Varis turns to Lucy and says, “What prevents other Frost Giants from trying to get the location of the Ring of Winter or as they call it the Ice that Never Melts. Or Fire Giants asking where the remaining Vonindod fragments are. Although we could ask a question about why the Giants are running amok now. And that brings me to the second part of my concern, what is the price for such information. For all we know, it is a demon of some sort that trades information for souls.”

Markus shrugs and says, “Let's focus on getting there first. If it turns out that the guardian is something fiendish then the solution is simple... destroy it. Although things rarely turn out that simple...and since we can't plan for what we don't know, don't worry about it at this time. Instead, we should worry about what else we might encounter while trying to get there as we have another day's travel to reach the cave system entrance.”

  Jack's musings are why you need boring party members like Tark or Darkthornes.  Just decent enough to save orphans and not derail by eating the hostage, just mean enough to stab/smash evil orphans trying to in the face.

  "Well, you were never exactly hesitant to smash evil's skull open when needed Lucy.  Which means you won't have as much of an impact from disillusionment and have no problems staying a decent person.  I can only imagine how a pacifist would take it though." Maybe they would start stuffing souls into snow globes?... Nah, that would be crazy.

  At Varis and Markus's musings, he adds "Hey, this might just be me. But how about not talking about the prospect of destroying someone who can see the future, when trying to find said person who can see the future?"...Well, not like simply refraining from SAYING it would make a difference there.  But it would at least make it less obvious.

Jack said he'd be uncomfortable with the evil puppy's tears.  He never said he'd let the evil puppy get away with his evil schemes.

He gives Lucy a sympathetic look.  "Some day we may find a giant on whom your compassion would not be wasted.  But I agree with Tark that no amount of encounters with those silly brutes will ever lessen your kindness toward the victims of villainy."

Though Jack would be sorely tempted to point and laugh if Snob Lady wound up an aboleth's thrall.

"But just in case we ever encounter the elusive un-evil giant, I've devised several morality tests for our foes.  Such as seeing whether they turn violent after I claim we're going to destroy a dangerous magic item.  Our thick-headed enemies make it pretty easy to sleep at night when they fail simple tests like, 'don't squish the smallfolk for being small.' before even getting to the, 'don't be provoked to murderous violence over the slightest tease' test."

Lucy smiles from the reassurances of her companions. Then says, "Alright. Well let's get going and we'll figure out what to do once we've met this guardian."

Once aboard the airship, Lucy helps where needed to get the thing on its way.

After everyone is on the airship, the group resumes heading towards the destination and the following morning the airship approaches the area where the cave entrance for the lost laboratory and the monastery of the distressed body is supposed to be.

Within half an hour of reaching the area and beginning to search and the group comes across what seems to be a battle between four stone giants and almost a dozen people with four constructs of some sort. Fortunately for the people, they have taken cover behind boulders and trees to have cover from the boulders the giants throw. It seems that the projectiles two of the constructs and the arrows from the people are enough to discourage the giants from approaching into melee ranges.

  That pesky conscience makes disinclined to sit back and watch (And Tark can't read the nameplates that say 'thug').  But it's weary experience makes Tark have no expectations the constructs have anything to do with Giants being scared of willingly entering melee combat.

  OOC: Initiative, got a 4. Durp.

Jack was going to fly out there and make himself a tempting target for the giants to prove that these are not the elusive non-evil giants.  Buut memories of how much getting hit with a rock hurts restrain him.  So he does the sensible thing and has his illusory double fly out there for him.

"Oh would you please cease this violence?" the double pleads, making itself an easy target, "I am an expert negotiator and will be happy to help you resolve your differences peaceably."

What evil giant would be able to resist throwing a rock at that?!  None Jack knows.

"Lets see how well they play, 'Don't kill the peacemaker,'" Jack thinks at his friends.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Thu 11 July 2019.

Lucy thinks back, "Stone giants. I predict they will fail within 15 seconds."

Zerry joins the telepathic conversation, "Next time, can I be the illusion? And then you could have me majestically galloping on air towards them in slow motion?"

Zerry gallops a circle around the team on the deck, and hops a few times with excitement as she looks on to see what's going to happen.

A Stone Giant (#2) responds to Jack's statement by throwing a boulder through the illusion, which is a good thing it was an illusion since otherwise, it would have possibly taken Jack's head off.

The bard moves out of cover to try to use Vicious Mockery on Stone Giant 4 but it resists as the bard moves back into cover.

"Well that answers that question," Jack concludes.

Jack guesses that Varis will be focusing fire on SG4, so points at it.  Owlbert then harasses SG4.

"Good people, and awesome constructs!  We will be assisting in defeating these giants.  I trust there are no objections."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:02, Sun 14 July 2019.

Two of the Thugs (#2 & #7) move out from their cover and fire their heavy crossbows at Stone Giant #2 but miss as they scurry back behind their cover.

Autonomous Defender 1 takes evasive maneuvers while being ready to protect the war machine next to it if needed. (Dodge action)

Markus casts Synaptic Static centered to hit the four Stone Giants, three of which fail to resist its effects.

OOC: While Stone Giant #2 only takes 13 psychic damage, the other three stone giants take 26 and until they make a successful intelligence save or 10 rounds pass they roll a d6 and subtract that number rolled from all of its attack rolls, ability checks, and Constitution Saving Throws to maintain concentration.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:16, Sun 14 July 2019.

Three more Thugs (#9, #8, and #4) move out of cover, take a shot with their heavy crossbow, and then move back behind cover.... but all three shots fail to harm Stone Giant #2, although one bolt does come close to piercing the giant's skin.

Autonomous War Machine #1 fires an explosive bolt that hits the four stone giants and while Stone Giants #1 and #3 resist the blast, Stone Giants #2 and #4 take the full brunt of the blast.

OOC: Stone Giants #1 and #3 take 5 Fire damage, while Stone Giants #2 and #4 take 10 fire damage.

"I'll take their silence as a, 'No problem, keep it up.'"

He summons some mini meteors that the sends at the closest giants.

"Haha!  Giants so dumb!  They throw rocks instead of get close and smash!"

Another Thug (#5) Moves out, fires a shot which misses Stone Giant #2, and then moves back into cover.

Varis is still on his broom of flying so he uses his bonus action for Cunning Action to Disengage, then flys up to Stone Giant #4 and uses his Giant Slayer Rapier to attakc with Booming Blade along with a dose of poison from his Assassin Touch Gloves, and while the Giant resists the full effect of the poison with the distraction by Owlbert, Varis manages to inflict a severe wound on Stone Giant #4 before flying off 10ft.

OOC: OOC Booming Blade hits for a total of 48 damage and Stone Giant #4 takes 2d8 more Thunder damage if he moves before Varis' next turn.

Stone Giant #4 retaliates by throwing a rock at Varis since the giant doesn't want to suffer more damage due to moving, but the rock narrowly misses Varis due to the elf's Cloak of Displacement.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:38, Sun 14 July 2019.

Elric remains near Markus since there isn't much he can safely do right now.

Thug #10 moves out, misses his shot at Stone Giant #2 with a crossbow, and then moves back into cover.

Autonomous War Machine #2 lobs an explosive Bolt that catches the four Stone Giants and this time only Stone Giant #3 manages to resist the blast.

OOC: Stone Giant #3 takes 9 fire damage from resisting the explosive bolt, while the other 3 Stone Giants take 18 fire damage.

Lucy raises her hand to the sky with a stern expression. Sunbeams part a cloud and fall into her hand, collecting into a massive ball of fire that she hurls at the giants. KABOOM! One giant falls and the others get burned! "I am so SICK of you evil monsters and your senseless desire for wanton murder! Well I have a pre-ordained sentence of death passed down through me by the gods! You are but dust to them and you will be crushed and cast out like the worthless trash that you are!"

Normally, her text is pink, but the narration department decided red was more appropriate right now.

Two more Thugs (#6 and #1) both move out of cover, take shots at Stone Giant #2 and miss, and then move back into cover.

Like a rubberband that has been waiting to right itself, Zerry SNAPS into action, zooming across the battlefield, her giant-slaying halberd beginning to glow, and she skewers giant2 as if he was merely in the way of her real target! The giant collapses, but not faster than Zerry turns to stab and hit the other giant next to her! STAB! BIFF! The other giant topples to the ground, though still alive. "WOOOOOO DIVINE JUDGEMENT! In the afterlife, I'm gonna gallop around Heaven and yell Neener Neener Neeeeeener! at you from above!"

Zerry's text is normally red. No cause for alarm.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:14, Sun 14 July 2019.

Stone Giant #1 stands back up and tries so smack Zerry twice with his great club but due to the distraction from Synaptic Static both attacks miss. Furthermore, the Synaptic Static continues to affect Stone Giant #1.

Thug #3 pulls the same move out, shoot the crossbow at Stone Giant #1, and move back that the others have done, but is just as ineffective.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:19, Sun 14 July 2019.

  Talk walks up a ways, and the Javelin Of Missing lives up to it's name on the first throw.  He manages to plink away with a second toss to add some insult to all the proper injury it already has.

OOC: Miss, hit. 12+7 = 19 DMG total.  Goading strike's DC is 18 wis. If they fail they will have disad on attacks not vs me.

Stone Giant #3 moves up and around to flank Zerry with Stone Giant #1, but again the Synaptic Static distracts the Giant enough to miss on both strikes. Additionally, the Static itself persists.

Felix flies over to a tree to get a better view of the remainder of the fight while taking evasive maneuvers to be safe. (OOC: Dodge and movement)

Autonomous Defender #2 dodges to avoid attacks and remain where it is to protect the War machine next to it.

The Bard successfully taunts Stone Giant #3 so he'll have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the bard's next turn, but the Stone Giant still manages to resist the Bard's Vicious Mockery.

Owlbert flies up and distracts Stone Giant #1 and then flies back a bit.

Thug #2 moves, shoots and misses Stone Giant #1 and then moves back into cover.

Autonomous Defender #1 remains where it is ready to dodge anything that attacks it while staying in place to protect the war machine next to him.

Thug #7 moves, shoots and misses Stone Giant #1 and then moves back into cover.

Markus Hexes Stone Giant #1 and uses Eldritch Blast, but only one bolt lands, but it inflicts enough damage to drop the giant.

OOC: The one Eldritch Blast with Hex does 17 damage which drops Stone Giant #1