Giantkiller (Inactive)

Game Master Daniel Penfold 351

"That's cruel..." Leira brings up her falchion casually leaning it over her oversized right shoulder, then spits at the ground "Almost as cruel as seizing unarmed villagers and joining orcs to attack Trunau..." and let's the Manticore take its particular feast on the giant.

"I can raise the pit if you want a fair fight Manticore."

"They would not have given me a fair fight"

With that the manticore peppers the body of the hill giant with tail spikes until it is dead.

Loot: Giant fist gauntlets
Eyes of Eyebite

"Zavier I think you will want these."

Pointing at the Giant Fist Gauntlets

Leira looks at the Manticore "I don't like it, but she has been useful, I guess we should honor our deal"

While the others sack the giants' corpses the girl addresses the flying ally "What is your name Manticore?"

"We are looking for a campsite of the giants. They call it the Cathedral. Have you seen something like this in your flights around these valleys?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

"If you know of the Catherdral. What can you tell us about the layout of the area, number of troops, and rumours you have heard."

Sid the perpetual packrat order and reorders all the gear they have found.

”Those glasses are pretty nifty,” the dwarf says, wondering how to put them to best use.

He remembers the manticore is in their midst. ”And I’m glad they didn’t kill you, manticore. It wouldn’t hurt our feelings, if you killed a couple more giants and ogres before you fly out of here,” he jokes.

"My name is Krrsk. I think I know the place you seek. (she mentions it is in Area Z on the map). There are at least 20 giants there. There is also an elderly giant there called Etena. She's a bit infirm but she has always been kind to me.

The main body of recruits are by the gates (area w). I'd suggest trying to sneak past. You might be able to sneak in using the dung carts that occasionally go through into the main area. I will try and take out some of the giants for you between here and there but I make no promises. There are lots of them and only one of me."

"Thank you. I would suggest hit and run, even softening them up for us would be good. You dying does nothing to keep our deal fair. I think we will be traveling part of the way, resting early and starting our infiltration fresh tomorrow before sun up. So rest up help us then and then you have completed your part of the agreement."

Being this calculating and working with evil creatures makes Sid physically ill.

"Yes, thanks a lot. You are free to go now I guess" when the Manticore flies away, Leira sits tiredly on one rock "No way I would have rested with the manticore nearby"

"So, we are resting here, I do guess, isn't it?" unless the group decides to undo part of the way, Leira looks around for a nice place to pass the night. She can do first or last watch.
Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

”Is there anything distinguishing about this elderly giant? Is she obviously older than the rest of her k8n?”

While Dolgrym finishes his questioning Sid talks to Leira.

"We don't camp in the open if we can avoid it. I cast rope trick and we stay in an inter-dimentional space. Then I cast keep watch so I don't need to sleep. I know it seems paranoid but I insist that you all not die if I can help it. We hide the rope near a tree so it can only be spotted from one direction. If you can find a good place to hide the rope that would be very helpful."

Leira smiles at Sid "An inter-dim... what? Well... no one is really sure enough one of those nasty giants get around. So this hiding system you offer seems something interesting to try out. Do you have food in that rope trick? I love tomatoes and salad leafs"

The girl has no problem to try out the rope trick.

"I wish. We have the food we bring in, rations and foraging. We have a bag of holding that I packed full of rations. So...if you like dry bread you're in for a treat."

Dry bread is not tasty. Zavier grouses. Zavier can feel muscles weaken without eggs and meat!

"Dry bread... is that all what you normally eat?" Leira looks Sid in disgust "I hoped one of you was a real cooker" the girl stretches the eyes "Because you are not expecting for me to be the cooker, isn't it? I like eating well, but I am not a cooker. I swing the sword, don't expect me picking up a pan. The fact I am the girl does not make me your personal cooker, clear enough?"

Leira looks back again at the giants "Let's check if they had some real food. This battle made me hungry"

"Not the only thing we have. We have jerky, cheese, nuts, dried fruit, smoked sausages and salted meat. Some of the bread is sweetened with honey. We have a few honey cakes I was saving for a special night."

"That's what Gallant's saddlebags are filled with."

Dry meat may as well be dry bread! Zavier likes meat rare! Zavier laughs. But good food and drink is for when we go back as heroes! Let us go find dung cart!

We need to walk from U to V on the map before we can do much. Scope out V before we can get to the dung cart.

"I find it tough to think about the finer things when I am fixated on not dying. If I'm being honest I would forget to eat if I did not have to feed Gallant. Let's be on our way."

It seems like we are going to V with a rest in there at a relatively safe point using the normal hid and watch spells.

As you watch, you can hear in the far distance the manticore roaring and giants screaming before it all goes silent.

[i]The mountain flanks draw together at this point, creating a narrow pass that is blocked by an impressive wall that spans the entire valley. Sloppily cemented stone and timber make up the wall, which contains a large archway in the centre blocked by a massive portcullis of sharpened logs bound together with thick hemp rope.

Can I have stealth rolls please

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

"Nuts and smoked sausages. That's better " Leira salivates and laughs amused at the exchange between Zavier and Sid.

--------------

At the spot of the walls, Leira quickly casts shield of faith on herself expecting trouble.
Stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Gm can we see what we are hiding from? How far away we are from them. I may want to use invisibility sphere or extend invisibility sphere.

"Hold up don't go closer until I survey then scene."

Sid casts Extended Invisibility Sphere and pulls everyone toward him then starts walking them away from the noise.

Also before entering the spider's layer Sid would recommend people look through the loot. There is a +1 ironwood breastplate for Dolgrym and a bunch of other useful items. Dragonfoe amulet should be carryed by a frontliner.

Oh yeah I'll take the giant guantlets for now and I've already claimed the amulet of nat armor, but bullrushing isn't something Zavier does much so later we should liquidate the glove later!

They help with damage as your hand count as one size larger as I read it. You can also flex in bullrush stuff on the rare occasion we need to push someone off a bridge until we sell them at least."

You are about a mile away, on the ground in front of the gates are a pair of smilodons, meanwhile on top of the wall is an ettin and a hill giant.

Stealth Sid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Stealth Gallant: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Sid will try to get as close as he can with the group, but the moment their cover is blown he is going make the group invisible. Giving them 16 min to get past the enemy and get somewhere quiet.

Leira looks marveled at her hands as they fade away "Wonderful! Gallant is truly lucky to have such an able servant!"

The girl will approach the wall maintaining a close distance to Sid in order to avoid breaking the sphere of invisibility.
Stealth roll improved with invisibility: 2 + 20 = 22

GM, can I increase unarmed damage die on the Giant Gauntlets?

@Zavier- yeah that's fine.

ettin perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

hill giant perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

smilodons perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

You manage to sneak within 60 feet when you think the Smilodons have spotted you. They start growling but cease when they are yelled at by the ettin to be quiet.

Sid searches for a place they can hold up safely before making there way to the dung cart.

Perception : 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

"We need a place to lie low."

"Yeah, but how do we do it? We have to pass the walls. And there are those smilodons smelling us... even if they don't detect us, we still have to fly over the wall or somehow burrow below... or storm the gate" Leira whispers back at Sid, trying to maintain her concealment.

There is a small ditch to one side which, if you lay low you would be able to stay out of sight.

Once the ditch is pointed to Leira, she silently nods and tries to stealth past the walls with the rest of the group.
Stealth+invis: 1d20 - 1 + 20 ⇒ (18) - 1 + 20 = 37

Sid make a follow me motions keeping the group moving until they are a safe distance away from the Giants.

Stealth : 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (17) + 26 = 431d20 + 30 ⇒ (11) + 30 = 41

Sid cast the shere on Leira when he cast it. "All of you stay here when the door way is clear get trough and move to safety. Try to leave a trail I can follow to find you.

Sid will cast fly on himself. He uses the ditch to get least 85 ft away from the enemies. Sid cast invisibility on himself. Then he goes and starts being rock and hitting sticks against the kids of trees. Trying to lure some or most of the Giants away.

Sid I flying 25 ft above the ground once he finds some good stick and rock so he is our of melee range.

"Heard the Storm Tyrant is a halfing." Sid says in Giant.[/b]

Dolgrym, could you make a Sneak roll please?

Dolgrym and his animal try to be sneaky as well.

Stealth 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Stealth 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

That's a 40 and a 28 not bad. With a distraction in the other direction.

With Sid's distraction the Ettin, Hill Giant and the smilodons rush off in the direction of the noise allowing you to sneak in through the gates

You are now in area W

As the valley widens, all traces of vegetation disappear, having been cut down or trampled into the dirt and mud. Plumes of smoke from countless campfires rise into the sky, and loud, guttural speech and shouts fill the air. Ahead, a towering edifice of stone looms over the canyon, carved into the face of a mighty mountain. Between the sheltering slopes of the surrounding peaks stretches a broad, muddy expanse where countless giants have set up makeshift camps. Wide roads of trampled earth traverse the valley floor, connecting the camps to smaller side canyons to both the north and south.

"Wow! That is an impressive construction. How many giants might be camped there?" Leira looks around trying to see the dung transports.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

"I think it is probably better if we find a place to rest in this magical refuge of yours before we proceed to sneak through"

Per: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
Zavier looks around as well to see a way in.

"Leira I think you right. Once we move from here I will have to start being a lot more conservative with my casting so I should go in fresh."

Just inside the edge of the last bits of vegetation Sid will set up a little rest. Once done he is ready to proceed.

Rested Sid will look for a way iin as well.

Perception : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

You all look around for a while. About every half hour or so you see a group of 5 ogres coming through the area with a cart filled with dung, stopping for a few minutes here or there to shovel up the giant's waste before heading off again. They seem to be taking the cart between the main body of the camp and an area just to the side of the main cathedral.

Leira feels refreshed after the party rest. She looks at the dung carts "Do you think you can make us invisible again Sid to sneak into the dung carts? Mmm... or perhaps we better sneak at them, leave them unconscious, and steal the carts making someone of us disguise as one of them? I could easily enlarge one of us to seem a giant"

I think any noise here is unwise. Let us just hide! Zavier opines.

Sid goes through his spellbook, "I can I will focus on non-combat spells to keep us safe, but that means I will be relying on you all even more than normal in combat."

So is the plan to sneak on board a dung cart?