From his position at the rear, Rath once more levels his crossbow and shoots at the oncoming giant. He also moves forward slightly, to ensure he can reach both combats with his spells, if required.
;
However the bolt strikes his armor and the giant is unharmed.
Leaving their bundled package on the ground, the female giant steps forward to engage the closest two members of your party with her greatsword.
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The nimble Silvio manages to dodge the swing, however Kraz is struck by the massive weapon.
Dorin pursues the enemy as he bears down on Pik, striking it twice. The first blow is turned aside by the giant's plate armor but the second strikes it's knee, and he bellows in pain.
Kraz stands and attacks the giantess..
"DEATH COMES FOR YOU!!"
Pik's eyes widen a bit as the giant charges him down. Well, this isn't going as planned. Not that we had much of a plan. He mumbles something more under his breath while trying to avoid being flattened to the ground.
Kraz gets to his feet swiftly and presses his attack, once more landing two more blows. The female giant doesn't flinch, but her eyes narrow slightly as she realises you are more than simple bandits.
Meanwhile, under Pik's magical assault, the male giant stumbles away from him, fleeing back the way he came as his mind is overcome with sudden terror. He pushes past Dorin and rushes back to join his companion, trapping Silvio and Kraz between the two of them.
The female giant once more shouts out a command, in Taldane this time.
"Okssort! Control yourself. Help me finish these two, then we take the mage."
With a dark scowl at being humiliated in front of her, he nonetheless obeys her instruction, attacking Silvio and Kraz from behind as the two giants elect to focus their attacks.
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Silvio again sidesteps the attack, but Kraz is struck once more.
Both giants are now fighting Kraz and Silvio, one on either side of them.
”Do they not understand common”, Silvio asks choosing to focus his attention to the fact that the giantess did not take the dashing swordsman up on his offer on surrender, rather than thinking about how lucky he is that both giant attacks missed him. While Silvio’s sense of reality does take a quick rest his blades does not, striking out against his opponents.
Silvio turns to focus his attack on the male giant. His rapier is turned away by the fire giant's armor, however the short sword hits home.
Rath continues firing his crossbow at the male, trying to bring one enemy down as quickly as possible.
;
However, the heavily armored fire giant is protected by his heavy armor.
The female giant continues her attacks on both Silvio and Kraz, however Pik interjects just as she swings at Silvio and the distraction saves the rogue from a nasty wound.
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Unfortunately, Kraz is once more struck although in his rage he is able to ignore much of the damage.
Kraz takes the hit with a roar.. His blood staining much of the hillside trail he stands on.. Slobber a flying he switches to the male giant hoping to put him down..
Pik moves up (though still attempting to stay behind Dorin) as he pricks his thumb on the arrow in his hand. Flicking the drop of blood in the air at the giants, he whispers a single word.
Kraz unleashes a devastating series of attacks on the male giant, all three blows striking home as he finds a break in the monster's armor and opens a nasty wound.
Meanwhile, Pik casts his spell and each of the giants succumbs!
Not comfortable with his current position and the numerous close calls Silvio decides to reposition himself. Sadly the hillside is devoid of conveniently placed chandeliers, so our dashing hero has to make due with the simple hill side. He lashes out against the male giant whilst feigning a flurry towards the female, enough to get himself the necessary room to maneuver. Alas the loose soil of the hill side give underneath the chelaxian’s boots, halting Silvio’s progress and keeping him trapped between the two giants.
The male giant has suffered heavy wounds, the female is only superficially hurt. Both are under the effects of Pik's bane spell.
Dorin attempts to finish off the male giant.
The giant's armor protects him from Dorin's attack. Besieged on all sides, he looks to his companion for guidance who barks a short command.
Ignoring Silvio for now, he strikes twice at Kraz. Although heavily wounded and weighed down by Pik's magic, he appears disciplined and remains a fierce foe.
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Pik continues to distract him with insults and taunts, his magic causing the giant's assault to falter.
Silvio fends off the two giants and tries to scrabble around the male to rejoin the rest of the party, however the terrain proves too tricky for him and he remains where he is.
Round 3
Calming himself, a bit perturbed that he's been shooting astray, Rath takes his time and sends another bolt at the heavily injured male giant.
Crossbow
bolt, piercing
Then realizing that the crossbow is obviously malfunctioning looks around to see who needs healing.
: Perception
Kraz is the only member of your party to have suffered any damage so far. In fact, it's remarkable he's still standing given the punishment the two giants have been dishing out.
The male giant is limping badly from heavy wounds and is in serious trouble although shows no sign of fear. The female appears barely wounded.
The female giant also focusses her attacks on Kraz, calling out to the rest of you as she does.
"Stand down, small ones. Impede our mission and you'll answer to Duke Zalto. You won't want that."
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Despite Pik's magical impediment, the fire giantess strikes Kraz a staggering blow, nearly knocking him from the path. She follows up with another strike, yet somehow the barbarian remains on his feet!
Dorin again attempts to finish off the male giant.
Pik frowns as he watches the fight, I'd drop those weapons, if I were you. Not on us, of course. The half-elf chuckles, But, I expect that you aren't smart enough to see that this won't end well for you!
Dorin's final, vicious attack downs the giant who sinks to his knees and then collapses. The female takes barely a moment to survey the enemies still facing her on the ledge before taking Pik's advice and carefully laying her sword aside. With an almost imperceptible nod of respect, she lifts her hands before her.
"I am Ildmane, beholden to Duke Zalto, Lord of Ironslag. You have bested us and I offer my unqualified surrender to your mercy or judgement," she recites formally before looking down at her fallen comrade and then to Kraz. "May I tend to my mate's wounds? He is a warrior who should die in battle not bleed out, unconscious on a mountain ledge."
Almost unrecognizable from the blood covering him Kraz ends his rage and speaks.. "You may, but no sudden moves!" He then moves to the hillside and slumps down, battered and bruised..
Pik blinks in surprise. Well, I didn't expect that. I was certainly hoping for it, but didn't expect it. He nods solemnly towards the fallen giant, Of course, see to his wounds.
He remains wary of the giantess, but steps out of the way so that Rath can get to Kraz.
Rath a bit breathless from the excitement, approaches Kraz to administer some healing. He chants, dances, sprinkles feathers, and calls forth crow spirits upon some of the warrior's worst wounds.
Cure Wounds 1
Cure Wounds 2
"That is all I can do for now. Perhaps after we have rested a bit I shall be able to help more".
Silvio sheathes his weapons with obvious satisfaction. "So, now not only do you seem to understand common, you speak it to. Silvio hopes that you have learned your lesson and next time you heed his words and surrender. You see, Silvio and his good friends are not a blood thirsty band ne'er-do-wells. We do not fight for the sake of fighting. We do have a great sense of right and wrong and you, my giant friends, are in the wrong!" he states gesturing dramatically to emphasize his words. "So, now that the winner of this skrimish is decided without a doubt it is time tell us why you choose to rain down fire on the good people of Roderic's Cove. You can start with this duke Zalto and your mission for him"
Kraz looks much better off after the heals.. "Thank you mighty shaman! You would make any tribe proud. I need to figure out how to dodge better.."
Ildmane sets about bandaging her fallen companion’s wounds, her movements quick and efficient. Once he has been stabilised, she stands and turns to answer your questions, replying in a neutral, formal tone.
“Duke Zalto rules Ironslag, a settlement a few days northeast of here where we are based,” she replies, indicating the large bundle the two of them had been carrying. “The Duke sent out a number of parties to retrieve pieces of the Vonindrod. Your people had no use for it and no right to it. So Okssort and I reclaimed it.”
Uncovering the bundle, you see that the object they dug from the fields outside Roderic’s Cove is but a fragment of something much larger. Clearly artificial, with enormous rivets, bolts and other unidentifiable attachments, the dark metal is engraved with strange, mystical runes. It is impossible to determine it’s function or that of the larger machine it is a part of.
Despite it’s long time beneath the ground, it is uncorroded. The whole thing weighs close to a thousand pounds, even between the five of you it would prove troublesome to move.
In giantspeak, Dorin addresses one of his favored enemies.
Ildmane responds to Dorin matter of factly, with a slight shrug.
"Is that why giants attacked Elbar's Bluff as well? For the piece that was in the town?"
Nah, she says her kind of giant be the only ones searchin' fer the Vonindrod. Their Duke Zalto seeks t'rebuild the grwat machine that was made by fire giants and walked the land durin' their fight with the dragons years ago. By the way, they be numberin' 15 giants at the lair with some other Ogres, Orcs, Goblins and slaves. Seems the other attack was by hill giants,
no?
"Aha!", Silvio exclaims as the giantess steps into (what he sees as) his cleverly laid trap. "So you admit your unlawful assault on the good people of Roderic's Cove!" He parades back and forth proud as a rooster to let his accusations sink in. "So you are 15 others in a lair. It does not sound like much of a dukedom. What makes this Zalto dukelike?"
"And say that you find all the pieces of this so called artifact, what then? Who will assemble it? And what do this duke of yours expect to do with it?"
Were those fire giants? Ya gotta understand, the different types of giants don't seem t'be workin' together.
Pik frowns and crosses his arms. Well, this is a predicament. You two are guilty of burning down half a town and harming countless good folk in your quest for a thing that none of them cared about, he says, as he waves a hand towards the metallic artifact. The question is, what are we going to do now. We, nor the town, have much interest in the thing. And I don't think they have any interest in going to war with you or your people. But, perhaps, we can work out some sort of compensation for the harm that you did to Roderic's Cove and perhaps the artifact of yours that they, even inadvertently, protected all these years? You seem an honorable sort, if a little callous. I certainly hope you can see why cooperation in this case would be preferable. Pik nods towards the fallen giant and turns a curious gaze back towards the female.
“We live alone,” Ildmane says confirming Dorin’s impression. “Sometimes we use hill giants – they’ll do anything for a good feed. But each giant race has its own customs. It’s own role to play. Whatever the cloud giants have planned, it is no concern of ours. Recently the balance has shifted and the rules have changed…I’m not sure why…The Duke is ready to take advantage though. When it’s rebuilt, the Vodindrod will ensure we take our place at the head of the giant world!”
“We aren’t as numerous as your kind,” she says, turning to Silvio and Pik. “But don’t mistake your large numbers for importance. Would you be so sure if a full warband of eight or nine of the Duke's forces returned to your town, with our minions in tow? The small folk may live as they please. Provided they show proper deference, they won’t suffer unduly.”
“As for your claim of justice and recompense. You have bested Okssort and I and we are your prisoners, as is right. However, you don’t have the strength to impose your petty ideas of justice in Duke Zalto’s realm.” Although resigned to her fate, she gives very little sign that you have impressed her, it’s only when speaking to Kraz that she shows any kind of genuine respect.
"So it appears the different giant tribes are gearing up for war. The cloud giants in there flying castle, taking whatever that was from Elbar's Bluff and fire giants trying to assemble this Vonindrod. All the while normal folk, just trying to lives there lives, were killed. Your mate here had hill giants destroying farms along the countryside. Why would you do this if you were only after the pieces of your contraption?"
Pik frowns, Look, I'm willing to negotiate here. If you'd prefer, we can bring you and your friend back to Roderic's Cove and we can let them decide. I understand you think we're beneath you. He sighs and shrugs, But, your opinion doesn't much matter, does it? At least not now. We have you, and, he nods to the artifact, what you were looking for. If your Duke wants it, or the two of you, he can repay Roderic's Cove. Or he won't, and he won't get what he wants. The half-elf shrugs again, So you see, it's not a matter of whether you think we're lesser beings or of no danger to your realm. Your Duke wants something and we have it.
He tilts his head to the side. I expect that, if he is intent upon it, he could destroy the Cove and everyone living there. But, that would take time, and a considerable amount of resources. I imagine there are a few other groups of giants just waiting for an opportunity like this. Hoping the Duke shows some sort of weakness. It seems to me that we can all get what we want here. You can bring your contraption back to your Lord, and you can repay the people what you owe them for the wanton destruction you caused. Or... Pik shrugs yet again, we can all go home unsatisfied.
Kraz adds.. "Or we can remove your heads and roll them into the swamp along with this Vonindrod piece.. Now whats it gonna be? We want some answers dammit!"
I think a persuasion check is called for here, Pik, though it's tough (DC18).
Kraz, you can make a DC10 Intimidate check to grant Pik advantage on that roll.