The embiggened dwarf sighs in frustration.
"I suppose itz not common knowledge for long folk such as yerself Simon-m'lad, but e'ry dwarf knows that the only good giant has an axe stuck in their skull."
The dwarf takes a brief pause from his search to light a cigar, taking a long draw. The familiar sting of smoke in his eyes is as calming as a blanket on a cold night.
"Giants enslave dwarves, eat them, kill em for sport. You find a so called giant's cave and more than nine'o'ten times it was made by dwarven blood. There be no glory in a life ended in slavery, or ended early just to escape pain. Without glory an' honor in death no dwarf will find peace in the next world. So many dwarves lives and souls in death hae been destroyed by those overgrown beasts." The dwarf looks solemn for a moment. Clearly having experienced a full two emotions so far today has taken a toll on someone so calloused he avoids them all together. This feeling of pain, hurt, and sadness is just more proof that feelings help no one.
"This goes back to ancient times, there nae be a clan I know that avoided slavery by giant hand if they go back enough generations. Even the few giants that dwarves have fought alongside of are more tolerated then accepted. Even if my clan slagged my name and I can ne'er walk amongst my kin again, I cannae chance a giant ta live. That's not three slain giants in tha' hallway, that's likely thirty six Dwarven lives saved. Now the last of 'em fled because I dinnae kill it fast enough after destroying it's monstrous kin. I'll see itz head under my hammer, an' ease the future lives of another dozen dwarves."
Simon follows the storytime with wide eyes, totally forgetting about the closed (?) door for some moments.
"That's horrible-meowor!
And really all of them are like that-iii?"
The story of the dwarf reminds him of his own time in slavery, making that time sound not that bad after all.
He was not eaten and killed for sport after all. He was even able to freely roam the estates of his holders.
Sure he was treated like a stuffed animal by little children, forced to learn and show off tricks for parties and sold as soon as he has gotten 'boring' ... but ... not eaten.
Maglin doesn't add anything to the conversation about giants. Instead, realizing that he's uncharacteristically forgotten to cast mage armor, he does so, covering his body in an invisible shell. That's a bit better, I suppose this place is getting to me already.
He stays near the middle of the group, safe when surrounded by friends.
Just then the wall next to the door literally explodes as the remaining giant makes his entrance!
The sheer violence of the entrance is enough to shock all of you into a stunned silence. Rocks as big as your head go flying as a massive, armed, and dangerous Ogre ignores the door in favor of making his own! Yes! We are all like that! He bellows.
He pivots to the door and screams, "Stay out of my s***, Kitty! and hits Simon so hard you can all hear the wet crack of breaking bones.
But the club DOESN'T STOP! The power of the blow caries it through Simon, tossing him against the door he was picking, and continues on toward Cain's head! Cain barely recognizes the danger in time and leans back! The massive club passes within inches of his face!
"TIME FOR FOOD TO STOP TALKING!" He roars. He raises his club and brings it down on Dalkk.
But he misses!
Simon, step back after you've attacked, I'll pull you away. Maglin steps back, towards Vuzi, and lowers his stance, ready to drag the catfolk backwards.
Vuzi is listening to the conversation between Dalkk and Simon. Orcs have enemies too, but they are usually human.
Vuzi carefully away from Maglin, and leans down to touch Simon. "Dalkk please teach this creature a lesson. We are not food." She casts Cure Moderate Wounds. Her hand shrivels a bit as the healing magic is passed to Simon.
Dalkk's shield arm goes up as the exploding wall throws stones there way. He hears what sounds like the voice of another overgrown monstrosity. His buckler lowers just in time to see and hear the young Simon getting pummeled. The dwarf winces in sympathetic pain, and only just in time reacts to the Ogre's attacks.
”Ye just made the biggest mistake in Ogre history since yer whore mother shat ye' out!” The dwarf screams at the last Ogre, both in true deep seated anger and in tactically trying to draw his attacks. The second swing from the ogre is even easier to step aside. "I knew Ogre's were slow, but if ye dinnae even try then killing ye will be even less exciting then killing yer t'ree friends. They went down so easy while you ran and hid like a shamed dog. Tell me, could you tell which ones died first when they screamed their last? At least they went out trying, yer nuffin' but the last turd that clings on to delay the inevitable!"
With all the rage built in him he pulls back his hammer, hoping to ring true on center mass. With the swing he intentionally makes a show of not fighting defensively, knowing he has the best chance of surviving an attack and doing his best to draw that out.
Things are going ploin shape and something hits the catfolk, before he even knows what is happening to him.
And it hits hard.
He feels his shoulder dislocating and bone splintering under an impact so mighty as if he had just fallen from the highest tree he ever climbed - landing on the shoulder instead his trusty paws.
He sinks to his knees, tears in his eyes and bright stars of pain exploding in his vision. The tools he had in his hands only a moment before drop to the ground with a clatter of metal on stone.
While someone and another roars and scream profanities around, some gentle hand grasps him by the shoulder and he feels warm energy flooding through the wreaked shoulder, knitting bones back together and with a sharp KNACK! that causes every hair in the vicinity stay upright, the shoulder springs back into its socket as well.
Still somewhat beside himself, Simon mutters a "'fank 'ou" to whoever has hit him so promptly with a major healing spell.
His paws already reach for his dagger and kukri, as he looks around, taking in the new situation through watery eyes.
Rubble on the ground.
Big Ogre came bag - obviously hit me with that club.
Taunted by Dalkk.
Vuzi healed me.
Emilies blood is up.
She HATES the ogre now as well as Dalkk.
I HATE him.
He WILL die!
Her smell did not lie. It never did.
There was another Ogre nearby and now he is in their midst.
He hurt her companion. Hurt him much.
So much that their connection, ever a balm on her soul, nearly was severed.
It only has ever happened once, where he nearly died.
The monster must be put down.
Quick!
Through their shared eyes, Simon feels the anger and fear building up in Emily and the ferocity of her attacks against the Ogre which takes the big brute by surprise, opening him up for pay-back from the catfolk he discarded so easily...
His strikes are far from perfectly placed, but the distraction and well-tuned timing of both cats is lethally effective in its own right, so the Ogre stands in his own blood within seconds of ferocious attacks by claw and steel.
The quick movements of the attack routine, causes Simon to nearly black out and he takes a step back, feeling a helpful hand of Maglin that carries him another step back, further away from the monstrous enemy.
Marco charges forward, weaving around his allies until he can get at the monster, trying to slice at his stomach and provide a distraction even if he can't fully gut him right then and there, he shouts "you got more problems than just the dwarf left ya bastard!"
Cain growls in frustration at how his path to the target was blocked, but thankfully his line of sight wasn't, due to his bulk. He throws yet more bone spikes at the target, aiming at his shoulders, hoping to hinder his next series of swings as he silently fires.
Ogre: 37 taken
Dalkk missis. Like, wow. Simon and Emily aren't 100% successful, but they are effective. Cain darts in to replace Simon and successfully cuts the beast. It roars with a mixture of mirth and pain and aggression as it strikes at the most vulnerable target, Emily!
The monster clobbers Emily almost as hard as he hit Simon! Bones crack and the cat screams involuntarily. The greatclub, just like before, doesn't stop there and again Cain comes within inches of getting clobbered!
Thulian, give us a hand, eh? Maglin tosses a bomb at the ogre, then steps backwards out of the way.
The Oger grunts as part of him bursts into flame for a split second.
Stunned in silence at the wild swings the Dwarf hesitates. He winces at Emilys injurys. That attack should of been delivered to him. He swings I'm furious rage, reflecting on his failure, and flashes of his failure from home flood his mind.
"Simon! Emily must get closer to me for healing. I canna reach her from here." Vuzi cries out. She is clearly upset.
She is ready to heal Emily if she gets in reach.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Marco growls with a monsterous ferocity as Simon and Emily is wounded and jumps up to strike somewhere more vital "LEAVE THE CATS ALLONE! he shouts as his weapon carves it's way through him
Simon begins to sing an old song of summoning, chanting for the floor to rise up and form a friend.
Emily bites at the ogre once, then retreats quickly, feeling Vuzi's healing hands on her back.
[dice=Possible retaliatory strike from earlier]1d20+8+1[/dice]
Ogre:83 taken
The ogre roars in pain as Cain opens up a massive gash along with all the other wounds inflicted. He swings wildly at dalkk with an eye in Cain's direction, but hits nothing!
Cain returns his glare with a cocky smirk "not gonna go after me? Ya scared? B%*##? he taunts, trying to egg him on and convince him to ignore the squishies
Frustrated with his last two swings he tries once more with his hammer. Following the lead of Cain he taunts the Ogre, desperate to direct the attacks to Cain or himself.
"Ye don't know this but that man will eat anything. Normally I wouldn't be able to stomach the smell, but what say we make a feast o' this beast when we're done butchering him?"
Cain and Dalkk lay into their target, but, incredibly, he still stands after their assault! Barely. Blood is pooling at his feet, but he's upright.
Vuzi looks up and lets out what looks like a scream, but no sound comes form her mouth. She casts ear piercing scream.
In spite of not seeming all that hurt from the spell, the ogre's eyes finally roll back and he crashes to the ground!
"Emily let me help you." She pulls out the group wand of cure light wounds. "Simon how much are you still hurt?" She'll let someone else examine the body.
Dalkk looks at his hammer. Then looks at Cain. Could that have been a delayed reaction? He turns and see's the green witch and cheers. He rushes over to Vuzi and gives her a probably significantly harder then he should at giant size pat on the back. "Ye did it Green! I dinnae know what ya did but it was fantastic!" He turns and reaches for Cain, giving him a slug on the arm. Clearly slaying giants is one of the few things that will put a smile on Dalkk's face. "I dinnit know ya had that inya Cain Marko Cain! Well done!"
"She should be good there Vuzi, barely a scratch left between 'em"
Dalk leaves the standard looting of bodies alone for the moment, wanting to be sure the room is truly safe. He peers around the giant hole in the wall and to the eastern doorway, trying to see if they're truly right to lower their guard.
Maglin carefully keeps his distance from the dwarf, standing awkwardly in the corner. He doesn't lean into the wall, not yet, not while there are still open doors. He barks out a few words in a rough and now familiar tongue.
Go forward, tell me if there is anything in that room.
Careful now, who knows what other horrors still lie in wait.
Simon and Emily graciously accept the healing, then move to stand together next to Dalkk.
The small ball of stone and determination moves forward, next to Dalkk, and then right into the wall. It keeps going, seeming to disappear into the stone.
It examines the next room, reporting its findings in simple, brutish terms.
The room is secure.
"Thank you Vuzi, you saved us both-purrurr.
I am good and Emily looks good as well, thanks to you!"
He half turns to Dalkk.
"I now hate Ogres as well-grrrr."
The shock of two consecutive near-death experiences still a chill touch on his (magically healed) bones, Simon sits down taking Emily's head in his hands, fondling her beneath the chin and behind the ears, humming a calming song. Soon both cats purr audibly and the pained expression on Simons face vanishes.
Taking a deep sip of water, sharing the rest with the pantheress, Simon stands up afterwards, looking puzzled (and already curious again) at the huge bodies of the Ogres.
"Who'd though such large creature would camp down here.
I mean, how do they even fit through the tinnels-meowiii?
And ... What did they stashed away down here-iii?"
You eventually loot the bodies and find a large hide armor, large greatclub, sack with human skull and hunk of uncooked meat, an empty sack with a 5 sp silver ring and a map to the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon where his brother Gorbash lives (and is outside the scope of this adventure), , and
In the Ogre den beyond you find 5 piles of skins including a bearskin (300 gp). Buried in the soiled furs you find (with a DC 10 Perception check) a masterwork silver-edged two-handed sword, several half-eaten rat corpses, a keg of wine, a bottle of brandy (which, according to the scrawled note on the bottle, Ambro the ogre thought was magic because it made him go to sleep), and a magic potion of flying (which he thought was poison because it tasted icky).
In the main room itself, miraculously undisturbed, you find 3 rows of 100 cp each. The first row is all heads, the second is all tails, and the third all heads again.
Vuzi tips forward as Dalkk pats her on the back. I vas happy dat worked. Ve could not haf managed to take another hit from him."
Cain accepts the compliment from the dwarf, backhanded though it was, with a nod and a satisfied smile. He manifests detect psionics/magic over the collection of equipment with a smile "decent haul he flips a few of the coins, checking to see if they were weighted
Cain detects the potion glowing ever so slightly and determines that the coins are all legit.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A large dwarven hand falls on the smaller feline's shoulder, eyes meet and with a serious tone in his voice Dalkk cautions Simon "Aye Simmy-boy.. Ogre's be a good place to start, but remember it be all giants that deserve our hate. Also, be wary o' trees."
""
Dalkk lights a cigar and starts to help sort through the loot. He stares at the great club and waits. And waits, staring, and waiting. The moment Dalkk starts to return to size he launches his arm out like a spring and yanks the great club back. He watches it grow slightly only to catch up to his shrinking, and then return to normal. Dalkk scrunches his face and writes the results of this experiment in his journal. Without looking up he begins to speak out loud to whoever cares to listen. "The overgrown armor and club is nearly fifty pounds but barely 20 Gold. I dinnae mind picking it up on the way out, but I rather not strain L'nshpad with it fer'now."
The dwarf takes the large chunk of meat to Simon and Maglin.
"If either of you can tell if this meat came from beast and nay person, we can makes some rations of it. Simon ye' seem to be the most spiritual, so I would understand if ye wanted to give this one a burial." Dalkk's words were genuine, but his lack of understanding social cues gives him no pause when he unceremoniously hands the human head to Simon.
Dalkk helps with the remaining items, loading them onto L'nshpad. He takes special note of the ring and map. He asks Maglin to take a look with him. After determining whether or not the ring has any connection with the map he adds it to the loot pile, unless anyone asks for it. To the map he studies it with Maglin to determine if it's just directions or if it may reveal any secrets to the dungeon itself, even a less used path may add value to it.
Maglin looks at the meat, arms still folded. He doesn't want to take it. He takes a step backwards when Dalkk gives it to Simon, a faint, oh escaping his mouth. He helps Simon give it a look over to determine where it came from.
Maglin moves back out to the first room they entered. Shall we go on?
The map is of another dungeon entirely and is only of use to you if you choose to forgo this one temporarily. The Ogre probably used it to find his way to his brother's house.
Now he is overdoing, for sure.
Trees can't attack let alone enslave someone like those Ogres seem to do regularly... Or eat them ...
Simon takes the meat and head, carefully setting it down, looking it over, trying to discern the creature from which it originates.
As the gruesome findings are deal with, Simon glances at the towered coins, a smirk on his lips. With a sudden surge, he jumps through all three towers causing a shower of coins to rain over everyone nearby. He lies on his back in their midst, trailing around with arms and legs like a grounded fish while laughing madly.
Emily immediately follows suit and the two cats roll around in coin pile in a playful struggle.
This sudden burst of (mad joy/ playfullness / crazyness?) keeps up for about five minutes, before Simon finally lays still, while laughing in short exhausted gasps.
"Hah-Ma-Hah-Meh-Meh!
These coins really looked like a pile of autumn leaves-meow.
Couldn't resist the urge-mehmehmeh.
Reminded me of my youth you know."
Skeets flits about excitedly "we gone and showed them what for!
Marco seems amused as he cleans off the boneswords "what do you mean "we"
Vuzi laughs at Simon’s antics. She waves away some of the flying coins. ’vu are going to pick dem up aren’t.’
”Vere to next? South or east?
Back out the way we came, and further down the tunnel.
Simon looks around with a slightly surprised expression.
"Oh, yeah, well-meow.
Give me a minute, yeah?"
He then will proceed to collect the widely scattered coins into a sack.
After (certainly more than one minute) and he is finally finished (it is not very helpfull that he jumps after each coin as it rolls away, obviously enjoying himself in the process) he finally hods.
"So I guess we have everything from this room-iii?
Did you go to each of those rooms yet?"
Map Updated
There are two exits from this room. One is back into the hall you entered from, the other leads into a cave of unworked and earth. As you look up, a slight trickle of loose dirt falls from the ceiling to the ground. Two large tunnels are present on the far wall leading north and south.
"Wheew, this is a real labyrinth down here, meow!
Let's check these tunnels first.
Better know whats up down there before pressing on-miii?"