"Karkoran, can you build us another shelter like you did by the lake? Taya asks the minotaur.
To the mongrelfolk "Asheranthi, can you use your magic to call in some game for us to eat?"
Bazzt will circle down tot he group as the light draws low. "I can keep scouting. Much stealthier at night." Grobly offers with a yawn. Bazzt also seems tired. "Maybe we be seeing them easy at night... If they are out of their caves. Big ogres mean big fires, no?" As he suggests such, Grobly will look around for a soft patch of land to rest his eyes on.
Lump, not being a particularly enterprising sort when it came to the wilderness, remained near the camp unless asked to do something specific.
"The shelter at the lake used fallen trees to build and lots of boulders. Here I don't know what we will use. Also we have plenty of food left, since we have smoked venison enough to last us a week."
Correct, there is not as much material here for a structure of that sort. In the time remaining you can find a natural rock formation to shelter in. Not really a cave per se, but an eroded semi-circle that you can hunker down in. It would appear the giants have not been in this particular area for almost a week and you may wish to check the other areas.
You shelter in and take a while to collect enough wood for a fire, since there are fewer trees here. The group shares some smoked venison and prepare to rest for the night. Grobly flies night patrols attempting to see if he can spot any bright spots of fire in the night or smell smoke.
Grobly starts out in a easterly direction and starts flying counterclockwise, zizagging back and forth 200' in the air.
After the second hour of flight, covering almost eighteen square miles Grobly smells the unmistakeable scent of a fire. Despite being so high up, the smell is really hard to miss. He doesn't see a fire initially, but adjusts to a smaller spiral pattern, flying up and down canyons and past rock formations, and over and around hills and cliffs. After a few minutes he is able to see a fire burning under an overhang, very similar to the one your group has built. Around the fire you see the giants in various states of repose. You are high enough to be out of range of their darkvision, and their eyes would be adjusted to the brightness of the fire, and so your silhouette is not seen against the not completely dark night sky, you hope.
Grobly will circle back to the camp, dismount with a hop and point. "I have found the big Longshins! They be camping over that way. Not too far! We could go and find them now. Or get closer in the morning."
Day 3 - Night
Grobly you estimate its only about 6-7 miles but that's as the dire bat flies. Overland it will be longer due to having to wind back and forth through canyons and deal with rough terrain, ravines and cliffs etc. In the dark you didn't really scout out the most optimal route to get there.
You do have rope, but no pitons or other climbing gear.
"They probably rest in the same place every night. We can close the distance on them tomorrow and scout them further." Taya says to the party.
Day 3 - Overnight
The group spends the evening under their own overhanging rock shelter. Your meager fire keeps you warm, but you are not in the alpine highlands of the initial day. Here the wind whips through the canyon somewhat briskly, but it is merely cool, not frigid.
Coyotes howl in the distance and owls hoot as your group settles down to a night of smoked venison and discussion of plans to take out the giants.
Grably will settle in for the night, sleeping under Bazzts wing to keep warm.
Karkoran will cast Keep Watch again, and maintain his nightly vigil. He does not want to dream. He continues to work on the deerskin he has tanned, crafting simple items like belts, straps or maybe a waterproof bag. He can do 5 sp per day of simple items with a DC of 5 there isn't a chance of failure.
The night passes uneventfully. Karkoran, you are able to make some basic straps, a bag with a drawstring, and some belts with the skin.
Day 4 - morning
The morning arrives, and you do your daily preparations. With light, it will now be easier for Grobly to navigate you through the canyons and ravines towards the giants. He can also keep an eye on them if and when they move.
Grobly will wake, eat, then prepare his druidic spells for the day. When the group is ready, he will once again set out on Bazzt, attempting to find the simplest yet quickest way towards the Giants location.
"See if you can spy them out Grobly, we'll follow along on foot." Taya says to the goblin.
"If it looks like we're getting too close, give us a warning."
Day 4 - Mid Morning
After morning preparations (spell memorization, breakfast), the group begins to move in the direction of the giants. Grobly scouts out the twisting and winding canyons to get the group closer to the giants.
The group looks for certain plants that can be used to sicken, nauseate or at least give the giants some digestive issues. Without many of the tools of an herbalist or alchemist, it can be somewhat challenging, but you have the basic alchemist stuff to make extracts and can create some simple crude items to assist in some of the process with prestidigitation, but for example you can't make a mortar and pestle as it is a tool. Although making one from a few rocks is probably easy.
You don't know the dosage needed for a giant, but figure erring on the side of more isn't bad since your aren't concerned necessarily with overdose. A hill giant is about the same size as Karkoran.
After about 4 hours of travel through the canyons, Grobly reports that the group is close enough to the giants. Their 'camp' is about a quarter mile (1300') up the current ravine. They are upwind from you, and you are in a sheltered area with a small amount of scragly brush for minor concealment.
Tayanalla stays extra wary and keeps a sharp ear out for the heavy footsteps of giants in the woods.
Image of the canyon you are in:
Grobly will land back with the group. "If we approach from below, we could get closer... But circling around above them might make it easy to hit their heads. Maybe we be use Gobbo tactics? Sneak in and poison them when they eat tonight? I might be able to get one to chase me and Bazzt.."
"I think poison their food or water while they sleep."
"Yeah."
Karkoran will use his alchemy to mix up the poison. If Lump can prestidigitate me a few basic bowls to hold materials in.
Using Guidance cantrip:
"If Grobly and Lump will sneak in and poison them, the rest of us can wait somewhere close to come to the rescue if they are discovered." Taya says.
Day 4 - Early Afternoon
The big minotaur mixes up a noxious brew of Intestinal Disaster. He seems to feel some confidence about the results, but there is really no way to know, until its tested.
The group decides to move closer and Lump and Grobly get their stealth game ready. Hoping the giants take an afternoon nap the group tries to get as close as is reasonably safe, and the two smaller members creep close with doses of the brew to slip into the giants' waterskins.
Lump and Grobly are 100' feet away, hill giants are distracted. ( +10 DC, +5 DC )
Lump and Grobly creep close enough to see the giants but are quite far away yet and remain undetected. The giants seem to be eating and bickering about choice parts of a large goat they killed. The camp seems like a mess. There appears to be a central fire pit, and logs and burnable stuff is scattered around, a few mangy pelts serve as sleeping pads. They each have a large sack of whatever laying next to some rocks that serve as seats. Next to one of the logs is what might pass for a waterskin. Gruesomely it seems to be made from a halfling skin, sewn shut and with possibly sap or resin to keep from leaking. Its puffy nature seems to make you think it has some liquid in it.
Tayanalla winces as Grobly steps on a twig.
"hope they didn't hear that ...." she thinks to herself.
"I will try and cause a distraction...". He only will motion to the waterskin. "you can poison them!". Grossly will point to the other side of the camp to indicate where the goblin intends to head. "when they chase the dog, you go, yes?" Grobly intends to sneak to other size , summon a wolf right at the edge of the camp then have it run away. The young goblin looks to his amphibious friend to see if he likes his plan.
"Alright..." Lump whispers, not liking being in danger, but sometimes you gotta break some huge eggs...
Grobbly will nod and offer Lump a salute of respect as he turns to make a wide flank of the Giants' camp.
Calling upon all of the knowledge Grobly had of his kins stealthy tactics, the goblin will find a position close enough to see the edge of the Giants campsite, but in such a position to not be seen by the Giants themselves. Grobly will then wait a long moment, ensuring he is still hidden before enacting his plan.
Back with the others, Bazzt will pace nervously.
Lump will try to move closer to his goal of the water, so he can close the last bit of the gap and insert the poison once Grobly enacts his part.
Day 4 - Early Afternoon
[ooc]Map added, check link in the top of the page's quick info. Or click HERE
(+6 for distance, +5 for distraction)
DC to Spot Grobly 39, DC to spot Lump 31
Grobly sneaks around north of the giants and prepares to cast his distraction. Lump low crawls on his belly through some rocks and rubble to get close. He still has to cover quite a bit of ground. The others hunker in the scrub and rocks far away from the camp.
Tayanalla keeps her bow ready and a sharp ear out for any sounds that the others are in trouble.
Grobly will begin casting. As he chants the spell, his toes claw into the dirt, ready to run should the Giants find him.
Grobly you successfully get your spell off. The giants are too busy with whatever 'discussion' they are having to hear a goblin muttering a spell off in the brush somewhere.
With a *POOF*, a pony will pop into existence casually grazing on the grass at its feet. It will look up, confused, not knowing its new surroundings. The pony will pass its gaze over the Giants camp once before jerking back to it rather suddenly, with wide eyes. It will let off an alarmed whiny, rear onto its hind feet, turn, and run for dear life.
Pony's actions:
Standard action perception roll:
Move Action: Move away from giants 40ft.
DC 9 perception
The hill giants all look to each other in a 'where did that come from?' and two of them start to run after it. One of them, maybe the smartest one, picks up a rock and tries to nail the pony from his spot.
The rock does exactly the hp of the pony, who, while not dead, is staggered . It whinnies in pain as the boulder smacks in right in the head, almost toppling it.
"Har har har! Blaktu Karbbab Slamma!!!" He says saying something that you don't understand. After he throws he moves after his prize.
The other giant charges the pony, its massive club raised.
The giant runs up to the pony and with a double overhand swing brings it down on top of the limping staggered pony. The great club connects and obliterates the pony in a spray of blood and gore. Being a summoned being, the pony disappears in a poof. The other giants being slower, catch up but stand there scratching their heads.
As they search the ground and stand there arguing amongst themselves, Lump sees his chance. Lump, you have at least three rounds, perhaps more. It will take a round to get to the waterskin, a round to open it quickly and dump the laxative in, and a round to flee back to cover. There is a chance they may see you. If you use stealth, obviously you move slower and it will take longer to get there. If you just run for it, you can probably pull it off, but there is a higher chance of being seen.
Tayanalla looks at Karkoran and says in a whisper "I have my doubts about this..."
Lump, seeing the distraction not only fail to draw them all away, but also last but the blink of an eye, stays put.
"Aye, indeed it is risky. I think given enough time, Lump can get in. Maybe we need to wait until they take a nap, or it gets dark or they leave for some reason. I think patience is our ally for now. We are under no time constraints."
"True, there's no hurry. Master Goodwin was always saying something about patience being a virtue."
Grobly won't do anything rash, but he will stay hidden in his spot, watching the camp.
The giants look around the area for a bit and decide that the one giant must have hit the horse so hard that it splattered into a thousand pieces. That giant continues to brag to its fellow, swinging its club reenacting the scene several times. The other two seem to get annoyed after the sixth reenactment, since there is no horse to eat. They return to their campfire and lounge around.
After stuffing their faces with whatever food they already had, probably goat, the first giant starts to nod off and lays down to sleep.
The second giant, sits in place doing something with the goat's hide, maybe scraping some fat from it.
The third giant, also starts nodding off in the bright sun of the day.
To the minotaur and Ash"Maybe when it is dark the little guys can have more luck being sneaky."
"I hope so, this is nerve wracking!"
The third giant stays awake while his compatriots sleep. He busies himself with smashing up wood and throwing it on the fire. It isn't cold here, nor is he really cooking anything. It just seems like a chance to watch something burn. He starts throwing rocks at a distant boulder.
At times he does stray from the campfire (and waterskin), although not terribly far. A good hour passes. A one point he picks up the skin and takes a giant guzzle from the disgusting gruesome halfing waterskin bag.
"Seems to be going ok so far ... I think we have to wait for our friends to make a move."
Lump, hoping the night to be his ally, will move closer.
Grobly will keep an eye on the giant on watch through the bushes he is hiding in. When he sees lump move closer, he will tense, ready to fly into motion should Lump be found out.
After the middle giant, takes a swig he goes back to tossing small boulders at a larger boulder as a form or bored target practice.
He has his back to you Lump and the other two seem to be snoring up a storm. You take the chance to creep forward and make your move.
Due to your high stealth, the distance to your location and the giants either sleeping or distracted, you have basically guaranteed success. being so small, you hunker and move among the dry scraggy brush (I know the map makes things look green and lush, but pretend its more dry and brown) and debris and scoot up to the waterskin. As the sound of the giants' snoring and the occasional Whump-crack of the rocks hitting the target boulder, you have no issues concealing what miniscule sounds your activity causes. The waterskin fashioned from a halfling is nearly as large as you are. You force down the disgust as you are close to it now. The poor victim has been skinned entirely and sewn back together and sealed with some sort of resin or glue. The arms and legs are cinched off and the neck also cinches off and is sort of the disgusting pour spout. The skull is removed and the head skin just hangs floppy as a cover for the neck spout. Other holes and orifices are sealed off. You gingerly and carefully unto the cinch around the halfling's neck and flop the head skin back trying to bury your revulsion. You pull the nasty brew the group concocted and spill it into the waterskin. You move swiftly without issues and cinch it off and stealth back to your position, mission successful.