Varin grits his teeth and pushes through the smoke.
Lys hits but doesn't seem to hurt the giant.
Arlan connects with the giant.
The hideous green-skinned, web-fingered, and obese giant goes wild on the now large Arlan.
Giant AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Arlan = 46+5-28=23/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 51/51 HP & AC 20
"S&+#, s+!#, s&@@!", Lys starts swearing, taking another step, ending up behind Nerak, and raising her crossbow once more. "Come on, you fat bastard, eat it!", she shouts, aiming for a brief second before letting out a barrage at the monster.
The first shot lands straight into the giant's throat, and thick liquid comes out, bubbling with the mixed air. Not before long, another shot lands straight in the center of the giant's chest with a wet thud, as the blood starts dripping down. "Arlan! Hold on!"
Arlan flies into a rage, screaming and thrashing at the giant. He takes a step back to catch his breath and let Varin get his licks in.
Nerak touches Varin on the shoulder infusing him with power.
Varin grins at Nerak and inclines his head to Arlan in thanks, before stepping in and cracking his neck. "Alright big fella, time to go night night!"
"GO DOWN!" He yelled as he slammed the large warhammer in to the beasts forehead as hard as he could.
The first shot lands straight into the giant's throat, and thick liquid comes out, bubbling with the mixed air. Not before long, another shot lands straight in the center of the giant's chest with a wet thud, as the blood starts dripping down.
Arlan flies into a rage, screaming and thrashing at the giant. He takes a step back to catch his breath and let Varin get his licks in.
Varin yelled as he slammed the large warhammer in to the beasts forehead as hard as he could.
Beltzer absorbs some of Arlan's wounds.
The hideous green-skinned, web-fingered, and obese giant goes frantic. The large gaff digs into Arlan, and then opens Varin's entrails on the backswing. Varin drops to the swamp dying. Arlan teeters on his feet staggered.
Giant AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Arlan = 23+5-28=0/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35-5=30/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 51-55=-4/51 HP & AC 20
Darkness takes Varin as he is torn from consciousness in an instant, luckily not suffering that much before he passes out completely and begins to die.
As his body fails to stabilize itself he coughs violently, spitting blood.
"Aw crap."
He see's his comrades falls and starts casting. This needed to end here and now or their were going to be in big trouble. He had warned them plenty about the giants and how they could not compare with orcs. Hard lesson learned, if they learned.
Lys gasps as she sees both Varin and Arlan take terrible wounds. "I'll rip your f@%!ing throat out, you twenty-foot tall heap of s~#@!", she shouts, pulling the trigger madly at the giant with reckless abandon.
As the second bolt flies out of the crossbow, the string pulls on empty several times as Lys shouts out in anger. Somehow suppressing the temptation to run forward and club the giant with the crossbow to death, she angrily reaches into her boot, drawing a handful of bolts.
Arlan drives forward with his spear, aiming to drop the giant in a single blow.
"Aw crap."
As the second bolt flies out of the crossbow, the string pulls on empty several times as Lys shouts out in anger. There's a slight pause. Then, the dead giant lands on Varin's dying body.
Beltzer absorbs some of Arlan's wounds.
Arlan = 0+5=5/52 HP & AC 21
Giant AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Beltzer = 30-5=25/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 4-1=-5/51 HP & AC 20
Arlan tries to relax , dragging the massive giant off of Varin.
Bel, save him!
The shaman complies, drawing upon his healing magic.
Mossmoon, are you there? How do we open the vault?
He approaches where the light strikes the stone slowly, holding up the lantern and looking for signs of danger.
When Arlan approaches shining the ghostlight lantern’s light over the central menhir, the thick vegetation covering the monolith withers away, revealing a faintly glowing, olive-hued stone.
"Now that it the portal is active, just touch the glowing menhir." Mossmoon replies matter of factly.
Arlan nods solemnly and does as the Wisp suggests, touching the stone where the light strikes it.
Arlan disappears when he touches the menhir.
Varin groans and sits up slowly cracking his neck and looking around. "Arl wa..." He sighed as the man disappeared, before pushing his way to his feet.
He grabbed his weapon and shrunk it to the size of a regular Warham merchant, hanging it from his belt before grabbing the Giants weapon and dragging it after him. He jammed the weapon as deep as he could in to the giants brain, making sure the job is done, before sighing.
"Okay let's get our bag of Dwarfism potatoes and go after him..." He griwls before moving to do just that.
"Age before beauty, my friend.", chuckles Lys, following right after. "Knowing our luck, we'll all end up drugged in some fey dimension, naked." She sighs, staring at the stone. "Last one there is a sensible person!", she shouts, touching the stone.
Nerak rides up on his mount. It seems like some sort of variation on teleportation circles. Perhaps something akin to the elf gates, it could send them anywhere. Well he supposed anything was better then a swamp in orc infested lands. He makes sure to look over the fallen giant for anything useful before he does the same as those before him.
You arrive in a clearing in a vibrant forest filled with thick, verdant plant life where a lone menhir stands. Exotic flowers drape the standing stone, which pulses with brilliant chartreuse light. A path lined with rose petals leads from the monolith to a giant floral bloom carved from wood. Two carved wooden stamens stretch out toward the pulsating menhir, extending from either side of a set of ornate doors carved into the giant flower. An overpowering fragrance of flowers and sweet grass permeates the air. The sun above sits at its zenith, basking the area in light and warmth.
There is an intricate etching on the doors that might be writing.
You feel energized and more alive. All sense of fatigue has left your bodies. Gripwort the dead marsh giant had nothing that you would value.
Arlan = 41/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 41/51 HP & AC 20
Lys whistles, her eyes gazing at the serene forest and the exotic sights. "Well, at least I was right about the weird fey dimension. Although, if you feel like getting naked, go right ahead. Might warm me up a bit.", she grins devilishly, poking both Varin and Arlan.
Waiting for a bit, she starts looking around. "Uh, Nerak, what exactly are we looking for? Plan?", she asks. Moving closer to the standing stone, she looks at the beautiful flowers. I really want to take it. But I also like living, and stealing plants from druids is like stealing beer from a dwarf. Or stealing hops from a dwarven druid..., she ponders, settling for looking at it and enjoying the smell. "Guys, while I'm shocked and insulted by the fact nobody tried to give me flowers yet, don't start now. Seriously."
I'm not about to go stark nekkid in this weird place. Keep dreaming, Arlan says with a smile, approaching the door.
I can't make heads or tails of this writing, but I have to think the druids would've warned us of any danger.
The soldier moves to open the door, unless someone says something otherwise.
"I never stopped.", she throws Arlan a raspberry. "And for that writing, I heard that druids are very hard about nobody but them knowing it. Sort of like better smelling Galtans, in that regard." She nods as he gestures towards the door, reloading her crossbow.
[dice=Knowledge (Nature)]1d20+11
[dice=Linguistics]1d20+11
Nerak is surrounded by common nature and the writings may be a warning in some language beyond his learning.
We don't have time for hemming and hawing--Trunau needs us. Maybe this wisp-thing will protect me.
Arlan will wait until the others are back a safe distance and, lantern in hand, he will attempt to open the doors.
"I don't see anything strange and that writing is in a language I have no clue about."
He could not comment on what he did not know, it was that simple. He cast a simple spell to detect magic in case their was anything magical at play.
"We should move carefully but I see no reason not to move."
The doors are unlocked and swing inward with little effort.
An extensive wooden bridge without railings stretches across a wide, high chamber and overlooks an exotic garden far below. The air is hot and humid, and a powerful stench of overripe vegetation wafts throughout the massive, domed chamber. The ceiling overhead is a complex series of star-patterned glass that magnifies the rays of the sun directly above. At the far end of the bridge, interwoven branches form a doorway.
Arlan = 41/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 41/51 HP & AC 20
Lys walks into the door, following Arlan. She breathes in, then shrugs. "Beats swamp...", she says non-chalantly, her eyes landing on the branched archway. She raises her crossbow in a wary movement, looking around the room. "That place looks abandoned... Ten crowns say that there's going to be something nasty, even if it's not aggressive. Excluding Arlan, of course.", she throws the man a raspberry.
"What are the chances that the weapon we need to defeat the giantess is a big, mean, highly mechanical crossbow?", she asks, taking cautious footsteps inside. "And has anyone seen our guide?"
Varin grimaces slightly as he begins to move across the bridge, keeping his head on a swivel. "This really doesnt seem like something I want to fall off of. Lys will you catch me if I do?" He asks with a grin.
His face becomes serious as he walks slowly towards the door, still carrying that damn dwarf and regretting it immensely.
"I'm not sure I would, though. Not because I can't lift your piddly, what is it, nine thousand pounds of pots, pans and red fur with one hand, but because I'd really, really enjoy the sound of clanking Varin when you fall down."Lys chuckles, flexing her... muscles. "Wonder if the druids mind people wearing metal. I've heard they themselves don't, but do they mind it when other people do? Like, I know most of them don't cut trees down, but some don't mind if you do, and some would turn you into a vegetablee if you do.", she ponders.
I almost thought for a second that the treasure would be right past the entrance. Almost, Arlan says, moving to catch up to Varin.
"Well nothing will be gained by standing by the door. Not that I'm going to lead the way."
He makes his way forward but keeps an eye out none the less.
When Arlan catches up to Varin, they both feel a whoosh of wind by themselves. Both feel a stabbing pain and see the wound of a small dagger appear on themselves.
Arlan = 41-16=25/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 41-15=26/51 HP & AC 20
Varin dumps the Dwarf carefully to the ground before grabbing his hammer and causing it to grow to ifs regular size. He feels the wound in his side and grits his teeth as he stares around.
"Look, whatever you are, come out and stop f~#~in around. I don't have time for this please."
Growling he shakes his hammer in the air instead, "DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL"
Lys cocks her crossbow. "Yeah. Play nice now!", she says, dropping to one knee and starting to turn around, readying herself to shoot whatever little thing she sees. "We're nice and peaceful people! With very twitchy fingers!"
"You two alright?", she asks, her eye staring down the bolt.
Arlan stows his spear and holds his hands out in front of him.
Show yourselves! We come here by invitation, so call off your attack, or force our hand!
Nerak gets a sense from Lorn. Giving the familiar a sidelong look.
"Well if your going to help, get on with it."
Lorn rolls what passes for eyes and points to a spot.
"Lorn knows where our enemy is."
He points to the same spot for those that have trouble seeing the tiny construct.
Varin dumps the Dwarf carefully to the ground before grabbing his hammer and causing it to grow to ifs regular size. He feels the wound in his side and grits his teeth as he stares around. "Look, whatever you are, come out and stop f%$+in around. I don't have time for this please." Growling he shakes his hammer in the air instead, "DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL"
Lys cocks her crossbow. "Yeah. Play nice now!", she says, dropping to one knee and starting to turn around, readying herself to shoot whatever little thing she sees. "We're nice and peaceful people! With very twitchy fingers! You two alright?", she asks, her eye staring down the bolt.
Arlan stows his spear and holds his hands out in front of him. "Show yourselves! We come here by invitation, so call off your attack, or force our hand!"
Nerak gets a sense from Lorn. Giving the familiar a sidelong look. "Well if your going to help, get on with it." Lorn rolls what passes for eyes and points to a spot. "Lorn knows where our enemy is." He points to the same spot for those that have trouble seeing the tiny construct.
In a small, high-pitched voice, you hear, "You don't belong here. Go away!" Arlan and Varin feel another whoosh of wind by themselves. Varin feels a stabbing pain and sees another wound of a small dagger appear on themselves. Arlan feels his armor hold.
Arlan = 41-16=25/52 HP & AC 21
Beltzer = 35/40 HP & AC 16
Lys = 44/44 HP & AC 18
Nerak = 32 HP & AC 14
Varin = 26-12=14/51 HP & AC 20
Varin groans slightly, holding his chest and holding up his hands. "We are here following a Wisp. He led us to this place to seek arms so that we can defend our people against a monstrous army. God's just listen and stop stabbing me, please!"
"Forget trying to reason with something that attacks you with none. Retreat already."
We are here by invitation of Silvermane and the Council of Thorns. They gave us a Ghost Light Lantern and told us to come here and retrieve the items stored within. If you are friend of the Council, stop attacking us and show yourself to be a friend.
Arlan holds the lantern aloft to illustrate his point.
Lys continues turning around carefully. "Does anyone have anything, like, I don't know. Flour? Some liquid?", she asks, keeping an eye out.