Tam nods his agreement but stays quiet. While you have the element of stealth it's best to keep it, after all.
Several decrepit bunks rot in this neglected room. The tracks of numerous footprints have cleared a visible path between the room’s three doors in the thick layer of dust coating the floor.
Balmir follows along while keeping as quiet as possible.
Derrik holds still as he is direct to be quiet knowing he does not move silently in his heavier armor.
Derrik scans the court yard below.
Mouser sneaks back without the bell tower guards spotting him, and explains his plan.
Heading back in and checking the door ...
A low fence surrounds a rectangular opening in this room’s floor. A winch, a frayed rope, several rusted buckets, and three large water jugs sit next to the fence.
Balmir holds back while Mouser does the scouting then agrees to go back the other way.
Somer is a little uncomfortable letting a teammate go alone but knows that none of them can realistically go with him. He waits, spells and arrows ready.
"What is down the fenced area?" Derrik asks Mouser
|
Not seeing anything in the new room he's explored, Mouser motions for the others.
"I'm sure we could put this winch to use if we need a distraction," he says. He looks around for anything else useful, then says "I think we should probably go back and explore the big tower first. If there are any big bosses, they are probably there. If we could cut them off at the head and control the keep, we could then figure out how to deal with the orcs."
K27. Mouser found nothing of value, except to note that there are stairs both up and down. Up is to the bell tower, which appears to have some guards/lookouts. Mouser has avoided their notice, but sees that walking on any of the upper walls could draw their attention.
K31: It appears that the keep’s former residents used this chamber to haul up water from the fort’s well in area K21 without having to go downstairs and outside. After so many years of disuse, however, the fence is now rotted and the floor tiles surrounding the opening are cracked and waterlogged. Mouser easily notices that the floor surrounding the fence is in danger of collapse for anyone of significant size (200 lbs or more).
Mouser also discovers a secret door in the room’s southeastern corner. In the small alcove behind the door, iron rungs set in the wall of a narrow shaft allow descent to the secret tunnel (area K12) in the fort’s outer wall (lower levels). The alcove also contains the hidden bypass locks for some traps in area K12 (DC 30 Disable Device to open).
The stairs up behind the manticore cage / treasury (K32) lead to the largest tower.
"Sounds like a good plan to me."
"A solid plan yes, we could easily defend it and have a place to rest when that need arises yes." Derrik says readying himself to go up the stairs.
"I can always use my hypnotic pattern; that tends to work well on groups of orcs," says Tam. "Don't really have a large-scale distraction though."
As you head back to climb the stairs to the largest tower, Mouser can't help from poking around the treasure some more.
Of particular interest is a giant-sized, gem-encrusted silk gown, is draped like a tablecloth over a large oaken desk inside the cage. The gown is worth 500 gp in materials alone.
Under the gown are a number of important documents. Several of the papers appear to be drafts of a formal letter addressed to “the Storm Tyrant Volstus”.
To the Great Storm Tyrant Volstus,
You call all giants to bring ruin
to the small folk. I, Grenseldek,
answer your call, but I am not
your soldier. I offer something
better. I pledge my hand in
marriage to you. I bring a dowry
and a tribe of giants , ogres , and
orcs , and I will serve at your
side as queen. Take me and you
will not regret it.
Your future bride,
Grenseldek, Glorious Chieftain of the Twisted Hearts
Crumpled into a ball next to Grenseldek’s final draft is the Storm Tyrant’s response to her letter.
Grenseldek,
I have no interest in your proposed union. Even now, hundreds
of giants flock to my banner within Minderhal's Valley. You may
bring your trinkets and your tribe and offer them as tribute,
and I will consider not killing you outright for your audacity.
I give you this one admonition-do not approach me again
with such a proposal. You are far below my station, and the
very prospect is absurd. If I ever hear such nonsense again,
know that I shall take much more than just your “hand.” I
am the Storm Tyrant-my word thunders with the might of
the sky and my justice strikes swift as lightning. You have
been warned.
Volstus
There is also a detailed inventory of the crate contents (Grenseldek’s dowry, it seems), and besides cataloging the items found in this room, the list includes several items from Uskroth’s tomb beneath Trunau as future additions to the dowry: most notably, Uskroth’s armor, Uskroth’s hammer, and something called “Uskroth’s rock.” This last item is accompanied by a detailed drawing of a geode half surrounded by scribbled notes hinting that the rock fragment forms half of a treasure map. The depicted geode is not among the papers on the desk, and though it looks similar to the geode half that you found in Uskroth’s tomb, it is clearly a different stone. A final note mentions adding “the stuff in the giantkiller’s tomb” to the dowry. Lastly, a parchment map shows the location of a secluded valley in the Mindspin Mountains south of Belkzen. “My future with Volstus starts here” is scrawled on the back of the map in Giant.
Grenseldek’s dowry consists of the following, scattered among the chests, crates, and loose piles of coins outside the cage: a book of love poems written in Giant worth 25 gp; a marble bust of a stone giant (actually the giant god Minderhal) worth 100 gp; a woven 25-foot-square carpet depicting two giants making love worth 125 gp; a polished, giant-sized drinking horn made from a mammoth’s tusk worth 150 gp; a macabre necklace made from petrified human and elf ears; a series of 12 framed drawings or proportion studies of different giants (cave giant, ogre, hill giant, marsh giant, stone giant, ettin, frost giant, tomb giant, fire giant, ash giant, cloud giant, and storm giant), each worth 50 gp; a gem-encrusted scabbard for a Huge falcata worth 200 gp; a bronze statue of a fierce storm giant riding a dragon worth 150 gp; as well as 5 pp, 147 gp, 103 sp, and 976 cp.
As you head up the stairs, you hear a deep voice sobbing from behind the door, lamenting (in Giant) about unrequited love.
"Glad we got to the hammer and armor before they did. Better on Balmir then in the hands of one of these brutes. Still I can see where others might pity this wretched giant. Me.. Well lets just kill it for setting that army on Truneau. Spill blood for those lost."
Somer is more then ready to move on and find this crying giant.
Blamir glares at Mouser. "After what the giants did to my family, I have no compassion on them. None at all." He stands alongside Somer and is also ready to confront the giant.
Mouser opens the door to peek in, and is greeted by a large wolf growling.
This large chamber appears to have recently undergone a renovation. A broken wall partially blocks a dark alcove to the northwest, surrounded by broken bricks and scattered debris. A circular niche on the opposite side of the room to the southeast holds a raised table. In the center of the room, three beds have been crammed together beneath a single huge bearskin bedspread. South of the beds, a massive floor-to-ceiling mirror stands against the wall, and a large dust-covered armoire hunkers between two sets of doors along the northeast wall.
The hill giant Grenseldek resides in this chamber, accompanied by two gigantic orc bodyguards and her pet dire wolves, Nibble and Scar. The once-mighty chieftain of the Twisted Hearts tribe, Grenseldek wallows in depression in the southeastern alcove, staring blankly at a geode that sits upon the table there.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin) displacement 50% miss hammer 6 dmg
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19 morning star 4 dmg
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
"Mouser. What do you see? Can we attack yet?" Balmir is insistent but can only see the back of Mouser as he peeks into the room. The grip on agrimmosh tightens in anticipation.
Derrik hears the growl but doesn't quite know what is going on yet.
"What? The giant is in there? Let me in!" Balmir nearly shoves Mouser down the stairs to get past him. As soon as he enters the room he comes face to face with the wolf. He spots the giant to his right but realizes that he'll have to deal with the canine first.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin) displacement 50% miss hammer 6 dmg
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19 morning star 4 dmg
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Hearing there is a giant in the room Ingrahild's blood runs cold and she whispers.
"For my brother."
As she moves into the room axes flashing at the nearest wolf.
"Gonna kill ya all!"
A tear runs down her cheek as she moves and swings.
Ingie makes a solid hit, and then misses with the second.
The wolf response, biting at her legs, which she pushes away.
The pink-tinged wolf attacks Balmir, but he is one well-armored dwarf.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin) displacement 50% miss hammer 6 dmg
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19 morning star 4 dmg
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Derrik moves up the stairs, "What is up there?" Derrik asks before rounding the corner and seeing what is happening.
Mouser dispatches the purple wolf, and the giant orc bodyguards come charging in, flanking Balmir.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin) displacement 50% miss
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Somer moves up behind the others so he can at least see some of what is going on. Seeing the giant in the room his mind is filled with images of the damage in Truneau and he whispers some arcane words. When he finishes there are seven additional Somers standing in the hallway.
"Balmir, Ingrahild try and move in so we can all get into the room."
Tam squeezes into the hall behind Derrik and casts vanish on Mouser, giving the rogue a chance to move into position and stab unseen!
Mouser vanishes as Somer replicates. The giantess moves closer to Balmir, and swings a fancy looking handaxe.
Thanks to Derrik's spell, the axe is barely deflected from Balmir's head.
Balmir HP 51/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin) displacement 50% miss
Derrik HP 41/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Eyes wide with fear and wedged in the corner Ingrahild can do little but attack the orc in front of her with both axes.
Balmir locks a smoldering gaze onto the giantess and takes a step towards her then brings the full weight of his weapon down on her.
Balmir and Ingra both manage to connect half of their attacks.
The remaining wolf attacks Balmir. The wolf grabs his leg and pulls him down. (Balmir is now prone).
(half to Derrik)
Balmir HP 46/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 36/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Mouser slips between the large orc's legs and stabs the female brute in the back of her knee, causing her to wince.
Derrik Holds his weapon high before stepping into the room, a pulse of energy surrounds him in a 30' aura. Derrik carefully steps into the room seeing the very large Orc just off to his left.
School divination; Level bard 3, cleric/oracle 3, inquisitor 4, paladin 4
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a tuft of rabbit fur)
EFFECT
Range personal; see text
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level (D)
DESCRIPTION
You send out a burst of luck with a 30-foot radius centered around you. While the beacon of luck is in effect, you gain a +2 sacred bonus on all saving throws. As an immediate action before a saving throw is made, allies within the area can choose to benefit from this luck, rolling twice for a saving throw and taking the better result. Once a creature benefits from the beacon of luck in this way, it cannot gain the benefit of this spell for 24 hours.
The orcs again try to double team the dwarf, but he continues to deflect attack after attack.
Balmir HP 46/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 36/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
"Really need more room here, dangerous place for an archer, lets hope the images hold."
Somer moves forward while spending some of his innate arcane pool to enhance his bow with Nimple Shot so he is less likely hit while shooting. Slipping though his allies he calls a wreath of fire around his arrow as he fires two shots.
Somer puts two arrows in the chest of one of the bodyguards, and the first explodes on impact. Still, the orc is tough and doesn't look like she's going down without at least another similar attack.
Tam blasts the wolf and the other... thing (purple and orange) with a burst of glitterdust.
Both are blinded, which should help Balmir out quite a bit.
The giant swings her axes at Balmir and Somer. Balmir takes a nasty hit, while Somer loses one of his extra images.
(1/2 to Derrik)
Miss
Balmir HP 24/51 AC 23/11/22 +4 vs giant +2 natural (barkskin)
Derrik HP 14/41 AC 19/12/19
Mouser HP 44/44 AC 20/17/14
Somer HP 31/31 AC 18/14/14
Tamxander HP 32/32 AC 13/12/11
Ingrahild HP 55/55 AC 18/12/16
Breathing hard she mumbles as she swings at the orc in blue. "I dont like giants and orcs. I dont like giants and orcs."
Derrik Gasps the same time Balmir does as he has a large wound open up in his body.
"OW!"
Balmir roars in pain as the giantess's blade cuts deep. He steps to the side, between the blinded wolf and the giantess. Then he swings the hammer again.