Campaign 2 – Episode 22

Original game date: October 27, 2018

The game resumes in Cold Harbour, where Fortune’s Irregulars plot with the locals to take out a family of hill giants. Matron Guh and her two sons, Ud and Eg, have moved into the old bailey surrounding the keep of Tempest’s Eye, which sits on a blasted tor overlooking the ocean just outside the town. It is a keep that Grellosh is very eager to explore.

The party has heard about a local historian, Old Turbot, who knows the most about the keep and the area’s local history. There is also the Spragg family, father and son; the father, Casper Spragg, is the only known person to have entered the keep and come out again, though he was left broken. He lives with his sone Bartie, and for the past year, a white dragonborn named Tovull Orthaak, known locally as Shepherd, has been lodging with them.

The Shepherd and The Necromancer

Tovull Orthaak, a druid of the Circle of Elemental Shepherds, is staying with the Spragg family, who have a cabin a short way up into the Sword Hills. Its rough farming area and the Spraggs have never made much effort. There is a small garden, but its mainly herbs and components. Casper Spragg was a powerful druid of the Circle of Elemental Shepherds but something happened in the keep that broke his mind. His son, Bartie, very much wanted to carry on his dad’s tradition, but had no teacher. Instead he took up Necromancy. He has no real teaching but his dad had collected some necromantic items and among them he found a spellbook.

Tovull has come to cleanse the Tempest’s Eye having detected a potent negative enery emanating from it, however he has been thwarted by the Giants. He is quite happy to ally with Fortune’s Irregulars in defeating the giants so long as he might explore the keep with them afterward.

Saul speaks privately with Tovull, expressing an interest in his Circle and explaining the vision he had of Coyote and its message that he should seek the shepherds. Tovull is curious but guarded and says that he will judge Saul‘s mettle in the coming fights and should he prove worthy, he will introduce him to the Circle.

Old Turbot

Turbot is a cantankerous collector and horder whose sprawling ranch outside the town is home a variety of oddities.

It’s said that Tempest’s Eye has an ancient foundation that is said to date back to a fortress founded near the end of the Empire of Ostoria. Some say it was built by a powerful orc warlord named Wodugog Stormbringer who built it to impress an elf maid he coveted, a princess of the Summer Court in a foolhardy attempt to woo her. Other stories claim it was built as a challenge to Hekaton Blustercrown, one of the greatest kings of the Storm Giants in the dying days of Ostoria. Some say both. All agree that Wodugog was one of the most famous orcs of all time, achieving an empire stretching down from the Sword Mountains as far south as the harbor that became Waterdeep.

The keep is haunted by Wodugog‘s spirit and many other undead things. It has been abandoned for as along as anyone can remember. Only one has entered and come back out, that being Old Caspar. A few years back a group of kids (adventurers) went in and stirred up quite a clammer that hasn’t relented much since.

Storming the Bailey

Fortune’s Irregulars prepares a bit of subterfuge so that next time the village presents its tribute, they will spring an attack and try to take out whichever of the two sons comes out to get it and try to eliminate one threat quickly.

A great melee ensues and the heroes carry the day, defeating Matron Guh and her two sons as well as ogres (including an Ogre Howdah), bugbears and goblins. Torvull proves himself a formidable ally, summoning several friendly elementals.

They rescue two infant tortles, taken initially as food but kept as pets for the amusement of Matron Guh.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *