Demiarchos pounces upon his foe, flaming spittle arcing through the air.
,
,
Lokansir contrives to be at the epicentre of Alwyn's spell of fiery retribution. Demiarchos then launches himself at the enormous giant, his blackened teeth ripping chunks from its flesh. Lokansir groans like a falling boulder from the pain but continues to fight on.
Elisile completes her summoning spell, calling forth a great bear from the celestial realms. The animal launches itself at the nearest giant.
Elisile has her full turn too, having completed the summoning spell. I'll wait to see if Lokansir falls; also, without the map, can I get a description of viable targets for Elisile's bow, either if she stays in current position or takes a 5 foot step?
The summoned grizzly tears at the giant's stony flesh. Another creature would have collapsed long ago, but somehow the giant remains standing despite swaying and being covered in its own blood.
Elisile fires two arrows. Lokansir teters and finally falls. Elisile then redirects her aim to Galenmir.
Down to the pub for a two shilling ale
The bread on the counter is going stale
If I don't get some fresh bread soon
Gonna punch you in your face and bark at the moon
Conna continues the battle at the end of the corridor.
Galenmir struggles under Sefayll's enchantment.
Mokmurian vents his mindless fury on Conna.
The two remaining stone giants continue to pound eachother, but fail to land a telling blow.
Sefayll lacks the range she needs to hit her desired target, so she will advance slightly , just behind the god-dog.
Alwyn clambers up on the fallen mega-giant before pointing his blasting wand at the two stone giant leaders.
Elisile, Bear, Demiarchos, Hudak. Go!
Galenmir largely avoids the blast of avenging fire from Alwyn's wand. However, Mokmurian is knocked to his knees. He looks about him wildly, like a wild animal at bay, and then he suddenly spasms. His head turns to face the adventurers, mechanically and clumsily as if being moved by massive invisible hands. In a strangely accented voice he speaks.
“So these are the heroes of the age. More like gasping worms to me, soon to be crushed back into the earth when I awaken the armies of Xin-Shalast, when the name Karzoug is again spoken with fear and awe. Know that the deaths of those marked by the Sihedron — the giants you have so conveniently slain for me — hasten my return, just as yours soon will. Fools, all of you. Is this all you could manage in ten thousand years?”
Mokmurian gives a mocking laugh. Then his eyes then glaze over and he falls on his face. The stone giant soldier gasps, "Mokmurian is slain!"
"Surrender!" shouts Conna, and the giant drops his club. The other giant, already beaten and bruised, roughly collars him and pins him down.
The celestial grizzly instinctively understands which of the giants are enemies; it ambles towards Galenmir and swipes at the confused giant with a clawed paw.
Elisile gasps. “Karzoug!”
She looks over at Hudak and calls out. “Hudak of the Shoanti! Do you think you can take down this giant without slaying it? It appears it’s death will make the architect of this plot stronger.”
Elisile's bear fails to lay a claw on Galenmir.
"Surely one more won't make much difference, little elf?" Demiarchos tries to sound sincere, but fails laughably.
,
"The dog has a point, Ellie."
Illes.
Elisile sighs and answers the god-dog.
“Probably not, large hound of the God in Iron, but those giants back there that seem to be helping us may not appreciate us killing another of their tribal champions … though there is probably no reasoning with him at this point.”
She steps out and fires her bow at the giant.
Galenmir falls to the combined assault from Demiarchos, Hudak and Elisile.
Conna walks slowly up to Mokmurian and yanks his head up. His face is slack and his eyes are glazed in death. She roughly drops his head back and does the same with Galenmir, who likewise has expired. She spits on both corpses, which at least deals with Elisile's concerns that she might be upset about the deaths.
"You have slain Mokmurian! This madness is now at an end. Without this deformed runt and his lackey" - she gives Galenmir's corpse another kick - "the tribes above will soon fall apart." A look of doubt crosses her face. "But the spirit Karzoug spoke through him in the last moment. It seems he is not yet defeated."
She turns to the two wounded giant footsoldiers. "Come! We all saw it. The great Mokmurian is dead, and so are his chieftains. I saw it, you saw it, and so did you. We will head above and tell the tribes the good news. And then we will all return to our lands." She leads the giant survivors away.
but you need to tidy things up a bit here first.[/ooc]
"Squeeek!"
“It appears that the death of the stone giant wizard will indeed cause the giant armies to disperse as we hoped, ending the immediate threat to the region,” Elisile comments, lowering her bow and returning her next arrow to its quiver. “The greater threat appears to be this Karzoug. Still … I think we should be safe enough in this complex for the moment. If we rest, Illes should again be able to perform the spell that freed me from petrification, so as to restore Camlo to true form. For my part, I would dearly like to undertake more research at the Thassilonian library.”
"Squeek!"
Sefayll lets out a long breath when the last giant falls and Conna follows through as hoped. She takes a turn with the items that have been identified as magical.
Together, Sefayl and Elisile are able to identify the haul from their slain giant foes.
Slot body; Price 44,000 gp
This robe is made of crimson silk and emblazoned with dozens of spindly Thassilonian runes, each symbolizing a different type of magical effect or syllable of power. Favored by wizards, this robe can provide some benefit to any spellcasting creature. While worn, it grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence and allows the wearer to recall, as a free action, up to four levels of spells per day that he had prepared and then cast. Each time a spell is recalled and prepared again in this manner, the sudden rush of magical energy infuses the wearer with power—for one round after recalling a spell, the wearer’s spell save DCs and attack rolls for spells gain a +2 enhancement bonus.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, fox’s cunning, limited wish;
Cost 22,000 gp
The next few days go quickly. As Conna predicted, after a few skirmishes the giant army disperses now that their general and visionary leader has been killed by "small folk". Mokmurian naked body hangs from the walls of Jorgenfist as both proof and warning. While roving bands of landless giants might be a problem for the surrounding areas in the immediate future, this is much less of an existential threat to Magnimar, Korvosa and the Shoanti lands than a properly led and driven army.
Meanwhile, Illes eventually returns Camlo to his normal form and the adventurers return to the lower levels and explore, seeking both loot and understanding (in order of importance).
In addition to his belongings and treasure, they find scattered among the stacks of Mokmurian’s invasion plans, battle tactics, and research notes a single piece of paper depicting a map of the Lost Coast region of Varisia. Four points along the coast have “X” marks on them — three placed several hundred feet out to sea along the coast, but one right over Sandpoint. A note on the map, written in Giant, reads “Hellfire Flume ruins — foundation stones from each would know where the traitor Xaliasa dwelt and perhaps where he hid his key to Runeforge.”
"After consideration, I will defer to Elisile and the rest of the party with regards to the mage's gear, but I would like an opportunity to study his spellbooks. Shall we see if his lair has other prizes for the victors?"
"Well, ahh, that was, interesting. Thanks for getting me back. What happened to the big guy? Do you have any cheese?"
Demiarchos arrives herding a group of terrified-looking dwarves. "I found this lot hiding. I was about to eat them, then they told me they were smiths working on the weapons and armour for Mokmurian's army. I realised then that they were doing the Lord of Battle's work, in their small, cowardly way, so I spared them. You might find them useful. Or kill them, I care not."
"Alwyn Agnarrson, it is time for me to depart. The Lord of Battle is pleased with you. You slew a pansy wizard with pretensions of being a general, and provided us with excellent battles. He wishes to show you favour." Demiarchos begins to retch, eventually vomiting up a twisted piece of metal on to the stone floor where it lies, sizzling slightly with heat. "Take it. Not now, stupid! Wait for it to cool down! Alwyn Agnarrson, your brother is an idiot even if he is a mighty warrior. But once it is safe to touch, keep it with you, it will bring you luck."
Slot none; Price 20,000gp
This twisted piece of metal conveys the good auspices of Gorum. It need not be brandished to work, but it must be on the person of the user. It provides the user an +1 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, combat manoeuvre checks or armour class. The user chooses the type of bonus as a free action at the begining of their turn.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, must be a worshipper of Gorum, Divine Favour, Shield of Faith
Cost 10,000gp
A portal opens beside Demiarchos. Although is is just an opaque glow, through can be heard the shouts of battle, the screams of the dying and the clash of weapons. "Farewell, Alwyn Aganarrson, and good battles." There is the booming crash and small fragments of rock fly through the portal. "Ha! Marvelous!" Demiarchos bounds through and the portal disappears.
One of the dwarves steps forward hesitantly. "Lord, we are just humble smiths, though some of us have skill in enchanting armour and blades. How can we serve you?"
"Well, ahh, that was, interesting. Thanks for getting me back. What happened to the big guy? Do you have any cheese?"
One of the dwarves steps forward hesitantly. "Lord, we are just humble smiths, though some of us have skill in enchanting armour and blades....
"What sort of enchantments do your skills tend to, Master Smith? Are you perhaps skilled in recovering enchantments from existing gear?" She indicates a pile of over-sized magical armor and weaponry from the final battle of Mokmurian. "We cannot use those items as they are too large, but if their magic could be siphoned off and their raw materials used to create items more suited for our warriors, that would be most helpful."
A note on the map, written in Giant, reads “Hellfire Flume ruins — foundation stones from each would know where the traitor Xaliasa dwelt and perhaps where he hid his key to Runeforge.”
"There is much to learn from this small reminder. Perhaps the librarian will be able to assist us. I am only familiar with your quaint headquarters village by reputation - do you know of the ruins indicated on the map?"
"Elisile, I would be lying if I said this magical robe did not intrigue me, but I cannot benefit from both it and my headband. I see you have a headband, but I have never inquired as to its purpose. Let us distribute these things in the manner that makes our party the strongest, don't you agree?"
"I believe we can salvage the material from existing items and convert them to new," says the dwarf. "Although," he adds, "While we recognise we are in your debt for releasing us from the giants, once we have done this for you we would like to return to our families in Janderhoff."
"Go when you will craftsman," answers Elisile. "We'll not keep you here against your will. But such work would be of great benefit to us and may help us defeat the mastermind behind this massing of giants."
"Then we will help with these items before we depart, to thank you and show our gratitude." The dwarves all rumble their assent.