Setting the caves aside as something to maybe come back to later, you pressed on. Towards sunset you arrived once more at the spot where you found the dead giant and fought the perytons. It was as safe a place as any to camp out, and you once more bedded down there.
The night passed without event, but when you set off in the morning, you saw a giant sitting on a boulder not far away. He looked like he had been there for quite a while, and none of the watchers heard or spotted him. The giant was picking his teeth with a dagger the size of a human sword, and was staring intently at you. Once he was sure that you had all seen him, the giant said, in a gravelly voice.
"You killed my chimera, you did. Been tracking you most of two days now. Know it was you. That beastie was going to earn me a good amount of coin in the fighting pits, and now it's dead. By your hand. So, here's how I see it. Either you're going to pay me my lost earnings, or you're going to fight in the pits in its place. And yes, I am sure you think you are big, bad giant slayers come to seek retributions, yada yada yada. I don't care. The fact is, I could have killed all of you in your sleep last night. But, I'm a good fellow, who just wants his rightful earnings. So let's not make this physical, right? Either cough up the cash, gems, whatever, or come with me to the fighting pits. Your choice."
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Quill wakes up from his slumber, wondering who was supposed to be on guard because that Giant was *definitely* not there when he was on first watch. If Quill has one thing, it’s good eyes and can totally see a big Giant.
He scrambles to his feet and draws his bow, but does not yet fire it. He slowly backs away.
”What no! You should put a leash on that thing! It attacked us.” Quill continues to slowly step back.
"Quill!" Sander remonstrates. "You were supposed to be on watch last night!"
Realizing it's too late now, he turns to the giant, about to say it attacked them when Quill steals the words out of his mouth.
"Yeah, it attacked us. And what fighting pits? That sounds horrible!"
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"Quill!" Sander remonstrates. "You were supposed to be on watch last night!"
”Uh, Sander. We’ have a set watch schedule. Remember? Or did *you* fall asleep again after I woke you!?!” Quill reminds the halfgnome, who seems to be confused.
"Likely story," Molly scoffs. "That freak weren't wearin' a collar, weren't no signs sayin' it were there ta warn us, an' it went down like a Kobold with a lung infection. How much could it be worth?"
Storn barks a laugh. "I respect strong, not sneaky. If you didn't want your stupid goatcat to die it shouldn't have crossed me. You want it for the pits because it is fun to fight, and yet somehow we're the bad ones."
He rests his ludicrously long spear on the ground. "We've killed everyone who has ever tried to kill us first. But tell me about those fighting pits anyways. Where are they and who runs them?"
Storn nudges Quill and whispers into the elf's ear.
"If we wanna get close to our target..."
"Did I say you were bad? No. I said you cost me money. That makes you bad in my eyes. Fighting pits are entertainment for most, and business for some. Now, if you are as skilled as you say, perhaps you would indeed be good in the pits. But let's not beat around the bush. I say you cost me money, around 3000 gold's worth, and I want that money. Now or later, that's your choice, but it's one you'll be making right now."
"Pft," Molly scoffs. "Three Thousand for that dumb critter? Why don'cha train some of them antler-birds? Least they could talk and think about what ta do. Yer pet had three heads and no brains!"
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Quill retreats a bit more.
”You know, we *do* have a lot of coins, almost too many to count. Maybe we should toss them at him and let him count them,” Quill says, thinking of the too many coppers the party carries.
In the meantime, his bow begins to flare with hallowed sparks.
Smacking his forehead with Quill's latest words, almost under his breath "Damn it elf, why did you tell him we can pay?" Slowly walking to the side to help split the attention some "Look my large friend. That critter came after us. We defended ourselves.If it was important to you that it stayed alive, you should have kept that thing on a tighter leash... or a leash in general. How about we all just move on and part ways. I am sure there are more of those things around. I mean if we could take it down, couldnt have been that tough." Kipa rests his hands on the hilts of his blades in a casual way but one that can change to draw quickly if needed.
"Wait, if we pay you, will you tell us more about this valley?" Sander asks.
Maybe he can just tell us where this army is, so we can get back home soon...
"Pretty sure if you hadn't been poking around its cave, it would have left you plenty enough alone. As for paying for information, we might be able to make a deal. Starting with that 3000 gold you owe me for Herbert. Last chance to do the right thing."
Seeing Quill and his change of body language, Kipa slowly & casually moves around to try & flank if needed. He also looks around to see if any one may be joining this big lug.
"Money can be talked about. But what about the safety of those families down the way? We walked near the cave and this....Herbert was it? Came after us. What if it went after one of the children in that giant village up the way? It could have hurt one of them. If any thing, we were protecting those kids."
Sander whispers back.
"We have plenty of coin. Let's just give it to him and then we don't have to fight," he urges.
"He's right that he could have just killed us all while we were sleeping and Quill didn't notice him.,"
He edges behind the others, putting them between himself and the giant as he also looks around for other threats.
Despite Kipa and Quill's efforts at looking for danger, it was Sander that spotted it. The funny way the giant was standing made the halfling look closely at his right foot. Then at the ground. Then into the trees above your heads. What he saw made him gulp. Six jars were suspended in the branches above you, ready to fall if the giant lifted his foot from the taut rope holding them in place.
"What do I care about the tunnel brats? They know to stay away from the chimeras, griffons, and such until they are strong enough to fight one. These are giants we are talking about, not puny humans or elves!"
The giant noticed Sander staring into the branches and laughed. "Now you see it, do you? I'm not a stupid ogre to be talked to death by adventurers. I'm a hunter, and hunters know traps. Now, let's call that a backup plan. I'm sure your elfy friend there would love to take that bow of his and start filling me with arrows, but how many of you would escape unscathed if those pots were to spill? Like I said, I'm a reasonable fellow, so just pay me and be on your way."
Sander starts to open his mouth, but shuts it as the giant himself points out the traps.
"Can we just pay him?" he again asks his companions, wishing they had as good eyesight as halflings (Kipa barely counts considering how much he likes killing things; he's practically an elf!).
"You sure do drive a hard bargain," Molly tells the Giant. "Arrigh'. I'm fer payin' for yer lost freak-beast. How much d'ye charge for some information?"
"Hand over the gold for the chimera, and then ask your questions. I'll be telling you what the information is worth once I see the trueness of your coin, and what you want to know."
Sander nods and gestures for whomever holds the coins to dish them out.
If only we could just pay everyone and not have to fight anymore... I don't think the orcs and most of the giants would take that deal, though. It's nice to find at least one of them is sort of civilized.
Hating that the group is losing money... goes against his every fiber.But Kipa will go with the groups decision.
Stepping away from being under the jars, he is not removing his hands from their location on the hilts of his swords.
As soon as the coins are tossed over, the giant grinned and scooped them up. "Easy money's the best money. Now, what did you want to know?"
"Can you tell us more about this area? Does it have a ruler? Are there any areas we should avoid?"
Sander for some reason doesn't really want to just come out and ask about the giant army.
"Oh, them kind of questions, eh? I thought for sure you'd be wanting to know about the army encamped in the next valley over. Speaking of areas to avoid. And if you're here in force, then you probably already know about the Storm Tyrant, the leader of said army. I mean, really, why else would an experienced adventuring group of humans, elves, and short folk be here if you weren't looking for the army? Though I guess I could also ask what the five of you hope to accomplish against so strong a force?"
"Wait, there's an army," Sander exclaims, doing a poor job of seeming surprised. "Can you tell us more about it? And this Storm Tyrant? If we wanted to avoid going there, exactly which paths should we avoid?"
Storn grumbles. "We gave you a lot of money. You can make up why we're here."
Walking back around the giant so that he is closer to his friends, a stern look on his face because... well what rouge wants to waste 3000 gold? Its almost insulting.
"So What is this Storm Lord like? I mean what is this army of his like? Or even the camp if you know anything of interest about it?"
"It's a big army. Big, cause it's made of giants, right?" The giant chuckled at his own joke for a minute, then shook his head.
"Naw, it's a decent-sized army all right, with all kinds of giant-folk. Never met the Storm Tyrant myself, though. Only his lieutenants. Still, he's got to be powerful if he can bring all these giants together. Now, if you just keep heading north and take that big valley off to the east, you'll see the outposts and the beginning of the mustering area. but, I don't think a group like you will be able to just waltz in there without trouble. Like as not, you'll be set on the moment you're seen. There, I think that's about enough free information. If you make it through the valley and want to fight in the pits for glory and gold, find me. Just ask for Kragmuld."
With that, he reached down and grabbed the rope he had been standing on. With a flip, he tossed the end to Quill, who just barely managed to catch it and grab on before the jugs hanging over the others could spill their contents. Of course, it also meant he could not fire his bow as the giant ran nimbly off down the trail and disappeared into the trees.
well what rouge wants to waste 3000 gold?
Sander sighs in relief, pleased that they managed to run into someone and no one died ... though he does move out from under the jugs, stepping carefully.
"Well, that was helpful," he says cheerily. "We know where the army is now. But what next? We could maybe try to sneak in by saying we want to fight in the pits, but that sounds like a horrible plan..."
He casts a glance over at Storn, who he suspects will love that plan.
"I still think we should be sneaky-like," Molly says as she gingerly makes her way out from under the jugs. "Plan 'poison their water' still sounds good to me."
Sitting back and watching as the elf has to hold the rope, KIpa thinks about everything that just went on. "I think Molly may be right on the money.... under his breath "really wish we still had that 3000"
Looking over at Quill "Need some help there elf?" He gets up and walks over to Quill. and starts to look at the trap and what can be done to deactivate it
Continuing with where he was. "If we have a way to poison the supply of water & food and thin the army down may be nice. Or at least take a few out of action for a bit while we get in there and try to take out the head of the army may be a good idea."
Please add 3 if allowed to be added from the trapfinding ability
"Maybe let's get closer and we can get some better idea of what we can do? I don't know that I can make enough poison to affect a whole army of giants," Sander says with trepidation.
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"Well, I guess we don't know what we want to do until we get a better look, right? So let's see if we can get close and learn a bit more?" Sander suggests. "I guess if anyone catches us, we can say we heard about the pits and came to fight?"
He looks distinctly unhappy about that idea.
Storn grumbles mightily. "Paying off giants who we could just beat up for information and then sneaking around and poisoning water is not why Gorum put me here, but we have a mission and I can't put out the entire army myself."
Storn switches into his far more comfortable spiked plate mail, tucking away the giant's nail armour. "Let's go scout and make a plan once we can see the army. If we're caught, we talk about the pits. Simple."
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Storn follows at a good distance, clanking along as he always does. He looks at Quill irritably.
"Let's hear some ideas then, elf."
"Circling around and finding a hidden approach and flying and scouting are both getting closer too," Sander points out.