Both rooms are privies, and they smell nauseatingly bad. After a quick cursory look and spell, it's determined that there's nothing of note in either.
"Let us be away, then. I believe we have some unfinished business with the cook outside, too."
Raen dismisses her invisibility spell and leads the way back upstairs to collect the villagers, whereupon Doxon offers them armor and weapons newly resized. "Stay near the halfling. There is one additional bout of bloodshed before we evacuate."
Outside the tent, Raen takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. "Let us finish this."
Whistle Pig steps inside the tent. It's still utterly disgusting.
The very pregnant giantess is currently unconscious, and reeks of grog. The halfling scout looks around and spies nothing of value.... except a navel piercing with a large pearl in the ring. Whistle Pig has to stop himself from retching when he looks at it, but it is really impressive.
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WP draws his dagger and ponders the giantess. He creeps up to the passed out monsters and whispers in Giantish,"All of your kind deserve to die. You attacked my home and killed my friends and family. but your baby is innocent. know I leave you alive only because of it." spittle flies as he speaks. His voice is tinged with hate, rage and sadness. Tears flow freely and his nose begins to run. The hand holding the dagger is shaking and white knuckled as the two side of the small person battle over control.
After a moment, he tears himself away and focuses his attention on the pearl. This he cannot pass up. He tries to lift it without waking the sleeping giant.
He slides across her ample belly:
He reaches for the ring and triggers the release:
With deft fingers and practiced skill, Whistle Pig manages to unclasp the mechanism.
The passed out giant doesn't so much as twitch....
With that, the halfling egresses.
Grimacing slightly, Raen first cleans it with prestidigitation . Then she studies it with a magical attention:
Raen recognizes the strong Transmutation aura about the pearl, but cannot unlock its identity and power.
"Hmm. I detect a curious power within," the Varisian comments, unslinging her haversack and extracting a scroll from within. Placing the Pearl before her, she reads from the scroll and plumbs again the arcane depths of its magic.
Raen's magic unlocks the mystery. It's a Pearl of Power III.
Ushyle takes stock after the halfling returns with his prize. As we leave, we need to return the captives to their village. We promised. And let these giants self destruct amid their own squabbles. Then we should scout out the rest of the valley. Ushyle pauses a moment as he gazes out over the horde amassed in the valley ahead. Should we wait until nightfall to better hide our path?
*You* did not promise, Raen thinks to herself, avoiding "Ushyle" with her gaze eastward.
"We cannot wait until nightfall. Two forces of giants will contest this castle shortly after sundown. We must be away before then, and rendezvous with Hamilton's squire."
She takes a deep breath again. "Gather closely. Berner and Forder, cleave close to me. Hamilton, do not let Applejack wander too far. I can only hide us if you stay close." Grasping her iron rod, she casts her spell and slowly guides the group toward the rendezvous point.
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The party finds the two resolute, but exhausted villagers where expected. They're in awe of Raen's magic, but the party beats a hasty retreat out of the recruitment camp valley.
Beyond the walls, you meet up with a slightly injured Vedin and the horses. One of the horses is also injured. "A wounded owlbear tried to make a meal out of the horses. I injured it once and it ran."
It's a simple matter for Vael to heal him up...
Finally travelling in peace, the party makes it back to the mouth of the valley. It's with heave hearts that only the two villages return, but nevertheless, they thank you for their very lives.
On the morning of the 14th of Pharast, 108 days after the Hopeknife Ceremony, the party prepares to head into a new valley.
The mountains’ glacier-carved slopes steepen above the rim of this side valley, where a dozen or so small trickling mountain brooks converges into a wide, shallow stream. The icy, roiling waters send smooth pebbles tumbling along the bottom of the stream bed.
After some time, the water begins to turn a pinkish color....
Ushyle examines the stream to see if he recognizes this sort of phenomenon.
It's blood. A LOT of blood.
The morning after their departure from the Storm Tyrant's recruitment camp finds Vael in deep reflection.
I did what was right in bringing Ushyle back.
It was the only way I could pull him back from Pharasma's judgement.
So why is Raen still upset by this?
The questions gnaw at him, but he chooses to refrain from confronting the wizard. For now.
He finishes his morning meditation as Tulia lands on his shoulder. "It's time your home knew what danger looms." the thrush says.
"Aye. But only Halgra. The rest must stay brave." Vael agrees. Tulia only nods.
The shaman cups his hands together, making a small hole. His eyes turn solid blank, their inky darkness the tell-take sign of Vael's spirit magic at work. He breathes into his cupped hands, and whispers some words. Vael here. Found weapons in Nargrym's tomb. Continued to Minderhall's Valley. Recruitment camp for Volstus. Slew leaders. Camp in chaos. Training camp next. More tomorrow. When the last word is uttered, he opens his hands, releasing the captured sound to the winds. He then eagerly awaits word as the magical sending reaches Halgra...
He then uses the remaining time in the morning to begin brewing a healing potion.
==================================
Vael rises with the dawn on the fifth day of travel. He murmurs a low chant to conjure the bland feast for the group to eat.
He then draws upon the spiritual life force within the air to add a buffer to his own health, on the off chance that this day sees violence.
He then walks over to Ushyle and, with a toe, pokes the half-elf awake. "Yer spirit be incomplete. But the vessel be ready now. We need ta bring yer spirit back fully."
Vael pulls out a small diamond from his backpack. It's one they had found on a giantess that they had slain. He cups it in his hand, and begins to chant. The diamond cracks, then breaks apart, then crumbles as it turns to dust. And slowly the hollowness within Ushyle fills until he feels whole again.
Raen touches Vedin lightly on the shoulder. "You have done well. Glad to see you in moderately good health," she smiles.
After the others have gone to bed for a well deserved rest, the Varisian unfurls one of the scrolls taken from Minderhall's cathedral. She spends the next several hours studying it closely and copying it into her spellbook.
Vael's response is heartening, "Good. All well here. Better daily. Send property instructions. Good luck with next camp. Messenger arrived. Helping Shinnerman now. Give Hell.".
---------------------------------------------------
Whistle Pig inches east, trying to find the source of the bloody water. Unfortunately, his eyes are down when the source comes into view. A quartet of strange creatures looks up from a giant-sized meal; each with a stag's body, a hawk's wings and talons, and the head of a slavering wolf with a rack of sharp antlers on its brow.
Peryton! Magical Beasts with an array of strange abilities.
Round 1:
Vael: Go
Ushyle: Go
Enemy: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Raen: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Before:
Ham claps Vedin on the back and toasts his bravery when they make camp. He catches Vedin's eye from behind Raen's back. He raises his eye brows in a couple of bumps, suggestively. As Raen walks away, Ham smirks devilishly at Vedin and punches him lightly on the shoulder. Keep it up, Vedin. Strength and Honor.
Now:
Ham sees WP look up suddenly and definitely notes the tension. He whispers to the others What is it? Anyone see?
Before:
Ushyle introduces himself to Vedin and grabs Vael to explain the reincarnation magic. So I'm still me, just in a different skin. It's a little weird, I admit, but it's not awkward. The half-elf's eye catches Raen hurrying off and continues, more quietly. Well, not awkward to move about, anyway.
Ushyle is sullen the rest of the night and into the next several days, and even Vael's spell that restores him to full vitality doesn't crack a smile from the half-elf. He mumbles a word of thanks and turns away from his friend.
Now:
Ushyle hurries up near the halfling, trying to get a look at the foe. He has no illusions that he will be able to make out what they are, but his instinct is to protect Whistle Pig in any case. He utters a quick prayer to Milani, and The Everbloom responds by bestowing her blessing upon the group.
The familiar shakes her head. Vael shrugs, then says, "They have wings. So should we."
He then begins a deep chant to the Spirits of Nature, asking for aid.
Vael begins a deep chant as Ushyle closes. With the element of surprise lost, the creatures immediately take flight!
Round 1:
Vael: Magic
Ushyle: Study
Enemy: Double Move
Hamilton: Go
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Go
Doxon: Go
Ham draws his bow and takes aim at the lead creature.
Shortbow +2 Vs Red: and
Damage on Hit: and
Hamilton strikes with a pair of arrows. Whistle Pig's first two stones also strike true. The creature seems to have had enough and looks ready to flee!
Round 1:
Vael: Magic
Ushyle: Study
Enemy: Double Move
Hamilton: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Go
Doxon: Go
Red: 32
Raen fans out behind the others, analyzes the creatures' attack formation, and flings a spell of combustible magic into the air.
fire damage, DC 20 Reflex for half.
YEAH, YOU BETTER RUN!
Perytons have horrific anger in their hunger. They can kill a foe, tear its heart out and show it to all in order to strike fear into their hearts. Additionally, if it flies over you, it'll take on your shadow and in so doing is better able to eviscerate you. They are typically Chaotic Evil.
The perytons all twist in the sky, but only two shield themselves from the blast!
Round 1:
Vael: Magic
Ushyle: Study
Enemy: Double Move
Hamilton: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Fire!
Doxon: Go
Red: 48
Black: 16
Blue: 33
White: 33
When the fireball abates, the already injured peryton tumbles from the sky. The others make a sound that mimics human sneering as it falls!
Round 1:
Vael: Magic
Ushyle: Study
Enemy: Double Move
Hamilton: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Fire! (And kill shot)
Doxon: Go
Black: 16
Blue: 33
White: 33
Doxon will ready Agrimmosh if they happen to close. Otherwise, he lets them flee.
The wickedly evil creatures show no sign of fleeing!
Round 2:
Vael: Go
Ushyle: Go
Enemy: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Raen: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Black: 16
Blue: 33
White: 33
Ushyle moves between Whistle Pig and the flying deer, readying an action to attack any who come within melee range. He studies White to replace the fallen Red.
A griffon appears above the tree line and, letting out a primal screech!
"Attack tha flying creatures, friend o' tha sky."
With a flap of its wings the griffon swoops down upon the perytons!
Vael moves forward. He waves his hands about, drawing a star in the air as he chants. A mystical starknife of pure force appears in the air by a peryton, and begins attacking the creature.
The griffon locks in on one of the perytons, but even when it strikes, the supernatural hide of the beast resists any wounds. The spiritual weapon, however, does manage to draw enough blood to send the beast plummeting to its death!
Free to fly, the northern monster passes over a few of the party, but when it passes over Raen, the creature's shadow turns to that of the Varisian woman's!
The other creature slams into the griffon for more aerial combat!
for
Round 2:
Vael: Magic!
Ushyle: Readied (no go)
Enemy: ATK
Hamilton: Go
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Go
Doxon: Go
Black: 16
White: 33
Griffon: 33/42
Ham rides AJ over to get between Raen and the evil creature. He takes aim with his bow and snaps off two shots.
Shortbow +2: Damage on Hit:
Shortbow +2: Damage on Hit:
Hamilton hits the peryton with a pair of arrows. One pierces its cold, black heart!
Round 2:
Vael: Magic!
Ushyle: Readied (no go)
Enemy: ATK
Hamilton: Kill
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Go
Doxon: Go
Black: 16
Insulted that the peryton would attempt to steal some of her essence, Raen sends missiles to bring it down.
Whistle Pig strikes the peryton with a pair of stones and drops it from the sky!
The party takes some time to search the area. While there doesn't seem to be a lair for these far-ranging creatures, there is something of note. The corpse has an earring that glows under Raen's magical detection. The Varisian examines it a bit and determines that it's actually a Guardian Gorget.
The party determines that there's just enough light to get back to the main valley before camping.
Vael's response is heartening, "Good. All well here. Better daily. Send property instructions. Good luck with next camp. Messenger arrived. Helping Shinnerman now. Give Hell.".
As usual, Raen stands guard most of the night, then refreshes her memory with the aid of her spellbook. Afterwards, she helps break camp as they prepare to continue southward.
That night, Vael does another sending to Halgra. Tell Othdan prune elkgrass, not fangberry. What messenger? Help Shinnerman how? We search the valley, then come home. Within a week maybe.