Greyhawk: Against the Giants: Huecuva's Blight

ARLIE grabs a set of arrows & rushes to (19, 28 ). He says to MEL "There's no threats from the west. We need to support the high ground!"

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:12
Encounter One

ROUND THREE: CLARA
Clara drops her bow and unsheathes a longsword and shortsword. She moves into the forested region on the high ground. She links up with HIMO.
She yells back to FORLIN,
"If we do not stop this thing, FORLIN, you may not be able to help anyone!"

She starts searching the trees for any sign of their quarry.
"I know you are close."
CLARA (71, 25, 6)

ROUND THREE: MEL
MEL nods to ARLIE.
"Get up there as quickly as you can. I need confirmation from NYDENT that the eastern shoreline is also clear. Marcus, Jacob, Crane, permission granted; get up those ropes and get to the aid of your fellows! I'll join you shortly. Malcolm, Jerry, Kip, get over to HIMO and TA'HEED. Help them in any way you can!"
MEL moves to the bundle of arrows and takes ten arrows.
MEL (19, 29)

ROUND THREE: FORT TROOPS
FT-1, FT-2, and FT-3 all collect ten flame arrows each and are ready to head up the ropes at the earliest opportunity.
FT-1 (17, 27); FT-2 (17, 28); FT-3 (17, 29)

FT-4, FT-5, FT-6, and FT-7 reach the eastern shore and take a look across the Olvewater.
FT-4 (57, 38), FT-5 (61, 37), FT-6 (63, 35), FT-7 (59, 39)

FT-8, FT-9, FT-10 rush through the forested area, attempting to close the distance quickly.
Malcolm shouts
"Let's move! We got a bogey to take out!"
FT-8 (38, 15, 6); FT-9 (31, 17, 6); FT-10 (30, 15, 6)

ROUND THREE: NYDENT
NYDENT meets with the troops (FT-4 throught FT-7) on the eastern side of the fort.
"Do any of you see anything?"
NYDENT (62, 36)

ROUND THREE: FORLIN
Reluctantly, FORLIN moves away from CLARA's mortally wounded troops. The healer's last hope is to rid the fort of the threat, before he can bring aid to the fallen. As FORLIN closes the distance, stopping just behind CLARA a vision comes into view for TA'HEED, FORLIN, CLARA, and HIMO. FORLIN's aura spell counters the THING's invisibility.

A red creature, vaguely humanoid, stands before them. It stands close to seven feet tall, but its body appears gaunt and weak. It has three spindly fingers and a thumb on each hand. It has an abnormal teardrop-shaped head, its face is covered by a vertically bissecting, featureless mask. The creature has a short neck, protruding from its chest, giving it a stooped, hunchback posture. Except for a belt it wears nothing that could be called clothing, even in the freezing air. However, on its back is a weapon that appears to a short glaive with a metal instead of a wooden haft. The metal haft is cylindrical and appears to hollow at the glaive's business end.
FORLIN (73, 26, 6); RED (69, 26, 6)

DM POST: Anyone can see this creature with either a Spot check or they must be within 50 FEET. You can only see RED if you are on the high ground.

END ROUND

NEXT: TA'HEED

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: TA'HEED
TA'HEED runs across the field, past HIMO, and collides with RED. TA'HEED's illusion drops as his now visible canines seek the flesh of the red-skinned thing. TA'HEED's bite strikes true, ripping into RED's emaciated thigh. Effortlessly, TA'HEED rears his head up, while still holding RED in the thigh. TA'HEED releases his hold and RED flails to the ground. A purple liquid flows from RED's wound, but the thing is still alive.
TA'HEED (68, 26, 6)

ROUND FOUR: TANYA
TANYA runs across the field of battle, meeting up with CLARA, HIMO, TA'HEED, and FORLIN. Breathing heavily, TANYA exclaims,
"What is that thing?!"
TANYA (66, 24, 6)

NEXT: HIMO

HIMO

AC:20 ff:18 touch:12
HP:22
Immune to sleep


"Don't know but it needs to pay for its crimes against us " HIMO says as he is changing his weapons form the long bow to his shield and bastard sword

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: GLASSBLOWER
GLASSBLOWER begins chanting, but those around her only hear her as she remains invisible. At the end of the chant, ARLIE, MEL, FT-1, FT-2, FT-3, and even KIRAK sense the world begin to slow down around them, but they are still moving at their original speed.

All characters are hasted.
+1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves
+1 to attacks
Movement is doubled (30 Feet is 60 Feet and so on)
Any character taking a full-attack action gets an extra attack at their highest attack bonus

GLASSBLOWER (16, 27)

ROUND FOUR: RED
RED pulls a wand for its belt. While prone, it shouts some arcane command word and a blue orb shoots from the wand aimed at TA'HEED. The blue orb flies over TA'HEED's head.

ROUND FOUR: CLARA's TROOPS
CT-1's wounds have stabilized; however, CT-2 and CT-3 are still dying from the burning wounds sustained from the fireball.

NEXT: KIRAK

Kirak attempts to Climbs up the cliff (30 feet)

for
+1 Dex
AC = 16
Speed = 50 feet

The member 'Valthronis' has done the following action : Dices roll

'd20' : 10

Climb check = 11

DC = 15

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: KIRAK's Results
KIRAK is unable to find suitable handholds for his attempt up the cliff side.

DM POST: Val, are you done? You can always try to climb again. Each climb attempt would be a move action, therefore you can take a double move and attempt another climb. Also, Climb runs off of Strength not Dexterity. I have no idea why you wrote down "+1 Dex". Also you forgot your combat profile and the actual modifiers for the Climb check on your first post (you know: Roll #1 Climb check +1, or something like that).

Climb = 0r +1 str
AC = 16
BAB = +5
Speed = 100
HP = 47
Hasted

Kirak attempts to climb, ... again
Roll #1 Climb check

The member 'Valthronis' has done the following action : Dices roll

'd20' : 1

Result = 2...

climb check Result = 2

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: KIRAK's Results
KIRAK is still unable to find good handholds to start a climb on the wall.

NEXT: ARLIE

ARLIE
HP: 48
AC: 17 touch: 12 flat-footed: 16
will dodge first opponent to attack him per round
Haste

With his newfound speed, ARLIE runs to the rope at (29, 21)

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: CLARA

CLARA moves close to the prone thing that has attacked the fort. With manical glee, she raises her swords and moves to slice RED to ribbons. CLARA's first blow, with her longsword, slices down RED's midsection. Purple blood spills from the wound. CLARA lunges with the shortsword, but meets a blue field of energy blocking her strike. With a scream of aggravation and anger, CLARA slashes with her longsword again and is blocked by the blue field of energy. A desperate second thrust with her shortsword meets a similar fate.
CLARA (70, 26, 6)

ROUND FOUR: MEL

MEL looks around her troops for a hint of GLASSBLOWER's wherabouts.
"Lady GLASSBLOWER, hook up with NYDENT and his men for your safety."
She turns to her troops.
"Toward the ropes, one at a time up the ropes. Those not on a rope, cover those climbing."
MEL runs across the field and the first one up one of the ropes. She slings her bow back on her back, preparing to climb the rope.
MEL (28, 21)

ROUND FOUR: FORT TROOPS
FT-1 runs toward ARLIE's rope, ready to cover ARLIE as he begins climbing. FT-2 covers MEL, rushing to her rope. FT-3 moves to a position just west of the ropes, covering the entire team at the ropes.
FT-1 (29, 22); FT-2 (28, 22), FT-3 (23, 22)

FT-4, FT-5, FT-6, and FT-7 are all still positioned at the east shore. Each one of them reports seeing nothing along the eastern shore to NYDENT.

FT-8, FT-9, FT-10 are running through the forested area toward the battle.
FT-8 (54, 14, 6); FT-9 (47, 17, 6); FT-10 (46, 15, 6)

NEXT: NYDENT/FORLIN

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:18
Encounter One

ROUND FOUR: NYDENT
NYDENT nods at the report from the troops around him. He turns, heading back into the camp.
"We need to rendezvous with Lady GLASSBLOWER. We will protect her from harm."
NYDENT (54, 36)

ROUND FOUR: FORLIN
FORLIN chants and he touches his fingertips together. FORLIN moves his hands apart from each other in a large hemispherical arc. Translucent white arcs of light shoot from FORLIN's fingertips, converging on RED still prone on the ground. RED glows with a frosty white glow. The glow around RED shatters into ghostly shards, fading away like vapors.
"TA'HEED, more of its defenses are dropped."

END ROUND:

NEXT: TA'HEED

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:24
Encounter One

ROUND FIVE: TA'HEED

TA'HEED looms over RED.
"Please, don't get up."

TA'HEED unleashes his entire fury on the proned thing. He slashes with his claws deep into the creature's chest. Both claws sink deep, ripping through bone as if it were fragile straw. Purple blood gushes from the wound. TA'HEED bites RED's head, puncturing vital veins in RED's neck. Purple ichor oozes from the wounds, spurting the last remnants of life from RED. TA'HEED releases his hold, RED's head falls to the ground, purple blood still spurting from its neck. A faint pattern of breathing is noticeable linked to the rhythm of spurting blood. In a moment, the creature will pass on.

END OF COMBAT

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:49:24

TA'HEED stares at FORLIN and growls,
"Let it die."

FORLIN doesn't acknowledge the lupinal's request, but he does not disobey. FORLIN shouts to CLARA,
"CLARA, your men."

CLARA, broken from her psychotic daze, turns and follows FORLIN. CLARA rushes to Stauder while FORLIN rushes to Vic. CLARA heals Stauder with her wand and FORLIN chants and touches the mortally burned Vic with his hands (the same soldier he saved from near death from a giant's boulder when the teams first met). The soldiers stabilize and Vic even begins to groan. FORLIN turns to Biff and heals him as well. Biff begins to groan, regaining consciousness.

CLARA looks over her men. She touches Stauder with her wand again.
"They won't look pretty, but they will survive."

Stauder lets out a weak, painful groan. None of the troops are in a position to rise to their feet without more healing aid.

TA'HEED doors from the high ground and reappears at the base camp, next to KYNA's body. He sits on his haunches and takes her head into her arms. TA'HEED throws his lupine head back, staring straight into the brightening sky. He unleashes a mournful howl, like a man who realizes he is alone and trapped in a strange place.

In anger, TANYA steps up to the dying thing and puts her rapier through its neck, ending its life quickly.
"Should of let you suffer, you . . . thing."

Kirak swallows the lump in his throat, Remembering Ghorenfore’s words of trust.

Quote :

GHORENFORE places his hand on KIRAK'S shoulder
"You've kept a certain balance for me these past few weeks, and have been a great friend and a great alley. I value our friendship, but I cannot put my personal feelings in the way of what needs to be done. Watch the fort for me, and more importantly keep all of our friends safe. I need you here, now more than ever."

Kirak says nothing as he makes his way over to the higher ground, preferring to maintain as a shadow then draw any more attention to himself. Failure because of stupidity has a certain ‘limiting’ effect on a person’s personality.

Furthermore, knowing you let a friend down, has a very damaging effect on your Honor.
Kirak says nothing but instead dwells on his failure for a few minutes as he looks around and makes note of the weaknesses they are under. In Failure there lies the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Kirak just hoped that some of those mistakes wouldn’t come back and bite him in the ass.

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:50:24

GLASSBLOWER, who cancelled her invisibility, and MEL meet KIRAK at the scene of the battle. MEL ordered the troops at the base camp to hold there with NYDENT to make certain there were no more surprises.

TANYA starts sifting through the equipment of the strange being.

Purple blood pools freely in the dirt of the forested section of the fort. The creature's bizarre appearance is boggling, but perhaps not as boggling as why it attacked. No answer is apparent and no clues appear salvageable from the red-skinned humanoid creature. Its mask hides not only its face, but perhaps its motives.

MEL looks at GLASSBLOWER.
"Any idea what this--"

GLASSBLOWER cuts the sergeant off.
"No."

MEL
"Any chance it's connected to the giants."

GLASSBLOWER
"Unlikely."

GLASSBLOWER drops to her kness, looking the creature over.
"There were rumors of strange things in the Valley of the Mage, but reports are unconfirmed as to what 'strange things' means. The valley elves and gnomes that call the place the home let no one into the valley."

TANYA looks up from her looting. She has a leatherbound book in her hand that she gives to GLASSBLOWER.
"Elves allied with things like this?"

GLASSBLOWER takes the book, but her eyes are focused on the creature.
"No, rumor has it that the elves and gnomes with their wizard leader are fighting 'something bizarre' within the valley. All I am saying is that this classifies as 'something bizarre'. And I do not believe it's local."

TANYA raise an eyebrow.
"To the Sheldomar Valley?"

This time GLASSBLOWER looks at TANYA. The elf's stare is penetrating.
"Oerth, TANYA. I do not believe it even comes from the most remote locations on the planet."

TANYA gulps.

FORLIN walks over to MEL. CLARA's TROOPS and CLARA are behind him. The troops are conscious, walking, and have healed quickly with FORLIN's magic. They have scars they will carry for the rest of their days and they look terribly wary, but they'll live.
"MEL, I request that Biff, Stauder, and Vic are taken off rotation until I clear them for duty. I request they are turned over to my care."

MEL nods, stunned by the ability of these soldiers to survive a fireball.
"Of course, take care of them, FORLIN."

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:51:30

TA'HEED's mournful howl drifts along the breeze.

It distracts even TANYA from rummaging through RED's gear.
"That's just terrible."

GLASSBLOWER turns to the direction of the wailing. She only nods silently, entranced by the sadness emanating from the howling, a sadness that is almost palpable. As if enchanted, GLASSBLOWER begins to mouth the words of an old song she heard as a child in Lynlai. It is a song about the journey beyond to Arvandor. The sad melody ends with the joy of seeing old relatives and dancing and singing with the gods. Tears flow from GLASSBLOWER's eyes.

TANYA stands at the edge of the cliff, next to GLASSBLOWER and CLARA.
"I wish there was something I could do to make him stop . . . lighten his burden."

CLARA, also desperately moved by TA'HEED's wailing, nods. Her face softens considerably, her eyes glinting of recognition and understanding.
"I cried for three straight days when it happened to me. I did not eat or sleep; I was prepared to die with grief as my only company."

TANYA voiced was in a low whisper, afraid to disturbed TA'HEED's morning.
"How did you survive? What kept you going?"

CLARA's eyes glaze over and she walks away from the cliff face. She says only one word to TANYA.
"Vengeance."

Kirak looks solemnly in the direction of Taheed
He maintains a silent posture for a few minutes and whispers a silent prayer to Saint Cuthbert
Loss is Never easy and with Ghorenfore gone for the moment, Kirak realizes he has yet another role to fill, his spiritual training being limited he nods knowing he must at least make the attempt and offer some sort of prayer to Taheed’s fallen companion
Kirak pulls his holy symbol out from underneath his robes wearing it on the outside as he makes his way down to Taheed’s position (slow fall as needed) stopping short(roughly 30 feet) of the Lupinal
He waits with folded hands, and a holy text of Saint Cuthbert,
His hand shaking he says quietly
“I am no healer, but I would offer the prayers of Saint Cuthbert to you and Kyna”
Kirak closes his eyes and lowers his head.

Fort Olvewater
Godsday, Sunsebb 4th, 586CY
Time: 06:53:30

TA'HEED mourns for another full minute before answering KIRAK. TA'HEED ceases his mourning and stands. His poise is regal and elegant. He straightens his back and holds his head high, proud.

TA'HEED walks toward KIRAK. A smile crosses the Lupinal's face, exposing his large canines still streaked with purple blood.
"I thank you, KIRAK. From what I heard from HALE about St. Cuthbert, I will find no solace in his teaching and a prayer would do me no good."
Wistfully, TA'HEED adds.
"KYNA is no more, so there is little we can do for her now. All we can do is bury the shell."

And with those words, KIRAK was certain the bereavement was over. TA'HEED walked without a misstep, his eyes held no tears, and his words were not tinged with knotted emotions ready to come unraveled. TA'HEED was, for lack of a better word, back to normal. The transition would seem cold and callous, given the loss, but TA'HEED was a Lupinal, a soldier of Elysium, and on his face he proudly carried infinite joy and infinite loss in harmony.

TA'HEED stopped before KIRAK and put a friendly clawed hand on the monk's shoulder. A warm smile filled his words, not with jest, but with meaning.
"But you, you should neither close your eyes or lower your head. How can you see that way?"

Kirak lifted his head and stared out at the horizon
"Indeed.." he said turning on his heels, following Taheed
"Would you like any special service or funeral held?" he asked unsure of what Taheed's traditions and wishes dictated of their dead.

Kirak turned a glance back to Kyna's body and the infinite possibilities of the heavens were grasped for a split second in a small revelation then lost almost immediatly to the confines of his own prime based limited imagination. It was hard for Kirak to grasp Ghorenfore's social eithics and attitudes, and it wasn't for lack of trying. He had never even made the attempt to conceptualize other races and their social 'standards.' Kirak began to realize how much at a disadvantage he really was. Ghorefore would often preach to him about being aware of other people and how you say things, his inability to keep his mouth shut and think about what he was going to say before it came out often put him at a great disadvantage. It never occurred to Kirak that the Lupinal's would greive the loss of their own in a completely different manner than how humans would. What baffled him more was it appeared as if they didn't greive at all, sure there was a few seconds of blood curtaling howling that was enough to raise the hair on the back of the monks neck, but after that. It appeared as if he was truly at peace with the whole thing.
Interesting... Kirak thought to himself ... I wonder how often this attitude of prejecting ones own social standards plays out into the role of racism.
Kirak looked up at the Lupinal and awaited a response, his mind still realing from the fact that Taheed had gotten over it so quickly, and still unable to grasp to concept of how.

HIMO walks over to TA'HEED and says " TA'HEED, you have my condolences I know how it is to lose a love one. And I want to thank you for your help with this thing you put down......." As a tear runs down HIMO's face as he remembers his own wife and child. "But I know there is hard roads ahead but I want you to know you will be a part of my outsider tribe."


After a few hours pass as HIMO stands guard outside of CLARA's men tents praying for their speedy recover.
Then he walks over to NYDENT and says "I need help NYDENT, It feels colder than normal. Whatever spell that thing cast did something to me."