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

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin casts a Fireball centered at the group of giants who are looking to cut the rest of the party off and block their escape. He aims to center the blast between the two FG side by side and the BG behind them.

He hopes any concussive blast will knock the party inside and not off the ledge.

[Magnus]

Round 7

In the feverish pitch of the battle, the giants and heroes act simultaneously...it seemed each turn was a saga in what was already an epic battle Against the Giants.

The first blows are struck on the front line of the cave entrance -- Gaerys and Arqos pair off against a juggernaut each, who had each been hurt by Vorsyin's lightning bolt. Gaerys takes a solid shot to his shoulder, which crushes rather than cuts. The protective veil surrounding Arqos mystically deflects his opponent's strike away. A small portion of the cavern entrance shatters as the stray club strikes it, spraying all the combatants with cool ice.

G: 10 damage

The paladin and ranger hit simultaneously back. Gaerys barely manages to get one of two swings with Giantbane through the juggernaut's heavy armor, striking a nasty wound. Similarly, Sunfire manages to draw giant blood once, but not twice.

The sky cracks as Lorath's ice storm comes into effect. Huge blocks of hail, well, hail down upon those two juggernauts, as well as a Blackguard brandishing a spear. That foul warrior had come from behind the boulder by way of the ledge to join the fray. The huge hailstones finish the giant fighting Gaerys and severely wound the giant fighting Arqos, the former collapsing in a heap, the latter barely standing between the bloodloss and bones broken by the stones.

The now-injured blackguard thrusts his spear into Gaerys, tearing away armor and lacerating the ranger horribly across his side.

G: 14 damage
target chosen randomly

The third juggernaut, who had previously been facing the party, takes off on a "b line" for Vorsyin, reaching a point about 30' from the mage -- almost slipping in the process and not before enduring the painful hail of Lorath's storm. That heavily armed giant brandishes his club high as he sets his sights on the obviously dangerous opponent. He will reach the mage next round.

Vorsyin begins casting a fireball -- what will truly be a devastating attack against the band of giants. Hollis continues to watch the party's rear, but moves towards the rest of the party -- onto a narrow ledge. The ground is slippery...surely any melee would be risky -- though the giants hardly immune from the laws of physics, so perhaps the terrain could serve the party's advantage, somehow.

Back in the cave, the blackguard spear wielder, having brought Olaf down, charges forward and attacks Flambeau. The juggernaut follows closely behind, drawing a spear** and attacking Lorath. Incredibly, both miss, thanks in part to the blessings of the Lord of Light! It is about time fortune favored the party.

Giant attacking Lorath missed by one, thanks to Arqos PfE!

A (relatively) skinny frost giant follows last, walking deliberately towards Olaf, then ending his life by crushing his skull with a downward stomp of his boot! That giant picks up Skullsplitter -- obviously proud of his new finding. The wild frost giants clans value killing more than prisoners, though perhaps others view things a bit more, thoughtfully.

OLAF DEAD!!!

Two more giants who emerged from behind the boulder join the fight -- one blackguard and one tribal-looking giant. They fling rocks at Vorsyin, realizing the threat that he presents. The mage side-steps one, but the other falls heavily upon the mage and his spell is lost.

VORSYIN: 18 damage!

**per module, all giants have melee weapon, spear, and ice boulders

*********************************
HP:
Arqos: 57/91 (-15)
Gaerys: 38/69
Rommel: DEAD!!!!
Olaf: DEAD!!!
Flambeau: 53/75
Marcus: DEAD!!!!
Lorath 43/43
Hollis: 52 /52
Vorsyin 34/52
*********************************

Glacial Rift.jpg (635.83 KiB) Viewed 1164 times

[Magnus]

P.S. A burnt giant emerges from the steam...obviously about to fly into a beserker rage.

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin wastes no time in using the gem to summon a Water Elemental to fight the oncoming Juggernaut.

[Cwreando]

Lorath attempts to cast burning hands by faning his two dwarven sized hands and slowly arcing it in front of the giants J and B near him and Flambeau as they back up toward the exit. This should create a slick spot in front of these two Giants. Lorath says, 'We need to move out of the tunnel gang. It's going to get slick in here for the Giants and we need to be moving out."

Lorath is going for effect more than damage here to buy time for them to exit the tunnel and back up along the ledge toward the main exit.

[saalaria]

Hollis moves up to Vorsyin, intending to pass him to get in front of the approaching giant.

"You'll have to keep an eye behind us too, Vor" he mutters as he draws level.

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau will attack anything that is getting too close to him for comfort. (B?)

Firesledge [1d20+6] = 16+6 = 22 Damage [1d6+4] = 1+4 = 5 + [1d6] = 6

[Zhym]

Arqos tries to finish off the giant in front of him.

Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 5+4 = 9 Dmg [1d8+4] = 8+4 = 12 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 6+4 = 10 (L)

Gaerys downs his potion of extra-healing.

Potion of extra healing: [3d8+3] = 11+3 = 14

[Magnus]

Round 8

Flambeau's flame strike heralds the start of the round, blasting the one giant blocking the door into oblivion and -- at least -- severely wounding the other juggernaut. Arqos cannot quite penetrate the armor of the juggernaut, but that giant nonetheless collapses from its injuries. For his part, Gaerys sucks down a healing potion in readiness for a surge to break through the giant blockade.

The blackguard just behind those two giants is also caught in the blast. It bellows horribly and moves forward to attack Arqos and block the exit. Its angry swing wooshes harmlessly past the paladin!

Gaerys: Recover 14 HP.

I know the map is a little messy, but know that there is one blackguard giant blocking the door.

Vorsyin, sensing that his position is vulnerable, draws forth the elemental gem and smashes it on the floor of the ledge. Soon enough, a great mass of ice and slush moves forward and smashes the juggernaut charging the mage. The crack of broken bones and crushed armor echoes in the Rift. The juggernaut manages to return the strike, but it hardly seems to effect the elemental. Would this new ally of the party turn the tide of battle?

16 HD elemental under Vorsyin's control is summoned!!!

Hollis moves forward deliberately, just behind the elemental.

Two more boulders rain upon the mage, cracking ribs and deeply bruising muscle tissue.

Vorsyin: 16 damage.

Lorath lets loose with burning hands, one of the few spells that can be quickly cast in melee. The floor beneath the giants melts away, and will undoubtedly become slick in another moment, as it refreezes. The spellsword gets a gauntlet in the face for his trouble from the armored giant right in front of him, which brings a broken nose and a few teeth knocked loose. The frost giant who had emerged from the north jumps forward and clubs Lorath, obviously a danger in wielding fire, across the body with a crude maul.

The frost giant in the lower hallway hesitates at the sight of the flame...this giant brandishes Skullsplitter menacingly but does not join the fight, yet.

Flambeau brings the weight and heat of the legendary Firesledge against the giant attacking him. The giant's kneecap is crushed. It bellows in agony, but strikes back with its heavy axe, drawing blood from the cleric.

Flambeau awarded double damage on his attack due to DM f&*king up the timing

Lorath 24 damage
Flambeau 18 damage

DECLARE ACTIONS!!!

*********************************
HP:
Arqos: 57/91 (-15)
Gaerys: 52/69
Rommel: DEAD!!!!
Olaf: DEAD!!!
Flambeau: 35/75 (!!)
Marcus: DEAD!!!!
Lorath 19/43 (!!!)
Hollis: 52 /52
Vorsyin 18/52 (!!)
*********************************

MAP:

Glacial Rift.jpg (637.52 KiB) Viewed 1121 times

[Zhym]

Gaerys steps forward to engage the blackguard, hoping to clear an exit.

Giantbane (THAC0 12) (vs. true giant): [1d20+3] = 11+3 = 14 Dmg: [1d12x2] = 4x2 = 8+12
Giantbane (THAC0 12) (vs. true giant): [1d20+3] = 12+3 = 15 Dmg: [1d12x2] = 6x2 = 12+12

Arqos calls out, "Flambeau! Behind me!" He will attempt to switch positions with his cleric and engage the blackguard to the north, or at least find room to attack at the right hand of Flambeau.

Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 17+4 = 21 Dmg [1d8+4] = 7+4 = 11 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 11+4 = 15 (L)
Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 13+4 = 17 Dmg [1d8+4] = 6+4 = 10 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 2+4 = 6 (L)

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau allows Arqos to slide into the melee while he backs away far enough to safely cast a healing spell on himself.

CSW [2d8+1] = 13+1 = 14

[GreyWolfVT]

3 dwarven boar riders wait for their cue to enter the rift.

[Cwreando]

IS Loraths polymorph still active. I would think it would be. I haven't transformed into true form yet. If not

Lorath begins by running at the giant and under it's legs or by its leg to get behind it and as he does he transforms into a hummingbird and flies into their caves up high if he sees other giants, looking for intel or items of interest as he moves quickly around all the inner caves. If he finds something of interest and he is unseen he shift to a dwarven form of himself and grabs the items of interest. Cast invisibility quietly then shifts back into humming bird form and flies out of the cave unnoticed.

Lorath starts shifting immediately but plans to be shifted by the time he gets to or by the giants. I think you said 1/2 a round? It may take me longer If necessary he would delay running toward the giant so he times the shift to occur as planned.

Lorath is looking for maps, battle plans, orders, possible magic items things he might think are magic items. He doesn't have a lot of time so it's a judgment call.

If the polymorph is done

Lorath backs up and goes defensive dodging and tumbling the best he can using any advantage he can as he does. He draws his weapons and strikes only when a giant is out of position or unable to retaliate.
Lorath's dual Wield against L target {THACO 13/15} long sword+1 [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11, Dmg [1d12+3] = 2+3 = 5
Lorath's dual Wield against L target {THACO 15} Dagger [1d20-4] = 18-4 = 14, Dmg [1d3] = 2

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin moves back, at best possible safe speed, around the corner to avoid any more boulders. He urges the Elemental to kill the Juggernaut.

[Magnus]

Will give Sam today in order to update...

[saalaria]

I actually thought Hollis was a stuck behind the elemental?

Hollis seeing he cant get any further forward, he retreats with Vorsyin to heal him:

Once in (relative) safety he casts CSW:

Cure Serious Wounds [2d8+1] = 3+1 = 4


I'll go with this action for now anyway...pretty poor roll!

[Magnus]

Round 9

Sensing yet another critical juncture in this epic battle, the giants and party fall upon each other simultaneously...

The battle's first front rages in the cave itself, where Gaerys punches through the giant line in slaying the blackguard in front of him, but suffers a painful blow across the body as the price for doing so. A path forward has opened for the party, at least for the moment!!! Looking forward, Gaerys notes that Lorath's ice storm has left the ledge cluttered but no less or more treacherous. He also cannot help but notice the smear that was Marcus - but his magical spear remains.

Gaerys: 12 damage

Chaos rages within the cave; the fog of war descends thickly over this desperate struggle. Flambeau faces two strikes, one from blackguard giant in front of him and one from the giant who had previously attacked Lorath. One hits, but the other barely misses...thanks to the aura of protection of his comrade Arqos. Flambeau ducks aside and embraces himself in the healing power of the Lord of Light. Arqos jumps in his stead, and finishes the foul blackguard giant with a furious flaming flourish. The giant from the south joins the battle, Skullsplitter in hand, and opens a terrible wound across Arqos's flank.

See below for numbers; lost some notes in my travels, but below numbers are correct.

Lorath miraculously escapes to his impromptu scouting mission, as the juggernaut he is facing slips on the ice Lorath created. This allows Lorath to transform and fly into the room in front of him. The spellsword initially sees nothing of interest -- just the types of items that you'd expect frost giants about to leave for a raid on humanity to pile together before leaving - weapons, a sled, rations, etc. Lorath, however, catches a twinkle of gems(?) to the cavern in the south (Area 19).

risky move, but it was successful given the giant's natural 1! Critical miss. Juggernaut loses turn!

Summary of giants in cave fight:
"regular" Giant attacking from the north -- about half strength, due to burn injuries.
juggernaut -- full strength but lost turn
"regular" giant coming from southwest -- skinny, but full strength - has skullsplitter

Lorath also sees, but is not seen by, two badly-burned and soaking wet giants who emerge from the steam. They cry to their fellows in the strange Frost Giant dialect of the Old Tongue. The spellsword sees that they are moving to the ledge, but whether to reinforce the position of their fellows or sound an alarm in retreat, he could not discern.

Onto the ledge, the two giants rain two more boulders -- their last -- on Vorsyin, but not before he commands his loyal elemental servant forward. The mage falls as both boulders land, but fortunately, the ever-watchful cleric is there to stabilize him. Having won the artillery battle (against an 11th level mage and 9th level cleric!!! ), they turn towards Gaerys. He notes that the blackguard is huge and menacing, even by the standards of towering frost
giants tattooed crudely with mysterious, but clearly evil, symbols.

23 damage, recover 4. Vorsyin unconscious!!!

The elemental and juggernaut engage! The juggernaut is grabbed by the elemental and crushed. But allthewhile, the juggernaut beats his iron maul against the creature, sending off chunks of ice and the occasional spurt of high-pressure water. The elemental tires of this, and flings the juggernaut unceremoniously over the cliff!!!

The elemental swells into a tsunami of sleet, slurry, and snow -- continuing towards the giants. The mage has conjured a powerful ally indeed!!

DM cutting the party a bit of slack here, as an @55hole DM would hold that the elemental would stand still, having completed its last command from the now-unconscious Vorsyin.

Giant war cries bellow throughout the caverns and ledges...these hardened jotun warriors remain undeterred by the losses of their allies and, indeed, are resolute -- and intelligent -- enough to try and cut the party's retreat. The two giants emerging from the mist are also an "X Factor."

An important tide seems to have turned in favor of the party...and was that a cavalry horn in the distance?

But if there is anything the party has learned, it is that the well of giant reserves often run deep...the party would do well to act decisively to prevent a wake of possible reinforcements...

Have good access for the next week -- will try to keep updates going!

VT -- will place your new gang on the map next round as promised


*********************************
HP:
Arqos: 34/91 (-15)(!!)
Gaerys: 40/69
Rommel: DEAD!!!!
Olaf: DEAD!!!
Flambeau: 32/75 (!!)
Marcus: DEAD!!!!
Lorath 19/43 (!!!)
Hollis: 52/52
Vorsyin 0/52 (DOWN!!)

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

Map

Glacial Rift.jpg (639.59 KiB) Viewed 1048 times

[Zhym]

Gaerys assays the situation. "Two more coming from the south!" he cries. "We have to get out of here!"

Arqos isn't great at math, but he can knows that three giants in front of him plus two more giants coming is...more than they can defeat. "Go!" he shouts. "I will cover your retreat!"

Gaerys takes off as fast as he can toward Vorsyin and Hollis (he should be out of melee now, so that shouldn't open him to attack. If it does, he mounts a fighting retreat). If he can grab the +3 spear on the way, he will.

If the giants win initiative and he has to fight:
Giantbane (THAC0 12) (vs. true giant): [1d20+3] = 2+3 = 5 Dmg: [1d12x2] = 9x2 = 18+12
Yech. Let's really hope we win initiative.

Arqos backs his way towards Hollis and Vorsyin, keeping himself between the giants and Gaerys and Flambeau, if possible, while keeping Corona before him in defense (+4 to defense if weapon bonus applies to the defense bonus in a fighting retreat. Oh please let it apply ). He says a prayer aloud as he retreats: "O Lord of Light, we beseech you to aid us your servants in our time of need! Let our footing be sure and swift! Let our enemies, servants of the Other, stumble and falter! Let them pause and hesitate! Let their blows land wide of their targets! This we pray, O Lord, that we might survive to continue serve your holy crusade against the darkness!"

If Arqos can't retreat:
Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 19+4 = 23 Dmg [1d8+4] = 7+4 = 11 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 10+4 = 14 (L)

[saalaria]

Hollis drags Vorsyin around the corner if he hasn't already (ie out of sight of the boulder-throwers) then casts CSW on him again.

Cure Serious Wounds [2d8+1] = 7+1 = 8

He will then keep an eye on the hole the Fire Elemental went through and back up out of the Rift (ie the way we came) for any approaching enemies.

[GreyWolfVT]

The Calvary charges towards the rift: