I thought I would park my bards in a safe corner from the colossus' shrine, but the corner I entered from wasn't. Not only were we directly overlooking the shrine, but near enough for it to charge straight at us before I could turn away. And before I could reach him, he had picked the Axedwarf up by the ear and flung him. Because he was wearing his armor, it absorbed all the damage, but it left him stunned some distance away for the rest of the fight. Then he turned on the Bard I was escorting to safety and broke her leg with one kick, putting her out, then grabbed her by the shoe. I finally got his attention with a crack on the head.
The Hunter leapt all over him one-fistedly and two-kickedly and fully futilely. But he was evading very well, and his leather was absorbing most of the brunt of the hits on him. And while I was chipping away at his neck and head, the colossus took off the bard's shoe and fractured her skull with it, then turned it against the Hunter and broke his remaining hand. The Hunter kept going at him with teeth and kicks, still evading.
That's when I finally sent it's head flying with a final pick. The Axedwarf was up and running back by now, my own Bard had miraculously been left untouched, even though standing right there, and my escort mission was bleeding to death with a broken skull. I immediately slept 8 hours -- probably overkill, but I panicked there.
When I woke, she wasn't visible. I searched through the trees, and saw a swordelf standing there. That was her! And she was completely recovered. I checked her history and it turns out she was an herbalist who, between authoring centuries of books, had killed a few men in battles. Not that this would've helped her here, I still would have left her in a safe place, but it was an interesting surprise. I wonder what her husband will think about the makeover.
EDIT: Oh, and on waking, while still checking if everyone was okay, the Hunter singlehandedly jumped and slayed a pack of capuchin. There was more blood on the ground from them than anything.