Harshnag, awestruck, translates both Derrikoth’s question and the oracle’s answer.

Nirzeg went from looking at Derrikoth incredulously to being shaken and looking around frantically for a few moments. After which he lets out an exasperated sounding huff, and half-heartedly glares at Derrikoth."Well I give you this, Bluey. Ya certainly sussed out that the Oracle will interpet a question how it pleases, more or less... Not that Eigeron here hadn't already told us to mind our wording." He chuckled. "Still, hmm..." He frowned, rubbing his chin a few times, and then unless stopped by anyone, stepped into the circle of runes.

"How might we acquire the means to predict where Skyreach Castle will be at any given time with 100% accuracy outside of questioning you, O' Oracle?"

He waits, braced for the answer before following up with another spoken /also/ in Jotun(Giant).

 "Can you only provide answers on matters that pertain to giants and the ordning in some fashion?"

Then if not stopped, he'll look to Derrikoth and whisper in common, "I'd ask for you to not ready to into this next one. Just know that it's... important for my people." He doesn't wait long after for answer before turning away and adding more in giant.

"Which giant, if any, possess the knowledge detailing the alternate routes to lichdom?"

Quote from Orileo >>

"How might we acquire the means to predict where Skyreach Castle will be at any given time with 100% accuracy outside of questioning you, O' Oracle?"

 

When Nirzeg asks his question, the second lamp is blown out by the supernatural wind, and the voice thunders back, 

<DIVINE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRES A DIVINE MIND. MORTALS SEARCH BUT CANNOT FIND.>

Harshnag translates, noting with a bit of humor that the phrase also rhymes in giantish.

Quote from Orileo >>

"Can you only provide answers on matters that pertain to giants and the ordning in some fashion?"

 

The wind howls inside the chamber, and the third lantern is extinguished.  

<ASK YOUR QUESTION, AND YOU SHALL KNOW TRUTH.>

Quote from Orileo >>

Then if not stopped, he'll look to Derrikoth and whisper in common, "I'd ask for you to not ready to into this next one. Just know that it's... important for my people." He doesn't wait long after for answer before turning away and adding more in giant.

"Which giant, if any, possess the knowledge detailing the alternate routes to lichdom?"

 At Nirzeg's third guestion, the wind becomes a gale, and the voice thunders as the fourth lantern snuffs out.

<COUNTESS SANSURI IS IN POSSESSION OF FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE, THOUGH SHE PURSUES EVEN MORE.>

Nirzeg bowed his head and muttering something in some literally alien tongue, and a grimace on his face. If he sees Derrikoth even remotely start to appear hostile, Nirzeg turns his hands out but kept them lowered so that the palms faced the dragon's general direction. "If I may first say that any questions should wait outside the runes. So, follow me outside of it, if it is so pertinent. Otherwise, I would suggest we stay on task, and make the last two questions in regards to our main quest." He would say common, choosing his words carefully after perhaps abruptly interrupting the start of any questions from Derrikoth.

However, if the Dragonborn played it cool for at least the immediate time after his last request, he would turn to question the Oracle once more.

Harshnag seems jarred. "That was...an odd question," he puzzles, but otherwise stays quiet after translating Nirzeg's questions and answers. 

Derrikoth nods sagely, as though he understood something from Nirzeg's words, before speaking to the Oracle again, "So, er, the Ordning. What's the fastest and most effective way to fix it?"

Quote from Persuasion >>

Derrikoth nods sagely, as though he understood something from Nirzeg's words, before speaking to the Oracle again, "So, er, the Ordning. What's the fastest and most effective way to fix it?"

 The fifth torch is extinguished by the mighty wind, and the thundering voice announces, 

<ONLY THE ALL-FATHER CAN RESTORE THE ORDNING! IT WAS BROKEN TO ROUSE HIS CHILDREN FROM THEIR COMPLACENCY, AND THE PATH TO RESTORATION IS UNCLEAR.>

Nirzeg scrunched up his face, and looked moments away from making a scathing remark. However, the words catch in his throat just in time. Still, the Githyanki huffed and took a moment to rub at his temple. "... Okay then, let's try it this way." He spoke in common, and then swapped to Giant. "Who or what was the instrument used by the All-Father to break the Ordning, and where is it, if anywhere?"

Quote from Orileo >>

Nirzeg scrunched up his face, and looked moments away from making a scathing remark. However, the words catch in his throat just in time. Still, the Githyanki huffed and took a moment to rub at his temple. "... Okay then, let's try it this way." He spoke in common, and then swapped to Giant. "Who or what was the instrument used by the All-Father to break the Ordning, and where is it, if anywhere?"

 The sixth and final torch is extinguished, plunging the room into darkness as you are pummeled by the winds. 

<FIRST, YOU MUST PROVE YOURSELF! WHEN HUMAN BARBARIANS CAME TO THESE LANDS, THEY FOUGHT OUR KIND AND STOLE OUR RELICS, BURYING THEM IN THE GROUND. THE HUMANS BUILT ALTARS TO UTHGAR, THEIR GOD-KING, ATOP THESE RELICS AND SURROUNDED THEIR ALTARS WITH BURIAL MOUNDS.

<GO TO THESE MOUNDS, RETRIEVE ONE OR MORE OF OUR LOST RELICS, AND BRING THEM HERE AS TRIBUTE. DO THIS, AND YOUR PATH WILL BE MADE CLEAR. THERE ARE MANY PATHS YOU CAN TAKE. THE MORE RELICS YOU DELIVER, THE MORE PATHS YOU WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM.

<BUT BEWARE. SEVERAL EVIL GIANT LORDS STAND READY TO OPPOSE YOU.>

Harshnag draws his glowing axe for illumination as the thunder gradually subsides. He nods, as if satisfied. "Very sensible," he mutters.

"Yes. Very sensible. I suppose if one didn't want the thing they did undone that easily, I would do the same." Nirzeg sighed heavily and shook his head. "I suppose this is your all father's way of prepare us for whatever ****'n 'instrument' he put in place as well, which is just fly of'im.... Whatever. I don't suppose you got any idea where these mounds are, do you.. Harshnag, was it?" 

Once Harshnag confirmed as much, he adds, "At least that settles that. Fresh out of giant sized maps, but I could shrink you down closer to our size so you can write on the closest thing we got -- should have some canvas sized paper somewhere-..." Nirzeg trails off to search his bag of holding, eventually pulling out the paper. "Don't get fancy with it. I can cast the spell a couple times, but I rather not do it more than necessary. Just let me know whenz you ready, and I get to transmuting." He adds. 

If Harshnag should agree, he starts to search his side tool belt pockets for the casting materials. Seeing the fire opal, assuming the party's darkest fowl hasn't already snatched up the opal, Nirzeg psionic brings it over to study a moment. "Well, at least this wasn't a complete wash-up. Should make a pretty sum for this if we ever make our way to Waterdeep." With that, unless another demands to keep a hold of the gem, and in which case, he'd acquiesce, into the bag of holding it goes for now.

The fire opal feels warm to Nirzeg's hands after he touches it. A familiar giant rune shines inside it. You can tell that it holds magic.

Meanwhile, Harshnag acquiesces. Once you all make your way through the thundering portal back into the main temple structure, he gets to work on the big parts of the map, and and allows Nirzeg to shrink him down to a size small enough to write in the smaller details & writing. 

After about a half hour of work, Harshnag has produced a map, complete with landmarks for reference. 

// Names of landmarks are in the Dethek script. English translations are for your convenience ;) //

After drawing the map, Harshnag shows it to you and describes exactly how to navigate to each of these places. "Each one of these marks is one of the Uthgardt "spirit mounds." I don't know anything about relics buried there, except that the Uthgardt have long had a fascination with giants and giant relics. They like their trophies.

"You'll want to be careful, though—defiling the barbarians' spirit mounds will likely bring conflict with one or more of their tribes."

@Away: That is one smexy map.

The moment Nirzeg notices the rune, any thought of just putting it away in the bag flees the mind. So, as Harshnag is putting together the map, the Githyanki keeps the opal in hand for study as soon as the group leaves the chamber.

"D'arvit. But... to be expected. I doubt either way we won't be able to avoid angering them one way or another if they treat giant relics as trophies. Not without somehow "joining" and "earning" it." NIrzeg rubs his chin. "We should collect as four bare minimum, starting with the one at 'Great Worm Cavern'. It's probably where our recent friends were from. Then... then, hmm... Harshnag? Do you think if we split up from there, you can manage to collect a few from the west. Meanwhile we collect others towards the east, and meet back in... a couple tendays time where we met north of Mirabar? Because Evil Giant Threats or not, there will eventually come a time when we'll have to rely more on our own strengths."

Derrikoth studies the map, "Bah, civilized folk will always be at odds with savages, so nothing changes there. We could run a few errands if we head from here to there..." he points from the Great Worm Cavern to One Stone.

Harshnag shakes his head at Nirzeg's question. "No...I should remain here and wait. No one is here guarding the temple. Besides, this is your challenge. The oracle gave this to you—as a way to test small folk in general, I think. No pressure, of course," chuckles the frost giant. "But yes, it would make sense to take the shortest route to each. The sooner you complete the challenge, the sooner we'll get to the bottom of this upheaval."

// I have updated the map. You should now see the world, with the Spirit Mounds included. Each hex is 20 miles. Sounds like you are thinking Great Worm Cavern is a good first place to visit; if everyone likes this idea, we can head there at your discretion. Let me know if you're making any preparations before leaving! //

"In hindsight, I should've expected that." Nirzeg shook his head in exasperation. "**** it. We'll play it by ear. Rest here one more night if only for our horses sake, and then head over to the cavern tomorrow." The Githyanki said as he turned to the others. "In the meantime, I'd suggest you enjoy the day. Because we're in for a long road of trouble for a good ****'n while; 'specially given the sword we need to get." With that, Nirzeg leaves the chamber to go tend to the remohraz corpse again. 

If it still needed time to cool he waits. But during the intervening time, he checks out out the red opal, adding the rune to his journal alongside its relatively meaning, and otherwise enjoying the freeday to thoroughly harvest as much as he can.

Harshnag holds up a golden, giant-sized breastplate. It was the one Eigeron had been wearing.

“I buried Eigeron last night, but I figured his armor would be more of use to one of you,” he says. “It’s got a powerful protective enchantment, and looks like it will resize to fit any wearer. Try it on if you’re interested,” he smiles, and leaves it on the ground for you to access.

(The armor is a +2 breastplate, and shines brightly like finely polished gold)

As you exit the temple, the sunny sky greets you, along with an unexpected sight. A strange vehicle hangs in the sky overhead, slowly drifting closer. It looks like a small ship with sleigh runners, held aloft by a giant red balloon.

Even as it approaches, rope ladders drop from either side of the floating gondola and unfurl 50 feet down to the snow near where you’re standing.

Nirzeg is visibly sweating bullets at the offer as every greedy-minded instincts waged a private war within the Gith. And yet, after a few moments he brushes it off and gestures for Lydia. Once she had donned the armor, he offered to bag the old one for safe keeping, until it can be sold later. As he still likely internally cursing himself for his ethics, it takes a few extra moments, but eventually he caught sight of the flying boat and scoffs.

"Either that's the shittest spelljammer I've ever seen, or some gnomes fever dream." He commented as he folded his arms up, and stared up at the gondola. "Hey! One of you ****ers wanna come down and talk, or you expecting us to climb up just to get ****ed with?" He calls up. As he did so, Zeek flies up to check things out on deck at least 20ft out from the nearest landing, and relay all to Nirzeg.