Ununkua'em stops a moment, his face a mask of concentration, then he nods, looking at the fortress he says almost to himself, "That is what has been bothering me."
"I have some experience with fighting giants. Giants are noisy and the fortress is silent, if there are giants in there, we should hear something." looking back at the assembled group, he adds gravely, "If they are still alive."
The goliath smiles kindly at Dev after his grim pronouncement, "We are going in there," he says pointing at the massive fortress built for something too large to be human, "In there is where the machine is, and the demon lord. We are going in to turn the machine off, preferably forever."
Silvanyck pulls his cloak snug about him despite Geron's magic. He longs for the warm forest home. "I agree the silence is strange. Do you think the giants have fallen prey to the abyssal machine? Some scouting is in order. I can become invisible as well as fly. Shall I explore a little?"
"Let us not block our ears from sound, but a sphere of invisibility may not be a bad idea." The lean elvin wanderer touches his staff to the ground, the small globe atop it glimmering slightly as his other hand presents a shard of a shell of some sort.
"Do not go too far Silvanyck, , if Ununkua'em is correct, I do not wish us to stumble without knowing what is ahead." Gereon looks searchingly at his companions, "shall we continue?"
"Scouting is a good idea. Let's get a defensive line going out here, while he checks out the fortress a little." She shakes a finger at Silvanyck. "Don't go too far without us! We'll give you a head start, then move in after you. About a hundred feet? Or is that too far?"
She waves the others over. "Lets work out a good formation too. Warriors up front, fragile types in the middle. I'll bring up the end."
Slivanyck nods, "I shant venture too far ahead, I should be able to see you despite the invisibility." He makes an arcane gesture and a cape of swirling shadows sprouts from his back lifting him effortlessly into the air. As he drifts upward he hums a tune and moves his hand in a complex pattern then suddenly he vanishes from normal sight. Despite the protection of his magic Silvanyck is careful to make no sound and use the cover of trees, rocks and the walls themselves to avoid detection.
~~~~
Silvanyck:
It takes you less than a minute to reach the gates of the fortress, the wall in front of you is 30 tall, thru which runs a short tunnel. Two iron portcullises blocks your progress thru the wall, one at either end of the tunnel.
To either side of the tunnel loom two 60 foot high towers, which appear to be unguarded. These towers have neither windows nor arrowslits.
Looking back you can see that the group is currently 250 away behind you, carefully picking there way along the icy ledge.
OOC: As the ledge is icy you can only safely move along it if you're taking one move action per round, anything more than this means you could slip over, possibly off the ledge altogether.
Spell Effects Summary[sblock]
Everyone:
Endure Elements : 24 hr. duration, protects down to -50 up to 140 degree F
Extended Greater Mage Armour: 18 hr. duration, +6 armour bonus to AC (applies against incorporeal attacks)
Greater Resistance: +3 resistance bonus to saves, 24 hr. duration
Invisibility Sphere: 10 radius, 10 minutes duration
Protection from Arrows: 9 hr. duration, DR 10/magic vs. ranged weapons (absorbs up to 90 damage total)
Silvanyck
Fell Flight: Flight 30' (good), 24 hours duration.
See the Unseen: Darkvision 60' & See Invisibility, 24 hours duration.
Greater Invisibility: 10 rounds duration (2 rounds remaining).[/sblock]
