[ooc]Was the 13d6 on Xanay a typo? :)[/b]
Goliath kneels in front of the fallen giantess and holds his blade aloft.
"She tasted the kiss of vengeance. May her soul find peace as the wrath of Ragathiel is satisfied."
He stands and flings the blood from his blade before putting it across his back.
"Thank you my brothers and sisters. I knew my gamble would work with my family coming to my aid." He looks to the shocked old man.
"I am glad you are well. You are a tough one. Allow us to mend your wounds as we do our own. Gather close."
"There much better. The giants must be getting desperate to send such a warrior. It is probably wise we returned when we did. I will finish my meditation. The rest of you get what sleep you can. Quassine can examine the giant and any belongings. I have almost finished my training. I just need to finish tonight's contemplation. Forgive me while I get back to it."
Goliath returns to his mediation spot.
Before Goliath goes back to meditating, "You are welcome brother, we are always here for you as well as all of our brothers and sisters. Before you go back to training, do you require any more healing?" Quassine looks to everyone else, "I believe the only other one that is injured is the prospector? Am I correct and do you need healing Mr. Prospector?
After healing anyone who wants or needs healing which I don't think there is, Quassine checks the body of the Giant for treasure and useful items.
While searching, he looks up to the Harpy, "Harpo, do you want some fire giant flesh?"
The prospector was in the channel radius so he is all healed.
"Thank you my good...man. I am fine now. My arms is as good as new, well at least what is was before she squished me."
When Quassine looks up in the tree, he sees that the harpy is gone.
"Brothers and sisters, the harpy is gone. Hmm, could that have been the giant all along?" Quassine search the giantress.
Xanya is excited to see them take the giant. "We did it! I said we could do it. Great work everyone!"
She's bewildered to see the harpy disappear though and a bit angry. "Maybe she got scared by seeing her former master... Or maybe she's who led him here indeed. They have powerful magics at their disposal, it might very well have been able to communicate our position to them. Kiki can you find any tracks? Though I guess flying creatures leave few tracks eh? I'll go to see what the Giant was carrying... Maybe you want to check them out with me Quassine?"
She goes over to the giant, searches the corpse and studies the items and casts guidance on herself and Quassine as needed.
Kiki after loudly proclaiming herself "Kiki the Giant Slayer" and climbing down form the giantess corpse she starts looking for tracks, with both her eyes and her nose.
You recall seeing the harpy during the fight briefly with the giantess. But at some point in the short fight, she must have left.
The group examines the giantess, taking from her her huge wicked scythe. She has a small satchel with a few potions in it, and a small black gem, perhaps obsidian.
The rest of her is easy to search as she isn't wearing any clothing or the like.
Xanya and Quassine examine the potions and the scythe, casting detect magic and taking some time each to look over the items.
More Xanya spellcraft
The potions are (all caster level 9):
Invisibility
Silence
Enlarge Person
Mage Armor
The scythe is a huge Scythe +1, Unholy.
After examining the giantress' loot, "We can use the scythe to make magical items for ourselves and I would be interested in the Mage Armor and/or Invisibility potions, or we can sale them?"
"We've pretty much ran out of raw materials for crafting, haven't we? It would be good to stock up by using the scythe indeed. As for the potions, do you really need the 9 hour duration? We got long enough duration of Mage Armor through our daily spells already, right? And if we trade in the invisibility potion, I can craft 2 for the money it costs, four minutes duration should be plenty for most circumstances. It is a good idea to stock up on invisibility potions once we get a hold of more crafting material though." Xanya looks over the items. Glad to finally find something of value, though a bit sad that they haven't found anything truly useful and that they'll probably just end up selling everything.
"We can sale or try to sale the Scythe and yes we are almost out magical crafting materials. We will have just enough to make a partial item after I done with my belt."
Quassine goes back to finishing his belt, watching the camp, and thinking about reflecting tomorrow in Cliffort.
Longirus goes back to his own rest unless someone approaches him.
Day 19, the rest of the night, Day 20 morning
The group completes their overnight rest, having a hard time returning to sleep or meditation as the adrenalin subsides. In the morning everyone is more or less ok, although those birds were out chirping awefully dang early. Can't a hero get some rest around here?
As the dew glistens on the plants, and Longirus, the group slowly stirs and recollects last night's battle. The giantess' corpse still lies where she fell into the brush and trees. The prospector rose early and is cooking something over the fire. "Figured the least I can do is make you folk breakfast for saving me. Though I reckon I wouldn't have been in those straights if'n I hadn't been around you. I'll have quite the story to tell though. It will at least fetch me a few drinks here and again."
Quassine watches the prospector rise up in the morning to cook breakfast, and nods to him keeping quiet not to disturb the others. Later, he takes in the smell of breakfast and nods to the prospector as everyone is stirring, "It is plausible you may have not been involved but it is also plausible your life would have ended as a fire giant snack as you cross paths with her down the road. Regardless of possibilities, thank you for making us breakfast."
Goliath will set and enjoy what the old man has prepared.
"Thank you old man. I am happy you were not harmed. I did not intend to gamble with your life. I hope you can forgive me for that, but as you can see I had the situation in hand." He smiles.
"It will be nice to return to Cliffport and get a little rest before the war. Though the giant spoke some words that have me thinking. Though they do seem to overestimate their power as most giants do because of the size. Let us be on the road soon."
Quassine dons his new belt and feels a bit more light on his feet. He then begins to clean up while waiting for the end preparations for breakfast.
In the morning as usual Xanya summons Cryxial and gets darkness up on Quassine and herself. "I'm sorry that you couldn't be there last night. I think I've found a way to get you there quicker next time though."
"Thank you for the food." Xanya says to the miner before diving in.
"I'm glad we all survived. Though I'm a bit unnerved about what happened. I get that they want the scepter. But what if they are all sneaking up on Cliffort invisible or something? We don't really know what their plan is all about yet, even if we do know what the scepters do. Obviously we should prevent too many scepters from being reachable near each other, but is there something more we are missing? Finding a greater scepter would help a lot. Maybe the loremaster got an idea for how we can find one?" Xanya chips in her thoughts on how to proceed.
"Either way, let's get to the city as fast as possible. Kiki and Goliath, might need double of your spells today if we are both heading in and out. We'll see how long we'll take to get there."
"My spell will last as long as I continue to chant. I am not powerful enough to help all of us though so we travel normal today."
"Oh goodness, don't worry about me. I can make my own way from here. I reckon that big woman was just all about your group and wouldn't have picked a fight with me. If you need to get to the fort quick like, go on ahead, don't let me slow down your mission."
"Fret not" comments Longirus, having listened in "I can accommodate any sort of travel we may need, as long as there aren't more than six of us."
Quassine bows, "Worry not sister, I know you were not yourself. Was it a bad dream or were you under a spell?"
While Quassine puts on his backpack, he nods in agreement with Xanya, "I agree, we should talk to the Loremaster again. He may have updated news for us and I agree, we should make haste. And I am ready to go."
Quassines looks at Longirus with a bow, "Thank you brother!"
AS the group makes ready to depart, Longirus reaches into his lantern to cradle the flame within. For a while he holds it tenderly until he suddenly casts it out to the ground where it flashes brilliantly, expanding into a portal large enough for the party to step through.
"May Goodwins light shine the way!" he says as he beckons the other inside.
"Be careful old man. Find us again at Cliffport if you still need help with your mine after we defeat the giants. Brother Longirus let us go then."
"Oh, I almost forgot. I had a horrible dream of screaming skulls right before the giant appeared. I wonder what it means... Desna is the goddess of dreams. Could it have been sent as a warning? I agree though, let's travel with as much haste as possible."
Quassine nod bows, "I believe sister that was a warning but it is plausible that it could have been the giant too? Let see if it happens again and then we will know for sure?" Quassine then nod bows to Longirus, "I believe we are all ready brother for your traveling magical prowess?"
Bidding farewell to the prospector who packs up his mule and starts to head down the trail, your own group readies itself. Kiki casts her Nature's Paths and Goliath begins his low rhythmic chanting as Xanya, mounted on Cryxial with Quassine shrouded in a shadow of low light, and Longirus walking with his lantern, the group head towards Cliffort. Soon enough to are on the actual trails leading to the small town as your group runs along the magic sustaining and invigorating you.
In time, the distant smoke from the fortification is visible and the sound of industry reach your ears, you are a few miles away yet, and will need to consider if you worried about bringing the scepter into the fortress of not.
In a short while you reach the outer docks used to ferry people over the lake into the fort.
"What, exactly, is this scepter?" asks Longirus as they walk. He has a hard time keeping up with his more able-bodied cousins and has to rely heavily on his walking stick to make up for it.
During the long but quick walk, Quassine replies, "Brother Longirus, the scepters are powerful magical siege weapons. They are divided into lesser and a greater scepter. So far, I believe we have only confiscated the lesser scepters from the giants."
Upon arrival at the shore gate, "Although secure in its box, should we still risk it bringing it in? Actually, let us talk to the guards and maybe they can call someone how they want us to proceed after we give them the warnings?
Your group comes hustling up to the small dock area where the wardens and guards keep an eye on the barges and ferries that take people over to the fortified area. At this late time of night, there is no activity and most people were long ago inside waiting out the oncoming war or have since moved on downriver to avoid the fight altogether. No logs float down the river any more. No barges from upstream laden with ore come. The area illuminated by lanterns, several wardens keep watch. They stiffen and come to attention as you jog into the area.
Once they determine who you are, they set up passage over on a barge, and notify the sentinels in the tower with signals, via whistles and flashes of light. Your group lands on the dock in Cliffort once again and disembarks. Instead of being met by a marshal and escorted to the fort, you are led by a few of the town guards to the refugee compound where all of Goodwin's children have taken up residence near the area cordoned off for the goatling people as well.
There are some of your brothers and sisters awake, some of night loving races. Tolhemia Brass is also awake, as the Goodwin creations do not need to sleep unless recovering magic. She comes to greet you acknowledging your group solemnly.
"What news of the raiding giants?"
Before we go over on the raft, we tell them about the scepter in a shielded box and need to talk to the Head Marshall Hawk and/or Lore Master. Although shielded, it posses a threat.
The marshals will send word immediately, but due to your very late arrival neither of them are awake.
Goliath stretches a bit and drinks a bit of water before speaking.
"That chant really dries the mouth out. Greetings again sister Tolheimia. We encountered another scout party and recovered another scepter. Our brothers and sisters with Ash were hunted but they too destroyed the group they encountered and have two of the scepters in their possession. The giants scent a mighty warrior to recover this scepter. She came at night shrouded by magic. It was fortunate I saw our things being gone through. I uncovered her with the divine magic of Ragathiel. She made what I assume were false promises and endangered a old man sharing our fire. We dealt with her and now we return to assist in the attack. A harpy from a raiding party traveled with us a bit. We tried to reach her with our teachings but she left when the giantess attacked. She may have been relaying our position. We learned they have great magic at their disposal but have yet to find signs of the main army. The harpy did speak of an attack mounting. What news do you have?"
Tolhemia takes everything in that Goliath said. "Things are troublesome here. Everyone is buckled down, and the defenses keep mounting. The only people to come and go really are the scouts and patrols. We have also been helping with some patrols and we send out small groups to help relieve and refresh others. Here in the town, people are going stir crazy. Even here in our compound, people are edgy, luckily Hawke has allowed us to send patrols so the most energetic can get out and stretch their legs." which seems an odd comment coming from her as both of her legs are metal.
"Head Marshal Hawke and his patrols have not seen any large army, only these small bands, each led by a fire giant. It would seem that each carries these scepters in some sort of ritualistic mission. Loremaster Cronin believes that there is some cultural aspect to these missions as strategically they make little sense, given the magic that appears to be at the enemies' disposal, why would they not travel magically or invisibly and deliver the scepters?"
She lowers her voice a bit, "There is also some other aspect here, that the Thain is not telling people we think. The giants want something specific. We believe the dwarves hold an item called the Fellhammer. I was able to get Cronin to tell me about it after information came in regarding it. Supposedly long ago, the dwarves and giants worked together on a mighty artifact called the Fellhammer, and as part of their alliance, were to share its powers and fight off the dragons. The alliance fell apart and they have been warring with each other over it for a long time. The Dwarves currently hold it, and it is actually here in Cliffort, though why it would be here of all places I do not know. I would think buried deep in some planar vault or at the heart of some warded wizard tower would be safer, but the dwarves apparently like to stir up trouble. This is almost, one might say, a taunt to the giants, an invitation to war. The enemies know this, and this time they seem to be taking a strange and curious route to obtain it. I have been studying some of this history with Loremaster Cronin. There is also more afoot here even beyond the war over the Fellhammer."
She pauses, letting you take it in.