Session 30

=February 14th, 2019 - Eye of the All-Father=

Eye of the All-Father
The session began as Rufus first stepped through the now open portal in the heart of the giant temple. Inside the hexagonal stone chamber beyond stood a large central circle surrounded by six identical hooded humanoid statues. These statues faced the center and each held outstretched in their arms a single lit lantern. On the central circle lay the frozen corpse of what looked like an adolescent cloud giant. Rufus examined the archway around the portal on this new side, and told his friends on the original side that there were no runes here. The rest of the chamber was empty and frost covered.

There was also no other entrances or exits from this inner chamber, the portal was the only way in and it was only opened from the outside. Unsure of how long the portal would stay open, the group asked Harshnag to stay on the other side so he could open it again if need be. They would ask his questions for him. The center of this inner sanctum wasn’t too far from the portal, and the groups could talk across it. While the rest of the party crossed through the portal, Rufus approached the giant body in the center, as it’s ghost rose from the corpse.

The spirit of the young cloud giant called himself Eigernon, and was quite sullen and depressed, but not hostile at all. The group and the ghost spoke, and the sad spirit told them what he could. This was indeed the Oracle shrine of the giants, and he was stuck here after being murdered by dragon cultists. He and his father, the cloud giant Count Blagothkus, had come here seeking wisdom from the All-Father when they had been captured by these cultists and a large blue dragon working with them. The cultists blackmailed his father into helping them in exchange for keeping him captive, but alive.

After his father agreed and had left, the cultists eventually killed him anyway. Now, his father was still probably helping them and had no idea it was for nothing. The ghost pleaded with the group to bring this knowledge to his father, or see it be given to a giant who could. He offered them his magical breastplate and knowledge of the Oracle in exchange. The party agreed and also took a rune inlaid giant dagger (the size of a short sword for them) as evidence from the body. Eigernon told them how to question the Oracle - first, they would have to move his body and clear the frost around the central circle.

Next, when someone stood in the circle and spoke their question, the oracle would answer. When it did, one of the lanterns would go out, and so they got six questions. The ghost said the lanterns would relight, he thought at dawn, but was unsure as time seemed to pass by strangely now that he was stuck here. The party knew what Harshnag wanted to know, and they discussed what other answers they sought.

Answers of the Oracle
After moving Eigernon’s body to the side, Alburt used his Burning Hands spell to clear the ice. The group wanted to be conservative, and assume they would only be able to ask questions this one time. They wanted them to count. Rufus stepped into the circle. First, he asked, “How do we restore the Ordning?”

A soft disembodied voice replied, “''The answer lies with the storm giants. You must find a conch of the Storm King, and use it to visit his court''.” One of the lanterns went out.

This quickly added a follow up question to their list. Second however, the rogue asked, “Where is the Cult of the Dragon bringing Tiamat back to this plane of existence?”

The voice answered, “Tiamat is already on this plane of existence.”

A few of the group replied expletives at that response, and a second lantern expired. For the third question, Rufus asked, “Where is Count Blagothkus?”

“His shadow falls across the Storm Coast.” The third lantern’s light went out.

Unsatisfied with that answer, the group reconsidered their three remaining questions. For their fourth question, one Harshnag wanted to ask, the swashbuckling halfling spoke, “How was the Ordning shattered?”

“''It was shattered by the All-Father due to the complacency of his children against their ancient nemesis, the dragons. By Count Blagothkus betraying his people to work for the followers of the enemy, and by his children allowing the enemy to slay their Storm King and Queen''.”

Stunned at this, the ghost Eigernon slumped further into despair. The party only had two questions left as the fourth lantern’s fire disappeared. For their fifth question, Rufus asked, “Where is a conch to reach the storm king’s court?”

“Most of them have been destroyed, but the only one within ten thousand miles is held by the fire giant Duke Zalto in his stronghold known as Ironslag.” The fifth lantern expired.

The group was not surprised, fate seemed to be pointing to an eventual confrontation with this Duke Zalto. Thus, for their final question, Rufus asked, “How do we get to Ironslag?”

“''You must first prove yourselves worthy of such knowledge! Retrieve and return to this place two giant artifacts - an ancient mammoth tusk, and a mithril spear tip - stolen and hoarded by the evil frost giant Jarl Storvald, at this iceberg village Stromborg. It floats off the remote eastern edge of the lands you smallfolk call the ‘Far North’ in the Narrow Sea. When you do, the knowledge you seek will be yours''.”

The final lantern went out, and the party once again faced a dead end in locating the fire giant fortress. However, Harshnag had heard of this Stromborg before, although he had never been there, he definitely wanted to help the group accomplish this task. With the parties help he had come much farther in such a short time, and felt they would help him fix these problems. The party discussed their next steps, and Rachen revealed that Lady Silverhand had sent him another message offering her aid in returning. Not knowing how they would reach Stromborg any time soon, and acknowledging that Jemna Gleamsilver had been waiting at the cult treasure’s next stop for over a month, they decided it was time to return to Ironbay.

Soon, Lady Silverhand appeared before them, having teleported to their location. She warmfully greeted Harshnag, and all but Rachen were reminded that Harshnag called Silverhand Estate his home. The only giant that lived in Ironbay, or any human city for that matter. Wondering how she could teleport there, Lady Silverhand explained she had been scrying the group periodically ever since they left for Triboar. She wanted to keep an eye of those representing her name, including Jemna and her Black Brotherhood friends.

The Lady used her magic chalks and drew out a teleportation ritual circle back to her estate, and opened the portal with her wand. Lachlan cast Reduce on Harshnag so he could take the portal with them, and together they all returned back to Ironbay in the blink of an eye.

And that is where the session ended, late on the night of the one hundred and forty third day since the raid on Greenest.

(The party also reached level seven at this point.)

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