The Shore of Shadow
The following day, after the heroes had found a suitable resting spot, Avangel explained that he had heard rumors about the purchase of items that had belonged to surface dwellers.
“There was mention of a ruby,” said Avangel.
At this, Dent’s half-elven ears perked up.
“What sort of ruby?”
“The sort that would restore your tiger,” said Avangel.
“That is good news,” said Dent.
“Well, it is if you consider stone giants good news,” said the celestial elf with a chuckle.
“Stone giants, eh?” asked Varr. “What’re we waitin’ for?”
“It would mean heading to The Shore of Shadow,” said Avangel.
“If we continue through the Deep Wastes, we shall arrive there,” said Belasco.
“Can you truly restore Haley?” asked Dent.
“I believe so,” he said. “But first we must find the gem.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The heroes traveled through the Deep Wastes for several more days, encountering the occasional raiding party of goblins, or even a stray troglodyte. None of these interferences lasted long, however, as the group made short work of their enemies.
Their periods of rest were fitful at best, but were welcomed after a full day of travel. It was during these times that the companions exchanged stories of past adventures and thoughts on finding their friends. It was also at these times that Ziona felt a certain amount of tension between herself and Belasco. The drow did not seem to trust her and certainly didn’t take comfort in her company, often avoiding discussion with her, and never taking watch at the same time as she.
“I do not think Belasco trusts me as he trusts the rest of you,” said Ziona to Dent one night during their watch.
“I don’t think he trusts any female drow,” said Dent. “He seemed pretty surprised when we told him about you.”
“But I do not have the same beliefs or live as the female drow he has known,” said Ziona. “I am a cleric of Eilistraee, a Goddess he should embrace.”
“Don’t take it personally. I’m sure he’ll come around once he sees that you’re not going to plunge a dagger in his back,” joked Dent.
Ziona just sighed. Here she was, journeying with a drow who had broken away from the clutches of Lolth to lead a life of integrity, and yet he did not trust her or her Goddess as far as he could throw them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They arrived at the Lake of Shadows after a few days of travel. Here, they tried their best to tread softly, knowing the stone giants were close by, but “quiet” and “dwarf” are not known for being synonymous. Varr clanged along, almost daring the giants to find them.
And find them they did.
Two giants stood at each side of the entrance of the cavern that opened before the heroes. The companions did not see them, but they could not miss the boulder that hurtled past them and crumbled against the wall.
“Know that I missed you on purpose,” bellowed the giant in Undercommon. “Why have you come here?”
“Let us first try to negotiate with them,” said Ziona in common. Then, to the giants, “We want only safe passage through the Lake of Shadow. We are searching for our friends.”
“You
dare enter The Lake of Shadow, drow kin?!”
Another boulder soared though the air, just narrowly missing the half-drow.
“We fight against the followers of Kiaransalee,” called Belasco. “We fight against the same enemy.”
“Drow
are our enemies,” shouted the giant, “and it is plain you are drow.”
“They do not trust us,” translated Ziona for the others. “The drow are their enemy. Ready your weapons.”
Two twelve-foot giants stepped into view. They resembled large humans, except that their skin was as gray as slate. The companions knew there would be no negotiating with the giants now, for in their fists were boulders nearly the size of Varr!
“Now this is my kind of negotiating!” said Belasco, twirling his longswords from their sheaths.
In a blur it began. Belasco did not wait for the giants to unleash another armful of boulders upon them. Instead, he began slashing and cutting into the tough hide of the stone giants with his gleaming swords.
Beside him were Tark and Avangel, who had advanced on the second giant and were now smashing and skewering at it with their weapons.
Meanwhile, Dent unleashed his fury through his arrows, hitting his mark each and every time. At his side was Ziona, who had cast Moonblade, creating a magical bastard sword that stemmed from her palm. Rossal was there to back them up with spells as needed.
Varr, who was now frothing with excitement at the melee, made his way noisily to the giant that was attacking Belasco. The giant was almost happy to see the stout dwarf, thinking it finally had a foe it could hit. It seemed that the shady drow disappeared and reappeared in a different spot just as the giant thought he would squash the life out of him. Belasco took great pleasure in angering his foe, often taunting him at it’s horrible swings and misses.
All of this commotion alerted other giants in the area. Soon, the large cavern was brimming with twelve-foot giants that were intent on destroying the intruders. Their footsteps rumbled the ground as they strode into the room, hurling stones and boulders and pounding their fists down at the companions.
Tark continued to crush his electric mace into his foes, and even took a moment or two every now and then to tease Avangel, who was not having much luck striking their enemies at all.
Not far from them, Varr and Belasco were cutting down giants as a lumberjack claims trees. It was becoming somewhat of a sport between the men of the group, in fact. When Dent’s arrows pierced the stony hide of a giant and felled the beast, Belasco was often heard chuckling, “I soften them up for you, and you take the kill!”
The battle raged on, and just when it seemed that all the giants in the Shore of Shadow had been slaughtered, more had come to join the fight. The heroes were beginning to slow and tire, but still they fought until there were no more giants to enter the cavern.
“I think it’s safe to say our enemy is defeated,” said Ziona breathlessly.
Large corpses lay strewn about in every direction. Dust and dirt cycled through the air, carried on the breeze that was born from the momentum of the giants’ fall to the ground.
“I think it’s safe to say I claimed the most,” smiled Dent.
“I don’t know that I believe
that,” said Belasco. “Especially since any kills you claim add to my number…you are after all, my possession.”
At this they had a chuckle, and accepted healing from Ziona and Tark. Belasco hesitated a moment, then, with a stern look at Ziona, approached Tark and thanked him for the heal. Ziona only turned away assisted Dent with his wounds.
“Not that I was keeping count, for it is a foolish game,” she said with a smile, “but I do believe you were in the lead.”
The Adventure Continues…
