Yes. He probably knows something but may not know the magical intricacies of the scepter.
"He knows more, but maybe not worthwhile details." Lump says to Karkoran.
I will have the raptors back off and try to use some food to coax it near.
Karkoran tries to remain calm at the giant's attitude. He utters a few words and casts Enhanced Diplomacy.
Stepping over to the giant, he grabs him by the scruff of his neck and places one of his serrated hooked aklys against the giant's neck.
"I lose patience with you. if you wish to see another sunrise, you should understand that your total cooperation is required. You clearly had a mission and this magical device is part of it. I wish to know everything that you know. If I feel that you are not telling me everything, I will not hesitate to gut you like a fish. In a previous life, this is what I did. It is not who I am now, but..." he breaks off and slams the giants face into the ground, before stomping off in a rage trying to control his temper.
The giant grunts in pain as Karkoran loses it, and threatens him. You can see the fear in the giant's eyes. "It is part of a magical ritual. I am to place the golden rod in a location near the fort, preferably within. At a proscribed time, some magic will happen from the army's leaders. That is all I know. I swear."
Speaking in ancient celestial, Lump turns to Karkoran.
"Evocation, conjuration, necromancy, triggered at range at a certain time... We may not want to carry that thing with us. We are likely talking a big yucky boom, maybe with some bad things coming out of it. or being made by it."
"I think we need to find some place to bury that staff where it won`t cause any trouble."
"Yeah, i considered slipping it into their camp but that is a bit of a stretch and out of our way."
"Maybe we bring it back to owners? Put it under their bed? Maybe find a few more and hide all ups in their chimneys." Grobly snorts, amused at his idea. "Meats almost done."
"Good ideas, but dangerous to implement. I lament that the sage would assuredly like to see this, but we cannot risk bringing it to him. Can we bury it deeply? Or perhaps it will not damage the black ice."
Karkoran calms down after a bit and returns to the group. "I think burying it or hiding it might cause it to fall back into their hands. While they may immediately not know that it is gone, if they did suspect or check in on the status of their raiding parties somehow, and realized they didn't report in, they may try to find it. There are magics that can allow the caster to locate objects, or they may employ the same techniques we used to locate the temple. I think it is safest in our hands. If it is intended to unleash some sort of magical blast, I would think it safe inside a heavy box. Most magics require line of effect and are blocked by barriers, even if it may destroy the container. Also, if something is to be summoned, it cannot be summoned into a box. I hope I am right in this thinking. We should probe our friend here further to determine what would happen if they didn't make it to the fort, or were delayed. We should also learn if they report in somehow magically or via scouts or messengers. Finally, we need to determine what we should do with our prisoners. I would hate to return to the fort, rather push on to the temple, hopefully where we can find aid. Ashe did you say you had a way to contact our fellows at the fort town?"
"You know what the fort will do to him. If we are considering that route, might be best to do it ourselves and move on..."
To the captive, Lump speaks in magically-shared common, "Alright, lightning round, let's finish this quickly and let you be on your way. What would have happened if you were delayed or didnt make it to the fort? Do you report in personally, via scouts, messengers, or magically?"
I will return to the group with my raptors since I will need a day to take spells to befriend my elk again.
"Karkoran, I feel as though I am close in power to learning a spell that allows me to communicate via dreams."
"Hey Grobly, that smells good, let's eat and rest. I have a hungry pack of raptors that would love the scraps."
"If Asheranthi can talk to the folk back at the fort via dreams, we might be able to get them to come deal with both of our problems."
"if it gets put into a magic bag, could it still be found? Leaving it nowhere seems like a waste."
"Yes, we should not leave it. I like the magic bag idea. It might work?"
The giant answers Lump, "Occasionally Hell hound messengers would check in. We are also magically scryed periodically. Even now I suspect our masters and generals will know what has transpired here and will come to dispatch you!"
As the group questions the giant, they also partake of Grobly's culinary skills and sup on manticore steaks.
"Sounds lovely."
Lump you think he is probably speaking truthfully about the messengers and the scrying, but that it seems unlikely that they already know about the loss of the scepter. Scrying isn't that difficult for a high level caster, but it isn't something you maintain constantly without massive resources. You aren't quite sure if this qualififies, and it seems more wishful thinking that someone is on the way already to seek revenge. It does seem believable that someone will want their scepter back for its intended purpose though at some point, if not for its value alone.
You don't get the sense that anyone is scrying you currently.
"Bah, someone might want that fancy staff back, but they aren't going to waste any more time worrying about you than you wasted worrying about that manticore." (she gestures to Grobly making dinner) "Why shouldn't we just kill you oafs and be done with this?" Tayanalla asks the giant, her hair hissing and writhing in agitation.
The giant seems to shrink in to himself, as Tayanella's hair writhes and hisses. "We are no threat to you, or to the fort now. What harm can we cause against a walled fort? We had no choice, and the dwarves hold what is rightfully ours! The Fellhammer belongs to the giants!"
"What's this Fellhammer you're babling about?" Taya snaps back.
The giant narrows his eyes, and tries to avoid your gaze. "Th-the Fellhammer...everyone knows it. Ancient weapon made together by the dwarves and the giants in ages past, before the dwarves betrayed us and took if for themselves."
"Are you saying the dwarves at the fort have this fellhammer and you are trying to get it back?"
"Yes."
"Sounds like an ancient feud over some artifact. Regardless of who is right or wrong, I don't think sending an army to attack the fort is the appropriate way to resolve this. I am not sure if this changes our mission or ultimate goal. What we need to determine is what to do with the prisoners. If we take their weapons and armor they pose little threat, but should be able to survive in the wilds. They will probably rejoin their kin, but they are wounded and will take a while to return to full health. We can hold them for now and release them after our rest period. If Ashe can send some dream messages to Hawke and the others we can continue to pursue our quest for the temple."
To the party: "It doesn't surprise me that both sides in the conflict are at least partially to blame for the fighting."
"I agree that we should try to communicate with Hawke and tell him what we've learned. Perhaps one of his griffon riders can come fetch the staff. We should try to continue on to investigate the site of the temple."
To the group in old common, Lump says, "We can't leave the staff behind for him to grab, as these brutes will probably take it. He probably can't get it from us if we travel much farther, as it'll be too deep in enemy territory. And that is IF they even want to take custody of a strange magic item rigged to blow at some unknown point in the next day or so."
"If we can destroy their gear, then they wouldn't be too dangerous. They'll probably warn their masters sooner than if they were dead or prisoners, but killing them while their helpless doesn't sit well with me." Taya says.
Karkoran piles all of their loot and gear in one spot and loads some of it on the sled. "I think we should eliminate the giant. We spoke with him. He can provide more information. The bugbears will have no idea what transpired. I can take care of this if it is distasteful to the rest of you. It will be quick. Less painful and drawn out, than dying from a battle wound. They had to have known their chances of surviving this mission were slight. They signed on for death, or were forced or duped into it."
Grobly will shrug as he packs up any extra meat. "Goodwyn would tell us to let him go.. But if we do he will come after us with friends." The goblin shakes his head, but turns his back as he continues to pack, leaving the fate of the giant to the others.
"It will be no different than the hill giants we slew in their sleep."
"I don't like it, but I won't stand in your way."
"True, especially if he could go kill the dwarves."
"He can still hurl flaming rocks, which is a decent threat."
Karkoran grabs the bound giant and drags him off to a copse of trees.
"Do you have any messages for your next of kin? I can see to it that someone gets it."
Once he replies, if he does, Karkoran will kill him. Karkoran then spends a significant amount of time burying the corpse and noting the location.
Karkoran drags the giant off who seems bewildered and struggles a bit. When he realizes he is going to be slain he tries to force the tight bonds off and spits "Curse you to hell! My brothers will avenge me!"
Karkoran kills the helpless giant and goes through the arduous task of burying him taking note of landmarks nearby.
Karkoran snorts through his large nostrils, "Too late for that I'm afraid. Although its not likely Hell I will be going to visit."
After butchering the giant, and burying him, Karkoran rejoins the group. "It is done, he will menace no one any more. It is probably not what Goodwin would have us do, but I will bear the responsibility for it. After we rest we should move on, we can release the bugbears as we move, releasing one every fifteen minutes or so. This will keep them separate, and take them a while to rejoin up if that is what they would do. They will not be a threat to us in anymore."
Karkoran grabs a large slab of manticore steak and sits quietly, perhaps a bit sullenly. He studies the golden rod while he eats.
The group finishes their meal of manticore and rest for a bit making a brief camp to discuss the plan of the remaining bugbears, and reflect on their battle.
"I think that after we lose the rabble, we head towards the temple."
Day 13 - Afternoon/Evening"
The group finishes their rest and recuperation, feeling empowered and emboldened after dispatching the scout group and learning something of the giants' plans. Feeling the need to push towards the ultimate goal, you move north again, with the hopes of reaching the temple in the future. As you move you release the bugbears one by one into the wild assured they they pose little threat, unarmed, and wounded and woozy.
You push on into the evening discussing what you have learned and forging north with the mountains in the distance to your east, following the edge of the lightly forested foothills.
Evening approaches and though you since you spent a considerable amount of the day resting, you could push forward further.
Karkoran spent the downtime pondering the golden sceptre and working on some alchemical theories he had. He toiled over transcribing the formulae from some of Ashe's scrolls into his book but felt a bit off.
Using the primal energy in the latest fight to grow so many pairs of arms had left him feeling strange. Perhaps the combination of the mutagen taken before the fight and the primal magic invoked had left some residual after effects. He had certainly stacked himself with significant magical enhancements for the battle and he was tapping into the latent inner power bestowed by his weaponry. Had he miscalculated somewhere and was now suffering from some magical malady? As the minutes went by, a spot near his shoulder began to throb, then itch as the skin puffed up, bloating and then breaking open spewing pus and blood everywhere. Bellowing in pain, Karkoran clamped a hand over the wound as bone and flesh forced its way through his fingers. He removed his hand and prepared to hack off whatever invasive thing had sprung from his body. A mental twitch and a fusing of nerves, shot a jolt through his shoulder as he felt the thing join with him. The flesh and bone, ligaments and tendons formed themselves into an arm. The pain, similar to that experienced when he forced primal energy through himself to forge multiple limbs for battle, was sharper but ended just as quickly. He felt no primal surge in him, as the arm hung there limply for a moment. With an effort of will, he tried to move it. Interestingly it responded. Working over the coming hours, he found it was able to manipulate objects and function as his other two arms, but found it a bit weak and uncoordinated for holding a weapon deftly. Perhaps with magical augmentation, it might be useful in a fight.
He drew his weapons and practiced his maneuvers beginning to incorporate a few new ones he had been working on.
This will do...
The group forges forward into the evening, having had enough rest earlier. You push into the night and then eventually pick a suitable spot for your rest. You will probably end up sleeping later into the morning, but there isn't any drawback to such. Please advise about any camping precautions.
Grobly spends enough time flying above the treetops at night to find a suitable camping spot, preferable high elevation with enough cover to stay concealed, next to a cliff face or a grove of treese.
Grobly finds a thicket of trees that will make a defensible position near a hillock. The group prepares their camp and the night watch begins although it is already quite late.
Day 14 - Morning (later)
The group sleeps in somewhat, awakening to the birds chirping annoyingly after a few mere hours of sleep, and then restlessly trying to sleep through their chatter and chirping as the morning sun walks through the sky. Eventually rising, the group packs up the camp again moves north again.
Karkoran moves with purpose as they travel, now that they have a clear path to the temple and their obligation to the dwarves is complete. He ponders the natural world around him always keeping his keep hunter's senses about watching for ambush. The group was a perceptive one and with Grobly in the air, there was little danger. He kept his mind focused on the quest but mulled over some battlefield tactics he had recently been considering. The new maneuvers would be helpful along with advances in his alchemical studies and a stronger bond to the primal hunter spirit within. In fact his bond had become so strong it was nearly divine, and he wondered how that had come to be. He had suspicions, and it was likely that Baphomet had somehow had a hand in his fortunes.
Day 14
Your merry band of creatures moves through the rugged hills pulling the sled and keeping watch as the mountains loom to your east in the distance. The day of travel is uneventful and actually quite pleasant and sunny, a bit breezy as high summer approaches. Here in the hills the wind can be cooler though as the night approaches. The group makes their camp yet again that night and wiles away another evening; one of many yet to come before they reach the area of the black ice and the purported temple. In fact it may be almost two weeks of travel away at current rates. Despite manticore steaks for a few days, your food reserves are also dwindling.