The hill giants were hardly subtle; an immense series of giant tracks stretch off down the mountain and off into the distance. Dire wolf marks, crevasses from dragged greatclubs, immense footstps, and the occasional burned or raided cabin and croft. Homes and farms are rare up here, but aong the way you come across a few that were in the giants' path and suffered for it.
as a tree-covered hill comes into sight for Authion, Senna and Tathlan, the flying Sir Haldern manages to spot a band of giants, clubs and throwing stones ready, but faced away from the party, staring at a gigantic clump of bushes. From his position, he can see the hindleg of an immense bear poking out of the far side of the bushes, taut and tense.
Assuming range allows it and it does NOT have visible effects, Haldern will detect evil on the closest giant.
Haldern heads back to the party to tell them what is ahead.
Some giants are ahead. Looks like they are hunting a bear. Shall we try and talk to them and see if they know anything of use? At the least, we should probably take prisoners to question
Common knowledge says that giants are frequently hostile; an attempt at discussion will need to be pretty good to avert a fight.
Haldern is good at many things. Stealth is NOT one of them :-).
So, no detect evil. Everything else proceeds as stated above.
Authion looks in the direction of the giant/bear confrontation in curiosity. "I wonder what they want with the bear?" He shrugs and looks to Haldern. "I could sneak in for a closer look if you could low-fly us around to the other side. if the rest of you guys stay out of sight, I could at least see what's up with the bear before we attack the giants. You never know what could end up being useful."
Assuming that seems feasible (flying around the giants without them seeing) that sounds fine to Haldern.
"Senna, can you cast messaage before we leave, please?"
Jensel drops Authion off into a bush a hundred feet or so away from the giants; Authion quietly skulks closer to them. From close distance, he sees the giants suddenly raise their clubs and charge into the bush, uttering screams of battle. The bear returns with a similar roar as it begins brawling with its hunters. Authion recognizes cries of "MEAT! HUNT THE MEAT FOR THE EATING!"
Tathlan waits some distance away with Senna while Authion and Haldern fly in to scout out the giants.
The sour look on his face seems to indicate that he's not too enthused about killing a bunch of giants if they're just out on a hunting party. Or maybe it's just the weather. Hard to tell as the middle-aged elf doesn't say anything.
Senna waits to receive word and for the encounter to unfold. She is of two minds on the subject. She needed little prompting to kill hill giants whose violent ways often matched their stupidity. But she also felt the need to hoard her magic power for the fights ahead.
Authion watches the hunting party with disdain. He’d leave well enough alone, but these brutes were leaving a swath of destruction across these lands … like a rabid animal. You don’t ignore rabid animals, and you don’t reason with them. You put them down.
He gives the group’s signal to engage; a long, wailing hunting wolf howl, then he opens fire on the nearest giant, trusting to his teammate’s quickness and the intervening distance to keep him safe.
At the signal, Haldern and Jensal head towards the giants (I'm pretty sure that we would NOT be within the 40 feet required for me to charge in the surprise round), getting to a position where we can charge in the regular round. Would end up about 30 ft or so in the air.
One of their brethren spouting a shaft in his neck, the giants look around wildly for a foe before one or two spot Authion. "FIGHT! FIGHT COME TO US- HAHAHAHAHA! HOORAY!"
I am assuming that this is NOT the surprise round.
[ooc]I don't seem to be able to grab either Haldern or Jensal.
This is a bit further away than I expected. Jensal and Haldern will just fly towards the giants, ending 40 feet in the air. 80 foot double move
Since the giants are obligingly in a tight cluster, Senna laughs and drops a massive ball of fire among them without singing a hair on the bear.
1st Spells (8): x
2nd Spells (8):
3rd Spells (7): x
4th Spells (6):
5th Spells (4):
Dancing Light (3):
Dragon Breath (1):
Rod of Max (3):
Fire Claws (9):
Stun Fist (3):
Jingasa (1):
Spell Effects:
Mage Armor - 10 hours
I've moved a double move right now. If I CAN run, I'll take the run action and move further.
Authion unleashes his arrows, which flash up-hill seeking giant blood. Dwin, hearing his master's cry, charges up the hill.
<— CRIT?
After the wolf howl signal is given, a Tathlan begins to rush through the undergrowth to reach Authion and Haldern's advanced position.
Senna calls a mighty fireball, immolating most of the giants and scorching them terribly. With a roar, the immense dire bear slashes and bites its way into them, tearing the throat out of two burnt badly by Senna's fire. Authion's own arrows down another two.
The giants hesitate, their morale wavering between the rock and the bear place, before one calls out "KILL TINIES FIRST" and their entire number thunder down the hill towards Authion, clubs ready.
Authion weathers the assault with elven reserve as he gives a modified whistle-command to Dwin. His longbow hits the ground—discarded—as his blade whispers from its sheath, slashing graceful arcs through the mass of giant bodies.
Dwin completes his charge up the hill, trying to take down one of the giants threatening his Alpha.
Haldern and Jensal charge one of the giants attacking his allies.
"In the name of the Inheritor, you will not see another day"
Charge attack. Jensal lunges to get 10 foot reach. Haldern hits while 10 feet away (20 feet in the air). Both Jensal and Haldern power attack.
Haldern attempts a ride check to avoid one of the giants blows at Jensal
Power attack, charge
for x3 = 69 points of damage
Jensal charges with power attack
for
for
for
for
for
Haldern AC : 26, Jensal 29
Between the two of them, Haldern and Jensel swiftly cut down their foes. The giants fall to the ground with a shudder, blade-cuts fresh in their joints and stomachs.
Higher on the hill, the great dire bear rises to its hind legs roars a challenge at you all, a terrifying deep cry of anger and warning.
Then, from the western horizon, comes another. The mostly empty view shows that the cry comes from a creature far further away, and yet its shout is just as loud. It echoes through the air, rising and falling in pitch, an eldritch impact seeming to silence all other noise in the landscape. The bear suddenly looks skittish, falling onto all fours and scooting back an inch or two, watching the horizon. Then, a smear of grey amid white skies comes into view. In the distance is a dark shape above the horizon. It is serpentine and winds its way across the sky, wingless. It must be close to sixty feet long, with grayish-brown flesh like the rocky crags all around it. The creature has a massive reptilian head with black, angular horns and a single pair of claws. Scales like crusty armored plates cover its body. Most of the beast appears to be a long tail that ends in three spiky tendrils. It streaks towards you at an incredible speed, suddenly ducking low out of sight to circle around entire hills, heading for you, hunting you.
The bear turns and flees down the hill.
Tathlan's keen eyes spot a cave the bear is streaking towards, half-covered with thornbushes.
The creature is too far away for Senna to properly identify; yet from its tails and wingless body, she is able to recognize a linnorm, a treacherous primeval dragon from the north, known for their hatred of lesser creatures and for the death curse which follows any who slay them.
"I think that this may be beyond us. Perhaps we should join the bear in hiding from it somewhere it cannot follow? Is there anywhere else about that we can get to?"
Tathlan waves and shouts up to Halthern,"The bear! I saw it flee into a nearby cave! It might be its den but I like our chances against a bear or two than whatever that thing is that's heading for us!
He begins trudging in the direction of the cave, hoping the others will follow.
"Does anybody know more about that thing, and what it is capable of?. Let's retreat and see what it does"
So, head towards the cave but don't go in just yet. Start buffing with a divine favour spell.
Authion watches the gray creature. ”I’ll admit I’m tempted to test ourselves against the dragon-kin.”
He shrugs, "But I'm fine either way, and dragon-kin are rarely to be taken lightly."
Without a better idea Authion follows his fellow elf towards the cave, quickly surpassing him to try to scout ahead.
Turning, the group charge for the caves, grabbing the slow-moving among them where possible as they chase after the bear, which vanishes deep inside. As they reach the mouth, the Crag Linnorm unwinds from a nearby hill and comes into view; Senna is easily able to recall that these creatures have terrifyingly powerful fire-breaths which can travel for great distances. To avoid it you sprint deeper into the cave, around the nearest curve, as the linnorm's breath soaks the passage behind you in flame.
Suddenly, you burst around a corner into a more open stretch of cave, and a strange sight. A great dire tiger, tusks as big as your arms, cavorting like a kitten with a strange man with red boots, a coat and fangs. As you are spotted, they freeze and glare at you, the man's eyes glowing a horrible silver. "LEEAAAAAVVVVEEEEE!!!" his cry splits the air, pointing dreadfully at you. From the shadows of the cave, two more creatures come- the dire bear, and a mighty dire boar with its own impressive set of tusks. In each of the creatures' eyes, a silver light begins to shine as they growl, snort and purr a challenge at you all.
"We seek only temporary refuge from the Linnorn outside. I beseach you to let us stay here until it goes. Hopefully the fact that we DID save that bear from the Hill Giants that were attacking it is an act that both shows our good will and merits some reward"
He is quite sincere in all that.
If I'm allowed, I'd take a 10 on the diplomacy check for a 30. If not :
Tathlan skids to a halt as he enters the cave and sees the bizarre man cavorting with three enormous animals. He realizes he might have led the group out of the proverbial fire and into the frying pan.
When Sir Haldern's hasty attempts to explain their sudden appearance fall flat with the red-booted man, Tathlan quickly takes a bead on the fanged man with his crossbow and prepares to fire.
Senna glances around the cave and starts slowly backing up into the corridor - complying with the spirit (but not the pace) of the fanged man's order. Her action has the additional benefit of minimizing the number of available attack avenues.
"I think we should leave these folks to their business."
1st Spells (8): x
2nd Spells (8):
3rd Spells (7): x
4th Spells (6):
5th Spells (4):
Dancing Light (3):
Dragon Breath (1):
Rod of Max (3):
Fire Claws (9):
Stun Fist (3):
Jingasa (1):
Spell Effects:
Mage Armor - 10 hours
Authion similarly draws a bead on the most available target , "Agreed. Let's go take a crack at the linnorm."
[ooc]If the team agrees, and the cave-dwelling child book characters don't keep us from doing so, Authion will back out of the cave, scanning the skies for the linnorm.
Haldern whispers to his allies
"I'm not sure that we have an alternative at this point. We're going to get destroyed heading back out of the cave and coming into the Linnorns reach"
Haldern also slowly backs out of the cave, hoping that the Linnorn has left the immediate area. He remains at the rear of the party guarding the others.
On the really small chance that the dude will respond to and understand a beast, Jensal will also try and speak to it (he understands but does NOT speak common so presumably he uses some kind of bird/animal speech.)
If detect evil is NOT visible I detect evil on the crazy dude. If it is visible and smite is not I smite him anyway.