Baldrech leads the way into the forest, pausing now and then to set traps along the path.
"I'll watch your backs, and I'll keep patrols away from you," he says before slipping into the trees again.
Chary offers to hold Kia's kit.
Kia gives Chary her kit with a request that she stays near so that she can get it back easily. She doesn't look happy.
Preparations made, the companions advance, Whiteclaw snarling under her breath as she shoves Kia and Arianwyn along the dirt track. Like Chary, she seems to be adopting a method approach to this subterfuge.
Tutavak raises a warning hand as ahead, a troop of fomorians rove into view. Their flail wielding leader turns to the approaching group and snarls at his guards to stop.
"Eladrin!" it whispers, mad-eye glowing in exaltation.
The guards shift their grip on their halberds and prepare to charge.
Whiteclaw raises her flail in an attempt to stop the advance.
"Prisoners!" she bellows. "With information."
"Is that good enough for you?" she mutters to Arianwyn and Kia.
"Yes, excellent. Now shut up." he mutters back.
Arianwyn pants in best pretentious noble voice (although that isn't much different to how he usually sounds, "Ye gods, please, we have information! Just let us go!"
Whiteclaw snarls as she clouts the warlock around the ear with her fist.
"When we want you to talk, we'll tell you."
Kia does her best to look defeated and desperate.
She tries to serruptitiously check that Chary is nearby with her gear in case things turn nasty.
Chary is wishing she had prepared for bluffing instead of stealth, but does her best to sell the story. She walks over to Kia and backhands her across the face, with enough just umph to be convincing. "Be quiet, Wench". While staying within her reach, Chary gives Arianwyn a sharp glance. She then barks out "Hush, you prat! We don't want the information." And with a wicked grin, "They do!"
"Talk. Then we rend you apart."
The Painbringer approaches Kia and Arianwyn.
"My family are powerful magicians. There would be a substantial ransom for me - all the residuum you could want!" Arianwyn continues, "Please spare us!"
"Eladrin coward. Such a puny little creature away from your home," gloats the Painbringer, slapping Arianwyn hard across the face.
"What information?"
Arianwyn holds back the desire to blast the giant into oblivion.
"The... Hill Clan..." he gasps out.
"What of them? Treacherous fey, what about the Hill Clan? Are they moving?"
The Painbringer brings his face close to Arianwyn and glares at him, hands reaching for the warlock's throat.
Kia looks at Chary as if for permission to speak.
"They are planning to steal something of value to you..." She bows her head. "I heard just before we escaped, and we ran into these!" She looks as if she is about to spit but then restrains herself and lowers her gaze again.
"The stone?"
The Painbringer turns his attention to Kia, mad-eye blazing. He gestures to the waiting guards. "Three of you - back to the camp and warn the Portal Lord. The rest, up the hill and watch."
At the Painbringer's bidding, the three visible guards lope back down the path, moving with surprising grace for creatures of their size. From the undergrowth, four more giants emerge and depart behind the companions, heading north and away towards the centre of the island. The Painbringer gestures.
"Follow me, the Portal Lord will wish to know more."
Tutavak, with the rashness characteristic of his people, takes the opportunity.
Tutavak, a deadly gleam in his eyes, lowers his lance at the fomorian facing away. Spirits swirl around the weapon, then spear the fey even as they embrace Chary.
Whiteclaw howls her approval as Tutavak leaps into action, his spear driving deep into the Painbringer's back. The fomorian himself grips his flail and prepares to flatten his deceivers.
Arianwyn sighs.
The eladrin rubs his wrist of the slip-knot that bound them. With a casual wave he bestows a woeful curse on the fomorian.
"Now you die."
The Painbringer's eye flickers ominously as Arianwyn curses it with the shackles of darkness.
The warlock fixes his ancient racial foe with a steely gaze, "Past experience has proven the opposite." he replies lightly.
Chary would love to attack, but is too far away, so instead she simply (and quickly) hands Kia her stuff, with a large smile!
Chary focuses on the giant, attempting make it careen around our little group.
The Painbringer screeches as Chary catches it unawares and bustles it past the group and into the undergrowth. As the movement ends, her rapier sneaks out, but fails to connect with the howling giant.
Whiteclaw grips her axe and prepares herself.
Arianwyn feels himself imbued with psionic power and attempts a punch.
Kia is taken a bit by surprise as well as she was expecting Chary to pass her a weapon. So her attempt to do some passing damage was an abject failure. .
She hisses "Weapons!" to Chary and (hopefully) gets her bow and sword back.
Taken by surprise by Chary's sudden shifting of the Painbringer, none of the group can take advantage. Arianwyn and Kia both feel weapons passed into their hands. The Painbringer's howls are likely to bring some attention unless he is dealt with swiftly.
"Just one," Tutavak declares. Switching weapons, he looses two arrows, though his aim is not to his usual standards.
Despite his misgivings, Tutavak lands one blow on the Painbringer, causing slightly more damage than he'd suspected.
Dazed as he is, the Painbringer can do little but make the best of his situation and befuddle the entire group with horrific visions.
Arianwyn snarls and mentally compresses dark energy around the giant.