Cleo gives Ameiko a sympathetic smile, "Of course, the more the merrier."
Ameiko says with a smile. "Thanks, Cleo. I can play songs around the campfire. We can roast marshmellows too."
The little halfling's eyes go wide with the notion, though she does not betray whether the marshmellows or Ameiko's singing makes her more happy.
Music for rest time sounds great. Keep our spirits up.
"Well, if you all will see to the wagon and such, I'll buy the provisions." Cleo will get enough trail rations, but also spices, non perishables, and other bits and bobs to make their meals enjoyable.
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Brelin shrugs and stays silent
Sure, let's go on a dangerous trip singing and dancing along, at least all the monsters will be drawn to us and we won't have to look for them
We can perhaps start a book. Fantastic Beasts and How to Cook Them
There is a man in Sandpoint called Bilivar Wheen, a lanky Varisian in his mid thirties. He runs a business called Wheen's Wagons, where he sells carts and wagons.
Come morning, the group packs up and gets ready to leave. Ameiko approaches the group, slightly hesitant of the trip. Cleo remembers Ameiko telling her that she lost her adventuring party years ago, and hasn't set foot outside of Sandpoint since. She's wearing a set of red leather armour, and is equipped with rapier and samisen.
The morning starts off with the weather report: Despite the current cloudy sky, Cleo detects heavy rainfall in the near future. No thunderstorms, thankfully. However, it turns out that the animal pulling the wagon is having terrible, terrible gas.
In the afternoon, the cloudy sky gives way to rainclouds, which drench the party's wagon as they travel. The rain itself isn't very cold, but it makes it difficult to see far into the distance. Despite this setback, Furnok and Brelin are still able to navigate the cobblestone road, and the rest of the party is able to keep dry under the wagon hood. Keeping bowstrings dry is very important, otherwise they become unwieldy.
As evening comes along, the group discovers that a nearby marsh has flooded the road. In some places, the water is two feet deep, and is far too murky to see through. The group must make a decision: Travel through the muck for another couple hours, or set up camp early up on a nearby hill.
I hate getting bogged down in mud. How bout's we set up camp early and give Cleo the extra time to whip up one of her culinary miracles? Wabbit says, belly rumbling at the thought
"I like that. Save hardships, like sludging through mud, for when we have no choice." Cleo agrees with her cousin.
Her honey covered biscuits coupled with broth boiled with trail rations, spices, and some nutritious but bland meat like something is good enough to forget some of the wet muck the group is being subjected to. Especially with coffee spiked with a nip of applejack. And a hunk of cheese of course.
Aggah has a lovely gross smelling pickle, then wanders off a bit to find something... else.
Furnok helps set up camp so everyone stays as dry as possible in the bad weather and enjoys a hot mug of coffee while Bacon gnaws on some cheese and whatever worms wiggle up from the ground before nosing through the scraps.
The group decides to pack it in early and weather the storm up on a nearby hill. Furnok sacrifices himself to the rain to do the majority of the labour for the people who are still dry. This includes setting up a half-tent for Cleo to do her cooking.
Though the food Cleo created would have been sufficient for everyone, cooking and flavouring it makes a world of difference. In this unpleasant weather where everyone eventually gets soaked one way or another, a bowl of soup and applejack coffee goes a long way.
The rain splattering the tents may be loud, but actually quite peaceful in its own way. Looking outside, most of the environment is hard to see due to the heavy rain, but they can make out a few things. To the west is the flooded cobblestone road and sparse swamp trees. To the north, the road they travelled on, and the faint silhouette of Ashen Rise. To the east, the hills rise higher and higher, covered in wild grasses. Somewhere over there should be the last of the Farmlands that Furnok cleared out earlier in the week. To the south, conifer and deciduous trees mix together to form the Whisper Wood. The light strumming of Ameiko's shamisen soothes the group into sleep.
Ameiko takes the first watch.
Wabbit awakes to Ameiko's gentle shakes. She whispers to him that everything's been quiet. The rain has not let up much at all. She offers him a peck on the forehead, then wishes him goodnight before going back out into the rain for her own tent.
Likely a few hours before the break of dawn, Wabbit begins hearing a strange sound. It sounded like something hitting the ground, like a tree but without the cracking of wood or the rustling of leaves. Then he hears it again, and again. He looks at his mug, and he sees ripples every time... and they're getting bigger.
Furnok is quite used to being rained on and rolling around the dirt so he isn't too put off of getting damp, but hurries back to get some coffee all the same before rolling up in his bedroll while Bacon makes people realize how pigs smell when wet.
Wabbit scrambles to awaken the group without making too much noise shaking them awake
something big this way comes
Wabbit shakes everyone awake, and they can immediately hear the incoming... footsteps. The rain hasn't lessened much since the group first went to sleep.
"what is it" Cleo will whisper after touching arm and casting barkskin on him.
Aggah scampers up and peers out in the dark
Aggah can't see the creature through the rain, but she can feel the vibrations of its footsteps through the ground. It's coming from the South-East, towards the hill the group is camped on.
Furnok won't risk his bow but will snag his hammer while Bacon sniffs the air to see if he recognizes what nasty might be approaching
Brelin wakes up ready for action.
Not one to take any risks, she prepares Wabbit for battle
Cleo and Brelin both rise and cast spells on Wabbit. Aggah takes a look, but doesn't see anything. While Furnok grabs his hammer, Bacon takes a good sniff into the air. It seems he's caught the scent of whatever it is, and faces the South-East while making little barking sounds. The horse and pony whinny from where they're tied nearby. From inside Ameiko's tent sounds the strumming of her shamisen, sending a wave of inspiration for everyone.
Though most of the party can't see what's going on, Aggah can now make out the figure approaching. A towering humanoid saunters towards her, nearly as tall as the cliff she's standing on. Its torso is covered in fur, and it's carrying a very long spear in its hands.
Bacon has the scent! Furnok points towards where he is pointing. He Stands before the squishy ones with his hammer at the ready
Wabbit stands in front with Furnok and Bacon and releases Tinkerbell(ioun torch) to fly above his head.
Maybe it just wants to share our campfire and tell stories Wabbit says dubiously
Wabbit's light reveals their adversary. Cloaked in the dim light stands a hunched giant carrying a spear. It is wrapped in piles of hides, and carries a bag slung over its shoulder. From its direction comes a deep, gruff bark like a dog... but the size of a bear.
"" she yells through the rain.
The giant doesn't seem to pay any attention to Cleo, and instead just walks right through the flooded road, then climbs up the cliff. It stands up and moves right over Bacon. From behind, a giant dog goes around the hill, barking loudly.
Furnok really isn't sure. It knows that the group exists, but it doesn't seem bothered by your presence.
Wabbit ignores his chance to take an AOO and instead engages evil-dar
speaking just loudly enough for the group to hear If it doesn't want a fight let's not provoke it
however, if it pings the evil-dar Wabbit will feel differently. He won't be content with letting an evil giant get away to wreck havoc on unsuspecting towns
Wabbit detects a faint aura of evil around the giant.
Wabbit shakes his head sadly, not truly wanting to strike the first blow vs a creature that hasn't yet shown malicious intent it's evil. We have to stop it
He'll begin attacking when it's his turn
Bacon doesn't want to become pressed pork and so darts out of the way.
Furnok is given pause as the giant seemingly ignore them. Well it seems we can avoid a fight this time.
Cleo will cast prayer on all of them.
Brelin moves out of the way of the creature
Maybe we should follow it? See if he's up to no good?
She looks in awe at the huge beast
It shouldn't be too hard I think
She uses the time to buff Wabbit some more, she barely believes anyone could actually fight this thing physically
The spellcasters buff up their teammates in case a fight starts. Wabbit is convinced that this creature needs to die, but Furnok hesitates. No one has any idea what it's trying to do, and it isn't bothering with speaking with them... if it can speak the Common tongue at all.
All of this changes when the giant drops his spear and lifts the draft horse into the air. The reins tying it to the nearby rock snap, and the horse goes from being nervous, to outright panicking. The giant says something in a strange tongue, unknown to anyone in the group. The big dog raises its hackles and growls at Bacon, who shakes with fear. Aggah's goblin instincts kick in, seeing a dog nearly the size of a horse, and shakes with fear just like Bacon.
Prayer: +1 Luck to Attack, Weapon Damage, Skills, Saving Throws
Affecting: All Allies
Inspire Courage: +1 Morale to Saves vs Charm and Fear, +1 Competence to Attack and Weapon Damage
Affecting: All Allies
Barkskin: +3 Natural Armour
Affecting: Wabbit
Mage Armour: +4 Armour
Affecting: Wabbit
leave our horsie ALONE!
Wabbit steps forward and tries to save the horse from the hungry giant
Buffs +2att and dam
Flurry +6bab +4dex +1size , -2 piranha striking, +1 waveblade -2FD
Wabbit ac30
DON'T YOU GO SCARING MY PIG!
Furnok drinks his potion of enlarge and becomes HUGE!
Bacon squeals and withdraws around Furnok, seeking at attack from the rear,
Wabbit's first strike slices into the thick hide of the giant, but it lifts its leg to avoid the other two attacks. Bacon gets the heck outta dodge, while Furnok grows to nearly the same size as his adversary.
"No, not Butter!" what Cleo had named the nice sweet blonde colored horse. Frantically Cleo thinks, then looks BIG dog and whispers in his mind to stop his master.
Brelin keeps her distance and uses her powers to weaken the creatures resolve
You've picked the wrong foes, beast
The giant succumbs to Brelin's evil eye for a brief moment before it will force itself to look away. Cleo starts casting an enchantment spell on the dog, which she's pretty confident is going to work. Meanwhile, as the giant begins to turn its head, Ameiko lucks out by sneaking out of her tent. Seizing the opportunity, she tries to stick the giant in the knee with her blue rapier. Unfortunately, even with all the magical help at her disposal and the giant's lack of awareness, she can't get the rapier to dig past the ridiculous amount of rhino-thick skin.
The giant holds on tight to the frantic horse and starts shuffling around the cliff, though he remains precariously on the edge. Ameiko completely misses her opportunity to strike, while the enlarged Furnok misjudges the distance that his large lucerne hammer can reach. Wabbit nearly gets through the giant's tough skin, but not quite. The dog dives in to retrieve the dropped spear, unaware that Furnok can make another swing. However, Furnok tries to play golf with the hammer, and gets nothing but turf and dirt. The dog retreats, but Furnok has run out of gas.
Then, the dog freezes in place. It turns around to look at Cleo, who's hiding just outside the sphere of light.
NOT SO FAST YOU BIG BULLY Wabbit runs right past the dog and slams his blade into the giants foot
+2
Flurry +6bab +4dex +1size , -2 piranha striking, +1 waveblade -2FD
Brelin grits her teeth and focuses her will on the giant
Sleeep
Furnok tries to cut the giant off at the pass by sliding down
Wabbit easily slides under the dog's legs, and then dodging to the side of the giant's foot. His blade draws blood as he draws it down the ankle of the giant, who wails in pain. Cleo commands the dog to attack its owner, but the dog can't get its teeth through the thick hide. However, Brelin focuses in on the giant, and whispers for him to go to sleep. He stops in his tracks, staring at Brelin. Again she whispers, and the giant droops his head. She whispers one more time, and he drops the horse. He sways back and forth, trying to shake himself awake, but a long deep snore echoes from his mouth, before his legs give out and he collapses to the ground.
The dust from the falling beast washes over her but Brelin remains still, just a slight grin on her face