(041) The Fireplace Subterrane

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"You remind me of a Giant I once knew..."Dieter mutters, ducking and pivoting and stabbing once again.

"Stay back!" he bellows, but whether to his friends or the mud-man, none can say.

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane maintains her guard on the rope and the upper chamber, while trying to follow the course of the battle below.

[waysoftheearth]

sulldawga wrote:
Once Dorgan is on the ground below, he'll discard his shield and one-handed axe, and engage the giant with Mads' Cold Iron Axe.

OC: I get the feeling that we're only going to win this fight by taking it out before it takes us out. Max damage time!

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Dorgan reaches the bottom of the rope, casts aside his shield and races toward the fight with the axe in both hands as Guntrum completes his descent and Olaf skits onto the rope as quickly as he is able. Josiane watches all this from above -- although the melee itself is just out of her vision.

Meanwhile, Ulric determines it too dangerous to use the Anthracite Sufferance with his allies in melee against the creature, and instead utters the arcane rhyme of the Infinitesimal Summons, and draws forth (3d6+3=16) a writhing horde of filthy rats that come streaming to him from every nook, crack and crevice in the dark of the basement, and the tweet and twitter and sit on their haunches before him in anticipation of his need.

The fighters scarcely notice this bewildering development, faced by an altogether more immediate concern; the fiercely strong Man of Earth crushes cobbles with each thunderous step, and shakes dust from the ceiling with each punishing blow of his terrible fists!

(initiative is rolled d6; Highbough=5, Dieter=3(+1), Desmond=5(+1), Dorgan=2(-1), Man of Earth=3,2)

Gustave hunkers down before it in a defensive posture as Desmond/Mondes dives in from the flank to jab at its thigh with his short sword (1d20=9) but his blade is turned harmlessly on its hide. Highbough dangerously launches Godehard's Ire Spear into melee (only mis-hit on a multiple of 3 due to the target's size; 1d20=19) and pierces the monster through its throat for (2dd=1,4) 5 hit points, and the spear is lodged their, one foot of it hanging out the back of the giant's neck.

Despite the battering he took, Dieter carries the fight, dodging a potential death blow to have another go at the foe (1d20=5) but it baulks his best effort off its iron hard forearm with a clang, before retaliating with mute violence. Two more thunderous blows come, aimed at (1=Gustave, 2=Dieter, 3=Desmond, 4=Dorgan; 2d4=1, 3) Gustave and Desmond (2d20=5,13). Gustave dodges the staggering force at the last moment, while Desmond is saved (not for the first time) by his diminutive size (giant-sized monsters attack halflings and dwarves at -2 to hit).

There is a clatter and clouds of dust are raised as the great fists strike cobbles, but even as the earthen form pulls its fists back from the dust Dorgan leaps in to deliver an almighty overhead axe stroke (1d20=18) that hews deep into its chest for (3dd=6,5,5) 12 points of damage, wedging the cold iron blade halfway down to its belly.

The thing makes no sound, but simply stops moving where it stands; for all the world as it it were a statue that had stood thus for time out of mind.

Rats twitter and tweet and mill around Ulric's feet.

What now?

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane sighs with relief and offers a prayer of thanks to the White Lady that the battle has ended without fatalities before returning her attention to keeping watch above.

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:
Gustave remains still for several moments as the dust settles, eyes just visible over the edge of his blade held before him.

When the giant remains fast, he lowers his guard in the sudden silence, then breaks it "A most timely arrival indeed my dear dwarf...and a commendable stroke", he adds, slowly moving to inspect the now imbedded axe, wincing as he tests the mobility of his twice-bruised shield arm.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough shimmies up the Man of Earth's shoulders to reclaim his spear. While he's up there, he looks for some kind of on/off switch, metal bolts sticking out of the neck, wind-up clockwork mechanism, etc. hinting at its power source and mode of operation. He fantasizes about the clay automaton fully plated in glowing white-hot armor, smashing hordes of goblin-kind at Highbough's command!

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
Dieter claps Dorgan on the shoulder, giving him a nod and a brief smile.

Then he sheathes his sword and begins to bind up his grievous wound.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
When Highbough dislodges his spear, and Dorgan the axe -- both requiring a reasonable degree of grunt -- cracks begin to run all over the huge inert man-form until it splits and fissures into a hundred fist sized chunks of rubble and falls apart with a dusty clatter... in the very heart of it, the pair spy a hard lump of a dark ore...

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
Ulric looks down at the small horde of rats with a hint of amusement.

"What to do with you now? Find any shiny things and bring them to me," Ulric says to the rats then walks over to the others to investigate the remains of fallen automaton.