Quote from DirtyDogP >>

As they wait, Lukian asks the group, "What are the chances we can arrange some kind of reciprocal agreement between this clan of giants and the people of Yartar?"

"Hard to say right now.  Maybe with just ol' hungry here" Devin answers waving a hand at the back of the hill giant they were following.  "He seems a reasonable enough chap.  But the sisters?  Can't answer that, but we can certainly try.  I wonder if the sisters are another 2 headed ettin?" 

"... It is not impossible. But given that winter is coming, as I understood it, and the other difficulties currently arising, it will not be a very tenable relationship. Especially given the nature of this particular clan. Now, if it was just Hungryfella alone, then perhaps-...." D.O.R.K trailed off there, leaving others to toss out their view points for what may be the last chance. Though in response to Devin's inquiry, she just nods and keeps Mr. G moving on at his own pace until they reached their destination. A quarter mile was quite a distance to cover still, and with the giant running ahead, it wasn't unlikely it'd beat them well to the punch before they reached even the 100ft mark.

Meanwhile, one sour faced goblin and one ever wary one bickered over the odds of getting Mr. G being able to collapse the tower on the giants' head while they sleep.

(@Grant: D.O.R.K as usual cast Aid at 3rd level on herself and her goblins in the morning)

Ebonitus prepared himself for the day and the coming battle, between gritted teeth he sucks in some deep breaths as he considers what must be done. "Hill giants are like beasts with an insatiable hunger and the only solution is to kill them, otherwise this area will not be safe. We need to prepare their food and finish them while they sleep. We will need to make sure that we get them all, or their rage will be voracious." he says. "We need to survey the land and make sure we have a sound plan for how to do this."

Lukian looks at Ebonitus with surprise. "Truly? There are no exceptions? I'm surprised Dork's acolytes have been permitted to live so long around you with such narrow focus. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to wait before passing judgement upon these creatures I have yet to even lay eyes upon."

Ebonitus responds to Lukian, "Did you not see Hungryfella's appetite? It is insatiable. Such a level of gluttony is unsustainable. The Hill Giants, if allowed to continue unchecked, will simply eat everything and leave a wasteland. It is 5 hill giants, or the rest of the life in this area. The Earthmother aims for balance. The hill giants destroy this balance and must be removed from here." 

D.O.R.K gestures over to Ebonitus while looking to Lukian. "My other concern. If you or the others have alternative, I would like to hear. But regardless of desire, we cannot linger here forever feeding them, or at length more than a couple of days. If need be, we can always question them... after their souls have departed their bodies. Information will be difficult to extract, but even deception, they may yet reveal something that can be of use to our journey. But in either case, some good will come out of this."

She bowed her head and said in a softer and more rustic voice. "It will be simply be unfortunate that it is not total."

"I feel we should not condemn these creatures before giving them a chance," Lukian says, squaring his shoulders. "If it comes to it — if they are full of darkness — then the Morning Lord's judgement be upon them. But I will not assume they are beyond hope. If we can work out some kind of arrangement that is mutually beneficial to both these creatures and the people of Yartar, some good could result. Protection in exchange for food, perhaps," he suggests.

"I am not convinced their intelligence is sufficient to allow them to be reliable allies. They react to hunger and will eat whatever is available, the consequences of such actions are not considered. The more they eat, the more insatiable becomes their appetite." says Ebonitus. "We can feed them and discuss agreements, but we need to be ready to solve the problem more permanently if necessary. This may be more difficult after supping with them. Either way, we need a plan." 

"I'm not going to help set up some sort of protection racket with these giants and the halflings; s feed us or die situation.   I saw enough of that in the streets of Waterdeep.   They leave the halflings alone or we take care of it."

Devin responds. 

As everyone else went back and forth over the fate of the giants -- all while Mr. G trudged along, if albeit at a more sedate pace to buy them time -- D.O.R.K had turned her attention at least briefly towards scanning the horizon and taking in the territory. A task easier said than done with the miserable weather, but she tried all the same; shielding her eyes as necessary from whenever a rogue gust of air blew the rain too far beneath the canopy of the howdah.

"Prior you request on the plan, Acolyte Ebonitus. To which I will remind it. Beyond feeding them and lowering their guard, assuming such as possible, when they rest we are to call upon the miracle of bless Silence upon at least some, reducing the odds of them hearing us when we focus on slaying the one. If possible, and based on the one known as Hungryfellas's account, the weakest of the sisters should be targeted first." She explained. "All of that said, it may not be necessary to rely on miracles given the rain, and given time, I may be able to discover a large enough sink hole or stretch of bog to impede their movements more than ours, if we are to make use of it." She explained. "Additional Reminder:  Until that point, if there are alternate solutions regarding the repurposing of their tahent, they should be explored during the feeding and talks, when they are to be closest to sated, as I would be remiss in not bringing this up. If nothing else, what answer we find will hopefully serve to absolve any conflicting feelings on the matter."

So exactly what is the plan or is that still being decided? 

(OOC: Grant, could we see a map of the area please so we can plan properly.)

(OOC: Grant, could we see a map of the area please so we can plan properly.)

I don't actually have a map but will see what I can do. Basically you have a tower sitting on small mound in the middle of a moor. You are currently standing on the edge of what could be a crater looking down into it. The tower is in the middle about a quarter of a mile away and on the far side you can just make out through the driving rain the edge what looks like the far side of the crater.

The party watch Hungryfella make his way down the hillside and towards the tower. When he reaches the tower he stops and does something. However given the driving rain the party cannot work what he is doing. Eventually the party makes their way down the hill towards the tower. Given the rain, the slope and that Golemogote is still hauling the cart it is slow process. Exactly how close does the party get to the tower? 

As we approach the tower we are peering through the rain to where Hungryfella stopped to see if we can work out what he might have been doing. Ebonitus is on foot, just in front of Golemgote. He is a little on edge, as he does not trust that 5 Hill giants will be completely friendly. We approach until we can clearly see the tower and its features.

Unless another wished to have the reigns on Golemgote, D.O.R.K leaves Beedo in charge there, knowing the goblin would prefer not to sink again. D.O.R.K and Vark are meanwhile just in front and slightly off to the side of the elephant during the approach. Which going by previous discussion, the process was to stop where they at least thought was roughly about 100ft from the tower.

Though if after a minute whatever Hungryfella was doing didn't result in his return, the woman would motion for the group to proceed closer by another 30ft, before mustering the courage to approach Hungryfella herself and call up to him. As she was novelty, fear of being eaten was the least of her worries. That said however, she would not stop any others from following suit, but would regard them at least with a long look that could be interpreted as concern.

Once the party gets to within 100 feet of the tower - it is some time 30 minutes plus since Hungryfella left - they can see that the tower is about 60 feet tall. There are two rows of arrows slits - the first is about 10 feet off the ground and the second row is a further 30 feet up. Against what was once obviously the doorway you can see a large boulder about 12 feet in diameter.  

Does the tower appear to have been previously made for small folk and has been appropriated for giants?

Does the tower appear to have been previously made for small folk and has been appropriated for giants?

A very fair assumption!

"Should I approach?" Lukian asks the group. "If something goes afoul, I can use misty step to escape quickly enough."