Illuvin's work with melting the frost is complete, and the glistening inlay of the runes and magic circle stand before you.
"There ya go Urth! All bright and shiney for you. For once I'll admit I don't know everything and let someone else address the oracle. Urth seems to have a good grasp of the situation."
With a bow and a wink Illuvin gestures to Urth to enter the circle.
With the non-sarcastic encouragement, Urth steps on the rune Dethek and asks the divine oracle without cursing, "Why has the ancient ordning broken?"
The room is silent in response at first. But soon a warmth fills the chamber, and you can sense the presence of something benign and noble. A voice booms back "Annam the All-Father, the greatest of the gods, broke the ordning to rouse his children from complacency."
The light within one of the 6 lanterns flickers and dims before going dark.
Urth stands on the rune Dethek and asks the divine oracle without cursing, "What does Amman want and expect to happen when his children are roused from complacency ?"
The wave of energy recedes momentarily before rolling back like a tide "Gone is the old hierarchy of first storm, cloud, fire, frost, stone, then hill. Kings become vassals, peasants become knights...each has a chance to place themselves in higher standing. A new society."
Another lantern dims, with 4 bright ones remaining. Eigeron lets out a ghostly gasp "Ah...I see, upheaval indeed! Our very way of life has been cast into anarchy...to think, the clouds have a chance to reign over storm! We have been subservient to them for millennia... Still, this does not quite explain the numerous attacks on your settlements you spoke of..."
"Hmmm, seems like Amman is shaking up giant society for fun and doing so with the blood of everyone else... You're doing great Urth!"
Urth stands on the rune (King) Kong and asks the divine oracle without cursing, "How can we repair the ordning and stop the giants from this rampage?"
After receding again briefly the voice approaches like a roaring wave "Find a magic conch of the storm giant king, Hekaton. Use it to visit Hekaton's court. Root out the evil therein."
A third lantern slowly dims and is quickly again covered in frost.
Urth stands on the rune (King) Kong and asks the divine oracle without cursing, "Where do we find a magic conch of the storm giant king, Hekaton, so we can visit Hekaton's court?"
The wave comes back, with each return it seems stronger and clearer "In the clutches of a giant lord."
A fourth lantern dies and Eigernon mentions "Ah yes, of course one of the giant lords must keep it to meet with the Storm King in his court, er when he was around anyways...but which one...? And where are they? Let's see...there is Guh of the Hill, Kayalithica of the Stone, Storvald of the Frost, Zalto of the Fire, and Sansuri of the Cloud..."
"Do we want to use a question on who has the conch? The last question would be 'Where is it?'. We could just start with where and have another question to spare. Although you already did ask where... the oracle is being tricky. That is unless it can sense the thought behind the question. I'm glad you're doing the asking."
Eigernon adds to Illuvin's comment "Perhaps it meant they each have one...it seems fitting that each Lord would be worthy of a noble place in the royal court...that each could find audience there."
"Oh... good point. Perhaps I'm over thinking things. It's just that these epic quests in the stories only have one special thing to find. It didn't occur to me that there could be more than one." Illuvin thinks for a second and says, "Do you think we could take you with us? I'd hate for your wisdom to be stuck here."
He looks sadly at Illuvin "No, it is the twisted act of father killing son that shattered the old codes which seperate the planes and binds me to this chamber. Should my body be removed from this place so would my connection to your realm...I might only find rest if I knew what became of him."
"What about these constructions they have been digging up that yous mentiomed, do you think we should ask what they want with them?"
Urth steps away from the Kong rune to avoid triggering the divine oracle, "Can someone brief Harshnag on the conch and giant lords? I'm afraid if I leave the chamber, we might lose some questions.
"He might have a preference on where we should start looking and might already know where to find the giant lords. Because, I'd like to use the last questions to find out more about that colossal golem and rods." Urth surprisingly uses no curses. Almost like the questioning has brought back his manners when he was studying wizardry.
Molok volunteers to tell the giant what has transpired so far within the chamber. Truth be told, this oracle and the spirit of the giant un-nerve the warrior, so putting some distance between himself and this supernatural display is most fitting.
"I will speak to Harshnag and let him know what we have learned and get his opinion on what we should do.
After getting informed of the situation Harshnag replies that he may know the general direction of Frost Giant Jarl, but not exactly where his keep is. He explains he has been away from the giant society, like an outcast, for the years he was a partner in Force Grey.
When Molok asks him about what to do, he chews his words for a second before "...they are all guilty of this reckless chaos throughout the North, none more than the Stone giants who seem intent on taking away the very history of the small folk. But each one should be destroyed. The cloud giants are the most noble however and could perhaps be reasoned with."
Urth steps back on the Kong rune to ask the divine oracle, "How exactly can we walk to the closest giant lord from here?"
"When the time comes, you will not walk. But to even know its location, first, you must prove yourself! When human barbarians came to these lands, they fought our kind and stole our relics, burying them in the ground. The humans built altars to Uthgar, their god-king, atop these relics and surrounded their altars with burial mounds. Go to these mounds, retrieve one or more of our lost relics, and bring them here as tribute. Do this, and your path will be made clear. There are many paths you can take. The more relics you deliver, the more paths you will have to choose from. Several evil giant lords stand ready to oppose you. You can ruin all of their plans by defeating just one of them. Which one that is remains to be seen."
A fifth lantern goes dim, the sixth flickering patiently.
Thumps listens, "Perhaps it would do well to ask which Urthgardt tribe would have the most relics or the right relic."
Urth steps away from the Kong rune to avoid triggering the divine oracle, "So, we have the next place to go. What should we use the final question of the day for? Colossal golem?"
"We already took out one of the chieftains. Why not find that tribe? They are unstable and couldn't mount a resistance if we need to raid their burial mounds."
"Sounds like a good idea to me lad, tho we ONLY take the relics and no more then that."
Those present for the beheading might recall the chieftain shouting the name of his tribe: Great Worm.
"That's a good idea Illuvin. What was the name of that tribe? We can ask the divine oracle directions to the burial mounds."
"He said he was of the great worm tribe."
Seeing that they now have a path (of sorts) to follow, the Goliath seems a little more at ease.
"So we need to find these burial mounds and remove the artifacts hidden within....sounds like a course of action! I am ready to do this."
Though worn and battered from recent events, Molok is ready to depart as soon as the others are.
"Sounds good to me"
Urth steps back on the Kong rune to ask the divine oracle, "How exactly can we walk to the Burial mounds of the Great Worm tribe from here?"
"You cannot. You will find other means, presently." and with that cryptic, completely unhelpful answer, the presence again recedes back into the mists of divinity.
The final lantern extinguishes.
Harshnag pops his head through the portal "Company. A ship has moored..."
Funny, as you recall the temple was on the side of a cliff with no water for miles...
Urth arches his eyebrows at the thought of a ship where he can feel at home again. However, this sailor is pragmatic. He draws his sword and dons his shield.
"Someone who wants magic scale armor should take it. Eigeron doesn't need it anymore. And someone should pocket that magic fire stone. Magic is usually useful."
I would take the armor maybe, what does it do?
"I believe the armor resists blunt attacks and the stone is similar to the ice rune we found but pertaining to fire. I'll hold onto it for now till I can cast my magics to confirm its uses. I think at the very least it will let you resist fire damage in the same way the Ise rune well let you resist cold."
Thumps looks at the armor. "It might need to shrink real small."
"I've heard of magic armors resizing to fit their wearers. The only problem is that it may be cursed... we should probably identify the magic on the armor before someone tries to wear it. Didn't Harshnag say something about a ship having arrived? We'll be back to talk more later Eigeron." With that, Illuvin heads through the portal after Urth.
"The armor isn’t rukking cursed. Eigeron would have rukking said so. Let’s go!."
”If some of you can manage to remove the armor, when we have some free time, I can examine it to make sure it’s safe. There could always be possible issues with it being safe for giants but dangerous to others.” Pindleton says with a shrug. ”However, I’m not sure what this ship is that Harshnag is talking about. I was really hoping to avoid more boat travel. I really don’t like water.” Pindleton holds his stomach in memory of past voyages.
With a sigh, he then walks out to see what Harshnag is talking about.
Making your long way back to the temple entrance, you witness the strange sight of a vessel hovering up in the snowy sky. Aloft because of a bright red dragon-hide balloon, nearly a caravel in size with great steel sleigh runners protruding from its side. A few 50 ft rope ladders have been dropped and an 8 man crew is lowering down supplies as the captain greets you:
"Slayers of Grudd Haug, we come to you on behalf of Klauth, the Great Dragon of the North! Klauth offers you this vessel and our services as a gift, so that you may cross his vast dominion while avoiding the many perils of the land below. War against the giants is inevitable, but the Great Dragon commands you forge ahead and face your destiny! The ordning of the giants is broken, and they are not united. Slay their leaders, and you may yet prevail. If you succeed in quelling the giant threat, Klauth bids you come to his hidden vale, so that he can reward your bravery."
Their uniforms are perhaps the finest leathers you've ever seen, fitting for the officers of a high royal patron. The supplies seem to be related to brewing hot tea, as is being prepared presently.
Elain stares at the ship in wonder, exiting as well, carrying the armor
Well I'll be damed Can i roll an insight check? see if the intentions are insincere? History to see if I've heard of Klauth?
Thumps can't stop smiling.