Question #7: Is the temple we have been asking about largely inhabited by anything or anyone that is likely to be peaceably disposed or helpful to us?"
The Elder answers again, "Yes."
"Question #8: Will those in the temple be able to pinpoint where our Master Goodwin is?"
"Yes".
"Thanks goodness. Ok final question, anyone have any burning things we should know?"
"i cant think of anything, save some question about getting through the black ice."
Are the inhabitants of the temple threatend by the invading giants?
"Final Question: Are the inhabitants of the temple threatened by the invading giants?"
You ask your final question and the same as the others the Elder goatling shaman asks in his voice, and the answer comes back in an otherworldly tone. This time however instead of a simple yes or no, you receive a different answer. "Potentially."
The shaman's eyes return to normal and the feeling of power and otherworldly presences vanish. The shaman's eyes are wide and he notes, "Interesting. It is rare for the spirits to respond with such an answer. Only if it would be misleading to answer with a direct yes or no would they choose to deviate from such a response."
"I hope I have helped aid your people in finding your lost mentor." He places his fury hand on each of you and utters a blessing and his assistants escort him from the tent.
Their leader, Golden Ram, who was present during the questioning nods solemnly to the group. "What will you do now? You seem to have pinpointed the temple's location to a small, easily searched spot."
"We will leave as soon as we have our crafted items and seek out the temple."
"Count me in to leave as soon as we are ready. I know we planned to help with this giant attack, but I think we need to focus our efforts on Master. This fort isn't going to fall over to a few giants. I think the Thain has gotten enough from us already."
"Master Goodwin wouldn't want us backing out on promises. Plus i think the help they need is on our way. Consider it recon into what the local fauna can do before we get too deep-country to back out."
"We should get back on the trail as soon as we can."
Karkoran spends most of his time crafting in the dwarven forges, trying to build relations with the dwarves and the assistants he hired to help with his projects. Not needing sleep due to his Watch spell he works on other things in his remaining spare time.
Karkoran considers the words of his companions. "Yes, we should remain true to our word I guess. We will have plenty of chances to fight I suspect as we journey to the destination. Every corpse we create is one less trouble for the fort. "
@Karkoran they don't have Identify or Heightened Awareness immediately available, but if your group worked with Jopple, you could probably track those down in town as they are not that rare, particularly identify.
The rest they can provide as part of the provisions if you have any allowance left, or they will charge for them at 25gp/scroll (CL1).
@Lump, when Day 4 arrives you go to pick up your Parade Armor at the end of the day and then swiftly make your way to the Enchantress with Jopple to have her enchant it. You had already arranged for this and thus she is able to immediately begin enchanting the following morning. It will be completed by the evening.
The group can then decide it's next plan of actions. You have uncovered a pretty significant amount of information, and you are equipped to join the giant fighting.
When Jopple has free time, I will send her to find those two spells. Maybe the wizard Lump is working with would be able to scribe them.
"Ok, I will go look, and can ask around."
Jopple limps off to do her errands. She seems in better spirits lately, able to help the group, and has grown accustomed to the groups monstrous appearance and demeanor.
Day 11 - Morning
The group acquired their possessions, finishes crafting and Lump and Grobly have their magical armor. Everyone gets a good night sleep and having narrowly pinpointed the location of the temple and with a mission from Hawke, the group is prepared for their journey.
Any final questions, or needs?
Ashe will work on some scrolls during that time off. I will calculate the costs of the work and subtract.
To Jopple, Lump says, "Don't worry, Jopple. We will survive. If it is to be that we return here, I will surely send for you. Until then, keep your wits about you and you'll make a fortune!"
Lump has the dogsled delivered to the gate from which they plan to leave, empty and ready for the group to load things up on it.
"Some day I will be a powerful wizard. Do you know? I have been accepted as an apprentice to the enchantress that enchanted your armor." she says excited through welling tears. "Then I can join you on adventures and I won't be a burden to anyone."
Day 11 - Morning
The group assembles their possessions and meets at the underground dock and loads into a skiff as they have done before. The skiff takes them to the lake, through the guard towers and out to the shore. There at the shore is the sled. You look to each other, and you have in hand your trusty map with the temple area marked. You now only need to get there, and try to take out any enemy giants and their allies on the way.
You begin the journey, setting out to the north.
During the previous days is it ok if I went out with my elk whistle and found my elk again? Do I need some rolls?
"true, but adventuring is not always better than settling in a place and making stacks of coins! But enchanting is always useful."
[b]"Sitting in one place all the time is boring... If That was what was being planned, Bazzt would be a turtle.."[\b] The Dire Bat snorts at the idea.
During the previous days is it ok if I went out with my elk whistle and found my elk again? Do I need some rolls?
Yes you can use that and/or Call Animal or whatever it was to recover your elk buddy.
Day 11
The group travels north, following trails used by the miners and lumberfolk and hunters and trappers. You move fairly quickly on the trails and make solid time for the day. Towards the end of the day, you are losing many of the trails and will have to forge into the wilderness. Luckily it is close to dusk and time to prepare for the evening camp.
I will need a camp watch order and a wilderness marching order and general travel plans is useful for me to plan your doom encounters.
I can cast Nature's Paths on me and three others to make us move basically double speed. If Grobly rides on his bat, he won't need to be a target, and the Elk and raptors already move much faster.
That will speed up travel time considerably.
Grobly probably scouts around overhead on his bat, so he won't be in the marching order.
Suggestion: Taya can go first (highest perception, good stealth), then Asheranthi with her pack, then lump (with his sled?), and Karkoran can bring up the rear.
If we bunch up, the general circus nature of the party means we're unlikely to surprise anyone. If Taya stays ahead and Grobly scouts from above we should be able to be the ambushers, not ambushees.
I am probably pulling the sled, considering all the stuff I bought to load onto it. I agree Taya that if we have Grobly air patrol we should be good in terms of ambushes and scouting that we have less to worry about our general walking order. I will continue to take my night watch spell so that we don't need any shift order for overnight. That gives me quality time with my old pal Baphomet.
While Karkoran works with his new weaponry, practicing fighting with extra limbs, preparing drills and maneuvers to take advantage of multiple arms for blocking, fighting and battering down enemy defenses. He spins his aklys clubs about, the wickedly serrated hooks whirring through the air. He accompanies his new tactics with natural weapons, leaning in to gore, stomp or bite. Midway through his regimen, a familiar and unwelcome voice stirs.
Mental Voice of Baphomet: 'Hello my son.'
Karkoran Voice: 'I am not your son, what do you want now?'
Baphomet: 'All the minotaurs are my children.'
Karkoran: 'You know that Lasmashtu is our creator, not you. I also don't serve you, I have found a better way.'
Baphomet: 'Different perhaps, better is subjective. Why do you think I have chosen you, I do not want weak willed servants.'
Karkoran: 'I ask again, what do you want, or do you enjoy harassing me?'
Baphomet: 'I note that you have taken on some divine power.'
Karkoran: 'I have begun to develop some fledgling abilities, what of it?'
Baphomet: 'Return to me and see those powers increase. Your path is full of peril and you need the strength.'
Karkoran: 'I do desire strength, but not with the strings you attach to it. Brutal I may be, but I strive to reject the evil I once espoused.'
Baphomet: 'There are many ways to play it. I hold you under no immediate obligation if you return to the fold. Consider it a trial period.'
Karkoran: 'That cannot be possible. Your worshippers are evil.'
Baphomet: 'Not all. There is a certain, flexibility. You know as well as I do, the grey area of a mortal's soul. I need not lecture you on this. Consider the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth, many are fine upstanding citizens. It is freedom we seek, from tyranny. You can appreciate that.'
Karkoran: ...
Grobly will happily play scout. i think we are pretty well set.
Day 12
The night passes uneventfully and the following morning the group is ready to make more progress. Asheranthi, with her giant elk and pack of raptors casts her Natures Path spell on the walkers and they slip through the wilds with ease. Grobly takes to the air on Bazzt and scouts ahead. Karkoran brings up the rear pulling the sled (with Lump in the sled?)
The group follows the eastern mountains and travels through the rolling lightly forested foothills for the entire day, making solid time with your magically enhanced travel.
A second evening draws to a close as the group makes camp in the shadow of a steeper hill. You set up camp with the hill for protection as Karkoran casts his nightly watch spell.
You know that eventually you will be running into the enemies out here and over your campfire try to plan out possible scenarios and tactics.
Taya lets Karkoran keep watch and tries to get a good might's sleep.
Lump rides on the sled if there is no issue with him doing so, and will occasionally stand in the driver's position when lying down becomes too boring.
As the near more dangerous territory, he stops playing music so as not to alert the more keenly perceptive among their enemy.
Day 13 - Morning
The group greets Karkoran in the morning as he finishes his nightly watch. With some breakfast in your bellies and the camp packed, you plan to head on further north. You will follow the foothills and see what happens. Surely soon you may encounter foes as the time is very close to when the giants will be close to Cliffort.
Grobly does a preliminary recon on Bazzt and far into the distance, he sees a speck in the sky. Dropping back into the treetops, he advises the group of something a few miles away.
Karkoran rumbles, "We should assume it is dangerous. It wasn't just a large bird was it? How should we go about determining what it is without being spotted ourselves? Do you think it saw you Grobly? We can try to use stealth, but I am not so sneaky as the rest of you."
"I recall Hawke telling us that these invaders were served by flying monsters."
"We should probably assume it is dangerous and that it is looking for us."
"Maybe Grobly should try scouting ahead at night? It could be that it'll be easier to spot the campfires of our enemies and pinpoint them that way."
"The last time Grobly saw something in the sky it saw Grobly... Yes Grobly is sneaky. Maybe night time is a good time to scout.. Or maybe we continue on footish? Grobly and Bazzt can still stay up in the trees. Maybe watch for ambush from up there? Methinks these bad guys might have night sight like Grobly.."
"No one can see clearly very far in the dark, but a campfire will be visible from far away."
"It's still morning, and its a few miles away. If it is a scout for a group of enemies, we should be ready to attack or defend soon. If it spots us we will have giants or whatever to contend with very soon. Maybe it's nothing and just some normal creature."
"I think we have three options. One, hide and set an ambush and hope they come this way. Two, make sure they come this way by letting them see Grobly. Three, if they pass us by we, come up behind them and take them down. I prefer 1 or 3. I prefer 1 more because it lets us prepare spells in advance. Option three is less desirable because if they pass us by we will have used spells for nothing."
"Could some of us sneak closer to find out what is coming?"
"We lure them in with a promise of food so they don't realize its a fight. I set bear traps and use camouflage netting. Then we slaughter them."