Looks at Giles, shakes her head.
Eldan is out of spells, and Zigil is almost out. Zigil thinks we should use the second charge from the banner before going to light the last beacon.
"Frum, Grodar, what is the shortest way to the beacon at the Hopespring?"
"The spring is just outside the gate, but the beacon is at the end of the road beside Clamor. You folks follow your mission, I hafta stay here at my post."
"Sure let's use it. Might not be a later if we wait. "
The group gathers around the banner, and Zigil invokes its power. An instant later, they are refreshed as if they had rested the night.
"You are a credit to your profession, Sergeant. I feel this gate is in good hands. It was an honor to fight beside you."
We will wait for everyone to prepare their spells (if needed), and then make our way towards the last beacon at Clamor. (Zigil is going with the same spell lineup as before, so I think he's good.)
On the way, Zigil will scan the surroundings for anything suspicious.
Gilles will proceed with a blunderbuss loaded with a lead slug.
The group approaches the area of the Hopespring.
The odours of smoke and blood are in the air, but no combat is visible in the immediate area. The buildings in the area show signs of having been bombarded, and there is a deep hole in the cliff face by the waterfall.
Ahead, the timber of the beacon is still neatly stacked.
Grodar hurries to the beacon and lights it.
Grodar leads the way, and the party gathers at the beacon.
Grodar slowly reaches out with his torch to light the beacon...
Perhaps it's an aftereffect of the banner, but time seems to slow as Grodar reaches his torch towards the beacon, smoke rising, sparks dropping, flames hissing.
The group watches with interest, but only Slei can do anything...
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"GRODAR, DON'T LIGHT THAT BEACON!"
Slei shouts after watching in silence for over 5 hours.
"Does anyone recognize that yellow powder?"
Grodar pulls the torch away from the beacon. "What is it?"
Now that Grodar has a closer look, he can see that the timbers making up the beacon are coated in some sort of yellow powder, probably alchemical in nature.
Giles has a look at and sniffs the powder. Does this look like gunpowder or a similar substance?
Giles detects a sulfurous odour, but this does not look like the black powder he uses. It's possible it could have a similar effect.
This is a way of tracking your success during the battle, which will have an effect very soon...
Stopping the riot: +1
Taking the mob to the Longhouse: +1
Saving Agrit and Sara: +2
Saving Rabus: +1
Saving Silvermane: +1
Keeping Frum alive while defeating waves of orcs: +4
Defeating Kagak of the Rolling Thunder: +1
Total: 11
(best possible: 13 as I ran it)
"It's a trap? We might be being watched as well." Zigil will start scanning around the area looking for anything suspicious.
"Eldan, do you have a spell that can blow away the powder?"
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"Hm. Everyone, stand back 25' from the beacon." Ziggy walks up to the beacon. "Get back everyone." When everyone has stepped back, he holds up her holy symbol aloft and emits a blinding flash.
He grins and looks at Grodar. "How's that? Do you think that might get some attention? I can do that 5 more times. Is there a pattern that you use to summon reinforcements?"
If not, Zigil will just set off 4 more blinding flashes, spaced about 10 seconds apart, humming "Oh, oh, white light..." to himself each time.
Finally, Zigil casts daylight on the beacon at level 5. "Sun domain, b!tches!"
"That will last for almost an hour. We can use the time to secure the town, or to clear away this contaminated beacon and build a new one. It would be best to recruit help to rebuild the beacon, while we handle the looters."
Zigil's spells cause the piled wood to glow brightly without generating any heat or smoke.
A loud roar comes from the far side of the pool, and the party sees a large, greenish, hunched-over humanoid standing in front of the notch in the cliff face. Long chains trail from its arms and legs, and huge tusks jut from its jaw. The enraged bestial thing looks like a cross between a troll and an ogre. It begins wading towards the adventurers.
Grodar fires his crossbow at the giant…
… and the bolt plunks into the water.
"Looks like we've got a cave giant on our hands. Those things can throw and catch boulders like nobody's business. Looks like it's already taken some hits, though."
Slei's got a +2 on attack and critical confirmation against giant subtypes so she'll fire at the cave giant with her sling staff.
Giles tells Garm to Stay and moves 30' toward the waterfront closer to the building.
The giant howls and begins splashing through the pool towards Giles.
Grodar fires again.
"Eldan, stay within 50', for I am about to call down the blessings of Iomedae upon our whole party."
Eldan moves up to L5 and readies a scorching ray.
Zigil moves to N5 and casts bless.
Slei will fire another sling staff bullet.
Giles moves 30' closer along the waters edge and readies a shot for when it is under 30' away (using deadly aim and dead shot).
Eldan moves up and stands at the ready.
Zigil blesses the party.
Grodar's second shot hits the giant, but bounces off the broken breastplate it is wearing.
Slei hits it in the arm with a sling stone.
The giant is enraged by Slei's attack, and begins sloshing towards her, then gets re-directed after Giles hits it with a shot.
Eldan moves up to M11 and maintains his ready state.
Zigil moves to O9, and readies a heat metal spell to be cast as soon as the giant is within 30'.
Grodar reloads and fires another bolt at the giant.
Giles reloads his blunderbuss with a bullet and takes a 5' step back toward the group.
"That's right you ugly big 'un. Get closer so I can see your wicked face."