Part 8
With a decision to now move on we make a travelling hammock from the boar spear and the iron quarter staff and the tent parts. In this Gnoman will travel along with excess equipment carried on the shoulders of James and myself. while Thorn uses the map and guides us out of the forest. After some hours following the map and the hidden trails it shows we reach the end of the wood. As we reach open country the map disappears, ‘so they are happy to see us go but not to come’. James and I argue on the way to town about many things. After a few more hours we reach the town gates.
The gate guard stop us and want to search for stolen goods, they have been warned about the activities of Gnoman and want to make sure that our group have no stolen goods. I try to convince them that we have been out in the wilds and not robbing locals but they are having nothing of it. Suddenly he changes his tack and becomes very friendly and helpful telling the others that we are all right. It turns out that James cast Charm Person on him. As we pass under the gate James tells the guard to keep on eye out for Bridgid a half orc wererat. Having entered the town we head for the Crones Cradle to speak to Yathlanae about Lady Moonsong. Is it a good idea to take the letter, which we show her, to her or just leave it with someone to take for us. Yathlanae says, ‘either way she is not going to be a happy lady, if you want to see if she will still pay you then take it yourself’. We ask a bit more about Lady Moonsong before asking about getting healing for Gnoman’s sight, Yathlanae directs us to the temple of Galendaar and Cleric Stagfoe.
We reach the temple and I talk to Stagfoe giving him the back story of Gnoman’s loss of sight. We are told that he can ask Galendaar to heal Gnoman’s sight, however a donation would be required. After a little conversation we decide to give the crown, chalice and sickle to the temple as a local history artefact, in exchange Gnoman’s sight is restored in a service and I am given a wooden shield the temple has, this shield is magical and grants me more protection against missiles. [+1 +4 Vs missiles]
With evening coming on we head for the Red Boar and take two double rooms for the night and I entertain the locals by singing during the evening. It is good to have a comfortable bed under me and the security of civilisation to have a peaceful sleep. We wake to a tasty breakfast and prepare to go and see Lady Moonsong.
The guards at Moonsong manor are surly and aggressive but let us in to see her ladyship. Lady Moonsong is not a happy person she talks softly but is very angry. She wants to know where her son is, why they have not brought him back and why they failed to see past the Fey deceptions. Each time we try to explain she talks over us asking where is my son. We do not realise that within her questions she cast a spell to read our thoughts until later when we recall that she stopped us and said so I now see that you where deceived by an illusion of my son rather than meeting my son and bringing him home. ‘Just go you are not the heroes I thought you where or Thedwell lead me to believe you where, in fact where is my aid? Thedwell where are you hiding? what do you have to say for yourself? Go on go I will not forget what you have caused me to suffer this day’.
We leave wondering what she will do to us in the future but knowing there is not a lot we can do about it. As we head back to town storm clouds roll quickly in and a thunder storm starts. A bolt of lightening hits the ground ahead of us and from the smoke steps a very tall figure. A very shadowy Storm Giant, we all assume a illusion and try to disbelieve however it is unaffected by our unbelief. The shock of this massive giant shocks us all giving it time to move to engage us with its great sword.
I am fast in reacting one after the shock and throw a javelin at the giant but somehow miss the big target. James starts to cast a spell and Thorn throws a vail of holy water at the giant, which although it hits seems to have no effect. The Giant then swings its sword in a sweeping attack against all 3 of us, Gnoman is behind and therefore out of reach and has gone invisible. The sword hits me and smashes my arm, it then hits James injuring his leg we both are knocked down. The sword then hits Thorn, Thorn blocks with his shield which takes the hit losing a chunk out of it in the possess. [Passive block by a large shield]
James manages to continue to cast his spell while Thorn moves back into range of the giant having been knocked back as does the giant.
Thorn awaits the blow which the giant delivers, this time he parries with his shield.
James finishes hi spell and goes invisible [it takes extra time due to him wearing armour]. Thorn moves to a hedge to try to hide and get behind the giant, while the invisible Gnoman casts the sound of a Charging Bull behind the giant.
James drinks a potion of major healing restoring his leg, Thorn crawls along in the hedge. The Storm Giant turns away from us, the only one he can see is me bleeding out on the ground, heading towards the town.
As the giant approaches the town it is hit by many arrows and then disappears. As it does we see Lady Moonsong on her walls.
We go back to the temple and have my wound dealt with and then we decide to revisit Gnoman’s family and stay with them for a while.
A Christian Warrior 