Don't laugh..... it's here.

[Spider_Jerusalem]

Hey Hairy Minotuar - nice fight scene.

Magma trolls were good blend, it's always so intriguing to throw something at the party which is reversed.

I once made up a half-troll, quarter-yuan-ti, quarter destrachan. It was a bit messed up but nailed the characters left right and centre. Fire? Silence? Flutes?

Anyway, great story so far... I really like the party talk, it's nice that you captured what goes on at the table that well.

Spider J

 

[spacehulkster]

Ah, the secrets out!
I'l be watching you

Oh... nice "leave" comment.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

What lies underneath

Gronar and Paquito enter through the blasted out side entrance, they note that without the trolls constant presence, the burning piles of refuse have mostly dwindled to a small campfire size.

Paquito begins to round up the dead bodies and place them in the center of the fort. He collects sixteen medium sized humanoids that could have once been elves, but are now nothing more than glorified charcoal puppets.

Gronar begins prodding around the still standing structures of the fort, his first destination is an empty barracks. The condition of the room lead Gronar to believe they evacuated it in a hurry. Gronar pulls the few foot lockers he finds out into the open to smash open later.

Korg and Finrod rejoin their companions inside the fort, they both head for the partially collapsed church near the main gate. They find an alarming discovery, two burnt bodies were roasted while they struggled with each other. One is a priest, burnt robes and melted prayer beads give it away, the other body is that of a troll burned black and heated to a fragile crispiness.

Finrod calls Paqutio over to have him share his thoughts on the discovery of this troll.

"Well, either the normal trolls came first followed by the fire ones, or they attacked at the same time. I think my final determination will depend on how many more burnt troll bodies we find amidst the rubble. No?"

"Elfy still think this elfy place?" Korg asks

"Yes I am sure of it, see that scorched writing above the main gate? It's elvish for In service of the queen, I shall not fail." Finrod replies

"Well, either they weren't in service of the queen, or they horribly failed to live up to that promise. No?" Paquito counters

Finrod ignores Paquito and leaves the church, heading for a building with a smashed coat of arms still hanging to the door. He enters the captain's quarters, and begins to search a desk near the rear of the building.

Gronar heads to the kennel and asks if he should let the canines go free.

"Bad idea, they'll just as likely try to chew on you, as they would flee this place. Who knows how long they've been without food. No?" Paquito answers

"Hey Paquito, count how many elven bodies Gronar stacked up out there!" Finrod shouts from the captain's barracks.

"Including you?" Paquito yells back before turning to count the piled bodies.

"Gronar think there is three elfys and two porkys in pile." Gronar says proudly

Paquito gives him a confused look before shouting out "twelve" as the answer, then staring down the hill giant

"Twelve? Gronar think Pokey not know how to count." Gronar accuses the minotuar

"Korg will smite counting and Nurture Pokey." Korg shouts

"Stay away from me. No?" Paquito immediately replies

Finrod exits the captain's barracks and exclaims that there must be some survivors or some captives, as the captain's ledger indicates a company of twenty-five as of yesterday.

"Darn! We miss party Korg. Elfy take us here too slow." Gronar complains as he dejectedly kicks the dirt beneath him.

Snow begins to fall and the wind kicks up through the fort, the numerous holes in the walls make an unnatural whistling sound as the air whips through and around the structure.

"Maybe we should find shelter here tonight? No?" Paquito suggests

"Gronar not care, Gronar go find big pile of gold elfys was hiding." The hill giant comments

Paquito shrugs as Gronar walks away, and then casts detect magic and immediately picks up several readings in the church in front of him. Smiling to himself, Paquito makes sure his inner joy is not noticed by Korg or Finrod as he slowly enters the church.

After ransacking two standing structures, Gronar begins hacking the buildings apart in frustration over the lack of gold remaining. Finrod offers to show the hill giants to the kitchen and they both heartedly agree to accompany the elf.

Finrod points out the kitchen and Gronar bashes the door in. The salty smell of cured pork fills the air and the two giants shove Finrod out of the way as the both attempt to race through the open portal at the same time. Weakened from the earlier assault by the trolls, the kitchen collapses in on itself from the charging giants.

After securing six sides of pork apiece, the giants smash their way out of the kitchen, and embrace the sitting Finrod.

"Gronar like Elfy, Gronar will make sure no more stinky trolls hurt Elfy." The hill giant relates

"Korg will make Elfy good pair of loincloths." Korg nods and smiles as he sticks his meat with his spear like a kabob and then holds it over a smoldering fire.

"Hey Korg, you still know trick to find magic stuff?" Gronar asks is large friend

"Yes, Korg know how to do that. Gronar want Korg to check for magic things in this?" Korg asks pointing at the fort.

Gronar nods his head and waits for Korg to complete the spell. Korg gets multiple readings to his left.

"That way is lots of things." Korg points in the direction of Paquito

The two giants walk towards the church, they acknowledge the minotaur as they pass him. Then Korg stops and spins around.

"Now things are that way." Korg looks up and 'sees' the items hidden in Paquito's backpack. "Pokey has magic things."

Gronar's demeanor goes from excited to jealousy as he bull rushes the minotaur knocking him to the ground face first.

"Pokey take magic things Gronar was looking for!" Gronar angrily accuses Paquito

Coughing the dirt from his lungs, Paquito turns over to face the hill giant.

"Surely you do not think I would stoop so inferior as to predicate this abominable offense on one as pituitarily engorged as yourself? No?" Paquito answers

"Pokey make Gronar head and ears hurt. Give Gronar magic things!" Gronar demands

"But of course, I did not know you had the magical ability to hold cursed objects and render them neutralized. Forgive me for my predisposition to larceny. No?" Paquito replied

"Cursed?" Gronar paused now, he knew the word meant something bad

Finrod sat watching the spectacle unfold in front of him, secretly hoping the giants would pound Paquito into beef jerky. He noticed an increase in temperature behind him, and looking back over his shoulder saw a small fire erupt into a fountain of flame. Shielding he eyes, he spots the outline of a troll with eyes like burnt embers.

"Uh guys." Finrod says as he points to the troll.

 

[Jon Potter]

You copying me, HM? There've been a lot of "pituitarily engorged" updates from you lately.

Not that I'm complaining mind you.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Finrod tries to flee the burning troll, but the creature stomps the elf back to the ground. Fully emerged from the fire, the troll hisses at the group and takes a quick survey of it's surroundings.

Finrod rolls to his side and rights himself on all fours, attracted to the movement, the troll disgorged it's throat contents at the elf. A heavy mass of burning mucid rock enshrouds Finrod's back. His cloak and leather armor immediately catch fire.

Gronar releases the struggling Paquito and draws his sword at a renewed threat.

"Stinky troll! Gronar not like you, you hurt master chef Elfy." The giant bellows and charges at the beast

The troll stands it's ground and rakes it's searing claws across the giant's chest, as Gronar crashes his greatsword down on the troll's head.

Korg rushes to Finrod's side and with his hands, digs out massive clumps of dirt and throws them onto Finrod.

Paquito sits up and takes a couple deep breaths as he regains his wits. Peering out ahead of him, he sees Gronar and the troll locked in battle, and Korg burying Finrod alive. Paquito decides to find out if Finrod finally kicked the bucket.

Korg works furiously, dumping loads of fresh dirt onto the smoldering elf. He works at a possessed pace until he feels a tapping on his shoulder.

"Huh? Pokey help Korg!" The giant implores

"Why? It appears you have succeeded in burying Finrod. No?" Paquito observes

"Korg going to send Elfy into ground, then when Umthala throws sun back into sky, Elfy will return good as new." Korg relates

"Um, that trick only works for you, Finrod does not follow Umthala." Paquito stares into the giant's eyes

"Hrrmph, Elfy should learn to nurture Umthala like Korg." The giant responds to Paquito, then places his head close to Finrod's buried body. "Hey Elfy, you want to nurture Umthala now?!"

"That's a sure fire way to gain converts. No?" Paquito says as he starts to dig out the elf

"Korg not hear anything, maybe Elfy not want to be like Korg? Maybe Elfy want to be like other elfys?" Korg says, saddened at the rejection

Paquito manages to free the head of Finrod and verifying that he's still breathing, leaves him with Korg and goes to check on Gronar.

"Gronar is stronger than stinky troll, Gronar is better than, ouch, hot troll, Gronar is ,ouch, bigger than puny troll." The hill giant says as he fragments the troll's existence into small pieces.

Paquito comes over and ray of frosts the troll's head. Gronar eyeballs the minotaur and clutches his greatsword, twisting his immense hands around the pommel.

"Hey, how you doing? Lovely weather we're having. No? Your buddy Korg over there, found a buried elf. Maybe he has some gold?" Paquito tells Gronar.

The hill giant dashes over to Korg, who is weeping uncontrollably.

"What happen Korg? Why Korg crying?" Gronar asks

"Elfy not want to be like Korg and nurture Umthala. Korg is loser as priest of Umthala." Korg bemoans

Gronar gets a surprised look on his face. "Gronar not want to be like Korg either. Gronar like smashing and breaking things. But, Gronar happy that Korg by Gronar side." Gronar smiles at Korg who in turn smiles back

"Barf! Knock it off with the simpleton sympathy satire. Can we just get the elf and get out of here before more of those trolls come back? Or maybe we should await our doom here. No?" Paquito comments

Gronar agrees, and Korg drags the battered Finrod out from his earthen shell.

"Elfy look a lot like our Elfy. Hey, where is our Elfy?" Gronar asks

"Elfy was on fire, Korg save Elfy with dirt pile." Korg answers

"That what makes Korg special, Korg care about others feelings." Gronar replies

"Y-y-you're gagging me here, shall I be forced to render myself deaf to avoid your inferiority complex with inferior beings?" Paquito offers while shoving a finger in each ear.

"Pokey can be Korg friend too." Gronar responds

"Oh no, in fact the only friends I need are waiting for me back in my new home. Once I learn teleport, I'm outta here, minotrices here I come. I can almost hear the pitter patter of little hooves." Paquito says closing his eyes daydreaming

"Gronar not here that, Gronar hears Pokey's mouth and crackling fire." The hill giant replies

"That's because you lack vision. You have no preset identifiable goal to strive for. Take the great Paquito for example, when I have unified the four kingdoms and returned the diamond horn to the throne of ivory, then I shall truly have accomplished all that I have set out in life. Oh and a couple dozen little Paquitos, practice makes perfect. No?" Paquito rambles

"Pokey is dumberest." Korg answers

Korg heals up Finrod to serviceable condition and the quartet head north, following Gronar's advice and looking out for troll droppings.

They cross a swift moving, shallow, bitterly cold stream and emerge onto a worn path.

"Looks like we're getting somewhere. There are quite a few tracks here." Finrod points out

"Well I for one am glad to hear that we are not getting nowhere. At least we're somewhere, had we been nowhere I would have surely mistaken it for somewhere and been thoroughly confused, because nowhere sure as hell looks a lot like somewhere. No?" Paquito comments

"You're a moron." Finrod says

"No. I am a minotaur. Could it be that you have somehow missed that I have two very impressive horns atop my genius head?" Paquito replies

Shaking his head in disbelief, Finrod advances down the path towards a small forest. The party walks about two hours before Finrod halts the group, and alerts the party to two towers that stand guard on either side of the path about a mile ahead. The trees end in about twenty feet from them, so Finrod thought it better to stop here than risk one of the giants stepping out of cover.

"Gronar want to see who is home, lets go knock." The hill giant says

"What if there are more of those burning trolls?" Finrod asks

Gronar halts, spins on his heels, and returns to Finrod. "Elfy have good point, what Elfy plan?"

 

[pogre]

"You're a moron." Finrod says

"No. I am a minotaur. Could it be that you have somehow missed that I have two very impressive horns atop my genius head?" Paquito replies

Ya' know - there's nothing that says he cannot be both

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Hill Giant Playhouse Theater

The party creeps up to the left tower, making sure to take a wide berth and sticking to the forest growth for as long as possible. They notice that the top of the tower has collapsed and a few stones have also crumbled near the top of the tower.

The tower appears to have faced the weather for centuries, it's stone appears gray and dirty when contrasted with the grass beneath it. It's former entrance is now shrouded behind a billowing fur rug that acts as a makeshift door.

The part scurries across the open ground as fast as they can and reach the tower within twenty seconds. Hearts pounding fast hoping that their approach has not been detected by anyone in the tower.

Listening intently for any sounds that might emanate from the building, the party picks up far off clanging sound that might be from a forge nearby. Other than that, no sounds are heard on the breeze.

Gronar pushes himself off of the wall, and spins to face the fur covered opening. He takes out his long spear and shoves the point into the blanket, then gives the spear a few sharp twists, allowing the material to catch on the tip. He then rips the fur free of the door frame and throws the spear to the ground on his right, and draws his greatsword in the same seamless motion.

Dim emptiness confronts the party.

Gronar enters first, then motions for the rest of the party to follow. Inside the tower, the long burned out husk of a campfire still sits unmolested on the dirt floor. Beside it lies a neatly stack rope, cobwebs and a couple spiders reside in the hollow of the rope ring indicating that the rope may have been here as long as the campfire.

Finrod looks over the stonework on the inside of the tower, at first he grazes his hand over the wall. When soot and grime adhere to his hand and are erased from the stone, his eyes catch a subtle brilliance unseen through the years of neglect. Wiping away the dirt with a purpose now, Finrod clears off a square foot section of wall and discovers a beautiful sheen left unmarred through the years. It's surface reminds Finrod on that seen on a pearl.

*whistling* "That sure is pretty, where do you suppose this material came from, or for that matter what is this material?" Paquito asked, almost salivating to the extent that the words where difficult to speak.

"Not knowing exactly what this is, my best guess is it's carved from a pearl." Finrod answers, shifting so as not to get any of Paquito's mouth drippings on his boots.

"A single pearl? Surely you are mistaken. No?" Paquito says, running his clawed hand over the wall.

"What Elfy find?" Gronar inquires, hunching over to fit in the small tower and not have his head poke out the top.

"Nothing, well it might be nothing. Just an unusual material choice for a wall that's all.

"Nothing?! Hah! Pointy here jests. No? This wall is the most expensive thing we've found! I say we dismantle it and carry it back piece by piece to sell it off at Mirwood. No?" Paquito excitedly relates to the giant

"Really? Why take apart? Gronar carry pointy tent back to elfy town all by self." Gronar answers

"Hey Elfy! How big do trees grow?" Korg chimes in from outside the tower

Stepping outside wearing an exasperated look on his face, Finrod confronts the hill giant's question.

"Why, what does it matter?" Finrod asks

"Korg not see one that big before." Korg relates, pointing down the path about a mile down.

Finrod follows the giant's finger until it rests upon what looks like a side of a mountain. "That's just a mountain, there was probably a river running through here, and the rippling effect you're mistaking as tree bark was caused by water run off from above." Finrod answers

"Then why are there leafy things on top." Korg ponders aloud

Finrod looks up the mountain slope and watches in disbelief as the rock he thought it was splits in two like a branching tree, then again, and yet again. Soon the resemblance of a five-hundred foot tall, three-hundred foot wide tree comes into view. It never occurred to him that this could be anything more than a cliff face, and so never bother to look more closely until Korg pointed it out.

Joining their companions outside, Gronar and Paquito marvel at the structure as well.

"Is it a real tree? Or carved to look like a tree?" Paquito asks to no one in particular

"I don't know. If it's real it's certainly the largest tree in existence." Finrod's words trail off as he stares at the monumental object

"I take it back, this tree is the most expensive thing we've found so far. Let's go back to Mirwood and sell maps to this place. No?" Paquito breaks the silence

"We don't even know where we are." Finrod answers

"Wrong. We know we're here, which is somewhere, which is a place on some map. No?" Paquito replies

Not wanting to get into another argument, Finrod walks away from the minotaur and turns to face the other tower on the opposite side of the road. Squinting, he notices the faint trail of smoke wafting out from underneath the covered top of the tower.

This tower appeared, on the exterior at least, to be in much better condition than the one they'd just been in. For it still retained it's cone-like top and none of it's stones had fallen from it's walls. Untrained as a ranger, Finrod could only guess as to whether the smoke was from a recent fire or a current one.

"I think we should check out that tower before we do anything about the tree." Finrod announces, pointing across the dirt path.

"Why? There's not going to be anything worthwhile in there. No?" Paquito responds

"I want to make sure it's unoccupied before we press on." Finrod replies, while pointing at the lazily meandering gray line escaping from under the rooftop of the tower.

"Fine, but there better not be any burning stinky trolls in tower, or Gronar get mad at Elfy." The giant says as he strolls across the dirt walk-way

The party coalesces on the path side of the tower, wet crunching sounds can be heard through the stone wall.

"Somebody's home." Finrod whispered

"I think that was my stomach. No?" Paquito says sheepishly

"Maybe we can take them by surprise? Gronar, go around to the front door and tell them it's time for a shift change. When they come out to investigate, we'll cut them down." Finrod says proudly

"What makes you think there are guards in there? Some foreknowledge of an ambush you have. No?" Paquito inquires

"Korg think plan is nurture." The hill giant interjects

Gronar sighs loudly and shuffles around the side of the tower to the entrance, also covered by another makeshift fur door.

*knock* *knock* Gronar bangs on the stone facade near the door

"Who goessss there?" A hissing voice responds

"Grona..." Gronar is cut off by Finrod's shushing him.

"Don't use your name. Just tell them shift change." Finrod whispers through clenched teeth.

"Who goessss there?" The voice says again, this time more forceful

"Not Gronar here to change shift." Gronar replies. Finrod slaps his forehead in dismay, while Paquito begins to inch away from the tower and Gronar's position.

"What issss the passssword?" The voice calls out

"Not Gronar not know what password mean. Not Gronar say you leave tower before Gronar kick you out." Gronar shouts back

An uneasy silence pervades over the group, as they wait for a response.

Finrod catches Paquito slinking away and throws a rock against his head. Paquito spins to face his assailant and spies Finrod pointing at the fur door in front of Gronar.

"Burn that down." Finrod whispers

Annoyed that his hair become messed up from the rock, Paquito stands and sticks his wide tongue out at Finrod.

"My good man perhaps you once again have forgotten that I am in fact not a mage. Although I do play one on stage, perhaps that is where your confusion arises. No?" Paquito speaks to Finrod

"Just do it!" Finrod yells, unaware of the lanky killer that has crawled out onto the side of the tower above him and Korg

Paquito spots the black, oily colored troll in time to unleash a scorching ray at the beast. The line of flame hurtles into the troll and sets the creature on fire.

Finrod and Korg both duck as the stream of conflagration passes over their heads.

"The door stupid!" Finrod shouts as he returns to a standing position

Paquito ignores the elf as the troll's carcass falls from the tower and lands on top of Finrod. Causing the elf to slam into the ground face first, the oiliness of the troll causes a splashing effect on the fire and Finrod's cloak catches aflame while he's pinned beneath the troll.

Korg acts quickly by stomping out the fire with his foot. Paquito runs up to Korg and waves him to stop, so that he may pull off the shriveled troll and reveal a broken and battered elf underneath.

Gronar watches the action to his left intently, letting out a small giggle as Paquito pulls the beaten elf from under Korg's foot. His eyes never catch the flurry of movement from the covered door, as a large troll's hand rakes it's claws over the giant's chest, sending the astonished giant crashing back onto his haunches.

 

[Jon Potter]

I suppose it's a hazard of working with giants, but the elves certainly do seem to get squished a lot.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Rage of the barbarian

Gronar backs away from the covered door, a breeze he can't feel seems to cause the fur covering to undulate like a slow snake. His right hand moves to his chest and he feels the gouges raked across his breastbone, pulling his hand away he feels his blood dripping off the ends of his finger tips. Gronar licks the lifeblood off his fingers as a slow burning rage takes hold in his heart. Gronar uses his own blood to fuel the fire of hate that his heart so wants to fan.

Paquito hefts Finrod up off the ground, and shoves him towards Korg.

"Heal him." Paquito mutters

The minotaur takes a step back and focuses on the wooden cap to the tower. Old and weathered, the wood stands defiant against the cold north wind that assuredly blows across it's faded planks. "This ought to burn easily" Paquito thought to himself.

Caught off guard by the incoming elf, Korg's attention is slapped away from the bleeding Gronar back to the burnt, battered husk of Finrod. Clasping the elf's head with both hands, Korg unleashes the most powerful healing granted him by Umtala. Finrod's face loses the bruising tinge caused by the foot of Gronar. His nose, once twisted and smashed into his skull, rights itself and protrudes back to it's original distance from his face.

A low growl escapes from the snarling lips of Gronar, astonishment and pain mix to reach into his heritage and pull out an internal rage that resides in his race's past. Adrenalin is pumped frantically throughout his body as his mind focuses his eyes like a tunnel onto the fur covering and the despicable creature that lies cowering behind it. His tongue sought out the air around him, he did not taste fear.... yet. This creature must be taught to fear him, the creature will be taught the limits of it's own mortality.

Gronar shifted his weight and secured the balls of his feet beneath him, in one fluid movement the hill giant dove at the pelt of the animal guarding passage into the tower's interior, guarding the whereabouts of his victim.

Paquito mouthed the words of his spell softly, no need to alert anyone else what his thinking was. Korg and Finrod weren't going anywhere and Gronar could handle himself. His verbal machinations completed, power surged up through his feet and propelled itself up and out towards the clawed hands of the minotaur. Paquito allowed himself to savor the feeling like an addiction for just a moment before extending his hands up and towards the wooden top of the tower. A stream of heat and fire erupted from Paquito's hands, the stream roiled in flight as it raced towards the dry cracked roof and freedom from the constraints the spell placed on it.

The scorching ray slammed into the wood and engulfed the dehydrated material like a child finding it's lost blanket. The wooden beams lit up like tinder, free from the small are the spell forced it into, the fire relished in moving over every inch of exposed wood, then it found the underside of the wood. Deafening snaps and cracks echoed off the far away tree-like structure and as if a thousand years of weight had been lifted from it's shoulders, the roof gave in and collapsed into the center of the tower.

"Korg save Elfy life again. Korg think make Elfy pay for prayers." The hill giant contemplates aloud

"Sure I'll pay up right after you reimburse me for the damage you did to me pack while stomping on it." Finrod answers

"Korg saving Elfy then too, Elfy pay double." Korg replies, as he watches Gronar fling himself into the tower. "Wait, Korg go help Gronar."

Finrod relaxes a bit, his nose still hurt and was a little swollen, but he could breathe out of it. He grasped the hilt of his elven longsword and in the reflection of the blade, saw the stream of fire crash into the top of the tower. Finrod stumbles forward in haste, vowing not to have anymore burning troll carcasses land on top of him again. He was just about to ask Paquito what he thought he was doing when then roof collapsed, drowning out any hope of conversation.

Gronar's body as bulky as it was glided through the air like a practiced gymnast. He timed the swing of his greatsword so that the fur door would come in contact with the minimalist amount of blade. Gronar didn't want to face his victim with the blade of his sword wrapped in smelly fur. The fur gave passage willingly and Gronar landed on his chest, bounced up enough to get his knees under him, then squinted his eyes looking for movement.

Gronar knelt on a dirt floor, but his aching knees told him there was stone not that far beneath him. The walls were as undecorated as the last tower and just as filthy, he spotted some deliberate dark markings on the wall to his left, and thought them writing which was beyond his grasp. His query made no attempt to leap at him through the dirtied air, Gronar gripped his hilt tighter, he hated sneaky types.

He vision alighted up the walls towards the roof and fell upon his prey climbing nearly towards the top. Gronar's heart sank and this pushed his rage even further. "How dare stinky troll try to run." Gronar thought, then a cascading roar fell upon the tower's interior as the roof caught fire. The troll paused unsure of what to do, it looked back down at the stoic Gronar and again at the burning roof, and decide to continue it's climb.

Gronar pivoted beginning a move that would get him outside of the tower and hopefully around it before the troll could flee. Then the crackling sounds increased and Gronar froze, peering up at the roof, he watched as it come crashing down. His eyes went to the troll and watched as the creature lost it's grip on the tower's wall and was tumbling down towards the floor ahead of the burning roof. Gronar held his breath, held his hands, and held his gaze, the twisting troll's form dropped closer to the waiting giant, it's eyes locked onto Gronar's and it flexed it's claws and legs. The troll turned and positioned itself for a raked landing upon Gronar's body, but the hill giant was ready.

Gronar knew the card he held was better than the one the troll was going to play. Just before the troll could strike at him, Gronar turned his blade flat and swing it up like a club at the falling troll. The sword crumpled the falling troll and threw it's broken body up and into the falling debris of the roof. Gronar then brought his sword's hilt back to his face as he ready for the troll to impale it's burning form onto his blade. The troll caught fire and squirmed against it's mortal foe as the weight of the roof brought it's body down and through the blade of Gronar. For the giant, the world went black and red and centuries old wood aflame with hungry fire slammed into. The giant stood his ground as the fire licked it's way around Gronar exposed flesh, when the sound of falling roof had ceased, Gronar opened his eyes to stand in a field of fire with his victim staring back at him. Gronar's blade was pushed up through the troll so that it's mouth was forced open by the invading sword. The tip of Gronar's greatsword poked out from the top of the troll's oily haired head. His legs burned and his nostrils flared looking for oxygen, but he heart felt at peace and the rage slowly seeped from his muscles.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Can you trip like I do?

Gronar felt the hand grab the back of his hair, but he was too slow to slap it away. His body was jerked back out through the tower's entrance by Korg.

"Dumb Gronar, fire will make skin blister, and Korg almost out of heal miracles." Korg said flustered at Gronar, his verbal attempts to get his friend to remove himself from the burning edifice had proved fruitless.

Gronar stood up to face Korg, and wiped away the sweat that was streaming soot and grime into his eyes. Korg noticed then a change of hair color in Gronar.

"How Gronar hair get that way?"

"What way? Burned? Gronar was just in fire, that what happens when hair catch fire."

"No, Gronar hair is like wolf's hair."

"Gronar has choosed to go down path of the Barbaars*, Gronar will not let stinky trolls push Gronar around no more."

The party heads back to the icy river and follows it a bit upstream, before veering off into the woods to look for a place to rest for the evening.

Finrod locates a clearing big enough for the giants to lay down in and unpacks his supplies to make a campfire with. Paquito and Korg clear away the flat ground of twigs and fallen rotting logs. Korg spots a sturdy tree on the far side of where they entered the clearing and slumps down next to it.

Finrod makes sure to set the fire small but intense, not wanting to alert any visitors, as any visitor they would receive out here was likely to be hostile. Korg tends to his exhausted friend while Paquito stretches across the ground to stare at the overcast evening sky.

"What does Barbaars mean?" Finrod asks Paquito, the elf's words shatter the silent daydream the minotaur was having.

"What?" Paquito responded irritated at the elf, hoping the elf would drop the subject.

"What does Barbaars mean? I heard Gronar saying he was going to follow their path. I want to know what the creature is."

"What makes you think I would care to know what comes out of his head? I am a poor fungal sage not a linguist. Though I do admit to being cunning. No?"

Annoyed at Paquito's lack of a response, Finrod leaves the fire and heads towards Gronar, aiming to ask the giant himself.

"Where are going?" Paquito asked as the elf passed him

"I'm going to find out what that word means."

"But the fire will get cold, you can't just leave it like that. No?"

"You can tend the fire I'll be back in a moment."

*sigh* "Fine, if I tell you what it means will you sit down and keep me warm?"

"Elves don't snuggle."

Having never heard Finrod give a smart assed reply before, Paquito assumed the elf was being serious and had mistook Paquito's request.

"Yes, I've heard that about your kind. No matter, I can just impale you and then snuggling doesn't really become an issue any longer. No?" Paquito answered trying to keep from bursting out in laughter.

"Yes, your kind have shown a great propensity for hurtling themselves at a goal, unfortunately that goal appears to be mass suicide at the hands of greater races."

"You seem to be handling the part of Korg's hand puppet extremely well for someone with an ass as tight as yours. I shall hold him, and pet, and squeeze him, and call him Elfy. You live the good life. No?"

Finrod spat at Paquito then kicked the fire out.

"What was that for? How am I going to keep warm now that you won't snuggle with me?"

Finrod became incensed, he wanted to gut the talking bull and find his way back home. His hand reached for the hilt of his blade as he flung open his cloak to reveal his intent to Paquito.

"Oh, is it time to shave my back again, so soon?" Paquito answered as he turned his back to the dying fire and Finrod.

Hatred boiled inside the elf, now Paquito mocked his abilities, he had gone far enough and Finrod was going to make sure he didn't go any farther.

Finrod unsheathed his longsword and lunged for the kidneys of Paquito. A larger sword sliced down and drove Finrod's blade into the ground before it could reach Paquito. The larger blade twisted and the torque on Finrod's arm was too great to bear and the sword leaped from his hand to rest upon the ground in front of him.

Gronar stood above the small elf with a look of distaste. His arms retracted and he pulled his sword away from Finrod's blade.

"Why Elfy not fight stinky trolls like that?" Gronar asked, wondering why Finrod had shown passion and determination only when Paquito was concerned.

"That worthless sack of manure insults my very existence, I wish for him to be gone from my company." Finrod answers, his eyes never leaving the back of Paquito, who is chuckling softly to himself.

"Gronar think you fight stinky trolls like you fight Pokey, then maybe Gronar not have to be Barbaars."

Finrod looked up at Gronar at the mention of that word, in the light of near dusk and the shadowing of the surrounding trees, Finrod was certain the hill giant's mouth was bearing sharpened teeth.

A low growl issued from Gronar's mouth and Finrod slinked away. Paquito turned over and stared up at the towering giant, suddenly feeling smaller than he had ever remembered being. Paquito shifted his weight and sought to stand, a snarl almost like a hound's snapped Paquito back on his heels.

Paquito knew what a Barbaars was, and now looking at Gronar in the closing light of the day with his bared teeth, sliver hair, and the slight hint of red in his eyes, Paquito now knew what kind of Barbaars Gronar had become.

The night moved slowly for Finrod, Gronar had ordered him to take watch the whole night, claiming it would make the elf hardier and not so soft. Finrod had been absently picking up small stones and chucking them across the clearing, when a barely audible sound came from his right.

Finrod spun on the ball of his right foot, while at the same time dropping his body to the ground. He slowly retrieved his bow making sure to keep it under him as it's glow would surely give his position away, then he pulled out an arrow shaft and held it in his right hand. "Ambush" He though to himself, his superior vision scanned the trees and he flexed his pointed ears trying to pinpoint from where the sound had come from.

Finrod saw the huddled movement near the clearing's edge, and raised up on his knees and loosed an arrow as he yelled "Ambush!"

Gronar jerked awake at the scream, and leaped to his feet, forgetting his weapons for the moment as he tried to ascertain what was going on around him. Korg had also sat straight up, but Paquito still laid sound asleep. Gronar saw Finrod notch an arrow and fire into the tree line ahead of him.

"What is it Elfy!?" Gronar shouts

"Trolls, two of them. Plus a huge bear, they appear to be dragging a body along with them." Finrod shouted back

Gronar grabbed his long spear from the earth floor, and watched as three trolls and a bear the size of Korg walked into the clearing. Gronar started to charge the nearest troll, but watched as it's hands went up as if to say "stop". Which is what Gronar did, entangled in the very grass beneath he feet, the troll's magic had caused the vegetation around them to come to life and hold their prey fast.

Finrod, Gronar and Korg stood trapped in the midst of the clearing, while Paquito snored loudly in his sleep.

Gronar braced for what would come next, he knew he could outreach the trolls, but could he take out the bear also. Anger swelled up inside him as Gronar pushed his body over the edge and allowed the rage to take hold.

Instead of pressing their advantage, the troll shaman waived the bear on and then he stepped back to follow the huge ursine. It barked out an order and the two remaining trolls began to circle the party.

Finrod noticed a body on a stretcher being dragged behind the bear. It moaned softly as the stretcher bounced over a downed tree. "Still alive" Finrod said to himself

"Hurry! We must save the prisoner!" Finrod pointed at the back of the bear.

"Korg not care about retreating enemies, Korg worried about fighting ones."

Gronar's enhanced strength allowed himself to pull free of the grass, he grabbed Korg on the way as he tread a path through the foliage. The trolls stopped their advance, awe stricken by the sight of Gronar "winning" against their leader's spell.

Finrod twisted his body and sliced through an enlarged dandelion. He raced around to meet up with the giants, who had turned their backs and were waling away from the trolls.

"Where are you going? We have to save the prisoner." Finrod shouted frantically

"No, Gronar not have to save anyone but Gronar and Korg." Gronar looked up and saw that the trolls and restarted their advance on the party. "Wake up Pokey." Gronar ordered

Finrod ran to Paquito and shook the minotaur as violently as he could then stood up to find where the trolls had gone, he heard the large footsteps backing away from him, turning he found Gronar and Korg continuing to retreat from the battle.

"I can't fight them alone! What are you doing?" Finrod shouted

"Gronar saving Korg and Gronar." The giant announced and with a flick of his wrist, the hill giant flung out his massive spear and clipped the shin of Finrod causing him to collapse face first on the ground.

Gronar looked up and saw opportunity come across the faces of the advancing trolls, and knew Finrod was right. He wasn't going to be able to fight them alone. Gronar turned and sprinted away from their camp.


*barbarian- it's a Dutch word but it sounded Jotun-like so I used it