== Sunday, Lamashan 26, 4708; Xin Shalast; evening ==
We had set the wheels in motion to further implicate giants in the slaying of high ranking lamia, and now we sat back and watched the results of our handiwork unfold (courtesy of the Greater Scrying spell I had cast on the chief giant in the area).
A pair of harridan came to claim the body of the Most High Ceoptra’s lieutenant, and the giant, innocently and ignorantly enough, asked how her ladyship was doing.
The two looked meaningfully at one another before glaring at the giant and coldly stating, “Her Most High has been slain, along with several of her closest advisors and assistants.”
The giant stammered, “What, but… but how could that be?”
“We were hoping the giant in charge of security in this area could tell us.”
The giant plaintively replied, “A voice guided me to the body — and um, uh, we are investigating it even now.”
A look of incredilutiy passed between the harridan, and they motioned for the giant to follow.
He seemed taken aback and turned very pale, but followed them to the lamia temple complex. There he was led down a hallway to a large room with another pair of harridan standing guard on either side of the door.
“At sunset you will be taken up the mountain and questioned,” said a harridan, with evident glee at look of shock and horror on the giant’s face.
The door was closed, and for a moment the giant stood still, but then he beat upon the wall with his fists and slumped to the floor, where he sat motionless.
Well clearly this would not do at all. If the giant were questioned on the mountain then Karzoug would realize he was telling the truth, and quickly associate the mysterious “voice” with us. He may well suspect that we have been behind the bulk of the chaos occurring in Xin Shalast, but he can not be sure, and we needed to maintain this uncertainty.
I had been describing the events as they occurred to my companions, and now I turned to them and announced, “It seems we must rescue our giant.”
Some thought I must be joking, and my proposal was met with a good bit of doubt and skepticism, even after I explained my concern. In the end we all agreed to help, and we quickly drew up a cunningly simple plan.
Trask, Sabin and I became invisible and Wind Walked into the giant’s room, while the rest of our team wisped over to the coliseum. Trask then created a Major Image of a giant standing next to the real thing, and softly whispered, “There are those who would see you live today.”
Startled, the giant quietly hissed, “Who are you?”
Trask-giant proclaimed, “Call us allies by chance. You must decide now if you will come with me or remain here. Take my hand if you wish to live.”
The giant grasped the Trask-giant’s hand, where Trask had placed his own hand, and the two Teleported to the coliseum. There Trask said, “I am still here, but invisible. This place is deserted, but you must leave Xin Shalast. Now save yourself!”
“Many thanks, whoever you are, I am in your debt.”
Trask and the rest of the crew then returned to our base.
Meanwhile Sabin and I fastened a note in giantish to the wall where the giant had been held captive:
Alasnist will arise!
Alasnist is coming!
Alasnist is here!
Viva the revolution indeed!
We then returned to the others, but as soon as we solidified I suggested we visit Margive to find out when and where tonight’s meeting of the giant rebel alliance would be held. The more confusion we could spur in the city before heading up to the mountain, the better for us.
Margive was doing well and was, as usual, delighted to see us. We began to ask him about the location of the meeting when I realized that the giant we had freed from the lamia had made his way into the tunnels — as we expected he would — and was coming directly to Margive’s abode, which we did not expect at all: the passages are like a maze and it seemed impossible that he could get here by chance.
I told the others, and we quickly explained to Margive that a giant was coming this way and he needed to hide. Margive did what his people do so well and blended into his surroundings while the rest of his became invisible or hid in shadows.
Soon our giant ran into the chamber, calling out, “Margive? Margive, are you here?”
“I am here my friend,” Margive joyously exclaimed as he disabled his camouflage skills.
What the hell?
Had Margive been working for Karzoug all along and playing us for fools?
Had we walked into an elaborate trap?
“Send word to the others that I have found a much better place for our meeting. Tell them that the rebel alliance will meet at the coliseum tonight.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Here was the leader of the giant rebellion, and Margive was far more involved than he had let on.
Tentatively we began to show ourselves. The giant recognized Trask’s and my voices, and accepted us as friends or at least not as foes.
We urged him to lead his people out of the city tonight, and he readily agreed.
Kane turned to Margive and said, “You should take your people and flee with the giants. This is the best chance you will have, especially if we do not succeed above.”
And with that we had managed to effectively kick the giant rebellion into high gear as well as provide a means of escape for Margive’s people.
The ensuing chaos in the city tomorrow morning will be the perfect time for us to begin our assault on Karzoug’s fortress of spires.
And thinking of the next day we decided to Wind Walk up to the mountain today and set our camp just outside the occlusion field. This would free up two fairly high level spells for me to use tomorrow on something else.
We also thought that with the remaining light of the day we should search the giant stone face of Karzoug carved into the summit.
We said farewell to Margive and the giant and flew out and up.
Karzoug’s face was unsettling — like it actually noticed us and was watching as we flit about. Kane searched for magic and for any secret (or otherwise) entrances, but found nothing. Sabin and I solidified and used Stone Shape to carve Wrath runes into Karzoug’s cheek and forehead large enough to be seen from the city below.
Lower down, near the occlusion field, Trask cast Rope Trick and we clambered inside for the evening.
I pulled out the peacock quill and asked, “What awaits us under the Spires of Zin Shalast?” A general question, to be sure, but I was not looking for specifics.
“Many guards, many wards, insane creatures not from this world, and a foe long sleeping.”
Just the sort of answer to ensure pleasant dreams.
== Moonday, Lamashan 27, 4708; Spires of Xin Shalast; morning ==
We arose early, ate a hasty comfortless breakfast, and entered the occlusion field.
We had enough sihedron rings for everyone except for Kane and Avia, who wore sihedron amulets with Obscure Object cast upon them. Thus protected we were able to advance toward the central spire without ill effect.
Sabin, Rigel, and I took advantage of our rings of Invisibility.
The spire was a massive open structure towering impossibly high above us, and built as rings of archways and flying buttresses stacked one atop the other. In the center was a forty foot wide ramp that curved up and around a central walled circle. The stone was polished (all of it!), and around the ramp it was set with precious metals and gems. Bejeweled ever-burning torches lit the way.
There was no wall along the outer edge, and so we kept clear of the precarious drop as we slowly climbed up the enormous cork-screw path. And we climbed and climbed around and around, every higher, and ever colder. For two hours we trudged, rising some two thousand feet from the plateau below, but having walked many miles for that gain.
And then from above a loud voice boomed out in giant, “Attention lads, here they come!”
And then in common, “Alright you lot, come up and meet your fate. You won’t be going any further.”
Trask made some light hearted responses, but it was clear the voice above was not in the mood for banalities, and so he cast Haste on us and up we went.
Five giants stood on the ramp above, where a circular wall dropped down from above and met with the outer edge of the ramp. Each giant bore a sihedron rune branded into its forehead. One of the giants was clearly the leader, a storm giant clad in full plate and wielding a great sword. The others were cloud giants wielding morning stars.
Kane was first in view.
“Ah, now there’s the cleric, and the paladin must be close behind. Keep alert because they like to jump in close!”
Sabin used Mass Suggestion and asked, “Wouldn’t you rather drop your weapons and go down to the front gates of Xin Shalast below?”
The leader laughed at Sabin, but three of the giants dropped their morning stars and began to head down.
Avia and Nolin charged in and were whacked hard by the leader, but returned the sentiment. Sedjewick was singing and Trask used a Mage Sword against the leader.
An arc of lightening shot from the other giant’s hand and struck several of us, so Sabin moved in to interrupt its spell casting by throwing his ax at its face.
Avia and Nolin were carving large chunks out of the leader when it realized some of his guards were leaving, and yelled out, “Hey, wait, what are you doing? Get back in formation!” When he realized they were continuing on he called out, “Well at least hit some of these lot on your way down!” To which they replied, “Okay.”
Although unarmed they were giants and inflicted a lot of damage by punching Avia, Sabin and Nolin as they walked stupidly by.
Nolin was close to death, and so Trask erected a force wall to isolate him from the passing giants, and with that Nolin provided the killing blow on the leader. Kane provided much needed healing with a channel.
The spell-casting giant was in a punching fight with Sabin, and so I cast Flamestrike on it.
Nolin asked Trask to drop the wall of force so he and Avia could get to the spell caster, and he complied, but was pummeled by a parting giant for his effort.
Nolin, Avia and Sabin made short work of the magic user, and Kane cast Create Water, dumping a pool of water before the fleeing giants. The water instantly froze, and the two of the giants slipped off to their deaths.
We searched the remains of the two dead giants and found:
[1660] +2 full plate — giant size
[1661] sihedron ring (Kane)
[1662] +4 full plate — giant size
[1663] sihedron ring (Avia)
[1664] master work great sword — giant size
[1665] morning star
It was a relief to get the two additional sihedron rings. We no longer needed to worry about Karzoug using the amulets to scry on us, and the rings provided the permanent effect of Endure Elements.
The ramp leveled off here and transitioned into a checkerboard pattern of gold and black. The walls were decorated with engraved murals depicting Xin Shalast in its heyday. Directly ahead to the north was a massive pair of golden double doors, and west of those was a single more modest size (in comparison) door.
There were no handles, knobs or keyholes in the doors.
We elected to try the smaller door first, which Sabin opened with a Knock spell. Kane then peeped in and saw… Karzoug!
Wow, was this it, just like that?
“And so you fools have found me… I will be your death!”
Karzoug actually said a lot more (he is a wordy chap), but I was taken aback and not paying close attention to his ranting. We moved to advance upon him.
“Oh you pathetic little people. Well, Sabin, let’s play the game.”
He pointed a finger at Sabin and a black ray lept from it, striking Sabin squarely in the chest. Sabin’s face spasmed in pain, and for a moment I thought I had lost my best friend, but with great effort he overcame the full effect of the spell, but was seriously hurt, none the less.
Kane and I quickly healed Sabin, and Karzoug flickered and faded from view — some advanced form of an illusion, no doubt.
The room itself, although oddly shaped to accommodate the curving wall, was uninteresting, but there was another modest sized door in the southwest wall.
We are taking a moment to fully heal and recover before moving forward.