D.O.R.K cants her head slightly to the side in confusion, and spent a moment silently studying the spokesperson, trying to discern any falsehoods in statement. For last she check, there hadn't exactly been a known limit to the service they were suppose to provide, so long as they the party stayed true in ending the giant threat. ... Or had something been misunderstood? (Insight: 9).

Ultimately, no matter what she came to discern, remember, or so forth, knowing they couldn't very well stop them without imperailing both the ship and its crew anyhow, D.O.R.K pantomimed an exaggerated sigh and shook her head. "Understood. I'll shall contact you in the coming days in hopes to inquiry might employ your patron's services again. But for now, I pray that your journey and the journey of your crew is a swift and safe one." She said, prior to disembarking from the ship. For contrary to the others habits, what little the construct had in terms of belonging rarely left her person, and hadn't been in anticipation of a lengthy venture upon realizing just how far the party would be set back. 

Devin stops short for a moment at the words of the crew members and Aslan settles onto his shoulder after flying around for a moment.  He considers and then nods.  To D he says, in giant, "If we are successful in this part of the mission we will no longer need their services."

Devin made sure that he grabbed all of his gear.

"Alright, we hoof it from here.  Hopefully those creatures aren't protective of the ground and we can approach unmolested." 

Ebonitus was just getting used to relaxing on deck, rather than trudging through snow and forest. Before landing he makes sure of some landmarks to ensure that they will head in the right direction as they set out on foot. As he disembarks, he thanks the crewmen for their assistance and asks them to ensure that their mutinous crewman is properly dealt with as they return to their master. He then collects all his gear and stows it appropriately, puts on his winter warmers and disembarks, ready for action.

Ilezenya, ever the quiet half-drow, merely gathers all of his equipment and trudges towards the mountain steps with the group.

(Did we get a long rest in here anytime?)

Mullo walks beside Haetone, one hand on the pegasus's neck. She watches the skies for any sign of approaching threats.

As the party sets off it is bitterly cold. Even with their thick winter clothing the cold seems to work its way inside. Fortunately however it is not snowing. After about 2 hours of walking what appears to be some sort of old road, they reach the base of the mountain known as Mount Hamarhaast. Directly ahead of them they can see, carved into the base of a 500 foot high cliff a pair of 50 foot high doors that are made of some sort of metal. On one side of the cliff they can see what looks like a series of steps - think the endless stair in Return of the KIng - wending their way up the cliff.

"We should try the doors, but I doubt they will open...at least the steps reach all the way down here to the base..."

Replying in giant to Devin, D.O.R.K says, "Mayhaps. But it is an exceptionally long walk to any potential civilized locale if things do not quite go according to plan. But, we shall see what fate ultimately lies in store for us." Having little else more to add after that, her departure and most of the subsequent journey afterwards is a quiet one. A weather eye is kept on the sky for the most part for any signs of swooping terrors or worse. But fortunately, nothing of the sort assailed the group.

"Likely leading up to the village, and all the more solidifying a connection between the yakfolk and the giants. But given what little I know of the latter, it is unlikely to be a truly mutual one." D.O.R.K commented as she held a hand above her brows, searching for any signs in the metal door or surrounding stone that might suggest an egress for small folk or hint at hidden watch points for potential guards. 

Perception: 23. 

"Either way, it would not be the best idea to try and go through these doors. Not without a plan to somehow convince the giants that may lie beyond it to let us... negotiate with them in peace." 

D.O.R.K commented as she held a hand above her brows, searching for any signs in the metal door or surrounding stone that might suggest an egress for small folk or hint at hidden watch points for potential guards. 

D.O.R.K. is unable to spot either any egress for small folk or hidden watch points!

If possible, Ebonitus would like to approach the doors without being seen by those other than our party, When he gets there he will use the Helm of Telepathy to cast detect thoughts to search for intelligent life through the doors. If intelligent life is detected, he will probe deeper.

In the absence of intelligent life he will use Stone Shape to fashion a tunnel large enough for Haetone to fit through - if the griffon is too big, cancel this action (can only shape a tunnel 5'x5'x5') with a stone door at either end that can be opened from inside or outside the tunnel.

"Why do I have a feeling those stairs lead up to the village that we didn't want to visit? And that we might end up having to climb them?"

Devin shrugs and then looks around the base of the stairs and looks to see if there are any tracks leading up to the door.  He also looks to see if there is a handle or other opening mechanism. 

Seeing Ebonitus focused look, and recognizing at least to some intent his initial intent, D.O.R.K approached alongside him unconcern of being seen. By her recockening at least, short of the beast above seeking to hunt, her own scans of the exterior made things safe enough. For the moment.

And as Ebonitus did his searched, she'd look back to Devin and say, "A likely outcome. If nothing else, they may yet provide more intel into the residents of the mountain itself, or might even know of cave tunnels along the cliffside the lead within it and is unlikely draw immediate attention from the giants within it." She turns back to the door. "At the very least, they have not concerned themselves with outward watch defenses from what I see, so we have that going for us at least, if any have a mind yet still of finding a way past these doors. But I would advise against it." The construct lass added, and yet despite her own words, waited patiently for others to exhaust or try out whatever they wished while she kept an eye again on the sky for any signs of dive bombing predators. For now. 

Ebonitus scries for intelligent thoughts but is unable to locate any other than those of the party. He then decides to excavate a tunnel somewhere adjacent to the doors but all he is able to do is excavate a small cave 5 feet wide, 5 feet high and 5 feet deep which if nothing else provides some relief for him and one other from the biting chill of the wind.

And now ....?

Ilezenya will check the doors for any traps, or indications of locking mechanisms/releases...

Perception: 18

Illezenya cannot find anything

"Hmn... What a curious miracle?" D.O.R.K comments with her head cocked to the side after seeing Ebonitus work. "But judging by that look on your face, I take it you won't be able to dig deeper... Hmm..." She peeks inside, and if need tries and chip away at the nearby stone where it would be flush with the door. Though regardless of success in the endeavor, her mind had all but already been fully made up by then. 

"I should've anticipated this, and prepared more accordingly..." She puts a hand at her forehead and traces the symbol there a few times, before then looking back to the others. "And I take it none of you were granted a similar miracle to dig deeper? If so, I see little other recourse for us except the stairs. For even if a combined effort from all of us might allow the opening of this door, I fear all we would be doing is further attracting attention to ourselves. Agreed?" She asks, and if the majority had indeed been in agreement, she clasps her hands together and utters softly, "For those that would fight in her name unfalteringly, let her return of faith become a crimson ward, denying untimely doom." A crimson aura appears to radiate about D.O.R.K for just a moment, before disappearing from view. And with ehr spell out of the way, she would take point in moving for the stairs, trusting Mullo, if she would wish to ride Haetone, to keep at least near the cliffs for her their own safety.

-Cast Crimson Guard on self. 

"Before we take to the stairs," the shaman says, her eyes on the rising cliffs, "let me seek Uthgar and his father." She sits down and performs her ritual which culminates with the throwing of the marked bones. "What awaits us if we climb?" she asks.

augury - yes, I'm remembering I'll only get weal or woe or some combination for up to 30 minutes

Ebonitus is a little disappointed that he was not able to make the tunnel right at the edge of doors and is concerned that the doors themselves must be more than 5 feet thick.

He shrugs off this thought, and before we begin the ascent of the stairs, he casts Warding Bond upon D.o.R.K, then follow him up the stairs.

Mullo's bones come up for weal but she estimates that it will take the party at least 20 minutes if not a bit longer to climb the steps, which are covered in ice, to the village on the ledge.

D.O.R.K. leads the way , followed by Devin, Ebonitus and Illezenya. Although Haetone is quite sure footed on the steps being mountain-bred, Mullo and her bring up the rear. (OOC is Mullo riding or leading Haetone?)

After climbing for about 15 minutes - covering about 350 feet in altitude - the staircase is interrupted by a naturally formed, 50-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep chamber. The ledge that leads across this area is covered with bones; most of which are mountain goats and other mountain creatures, there is even one that is the wing of some sort of flying creature, plus a few humanoid bones.

Are they complete skeletons, or a mix of various bones? Do they indicate creatures dying on the bridge, or being eaten by some creature and the bones discarded here?