INTO THE RIFT!!! (G2 - Part 1)

[Cwreando]

Lorath moves behind a box and shift into a dwarven sized form and whisper cast invisibility. He shifts back into hummingbird form and moves into room 19 and examines the jewel. Hoping it's a key element to the frost giants somehow he will shift forms into a dwarven sized form again and put the gem in his backpack. He shifts to humming bird form again to fly to room 20 to examine it repeating the shifting pattern to acquire any useful items. If possible he does this to acquire the spear +3 and then leaves the cave system to retreat with the others. If necessary Lorath uses minimal movement at times where he might be in jeopardy of being exposed trusting his invisibility and silent movements to get him safely out of the caves alive.

[OGRE MAGE]

Flam moves out with the others. On the retreat, he will heal Arqos.

CSW [2d8+1] = 11+1 = 12

[Magnus]

Round 10

The party reacts instantly to their desperate situation, but only takes the initiative by the slimmest of margins...

Party 1, giants 2!!!

Gaerys sprints out the cave entrance and out onto the ledge. Given the flawless footing afforded him by his ring, he makes it most of the way to meet Hollis and Vorsyin.

Arqos and Flambeau also begin their retreat...and Flambeau begins another prayer to the Lord of Light for curative magic. Owing to their reach and quick reaction, two frost giants, of the barbaric "regular" sort, manage a strike at the paladin. The remaining juggernaut remains struggling to regain his footing. Arqos valiantly parries away the two strikes, and receives the blessing of his Lord. (Giants missed anyway, so we will consider the question about the magic weapon when it is ripe.)

Hollis drags Vorsyin around the corner and applies his own healing magic to the mage. In a now-familiar scene, the mage coughs and hacks, and eventually comes to.

The water elemental, buoyed by the overwhelming presence of its native element, surges forward. It "parts" in an Exodus-esque fashion to make way for the party members as it crashes savagely face-to-face with the giants who had chased Arqos and Flambeau out of the cave. That confrontation will be yet another violent verse in this epic battle.

Lorath moves behind a box and shift into a dwarven sized form and begins to whisper cast invisibility.

The giants, bellowing to each other, move strategically about. The Blackguard tries to catch Flambeau and Arqos, but is too late - the holy warriors have made it past. The Giant standing next to him, who was also throwing boulders, disappears into the tunnels to the south. The party likely knows what that giant will be doing.

The two giants who had retreated from the mist (and who are wounded) emerge onto the ledge. They look to retreat, but the Blackguard insists that they remain on the ledge and in the fight. They draw boulders from their bags...

The cavalry, three stout dwarves on boars, skid down into the Rift - not far from Hollis and Vorsyin. The experienced adventurers had heard of these strange "undermountain clans" who dwell beneath the great peaks of the Frostfangs, but had never seen them. It seems that the lands North of the Wall have yielded allies as opposed to enemies.

Will the party retreat or press the attack now that they are reinforced and have a chance to heal?

DECLARE ACTIONS!!!

*********************************
HP: (updated)

Arqos: 46/91 (-15)(!!)
Gaerys: 40/69
Flambeau: 32/75 (!!)
Lorath 19/43 (!!!)
Hollis: 52/52
Vorsyin 8/52
(updated)

Brax
Dwarves

Elemental: 58/80
*********************************

Map:

Glacial Rift.jpg (642.27 KiB) Viewed 1021 times

Will do a "fresh" map in another round or two...lots of lines there, I know.

[GreyWolfVT]

Brax and his entourage steer their giant boars towards Hollis & Vorsyin being the first non-giants they can make out in the rift. "What're ya two doin' down ere? Ain't you know there giants down ere?" Brax the apparent leader of the three says. The other two dwarves act as look outs for other humans in the area as well as any incoming giants crossbows in hand for quick use. Spears strapped to their backs. Brax with a battle axe on his back hand axe attached to his belt and large war hammer in his hands. "There more o' ya? Or this be all in yer party?"

[saalaria]

Hollis steps in front of Vorsyin. He keeps his mace held high, ready.

"That's close enough, master dwarf. Do you have any love for these giants?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Brax quickly replies "Absolutely not. I call this hammer me giant killer."

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin wakes up in pain. He sees Hollis with him and quickly understands what happened. He stand up and quickly attempts to reconnect his will to the Elemental.
As he does so he sees the dwarves approach. He hopes their intention is a good one as there is little he can do about them if it is not.

If he does indeed reestablish the link with the Elemental he will have it fight to hopefully allow the other party members to withdraw.

[Zhym]

Gaerys and Arqos continue retreating and defending. Arqos helps Flambeau stay upright on the ice and snow.

[saalaria]

Brax quickly replies "Absolutely not. I call this hammer me giant killer."

"Well we do not have the luxury of doubting you right now - my companions are in a life-or-death struggle further round on the ledge. Please go and help them if you are willing!"
Hollis will peer around the corner to see where the group is - he will keep watching the hole where the elemental passed through too.

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau stays with the paladin and ranger regardless if they try to escape or stop to fight. He keeps up with them easily with the help of his magic boots.

[GreyWolfVT]

Brax quickly replies "Absolutely not. I call this hammer me giant killer."

"Well we do not have the luxury of doubting you right now - my companions are in a life-or-death struggle further round on the ledge. Please go and help them if you are willing!"
Hollis will peer around the corner to see where the group is - he will keep watching the hole where the elemental passed through too.

Brax nods and mounts up "I'll leave one of me men here ta guard yah both." he signals and one of the other dwarves rides out with Brax to aid the others in their retreat.

[Cwreando]

Lorath after casting invisibility shift back to humming bird form as he move toward the room with the gem he saw. As he move he takes note if there are any giants about that might hear him as he moves in dwarven form as he shifts to humming bird form stopping or shifting slightly along the wall to avoid notice. As he gets to the Gem he shift back into dwarven form to place the gem in his backpack and any other items he might see worth taking as long as he can't be noticed. Once he has the stuff he shifts back to humming bird form and he uses the crates to help conceal any activity even though he is invisible. Now in hummingbird form he flies out and back to their initial starting point.
OOC - The act of placing the gem in his backpack won't make him visible will it?

[Magnus]

Round 11

Fortune smiles upon the party as they take a wide initiative over the slow-to-react giants.

The water elemental -- at the command of Vorsyin -- surges forward and attacks a giant in front of him. Its heavy blow connects with an already-wounded giant. But the giant turns away, saving itself from the worst of the attack. That giant swings back, missing horribly. The giant flanking him, as well as the blackguard behind them strike back at the elemental as well. Only one blow connects, but the elemental remains fighting - damaged but still strong.

Arqos, Gaerys, and Flambeau continue their measured retreat. They magical aid possessed by each hero keeps them moving quickly across the icy ledges. Gaerys reaches Vorsyin and Hollis, who are also ready to go. Arqos and Flambeau make it just about to the rendezvous point.

The party members realize that the howling wind will quickly cover their tracks ... so long as they are not being actively followed by giants. Even then, the blizzard-like conditions will give them a fighting chance to escape.

Lorath's invisibility spell takes effect and he sneaks towards the sparkle of gems. He finds a cache of perhaps 100 coin-sized gems. Does he pick them up?

Bro, you've got to post your actions round by round, please.

The cavalry, meanwhile, surges forward towards the giants. One member, however, is left behind with Vorsyin et. al. Seeing that the party has now made it, will they take the fight to the giants or allow the elemental to shield the party's retreat?

The remainder of the giants finally act. Two boulders whip through the cold air and connect with Arqos. Each strikes a glancing blow, doing little but annoy the paladin.

A: 11 damage.

The giant ranks are further bolstered by a new giant from the passage to the south, dressed in "barbaric" fashion and bearing a huge bag of ice chunks. The juggernaut who had previously slipped on the ice in the cave emerges, also prepared to throw boulders.

Does the party escape or do they reorganize for another wave of attack???

DECLARE ACTIONS!!!

*********************************
HP: (updated)

Arqos: 35/91 (-15)
Gaerys: 40/69
Flambeau: 32/75 (!!)
Lorath 19/43 (!!!)
Hollis: 52/52
Vorsyin 8/52
(updated)
Brax
Dwarves

Elemental: 48/80
*********************************

Map:

Glacial Rift (9).jpg (635.22 KiB) Viewed 978 times

[Magnus]

Note: Gaerys grabbed the +3 spear last round (r 10)

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin, using his comrades as meat shields, steps forward and unleashes a fireball to cover the party's escape. He hopes the spell casting won't disrupt his link with the Elemental but its a chance he must take.

[Zhym]

Gaerys and Arqos make like meat shields to protect Vorsyin.

[saalaria]

Hollis keeps an eye on the 'hole', but is ready to run when its time to go.

"I think the only problem is they will move faster than us!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau positions himself behind the meat shield as well and waits. If the opertunity to throw his hammer presents itself, he will do so. If not, he retreats with the others after the fireball.


Firesledge [1d20+6] = 19+6 = 25 Damage [1d6+4] = 5+4 = 9 + [1d6] = 5

[GreyWolfVT]

Brax & the one dwarf protect and defend the front of the party while the third dwarf defends the flank.

[Cwreando]

Sorry for post structure.

Round actions.

Lorath in dwarven form quickly examines the gems before handling them and checks to see if the gems are on top of anything such as leather to pull the corners up and tie closed or similar. He listens for activity as well. If so he does that and puts them in his backpack carefully. If not he gently scoops them up quietly and if nothing happens he puts them in his backpack gently then shifts back to hummingbird form and scouts out room 20 by skirting the inner wall to get there.