Post by David on Jul 13, 2011 13:23:11 GMT -5
The heroes (Daj, Cliffy, River, Helga, Maedhros, Kennibrae, Jyolli, Andonia, and Minosti) camp out in the snow after one of the clerics creates campsite. Kennibrae goes out to fetch firewood and returns with an entire tree, much to the consternation of the half-dryad and rangers. The drow princess comments that her potion should fade soon; she just doesn't know her own strength.
The group beds down but around 3am are attacked on watch by a seven hill giants. Kennibrae see the group, but is two weak to fight, so she casts a prayer and eats her goodberries. Cliffy tries to unleash a fireball amid the trees but the giants are already on the group so the spell is wasted. Daj manages to blast out a lightning bolt which drops three of the giants and gives the half-dryad a chance to cast another lightning bolt which seriously wounds most of the attackers. Jyolli uses a mental domination on the strongest giant and turns it against it's fellows for devastating effect. The giants, however, begin pummelling the heroes into the snow, starting with Maedhros and continuing with Helga's unconscious body!
Kennibrae siccs Aslan on a giant to try and buy time while Daj and Cliffy unleash volleys of magic missiles. One giant, barely alive, flees into the woods rather than face the heroes. Unfortunately, the spells catch the attention of two other giants who join the battle. Andonia uses her new magical axe on one, killing it. The mages have already used many spells, but Kennibrae is now healed enough to go into battle, only to discover that she still possess the strength of a storm giant, making VERY short work of her foe. River guns down the last giant and races after the one fleeing foe, with Dajamira hot on his heals and Jyolli (still in pixie form) following the pair.
River runs the giant down a mile later, but misses with his arrow. The giant again runs for several more miles before the half-elven archer-ranger final catches up and slays the monster with a single shot. He and Daj and Jyolli return to the camp, tracking the rest of the party through the snow to their new campsite.
In the morning, Hannok returns to the party with two familiar allies, Dobby, an elven archer and New Hero, ally to River and incarnation of Arlinoth Daystar the Theocrat as well as Jamal, the metallic-green Zakharan warrior. Using goodberries and a few of his spells, the eldest elf on Oerth restores the heroes to near-full health. Jyolli, Maedhros, Helga (now recovered from her insanity), and Kennibrae do the rest. Helga begs Maedhros for a cantrip to regain her beard and hair, with a thick 4" growth growing across the female dwarf's body as a result.
Questioning their orcish prisoner, the heroes learn that there are only a few giants left in the lair. There are also a couple of demons and a entrance to the Underdark. Speaking with Hannok, the Druid agrees to rock to mud the entire complex once the heroes have completed their work, sealing the chunk of Ghaunadaur once again safely within the earth. River, sensing the danger he poses as a known foe of the Elder Elemental God, chooses to return to Fangoria with Hannok.
The party re-enters the caverns without incident. They reach the huge double doors and with a single blow, tiny Kennibrae doesn't just break down the portal but shatters the wood into kindling. Clearly, her potion of storm giant strength is having a lingering effect...!
On the other side is a lone giant child which the party slays almost instantly. No alarm (other than the shattered door!) has been sounded and the heroes begin to search the lair, heading West to the portion they missed the previous time. Using the crude map the orc drew, they come to the male's room to find two females and three young giants within. Andonia, Helga, Kennibrae, Aslan, Minosti, and Dobby charge in, slaughtering the monsters. The noise, however, brings another five giantesses and five giant children from another passage. Daj and Maedhros uses spells to slow them down but soon the half-dryad and Jamal find themselves forming a front-line to contain these new foes. That's when five MORE females charge from behind the party, lead by a now-fully-healed babau, from the direction of the altar...!
Maedhros uses his lightning bolt to weaken the giantesses but they charge on. Dobby lobs a couple of arrows, taking one out but the cleric of Corellon soon finds himself facing four giantesses. Jyolli, still in pixie form tries to confuse a giantess, but she merely strikes at the cleric of Erevan Ilserie, nearly killing her and weakening her too badly for Jyolli to continue flying.
In a flurry of blows, Maedhros is nearly dead. Unfortunately, none of the heroes in the first room realize the danger their companions are in except Dobby, who continues to rain deadly arrows into the giants. Daj kills first one and then another giant, taking some of the heat off of the half-elven cleric/mage. Jamal slashes his foes too before falling beneath an onslaught of giant-sized clubs, knitting needles, and scissors...
With the last of his strength, Maedhros unleashes a volley of magic missiles at two of his three remaining foes, killing them with the support of Dobby's missiles. The final giantess, however, kills the half-elf with an over-sized frying pan. Dobby avenges the cleric of Corellon as Dajamira tries to hold off all the remaining giants from the south alone, Jamal unconscious at her feet.
It's at this point that the other heroes charge in to the rescue. Andonia's and Helga's axes slashes demon flesh while Kennibrae puts her fantastic strength to deadly effect. That's when a second babu arrives, laughing off all of Cliffy's attack spells. The amazon's and dwarf's axes, however, prove quite useful at hacking the black-hook demon. Dobby switches to iron-headed arrows, helping Andonia out. Cliffy tries to backstab but the babau sees him and avoids the strike. A psionic blast drops Cliffy, Andonia, Aslan, Kennibrae, and Helga.
Annoyed the demon dispels the party's magic, only removing the effects of its own weakness. The heroes kill one babau and the second is badly wounded, fleeing back toward the altar. Cliffy gives chase and sees that the second babau has gated in another. Jyolli and Kennibrae heal the drow princess so she can rejoin the fight while Helga, Daj, and Andonia advance. One blow kills the earlier foe and alone, the new babau is quickly overwhelmed.
The heroes narrowly survive...except Maedhros who died heroically trying to save the rest.
The group beds down but around 3am are attacked on watch by a seven hill giants. Kennibrae see the group, but is two weak to fight, so she casts a prayer and eats her goodberries. Cliffy tries to unleash a fireball amid the trees but the giants are already on the group so the spell is wasted. Daj manages to blast out a lightning bolt which drops three of the giants and gives the half-dryad a chance to cast another lightning bolt which seriously wounds most of the attackers. Jyolli uses a mental domination on the strongest giant and turns it against it's fellows for devastating effect. The giants, however, begin pummelling the heroes into the snow, starting with Maedhros and continuing with Helga's unconscious body!
Kennibrae siccs Aslan on a giant to try and buy time while Daj and Cliffy unleash volleys of magic missiles. One giant, barely alive, flees into the woods rather than face the heroes. Unfortunately, the spells catch the attention of two other giants who join the battle. Andonia uses her new magical axe on one, killing it. The mages have already used many spells, but Kennibrae is now healed enough to go into battle, only to discover that she still possess the strength of a storm giant, making VERY short work of her foe. River guns down the last giant and races after the one fleeing foe, with Dajamira hot on his heals and Jyolli (still in pixie form) following the pair.
River runs the giant down a mile later, but misses with his arrow. The giant again runs for several more miles before the half-elven archer-ranger final catches up and slays the monster with a single shot. He and Daj and Jyolli return to the camp, tracking the rest of the party through the snow to their new campsite.
In the morning, Hannok returns to the party with two familiar allies, Dobby, an elven archer and New Hero, ally to River and incarnation of Arlinoth Daystar the Theocrat as well as Jamal, the metallic-green Zakharan warrior. Using goodberries and a few of his spells, the eldest elf on Oerth restores the heroes to near-full health. Jyolli, Maedhros, Helga (now recovered from her insanity), and Kennibrae do the rest. Helga begs Maedhros for a cantrip to regain her beard and hair, with a thick 4" growth growing across the female dwarf's body as a result.
Questioning their orcish prisoner, the heroes learn that there are only a few giants left in the lair. There are also a couple of demons and a entrance to the Underdark. Speaking with Hannok, the Druid agrees to rock to mud the entire complex once the heroes have completed their work, sealing the chunk of Ghaunadaur once again safely within the earth. River, sensing the danger he poses as a known foe of the Elder Elemental God, chooses to return to Fangoria with Hannok.
The party re-enters the caverns without incident. They reach the huge double doors and with a single blow, tiny Kennibrae doesn't just break down the portal but shatters the wood into kindling. Clearly, her potion of storm giant strength is having a lingering effect...!
On the other side is a lone giant child which the party slays almost instantly. No alarm (other than the shattered door!) has been sounded and the heroes begin to search the lair, heading West to the portion they missed the previous time. Using the crude map the orc drew, they come to the male's room to find two females and three young giants within. Andonia, Helga, Kennibrae, Aslan, Minosti, and Dobby charge in, slaughtering the monsters. The noise, however, brings another five giantesses and five giant children from another passage. Daj and Maedhros uses spells to slow them down but soon the half-dryad and Jamal find themselves forming a front-line to contain these new foes. That's when five MORE females charge from behind the party, lead by a now-fully-healed babau, from the direction of the altar...!
Maedhros uses his lightning bolt to weaken the giantesses but they charge on. Dobby lobs a couple of arrows, taking one out but the cleric of Corellon soon finds himself facing four giantesses. Jyolli, still in pixie form tries to confuse a giantess, but she merely strikes at the cleric of Erevan Ilserie, nearly killing her and weakening her too badly for Jyolli to continue flying.
In a flurry of blows, Maedhros is nearly dead. Unfortunately, none of the heroes in the first room realize the danger their companions are in except Dobby, who continues to rain deadly arrows into the giants. Daj kills first one and then another giant, taking some of the heat off of the half-elven cleric/mage. Jamal slashes his foes too before falling beneath an onslaught of giant-sized clubs, knitting needles, and scissors...
With the last of his strength, Maedhros unleashes a volley of magic missiles at two of his three remaining foes, killing them with the support of Dobby's missiles. The final giantess, however, kills the half-elf with an over-sized frying pan. Dobby avenges the cleric of Corellon as Dajamira tries to hold off all the remaining giants from the south alone, Jamal unconscious at her feet.
It's at this point that the other heroes charge in to the rescue. Andonia's and Helga's axes slashes demon flesh while Kennibrae puts her fantastic strength to deadly effect. That's when a second babu arrives, laughing off all of Cliffy's attack spells. The amazon's and dwarf's axes, however, prove quite useful at hacking the black-hook demon. Dobby switches to iron-headed arrows, helping Andonia out. Cliffy tries to backstab but the babau sees him and avoids the strike. A psionic blast drops Cliffy, Andonia, Aslan, Kennibrae, and Helga.
Annoyed the demon dispels the party's magic, only removing the effects of its own weakness. The heroes kill one babau and the second is badly wounded, fleeing back toward the altar. Cliffy gives chase and sees that the second babau has gated in another. Jyolli and Kennibrae heal the drow princess so she can rejoin the fight while Helga, Daj, and Andonia advance. One blow kills the earlier foe and alone, the new babau is quickly overwhelmed.
The heroes narrowly survive...except Maedhros who died heroically trying to save the rest.
