The Marriage of the Giantess Morwenna - Masterpost

Egbert Lievensz van der Poel

The Giantess Morwenna is hosting a tournament, a grand melee with a grander reward: her hand in marriage. Her soldiers have scourged the landscape for miles around, kidnapping farmers as slaves or food for the Giantess. Three mercenary armies have added to their depredations, led by a trio of warlords intent on contesting the hastilude. The festivities begin in seven days.

The Marriage of the Giantess Morwenna - Music Post

John Martin

Marriage of the Giantess Morwenna used a mix of handpicked and recycled sounds. I got a lot of mileage out of the Dwarf Fortress OST, which is the best thing to come out of the Steam release. 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - Epilogue

Flying away from the wreckage of the wedding as fast as possible, Jack Fatherd received a telepathic message through the talking sword Agia, given him by the Cave Elf Carnamagos prior to his final mission against the Giants. His handler in the Hundred Hands, using the mated sword Agillus, asked him for a report on the mission. Jack reported that Morwenna was dead, the Giant Cleric and his servitors were dead, the Red Ball mages were dead, but Aldrich and the Brazenkragg Agents escaped. Jack got an image from the guy on the other end of the line. A man sitting in front of four plates, two of them filled with cakes. The man was smiling. The next image was Jack's next mission: a room full of people, hands soaked in purple grape must, stabbing Aldrich to death. 

 

But that would have to wait, because Jack needed to take care of the Giant Bat who almost died. If his asshole Case Officer wanted it done faster than that, he could come down here and do it himself.   

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Ten

Four of the victorious Lute Bastards attended the Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna.

• Aldrich Brisbane the Groom
• Laguna Tempest the Mage
• Zigar Kneecapper the Thug
• Grimm Dundragon the Ranger

The wedding was on the lakeshore, where slaves had set up tents with food and an open bar. Grimm was already drunk, courtesy of the Red Ball mages who insisted he get wasted. Laguna tried to convince the student wizards to cast a protection spell on him, but they were no longer in his employ and wouldn't go for it. Zigar talked with the numerous soldiers running security for the event. They explained that they had a combat scribe with a scroll of ESP to judge the intent of the guests and prevent any assassination plots. The mage read the scroll but the alcohol coursing through Grimm's brains protected his thoughts. 

 

Houdini came over to remonstrate with Aldrich. Morwenna had picked out her sister Dora to witness the consummation of the marriage, and the Mummy needed to know who Aldrich would bring. He chose Datura, because she was a notary or because he thought it would be funny. He'd actually met Dora previously, even helped her escape the Manor of the Giant Arminius alongside her real father Pendergast the Wizard. Technically she was only Morwenna's half-sister, though that wasn't public knowledge. Aldrich looked over at Dora and Pendergast, who were giving Morwenna an early wedding present: a box filled with eggs. Morwenna wore a tight robe made from the skin of a dozen saber tooth cats, which could barely contain her body. Dora said something Aldrich couldn't hear, and Morwenna's face contorted in an expression of unforced wonder and delight. She picked up her half-sister and hugged her.

The Giantess put Dora down. Her face assumed its usual affectless sneer. She caught Aldrich staring. Licked her lips. The Giant Cleric Kadminion, emissary from the Godsfeast Abbey, announced it was time for the main event. 

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Nine

 

On the day of the Tournament of the Giantess Morwenna, Delgal Haberkorn the Student Wizard woke up early to exchange the ancient weapons the Lute Bastards found in the swamp with the archaeologists. The archaeologists' camp at the Iron Cup franchise was a day's travel to the southwest, but Delgal had a hunch that they had already relocated to the event venue for the Tournament.

Delgal's hike proved uneventful and his hunch proved right. Menmen and Glorietta were happy to receive the weapons and armor from the prehistoric zombies, especially the boar tusk helmet with the skull still inside. In exchange, Delgal chose a Cloak of Protection from the archaeologists' stash. He spotted a number of familiar and unfamiliar faces crowding the food stalls outside the stadium, where Houdini the Mummy had tossed an orb of diamond vision that projected images of enormous size. The preacher Big Eclipse, the Ettin and Houdini himself all made appearances, as well as a ten foot giantess and a human wizard waiting in line to buy snails and beer. As he left with his new cloak, he saw a Giant in the vestments of the God King's clergy approaching the stadium, accompanied by an entourage of half-giants.

Delgal made his way to the assigned start point for the Bastards, where he was joined by

• Aldrich Brisbane the Fighter
  
• Laguna Tempest the Mage
  
• Zigar Kneecapper the Thug
  
• Datura the Elf
• Grimm Dundragon the Ranger

And let's not forget their entourage

• The Stone Golems Rough and Tumble
• Ganga the Acrobat, Charmed by Laguna
  
• Two Owlbears, ensorceled by Grimm's ring of Control Animal
  

And their mercenaries

• The Giff artillerymen of The Cannon's Thunder
  
• Chelicera the Bard, beloved daughter of The Decapitator
• The Panzerbjorn and their three suits of necrotic tadigrade armor 
• Median the Yellow and his Killer Bees
• The Myconids and hooded killers of Black Mask
• The student wizards of Red Ball and their wands of Magic Missile
  

The group went over their plans and waited anxiously for the games to begin.

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Eight

Five adventurers woke up in Ishizaka's blockhouse on the last day before the Tournament of the Giantess Morwenna.

• Umbrich Brisbane the Fighter
  
• Laguna Tempest the Mage
  
• Zigar Kneecapper the Thug
  
• Datura the Elf
  
• Delgal Haberkorn the Student Wizard
  

Accompanied by their hired Illusionist Cangue and the Stone Golem Slagface, the adventurers peered out of the window at the commotion from the crossroads a couple miles east. A column of Green Men from One Ear marched north toward Gorrister's keep, singing cheerful songs. They decided to wait until their mercenaries arrived before investigating this new development. They were scheduled to show up and they needed to get everyone introduced and delivered to the Dwarven outpost where the rest of the Bastards' forces were waiting.

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Seven

 

Two new adventurers hiked up the causeway to the Lute Bastards' mountain fortress.

• Grimm Dundragon, Ranger, bonus mercenary.
• Delgal Haberkorn, student Wizard from Red Ball, arrived a day early

The Magic User Laguna Tempest teamed up with Median the Yellow to put the finishing touches on his Stone Golem, a big red chunk of animated hematite that he named Slagface. Umbrich Brisbane went under the base to earthquake-proof the foundations in case Gorrister sent his Earth Elemental in retaliation for the tower raid.

 

Looking out from their mountain fastness into the cold and rainy landscape, the Lute Bastards immediately noticed a change in the surrounding environment. The malarial swamp on the northern shore of the lake was now an ancient barrow. Laguna Tempest, Slagface the Stone Golem, Zigar Kneecapper, Datura the Elf and the two new adventurers set out to investigate.

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Six

With three days to spare until the Tournament of the Giantess Morwenna, four adventurers woke up in the captured Dwarven outpost in the mountains northeast of the lake.

• The Prospective Suitor Aldrich Brisbane (polymorphed into the beast Umbrich Brisbulk)
  
• The Mage Laguna Tempest
• The Elf Datura
• The Thug Zigar Kneecapper

They had a job to do. Today was the last day where they could accept the Brazenkragg agents' deal and still have time to get their mercenary army together before the tournament. They also wanted to fuck with Gorrister the Great and his tower. All of those things were on the west side of the region. They left the Giff of the Cannon's Thunder to guard the fort and set off down the hill.

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna: Mercenaries

Hopfer and Schon

If the players want to fight in the Tournament of the Giantess Morwenna but didn’t bring a retinue of troops, they’ll need to recruit an army. They can do so locally, but options are limited besides hiring people away from the other contestants. If they want more troops, they'll have to hire some outside help.

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Five

On the opposite side of the map from the Loot Bastards, a group of Halfings and humans gathered in a hidden burrow to plan their assault on the holdings of the Giantess Morwenna.

• Ashton "the Astounding" Humblehair, Halfling Magic User
• Falfer Humblehair, Halfling Magic User
• Gwimbly the HoBroken, Crippled Human Athlete
• Jack Fatherd, Human
• Roddy Applecreek, Halfling Alchemist

Their homes had been destroyed by Morwenna, their families eaten or enslaved. Or they were just sick of watching atrocities and not doing anything. They had a mission, explained to them by the Halfling Guerrilla leader Cruick and the Deep Elf Carnamagos, agent of the Hundred Hands from the Commonwealth.

 

Morwenna was going to die on her wedding day, Jack Fatherd would make sure of that with his empowered death spell. But that wasn't enough to stop her followers committing atrocities after she was gone. They had to be cut down to size prior the main event. And the most effective way to do that was to cut off their source of scrolls. They manufactured them using a magic item in their main base, southwest of the Giantess' steading. The five guerrillas had to either steal or destroy it.

 

They worked out a plan where Carnamagos and Cruick would assault the Giantess' meatcamp after the Guerrillas took out the scroll generator, taking advantage of the confusion to wreck her demihuman abattoir and free the captives held there. Jack Fatherd handed out a couple magic items he took with him when he left the Bastards, and they set off into the forest. It was already dark, which suited everyone just fine.

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Four

Someone banged on the door of the Bastards' room at Ishizaka's blockhouse. It was one of his security Wights, an undead Elf who told them there was a group of people here to see them. The Bastards looked out the window and saw a group of Morwenna's dragoons, towing a supply cart and reinforced by combat scribes, war dogs and Ogre doppelsoldners.

Two adventurers went down to represent the Bastards in front of the goons.

• The Prospective Suitor Aldrich Brisbane (polymorphed into the beast Umbrich Brisbulk)
  
• The Prospective Golemancer Laguna Tempest

The soldiers explained that Aldrich Brisbane or his representatives were ordered to appear before Morwenna and answer for the crimes of Jack Fatherd, against fellow tournament participants and against her forces. Failure to appear would mean expulsion from the tournament and redesignation as food for the Giantess. Umbrich and Laguna weren't intimidated. They'd accompany the soldiers to the steading. They had a crime of their own to report. They retrieved the slime covered pay-chest from the tower and climbed into the supply cart.

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Three

With five days to spare until the Tournament of the Giantess Morwenna, five adventurers woke up in the captured Dwarven outpost in the mountains northeast of the lake.

• The Prospective Suitor Aldrich Brisbane (polymorphed into the beast Umbrich Brisbulk)
  
• The Mage Laguna Tempest
• The Elf Datura
• The Thug Zigar Kneecapper
• The Herdsman Jack Fatherd

Jack Fatherd suspected that Wilusa's Warriors had their main base somewhere in the vicinity of the hill where the group previously met two of their number. That put them uncomfortably close to the Bastards' hideout. Umbrich did some remodeling of the dwarf fortress, burying the Dwarven treasure and plugging up some holes. The adventurers handsomely paid the Dragoon Sabul to clandestinely observe the base from the hunting blind in the foothills, reporting any comings and goings.

With the base secured as best they could, the Lute Bastards set off down the mountain path. Their destination: Gorrister's keep, Iron Cup and Ishizaka's blockhouse. Their mission: cause problems for the Brigands of All Nations, buy cool stuff and hire mercenaries. 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - More Gods

Dameron

 

Building on the success of the last Gods Post, here are some more deities who have accreted in the time since my run of the Mountain of the Mad Marquis.

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session Two

 

Four adventurers woke up in the lakeside tavern with six days to spare before the tournament of the Giantess Morwenna.

• The Prospective Suitor Aldrich Brisbane
• The Mage Laguna Tempest
• The Elf Datura
• The Thug Zigar Kneecapper

Zigar had come to the region on unrelated business, but recognized Laguna Tempest from the adventures they shared in the Mountain of the Mad Marquis. Joining the Lute Bastards sounded like a great way to advance his own fortunes.

 

The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna Session One

The border between the ruins of the Giant Kingdoms and the Commonwealth's frontier colonies. It was autumn, around the time the rain threatens to turn to snow. Four adventurers arrived at the blockhouse set up by the merchant Ishizaka the Genie to capitalize on the festivities soon to occur.

• The Giantslayer Aldrich Brisbane, following the Giantess Morwenna
• The Mage Laguna Tempest, here to hunt down and kill Gorrister the Great
• The Herdsman Jack Fatherd, here to get drunk and steal things
• The Elf Datura, here to steal things.

The festivities in question, advertised on an enormous billboard: a tournament, to be held in seven days. The prize: Morwenna's hand in marriage.

Hex24: The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - The Lakeside Garden

George Baxter

This hex is surrounded by a stone fence with a wooden palisade on top, eight feet high in total, except on the lake side to the north. A gatehouse protected by nine Level 0 Soldiers armed with firearms protects the western approach, and a raised causeway on the southeast side leads up the hill to Morwenna’s steading. The river flows in through a grate under the fence on the south side, and out into the lake on the north. If the gate is attacked, the soldiers use a hand-cranked alarm to summon reinforcements.

The hex is a garden full of dinosaurs, brought from Isle of Sweat by traders who heard Morwenna loved the beasts. Enormous cycads the size of trees shelter the reptiles as they lumber from their wooden paddocks to graze on ferns and primitive grasses.

Hex24: The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - The Stadium

The stadium is already constructed: a concentric ring of elevated seating around a cone shaped plinth. Above the benches are a series of poles with retractable screens of wool, to keep rain and direct sun off the audience. Besides the general seating there are several boxes for distinguished guests, and a big throne for Morwenna herself (stuffed with 5,000 SP worth of cave spider silk).

Hex24: The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - More Assorted Hexes

The cabbage farms in this hex are depopulated, with signs of violence. Posters for THE TOURNAMENT plastered everywhere.

In the absence of farmers to put down salt, the fields are overrun with Flail Snails eating the vegetables.

Hex24: The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - Assorted Hexes

Florencia Molina Campos

This plains hex looks east to a valley of grass, in places growing taller than a person. Rough trails interpenetrate the densely packed blades.

This field is also a meeting point for Morwenna’s goons and a party of gauchos, mounted herders from the fringes of civilization. These rough and ready cattlemen hunt game and rustle livestock from poorly defended frontier farms. They sell the animals to Morwenna’s operation, feeding the majority of her forces who don’t subsist on human flesh.

The group has 24 mounted Nomads, led by the 3rd level Ranger Facon. He has no interest in politics or respect for the law, but is bound by a rough code of frontier hospitality. He is hospitable but takes offense at any sleight by a man of equal social standing to himself (anyone who rides a horse).

The gauchos have a few muskets and pistols, but they mostly fight with lances while mounted and enormous knives on foot. Each one carries a pair of heavy wooden balls connected by a length of rope, which they throw to entangle foes. On a failed Save vs Paralysis, the target cannot move without tripping until they spend an action hacking through the cord with a heavy blade such as an ax.

The nomads have 6 spare horses, and typically bring 4D6 cows, 6D6 sheep, meat from various game animals like deer and wild hens, and the pelts of more exotic creatures like mountain lions and giant snakes.

If attacked by a superior force, the horsemen simply mount up and leave, scattering any animals they brought with them. They are superb riders and difficult to catch without a cunning plan or superhuman speed.

Hex24: The Wedding of the Giantess Morwenna - Hex 2, 6

Brightly colored tents and temporary structures dot this hilly terrain, populated by visitors excited for the tournament or hoping to make a quick buck off the attendees.

The biggest tent is an Iron Cup outlet, a trading company with a writ from the Genius Loci to market luxury goods plundered from the furthest realms. They sell coffee, chocolate, tobacco, potions and other treats. The rest of the hex’s inhabitants tend to gather here.