SCENE 01 – Trake, Horus, Ornan, and Jorgrim make their way as close as they can to the hill giant camp before drinking the potion of Grow. Once of proper giant size, the announce themselves to the perimeter guard that they are fire giants bringing a message to their general, Club. They have barrels of wine with them, one of which is spiked with a mild poison that is lethal if taken in great quantities.

SCENE 02 – After being escorted to Club’s inner chamber, they find Club reclining with his harem. There are two hill giant lieutenants in the room as well as five ogres which serve as his body guard.

Introducing themselves to Club, the hill giant challenges Horus to a match of strength stating that the message will be weighed according to his strength, not the actual words (which he cannot read in any event).

The match is close, but Horus prevails and they parlay with the hill giants. Club drinks deeply of the spiked wine, as do his lieutenants, and they drift into a stupor.

SCENE 03 – The guards are unwilling to let the adventurers leave, however, and haven’t taken any wine. The party is aware that time is running short and the potion may wear off at any moment. Tricking the guards, the party is escorted back to the tunnel entrance and they run down the hill just as the potion wears off, the hill seeming to grow in size as they return to their normal form. Barim is waiting for them at the nearest entry to the Dwarf-tunnels.

SCENE 04 – After a few days’ preparation, the dwarven army, 400 warriors strong, marches out with the party towards the Ymari encampment.

As the host makes its way westward, they note an increase in black birds in the sky. Eventually, black birds are everywhere, blocking out the sun. Directly in their path forward stands the Tower of Birds.

The host halts and the party advances, while Piety goes to a nearby tree and speaks with a raven. Piety learns that the birds will not harm them unless given direct orders and they have not received such orders. This is a relief as there are tens of thousands of black birds making up the tower.

SCENE 05 – Emerging from the tower, a creature appears and approaches the party. Trake recognizes the creature as the Shadow Crawler.

The Shadow Crawler greets the party and says that his master wishes to speak with them. He assures them that no harm will come to them if they parley. The party turns down the invitation; the Shadow Crawler returns to the tower and the tower moves northward.

SCENE 06 – Feeling that time is running short, but moving slowly due to its size, the host makes it way towards the Grasslands. They eventually make it to the fortified town of Raenmoor and they select a few to go into the town to seek aid while the rest of the host stays a safe distance away so as to not give the wrong impression to the townsfolk.

SCENE 07 – Thanks to Adario, the party is able to navigate through the tricky social web of the town and get an audience with the Town Council, headed by the Heirophant of Bezpar the Bloody-Handed.

The Heirophant is unwilling to risk sending warriors out and leave the town undefended. The priestess of the Monster Slayer goddess, however, is sympathetic to the situation (and seeking to solidify her own power in the Council) and volunteers 100 Amazon warriors to aid the Great Host of Free Peoples. Further, the Amazon warrriors will be bearing the sacred Relic of their faith before them, the Crown of Might, to be taken out during battle.

SCENE 08 – Heading north, the Great Host of Free Peoples sees 200 mounted troops to the northwest but cannot make out if they are friend or foe. The party advances and soon sees that they bear the banners of their city, Aetos!

At the head of this force is Seonid, their old henchman. Seonid does not have good news. Aetos sent out almost every warrior they had to hand to deal with the growing orc presence in the mountains and the council of magic-users, under the leadership of Luminous Branth, seized control of the city and left them exposed to orc attack. The fighting has been fierce and by sheer luck, Seonid found passage to the valley on the far side of the mountains by different means than the Pilgrimage Road the party took.

SCENE 09 – Seonid’s force is welcomed to the Host and the party plans their next move: a small party will seek out the Crone by the riverbank and the rest will proceed to the Ymari stronghold.