SKT Session 2 (9/5/22): The Forge of the Fire Giants

The airship quickly made its way due east, heading towards where the oracle said the Duke would be residing. Late into the evening of their seventh day of travel, the party saw what looked to be a village atop a spire-like mountain range. They decided that this must be the village of the yakfolk.

Dhrys and Kimberly decided it would be best to approach as two travelers who were seeking an audience with Duke Zalto, the fire giant lord. They set up a way to communicate with the rest of the party telepathically, then flew down from the airship with the help of a fly spell from Kimberly and pounded on the gate closing off the main part of the village. A tall, furry creature resembling a mixture between a yak and a man opened the gate and asked the two travelers what they wanted.

"State your business."

Dhrys spoke up and claimed that the two wanted an audience with the fire giant lord, Duke Zalto. Seemingly surprised that the adventurer knew the whereabouts of the duke, he further inquired whether or not Dhrys was of House Xorlarrin. Dhrys had heard the name before, but couldn't quite remember much about it. He went along with the yakfolk's inquiry and said he was. That was enough to earn him an audience with the yakfolk chief, Kartha-Kaya.

"I trust you have the flask, then."

Chief Kartha-Kaya prodded Dhrys for information, all the while offering food, drink, and pipeweed to the two travelers. Dhrys steadfastly declined, while Kimberly downed some soup. Dhrys also refused to tell whether or not he had what the yakfolk chief was asking about. Kartha-Kaya insisted that Dhrys have what was necessary to meet with the duke, but Dhrys kept a cool enough demeanor to convince the chief to let him and Kimberly through. He ordered one of his wives to show him the way.

"Nahala, escort them to the elevator."

Meanwhile, the rest of the party was mobilizing to the front gate. Dhrys and Kimberly had been communicating with the party during their conversation with the chief, and had urged the rest of the party to join them when things started to look a little hairy. As Nahala led Dhrys and Kimberly towards the elevator, Galanodel, Lucien, and Seamus snuck over/through the gate. After infiltrating the village, Galanodel made a dash for the chief's wife, holding his rapier to her throat upon reaching her.

"Move and your life will end."

The wife complied with the party's orders. She told them she knew the elevator could take them down to the upper or lower level of Ironslag, the Forge of the Fire Giants. She didn't know much about the duke or any of the happenings in Ironslag, since no one from the village besides the chief ventured down into the fire giants' lair.

The party took the elevator down, keeping Nahala with them to act as a guide. The sound of chains and smithing filled this undergrounds space. They looked around the upper area of Ironslag, finding orcs working under the watch of a fire giant. Dhrys spoke to the fire giant, claiming to be of House Xorlarrin, while Kimberly disguised themself as a servant and the rest of the party hid. The giant seemed to believe Dhrys and told him the fastest way to the duke was through taking the elevator down a level. While waiting for the elevator, Kimberly collapsed and turned into a mass of watery, blue goo. Dhrys, confused, stepped in front of them as to try and conceal their appearance from the fire giant. After giving Kimberly a good kick, they woke up, still in a watery form. The elevator finally arrived and the party, once again, took it down.

On the bottom floor of Ironslag, the elevator looked out to two openings. Straight ahead of them, our adventurers saw a large fire giant, dressed regally, playing fetch with two flaming hounds. To their right was a room filled with goblins running around, cleaning up from what seemed to be a recent meal.

After talking to one of the goblins, they found out that the fire giant playing fetch with the hounds is Duke Zalto, and his chambers were nearby. However, while distracted with the goblins, the wife of Kartha-Kaya sprinted back out to the elevator and yelled to the duke.

"Duke! Intruders!"

Dhrys and Galanodel quickly moved towards Nahala, silencing her instantly. As the yakfolk's dead body fell to the floor, her two killers looked up to see if the duke heard, only to find the fire giant still playing with his pups. Luckily, the sounds of Ironslag muffled Nahala's cry for help.

Quickly, the party mobilized to the ducal chambers. Inside, they found a large bed with manacles and chains hanging over it, wardrobes, and a large table with a great stone chest beneath it. Working together, Galanodel and Nadhrys picked the combination lock on the chest. When they pushed the chest open, though, flame burst forth from the interior, scorching the party.

Once the smoke settled, everyone peered into the great chest, seeing many mystical items. Chief among these items, though, was a great conch with giant runes carved into its inside. The party had found the duke's conch of teleportation.

"Don't you know it's rude to go through a lady's things?"

Looking up from the chest, the adventurers saw another fire giant. Dressed in an ornate gown made from a young black dragon's scaly hide and wings, she loomed in the chamber's entrance with two aproned ogres in tow.