Apr 04 08 - Story Form - The Bigger They Are
Finglas unleashed a fusillade of arrows at the new Fire Giant in the doorway causing him to fall down dead almost immediately. Ramone? and Paul hovered watching for an opening as Kit jumped forward to put her shoulder against the doors and push them closed rolling the dead giant's body inside. Then Paul took the opportunity to cast wizard lock on the doors and seal the baying hounds inside.
Anterias turned to the other Fire Giant in front of the temple and punched with his shield bringing it to its knees then a slash to the throat that finished him off. The group gathered to advance on one of the giants that was throwing boulders from the far side. As they advanced the Fire Giant hit Victoriana again with a molten boulder. Percy moved back to Lady Kylia's position to receive her healing touch just as more hot boulders rained onto the causeway from the other side of the temple giving Kylia a glancing blow.
In the aftermath Arilyn? quickly swooped over to Finglas and flew him up to the roof of the temple.
(end of round 4)
Once in place Finglas let fly one of his specially prepared arrows, carefully aiming directly at one of the Fire Giant's boots. Scoring a direct hit a huge sphere of darkness blotting out two of the Fire Giants but also catching Arilyn? on the periphery of the sphere. Meanwhile on the other side of the temple the group advanced towards the single Fire Giant to engage at close range; Kit was smashed with a molten boulder during the advance. Lady Kylia cast a Heal spell on Percival to restore his strength as they watched the sphere of darkness advance on them as the stricken Fire Giant stumbled trying to find the adventurers. The other Fire Giant was not seen.
(end of round 5)
Ramone? took the opportunity the exposed Fire Giant presented and while invisible flew directly at him to try a surprise stab attack. Ramone? came to a screeching halt and swung a mighty blow, five feet behind the Giant causing no damage. Using his enhanced vision Finglas aimed into the darkness surrounding the Fire Giant with the arrow in his boot and hit him several times with arrows, moderately wounding the giant. Arilyn? cast lightening bolt at the other Giant that was exposed by the moving sphere of darkness doing slight damage to him.
Back on the other side of the temple yet another flaming rock struck Kit as the group advanced towards their target. The doors to the temple gave a shudder as they were pounded on from the inside, a Giant trying to breach the magical lock. Then an explosion of metal and wood as the doors were burst asunder from a Fire Giants fists. Kylia looked to her left and saw one of the Fire Giants that had previously been throwing boulders now walking just above the lava to skirt the sphere of darkness and attempt to reach the causeway. The other giant was still encased in that globe and mistakenly wandered back towards the rear of the temple rather than into the battle area.
Kylia took aim at the fire walking Giant and cast dispel magic over him, causing his ability to walk on the lava to end and plunging him into the molten rock.
(end of round 6)
Ramone? recovered from his previous attack and plunged his magically enhanced dagger into the Fire Giants back. With a flash of dark magic the giant disintegrated into a goo melted flesh and armor. Finglas used his bow again on the giant that was still enclosed in darkness, while Paul cast a summoning spell to bring forth reinforcements for the group. Two large Apes sprang into being and attacked the Fire Giant that was blocking the doorway. Kit, Tori, Paul, Moirra moved back from the side area to the front of the temple to confront the giants and hell hounds that were coming out of the doorway. One of the Apes fell to the jaws of one of the hell hounds as several came running around and through the legs of the Fire Giant in the doorway. It staggered but stayed barely alive.
Kylia loosed a lightening bolt at the giant that was closing in on reaching the causeway heavily wounding him. Seeing this one of the giants standing in the entranceway of the temple cast a protection spell on himself as Arilyn? cast a sphere of acid at the struggling giant. Percy slashed at one of the hell hounds as the leading Fire Giant scooped up one of the Apes and tossed it into the pool of lava. Almost at the same time the Giant reached in vain for the edge of rock but slipped under the lava and disappeared from view. Suddenly the pack of hell hounds breathed gouts of fire out of their gaping maws coating almost the entire group in waves of flame.
(end of round 7)
Finglas turned his arrows upon the pack of hell hounds and struck one a heavy wound. The reaming Ape valiantly tried to claw at one of the hell hounds that was attacking Moirra but was unable to pull it off of her as it fastened its jaws on her arm. Paul seeing the new enemies emerging from the temple prepared a spell to allow him to attack from a distance. Kit attacked another of the hell hounds and ripped open its belly killing it. Anterias and Arilyn? both attacked the remaining hell hounds freeing Moirra and slaying that hound. The other beast bit into the remaining Ape killing it as Anterias was slashing at its rear. Victoriana stood near Moirra and attempted to defend her from the oncoming rush.
The Fire Giant standing in the doorway looked at Arilyn? flying in front of him and commanded her to swim, freezing her in mid-air as she was forced to gyrate. Then Percival stepped forward to attack the Giant and defend Arilyn? wounding it quickly. While the giant that had been stumbling in the darkness finally was able to find the arrow that Finglas had shot into him and plucked it out. The giant tossed the arrow with darkness around it towards the front of the temple, causing the entire group to be cast into pitch black.
(end of round 8)
As the group was enveloped in the sphere of darkness Finglas was able to still see and shoot at the Giant but was only able to slightly wound it. Then Paul slashed at it and caused the giant to sway with all the damage that Paul inflicted. Kit seeing into the main temple area took a moment to prepare herself for more battle, while Anterias aimed and stabbed the Fire Giant in front of him directly up into its gut, creating a huge gash and opening up the giant's insides to the world. As the giant doubled over in pain Ramone? stabbed into its back completing its death.
As the giant collapsed in the doorway the group saw the entranceway of the temple. The doorway let down a large passageway to the nave, on each side were caged fire elementals that two of the Fire Priests were controlling. At the center of the nave stood a large gleaming statue of a devil. Ramone? moved inside and immediately had two spells cast upon him that he shrugged off. The Fire Giant in the doorway swung its huge sword at Arilyn? moderately wounding her. Percy quickly slashed at the giant himself and pushed it backwards into the temple. While the battle was slowing moving into the temple the enraged Giant saw the archer that had caused him so much pain and smashed him with an overhead swing of the sword. Finglas took a staggering blow and scrambled backwards on the roof of the temple to try and get out of the giants reach.
(end of round 9)
Image of the battle in temple doorway
The story continues on Apr 11 08S.
