Session 15: Rivals and Rings

The party continued to travel toward the safehouse, but along the way, they came across two hill giants, injured from the battle against the harpies, circling around to make it to the bodies of their slain kin. Seeing the party, they engaged in battle with them, their ire already stoked. The party, however, were able to slay both of the giants and collected the loot from the giants, which included a severed hand with a ring on it.   However, both their delay waiting for the giants and harpies to finish their fight and their subsequent battle against the surviving giants allowed for the group sent by Duke Greyhall to catch up with them.   The groups met up, with the party being relatively cold toward the others. The opposing group consisted of:   Apex Daggerhart, the apparent leader of the group, who had spoken to the party the day before. He had apparently told the rest of his group that Illeavere was “into him” quite a bit.   Kjellfrid, a Northlander warrior, who took an immediate interest in Levi. She made a teasing proposition toward Levi, and when he turned her down, she made a joking reference to the fact that “their” noble liked men and joked about trading nobles so she could have Tertius.   Dana Llewyllyn, a follower of the Red Knight and assumed to be some type of warrior. Their face was fully concealed beneath a helm that they did not remove, but they spent the entirety of their time watching Rieta from a distance without saying a word.   Torfeld, a Northlander cleric of Tempest. He is a war priest who, upon discovering that Illbryen worshipped Emone, made his opinion clear, declaring Emone as a “nerd god”.   Delnis Pumanath, a Triton paladin with little “surface” experience. He marveled at Bolvaic as one of the races that live “in the dirt” and asked a number of ignorant questions, such as if Bolvaic ate rocks. Despite his ignorance and arrogance, he playfully got along with Bolvaic.   Ayluin Nornelis, a Wood Elf who remained at the edge of the group, watching and witnessing the party. Though he did not speak to anyone, he glared at Kaal throughout the two groups’ interactions.   Harrison Garrington, Tertius’ cousin, spoke with Tertius though Tertius was rather cold to his cousin. He discovered that after Tertius and the party turned down his offer, he sent for him to join this new group, since he wanted someone of his blood and lineage to proclaim victory in returning the prisoners.   Though not with them at the time, the party discovered that the Tabaxi that traveled along with the group was named One Feather Less.   The party impressed upon the second group that they were responsible for the death of the giants and the harpies that the others had passed. However, after a cold reception, the groups parted ways. During camp that night, they discovered that the ring on the severed hand was actually a Ring of Mind Shielding, which Illbryen claimed. However, after attuning to it, they discovered that it contained the “soul” of Cornelius Peck, who apparently was slain by the Hill Giants. He was rather rude and terse with Illbryen, seeming to take the whole dying as an inconvenience and demanded that Illbryen resurrect him using his severed arm, which Ileavere used gentle repose to stop its decay. Cornelius was rather annoyed at having to wait until Illbryen finished their current task before resurrecting him, but he conceded that he had no choice.   The party continued along the path ahead of the others, though they saw the rival group following behind. When they came to a fork in the road, the party continued along the map given to them by Malthus Normal, while the other group took the opposite fork, leaving the party with an expected larger head start at reaching the safehouse before the rival group.