Episode 16 - Caves, Giants and a Mammoth.

Having followed the two winter wolves to within site of a cave entrance our party of heroes waited patiently outside for a few moments to plan their next move. During that time a large humanoid figure appeared at the entrance and was viewed tossing an empty barrel into the snow before returning back towards the warm glow of flickering firelight.

Deciding to move closer to the entrance, Aldrick snapped his fingers summoning Lookout and sent the owl swooping stealthily into the cave. Through Lookout's senses Aldrick was able to determine a large cave complex with a central wide passageway with opening on both sides that lead into other large chambers. Through Lookout's keen sight and hearing Aldrick was also able to make out several large creatures, humanoid in form inhabiting several of the chambers along with another larger creature too. From his vantage point Lookout could also make out what appeared to be two prisoners. 

The nearest chamber to the entrance glowed with fire light and was being used by two large human like creatures. Giants of some kind. Unsure of their plan to free the prisoners but knowing they needed to act decisively Grom loaded a bolt into his crossbow and stalked forward keeping close to the opposite wall. Nemeia followed Grom while the rest of the party were still near the cave entrance. 

Spying the giant figures around the fire in the side chamber Grom muttered some words in Dwarvish, raised his crossbow and fired. "Roll for Initiative!" With everyone except Nemeia surprised by Grom's sudden aggression no one acted before Grom and his bolt struck the nearest Verbeeg. As the bolt struck it splintered into a "Hail of Thorns" requiring a dex save from both Verbeegs in the chamber. 

With the surprise over we moved to initiative order. No surprise that our Rogue Shayde went first. Shayde moved forward, held her action and bonus actioned hid. Halfdan drew his sword and advanced. Tor grasping her new staff in hand and summoned a "Wall of Wind" which funnelled around the two Verbeegs. The Male Verbeeg grabbed a spear as it lurched forward and launched it straight at Grom

Aldrick's first action was to cast "Mage Armour" on himself. Grom reloaded his crossbow and fired again. The two giants moved forward albeit their size making it difficult and one had to squeeze past the other. Shayde and Halfdan engaged the first, nearest giant with the Rogue scoring a "Critical Hit". Tor spent her action provided healing to Grom who had taken a big hit from the giant's spear. Nemeia summoned "Sacred Flame" but in the rush of combat it missed. With the round returning to Aldrick, the Wizard held aloft his dragon headed staff whilst speaking the incantation to unleash "Scorching Ray" straight at the Male giant. Of the three rays of burning flame one scored at "critical hit", one a standard hit and the last flew wide exploding against the cavern wall behind. 

The male giant thrust a second spear into Shayde dealing heavy damage in retaliation for the rogue's previous Crit. Grom having swung his crossbow over his shoulder reached now for his great axe whilst moving into a flanking position to strike. The second Verbeeg squeezed past Grom to try and rescue her mate. Both Shayde and Halfdan each struck again at the Male Verbeeg piling on the damage. Aldrick created a "Chromatic Orb" shimmering with lightning and flung it at the Male Verbeeg. As the orb exploded the Verbeeg turned to face Grom once again and tried to thrust with it's spear but missed. Using his reaction Grom swung with great axe with tremendous strength to gut the Verbeeg who crashed to its knees, it's guts spilling to the floor.

Roaring with a mix of both rage and sadness the female Verbeeg thrust her spear at the dwarf ranger who had felled her mate. She then moved away from the party shouting "Friend!". Tor summoned her Bear spirit and moved forward alongside Halfdan try and surround the Verbeeg as she moved across the cavern. Aldrick cast shocking grasp and delivered it through his familiar Lookout. Nemeia provided Shayde and Grom with some healing.

Aldrick casts "Magic Missile". Taking the damage the Verbeeg tried to flee the combat but as she did was cut down by attacks of opportunity from Halfdan and Tor.

With the party having successfully overcome not one but two Verbeegs they now became aware of a further large creature, this time and Ogre. Seeing this new threat Halfdan shouted a challenge at it "Fight me!! Fight me!!"

The Ogre seeing the threat decided to turn and head back towards the prisoners. Tor still in her Bear form moved through the nearby passageway into another cavern to be confronted with a larger "Cave Bear" and proceeded to have a bear fight! Shayde moved to reinforce Tor against the cavern bear while the rest of the party moved to intercept the Ogre before it could reach the prisoners.

Halfdan dashed to put himself between the ogre and the prisoners while Grom and Nemeia followed behind to flank attack. Nemeia held back and cast "Spiritual Weapon" which manifested as a glowing spectral longsword. 

Tor and the cave bear exchanged bites and claws each dealing heaving damage to each other. Tor used a spell slot to provide some healing to herself before Shayde finished off the ferocious cave bear with a well placed "Sneak Attack".

Now pretty much surrounded and taking hits from Grom's axe, Nemeia' spiritual weapon and more shocking grasps from Aldrick delivered by Lookout the ogre was felled by Halfdan's final blow. 

With most of the cave system clear Shayde set the prisoners free of their bonds and told them to wait for them to return as there was still one further cyber to be investigated. The one with huge hairy creature and the strange glowing blue light. 

Wasting no time Halfdan marched straight towards the final chamber.

With Nemeia following close behind and the rest of the party advancing more slowly the last chamber opened up to reveal a large set of skeletal remains sat upon a glowing throne in front of which sat a huge woolly mammoth. Halfdan trying to engage the beast in conversation proved tricky but with Tor's help, like with the other awakened beasts encountered, gave an insight into what they now faced. 

Unable to sway the mammoth from it's vigil of the giants remains it was obvious that they would come to combat eventually but the interaction had bought time for the rest of the party to take up positions around the cavern. 

Nemeia started to invoke "Guiding Bolt" and so with initiative rolled it was Shayde who acted quickest being able to move forward and attack with lightning speed gaining advantage and sneak attack before the mammoth even knew what was happening. Using her bonus to disengage Shayde wax able to fall back. 

The party unleashed several attacks against the mammoth before it was able to strike back. Tor cast "Spike Growth" to try and hem the mammoth in and stop it from charging. 

Grom unleased volley after volley of crossbow bolts aided by his "Hunter's Mark", Aldrick threw fire bolts and Nemeia attacked with her "Spiritual Weapon" until after some time it seemed as if this great creature should have been long vanquished but alas it still stood definitely against our heroes.

After some time it then became apparent that each time the mammoth took damage the blue light from the throne would pulse and so our heroes turned their attention to the throne itself and after hammering it with attacks the blue glowing light stopped pulsing and the great hairy beast finally slumped to the ground dead.

To be continued.............