The first fachen takes a clumsy swing of his rusty over-sized battle axe and misses Roland by a mile. After the raging warrior ducked the blow he stepped up and put his earthbreaker to work. It slammed heavily into the giant's ribs and then into its skull, knocking the life from it in mere seconds.
The two fachen up front took a full-force blast of spinning corrosive conjured acid that seared the flesh right off of their bones. Bits of skin and muscle tissue curdled up and flaked off of their bodies, leaving gaping wounds that would surely fester...given the chance. The two behind them were able to dodge some of the magic but still suffered corrosive damage.
Veronica watches as the creatures continue to approach. Feeling the battle lust well up within her, she drops her cloak and takes her weapon in two hands as she covers the distance to the giants in a blink. Stopping next to her companions, she grits her teeth as she puts her all into swinging her weapon.
The sight-challenged paladin brought her warpick to bear after finally being confronted head-on by a wave of enemies. Bereft of fear she waded into the fray alongside her able companions, swinging her cold steel pick deep into the flesh of the front, injured giant. As it began to fall she planted her weapon into the side of its skull, snuffing out its cruel ugly life in a swift stroke.
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The slavering hatred burned in the fachens’ eyes after the magic acid attack but more fiercely after the first one fell. Some of them barreled forward to attack while others hopped past the central fire pit to engage the other flank. A flurry of gnashing teeth and whirring axes ensued.
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Roland stepped up to the closest enemy, simply but effectively, and demolished it
Round 7
"Get back," Gromff warns Veronica. But it was too late to do anything to stop the axe as it fell. Warm, wet liquid hit his face. He didn't need to look to know what it was. And as much as he wanted to help, to heal, the best thing he could do was distract or destroy. Turns out his golden flail preferred the latter. The first blow takes out the one leg it was standing on and other impacts hard on its chest. Both blows tore off skin and corroded the muscle beneath.
Veronica felt the sharp sting of the axe blade as it pierced her armor and entered her chest, heard the crack of ribs as its weight bore down upon her, and then felt the rush of warmth as blood filled her robes. She coughed, more scarlet droplets spraying from her mouth.
Instinctively, she took a step back, putting distance between herself and her enemies. Her old training rushed back into her, and just as the cold was starting to settle in she she shouted
And in her shout more of her blood rushed forth, shining with crimson light, bursting in a fine mist across the battlefield. Her hardened eyes glare at the giants as she brings a hand up and wipes the blood from her mouth.
While the gravely-injured paladin stepped back to use her healing gifts, the fighting skills of the group are on full display as shown by this wave of giants being cut down like a wheat before the sickle. The warpriest and barbarian both finished their opponents in a matter of seconds, all the while Mjolvandr's battle song has reached a volume of dubious (and somewhat comical) proportions.
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By now the acid-burned fachen from the back row had reached the higher elevation of the stone rise south of the cyclops' cave, joining the pair of giants who were tossing spears at the companions. He ran to their side and grabbed a javelin while the others continued their barrage, though none of their weapons managed to find their targets.
Seemingly unconcerned for his fallen brethren, another of the horrible needle-toothed fachen charged up along the group's flank, swinging a large rusty axe at Catcher in a very clumsy fashion.
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Roland once again gets more positive energy than the rest of them. For some reason the healing energy was drawn to him and healed him more than the rest. Good thing, since he was needing it.
Anyway, the barbarian heard the loud chanting from the hammer and immediately realized how lucky he was to favor his non-talkative weapon, demonstrating his disapproval in the singing by shaking his head sideways. He also got proud of the wizard, since she was finally becoming a brave man warrior, stepping up to the monster and attacking it. He would not dishonor that by aiming at her target, so he ran with supernatural speed at one of the cowards attacking from afar, and attacked it.
Round 8
Gromff crosses the battle field to Catchers side intending to aid her before chasing after Roland. The dwarf uses the extra momentum from his speedy approach to swing the still acidic flail at the Fachen.
Her wounds continuing to heal, Veronica grits her teeth as the javelins are hurled. Figuring it is about time that they get a taste of her own medicine, she puts away her pick and draws forth her bow.
The sickle continues its harvest; Catcher manages a pair of deep-cutting slices with her greatsword, slicing through the air with furious intent, sending the fachen giant to its knee (which is a very unusual sight indeed...). It is clearly on its "last leg" so to speak, looking like it could collapse with a stiff breeze.
With a rush of horrid breath through its pointy teeth, it roared while throwing one more axe swipe through the air, though its aim was no match for Catcher's devil-plated armor fine elven chainmail. The axe clatters to the ground as the monster falls.
Roland rushed up the village ramp toward the higher foes, ready to put them down. His foe was surprised at the speed with which the barbarian came upon him, and so thrust the javelin he held at Roland like a spear. It would prove to be his last mistake, for his smaller opponent knocked the life out of him with one of his signature hammer blows.
Only two giants remain in the fight, flanked by the warpriest and barbarian, though their resolve to battle doesn't seem diminished by their kin's deaths. They both engage their respective opponents forthwith.
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Round 9
"They see me ROOOOOLAAAAND!!!" The merciless barbarian steps up to one of the last creatures standing. He could not let Gromff and the loudy hammer finish off their enemy before him, so he stepped up to the target and pancaked it.
Round 9
Veronica glares at the Giant on the hill that aimed at Catcher, the one that Gromff was quickly shuffling towards. Nocking her bow, she takes a deep breath and takes aim. Under her breath, she whispers "Oh General of Vengeance, guide the arrows of thy servant."
Letting the arrow fly, she quickly nocks and takes a second shot.
Moments after the melee attacks of Roland and Gromff, the twang of Veronica's bow is followed shortly by swift wet sounds of the arrows piercing the fachen's chest. It fell down from its sturdy leg, never to rise again. As this final opponent hits the ground it seems apparent that no more fachen are coming to join the fray.
With the sounds of combat over, the companions heard the sound of muffled yells coming from one of the mud-huts down the lane. Running over to investigate they find the expected refugees - bound and gagged and jailed inside of an iron cage. The cage was more sophisticated than any other tools or technology seen elsewhere in the village, indicating it is not of fachen-make. The prisoners' eyes lit up at your arrival as they scrambled to stand so they could meet you face to face.
The key is found after a cursory search, hidden underneath a clay pot filled with branches of cocoa leaves and mint.
Gromff is breathing heavy at the brief but intense fight. He'd never moved that fast in his life. It was hard to keep up with his own movements. But he wouldn't stop to rest until the people were free. At the sight of the cages, he gets a bad feeling. "I don think we should stick around long. Giants dinna build these. Might ave been supplied by devils."
Being the slowest, Gromff offers to lead the people back.
Roland, happy with the results of the battle, lets his body sit a little to catch his breath after the intense exertion they just had. The problem was not exactly attacking, but running around the battlefield to catch the opponents. At least the humans are safe. "Chill Gromff. Nobody is gonna come at us. Take a rest and let's investigate this place further, see if we can find any piece of information. Wouldn't that be a good idea? We have no idea where to go, remember?"
"That cave has something below it, I'm sure. We should find out what it is, because every time we went into a cave something marvelous came out of it. Things seem to always be hidden under the ground around here." He certainly has a point, since they found the rings and the snake in a cave, the secret place below Archdale, and the magic plane inside She's cave.
He stands up to face the prisoners. "Guys, I think we should let them get back while we take a look at this place. Let them take the food they want. If there are any backup troops we can handle them while the citizens escape safely." He waits for a group decision on this.
Veronica pulls the bow close when the last giant falls. She mutters a silent prayer before placing the bow back on her shoulder and wrapping her cloak around her. As they approach the cages she examines the pulsing life force of the prisoners, worried at how the giants have been treating them. She asks "Are any of you wounded? Can you make it back to your camp? Do you know how to get there?"
Veronica nodes at Roland, though she hesitates to speak up against Gromff "It is possible that the giants looted these cages. And such a hole in such a crucial location likely held special value to them, though if it will to us I cannot say. Still, it might be worth investigating."
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”That was easy, don’t you think?” she happy asks after the combat. Of course she knows it wasn’t easy at all, but being the only one not to receive any significant damage, she could pretend
Once the fight is over and they start dealing with the survivors, she cast one of the spelltricks to find magic and do quick search in the camp.
”I do agree with Roland, I don’t think it’s wise to leave without exploring the cave, might contain something interesting.”
"Doubt these people want ta be ere longer than they hafta. Nearly eaten and all that. I'll be taking them back." Gromff turns to the people and starts gathering them together as they are freed from the cages. "Follow me. I'll take ye back ta the others." Quietly he speaks to Veronica, the only one that seemed responsible and cautious, "Don't let them stay long."
Veronica shakes her head "If there is one thing we should take heart to at this point, it would be not to divide yourselves. Thou art right Brother Gromff, we should see to these people first. That cave is not going anywhere."
"Then let's freaking go already. The sooner we leave the sooner we're back. Just a sec. Saw something like a Zelda's chest inside and I wanna listen to that song again." While the others are getting ready he lights one of the torches on the burning coals and proceeds inside to get the chest, if he can.
Roland will check if he can carry the chest back, cause he has a bad feeling about leaving this here, but if he can't the barbarian will just try to open it and get whatever is inside to take with them, in which case he also tries to carry some meat to the citizens.
Fear was dispelled from the frightened men's eyes as the heroic companions opened the cage to set them free. With their bonds cut and their gags removed, they offered their hearty thanks with handshakes, hugs and pledges of loyalty. After a brief round of questions it is determined that these six men are all that remained of the hunting party that the refugees sent nearly twenty four hours ago. Several of these men were killed by the fachen, among those several were devoured or nearly devoured as evidenced by body parts burnt to a crisp while skewered on a spit, left stationary by the fachen who went off to battle the heroes. These remains were taken down by their refugee friends and buried under a small cairn, thrown together while the rest of the village was searched.
Opting to escort the rescued back to their group without splitting up the party, Roland rushed back into the chieftain's cave and picked up the hefty chest to ensure its contents weren't compromised during their absence. He brought the chest outside to the group where it could be examined in greater detail under conjured magical light. When the latch was thrown and the lid lifted, the barbarian was not disappointed in what he found -
Glittering gemstones twinkled in the light as well as ample coinage upon which the gems rested. Large hunks of rock were also among the treasures, sporting some large uncut gemstone segments that remained untapped within the mass. Furthermore a pouch tiny stone slabs - slabs that radiated a conjuration magic aura - is found within the chest. These flat stones were about the size of a card from a deck of aces, spades, diamonds and hearts, though they were about a centimeter thick. The pouch holds 4 of these card-shaped stones.
Deciding that expedience was prudent, the friends escorted the rescued hunting party back their friends, heading back north through the rocky badlands toward the refugees who were camped within a deep fissure. The two men who had led the way to giant camp rushed out from an outcropping where they had been waiting, awash with joy at the sight of rescued friends. After another hour of walking they were reunited with their group, warming themselves by friendly camp fires in the fissure's depths.
The refugee's leader, the one named Doña Maria, rose to meet the companions and thank them for the night's heroics.
"You have our undying gratitude. We have nothing to offer you but our words and maybe the warmth of our campfires. I pray this will be sufficient. The morning approaches soon. Won't you share our camp for what's left of the night?"
"Fancy!" It's all the barbarian says as they uncover the chest's contents, knowing pretty well that they could not easily sell those, specially in the middle of nowhere. But of course, treasure was treasure, and thus they would keep it until they could sell it.
Back at the camp Roland knew this was bound to happen! He felt the citizens were scared to sleep without anyone strong enough nearby, and well, maybe the cave could wait until the morning, after all. He shrugged to his friends, showing whatever option was good enough on his behalf.
Roland was intent to bring something valuable out of this so Gromff obliges to get things moving. He opens the head of his garrulous flail and empties the chest into it. Now the gold and valuables weighed nothing and they could get moving. A few hours later all were reunited. He accepts the praise and thanks with the same stoic expression he accepts all things with most of the time and mumbles that its what Moradin expected of him. "A nap would be nice," he admits after the long night. He wasn't taped out on spells or strength but it was nearly morning and they hadn't slept yet.
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Before being bullheaded by the grumpy dwarf, Catcher gets the items that have magic aura, and uses the slow night march to study it.
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When they arrive at the camp, before going to sleep, she has more things to plan. She walks over to Doña Maria and explains the situation
”Matron Maria, I need help, probably of children, comes the morning to catch some mice.” she pulls out the mice cage she’d build before and explains a little further the situation ”My little friend here,” she dugs into her clothes and bring out the purple snake ”went thru some…” she stops as the snake had its fangs bared at the elderly woman hissing dangerously. ” හේයි, ඒක නතර, කාන්තාව අකරුණාවන්ත වෙන්න එපා.” Catcher hisses back at the snake.
The night had been a good one. Hunting in the giant camp was easy and fruitful. It even indulged the upstart wizard when she asked It to scout ahead and search for enemies. The night had been good, and she’d leaped out of her sleep, to protect It before. Of course that was her duty, being It servant and all.
After the battle, It tastes the air once more and then moves to the familiar place inside the mage’s clothes, coiled around her arms. The night had ended and it was time to sleep… or so It thought.
Couple of hours later, the unscrupulous wizard dared to wake It from the majestic sleep to, what? Show off to a mortal elderly woman? It’s godly rage manifest, for being disturbed by such irrelevant matter, that It can do nothing more than express discontent.
Fangs bared, It hisses dangerously at the woman with Its rightful indignation.
Before being bullheaded by the grumpy dwarf, Catcher gets the items that have magic aura, and uses the slow night march to study it.
-Spellcraft-
The Doña backed away from the snake, wisely fearful of the venomous bite that its hissing threatened. She gave a thoughtful, curious look to the serpent's master, wondering how she managed to remain safe in the presence of such a dangerous pet.
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The depth of the fissure was helpful in staving off the stirring light of the rising sun, and so the refugees and adventurers both were able to sleep late into the morning.
Those who did rise early were the children, though the young mage put them to work straight away with her endeavor to trap a few mice. They set up a few areas with bait where a mouse could be trapped by upturned bucket or other clever use of the few tools they had been able to bring along. Their efforts were mostly in vain as the rodents were cunning and swift, though in the end there were multiple mice were trapped.
A new hunting party was mustered in light of the fachens' deaths, in hopes that one of their shaggy cow-like field livestock could be slaughtered for the benefit of the hungry troop. No more than a couple of hours after the last sleeper had awoken, the hunters returned with their prize. The animal's flesh would sustain their camp for days to come at the least, and was particularly delicious as it turned out. As the companions gathered their packs and said their goodbyes, an offering of meat was given for the journey to come.
Roland woke up in a bad mood. He would like to keep sleeping for at least a couple more days, but they had a weird place to explore. "So let's head back there, shall we?"
In the morning, while the children play and humans hunt, Gromff prays and dons his armor. They'd done everything they could for these refuges so now it was time to continue their mission. A short detour wouldn't hold them up too much. They didn't exactly know where to go anyway. The spear would show itself to them or it wouldn't.
With a grunt of agreement, Gromff follows along back to the giant camp. If they found more goods, great. But Gromff wanted to know where the cages came from and their purpose beyond containing the giants food supply.
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With no empathy at all for the injuried hunting party, or even the worried friends that stayed behind hopping for a safe return, Catcher comments ”Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t we explore the cave yesterday? If there was anything or anyone to be found, right now most likely, we’ll not find anymore.” but she follows happily behind and as protection, when they are getting near the cave, she enhances her blade with magic.
Gromff noted Catcher said someone today and not just something. He hoped it was an improvement in morals rather than a slip of the tongue or shot at him and Veronica. He hoped one of these days they'd show more concern for people rather than shiny baubles.
When Veronica sees the captives reunited with their loved ones she gets a warm feeling inside of her that she hadn't felt in a while. Sure, killing the master of the ruins back by the river was a good deed, but the outcome of this was obvious and tangible.
When the thanks came Veronica waved them away and softly added "This shall be much more than sufficient. And in the morning, before we depart, I shall fill thy containers with fresh water, even enough for bathing basins, should there be any available, natural or crafted."
And when the thanking is done she, once again, gives some prayers of healing to everyone before settling against a wall. There she pulls out her hand loom and gathers a thread from her rapidly whitening robes. Silently, she recites her prayers while working the fine linen thread. For an hour she weaves and prays, before storing the new bandages in her bag and putting away the book and tool.
And when she settles down to sleep a hand comes up and touches the spot on her chest where the creatures axe blow had landed. The skin was still sensitive and itchy, but otherwise only a thin scar remained of the serious injury that had been there. And as she gives thanks, once again for the protection and powers granted her, she also had to smile that she had been strong enough to survive such a wound. She briefly wondered if the others were looking down on her proudly from the heavens, before settling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
- - - - -
Waking up early, Veronica started her morning with prayers and a breakfast of plain oatmeal. It took some time, but with dedication and prayer her armor and robes were good as new again, with no sign of either the blood nor the gaping axe hole that had been there previously.
And now that she was presentable, she saw to it that everyone had water and that all of the bandages and poultices were fresh and clean. And with all of that done, she approached her companions to see what the plan was now.
Hearing the familiar sounds of bickering, Veronica just listens to the surprisingly brief arguments before adding "Well, it seems that we hath eliminated the giants, or at least scattered them. And while I care naught for any more riches, it does seem that no matter where we go that we happen upon things of importance. It would make one think that we are part of some destined plot."
Roland also handwaves the wizard's usual mood, and then add some more to the conversation. "Oh, I'm sure we are. Tough I haven't been able to tell if it's to save the world or to doom it." He shrugs, his argument pretty obvious. "But hey, I had fun yesterday. Nice quickness spell, mage. I moved like the wind. Wind of death. Nice shooting too Veronica, I watched some nice shots from up there."
"Has your hammer eaten the gems already Gromff?"
The camp was sad to see such powerful allies go, but they were content in the knowledge that they now had provisions, fresh water, bandages, and the majority of their warrior-age men and women back in their midst. Leaving the refugee camp during the late morning, the heroes pressed onward toward the next great unknown leg of their quest, but first stopping off at the (hopefully) empty giant village.
They made good time through the rocky badlands as they had now traversed this stretch multiple times and knew the best routes for the horses to travel. Aersensi passed the time by pestering Catcher for stories or to play with her snake, while the Walker seemed to age before their very eyes. Gone was his airy demeanor; it was replaced with sunken, tired eyes and a restless sense of urgency about him. His usual unobtrusiveness was regularly dispelled by spurts of angry shouting, spurts that were growing in frequency. Whatever he was carrying around inside of him was taking its toll.
Before long they reached the village which had dozens of carrion birds, both large and small, picking away at the flesh of the large dead fachen that lay in broken, sliced heaps. After spending some time searching the crude shelters and vicinity, nothing further of value was found. A fair assortment of rusted axes, spears and javelins were the only weapons found. These nasty one-legged one-eyed monsters apparently lived a primitive and simple life.
Once again entering the cyclops' cave, the heroes found it much as they had left it - two giant snakes and a towering giant lay dead and rotting where they fell. The cave ends in a large domed chamber with a greasy canvas tarpaulin and straw bed, a tun filled with liquid, and a dark natural-looking chute that dropped away to darkness. The chute's walls were fairly smooth and seemed like it may be difficult to climb down. The chute's mouth was about ten feet wide and narrowed slightly as it went down.
Roland lights a torch and lets it fall into the darkness, hoping there was nothing explosive down there. He wanted to see how far it went.
"I've been missing doing some climbing, you know."
"That," Gromff says with a pause, "Is likely the hole fer food that dinnae make into the giants gut. Maybe even the hole for food that did."
Roland tries to think like a giant, but is unable to get anywhere with that. "I don't think the giants did this, Gromff. It's just pointless, in my opinion. I think they just used this structure after something abandoned it for some reason. Do you mind if I go down there guys?"
Roland lights a torch and lets it fall into the darkness, hoping there was nothing explosive down there. He wanted to see how far it went.
The torch sputtered as the air rapidly flew by during its descent. As it fell, the walls could be seen more clearly tapering to a more narrow circumference, shrinking to about five feet in diameter. Somewhere past the one-hundred-feet-deep mark the torch slammed hard into a slanted wall that almost looked like a floor except that it was still slanted enough to cause the torch to roll out of sight. The light of the torch gone from sight within half a moment of this impact.
The shaft apparently changed direction once you got down far enough.
"That," Gromff says with a pause, "Is likely the hole fer food that dinnae make into the giants gut. Maybe even the hole for food that did."
The dwarf's hunches were likely confirmed when he finds traces of dried blood around the chute's walls, mostly confined to the upper portions near its mouth as it meets the cave chamber. The blood is patterned in spatters and smears.
Gromff also finds a translucent patch of snakeskin clinging to the chute wall.
Snakes shed their skin several times a year (more or less, depending on the species) and in doing so they leave behind a translucent scaly "copy" of themselves in the form of this shed outer layer. Sometimes the skin peels off in portions and gets left behind as the snake moves about.
Gromff swipes his hand across the mouth and notices red flecks on his gloved hand. There was something else too. Snakeskin. "Looks like I was right. Snake home. Probably threw left overs down there. Here," he says holding out a ring. "Also," he says retrieving a wand. "In case ye need ta climb faster."
"Awesome eyes dwarf. Those are indeed pieces of snake skin. There could be something else there, since the snakes wouldn't probably dig such a deep tunnel, or so I think. Does anyone else have some rope?" Roland shows the others he only has 50ft of rope with him, so it would be appropriate to find another one and tie them together.
All beefed up with the borrowed ring and the wand on his belt, one he didn't know how to use in any case, Roland gets ready to descend into the hole, to find many wonders in its bottom. Of course, all this could be for nothing, but there was only one way to find out. "Oh Lady Catcher, would you be so kind as to light my way down there?" Yes, he was being sarcastic by speaking to Catcher Titania like that. But he needed it anyway, because he could not hold a torch while climbing down, nor could the others cast magical light, as far as he knew.
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When they enter the caves again, Catcher cast a magic trick to provide light, which in turn makes the torches not necessary.
She peeks at the entrance, but makes no effort to be the first one to go into it, altho she found funny the prospect of watching the dwarf and his short legs and the possible result of his heavy armor.
She walks around, nudging her familiar to use its amazing ability to perceive scents to see if they missed anything on the place.