Meanwhile, seeing that the Blue Vulture is getting some licks on Elthariel, Jeevika takes a 5-foot air step towards the monster and makes three swings at it.
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Meanwhile, Elthariel concentrates her next volley on the Blue Vulture. If it drops, then she focuses her firepower on the Purple one.
The rest of the winged humanoids fall to the onslaught of the heroes, though Eugeni notices that the magic missiles he cast at one of them seemed to fizzle to nonexistence before making meaningful impact.
As the group settles back on the path laid before them, Elthariel says "Wait...what was that?" She then steps over to the snow beneath where Olympus landed and brushed it aside, revealing a golden sheen to a flat stone beneath it. A more careful examination of the terrain reveals that the ground here is unnaturally flat, and the glimmer of gold peeks through the dirt and snow here and there. Following the trail north, the gold becomes ever more frequent until it is obvious...you are on a massive road paved in flat stones with a golden sheen to them that is about 100 feet wide!
"Amazing! The ruins of Thassilon are impressive indeed."
Ryli shifts out of air elemental form and calls Olympus to her. She fishes out her wand !nd taps him until his wounds are gone. She also taps Lorthan a time or two.
"Ooooooh. Woah!"
Zoli runs her fingers along the massive golden bricks. "This isn't all real gold, is it?!?"
Remembering the vulture-things, she takes a look around. "They mentioned reporting back to Bjormundal. That's that thuggish Frost Giant that Svevenka mentioned. Do you think any got away?
"Either way, I guess we need to be on alert for him and his thugs."
Zoli watches the sky and pats Wraithblade.
After about an hour walking along the road, you round a bend and come into view of what to many would be a terrifying sight. Sixty feet up on a cliff edge above the road stands a frost giant wielding a large two-handed axe, clad in mighty looking breastplate. Behind him is an opening to a large cliff leading into the stone. He immediately spots your approach along the road as well, and leaps down off the cliff! He floats gently to the ground and points his weapon at you, calling out ”You will go no further, runts! Time to die!”
"It's the frost giant," Ryli mutters. Then in a louder voice, "We're seeing this through. We will not be deterred, especially by the likes of you."
A bloom of fire appears in Ryli's empty hand as she casts a spell, then she flings it across the distance at the frost giant.
Then she whistles a short staccato that sends Olympus flying at the giant with a screech!
Lorthan issues a roar of his own and flies up to the giant, landing on the other side of Olympus and snapping at him with his draconic jaws.
Jeevika also charges into battle!
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The frost giant swings at Olympus as he approaches, but the axe flails wildly before he is snatched in the bird’s claw! He struggles to escape, but doesn’t quite get free. Then, a war cry is issued from above, and two more Giants, ones that dwarf this one, step out from behind massive boulders and heave rocks down at the group! One strikes Eugeni!
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Eugeni, deciding that now is not the best time to be crushed by boulders, casts greater invisibility on himself. After he blinks from view, he begins flying up into position to blast the newcomer giants from the top of the cliff.
Zoli charges toward Bjormundal as well, running up the air to meet him by his face.
"Hey Frosty, I heard you were really Bjoring to fight. Whaddaya say? Think you can hit me?" the Swashbuckaeologist taunts with a grin.
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Elthariel casts her second Abundant Ammo spell and then goes to take cover from the rock barrage.
Meanwhile, Jeevika takes several swings at Bjormundal. No puns are said. Unfortunately, unlike Zoli, Jeevika just isn't very punny.
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Ryli throws a series of miniature fireballs at the frost giant, despite the foes surrounding him.
Then she whistles the command to have Olympus drop his foe and make a full attack on him.
Lorthan steps up to bring his claws, wings and tail into play as well as his bite. He continues the vicious assault on the giant warlord.
The warlord falls to Olympus’ claws and Ryli’s flames! When the warlord falls, the giants on the cliff shake their heads in confusion, but continue to seem to press the attack.
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"Lorthan, may I get a ride up to that cliff? I could reach those rock tossers myself, but it will take me much longer under my own power."
If given permission, Jeevika climbs onto Lorthan's back. Otherwise, she activates her Ring of Invisibility and begins the long trudge up to confront the giants on the cliff.
"Sure; this body's a bit more stable for a rider. But did you see those giants shake their heads after the cold one died? I wonder if there's something else going on?"
Lorthan allows Jeevika to get on his back, then he casts shield on himself before taking flight. He doesn't move into engagement distance unless his suspicions tell him that they're going to be hostile no matter what.
The pair of giants heave a pair of rocks at the dragon, and step aside from the cave entrance as two more join in on the ledge!
"Everyone!" Lorthan calls out. "The giants are under some sort of enchantment!"
Then he decides to try a nonlethal measure that his new form has gifted him. He breathes a cone of gas at the two giants that might render them paralyzed.
"What? Oh!"
Zoli turns toward her oldest friend amongst them. "Eugeni, do you think you could free them?"
"Perhaps..."
Eugeni casts greater dispel magic.
After completing his spell, he cries out in Giant. "Cease your struggles, noble sky lords. We have no quarrel with you. Let us pass in peace, or face our continued wrath!"
Zoli echoes, also in Giant, "Indeed, we seek those that ensorcelled you. If others of you are still ensorcelled, perhaps we could help free them as well?"
All four cloud giants snap to their senses, groggily shaking away the effects of the magic. They immediately set to arguing with one another: clearly they are from differing tribes who have clashed from time to time. Once their initial bickering ceases, two storm off to the south with earth shaking footfalls. Another leaves to the east, while the fourth remains and turns to you all.
”Thank you for removing the spell enslaving us. Yes, there are more of our kind and others enslaved in the golden city. I warn you not to go further, but wish you luck if you should. The armies of the old lord grows, and even with your small stature, you would not remain hidden for long. You will be found, and you will be slain, or worse.”
Ryli sighs in relief and extinguished the flame in her hand. "Do you not want to see your brethren freed? We could use your help, and with each one of your kind freed our strength grows while the old lord weakens."
She smiles sadly, since even as she says those words, she recognizes them for what they are: a nice sentiment but little else. She doubted they'd be so lucky as to amass an army of giants to help liberate the city.
The giant shakes his head, ”No. the runed abominations will enslave me once more the moment they find me. They will make me talk, tell them your weaknesses. Your tactics. Your location. You will be much safer without me there.”
Ryli starts at the response, since she had generally expected some half-hearted excuse as to why he couldn't fight along side them. But to he enslaved the moment he's found?
"Wait a moment, please. Could you explain? 'Runed abominations'? How can they enslave you?"
”The old magic has returned,” he says a he spits on the ground. ”All giants tell legends of the old days when wizards of man created giants of their own that could enslave the rest of us at their will. Force us to be soldiers or laborers. Those times have come again.”
Ryli grows quiet. She looks down at the ground, feeling pants of guilt at her own selfishness. She had been sorely tempted to abandon the quest in order to stay with Zenlan and guide the herd. How close she had come to giving in to those temptations shamed her.
She looks back up at the giant. "We'll do whatever it takes to keep the old ways from returning. Even unto death."
"I am pleased we were able to free you. Thank you for warning us." Eugeni offers the giant a floating bow.
Jeevika sheaths her blade and utters a sigh of relief that things could be ended peacefully for once. Whatever their true morals are, she doubts that these giants will bother the Rangers further. It had required mind control to make them fight for Karzoug in the first place; she doubted that they would just turn around and proceed to help him willingly.
"Indeed. Thank you for the warning," says Jeevika. "It appears that we might be able to break much of Karzoug's army by neutralizing these... runed giants and their magic."
The last Cloud Giant turns and heads off as well, leaving the Rangers alone once more on this golden road.
As the giants head off, Zoli examines Bjormundal for clues and valuable loot. She then readies herself to continue along the golden road.
After the last giant leaves, Ryli begins to check the slain frost giant for gear and valuables. She casts detect magic before she begins to spot the enchanted articles.
The giant has the following items of value:
3x Potions of Cure Serious Wounds
+2 Breastplate
Large +3 Greataxe
Ring of Feather Falling
A couple of days further of travel, and you arrive...the fabled city of Xin-Shalast!
This tableau defies belief. A narrow mountain pass opens into a glacial valley extending north and then turning to the west at the base of the vast mountain at the far end. Filling this valley is an icecapped city of enormous proportions. The near end is mostly blocked by a huge fortress of smooth black stone, with multiple towers rising from its high walls. Exiting the bailey of this fortress is a massive causeway of gold that dominates the city as it travels down the center of the vale. Enormous towers and spires of many-colored stone pack both sides of the central thoroughfare, rising to prodigious heights and giving the illusion that the road itself is a valley. The eastern slope of the valley has been partially subsumed by an ancient volcanic flow—nearly a quarter of the city appears to have been so buried. That section is now little more than a great mass of ice, with the jagged angles and peaks of ruined structures poking through its topmost layer here and there. Where the valley curves slightly to the west, the structures, if anything, grow even larger, becoming truly gigantic as they climb up and over the rocky spur. At the far end of the valley, the city abuts the lower slope of a truly massive peak. Yet the city builders appear to have taken no heed of this change in slope, for the great causeway merely elevates at a steep angle and continues to climb the incline in a nearly straight line, transforming into an immense stairway. Additional buildings cling precariously to the mountain face alongside the causeway, growing even larger and more impressive as they ascend. The gigantic buildings finally give way a few thousand feet above, but the mighty road continues to wend its treacherous way to just below the mountain’s peak. There, a spired citadel looms, its size and proportions truly magnificent. It, too, fails to summit the mountain—instead, its topmost spires end just below the dominant face of a stern man, carved into the peak of the mountain and surveying the city below. The otherworldly quality of this strange panorama is further reinforced by the sound of the cold winds slicing across the high peaks, making strange cries and shrieks in the thin mountain air.
"Whoa."
I must admit, the man had style. Maybe I should build something similar...
Ryli has the urge to echo Eugeni's sentiment. "Well, there's something you don't see in every lifetime."
The druid studies the city from afar, knowing instinctively that the far citadel would be their ultimate goal.
"Something tells me that just taking to the air and heading straight for the far citadel would be thwarted in some way. It's just too tempting."
She takes a few steps forward on her four hooves. It's probably the better course to go on foot." She whistles the command to keep Olympus hopping and gliding close to her.
"Flying straight to that summit would likely be suicide; remember that Occluding Field Queen Svevenka mentioned? According to her, up there, we would be 'forced to endure invisible forces that will slowly kill' us. Hmm... Elthariel, can you start searching for any signs of those Spared Skulks? Also according to Her Majesty, they are 'kind and helpful' and would be natural allies in our cause," remarks Jeevika as she shifts into that famous Kailani "marching orders" mindset Setsuna inherited from her. Jeevika casts some Extended Tears to Wine, drinks some, and passes it to her. "Here, have some wine. Please share it with the group when you're finished."
Zoli is quiet for a long minute when they at last see Xin-Shalast.
Finally, with a tear in her eye, she says, "It's...beautiful.
"Did you ever think you would see something like this? Something so ancient and magestic?" She shivers, unable to take her eyes off of it.
When Jeevika suggests that Elthariel look for the Skulks, Zoli adds, "Remember, Svevenka said they live in tunnels beneath the ruins. That makes me think we should head for the lava-crusted Eastern quarter first.
"Actually, before we go there: Eugeni, did you prepare Veil today? It might be good to become more inconspicuous."
"Unfortunately, no. I did not prepare that spell. Your plan however seems a sound one. Let us go, I do not wish to be a 'sitting duck'."
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"All right," Ryli says as she casts echolocation on herself. She takes a drink of the wine and begins to move forward at a steady rate, her hooves clopping softly on the paved road.
The group begins to make their way into Xin-Shalast, carefully scanning for signs of the rumored Skulks. Ryli can see signs here and there of some creatures having scavenged stone or obsidian from the lava flows, but no signs of any tunnels as of yet.
As you enter the southernmost reaches of the city, the ruined road branches, and a narrower route leading around to the west while the main thoroughfare passes through a looming stone wall flanked by glossy black towers. It seems to be some sort of ancient gateway to the city proper. A dark mass of gritty, rocky ice presses up against the fortress's northern face, the ancient lava flow apparently stopped (but only just) by the stone walls.
Just then, the crack of thunder sounds out over the road, and four of those winged humanoids from before fly up and out from the fortress. They stop about thirty feet in the air above you, their bows wielded in their feet. One calls out to you in the Common Tongue, "Stop! State your business! Why do you approach Krak Naratha?"
Ryli looks back at the road leading toward the fortress, not really giving them any choice but to approach it. She looks back to the fliers. "Is this a trick question?"
Not really in the mood to deal with the vultures, Jeevika blasts them all with a mighty spell.