Chapter 3
Wandering Monsters, what joy!
When the party realized that their supplies had been stolen, they searched until they found some tunnels in the snow that began right below their camp. Following the trail, the group came upon a rounded ice cave. Really it was more of a nest. Resting within the nest were a few hatchling Remorhazs (yeah, more of these guys) and a number of shinning eggs.
Anterbach rushed in to "investigate" the valuable eggs while Dobbs, Bolt, and Dev began collecting their supplies. The rest of the party looked on and were quite surprised when the Mother Remorhaz created her own door way through the east wall.
The mighty creature breathed its icy fog in the direction of the warriors invading its nest. Phth and the Crie took a direct hit from the chill. The strength of the energy blast appeared to take Phth by surprise and dropped him to the ground. Perhaps affected by the drow's curse, the half gnome appeared to take massive damage from the attack. Lesser damage was sustained by the Crie whose ability to dodge the attack saved it from a fate similar to Phth.
Two hatchlings attacked Bolt but failed to do any significant damage. Anterbach, while preparing his bow, was attacked by another group of two hatchlings. The kender took minor damage from the second creature.
Jorik dove beneath the beast and scored a bloody hit on its unprotected belly. Korg followed with a minor hit with his two handed sword on the monster's side armor. Dev charged but creature swinging but failed to hit.
Anterbach failed to hit with his bow but Bolt scored twice and killed one of the hatchlings. His second hit, in fact, pierced the creatures head and ran straight through its scale neck.
As Phth tried to crawl up from the icy ground and Dobbs charged, Korg
taunted "Hurry slow humans, we not have all day. Korg might need
teach humans about
fighting!"
Florimund called forth a colorful glowing spray from his hands. One shot froze the hatchling nearest him. Anterbach fired twice, point blank, at one hatchling instantly killed it. Two of the hatchlings, however, scored hits on Dobbs and Bolt.
Dobbs picked up one of the eggs and threw it at the monster. As the yoke flew, the Remorhaz went wild.
Jorik had a second bite on the Remorhaz and was followed by a punch from the Crie. The ice beast attacked Korg twice but failed to hit before Dev killed it with two perfect slices from his blade.
Florimund summoned three glowing balls of mystic power and fired the phantom fingers of light into the hatchling near Anterbach. The death of the creature left only two hatchlings still alive.
Florimund finished off the frozen hatchling by him and his confidence in the fighting skills of the party grew as the remaining hatchlings were quickly dispatched. It took a couple of swings and a brief melee, but Dobbs was able to kill the hatchling near him without taking additional damage. Bolt had less trouble slaying the hatchling nearest him. Florimund kept quiet as he watched Anterbach attempt a spell that was obviously beyond his skill level. The remove curse spell started by Anterbach fizzled into a green spark. Following his detect magic spell, Florimund noted a glowing amulet among a small pile of gold. As Anterbach put one of the eggs in his backpack, Korg found a small platinum short sword which the gnome noted looked like a pitiful dagger in the hands of his half-giant friend.
Standing in the darkness of the entrance, Dev glances from the exterior of the cave to the members of his ragged and weary party. The hours were reaching deep into the night, yet with the clear skies and the bright moon, Dev could see the weather had cleared and a good day of travel would soon be possible. Of first concern would be getting the party some rest. The long days and sleepless nights were taking their toll on the group and, despite their current level of excitement over the victory against the Remoraz, he could see the party needed to sleep.
Wiping his ebony blade clean of the Remoraz waste, Dev stood stoically at the cave entrance. In a voice not quite a yell, yet clearly audible over the cheers of victory Dev spoke, "Gentleman . . . Gentleman, save your strength. It is late and we all must rest. The day ahead will be clear and we will need to take advantage of good travel weather. Dobbs, you should get those wounds tended to. Phth and I will take watch for the remainder of the night. The rest of you can bed down and revel your victory, but do it in your dreams and get some sleep." As he quietly stepped off through the entrance of the cave he half turned back towards the group and said with little emotion "Nice work this evening . . . we might actually be successful as a team . . . someday," then disappeared into the evening dark.
The party moved back to the camp at a painfully slow pace. Korg had yet to accustom himself to the speed of humans and the gate of smaller people was worse. Still the giant was amazed at the little gnome's ability to trot along at any speed. He never appeared to grow tired. On the way back, he pondered the fate of the Drow. He looked around for footprints in the snow but found none. He muttered to the Crie, . . . "Korg never been a big fan of magic. This only make worse."
Upon reaching camp, Bolt summoned the group to sit around the long dead camp fire. "On the way back", Bolt began, "Dev and I discussed the party's health and need for rest. We must decide whether to attempt the Keep again or to return to town for rest and training. In the morning we will decide. Sleep well my friends, on the morrow we will decide."
Dobbs settles in and listens to heated discussion amongst the group. He notices that Bolt wanders away, and then returns later, pouches bulging. Thinking that Bolt has found some nice rocks, Dobbs wanders away as well, muttering Geo-something and the like.
Florimund poses, "After listening to the conversation it seems that the majority of us feel we should return to town." Most heads nod in agreement, except for that of Devlin, who states "By all means, find what motivates them, take them to it and when you are ready, return to this cave. I'll expect you in 10 days. If you have not returned in two weeks with weather allowing, I'll assume you've gone on to greater things." and then turns to leave. Phth's response is, well, you know. Anterbach moves to the other side of the group.
Fortunately, these sorts of things usually work themselves out. With the cursed members of the party taking point, the rest of the party wanders off to town, travelling for a few hours before making a quick camp. The night passess uneventfully.
In the morning, with no Dev to guide, Bolt takes point. His curse doesn't seem to have affected his eyes, for after a few hours travelling, he spots a party of 5-7 frost giants who fit the description of the raiding party. Unfortunately, they are on the move as well, perpendicular to the group and making good time. And the number of boulders in the region is depressingly large, being next to the icy river.
Bolt takes charge of the situation, and sends Crie (the fastest runner) back to meet up with Dev and Dobbs, and the party begins to follow the party of Giants. There seems to be a leader among them, stronger and bigger than the rest, and another giant wearing some sort of totems. (a shaman?). Late in the afternoon, the party has nearly caught up with the giant group and you see Crie, Dobbs, and Dev loping up from the side.
Dev and Dobbs approached from the south east as Bolt, Phth,
Anterbach, and Florimund approached along the hills to the west.
Anterbach was chilled by the fact that half Frost Giant Korg stayed
back. As Florimund paused to prepare a spell, Bolt readied his missile
weapon and Phth silently released a rather foul odor.
Bolt could see his co-leader approaching along a frozen mesa. The ranger looked hungry for battle and his sword 's brightness could be seen from this distance. Bolt wondered if such a blade should be sheathed until just before the attack. It was too late now, he reasoned. Either the sneak attack worked or it didn't.
Aiming at the largest giant, Bolt prepared a spell. It felt good to be finally doing something about the frost giant raiders. Maybe there was some truth in Dev's words. Suddenly the quiet icy air was shattered by a fierce battle cry as Korg began charging the center of the giant band. Florimund chanted a spell and Anterbach simply disappeared.
Bolt's spell erupted on the face of the lead giant like a spark of lightning. The light spell successfully cast on the frost giant's eyes appeared to blind it. As Florimund cast his spell, his face turned green and his nose grew a foot. Korg's scream got the attention of the frost monsters and they moved to engage the Giant and his dog. The shaman stayed near the giant leader and prepared a spell.
Having failed his spell, Florimund began concentrating on another spell that would target the giant leader. Phth, meanwhile, released a foul odor and charged alongside Bolt to meet the nearest giant. The two comrades both swung at the monster. Bolt hit the creature with a vicious slice to his abdomen. Phth missed but enjoyed the smell of the wind as it blew past his underarms. Korg missed the monster as did Jorik. The Frost giants raised their blades and incredibly missed on every attempt but for one jab at Bolt dealing minor damage.
Anterbach became visible as he released two arrows into the chest of the creature in front of Bolt. As Dobbs ran along to the cliff towards that backside of the giant party, Florimund's spell fizzled in mid air and burst into a small star right in the face of the gnome. Dev drew his sword and charged.
The sound of battle was not quiet. Dev launched his blade into the backside of the Shaman while it concentrated on a spell. The giants attacked Bolt, Jorik, Dobbs, and the Crie. Two hits on the monk appeared to cut the elemental in half. Korg made a decisive hit to the giant's abdomen and Dev carved again into the frosty interior of the Shaman's kidney.
The party appeared to be holding its own again the ice legion when a wicked cr7 announced that the Crie had been taken out of the battle. Green ooze poured from the neck of the creature as it slumped down in a heap. The giants glared with satisfaction and the leader turned towards the ranger.
Bolt, Phth, and Korg answered the fall of their friend by slashing at the torsos of the unfortunate creatures nearest them. Dobbs swung and missed but Dev hit the shaman again. Dobbs was hit by one massive giant and the leader blindly spun around. His massive feet crushed the embers out of the elemental that lie at its feet. As one giant ran forward to reinforce the beast fighting Bolt and Phth, the Crie erupted in green fire and began smoldering into the frozen snow.
As the green fire imploded to reveal a half foot jade figurine, Phth sliced at the abdomen of the nearest giant. He released a gleeful noise from a few bodily openings as his death blow answered the death of Crie. Bolt missed no time turning his attention to another approaching white monster and hit the creature's left arm. Dev missed his target and the Shaman continued a spell. Dobbs attempted to parry while retreating from his sticky front. Korg delivered a crushing blow to the giant nearest him and Jorik jumped for its neck.
Jorik's jump, however, was short and as the winter wolf landed on its side, the giant crushed its ribs with a powerful hit. Bolt and Dobbs were both hit as Florimund engaged the leader.
The leader swung twice at the half man bravely squaring off against him, but missed twice. While the gnome also missed, the frost giant was amazed to see how the little man's dagger transformed itself into a glowing short sword when it attacked.
Bolt critically hit the monster nearest him as did Phth. Korg parried the beast and Jorik was not hit by a second attack from the white monster. Dev swung at the shaman and missed as Dobbs hit the nearest giant with his staff.
Phth was hit by the giant nearest him as too was Dev.
Aiming above the head of this gnome friend, Anterbach fired twice at the leader but missed. As the shaman finished his eerie chanting, arms of white icicle blades surrounded Korg, Jorik, and the giant they were fighting. It began to pick up speed like a growing breeze as it whirred around faster and faster.
The blades continued to whirl about Korg. Ignoring the sharp threat, Jorik jumped on the giant twice and ripped at the creature's abdomen. Korg also hit the creature before it hit back. Florimund continued to cause the leader athlete's foot while Phth hit the beast near him. Bolt dove under the legs of the beast as it hit him. Dev took a hit as the Shaman prepared another spell. Anterbach fired a missile towards the leader and hit once as Dobbs parried off an attack from the giant on his flank. The leader groped towards the illusionist but missed. Dev hit the beast near him.
Phth swung again and missed. From the back side of the giant, Bolt fired a magic missile at the giant near Korg and killed it. Dev hit the Shaman while it continued its spell Anterbach fired a missile towards the leader but missed. The leader continued to blindly search for Florimund but missed again. The illusionist and Dobbs both parried off attacks.
A flank attack opened up for the giant north of Dobbs and it sliced through the human's right arm. Dobbs dropped his staff due to the ferocity of the blow and stumbled backwards with his lame arm dangling from his shoulder and spouting blood over the white snow.
Looking at the trapped dire wolf, Bolt prepared a spell. Phth used his bloody two-handed-sword to finish of the beast in front of him. Korg ran towards the leader. The ice fangs of the blades appeared to pass right through his flesh. Anterbach fires twice and hits the shaman once. Florimund continued to poke at the but of the leader. Dev swung at the Shaman but missed.
The shaman continued his spell. Before Dobbs could continue to "run away", one of the giants sliced him in the back and dropped him. The leader decided to return the favor by swatting the gnome like flea but missed.
Bolt brought forth a Tenser's Floating Disk to levitate Jorik above the blades. Remembering mother's "giant bone stew," Phth lazily leaped over the carcass. Florimund missed. Anterbach broke his string as he tried to notch another arrow. Dev again missed the Shaman who fired a death ray on the gnoll. Dev was attacked by the beast to the north.
As the magical light faded from its eyes, the leader swung at Florimund and missed yet again.
Dev ripped out the entrails of the Shaman and charged forward to help his gnome friend.
Bolt ran around the beast and leapt towards the jade figurine on the far side of the battle. Safely stowing the object, the swordsman attempted to jab one of the giants in its flank. Korg helped his bouncy friend by punishing the giant with a blow to its head.
Jorik jumped over the whirling ice blades and Phth hobbled towards the leader as Anterbach tried to restring his bow. Korg and Bolt were now on both sides of one of the giants and as the remaining frost giants missed their attacks the party began to take control of the situation.
Phth ran towards the leader but was frustrated by its cold laughter as it called out to the returning advance party. Dressed in warm furs, encumbered by large backpacks, and with blades brightly reflecting the sun's rays, they charged from the north.
To the unconscious mind, the cries of battle were a strange chaos of sound and emotion. As the blood drained from Dobbs body, the battle's echo left an eerie presence in his mind. " . . . Keep spread enough for a full sword arc, yet close enough for mutual support and focused attack. Anterbach use your spells. If you magic wielders have something spectacular to hold off the newcomers, now might be an opportune time. That stupid string broke. Right now is when just the right lucky blow will make or break thebattle. Let us hold strong for one more round. I know you iceman; you would never live with the idea that a gnoll is beating you and Bolt. Gentlemen, we've come to a crossroad in our life . . . "
The battle raged. Phth drew more blood from the leader. Dev slashed twice and separated its head from the rest of its icy body. Florimund joined Korg in double hits on another beast. Korg's cut to the abdomen let blood spray across the combatants and darkened the snow for yards around. Bolt continued to jab at one of the beasts from its flank but failed to score a decisive hit. Jorik hit the beast critically but it returned its metal fatally on the canine.
Anterbach dropped his broken tangle of a bow and ran towards Dobbs broken body. Summoning the powers that have been blessed upon him, the cleric began to lay hands on the foreign fighter. As the warn power began to surge through his body, Dobbs unconscious wanderings began to solidify around the image of a mystic being wrapped in an aura of light.
Hey who made the giant the boss? Dobbs could feel warmth returning to his body. The magic jumped through his veins and energized his limbs. As if the magic was determined to slay the white monsters itself, it pulled him off the ground. Shaking at the power that flowed from the little cleric, Dobbs found himself kneeling under the half-man's arms.
Dobbs was amused at the way Bolt and Dev snapped to Korg's command as he attempted to place the warriors in a line ready for the advance party's charge. Korg swung twice and missed. Florimund avenged his friend's air swatting by hitting the giant in the leg and drawing forth a gusher of white blood. Phth hit one of the advanced party's beasts in the abdomen. Bolt missed but drew a vicious attack for his decision to threaten the giant.
As the reinforcements began to prepare their attacks, Korg and Dev decided to make a quick end of the melee. Korg dropped the creature next to him and the ranger Dev hit the nearest beast with three consecutive hits.
Bolt dove between the legs of the ice beast and jabbed his blade between the creature's shoulder blades. It dropped to the ground with a great thud.
Anterbach continued to heal Dobbs. As the magic poured through his veins, Dobbs stood and pulled out his metallic wand. He summoned the magic and it fired with a massive crack. Snow around the hills shuddered and the echo clamored through the valley. The bullet missed its target.
Korg hit the beast nearest him and drew forth a gusher of white blood. Phth and Dev also hit their targets but the gnoll took more in damage than he delivered.
Frustration that this would never end billowed through Dev's muscles. He slammed his sword into the beast "down under" and then sliced through the its neck like fire through ice. As its head flew through the air, the headless beast tottered and then fell with a thud on the icy grown. Chalky blood gushed from its open jugular and coated the gold that shifted out of its open backpack.
Phth took a hit and then returned the favor with a critical hit. As the creature prepared a second attack, a crack broke the icy cold as metal shot forth from Dobbs "Colt" wand and the giant dropped beneath Phth's blade.
Florimund rushed to help Korg. Both had glancing hits on the beast as Bolt and Dev rushed up to finish the job. Turning on Dev, the giant sliced through the Ranger's abdomen. Korg returned the favor and dropped the final beast.
As the party looked down on their fallen comrades, as the cold bit into the deep wounds that untreated left gory blood soaked stains across their leather armor, Anterbach's voice rose about the cold. Hey, "Who took my spare bow string?!"