14. The Fall of Torgen

Torgen attacks the Earth Giant, is no longer dazed. Earth Titan takes lightning damage, takes unyielding avalanche damage from Magnus, and hits Magnus. Earth Giant Stalkers take unyielding avalanche damage, killing one of them, the other one misses Magnus. Earth Giant soldier takes unyielding avalanche damage, deals thunder damage to Magnus and bloodies him, takes lightning damage from motes and remains slowed. Other Earth Giant soldier draws attack from Torgen, who misses, and then uses thunder strike on Alain and Torgen. Xiu gives Zargosz a potion of vitality, spends an action point to grab Zargosz, jumps down the hole, and they all land on top of Alain. Hill Giant shaman fires a lava blast and misses Xiu. Battle chief leaps over the pit to watch what's going on below. Alain uses resistive formula on Torgen and Zargosz, spends action point to use curative admixture on himself, saves against daze. Firestorm launches fire at Magnus. Hill Giant minion throws a rock down at Magnus, and misses. Zargosz moves the wind and lightning storm to kill the minion, then takes his second wind. Orcs yell in orcish and attack the crocodile. Magnus uses his second wind, hits the Earth Giant Stalker and kills it, then swings and hits the other Earth Giant.

Torgen hits the Earth Giant soldier and heals Xiu from bloodied and is no longer dazed. Earth Titan takes lightning damage and unyielding avalanche damage, and misses hitting Magnus with two fists. Earth Giant soldier takes unyielding avalanche damage, swings his thunder maul and misses Magnus. Other soldier uses thunder strike on Zargosz, Alain and Arbalester, dazing them. Xiu uses changeling trick and bloodbath on Hill Giant soldier, then activates her sidestep stance. Hill Giant Shaman fires a lava blast and misses Xiu. Battle chief uses magic to cancel firestorm in front of orcs, heals the orcs and then whispers in common, Xiu notices that the elemental mage is standing next to the battle chief. The elemental mage mocks us and tells "Grennit" to enjoy us, and that he'll give his regards to the Frost Giant Jarl. Alain casts frost dweomer on Torgen's weapon, uses his circlet of second chances to become undazed. Firestorm throws fire at Xiu, Zargosz, Arbalester, then moves in next to us. Zargosz summons serpentine vines on Firestorm and Hill Giant Soldier, is still dazed and immobilized. Orcs move down the stairs, one attacks the crocodile. Magnus regenerates, uses crushing surge on the Earth Giant soldier and misses.

Torgen uses lay on hands to heal Zargosz, moves in on Earth Giant soldier and hits him with holy strike, bloodying him. Earth Titan takes lightning damage and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus good. Earth Giant Soldier takes unyielding avalanche and lightning damage, hits Magnus. Other Earth Giant soldier takes ongoing damage, is still restrained but is no longer bleeding. Xiu throws a shuriken for arterial slice against Firestorm, is still immobilized. Hill Giant Shaman falls into the fire, uses earth storm on Xiu, Arbalester, Torgen and Alain. Alain uses clearsense powder to unblind himself, stands up and fires predatory shards into the vines. Firestorm attacks Xiu and misses. Zargosz takes fire damage, calls lightning on the Hill Giant Soldier and Firestorm, is still immobilized but not dazed. The orcs come into the room and throw hand axes, one of which crits Zargosz. Magnus regenerates, uses defensive resurgence and then crushing surge on the Earth Giant soldier, killing it.

Torgen uses tremorsense, heals Xiu and lets her move out of the vines, lays hands on himself, is still blinded. Earth Titan takes lightning and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus again. Earth Giant soldier dies from force damage. Xiu takes her second wind, saves against blindness but is still immobilized. Shaman swings at Alain, who prevents the attack with his shockweave armor. Battle chief charges down the stairs and attacks Magnus, which heals all of his allies, then yells out a command to re-position his allies. Alain steps out of the fire, uses regeneration infusion on himself, takes second wind. Firestorm takes arterial slice and predatory shards damage, swings and misses at Xiu. Zargosz fires tremor at Shaman, saves against immobilized. Orcs move in next to Xiu, other one charges Alain and bloodies him, and another one hits Zargosz. Magnus gets hit by Earth Titan, is bloodied, and attacks with crushing surge.

Torgen moves up to attack orc and hits him. Earth Titan takes lightning and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus again. Xiu uses clever strike on the orc, bloodying him, and saves against immobilized. Shaman creates an earth storm against Zargosz, Xiu, Torgen and Alain. Battle chief calls out commands to allow his allies to move, and then hits Alain and knocks him out. Firestorm punches Xiu. Zargosz is blinded, casts black harbinger and turns into a tiny raven and flees upwards into the throne room, is no longer blinded. Orcs attack and miss Xiu and Torgen, one of them hits Torgen. Magnus regenerates, shifts and attacks with lasting threat against the Earth Titan.

Torgen takes his second wind, uses strength from valor on three orcs surrounding him, hits two of them. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, strikes at Magnus and hits. Xiu tumbles over to the firestorm blindly, stabs it with rogue's luck, kills it and is un-blinded, and Zargosz turns off the vines around her. Battle chief calls out commands to let the orcs move around Torgen, then moves up and crits Xiu. Zargosz transforms back into half-orc form and launches storm spike at bloodied orc. Orcs attack Torgen. Magnus uses bull charge on the Earth Titan.

Torgen provokes attacks from the orcs by moving, bloodying him, then attacks the battle chief and two of the orcs with radiant damage. Earth Titan takes unyielding damage and smashes Magnus. Xiu uses bait and switch to hit the battle chief, then drinks a potion of healing and runs for it. Hill Giant chases after Xiu, spends an action point to hit her and blinds her. Battle chief takes fire damage, hits Torgen. Zargosz crits the bloodied orc, killing it. Orcs attack, one hits Torgen. Magnus misses the Earth Titan.

Torgen uses spirit reliquary, gains temporary hit points and attacks the battle chief, bloodying him, lays hands on himself. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, misses Magnus twice and spends his action point to hit him once. Xiu uses handspring assault on shaman, runs away. Xiu is blind, tries to bluff the shaman and fails. Shaman misses Xiu. Battle chief orders shaman to move nearer Xiu, hits Torgen. Zargosz uses storm spike on battle chief and then uses action point to blast him again. Orcs attack Torgen, one hits. Magnus uses crushing surge and misses.

Torgen misses the battle chief. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, crits Magnus. Xiu tries to assault the giant, misses him (because he's not there), tries to move past him and bounces into him, and is now un-blinded. Shaman hits her and knocks her out. Battle chief knocks Torgen down. Zargosz transforms back into half-orc, blasts battle chief with storm spike, who is wobbling but still up. Orcs kill Torgen. Magnus pulls out his spare waraxe and throws it at the battle chief and kills him. The orcs, with no money at stake, decide to stop fighting Magnus.

Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, hits Magnus twice and drops him. Zargosz, in raven form, flies down and administers potion of vitality to Magnus. Orc mercenaries leave. Magnus stands back up and uses crushing surge on the Titan with a crit.

Earth Titan uses earth shock and misses both Zargosz and Magnus, doing only half damage. Hill Giant Shaman moves over to attack Magnus. Zargosz turns into a swarm of baby snakes and attacks the shaman with floating death and moves around the Titan, hitting him. Magnus hits with crushing surge, killing the Titan. The Shaman tries to call the mercenaries back, they want nothing to do with it, and he surrenders.

Zargosz examines the battle chief for Xoriat influence, and sees something that troubles him. This giant has spent significant amount of time in the realm of madness, long enough to have affected his physical form, and it was not involuntary. He determines that there's some sort of alliance between Dal Quor, Xoriat, dragons and the giants. We raid the place for treasure. Magnus, in accordance with what he guesses might be Torgen's wishes, takes a potion of vitality and throws him the lava with all of his gear.