Jon finds a finch that's willing to go over there for a handful of berries and seeds. It flits off, returning a short while later with a tale of what it has seen. It sits on Jon's shoulder and chirps away fervently.
Jon thanks the finch and feeds him more berries. "My friend here tells me there are four two-legs around a fire, cooking meat."
"Four people cooking a meal. Seems pretty standard. Likely these are the barbarian tribes of the area. Should we approach, or evade? They're not likely to be of much use to us." Magnus ponders aloud.
"It could be valuable to see if they're amenable to talking- if we can figure out how to communicate. And if they wind up being hostile... well. That's unfortunately also valuable information. I'm willing to approach, if the rest of you want to hang back. One or two of us will be less intimidating than the whole group."
"I can take to the trees and watch you from there. If things go bad, I may have ideas." Jon smiles and murmurs a prayer to the Green, as his arms length and fur sprouts on him.
He then climbs a nearby tree and moves tree to tree until he's close to the campsite.
Magnus will come along with Auric.
Auric and Magnus move towards the light of the fire, while Jon moves on ahead a distance until the trees are thick enough for brachiation. He then proceeds cautiously towards the camp while the other two catch up.
Kalaya maintains a distance of about 50ft behind Magnus and Auric, moving slowly forward.
Stilgar reaches for his hammer, but thinking better of it, leaves it on his belt and follows after Kalaya.
Auric walks slowly and steadily toward the campfire with Magnus, his weapons sheathed but his shield on his arm- just in case.
As they come within range, Magnus sends his senses ahead to get a closer look at what they are walking into.
Jon pauses, knowing that the creatures are NOT human. Instead he whispers a quick prayer, asking for a torrent of water just in front of Auric.
Auric momentarily halts as a sudden rain of water splashes down in front of him, seemingly out of mid-air.
Magnus whispers to Auric. Giants. Let's turn back
Auric's eyebrows shoot up on his head, mouth forming an O. He quietly turns on his heel and starts walking back to the others.
"I take it that it's not good?" Stilgar asks dourly when he sees Auric return, only able to assume the worst of this unfamiliar territory.
Jon waits in the tree until he sees his comrades are safe, then tree-climbs back to the camp.
"More giants, apparently. I'm guessing it'll be a while before we reach people our size. We should give the area a wide berth."
The widest berth you are able to afford is to keep moving past along the pass and hope they don't notice your passing, unless you wish to take the cart up the opposite slope into the rough.
Magnus leads the group along the pass and as they approach the Giant camp, he sneaks closer to the fire. If he suspects that the Giants are becoming wise to them, he will cast pyrotechnics for a blinding flash.
You push on through the pass. When shouts come up from around the campfire, Magnus unleashes his spell and the stand of trees is lit up by a series of flashes and bursts from the fire. You rumble away as you watch the giant figures stumble around. They give half-hearted pursuit, but with your lead they don't seem inclined to follow when they have food back at their camp.
Just before the last light fades, you find an area to park the cart and set up a camp. There are cut stones here, remnants of walls and foundations, though what these buildings were and who built them is nothing but guesswork as little remains of the ruins. Still, some large trees provide shelter from the wind. Jon figures that you should clear the pass by midday tomorrow if you start at daybreak.
Jon will see about gathering some food, especially berries for his goodberry prayer.
Magnus will finish the night by checking the area around the camp, sending senses in different directions and overhead. He will then use his epic magic to cast book ward before going to sleep.
Stilgar provides water for those who need it with create water. He takes some time to inspect the map given to him by the commander before, making an attempt to trace their path thus far.
Stilgar's perusal of the map shows that once out of the pass, the group will be in another valley, though one outside the Marches. It indicates goblin tribes to the northwest, and marks a possible barbarian tribe to the south. West indicates further valleys, though not much about them other than a notation that says "wyverns?" The north of the valley indicates that this may be a path through which the Narok--fearsome barbarians from the Plain of Moving Ice--make their seasonal raids on the Marches.
Jon gathers some food, including some edible mushrooms, berries for his spell, and some wild ramps and tubers. Not much of a haul, but a nice supplement to dried and preserved foods.
Magnus notes no signs of pursuit. The group settles in for the night.
Jon will take first watch, so he can sleep and be up with dawn to meditate upon the Green.
Stilgar will take the last watch, intending to start his day early.
Magnus will take the second last watch, taking a moment to chat briefly with Stilgar before passing off the duty.
Auric will take watch after Jon.
If any further watches are required Kalaya will be next.
Auric starts shouting while he strains against the net. "Get up! Get up! Danger! S@~@! By Baal, wake the hell up!"
Strength check to break free:
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Initiative:
Jon's eyes open and he glances up to see Auric struggling. Lying on his back, his body pressed against the earth, he murmurs a prayer to the Green. And the Green responds...
Stilgar wakes with start when he hears Auric's frantic shouting and immediately reaches for his warhammer, never far from his bedside. He staggers to his feet, his body having not yet caught up with his mind.
Magnus' eyelids practically burst open and his enormous pupils quickly dilate and adjust to the light. He surveys the scene and immediately begins casting a spell. His lips begin to meld together and turn bloody red before they begin to glow with heat. Magnus turns to the majority of the Giants and his body convulses violently as a cone of flame is released.
Reflex save DC 15 for 1/2.
Initiative Order:
Stilgar
Magnus
Auric
Jon
Kalaya
Opponents
Stilgar stands up and arms himself, as Magnus raises his head and breathes a cone of flame, catching two of the giants, who let out howls of pain and surprise. In the sudden light, the party sees four crude, beady-eyed giants in ratty furs, wielding enormous clubs, with crooked, yellow teeth jutting from their leering mouths.
Auric struggles but is unable to free himself from the net that was cast on him. Jon's spell brings a burning orb into existence before rising, which rolls into the giant that entangled Auric. The ball barely comes to the thing's knees, but it gives a yelp as clothing and flesh singe with the contact.
Looking at the giant towering over Auric, Kalaya focuses her power, her voice echoing through the night. "Sleep!"
Kalaya's hex falls on the giant, and its piggish eyes close as it drops into a sitting position, head resting on its chest as it begins to snore.
It's somewhat singed partner slobbers something in Giant and draws a javelin from its back, hurling it at Magnus, who shifts aside at the last second, and the head drives into his shoulder rather than his head.
The one that netted Auric brings up its club, grazing the trapped paladin as he struggles to free himself. The last one, roaring, moves around the flaming sphere and swings at Stilgar, the club smashing into his shield and driving him back a foot, an eye-watering pain shooting through his arm and shoulder from the impact.
Stilgar draws on Wayland's power to help him block the giant's attack, but is unable to absorb the entirety of the tremendous blow. Barely able to bite back a shout of pain, he takes a step forward and retaliates with a swing from his warhammer.
Magnus turns his flaming breath toward the giant that attacked him last, making sure to get him into the next cone.