"Oh, stop. We need to fix everyone first, before we investigate further."
With that Amira starts poking Ivan. "You tell when you're good."
"The castle in the sky? I heard of something like of that in an old tale. It told of hidden in clouds that were the home of a mighty storm giant."
Bupkis offers to heal Ivan, should he wish. Then he studies the maps and drawings; he even dares to read some of the words written on them.
At Amira's tale he comments, "Sounds like where Volstus Storm Tyrant would live. Big castle for big jerk!"
In his mind Daseem heard the faint strains of an angelic chorus, a tyrant in a floating castle was a worthy foe. His eye lit up and with a fierce grin he announced, "We will h-hunt this Storm Tyrant! Gorum wills it!"
"That would be hard to find. It could be everywhere and somewhere else tomorrow."
"But what exactly where we searching here? Because these papers suggest, that this valley is just a recruiting station to separate the wheat from the chaff."
"Some giant named Urathash is tasked with that and he sends the most promising recruits to a frost giant village called Skirgaard for additional training."
I think tha' is more or less what we were lookin' for. I was figurin', we were here to find whoever was roundin' up all O' these giants, and put an end to it. Since it was Trunau's safety on the line. But, it seems ta me, this is about a lot more than Trunau. Ye think tha' one that found us was this Urathash? Either way, I reckon we ought to go back to those two giants what didn't fight with us... If'n we aren't ta' re ignite the forge, for fear O' it bein' used fer the giants, we ought ta' see ifn' it can be destroyed. See if this "hammer O' unmaking" actually lives up to its name. It also may prove a suitable place to hole up in A'fore we make our escape. Ivan will give a nod to Bupkis at his offer.
Bupkis considers Ivan's suggestion, "Resting in the forge chamber would be good idea!"
Daseem also took Bupkis' offer, having taken a number of wounds.
He nodded when the others suggested they'd try to sleep in the forge, secretly he wondered if they would get to fight those two giants in there...
The group moves back through the groghall and the sacred forge to the forgeheart where they meet the two giants again and are greeted by Ferin. "You are back already?"
"It turns out finding a place to rest in this Cathedral is more difficult than we surmised. Do you mind if we rest here?"
"We can't have Urathash find you here." the old giant replies.
"Urathash? W-whose that?" stammered Daseem. His request seemed child-like with innocence but a detached part of his mind cynically evaluated any response.
"That's the giant who is the boss here." Amira fills Daseem in.
She turns to Ferin. "How does that Urathash look like?"
"He is a strong stone giant and a servant on Minderhal. You'd recognize his holy symbol."
The description sounds familiar to the group from Trunau.
Daseem nods but doesn't say anything. Those who knew him could tell he was daydreaming about slaying this Urathash...
"I think we may have killed him up in the mess hall. A stone giant priest of Minderhal and a couple other stone giants found us in the pantry. We also killed a cyclops and bunch of flying birds up in the tower."
The old giant shrugs. "Let them sleep here. Without Urathash no one will come here."
Bupkis is glad to have a place to sleep; he could really use a good night's rest. Still, he wants to keep a watch, not entirely trusting Etena and Ferin.
The mistrust is mutual. Ferin goes to sleep once it's time, but Etena just sits there staring at the group. This is creepy. She isn't moving, and you have to look really long to see her blink. It's not clear if she is awake or sleeping with open eyes.
You take turns keeping watch, just to be sure, but nothing happens during the night. After several hours you feel rested. If it's morning already or not, you can't tell in that dark hole.
Daseem wakes up bolt upright and noticed Etena sitting there staring. Had she really been doing that all night? He waved to see what would happen...
Then when Ivan woke up he glanced at his hammer and asked all wide eyed innocence, "Ye gonna t-test it?"
1: Divine Favour x2, Bless, Shield of Faith x2
2: Cure Moderate Wounds, Iron Skin, Defending Bone x2, Weapon of Awe
3: Contagious zeal, Channel Vigor, Magic Circle against Evil
Even though he's very tired, it takes Bupkis quite a while to fall asleep with Etena watching the group. Eventually fatigue prevailed, and he slept soundly. In the morning (he assumed it was morning), he made his preparations for the upcoming adventures, and ate a massive breakfast of trail rations. The rations were boring, but gave him the energy he needed to replenish himself.
Ivan glances to Daseem.
I may, but I'm for wagerin' ifn' I did, we might have a fight on our hands.
Ivan will use one of his martial flexibilitys to grab the cure item mastery.
"Can we ahve that discussion outside?" Amira whispers while warily looking at Etena.
Once outside earshot of the giants she suggests "If you want to make sure the giants don't relight the forge, you could simply find the stuff needed to relight it. I fthey don't have it, they can't do it."
Noticing Ivan and Bupkis itching away, Daseem suddenly rounded on them and proclaimed, "Gorums wills you to stop s-scratching!"
Perhaps Gorum willed it, but just not today...
Thankfully, the flees aren't bothering Bupkis this morning.
Ivan spends a fair portion of the first hour after resting slamming an iron covered hand on any pesky bug as he oils his armor.
Aye, that ought ta' drown half O' 'em.
Daseem grunted his approval when both Ivan and Bupkis seemed to be unaffected by the flees.
He nodded at Amira, something about that idea appealed to him. "We g-go upstairs?" he asked.
There is a certain lack of living giants inside the Cathedral of Minderhal. Walking back to the spire and climbing the stairs, which is annoying, especially for the short legged folks, you reach the next level.
This large circular chamber is divided into two distinct areas. Great arched windows encircle the perimeter of the room, offering a panoramic view of the mountains and valley below. To the northwest stand a table and half a dozen chairs sized for giants. To the southeast, a huge box bed filled with a pile of fresh straw covered with wool blankets and the furry pelt of a massive dire bear lies against one wall. Another dire bear pelt lies on the floor behind the bed, covering something. Three coffers of polished stone stand near the bed. To the south is a massive stone tub filled with water, along with several huge water barrels. A second flight of stairs climbs along the southwest wall.
"I suppose we should see what lies in those polished stone coffers. Let's make sure they're safe to open."
One of the stone coffers is locked , the others are empty.
Lastly, carefully wrapped within oiled deerskin are three torcs. Two are forged from mithral and have designs of dwarven origin, while the third is of copper with lion heads at each end.
Bupkis looks around the fancy room, and then works to get the lock open.
He rummages around in the chest, taking out the lace dress, "Another wedding dress, but not for giants."
He unwraps the deerskin and examines the torcs. So many shinies!
As everyone moves around like they own the place, you suddenly see what the bear rug behind the bed covers. The body of a living dire bear, which gets up and rises to its hind legs roaring.
Daseem waits for Ivan to engage before wading into combat and swinging his sword up over his head and then viciously down!
"Ack, a bear!", Bupkis exclaims in surprise. He backs up, gathers power and tries to blast the hostile beast.
Bupkis makes the bear angry. The bear comes for Bupkis.
Ivan gives the bear two thwaps of his hammer.
Nay, bad lass, ye settle down now ye hear!
Already near the bear, Menrozzar roars in rage as he forgoes the use of his longspear, instead choosing to meet the bear with his draconically-shifted teeth and claws.
Ivan breaks a few ribs on the bear. But the bear looks in shock, as Menrozzar comes at it with teeth and claws. But only shortly, as it is ripped apart by the man.
Daseem blinked and he missed the action. With a shrug he went to inspect the things Bupkis had found, but a sly thought crossed his mind, what if the giants had magicked them? Gorum would warn them, he was sure of it!
Humming one of the hymns taught at the temple he peered to look.
Only the torc with the lion heads shows as magic.
Daseem pointed at the stairs on the edge of the tower that lead up, suggesting, "We g-go up?"
If they agreed he cautiously walked up, oversized sword at the ready!
The goblin replies to Daseem eagerly, "Bupkis sneaks!" He moves quietly up the stairs ahead of everyone else.
Carved into center of the floor of this chamber is the symbol of a mountain and a giant anvil. Mystic runes painted with a fine, glittering dust sprinkled over what appears to be blood encircle the carving. Six iron cages stand in a circle around the floor carving, interspersed with stone braziers burning small coke fires scented with smoldering pine cones. A few tables holding a variety of iron implements stand against the walls nearby. The walls are windowless and covered with lines of carved text. Staircases at opposite ends of the room lead to floors above and below.
Four of the cages contain gaunt and mutilated humans, each one curled into a fetal position. Long strips of flesh and muscle have been torn from the corpses, though whether this killed the prisoners or they starved to death is unclear. Two of the cages still contain not dead people.
When Bupkis doesn't alert them to danger, Menrozzar ascends the stairs after him.
Seeing the people Menrozzar approaches them. It is hard to bear to look at teh dead ones, but the two living ones are in a bad shape too. They are only a small step away from following the others. You can tell they notice you, but you get no reaction.