Orik says to the party, ”I’m good to go do this, if Nadya feels safe. Looks to be about a 10-15 minute walk there. If we’re going, I say go now while my spell is still working.” He rests his greatsword on his shoulder as they talk, keeping an eye on Sylgja.
"Perhaps Nadya and the children can wait with you at your home while we handle the troll? Otherwise, I agree with Orik that we should be off. The effect of my mutagen should last plenty of time, but there is no reason to delay."
Sylgja nods. "She'll be back soon. I don't know Nadya, but I think we've met some of her traders before. She trades with the Mammoth Lords' lands, I think. My friends, I've barely met you to even know your names, but I promise you safe lodging and gifts if you can do this for me. Even..." Sylgja looks a little crestfallen. "Even if you are not able to return him to me. Please do what you can."
"Oh no, Sylgja, don't talk like that! We'll do our best, and bring him back! My name is Yrja." The young witch rushes forward and wraps the sorceress in an awkward, brief hug, then turns to beckon the others.
"Alright, what are we waiting for?"
"I am Dezső. We will return shortly."
And what does Chiquq know about trolls.....?
Hopefully she knows enough to bring fire.
Orik recalls slightly more than Chiquq, but not much.
"Trolls are giants right? They'll probably be big, and have claws, so just... stay away from it if at all possible."
Orik heals himself a bit.
Yrja steps back from the brief hug, looking discomfited. The discussion on trolls draws her attention back to the matter at hand.
"Trolls heal by themselves, unless you hurt them with fire. Or acid." she adds, glancing at Dez.
"I can do fire." Ogon says confidently from twenty odd feet away where he is ploughing through the snow-drifts towards the cave.
Those of you who fought the moss troll near the portal recall that fire and acid are effective against trolls, and that moss trolls can brachiate through trees well. There are indeed trees, but not many, up the hillside; they tend to be lower down.
"I will light a torch," Chiquq says. "Fire may be the best way of destroying such a creature."
The 'cave' is more like a sun-lit cavern formed by a jumble of enormous rocks on top of it. It is covered with moss and vegetation; a natural slope spirals down deeper into the mountain. On an overlook within the cavern, a mossy skeleton stands guard, still in death and decay. You don't see a troll about, not immediately.
”Shall I shoot that mossy skeleton? Never trust skeletons that are loafing on the job,” Orik says, drawing his bow.
"good idea", Dez responds, as he looks around for traps or other details of interest.
Orik draws an arrow, and takes a bead on the mossy skeleton, sending an arrow at it's mossy form.
Ogon positions himself, shield up, between the rest of the group and the skeleton - just in case!
The skeleton topples with a clunk and a dull ringing that indicates there must be some armor on its (former) person.
Dez can just barely hear the scrape of something moving deeper in the cave, possibly a burbling exhalation.
Dezső quickly and quietly comments: "I hear something moving inside. Should we try to lure it out? In any event, we may have just done so." He has his rapier in one hand and a flask of alchemist's fire in the other.
Ogon just shifts, facing into the cave he begins to glow with a threatening red light, although it is weaker than previously - before the curse.
Her companions seem remarkably calm at the prospect of facing a troll, which helps keep Yrja calm as well. The young witch does her best to prepare for the upcoming confrontation, although she keeps fidgeting and going up on the balls of her feet.
Dez hears no further movement.
"Let's go!" Ogon grunts, impatient to get his curse removed.
Dezső drinks his shield extract and is ready to head down the hill with Ogon.
To Ogon: "Let me throw this liquid fire at it before we get close. Then I will join you in the fight and try to distract it and draw some of its attacks, but you will have to be the one to destroy it. I don't think my rapier will bother it much."
Orik grunts, and whispers "So, Yrja are you and Chiquq good to cover us? I think we're gonna venture down into that gully and see if we can suss out the troll's location, as we don't know where it's hiding."
Orik grabs his battleaxe and shield and ventures down into the pit.
Ogon nods at Dezso's plan and begins to make his way down the slopes, sliding in a rush where the ground gives way under his considerable weight.
Dez joins his half-orc and hobgoblin pals, reading to throw fire if he spots the troll.
Yrja follows them, looking cautiously around.
"Oh, look, a snowdrop!"
"Agh, Yrja. Just... be careful if you come down here. I don't want you gettin' trolled up. Try to stay back near the ledge." Orik frowns, obviously concerned for Yrja's safety.
"Orik, I think Yrja has to be somewhat close for much of her magic to work, and she's proven herself very tough and smart in combat. But, yes, Yrja, please stay back as far as you can, and away from any trees, because these trolls move quickly through trees."
"Yrja can stay at the back and be safe enough, I think," Chiquq says, breaking a long taciturn silence with a half-smile at the tiefling woman. With her bow held loose in one hand and a lit torch in the other, she also takes a rear position. "If trouble happens, Yrja, take my torch so I can see and fire my bow as well, yes?"
"Alright, I'll stay at the back."
Yrja hovers near Chiquq, ready to assist.
Chiquq can hear that some very quiet sound, like raspy breath, is emanating from the darker crevice around the corner and south to them. Ogon stands right next to a small cliff which will lead to the lowest level of the cave, or the adventurers can continue to spiral around the cavern perimeter.
Chiquq looks down at the slope, reaches into her pack, and looks bemused when she doesn't find what she is looking for. "....did I not pack any?" she asks the air bemusedly. Shaking her head at herself, Chiquq assesses the terrain, and then Ogon in his bulky armor.
"Let's take our time getting down. Careful and steady, yes?" she says, gesturing at the spiraling slope, and scanning it for any hazards.
Chiquq finds no traps--nothing but rocks and moss.
"I've got rope if you've got a plan Chiquq. I have a piton, too, and we can hammer it in with this... big hammer. Want to rappel down?" Orik grabs his rope and piton and extends them to Chiquq. "Or we can just go down the ramp." Orik shrugs.
"It sounds like what Chiquq heard was pretty close to the bottom of the cliff right below us, so it is probably better to take the path so we don't get attacked while we're on the rope."
Yrja looks dubiously at the drop. Even with the rope, she's not confident of her ability to hoist herself down. "Yes, the path seems fine."
"Very well." Ogon grunts. He leads the way down the path, slowly.