Storm King’s Thunder. Session 30: Griffons on Griffons

12^th-16^th Ches 1458DR

Standing at the bar in the taproom of the Singing Manticore Tavern in Fireshear, the party debated what to do. Fenris decided to ask the barman about transport out of the city. The barman (a man named Thel Drumm) was alarmed at the thought of anyone intentionally sailing to Svardborg but said a ship could possibly be chartered from the docks. If they wanted something faster there was a griffon-trainer who lived outside the city who could be hired at a price. Fenris asked if there was any news of the giants and Thel replied that Jarl Haelgra had been particularly active lately. She had recently attacked Bryn Shander in Icewind Dale, apparently in search of an artifact called The Ring of Winter. This ancient relic was said to grant the wearer the ability to spread an age of ice and frost over the world, which would give the Jarl awesome power.

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of screaming and battle outside the tavern. Rushing to the door they saw an enormous longship moored at the docks. Frost giants were raiding the city, resisted only by small pockets Fireshear militia that were no match for the savage giants. Looking down the hill they saw three Frost giants plundering the “Golden Horn” guesthouse as the terrified occupants screamed within. With a flash, a Dwarven woman riding a Griffon swooped in to strike at the giants while shouting “Axes high! Giants bleed like everyone else!”. The Gilded Griffons drew their weapons and charged into battle, with Hewen soon behind them. A short but bloody battle ensued, starting with Maganose casting Polymorph to turn one of the giants into a sheep and spending the rest of the battle dodging it’s clumsy attempts to ram him.

After the battle, the dwarf landed her griffon and hailed them. Her name was Dasharra Keldabar and she was a former member of the Griffon Cavalry in Waterdeep. She thanked them for their help and they asked about hiring her griffons. She agreed to train them and fly them to Svardborg (for a price). It would take three days of hard training to learn how to fly them.

She paused for a moment called out to Darius asking if they had met before. After a few moments she asked if his father had been Dante Hawkwood in Waterdeep. He replied that he had, however his parents had died some time ago. She said she had been a great friend of his father and was there when he died: knifed by a Zhentarim. She asked if he had ever met his grandparents. Darius had not - he knew his father had a contentious relationship with his grandfather, who had left their home, leaving Dante to provide for the family. She said she had met him once: a very tall man, who surely must be very old by now. Dasharra pulled something out of her pocket: a small amulet on a chain. She said Dante had asked her to give this to Darius if they ever met. Opening the locket, Darius was shocked. Inside was a picture of a young man with a beard (matching the locket Fenris had stolen in Waterdeep). Opposite was the inscription “Dearest Dante, I chose the world but I loved you first. Love Maganose”. Darius realised that the crazy old wizard in their party wasn’t completely wrong about them being related: Maganose was his grandfather. Staring at Maganose, he said thatthey had much to discuss in the future. Darius thanked Dasharra and the Griffons agreed to meet tomorrow morning for the beginning of their griffon training.

Over the next thee days they underwent a harsh regime of learning to ride Griffons: proud beasts that did not accept riders easily. Carlan bought some decorations for them: tabards, yellow ribbons, flashy bracers and helmets. To further their bond, they all named their animals: Seeing his animal was fast and sleek, Amadeous called out that his was named “Flyberius”. Carlan attached a cute collar around her griffon’s neck with the name “Snowbell”. With a little tear in his eye, Darius declared his griffon was named “Velrosa”, after his former liege Lady Nandar in Nightstone. Fenris smirked as he named his griffon “Useful Hewen”. Korrak barked that his was named “Cici”. Maganose thought for some time before naming his “Red Baron”, after a famous flier in ages past. Smirking back at Fenris, Hewen named his “Fenris”. This goading drew a sneer from Fenris, who replied that he was very sure that Hewen would like to ride him but that would never happen.

After three days they were ready. With Dasharra at the lead, the Griffons flew north west for 100 miles. The clear blue, sea gave way to jagged islands of ice. Dasharra shouted out that they were getting near as this was the famous “Sea of Moving Ice”. Flying swiftly through the northern sky, Carlan sang to the rest of the party as she played on her lyre. Far below them they spied small forms: Uthgardt tribesmen hunting seals, polar bears striding across the snow and at one point the huge longship that had raided Fireshear. Dasharra called out that it looked like Jarl Haelgra was out whaling, but would probably not be away from Svardborg for long so they had best try and retrieve the horn quickly, before she returned.

After most of the day, they saw Svardborg in the distance: an enormous ancient iceberg floating in the frigid sea. Giant longhouses stood half-buried in a ring on the perimeter. Dasharra spotted a small landing spot to the western side that appeared large enough to land yet not immediately visible to prying eyes. They landed and Dasharra told them she would wait 8 hours but no longer: surely the giants would be back before then and she had no intention of being caught by the Jarl. Creeping forward, Amadeous and Fenris scouted out the longhouses. The nearest held three Frost giants raucously laughing and drinking. To the side of the room stood an enormous warhorn, possibly an alarm to be raised in case of attack. The others were different, one being apparently abandoned, as it appeared in severe disrepair yet at the far side stood treasure chests. Another held a pack of yetis and in another blue-skinned elves stood in cages, being watched by 2 frost giant guards. The final house they saw looked in much finer condition than the others, a large lock on it’s door and it’s windows shuttered. Unable to gain access they returned to the rest of the group and decided to deal with the nearest house first.

Creeping up to the house and storming in, they caught the giants quite by surprise. They had been drinking heavily and Amadeous was able to smash the horn before they were able to raise the alarm, however the thunderclap of Fenris’ bow may have been heard outside. Surprised and drunk, the giants fell before the Griffons. They wiped off their weapons and prepared to find the Jarl’s half of the Conch of Teleportation, surely it was here in Svardborg somewhere.