Ham gives Raen a sour look.
That was unnecessary. It will be trouble later.
To everyone else, Right of Conquest. Let us collect every advantage we can before we challenge this titan.
"No more than it has already been," Raen replies quietly, looking at the crown. "It is known as a crown of conquest, bestowing leadership and aiding the wearer in battle." She looks up at Hamilton. "You might even care to wear it."
"I think it's pointless now to debate the crown. That path has been chosen."
"Volstus knows we're coming, so I can't help but feel like the wise move might be to make him sit in his own stew for a bit," Vael says, borrowing a halfling saying. "If we charge in now, only he will be at full strength. We should take a day to prepare."
"A day to prepare? NO! the prey is cornered and we need to strike now before he slips away."
We're going after him, into his den. That's not exactly, 'cornered', Pig.
Ham looks at Raen, then at the crown.
What's it do?
We're headed right into his den, Pig. I wouldn't think of this as, 'cornered'.
Ham looks at Raen, then down at the crown.
What's it do?
"The crown's height grants the wearer an intimidating visage, and this effect is magically enhanced as well . Whenever the wearer scores an especially telling blow in battle , the crown's magic gives a bit of fortune to the wearer's allies, and ill fortune to the wearer's enemies . Finally, the the crown enhances natural leadership qualities, granting followers an enthusiasm that aids them in combat as well ."
"I concur that we should strike tomorrow, but no later. My reconnoiter this morning suggests that Volstus is preparing to release his castle from its moorings."
Doxon lets the others argue over treasure.
He takes a moment to thank Torag and calls on His power to heal his allies' wounds.
He then goes to Ushyle. With a nod to the half-elf, Doxon places his hands on the warrior and intones words of prayer. The warmth of the Forge flows from Doxon into Ushyly, healing his pains.
Vael also helps with his own form of curative power. He places a hand on each injured person, bestowing some healing to them.
The party looks around the throne room with a critical eye. The thrones are gem studded, and Raen dispassionately reports that she thinks you can pry a total of 5,000 gp worth of gold and gems from the elaborate thrones.
All eyes turn towards the hammer.
In addition to those valuables, All eyes turn towards a pedestal holding a large damaged warhammer of incredible design.
The aura is muted. Even in its broken condition, the aura is nearly overwhelming evocation, necromancy, and transmutation. There is something more to this hammer. For now though, it's a +3 Large returning warhammer.
Some of the others wander into the king's office and quarters to the south.
This large bedroom mixes the trappings of royalty with the hard lines of a military office. A chair, large bed, and desk are pushed into the corner to make room for a huge table covered in maps, flags, and small stones. On one wall hangs a banner featuring a rune-inscribed greatsword on a square-topped orange shield. On the opposite wall is a black banner showing a burning fanged helmet. Several giant-sized suits of armor stand at attention around the room.
There looks like a lot of paperwork on the desk. It'll take a few hours to sift through it.
Raen considers whether she has read of an artifact of similar design.
SUCCESS
Raen knows this to be THE fabled Hammer of Thunderbolts. The legends concerning its power are are varied, and there's no clear consensus on what it can do. Raen thinks that merely bathing it in the blood of a giant would be enough to mend the hammer to its full glory.
"I can help with the paperwork. Actually, it might be worth knowing the contents before I make an attempt to speak with the king again," Vael says, hunkering down to read through the paperwork. He gestures Tulia to help him, who he knows has no barriers at all when it comes to language.
Buried in the paperwork on the table are what looks like notes taken during a meeting between Tytarian and his captains, in which they discussed Ironcloud Keep and the possibility of the fire giants seizing the cloud castle for themselves. The notes contain two important pieces of information.
The first is that the castle is surrounded by some sort of energy field that prevents flight or teleportation directly into the castle. Smaller entrances exist in the rocky base that supports the keep; these are not contained within the keep’s energy field, but they’re concealed in the cloud that envelops the castle’s base and are guarded.
The second piece of information is that the engine that magically propels Ironcloud Keep and keeps it aloft is outfitted with some kind of dead man’s switch that can trigger a powerful explosive hidden somewhere near the castle’s engine room. The switch is somehow connected to the magical crown that the Storm Tyrant wears. Tytarian learned this during a meeting with Volstus, where the Storm Tyrant made it very clear that even if someone were to betray him, it would mean the traitor’s own end once the castle was in the air. From the notes, it appears that the fire giants eventually resolved not to attack the castle and to remain loyal to the Storm Tyrant—at least for now....
Ushyle has been silent, like Doxon, during much of the exchange. Like Raen, he is opposed to leaving powerful items with foes who could easily use them against them in the future, but is also compassionate enough to appreciate the need for reminders of one's past. And despite her words and actions, perhaps she truly loved her fallen king.
He expresses none of these thoughts, keeping his own counsel as the scene plays out and Quivixia departs. Only then does he speak. When you are done with his body, Vael, we should burn it to ash and scatter it to the winds outside.
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WP looks around with everyone else, but before he leaves, he pulls out his hopeknife and take takes a few locks of hair from the King. He then looks for any sort of heraldry symbol and he finds it on a piece of cloth on the king's weapon. he takes a small piece and ties the hair in a neat bundle. He pauses to inspect his work; satisfied he ties it to his staff with the rest of his trophies.
Raen returns from her reconnoiter of the ambassadors' rooms. "We have much work to complete before we infiltrate Ironcloud Keep on the morrow," she announces. She points at the hammer. "That, I am certain, is the fabled Hammer of Thunderbolts, now broken by an arcane force. I am confident that bathing it in the blood of a giant will restore its powers. Hamilton and Whistlepig, would you be so kind as to drain the blood of Tytarian into a suitable vessel?"
She turns to Ushyle and Doxon. "Ushyle and Doxon. The giants dead in our wake wore many suits of fine armor and bore well-crafted weapons. In time, we might work these at Minderhal's Forge, but we cannot carry them at present. I propose we bury them within the stone of these walls, lest the giants recover them for further fell purpose. Would you be so kind as to fetch their various trappings to Tytarian's private chambers? Bellows and the bag of giant holding should be able to render assistance," she gestures to Doxon's shadowy horse.
"Vael, I see that you are already deep into Tytarian's records. Please notify me if there is anything that requires my eye. I shall begin sorting through his maps."
Raen directs her attention to the table, with its many maps, flags, and stones. She also cuts down the two banners and stows them in her haversack.
"Burn the corpse of a fire giant, Ushyle? I suspect we'll find that somewhat difficult. But I can agree that something should be done with it."
When he finishes his reading, he nods. "Time well spent. Worth the experience, you might say. Now, let's see if the king wants to talk to us given that his queen never let him."
The shaman walks over to the remains of King Tytarian, with Tulia hovering over him. "I have to remind myself that this man is a king. He led his people, and felt that he was doing the best thing for them. That he cares nothing of dwarvenkind, that the death and slavery it can entail is a quality of his goals, not a consequence in his mind. But too he was beholden to Volstus, and it was not something he wished for. It is our one thing we agree upon. So let us see if there's some kind of arrangement that can be made."
With that, he begins a chant that will allow him to speak with the soul of King Tytarian...
Ushyle nods and dutifully goes to the dead king's room to gather the accessories of war.
No check needed. Now that the threat of the giants is gone, there's no check needed to go through the records since you can read the language.
The giant, having lost in an embarrassing fashion, does not want his soul summoned, , and he resists the call
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The party continues to make plans and check their gear. Raen's face darkens as she wraps up the notes.
While the two aforementioned pieces of information are key, there's a lot more.
Trunau was not alone. Through multiple layers of intermediaries, the Storm Tyrant worked to weaken the "goodly" races from Belkzen to Magnimar. It appears the plan is to simultaneously train a super army of giants while softening up the enemy. Once the sky citadel is freed, he plans on using it as a mobile command to take over all of Varisia and beyond.
Raen holds up two pages, comically large in her hands. The first is a map which shows potential boarders of the "New Kingdom." It's immense, comprising most of the western half of Avistan. The second is an operational breakdown of the expected slave labor after surrender. It's organized by settlement. Raen points to the line on Trunau local casualty projected: 80%. Slaves: Below threshold, kill them all.
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WP looks at the map a moment and lingers on the spot that is named 'Trunau.' he reaches out and touches it for a moment as he traces the name of the town that is now his home.
"'Kill them all...' Well, I'm not going to let that happen." Pig looks at Raen right in her eye; forcing her to look at him."You aren't going to let that happen." He finds Vael next and locks eyes with him, "You aren't going to let that happen."
WP walks up to Ushyle and Doxon and take one of his small hands in theirs and says " You aren't going to let that happen."
Ham and Sammie are last. He places one hand on the roughrider's should and the other on Sammie's neck"You aren't going to let that happen."
He turns to face the entire group, "We've killed a King to protect Trunau..." The halfing's voice cracks with emotion as a hot tear trickles down his right cheek. "Let's find this Tyrant and end this."
CAPVT VI: Shadow of the Storm Tyrant
That which hath come before: The Story Thus Far
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In the morning, after prayers, ablutions, and silent promises, the party takes the secret passage about which the queen spoke. It's a short walk in the whisper thin air before emerging before the zenith of destiny.
The caldera at the top of the mountain forms a natural arena surrounded by barren cliffs and jagged ridges. Roughly circular, the crater has a dusty floor covered with pumice gravel and strewn with loose boulders, interspersed with numerous tiny cracks and fissures that spew warm, acrid vapors. Overhead, an enormous bluish-gray castle floats atop a roughly spherical cloud just a few hundred feet above the caldera floor, casting a shadow across the mountaintop. The cloud almost touches the rocks beneath it, dripping a thin rain on the gravel below.
Five immense chains emerge from the depths of the cloud, connecting to great winches beside an equal number of colossal siege cannons arranged atop a ridge in a semicircle around the floating keep. Three of the chains appear to have been loosened or severed, dangling vertically out of the cloud. Two chains are still taut, seemingly anchoring the castle to the ground. A round tower stands on the caldera’s slope to the north. Two tunnel entrances delve into the mountain to the east and southeast.
Ashpeak’s mountaintop caldera is more than 2 miles in diameter, but the tunnel from the fire giant training facility below exits into a roughly circular inner crater about 1,200 yards in diameter. Rocky cliffs and ridges, averaging 30 feet high, form concentric arcs within and around the inner crater, which is ringed by a 30-foot-high cliff. Above this cliff, the walls of the caldera continue to slope upward for hundreds of feet. The floor of the crater slopes slightly outward and upward from the center, creating a gradual slope covered in loose pumice gravel.
The Storm Tyrant’s cloud castle, Ironcloud Keep, floats above the inner crater. The walls of the castle are nearly 500 feet high, but it sits atop a cloud approximately 600 feet in diameter. The bottom of this cloud comes within 200 feet of the crater floor.
"Vael," Raen looks up from the maps and glances at Tytarian's body. "Have you prepared scrying today?"
She points at the iron ring still affixed to the erstwhile king's thick finger. "Perhaps that might serve as a useful focus. See what you can find out?"
"I will perform my own reconnaissance now," she adds, disappearing from view and slipping through the secret door to the caldera. Once at the edge of the cavern's mouth, she sends an invisible, magical eye up into the cloud, hoping to locate one of the hidden entrances not shielded from flying visitors.
That task done, she returns to the royal chambers to make her report. Doxon and Ushyle have gathered the giants' effects by now, and Hamilton has them loaded for transport. "Have you been to Absalom before?" Raen asks the lancer, with a slight smirk. Vael catches the question and looks up, arching an eyebrow. "Well, neither have I. Shall we?"
The pair appear in Absalom's Ascendant Court, staring at the great void that separates the district from the fabled Starstone Cathedral. A few moments pass as the two take in the sight, the bustling noise of Absalom's throngs, the salt of the sea-breeze. "Always wanted to see that," Raen comments lightly. "Alright, let us make for the Coins to offload the bulk of our spoils. This way, I think. Though I do suggest we sell the Ruby Sapphire of Osh-maru directly to the Pathfinder Society, who might care to study the jewel. Their Grand Lodge is in the Foreign Quarter just west of the Coins. I would also care to briefly visit the Arcanirium, in the Wise Quarter, if you would indulge me."
Some hours later, their business complete, Raen teleports them both back to Tytarian's chambers.
* * *
Raen begins the day as she usually does, casting a variety of spells to see her through the coming trials.
You send the Arcane Eye forth, and find it magically repelled from getting too close.
[dice=d20[/dice]
You send the sensor to one of the chains and follow it up. It appears whatever field repelled the eye does not extend to the anchoring chains. That is likely your way in.
Shopping In Absalom...
Deep Red Sphere Ioun Stone... ... Success, -8,000 GP
Ring Of Protection +4... ... Nope.
Ring of Protection +3... ... Success. Sell Ring of Prot +2, +2000 GP, Buy Ring +5 -18000 GP
EDIT: I was reading the wrong price. Fixed it for something I could afford.
Eff me... I was reading the wrong number. Thanks, man.
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Ham follows the child through the twisting streets of Absalom.
Can we move any faster? I'm supposed to meet my friend soon.
The kid leads Hamilton into an alley and stands next to a very narrow, very short wooden slat door in the wall. She holds out her other hand to Hamilton, expectantly. Ham produces several small gemstones and drops them into the girls dirty hand. She closes her fist and bolts away, disappearing into the city, leaving Ham to look at the door.
Here goes.
He produces a pouch of crimson dust, which he tosses onto the door. Then he pulls a parchment from his belt, and traces a spidery glyph into the dust and speaks the words written on the parchment, Eeeno Viaatri Procurum, Eeeno Quitano Moolah. The door shakes violently in its frame and the lanterns hanging in the alley dim. A gust of wind whips down the alley and then all is still and silent. Hamilton goes to knock, but the door opens. A veiled kobold with skin and scales the color of old brass stands in the door. She wears horn-rimmed spectacles.
Come in, Human. Please don't touch anything., she says, leading Hamilton into a small shop with meticulously balanced and tagged items of all sorts. Piles of apparent junk, but everything tagged and balanced delicately. She leads Ham deep into the space around pillars of stuff, to a small counter. She climbs a step ladder and stands behind the counter. She produces a black leather case.
The Broker told me what you were looking for. I can offer these... A ring, similar to your own but with stronger spells woven into it. Notice the rune work. I can take your current ring in partial trade. And this small stone will enhance your reflexes. Both should help protect you in battle. Now... See anything else you like?
Vael nods to Raen when she asks about his preparations. "We thought the same things. That ring will help, though I expect this will be a challenge. I'll do the work before we are about to set out."
He chuckles as Raen and Hamilton disappear. To Tulia he says, "I'm guessing Korvosa is out now. Probably best as any meeting with the king there will involve more drinking and, in Raen's view, time wasting. She's not wrong, at least."
The azata nods, and then the two find a quiet place. The dwarf sits down cross-legged, and hands on his lap. His eyes turn completely black, with little motes of light appearing in the ink-dark orbs. He then begins a low, murmuring chant.
Tulia takes Vaels coin purse, divvying out the gold needed for the offering while he communes with the spirits. She stares into the dark tapestry of his eyes and places a hand on his. "Your road here is nearing its end. Let's make the most of this."
After about ten minutes the shaman completes his planar communion. He stands up while a sliver of white light opens before him. The portal opens to another plane, and out steps...
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....and out steps a curious and beautiful creature, a moth-winged woman with a delicate appearance, though her features are somewhat masked by a haze of shimmering dust. She bears a gleaming starknife in her hand. Within the haze a smile emerges. The figure flitters over to Tulia.
The conversation which ensues is entirely in Celestial.
"My what a beautiful and delightful friend! Greetings my fine azata friend! My name is Lykopha."
"Tulia! A pleasure to meet you."
"Indeed, the pleasure is mine." Lykopha looks around at the oppressive walls. "Hard to get a decent night's rest here. Is this why you have summoned me?"
"Not exactly. While I am the brains, wisdom, magic, elegance, and heart of this operation, it's my friend Vael who actually summoned you."
"Did he now?"
The other-wordly woman gazes with gimlet eyes, directly at, or rather into his eyes. Her attention turns back to Tulia.
"Indeed. He seems like he has had too many sleepless nights, and not enough time to lay his head upon a pillow."
"That's an understatement."
Both Tulia and the creature fail to suppress a coy giggle.
"He's a good dwarf, stout of heart, and dedicated. It is his request for an ally. Please, I hope you manage to find accord. We need it."
"I shall do my best."
The creature flits over to Vael, and speaks with the melodious accent of someone from a plane far from here, "You are Vael. I am Lykophos. Your beautiful mistress tells me that you are worthy, but I must know what you ask of me before I agree."
Lyokphos is a rare creature known as a Cynosoma.
Vael looks back and forth as Lykophos and Tulia speak, following the conversation. In the language of the heavens, he replies.
"I'm sorry, I'm not very fluent. I know my words are heavily accented and imperfect," Vael says, switching back to Taldane. The dwarf hands over the coins as the start of his offering. "Please take this for answering the call and speaking with me. The minting is specific to Golarion, but regardless should be useful to you."
He then waves his arm to gesture broadly where they are. "I agree that this place is uncomfortable, and I yearn for the open sky. I feel a constant pull to the heavens. But I have a task before me, and it is this: stop Volstus the Storm Tyrant, who leads a giant army and seeks to enslave and murder the people of this region. Maybe a bit of history would help."
"Over six months ago our home town was attacked by an army of orcs. The assault was bad, though we were able to repel the invaders. But that attack was a trick to retrieve a weapon, and that the attack was planned by a giant. We pulled on that thread, as they say, and a web of alliances was slowly revealed to us," Vael proceeds to recount the details of the (most excellent) STORY THUS FAR. "For some reason Volstus has decided that conquest is his goal, and he's recruited every force for evil he can muster. We don't know why, but we mean to go to this giant and end this war."
"We stand but a short distance from his castle, and hope that, whatever the outcome, we will be done in a few days. I know there is danger for you, as there is for me. I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to keep you safe, like one of our own,"
The shaman is solemn, but determined as he continues, "Tulia informed me that it is custom for payment to be made. I have no need for wealth, and will happily give you every coin I have," he drops his coin purse down with a not inconsiderable thunk. "I also have several magic items that I could part with. And lastly, though I admit to being a humble dwarf, if you aid us I will pledge a year of my service to your cause."
"So, I would ask you this: would you take up our cause? And if yes, what can you offer us as support?"
"Eww." Vael isn't sure what caused it, as Lykophos says it repeatedly.
She takes his back of coin and carefully places it on the floor. She then squeezes it on the sides, then pats it down. She tilts her head to each side when looking at it. Finally she pouts at it.
"What am I supposed to do with this? You know there aren't stores where I come from, and I just expertly demonstrated that it sucks as a pillow."
She frowns at the dwarf.....
"Hmmm...."
She looks around.
"I shall need a pair of things to agree to help you. I could use a wand of deep slumber. And for every giant you kill while I am in your service, every single evil nasty giant, you and I will record the dreams of a soul you will have saved when you win. Deal?"
Vael blinks, not at all accustomed to this kind of barter. "Well, I only presume that you're from Cynosure. This is all kind of new to me," he says, looking flustered and making a you could have warned me about this kind of look. "I've not been there, but I hear it's lovely and want to visit if I can."
Clearly off guard, Vael stops his babbling and takes a deep breath. "Your terms are more than fair, Noble Lady. Generous even. Would that I could do more. But... how soon do you need that wand? I'm not exactly near a store either, as you can tell."
When Raen and Hamilton return the shaman begins his normal sequence of spells to gird the party for the day ahead. He includes Lykophos in his spell preparations, saying, "The others have gotten used to this, but if you can spare a few moments I have several magicks that could be of use."
Pass Without Trace: Cast on everyone in the party. Lasts 14 hours
Bountiful Banquet: Feeds the entire party, including Samantha.
False Life: Bolster Tulia with temporary hit points. Lasts 14 hours.
False Life, Greater: Bolster Vael with temporary hit points. Lasts 14 hours.
Shield Companion: On Tulia, bumping her AC and saves +1, and allowing Vael to take all her damage. Lasts 14 hours.
Merge with Familiar: As its name implies, Tulia can merge into Vael's body. Lasts 14 hours.
Hunter's Blessing: On the party (including Tulia). Everyone gains a +2 sacred bonus on Bluff/Perception/Sense Motive/Survival checks against Giants, a +2 sacred bonus on attack/damage rolls against Giants, and a +2 sacred bonus on initiative checks, Perception/Stealth/Survival checks while in the type of terrain we start the day in. Lasts 14 hours.
Overland Flight: As Fly (good maneuverability), but only 40ft (30ft in medium armor) speed.
Greater Magic Weapon: Placed on Milani's Thorn, allowing the weapon to have be a +3 weapon for 14 hours. Does not confer the material perks of being a +3 weapon.
Life Link: With the Life Spirit as his Wandering Spirit, Vael establishes a connection with each member of the party, plus Tulia and Sammi. He can establish up to 13 simultaneous connections.
"Now, to see what more I can learn of Volstus," he says, laying out and igniting some incense. He then places four ivory statues at the cardinal directions. Finally, he mutters a quick chant and things through everything they've learned of Volstus. Aloud, he says, "Can you show me Volstus the Storm Tyrant?"
Immediately, exhaustion sets in. The shaman sags, and is disappointed at the fruitless endeavor. With a deep sigh he says, to himself, "Well, so much for that."
He then goes to retrieve the ring that Raen took from King Tytarian, as well as the letter with Volstus' handwriting that Grendelsek had received from him. With those objects in hand he looks for a bowl and invokes some magic to fill it with water. Once still, he chants again to attempt to scry upon Volstus.
Vael finds his second spell rebuffed too. Lykophos pats him on the shoulder.
"The wand we can get later if you can't do it now. The thought of a giant tyrant killing people will keep me up at night. I do not like missing my beauty sleep."
Vael smiles through his fatigue. The bags under his eyes are profound. "Aye, I admit I'd like some of that beauty sleep. A good dream would go a long way for me right about now."
23rd Sarenith
Raen parted ways with Hamilton somewhere in the Coins after offloading all the giants' unwanted gear, agreeing to meet him at the Arcanimirium's gate in a few hours. Her first stop was a potion shop--she had seen a few such places listed as suppliers on various receipts in Korvosa before. From there she found a reputable wizard's storefront to pick up a few scrolls, then to a jeweler for the rings, and then some more serious hunting in armorers' and tailors' shops for the various headbands, bracers, and the like, along with a truly ridiculous volume of magical crafting reagents. And of course, she had to do it all over again when Vael's sending came through.
Still, the work did not take too long, giving her enough time to head west to the Foreign Quarter. At the gate of the Grand Lodge, Raen asked for a brief meeting with the Pathfinder Society's Master of Spells, Sorrina Westyr, and was rather surprised to have the request granted. Keeping to her word, Raen kept the meeting brief--just long enough to apprise Westyr of the ruby sapphire of Osh-Maru's origins and powers, and as expected the Society asked few questions and was eager to pay cash for the bargain.
In the waning hours of the day, the Varisian made her way to the Arcanirium. Though she longed to spend time exploring the campus, she knew she must be quick about her business, and fortunately a clerk was able to connect her with a suitable professor that allowed some hasty copying from his spellbook. Rushing out the door, she met Hamilton at the gate.
"You're late," the roughrider says, glancing at the sun hanging just disappearing behind the western walls of the city. "True," Raen replies simply. Hamilton had clearly been waiting for at least an hour, judging by the peanut shells at his feet.
"Are you ready?" The ranger's nod is the only cue she needs to whisk the pair back to the sulfurous stink of Ashpeak.
Back in the too-warm mountain cavern, the first thing Raen does is count heads. Though she counts the expected number, to her relief, she also exceeds it by one, and grows curious.
She glances at Vael. "Your doing, I suppose?" And then at Tulia. "Or perhaps yours?" And back to Vael. "I met success procuring your wands," she glances at the cynosoma briefly, "as well as the mask and bracers."
She lays these in front of Vael and walks over to where Doxon and Ushyle are sitting. She puts a ring and two potions down in front of each of them, as well as a headband and pair of bracers in front of Ushyle. "As requested. These potions will throw off your foes in the melee, and make you a slipperier target. I procured additional scrolls that achieve the same effect, and can read them at your behest. Ushyle, unfortunately I was not able to locate a headband of your preferred specifications; I hope this is a suitable substitute. Please accept my regrets."
Finally, she finds Whistle Pig pulling the fingernails off of Tytarian's corpse. She makes a show of clearing her throat to interrupt his gruesome work and produces the halfing's goods from her haversack. "The bullets, stone, ring, and an oil of flame arrow. I was not able to obtain an oil of daylight, but Vael might be persuaded to assist you on that score. I was able to exchange your belt, though sadly not for one with the symbols of halfling's luck worked into the chasing, as I had done. My regrets. Let us hope that some other of your kin benefits from it now." She looks in her haversack one more time. "Ah, and I also requisitioned you these elixirs of vision, to aid you when scouting." She sets the four vials beside the halfling as well.
Cynosoma's aren't fans of getting into combat, preferring to help from afar. At any time they can hurl sandman's dust upon a target, . They are generous with their Glitterdust, albeit only thrice daily. If forced to fight, they're cunning tacticians and good with the starknife.
"Aye, Tulia and I put out a call. Desna was kind enough to provide an answer. This is Lykophos."
He picks out the wand of deep slumber and hands it to his new planar ally. "Only a little late, but here you go. Though I will say that the magic in that might not be potent enough for the giants we're going to fight, so don't feel like you need to use it here."
24th Sarenith
In the morning, the giantslayers gather by the secret door, nerves running high before this assault. "I shall grant us the cover of invisibility to hide our approach." Raen traces a rough map of the caldera in the dirt of the cavern floor with a stick. "These chains," she says, tracing out the massive links that still anchor the castle, "are our only way in. A field of energy, of immense power, blocks flight, teleportation, and even my divination spells from approaching the castle from any other vantage. So that is where we must strike."
"However," Raen taps the stick at the tower to the north. "I suggest we strike here first. The tower may contain valuable intelligence." She drags the stick over to the northern anchor, where the giant scorpion lies in wait. "Then here, and then up the chain to the castle."
She glances up at Lykophos. "The others are familiar, and perhaps you have already surmised. My glamer will hide us from the giants' sight--but you must remain close to me. We will travel as a group."
Ushyle studies the map a long moment after Raen finishes. If we're to strike the tower first, he says at last, we need to be quick as lightning. One must expect they have a way to signal the castle as to the goings on below, and not simply with a courier.
His eyes meet the Varisian's. The scorpion can be the target of your prison. But none else. Please.
Raen twiddles the stick for a moment, returning the half-elf's gaze. At length, she sighs. "Very well. Know, though, that if I am presented with a choice of allowing one of you to perish or disobeying your wishes, I will not hesitate to effect the latter."
Ha ha! You won't see me coming, you overgrown cloud farts!
Doxon does some simple dressage with the phantom steed, swinging the hammers to either side.
Oh, the hammers balance each other out better in the alternate swings! Very nice! Woo hoo! I'm ready to knock some kneecaps!
The party gathers round Raen. The slow and careful movement is stressful for everyone. The tower provides a concrete goal, something familiar. From the caldera the keep is all but impossible to see through the storm cloud. Only the topmost spire is visible from this angle. As eyes turn to it a lightning bolt leaps with a tremendous thunderclap from the roof of Ironcloud Keep’s tallest tower into the sky, briefly illuminating what appears to be a nearly invisible force field encircling the entire structure.
The party turns back to the goal. It's the longest 600 feet of everyone's lives.
A speck of darkness emerges from the castle.
In less than a second everyone sees what it is...
It's a massive ballista bolt!
It strikes the completely unsuspecting wizard with incredible accuracy, sending electricity arcing over her wound! and
The accuracy from the keep and its complete disregard for the invisibility nearly stuns the party.
The bolt striking the ground in the caldera is all the giants need. The final battle is at hand. The giants near the chain work at a feverish rate to free the castle!
Strategic Round 1
Tactical Round 1:
Raen: Go
Doxon: Go
Ushyle: Go
Scorpion Pen: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Vael: TBD
???: TBD
Defense Tower Team: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Chain Team: TBD
Ironcloud Keep: TBD
Raen becomes a flurry of magic, casting two spells in quick succession. "Go! Go! Forget the tower, cover is lost! Straight to the northern chain!"
Raen, still invisible, makes a break for it as the party becomes exposed - not that it helped before.
Strategic Round 1
Tactical Round 1:
Raen: Magic and move
Doxon: Go
Ushyle: Go
Scorpion Pen: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Vael: TBD
???: TBD
Defense Tower Team: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Chain Team: TBD
Ironcloud Keep: TBD
Ushyle spurs his phantom steed on, heading straight for the tower. It is an odd experience, riding a quasi-real horse -- one he does not relish -- but there's little time to dwell on it now.
Ushyle closes nearly half the distance. He can see the area, a quartet of massive giants and a colossal scorpion; its carapace is as black as coal, and its claws are each as long as a man’s body.
Strategic Round 1
Tactical Round 1:
Raen: Magic and move
Doxon: Go
Ushyle: Move
Scorpion Pen: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Vael: TBD
???: TBD
Defense Tower Team: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Chain Team: TBD
Ironcloud Keep: TBD