Callix nods, "Let's proceed."
from the archway atop the mesa, the door you find leads to a long and twisting flight of stone stairs carved into a cramped passage of cold black basalt.
Scattered on the floor on most of the steps are many small, smooth, pale pebbles that glow with a faint light. the light is a warm violet glow, reminiscent of the light at dawn.
Ancient wall carvings on both sides of the passage depict wide fields filled with wildflowers and springing deer.
about 100 feet down you see that the stairs end in a chamber. you hear voices rising from the chamber, hard to make out but definitely in a conversation. it sounds like the words are in Giant
Letitia's eyes widen. She stays quiet, getting everyone's attention with hand signals. She taps her ear and strains to listen to the conversation.
Despite straining to hear Llewellyn missed whatever The Grand Daughter had noticed. He glanced at the witch with a questioning look before carefully stringing his bow, nocking an arrow and waiting, unsure of what was going on.
"Good work" Samuel goes in but staring the tree with poker face as they pass by, his fingers resting on the musket trigger.
"What's it Letitia? It seems just wildflowers and springing deer. Are the carvings any danger?" the Taldan will halt to see what Letitia is trying to put attention to.
Callix nods, then looks puzzled, whispering, "I can't make out the words.. what language is that?"
"Giant. Quiet, please. I'm trying to make out what they're saying."
Llewellyn remains tight lipped as he holds his bow ready to fire should something threatening rear its ugly head. He focused on breathing, trying to bring his heart rate down. The pounding meant he had no hope of hearing what the granddaughter had.
"[b]Giants?[b]" Samuel exclaims while loading his musket resolved "[b] Let's bring down those beasts by surprise before they catch us first![b]"
Unless Letitia can make out a conversation that gives meaningful information, the Taldan moves forward the tunnel resolved to face the giant's might.
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Letitia hears two voices talking to each other
"I don't think we should have let them past. Never seen them before. they looked dangerous
Don't be silly, Gurra. the hag was with them. they were guests
I still don't know. don't they seem like weird guests? we should have asked the Warden
"nonsense. we get to decide who comes and who goes.
You say that now, Gurra, but it's our hide if we were wrong...
so far they have not stopped their conversation so you assume they have no idea you are coming down the stairs.
the stairs end facing a wall, you would need to walk to either the left or right and around the stairwell to see the room with the voices.
Letitia listens to the conversation for a while as a plan forms. She pulls the others back and in a low voice explains what she heard.
"There sounds like there are two of then. One is named Gurra, and they guard the entrance, and apparently have some authority on who is allowed in. They are worried about letting another group in -- likely those frost giants, but they also had a hag with them. There is also a Warden that probably oversees the fortress."
She turns to Llewellyn. "I believe they can be convinced to allow us through. You have a sweeter tongue than me, so perhaps you should do much of the talking. Maybe you can play on their doubts about letting the first group past? They seemed to trust the hag, but the rest looked dangerous to them. If combat is inevitable, see what we can learn from them before fighting breaks out."
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Callix shrugs, "If they're already worried about letting someone by, I think it'll be hard to get them to do it again.... We could tell them we're here for the others who scammed them, but they're likely to want to follow to fix their mistake."
"Excellent point, so we should be ready to fight if necessary. But hopefully the presence of the Black Rider's mantle will show that we are allies of Baba Yaga and have a right to enter."
Llewellyn couldn't help but point out, "That assumes they are loyal... We should be ready in case they're not, they might react violently to the mantle."
I have a plan... Letitia how good are you at lying?Ashling gets a... Surprisingly mischievous look, if they are afraid of the hag... Let us give them that. I will assume the riders mantle as usual, you pretend to be Baba yaga. The others can hide and use their skills to make our performance look legit
Letitia's eyes narrow. "I've little use for subterfuge. Furthermore, I'm quite young to be mistaken for Baba Yaga. I'm certain I'm only two or three years older than you."
She produces a scroll from a case on her hip. "I do have the ability to cast threefold aspect on myself, which would allow me to draw upon the aspect of myself as a crone. I would temporarily gain the appearance and wisdom of myself as I would be at my own twilight years... but I do not know if my likeness would be even remotely that of Baba Yaga's."
"We do not know the aspect of Artrosia's Warden otherwise we could try that approach. It is good we know there is another group visiting the location, a hag included" Samuel stretches his eyes and starts slowly descending the stairs "I like that plan about building towards their second thoughts and letting them think they have been scammed"
The Taldan goes around the stairs to the left and below them, announcing their hunting mission "Where is that hag?! Have you let them in? The Warden is going to be disappointed, we have been sent to hunt the hag and her group. Let us in"
Letitia slaps her forehead as Samuel charges in and starts asking about the hag in what may very well be gibberish to the giants in the next room.
"The hag got the first group through," she whispers through clenched teeth. With no other recourse, she follows the gunman.
The group discusses the best approach to whoever is in that room, with a variety of opions to try to trick the two people who are some sort of gatekeepers.
Samuel loses patience for trying to make an elaborate setup and barrels on ahead.
He stops up short seeing who is in the next room. It is not two people, but one very large female giant with two heads. They are covered in what looks like tribal tattoos of some variety.
their discussion with each other stops abruptly as they see Samuel
in giant they say
"more visitors?
"no, intruders. he's not a witch.
"we need ot give that tree a talkin' to. she can't just let anyone in"
They immediately draw weapons, a sharp sickle held in each hand.
unfortunately for the Ettin, they are ver slow to make up their collective minds and attack.
the party may act
"That does not seem an approval to my proposal" Samuel refers to the giant mumbling "I am not waiting to find out" and shots the bullet.
Then picks a flare cartridge and quickly reloads the musket to shot once more "Those are too many eyes on a single creature. How do you like light?"
Letitia moves into the room and raises her wand. In Giant, she calls out a threat hoping that the ettin will stand down.
"I am Jadwiga! We are here on a mission for Baba Yaga herself! Stand down and let us pass!"
Despite her warning, she activates her wand and sends a lance of ice up from the ground.
Samuel fires off two shots at the Ettin, both hitting. the second one flares in the room
it blinks a few times from each head, but isn't blinded.
Letitia enters and asks to be let past but backs it up with violence.
the giant side-steps the ice spear taking limited damage and does not fall down.
Ashling, Llewellyn, Callix, Ettin, Samuel, Letitia
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 58/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 42/42 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Llewellyn HP: 52/52 - AC: 23/21/13 Status: defensive fighting
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 23/18/16 Status:
Ashling HP: 44/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Cold 5NPCs:
Gurra HP: -31 |AC: ?? |
LLewellyn rushes down the tunnel, takes in the scene and starts singing! "They say two heads are better than one, but not when they share one body! The left one wants to run, the right one wants to fight, oh what a hideous sight!"
Callix runs down the stairwell, drawing one of her throwing axes as she does, and letting it fly at the two-headed creature.
for
"Specially when one cannot decide which of the two is uglier" Samuel adds with a shout trying to unnerve the ettin.
Ashling sighs at the sudden call for combat, draws a sword and takes a few steps forward, her eyes glow and she calls out in Giant, Fall!
Llewellyn inspires the group to fight harder!
Callix lets fly with an axe, dealing decent damage to the ettin.
Ashling tells it to fall to the ground
one of the heads starts laughing in a raspy wheezy voice.
both heads start mumbling magical words at the same time in a confusing mess of words. one arm points at Samuel as a hex tries to take hold
instantly Samuel feels like he hasn't slept in days. or weeks maybe. he just can't force his eyes to stay open, and falls to the ground sleeping.
a split second later the second arm points at Llewellyn
he fights off some of the hex, but is still affected.
the party may act
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 58/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 42/42 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Llewellyn HP: 52/52 - AC: 23/21/13 Status: evil eye
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 23/18/16 Status: asleep
Ashling HP: 44/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:NPCs:
Gurra HP: -43 |AC: ?? |
As Samuel falls to the floor, Llewellyn tried to shrug off whatever fell magic that had assaulted him, before snapping his fingers and crying, "It's no time to be a sleepy head, up and at em!"
Seeing Samuel stirring, Llewellyn grinned, "Time to knock some heads together!"
"This giant is a witch?" Letitia comments with some surprise when the heads throw hexes upon her companions.
Her eyes narrow as she decides to use her own hex in response to the giant's.
Llewellyn already had an arrow nooked which he drew back to his ear and loosed which made a twang SLAP noise as the arrow struck the ettin!
Samuel blinks feeling a sudden soppor and then magic brings him back to reality.
Rising up the musket he releases a new shot after a fast reload.
Callix rushes forward, spinning her magical axe in her hand as she approaches, calling on the Drunken Hero for aid as she does.
for
The party is adept at dealing with witches, having defeated several already and having an expert on the team. Llewellyn prevents Samuel from falling to the enemy hex, then shoots the ettin.
Letita is definitely surprised to see the ettin cast a hex. she has never heard of an ettin witch, but clearly there is at least one of them. she returns with her own hex
Samuel gets a shot in, doing a lot of damage.
Callix moves in, but incurs an attack as she closes the distance (just barely too low on the acrobatics)
then Callix hits with her axe. getting a big hit in.
Ashling sees the giant is weakened and charges in for an attack.
her longsowrd cuts deep and the two-headed giant falls to the ground
end of combat
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 58/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 42/42 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Llewellyn HP: 52/52 - AC: 23/21/13 Status: evil eye
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 23/18/16 Status:
Ashling HP: 44/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:NPCs:
Gurra HP: -106 |AC: ?? | evil eye, dead
When the giant falls, Letitia can't help but be slightly disappointed, since the mystery of how this ettin took it upon itself to practice witchcraft will likely never get solved.
Still, it had fallen quickly and was guarding the entrance, so it was not likely very powerful a spellcaster. She doubted there was much she could have learned from it.
She looks around for a familiar and casts detect magic to check for magical treasures on the giant.
"Well done everyone, that took some heavy hits there. And thanks a lot Llewellyn, I felt your intervention there..." Samuel loads a new bullet into the musket, ready for more "But what was that? Is that some kind of oversized Jadwiga?"
While Letitia checks the ettin's items, Samuel advances himself to see what hazards might lay forward.
Llewellyn nodded and replied to Samuel, "Whatever it was, it was ugly! I guess that goes with the territory..."
Arrow nooked and bow half-drawn, Llewellyn cautiously followed Samuel.
Callix said, "Honestly, I think it looked scarier than it actually was --- but still, well done everyone."
Letitia's eye twitches when Samuel asks if the two-headed giant was a Jadwiga.
"Not all witches are Jadwiga. Not all Jadwiga are witches, Samuel," she says pointedly. She tamps down her irritation at his inadvertent insult while focusing on searching the area.
Callix laughs, "Aye, that's certainly true. Hells, it's easy enough to get called a witch just for disagreeing with the wrong self-entitled jerk."
"Aye, I've seen that more than once." muttered Llewellyn from the front who was all too familiar with being called out for looking or behaving differently.
"An intriguing idea though" Samuel looks for a few seconds at his right hand, snaps two fingers looking at Ashling, blinks a couple of times and breaks into laughing "Well, I guess indeed that is the case"
"Let's see who is that hag they were talking about" the Taldan steps forward through the corridor once the group has had the chance to pick up the ettin's equipment.
The Ettin has a potion and a wand on her/their body, plus two masterwork Sickles, 3 javelins, and 12 gp. the weapons are of course Large.
the potion is Reduce Person. the wand is Levitate with 19 charges
beyond the room is a long winding passage. it is only 6 or 7 feet wide, lit again with dim light by the faint purple stones scattered on the floor. to the right after about 40 feet there is a closed door. the door has an image of a pretty young woman standing in a tangled field of blossoming wildflowers.
the passage continues onward past this door as well.
there is movement down the passage but out of sight. sounds like someone moving and breathing heavily, interspersed with grunts of pain or frustration
"A wand of levitate and a potion that will shrink a person to half their height," Letitia explains.
Down the hall she pays considerable attention to the door and its designs. Before she can do anything, she tilts her head. She whispers, "I hear someone grunting under exertion."
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ashling sighs and keeps quiet, she puts up a hand which way?
Ash sneaks forward assuming shes pointed in a direction
"Yeah, I can hear it too" Samuel though focuses on the door with the woman designs, and searches for traps or a lock there.
He does this while the others engage with the noise at the other side of the corridor.
Like Samuel, Llewellyn let the others examine the ettin's things and with an arrow half drawn he watched Samuel checking the door. He strained his ears for any sounds coming from the other side that might warn of dangers ahead and he too heard the sounds.
"Best be ready in case it's unfriendly..." he murmured softly.
Samuel hears the noise but focuses on checking out the door. it is indeed locked, but he does not spot any traps.
Ashling moves ahead quietly, relying on the dim light to help her hide.
Another 70 feet or so down the long corridor you spot a frost giant. this hall is much too short for him to move comfortably so he is on hands and knees. He is moving slowly, and occasionally bumps into something letting out a grunt of pain and annoyance. he is moving slowly but surely towards the rest of the party
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Ashling quickly heads back and steps out of the dark, There is a Frost giant about 70 feet down the hall. He is having difficulties moving this way but he is. If we wish to handle him, now is the time while he is limited in movement