(Extra +4 Mountains/Hills, +2 Subterranean )
Round 1:
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Go
Vael: Go
Ushyle: Go
Nalbur: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Doxon: TBD
"Do you still desire to beg his surrender?" Raen wheezes bitterly through a partially-collapsed lung. She mutters a brief incantation to herself. "No? Perhaps I shall try."
She flies towards the cloud giant, stopping only a dozen paces from him. "A fine shot, sir, and nearly killed me. But you must do better than that. You are hereby requested to kindly surrender and lay down your arms. Promptly, please."
Vael gasps as the bolt bursts through Raen. His head whips around to see the source of the attack. "You've made a mistake this day."
He steps closer, working through an invocation that releases an invisible cone of terror at the giant.
Tulia flies forward and quickly fires her own crossbow. She knows it's not much, but she wants to injure the giant who injured Raen.
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WP Screams is shock as he sees the bolt pass through Raen. He Urges his new mount upwards as he draws his trusty sling staff. He curses himself for allowing a giant of all things to sneak up on them and harm his friends. Tears of rage and pain well up in his small childlike face.
As the Roc rises, Pig spits out a single word and beings hurling stones at the giant
"BASTARD!"
Whistle Pig takes flight with the roc, though in the cramped space it's hard pressed to maneuver. He strikes the giant with a single stone. The halfling stealing his mount and striking him draws the full attention of the giant.
Raen, full of bravado, uses some of her magic to "step up" to the giant. Vael tries to add a bit of bite to the gambit: , but the giant ignores the spell. Tulia scores a hit with her special crossbow!
Round 1:
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Mislead
Vael: Lykophos
Ushyle: Go
Nalbur: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Nalbus: 44
Unwilling to let the giant flee, Lykophos calls upon some innate magic, teleporting herself to be opposite the menace! Once there she says, "You will seek peace, or you will not leave. Regardless, your violence ends now."
Ushyle is just as shocked at the bolt through Raen. Once he sees she is still alive, he turns to the newcomer with an unbridled fury.
Prudence wins out, however, as he grasps a potion bottle and drains it with a single gulp, studying his foe and moving Rosewind a bit closer.
That move will be your last, he says through gritted teeth. If you want a piece of them, you will need to go through me.
Lykophos sets up for a flank as Ushyle makes some preparation to avoid getting similarly speared.
Unconcerned with minor attacks, the giant unloads a barrage at Whistle Pig. Despite the tiny target on the giant's mount, Nalbus is supremely confident he won't hit Galescream.
for
for
MISS
MISS
He then takes a tiny step, a signal horn clanking against his hip.
Round 1:
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Mislead
Vael: Lykophos
Ushyle: Buff
Nalbur: ATK
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Go
Nalbus: 44
As the first arrow flies towards WP, Doxon call out to Torag to protect his friend.
With another quick prayer to Torag, Doxon's skin takes on the metallic sheen of raw iron. He then closes with WP, interposing himself between the giant and the halfling. He reaches out and heals his friend of the wounds he's sustained.
healing to WP
Doxon tries to save his friend, but the arrow lands true. He follows up with some healing, and a preparation for the fight to come.
Round 1:
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Mislead
Vael: Lykophos
Ushyle: Buff
Nalbur: ATK
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Magic
Nalbus: 44
Ham and Sammi ride around to attack the giant and attempt to bring the pain.
Power Attack: , Damage on Hit:
Power Attack: , Damage on Hit:
Power Attack: , Damage on Hit:
Hamilton charges in. The giant can't release his grip in time to punch him with a battering ram fist. Two of the roughrider's attacks pierce!
Round 2:
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Go
Vael: Go
Ushyle: Go
Nalbur: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Nalbus: 118
Ushyle follows the rough rider (or is it roughrider?) in, activating his bane against giants and readies a swing when Lykophos moves back into a flanking position.
Raen flies towards the giant's face, like an oversized horse-fly dive-bombing the nose. She stops mere feet away. "I said, you are hereby requested to kindly surrender and lay down your arms. Immediately, sir!"
"If you continue to exhibit a violent disposition, I shall be forced to eliminate your remaining faculties. A demonstration:" a bang of glitter explodes in the ranger's eyes.
"MOVE HUMAN!" Raen's bluster isn't enough to distract the giant from Whistle Pigs thievery. Her spell, doesn't take hold either.
Ushyle steps up, ready to double team the giant.
Round 2:
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Blindness
Vael: Go
Ushyle: Ready
Nalbur: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Nalbus: 118
Life flows from Vael to Raen and Whistle Pig...
He then calls upons his connection with the Spirits of Heaven, creating swirling stardust around the cloud giant!
"She is right. See through your anger and consider your future. Lay down your arms and we can find peace."
Meanwhile, Tulia reloads and fires her crossbow.
Lykophos steps in to flank with Ushyle, lashing out with her starknife!
Vael and his entourage pepper the giant. Motes of light and a pair of small wounds from Tulia and Lyko keep the pressure on.
Round 2:
Whistle Pig: Go
Raen: Blindness
Vael: ATK
Ushyle: Ready
Nalbur: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Nalbus: 144
Whistle Pig from atop the roc hurls a series of stones. Only the first gets through the giant's defenses.
Galescream stays hovering in place, just as it's own opens fire on the halfling, ignoring all else.
for "GET"
for "OFF"
THREAT
"HER!"
Whistle Pig is immediately hit with an arrow through the chest.
The final arrow turns on the fake Raen, doing nothing. "Galescream! To me!"
Round 2:
Whistle Pig: Hit
Raen: Blindness
Vael: ATK
Ushyle: Ready
Nalbur: ATK!
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Go
Nalbus: 172
AoO:, damage on hit:
As if in slow motion, Doxon watches the last arrow fired by the giant sail through the air and pierce the halfling. Thankful that he is close at hand, he reaches out to Whistle Pig to stead him and pass on the warmth of the hearth to his friend.
Lykophos also lashes out at the giant archer.
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Whistle Pig's heart bursts forth from his chest. Blood sprays beyond the roc and onto the stones below. Some even finds the find, to fall to Golarion on distant lands from his birth place.
It occurs to each of the Heroes of Trunau, that no one even knows his birthplace, he's never spoken of the before times.
Exultant, Nalbur calls forth the roc. He need not survive for long, but a single blow of the horn now.....
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Above, and yet below, a vast necropolis filled with countless courtyards, monuments, graves, and forums teeming with the souls of the dead awaiting judgement sits the Lady. She sits upon her throne, a duty beyond time.
Drifting between souls a figure approacheth; a halfling woman with curly hair, a freckled face, and a tattered red and green coat held together by buttons of many makes.
"What is it this time Little One?
"You know why I'm here and I'm not leaving until I get it."
"I have laid angels and demons to eternal rest for less than such impudence."
"But you and I both know how this ends."
"I know how this ends, but you ask the impossible of me. You must know the One you seek." the Lady looks up to a wine-dark moon in the sky. "And you know what he will dmeand of you."
I do. the halfling woman's voice wavers for a moment.
Another figure approaches. A beautiful woman whose passing leaves eternally vibrant petals. She places her hand on the halfling woman's shoulder. "Indeed, Mistress, I ask this of you too."
Fine, I shall ask.
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The vision what will happen if they miss fills the mind's eyes of the party closes to the giant ranger. It means Whistle Pig's death. It means his body will be torn asunder. They cannot miss.
Ushyle and Lyokophos alike strike for all their might. As one they land their shots.
Ushyle's blade strikes the giant's heart, Lykophos severs not only an arm muscle, but the bowstring itself. The arrow never leaves.
The giant falls.
The vision of Whistle Pig's death remains. Years from now it will seem a waking dream.
Nalbur falls to the stone floor, dead at the feet of the Giantslayers. Somewhere in the castle though, a giant's voice cries out in anguish. Somewhere another giant knows, her twin has died...
Ham's head whips about and he wheels Sammi in a circle, taking in the scene.
WHISTLEPIG! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! SAY SOMETHING!
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WP snaps back to reality. He gingerly reaches up to his chest expecting to feel a gaping hole. His hand touches giant toenails and a wave of relief washes over his. He quickly turns around hoping the blood is still on the wall and is slightly disappointed it's not.
"I'm fine I think." he smile weakly at Ham
He turns to Raen, "But what just happened?"
Doxon grabs onto Whistle Pig and lowers the halfling to lie on the ground.
Let's get you back up and on your feet again, Little Beaver.
Doxon lays his hands on Whistle Pig, over his brow and over his heart. He then says a short prayer to Torag. Doxon's hands glow briefly and their warmth spreads down into Whistle Pig's body.
hps of healing to Whistle Pig
As Whistle Pig stirs, Doxon helps him to sit up.
That was a mighty blow you took, friend. You're lucky that Torag was so close to help bring you back to the living. The warmth of The Forge is eternal and your mettle has survived its tempering. You are made of the finest steel, Whistle Pig, and your soul shall not shatter. Welcome back, my friend. Praise be to Torag!
The roc, Galescream, immediately steps away from all of you, and hunkers down in her nest.
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Pig Hug Doxon around the neck as hard as he can. The halfling is confused, tired and weak but mostly confused.
"It seems like our struggle has drawn the attention of the Gods." WP begins. "Chaldira and Milani intervened on my behalf. We must be on the right path." A line of worry crosses his face. "But there was talk of a cost of what they were doing. What is that cost and who has to pay?"
Pig slowly stands up.
"I fear you all have done something that I cannot repay. Thank you all..."
The halfling collects this things. But makes a point of passing by Galestorm and give him a word of thanks and a friendly pat before leaving.
"But there was talk of a cost of what they were doing. What is that cost and who has to pay?"
"Alas, not even in your wildest and most colorful dreams will the gods answer that question. It is their business."
Vael continues to accumulate wounds as the injuries mend for the others.
Surprise
Raen: -102
Round 1
Raen: -97
Vael: +19
Whistle Pig: -26
Round 2
Raen: -92
Vael: +9
Whistle Pig: -21
Round 3
Raen: -87
Vael: -1
(Doxon CCW on WP. Vael severs his life link with Raen)
Round 4-21
Vael: -1
Vael tends to the wounded wizard, expending charges from a well-used wand. The shaman is the only one left with a small bruise on his face.
Raen is terse in her reply to Whistle Pig, grateful but visible uncomfortable to need so much of Vael's help. "You met your match, Whistle Pig. Lance and blade, and dwarves, kept us both alive."
"We're a team. We all do our part at different times," Vael says before checking over the belongings of the giant. "Together we are complete. It's what makes us different from our foe. Now help me search this giant, then let's be off."
Vael and his team begin to search the giant. They find quite a few things, though many are hard to take due to size:
Raen looks curiously at the badge. "Whistle Pig, would you kindly open the locked chest in the loft?"
Raen also grabs hold a small pearl from within her haversack, then weaves a spell on herself.
It's a unique item, new to Raen at least: Roc Rider Badge
"This item would be useful should we ever need to escape the occluding field," Raen comments, leaving unsaid that there is only one. She turns her attention to the key.
"You'll probably want to use that key for the chest."
Whistle Pig heaves the key up to the loft. It fits the lock perfectly, and confident that it's not trapped, he finds that it turns with equal facility. Within is a trove!
Vael picks up the wind caller, stowing it away. "Could be useful."
Raen stows the remainder. "Let us visit Nalbur's guardpost, then find Nalbia. She will be on the hunt for us as well, I suspect, so we must proceed cautiously."
The party makes their way to Nalbur's perch. This turret rises high above the castle’s roof and hanging garden. Inside are a giant-sized stool and a silver bell hanging from a hook in the ceiling. A single arrow loop provides a view of the sky outside. There's nothing of note here, and Raen casts her spell...