Rise of the Runelords

Rested and ready, you all debated about heading up to the spire without a full compliment of sihedron rings.  Pragmatism, caution, or paranoia got the better of you and you decided to stay at the lower level(s) and fully explore and maybe even run into some lamia.  You battled to more giant stone golems and decided to set a trap/ambush near the top of the climb from the city below.  The first day was a bust.  Early in the second you spotted a rune and cloud giant on their way toward the road down.  You quickly cast a few preparatory spells and started to move out to meet them.  The cloud giant cast a fog cloud in the doorway which obscured your vision and slowed your advance, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.  The invisible Pirozzi had already moved out and saw the rune giant seemingly run past the group and cloud of fog when it stopped suddenly and turned.  You continued maneuvering inside the cloud when the rune giant caught most of the group in a cone of fire and electricity. The cloud giant closed.  You continued to maneuver to get the right people up to the front while Pirozzi and D'Argo blasted at the cloud giant. It fell quickly.  With only one enemy standing it was a quick but brutal fight as they all have been when rune giants are involved.  You looted a few coins, but no rings.

You decided to return to the lower city to continue your hunt for lamia and their rings.  After a couple days of wandering and trying to be seen, you encountered a group of stone giants.  Not sure if Gyukyak was among them Wolfgar yelled out "There's no need to die today!"  The giants responded by pulling rocks from their bags.  You readied for a giant slaughter when only one of the giants stepped forward to throw.  It's throw was long, but you could not tell if it was intentionally long or not.  The other five giants then stepped up and pummeled the first with rocks.  It was barely able to scream in surprised pain before it was dead.

One of the giants stepped forward and motioned for you to follow him/them into a side building just off the road. You followed as you now recognized Gyukyak.  You mentioned you were hunting lamia.  He informed you that he had not seen any in nearly a week and that even the rune giants were coming down from the spire less frequently.  He did not think you would have much luck on your hunt in the city.  The decline in rune giant visits has allowed more of the 'normal' giants a change to throw off the unnatural control the rune giants have over them.  A full revolt may not be long off if numbers of the 'free' keep growing.  D'Argo returned to the group after relieving himself in another room and whispered something to Henrik who responded by grabbing his shield and drawing his mace.  You were all, save D'Argo, caught unaware as Henrik loudly proclaimed "You giants are being led and fooled by an Ogre Mage! Flee or die where you stand!"  He charged Gyukyak who could do nothing but put up his hands in defense.  With a few spells, arrows and weapon blows, he was dead in seconds.

The other giants stood in shock and stared blankly at the group.  "We have freed you from his deception." Henrik proclaimed.  The other giants looked quizzically at each other before one spoke.  Wolfgar translated, "We knew that. What were you thinking?"  You all now took turns looking at each other while scratching your heads.  The group's response was something like, "Uh, we thought that, uh, since he was an evil ogre mage that, uh, you, uh....."  You were cut off as the one giants spoke again.  "You are on your own now," he looked at his remaining companions, "Let's go." And they did.

You spent the next few minutes reviewing recent events while you justified and rationalized your actions.  "Who needs 'em." Someone stated.  You decided to rest the night and head back up in the morning.

With a combination of air / wind walks, flys and whatnot, the trip back up to the lower levels of the spire took little time.  You decided to push on to the spire.  Only one wave hit you as you made the climb.  Edwin fared the worst. A quick heal and you continued.  The spire itself was over 2000' tall and had no obvious entrance.  Golian concentrated for almost a half a minute and then head off to the far side of the spire with everyone else trailing behind.  He led you right to a very well constructed secret door. The only thing inside was a gargantuan corksrew ramp that wound up into the darkness. You started climbing with an invisible Golian in the lead.

After somewhere around a 1000' vertical climb,  Golian returned to the group and whispered, "We have giants."  You prepared for the five giants he saw by casting spells out of sight and hearing before you moved up.  D'Argo and Malloric opened the skirmish with arrowns and acid spells.  The giants in turn cast a few more fog clouds which effectively narrowed the hallway which forced you to group a little closer than might have otherwise.  Again not necessarily a bad thing as you were all withing reach of Edwin and Pirozzi's 'hand.'  The reason for the clouds became clear as the storm giant moved up and cast chain lightning catching at least half the group. That turned out to be the storm giants only spell and you closed to turn the fight into a mostly melee.  Balros forced a number of attacks of opportunity, or which many missed, which allowed others to move more easily (or perhaps safely).  A lot of damage wash dished by both sides, but you soon came out victorious.  You looted a few coins and five, count 'em, five sihedron rings.

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After celebrating the victory over the ice devil and resting the night, the group decided to tackle the mountain.  Wolfgar, having one of his few 'good' days treated all to a hearty breakfast.  Afterward, you headed out. The first few hours hiking on the golden road were quiet.  Then you spotted, and were spotted by, a couple of giants and two other beasts you could not make out.  One of the giants was clearly of the 'rune' type.  You prepared for a fight.  The enemy inched forward as you cast preparatory spells.  About when you were ready to head to meet them, you were surrounded by a 20' tall, circular wall of whirling blades.  Everyone looked quizzically at Edwin who replied with a 'wasn't me' kind of look. Pirozzi, not sure if he should be glad or not, found himself alone on the 'outside' of the wall.  He was invisible, so he figured it didn't matter too much. The giants approached with a frost giant out in front.

Using Malloric's cloak and D'Argo's spells, the group, sans Pirozzi, teleported to the enemies rear.  Here you got a good look at the other creatures.  One was a combination of some sort of dire-cat on the bottom and giantess on the top and armed with a large greatsword .  The other was one of the first 'normal-sized' creatures you have encountered here.  It looked like a human in ragged robes, wearing a turban and a cloth scarf covering its face. You concentrated on the rune giant.

Meanwhile, Pirozzi was getting ready to launch a few spell from the anonymity of invisibility and distance when out of hiding charged another cat-giant (lamia).  Somehow she was charging right at him.  As she neared, he became very nervous as his invisibility was dispelled as she pounced.  Quickly casting a few defensive spells he started racing toward the rest of the group.  The second lamia ordered the frost giant to cut him off while she cast another blade barrier around the group at their new location. 

A few key dispells and you were able to move about again.  Henrik girded himself and said, "This is gonna hurt - a lot.  Edwin, you ready?"  Edwin replied, "Sure, do you have one of the platinum rings?" 

"I have all sorts of magic rings, which one are you talking about?"

"It's not magic, just one of a set."

"Oh that one, yeah right here." Henrik said as he raised his hand to show Edwin.

Edwin replied, "Yup you're right, this is gonna hurt." as he cast shield other on Henrik while he charged off to tackle the rune giant.

The man in robes cast a few ineffective illusion type spells and stayed near the first lamia as Golian maneuvered invisibly.  Wolfgar headed to the second to help out Pirozzi.  When he was close enoughm he charged the last remaining feat expecting her to swing her sword at him.  Intstead, she simply held out her hand as she had a spell readied.  He saved against the harm spell and started hacking away.

The lamia were tough divine casters and proved challenging for D'Argo and Piorzzi with their spell resistance.  However, they were no match for your numbers.  The robed man was not a strong in melee, but his poison blade and bite kept you on your toes. The rune giant dished out massive damage, but it was much more survivable being shared by two.  Soon all were dead.


You looted what little they had and headed up the path.  You explored some of the outer buildings at the lowest level of the rise to the great spire.  All were empty and looked like they had been abandoned some time ago.  While near the road that led from here to the spire, some of you heard a distant 'ping.'  Shortly after, you were hit by a wave of force almost as if you were being pushed away from the spire.  Those with sihedron rings were not affected.  Others took damage as the wave passed. Golian, who must not have been prepared, fell to ground clutching his head in pain.  Moments later, he screamed "I can't see!"  You calmed him as he explained he saw vision of some alien world in his mind and he felt as though some being or beings were trying to get at him from that place.  You needed to cast a restoration for the ability drain and a heal for the blindness.  After that he was good to go.

Deciding to hold off on heading higher, you decided to search the rest of the lower buildings in hopes of finding more sihedron rings.  The other lower set of buildings turned out to be an old prison.  A giant-sized prison.  On one of the many floors, you came across one of the old guards - a giant stone golem. Immune to magic and taking reduced damage, it took a while,m but you were able to defeat it.  You rested here.

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