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

[Hairy Minotaur]

The enemy's plan frays

The party meets the antsy Nameroc and head out just after dawn, Nameroc implores the band to pick up the pace and move quicker. Nameroc stresses that the longer it takes for them to rescue Paquito, the greater the chance there will be nothing left of him to save. The giants however accepting Paquito's death, keep to a brisk walk and avoid and all out run. As the party gets close to four miles out of Mirwood, Nameroc slows down and asks if the party wants a quick rest before assaulting the maze.

As the party nears a clearing, Finrod notices a change in the air. "Hey, you guys smell that? Smells like stagnant water."

"Now that you mention it, I smell it too. The birds have apparently also smelled it, as they have ceased singing." Benat replies. She takes a quick look around her immediate area and notices that there has been a lot of foot traffic in this area recently.

"Watch out, I see them. Just entering the clearing!" Nameroc shouts and the party readies themselves for battle.

Up ahead the party spots a sizable force of lizardmen about 150' from the party, through the trees they count at least a dozen lizardmen. The central figure appears to be the same lizardman who stone shaped the cave entrance days earlier, to his left is a chain wielding troll. The regular lizardmen are fanned out from the shaman in a crescent pattern.

Korg instantly mouths the words to his enlarge spell and touches Gronar, sprouting the giant to huge heights. Gronar moves up to position himself between the lizardmen and the rest of the party. Korg follows as Benat activates her winged boots, flies up near tree top level, and sends an arrow into the stomach of the shaman. Nameroc fires an arrow as well, but misses and Finrod moves up and to the right of the giants, taking up a position behind a wide pine tree about 40' from Korg.

The regular lizardmen all advance toward the party, trying as best they can to keep their half moon formation as they move through the clearing and into the trees. The shaman raises his hands to the sky and cries out an indecipherable word, the skies overhead began to darken as the rumble of distant thunder could be heard closing in. The troll holds it's ground waiting to see if Gronar would move up or hang back.

Gronar takes out a rock from his pouch and throws a strike into the shaman's head knocking back the lizardman a couple of feet while it tries to shake the cobwebs out. Korg casts Shield of Faith on Gronar, Benat fires into the shaman as well, this time landing both arrows into the amphibian. Finrod moves up to the next tree to the northeast and takes cover behind it, and he was now only 40' from the far left of the lizardman forces. Finrod notices that these lizardmen have somewhat wider mouths than any lizardmen he's seen before, he chalks it up to natural selection and thinks nothing of it. Nameroc misses again with a crossbow shot.

"I think you're getting worse with that thing. Why don't you try your amazing rolling ball of severe rug burn?" Benat shouts from her elevated position.

"It's only got a short range on it, I was hoping I could help take some of them down before I have to resort to using my spells." Nameroc replies


The lizardman shaman calls forth a bolt of lightening from the sky, the bolt lights up the battlefield as it streaks through the huge Gronar. Shaking the bolt off, Gronar waits as the lizardman line advances again. Gronar cleaves through the two nearest foes, and spears another through a sapling. Benat flies to the cover of a large elm tree and fires at the shaman again, and connects twice. Finrod waits for the two closest lizardmen to advance, he watches as they close to only 10' from him. The lizardmen stop abruptly and open their wide mouths, a long sticky tongue emerges one of which misses the elf and snags a tree branch, the other tongue however hits it's mark and wraps itself around the elven fighter.

"Help! They've got me! Watch out for their tongues!" Finrod shouts as he loses his balance and falls forward, face first into the grass.

Gronar strikes down two more lizardmen before they could close, then jabs at the charging troll, who's bloodlust could no longer be denied. The spear drives deep, as the troll whips it's chain into Gronar's stomach. The giant is overcome with waves of nausea and falls to his knees and begins retching onto the ground in front of him. The shaman sends another bolt of lightning crashing into the preoccupied Gronar, this one leaving a large welt and the smell of burnt hair. Korg moves up and casts dispel magic on his friend, dispelling the nausea, enlarge, shield of faith, and six enchantments the troll had on itself.

"Wow, Korg never do that good of job before. It must be sign from Umtala. Korg smite Umtala!" The giant shouts


Benat catches movement out of the corner of her eyes, and turns to find three more lizardmen advancing on the rear of the party near Nameroc. She calls out to her fellow elf, a warning of advancing enemies, and fires into the lizardman who has Finrod trapped.

Unable to break free of the tongue's grasp, Finrod is pulled closer to the lizardman, as he and his accomplice slash into the grappled elf with their short swords. Feeling better, Gronar raises his head and sees the form of a large minotaur charging through the forest behind the shaman. Gronar watches as the unsuspecting shaman is gored by the charging bullman, the giant pushes himself off the ground and tells Korg to follow him. Gronar sprints off to the west and is followed by Korg.

"Where we go Gronar? Friends still fighting." Korg asks

"Gronar need healing very much badly. Korg heal Gronar way over there, where Gronar not get hit with angry sky light, then Gronar go back and save elfys." Gronar replies


Benat yells for the giants to come back, and as she turns to ask Nameroc what he wants to do, she is hit by a crossbow bolt to her kidney. Tracing the bolt's path back to it's origin, Benat finds it in the hands of Nameroc.

"Not so bad a shot now am I?" Nameroc shouted at Benat.

"What are you doing?!" Benat almost begs the question to Nameroc, then watches as the three rear advancing Lizardman run past Nameroc completely ignoring the elf. She then understands all too well what is transpiring.

"Nameroc's turned traitor!" Benat yells

Benat flies to the other side of the elm, and fires into the lizardman who's tongue has Finrod trapped, the arrows drop the beast. Finrod takes the opportunity to run away from the battle to the east.

The minotaur throws down a darkness spell around the shaman, who trips and falls in the darkness, in front of the minotaur. The darkness also manages to trap the returning troll, who was coming to save the shaman. Unable to see, the skies offer no further electrical attacks from the shaman.

Unable to outrun the lizardmen, Finrod finds himself surrounded. He decides to try and break through the circle of amphibians, but he is lashed by a tongue and pulled in close to a lizardman. Benat fires arrows into Nameroc, shouting traitor the entire time. Gronar and Korg race back to the battle after Korg spends twenty seconds shoving as many cure wounds spells as he could into Gronar. The minotaur moves south coming within 20' of Gronar who whirls and thrusts his spear into the chest of the minotaur, knocking it off it's feet and onto it's back.

"Gronar, it is I Paquito. You do not recognize me. No?" Paquito says

"No, you not Pokey. Pokey much smaller than you." Gronar replies

"Korg think is 'nother trick by lizards. Stab it again Gronar." Korg says supporting his large friend.

"No, it is I. You showed me your painting yesterday remember. You are a very handsome giant. No?" Paquito responds laying down on the ground trying to appear less threatening

"You show Pokey painting of Korg?" Korg asks Gronar

"No, it is painting of Gronar." Gronar replies digging through his backpack and retrieving the mirror. "See."

"Korg sees painting of Korg." The giant replies

"No, look Gronar is in painting." Gronar says showing it to Korg again

"Hey! can we kill the bad guys first. Argue later?" Benat shouts

"Oh right!" Korg answers moving up and slicing through a lizardman.

Gronar turns and apologizes to Paquito before cleaving through two more lizardmen. Benat continues her one woman crusade against Nameroc, piercing the man's skin with two more arrows.

Paquito rolls onto his stomach and props his head up with his left hand, then fires two magic missiles into Nameroc, he then notices the troll crawl it's way out of the darkness and run off to the north.

Gronar and Korg sweep through four more lizardman as Finrod is freed by the death of the lizardman whose tongue is holding him. Paquito fires magic missiles from his comfy spot on the forest floor, killing Nameroc. Benat takes off after a retreating lizardman and hunts him down, assuming that there are no longer any survivors, she returns to the party.

"Paquito is it really you?" Benat asks from the end of an arrow shaft

"Yes, I managed to escape, unfortunately they sprung the ambush before I could arrive. No?" Paquito responds

"Where's Nameroc?" Finrod asks

"He is safe, I will take you to him later." Paquito says

"You'll take me to him now!" Benat demands

"There is no time. The remaining minotaurs are attacking Mirwood as we speak, this was just a ruse to get the giants away from the village. No?" Paquito pleads

"If you are lying to me, I will flay you inch by inch." Benat's cold blues eyes flicker an angry red.

"Yes, well, good luck with that. No?" Paquito responds to himself.

The party turns and races back towards Mirwood.



DM's note: Paquito is now large sized, having gone up a level and taking that enhancement when he defeated Taurranous. Paquito gored the shaman again, killing him behind the cover of darkness from the party.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Wear high boots and watch where you step

The party races back to Mirwood, as Paquito relates his story of daring, determination, and courage unbounded in killing Taurranous.

"I knew it was now or never, with my hands tied behind my back and then again to each of my feet, I leapt off the stone hand. The huge man turned to face me with a snarl and the glint of death in his eye." Paquito begins

"B.S." Benat interjects

"Shh... Gronar like story so far." Gronar tells Benat, putting his index finger to his mouth.

"He thought I would be easy pickings, he didn't even bother to swat me away. I twisted my head down and I gored his eyes out! Taurranous fell to the floor kicking and wailing like kobold child. I rolled up to my feet, and moved in for the kill." Paquito continued

"Pokey brave little, er Korg mean big bullman." Korg said as Paquito now stood taller than Gronar.

"Taurranous wasn't done yet, he stood back up to face me, still over three feet taller than me and easily that much wider. His magical sight ability kicked in and he could see me even though his eyes slung low from their sockets, each one pierced by my horns of doom. He pointed at me and said 'to the death', it was then I knew he had to die." Paquito relates

"Wait, that part right there. That's when you knew he had to die? Not when he was getting ready to sacrifice you, or when he sent that shapeshifter out to have us ambushed?" Benat asks

"Shhh!" comes the combined response from the giants

"So there I was, still hog tied and without my spells. It was looking bleak, the rest of the minotaurs stopped fighting so as to watch the death battle that was about to begin. Silence draped itself over the room like a shroud, torches flickered and spiders scurried away. With a snort and a scrape, Taurranous charged me. Quickly thinking, I twisted my body at just the right moment, and he gored his own man standing behind me." Paquito said pumping his arm in a goring motion

"Dumb bullman. Even Gronar know not to kill own slave." Gronar replied

"I called out to the minotrices in the room to stand up and strike down their oppressive leadership, in unison the females rallied around me and they drove their spears through the hearts of the gawking males. I knew I had won the battle of public perception, the maze mage was just gushing compliments about my combat prowess. She cast lightning bolt after lightning bolt into the ceiling, the blue crackles of light confused Taurranous. That's when I charged again, this time from the back and I tore out his liver and left lung in one strike. The huge man laid there bleeding, his life draining away like a fish in air. Paquito had won the day. No?" Paquito finishes and takes a bow to hearty clapping from the giants.

"That has got to be the single most inflated over hyped piece of crap I've ever heard in my entire life. That load of B.S. wouldn't even qualify as comedy for a bard, it's so outrageous." Benat fumes

"Elfy just mad because she can't tell story as good as Pokey." Gronar responds

"My stories are all true! If I wanted to create a giant pile of stinking refuse, I could and it would sound better than that drivel." Benat answers

The giants give Paquito high fives and slap him on the back for a job well done.

"Oh great, push his ego even higher. That's just what we need. By the way what did you do to Nameroc?" Benat asks

"I have instructed the minotrices to take care of him, his hands and feet were crushed so he would only slow me down as I raced back here to save you from the shaman. No?" Paquito gloats

"Gronar train Pokey good. Pokey not even need big ass sword to fight." Gronar congratulates the minotaur.

"Hey, Paquito. Where did you say the attack was coming from?" Finrod asks

Turning to face the elf, Paquito sees the forest ahead ablaze with all colors of light. Huge tree tops could be seen moving within and around the village. The slight breeze carried with it the scent of blood and the soft sound of a thousand screams. Benat tears through the underbrush in a mad dash back to the village. Finrod does his best to keep up as the giants and Paquito bring up the rear.

They emerge from the forest just north of the festival hall. Benat sees great trees, with elf battlements attached to them, lumbering through the thickets surrounding the village. All manner of goblinkind poured into the village proper like boiling poisoned water, they flowed into every open area like an infection. Hatred burned in Benat's eyes as she took aim at the roiling black mass and was set to let fly an arrow when.....

"You there! Help us!" An elven voice broke through Benat's concentration

The rest of the party filled in behind Benat as she made her way to a group of elves and a large pile of what looked like foliage.

"The minotaurs broke through the floor of the festival hall, they slaughtered dozens of elves before most of them even realized there was a battle to be fought. We won't be able to hold them much longer." Benat recognizes the speaker as a priest from the temple

"Move out of way, Gronar ready to show Pokey how you supposed to kill other Pokeys." Gronar tells the elves

The four elves look at each other, then back at the party. Then move aside, the large coalesced pile of flora shuffles off to the right of the door as well, leaving a slimy mud trail in it's wake. Benat recognizes the thing as a shambling mound. Once it takes it's form off of the door, the head of a battle axe thrusts it's way through the wooden portal. Flames dance along the edge of it's blade and the sound of distant thunder echoes off the splintering door.

"I smell more elves out here! Bullarn, quit working on that wall, the door is almost smashed." Shouts a minotaur's voice from beyond the door.

 

[Droid101]

"B.S." Benat interjects.

What a stick in the mud.

Good stuff.

 

[Jon Potter]

What a stick in the mud.

That brings up a good point. Was the Paquito storyline played out separately so that the rest of the players REALLY didn't know what had transpired or is Benat's player just roleplaying this reaction?

It's really funny that Paquito really was rather heroic against Taurranus but he still felt the need to lie about what happened to the point of absurdity. It really says a lot about him.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

That brings up a good point. Was the Paquito storyline played out separately so that the rest of the players REALLY didn't know what had transpired or is Benat's player just roleplaying this reaction?

It's really funny that Paquito really was rather heroic against Taurranus but he still felt the need to lie about what happened to the point of absurdity. It really says a lot about him.

Paquito's heroics were played out entirely separately from the rest of the group. Nameroc's player was brought in at the end and was told the role he was to play (try to get the party out of Mirwood as soon as possible, the doppleganger couldn't cast spells, so *Nameroc* had to come up with good excuses as to why we wasn't using his flaming sphere). When Paquito appeared on the board behind the shaman, the party thought it was going to be TPK night, since they didn't know Paquito had become large sized.

Staying in character, Paquito proceeded to embelish his heroics again. Paquito is all about bluff and intimidate. He's got magic items that buff those skills, a feat that buffs those skills, and he maxed out those skills. Plus as a sorcerer his charisma is already high. Paquito's bluff vs. Benat's sense motive has proven to be a constant staple in the game.

The real test for Paquito comes at the end of the next update.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

T.m.i.

The door splinters, unable to hold back the assault form the minotaur chopping at it from the inside of the festival hall. Gronar and Korg form an impressive 20' line, 20' from the doorway. Followed by Benat and then Paquito and Finrod. Filling the door frame is a large minotaur covered in banded plate, it wields a greataxe in each hand. Snarling at the two giants, it charges into the party.

The two elves flanking the door, miss with their longswords as the minotaur raises his weapons in preparation of making Korg an armless giant. The minotaur bellows out a challenge as it leaps into the air at the giant cleric, before the minotaur is able to cut down Korg, the shambling mound extends it's tendrils around the throat and left arm of the minotaur. Jerking back it's descent and slamming the brute on the ground in front of the giants.

Gronar stabs into the prone minotaur, and blood gushes forth from underneath it's breastplate. Korg follows that up with a backhanded slice from his greatsword, shearing off most of the minotaur's right quadriceps. Bleeding and helpless, the minotaur struggles to break free of the organic rope around his neck. Paquito casts ray of enfeeblement, the minotaur writhes in agony as it's strength is drained away from it. Benat flies off to the left of the minotaur and plants two arrows into the side of it's head, blinding the beast in it's right eye.

The shambling mound begins to slowly drag the minotaur back to itself. Struggling against hope, the minotaur kicks and turns itself over onto it's stomach as it fights the grappling foliage creature. Gronar sees the undefended opening, and powers his spear through the minotaur with the force of two giants. Thus ending the threat from the unit's leader. Another minotaur rushes out to take up the empty space, and is cut down by Korg's mighty sword. Another rushes out and gets two arrows from Benat, and another from Finrod.

"Cease this nonsense! As your new bullord, I command you to halt your aggressions!" Paquito yells out at the attacking minotaurs.

"Ha! you lie! Taurranous would eat you for lunch. You're mouth will mark you as next to die." comes the response from inside the hall.

"I think it is you who will be dying this day." Finrod replies

The shambling mound grabs the minotaur in front of Korg around it's neck and slams the head of the beast onto the ground behind him. Snapping it's neck and ending it's threat. Another minotaur leaps from the steps of the festival hall, and is eviscerated by Gronar's spear. The next minotaur is a little more cautious as it sticks it's head out from the doorway and gets an arrow through his cheek from the elven village defender.

"Go!" Comes the shout from inside the hall, as the minotaur in the doorway gets kicked through the portal and into a furry of attacks from the elves and Korg.

The beast's innards are turned to hamburger by the whirling blades of the defenders, another rushes from the hall and is snatched up by the shambling mound, which squeezes the life out of the monster. Another moves out to take it's place and gets mowed down by the combined effort of Gronar and Korg. A momentary silence envelopes the area, the two elven defenders flanking the doorway peer in and announce that there is only one minotaur left inside, cowering behind the bar near the back of the hall.

Paquito moves up to the doorway, "I am your new leader! There will be peace!" Paquito shouts.

"Out of the way Paquito!" Benat shouts

Benat, not wanting to end this in a diplomatic standoff, flies to the doorway and fires an arrow into the left leg of the hiding minotaur.

"Fine, I believe you. Stop shooting." The minotaur pleads

Paquito moves into the door frame, blocking any further shoots from Benat.

"Hey, get out of the way Paquito!" Benat shouts

Ignoring Benat, Paquito addresses the wounded minotaur. "Take the arrow from your leg, and return to Corridorian. She will confirm my story and show you the dead body of Taurranous. Go now." Paquito commands.

The minotaur gets up and recedes back down the open floor in the kitchen. Benat flies to the window near the rear of the festival hall, she spies the minotaur retreating through the erupted floor and attempts to kick in the window. After a few good kicks and the window not giving, Benat, exasperated at letting the enemy flee, turns her attentions to the rest of the village. She sees that the elven defenders are successfully repelling the invaders. A massive wall of dead and dying goblins lay piled up near the eastern edge of the village. A huge treant moves through the attacking force like a scythe through wheat. Battered and broken bodies are flung in every direction, Benat takes aim at a few that look like they might attempt to crawl away. She plunges her arrows into their shocked heads before they hit the ground.

Finrod runs into the center of town looking for Valriand, and takes swipes at anything goblinoid that's still moving on the ground. Gronar moves up to inspect the shambling mound, as Paquito exits the hall and Korg gathers the armored minotaur's possessions.

"Gronar think mulch pile make good fighter. Where can Gronar buy one like that?" Gronar says to the smaller elf

"Pray hard." The cleric replies and leads his divine gift off to give more support to the victorious elves.

"We thank you immensely, we will surely tell the elder of your deeds this day. Please go in peace." The others elves shake Gronar's large hand and follow the elven cleric into the village.

"Pray hard? Gronar not know you could pray soft." Gronar says out loud, trying to get his mind around the elves' response.

"Praying not hard, is easy. Korg pray all the time. Korg praying right now, Gronar can't tell right?" Korg replies


Benat returns to the group, "We need to go save Nameroc."

"I told you he is safe. No?" Paquito says

"Yes, you told me that. Now prove it." Benat answers

"Ugh, very well. I shall take you to him. No?" Paquito replies.

"Maybe elfy know. Hey elfy, how you pray hard?" Gronar asks

"I couldn't possibly begin to explain that to someone as undevout as yourself." Benat retorts

"Un..de..vute? Korg what un..de..vute mean?" Gronar asks

"Korg not know, Korg smite un..de..vout." Korg responds

"Ah! that's it. I'm going to teach you a new word Korg. How about nurture? Can you say that with me?" Finrod asks

"Nur-ture, Korg learn new word!" Korg shouts clapping his hands and jumping for joy.

"No, you have to learn the meaning of the word. Not just how to say it." Finrod replies

"Korg nurture meaning of smite!" Korg shouts


"Which way do we go? Back through the tunnel or overland?" Finrod asks

After deliberation, the party decides to trek overland back to the maze. Paquito leads them through the empty passageways and vacant rooms, to the shrine room. Nameroc lays moaning in pain as the group enters, Benat rushes to his side and ascertains that Nameroc's wrists and ankles were crushed.


"Your touch is all that kept me going m'lady. Even as I lay in anguish the thought of your sweet caress fueled me forth." Nameroc mutters to Benat

"Ooo.. Benat and Nameroc sitting in a tree. K-i-s" Paquito's singing is interrupted by the back of Benat's hand.

"Obviously he is in severe pain." Benat says

"Korg will smite his pain! No Korg will nurture his pain!" Korg shouts, the words cause Nameroc to wince instinctively.

"Shut up! You're scaring the hell out of him." Benat admonishes Korg

"Korg will nurture the hell out of his smite!" Korg shouts to Gronar's approval.


The party gets an eyeful of the devilish altar that nearly fills the back of the room. It's squatting form looks as if it could topple under it's own weight at any moment. The minotaur Paquito set free bows it's head as his new bull lord enters the room.

"See, I told you he would be safe in the hands of my people." Paquito says proudly

"You make it sound as if you set them free, I surmise it was probably the other way around." Benat answers

"Believe it any way you wish. I have command over my own tribe of minotaurs, if that bothers you so be it. I intend to broker a peace with the elven elder, and make lots of babies. No?" Paquito replies, licking his fingers and running them through the thick hair on his head in an attempt to smooth it out.

"Where treasure room?" Gronar asks Paquito, who gives him a blank stare

"Perhaps it is down that hallway. No?" Paquito asks Corridorian

"I do not know, I am not allowed down that hallway." Corridorian answers

"Treasury." Benat and Finrod answer in unison

Gronar heads towards the passage and sticks his head around the corner and sees a large wooden door, a searing heat scorches his very soul, and the giant flings himself back into the altar room.

"What happened?" Benat asks

"Head on fire." Gronar replies with the best description he can give.

Paquito retrieves Chip and sends him down to scout out the passageway, Chip returns saying there is a cube shaped force that prevents him from getting close to whatever is at the end of the hallway.

Korg hefts up the body of Taurranous and casts speak with dead.

"How you get to door in hallway." The giant asks

"I walk there." Comes the grating reply

"Why Gronar get hurt in hallway?" Korg asks

"I have no information on that subject." Comes the eerie reply

"How Korg get to door in hallway?" Korg asks

"You walk to it." Comes the moaning reply

"Ask what's in the room." Benat urges the giant

"Yeah, What in room?" Korg asks

"The altar to my god, two hill giants, two minotaurs, 2 minotrices, a maze mage, three elves, four dead bodies." Comes the reply

"No! what's in that room!?" Korg says pointing down the hallway at the door, but the magic has faded and the contact with Taurranous's spirit has been lost. "Stupid pokey." Korg says throwing the deceased body back to the floor.

"Great. Lots of help that got us." Benat says throwing her hands in the air. "Hey, I've got an idea, lets throw one of the dead bodies down the hall and see what happens."

"Ok." Gronar replies snatching up a dead minotrice and dragging to the hallway

"Um, lets not. Maybe we could go back to the village and get a dead goblin. No?" Paquito objects

"No, that would take way too long. Besides you weren't going to mate with this one anyway were you?" Benat asks

Paquito looks around nervously and clears his throat. "Well of course not, heh. But, can we clear out the room of the ladies before you violate the deceased. I do not want them traumatized. No?" Paquito pleads

"Oh, fine." Benat answers and ushers the maze mage and minotrices out of the room. Gronar then tosses the dead minotrice into the hall, yet nothing happens.

Paquito then strides to the hallway. "Wait." Korg calls to the minotaur, "Korg cast spell (shield other) on Pokey."

Paquito then enters the hallway and feels an oppressive force trying to push his spirit back out of the hallway. Korg feels the same sensations as well and calls for Paquito to come back out of the hallway.

"You. Go down there and bring everything in that room back here." Paquito orders the last minotaur.

"Gladly sire, I live to serve." The minotaur runs down the hall, opens the door, then slams it shut. "Ha! Come get me."

"Ok, who here did NOT know that was going to happen." Benat asks pointing at Paquito

"What we do now?" Korg asks

"We wait, Pokey has to eat sometime." Gronar states

The party waits through the night, in the morning Benat casts augury and gets an inconclusive reply when asked if Paquito must be a bull lord to traverse the hallway.

After another four hours of waiting, the minotaur in the room brokers a deal to bring out all the items in the room if the party promises to spare it's life and give it some food. It brings out some gold and a clay basin, but not much else. The party concludes that there must be a secret door in the room. The party decides to return to Mirwood and see if there is any answers for this problem.

Before leaving Corridorian, Paquito hands her 2,400 in gold from Taurranous's pouch to help fund the new tribe. He promises her he will return with peace between them and the elves.

 

[Droid101]

Ha ha...

Some strange issues you run into when there are giants who aren't very smart in the party.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Gronar and hill giant's history.

Oral history as told by Brojnar Boulderhoulder, shaman to Granite tribe:


"Listen children as I tell you tale of long time past. In past Granite's were not only giants, there was cold giants who lived on top of big mountains, hot giants who liked to live near exploding mountains with fire rocks, cloud giants who lived on top of clouds in sky." Brojnar starts

"Ooh!." Gasps the assembled children

"There was even giants who were so big, they could play with the lightning from the gods anger." Brojnar states

"Where they now?" Asks a small child

"Don't interrupt me when I tell story, Brojnar lose place and have to start over." Brojnar answers, the children next to the one who asked the question elbow him in the side to drive home the point.

"One day giants even bigger than the lightning giants come. They tell Granite tribe we have to come with them, we go to new home. Some giants not like that idea and they fight biggest giants, but lose. Granite tribe forced to go with biggest giants back to this place." Brojnar says spreading his arms out to indicate the area around him.

"When Granite tribe gets here, biggest giant tell us we have to dig in ground for shiny rocks and give to biggest giants. But, only the littlest Granites could fit in mines, biggest giants take away tallest of Granites and they never come back. Soon all that left is little Granites." Brojnar tells

"When Jurnaorck grows up, Jurnaorck going to be biggest Granite." Says a child proudly, referring to himself.

"Hey, now you make Brojnar lose place in story." The shaman says

"You said little Granites." A child speaks up

"Oh yes, Brojnar remember now. Pokeys also here at new Granite home, they boss Granite's around, make Granites slaves. If Granites try to fight back, then the biggest giants come and take away whole giant family, no one never sees them again. Granites soon stop fighting and just do what pokeys say." Brojnar continues

"Gurgtoc not ever do what pokeys say, what wrong with old Granites?" A child, Gurgtoc inquires.

"Pokeys tell biggest giants, then biggest giant come and squish you. No one never wins against biggest giants. Granites work in mines long time, longer than anyone remembers, longer than the trees live. Then one day elfys and elfys children* come and say we no have to listen to pokeys anymore. First we not believe pointy ears but their children* pick fight with pokeys, and the biggest giants don't come to help them. That's when Granites knew elfys tell truth. Then Granite tribe help elfys fight pokeys, Granite tribe beats pokeys and make them Granite tribe's slaves." Brojnar says

"Yay!" comes the response from the assembled children

"Granite tribe now live in own caves, and work when want to work, not when pokeys say." Brojnar finishes.


Gronar's personal history:

Gronar grew up the middle child of a family of miners, both his parents worked the mines and Gronar too knew in time he would be working them as well. Since the hill giants society as a whole is born of limited intelligence, Gronar's teachings were ones of oral history and repetition.

Gronar liked the thrill of the hunt, the chase of the prey, and the good eats after it was killed. His first opportunity for bear meat however, met with not so favorable results. Gronar had followed a small cub to a small stream where it stopped for a drink in the water. Gronar rushed the bear thinking it a quick kill, only to find it's mother had tracked Gronar. Before the young Gronar knew what had happened, the bear had torn a nasty wound into the giant's gut. Bleeding and dizzy, Gronar found himself dying alone and quickly.

Gronar awoke days later back in his own bed. He learned that a young hill giant had happened upon him and saved his life. Once he was strong enough to walk, Gronar searched out his savior. He learned that this giant was a priest in the temple of Umtala, Gronar knew that the priests there kept to themselves, so much so that they were considered to be out of touch with reality. Gronar reached the temple but the giant he was looking for, Korg, refused to see him. Gronar waited nine days before Korg relented and allowed Gronar in to see him.

They talked for days, Gronar was fascinated by Korg's piety and "magic", while Korg was fascinated by Gronar's tales of hunting and of other races. Their friendship grew over the next ten years, and when Korg was given the assignment to seek out other hill giants on this newly settled continent, Korg knew he would need Gronar's help with diplomacy, for Gronar had interacted with countless races as he grew up, while Korg's life had been sheltered and restricted to other giants.

Conflicted between staying with what he knew and going where he knew no one and nothing, Gronar debated over several days trying to decide what to do. In the end it was Korg's passion for Umtala that convinced Gronar that what Korg was going to do was right and that Korg would need Gronar's help to make sure no one took advantage of his naive friend.


*halflings (the hill giants mistook them as the elves children)

 

[Jon Potter]

...Korg would need Gronar's help to make sure no one took advantage of his naive friend.

Oh, yes! Gronar is sharp as a tack! No one'll take advantage of him!

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

R&R? Not likely

The party returns to Mirwood, Benat is moved to tears as the town is in full swing trying to put itself back together again. Even the festival hall has been returned to a meeting place for elves. Korg and Gronar carry the crippled Nameroc to the elven temple, while Paquito and the other elves head off to gain an audience with the elder.

"Terrible injury, this will require a full heal or better yet, a regeneration spell." The priest tells Nameroc

"But, you can heal me right?" Nameroc asks

"Well, we have the capabilities to do so, however after the raid on our town, our resources are limited." The priest answers

"What does that mean? I'll be stuck like this for days? Maybe weeks?" Nameroc laments

"Well, I'm unable to provide this service to you free of charge, I'm afraid I will have to ask for the material contributions from you in order to heal you in a timely manner." The priest responds

"Ok, how much we talking?" Nameroc asks

"Four thousand." Comes the reply

"Oh no, I don't even have half that. Isn't there something else you can do? Maybe just do my hands now?" Nameroc implores

"I'm afraid not, not for a while anyway." Answers the priest

"How 'bout Gronar kill elfy now and then you bring elfy back as something else? Reed in cairn ate, Gronar heard elfy talk about that last time." Gronar asks as he unsheathes his sword

"What! Kill me? Are you insane?" Nameroc replies

"No, Gronar in temple. Korg dead before and he all better now." Gronar says as Korg nods in agreement. "See there nothing to be afraid of."

"That won't be necessary, maybe I, we can come to some other arrangement?" The priest offers

"Gronar think reed in cairn eight is best plan, what you think Korg?" Gronar asks

"Korg say maybe elfy come back as giant?" Korg says as Gronar's eyes light up at the prospect of another giant in the party.

Gronar raises his sword over Nameroc, but becomes dejected when he discovers that Nameroc is standing, fully healed.

"Aw, now Gronar not get to see elfy turn into giant. Oh well, now Gronar not have to carry elfy around any longer." The giant comments

"You are going to owe me huge." The priest whispers to Nameroc

"And I will gladly pay." Nameroc replies, as he watches the giants retreat out of the temple.

The giants spy Paquito, Benat, and Finrod loitering around the base of the elder's tree and advance to them.

"Korg think this bad spot to wait at, no one never brings mead here." Korg says offering his own interpretation of what the others are doing here.

"The elder has yet to return from an errand, so we're waiting here so as to best catch him, when he does return." Finrod replies

"Hey, you think Gronar get reward for killing pokeys?" Gronar asks

"I think we can arrange something." The elder interjects before anyone in the party can.

The elder thanks the party for their efforts in stopping the minotaurs from causing any more damage than they did. He offers the party five potions and a ring for their troubles. Benat takes the ring and everyone else grabs a potion, the elder tells them that the potions are from a secret elven concoction and they are greatly more powerful than anything they are likely to ever see. He tells Benat that the ring will grow more powerful over time and to not let it fall into enemy hands. The party thanks the elder for his generosity and they take leave.

Benat heads to the festival hall, and offers to perform for free, the patrons gladly accept and she sings them the tale of a small and insignificant beast who rises up and defeats his oppressive master. She captivates the audience with her rendition of Paquito's plight as the song would come to be known.

Paquito retires to his room at the elven magic school, and while unpacking comes across a rock he lifted from Taurranous' body. Casting detect magic, Paquito determines that it is of great necromantic strength. He takes the rock to Luinphayl and asks if he's seen anything like this before. Luinphayl asks to see the rock, and then asks that Paquito step outside while he performs some tests on it. After a couple of minutes, he has Paquito enter his room.

"This rock has been enchanted with a horrid wilting spell, I suggest you keep it somewhere where it is not likely to fall out." Luinphayl tells Paquito

"So what do I do with it?" Paquito naively asks

"Just toss and get out of the way, it's good for deforestation, or drying up a small pond, or section of a stream." Luinphayl replies

"What good is this going to do? Maybe you should keep it?" Paquito says offering the rock to his teacher.

"No, I'm afraid if I kept it, I would just end up knocking it off onto the floor. Then I would really be in a pickle, besides, I'm sure it's usefulness will reveal itself in time." Luinphayl responds with a smile.

"Ok, I guess I'll keep it then." Paquito replies

"Excellent, now tell me, have you had an opportunity to use your key yet?" Luinphayl inquires

"Uh, no. I have not." Paquito answers

"In due time I'm sure." Luinphayl says with a wink.

Paquito takes his leave of his teacher and retires to his own chamber.

Benat learns, as she mingles through the night, that there has been no mention of a traitor being captured, or any of the fallen elves turning into something else upon their deaths. The only information she's able to glean, is that the cemetery has been deemed off limits as of yesterday, which during this time of mourning seems like an odd thing to do. Benat resolves to find out more when morning arrives, but for the time being it feels good to amongst friends and "family".

Nameroc stretches his aching back muscles, having swept the entire floor of the temple's foundry. Although he was glad he received the healing he required, so he was not going to complain about what he agreed for his payment.

"One week down here won't be so bad, it'll fly right by and I'll be done." The elf said as he blew out the last of the lamps on his way to the stairs.

The deep red glow of the foundry makes the whole floor seem as if it was out of a demonic nightmare, he wondered what other "rooms" the temple had that the town proper didn't know about. For he had lived his entire life, over two hundred years, and never once knew a temple to keep their own foundry. He gave a heavy sigh thinking about what might be his duties tomorrow, as long as they didn't involve cistern work he would be happy.

Finrod bought up some time at the town's weaponsimthy in an attempt to forge his own masterwork weapon. Finrod had paid the smith for the uses of the forge and for the steel he would use in forging his longsword. The sound of clanging echoed through the night as Finrod worked at a fever pace, he vowed to show Benat and the giants, that he was useful to have around. As he neared completion, Finrod could tell it was going to be a spectacular piece, he wondered if he shouldn't sell it and reinvest the money in his next dream creation.

Finrod cooled the blade one last time, and swung the sword around his head. "Perfectly balanced" he thought to himself, the metal seemed to glow in the early morning moonlight. Finrod struck the blade flat against the anvil and heard the perfect tone, he flipped the blade and struck the other side against the anvil. *Snap* *clang* the blade had broken off at the hilt. It seemed almost impossible, he had labored all night only to produce a high quality piece of scrap metal. Humbled, Finrod leaves the smith's shop and heads to the festival hall to drink his morning away.