Kyronai leans casually on his bow as he listens to Galen speak.
"Master? So you're not the one in charge?"
”Perhaps it is...?” He listed off the names of a few of the more well known, and morally dubious, generals that he was familiar with.
Varocles listens to the interchange.
Amphitryon wracks his brain and cannot think of any generals that would fit with what he has been told. "More like middle management. Most everyone has a boss, except for the gods. So when can you start?"
Teledoros looks on with trepidation. "Friends, if this is the route you choose to take, I cannot follow you on it."
Varocles whispers to Teledoros, ”fear not lad. Ain’t none of us going that way. He’s just milking him for information.”
”Fear not.” Amphitryon said quickly. ”It’s just a job, and we can go about it better than any dimwitted troll. We just need to get some more information. Such as what our objective will be, the pay, and the like.”
Turning back to the wizard, he said ”As for yourself, we have introduced ourselves and you have not. By what name shall we know you? And if you will excuse my impertinence, you sounds like a well educated man of no small ambition. How is it that you came to be the commander of mere trolls? Certainly, they are beneath you. Or have you been entrusted with a larger force in this operation?”
"While I'm sure you can, I don't think you will get the chance. You ask far too many questions which is something that can be cured. The dead ask few questions"
At Galen's words, Kyronai smoothly draws an arrow, nocks it to his bow, and fires. He expected how this would go, to be honest, so he knew what to do right away. While he has a few debuffing spells ready, direct damage to a spellcaster has the double benefit of making it harder to cast spells and bringing closer the caster's demise.
Unfortunately, he would have to aim better for his strategy to work. Kyronai sighs as he prepares himself for whatever retaliatory strike this Galen has planned.
"You should not have come here. I hold the power of titans." Galen's skin turns a sickening shade of green and his muscles tear through his robe revealing a well crafted piece of blood colored breastplate covering his torso. He grows in size as his fave twists itself into an all too familiar shape. The third and final troll stands before you!
”And I hold the power of shadows!” Amphitryon stepped forward, the shadows around him coalescing into a spear, which he thrust into the mage.
As it turned out, attacking a Wizard mid-transformation was *very* effective.
Amphitryon stabs the "mage" though he fails to hit any vital organs. Galen smiles and spits up a bit of blood at the warrior.
Galen - 20
Varocles will move forward and cast sun metal on Amphitryon’s spear.
While he has a few debuffing spells ready, direct damage to a spellcaster has the double benefit of making it harder to cast spells and bringing closer the caster's demise.
Oh. Well, that's different, Kyronai considers.
His next shot doesn't fire an arrow, but it does send a bolt of glitterdust at the now brutish Galen.
Teledoros starts up his song.
Varocles light's Amphitryon's shadowy weapon aflame.
Galen resists Kyronai's attempt to blind him. Teledoros starts inspiring the group. Polyoinos will also start inspiring, but this song is one of fiery passion and rage!
Galen tears into Amphitryon with tooth and claw!
Galen - 20, Amphitryon - 13
Bleeding copiously, as his armor did not cover all, he tried to stab back. But just defending himself was hard enough. Still, he was keeping the Polymorphed mage busy, and if he could keep that up then he was still doing his job.
Varocles will cast CMW on Apmhitryon...
Returning to his previous strategy, Kyronai sights an arrow and fires.
Teledoros continues to inspire and will fire off a couple arrows, stepping back to allow Kyronai to shoot without worrying about cover.
Amphitryon misses with his swing while Varocles heals him. Kyronai misses with his arrow as Teledoros lands a pair of his own. Polyoinos lets the rage take him as he steps forward to skewer the troll.
However he misses. Galen keeps up his onslaught against the shadow warrior.
Galen - 29, Amphitryon - 17
The claw came down, and he ducked. The second lashed out and he raised his shield, but this was no dumb troll. The mage grabbed hold of the shield, pulled it down, and raked its other hand across his chest. If not for his armor his intestines would have lined the ground. Ripping the shield away from his foe’s grasp, he planted his feet and readied himself for the onslaught, unable to muster a proper counter attack.
Kyronai wonders what terrible pact this Galen has made to warrant such a powerful -- if extreme -- transformation. Fortunately, he's able to wonder and fire an arrow at the same time.
Varocles will continue healing Amphitryon...
Amphitryon misses while on the defensive. Kyronai embeds an arrow into Galen as Varocles continues to heal the shadow warrior.
Amphitryon - 4, Galen 39
Teledoros continues to inspire and fires off another couple arrows.
Teledoros scores a hit with an arrow. Polyoinos hopes to have similar luck with his spear.
Galen continues to tear into Amphitryon.
Galen's toothy maw tears a chunk out of the shadow warrior who falls to the ground unconscious. "You should have taken the deal." He growls through heavy breathes as his injuries start to catch up to him.
Amphitryon - 35, Galen - 51
Amphitryon lay on the floor, unconscious. His skill at arms having come up short against the brute might of the mage.
Frantically trying to decide between a web bolt and a normal damaging arrow, Kyronai opts for more damage.
Amphitryon lays on the ground unconscious while Kyronai lets loose with a single arrow. The projectile whistles through the air and lodges itself into Galen's neck which prompts the troll to frantically attempt to pull it out but the strain just takes whatever strength he had left and he falls unconscious. His body disintegrates much like the warlord Euromenes when he was slain.
Pearl of Power 1
Pearl of Power 1
Headband of the Ascetic Shaman(See Discussion)
Ring of Protection +1
+1 Red Dragonhide Breastplate
Potion of Barkskin +3
Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds
Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds
Wand - Longstrider 25 charges
Scroll - Cure Light Wounds
Scroll - Cure Light Wounds
Druid's Kit.
1200 Gold
Varocles will step away, so as to not have the beast inside his channel radius, and he channels to heal Amphitryon.
30' radius
twice
30' radius
The group travels back to the village to report their success. The villagers look hopeful as you are all seemingly alive and well. "Is it done? Are we free?"
Amphitryon shrugged, painfully. He would bear the scars of the encounter for many a year. .
”We killed the trolls. That is trolls, plural. And the mage who led them. Whom, I was shocked to learn, could polymorph into a troll as well. Sadly we had to kill the mage, and thus couldn’t learn what interest he had in destroying your town. So how about you treat us to the finest wine you can scrounge up while we try to figure this mystery out. Sound like a good plan?”
"Wait! I thought it was a caster-troll?"
"You have our eternal thanks. We were able to procure a little wine from Athens but we could not afford much. However, you are welcome to what food and gold we can spare. You deserve it."
And so the party is celebrated as heroes for the rest of the day and on until morning. When you wake, Varocles finds that a note rests on his face though there is no sign as to who or what put it there.
"You and your companions are hereby requested to venture forth to the city of Corinth by the Hero-King Jason. You are to tell no one besides those who you call comrades. You are expected by the end of the day."
Varocles considers the note, [i]"comrade is a very strong term among the dwarves, and usually reserved for bloodkin and members of your tribe and clan, but we have shed blood together, so ok."[/b]
He takes the note and shows it to the others, but he also adds, "friends, this village here has been too generous to us. That five hundred gold they scraped together will impoverish them. They told us themselves that they couldn't afford much wine. I will be returning my share to the village, and I encourage you others to do the same."
”Nope.” Amphitryon said, sipping at his wine. ”We risked our lives. We killed our number in trolls. And see this scar? I nearly died. And these people correctly showed their appreciation for us saving their lives. I’ve earned my gold, and they’ve earned my respect for treating us fairly. That’s how it should be.”
"You are a credit to Poseison, Varocles. I will think on the gold.
"Regarding the note, what reason for secrecy would a 'Hero-King' need?"
Teledoros chuckles. "Perhaps problems with a mistress? Let's hope for a task of greater glory."
Teledoros will purchase a new quiver full of arrows from the village and will spread 90 gp more of his share back through the town before leaving.
Teledoros chuckles. "Perhaps problems with a mistress? Let's hope for a task of greater glory."
"I'll leave hopes of glory to three of you. I'll stay wary in case it's a trap."
Kyronai also replenishes his arrows, but he keeps half of his share of the reward money , returning the rest to the town.
Amphitryon keeps everything, unsure of why the others seemed to despise money so much. Was it a vow of poverty? Did they enjoy being poor? Or did they think ships and supplies were free? Whatever the reason it was beyond him.
The party ventured on after taking leave of the ever grateful village. You find the trip a bit long, though rather easy as most everyone knows where Corinth is. This capital city rivals Athens in terms of the hustle and bustle. People move through the streets with purpose. You easily make your way to the capital building after asking a few directions. The capital building is three stories high made of marble with some gold inlay. It seems the thriving economy has given way to some much needed renovations. The group is stopped by some guards before they can enter.
"State your business." However before you can reply, one of the guards gets tapped on the soldier. As he turns his head he takes a step back at who it is. "Your majesty. I did not know that these were your guests. Many apologies."
King Jason nods his head calmly. "It is alright." He responds before turning to face the group. "Thank you for responding. Follow me." He turns around and leads you to a small meeting room. "I suppose you have a lot of questions. The note was vague on purpose." King Jason is fairly tall with short dark hair and looks to be in the shape of his life and seems to be in his mid twenties.
While this Jason seems to be young, the story of the Argonauts is at least three decades old.
Teledoros bows and follow after Jason. "Your highness, I've heard the tales of you and your argonauts since I was a babe, yet we seem to nearly be of an age together! You certainly don't show the weather of the years."