"Ah, yes, that's what I was referring to. But there are worse things than death. Good then."
Dizzy had always been....distant to Trevil; truth be told, there was something in her that didn't like beings of infernal blood, but she did not think that way consciously, so she tended to be quiet around her.
Given recent events, she's not sure what's going on, but she's not all that thrilled that team Mammoth is going to be staying here. She gives both Fulk and Icetusk a hug as they head off to contribute to the fight in their own way, entreating them to stay safe.
** spoiler omitted **
As an 8th level druid, Silvermane does not have access to Stone Tell. I'm not aware of any other spell that would achieve your goal.
No one in town has access to psychic surgery.
Mediation tea is however available.
Btw, is your characters name a reference to "Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies?"
"Ingrahild, I'm a sneak and a thug, not a wizard... If we're being braintwisted by this unidentified monstrosity then we're going to have to come up with something. I know jack about magic though, so that’s your part to put into this plan. . In the meanwhile, let's try logic.
”Whatever it is has it's own ends, not those of the giants, otherwise, everybody except you and Ulmo would be dead in the old cistern... after all, the initial giant raid last night was trying to kill the party. I don’t like wandering off not being able to trust my fellows, but we’re in desparate straits here. If we don’t get into Ashpeak soon, Volstus is going to have all our guts for garters. So I’ll throw Cayden’s dice on a venture with our merry band. But we can’t leave Halgra without warning her about Fulk; there might be dark reasons why he doesn’t want in on this trip.”
”Scour all that lore of yours, Ingrahild, can ye think of any magic methods that could be used to confirm your memories of the encounter, vice what the rest remember? If they have all had their brains scrambled, there should be some magic to detect that? Not to mention I can do an Aura Reading when we settle down tonight
Can ye think of any method of breaking these enchantments on our folk.
I remember that tea we used to break the enchantment on Argos, after that trap in the tomb? I could get some of that, and sneak it into everyone’s breakfasts when we’re in the field…
At some point, everyone notices that Trevil and Ingrahild have been quietly conversing away from you for a considerable amount of time. It's clear she feels isolated, but Ingrahild always felt least comfortable around the tiefling...
It doesn't help that soon after escaping, Ulmo felt compelled to return to the Old Cistern and disappeared as the others did.
Otherwise, you only need to finalize your plans and prepare to meet Naximarra this evening.
Ingrahild is wary at first, but eventually gives in to Trevil's dogged questioning. She tells you of the spells she could identify, specifically:
"You, you are thinking like a wizard, Trev... Trevil. You're r-right though, we should tell Halgra. But will she believe us over the others?"
She pauses for a few minutes to think, writing down a list of possible solutions.
"I, I think I know of some things that might work, but none that I possess. Agrit's House of Wonders might have what you're looking for, at least the tea. But within my abilities, I can't find any proof of any, a, anything wrong!"
It's clear that the dwarven woman has taken this badly, especially when her own brother can't seem to remember what she does.
* * * * *
PS: As you've mentioned your backstory and build, I might as well point out:
1) You get another trait, the campaign trait is a bonus on top of the two.
2) The Frontovik’s Gas Mask is not available on Golarion. Has Trevil been to Siberia, Earth?
Backstory is a bit light, but understandable. We can work on that if you'd like. Also is "Rocksfall" a nickname?
Vashta relies on Dizzy to know the area; caves were good for an escape sometimes, but she always preferred to be in town, if she had the choice.
"So the big question will be if we can talk Naximarra into it," she says. "We should also make sure we're prepared in case the meeting itself goes badly."
She'll spend some time beforehand picking up three potions of cure light wounds, if possible.
When they returned, no one seemed to be under any sort of enchantment (by sense motive or detect magic). They just remember a different version of the events than she does.
In regards to the Frontovik's Gas Mask, I just wish you'd asked. It's specific to an AP and a setting. It's like you'd shown up with a Mosin-Nagant without asking. If you really want it, we'll need to weave a reason for it into your backstory.
Speaking of backstory, I think there's a couple of places to expand:
-Trevil's fiendish heritage and how it affected him growing up.
-Trevil's elemental connection.
-Trevil's relationship to Silvermane
-Why Trevil hates the Storm Tyrant. What motivates him to take on a possibly suicidal task of facing Volstus?
-Where did "Rocksfall" come from? I kind of like the idea that at some point he made rocks fall and everyone died :P
-The gas mask, obviously.
"Okay, so here is what I know about the best caves for this around here..." Dizzy then shares the information above, interspersed with her own opinions and thoughts.
"Well, I think either Wyvern's Maw or Aldren's Folly. I don't like the idea of whatever's haunting the Spider being an extra random element in the brawl... How tall is that central chamber in the Maw? If it's too tall, we have our range problem back."
Vashta nods in agreement with Trevil, though raises one point.
"We'll need to make sure Naximarra is willing, so we may need to present each option to her, though we can certainly give her our recommendation, dears," she says.
"I agree with Trevil, and I like that the Maw is a bit closer. I'd prefer not to head too far off from Trunau at this moment."
"My mom would be thrilled to hear the Argea."
"Well, choosing between the Maw and Aldren's Folly, the Maw is a simpler cave system, and it's entrances and chamber are bigger - which makes it more comfortable for Naximarra, and more likely for them to follow her in there. I can certainly dig us a hide or two, and we ambush the bastards when they come in. If we get really clever , I might rig the ceiling to fall, so as to trap them inside. Then we thump their heads, and take the giants alive - the trained beasts. the Rocs and the Griffins, can die. Then we do whatever we have to do to get the giants to tell us how to get to Ashpeak... "
Drumming his fingers on the table, he adds "This does tell us something about the fight we want to have - the real trick is taking at least one giant alive. We, and that means you Ulmo, need to control ourselves and not bathe in giant blood... What can we do to take them alive. I can entangle them in skeins of the ice, earth or metal. What else have we got to take prisoners?"
Argea crosses her arms and sticks her tongue out at Dizzy.
"I don't have much in the way of capturing, but if we put them down and want them alive, I can bring them back."
"I can play with their minds a bit, darling," Vashta says lightly, "though not so much that I can control them. I can certainly try to make them think helping us is the way to go.
"We'll also need to make sure Naxi understands our goal here. Hopefully she'll trade some patience for our help."
”The best traps are one where the prey willingly walks in. Our targets are more likely to go into the maw, and are less likely to see it as a trap.” Ulmo reasoned.
"Right then, we are agreed, the Wyvern's Maw it is. And by the by, all of yer have noticed my new cheek tattoo, I'm sure, but it's special. If anyone, including you lot, openly display 3 holy symbols - Cayden, Torag, and Gozreh - it will guard you against attacks with an illusionary duplicate. Watch what happens when I pull my necklace out from under my shirt..."
Trevil demonstrates, pulling a cord with 3 wooden holy symbols strung on it from under his shirt - a mirror image of him manifests immediately.
"If the image gets smacked, it just re-appears a few seconds later. Get yourselves some holy symbols and ye'll be shielded by my little trick here too... But enough about my new toys. Who's going to try and talk the dragon into our little plan? Also, if Vashta can't bend their minds, is there some magic available in town that Dizzy could use maybe?
"I won't use mind magic. It's evil." Dizzy said, a bit hurt given recent events.
"I won't use mind magic. It's evil." Dizzy said, a bit hurt given recent events.
"The alternative to some sort of mind-whammy is hot irons, knives and salt... and that's none to reliable with tough guys, and giants are tough if nothing else. Not to mention none of us are cut out to be professional torturers."
"...Get yourselves some holy symbols and ye'll be shielded by my little trick here too... But enough about my new toys. Who's going to try and talk the dragon into our little plan? Also, if Vashta can't bend their minds, is there some magic available in town that Dizzy could use maybe?
1-75 yes
"Lovely dear," Vashta says. "I have my own such images, but perhaps when we get some holy symbols, I could use a different trick."
Vashta collects the scroll of protection from arrows, but glances over at Dizzy before handing over the gold.
"You can cast this, right?"
Before heading to the meeting, Argea will cast use her Deific Obedience SLA to cast Greater Magic Weapon on Stellar Reckoning, she'll cast Magic Vestment on her armor, Eaglesoul on herself, and she'll cast Communal Resist Fire on the party.
Dizzy will cast Overland Flight and Mage Armor in the morning before the fight, then cast Heroism on herself once they arrived at the Maw.
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"The alternative to some sort of mind-whammy is hot irons, knives and salt... and that's none to reliable with tough guys, and giants are tough if nothing else. Not to mention none of us are cut out to be professional torturers."
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"The alternative to some sort of mind-whammy is hot irons, knives and salt... and that's none to reliable with tough guys, and giants are tough if nothing else. Not to mention none of us are cut out to be professional torturers."
Very much so.
Interrogation (in the classic sense) is not inherently evil (and in real life, generally more effective). Bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate are also viable.
"If we don't have the magic, we can try words. Are we sure that these particular giants are truly our enemies? If they are primarily hunters of evil dragons, and if they're truly working for coin rather than ideology, we may even negotiate. They may yet have capacity to do good in this world."
”Oh aye. Let’s trust the fookers who hunt down any heroes who can stand up to the genocidal armies. Mayhaps I can take them for some tea back in me home? Once we brush away the corpses of me parents, I’m sure that would be room for them. Mayhaps if we toss the remains of me cousins out the window they can stay the night. Oh, and once we finish dancing on the broken bodies of everyone I knew growing up, we can sing a BLOODY campfire song about how’re they’re not so bad afterall and all that murdering was just a wee misunderstanding.” Ulmo said with intense bitterness. It was fairly clear that he was not of the mind to see any who followed their foe to walk away.
Argea meets Ulmo's gaze levelly. "My friend, we have no reason to suspect that these dragon hunters were involved in any of that. Keep in mind who is asking us for aid against them. It's the Storm Tyrant's armies we have quarrel with. If these cloud giants are aligned with him, then they are our enemies as well. I'm merely suggesting we not multiply our enemies simply because they stand about the same height."
Trunau: Night Two
You make your preparations in what remains of the day, before heading out to the Barter Stones. You wait for about an hour and a half, as the sun slowly dips beyond the horizon, painting the landscape in fiery reds and oranges. Eventually, the last light of day disappears, and night falls to the accompaniment of chirping insects. With the darkness comes chilling winds, and the distant howls of night predators.
About another hour later, a familiar red and gold eagle comes swooping down towards you. You spot the polymorphed Naximarra in time get any short term spells off also, meeting her fully prepared in case her savage nature gets the better of her.
Before she lands, Naximarra warps and reforms into a huge red dragon. All of you an experienced warriors and have fought several of her kind, yet the sheer ferocity of the dragon keeps you on edge. Still, Naximarra keeps her fury in check. She sniffs the air, peers at you with luminous golden eyes, and then speaks:
"What is your plan?"
She waits almost anxiously for your answer. Trevil can see that she makes note of his presence and Fulk's absence, but does not speak of it.
Nothing to see here
"We will ambush the giant hunters, dear," Vashta replies. "We will capture them alive -- though if they don't surrender, we make no guarantee for their beasts of burden -- so we can question them."
She speaks firmly, not wanting to allow for any room for debate on that point.
"We believe the area nearby known as Wyvern's Maw is the best spot. They will come for you, but that gives you room to maneuver there, while still limiting their flight so we can be more effective against them."
Trevil waits alertly, for one of his more silver-tongued friend to take the lead... He holds his elemental powers ready to counter any unapproved fire magic the dragon might attempt...
Also, for future revision of revision, is the old cistern part of trunau canon, or your invention? It occurs to me that the reason trunau exists is the hopespring as a water source, so why is there this underground well?