Varan looks into the new room of the maze, "Well that is odd." He'll see if he can focus to find anything unusual other than everything being frozen.

Perception: 11 

Varan, the boulders are scattered all over the area; there isn't a pattern that you can see. That's about all you notice.

Tobin:

Taking a handful of dirt from the path, Tobin throws it into the clearing to see if the time freezing effect starts just in front of them.

Tobin, as you throw the dirt... it does not freeze. And the whole area starts to move, as though you had flicked a switch. The sheep are chewing, and you hear the odd quiet bleat. The cyclopes appear to be in the middle of a conversation and don't seem to have noticed you yet; you can hear the words but are not able to understand the language. The dirt you have thrown scatters on the ground - the nearest sheep glances over at you, but looks unimpressed and continues munching on the grass.

(I’m guessing with the 5 nature check that Bazavur can’t recall/doesn’t know much on the subject of Cyclops?)

Nope, not a thing.

Tobin:

Tobin considers what he knows of Cyclops, saying, “If we can cross without being spotted or identified as threats, perhaps we can avoid an altercation.”

Nature:  11

Varan scratches his head, "I can make so we are harder to detect, if we're wantin' to sneak past."

Tobin, you know that Cyclopes are intelligent but tend to live simple lives, farming in small groups in isolated areas. Though this maze is a rather strange place, it's not perhaps so strange to find a pair of cyclopes tending sheep somewhere they are unlikely to get many visitors.

Aiwin just sighs looking at his companions “Well not a boring moment with you all.” He just looks at the clearly “Take it two by two and just sprint?” He asks looking at his companions.

OOC:

Nature check: 8 (4+4)

Soar has been watching the Cyclopes, deciding after a time that they do not seem unfriendly. Simple shepherds! She takes a step forward, nodding at Aiwin, and waving simply at the Cyclopes. “Hello! You seem comfortable here. Do you know how we might get to the tower?”

Awin, those are cyclopes. 'Cause of the eye. Only having one, that is.

Soar, the cyclopes both look over at you and see the group. One of the smiles, says something to the other, and then walks towards you at a brisk but not threatening pace. As they do so, they are speaking in a loud clear voice, but in a language you do not understand.

Tobin:

”We don’t understand your language,” says Tobin, gesturing to his ears with a quizzical look on his face, “But I can fix that temporarily with magic,” he adds, smiling and gesturing with his spellbook towards Soar.

”I can cast as spell which will allow you to speak and understand their language for an hour,” offers Tobin to Soar, “But I don’t want them to feel threatened by my spellcasting.”

If Soar agrees, Tobin will cast Tongues on her.

Soar turns to Aiwin and nods in thanks, "Sure! I bet they'll understand. Thank you," and pauses to listen. She doesn't put her hand on the pommel of her sword, but she remembers exactly where it is in case she needs to draw it quickly.

Is anything else changing or moving around as the cyclope approaches? What are they carrying? Any water moving in that pond?

(Also, we can ran back the other way down the hedgerow passages, right? It's not like blocking our way?)

(Perception roll is 10, if called for)

(You could turn and go back the way you came; nothing is preventing you from doing so. The cyclopes are not carrying anything, certainly nothing that looks like a weapon. You don't have a great angle on the pool, but don't see anything special from here.)

Tobin cast the spell; the cyclopes don't appear to mind.

The cyclops comes to a halt not far from you, next to one of the massive boulders. They scoop it up, look down the length of the field, and toss it (with a mighty toss). It flies through the air, lands about a hundred feet from the thrower, rolls another twenty, and comes to a halt.

The cyclops turns and looks at you all. With Soar's newly-acquired language abilities, she alone can understand what is said next: "Your turn."

"My turn? Oh, well then. That was a mighty toss! Could you say again what you said when you were walking over here? I couldn't understand very well. But, you want me, or us, to throw that boulder?" she says common, assuming that the spell will translate to the cyclope. What is the other cyclope doing? What are the sheep doing?

The sheep are continuing to graze in a very sheeplike fashion. The other cyclops is minding them but also generally wandering over in your direction, clearly interested in what is happening.

"As I said, the rule is quite simple: Your boulder must fly further than mine." They indicate the boulder they threw just a moment ago. "This is the challenge, and you must succeed if you want to proceed."

Soar turns to the group and translates as best she can. “Does anyone have any ideas on how to throw a boulder rather than that? Shrink them? Make them float? Make someone really strong? Use a spare catapult?”

She walks around the other boulders, trying to find the smallest one.

Tobin:

”We do have that potion of size transmutation.  It might make you bigger—or smaller.  I can also task my invisible servant with carrying a light stone so it looks like it is slowly traveling away in the air, but I doubt that would have the intended effect,” replies Tobin.