My name is Shu and this is the story of my most honourable grandmother.
Having stepped into a circle of teleportation without the faintest idea of where it led, Sosha and her allies were surprised to find that it led back to the comfortably appointed study of their sorcerous patron, the golden mage Strens Versi.
“What a happy coincidence!” Porin beamed, warming his hands by the flames of the multi-coloured fire crackling in the wizard’s hearth.
“It was no coincidence, happy or otherwise,” the magus snapped, “Once I realised you fools were about to leap through a portal into the frozen heart of the Winterlands, I took steps to intercept you and bring you back here.”
The fellowship emptied out their pockets, pouches and interdimensional chests, then tallied up their haul. Each member of the fellowship suddenly had thousands of gold to squander on new magic items. My most honourable grandmother purchased a crimson cloak that reeked of brimstone but allowed her to cast dimension door once per day without expending a spell slot. She also purchased a pair of goggles that allowed her to see in the dark. Porin purchased a broom of flying and Althalus secured a pair of soft-soled boots that enabled him to move silently. Wang bought a six-pack of healing potions, on the principal that gold is great - but you need to be alive to spend it.
While the heroes were out shopping, Strens Versi examined the two floating gemstones that had attached themselves to the party during their exploration of the hill giant stead. The stones had adopted Sosha and Nerox respectively and followed them around ever since. Although the golden mage was unable to identify the stones, he suspected that they belonged to a larger collection of equally magical rocks and the more of them the party gathered, the more powerful each individual stone would become.
Rested and resupplied, Sosha and her allies rendezvoused at the wizard’s tower and prepared to embark on the next stage of their giant slaying murder spree.
“Be warned,” Strens Versi said, as Nim laid out the teleportation chain upon the floor of his workroom, “The hill giants you fought were strong, but stupid. Frost giants are another cauldron of frogs entirely. Do not become overconfident. Work together and watch each other’s backs if you want to come back alive and in one piece.”
Sosha and her companions stepped through the teleportation circle, emerging into an icy wasteland of swirling snow and howling wind. The freezing temperature would have been immediately life threatening were it not for the rings of warmth that adorned each of the heroes’ hands. A hooded figure stood waiting for the party, silhouetted in dancing green flames.
“You meddlesome heroes have interfered in my plans for the last time!” crowed the stranger, sculpting the snow around him into three towering, bestial shapes. My grandmother told me that the snow monsters’ eyes flared with baleful green light as they charged toward her and her friends!
Sosha and Porin took to the air, where the beasts’ claws could not reach them. They could reach Wang just fine however, and spilled the monk’s bloody entrails across the snow. His coin pouch split open also, spilling coins among the glistening viscera. My most honourable grandmother described feeling sickened as she watched Wang ignoring his wounds to reach for the gold. Fortunately, Gorr was there to save the hapless monk, grabbing a handful of organs and stuffing them back into his body.
“My friends!” Nerox roared, raising his voice to be heard over the blizzard, “Remember the words of the golden mage! If we stand together, if we fight in harmony, we can defeat these abominable snowmen! Are you with me?”
Nerox turned to find himself standing alone, surrounded by all three of the yeti. Gorr and Wang stumbled away in one direction, Nim and Althalus fled in another, whilst Sosha and Porin had disappeared into the darkening sky.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to split the party?” Nerox raged, pulling out handfuls of his long, dwarven beard, “IT MAKES ME SO MAD!! RAAGGHHH!”
My most honourable grandmother often wondered why Nerox abandoned his bardic training and became a barbarian. Looking back on these events, it’s really not much of a mystery to me.
Eventually, Sosha and her allies pulled together and defeated the snow monsters. Of the pesky summoner, there was no trace. Despite the howling wind and driving sleet, Gorr seemed almost cheerful to be back in the mountains (his favoured terrain). The half-orc took the lead and led the party to the base of the glacier where the frost giants had made their frosty lair.