Arkhan Silvinesti: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Choot Othul: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Kern Dead-Eye: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Ozak: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Thoku Blood Drinker: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Hill Giants: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10
Fierce Grell sinks her claws deep into the giant's leg, laying it open and exposing the powerful sinew beneath. Her master, swings his mighty bone-beak in a powerful overhanded arc that nearly cleaves the giant's skull in twain! Still, the brute stands! Arkhan descends on the beast, tearing otu an eye with his talons even as the wound frosts over from the storm-brother's chilling touch.
The Mouth of Zagresh chants, and wicked maggot writhe up from the other giant, feeding on his flesh and dropping to the ground in sickening plops. The giant stares in dumb shock as he is eaten from within. The Bad-Axe takes the advantage and relieves him of his head in a quick swipe of his double-headed orc blade. Then, he follows through with a quick backwards thrust that caves in the other giant's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground, barely clinging to life.
The chamber stands quiet, filled with the sweet stench of spilled blood. Three more paths remain open at west, across, and south.
DC 20 will save
failure
gonna give Ozak a 5'step because both of his attacks will kill one giant and knock the other out
[/spoiler]
The giant vulture screeches in triumph. Then it begins to shape back into the Stornm Druid 1/2 orc. Arkhan reaches into a pouch, producing a pearl. Lifting it up to the sky, the druid speaks a harsh word and it frosts over. He replaces it in the pouch.
Grinning, Arkhan says, Shall we continue our advance!
"Across I say but the Chieftain has the final say..."
Choot places a hand upon the injured Bad-Axe and heals him, the Orcish way.
"Does anyone else require my gentle ministrations?"
Kern grunts a negative to Choot, and points across. "That way seems the right of it to this one."
Kern pushes open the double doors opposite the entry and reveals a large circular room. A huge iron cage fills most of this circular chamber, with several crates, chests, statues, paintings, and other art objects crammed between the cage and the walls of the room. Inside the cage, a
large piece of furniture sits under a cloth drapery of some sort.
Trapped within this cage are two emaciated manticores that beg to be freed the moment the doors are opened. They promise to help the Fist slay Grenseldek, and off them the riches within the cage, if only they are freed.
Sense Motive
Arkhan peers inside the chamber. The druid casts Detect Magic, as he searches around.
The beast speak with forked tongues and in half truths! They cannot be trusted! They drool toonfreely, their tails flick with excitement. They will attack as soon as they are able
"Vile lies, we should slay them in their cages so they do not trouble us further as we move along".
Thoku grunts "then let be done and let's move, i still hunger and we have a hoard to strengthen"
Choot draws his heavy crossbow to fire...
Ozak shrugs.
"If they can't get out, let's just keep going."
We must press forward!
"What if they free themselves hey and are used against us, I say we kill these vicious creatures now!"
He fires the heavy crossbow -
Damage
"I concur with Choot. They could be freed and allowed to attack our flank while we deal with others. They should be ended now." Kern waits for his chief's word before taking any brash action, unlike Choot, however.
"I concur with Choot. They could be freed and allowed to attack our flank while we deal with others. They should be ended now." Kern waits for his chief's word before taking any brash action, unlike Choot, however.
Thoku grunts "then let be done and let's move, i still hunger and we have a hoard to strengthen"
Choot will place his healing hand on Ozak and look away as if the sight of positive energy makes him ill.
CMW
As he inspects his handiwork, the Cleric mutters to himself and places his hand on Ozak, the Orcish warrior suddenly feels quite dead, cold and lifeless, like a corpse. Choot holds up his holy symbol and channels dark energy through it! Grinning as the injuries received by the Bad-Axe heal similar to what one would witness when stitching the dead for animation.
Channel Ray
Arkhan pulls out a wand. The druid cures Ozak.
The manticores howl and scream as the Fist slaughters the trapped creatures. They were too weak to even make slaves--any beast of such power that lets itself be caged and broken so easily is fit only for meat. Finally, after several minutes, their rull-noise is silenced, and their life slicks the floor. The keep is eerily silent. Either the giants are deaf as stone, or, more likely, the sounds of Nulgreths gifts have alerted the giants and they now prepare themselves with Verex's craft to slay the Fist as they approach.
Choot will focus on cutting off pieces of the beasts for trophies and ritual components while the Fist loots for treasure.
Arkhan waits impatiently at the doors leading further inside. The druid listens at them.
Ozak nods at Choot and Arkhan respectfully as they heal him.
"So they were weak... what do you expect from MAN-ti-cores. If they were ORC-ti-cores, that would have been different," Ozak chuckles.
Kern rolls his eyes at Ozak's horrible joke, and readies to continue exploring the fort.
Choot laughs at the bad-axe joke as if he'd never heard anything funnier as he cuts them to pieces for parts getting himself a bloody mess in the process.
Choot's knife work dislodges a moldy white gown covered in manticore waste and blood. From a its folds, Kern's keen eyes spot two letters scrawled in the runes of giants.
The double doors open to a stairway that curves upwards to a higher level of the keep.
To the Great Storm Tyrant
Volstus,
You call all giants to bring ruin to the small folk. I, Grenseldek,
answer your call, but I am not your soldier. I offer something better. I pledge my hand in marriage to you. I bring a dowry and a tribe of giants, ogres, and orcs, and I will serve at your side as queen. Take me and you will not regret it.
Your future bride,
Grenseldek, Glorious Chieftain of the Twisted Hearts
Grenseldek,
I have no interest in your proposed union. Even now, hundreds of giants flock to my banner within Minderhal's Valley. You may bring your trinkets and your tribe and offer them as tribute, and I will consider not killing you outright for your audacity.
I give you this one admonition-do not approach me again with such a proposal. You are far below my station, and the very prospect is absurd. If I ever hear such nonsense again, know that I shall take much more than just your “hand.” I am the Storm Tyrant-my word thunders with the might of the sky and my justice strikes swift as lightning. You have
been warned.
Volstus
The Storm Druid stands at the base of the stairs listening for any sounds from above.
Kern points out the notes. "I do not read the language of these creatures. Choot, have you studied their vulgar tongue?"
Choot reads the letters aloud, "Hmmmm. Interesting".
"Very. We could probably use this information to our advantage. If nothing else, we know that the Storm Tyrant believes himself to be above the station of the chieftan of the Twisted Hearts..."
Politics! Let's smash them all to pieces and let Rull sort them out!
Choot shakes his head at Arkhan, "The Destroyer is well pleased by any Destruction. If we let this place turn in on itself we will retain our own vigor and find a weakened enemy to feast upon. Those that survive will be added to Thoku's Horde, stronger than before!"
As the tribe stalks up the stairs thoku speaks [b]"true strength is taken by tusk and steel. Do not lower yourself doomspeaker we do not need hard words that amount to nothing but a hot wind to take power.we are destined power but it must be hard won and bloody if it's to be mine. The bloody good calls me it's bloodied servant to reape a red harvest and add to the life rivers Waters. We will crush and eat any in our path"[\b]
The druid smirks.
Choot shrugs at Arkhan, "Thoku speaks wisely!
This is Orc truth. Glad I am Thoku that you have once more passed the test of true Orchood, long have I awaited to follow one such as you!"
Kern shrugs. The tribe would win the fight, he had no doubt, but it may have been an easier fight if the two factions were allowed to war with each other first. No matter. "Lead on to battle, my chief," he says.
"Maybe we should force this Volstus to marry Grenseldek. Then we can kill them." Ozak chuckles.
"If Volstus asks us nicely. Hah!"
Ozak girds himself for a fight once more.
"Okay, let's keep moving."
Arkhan Silvinesti:
Choot Othul:
Kern Dead-Eye:
Ozak:
Thoku Blood Drinker:
Grenseldek:
Orc Guards:
The curving stairs wind up higher into the keep. They come to a single door a the top of the unlit winding stairs. Thoku bursts the door open, as is his right as chief of the Bleeding Storm. The door opens into a large chamber with a broken wall partially blocking a dark alcove to the
northwest, surrounded by broken bricks and scattered debris. A circular niche on the opposite side of the room to the southeast holds a raised table. In the center of the room, three beds have been crammed together beneath a single huge bearskin bedspread. South of the beds, a massive floor-to-ceiling mirror stands against the wall, and a large dust-covered armoire hunkers between two sets of doors along the northeast wall.
A grotesque female giant stands flanked by twin warrior orcs. "YOU!!! How did you... Doesn't matter. GET THEM GIRLS!!!" The giant aims her bow at Thoku's head.
surprise check:
Arkhan Silvinesti:
Choot Othul:
Kern Dead-Eye:
Ozak:
Thoku Blood Drinker:
nope no surprise for them
Kern points toward one of the orcs flanking the giantess. "You can see by our forms that our tribe is vastly superior. Surrender, or better yet, turn on that barbaric creature, and your lives will be spared... the great Thoku may even deign to make you members of the tribe instead of simply slaves."
To punctuate this, Grell lets out a thundrous roar.
Thoku looks at Kern foret with anger at him speaking in the chiefs place then a wicked smile spreading across his face he looks at the twin orcs. "yes, ahahaa trun your steel on to that creature that thinks less of orc. Prove you still see orcs above Giants and i will welcome you as sisters in to the BLEEDING STORM. Or you can stay with this one an fall tusk less like so many before my bite."
(+4 as still large size a believe)
Kern ducks his dead in a quick bow to Thoku, not having meant to speak out of turn. He had only hoped to spare mighty Thoku from deigning to speak to such creatures with his own voice.
Arkhan impatiently enters the chamber following his clan. The druid peers around at the room, noting everything in detail. He pauses as his ice cold blue eyes locate the giant-sized mirror and he quickly shifts his focus between it and the big ugly giantess. The mad druid then begins to cackle loudly! Mad laughter erupts from the 1/2 orc like Rull spears sent from the sky! For but a moment, it seems as if our mad druid would be paralyzed by this joke! Alas, Arkhan wills himself to action (although he still is chuckling!). Reaching for an icy blue rod, the druid casts a spell.
(+4 as still large size a believe)
Arkhan Silvinesti: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Choot Othul: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Kern Dead-Eye: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Ozak: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Thoku Blood Drinker: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Grenseldek: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Orc Guards: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Arkhan impatiently enters the chamber following his clan. The druid peers around at the room, noting everything in detail. He pauses as his ice cold blue eyes locate the giant-sized mirror and he quickly shifts his focus between it and the big ugly giantess. The mad druid then begins to cackle loudly! Mad laughter erupts from the 1/2 orc like Rull spears sent from the sky! For but a moment, it seems as if our mad druid would be paralyzed by this joke! Alas, Arkhan wills himself to action (although he still is chuckling!). Reaching for an icy blue rod, the druid casts a spell.
The orc guards sneer at the Fist as Arkhan Storm-Speaker summons his ice-club. They swing their mighty bone beaks, but Ozak and Thoku both dodge the blows easily. Yet, as deft as the great chief's steps are, his doesn't see the danger. Her slaves were but a distraction, forcing Thoku to expose his flank. The giant's unleashes her war-rain. The tree cuts through the air like Rull's own sacred spears, plunging deep into the chest of the Bloodied One! His sacred flesh begins to melt, collapsing to the stones as he feels her arrow's point scrape against his ribs!
Orc on right attacks Thoku
wow miss
orc on left attacks Ozak
SERIOUSLY!?
Grenseldek attack
....HIT!
that's 53 hp. 48 for the eidolon, and 5 for Thoku himself. He CAN give as much of his own HP as he wants to keep his eidolon around. I'll resolve his intimidate after he tells me what he wants to do with the arrow.
She attacks Kern (he's big and chunky)
miss
"Our chief is injured! Focus on the ugly bi&*h!"