Suggestions...[Lorath only]

[Magnus]

"Thank you for your counsel," Lorath says. "I will be reasonably quick - I hope."

He returns swiftly to the room with the Frost Giant Chief, making use of ethereal travel and levitate to approach the elder giant around ear level. When nearby:

{giantish}"HAIL YOU SONS OF YMIR! HEAR ME! Rue what you have loosed."

Lorath's words draft from the aethereal realm to the physical, taking on a ghostly resonance as they do. Hearing them, the frost giants look up with a start, the elder giant squinting in a manner that belies his suspicion.

The hill giants do not move...perhaps they do not hear?

[Eulalios]

Lorath closely watches the frost giants as he continues to speak. It is hard to see "tells" through the astral veil, but he would like to identify the elder giant's trusted second - if he has one.

(giantish)"The messenger hunts you, bringing a gift you loathe. You sit trapped in a box, far from the frost peaks. You have lost your road home. Rue."

[Magnus]

Have you cast the spell yet?

[Eulalios]

Nope.

ETA: Again, looking for reactions to see who might be swayed by words alone, and who needs some help. E.g. if the frost giant chief starts going along, but his second is doubtful, then the second needs a hit of suggestion to get him on track.

ETA2: as soooon as the f.g.c. starts talking, what Lorath does will depend on what FGC says and whether Lorath can continue listening, while casting.

Also, as a learned man, does Lorath know anything helpful re: frost giant or hill giant culture? Do they share a common tongue, or different dialects?

[Magnus]

The frost giants seem confused and annoyed by the sentiments coming from the disembodied voice. The shaman continues to be suspicious...

FG is a different dialect, but they understand what Lorath is saying.

Frost Giants are very rare, and what Lorath has read is generally consistent with standard D&D lore...they are horrific brutes bent on murder and ruinous plunder, barbarians whose thunderous war cries deafen the ears as they chill the bone. In their pursuit to claim the land and establish themselves as the strongest inhabitants of the icy northlands, frost giants would first extinguish the plague of humanity that has swept over the world.

He also knows that they are of average intelligence -- certainly a couple notches up from the hill giants -- and they have Jarls and shamans.

[Eulalios]

Let's move it along then. Suggestion first on the biggest subordinate frost giant.

(giantish)"Would you starve in a box like captive humans? A fate unfit for ravagers. Better to find your weapons in hand, and slay a road through the little hungry ones. They would bring the written road to the messenger."

[Magnus]

The chaotic frost giants do not have a complex hierarchy, so hence there is no chain of command, particularly in a band of three.

Nonetheless, Lorath makes his suggestion to one of the subordinate frost giants. The giant hears his words through the aethereal veil, grows angrily, and draws his sword. It is unclear whether he is reacting to the suggestion or the challenge. The elder giant looks around even more suspiciously, and draws a large club.

The "wave" of hostility palpably begins to spread to the others in the room. Lorath has the chance to make another move before the Hill giants and manticore shave the chance to react.

[Eulalios]

Suggestion on elder giant, too. "Don't waste your time, trying to catch a ghost. Hear my counsel: hunt the messenger to regain your road home."

[Eulalios]

(giant ish)"Your hag yarn is counted and cast, the crones' needles natter and clack. To regain what the Dark One has stolen, that is your path."

[Magnus]

The frost giant shaman howls and spits with disgust; his dreadlocked beard swaying back and forth wildly as he does so.

The giant moves to the gate on the south side of the room. He shouts, in giantish: "HELDGA. THE INTRUDERS HAVE RETURNED!!!"

The other two frost giants begin to swing their swords wildly at a possible invisible foe.

Within a moment, a brutally ugly, obese giantess comes within view. The manticores part ways to let her through. She hisses with disgust and shouts "WHERE ARE THEY?"

The shaman: "THEY TRY TO TRICK US WITH THEIR FELL ENCHANTMENTS, BUT WE RESIST"

Heldga: "THEY MUST BE IN THE STEADING...CAN WE SEE THEM?"

A grunt comes from the eastern hallway, indicating a negative.

The manticores roar.

Lorath is left to flee or see the giants' next move...

[Eulalios]

Damn!

(giant ish)"Alright, you big idiots, I already told you, trying to catch me is only a waste of your time. Do you have any better plan for getting out of here, than killing the dark one to get back your map?"

Lorath ghosts swiftly toward Heldga. Is she a frost giant? She seems to be in charge? He will approach near enough to be within a hand reach of her heart.

[Magnus]

[Good idea hurt by giants' high save rolls...]

The frost giants seem infuriated by the voice taunting them. The hill giant guards and manticores seem visibly annoyed as well.

Heldga is a hill giant female. Her and the shaman are more or less in charge.

[Not sure what you have in mind, but note that you can't snap out of the aethereal state at will. it needs to expire or you need to be washed with some sort of mildly acidic solution...]

[Eulalios]

Burning hands cast inside a chest cavity. Pretty sure the flame would be corporeal, not aethereal. But on second thought, gonna save that for later and do the following instead while heading south past Heldga:
(human)"Guys! It DIDN'T WORK! UP THE STAIRS NOW! GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN! GET TO THE COURTYARD!"

Once out in the hall way south of the manticore room, circle back to keepers room and debrief the debacle.

[Magnus]

[Done]

[BTW, I need to post rules about Aethereal traveling...most likely, spells cast would stay incorporeal, except for MM and other "force" spells.