A Cold Reception#
The party emerges through Marcus’s portal onto a bitter cold mountaintop during a fierce blizzard. Fortunately, their magic sheep wool cloaks provide protection against the elements. While most of the party succeeds on their constitution saves against the cold, Jasper struggles and gains disadvantage on dexterity saves until Red shares a protective blanket.
Violence in the Village#
Horn blasts echo across the mountain as the party spots people fleeing from a glowing figure. Through the swirling snow, they identify Sir Eric, an Eldoran Knight whose armor blazes with embedded crystals. She’s cutting down Goliath guards with ruthless efficiency, her equipment indicating high rank within the Eldoran military.
As combat erupts, Eric calls to Jasper to join her in killing the “infidels,” but Jasper firmly refuses and attacks her instead. Meanwhile, an avalanche triggered by Eldoran explosives begins rumbling down the mountainside, giving the party only minutes before impact.
The Chamber of Destiny#
The fleeing Goliath villagers race toward a massive rocket ship on a launch pad. An Elder urgently beckons Red toward a special humanoid-shaped chamber at the ship’s base. The chamber features neural connection ports and appears designed for a single occupant.
Despite the ominous nature of the device, Red makes the fateful decision to enter the chamber. Neural ports immediately connect to his spine and brain, beginning a transformation that will change everything.
The Transformation#
As Red undergoes his metamorphosis, the party battles Eric with desperate coordination. Helisanna successfully casts Sleep on the knight, giving the party crucial advantage. However, Eric proves resilient, using combat enhancement eye drops and unleashing devastating multi-attacks that nearly kill both Jasper and Olivia multiple times.
Red completes his transformation, becoming one with the rocket ship itself. He can now shift between space travel mode and a gargantuan terrestrial combat form, but at a terrible cost—his individual consciousness has been absorbed by the ship’s systems.
The Ultimate Sacrifice#
While a voice resembling Red can still communicate through the ship’s systems, it becomes clear that the Red they knew is gone forever. The ship explains that Red’s organic form cannot be safely removed, and he will remain bound to the vessel permanently. This revelation devastates the party, particularly Brew, who frantically attempts to find a technological solution.
The battle concludes when Helisanna, empowered by her own combat enhancers, delivers a devastating Eldritch Blast that destroys Eric. However, victory feels hollow in the face of their profound loss.
Aftermath and Rage#
Overcome with grief and fury at the Goliaths’ deception, Brew confronts the Elder and stabs him, declaring that all goblins are now enemies of the Goliath people. The party unanimously decides to abandon the rocket ship rather than travel to space with those who sacrificed their friend.
Using salvaged Goliath technology, they construct an improvised sled and depart down the mountain with their sheep, Bob the steel defender, and Jasper, who chooses to remain with the party. They thoroughly loot Eric’s equipment and take anything of value from the Goliath settlement.
Return to Milstrom#
The party returns to Milstrom—Red’s adoptive hometown—where they take much-needed rest. In a somber ceremony, Brew creates magical tattoos commemorating Red for both Silas and himself, ensuring their lost friend won’t be forgotten.
The session ends with the party nursing both physical wounds and emotional scars, forever changed by the loss of their companion and the cruel revelation of how prophecy and destiny can demand the ultimate price.
Key Developments#
- Red’s Permanent Transformation: The party’s Goliath cleric has been permanently absorbed into a rocket ship, losing his individual identity
- New Enemy: The party has declared the Goliath people their sworn enemies after this betrayal
- Jasper’s Loyalty: The former Eldoran soldier has definitively chosen to side with the party
- Powerful Equipment: The party has acquired significant magical items and technology from their battles
- Emotional Trauma: The entire party, especially Brew, carries deep psychological wounds from Red’s sacrifice
This episode marks a major turning point in the campaign, fundamentally altering the party’s composition and their relationship with both the Goliath and Eldoran peoples.