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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 1796809" data-attributes="member: 11574">The clerics bring everyone back to consciousness, then Benat casts detect magic. She finds an object radiating as magical in the wall next to where Gronar happens to be standing. Searching the wall she finds a hidden panel and opens it to reveal a crude metal safe, grasping the handle Benat's hand is pierced by a sharp needle. Benat waits a few seconds for a poison that never kicks in. She then opens the safe to find coins and an arcane scroll, she then turns towards the chest on the floor near where the lizardman stood. Alas it does not radiate as holding anything magical.Benat scours the chest and is confident that it does not hold any traps, she opens the lid to find it full of gold, along with a note she cannot read. She hands it to Maermon and Nameroc who also cannot discern it's meaning. Paquito asks to see the note, Nameroc hands it over expecting the minotaur to say that he too cannot read it. However Paquito seems to study it intently almost mouthing some words."You can read that?" Maermon asksPaquito stops studying the document and gives Maermon a puzzled look."Well can you or can't you?'" Benat questionsPaquito opens his mouth but stammers over the words and seems to be shaken by the question. "What it say pokey?" Korg asks moving next to the minotaur.Paquito sighs deeply then proceeds to read the letter: Your payment of 8 slaves has been accepted; please leave the elves in the old fort on the eastern overlooking hoof lake. Grievous has agreed to join us; he plans to send one of his shamans to your tribe by next moon. He told me to tell you it will be of the scaly variety. Please accept our payment enclosed within the chest as agreed upon. The burial grounds have yielded a number of interesting finds; we believe that there may yet be enough riches to buy us the victory we seek. We have also infiltrated the elvish community our shifters have begun to funnel the slaves to you as of this writing. I’m sure you will find these more than adequate. Ss’Sthain was dispatched a ten day ago; let me know if he is up to your expectations. I meet with the elven elders in a fortnight; all is in place from our end. Tauranous please have your men ready three days prior, we need to know where they intend to strike from, so as to not get in the way of the entangle spells. Victory is certain!We have a problem here, last night a party of elves, giants, and one of your men Tauranous, attacked us. The forestkith managed to cover my tracks, but I believe they will most certainly return. I may have to abandon this place if they get too close, I will meet you at the predetermined time either way. Tauranous if this turns out to be some kind of double-cross, my blade will find a new home between your shoulders! The letter is written in a giant dialect most closely resembling Paquito's own language. Paquito notes that the 2nd and 4th entries are penned by the same hand, and relays that info to the party as well."Mularky! You're making that up, no way some lowly, dirty, goblinoid creature can imitate an elf good enough to live amongst them!" Benat shouts argumentatively"If you doubt my sincerity, then perhaps you would like to have story time with the group? No?" Paquito responds, his eyes getting blacker as his heart pumps faster with the adrenalin rush the question of his honesty has brought. "I told you I can't read it, at least not today." Benat replies, snatching the paper from Paquito's hand. "But you can be sure I'll triple read this first thing in the morning." "Wait, Korg wants to hear part about other giants." Korg says"It was talking about us." Benat replies"But you not giant, Korg and Gronar giants. Paquito say giant party, Korg wants to hear about party." Korg says smiling"Gronar want to talk to cow man about part where he attacked." Gronar says"What are you referring to my large friend. Perhaps you would like me to reread it to you? No?" Paquito says"No, Gronar want cow man to tell about why he know people in letter." Gronar says"No, tell Korg about party!" Korg shouts"It says one of his men, not Paquito. Surely you remember my brave actions during the fight with that kobold yesterday. No?" Paquito says pointing to the mighty kobold's body in the center of the room. "Don't worry I'll read it in the morning and we'll get it straight." Benat says trying to get the party moving again"Gronar not so sure elf can be trusted either." The giant remarks"Aw, Korg want to hear about giant party." Korg says dismissivelyThe party moves to the secret door, and opens it to find a long corridor that leads outside. "Elfy you track upright lizard." Gronar tells Benat"I'll track him once we get out of this place, it's starting to get a little claustrophobic in here." Benat repliesGronar sighs and steps forward right into a glue trap, which holds the giant in place as a low buzzing sound erupts from the far end of the corridor. Gronar is soon swarmed by stirges. Stuck in place Gronar elects to fight off the overgrown mosquitoes instead of freeing himself.Benat and Maermon move into the corridor and start firing at the stirges, Benat takes one down with each arrow, while Maermon's shots just seem to graze the stirges. "Are you trying to fire warning shots or what?" Benat snaps at the lack of prowess with a bow that Maermon is showing."Watch out, Korg throw rock." Korg announces from within the room"Wait, you're not even looking at what you're throwing at. Are you going to throw blind?" Nameroc (who is in the room with Korg) shouts."Korg not blind, Korg see elfy just fine. Korg aim high." Korg says with a knowing smile"Won't that hit Gronar?" Nameroc says trying to dissuade the giant"Gronar! Duck!" Korg yells"No, big mosquitoes, not ducks. Although Gronar would not mind duck for dinner." Comes the response from the besieged giant.Gronar and Benat manage to kill all but one stirge before they attach and drain blood, but Gronar manages to squish that one while it was pre-occupied. "Gronar say elfy track, but noooo elfy not want to track." Gronar says pulling himself free from the glue."How are we going to get past this trap?" Maermon asks"Gronar have idea." Gronar says as he asks Korg to gather all of the dead kobolds, and he stacks them onto the glue. The party then walks across the backs of the defeated."Great idea Gronar." Benat says commending the giant inflating his already huge ego.The party emerges from the cave opening to find themselves at the bottom of a 75' cliff Nameroc informs them that are about 7 miles further east from the entrance to the burrow. The party decides to head for the spacious cave Nameroc found for them yesterday. As the party trudges through the forest at dusk, an arrow whizzes out from the trees and strikes Nameroc laying the elf low. A half dozen goblins melt from the trees and attack with shortbows, Korg and Gronar charge at one apiece as another arrow finds it's way into Maermon's back and he is felled. Nameroc's wolf charges the nearest one to him and begins to gnaw into a leg. "Fire off some more of those magic missiles!" Benat shouts to Paquito"Surely you jest, I am but a poor dirt farmer from the west. No?" Paquito responds as an arrow lands into his chest piercing a lung and dropping the minotaurOutnumber and out maneuvered Gronar cleaves through two goblins and watches as the dead goblins transform into trees before his eyes. The goblins turn Korg's back into a pincushion but it is not enough to bring the giant down.  Korg and Benat handle 3 others before Gronar finishes off the last one, all of them turn into trees once they have been slain. "I think we've discovered the secret of the moving forest." Benat announces"Gronar discover reason elfs don't rule the world." The giant says prodding the bleeding bodies of Nameroc and Maermon. "Skin is like down pillow, easy to tear."Korg applies bandages to halt the bleeding on their fallen comrades, and the giants carry the unconscious bodies back to the cave where the night passes uneventfully.</blockquote>

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