Storm King's part 6 - Fire and Ice

After passing the 4th village, we see a man running like his life depended on it, he is not hearing or seeing anything around him, his only focus is running. We try to speak with him from the distance but he doesn’t seem to hear us or care about us shouting so the only way we can stop him is by intercepting him before he can pass us by, and we manage to do just that.



After we calm him down we manage to get a few words out of him about why is he running like crazy. He and his friend where attacked by some huge wolves and a man ~6m (19ft) tall, we immediately presume this is a giant. He managed to escape as the giant missed him with a rock but his friend got ripped apart by wolves and he is running ever since, quite impressive as he seems to be from the 5th village.

We know from the first encounter with the giants that where is a GIANT there is PROBLEM, and where is a PROBLEM you will find us. So not interested in the 50gc bounty on every giant head, only to help the ones in need, we let Tari guide us to the place the man was pointing and describing. For some strange reason the elf seems to be the most well-oriented one from our party[1]. The cleric prays for us to have AID[2] in our journey ahead and his prayers fill us with life most needed when in battle.

In the evening we reach what seems to be our destination, a big fire can be seen ahead and a Frost Giant near the fire.

Groin tries to talk with the giant in his native language, but seeing such a small creature speaking such a giant language only makes the giant angrier and he starts throwing rocks at us. Also his bear companion will attack us with a frosty breath killing Stela, Solid’s steed. Stela dies again before it can be useful, like always.[3]

The battle begins and the first adventurer that reacts is the young one, Szivem will throw a FIREBALL that does a lot of damage, we all know she can be pretty handy with the fire but this was impressive.

Solid jumps on the giant’s back and blinds him with his bare hands, in this time Szivem will distract the bear with some dancing fires giving the opportunity for Groin to hit the giant in his shinbone making him less mobile. The blinding and the hit in the shinbone were all but distractions and in this time the master plan is being performed: Ren is running around the giant and ties his arms around his body with a rope.

All this team work will have great results as we defeat the giant while only one of the mages is really hurt but the rest of the party is safe and sound.

GREAT TACTIC AND GREAT VICTORY!!! GEMINA SEMPER VICTRIX EST!!!

We advance further towards the rest of the villages while we see in the distance a smoke.

Carefully we approach and see a Fire Giant with some kind of device looking like a water finding stick. I don’t think he was looking for water but we are determined to find out what  he is looking for.

We ask him nicely and in the begining this giant seems more reasonable than the Ice Brute while he is willing to talk. He is revealing that he is looking for some ancient artifact that will help him take over the world. He even makes us a deal if we help him find this artifact, we will be his top favorites slaves and we will have a special place above all other slaves. Also he mentions something about wiping half of the living world in the process, but that is a small price he is willing to pay if that will end up with him ruling the world.

The choice was really easy, as we do not really like the idea of being slaves, even if favorites ones, so we engage in a fight with the lonely Fire Giant.

SURPRISE!!! The giant trows a firely ball towards us and lots of fire fiends and fire elementals are surrounding us.

This time the fire Szivem and Selene throws in the battle is not very effective so Selene will sacrifice herself with a last AOE magic centered on herself dealing some minor damage and ending her life in the process.

Solid the tankiest of us all is thrown all around the battlefield, killed by the giant and resurrected by the cleric multiple times[4], at least the giant was occupied dealing his damage to only one target and leaving the rest of the party to his fire friend-fiends.

Luckily Tari was having a great day, dealing immense damage, every one of her shots a true work of art, worthy of an excellent sharpshooter. Crit after Crit she single handedly killed most of the giant’s minions. The look in her eyes are like never before, almost like she hated this kind of beasts and every arrow was infused with this hate dealing extra damage.[5]

In the end Tari saved us all this day killing also the giant with a well placed arrow in the knee :)

[1] Hurrah for Rangers.

[2] Cue South Park jokes.

[3] Good thing she can be re-summoned. I wonder why the adventurers see the ONLY use of a mount in combat.

[4] Just knocked unconscious.

[5] Which it actually was, as her semi-sentient artifact bow hates Fiends.