”I could not be certain of your intentions,” he explains. ”You could have decided to simply steal the spear from me. After all, humans are notoriously duplicitous. Surely you understand and might have done the same if our situations were reversed?”
"Oh certainly, I am simply curious Abarta."
Thorun is shocked for a moment; he was expecting some kind of trickery to be involved, but this kind of illusion wasn't what he had in mind. He recovers his demeanor-he had seen stranger by now after all-and puts a hand through the illusion's face. "Mhmm, handy that." He waves a bit through the illusion, as if he is hoping to learn how to do it just from putting his hands through it.
”Then it is settled,” Abarta concludes before — not surprisingly — disappearing. The feast remains, as do the warm fire on the hearth and the rich furs in the nearby alcoves. A proper bed!
When they reach for the spear, it reveals itself to be an illusion...
"I don't know if I should feel relieved or insulted." Aoife muttered with a small sigh. However the sight of a proper bed does make her give into the idea of staying here a bit more. Though those could just be a cruel joke too... "There is only one bed. I say we let Thorun or the Sister have it." She stated as her fingers toyed with the shard of the spear she had kept.
"Which of ye needs the rest more?", asks Daire.
I won't get the bed so it may as well go to whomever needs it!
"Let Coblaith take the bed, she is our anchor here."
"I'm more worried about you recovering from almost dying, but it is true that the Sister is what keeps us alive here." Aoife said as she slowly walked around the area. "You all go ahead and get some sleep, I've a few things to do before I lay down."
"That is fine by me. Good night all!", Daire says as he finds a patch on the floor he feels is warm to settle down on.
Being unaccustomed to the hardships to which they all have been subjected recently, Cobhlaith welcomes a good night's sleep on a proper bed. Truth be told, they have all been tested by their odyssey in the Otherworld, but the good sister seems to have been taxed most of all. The disfiguring scars around her eyes are a testament to the cost of their quest in these cruel lands.
In the morning, stirring from their sleep near the still-burning fire in the hearth, they are met by yet another hearty meal. Perhaps their last? They eat in silence, thinking upon the battle to come, and when they get on their way, they are well-rested and well-fed – and ready for battle.
Their host remains nowhere to be seen.
They make their way north to the Giant's Causeway. Its large stone steps jutting out of the sea are an odd sight, like something out of a fairy tale. At home, the landmark inspires old tales and pagan myths that delight children and infuriate the church. Here, it is a clear testament to the fact that once, long ago, giants ruled in the emerald isle.
There is something different about the causeway, here in the Otherworld: where, in the mortal world, there is only rubble from fallen stones, here there is the gaping mouth of a large cavern. The entrance of the cavern is accessible, albeit precariously so...
Thorun frowns at the precarious path to the cavern entrance. "Gonna have to climb our way there, and I don't think the sister can make that. We may have to do this without her, but I am loathe to leave her alone. How much rope do we have?"
The next morning Aoife ate in silence, thinking upon her thoughts from the night before and constantly checking on the shard of the spear and Claíomh Solais. When they left for the giant fight she continued her silence.
When the group reached the Giant's Causeway, Aoife just gave a small shake of her head. "We don't have to climb." Aoife stated very bluntly. "If something with any form of thought is in there, it'll come out." She said as she stepped foreword, "Sister I suggest you back away from the others." Aoife told her before she got closer to the cave. Taking a large breath and cupping her hands on either side of her mouth Aoife shouted into the cave
Daire blesses himself involuntarily.
"I've stood at your side until now and I'll not now shy from danger," Sister Cobhlaith states firmly. She stands behind them all and prays to God, "May the Lord Jesus Christ be with me, that He may defend me; may He be within me, that He may conserve me; may He be before me, that He may lead me; may He be after me, so that He may guard me; may He be above me, that He may bless me, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen."
a booming voice echoes from deep inside the cave, answering Aoife's call.
"Amen.." Aoife muttered.
Aoife was a little shocked that worked, but then again they knew a cyclops lived here. Aoife outright states.
the booming voice shouts from the darkness. The warning is punctuated by a massive – fully man-sized – rock that, flung from inside the cave, soars through the air and splashes into the water hundreds of feet away!
Aoife goaded on.
"This is why I said you might want to move back." Aoife told the group. "Also, I do feel a little bad about doing this... poor bastard was just keeping to himself and we come in to kill him... Also I will not lie... I'm scared as a babe is of the dark right now."
Thorun levels a heavy frown, watching the rock splash down. "We sure we're not being tricked by that creature? Seems a bad fight to pick if we don't have to."
"Amen!", replies Daire.
Daire faces the cave, ensuring that none of his friends are in front of him.
He then begins to hum to himself.
Just...so.
Then he shouts out:
Daire has cast a spell!
That being said, if you want to make use of your excellent rolls, you can always attempt to engage in conversation! For fun, I invite you to read the funny story of Odysseus and Polyphemus, which really made my son laugh!
the giant inside below.
Let's see how greedy this giant is!
A brazen deceiver learns the deceptive tale bardic performance, allowing him to weave magic into his lies and imbue the most fantastic claims with the appearance of truth. While the brazen deceiver maintains this performance, he takes half the normal penalty on Bluff checks for unlikely lies (rounding down to -2). At 5th level, this effect also applies to Bluff checks for far-fetched lies, and at 11th level, it applies to Bluff checks for impossible lies. Deceptive tale relies on audible components.
the giant queries.
Lucky for Daire, detect desires has a duration! Will save dc 17 to negate.
Stubborn lummox!
the giant answers from the safety of his cave.
Benandonner seems to pause to assess the situation.
You hear his heavy footsteps echoing in the cave as he approaches and dares to peeks outside. Carrying a massive club in one hand and a man-sized boulder in the other and standing at thirty feet tall, the incredibly muscular giant is a sight to behold. His single huge bloodshot eye finds them quickly.
he yells, taking a step back into the darkness.
, Daire says, his air indignation entirely genuine-sounding.
Benandonner actually ventures so far as to crane his neck out from the safety of his cave, "Where are the gifts? Do you have cattle? Wine?"
Then, the giant brute has an idea, "The secrets of the mortal world... Are you sailors? Do you have a ship?"
Thorun rarely has to look up to see a man's face, and in this circumstance he has to crane his neck straight up. Oh f@#*. He tightens his grip, pulse quickening as Daire continues to talk.
I'd best keep this one spinning!
Daire lowers his voice, though it is still loud.
"I do not have the gifts here in the open, like I said! Aye, we know something of ships, though we do not have one handy. Do you need to sail to someplace?"
Albeit tentatively, the giant Benandonner goes so far as to step out to have a better look at his interlocutors. Standing in the mouth of the cave, he looms only a few steps away from Aoife! He drops the massive rock he carries at his feet, thus blocking her way while allowing her some cover...
You may not get a better chance to strike!
Now we have him!
"Aye, get a good look...and perish!"
Daire strikes up a deadly note in his voice, urging his friends to strike!
Seeing Daire calling her companions to battle, Sister Cobhlaith can only pray that God will answer her pleas and guide them all back safely to home and hearth.
"God of power and mercy,
maker and love of peace,
to know you is to live,
and to serve you is to reign.
Through the intercession of St. Michael, the archangel,
be our protection in battle against all evil.
Help us to overcome war and violence
and to establish your law of love and justice.
Grant this through Christ our Lord."
Sister Cobhlaith prayers with passion and devotion, and reminds you all from whence you come, and that the light of God shines upon you even here, in the depths of this Otherworld.
Aoife drew Claíomh Solais and one of the swords they had been given, and tried to make her way onto the bolder but when that thought failed she simply moved in to strike with Claíomh Solais.
cumulative damage to : -15-11
The Sword of Light cuts deep into the giant's flesh and he roars in pain. But he is massive and it is plain to see that the battle will not be easily or quickly won... Furious, Benandonner swings his massive club above his head and brings it crashing on Aoife! The blow is awkward, hindered by the roof of the cave, but nevertheless seems about to strike true...
And then, suddenly, Ruadhan steps in! Shield high, he blocks the heavy blow. "Fight on!" he urges Aoife. He follows with a wild swing with his sword, followed by a strong blow with his spiked shield.
Encouraged by Ruadhan's courage at her side, Aoife steps in to attack. As she moves in deftly, she avoids the giant's second blow, but, as she thrusts her blade, she gets hit. Hard.
The blow from the giant still hit true, some part of Aoife readied herself for it and it seemed to do a good. Aoife still suffered damage but it looked to be not as bad as it should have been.
The battle is upon them. no more words, no more bartering, no more thin veneers of falsehoods and cheap lies. His axe raises and his roar cries out, not as loud or booming as the giant's but twice as fierce, the rage surging into his chest as he crashes forward at a blistering speed!
cumulative damage to : -93 (after Aoife's crit attack below)
Benandonner is bloodied and battered, but stands against all the odds! Seeing her companions fighting for their lives, Sister Cobhlaith approaches and readies herself to intervene should they require the intervention of God.
Aoife swung with vigor, slicing away at the giant. After taking such a blow she knew she had to bring it down swiftly or else it could be the end to all here!
Brilliant! I got the foolish giant to withdraw from the safety of his cave, when few others could. He even dropped his damned boulder!
Daire is pleased with his work as he keeps exhorting his companions, his sword held in the air:
"Fight for your lives!"
Fighting for its life, the giant strikes Aoife hard. The first blow takes her breath away. The second hit sends her crashing into the nearby boulder. When the club comes crashing down on her a third time, darkness comes… But the light prevails and – by the grace of God – she stands strong!
Behind, Sister Cobhlaith falters, having shielded Aoife from the worst and suffered each blow along with her…
Seeing Aoife near death and Sister Cobhlaith bleeding, Ruadhan attacks with renewed fury. But Benandonner still stands!
Thorun's axe cuts viciously up into the giant, slamming twice in quick succession!