Getting the feeling things would likely go poorly by the conversations end Gramaton decided to leave Celestia be a wonderful focus for attention and continue sticking to cover moving as close as he can to the man.
Tetro draws up near to Celestia on Aghi.
Celestia is formidable indeed, but there is no lack of arrogance there. Our foes have been dangerous, but besides the dragon not one-one-one matches.
He makes sure that that his position is such that the banner's influence is within reach of the entire party.
He speaks in Giant to the newcomer.
"As I keep trying to say to your kin, you should just get out of our way. After all, they were not able to stop us."
Chill stands alert, daggers in hand. He waits.
The gnarled giant blinked at your party, recognition flashing across his face as Tetro spoke in his native tongue. His eyes dart between the sleipnir, the fiery rod in Celestia's hand, the undead giants, his pack of wolves, to Svartokshe, before settling on Tetro.
"You right." He finally said. "I give up. I go now." He sheathes his axe and motions to the winter wolves. He leads them past you out of the chamber, jumping from the balcony behind you to presumably exit the Veil.
A search of the camp reveals 760 gold coins, 2,256 silver coins, 3,560 copper coins, three pale blue zircons worth 185 gold each. There is also a small statuette carved solely of ice depicting a beautiful woman.
Once the giant departs, a look of genuine surprise flashes across Tetro's face, but he quickly covers it.
"For once, one of those giants chose not to die on our blades. I am truly surprised. Let us gather our spoils and move on!"
Gramaton shows he's quite versed in picking through items based on weight and value in case he is interrupted. "It should take too long for the gems and gold... thats a lot of copper however."
Once they had taken the money and gems he scouts ahead again.
Bah! Leave the copper. There is more valuable stuff to carry
Up the steep incline of stairs leads into the mist, which is numbing to the touch and once entering deafens one to sounds outside the mist. Peering out from the mist ahead reveals three more steps before revealing another antichamber that leads to a pair of white stone double doors.
Within this antichamber two frost giants sit on their haunches playing dice, a third gnarled giant leans against the far left wall, and a winter wolf lays curled at the feet of a titanic fifty-foot creature.
This beast stands before the doors with an adamantine warhammer in hand, head on the icy floor and resting his clawed hands on the pommel. His skin is black and wrinkled - like a raisin - and his face has no eyes. His head rests on his hunched shoulders rather than a neck and is set forward, leering with a tusked, fang-filled maw and tiny nose.
Both Tetro and Aghi seem to notice something towards the south.
Tetro points to the south wall and quietly says:
"Handprints in blood. There is a door right there, hidden in the true ice. Best to see what -or whom- lies beyond."
*********************************
Tetro has no idea what this beast is, just that it poses a threat. And that words are unlikely to make a difference here.
"To arms!", he yells as he raises his spear and banner aloft.
Buffs
Swift action to activate Inspire Courage through oratory, which will last for three additional rounds with lingering performance. Move action to share Outflank teamwork feat with Teamwork ability. Standard action down to provide a move action to use Inspiring Command ability to Inspire Greatness in Tetro, Chill, and Freydis since they are getting injured.
Unless said otherwise, the buffs apply to the PCs and Aghi. Some of these are of the same type and thus won't stack. And none apply to Blackice.
Persistent buffs:
* 30ft aura adding +2 resistance bonus on saves against mind-effects
* 30 ft aura of +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects
* 60ft aura of +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and +3 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge
Inspire Courage: A +3 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +3 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Outflank: Whenever you and an ally who also has this feat are flanking the same creature, your flanking bonus on attack rolls increases to +4. In addition, whenever you score a critical hit against the flanked creature, it provokes an attack of opportunity from your ally.
Inspire Greatness: A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components.
At this, Aghi opens his mouth to once again fire beams of light at the largest foe - in this case, the beast.
Once Gramaton spots the foes and gets a head count he doubles back to alert the others. "Alright, we've got two frost giants, a winter wolf and one strange looking giant. So if you want to cast any spells or drink potions now is a good time. I'll see about getting a few nice little hits in one them when everyone is ready."
Chill tests his bladed
I'm ready
Celestia waves her staff and Whispers an incantation, The room is filled with Light as five wasp-like wings materialize around her she lifts into the air and draws her whip in her left hand. Let us advance. she says, ready to bring wrath apon her foes.
She sees the shriveled giant and is curious for a moment, However she was unfamiliar with the the creature. She Huffs, Whatever it was, surely it wasn't as deadly as a dragon.
Kneeling before this women a troll with faded blue skin seems to be worshipping the statue. He wears polar bear furs decorated with human bones and pale blue gems.
Whenever you exit the mist at the top of the stairs, you see the chamber is coated in days-old bloodstains and pieces of several humanoids. The three normal giants and the wolf are startled by you appearance, but the titanic giant regards you with contempt.
"So, Svartokshe finally shows his true colors, warm-blooded and weak. He must serve others to get the job done. How he has fallen." The greater giant's voice rumbles, not unlike Kostchtchie's earlier.
"That's Ferric, the greatest of the rivals I mentioned before." Svartokshe mutters to you. "He's a brute but he can be clever."
Ferric holds his action till Svartokshe charges him, and the two clash.
Ferric's warhammer swats Svartokshe away, sending him sliding several feet from the air once in his lungs, but the human managed to get some nicks on the giant's leg in with his axe.
Tetro likes the look of the statue, steps down off Aghi, and picks it up, heedless of the troll's possible reaction.
Gramaton tries to sneak into a flanking position with all the confusion of the opening moments.
Tetro pulls out his portable hole and starts trying to snatch up the statue in it.
Chill charges ferric!
swift action combat flexibility, vital strike, imp vital strike, greater vital strike.
power attack, charge, bane
Darting in to replace Svartokshe's place facing Ferric, Chill lands a blow with his dagger. Ferric roars in pain, his leg bleeding black ichor. In response, the winter wolf lunges at the brawler, breathing a cone of ice breath with a howl.
Dodging the worst of the cold blast, chili's magic negates the rest of the winter wolf's breath.
The indigo beam passes right through Ferric, who ignores it and keeps his eyeless gaze upon Tetro and Aghi. The wolf, however, pauses, shaking its head before howling in fury.
The three giants grab their weapons and choose their targets.
The two frost giants throw chunks of ice at Aghi and his rider.
While one rock sails past, the second one clips Aghi's flank.
The gnarled giant takes his axe and runs past the hidden-in-plain-sight Gramaton towards Chill, who dodges the clumsy giant's attack.
Celestia commands her undead giants forward, Having the flaming Skelleton stay a few feet from the zombie, as to not burn it. They advance on the closest giant, Attacking together.
The Skeleton strikes true but the zombie has yet to get used to rigor mortis
+
Celestia then whispers a Prayer, Calling to her goddess. Divine power flows through her and Power flows from her goddess, granting her strength. She brandishes her whip, and laughs
Ferric snarls at Chill, bringing his warhammer down to smash the stinger. Following his swing, regardless of success, he'll lunge his head forward and down to bite at the brawler.
The massive hammer makes contact, doing 30 bludgeoning damage, knocking the air from Chill's lungs, but the blow misplaced him enough to dodge Ferric's fangs.
Svartokshe gets up to his feet and throws his axe at the gnarled giant. However, the giant's unbalanced gait makes the ranger miss his mark, the axe lodging itself into the true ice wall opposite him and not returning to his hands. With a swear, he runs to retrieve it.
Offf! About time something showed some fight. Come on big man. Make it worth my time
Chill explodes into a blur of strikes
Last damage in each line before the total is fire damage
most of chill's blows fail to hit with much force, but the one punches through the giants tough hide, setting up a savage impale with the second punching dagger. Flame explodes out of the wound.
Gramaton strikes from the shadows repeatedly hitting pressure points in the giants hide trying to take advantage as best he can while they were adjusting.
The combined efforts of the dagger-wielders cause so many deep wounds that the gigas bleeds out in seconds. With little more than a gurgle, Ferric crumples to the icy floor, his black blood pooling around him.
Seeing its master fall, the Winter Wolf howls mournfully and leaps at Chill, opening it's frosted jaws.
In its fury, the Wolf missed, skating along on the floor.
The last thing the gigs hears, before descending to whatever awaits him was chill saying
Tetro shouts in common, with his spear pointing the way - to the winter wolf.
"Forward, Aghi!"
The winter wolf is lanced through its flank, the blade of the spear carving its way out as Aghi flies past and the wolf's flesh tore away. Limping, the wolf growls and eyes the sleipnir with hate.
The giants focus their attention on their undead brothers. The gnarled giant strikes at the burning skeleton while the frost giants attack the zombie with their axes.
Celestia scoffs at the Giants attempt to down her Minions, he Colds out a hand to the Gnarled one, And whispers dark words, All that hear what she says can make no sense of it, And dark energy flows from her as she holds her hands out.
Her giant undead retaliate, the Flaming Skeleton swinging his weapon at the Gnarled Giant to attacked it its flaming aura already huting the giant.
+
The Skeleton swings its axe. +
Unfortunately the Zombie can't stand up to the force of two giants, and goes down without a sound
The gnarled giant's eyes widen as visions of madness dance before his eyes, but the licks of flame bring him back to sanity just barely. The frost giants roar in victory as the zombie goes down.
Svartokshe - retrieving his axe - comes up behind the gnarled giant, flanking the monster. His strike goes into the back of the giant's thigh, carving a crimson path.
Gramaton tries to get inside the wolves guard while it is distracted.
Chill attacks!
1d6 is fire damage
1d6 is fire damage
gonna assume that missed
1d6 is fire damage
1d6 is fire damage
The wolf drops to Gramaton's vicious attack. Chill looses his daggers upon the gnarled giant, using Svartokshe's flanking to his advantage, and fells the monster.
Tetro turns Aghi towards the nearest *openly* hostile giant and lowers his spear, before charging!
Tetro's strike pierces the upper chest of one of the last two frost giants, causing the monster to roar in pain.
Svartokshe moves in a manner that provides flanking for anyone confronting the remaining giants. He strikes at Tetro's opponent.
The ranger's strike almost completely hamstrings Tetro's giant.
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Celestia wills her flaming Skelleton to strike at the last Giants, Moving in for the kill,
While she herself stands back, Complacent to let her Undead work for her, however she makes sure he'll stand for another while, casting a spell that causes the air to fill with the taste of blood, but the Skeleton's dark aura is quickly healed, any damage on its form before now being put back together.
The Gaint Skeleton itself lundges at the closest Giant and swings its flaming axe hard.
- +
The Flaming Giant Skeleton screeches as it attacks.
Gramaton swiftly moves to flank with Tetro, all the better to bring down the giant swiftly.
Chill moves rapidly to strike.
Tetro strikes out, again and again, hacking against the frost giant!
Critical, see below
Argh! Lost my post. I'll redo it a little later
Chill charges the nearest giant, leading with his giantbane dagger. He slams the punching dagger hard into the giant's chest, with tremendous force
Your combined efforts finish off the last of the giants, their falls thunderous in the icy chamber. Svartokshe stares down at Ferric's corpse, kicking it's head and muttering under his breath.
Before you stand the white stone doors. Carved upon their surfaces are various creatures and locales. The stone of the doors is not native to Golarion, and they bear no handles, hinges, or keyholes. Across the top frame of the doors is a line written in Skaldic runes, but they are an ancient form and thus harder to translate on the fly.
huh! a wendigo. Chill points at an image on the wall. Maybe we have to fight one. Made when someone resorts to cannibalism when cut off in the winter. Or so I have heard. No idea if they are real or not. You think we may fight one?
"There's an inscription here written in an ancient dialect of Skald Across the doors. It translates to Taldane as something like 'Only by the Power of Faith shall ye pass Beyond'...very strange. Perhaps a sacrifice of life shall we say, these fallen giants might count. Testing the theory will no doubt be risky." Gramaton examines the door carefully for traps or hidden means of opening it but doesn't expect much luck.
While the others looked at the inscriptions, Tetro began rummaging through the fallen for loot.
As he picks over the dead, he replies to the others without turning his head.
"The life of a mercenary is full of risk. Unless ye have a better idea, through we will go."
Chill grins
maybe a bit of positive or negative energy from a priestly type would get us through.
"A solid notion. Freydis?"
Gramaton indeed finds no external signs of entry or traps.