Somer takes a step back, knowing he might still be attacked, and forgoes using the bow.
vs touch
vs touch
Since the Frost giant was halted, he just stands there and takes a massive amount of damage. But not enough to drop him.
*plink*
Toboyn watches for a moment; this last of the foe seems to be stopped for now. He decides to wait to see what the others can accomplish before using his remaining powers.
Stepping back another step Somer fires off two more arrows thinking the giant has to fall soon.
I thought I updated the map, but yes only the frost giant remains, and it looks like the combined effort is enough to bring him down.
The last giant in here falls with a rather large thud. Then all is quiet except for the bubbling stew in the cauldrons on the fire.
None of these monsters seem to have anything of value on them.
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Mouser cringes a bit at the sound the giant makes as it falls, but when nothing is forthcoming, he relaxes a bit.
He sniffs at the stew. "Anyone hungry?"
As the others gather their energy for what comes next, he listens at each of the three doors, starting at the northwest corner and rotating clockwise.
All of the doors are quiet, except the most northern east side door - you can hear sounds that may be someone moving things around.
The two more southern doors on the same wall are quiet, but you detect an odor that is foul. Smells like that cart you followed in... probably privies.
The NW door is quiet.
"You hear something there?" Balmir checks with Mouser as he indicates the north east door. "Well, let's go then."
He moves to the door and waits for his companions to be ready for him to open it.
Somner climbs onto the table and readies his arrows.
"Someone open it up, I can give them a nice greeting."
You open the door, and there is a slag giant, collecting cans off of the pantry shelves. She turns and looks at you, shocked to see small folk. Clearly the ruckus in the other room didn't bother her at all.
It looks like she is about to call for help, when suddenly she sees Balmir's weapon. "Agrimmosh?"
Surprised by the response Somer does not fire his bow, he knows not all giants are evil but not about this specific type.
"Yes. You seem surprised."
Balmir grunts. "Yeah. What's it to you?"
"Agrimmosh is the Hammer of Unmaking! It has come home! With it, we can re-start the Forge. My mentor, Eterna, has lived here for many, many years, hoping to one day restore the forge. My name is Ferin. If you allow, I can take you to see her... but we must be careful so none of these 'army' giants see you!"
"Yeah, what's in it for you? And why would we want to restart this forge thing?" Balmir glowers at the giant.
"Why? Why? Why to look at the face of my god! Well, maybe not all that, but this whole cathedral was build in worship of Minderhal! My mentor has been caretaker, waiting to re-light the forge. I suspect it could prove to be quite useful to you as well."
"Etern is the one you should talk to, though. Please, let me take you to her."
"Excellent!"
She leads you back into the cathedral, past the alter, and triggers a secret door in the statue. She leads you down a set of stairs.
Dust covers the floor and cobwebs drape the walls of this broad oval chamber. Near the center of the room stands a pillar of cemented soot-blackened stones illuminated by the waxy lumps of crude candles and surrounded by a ring of mystic symbols fashioned out of metallic dust sprinkled on the floor. To the south stand a large chair and a table laid with a single place setting, a clay bowl, a pitcher of water, and pot of gruel. A large framed box filled with straw and covered with a couple of heavy quilts and a few oversized pillows lies farther east beyond the pillar.
While the room initially appears empty, a venerable slag giant lurks in the darkness, and then comes toward you. "Who are these small ones, Ferin? Why have you brought them here?"
Ferin turns to you. "Please show her."
Balmir holds Agrimmosh up with two hands firmly grasping the haft. "Is this what you wanted to see giant?" In the face of yet another hated giant he manages to keep his voice to a low growl.
Advancing and placing a hand on Balmir's shoulder ("Steady, friend"), he asks of Eterna, leaning a bit into his charisma "Tell us, please, what it is that interests you so about this hammer; we know little of it."
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"Agrimmosh! The Hammer of Unmaking!" The ancient slag giant continues.
“In times now lost, my ancestors built the sacred forge in the cathedral above to honor He Who Makes and Unmakes. Minderhal’s Forge is a repository of awesome power, but long have its fires lain cold. Only with Minderhal’s great hammer, Agrimmosh can the effects of long ages be unmade and
the flames restored."
“I, Etena, am Keeper of the Forge. I inherited my position from those who walked this world before me, and those before them. I am the guardian of the sacred forge, but I am not its creator. Were that the case, I would have long ago renewed its fire, but this task is beyond my ability. You, however—you, the bearers of the Hammer of Unmaking—you have the power to relight the forge. But first, you must learn its history and what must be done.”
"I am the last living descendant of the ancient slag giants who immigrated to this valley after converting to the worship of Minderhal. Long ago, the elder priests of the cathedral appointed me to the revered position of Keeper of the Forge, a post I have held for centuries, even after the giants abandoned the valley and the cathedral above. It has been so quiet here for so long, until all these giants started gathering here."
She looks sad, as she continues her tail. "So long I was the cathedral’s sole inhabitant, and every day since the forge went cold, I lit candles and laid prayer symbols in the dust to honor Minderhal and bless the forge. In the hundreds of years that have come and gone, I came to believe that should Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking ever be returned to the cathedral, the sacred forge will once more roar into life, heralding a new age of glory for the cathedral and the worship of Minderhal! You are here to fulfill this destiny!"
Waiting briefly to make sure you are still listening, she continues with her history lesson. “According to the sacred texts, four ancient heroes first brought Minderhal’s Forge to life. "
“The first was Mymrith the Maker, priestess of Fandarra, who prepared fallen warriors for the afterlife by anointing their bodies with sacred clay. She lined the forge with the clay to contain the fire within."
“The second was Aduromi, the Priestess of Crystals, whose veins ran hot with molten metal and who could temper steel to a hardness that would cut diamonds. She brought with her the secrets of the fire geodes, which once ignited would burn for a century."
“The third was Jogrothir the Hunter, guardian of the sacred horn Drakesbane, which he used to call the ancient drakes native to the surrounding peaks. Jogrothir brought the forge to life, for he alone was able to capture the dragon’s breath, the only flame hot enough to ignite the fire geodes."
“The last was Rosag, the Preserver of the Forge. A great priestess of Minderhal, Rosag held the secrets of water—both its ability to temper metal as well as its capacity to quench the sacred flames. She performed the Blessing of Rosag, the final incantation that stoked the fires and sanctified the forge."
“Only by following in the footsteps of the blessed ancients, by repeating those acts which have been undone, shall the fires of Minderhal’s Forge once again blossom.”
"Will you help me?"
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Mouser seems relieved that the giantess isn't in league with the others, and seems to trust her.
"So you're saying to turn the forge back on, we would need to do the things the other heroes did to ignite it in the first place? I mean, it sounds like we could make some really cool things taht could help us a lot. It is probably worth doing."
"Yes, that is correct. In addition to using the forge for new weapons and armor, with the power of Agrimmosh, you can magically resize all magical items... be that giant sized or halfling sized."
"Well now that could be of use. Just to be clear, we are probably going to want to resize a lot of.... giant sized items. Not to be too blunt but you can guess how we will get them. That a problem?"
Balmir listens as Etena relates the history of the forge. Questions swirl in his mind and he looks at the hammer. "But nothing of what you said requires this hammer. Getting some clay, some rocks, a bit of dragon's fire and some water?" Balmir scoffs and slams the hammer back into the belt loop that holds it.
"And besides, everything I've ever heard of Minderhal says he's evil and certainly not someone who I'd want to raise to glory."