Avaria focuses on the two giants furthest out and lowers her bow. Time for some heavy artillery, she thought to herself with a bit of a grin. Not wanting to do any damage to people or property alike, she aims high as she begins a slow incantation with a musical tone. From a finger pointed at a spot above the two giants, a little spark arches up until it reaches its highest point where a searing orb of fire erupts like a blossoming firework. It's all about the showmanship!
"现在有一个抑制的渴望激发，一种向往，无限渴望，并填写我的心脏渴望用火."
"Now with a quenchless thirst inspire,
A longing, infinite desire,
And fill my craving heart with fire."
Avaria's fireball bursts overhead bathing the two giants engaging the soldier in flames; the giant with the shield seems to avoid the worst of its effects, but they are both clearly hurt by it.
Victoria whirls her now massive polearm around to pick up momentum and then brings it crashing down on the stone giant before her...
,
Allowing the force of the swing to propel her forward, she moves through the air until the other two giants are within her wide reach.
As she moves, the singing swordsman cuts two deep slashes into the hips of giant she hit, dropping it limp to the ground. Graverattler rushes past the falling giant and strikes over the head of the crimson soldier to inflict a powerful blow on the shieldless giant; it rocks back on its heels and snarls, tightening it's grip on it's greatsword.
Justinius' voice booms out a quick incantation, and with lightning speed, advances on the shielded giant so quickly he cannot react. Slashing deftly at his foe, he cries "I may just have a nice glass of red wine then, instead of ale!"
Moving exceptionally fast, Justinius circles around behind the giant with the shield and buries one shortsword in its side.
Emboldened by the sudden dramatic change in the tide of the battle, the caped nobleman shifts closer to the shieldless giant and fires a volley of arrows at it...
,
As the first 2 arrows sink in the giant collapses.
The giant with the shield looks around desperately at the attackers arrayed against him, finding himself sorely wounded and without allies he carefully steps away from the warcat and Hellknight and then moves quickly away towards the wilderness.
The soldier drops to his knees and breathes an audible sigh of relief.
Justinius will not take the attack.
With only a slight grin and the smallest bit of flair, Justinius sheathes his blades and takes a minute to assess his wounds.
"What a strange and unexpected turn of events! I dont think they'll be trying that again anytime soon, but I would love to know why they tried it at all. I say, Madam,""Do they seem to have all given up this ill-advised gambit?".
Oh no you don't," Avaria thought as she bounded forward with long strides. Sure, the giant may run away never to be seen, again, but it also might come back later. Who knows why they were even here to begin with?
Once in range, she drew up her bow and leveled it at the retreating giant's back. She took a deep breath then exhaled, imbuing her arrow with another casting of dragon's breath.
"Question the turtle." Graverattler rumbles before giving chase. She circles around the giant, cutting off its path and getting right in its way.
"If you surrender I won't get to eat you. Please don't surrender." she mocks the giant.
Justinius looks content to allow the giant to flee. Graverattler, on the other hand, calls out a taunt as she bounds after it. Before she can even take a second stride an arrow whistles by her and bites into the giant's back before erupting in a gout of crackling electricity. The giant tumbles lifelessly into a nearby tent.
Looking around the field it appears that a couple other giants have already fled and those few that remain only do so because they are surrounded and cannot flee. To the north another one falls. To the west the half-naked priest moves gracefully and quickly across the bridge with his glaive still in hand.
"Well, it appears as though I owe you all a round of drinks," the crimson caped noble says with a smile. "I'm Aldritch Foxglove of Magnimar and you have my most sincere thanks. I fear that tonight I need to tend my men and rebuild our camp, but if you'd be so gracious as to join me at the Rusty Dragon tomorrow at midday I'd be honored to buy you all lunch to go with those drinks." As he speaks he hustles to a fallen tent and drags out a chest full of potions. Along with his soldier, he begins checking their fallen comrades for any signs of life and administering potions to any they think might be helped.
"I am certain it would be wise to check in with those I have traveled to Sandpoint with" Justinius says, remembering that he has responsibilities,"I would love to take you up on that offer. Before I go, may I assist any of you with the mending of wounds?"
Justinius takes the long way back to the temple, searching for those in need of assistance, but also trying to get the publics opinion of what happened and why.
Seeing her prey finished, the giant cat stops in her tracks. She takes a few steps, each more awkward then the last as her muscle and mass contracts, the sounds of sinew, bones, and joints shifting and retracting filling her immediate area. When finished, she is once more a tall Shoanti woman.
She says to those gathered in Sandpoint's defense "Efficiently handled."
Then, without asking or being asked, she moves among the wounded, using a wand to stitch the injuries of those who may be saved. Any concept of bedside manner seems to be absent, and she moves rapidly, deciding a quick mental triage before working.
Once that task is completed, she sees to her own wound.
as Justinius moves through the town healing people with lay hands, he wonders about this nobleman....perhaps he would make a servant of Iomedae.......
Avaria quirks a brow at the Hellknight. Clearly she's used to giving orders. Unfortunately, Avaria is not used to taking them.
"Ah! I thought I recognized you! Aldern, dear, it's been too long!" Avaria cooed once she put two and two together. "I see you're still trying to best me at the bow! And against giants, no less! Glad to see there's still some honor among the upper ranks of society." She adds the last with a glare towards the town where somewhere her husband is consorting with that woman.
As soon as the fleeing giant hits the ground, the giant "Graverattler" cat transforms into a large, savage-looking human female who begins tending to the wounded. The young Justinius takes off back to his temple, the flying hellknight issues some orders and flies away, and the lady archer Avaria begins chatting up the leader of the soldiers. Jim looks about himself and shrugs.
T'each their own, I s'pose.
"I'll be lookin' fer them drinks t'morrow," Jim says to no-one in particular, then heads back across the river.
The lone conscious soldier in red stares incredulously at Victoria as she barks orders and then flies off. "Who in the hells does she think she is?" he asks once she's safely out of earshot.
Aldritch chuckles and replies, "She's not from around here. Just tend to our wounded and worry about the camp, once that's taken care of we can try to help with others if there's still a need." As he speaks, he unstops a potion and pours the contents down one of the soldier's throats. The man coughs up some blood and groans, his eyes slowly opening. When Graverattler begins healing his men the noble nods to her and says, "Mauruuru koutou."
It is clear from his pronunciation that he is not well versed in the language.
Justinius and Jim both take their leave when Avaria begins talking with Adritch, leaving her alone with him and his men...
Before she has an opportunity to reply Augustino arrives. His glaive is bloody and there is a very large bruise on his left upper arm and shoulder, but he seems none the worse for the wear. In fact, his disheveled hair and sweaty brow almost make him seem even more attractive somehow. "Avaria, what a relief to see you're alright," he calls out with a smile, "I was surprised and concerned when I heard a woman matching your description charged into danger, though it seems my concern was misplaced. Is it true that you helped to defeat their champion, Krotus?"
One of the nearby men overseeing the giant removal spots the salty singer crouched over the giant flipping through the book and calls out, "Hey! You cain't..." He cocks his head to one side as he trails off and then tentatively continues, "you ain't one a' the folks that killed this big fellar here, are you?"
One of the nearby men overseeing the giant removal spots the salty singer crouched over the giant flipping through the book and calls out, "Hey! You cain't..." He cocks his head to one side as he trails off and then tentatively continues, "you ain't one a' the folks that killed this big fellar here, are you?"
”Aye, that I am,” Jim says as he drops the potions into his sack. ”Awful nice of ye boys t’come round ‘n’ pick up after us, b’fore we’ve a chance to see what’s what.” Jim unrolls the scroll in front of himself and peruses it. ”Did ye happen t’find a turtle wanderin’ about?”
Squinting at the (presumably) magical writing, Jim grumbles under his breath…
”I may not be the smartest mate, but I learnt me letters,
‘Tis no man that can be free, if ‘is mind’s in fetters.”
Graverattler accepts their gratitude, saying "The blessing taught to me by my father came with lessons on the necessity of sharing them with the community. You are quite welcome, and I will offer whatever my skills can provide, in order of necessity. Please keep your neighbors' needs in mind, as even my gifts have their limits."
She points this last statement at someone whom she has already healed who is impatient to be fully healed, indicating the others waiting for the first round of mending. She chuckles as a child comes forward, extending a doll broken in the fight. She gently takes the doll from the child's hands, saying "This ones wounds are great, no doubt taken in defense of Sandpoint." she turns the doll over, speaking in Shoanti "Wairua o oku matua, kia katoa te mea kua pakaru, kua." and the doll is stitched back into perfect shape. She hands it back to the child with a smile.
The man looks quizzically at Jim for a moment. "No," he eventually stammers. "I ain't seen any turtles round here at all... I, uh, just wanted to say thanks, fer helpin' out... that one coulda done a fair bit a damage." When he returns to his appointed task he can be heard confirming to his coworker that Jim is in fact one of the heroes that killed Krotus.
"No idea who they all were, to be quite honest. One of them is Jim, and another is Gravrattler, though I can't say I know much beyond that," Avaria explained to Aldern. She points out both Jim and Graverattler as they run about their business when Augustino arrives on the scene.
"Ah, Augustino! So glad to see you've come out unscathed. Perhaps even more dashing than before, too! That big fellow over there? Yes, I got a few holes in him before I came over here. I assure you I'm more than a little handy with a bow, isn't that right, Aldern?" she adds with a cheeky wink at the noble.
Augustino chuckles at their exchange. "Your new friends, indeed!" he echoes as Aldern walks away, "you all made a monumental difference in the defense of the city. That's why I'm here actually... the dedication of the Cathedral must still be completed and Father Zantus means to honor you and your comrades in arms. I'd hoped that you might all still be together, but I see that isn't the case... If you'll allow me the honor of escorting you to the square, perhaps you can help me to track down the others?"
As he speaks a half-conscious soldier nearby points to a large Shoanti woman surrounded by the wounded (whom Avaria recognizes as Graverattler) and says, "that's one of them there..."
Augustino thanks the man, touches him with a warm white light, then offers his arm to Avaria before heading towards the Shoanti healer...
With his hand still on his chest, he bows slightly to the shaman and says, "My greetings, and my gratitude, honored visitor. I am Augustino, a humble servant of Shelyn, and I have been tasked with gathering those responsible for defeating the giant champion Krotus and escorting you all to the church square. Would you be so gracious as to join us?"
Avaria laughs and nods. "Assuming I can find them all again in this chaos, I'll tell them to be there, Aldern dear."
She watches Aldern return to his task of tending to his men when Augustino mentions being honored at the Cathedral. Her eyes light up at the mention of such a gift!
"Honored? Oh hardly necessary, not that I'll be complaining if you insist," she adds with a cheeky grin big enough to show her dimples. She hooks her arm under his, clearly allowing him to escort her.
"Yes, that soldier there is right. That's Graverattler, if I'm saying it right. Wonderful lady. Stood between me and that massive one--- Krotus you said his name was?"
Graverattler nods at the handsome new arrival. He smells of flowers and looks as if he bathes at least twice a day. Hands as soft as the flowers he smells of. Yet the gods have seen fit to reward him with powerful healing magics. Something within him must be worthy, for I see nothing remarkable about his appearance other than its prettiness. She clears her throat, dismissing the introspection.
"Krotus was a powerful enemy, and his defeat should indeed be remarked upon, as should his presence in the first place. There is the question of who invited these giants to Sandpoint's celebrations to answer." She straightens, reaching her full height, and says "One moment"
She walks swiftly over to the girl who had her doll fixed, squats down and whispers something into the girl's ear, then gives her the spent wand. After this, she rejoins Avaria and Augustinio. I am prepared. Has anyone caught the turtle yet?
Shoanti: One Who Cares for the Voiceless.
"Well, the mayor and Sherrif Hemlock certainly hope so," Augustino replies as they walk, "they have heard reports of a stone giant champion named Krotus who disrupted the power balance between the five local giant tribes and was responsible for decimating several caravans. The vague descriptions in the reports match the creature you helped to slay; if that wasn't Krotus it means there's more than one of those things."
Walking back towards Avaria she gets a better look at the pretty, young priest. What had looked like a fancy staff in his left hand is actually an ornate glaive, with blood drying on its blade. Despite his hands' softness, and well manicured nails, they hold the weapon comfortably and confidently. His posture and precise movements suggest that he may have received training similar to what she got from her mother.
The beautiful man turns a confused glance to Avaria when questioned about 'the turtle'. As the three begin to walk he asks the two women, "There was a turtle? I had not heard any reports of that... just how large was it? And, did it seem trained for combat? Perhaps one of them summoned it as a distraction? There were a couple of giants in their ranks capable of casting spells..."
He listens intently to their answers as they quickly cross the field and walk over the bridge back into town. Almost immediately the women notice the bulky half-orc they fought beside standing over the body of the giant who sang. There are two human men in matching brown outfits tying the corpse to a quarter-horse's harness, but the half-orc seems more concerned with stowing a scroll case in his sack.
Looking up Rimy Jim sees the handsome, underdressed man who ran through the air off the dais when trouble struck approaching with the odd archer woman and the Shoanti woman the huge catbeast had turned into.
”Hail!” Jim greets the trio as he walks up to meet them. Nodding to Graverattler and the under-dressed man, he introduces himself. ”The name’s Rimy Jim. This town throws a helluva festival – best I’ve been t’in years!
“I didn’t find much by way of explanations on any o’ these blighters, but some industrious folk had carted off ol’ Krotus afore I got back ‘ere, the filthy beggars. An’ there’s been no sign o’ yer turtle, neither, Graverattler.”
Graverattler notes the man's qualities she hadn't noticed with an appreciation. As he begins to ask about the turtle, she grins. "The turtle was one of the attacking giants before I laid a transformative spell upon him. He may have some of the answers we seek, and he shouldn't be too far away from the fallen giants in town. Hopefully he can be located, restored to his original form, and questioned."
As they approach Jim, she waves a greeting to him. "It should be around here, somewhere. I'd hate for it to cause trouble if it still remembers it's a giant."
"Ah, I see," Augustino replies as the confusion melts from his face, "In all the chaos it will be very difficult to find one little turtle... I suppose we could make an announcement at the consecration..." Before he can say anymore on the matter a new introduction comes...
"Rhymey Jim?" he asks bemused, "do you typically speak in rhyme?" while awaiting Jim's answer he can almost imperceptibly be heard repeating Jim's greeting in Orcish to check for rhyming.
”Nah, nothin' so fancy. I’m just a bit of a cold-hearted bastard when it comes t’ lollygaggers and others of a lackadaisical disposition - downright icy, in point of fact. When I’m on the job, that is.” Jim rustles in his sack a moment, locating the giant’s potions. ”There’s a coupla flasks ‘ere from the singin’ chap over yonder, if either o’ ye lasses cares to have ‘em.”
"Flasks? As in alcohol? I'm afraid I prefer my drinks in fine stemware," Avaria laughed as they reconvened with Jim. "I must say, your singing is rather lovely. Rough, to be sure, but its complimentary to the tunes and lyrics. Are they traditional sea shanties or do you compose them yourself?" she inquired, arm still looped with Augustino's. "Oh psh, look at me rambling. I'm sure we'll all have a chance to get to know one another later. In the mean time, let us go find ourselves honored. I could use some flattery after the night I've had, I'll tell you."
"I also found them most enjoyable, although their content did somewhat escape me. I'm afraid I've never spent much time on the seas." Graverattler comments about Jim's chants. She makes a note of their location in the town, intent on seeking turtle tracks if time permits later.
"Thank ye, ladies; I've found a few verses of 'Blow the Man Down' helps rouse the fightin' spirit of even the most cowardly of sea-dogs. Now what's this I should be 'honored' about?"
After a quick explanation, Jim lets out a string of belly laughs, apparently quite amused.
Imagine that - ol' Jim up amongst the haughty 'n' holy! Quite a day, Zenovia dear, quite a day!
"Well, by Sarenrae's sweet dawnflower, I'll be damned! It's as ol' Lockjaw used t' say: 'One man's pirate is another's privateer.' Ye can be sure I ain't ne'er been party t' no consecratin' afore, 'cept maybe baptisin' some greenhorn in rum 'r blood. But if it means free grog and a good seat, I'll be happy t'oblige ye."
He glances up at his own reflection in the cold, expressionless faceguard for a moment, then smiles slightly and softly shakes his head. "Well... we have a bit of time before the ceremony is finished, why don't you give me that report? Spare no detail, even minor things like the types of weapons and armor they used, what colors they wore, any talismans or fetishes they may have carried... It is indeed odd for giants to band together like that and such details might provide clues as to exactly which tribes were involved and why."
"Wait," the beautiful man starts, now apparently perplexed by the lot of them, "you mean to say that you have a penchant for singing sea shanties, but your name is 'Rimy' as in rime, like frost, not 'Rhymey' as a reference to rhyming?!?" His eyes go wide for a moment and then with a sly grin he asks, "How many people do yo suppose actually get that?"
He laughs and then without really waiting for a response says, "But where are my manners, I am Augustino. I was dispatched by Father Zantus to gather up the heroes who bested Krotus and helped drive back the giant invaders so that you can be honored tonight when the Cathedral's dedication is completed. Please, will you accompany us?"
After Jim's jovial acceptance, Augustino laughs again and informs him "There is no grog to be drunk as part of the ceremony, though I expect that afterwards you will find no shortage of grateful people willing to buy you far better drinks than that. Come, I believe we have two more, yes? I saw the Paralictor flying back toward the cathedral, but that still leaves one to find..."
The rewera aroha? I supposed she did fell at least one of the giants. The other was healing some folk back at the camp, but then wandered into town when his reserves were exhausted." Graverattler responds, seemingly distracted or impatient.
Jim squints at Augustino, deciding whether the man's comments on his moniker qualify as insolence or, even worse, guff. He then remembers he's not "on the job," and lets it slide like an ill-swung sword off his scaly back.
Them's that matter know the difference, 'r else they learn right quick.
"The 'ellknight flew back t' command, which I figure is the church, if'n she's fightin' under Sandpoint's colors. That speedy feller took off t' find whomever 'e came inta town with."
Justinius mutters to himself about not being as adept as he should be at working information from a crowd, but notes that the town seems to be recovering quickly and getting back to the ceremony at hand. He takes a few moments to draw and clean his weapons off to the side, but keeps an eye on the preparations. "If theres more trouble brewing, this is where it will be"
"I'm sure everyone will make their way back to the Cathedral at one point or another. And the Hellknight will have a birds eye view of it all, I'm betting. Might we simply head that way in hopes of a few chance encounters with our quarry?" she asks those gathered with her.
Augustino looks around at the crowds that are beginning to once again clutter the streets. "Perhaps that's a smart choice... word is spreading through town about completing the consecration, he'll likely come to see it and hopefully one of you can identify him in the crowd."
It takes a few minutes to move through the thickening crowd before the group arrives at the church square. As they enter a murmur runs through the crowd. Graverattler is the first to spot the young man who identified himself as Justinius in the crowd between the dais and the church. Very quickly after that Avaria and Jim make him too.
Seeing the conspicuous crew get closer, Justinius gives a quick smile and a little bow, stowing his swords he steps forward to begin introductions.
"Justinius Redarm, at your service. It was my pleasure to have been in such fine company in the defence of the town. You're varried skills are most extrodinary."
After making a lengthy report to the Prelate, Victoria walks out into the square with him to see how the preparations are coming. Almost immediately she spots the other people with whom she'd fought Krotus gathered together near the far side of the dais. They are with Augustino, the exceedingly handsome priest of Shelyn she'd met earlier that day.