Act II: The Hall of Snurre Ironbelly the Foul, Fire Giant King

Eclavdra's torch barely penetrates the gloom of the narrow passage. It is doubtful the giants could pass through this tunnel deep in the bowels of the mountain, which is perhaps why the Githyanki find it useful. The captives have been revived after long years under the stasis spell, and their alterations are finally complete. It has taken Eclavdra over a decade to complete the complex thaumaturgy necessary for the transformation of her personal slaves. She has chosen only the best raw materials. She looks at their bodies, arranged against a natural stone wall in standing sarcophagi. Surveying them, she chooses the one that grew the largest. These human animals could look very fierce, and this one is formidably large. The alterations Eclavdra has secretly made will make this one immune to Thae-Rune Ibn's mind powers, and his magic. She will rouse him first.

Thae-Rune Ibn rests in his private chamber, a primitive and uncomfortable place compared to his suite in the palace on the Astral Plane. He misses his slaves, as well as the other comforts of his home. He will be glad when this mission is over and he can return.

He draws the Obsidian Stone from its hiding place, an inter dimensional pocket that only he knows how to access. Holding the stone, he can feel the power it exudes. Were he to take it as his own, he would be far more powerful than even Goil-Ward Adz. He could rule the Githyanki. But such a struggle would weaken his people, for Goil-Ward Adz is a powerful Gith and many would follow him, even to their doom. And their doom would be assured if Thae-Rune Ibn used the Stone against them, not only because he could rally enough of his people to support him, but also because the Yllth, their millennia old enemy, would doubtless take such an internal Githyanki struggle as a sign to attack.

But to rule is not Thae-Rune Ibn's goal. He serves his Dark Queen, and thereby his own people, whom she protects.

But not everyone is so devoted to the Dark Queen and the Gith people. Ironically, Thae-Rune Ibn knows that Eclavdra, a priestess of the Queen, would herself defy the Queen's plans and seize power using the stone. He has considered killing her, but this would delay the Queen's plans, for Eclavdra is necessary to open the Gate through which the Queen shall pass into this human world. Goil-Ward Adz cannot alone summon the Dark Queen, he needs a priestess.

And the alignment of the stars requires that they act quickly. The full moon begins tonight, and the summoning must happen during this cycle's full moon. The proper alignment will not occur for another full year from tonight. And only for the next three years at most will the stars themselves be properly aligned. After that, it would be countless years before they could open the gate to this world for the Dark Queen.

Thae-Rune Ibn hears a scratching at his door. He pockets the Stone. His powers sense Eclavdra behind the door, alone. Knowing his magic will protect him from her, he opens the door.

Eclavdra's newly roused human slave, undetectable by Thae-Rune Ibn's magic, lunges into the room at the Wrathgiver. His fingers grasp at Thae-Rune Ibn's throat, closing around the windpipe. Locked together thus, the slave drives Thae-Rune Ibn back into the chamber. Eclavdra follows them in, smiling excitedly.

"Are you finding it difficult to cast your spells, Wrathgiver? Or to draw breath?" She watches mockingly as Thae-Rune Ibn is driven to his knees. His hands begin work on a spell gesture, perhaps one without a verbal component. Eclavdra quickly draws a wand and points it at him, and a gout of sticky web-like substance entangles both his hands nearly to the elbow.

"Give me the stone, Thae-Rune Ibn, and I may grant you a quick death."

[For the earlier cut scene involving Thae-Rune Ibn and Eclavdra, see Turn 23.]

Back to the adventurers...

Brief Recap: Last turn, the company overcame the two Githyanki knights, but Ghotu suffered from one of their Mind Blasts and was enraged.

Ghotu Gone Wild!

Rage and a killing lust he has seldom felt before fill Ghotu's mind. Not even while fighting for his life in the gladiator pits of Calderon did Ghotu feel such a need to kill as now. He recognizes no one. His logic is gone. He can only attack. This thankfully makes the berserk Ghotu less dangerous than the cool-headed veteran he usually is.

Having just wrenched his axe free from the Githyanki's helmed skull, Ghotu swings it two-handed at Blade, who only just then realizes Ghotu is not himself. Blade sidesteps Ghotu's swing only barely, the axe head brushing his armor [Ghotu rolls 5 to hit and misses].

"Ghotu! Snap out of it! It's me Blade! " says Blade trying to reorient Ghotu to reality.

Humphrey sees what has happened and yells, aiming his words especially to the Giants, "He is under spell, do NOT HARM HIM!" He then turns his staff toward the fighter and chants:

"AgicMa Ismissala, AgicMa Ismissal, AgicMa, Ismissal!," casting Dispel Magic on the fighter, using his staff. He readies the teleport function of his staff as well, if the fighter turns on him.

Bibi starts to yell to Ghotu "No," but she realizes the wizard is shouting over her.

She hopes that he is right and that Ghotu is under a spell. Her thoughts then turn to her horse and its safety. She moves back even further from the danger and waits to see if Humphrey's spell works. If it fails she will also attempt to cast Dispel Magic. She questions whether her spell could possibly work if the wizards does not. But she can't think of anything else she could do to help.

Humphrey's Dispel does not affect Ghotu. He recovers from his great swing and faces Blade, who is ready to parry or dodge.

Mog completes his Hold Person spell, chanting again, "Chak!" as he points at Ghotu. But the fighter resists the magic. He turns to Mog, confusion twisting his face. Something inside Ghotu tries to use the distraction, to realize what he is doing. But he is quickly overcome by the effects of the Githyanki Mind Blast, which scrambled his mind too badly for any will to resist. Ghotu charges Mog, a few meters away.

Blade rushes after Ghotu from behind, as does Bronk. The two manage to tackle Ghotu, Blade wrapping Ghotu's legs tightly with both arms and Bronk laying across Ghotu's back. Mog steps forward with one of his fetishes and places it on Ghotu's forehead. He casts a Heal spell, the most potent form of healing short of a Resurrection or Wish.

Ghotu falls unconscious, his face relaxes from its scowl as if freed from a burden.

King Snurre says, "You see, these creatures be not of the Wurld. It is said they come from the Nether Realms, from Maergard, the Underworld. They doth possess powers unlike any I have seen in all my centuries; they doth drive madness upon thee with a glance.

[Insert what your character says or does after Ghotu is subdued.]

...Ghotu is awakened and recovered. The party reorganizes there in the intersection. A sound is heard coming from behind them, up the passage to level one.

Bibi quietly slips in close to Ghotu. "I'm glad you are all right...is my horse okay?"

Blade straightens his tunic, glad that he hadn't had to realy fight it out with Ghotu. Blade knew from experience that there was nothing worse than dying in a spell-induced lunacy.

One of the giants closest to the oncoming sound says something in Giantish to Snurre.

Blade translates, "The 'reenforcements' have arrived." Soon the adventurers see a mob of fire giants jog into view, lead by the one called Thag. They are imposing, black skinned with hair and beard colors ranging from orange to bright white; blackened steel armor coats with skull caps, armed with steel giant swords and axes, mostly two-handed.

"Mine warriors hath arrived!" says Snurre heartily. He appears much more optimistic about the prospects now. He is courteous to Humphrey as he says in his deep voice, "O Mage, the temple where these Githyanki make their haven and hold their counsel is up the stairs," and points north from where they are, to the flight of stairs. "They doth occupy many chambers in that direction. But the temple be straight ahead."

The adventurers put themselves at the front of the now lengthy column of fire giants. Only the King and one bodyguard is before them, with Thag leading the rest of the fire giants behind them, leering at them from time to time from above.

Bronk decides to carry out what his forefathers would call a "TALIBAN" campaign on the Githyanki from here on out.

He shall destroy all of them!!!

Therefore he starts moving down the passage in search of more prey!!!

The party ascends the stairs and pass a wide hall on their right. Snurre speaks to Thag in Giantish, and the warrior leads half the mob down the hall to the east.

The main party proceeds and passes a smaller opening on the left from which great heat emanates. A hammering, obviously of metal, is heard form the opening, accompanied by a blood red light that illuminates this area of the main passage. The King sends in his bodyguard, who returns with a knotty-limbed, burly fire giant who is obviously the smith. He carries a shield and giant sword, doffing a helmet made from a wyvern skull as he comes.

From here, the King points further north along the main passage and says: "At the turn to the right, ahead, the wall before us be an illusion, a mind trick of the Githyanki. The passage proceedeth straight through it into the temple area. If thou instead turnst right, following the passage, another illusion-hidden entrance be on the left. [See the map, below.]

Ghotu asks Snurre: "Are they in the Temple right now? Do you know how many there will be?"

Snurre says, "They often hold ceremonies, or just loiter about so far as I can tell. Oft times several knights are therein, with priests. Thae-Rune Ibn can be found anywhere, as likely in the Temple as anywhere.

Ghotu suggests, "We should enter through both entrances at once."

Mog says, "Shall our party split up? Or send giants through one and the party through the other?"

Ghotu thinks... "I would split the party, each group with giants behind them. We will be together again once we get inside the Temple, and it will stop any escape. But there are other opinions here."

"What I see before me [referring to the party] is a mighty enemy that would strike fear in the hearts of kingdoms." Humphrey has turned to face the party, his hands held in the air. "Each of you carries your own purpose in the coming confrontation. However, we cannot loose sight of the goal. Our purpose is to reach the Dark One and to capture something of great importance in his possession, not to face the entire Gith contingent. Bronk, you must put your vendetta aside for the greater good. Mog and Ghotu, you must put your trust in me, though each of you fears me. Blade, you must follow, though it goes against your will. Bibi, our destiny awaits us. As for you and your men, King Snurre, I will aid you in the defeat of this dark menace, after my goal is accomplished, and if you choose not to face me-- though the time will surely be right to do so. Mog, Bronk, Ghotu, Blade, Bibi, gather round me. Snurre, I will change us to resemble the Githyanki, and we will walk as one into the Temple, and directly to the Dark One. If any question our movements, tell them we are assembled as he ordered."

Bibi wonders what he means by their destiny. She wants to ask but decides to wait.

Blade stifles a yawn at the wiazard's melodramatic eulogy. Just more duplicitous wizard speak. "If fighting these ass-faced vilains will get us back home , then I'm all for it" says Blade. "Besides, i would gladly help my friend settle an old score"he says with a reassuring nod in Bronks direction. "as you say we cannot take them all today, but surely a few more dead githyanki would put a smile upon the Rashaeman's lips."

[If the party gathers round Humphrey, he casts two spells. The first, is the spell Polymorph self, which he uses to charge his staff. The second, is the spell Seeming, which he reads from a scroll. However, if any object to his words or deeds, then I will modify my post at that time.]

Bronk says" Know this wizard....I will do what is best for the Party which in turn would be best for me at this time". He then turns and looks towards the Temple and continues"But...after the dark one is gone....so shall the war start. I will not rest until all Gith here are dead. This Temple shall be rid of them....and so shall this Wurld. Is this understood?!?!?!"

"Revenge is a dish best served cold, my friend. don't go off on some barbarian rage and wind up getting yourself killed. We shall destroy as many as possile of them today, but planning later will ensure we take out more in the future. " says Blade almost disbelleiving the words as he says them. who was he to offer caution to anyione? If anything it was a selfish move on his part, he didn't want to lose his brother in arms in a place as abysmmal and and depressing as this.

While Bronk is speaking Bibi sits down next to him and puts on her winged boots. She is feeling very anxious and is trying to thing of anything she can do to help. She can feel the time of her change growing near. She also thinks or maybe just imagines that she is sensing the closeness of the stone. As tightens the boots she says a silent prayer asking her gods for guidance.

She looks up at Bronk and reminds him of her offer. "Whenever you want I can cast that spell for you but it only lasts for a little while." (4 rounds +1 round/level)

Bronk smiles and then walks over to Humphrey. "This Magic better work or it may be a very,very short war my friend." Smirking at Humphrey.

Bibi jumps up and follows him over.

Posting Instructions: The party must come up with a plan to enter the Temple, or else go some other way. If asked, Snurre will tell the party that the passages to the right contain prisons mostly, and quarters where more Githyanki stay. He does not know the total number of Githyanki as there are sections no giants are allowed, and they come and go through a portal in the Temple. They are usually only seen in small groups.

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