Fort Karak at Last!

With some summoned dire wolves and celestial lions, the last of the otyugh minions of the Crimson Death were defeated. This cleared the way to the town of Pasamakwa and Fort Karak. In Pasamakwa Dignen, with Torkunde as translator, asked around town to learn more about the fortress. This eventually brought them to the town market plaza. Where they overheard an argument between Nye-zho-nye Koskinen (A paladin and lost heir to the three centuries dead baron's throne.) Ashki Muskowekwan (The leader of Pasamakwa's Craftsmen Guild--and likely quite corrupt.) about town taxation. This argument was all in Ravensbark of course so it immediately gained Tork's interest. He strode over and demanded that Ashki answer Nyzhony's questions. Ashki refused and protested very loudly as Tork put in merchant/bard in a hammerlock which threatened to break his arm. There was a lot of slapping and punching and a headbutt from Scallapronon(!) , who shouted, "Off the fuckin' coppers!" This allowed Nyzhony to call the town guard over to have Ashki hauled away in cuffs. Nyzhony then took the party for a celebratory drink the Elite Bees Inn. There she explained the political situation more clearly: Three centuries ago a dragon named Hinterbite slew Chief Talako (Later given the official title King by Udran traders.) and took the official badge office from him. The tradition was if you were not an heir and did not have the rod of state, there was no king. So the town of Pasamakwa has been leaderless for three centuries and power has shifted down a rung or two to the Guild Council of Craftsmen.This council has grown steadily more corrupt as the decades and centuries have rolled by. It's members taken taxes to enrich themselves and not doing much of anything to build, maintain or improve the town or the surrounding area. Nyzhony is an heir at least ten or twelve generations removed but has the papers to prove it. But she really can't challenge the Council until she has the rod of state. That is the law and tradition. Not that she's really concerned about rulership. She far more concerned with the well-being of the people in the area and the village itself. Over the last three centuries, Hinterbite has grown older, large and more powerful. He has mated and spawned dragonlets. Hinterbite has made alliances with the tribe of Frost Giants and together he and his allies have been making attacks and ravaging the countryside driving away trade and outside help. Nyzhony is very well liked in the town as she has defended it many times. She knows how to fight and has managed to hold off attacks to Pasamakwa since her arrival 7 or so years ago. But the people won't support her in taking over without the badge of office. The Council also seems to have the alliance of the town guard. (Which makes Ashki's arrest a lot more iffy now.) She knew nothing about Forest of Spirits but didn't seem surprised that Hinterbite has been extending his power and making new alliances. After she explained the situation as she knew it, she had no help or rewards to offer. And she wasn't especially interested in taking power or finding the rod of state. But asked for the party's help to defeat or at least wound the dragon clutch. So after a night of revelry, aerial scooting by Amadou  and divination magic, Amadou cast the spell Wind at Your Back to cut the travel time to Fort Karak in half. They started in the early morning and arrived by noon of the 12th of Snow, 6144. A magical stationary blizzard surrounded the land for at least 40 miles around the fortress. This was likely of Hinterbite's doing. But the fort itself was in a still point of the storm, some 600 feet in diameter. Amadou transformed into a bird flew up to the fortress and cast rock to mud. The was enough to destroy a major portion of the first floor as the stone walls seep away. But in defiance of the principles of engineering and physics, the castle tower did not collapse. Some unknown force was holding the structure up despite the damage the druid did. The huge gaping hole and grey daylight did reveal three frost giants inside the great hall of the ground floor. They were scrambling to pick up rocks from the stacks of rubble they had. It was likely they were meaning to throw them at all the party. Combat had begun.