Session #2, December 10, 2017
Koriol's wounds from the two-headed dog's bites seemed to be infected as rather than healing, the flesh was dying away and he felt very unwell. In game terms, Koriol would suffer disadvantage on all to-hit and ability check rolls. He and Forni realized that this disease would eventually kill him if he was not cured and that his best chance for survival was to suffer through the two-day journey back to Amkedvik and hope that one of the drenge experienced with infected battle wounds could help.
They made the return trip without incident and Koriol was laid in a bed in his father's home where Allis, a berserker who had raided with Koriol's father, Kjorin Finnison, tended him. Although Allis was no healer and could not stop the disease, he was able to help Koriol stay as strong as possible while his body fought the disease. Finally, after a week in bed, Koriol pulled through and was on his feet again.
In preparing to search again for the buried mining village, Forni and Koriol recruited Allis, Iorad (another experienced raider, if an annoying one), and Gyrdhi who knew something about mining and was quite keen to find the silver mine that the men in the mining camp had supposedly discovered before an earthquake-driven mountain slide apparently buried them in their camp. The men equipped themselves with 6 shovels, 3 picks, 100' of rope, buckets, a hammer, a ladder, lamp & oil, a scale, two iron pots, cook's utensils, 5# of flour, 1# salt, 5# cheese, and a 5 gallon butt of beer. Plus sacks and a pair of donkeys to carry it all.
On October 29, 837, the five men set out to the east in search of the lost mining camp in clear but cold weather. At dusk the party disturbed a nest of giant wolf spiders which they dispatched quite easily. Koriol was bitten by one of them, but its bite delivered only enough venom to numb his arm for an hour.
During second watch that night, Gyrdhi's, three swinemen attacked the camp. Gyrdhi was killed instantly by one's greataxe. Koriol was knocked down as well before the swinemen were finally killed.
The next day was mostly sunny and warmer, though still below freezing. The party arrived at the site they had staked out for a base camp and began setting up a small smokehouse to preserve game they hunted, designated a paddock for the donkeys, and started work on a bunkhouse.
November 1's weather was much like the previous day's, just a little warmer and a little cloudier. The party spent the day excavating the mountain slide again, but finding little. As they worked a small flock of scarlet bloodhawks attacked them. Iorad was badly wounded before one of the hawks was killed and the others flew off.
That night, during the first watch, they heard something crashing slowly through the woods. Upon investigation they discovered a giant lumbering along and eating everything in its path, even ripping saplings from the ground to munch. Although it was not on a direct course toward the camp, the party reasoned it would soon smell their food, so they set up positions to snipe at it. The tactic worked exceedingly well as the giant was unable to figure out where the attacks were coming from and the party managed to kill it before it's reckless, random rampaging actually found any of the characters.
[Recreated from poor notes and weak memory. Apologies for any inaccuracies.]
