Pik shrugs and looks around at the others. [b]Whatever it is, they aren't happy.[/ooc]
The be arguin''bout movin' on t'another farm the were given by their boss. We should be stoppin' them, no?
"Yes! They seem to be arguing about who is carrying more, and mention some Okssort, as though he's their leader or something... and they're definitely headed to raid another farm. The question is do we surprise them and try and discourage this raid now, or follow them closer to their next target and take them out there? Innocents might be caught up if we take them out closer to their target... but we don't know where that farm is to warn them if needed".
As Rath speaks he blows on his hands for warmth, occasionally glancing to the sky for support from his spirit guides.
Best to attack now while they're distracted then, Pik says with a frown as he considers their options. If we wait, you're right, more people will be in danger.
Let's move a bit closer.
"Veritas. I agree. Maybe concentrate our fire on one while I try to ensorcel another. Drive one mad."
The elf casts a spell over himself and slowly mage armor forms over his body. Then fades into his skin and clothes. Afterwards Coronei follows Pik forwards carefully and quietly.
Dorin draws his hammer.
Let's be 'bout it then. Im gonna try sneakin' in.
"Now's definitely the time.. Two of them don't have weapons at the moments. Let's go."
He tries to be sneaky but apparently trips on a root and goes crashing through the underbrush..
"Yes, this simply will not do", Silvio says and follows the group over the edge to try and sneak closer to the giants.
Rath seeks guidance from his spirit guide but sees no signs, as the sky is clear. Having made your preparations, you move towards the enemy as a group. Picking your way through the rough landscape, you stick to gullies when you can and trying to keep trees and rocks between you and the squabbling giants as you carefully move forward.
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Despite a few stumbles, your party manages to close the gap significantly before the one with his back to you hears Kraz’s approach, spinning towards you as he shouts a command to the other two, still brawling giants.
Monsters:
Dorin dashes 50' to close on the nearest giant.
Kraz follows suit and is 10' ahead of Dorin when he stops..
Round 1
Coronei waves one hand towards the unhurt giant and calls on a crown of madness to take over the giant's mind.
I hope this works. It is meant to work on orcs?
Silvio follows his stalwart companions as they run to engage the enemy. ”So, you think you have the mettle to cross blades, so to speak [/b], with Silvio and his brave friends?”[/b], he shouts at the giants as he runs with eyes focused on the leader giant, ready to try and evade any incoming attacks.
Pik makes his way through the boulders staying well behind his allies. Ducking behind a rock, he prepares to cast a spell at the oncoming behemoths.
Dorin, Kraz and Silvio take their customary positions in the party’s vanguard. Dorin falls slightly behind the other two as Silvio prepares himself for the giants’ assault. Meanwhile Pik and Coronei hang back slightly and assault the giant leader with spells.
Coronei releases his magic and a shimmering crown appears above the giant leader’s head briefly. However, the elf immediately senses that the magic is unable to take hold and the giant barely even notices, dropping his sack and running at Silvio and Kraz with a wide grin.
As he begins his charge, Pik’s magic comes off and a twenty foot square area shimmers briefly, leaving the rocks and boulders within the area glowing brightly. Unfortunately, neither of the giants are affected and the terrifying brute continues on towards Silvio.
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His massive club swings down towards the nimble swordsman just as Silvio leaps to the side, the giant's weapon slamming into the ground with a sickening thud.
Dorin marks the leader as his prey and moves in for an attack.
Round Two
Shrugging at the poor magic mentally, Coronei lifts his bow and aims at the furthest and most wounded giant standing agog.
,
Silvio get’s some food for thought as he watches the giant club smash into the ground he once occupied. That could have been Silvio were it not for his over all greatness. Which on the other hand has always given the handsome rake comfort. So any caution or after thought his near encounter with the club might have generated it is quickly dismissed and forgotten. Instead he grips his weapons with new found confidence and engages the hill giant safe in the notion of his own superiority. After a few slashes the stunning striker dances back out of the reach of his foe.
Kraz aims his sword at the leader.. His muscles grow tight and he begins to froth at the mouth..
"TO THE DEATH!! RRAAAAAGGGGEE!!!!"
Seeing his companions mob the healthy chieftain, Rath decides to send a flaming surprise the way of the other one. (The really injured one), to try and remove him from the scrum.
Move up to 30' distance, take cover and cast Produce Flame
Produce Flame
Fire Damage
Pik sighs as his spell fails but shouts out to the large creatures, Pretty nimble for such bottom heavy people. Must be the low center of gravity. Big feet and a tiny brain make for a very stable base!
Dorin steps up to join Kraz and Silvio in battle against the giant. The brute parries the dwarf’s attack but doing so provides Silvio an opening and the dashing rogue skewers him twice before darting out of reach, back towards the rest of the party. Bellowing with rage, the giant then staggers as Kraz’s sword sinks deep into his distended belly, the frenzied barbarian then following up with another blow.
Coronei takes aim, calmly biding his time as he waits for his target to come into range.
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Rath joins Pik and the two begin a magical assault, Rath’s bolt of fire strikes the heavily wounded giant. Pik's magic also takes hold and the leader seems to step back slightly, its mind filled with doubt.
His eyes narrowing as he recognises the prowess of your warriors, the leader turns his attention to Kraz, although Pik’s magic is still playing on his mind and the attack is uncertain.
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Despite Pik's efforts, the leader manages to land a crushing blow.
The wounded giant grabs its club and charges forward to join its leader fighting Dorin and Kraz. As it moves into range, Coronei calmly releases his arrow, striking it in the chest.
Finally, the third giant moves up behind the other too, grabbing a nearby boulder and hefting it above its head before hurling it towards Pik.
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The half-elf tries to dodge but staggers as the large rock strikes him solidly.
Dorin again attacks the leader.
Kraz takes the blow and swings at the leader again..
Rath continues to send crow shaped flame balls at the rock thrower, since he's the one who can reach him with his rocks at the moment.
Produce Flame
Fire! Fire! Fire!
He'll also use his "scorching breath" to call forth some elemental flame on the same target.
Scorching Breath (Fire Damage)
Coronei points at the most wounded giant and his opaline eyes narrow until he releases the magic gathered in a single word. Fingers spread at the last second and four bolts of silver energy curve in various arcs before impacting on the most wounded and leader.
Spurred on by his previous success Silvio dashes in for another bout with the giant, delivering a well timed thrust before retreating once again out of the giant's reach.
Pik sprawls as the boulder goes flying through where he's ducked behind a rock. Standing up a little shaky, he wipes the blood out of his eyes. Well, that wasn't very nice! The half-elf backs up a bit to find some better cover, leaving a trail of bloody hand prints on the rocks and boulders that he passes. Turning when he finds a suitable spot, he attempts to cast another spell.
Rath emerges from cover to blast fire at the rock-throwing giant. Unfortunately, the crow shaped bolts sail wide and the giant shrugs off the follow up blast of flame. Coronei also provides magical support as he focuses on the two engaged in melee. Three magical bolts strike the new arrival and the fourth hits the leader.
Dorin, Kraz and Silvio continue to focus on the leader, the hill giant defending himself from Dorin’s assault but failing to avoid Kraz’s sword and suffering another major wound. Seeing his opportunity, Silvio darts back into the fray, the leader’s eyes widening in disbelief as the rogue’s rapier strikes home. Whilst Silvio returns to the rank behind Dorin and Kraz, the giant sinks to his knees, falling to the ground a moment later under your combined assault.
Pik once more enchants an area and the rocks and boulders strewn around the broken terrain begin glowing. The giant engaged in melee evades the magic, however the rock thrower also begins glowing as Pik’s magic takes hold.
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The wounded giant tries to smash Dorin into the ground, but at the last moment Pik sneers a magically empowered retort and the blow misses by a whisker!
The rockthrower turns his attention to Coronei, however his attack is also unsuccessful. Seeing his leader fall, the second giant retrieves his club and is preparing to enter the melee next round.
Dorin focuses his mark on thd club weilder who attacked him, and he follows through with a swing of his hammer.
Kraz followes suit with a pair of greatsword swings..
"DIE STUPID GIANT!!"
Happily motivated by the success of his back-and-forth guerilla tactics dons a confident smile and darts in for another round of thrust-and-run. He jabs at the giant’s knees in order to halt its forward progress before retreating into the relative comfort of being beyond the hill giant’s reach.
Flaming Crow aim
Flaming crow poop
Rath caws in delight as the giants begin to fall as he heaves a gob of flame at the remaining (hopefully?) former rock tosser, then retreats 20'.
Round 4
Coronei smiles at the leader's fall, and turns side on as the thrown rock whistles by. He aims for the giant about to join combat and calls on more of those silver energy bolts from his fingertips. Each one spins and twists over the heads of the other adventurers before impacting on the legs.
Pik grimaces as he straightens up and yells at the remaining giants. I'd come up with a better insult if I thought you'd even be capable of understanding it, but my guess is that even if you spoke common you're too simple to be insulted!
Dorin lands a solid blow and Kraz steps in to finish the second giant off, leaving just the one opponent. Unprepared for Silvio’s speed, he fails to defend himself properly and Silvio inflicts another deep wound.
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Meanwhile, the magical assault continues unabated. A crow shaped dart flying from Rath to strike the giant in the chest as he ducks beneath a second gout of flame. Coronei also bombards it with magical missiles as Pik taunts the stupid creature.
Despite its comrades falling, the overweight giant strides forward to engage Dorin and Kraz, striking at the half-orc despite Pik’s spells.
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Round 5
Coronei waits with his bow at the ready in case the warriors do not take the last giant down.
Dorin focuses his mark on the final enemy who attacked Kraz, and he follows through with a swing of his hammer.
Rath dances about pantomiming a flapping crow as the second giant falls before dashing forward, releasing a handful of feathered fire, and calling forth a spirit crow of fire.
Produce Flame
Flame produced
Dive bombing fire crow. (CON Save)
Silvio continues the winning tactic of cut-and-run, alternating between quick dashes and swift slashes.
The half-elf continues his yelling at the rotund enemy. This is where you lay down and give up!
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Rath’s hurled fireball sails wide, but the crow shaped ball of flame from above strikes him in the shoulder. Dorin also hits once more, smashing into the back of the giant’s leg as it sinks to one knee only now becoming aware of the danger it is in. Silvio’s foray once more cuts deep, almost finishing the beast off before once more ducking back out of harm’s way. Pik’s taunts continue and the giant moves from fear to panic, its eyes darting around as it sees you all closing in.
Coronei watches, ready to act as Kraz steps in with sword drawn.
Kraz continues his frenzied assault, eager to finish the beast off.
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Both blows strike hard and the half-orc's sword thrusts deep into the giant's massive torso. As you all step back, it collapses onto the ground with a crash and quiet returns as combat comes to an end.
You see no signs of activity at the farmhouse, other than the freed livestock who are gradually dispersing. Anyone there would certainly have heard the fight.
The giants are dressed primitively with little more than loincloths and a large club each. They were carrying three large sacks which appear to contain all manner of odds and sodds, including chairs, half-eaten food and perhaps items of more value.