Goblin Lands 2 Heroic Mission Week 24: The Giants who Enslaved the Clouds

#1

Scibe and his comrades had walked the hard cracked stone from the canyons of Karov down south to the deserts that even the Tla’loc’alans avoid. As he had been told in a vision, he left all vehicles at his Arena, and all animals except his comrades. The vision had been clear. He followed it down into the sandstorms and out again days later on the other side of the desert.
Then the cracked stone appeared again below their feet and they continued their march.

Finally spreading out around him was the coastline, with its high cliffs and rocky shore. Directly ahead of him was the towering peaks of the Mountains of the Der’Yyan. This isolated mountain range jutted out over the coastal cliffs, its high peaks wreathed in storm clouds. As they camped at its base, preparing for the exhausting climb ahead of them, Scribe and his comrades could see a single plataeu halfway up the climb. It was visible from the large tree whose gold and green leaves could be seen from even this far away.

As they camped an old woman entered the camp, and Scribe instantly recognized her as Loki in a shapeshifted form. Before their eyes he turned once more into the dancing laughing form they had seen at the trial of Gorkaog.

Loki said, “I am Loki Laufeyson, called Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer, and the Sky Traveler. I find meaning in the profane. I find all other divine beings to be jokes. But all beings love me none the less.

There are three tasks for you. I will tell you in reverse order for my amusement.

Task three is the hardest to accomplish.
The third task is to reach the top of this mountain. You will find the Cloud Slavers. Giants who control the stormy skies. You must find their chieftain and convince him to worship Loki. And you must show him how to do the ritual by performing the Blood Eagle on yourself on the Odin tree on that outcropping halfway up. But only once will you die, and rise again by your comrades hands. Then you will be restored as a Runecaster.

But of course there are two tasks you must complete as well, the first after, the latter earlier.

Your second task is to convince the remaining Cloud Slavers to bow down to my service and worship. They are giants and must understand my superiority to them. You must spread my faith among them.

Now This is your first task. You said you were one of the Fangs of Loki. I have a question for you:

Tell me of the Fangs of Loki, what is their purpose and why you would think I care if a criminal already on the way to his death offends the asgardians?”

[Answer his question either in part or in full]

#2

After they completed or failed at the first task, the dangerous climb would begin.

[How will you rise, vehicles are not allowed, but artifacts and leyas is. Anything that resembles or acts like a vehicle will probably get you in trouble]

Half way up, they reached the great tree that Loki had described. Leaning against it was an old man with an eye patch, and a pair of ravens on his shoulders. He was as gnarled as the tree behind him, and his remaining eye had a fickle gaze at it lingered on Scribe and his companions.

“I am Woden Allfather, and you have lost your way if you have come this far… champion…, the rest of you may have heard me called Odin. I have been called ruthless, but I am focused on self-actualization, above all other tasks. I gave this eye, so that I might see more. And I have died on this tree more times than I can count, only to be reborn again. I am one who seeks seidr, seeks forbidden and arcane knowledge for my own uses. I revel in conquest of that which denies my strength. I love the warrior who gives his all and dies in battle. Only then do I grant him the endless days of battle, so many on this strange midgard experience. I do not care for terms like justice…law…or peace. There is no justice but what I say is so. There is no law but my word and my decision at the moment. There can never be peace for only at war do men make worth of themselves. I stole poetry from the Jotunn, and spit it out which is why your kind even enjoys such a thing. I am the divine madness that is the heart of new creation.”

Scribe’s comrades remained silent until the old man finished his speech.

“If you wish to follow Loki’s foolishness, do so, and your powers will return, Scribe. Or if you wish to do my bidding, you must slay the leader of the Cloud Slavers and disperse the rest from the mountains through cunning and wit. But then you must return here, and must have your comrades perform the blood eagle on you. You must stay on this tree until you live and die seven times, and then they may release you to my service.”

With that the old man simply vanished as Loki had done before.

The remaining climb took nearly two full days.

[Here the winds get really really bad, so plan for it in your post]

Scribe and his comrades came to the top of the highest peak, well above the cloudline. The winds were horrible and holding on, a constant struggle. As the clouds parted and the moonlight illuminated the mountaintop, Scribes comrades could see the cloud slaver settlement spread out around them. It was carved like shelves into the natural bowl-shaped depression with a final central spur of stone extending up to form the peak in the center of the bowl.

Each of the Cloud Slavers were quite large, and could probably wrestle a wild giant one on one. Their sky-blue scaled faces were broad, with snapping reptillian jaws filled with bone crushing teeth. Their eyes were set on the sides of their head, and flicked with regularity up and down searching for predators, though planet Refuge had few predators for these massive creatures. Their claws were able to latch onto just about any rocky surface with ease, even gripping ice and snow. A result of their evolution on a distant dimension known for its floating rocks, hurling through unknown orbits, or maybe falling forever, in an endless sky. They were mythically able to leap upon storms and ride them, altering their directions and course.

A trio of dirt paths lead from the edge of the mountain down through the shelved living areas and up to the peak at the center. At the top of the peak was a tent made from the skin of dead Cloud Slavers, and held up by their spinal cords and thigh bones. Inside the tent could not be seen, as eight Cloud Slavers stood back to back across its entrance. The Giant monsters were posed to see in all directions of attack. In their hands they strummed lightning back and forth, making sounds to entertain each other and sooth the rest of the camp. To those not cloud slavers the sounds were not soothing.

There are at least thirty smaller Cloud Slavers sleeping in the closest shelves and an unknown number spread out around them in the rest of the stone shelves, counted Scribes comrades after they snuck past the shelves to the tent at the peak and the eight imposing guards.

The whipcrack of thunder and the flashes of lightning dances across Scribe’s comrades as they shelter behind a stack of Mak Hoblok carcasses. They were in running distance of the giants… around them was stone, sky and storm.

#3

Challenges

1- How will you climb the mountain? (ropes, leyas abilities, etc)

2- How will you prevent the winds from the storms from driving you off the cliffs? (vehicles may not be used in this mission)

3- How will you defeat the eight Cloud Slaver guards who stand beside the tent of the Cloud Slaver Chieftain?

4- Do you try and kill the Cloud Slaver Chieftain or do you try and turn him to Loki’s worship?

5- Once you defeat the guards the cloud slavers will awaken frightened. Do you drive the Cloud slavers from the mountain (if so how?) or do you leave them be?

6- Do you perform The Blood Eagle Ritual on Scribe as the Asgardians demand? (does not require final death)

Special Challenge: How do you answer Loki’s Question?

Mission Rules
First player to post gets a repost when all other players have finished posting to the mission in response to all other actions.
All other players may only make 1 posting.
Other players may only act as if they have seen the action of the first player who posts.
All other actions are compressed together by the DR team with a focus on storyline, so do not worry about paradoxes between different action posts.
Not every aspect of every action will be shown. This is especially true of actions that exceed two paragraphs.

Open to all tribes and all mercs

Only 1 Character from each account may be sent to this mission.
Must be sent to this thread to join the actual team working together with Scribe.

This mission ends on Friday 13nd June at 8.PM. E.S.T.

#4

Scribe was not having a good day. The gods want him to be their toy in their power struggle. He was going to meet with giants who controlled storms. AND he was limited in what he could do to climb this Helhiem bound mountain. Once they were at the base Scribe told the others he would go first unless one of them could sharpen their claws to climb, but he doubted the ones sent would have the ability to shape shift. As he climbed Scribe would either tie the climbing rope to secure areas that would hold everyone or use a minuet amount of Earth Leyas to change the stone so he could tie the rope.

Once they were behind the Mak Hoblok carcasses Scribe and the others talked. Scribe saying he wished to go alone then bring the others forward when they had determined that they could make peace or if they had to fight. Once that was decided Scribe walked to the first being who was not a child. He carried the axe he had barrowed across his back, his other tools in pouches or his bag. Upon gaining the Giants attention he used the Layes to allow him to speak, “Great being, I apologize for not knowing how your people wish to be called. I hope I may be allowed to speak with your leader, for I have urgent matters that we must take care of.”

If the leader agrees to meet with Scribe, he will try to make peace between the giants and his new town, even offering to build an area for his people.

If it is obvious that no peace can be reached then Scribe will strike at the feet of the closest giant, cutting the ankle and the heel, using Fire Leyas to burn or at least irritate his opponents.

Scribe will not kill any that are unarmed or do not wish to fight. He hopes that, should it come to fighting, any who wish to come to this new town will join him as he leaves the mountain, and will tell them as such.

#5

Uruf looked up at the mountain and then at Loki and then at Scribe.

“You should never grasp for power. Power always comes with responsibilities and chains.

Responsibility to those you are supposed to protect with that power.

Chains to whatever method is used to gain that power.

The Bladed Sun faith is not simply a route to power, and should never be used as such.
Belief as simply a route to power leads to loss of meaning. And we are tasked by this universe to fill our lives with meaning. Meaningful work, meaningful play, meaningful communing with the universe, and meaningful communing with our fellow species.

My faith, shared with some, is that truth may be found through learning. That elements of the puzzle of the universe have been scattered across knowledge and faiths from many peoples. Each meaningful in its own way. Yet that meaning has to be understood, in nuanced ways.

It is not simply enough to wear the symbol of a faith on your arm, one must at least walk that lifestyle to truly consider themselves of that faith.

At the trial Scribe, I saw your Gods demand you demonstrate your faith to them at the cost of your own pride. You turned from them instead, holding your pride as higher than your faith.

That doesn’t make you a bad man. It makes you like most of us wandering this wide world. Just trying to bring meaning into an otherwise confusing and temporary existence.

You have to decide, do you actually wish to learn more about your faith in the Asgardians? To become what they wish you to be?

Or do you wish to go your own way? Knowing you give up power, but you also give up the chains to your own imprisonment to their rules about what is right and wrong…”

Uruf would then use the power of the Green Sword to carve a human-sized staircase into the side of the mountain to the first position.

Once there he would turn to Scribe and say, “The rest of this task will be yours. If you wish to join the Bladed Sun, you cannot simply just turn away from your old gods. You must make peace with them.

I will wait here. I have studied this Blood Eagle ritual if you choose to return here.”

[Uruf would heal any wounded, and rescue bodies of others if necessary. But since Scribe did not plan an actual attack, he would wait by the Woden Tree instead for the end of the fight if it occurs.]

#6

Having little desire to help out after hearing how ill people thought of the Morgothians, Sir Mag’Nrs the young olgog paladin thought to the tenets of his faith striving for honor and power. He would approach the mountain followed by a 2 “controlled” daemonbeast, just as those that would embark on this silly journey were going to make way. "Hail, Scribe of the Champions of Asgard. I have heard tales of how the Morgothians are viewed in these lands and wish to end these rumors once and for all. Morgothians seek honor above all else, and I wish to make you offer without request. Had you done more to reach out, would have seen you through to the end. God’s speed, whichever path you may follow. "

With that being said, the daemonsbeast, will both claw their way into the mountain side and then use CHILL BREATHE to make ice pillar steps to make the travel safer. He will watch as the team makes their way.

#7

Adept

Adept wasn’t going to let Scribe go alone, he was going to go with him. He was smart though, a grounding ward for earth, and creating handhelds (WALL OF PIKES earth lvl 3) will make the going easier. Two rows, one on each side should protect us from being driven off.

To the cloud savers, he would speak of coexistence, either in separate towns or together. He would mention Yyan Kol and that the giants are doing better than they were before, by joining them.

Adept would council against the blood eagle, even going so far as to tell Woden that for a gog to die for a god, the god should show he is worthy to die for first. Not die first, then see if the god is worthy. If scribe decided to go with it, he would use convert to bring him back to life (only has healing 1).

To loki, he would chastise him for claiming to be a god of monsters, and yet he does nothing for them. Vilifying one raised up to believe in you, because they are having a crisis of faith like a 3 year old throwing a tantrum.

#8

Black Lorne, or Ornel Lashar as he went by for this mission, had come along for a purpose of his own. He wished to slay a giant for himself, but would assist Scribe in hope of a reward, whether material or otherwise.

He’d use Shadow Walk to scale the mountain, utilizing any supports or assists that others had placed along the mountain to make the going easier. His agility and practiced shadow leyas would be more than enough to ensure his safety on the mountain. He would then retreat into the shadows with Hide in Shadows when they neared the giants who guarded the way. If scribe and friends were attacked/failed to persuade them, he’d leap from cover and join the fight, leaping from shadow to shadow to avoid attack.

As for the chieftain, he was the prize that Lorne sought to claim. He’d stealth his way into the meeting, allowing conversation to occur, and when least expected, he strike, nailing the chief with Death Blasts. He’d use Become a Shadow to avoid attack. He would cut the head off the chief with his hand and a half sword and would stand triumphantly.

He’d only observe the ritual, and would not move to help either side.

#9

Yirhug approached the mountain at the side of Scribe, Uruf and the Gultor’Uf gogs.

He would keep his opinion to himself on the subject of Scribe’s faith. Faith was a personal matter, and Yirhug had outright rejected his own childhood faith. Then again, Yirhug had never been a priest of the faith in the Quall N’drone. He had learned since about the Dimension Walkers and their destructive deeds across the distant shores. And he didn’t like it.

He approached his faith in the Bladed Sun as an agreement to protect others from destructive and violent faiths while learning about all faiths equally.

Yirhug had hoped to learn more from Scribe about the Asgardians, but Scribe had been dismissive of him since he arrived. Living as a Red Fur in a Green Fur’s world, he wasn’t surprised he was treated as more of a danger than an ally.

Still it made him sad after all the good he had done in Drewsport, the majority of people outside of Drewsport just treated him like a betraying Red Fur.

The GulTor’Uf had invited him, and he still wanted to show friendship to them. And maybe Scribe would respect him a little more, if he helped out.

He would be carrying all the ropes and hooks and climbing gear he collected in Drewsport, coiled up on his shoulders and back. Once it came time to go up, he would summon Earth spirits to use their powers to carve small hand holds and places that ropes could securely tied off. The Earth Spirits would be used to place ropes so no party member could fall and die.

Before they reached the strong winds, he would have the Earth spirits carve a tunnel into the mountain and then back out at the top of the mountain. It would still be a long climb, but at least they would be protected from the worst of the winds.

If Scribe talked the Giants down, great, Yirhug would buy drinks at the bar afterwards for all the new Giant friends.
If he didn’t and the Giants attacked first, then Yirhug would act as team summoner, calling in Fire Spirits and Earth Spirits to drive off and defeat the giants and take the hits.

Yirhug would help Scribe with the Blood Eagle if he wanted to do it. If he didn’t he would support his decision.

#10

"My grandfather had a childhood a lot like you did. He was raised by an enemy of his blood, was weaker than those that raised him, and loved to pull pranks. Unlike you however he saw that those that raised him cared, they did not hide what they did nor did they make excuses. He eventually became a Rune caster and sought out his kin. Among them he taught of Loki, The Shifter, The Serpent, The Silver Tongued. His teaching took root and soon a hundred bastards had been trained in the ways of the Rune Caster. They set out on a quest. To find Loki and remind him of the light of the world. It is unknown what happened but of the one hundred warriors, only ten returned, with them was the Lord they had sought.

“For a long time our home was happy, full of pranks and mischief, but above all else we had a Lord who could understand how we think and why we act as we do. Then just before my father finished his training as a Rune Caster, Loki vanished. In a vision my father was told to follow in the steps of his father and seek out our Lord. Once more a hundred left our home, and only ten returned. And once more there was happiness and pranks. Then came my training and once more our Lord was gone. I lead a hundred of my kin out of our village, seeking out those that would know what was happening. We met with each of the beings sired or birthed by our Lord, each giving our group a more difficult task than the last.

“90 of my kin were given final death before my eyes before I was able to see the face of my Lord. We returned and my grandfather, seeing that this would happen again declared that those that return be called the Fangs of Loki and bare the names of nine of the fallen upon their back." Scribe removed his Nightmare hide vest to show them his back. There they saw the names and faces of nine bastards, all of whom had died in their quest. "We swore oaths that we would be faithful until our lord dismissed us, that we would remind others that the Silver Tongued was a being who helped Asgard until Baldyr dreamed his death and then they turned on our Lord, fulfilling the prophesy of Baldyr. Our Lord even showed us his true form and marked us as his servants.

“As for why I sought your council it is quite simple. You would have tormented and tortured those who did wrong, made them beg for death then denied them death’s sweet embrace. I was sworn to obey and so sought your ruling on how to deal with a situation that went against everything I was taught. Now I will seek my own way, to protect those who entrust me with their lives.”

#11

Lurtor says “As I’ve said before, I’m hear to stop giants from attacking settlements. I will not take part in pissing any gods off. That part your on your own. Making peace or killing Giants, I’m here to help. if you want someone to stick you to that tree and bring you back, I’m your gog.”

Loki
(Unsure if we are all expected to answer Loki, if we are, its to him, else to Scribe)
At Loki’s comments Lurtor answers “Followers of a god do not need their gods presence for judgement, you should already know how they would rule and do not need to bother them. Then if they are displeased with your ruling, you will know. Keep gods out of most things. Safer for all that way.

Climbing up the hill:
Lurtor says to Scribe, climbing is no trouble. Now the fun of the rope I have, that will be the trouble. Make sure to hold nightmare hide or have gloves on. K’iou hair conducts. Also these harnesses are from our fighters, wear them and when you fall you will float down. If you have a rope tied on you, we can pull you back up. “ Lurtor will take out rope to use.

Lurtor says “I can climb up and anchor the rope, then the others can climb.” Lurtor shifts his hands into claws and between his claws and shadow jump makes his way up the mountain.

Overnight
Lurtor will setup the Igloo artifact allowing them to have a safe place to sleep protected from the weathers.

High Winds
Lurtor quietly sign a protective sound to protect those in the party from flying debris and the wind. Lurtor will resist using Air leyas unless he needs a wind shield to make the winds go around. But only when no chance of burn out from a storm.

Gaints - combat
Lurtor always had his Phoenix Strike pistols, Skull Crusher Magi pistols, and his caputre magi pistols. If a fight broke out he would goto this weilding 2 - at the same time. Keeping his distance from the giants.

If the Giants started using the storm to send lightning down on them, Lurtor would try to use the Song of Storms to direct the lightning away from his allies to the giants. At first lurtor would not use Air Leyas and try to use Troubadour to control the storm. Lurtor would use a little Air leyas to reinforce this but stop if it became anywhere near a burnout.

Lurtor doesn’t trust or like Giants, so he will more than happy when it turns into a fight to scare the giants to the 4 winds.

Giants - Talks
If Scribes efforts to talk worked, Lurtor would look big and scarey loaded with weapons all over and dress in Dragon Plate mail. Lurtor would hum the soothing words to calm the giants down. Lurtor would use his skills to manipulate and calm the giants into accepting Scribe proposal of peace.

If talking didn’t work, look towards combat section :slight_smile:

Lurtor ((VLAD Agent) LR:5, Heal:1, Light: 3, Shadow:3, Air:3, Earth:3, Fire:2, Water:2, General:2, Shape:3, Troub:4) Adj: (Charisma (+4 Item), Duelist, Gunslinger, Quickdraw, Performance 2, HtH 1, Melee Strike +2, Ranged Shot +1, Rapid Throw +1)

Dragon Plate Armor (1/2 Dmg Lightning/Gas attacks), Necklace of Protective Aura, Fireball ring, Ringer of LIghtning Strike, 2 VLAD Phoenix Strike Pistol, 2 Magi Pistols, Combat Knife (Shieldbreak 6 success), Ring of Healing (Cure Disease, Heal Internal Damage, Cure Poison (3 succ)), and a Fireproof trench Coat. Paladin Sword. Necklace with Life Shield (3 Succ), Old Magi Cannon, Earring of Charisma +4, Shadow Cannon Nightmare hide bag. (Holding Igloo, supplies, rope, and extra gear that fits in it.

Special EQ:
Yadol shell Armor plate of the Auf Lal’al (Igloo), K’iou Gloves, and Ki’ou Hair Rope.