There is a silence that can only be described as confused. You can hear some whispering behind the wall before the same voice shouts again, No TRICKS! What's the Password?
A giant face peeks over the wall 40 feet above you. His eyes pass over Alathos and land on Troll Eden. Hey! Shathbardok! When did you get down there! I thought you were still in that room you told us never to go in. Who are these tasty treats?
As the group travels, Eden casually lifts her legs off the ground and Overland Flies right over any ice.
By now, the group knows that Eden is a unskilled liar. Most of her natural charisma is clearly not a winning personality. Her default mode is cool, calm, and stoic. Her learned charisma is oration based on logical facts and data.
"...Little man, explain! Shathbardok commands it!" Eden growls to Alathos.
I got nothing, Alathos, but it shouldn't be too hard of your skill to fool this guy. If I had to conjecture, these are more agents of Kostchtchie; Shathbardok is likely that troll the dragon mentioned, and he seems to be a commander of some rank. I'd cover why I haven't eaten you three or something.
|
Alathos looks to Eden-Troll.
"Oh, not yet? Right, got it. Performance starts AFTER they stop trying to eat us."
He then looks back up to the face above the wall.
"I am Alathos Nevben and we are jesters from far and wide. Shathbardok thought you would like to watch our performance and get some entertainment in this...boring...place. We are also quite small and can hide if the anyone comes to get you in trouble. Shathbardok has already eaten our fifth member, and we would rather entertain than be eaten."
"Say, have you ever heard the joke about the time a human, tengu, and naga that walked into a bar?"
"Let us in and I'll finish the joke!"
The giant looks suspicious, but some muttering behind the wall convinces him. Fine. Be careful on stairs. They're slickery.
You ascend (carefully) to find that half a dozen giants and four winter wolves were waiting for you. They take you into the adjoining room. This icy chamber has been turned into a campsite. A number of water barrels, wrapped in furs to insulate them from the cold, stand in the center of the room. Scattered around them are a number of giant-sized bedrolls composed of various mangy furs from arctic and mountain beasts enough for ten giants. Against the north wall sits a mound of massive cuts of frozen, raw meat. To the east, a stair climbs up to the next level. Easily visible on the south wall due to some bloody handprints is a hidden stair leading downward.
On the far wall is the biggest giant yet. His limbs are twisted and gnarled like the giants down below, though he also seems not at all hindered by his disfiguration. He listens to the other giant's explanation with a suspicious scowl. What is this! That troll is no shaman! he bellows and snatches up his massive ax. He isn't attacking yet, but any little spark is probably going to set this guy off.
Knowing exactly how things will probably play out and not wanting to take another barrage of ice rocks to the head, Eden uses her Ring of Invisibility to vanish from sight, takes a small hope away from her old position, and gets ready to rumble.
HP tracker:
1
2
3 62
4 62
5 62
6 62
Big
The giants shrug off the mental intrusion and the back four are instantly roasted by Alathos. This is just salt in the wound, really. His joke wasn't funny at all.
Salrann attacks the nearest giant.
plus plus venom
plus plus venom
plus plus venom
Eden takes a five foot hop away from where she last stood and begins to cast Summon Monster VIII for another cloud giant.
Cho'ko and Alathos cut down one giant.
HP Tracker
1
2 dead
3 62
4 62
5 62
6 62
Big
Two giants engage Salrann while her victim struggles in vain to escape. They both land punishing blows (for 51 damage, slashing).
Two foes move up from the doorway. One sticks to the wall and swings at Chu'ko while the other attemps to approach him from the south, across from Alathos. However, he bumps into a casting Eden, nearly sending both to the floor. (concentration check due to nearly getting run over by a giant, eden, DC 15+spell level). It looks at the empty space in confusion and swings at the general area of Eden, but he his easily avoided.
The big one charges Alathos, but his powerful swing is slightly telegraphed and the nimble inquisitor slides out of the way.
Thanks to literal decades of casting magic, Eden effortlessly maintains her concentration and easily completes her summoning spell. Not liking her current position, the troll quickly assumes her smaller, prettier normal self and takes to the air, flying as high above the action as she can manage. As her cloud giant appears, Eden promptly casts Haste on the group and watches her summon unleash the pain on one of the giants fighting Salrann.
Salrann pins her foe and bites him continuously.
plus
plus
plus
Eden's giant proceeds to clobber one of the giants hammering on Salrann. Chu'ko manages a few slices on his target.
Salrann has a little trouble getting through her target's tough hide, but does some damage nonetheless. Her giant starts to bleed out, but his fight hasn't completely left him.
Alathos
HP Tracker
1 17
2 dead
3 62
4 62
5 dead
6 62
Big 115
The giants near Eden engage the cloud giant to no avail the one remaining near Salrann swings and lands a hard blow straight to the back of her head (confirmed crit for 49).
Alathos takes a portion of what he gives as a monster proves equal to his defensive skills. The giant's ax moves with an unearthly grace and slips under your block (for 31).
Eden flies up higher to avoid being within reach of the giants. Knowing that her invisibility will break, she immediately assumes her much more durable Troll form and attempts to Slow down the competition. The elf then barks out an order for her cloud giantess to keep the pressure off of poor Salrann.
The cloud giantess continues to lay down the pain.
Salrann tries to take out the giant that hit her.
plus
plus
plus
HP Tracker
1 dead
2 dead
3 150
4 62
5 dead
6 62
Big 249
One giant (bottom right) hits the floor from Chu'ko's spell
Salrann finises off her lunch. The cloud giant has a tougher time connecting this round and fails to knock the other giant on Slarann out of the fight. Meanwhile, the prone giant tries to get up and fails spectacularly.
But that's ok, because Eden's Slow spell has made the giants almost laughably easy to evade. Alomost. Salrann takes another near-critical blow to the gut while she's turning around to face her last foe.
( )
Much to everyone's surprise, Eden lets out a enormous Troll roar and fly-charges the last giant fighting Salrann.
The cloud giantess quickly follows up with her own barrage of swings. However, they seem to be much more careful and controlled then before, albeit less powerful as well
The giant in nearly torn to pieces by the duo assault.
Alathos keels heez giant half a second later with a crushing uppercut.
Salrann will grab and bite-bite-bite the nearest enemy (looks like the red one right next to her?)
plus
plus
plus
Alathos's air of authority and pure menace stops the two remaining (and wounded and bleeding, and poisoned) giants in their tracks. They look at each other, slowly lowers their clubs, and stare at the little human who clearly has a giant inside.
Uhhhh... Ok.
You clearly killed the smart ones first...
The giants stammer for a moment while they try to think back that far.
Uhhhh... Well... There was a Troll with us. Our Shaman. You's talkin about him, I's bet. He's been down those stairs over dere for days now! They gesture toward the bloody handprint.
Uhhh. Ferric and the rest of the clan. They're upstairs. Probably heard us fightin...
The giants shake their heads no.