The ninja giant stares at May in disbelief.  <giant>"I think it's being friendly.  Weird.  Rover!  Spot!  Get over here and translate for us!"<giant>

One of the dogs answers, <giant>"It said, 'Hi there! I'm May! Do YOU speak common?!'"<giant>

Nara appears to the south and conjures a blizzard in the heroe's hiding place!

<giant>"This should draw them out of hiding!"<giant>

"I'll show you..." Raichel says before teleporting to be in the face of two giants and SLAMMING her palm into the half-done giant. WHAM!

But her staff moves too fast to see as she follows up with two uppercuts, one from each end of her stuff, knocking out one giant and quickly getting the other giant closer to KO-land!

---

Move: Teleport to giants
Step Between the Worlds v Scout1. Hit(31)!
 dmg: 28
ACTION POINT! Do 6 lightning dmg to up to 3 creatures within 5 squares
Five Storms v Scout1,3. Hit()! Hit()!
 dmg to S1: 20
 dmg to S3: 16

Scout 1 HP: 48 - 28 - 6 - 20 = KO
Scout 3 HP: 87 - 6 - 6 - 16 = 59

The remaining scout to the north sounds frightened.

<giant>"Gods these adventurers are titans!"<giant>

He attacks Raichel with his spear.

<giant>"Yeorge is down!  This one barely looks hurt from Spot.  And me and Rover can't even hit it while it's down!"<giant>
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:08, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

Timothius says, "I heard Rai go this way, so I'm heading towards her."

He slogs his way to the edge of the ice wall and peaks out before tossing a seal on Scout 3.

---

Move: 2 squares to edge of wall. Peak out.
Standard: Astral Seal v Scout 3. Hit(32)!
 -2 defenses
 Next person to hit him gains 1d6+9 hp and resist 5 choice.

May's scout stabs at her, but she deflects the attack.

<giant>"Sven's right.  That attack was dead on and did nothing!"<giant>

  Kyle hopes the kitty cats can handle themselves as he heads south like he said he would to assist May... Which is usually the case, but murphy is a jerk.

  He just hits the ice giants in the face with Pacification Dust, getting more mileage than his actual class powers at this point. But for good reason.

"They say music is the universal language," Mits says.

She teleports out of the snowstorm and begins to sing.

"You guys are just appetizers.  Doo dah.  Doo dah.  Chillreaver is the main course.  Oh doo dah day."

A giant shaker appears above the enemy and pelts them with crunchy salad toppings that explode on impact!

WHACK! The giant nearly falls down the chasm! "Too bad they don't speak common." May muses before hopping past the now-prone giant to WHACKWHACK hit both the downed giant AND Nara, sliding Nara closer to the chasm. "They sound panicked. I would have loved to know what they are saying. Ah well. I'll buy something that lets me speak whatever the natives speak next time."

Radiance spills off her weapon.

---

Standard: Weapon Mayster's Strike v Scout 2. Hit(32)!
 dmg: 11+8(rad)=19
 Scout 2 save: 11 success! Doesn't fall, so he goes prone
Minor: Shift 2 to Nara!
ACTION POINT! (Resist 10 all until end of next turn)
Standard: Funneling Flurry v Nara, Scout2. Hit(39)! Hit(28)!
 dmg: 13+8(rad)=21 to both, +2 dmg to scout 2
 Scout 2 save: 19 success! Doesn't fall!

Scout 2 HP: 59 - 19 - 23 = 17
Nara HP: 155 - 21 = 134

Nara frowns, trying to rub the dust off.

<giant>"This powder...  I can't even attack!

"That decides it.  EVERYONE!  SURRENDER TO THE ADVENTURERS!  Translate our intentions for us, Spot!"<giant>

She drops her flail into the crevasse, raises her hands in surrender, and gets on her knees.

Spot grumbles and tucks his tail in submission.  "Adventurers.  Nara has given us the order to surrender."

Timotius' scout looks relieved.  <giant>"Oh thank the gods."<giant>

All of the enemies surrender!

  Kyle comments as he walks up to May, "I really need to adjust to enemies who possess common sense.  Far to used to self destructive sort."

  He fires a protean silk bolt down the crevice, then hands May the large Flail.  Even if the Kobold (or Kyle) can't use it, she probably wants it anyways.

  "We'll be asking for information, though likely you can only tell us what we already know by now.  The good news is we'll likely let you run off if you don't cause further problems to the locals, which would turn out poorly for you.  The bad news, Timothius will be asking the questions."  You're gonna be crushed with so much guilt, oh man.

  "Normally we'd leave you bound until the clean up aftermath, but none of us really expect this place to remain standing much longer. I doubt you'd stay floating very long."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:15, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

Another weapon, another cheek-rub. May is cuddling the flail. "Thanks for the surrender."

Timothius gathers the ones that were around Raichel and heads over to Nara. "What else is ahead of us?" he asks of Nara.

Raichel finds a spot to sit and meditate, resting up.

Mits gawks at the enemy surrender.  She almost forgot to dismiss her salad topping before it did more damage.

Spot translates for Nara.

She looks determined and answers, "That much you already know.  Chillreaver's level is up the ramp.  I know a few things about that level that you probably don't know and can tell you a few things that may save you some hassle.  You should know that we frost giants value our freedom as much as our lives.  I wish to exchange what I know for our freedom.  Give your word that you will release us and I will hold nothing back.  Including a secret that Chillreaver believes he has kept from even me."

Her minions look at her in some surprise but say nothing.

  Kyle looks over to the others, "For once I'm inclined to go with such a request." Then back to Nara, "So long as you keep up that streak of reasonability, and abandon Nefelus with the rest of your fellows at least.  The weather will be changing soon enough anyway, if my expectations about the Seed are right."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 03:50, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

Timothius gazes up at Nara and starts to smile endearingly as he says, "You will be free to go in exchange for your information; I give you my word."

Raichel skews her lips off to the side as she ponders whether that is just or not, but given the circumstance, she won't argue. These people are excusably just "defending their territory".

May examines the flail and seems to be thinking on something deeply.

Mits laces her fingers behind her head and casually comments, "Of course, if you tell us something useless like Chillreaver is embarrassed of a hangnail, or if you go and kill more people and feed them to dragon centipedes again, nothing says we are bound to let you stay free."

Spot is sure to translate everything.  The giants look annoyed with Mittens.  Nara is visibly grim.

"The Seed of Winter was given to Chillreaver by a fomorian king from the Feywild named Cachlain.  There is an illusory wall in the room with his ice gargoyle servants.  That is the main entrance to the Seed Chamber.  Kneeling at the wall opens the way.  But there is another, secret door in back of the gargoyle room.  I think it leads to Chillreaver's treasury and personal escape exit."

Her allies look surprised when they hear her fourth sentence.  She hadn't shared with them about the secret door she found.  She gives such a detailed description of the upstairs the group could easily draw an accurate map.  She knows most of the map features as well.

Timothius is able to tell that Nara and her giants are evil, have no remorse for killing the Nefalese scouts, and intend to side with Chillreaver should he win.  Which she fully expects.  Impressive though what she saw was, she believes a dragon of his caliber is untouchable by mortal hands.  Even with a whole army of powerful adventurers.  But should the heroes somehow win by the power of the gods being lent to them for the fight, the giants will have no reason to return.  They will keep their word.  Though she'll likely suffer demotion for her cowardice.  Also, the giants probably won't mind so much the loss of their powerful ally.  He is a dragon after all.  Can't be trusted to keep his word.

---

From the Temple Between:
The characters learn that the fey were sent “to this
foul place” by someone they call Cachlain, the Stone-
Skinned King. (Further questioning, or a DC 25 Arcana
check, reveals that Cachlain is an infamous fomorian
king of the Feywild.) He sent these fey in search of a
valuable prize, which they refer to as “the parchment
voice you call Incunabulum Primeval.” They know that it
is a tome of great power and that Cachlain has sought
it for some time. Only recently, however, have they
learned that its retrieval has become urgent, because
the court’s divinations suggested that someone else
was about to get their hands on it. The fey admit that
Cachlain’s new counselor—someone named Sovacles,
whom they have never met—tried to talk him out of
sending them, but that the king was too desperate to
get the book.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:28, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

  "Cachlain... Oh right, they sent those fey in to try and retrieve the Incunabulm Primeval."  And failed, no loot theft from the party, which was therapeutic after yet another 'your enemy escaped through a portal before you got there'.

  "I was wondering if he'd make the same mistake everyone else repeats around us.  Shame his minions were smarter than he was."

OOC: The fancy book was also in "It's in Dwarven secret code that only the high priest can read and no your party's magic is not good enough to translate.

Timothius puts a hand to his heart and gives a polite bow to Nara. "Thank you for the information. You are free to go, as promised. I can tell you and your allies are evil. I urge you to turn to good. Evil has its benefits, I can not deny that. But being good sets you free and makes you feel better than any evil act. If you truly value freedom, I ask as a favor to yourselves, seek out what is good. Regardless of what you choose to do from here, I recommend something else for you; Watch and listen for what happens next. My group and I are going to medidate for an hour or so and then face Chillreaver. If you are willing to wait an hour, you will learn the outcome of the fight. I'm sure you think Chillreaver will win. But I assure you he will not. My god Pelor told me my team and I can take him and told me to face Chillreaver without fear. I mean no offense, but... you did not face our more powerful abilities. He will."

Raichel is blushing, but says nothing on the topic.

May finally makes up her mind that Nara can take care of herself just fine without her weapon, so she doesn't offer it back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:53, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

Mits chuckles at Kyle's comment.  "Heh.  Fer reals.  Granted, we don't yet know why he gave the Seed to Chillreaver.  Could be it was a simple purchase for a mountain of dwarven books or whatever.  But knowing our track record it's more likely, 'I gave powerful thing to evil dragon because...  Evil!'"

Spot is unable to translate "Fer reals."

Nara answers, "Ah.  So you do have gods backing you up.  Then we have no need to stay and watch.  The outcome is already decided.  I thank you for sparing us.  Goodbye."

Mits wants to brag about how epic her team is but why boast to departing giants.  The giants use the teleportation circle to leave, taking only essentials with them.  Nara doesn't ask for her weapon back.

  "Best case scenario is it was simply they just do not care what happens over here, so long as they get what they are looking for."  Despite Kyles difference of opinion when it comes to Bahamut's variety of 'backing up the party' shown in the past, he's still practical enough to accept the help when it is actually given.

  He still has more faith in his friends, and their directing of said ability than in the Gods either way.

Timothius faces the team and says, "So gargoyles. Should we fight them first and then rest? Or rest first, just to be sure?"

May smiles brightly. "Ummm... let's rest first so that the gargoyles will serve as a warm-up."

Raichel says, "I would honestly rather have less to worry about, so I vote beating them up now to get it out of the way. That way, what will seem like tomorrow for us, all we will worry about is Chillreaver."

"I'd rather not risk Chillreaver overhearing the fight, investigating, and decide to grab the seed and go in the hour it takes for him to see the trail of destruction we've left.  Much better chance of catching him if we rest now."

  Kyle nods,  "Ice gargoyles have a particularly nasty trick that would ignore our rings on top.  They grab you, then entomb themselves in ice as hard as rock with you."  Save ends stun? how about save ends stun with ongoing damage and a weakened after effect LOL.

  "At least unlike everything else up to now though, they are actually vulnerable to fire. So yes, Rest would be a Good Idea."

Timothius helps prepare the ritual. "But there is only two gargoyles. So unless they can also replicate, we should be fine."

Raichel's tail wags. "I've never been to a pocket dimension before... I wonder what it'll look like."

May says, "Probably like a high-end hotel room, but it won't have Telicanthus Stained Glass. Maybe."

Mits also is eager to see the pocket dimension.  Turns out, it's not really a pocket dimension...

You transport yourself and your companions to the hollow
of an enormous tree trunk in the Feywild. While you’re
there, time passes slowly in the place you once were.

You and up to five other creatures you designate within
10 squares of you are transported to a sealed hollow the
size of a comfortable room within a magical tree in the
Feywild. The hollow has a glowing light you can control
and is filled with sweet air. You can remain within the
bole for up to 12 hours.

"Mmm!  Nice fragrance!"

http://www.amusingplanet.com/2...de-hollowed-out.html
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:51, Tue 05 Jan 2016.

  So long as the party does not have to compete with Dire Squirrels for room, this is perfectly fine.

  "Not very often we see a sudden example of nature that isn't trying to kill us."