Session 7: Ma's Hog Farm

Session 7: Ma’s Hog Farm

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  Morning, 10 Aers 530 — On Bluto’s Back Trail
The heroes decided to pursue the outlaws by following Bluto’s trail. After a long rest, they broke camp and set out east-northeast. The giant had made no effort to conceal his path, so tracking him was easy. The trail wound across hiking trails and game paths, full of switchbacks to avoid deep ravines and rougher terrain.
  The heroes moved carefully, wary of perils that might hinder their pursuit.
 

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Early Afternoon, 10 Aers 530 — Ma’s Hog Farm
Bluto’s trail led the heroes to a sprawling farmstead. Cautiously scouting from a distance, they observed:
   

Five large farm dogs prowling about.

Three giants living in the farm’s largest buildings.

A dozen farmhands (human, orc, and dragonborn).

A barracks of goblins, entering and leaving in numbers.

Fields of foot-high corn.

Two large hog pens.

  The activity during the day and evening made a direct approach too risky. The adventurers resolved to act during the darkest hours before dawn. Instinct told them that the best clues to the outlaws’ whereabouts would be in the giant longhouse.
 

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Extremely Early Morning, 11 Aers 530 — Ma’s Hog Farm
Well before sunrise, preparations began for a stealthy approach. Suddenly—a tremendous roar ripped across the morning air. From their vantage point, the heroes saw a dark, winged shape crash onto the distillery roof.

A dragon.
It clawed open the roof, dropped items inside, then circled back into the sky. Giants came tumbling from the longhouse as smoke poured from the distillery.
Chaos erupted:

• Ma Parker entered the burning distillery, attempting to fight the flames.
• Brutus and Buford Parker rushed to defend the hog pens.
• The dragon swooped low, exhaling a cloud of noxious fumes which slew scores of goblins, farmhands, and hogs.

  Meanwhile, the adventurers...

• Kruk dashed south through the cornfields to hide.
• Fourth-Knife transformed into a wolf and challenged the farm dogs.
• Imaranger attempted to ensnared several dogs with Entangle.
• The others crept along the cornfield edge, edging closer to the longhouse.

The heroes investigated a storage shed, finding only mundane farm tools. Kruk and Fourth-Knife began circling the burning distillery as chaos unfolded.

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The Longhouse
Inside the longhouse, the adventurers discovered:

• A dirt-floored hall sparsely furnished, with braziers providing dim light.
• A throne-like chair dominating the east end.
• A giant-sized attic twenty feet overhead, and human-sized tables near the northwest wing.
• A suspicious bearskin rug concealing a massive trapdoor.

In the attic, Twig uncovered giant spider cocoons—only to be ambushed. Injured, he escaped and warned the others.

At the trapdoor, magic runes and barring mechanisms were discovered, but teamwork overcame them. Below lay a secret basement.

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The Basement
Descending into the cellar, the heroes met an ancient crone.

"Begone, lest I curse ye! I have magical powers!"

(A bucket floated dramatically through the air.)
The heroes tried reasoning with her, but she compelled Kruk and Imaranger into magical slumber before disappearing.
Beyond her chamber were locked, rune-barred doors:

• A giant loon, who mockingly flew away after exclaiming “Later losers!” in the tongue of animals.
• The door to... Dead Lars.

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Dead Lars
Behind the final rune-sealed door stood a giant skeleton, wielding an immense spiked club.

The battle was brutal:

• Imaranger was struck down in a single blow.
• The skeleton’s swings inflicted grievous wounds.
• Spells and steel eventually prevailed, and Dead Lars collapsed into ruin.

  Scattered among the bones and debris of the chamber was a hoard of coins, claimed by the ancient right of inventores custodes.

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Aftermath
With foe slain and the farm in chaos, the heroes slipped away before the giants regrouped. The dragon’s attack provided cover as they fled, leaving Ma’s Hog Farm in flames and ruin.

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