"I didn't touch anything!" Niamh hurries to say as she joins the group seeing the dead lizards and the giant.
"I know. If you did we would be in deep trouble instead of this nicely solved situaion." Tauriell replies with a grin.
Niamh gives her a glare and moans. "I never wanted a trademark like that!"
"Where too now?"
"You noticed that there is a giant on that throne? I know it's hard to see from down there but if you lift your head..."
"Yeah. I know. However, is that a problem?" Niamh looks at the giant. "Hello. I'm Niamh. Who are you?" she asks in a friendly, clear voice.
The giant looks at Niamh. Then at 'Sorshen' and back to Niamh again but doesn't say a word.
Niamh follows the giant's glance to Jimmy and back.
"Do you want apple pie?" Niamh asks as the standing and staring becomes aggravating.
"Yes please." Tauriell replies.
As 'Sorshen' still doesn't say or do something the giant holds out her hand to receive apple pie, keeping an eye on Sorshen.
Niamh takes out an apple pie and hands it to the giant. And another for Tauriell.
The giant opens her mouth and shoves the pie in. "Itsch goob" the giant says her mouth full.
Niamh smiles as an answer and then tries to find out more about the giant."Are you living here?"
"Mmm mmmh" the giant replies nodding.
"May I ask again: What's your name? It's easier to speak to someone knowing his or her name." Niamh asks the first question again.
The giant starts "Sor.." but immediately stops and looks at 'Sorshen'.
Gwenhwyfar has enough of this. She uses her sleep hex on the giant.
The giant falls asleep.
Niamh looks at Jimmy. "Ah, Sorshen. That's interesting. I thought we already found Sorshen." turning around again she says "Would you let us through so... Oh."
"What do we want here? This giant is obviously confused. Shall we quickly search for anything of interest and leave her alone?" Gwenhwyfar asks.
"Sounds reasonable." Tauriell replies looking around.
"Or shall I put her out of her misery?"
"You really don't like talking, am I right?" Niamh asks looking at the sleeping giant.
"She is not able to give you her own name because she thinks she is Sorshen and doesn't dare to tell you because of Gemeena here." Gwenhwyfar replies. "What useful answer are you expecting from her?"
"But you're free to continue with your little talk once she wakes up again."
"And I have no clue if it would be better to put her out of this misery."
"We could just go on. Which way now?" Niamh replies looking around.
Tauriell takes a look into the chests.
The chests are full with leftovers of the giants meals.
One of the six chests contains 20 tourmalines worth 2,000 gp
Tauriell's stomach turns with the stink coming out of the chests with the leftovers of dead creatures that are now rotten.
"This giant is rather wealthy." Tauriell explains after closing the last chest again. "But her taste is horrible."
"Back to the boat?" Abomentolor sighs.
"That's the only way to our next stop." Niamh replies and walks back to the boat.
Tauriell hurries to get out of the hall before the giant wakes up again. "Last one at the boats is a lame duck."
Niamh's face brightens up and she sprints the last short way. She throws her backpack into the boat and jumps with a somersault after it landing next to the backpack. "I'm the winner!"
"Congratulations. You won't get eaten by the giant." Tauriell replies as she steps into the boat.
Niamh looks a bit disappointed. "I expected something like 'congratulations, show off'."
"Niamh the show off is a tautology, isn't it?" Tauriell asks.
Abomentolor grumpily leaves the room. This day has definitely too much water and too little fire. He reluctantly steps into the boat again.
Niamh frowns. "I never thought about that, but now that you mention it..."
"Thank you Gwen." Jimmy says looking at the giant, he turns to climb into a boat
Gwenhwyfar follows Gemeena into the boat. "Where shall we go now?" Gwenhwyfar asks
"Around the corner over there." Jimmy says pointing
"If we don't start rowing soon the hurry was gratuitous." Niamh determines and walks to the row of the boat to have a better look.
The party rows along the cave wall. The lake narrows down quite a bit for some time. Around the corner it widens again. The ceiling peaks nearly forty feet overhead in this enormous underground lake. Phosphorescent lichen and fungus cling to the stalactites above, reflected by the waters below to make the walls of the cave dance with a pearlescent shimmer.
As the boats move further suddenly all hear strangely familiar, seductive whispers in their native language. Each round, the urgings become more urgent, building an overwhelming sense of need and longing pounding in the chests of the victims.
"Oh damn. What is that. I hate it when I hear voices in my head." Tauriell complains.
"Yeah, horrible." Abomentolor agrees and holds his ears.
"Well that is certainly annoying."
"Which voices?" Niamh asks looking around until her head is filled with voices too. "Ah, you mean these voices. Are they telling you crazy, ugly things too?"
Gwenhwyfar starts unbuttoning her blouse and takes it off.