young wizard notices that Flint seems to ask probing questions whenever the talk turns to Thassilon. Clairian, on the other hand, is more concerned with making sure Marcus got the proper credit for his heroism.

The two senior adventurers mention that their last adventure before returning to Sandpoint took them to the Thassilonian ruin of Hollow Mountain on a mission for the Pathfinders. Clairian explained that the dungeon was unusually active; to make matters worse, they were double-crossed by their companions and Flint spent an extended period mind controlled by a halfling. They retrieved a stone tablet from the ruins they thought might interest Marcus and Clairian presents it to him as a belated birthday present.

Meanwhile, Zavian finishes escorting the captured stone giant up to an open field near Old Light and uses stone shape to carve out a pit to leave the creature in. The cleric, joined by Nualia, goes off to help the townsfolk. He notices that Nualia is able to cast spells once again.

As the clerics travel through the town, they come across the smelly half-orc Gorvi scavenged some half-burnt shanks of meat from a butcher’s shop. Gorvi vigorously thanks them for saving the town and tending to the civilians. He gives them a grimy potion bottle as a sign of gratitude.

Once safely clear of the half-orc, Zavian remarks on Nualia’s renewed divine power, noting that Vivi wasn’t the only one to get something out of the vision quest with Idun. Nualia says that the last step was consecrating the former Lamashtu shrine in the Catacombs of Wrath as a shrine to Desna. Zavian expresses his own doubts about himself and the recent revelations about his history. After everything he has done for her, Nualia promises to stay at his side.

Zavian also checks in on the old woman, Risa, who he sort of rescued during the attack. She has returned to her quiet little tavern and is being looked after by her daughter. Zavian confesses that it was his failure to properly reinforce the defenses which led to the giants getting in. Risa urges him not to blame himself and reminds him that without the Rune Wardens, the town would have been doomed.

Over at the giant’s prison, Astrid and Prince Eldrin question the prisoner. The stone giant says that Mokmurian has learned ancient magics that will allow him to lead his army of giants to victory, driving the small folk into the sea. The prisoner says that Teraktinus sought a stone from the ruins of Old Light, for reasons unknown. Perhaps Mokmurian hoped to use stone giant arts to speak with the stone. The captive also identifies Mokmurian’s general Galenmir as the giant that led the raid on Astrid’s village, but he doesn’t know why.

The interrogation done, Astrid turns the giant over to the Sandpoint authorities for trial.

The Rune Wardens gather at the Rusty Dragon to regroup, where they are joined by Marcus’ parents. Lea confronts Flint over his true history as a Korvosan noble and one of the legendary Crimson Blades, the adventurers who saved Korvosa a generation ago. She asks where the hell he’s been and why he hasn’t returned to help in this time of need.

Flint says that he’s already died for Korvosa once, and doesn’t plan on doing it a second time. He and Clairian also explain that they have not been complacent all these years, having been adventuring across the Inner Sea against multifarious dangers. Marcus is confused by these sudden revelations. He asks Clairian if she’s got any secrets to share, and she insists she doesn’t. Marcus gets the sense she’s holding something back. Ameiko escorts the now quite drunk Lea upstairs.

Shayliss drops by the Rusty Dragon and gets roped into meeting Marcus’ parents. Clairian quickly takes a shine to her, having always known that Marcus would eventually find someone. Eventually, Flint convinces her to leave the poor girl alone and takes Clairian out onto the dance floor to the tune of Amelia’s latest ballad.

Marcus and Shayliss talk, and agree that the time has come to reveal their plan to leave together to her father.

Fireday, 5 Abadius, 4734

Marcus first takes Shayliss down to Magnimar for a couple of days while he has the strange dwarf wizard Kunarv enchant his cart. He runs into Viorian there as well, who has come to pick up a magic sword from the collector.

Upon returning, Marcus and Shayliss finally work up the nerve to talk to Ven Vinder. Marcus explains his interest in bringing Shayliss along to help with the wagon, spinning it as a safe learning experience. He intends to leave it to Shayliss to disclose their relationship, but Ven takes him aside first.

The burly shopkeeper has noticed the half-elf’s interest in his daughter and wants to make sure that Marcus doesn’t plan to make a career out of adventuring if he has any long term intentions towards Shayliss. Ven also reminds Marcus that he will kill him like a chicken if anything happens to the girl. Marcus recalls that the family has already lost one daughter, and feels a pit of worry in his stomach.

Marcus’ unease is not leavened by his father’s insistence that the two have a sparring match. Flint carries no weapons but his gloves, while Marcus is given a quarterstaff. While Clairian cheers him on, the son takes several swings at his father. He lands a coule hits, but isn’t able to press the advantage and ends up disarmed. The whole experience leaves both men frustrated, though Marcus dimly recognizes it as an attempt by Flint to connect with him.

Inspired by the match, Lea challenges Astrid and the two end up squaring off, while Zavian referees and also serves as bookie. Astrid is the heavy favorite, and validates the odds by winning handily over Lea.

Sunday, 7 Abadius, 4734

After a day’s sailing, the party arrives in Magnimar. While the others commission the Maiden’s Folly to once again ferry them up the Yondabakari River, Zavian seeks out a powerful cleric. With the priest’s aid, he is able to dispell a curse from the scrap of parchment he’d retrieved from the old Sarenrite shrine in the Shade District, allowing him to read it fully.

Sunday, 14 Abadius, 4734

After sailing up the river and across Lake Syrantula, including being challenged by both Magnimarian and Korvosan warships, the Rune Wardens arrive at the town of Melfesh. A forest of red and black tents has sprung up outside the town walls and it is there that the party heads. They are directed to the command tent, where a figure in black and gold armor steps out to meet them.

It is Lea’s eldest brother, Crown Prince Telus, who chides Lea for her poor timing. He explains that she is not the only guest at the camp.

Moments later, they are joined by Lea’s mother, Queen Cressida Kroft, who is in conversation with Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras of Magnimar. Lea awkwardly introduces her girlfriend to her mom and explains she is returning to Korvosa at her father’s request.

Cressida speaks with Lea and Telus alone in the warded command tent. She explains that the Runelord Sorshen is stirring in her vault deep below Castle Korvosa. The problem started five years ago and has only grown worse. Sorshen, the Runelord of Lust, specialized in enchantment magic. In the event that she rises, much of the Korvosan military has been deployed to the frontiers. It’s a show of strength to Korvosa’s neighbors, but it also keeps the army away from any mind controlling powers. Cressida suspects that Lea has been summoned back because her father heard of her exploits and believes she is powerful enough as a paladin to be immune to charm magics.

This is all news to Lea, but also to Telus, who doesn’t like being kept out of the loop. Cressida also confesses that she’s worried about her husband’s state of mind. His recent messages have been cryptic, and by all accounts he is shut up in the palace, obsessing over the risk from below. With an army of giants on the loose, Cressida can’t return to the city to investigate. She has to deal with the problem at hand.

Outside, the Queen’s captain-adjutant Remmy has been regaling Zavian with a long and increasingly implausible story about how she lost her eye. All of a sudden, a Korvosan soldier goes flying through the air. A trio of hulking Shoanti warriors barge through the camp, their leader demanding to see Queen Cressida on behalf of his father, Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills.

The young warrior Sejun dumps a stone giant’s head on the ground. He says that the giants are raiding the Sklar-Quah, during winter when the tribe is at its weakest. The giants are amassing in the Iron Peaks, far too strong for the Shoanti to fight on their own. Sejun demands that Korvosa honor its alliance and come to their aid.

Lord-Mayor Grobaras chimes in to say that he too has come to discuss an alliance against the giants. Cressida invites them both back into the command tent to discuss. On his way into the tent, Sejun tells Lea that losing his earthbreaker to her years ago was a lesson in humility; he tells her to hang onto it until she deems him worthy. Lea finds herself left back outside, where Remmy is wrapping up her winding take about the missing eye.

Fireday, 29 Kuthona, 4733

Having learned of an impending stone giant raid on Sandpoint, the Rune Wardens are racing back to the town to assist in its defense. Zavian and Nualia arrive in town ahead of the rest of the party. Zavian offers his services to the authorities, while Nualia goes around town apologizing for her past efforts to burn it down.

While working on bolstering Sandpoint’s defenses with his magic, Zavian is approached by Lord Titus Scarnetti. The Scarnettis offer him 5,000gp to direct some of his efforts towards bolstering the defenses of their manor, which lies outside Sandpoint’s defense perimeter. Zavian takes the gold and steps away from his work on the town for a while.

Starday, 30 Kuthona, 4733

The rest of the Rune Wardens reach Sandpoint the following day. They quickly split up to visit their friends and loved ones. Amelia drops in on the Pixie’s Kitten to check up on Kaye Tesarani and her girls. Lea heads straight for the Rusty Dragon Inn to see Ameiko, who is not at all pleased with how the paladin ran off to ogre country without so much as a goodbye The dressing down becomes literal as Ameiko has Lea dress up in a frilly barmaid’s outfit to help her tend bar. Amelia quietly spies on the lover’s spat.

Marcus makes a bee line for the Sandpoint Grocery, where he finds Shayliss and her father Ven, who is boarding up the shop in preparation for the attack. Shayliss arranges for Marcus to escort her to the Rusty Dragon so she can pick up lunch. She is unhappy at how Marcus had vanished for weeks with only a single letter offering vague information on his whereabouts.

Astrid and Eldrin briefly interrupt them, but sensing the tension, the elves quickly retreat.

Marcus apologizes for treating Shayliss with the same thoughtlessness his parents treated him. Shayliss reaffirms that the two of them are still exclusive. Marcus offers to take her with him on the party’s next expedition, which excites her. She tells him that she’s learned how to make use of magical scrolls and wands. After playing a game of “find the dagger” in a side alley, the couple arrives at the Rusty Dragon, where Lea the barmaid begrudging serves them.

Astrid and Eldrin, meanwhile, toured the town, which the prince finds delightfully quaint. The two of them arrive at the Rusty Dragon, where they confer with Shayliss about the fate of Eldrin’s comrade Dace. The Ranger Guard was taken away by Inquisitor Inrolod, an ally of Eldrin’s mother Queen Tavara. The prince plans to send Galodar to infiltrate Isandria and see what the state of things are. Astrid persuades Eldrin to lie low at the Rusty Dragon for now. Eldrin is also impressed with the “public humiliation ritual” that Lea is undergoing.

Zavian and Nualia are strolling through the city when they run into Gorvi, the foul-smelling half-orc who runs Sandpoint’s street sweepers guild. He is overjoyed at Zavian’s efforts to involve the street sweeps in making up for the lost labor at the outlying farms. Gorvi shakes the aasimar’s hand vigorously, and slobbers over Nualia’s demonic hand. He insists on accompanying them to the Rusty Dragon, but just as he is starting to creep on Lea he is forcible escorted outside by Ameiko.

After Marcus escorts Shayliss back to the grocery, he stops by Das Korvut’s house. The old smith is holding up well enough, and tells Marcus that his parents were in town. The two adventuring archers left town last week on some mission for the Sheriff, and are overdue to return.

At noon, the Rune Wardens gather at the Sandpoint Garrison for a war council with Mayor Kentra Deverin, Sheriff Belor Hemlock, the heads of the Four Families, Lieutenant Belvar Korrinas and the mercenary captain Viorian Dekanti, whose Black Talon company was sent to reinforce the town.

Belor and Viorian offer competing strategies for protecting Sandpoint. Viorian suggests a defense in depth approach that would sacrifice much of Downtown, but offer more protection for the defenders. Sheriff Belor notes that this would ruin the livelihoods of many in Sandpoint. He suggests setting up defenses that would funnel the giants towards a few key points, where the defenders would hold out against them. In both versions, the Rune Wardens would serve as a strike team to charge in wherever they are needed.

After some careful thought, aided by Zavian’s divination spells, the adventurers settle on Belor’s approach, but insist on evacuating the civilians to the sea caves. They arrange to have the Sandpoint Watch guard the North Gate, Viorian’s mercenaries protect the Tanner’s Bridge, and Lieutenant Belvar’s soldiers hold the Sandpoint Bridge.

Having gleaned from Zavian’s petitions to Abadar that the giants will attack during the day, the party settles in for the evening. That night, Ameiko discovers the strange markings on Lea left by the divine magic that saved her from death on a Kreeg ogre hook. Ameiko holds her tight and the two reconcile (mostly).

Oathday, 28 Kuthona, 4733

That morning, Lea switches into the barmaid’s outfit and helps serve breakfast to the rest of the Rune Wardens. They’ve only begun to tuck in, however, when the alarm is raised at the North Gate. The giant attack has begun!

The adventurers leap onto their horses and ride for the gate—all save Lea, who is struggling to get into her armor. Ameiko givers her a hand, proving disturbingly adept at swapping out the paladin’s outfit with great haste.

The Rune Wardens have only made it halfway across the town before another attack begins on the Tanner’s Bridge. Zavian, Amelia, and Nualia peel off to support Viorian’s mercenaries while Marcus, Astrid, and the elves press on to North Gate. Lea, trying to catch up, hears strange roars coming from the Tanner’s Bridge and spurs Prince Shadowmist in that direction.

At the Tanner’s Bridge, two stone giants are driving four dire bears across the bridge. Acting fast, Amelia casts grease on the bridge while Zavian buffs his companions and Viorian’s mercenaries. The first grease spell sends two of the bears face-planting onto the bridge, and a second casting stops the second pair of bears just as they reach the end of the bridge. Lea leaps up onto the barricade to hammer down at the beasts. The stone giants lob boulders at the defenders.

At North Gate, a trio of stone giants are also hurling stones at the defenses, though it will take them some time to batter down the heavy wall. But they are overshadowed—literally—by the arrival of the dragon Longtooth. The red wyrm swoops down from the north with a fearsome roar, passing over the gate and continuing onto the Sandpoint Garrison. It belches flame onto the stone building, before landing upon it to gloat at the terrified humans. Here and there, Viorian’s snipers loose arrows at the dragon, but only occasionally find any weakness in its red scales.

Meanwhile, south of Tanner’s Bridge, a trio of stone giants punches through a weak point in the riverside defenses that Zavian had ignored in favor of the Scarnetti mansion. The giants, lead by an enormous warrior carrying two massive pickaxes, begin marching through town towards the ruins of Old Light.

At Tanner’s Bridge, Zavian uses control water to unleash the Turandarok River, sending a tremendous flood surging over the bridge. The four dire bears and one of the stone giants are swept away. Leaving the remaining stone giant to Viorian’s forces, Amelia, Lea, Zavian, and Nualia rush to intercept the other three giants. They can hear more fighting taking place further south at the Sandpoint Bridge.

Meanwhile, the red dragon takes wing and sets the Sandpoint Cathedral on fire. He pauses once again to gloat over his handiwork.

At the North Gate, Eldrin, Galodar, and Shalelu take up positions on the wall. Astrid and Marcus use magic to clear the wall and try to creep through the foliage to flank the three attacking stone giants. They are spotted, but the giants are not able to bring them down with boulders before the pair enters range. Astrid charges the nearest giant, while Marcus lines up a lightning bolt.

Zavian, Nualia, Lea, and Amelia catch up with the stone giant intruders at the intersection of Crab Street and River Street. They see one of the giants grab an old woman off a balcony and stuff her into a sack. The leader of the giants, who stands a full head and shoulders above the other two, demands that the adventurers get out of his way if they wish to live. They refuse.

Lea flies up to attack the lead giant, Teraktinus, while Zavian and Nualia attempt a daring rescue of the old woman in the sack. Emphasis on attempt. The skirmish devolves into a clumsy brawl as Amelia hurls glitterdust at the giants, blinding the one carrying the old woman. A command spell from Zavian further throws off the giants. Although Teraktinus gets some good knocks in, Lea ultimately bludgeons him to the death.

The red dragon Longtooth arrives too late to rescue the stone giant leader, but he does manage to douse the adventurers with fire. Zavian chooses to use his magic to protect Nualia rather than the old woman and only belatedly attems to save her.

Lea, armor still smoking, air walks up to face the dragon and smashes her earthbreaker into his head, chipping of the tip of one of his horns. The wounded Longtooth knocks the paladin aside and flees the scene.

Astrid and Marcus, having dispatched their own stone giant trio, reunite with the other rune Wardens and together the party rushes down to the Sandpoint Bridge, where a scene of carnage awaits them. The Magnimarian soldiers put up a good fight, but Lieutenant Belvar and most of his men are dead.

All of a sudden, a woolly mammoth charges across the bridge towards the town. Mounted atop its back is the slumping figure of a stone giant. The mammoth comes to a stop at the end of the bridge and the giant topples off, revealing its back to be full of arrows. riding behind the giant are two figures, a man and a woman. The deftly disembark, with the woman sweeping her arm up to take in the mammoth.

“Look what we found!” says Clairian Arrowsong, Marcus’ mother, while his father Flint brushes mammoth fur from his cloak.