Harshnagg greets them.
Londer says, “We’ve been wanting to meet you.”
Harshnagg suggests they take a walk.
Londer faces all the people with their weapons drawn and reminds them that they were screwed a few moments ago –“Why don’t you show some respect and lower your weapons?” Narbek signals and they drop their weapons.
Thoradin walks back into town. The townsfolk gather around and part as he passes through. Thoradin doesn’t respond. He knows they are talking about him and gawping but he doesn’t want anything to do with it. He walks through, gets the horses and the ram, collects the Weevil’s corpse and walks back out.
Londer searches the giant corpse and finds a long chain in a heavy sack.
Harshnagg sees them murmuring and struggling – he suggests they sit down and heal their wounds. He says “You all look a little worse for wear, why don’t you rest for the night – you’re safe with me.”
Without even turning back, he starts walking through the snow straight through a sparse forest of golden leaved trees. The adventurers need to jog to keep up. He turns and notices and laughs a big laugh, apologising.
They walk for at least an hour, not anywhere near the single road that goes north to south but somewhere else in the wilderness. After a while they reach a clearing and he says this place seems to be as good as any.
They set up a camp. It’s cold and getting dark – it’s late afternoon and the sun is going down. Londer takes his axe and cuts down some trees, forming a great bonfire.
Thoradin asks Harshnag about the Ordening.
“It’s a hierarchy of Giant-kind. The giants are set apart from each other. At the top you have the Storm Giants, Cloud Giants, Frost and Fire, Stone and Hill Giants. The Storm Giants run a monarchy. The Cloud Giants are aristocratic – high minded and vain. The Cloud Giants are more interested in artefacts and prizes.
Leshanna announces they are friends with a Cloud Giant. Harshnagg has killed a few, not familiar with their friend, Zephyros.
All of the giants when the Ordening broke, they felt it. They lost their way of understanding how they fit in. The Hill Giants just want to eat but the giants are all trying to work out how to please the AllFather.
The King has gone missing – Hecaton. His queen and the whole court has gone. There’s no one sitting on the throne. His daughters have taken up running the kingdom.
The giants are looking for a ring, they think it’s going to restore the ordening and please the Allfather.
He pulls out an adamantine rod – they’re finding pieces of these things. The Fire giant’s pathway to rising up is the Vonnedad.
The team explains that they may be part of restoring the Ordening – they’re a little vague.
Thoradin asks, “What do you think we should do next?”
Suddenly, as if he hears something, Harshnagg gestures for them to be quiet. He gets up and walks up a clearing, lies down and looks back. He gestures again “Shhh!”
He gestures for them to follow. They sneak over. In a gully ahead, a giant Elk, white with horns made of crystal. It’s enormous – the size of a small house. All around is a light blue glow, emanating from it. Harshnagg looks at them and smiles a big toothy grin.
Leshanna recognises a giant elk, an incredibly rare creature. It is so rare that some of the barbarian tribes and townsfolk hold it to be an omen, for telling something like the birth of a king. People believe that when gods walk the earth they often take the shape of giant elks.
Leshanna shares her knowledge with the group.
Up in the spine of the world there is a place called the Eye of the Allfather – it’s a long and dangerous walk. Up there is an oracle. The Allfather may be willing to talk to you, if not to the giants.
Harshnagg explains it is a difficult journey, with crags and caves. They will be walking for some time.
As they lay down to sleep, there are some attempts at snuggling but Harshnagg isn’t into it. He doesn’t notice Gunther there, the others are kicked out.
Thoradin chuckles and passes a flagon to Miss Moss.
They wake in the morning, having slept well and rested undisturbed.
Harshnagg asks them to meet him in Mirabarr in 10 days. He’s looking forward to the walk.
He heads off into the wilderness, his head tree height.
Miss Moss, who always knows North starts playing a game where everyone needs to guess how many hours until sunset.
They move towards Mirrabar, a seat of incredible wealth and power in the side of a hill. They arrive late afternoon.
Londer does a very special search on the dwarf to see if the ring is there. He has nothing.
Thoradin has cast a spell to prevent decay but it’s still important to deliver the corpse quickly. They find a wanted poster as they are moving through the town. The direction is to go to the Garrison of the Protectorate of Mirrabar.
They turn the Weevil in and are given a large chest of gold, it was a command from the rulers of Mirrabar.
As they make their way out, Londer recalls the watery deaths near Yartar and they wonder if there is a connection. It’s a mystery.
They head to the Goblin Gems – a place with particularly good food and dancing.