Howard bites, claws and rends the one Sir Amrivast attacked, which also puffs out a spore cloud as it goes down, then claws the other two, twice.
The remaining one continues to attack him.
"I'd be a sorry excuse for a paladin if I let my friend get hurt on my watch while I stood by and did nothing!" Sir Amrivast declares hotly as he claws and wing buffets the creature.
”My faith will protect me.” Sir Amrivast declares staunchly.
Howard drops the last one, that also goes down with a relieved sigh, and expelling a spore cloud.
On two of the bodies, Howard finds a +1 spear, a +1 chain shirt and a cloak of resistance +2, a scroll of major curse, a scroll of flame strike and 548 gp each.
On the other three bodies, Howard finds a +1 chain shirt, a +1 hand crossbow with 20 bolts, a +1 punching dagger, boots of striding and springing, cloak of resistance +1, masterwork thieves tools and 296 gp each.
”Now Howard, we really need to talk about this. I know you mean well, but this whole quest has been fraught with danger. How would you feel if I told you to stay out of a fight because I was worried that you'd get hurt?” Sir Amrivast scowls at Howard.
”Do you want me to watch you die because you told me not to interfere because you were worried I’d contract the disease?” Sir Amrivast begins to grow agitated, his fur puffing up and tail lashing from side to side.”You saved my life. Not once, but twice. Did you flee when the flying polyps knocked me out? No. So how could I leave you to fight those zombies alone? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you died because I didn't try to save you.”
"There is a saying,"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
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Howard smiles wryly.
"Yesss, but I don't have an easssy way to fix dissseasssesss; divine magic isss a little outssside my regular wheelhoussse. Hence, I thought it bessst to indulge in a little prophylactic treatment, and avoid exposssure. That sssaid, I definitely appreciate where you are coming from asss well, and I am touched by your loyalty, and I apologissse for making you conflicted."
He then nods at the pile of equipment.
"Now that we have that, however, I ssshould be able to buy a few thingsss asss contingenciesss. Rather than going to my Demiplane tonight, I think we will visssit Armun Kelisssk, on the Plane of Air; I ssshould be able to buy what we need there."
He then piles up the corpses, and casts Greater Evolution Surge to get a Fire breath weapon, which he uses to charcoal what is left of the bodies, just in case.
"No need to risssk leaving a possssssible sssource of infection lying around..."
Howard then restores his shell, before moving on.
”Look – the first thing we learn in our Chapterhouse is that paladins don’t usually live to a ripe old age. You join the Order not for honor and glory, but because you know it’s the right thing to do. All of us KNOW that one day we may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. We’re partners d@mnit, so stop trying to molly coddle me.” Sir Amrivast says in a huff. ”And partners back each other up. I understand preventive measures – but even they aren’t in place – you do NOT let things like that divert you from doing what is right. They say that courage is not the absence of fear – but doing what you have to do even if you’re scared sh*tless.” Sir Amrivast chides Howard. After Howard apologizes, he sighs and his fur deflates. ”Don’t EVER do that again.”
”I’ve never seen the plane of Air before – can you tell me how it looks like?” Sir Amrivast cocks his head at Howard curiously.
Sir Amrivast looks at the collected equipment dubiously. "Are you sure there's no disease in there for future buyers to catch? I mean I'm no cleric..."
Sir Amrivast says a prayer at the prye. "May their souls go free to the Boneyard and may Pharasma judge them kindly. May Iomedae welcome them into her domain should they have been judged worthy."
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"The Plane of Air isss, unsssurprisssingly, mossstly open air; but in certain regionsss, there are great floating rocksss (or multiple linked ssstructuresss), like the great trading hub of Armun Kelisssk. Creaturesss that can fly have a dissstinct advantage, ssso you should fit in reasssonably well."
When Amrivast asks about further infection, Howard frowns.
"Well, Pressstidigitation ssshould clean it off, but jussst to be on the sssafe ssside, I will pay for a Defoliate and/or Diagnossse Dissseassse to make absssolutely sssure."
"Anything I need to be wary off down there?" Sir Amrivast asks Howard.
"I think a diagnose disease should be sufficient to check if any thing's tainted. We need to be responsible sellers and not spread any taint to the plane of Air."Sir Amrivast preaches.
Howard and Sir Amrivast proceed with their journey with Kalathath pointing the way before going back into her portable hole.
As Howard and Sir Amrivast fly across a salt plain marred and broken by countless generations of ash giant travelers,they spot 2 Ash Giants, waving and gesturing to parley."We are Oaag and Lurrohak of the Shatter Smile Clan, and we wish to the one who defeated Kal in a most magnificent manner."One of them says servilely.
"Our clan leader would wish to see you. Afterall you crossed the lands of the girtablilu heretics alive and bested two of our clan." The Ash Giant adds, "And she is wise in many secrets of this place."
"Our clan leader, Prophetess Mother Grim Moon has entered the holy city of death, Neruzavin and returned." The Ash Giant replies. "She knows many of the mysteries there. I am Oaag," Then he points to his fellow Ash Giant, "He is Lurrohak."
"We will lead you to the Shatter Smile Camp. It is south of here, 2 days travel away."Oaag offers."From there you can make your way through the western entrance of the holy city of death."
Sir Amrivast remains uncharacteristically silent throughout the exchange.
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Howard chews his lip, casting a glance in Amrivast's direction, before replying:
"Asss long asss my companion and I are given sssafe passssssage, I have no issssssuesss with ssseeing your 'Prophetessssss'. Any betrayal by you, or unacceptable behaviour, will, however, be met with ssswift vengeance against the perpetratorsss."
"You will not be troubled by any of our clan, but you know that the Parchlands are harsh. Should we find interlopers, we will have to deal with them."Oaag replies with brutal honesty.
Howard occasionally catches Kalathath peeking out of the portable hole, but on seeing giants leading, she ducks back in.
Occasionally through the journey, Howard sees small piles of bones. "Ahhh this one - that was the oryx I wrestled, then I broke his neck - Snap!" Oaag points at one of the piles of bones and brags.
2 hours of meeting with the giants, the party sees a few desert drakes, but the desert drakes, on seeing such a large party, swiftly flee.
The rest of the journey passes uneventfully and Oaag tells Howard, "We're pitching camp here tonight."Then they pitch their tents made out of desert drake hides and pine poles and Lurrohak takes the first watch, while Oaag takes some jerky of an unknown meat and begins to eat it. "We'll leave at dawn tomorrow."Oaag tells Howard.
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Once safely ensconced in his demiplane, he immediately casts Keep Watch, and raises a hand to forestall the commentary from his two companions.
"For the record, I don't entirely trussst them, but sssince they are not inherently evil, I sssee no reassson to sssimply eliminate them. Moreover, if their leader doesss, in fact, have information that could be ussseful to usss, I think we ssshould try to acquire that. I alssso don't think that they are intelligent enough to ssset a trap that we couldn't get out of, ssso I think that accompanying them isss worth the risssk..."
Sir Amrivast replies with a sigh, "At least this batch didn't call me names..."
He continues darkly, "Though the way Oaag talking about that oryx, I expect them to be killing any interlopers they run into. Whatever they were, because it's their territory. Granted, most of Parchlands denizens have been trying to kill us, but not all."
"I will tolerate them. Just for the information. Just don't expect me to have a polite conversation with them, because they turn my stomach."Sir Amrivast states firmly.
"I like what they did with the desert drakes though. Probably why the bunch we saw earlier fled at top speed. Didn't want to become their next tent."Sir Amrivast smiles weakly at the joke.
"Who leading us are? Leading us where they are?" Kalathath asks Howard.
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Howard nods soberly.
"Which isss why I told them that we would object ssstrenuousssly to any behaviour that we found unacceptable."
Turning to Kalathath, he continues:
"A couple of Asssh Giantsss wisssh to take usss to their leader, who hasss apparently visssited Neruzavin, and sssurvived to tell the tale. At bessst, we will get sssome ussseful information... at worssst, it will be another pawn of the Darknessssss, which we will put down."
"Information useful always is, knowledge is power, the saying goes."Kalathath answers sagely.
"Humanoids, possessive of their territory, tend to be. When two different groups meet, often in conflict results. "Kalathath notes.
"But it doesn't have to be that way."Sir Amrivast vehemently protests. "Sure if the other party attacks you, or other people under your protection, you have every right to defend yourself and others. But shouldn't you try to find out what are their motives rather then murder them outright?!"
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Howard sighs.
"In an ideal world, perhapsss... but we live in a far from ideal world. I am willing to give (mossst) non-evil sssentientsss a chance, but if they violate our accord... well... I make sssure that I am the one left ssstanding. That sssaid, I am not sssuggesssting that we initiate genocide; defending ourssselvesss (or othersss), and/or eliminating a sssignificant, potentially global, ongoing threat, on the other hand, isss definitely reasonable."
"Yes we don't leave in an ideal world. We should work towards having an ideal world - it's a worthy goal. But I whole heartedly agree on self defense or eliminating great evils." Sir Amrivast answers.
The rest of the night passes uneventfully and Howard buffs up, planeshifts and teleports the party back to the Ash Giants camp.
"Oh, you're back. Good timing, we're setting off."Lurrohak states as they pack up the tents. Then with Oaag leading, the party heads off.
On the second hour, the party sees a lone seps slithering on the ground, that flees at the sight of the Ash giants. "Yeah it'd better do, or that it's going to be barbecued." Oaag jeers at it.
On the third hour, the party sees two rift drakes, that on seeing the large size of the party, also flee at top speed.
On the fifth hour of the journey, Howard sees a glimmering vision shimmers on the horizon, like an oasis. It seems to be watching, and slowly moving towards the party, and the giants look like they're about to lead the party right into it. The rest of the party do not see anything unusual.
Howard recognizes the glimmering vision as an advanced living mirage.
"What?" Oaag looks at Howard disbelievingly. "Are you sure you didn't drink too much Vodka last night?"
"Yeah, wherever you poofed off to."Lurrohak adds.
"Where is it, Howard? Point where it is so I can help."Sir Amrivast tells Howard.
Howard, deciding that show is better then tell, turns himself into Yig then pounces on the gaseous cloud and rips into it. In death, it flops limply like a sad-looking deflated white pillow.
"The hell is that thing?" Sir Amrivast looks at the living mirage corpse flabbergasted.
"Oooh... Puffy white cloud thing."Lurrohak says, then jumps on its body a few times, squishing it.
"We've got important business. Stop dickering around, Lurrohak."Oaag reprimands Lurrohak.
"Urk."Sir Amrivast shies away. "Thanks for the timely warning. I wonder how many victims that ooze has surprised and consumed that way..."
After that reprimand, Lurrohak shuffles back and the party continues on its way.
The rest of the journey is uneventful, and Oaag declares a stop for the day at the end of it, "We will camp here. And move off at dawn."Then he takes out jerky to munch and drinks water from his water skin while Lurrohak takes first watch.
"Mmph. Is there a way that I can see the unseen as well? I don't like things creeping up on me."Sir Amrivast asks Howard.
"How goes, day did?" Kalathath asks.
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Howard looks thoughtful.
"Technically, yesss, but it isss a bit unsssavory - you sssee, the ssspell can normally only be cassst upon onessself, ssso the only way around that would be if I possssssessssssed you, then cassst the ssspell, and made it Permanent; when I returned control of your body to you, you would ssstill retain that ssspell."
He then smiles sheepishly.
"That sssaid, although I am powerful enough to cassst the required ssspell, I don't actually know it - I would need to ssscribe it into my ssspellbook when we went ssshopping, first. However, if you want it, I am willing to explore the option."
Turning to Kalathath, he notes:
"Actually, it wasss a fairly quite day; the only combat we had wasss againssst a Living Mirage, which went down quickly, thanksss to me ssspotting it due to Permanent Sssee Invisssibility."
"What is it like being possessed? And how exactly do you intend to possess me?" Sir Amrivast enquires.
"I've heard some evil spirits have the ability to possess others and take control of other bodies. Is it like that?"
"Hmm, pleased I am to hear that. Good to hear the journey smooth going has."Kalathath answers.
"Perhaps take the offer you should, Sir Amrivast. Forewarned, forearmed us, afterall."Kalathath counsels Sir Amrivast.
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Howard nods.
"Yesss, it would be sssomething like that; I would be projecting my sssoul into your body. You would ssstill be consssciousss, and aware of everything that was going on, jussst unable to do anything, apart from communicating telepathically with me. That sssaid, it wouldn't last that long - I'd just do it long enough to cassst the required ssspellsss."
He then turns to Kalathath.
"Agreed. It isss nice to have a relatively ssstressssss-free day."
"I'm willing to go through it. The flying polyps that nearly killed me had some form of invisibility. They were flickering in and out. I DEFINITELY want to see those coming." Sir Amrivast agrees to Howard's proposal. "Besides after all we've been through, I trust you with my life."
The rest of the night pass uneventfully, and Howard buffs, then planeshifts and teleports everyone back to the Ash Giants camp.
This time, Oaag is munching on some jerky. "You're early."Oaag notes."Wait till I'm done with breakfast, we can set off."Lurrohak packs up the tents, and when Oaag is done with breakfast, the party sets off.
On the first hour, the party sees a solo rift drake, that flees at the sight of them.
On the third hour, Howard and Sir Amrivast see the giants camp in the distance. Several dozen broad tents of hides stretched across bone and chitin supports sprawl out in the shadow of a steep-sided hill. Glassy rivulets of broken obsidian slither down the dark slopes, and the entire peak is cleft in two as if split by some tremendous force.
"Mother Grim Moon, we've brought the visitors you've sought here."Lurrohak shouts.
From a pavilion stumbles out an aging Ash Giant. Wrinkles radiate like cobwebs across the leathery mask that is the face of this aging ash giant. Her stare intensifies, and her smile twists into a rictus of delight. “At long last, the dreamer arrives. Survivor of Sarnath, delver of darkness, seeker of the oasis, he who walked the sleeping forest and spoke to the Yellow King. You have walked upon the moon with footsteps that echo of the end times.” Wheezing punctuates her cackles. “Yes, yes, I have awaited you. Tell me of what you would do before the world dies.”
"And his companion, one touched by the Inheritor."Her nose twitches as if smelling something bad.
Sir Amrivast twitches slightly as she talks about him, but keeps his expression a stony mask.
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Howard nods.
"Very well. I will look into the particularsss, when we make our next ssshopping trip."
Howard bows respectfully.
"Yesss, thossse are sssome of the thingsss that I have done. What I ssseek to do isss to track down Lowlsss and hisss party, to prevent them from doing what they ssseek to do. I alssso intend to deal with the sssleeping evil, or at leassst put it back to sssleep; the world may, ultimately, in the fullnessssss of time, be doomed to end, but today isss not that day. What can you tell usss of Neruzavin? We underssstand that you have been there."
Mother Grim Moon smiles knowingly at Howard. "Pretty words you have, dreamer. But pretty words will not save you when the end comes."
Creakily getting to her feet, she begins walking toward the cleft in the hill and waves for Howard to follow. "The Shatter Smile is proud and strong and has always taken stone from this hill. This time its people found one of the beasts the girtablilus stole from us, and even the clan’s best claw-speakers cannot convince it to submit. This has made the Shatter Smile resent the beast, and had I not intervened, they would have thrown rocks until it crumbled—good, but not bold. The beast is too immense to risk getting closer, so they have trapped it in the hill."
"You are the last of the dreamwalkers, the city-seekers, the end-stoppers. You come to me seeking my counsel, yet you cannot command the true respect of this clan. Tame what they cannot—fight what gives them fear—and they shall honor you. The Shatter Smile is not strong enough to brave the holy city. If you cannot be stronger than them, why should I waste breath explaining that you are too weak to enter?”
The cleft is partly blocked by a jumble of boulders nearly 10 feet tall—enough to deter the immense vermin within from escaping, but not enough to trap it completely.
Mother Grim Moon pauses in sight of the ridge, calls out to the other giants, "Come, giants of the Shatter Smile. Bear Witness the trial of Strength."
"Prove your might to Shatter Smile Clan. Do what they could not - slay Black Obsidian once he has fully emerged from his burrow. The Shatter Smile respect only strength." Mother Grim Moon challenges Howard and Sir Amrivast.
The ash giant adults use their bodies to form a roughly 100-foot-diameter ring around the cleft’s entrance, with Sir Amrivast and Howard in the centre.
A towering scorpion’s carapace is as black as coal, and its claws are each as long as a man’s body. One of its claws looks crushed and dangles uselessly by its side.
Howard recognizes it as a black scorpion and it has a poisonous sting. He also recognizes the scorpion has not been had any food for a while so it's venom is less potent then usual.
Sting—injury; save Fort; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Str, 1d4 Dex, and 1d4 Con; cure 1 save.
"Prove it, then, not by your pretty words, but by deed."
Howard manages to bite and claw the black scorpion, but his second claw bounces off its chitinous exoskeleton. He manages to slap it with his tail.
Sir Amrivast pounces on the scorpion, but only manages to get one of his hindpaws past its chitinous exoskeleton.
The scorpion then strikes back at Howard with claw and its sting rapidly jabbing, but is unable to penetrate Howard's hide.
Howard bites, then rips into the gargantuan scorpion. As it falls, the Ash Giants give a raucous cheer then rush towards it and begin dismembering it to harvest its meat and chitin.
Mother Grim Moon looks over to Howard and nods, pleased, then motions for him and Sir Amrivast to follow her up the igneous hill. Once seated at the weathered summit, she begins to speak.
"You have proven your strength and worthiness by deed. Now hear my words."
"The Shatter Smile saw Lowls travel to the holy city Neruzavin from the west, but he had entered its sacred ground before our people could catch him. He was not alone. Many small folk kowtowed in his wake. He is a fool, yet even a fool can awaken the world-eater, and he has its taint upon him.”
She gives a wheeze, then continues.
"Neruzavin is a dead city, abandoned by all but those who can gaze into the apocalypse and survive. Only the seeded—the world-eater’s children—stir the dust with their feet. Stone buildings loom and twist, rising too high and at strange angles without windows. Three pillars stranger than all others are not half so tall. Instead they bear the language of other realms, inscribed with rituals and promises to bind this world to another. I slept beneath each pillar once, each night awakening with overwhelming urges to consume, doubt, or revel. Last, beware the sleepers below. They sing. They whistle. They whisper, promising to consume all that live. They can taste your very breath. One lies near the city’s western edge.”
"It is your choice - I shall not help that puny man, Lowls to condemn this world, nor would I stand along side with those who would prevent it. If the world ends, that is Groetus's will. I will offer you my blessing and my wisdom that you might be heralds of this realm's salvation - or its damnation. The Shatter Smile shall remain here for many days more before travelling again. If my magic would delay your own deaths before then, seek me out once more."
Sir Amrivast's expression darkens like a storm cloud at her words, but he does not make any comments.
"Your companion does not care for us - his fatal flaw is that his vision is myopic - he sees only one side of the coin.The world will end, perhaps not today - but someday - he cannot accept the truth." Mother Grim Moon adds."He is insignificant - his footsteps do not echo of the end times."
Sir Amrivast's fur starts puffing up, and he takes a deep breath, causing his fur to settle down again.
"Your victory feast and rest awaits you at the bottom of this hill." She points down the hill with a crooked finger.
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Howard nods
"I will keep your advice, and your offer, in mind."
He then turns to Amrivast.
"Come on - roast ssscorpion can be quite a delicacy, although normally, I enjoy mine whole, and either honey-glazed, or dipped in chilli. Afterward, we can return to my sssafe place, and in the morning, go on that sssupply run, before heading into the city."
"You know? You can enjoy the party." Sir Amrivast growls. "I'll just retire to my tent and have my trail rations."
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Howard winces at Grim Moon's blunt assessment of Amrivast, but keeps a civil tongue in his head.
Noting Amrivast's distress, he gives Amrivast a comforting pat on the shoulder, whispering:
"Diplomacy can be ussseful, even if you don't completely agree; I will join them for asss long asss politenessssss requiresss, and then we can retire."
"I AM being diplomatic. They're the ones who've been pissing me off, and I haven't done ANYTHING to them, or said ANYTHING rude yet." Sir Amrivast whispers back. "Fine - I'll join the celebration." He gives a long-suffering sigh.
The giants deferentially give way to Howard and Sir Amrivast, showing him to camp fire where an Ash giant is roasting the claw of the scorpion. There are many large logs around the campfire, where Ash Giants sit.
Howard and Sir Amrivast are given elaborate couches to sit on, and wooden plates and obsidian utensils.
There is large wooden table, heavy with food. Howard has a look and finds giant sized pots of Khorkhog, a giant sized plates of buuz, several boodog, several giant plate of Budaatai khuurga, and a several large gambirs.
A drum performance is done around the camp fire by the Ash giants to celebrate Howard and Sir Amrivast's victory over Black Obsidian.
Once the scorpion claw is cooked, the cook cracks it with a large hammer, then hands the barbecued scorpion claw to Howard on a large platter.
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Howard whispers back:
"Exactly. For clarification, what I meant by that wasss an explanation for why I wasss joining in, rather than avoiding it with you; I appreciate the reassson for your reluctance."
Howard makes a point of accepting the barbecued claw, hungrily consuming some of the flesh, and offering it to Amrivast as well.
Once the Giants seem sated from their feast, he will retreat to Armun Kelisk for the night (with Amrivast, of course!), in preparation for a shopping spree in the morning.
The barbecued scorpion tastes like crayfish. "Not bad, not bad at all."Sir Amrivast comments after trying the barbecued scorpion claw. He stares at the food on the table, conflicted, between not wanting to accept their hospitality, and the delicious smells coming from it. Finally, gluttony wins out and he unleashes his appetite on the food, making quite a dent in the plates of Khorkhog, boodog and buuz.
"Say what you want about the Ash Giants, but they do eat well."
"Actually,Howard, I ate too much. Haven't had a meat buffet for a loooong time."Sir Amrivasts confesses. "I'm too full to fly..."
At the end of the feast, Oaag shows the party to their tent, made out of rift drake hides with bone and chitin support. Sir Amrivast lumbers into the tent and flops onto the bed.
The interior of the tent has a luxurious looking beds, couches and an ebony writing desk, complete with a chest of drawers.