In the Halls of the Giants....

October 3, 2008.
Game Time: 12/26/1308



We are in a dry cellar. At the back of the cellar, we find a tunnel, 6 feet wide and approximately 3 feet tall. As we set a walking order, and start down the tunnel, we are attacked by giant ants again!!! In the fight, Ivy and Ethan get their chance to swing and kill some ants. As the party engages the ants, Ethan casts a sleep spell, and several of the ants sleep. When he casts sleep a second time, his spell misfires and puts the whole party to sleep. He has lost the spell in his mind as well (that is, the ring did not replenish the spell automatically). Ethan decides to fight the sleeping ants himself, while the rest of us slept! After killing a couple, an ant scores a critical hit against him, and in desperation, Ethan finally wakes Rabbo up. After Rabbo wakes up, he smashes approximately 10 ants. Through the fight, Ethan killed 4, Ivy killed 4, Eyar killed 1, the blink dogs fight, and Topaz killed 1 too.

After the fight, Ethan uses his healing potion to heal up, and to heal the others. Then, we take a moment to test his ring. Ethan relearns the sleep spell, casts it, and the ring replenished it in his mind with no ill effects. As we suspected, the ring replenishes spells, with a small chance for a negative or random effect.

We travel through a long tunnel into a large cavern. At the east end, there is a glow emanating from a statue of an angelic looking woman, wielding a two-handed sword, held high above her head. On her head was a brass helmet, with a large ruby in the center of the front.
Ethan casts and loses Detect Magic. So the ring seems to be failing more often. Ivy detects magic, and detects strong magic from the statue. Rabbo used some of his luck alteration skill to help Ivy determine the magic type. The object emanated greater divination/alteration/guardian magic. Ethan took the time to relearn the spell, and this time Rabbo had to alter luck again, and Ethan reads very strongdivination/guardian magic. However, as he casts the spell, some other unusual effect happens. He lost the spell from memory, but his quill and ink now radiate magic, glow, and the magic is from the enchantment/charm schools of magic. We try to test the quill and ink. Ethan writes some nonsense and some direct questions on a parchment, like “Chocolate lemons like pink elephants,” but also “Where is the oil of permanency?” “show me where it is,” and “I like gold.”

When he puts the quill down, the paper folds itself into an envelope, and inside it is the message he wrote. He opens it up, but when he is done, it closes itself back up. He addresses the letter to Ivy. Poof, in a split second, it is gone, and Ivy finds it in her backpack. We realize that this allows us to send remote messages, so we decide to send a message to the school. “We’re okay, close to discovering oil of permanency. Gorson’s dead, Ivy says hi!” We address it to Flame Hand at the Invisible School of Thuamaturgy. Off it goes.

In about a half hour to an hour, we search the whole cavern. As Rabbo and Ivy approach the statue, we hear a whistle of wind and Rabbo sends the dogs and Topaz to investigate. One of the dogs is attacked by this mist-like creature. We run in that direction. Ethan decides to move toward the statue. The mist-thing critically strikes the dog. Rabbo swings his two handed sword, hits, and hits again as the thing dissipates. Ivy casts flame blade, then heals the dogs. Ivy gives some healing potion to the dogs.

While we are engaged at the other end of the cavern, Ethan approached the statue. The statue swings and hits Ethan as he climbs it. It is obvious that he is hurt badly. We rush down to the statue, and then warily approach the statue for the fight. Eyar tries to push the statue over, and gets hit, from an almost impossibly fast swing of the sword. Rabbo tries to push it and is also hit hard. Rabbo tries to yank off the helmet, but missed with a 22! Rabbo tries again, misses, and is hit again by the statue. In the fight, one of the blink dogs is cut in half. Eventually, we back off, and notice the gem in the helmet shines when the cleric approaches. Ivy reaches up and is able to remove the helmet. She tries to put it on, and sees for a moment that when it is on, things seem more vivid. She takes it off and puts it back on. The effect returns. We experiment to see if the helmet does things---apparently it does---such as see alignment, and also see clearly. After the fight, we try to heal the dog, but to no avail. It is dead and gone. We decide to try to send the dog back with the quill and ink. We realize through the helmet that the statue was an illusion. We disbelieve it and it is no longer. the message system seems to work, and has a weight limit of about 120 pounds (Ursa’s weight).

Rabbo drinks one jug of healing. Back up. We rest, recuperate, heal and study spells for about 45 minutes. We decide to go back down to the other end of the cavern, where we were first attacked, and we follow the small passageway. While we are in the tunnel, we are attacked by a gelatinous cube, squashed in the long, low hallway. Eyar and Ivy were close to the front, and when the final blow was landed, it collapsed in a splash of goo and they were covered (and paralyzed). Rabbo and Shardenzar remember the pitcher, plate, and platter. with the pitcher and the mug, we produce enough beer and wine to clean the hallway, and get up to the girls. The pitcher produces 2 jugs of water, 1 of wine, and the mug produces 6 beers. The platter produces a full meal for 4 people. Inside the goo, Ethan finds 7 copper, 1 silver, 2 platinum, and 3 gold, while mopping up the grey goo on the floor with a ripped part of his bedroll.

We continue to investigate a small side passage. Inside there appears to be a well made staff on the far wall of a room which opens up at the end of this side passage. Ivy goes in first, because her size makes it easy for her. As soon as she enters, she is attacked by a white ooze. We hear the commotion, and Rabbo pulls her back (with a rope). Rabbo kills the ooze, but not before it ruins Ivy’s elfin chain armor and shield. She’s unconscious.

We go back into the room, check to make sure it’s safe, and Ivy recovers. She detects magic on the staff. The wood is blue and polished, straight, very magical, with a finely crafted blue dragon head at its top. Rabbo spends 30 + psionic points to influence luck and we determine through Ivy and Ethan the type of magic: Alteration/Evocation, Alteration and Weather.

After we rest, we further explore a cavern, and see that it slowly becomes worked stone. We follow it to a point at which a huge door is locked, and there is no way for us to open it, nor is there a way around or through. So we go back, and go down another passage, from which earlier, we saw a dim light. There is the remains of a temple, with a large wing male figure on an alter. Rabbo again influences chance and the spell casters are able to see that the statue is very strong magic, of the Divination and Alteration types. The altar and statue emanate Good. With the helmet, Ivy can tell it is real and not an illusion. Ivy prays to get a spell back, and Ethan, Moonface, and Shardenzar approach. Ethan crosses the altar and is fine. Ivy decides to approach and the statue comes to life and says, “DO YOU SEEK REDEMPTION?” She says, “No,” at which point she is smacked hard by the statue. She says, “Yes!” and a golden light bathes her and her alignment changes (to a good alignment).

Ivy and Ethan see a chalice, golden, which is engraved with figures in prostrate. Ivy takes it, and we go on down the hallway and open what is clear to us the back of a secret door, into a group of prison cells. Topaz flys into the corridor and checks out the cells.

#6 has what appears to be the remains of a human magic user. When inspecting her skeletal remains, her hat a clothes fall apart, but her gloves look brand-new. Rabbo decides to put them in his back pack, but Ethan wants to try them on. He does, and can take them off. Rabbo says to Ethan, “It is pointless at present to attempt to identify the gloves. They could be anything, but unless they are gloves of super giant strength, they aren’t going to be much good opening the locked door we found while we explored that other hallway.” Ethan said, “They might be gloves of knocking, or something like that.” Rabbo responded, “Highly unlikely.” (This detail is written down now to enhance the irony of our situation in a few moments). In another cell, there are animated skeletons, and in another cell, another dead magic user, with a scroll tube. When we attempt to open it, magic mouth appears and says, “Fellow student, I have spell trapped the tube. Speak the name of our institution to remove the spell before opening.” So, we say, “The Invisible School of Thuamaturgy,” and the scroll tube opens. Inside is a note which reads as follows:

"Please see that this note (The last testament of the Wild Youth expedition) is taken to the board of the ISOT as an explanation of our attempt and final fate. We, the third year students Ishmar, Galdring and Motoon, along with freshmen Thadric and 'The Pulse' joined Brother Bloodmar on his quest to fine Gorson Longtree.

We sought to asses his progress and possibly begin bartering for potion recipes that could be developed along non-evil lines. We have found no sign of him and believe him to be dead, killed for his potion knowledge by a would be 'super' giant living on this cloudscape. It is unclear if this giant is naturally his size or if having access to Gorson's supposed permanency potion that he has somehow made himself this size, but he is undoubtedly the largest recorded being outside of the gods or demigods. The giant seems to have an advanced skill in creation, but it is unknown if this is true or just something augmented by the permanency potion we believe he keeps in a vial tied around his neck. Only too late did we discover that his giant servants are nothing more than illusions. I now believe that he is the only intelligent living thing on this vermin filled chunk of solid fluff.

We lost track of the freshmen in the open courtyard of this place. I can only hope they made it back by themselves. Brother Bloodmar was eaten by a giant cat right in front of us and the rest of us have been imprisoned. Having now disbelieved his servants, they can no longer bring me food or water and I believe I will soon die of thirst. Galdring did her best to free us using her Gloves of knocking, but when she was recaptured they must have killed her or removed the gloves for it has been over a week and she has not returned. I believe Motoon may have gone mad. I can sometimes hear him in the cell near mine, praying and chanting almost constantly. I believe he will last the longest being able to create his own food and water. I do not envy his fate.
With Gorson gone I believe that the well of many worlds should now be destroyed so as not to allow the giant access into our world. Please forgive us our ignorance.

Ishmar,
The Wild Youth Group."

Added at the end of the note in a much shaker hand:
"many times heard giant going past to end ---- into cell for hours. not know what interests him there."

So, the gloves are gloves of knocking, in a highly unlikely chain of events. We walk back down the hallway, and make our way back to the iron door that barred our path before. Ethan raps his gloved knuckles against the door, and like magic, it opens. As it opens, we are confronted with a 72 foot tall, flesh-colored giant! We attack, sending the blink dog and Topaz up to look ofr or get the vial around his neck. Rabbo and Eyar attack, stabbing his feet, and we yell to the halfing to hide. Eyar is hit and is killed in one blow. After some fierce fighting, Ivy steps around the corner of the iron door, tells us that the creature is an illusion, and afte a few more swings, we all realize that this huge creature is an illusion. We heal up, use Ethan’s ring to restore Eyar, and walk down the hall. We find the “treasure” room. It is too quick, too easy, and we quickly determine that this is a false treasure room. However, as we enter this room, some of us are charmed by a magical noise. Over the span of a few minutes, we all are able to resist the effects. Not only does Ivy see, but we discover that there is an illusory wall, behind which is the real treasury, and also, behind which is a haggard-looking 72 foot tall flesh colored giant. Rabbo instructs everyone to hide and rest up, relearn spells, etc. The plan is to either wait him out, and see if he leaves the treasury, or to surprise him, and try to bring him down. Eventually, we will get the oil or permanency, if it still exists, while he is sleeping or dead.

After some time of waiting, we look back in on him, and he hasn’t moved an inch. In fact, he appears transfixed by something on his desk, an odd contraption. We decide to come in. We had to leave the blink dog in our hiding spot, because he was still charmed by the noise. As we begin to explore the real treasury, which appears to be loaded to the hilt with coin and magic, we get a better look at the device on the desk: it is a calliope. As it turns, mesmerizing gold and silver light emanates from it, and haunting, charming music also comes from it. The giant is transfixed. Shardenzar casts levitate on Rabbo, so that Rabbo can investigate the desk, and hopefully get the oil vial. As Rabbo investigates, he sees that the oil vial is no longer around the giant’s neck, but is empty and on the desk, in front of the calliope. It seems that the giant filled the calliope’s oil reservoir with the oil of permanency, and lit the wick at coming out of one side of the reservoir. On the other side of the reservoir, there is a cap and the place to add the oil. Before Rabbo tries to fill up one of his empty jugs, he looks around the desk. He finds 21 nice gems in cubby holes in the desk.

Down below, Eyar finds a bag with 16,000 giant sized silver pieces, a scarab, a staff, a pink potion, and a red, white, and blue potion, Shardenzar finds a rod, 14 arrows, a brazier, candlebra, and a sword, Topaz finds a comb, Ivy finds a rod, potion, a small shield, and a ring, Ethan finds bracers, and as a group, they find 15 scroll tubes, approximately poster sized. They also found several non magical items, including an ivory statue, and a beautiful cane. Also, found 1000 gold and 700 platinum.

We attempt to mail off 6 giant sized gold pieces, and discover the limitations of the quill and ink. It can transport 1 gold piece.

The cap on the calliope oil reservoir requires strength to open. Rabbo gets it open without disrupting the calliope. However, in the process of dipping his jug into the oil, he thumps the side of the reservoir, and disrupts the calliope for a moment, and the giant stirs.

The giant says, “Uhhhhhhhh…” and brings a hand up to point at Rabbo. the party down below notice this, and Ivy casts a command word. “Die,” she says, which will cause the target to sleep. The giant slumped over, asleep. Rabbo takes the opportunity to get more potion out, and once again, in the process, only gets a small amount out and disrupts the calliope again. The giant is still asleep, but while Rabbo waits for the calliope to start again, he falls under its spell.
About this time, Ethan, with his Blue dragon staff, (which we assumed was a staff of Blue Dragons, which might have powers like lightning bolt, create or destroy water, etc.) fired a lightning bolt out at the giant, and hit it squarely. When the lightning bolt hits, the giant wakes up. Despite protests of the party, and insults like, “what the hell were you thinking? He was asleep!!!” ther was no time to stop him from firing the bolt. As soon as Shardenzar saw this, he fired his lightning bolt, too. Several more times lightning bolts were fired, Ivy put the electrified bastard to sleep once again, only for the giant to be fried by lightning bolts, and after several rounds of fierce electrical exchanges, and the giant, disoriented, and being hit by two lightning bolts every few seconds, missed his attempts to step on Eyar, who was stabbing him in the foot. Ivy wonders where Rabbo is (like, why haven’t we seen Rabbo jumping through the air and gnawing this guy’s giant ear off), and Shardenzar takes a moment to cast levitate on Ethan, who says he will go up to check it out. Topaz uses his breath weapon, and also tries to hit, but just can’t do any damage. While lightning bolts still fly, Ethan makes it to the desk top, and sees Rabbo transfixed by the calliope. As Ethan gets closer, he sees that Rabbo did not get very much of the oil. He gets a full jug, and then knocks over the calliope. When it tumbles over, the oil inside the reservoir spills out, and catches fire. Rabbo awakens, takes stock, dips his sword in flaming oil, and takes a flying leap at the giant’s chest, and hits him hard. There are several more lightning bolt exhanges, several more bloody hits from Rabbo and Eyar, and after over 500 hit points of damage, the giant keels over and dies!

After that, even though the desk was on fire, and we had yet to assess how much stuff we could strap on and carry out of here, we decided to take a break.