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

Brief Recap:Last turn the party entered the Temple, approached the clerics there and met Eclavdra. She attacked, and the battle was begun.

The Temple of the Githyanki

Mog raises his tattooed hand before the Githyanki Knight's face and Commands him to sleep, using the Githyanki language (which he speaks because of the Tongue spell he cast last turn). The knight tries to draw his sword, but his eyes close before the steel clears his scabbard, and he collapses to the polished obsidian floor into a deep sleep.

Behind Mog, Humphrey knocks his staff on the floor to activate his Protection from Evil. He then begins rapidly chanting the required command to conjure a creature of stone, trying to complete the complicated incantation before he is attacked.

After casting Barkskin on Bronk, Bibi springs fifteen feet above the party's heads, into the swirling lights, her winged boots lifting her the instant she wills it. She is surprisingly focused, and finds it easy to calm her mind in preparation for summoning some of the meaner creatures dwelling within the mountain.

Blade and Ghotu both attack the other nearest githyanki Knight. Ghotu, being closer, raises his axe and hacks at the knight's helmeted head. He strikes true, smashing the blade of his axe directly on the Gith's forehead [natural 20 to hit, 38 points of damage]. The knight is stunned, his knees wobble, and he only barely able to draw his sword as he staggers backward. Blade's whirlwind attack is unimpeded, and the fighter connects with his Dragonslayer [14 points of damage]. The Githyanki knight does not return the attacks, still stunned from the head shot and on the defensive.

Bronk steps forward to face the Slayers, who are apparently Eclavdra's personal bodyguards. The slayers wear spiked greaves and bracers with heavy spiked cestus, their heads and faces covered by skull shaped helms also crowned with spikes. They are larger of build than the Githyanki whom they serve, and Bronk wonders what manner of creature the Githyanki use as such servants. No matter, the must die like the rest.

The Slayers charge, attacking ferociously with their spiked fists. The first one reaches Bronk. Bronk loves it when fools charg him once he was ready with his halberd, the length of the weapon allowing him to strike them while they are still at a distance. Timing his blow perfectly, Bronk lops the head off one of the Slayers (natural 20 to hit, Vorpal weapon). The skull helmet and head roll aross the floor as the body takes another step, then collapses.

Eclavdra speaks fluidly and quickly, the intensity of the strange words building as she finishes her invocation. Her hands begin to glow white with a smouldering light, and sulfurous smell is mixed with the incense used by the Githyanki clerics. She stretches her arms forward at the party and a gout of flame explodes from her hands.

Standing in front of the rest of the company and directly in the path of the stream of fire, Mog raises his Rod. The Fireball, instead of continuing to expand, is siphoned into the rod before it can grow to its full size. It completely disappears, leaving the Rod glowing brightly, then dimly in the wierd purple atmosphere of the Temple, then completely normal once again.

The other knights and clerics in the room are taking notice of the beginning combat, and move toward the adventurers. Knights from all directions quickly move toward the party, and the several of the clerics begin casting spells. The group of clerics on the raised area (the far north of the Temple), chant in unison, looking at the intruders as they do so.

Suddenly, Snurre bellows at the top of his lungs in his impossibly deep and loud voice, the voice of the King of Fire Giants: "'Tis better to reign in Hell than to serve in Jotunheim!" With that he charges the chanting Githyanki priests on the dais. Several of his warriors give forth booming battle cries as well and follow directly after him, their two handed swords meeting the Githyanki knights who stand in their way.

Githyanki from the south of the room (near where the party came in) advance toward the remaining Fire Giants, at least fifteen warriors ready for combat. The Githyanki stop several feet from them and stand motionless, concentration straining their alien faces. Two of the fire Giants stop their charge and stand up, looking around confusedly. Five more of the lot begin frothing in their orange beards, howling, and attacking whatever is nearest, be it Fire Giant or Githyanki. Still three more drop their weapons and run off from the fray in whatever direction is presented to them. The few giants that reach the Ranks of the Githyanki knights take an equally heavy toll on the Githyanki, bursting through them and smashing their enemies into the black glass floor with their giant weapons. They kick the knights around and squash some of them, and the knights return the favor with more Mind Blasts, and deadly swordplay.

Snurre and his warriors fare a little better, closing with the knights before they can bring their deadly Mind Blasts to effect. They kick through the knights, Snurre snatching several up with one hand and dashing them to the floor or into their own kind. He seems to be in his own frenzy, unaided by magic or mentalism.

The clerics on the dais redirect their attention toward the advancing Snurre. Believing the group of clerics to be one of the greater dangers in the room, and the best target, Mog decides to use his Flame Strike on them. He draws the scroll from his belt and speaks the words written thereon. The magic writing flames and disappears as he utters each phrase, and immediately a column of fire drops down on the clerics, scattering them and setting two of them ablaze.

Meanwhile, Blade and Ghotu advance. Near Eclavdra and in front of the pair of fighters are the knight they just wounded (who retreated several steps form their onslaught), another fresh knight who rushes to aid his comrade, and a cleric near Eclavdra who focuses his gaze on them. Blade is still in combat with the wounded knight, and connects with his Dragonslayer, tearing the knight's throat out with the last inch of the blade [15 points of damage]. The Dragonslayer was a fine weapon indeed, though of course it lacked the deadly accuracy that the Giantslayer had while fighting giants. The Githyanki falls to its knees, and Blade sinks his short sword beneath his shoulder plate into the knight's chest, killing it. Ghotu passes them by to meet the oncoming knight.

This knight attempts a thrust at Ghotu's throat as soon as the fighter is in range, the razor tip of the ornate long sword snaking over Ghotu's shield with deadly skill. Ghotu barely recognizes the overhand attack in time, and twists his arm up to raise his shield more to deflect the blow. The sword glances off Ghotu's helm [Ghotu takes 12 damage, down to 110/122]. Ghotu's ears ring in his helm as he counterattacks. His first blow is offbalance because of the Gith's attack, and is deflected by the knight. His second attack catches the knight's shield arm on the shoulder [13 damage].

Ghotu wants to drive the knight back into the curtain, using his shield in a smite attack. If this frees Ghotu up he will go after Eclavdra. Otherwise he keeps attacking those between himself and the witch.

In his mind, Ghotu wonders if the ugly green witch knows they are humans, or whether she thinks the adventurers are Thae-Rune Ibn's knights come to attack her. It matters little, she will soon be dead either way.

Blade, seing an opening in the melee , charges at the female githyanki with both swords drawn.

If one of the slayers that are attacking Bronc get in his way, then he will attck them, this holds true for anyy clerics as well. His amin target is the githyanki female.

Bibi reaches out with her summons, exploring every crevice and hole in the nearby region. She senses nearby a familiar presence, a relation to a common woodland entity. She recalls that she was told that the one who was seeking the obsidian stone was cursed with the same disease as her.

The creatures hear her summons, and quickly draw near. When the insects come into sight her points them to Eclavdra (unless she is nolonger a threat, in that case the next target).

Once the bugs have started their attack Bibi removes a stone from her locket (#9) and focuses on the on coming clerics.

Bibi takes in the battle and makes her decisions accordingly. (If Eclavdra is fending off her attacks then Bibi will use her #5 stone. Otherwise she'll use #10 on any threatening group.)

Humphrey completes his incantation, once again striking the volcanic glass floor with his staff. The elemental forces of the volcano take sentience under the magic of Humphrey's Staff of the Magi. The very floor itself heats until it glows bright yellow, and begins to flow and shape itself. A biped form emerges like flowing quicksilver. The form is squat, and three pods stretch forth from the central trunk. No head is evident, only three long pods and two stumps for legs. The elemental entity then solidifies into this shape, cooling again to a solid glass form. It is a glistening black creature,

"I command you to destroy her," Humphrey points his finger at the priestess Eclavdra, as some magical wind begins to swirl around his hair, whipping it around.

Humphrey then reaches within his being to conjure the concentration necessary to expend a charge from his staff, causing him to turn invisible (He does this while maintaining a mental hold on the elemental (by use of a plot point)). He then moves slowly into the group among the other githyanki. (so when he becomes visible, he cannot be distinguished from them (recall we all look like Gith's, due to spell)). He continues to command the elemental to attack the priestess.

The other two Slayers charge Bronk. Bronk defends with his halberd, knocking the first Slayer's arm aside with the blade of his halberd. He spins around to jab the second, the largest of them, with the blunt end of his pole arm. This thrust catches the second Slayer under the chin, and the blunt end of the halberd slides inside the its hemlet and tears it completely off. Bronk swings his halberd back to a ready position stepping to the right, clearing a bit of room between him and his enemy.

The Slayer with its helmet ripped off looks at Bronk Beareye with a ferocious glare, and Bronk sees himself reflected in that gaze. Beneath the blind hatred in the Slayer's face, Bronk sees familar features. This slayer, this slave of Eclavdra, is Bardock, Bronk's brother.

Bronk stops..and looks astonished. "This Can't be!!!" Bronk says as he lowers his guard for a split second. "NO!!!! I must....." He raises his Halberd again....then stumbles back a few steps. "BARDOCK.....STOP!!!!" Bronk yells this to the top of his lungs!! He hopes this will stop Bardock's advance long enough for him to tackle his brother. "It's me...Bronk..you brother!!" (Waiting on GM's reply)

Bardock advances on Bronk, there is no recognition in his face. It was clear that Bardock had been under the Githyanki influence since his abduction, and was completely in their power. He snarls and charges Bronk with his spiked cestus and greaves.

Bronk will try to dodge the spiked cestuseseses....and try to tackle Bardock hard. "The only way I'm gonna get through to him is by beating the shit out of him like I use to!!" Bronk thinks.

Posting Instructions: Please post actions for two rounds. Feel free to ask for clarifications on anything. Rob, be sure to post what Bronk thinks and does. The others probably don't realize he is your Brother.

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