| Session Date | January 21, 2023 |
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| Base XP Gained | Carry Over |
| Player Notes | ZZ's Notes |
As the party left the Stone Giant’s cave they spotted a brown bear watching them intently. The party decided to fly over it on the carpet to check it out, but it did not react to this, its only reaction being curiosity. So, Jarrik went over to it and began a bearish conversation. It was a servant of Grimbyrn, the werebear, who had sent it to see what the party was up to. It had no message for them nor any instructions beyond simply see what was going on. With that, it departed to the south. The party took the time to use the Dwarf communication stone to send Nali a message on what had transpired thus far, primarily the snuffing out of the Stone Giants.
The party now began their trek to retrieve the Dwarves, horses, and squire. As they passed along the slope of a mountain, they spotted four of the blue wyverns they’d seen before, with the small imp-like riders. They were flying down the mountain slope at very high speed, clearly to attack the party. ZZ said a prayer for the party then hit one with his jester suit powers, causing it to be engulfed in a swarm of bats. The others fired arrows as they came into range, while two were hit by a slow spell. The wyverns dove into the party as the imps fired arrows from very short bows, their first volley being of strange ice arrows that exploded into frost upon hitting (or missing). A melee now ensued. Sirius was stung by a wyvern’s tale and began to succumb to poison, but was save by a spell from Mordecai. The wyverns and riders soon were overwhelmed. One tried to flee but Hans shot it down with a magic missile spell. The rider survived the fall but only long enough to be cut down.
The party took some time to collect bits and bobs from the wyverns, then continued on their way, soon reaching the Dwarf camp. As a group they now made the return journey to the caves, only to be set up by a flock of Harpies flying out of a nearby woodland. Four of these were slowed by Hans and several blasted by a fireball from Sirius, but not before Burt, Dane, Mordecai, Deaglan, and Helgavinka succumbed to the Harpy song, running towards them headlong. Still, the Harpies were no match at all for the party and soon wiped out. The party made it back to the caves without further incident, where they settled in the new arrivals and directed some defensive works be built by the Dwarves.
The next day, the party left the caves once more, leaving Jarrik with the Dwarves as additional protection for them. The party made their way to Garimbyrn’s steading. ZZ explained that the werebear, while gruff, was friendly to the party. However, when they arrived before the wooden palisade of the place and hailed him, the werebear responded with seeming hostility. The party was at a loss for this and simply left. Turning everyone invisible, the party decided to try to approach the Ice Wizard’s palace on foot, crossing over the southern slope of the mountain on which it sat. The climb was quite difficult and the way treacherous (I did not play that up nearly enough – it’s not called Icy Mountain for nothing!).
As they made their way slowly, there was sudden movement near them as a White Dragon appeared. It clearly had sensed their presence. A second appeared on the mountain and then a third across the foggy valley to the south! One of the dragons sent up a great roar that was answered from the east then began to clearly start hunting for the party. The party was having none of that and took to the air (leaving Burt’s plant behind) to continue their approach. As they rounded the bend of the mountain, the palace came into view. It was a stout yet elegant fortress of white stone built into the side of the mountain in a cleft or valley. There was a deep cut before it, spanned by a very long and slender bridge of the same white stone. From the fortress arose a very tall tower, some 200 feet tall, that gleamed with reflected light. From atop it shone out a very bright, blue-white light of great intensity. From it the party could feel an intense anger and power unlike anything they’d felt before. As they proceeded, the air around them began to quiver and the clouds above them darkened menacingly. But he party continued forward until suddenly the clouds burst open and a rain of ice began to fall from above over a wide area. The party was severely pummeled. Proceeding was no longer an option, so they dove and skirted the mountain to get out of the line of sight of the intense light.
The party recovered Burt’s plant, dodging the various White Dragons now flying about, as well as a dozen or more Blue Wyverns and riders, all searching for the party. Licking their wounds, the party fled back to the Stone Giant caves as the air temperature began to fall precipitously…