Sunday nods, curious what the giant had to say.
Delendir cleans his sword and sheathes it as he breathes relieved "Those bears where furious. They really scared me badly" fortunately the half-elf managed to defend himself and ended only with minor wounds.
Recovering his bow and readying it as they advance he almost shots at the giantess as she interrupts them in their advance "What does the crone say? Her face is not aggressive, is she trying to seduce us?"
The ranger blinks as Vivi translates "She wants to help us defeat Mokmurian? Perhaps the old crone wants to be leader herself. Maybe we can profit this to cause separation between the giants. That will weak them enough to make them no more danger to Varisia"
Eyeing her trying to determine if this is a trap "Well... it seems we might risk it"
Delendir is ok to follow her and hear the rest of her explanation.
As Delendir translates, Yavenee studies the giant-woman's body language, looking for signs of deception.
Jessica was relieved that the bears had been dealt with. The things were vicious but they had won through with no one too gravely injured. She wiped the blood from her glaive on the bear's pelt and then sent a burst of positive energy out to heal her friends with.
As they began to explore and found the cave with the giantess in it Jessica was immediately on guard with her glaive ready to strike if need be. Fortunately it turned out that the giant wanted to speak to them. "I believe that it is worth our time to hear her out. We know this might be a trap but she isn't attacking us right now and is approaching us peacefully."
Vivi hears his companions and sighs.
"You are right. Still, stay prepared. No telling even if she was not being followed by other giants even if she is not trying to deceptivize us."
Turning back to the Giant, the monk shrugs.
"It seems we will hear your proposition. Lead on, but know that if this is some kind of trap, you die first. Bait being eaten and all."
"I told her to lead us onward, but that she dies first if this is a trap," Vivi adds in common for Sunday's benefit.
Neither Delendir nor Jessica sense deception in the stone giant and she nods in agreement, leading you onward to the north.
After a short distance, you enter a room with walls that are painted with red, yellow, brown, and black figures, among which are apparent images of giants, mammoths, elk, deer, and wyverns. Others are harder to figure out: ogres, perhaps, or giant children, or even humans. The dwarves a re very clear, with beards and tiny axes being crushed under enormous giant feet. A simple oil lantern lights a small altar at the far end of the cavern. A modest offering of antlers, hooves, and patches of fur has been piled in front of the altar
Conna squats by the wall, her voice echoing oddly from the low (by stone giant standards) roof. In Giant she says "Mokmurian killed my husband in this place. He was chief of our tribe. When Mokmurian took power, he brought my husband here and killed him. It was an affront to the spirits, and he lingers here still. He is quiet when I am here, but attacks others if they come here when I am not."
"I only live because I was the only one of the elders to speak against his exile for practicing the magic of our oppressors. I do what he says and say nothing. Now he no longer notices me. But I do not forget, and I watch."
"Beneath these caves is a place of our ancient slave masters. Mokmurian communes with their spirits. One in particular seems to be his guide, the creature he calls 'Karzoug'. He makes sacrifices to this being, the souls of the greedy and covetous, and even brands his own troops with its evil sigil so that when they fall they simply add to its power. This creature waxes powerful as it devours their spirits, and Mokmurian is now little more than its puppet."
"You must slay Mokmurian, and end this horror!" she concludes.
Sunday simply stares at the woman as she speaks, not understanding anything of the giant tongue save for a name. "Ah, so the devil binder still exists." he muses before adding. "Ask her if there's secret doors behind the paintings, or any other reason they may wish to move on their own when they think no on is watching."
Vivi looks around at the paintings, but does not see what Sunday does. He shakes his head.
"She said that her dead husband haunts this place. Slain by Mokmurian to take over this tribe of giants. She also said that some... Karzoug... is being fed by the deaths of his forces, as well as any others powerful, branding them..." Vivi trails off, and as he does he opens his robes to reveal the brand hidden by them. He turns to Conna as he does, showing the brand to her.
"You said he brands his forces. I received this while a prisoner to a group of lamia working for your husband's killer. Is this the same brand?"
"Hmm..this place...there is an ancient power here....a shrine to the ancestor spirits the stone giants followed." Yavenee says as she takes in the cave, feeling the sense of something sacred about it.
Delendir thanks Jessica for the healing "Thanks, that claw wound feels better now"
"Can she understand us?" Delendir looks at the giantess somehow believing her as the strange paintings move in the cave "We came to put an end to this. Conna, will you help us to do it?"
"It is not the first time we hear that name. This Karzoug was the name of the wizard that summoned the pit fiends in the dam. He should be very old by now" the half-elf frowns as the shadow of an ancient enemy starts to draw behind Mokmurian "Where can we find Mokmurian and what challenges can we expect ahead to reach him?"
When Vivi shows her the brand, the elder stone giant nods and replies in Giant "Yes, one and the same. That is the one. I feel for you, that you have been marked."
Nodding to Delendir, Conna switches to common. "Yes. I understand. Mokmurian has spent almost all of his time in the library level below this one, he is likely there now."
"If you agree to no kill any more stone giants, I will draw you a rough map of the caves and make a suggestion on your route to approach Mokmurian."
"No Stone Giants, save Mokmurian," Sunday repeats.
"Thank you. They have brought this doom upon themselves following Mokmurian, but they likely will have little interest in doing anything but kill you. Whatever you can do to minimize their death, I would appreciate." she then begins to draw a map for your of the route to take. When she finishes she outlines two paths for the party "I suggest suggest you approach this area from the west rather than the north. The west route is longer, but there are fewer perils along the way. The choice is yours." she hands a piece of parchment to you with the map scrawled on it.
"We will spare the giants if you can convince them to cease this war" adds Delendir to Sunday's affirmation.
"Ok, I say we take Cona's advise and go the longest but safest route"
Vivi covers his chest again, his face grim. He switches to common as she has. "I see. Do you know of any way to remove the brand, or at least to sever it from this Karzoug? I know it might be an ask, but I would rather my death not be used to make some ancestral spirit stronger."
"I know a way" Delendir grins back to Vivi "We finish that evil spirit and the danger is gone for good"
Vivi nods, but frowns. "How do you kill something already dead, my friend?" He sighs. "Do me... a favor. If I do fall, make sure that Ameiko-chan does not know about... this. Nothing she could do about it... and no sense in her worrying about me."
He gives the ranger a grim smile. "Not my first choice, mind you... I prefer your option. Now, which route to take? Safest might be best, though I imagine our opponent gets stronger as we wait."
Vivi nods, but frowns. "How do you kill something already dead, my friend?"
"Pretty much the same way you do for the living in most cases," Sunday thinks aloud.
"Whatever this Karzoug is, he's been gaining strength for awhile it seems. If no one is in immediate danger I see no reason to rush in to try and undercut whatever nebulous amount of power he possesses."
"Mmmm... do you think this Karzoug is dead? If so we should not be fearing him, isn't it? Nevertheless if we cannot kill him, we will kill his minions! Let's go for this Mokmurian!" Delendir looks one last time to Cona "Will you join us? Or will you at least convince the other giants not to fight us?"
Once Sunday adheres to Delendir and Vivi's suggestion to follow Cona's advice, the half-elf nods and starts walking around the longer route.
Conna shakes her head at Vivi, "I'm sorry, I do not know such things."
To Delendir she responds "I cannot accompany you out of respect for the traditions, you see, once a giant elder has been deposed, an elder must not directly oppose the new ruler."
She holds up a hand and says "If you can remove Mokmurian however, I can try to return my wayward children to their traditional ways and keep them from a suicidal and reckless plan to wage war upon Varisia."
With your path decided, you move west through the tunnel and the south as she describes. It's only a short while into your path that you enter a huge cavern that contains four large tables set up around a central platform on which sits an immense stone throne. From the ceiling above hang carved stalactites, some fashioned to look like dangling spears, others like dragon's teeth. The flickering light of a large fire burns behind a row of stalagmites to the south.
Four stone giant guardians are relaxing, eating, wrestling and telling slow stories to each other, completely unaware of your presence.
Delendir nods at Conna "That is understandable. It also means we might need to force through some giants before we can finish Mokmurian before you can claim back that leadership"
Once on movement, when Delendir spots the giants on his scouting, he slowly rears back and makes a sign to the others with the hand "Four giants. I doubt they will just let us pass, but perhaps we can attack without killing them this time..." the half-elf is surprised those thoughts even come to his head after the suffering they have caused to himself.
Jessica let the others discuss things with the giantess but she found herself sympathetic with the woman's situation. She suspected they could trust her at her word and only hoped they could comply with her request to not kill any more of her people.
With that they were on their way once more when they stumbled on the unexpected quartet of giants ahead. It was fortunate that they were not yet spotted and she considered what they could do to get past them. She had an idea but wasn't sure how well it would work so she said softly, "Maybe I can block them behind a wall of stone? I don't think it will hold them for long but it might be enough that we can get past them."
Vivi bows. "I understand. Thank you anyway."
As they see the giants, he softens his steps and sticks closer to the shadows.
He whispers to the others, "Perhaps we can sneak by them... or maybe I can sneak to a different location, cause a distraction, then circle back?"
"I could blind them perhaps, it would spare their lives." Yavenee suggests calmly.
"All three are good plans. Jessica's one is the one that ensures the most success, but Viv's one can be made without spending our magic..." Delendir looks at the monk "Why don't you try out to distract them with some noises then sneak back to us as we cross. If the plan seems not to work Jessica can try to trap them then in the wall"
Vivi nods. "OK. When they start pursing move ahead... I cannot say how long they will keep interest. I will try to get past them and catch up. If not, I will keep their interest off of you."
So saying, Vivi slowly edges around the back wall of the room until he reaches what looks like the enterance from the other path.
Putting on his hat of disguise, he wills the magic to make him look like the toughest, dumbest, most armored warrior he can think of. The disguise in place, he calls out to the stone giant's in a deep voice:
"Hey, you! Yes, you! Come and get me, you ugly lout!"
Making a rude gesture to go with his words, Vivi turns and runs , taking his hat off and putting his elven cloak around him as he presses against the wall.
"Ok, Viv, just do not try to be a hero. If you think they are going to catch you, just shout for help and we will dart to get help you" Delendir puts a hand on the brave monk's shoulder and nods "Oh damn, go before your stupid bravery makes me cry again"
The half-elf gets ready when Viv starts to call for the attention of the giants. If they leave the room, he starts running towards the other end of the cave.
Vivi dashes into the room and quickly attracts the attention of the four giants. As he retreats from the room, all four rise to follow but only two end up giving chase from the room while the other two move to stand near the exit he took from the room on the eastern side.
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Jessica was not that stealthy and she knew it. In fact her very nature made her stand out so she didn't feel confident in her ability to sneak. She slung her glaive across her back and touched the ring she wore on her left index finger, rubbing her thumb over the seven colorful gemstones. All of a sudden her body pulled in on itself, shrinking down, her gear melting into her body, and within seconds there was a white songbird with seven long tail feathers each one the color of one of the gemstones from the ring. Yes, she stood out still, but she may get away with flying high among the stalactites in the top of the cavern and stay out of sight that way. With that she took off and flew as she followed the others already across.
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Smiling as she watches Jessica's transformation, Yavenee grasps the feathered ends of the cape cascading down her shoulders, and spreads her arms, her form flickering and rapidly shifting into the form of a golden eagle. Swiftly taking to the air, she speeds along the roof of the cave, following Jessica's flight path, looking to all observers like a predator chasing it's prey across the cavern.
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Seeing everyone else sneak off Sunday tilted his head back wondering what to do before he noticed Jessica and Yavenee transform into birds and fly away in the cavernous environment. Thinking on it for a bit he then shrugged before falling forward, fur enveloping his quickly shrinking form he landed on all fours with the body of a rat the size of a dog, black fur mixing with the surroundings save for the bony spurs erupting along a trail on his spine.
He then promptly scampered off after the birds.
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And so it came to be that a scarred monk led the stone giants in a ring -around-the-rosie while the ranger, a songbird, a rat and a golden eagle made their way through silently through the kitchens to south. They make their way through a narrow passageway that leads southeast for about forty feet before it opens up into a larger cavern.
This cave is cluttered by tiny mounds of carefully sorted junk—bones, scraps of armor, broken weapons, stones, dead rats, and sections of chitin harvested from large vermin. A net hammock hangs from a pair of stalagmites to the southwest near a four-foot-wide crack in the wall that winds deeper underground, the tunnels from which you just emerged. Sitting on the edge of the hammock is a single kobold, covered in crimson red scales. It's breastplate is marked with various scratches along its surface, as if keeping a running count of something. To it's side, leaning against the hammock, is a shortspear.
Jessica lands on a loose section of rocks that cause a few pebbles to fall to the ground, making noise. The kobold on the other side stirs and looks in your direction, but does not move to engage.
[ooc]Because she's in the rear and your stealthy folks up front, I'll give you a round to prepare before he comes to investigate. You are all single file in the narrow tunnel.
Delendir raises a hand and halts the advance "A kobold ahead, get ready" the half-elf readies his bow.
Noticing the kobold spot the group but did not immediately attack he tries to engage in conversation "What's up? How you are doing? Getting bored down here? I have a cask full of true rum from the Two Knights Distillery if you want to taste it"
He tries to position himself to conceal the pack of animals behind him.
Vivi attempts to sneak into a better position to flank the kobold should it prove hostile.
Jessica realized that she was spotted by the kobold as soon as she landed and she stayed where she was because she didn't want to provoke it. Fortunately Delendir interposed himself and left Jessica the ability to hop down and shift back to her normal form. She stepped up behind Delendir and looked around him as she tried to recall what she knew of kobolds, which wasn't much.
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Jessica recognizes that the scaled creature ahead is a kobold, and are descended from dragons or are dragons or pretend to be dragons or something about dragons...
Unable to see exactly who are what is talking to him, the kobold readies his weapon and faces the passageway Delendir conceals the party from. She says "Who goes there! I Enga Keckvia, famed kobold warrior, have been appointed by Momkurian himself and tasked with protecting this important territory from all manner of intruders! Emerge and prepare to be slain by a legend!"
"Hello Enga Keckvia! Yes, I have heard of the famed kobold warrior that works for the boss" the half-elf doubts a bit, but decides perhaps he can buy some more extra time by at least confusing the kobold.
"Of course, this is important territory. What is beyond?" Delendir walks inside the cave, but stops if Enga seems to get nervous or otherwise try to stop him.
"I am Mokmurian's new hunter, why otherwise I would be inside his well defended fortress? This is inexpugnable. I bring all these birds for him to chose which one to use as his personal raptor..." the half-elf raises an eyebrow "I want to be friends with Enga, perhaps I can give you one of the birds Mokmurian does not want. Do you like bats?"
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The kobold relaxes her grip on spear, clearly not sensing any lies from him with her amazing skill at understanding creatures true motives. She nod at his statements, seemingly bored with him already. "Enga need no friends. Enga need enemies to kill and prisoners to give to Mokmorian. You are neither so leave Enga alone."
She turns around and ignores him, moving to inspect a different portions of the room specifically in an attempt to show her disinterest in him.
"Oh, well, that hurts my feelings..." Delendir eyes the kobold a bit astonished, being a honest man meant he never had been good at lying but the kobold seemed satisfied with the ruse "...I... I think I will go that way then, the boss is there, isn't it? I will take my birds there"
The half-elf points east and makes a sign for Viv to cross quickly while the kobold is distracted looking in the opposite direction. The half-elf coughs and does some walking noise to conceal the monk's steps.
Ghina flies over to Delendir's arm and he let's the other birds come by after him.
The ranger walks by the eastern tunnel.
Impressed...and somewhat puzzled that Delendir's deception worked, Yavenee gives her other companions a look, shaking her head slightly as she moves to follow the Ranger's path
The sable furred rat looks at the Kobold, then to Delendir, then back to the Kobold, then back to Delendir.
Then just shrugs and scampers off after the Woodsman.
Vivi carefully, slowly, creeps past the kobold and into the opposite chamber, keeping low to ground and close to walls as he does.
Sliding east past the disinterested kobold, the path ahead split three ways. A tunnel heads each east, southeast and south.
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Climbing up Delendir onto his shoulder the bit rat stares at the map with its red eyes before pointing down the eastern tunnel.
The tunnel widens here into a gallery, the walls of which are streaked with glittering veins of mica. To the north, four large mounds of furs have been arranged-a nimbus of bones and bits of half-eaten food lies strewn around each.
Four stone giants sleep here, snoring loudly in their makeshift beds.
Delendir giggles when the rat's whiskers stroke his face "East? Good, let's see"
When they see the sleeping giants Delendir remembers the promise the group made to Conna. He makes signs to ignore them and move silently towards the exit of the tunnel.
At the gallery exit, the half-elf let's everyone pass and sets one of his sleet traps to delay the giants without damaging them in case they awake and decide to come in the group's direction.
The trap set, the group moves past the sleeping giants and continues to head east, following Conna's direction which so far has gone exceedingly well.
In the next area, the walls of the passageway are hung with furs. To the southeast the tunnel constricts and slopes down sharply.
There is a single troll here, standing idly at the far end of the room as if it were guarding the passage beyond.
"There is another giant or similar creature sleeping behind the walls at the east. Can you see the holes?" Delendir muffles a chuckle "I do not know why we were that worried about Mokmurian, I can't believe Varisia is at danger from a troupe of such lazy asses"
When they spot the troll ahead, the half-elf makes a pause looking at Yavenee and Jessica "Can you put that one to sleep too? Or control his mind or befriend him somehow?"