The Thrice-Blessed IC

[MikelaC1]

The orcs probably thought they were about to hit easy prey. They were in for a nasty surprise. Swelling to her proper size and roaring with rage that these pathetic creatures would challenge her and those under her protection, Shiver bounded into their midst with her greatsword swinging in its customary huge arc. now two swings per round, given her advanced skill. She aims to take out the chief and if he is right beside him, the shaman as well

Spoiler: OOC

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[roll]1d20+17[/[roll] & (1d20+12)[23] attack
(3d6+14)[23] & [roll]3d6+14[roll] damage
rage engaged

As she comes to the end of her second blow and orc guts splatter everywhere, she yells out a challenge

The rest of you louts have one second to either flee or surrender...or die at my blade

Spoiler: Intimidate

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(1d20+15)[27]

[MikelaC1]

Spoiler: Roll corrections

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(1d20+17)[31] attack correction
(3d6+15)[27] damage correction

EDIT: So #1 attack roll is 31 for 23 damage and attack #2 of 23 for 27 damage

[Ridai]

The moment Shiver assumes the size of a small giant and now unmistakably a frost giantess, the bloodthirsty orcs shout "Another giant!" with no shortage of distress. Looks like they were not raiding, but rather fleeing and seeing an opportunity. The next moment, the ground shakes, Shiver towering above them all. Their chieftain is wounded, but clearly still much tougher than the rest. It does not matter. His body is shredded apart, the remains sent flying over the orc pack.

Shiver's words are underlined as the shaking shaman tries to weave some sort of spell, only to be drowned in a fireball, courtesy of the now flying (and once again female) Sile. The shaman is incinerated, along with several orcs. Faced with a frost giantess who obliterated their chieftain in an instant, and a mage who did the same to their shaman (nowhere near as tough as their chieftain, but still above the average orc warriors), the remaining orcs scream in utter mortal fear, turning tail and running as fast as they can into the woods. Sìle laughs and cheers, hands incandescent with magical fire, only snuffing it out once the orcs have run a fair bit.

The villagers are confused and frightened. They see another giant, the fear of the attack on their village still deep in their bones, but she is also the woman who saved them, who was human-sized just moments before. The giantess defeated the orcs, protecting them. Daphne, the young lady-in-waiting, does her best to calm the villagers down. As Shiver walks back and Sìle is back on the ground (her now being female only adds to the general confusion), Daphne walks towards them. She would be lying if she said she did not feel uncertainty and perhaps some fear.

"You... you are a giantess, Lady Shiver?" she asks, having a hard time understanding what is going on. She looks to Sìle, asking "Sir... Lady Sìle?"

Sìle simply smiles and nods in return. "A little quirk of mine," she says on the matter in her melodic voice, before directing what little attention she got back to Shiver. Shiver can see, somehow even feel, Sìle's surprise, yet it does not seem like it is surprise that Shiver is a giantess, more... wonder at all Shiver turned out to be, still taking all of her in.

[MikelaC1]

Yes, I am a giantess....but unlike any giantess you have ever met...if you have met one, that is. I am on a mission right now, one that I am not at liberty to reveal. Saving your town and your people may or may not be a part of that, time will tell. If it would make you feel more comfortable, I can go back to my human size for the rest of the trip

[Ridai]

It is a strange time for the villagers, having ad so much suffering done to them by giants from the sky, only to be saved and protected by a snow-skinned giantess. Sìle, meanwhile, remains perfectly supportive, not giving a single indication of knowing any more about Shiver's mission than she says right now (granted, she does not know much more, but still, it is a matter of principle). Standing beside and a little behind Shiver, like a perfect attendant, Sìle acts as a bridge of sorts between Shiver and the villagers, the giantess' already powerful presence and words given additional weight.

There is fear in the villagers, but Shiver watches them be swayed by her, first talking amongst themselves, before Daphne speaks for them. "The attack is still fresh in our minds and hearts, but I would appreciate it if you remained in your... natural state, I presume? After what just happened, it would make us feel safer to have you watching over us. Thank you, Lady Shiver." There are supporting nods and murmurs from the villagers.

The trip back to Nightstone is otherwise uneventful. As Shiver watches over the villagers as they enter Nightstone across the drawbridge, each and everyone of them thanks Shiver (Sìle accepts thanks as well, but subtly directs most of it towards Shiver). The giantess sees several human families, one halfling family, even a tiefling midwife and her son. Almost all of them lost family members, and seeing the state of their village does not help, but there is a sense of taking time to grief, but also to pick up the pieces.

Daphne, while only a lady-in-waiting, feels like she has a responsibility to the people as the only nobility present. Her and the villagers learning Lady Velrosa Nandar not having survived the attack strikes them deep, as the lady was held in high esteem by them. So Daphne as well as the dwarven innkeep, Morik, try to organize the efforts to see what can be salvaged and to start rebuilding. Sìle uses her magic to hand out free healing. People marvel at Shiver, every now and then bringing her food and drink, trying to talk to her. None of them have ever seen a woman, let alone a giantess like her.

After a quick survey of the town (the four guards that looked over Lady Nandar's body also come to thank Shiver), Daphne comes back to Shiver and Sìle. "Once again, I cannot thank you enough. I will send word to the Nandar family to inform them of the Lady's fate, a plea for aid, and of course a thorough accounts of your heroic deeds. We gathered what we could to reward you, even if it is not much. I beg for your forgiveness that I cannot give you anything of Lady Nandar's possessions, though I know she would have wanted to see you rewarded, as it is... not my place to hand them to anyone but her family." Shiver hears Daphne's words are genuine, with her hesitation towards the end pointing both towards not wishing to potentially anger the Nandar family, and the Lady's belongings perhaps also having sentimental value. Shiver is offered two rubies (each worth a hundred gold), studded rings and earrings and a gem necklace (Shiver notes those have been worn by Daphne until recently), and another 25 gold in coin.

"To be honest, we hope you will stay in Nightstone, at least for the night. It would make everyone feel much more at ease, knowing a powerful hero such as yourself is watching over them. The inn still has two undamaged rooms for you to choose from, though I would like to ask you to share one, if it is alright with you, so we can house more people while they rebuild. If you would prefer, you can also instead have the castle's master bedroom."

[MikelaC1]

Shiver accepts the two rubies but returns the jewelry and coins Put this to use in the rebuild of your city, Im sure Teeka would welcome a trade of goods and services from some of them.
She turns to Sile for for confirmation on her next statement We will take the master, thank you, the Inn rooms are needed for the refugees

[Ridai]

Daphne bows. "You are too kind, Lady Shiver. The new goblin chieftain, yes? If the both of you consider her a friend, I will do so as well. Teeka seemed very... adamant in her favor towards 'big folk'."

Sìle nods. "That, she certainly is. A bit of fairness as well as kindness will go a long way with her. Nightstone could gain a valuable ally, and its people a cheerful friend."

In regards to Shiver wanting to master bedroom, Sìle smiles and agrees as well. "A most generous offer I will gladly take." Shiver has the feeling this was not just directed at Daphne. The lady-in-waiting, and now impromptu leader of Nightstone, answers "You will find it on the top floor of the keep. I will let the guards know. Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to tell me or the guards."

------------------------

(Soft skip, feel free to have Shiver engage in any activities she likes in town beforehand)

As the day is winding down, the people burying and mourning their dead, as well as coming together to make sure everyone in need has food and shelter. Sìle's healing helps cover what the still rattled (and latently cowardly) local priest cannot, and Shiver's companion turns out to be an excellent cook, as proven in what she whips up as dinner for the town. There is no real celebratory mood, but people sharing a meal together and just finally getting to unwind for a moment does help.

Once they retire for the evening, Shiver and Sìle head over the makeshift bridge to the keep. While the keep has high ceilings, it is nonetheless built for humans, so navigating the doors and stairs is decidedly easier for Shiver in her human-sized form. They find the master bedroom, the only bed chamber to survive the boulder attack on the keep. Oil lamps and lavish tapestries line the walls, wolfskin rugs cover the floor. The large bed is the centerpiece of the room, its ornate headboard sculpted with images of foxes and roses. Otherwise, there are several wardrobes. Should Shiver wish to, the bed is just large enough for her giant form.

"What a day!" Sìle exhales, yawning once as she stretches. She places the bundle that seems too small for the tent it contains which in turn is too small for the space within it next to the chest in front of the bed and sits on the edge of said bed, smiling up at Shiver. "Prevented a Zhentarim takeover, routed goblins, made a new friend, saved an entire town. All thanks to you."

Sìle pauses briefly. "Seems I did guess right about who your people are when you told me your name, even thought I hardly believed it at the time. Slissht." Sìle speaks Shiver's giant name like a giant would, pointing towards being able to speak her language, and possibly having had a native speaker teach her. She shakes her head as she chuckles. "I never would have expected a shapeshifting giantess, though, even if it is 'just' the size. Do you prefer Slissht, or should I stick with Shiver?" She looks at Shiver, just quietly taking her in for a moment.

"How are you feeling? Did any memories return to you? It seemed like your strength has started to recover, as tremendous as it already seemed from just your stride after you woke up. I could feel it. And when I feel it, when my heart beats faster and I feel the rush carry me along, I know I have found my new mistress." Sìle smiles up to Shiver, a deeply contented, even serene expression.

[MikelaC1]

Slissht moves through the house in human shape because of its size (and partly for the sake of not terrifying the humans) but when its just her and Sile, she changes back to giant, its like a butterfly bursting forth from its cocoon to take its proper form.
Since you seem able to pronounce it correctly, you can choose whichever you want, the normal clumsy human tongue adds an extra i in a most unpleasant fashion. She stretches out on the bed. My story is a pretty simple one, among my people I was miles ahead of the other women, hells, I was ahead of everyone except those in Storvald's inner circle and himself. They tried to keep me down, even marry me off to an incompetent but I would have none of it, and eventually they realized that was the way it would be.
I still cant remember the mission or who sent me on it, my memories of the past are strong, I know I was much stronger than I am now and I am am pretty sure the person who robbed me of my recent memories is one in the same with who sent me on this mission and when I track him down, I plan to tear him apart.

[Ridai]

Frost giant society is not exactly known for its luxury, a hardy people living in the snowy reaches of the Spine of the World and its surroundings, infused with its chilling cold. Compared to that, the cool night air feels warm to the giantess, the bed a heavenly comfort. Sìle is sitting close beside Shiver, still taking her in, so very different now than she seems like in her human form. She chuckles when the trouble with Slissht's name comes up.

"It took a long winter to learn your tongue and its subtleties. But it was a wonderful winter," Sìle comments wistfully, smiling fondly without realizing, momentarily lost in memory. "I will keep to Slissht in private, Shiver in public. It would be cruel to make others stumble into butchering your name."

Listening to Shiver's story, Sìle appears to be making plenty of mental notes, gears in her head turning. "This Storvald, is he your, ah, clan's jarl?" she asks, recalling what she knows of frost giant society. Not that it is much, but whoever taught her to speak like a giantess most likely also imparted a bit of knowledge around it. "A powerful woman, unbending to the pressure of even her jarl. Sad is it is, I would not be surprised if you made enemies. Those who burn brightly, so to speak, tend to cast long shadows. I think we can safely disregard you having fallen victim to a random creature or similar happenstance. The lands around Nightstone do not hold such dangers, at least to my knowledge."

A brief pause, before Sìle lays her much smaller hand on Shiver's arm, incredible power hidden beneath immaculate skin. The touch is wonderfully warm, the sensation spreading, as Sìle seems to be using her healing magic, perhaps to once again take stock of Shiver's current state and what happened to her. "Which leaves us with your mystery. Your essence has been drained, which is the work of powerful magic. Yet not all has been taken away, and you were left in the middle of nowhere. If we assume whoever did this wanted you gone, it feels like the deed was left unfinished for whatever reason, unless some sort of twisted hubris led to the current state of affairs. Curious."

Sìle is lost in thought for another moment. "Perhaps a good night's sleep will stir new memories. Perhaps a lead to then retrace your steps from, either towards whoever gave you this mission, or the path you took on said mission to see if the journey makes you remember more." Sìle smiles. "Either way, I would like to come with you. For one, I see a great injustice has been done to you and that needs to be corrected. And I wish to see you restored. You saved a whole village, prevented the machinations of Zhentarim, goblins, and orcs, spared and showed kindness to Teeka, and you saved my life. I have much to repay."

A brief pause. "Though... I would be lying if I did not have other reasons as well. This sudden attack by cloud giants, and the orcs speaking of other giants this close to human civilization as well... something is going on, and I want to know what that is. Having you by my side would make this a much less harrowing undertaking. And... well, how should I put it. My powers are... strange. The priestesses of Sune and Sharess like to say I have been born with a bittersweet blessing. Sometimes they call me a Promised Soul, sometimes they say I bear the Mark of the Companion, or such. The long and short of it is that I drift from place to place, until I meet someone I just know I am meant to go with. They all seek something, and as their power grows, so does mine. I am devoted to them, body, mind, and soul, until they find what the seek and their heart tells them to let me go. So I drift across the lands once more, my power waning, until I meet another remarkable soul. And I feel you might be one of those souls. Perhaps the most brilliant of all. Not all wish for me to be at their side. Do you, Slissht?" Sìle sounds... hopeful? This offer means a lot to her, her melodic voice reflecting joys and sorrows, but overwhelmingly, that this is what she wants, with a clarity Shiver has rarely encountered in anyone. No pressure is applied. Whether Shiver wishes Sìle by her side or not, either way is meant to be.

[MikelaC1]

I would be happy to have you at my side. I too have felt the unrest in the Realms and clearly whoever did this to me once can do it again and it seems s I cannot defeat him alone

[Ridai]

In that moment, Shiver feels a bond form, one that will only be severed if the giantess truly wishes to. Shiver feels Sìle's presence. Instinctively, she realizes she will always know where Sìle is (and vice versa, if Shiver wishes), and while there is no true telepathy, any wish (or command) can be felt by the curious human. Many talents are revealed, all for the giantess to command and draw upon, and both the bond and Sìle herself feels... malleable. It does not feel like time passes, but Shiver feels her mind's eye envision many things. Sìle as a perfect maid (and/or courtesan) to a queen among giants, anticipating her every desire and serving devoutly. A squire or sister-in-arms, fighting alongside Shiver and wildly celebrating their victories on the path to glory. A lively bardess, singing her mistress' praises and stories, charming hearts and minds to join her in her views. A fierce bodyguard, ever watching over her charge without fear or hesitation. A devoted lover, staying with Shiver through thick and thin, making hardships that much easier to bear, and the good times that much sweeter. Shiver gets the sensation Sìle has been all of these things, in one shape or another, and hardly limited to any of these, shaped by the one she serves.

Shiver's mind returns to the present, Sìle simply smiling radiantly, making it a good thing indeed that the giantess is already lying down, given how her knees are feeling right now.

"Thank you, Slissht," Sìle says, meaning every word, speaking the giantess' name in a most beautiful fashion, like it is precious and wonderful. As the moment passes, she does show a little smirk. "A question, though. Do you prefer me as a woman? A man? A little more exotic? No need to be shy, embrace your tastes." She chuckles. "You can change your mind and my body any time, I don't mind. All forms of me are still me, after all." She glances to Shiver's giant form. "Honestly, I would not be surprised if you in particular could make me bigger as well, if you'd prefer the company of someone of your size." Sìle is all ears. It is an exciting phase for her.

"And if you would like, as my first service, I could care for those tired muscles of yours for a much better night of sleep than when you woke up today. I'd imagine frost giant culture is not very big on personal care of this kind."

[MikelaC1]

I would like that, yes. And I think, in private, you should be closer to my size. Any time I've been with a human man, it ends up almost dominatrix like. which Im really not into. And maybe a mix of man and woman....

[Ridai]

Sìle chuckles. "Ah, the best of all worlds. You really do not wish to go easy on me, do you?" True to Shiver's wishes, Sìle begins to grow, until she is just a foot below Shiver in height, as she was when both were human-sized. The giantess knows her requested changes were made, and Sìle's attentions allow Shiver to relax and sleep in a way that would only invite danger among frost giants.

Sleep brings dreams with it. Her past, naturally, but also other things, less easily determined. A voyage in a small boat, made for humans, through a sea that is a maze of water and ice. Coming ashore in a land of endless snow covering the ground, the great pine trees, the vast mountains. Walking for several days through the snow, towards a great hill, and finally, in human guise, entering the human town atop it, doing its best to survive from winter to winter.

A name resurfaces from the depths of memory. Bryn Shander, one of the Ten-Towns of the Icewind Dale. The place where Shiver began her journey towards her mission. And where her memory might stir once more.

The dream shifts. Days pass rapidly as Shiver's view rises from the town, directed by a flaming spear in the sky, back towards the cold sea. Somewhere in the vast expanse, a dragonboat of frost giants. Mighty oars drive the ship through the waves, ever towards its target. Their faces are vague, but Shiver feels she recognizes them. Men and women who at one point or another lost to Shiver in combat, as many have. At the bow stands a snow-haired giantess Shiver clearly recognizes. Drufi, her informal right hand, the woman of her clan that has always been second to Shiver in all things. Around her neck a chain-necklace with a diamond, on its inside blood in the shape of the giant rune of blod (blood). Drufi looks out onto the waters, as Shiver's gaze shifts to follow Drufi's. Space bends as it can only in dreams, making the leader of this crew of giants look up at Bryn Shander in the distance. What they seek is there, and if they will not be given what they seek, there will be death and destruction.

Shiver's view shifts, being beside Drufi's face, turning towards her, as Drufi glances towards Shiver, both briefly looking at each other. And beneath the steely veneer, Shiver sees a woman cursing what she might soon be forced to do.


---------------------

Shiver awakens to morning light seeping into the bedroom. Sìle, still in giant size, is beside her, already awake. "Good morning," she says softly. "I had the strangest dream. The both of us visiting your homeland on a chariot of clouds." Sìle smiles. "But I should keep talk like this until after I made us breakfast."

Suddenly, a knock on the door. It sounds urgent. "Lady Shiver? Are you awake yet? Please come outside into the courtyard at your earliest convenience, something has arrived above the town." Shiver recognizes the voice of one of the guards who had been looking after the body of their deceased lady.

"No day off for the heroine, is there?"

Shiver finds her clothes and equipment cleaned and in easy reach. Someone has been busy. Sìle returns to human size and decides to not even bother with her physical clothes even more, simply shaping the blue magic around her into a dress.

[MikelaC1]

Shiver buckles her sword on, along with her other magic items and heads out. Its harder to move around in giant size but she wants to create that impression when she arrives on the scene, rather than go through the whole transformation thing. She strides out with an air of importance.

[Ridai]

As Shiver goes, Sìle following at human size behind her, the guards of the castle visibly draw strength from her presence.

Shiver is led to the roof of the castle. From there, the other guards can see her, as well as the townspeople looking up at the castle in worry, causing an impromptu cheer. The heroine of Nightstone is here. Things will be alright.

The giantess looks up at what has the people so worried. A large cloud, upon which a giant-sized tower rests, hangs motionlessly in the sky above the town. Daphne soon joins them, protected by several guards, now very much looking the part of a noble leader. In a way, Shiver sees a kindred soul, a woman who stands out to meet whatever has come to her town, and to give hope to her people. Though with Shiver there, it is perhaps easy to overlook her. Daphne does not seem to mind, she is just happy to see the giantess.

"It has been like this since it arrived minutes ago," Daphne tells Shiver and Sìle. "No attacks, no communication."

Shiver can easily tell that this is a cloud giant tower. For one because it is quite evident to her given its size and appearance and what happened recently in Nightstone, but also because she has seen these towers very rarely in the sky above her homelands. Not much was done in that regards. Cloud giants rank above frost giants in the Ordning, after all, and the cloud giants did not bother them.

"Do you want me to fly up to see-" Sìle begins, but the next moment, the cloud shifts, leading to everyone assuming ready position, not knowing what will come next. The cloud seems to sprout an extension that winds further and further down, until it is revealed to be a grandiose staircase fit for a giant (of Shiver's size, not that of full-size giants, interestingly enough), made of solidified cloud. And it ends right in front of Shiver. No one appears to come down the stairs, so Sìle observes "Looks like an invitation to me."

[MikelaC1]

I do not trust it. Cloud giants very rarely have any dealings with frost giants and almost never with humans. They are only concerned with petty power squabbles with storm giants. Do you have any sort of access to divine magic, the kind that can give at least short premonitions of future dangers? I am loath to climb those stairs

[Ridai]

(Shiver knows that direct power squabbles between storm giants and cloud giants normally are not possible due to the Ordning creating a strict order of giants, though many cloud giants still attempt to gain favor with various storm giants and such for political gain and prestige over other cloud giants, much like a society of nobles. At the same time, Shiver as a frost giantess giving cloud giants crap, deservedly or not, when they are not around, also seems perfectly fine.)

"I can attempt such a thing, but only ever in regards to your safety, well-being, or happiness. Their priestesses told me the goddesses of love grant me insight, but they might not always answer, distant as the gods are in this age." Sìle steps before Shiver, holding up her hands. "Please give me your hand. It will not take long."

If Shiver agrees, Sìle directs Shiver's hand to be held close to her. Shiver has perhaps seen auguries before, tossing bones, or reading innards of an animal, or listening to winds and waves, or communing with spirits. Sìle appears to gently hold and examine Shiver's hand, tracing the lines and contours. The giantess gets the feeling it is less her attempting to glean insight from her body, and more using it as a focus. A moment of closeness is created, Sìle almost entranced, losing herself in Shiver. Finally, she kisses the giantess' palm, a gesture filled with absolute trust and devotion, coming out of the minute-long trance. The much larger and stronger hand serves another purpose, namely for Sìle to hold onto as she steadies herself, the process having taken a toll.

"I felt no danger from the tower, and saw signs of an uncertain future it might convey you towards. Omens of woe, but as stepping stones towards omens of weal." Sìle tells her beloved, then needing to take another deep breath. "I am not strong enough yet to have clearer or farther visions. I'm sorry." She only reluctantly lets go of Shiver's hand. "I would be happy to fly and scout ahead, if you wish it."

[MikelaC1]

They would blow you off the path before you took two steps. 90% of cloud giants are not to be trusted. We will go together, at least your spell says they are not going to poison me the moment we get inside
She turns to the crowd
Fear not people. For now, they want to talk and not kill. I will see what they wish to talk about. I will return to you.

[Ridai]

"Oh dear," Sìle says, a little taken aback. "Well, I defer to your superior judgment in this matter."

Shiver's giant voice carries easily, and it is met with another wave of cheers.

The giantess begins to climb the cloud stairs. It takes a little moment to get used to this, as Shiver's mind expects to perhaps sink into the cloud matter or just step through it, but instead it seems quite content to hold firm and carry her weight. It is quite the trek, needing to ascend roughly a thousand feet of staircase, though for someone with Shiver's inhuman stamina, this perhaps more qualifies as a decent morning exercise. Sìle seems to skip up the, for her size, massive stairs, as gravity seems to have mostly given up on trying to inconvenience her, but she always stays right with the giantess.

Once finally having reached the top, having worked up a decent burn in her legs, Shiver and her personal maid find themselves on top of the large cloud, upon which the tower rises further into the sky. It is a rather large edifice from Shiver's perspective, made for the natural size of giants, and truly humongous for Sìle. The tower appears to have three floors, the top one seemingly open like a platform with a view, covered by an incredibly ornate, pointy roof. Curiously, no one is there to meet them, the huge entrance just standing open, with only an equally large curtain of very fine make blocking the view.

Stepping inside, they find a hexagonal chamber of 100 feet width, with very nicely and flatteringly sculpted statues of cloud giants (wearing their favored mood masks, as cloud giants are wont to) lining the walls. Crystal orbs suspended from the ceiling with chains shed warm magical light on the impeccable masonry, a huge oaken desk, and an empty elaborate stone chair. A knotted silken rope guides their eyes up to the ceiling 100 feet above them, hanging from a wide hole in said ceiling. They have the impression that no one seems to be in this tower.

A letter on the table catches Shiver's eye. Picking it up, it is written in something unusual for her: elegant giant calligraphy, making the harsh runes a delight to look upon. The letter says:

To my dearest Slissht,

in light of your recent unfair misfortune, I felt you could do with a little pick-me-up.

This tower will bring you to whatever place you desire and are able to clearly picture, as the bird flies, without needing to deal with endless days of trudging along the surface, being pestered by beasts and foolish bandits, or the at times hateful weather in these parts. Simply focus on the floating orb on the floor above you. To help you pass the time, a few choice amenities have been added to the second floor, and the entrances to said floor have been shielded to keep the weather and birds out, things that apparently do not bother the average cloud giant when constructing their floating home. I believe you will quite enjoy the sheets.

Once you reach your destination, the tower will simply float back to its after you reached the ground. Do not worry, the cloud giant I borrowed it from will not know who was brought where. As such, I invite you to leave the place as much of a mess as you like without outright destroying the tower (as it could be useful in the future, and tearing it down would rob me of a delightful reaction).

If you would rather walk, you are free to do so. If you do, I can only imagine a well-disguised fear of heights or a voracious appetite for personal fitness must be the cause. The tower will take its leave in that case.

I am sure we will meet again soon, hopefully under better circumstances. I will be watching.

Longingly yours,
a loving friend.

P.S.: Please excuse there only being ropes to get from one floor to another. Installing staircases or finding a large and sturdy enough ladder proved outside any reasonable timetable, and cloud giants evidently do not believe in accomodating non-flying "peasantry", the pompous bastards.

The letter also shows a crimson lipstick mark, and when Shiver's finger touches it, she feels like her subconscious half-remembers something, making a wave of pleasure roll over her body.

[MikelaC1]

Do you have some sort of magic that would let me speak to all of the people, I would like to say good bye rather than just sail off into the sunrise
Shiver also explores the castle to see if there is some sort of treasure store house as the funds would be useful to the city to rebuild.

[Ridai]

Sìle shakes her head in regards to the magic question.

Shiver climbs up to the second floor, finding it as described. A magical sphere hovers in an alcove lined with giant windows, and Shiver finds that (with a little help from her maid), she can mentally tell the tower to wait where it is for a while before heading off to where Shiver desires to go. The rest of the room is lavishly furnished, with a literally giant-sized bed (and the aforementioned sheets that do look inviting indeed), a seemingly magic-infused bath, a trove of food and drink, a massive trunk, a fully-stocked vanity, shelves of gigantic books, and many many pillows scattered everywhere. There are also lavish tapestries, and Shiver gets the feeling they all depict the owner of the tower, a cloud giant woman, as flatteringly as humanly (giantly?) possible.

With Shiver looking for treasure, Sìle offers "Would you like me to open that?" pointing to the trunk. If Shiver agrees, Sìle gets to work on the lock, which apparently has magic reinforcements on top of it, leading to Sìle having to help herself with a spell. But soon enough, the lock pops open, and Shiver finds several things inside: a giant spellbook, a gem-encrusted electrum comb, assorted jewelry, finest dresses, robes, and lingerie, as well as a collection of the usual cloud giant mood masks. In the vanity, Shiver finds bottles of perfume, as well as various supplies for make-up. All Shiver finds is oversized compared to her current size, but much of what she finds in the trunk and vanity are easily worth hundreds, if not possibly thousands of gold pieces. Sìle surveys the huge books and they appear to be research of ancient history, geography, and legends, bound in remarkable material, so each could be worth a fair bit to the right scholars, though each tome easily weighs a hundred pounds.

The third and final floor is akin to an outlook or impromptu patio, open to all sides, the roof held up by great pillars.

[MikelaC1]

Shiver puts the jewelry in one bag and an assortment of cosmetics and perfume, along with two bottles of wine in another and tells Sile to wait where she is. She then descends the stairs to speak to Daphne.
There is no danger here, the cloud is empty, it is a gift for me from an old friend, I can use it for travel purposes. There are evil doings in the Realms and it falls to me to see what I can do to aid about it. I must leave Nightstone for a while to put things right, but never fear, I will return. She turns to the crowd below and repeats as loudly as she can I will return once my destiny is fulfilled
She turns back Daphne, handing her the bag of jewelry This is to aid in rebuilding Nightstone, spend it well in trading. She hands her the other bag And this is just a little gift from me to you, you will be working hard to rebuild your city and will deserve some rewards for your downtime.
Then with one more wave to "her" city, Shiver climbs back into the cloud.

[Ridai]

"Thank you so much. I hope you will find what you seek and return to us soon," Daphne says with a brilliant smile. "Perhaps you will already find Nightstone in a much more scenic state and meet its new ruler." The bag with the jewelry is far too large and heavy for Daphne to carry, the contents giant-sized, so a few of the guards come to lift from the knees and safely put it away, each nodding to the giantess. The smaller and thankfully lighter bag is received with as much gratitude, and a spot of amusement, seeing how the perfume bottle is as big as the wine bottles and the cosmetics will likely last her a long, long time, drawing a hearty chuckle from the former lady-in-waiting.

Down below, the crowd cheers and waves, wishing Shiver well.

Up above once more, the cloud stairs retract behind her, Sìle waiting next to the navigation sphere on the second floor.

"So, where is our intrepid heroine off to?"

[MikelaC1]

Bryn Shandar was where I first arrived in these lands and where my memories were ripped from me. If the person who did this isnt still there, he will have left a trail...and I will find it.

Shiver steps into the navigation sphere and concentrates on Bryn Shandar

[Ridai]

The floating orb glows as Shiver pictures the snow-bound human settlement, and just a moment later, she feels the tower beginning to move smoothly towards the north.

"And we're off," Sìle comments, climbing up to the outlook. If Shiver follows, she sees the young woman peering down to the distant ground and the horizon.

"Hundreds of miles to the Icewind Dale from here. On foot, I'd have said a good month or so of travel. The rate we are going at and the tower never taking breaks, I'd say a bit more than a week. If this person is indeed there, this might be prime time to prepare. Or kick back. Whatever you prefer."

[MikelaC1]

I would spar with you, but no denigration intended, I would probably toss you around like a rag doll. Unless you cheated and used magic on me. But I am more than interested in trying out that bed and that bath, just to see what sort of magic it has. Along with some of the wine and food. A pity that none of the clothes fit me and probably by the time I have come into my full growth, the tower will have been returned to its proper owner. I would keep one or two of the outfits, but that sort of material cant be just rolled up and stuffed into a backpack.

[Ridai]

"Hm. Fair," Sìle answers in regards to sparring. "And honestly, if these are anything to judge by," she does a circling motion with her finger at the various tapestries depicting the presumed owner of this tower. "one has to wonder if she moonlights as a particularly expensive court jester. Should I find a ruby-studded nose, I will inform you immediately."

The bath is able to conjure and make disappear water of a wide range of temperatures and scents, with two additional buttons reading "bubbles" and "even more bubbles". The bed is not, in fact, magical, but it may as well be given how much it makes Shiver's desire to get out of it vanish, the much vaunted sheets feeling amazing on the skin and deliciously decadent.

With the many amenities and Sìle at her beck and call, time flies. Whatever Shiver needs, Sìle provides, at times without Shiver even needing to say anything, and without any other demands on her magic, the young woman is happy to use it to display the full range and heights of her capabilities. Every day, the giantess experiences what she may imagine a queen's life to be like in the absence of all the annoying politics and bickering high society, dining on the finest meals, receiving thorough care and baths whenever she likes, having access to a heavenly musician and courtesan, never needing to bother herself with any chores, only what she wishes to do, or simply helping her pass the time. In short, if Shiver wishes to, Sìle spoils her rotten. It is all a labor of love for her, and fulfilling the giantess fulfills her as well. The young woman simply cannot help herself but smile whenever she looks to Shiver, and takes particular delight in surprising her, such as on the third day when she finds Sìle has managed to sculpt cloud matter into a life-sized (fully giant sized, that is) "statue" of Shiver, and she seems to be deadset on making it eclipse the tower's statues a little more each day.

Still, Shiver is a warrior, and Sìle can't provide a decent sparring partner, much more apt at fighting alongside her or aiding her personal training, rather than fight her.

Four blissful days fly by. On the fifth, Shiver awakens uncharacteristically without Sìle next to her and breakfast closeby, the maid quietly going about her daily work with her uncanny ability to know when Shiver usually wakes up. The sound that roused Shiver is that if birds. Very large birds. Most definitely griffons, and several of them at that. They have seen the occasional avian pass by, but never anything of this size. Sìle notices as well, stopping her greeting for Shiver to do so. Soon after, they see mist drift from the hole leading to the ground floor up into their extended bed chamber floor, coalescing into half a dozen very much real and heavily armored dwarven warriors. Shiver actually recognizes the patterns of the very well-made armor as belonging to the soldiers of the heavily fortified dwarven city of Mirabar, not far from the mountain range known as the Spine of the World which ends in the Icewind Dale.

Everyone is rather surprised. The dwarves did not expect to find a human maid working on breakfast. Or a frost giantess in bed yet no cloud giant anywhere in sight. Shiver and Sìle are hardly expecting a sudden attack squad of dwarven soldiers in their bedroom.

The moment passes. "Men, bring down this accursed cloud giant fortress! Good woman, flee down to the griffons, we will hold the giant at bay!" the leader bellows, everyone brandishing weapons as most of them begin to slam them against the navigation sphere, while others move into defensive positions against the distant Shiver.

"Good sirs, I think there must be a misundersta-" Sìle begins, clearly perplexed and still with a sizzling frying pan in hand, heated by her own magic, but the dwarves seem quite determined in their perceived duty. She looks quite alarmed because of the navigation sphere towards Shiver, but also clearly unsure how she wants to handle the situation.

(Shiver's turn. Can do social or combat actions, as you like. Her weapon can be equipped as a free action here, same for standing up in this instance. Magic items are already equipped. If Shiver wishes to fight, she is free to decide whether she wants to try and kill the dwarves or just knock some sense into them. Shiver is also free to issue commands to Sìle, whether directly, or by having her realize what Shiver wishes.)

[MikelaC1]

HOLD ON HERE!

Spoiler: Intimidate

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(1d20+15)[21]

Brandishing the letter as proof, This tower is on loan to me, I am perfectly within my rights to be here. Tell your men to stand down or its going to be a long fall to the ground for them.

[Ridai]

Sìle blinks. "I don't think that is what they mea-"

"On loan?!" the dwarf bellows incredulously as the too small giant in the bed holds up the letter that looks very tiny in her hand. As such, there is only one possible conclusion to be had! "The frost giants have joined the cloud giants in their bombardment of cities!" It is the wrong conclusion, but it is a conclusion. The dwarven men and women keep slamming on the sphere, which is starting to show cracks.

"Sir, it's not-" Sìle tries once again to get a word in edgewise, but it goes under in the fervor of the dwarves' quest to defend the lands below. Since dwarves are a very determined and thickheaded bunch, their focus on exactly two things at the moment, namely destroying the orb and trying to ward off the giant, Sìle looks to Shiver once again.

(The dwarves rolled higher on the opposing roll, and this isn't an "oi, you got a loicense for this tower?" situation, so that particular line of argumentation (while amusing) failed. Since Shiver has tried to talk things out, Sìle is sharing her 9 ranks in Diplomacy and Bluff with Shiver now, in case she wants to try and go about things with those.)

[MikelaC1]

Shiver closes the ground to the nearest dwarf in the navigation tower, grabbing at him

Spoiler: Grapple

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(1d20+12)[31] melee attack
(1d20+17)[20] grapple check

If she wins the grapple check, she hoists the struggling dwarf over her head and tosses him out the window to fall to the surface far, far below with a comment of Time to take out the trash.