It was during this search of the caves that the group came upon a metal cage with a body in it. Pine was able to distinguish the skeleton as that of a drow, and after Idris split the lock with his sword, Pine was able to lay the body to rest, as the necromantic energy was far enough away from the body to make it possible. The only thing of note was a pristine piece of black material that had been carefully preserved in the drow's pocket, and, after having ascertained it was of no significance to the drow, the group kept it.
After checking all the caves except for the route to where they thought the frost giant had ended up, Zenari proposed that she could dip into the Ethereal plane in order to speak to the ghost of the elven woman, in order to ascertain if she was indeed the Mirial that the crab had told the group owned the conch. Disappearing and reappearing several times in the blink of an eye, Zenari was able to hold a brief conversation with the ghost, and found out that she was indeed the woman that she sought, and that with her conch laid with the rest of her remains, she could move on. She also told Zenari that the frost giant in the cave was dead, and asked her to tell the large crab that its name was Rory. Relieved with the information they had got, Pine placed the conch upon the throne where the bones were sitting, and they all watched as the ghost faded, and Pine felt that she had moved on from her earthly remains.
Outside the crab seemed very pleased with having been given a name, but not seemingly bothered by the fact his mistress was gone. He told them that he would probably go and hunt, and sleep, basic needs for the crab despite its intelligence. They did ask him about the underwater cavern, but while he did warn them of a large predator down there, one that was far too big for him to want to see, he offered no other information and the group turned its attention to the location of the frost giant, hoping to glean more information, somehow, on the white dragon. As they passed the large vessel on the sand, it became clear, now that they were looking at it more closely, that it had been attacked by the dragon, for it was in a sorry state. Wary, the group edged past it and into the caves once more, easing down the narrow passage until they came across the resting form of the dead frost giant, its body vast in the otherwise small chamber. In getting into such a place, it must surely have damaged itself quite severely to squeeze down the corridor, showing just how desperate it had been to escape whatever it had been fighting. Considering the wounds upon him, ones that were clearly of draconic origin, one of an ambush, it wasn't difficult to tell what the giant had been hiding from.
As Pine stood there looking at that vast corpse, the medallion upon his chest started to vibrate and move with the sheer scale of necromantic energy that had coalesced upon the corpse. This, it seemed, was the source of it in the caves. Stepping forward, the effect on the medallion only increased, and he had to hold it in place with one hand as he approached. This was beyond his knowledge and experience, and despite the failure of trying to do so before, he once again reached out to his guides. "This is beyond my knowledge. My focus is reacting strangely. Anything you could tell me would be useful." Amazingly he did get a response, a voice clear in his mind of the most aggressive of the three that the group had seen, and but a whisper in the air to the rest. "Interesting. Further powers are activated. My brothers chose well. Focus and you will be able to bring this creature back for a limited time to speak to it," the voice said, before adding, "And I would recommend slaying it again if you do so."
Pine thanked his guide for the information, and the group turned their attention to the frost giant once more, starting to prepare the area in case they did end up in a fight with the creature. This was not a spell that Pine had ever been able to cast before, and he had no idea what might happen once he did as he was bid. As the group readied itself, Siax set up a series of magical arrows, as well as summoning a tangle of vines in the water to protect the group from any frost magic that the giant might be able to summon to trap them in it. Stepping forward, Pine, confronted by this massive hulk of a dead body, he knows what he needs to do. With his willpower and magic, he focuses through his amulet and grabs the necromantic energy and brings it together to a point. The dark necromantic energy gathers and comes his calling. It becomes so thick in the cave, that it actually becomes darker and darker, almost becoming physical as it swirls around him. This darkness makes it all the more striking as the large blue eyes of the frost giant slowly open and peers down upon the group.
With icy breath emanating from the mouth, the frost giant speaks.
In the dark abyss of this blood-stained cave,
I speak my final words, a defiant grave.
With crimson ink, my life's essence drips,
A testament of honor, my soul's eclipse.
Hearing it speak, Idris would immediately shout out, questioning it's connection to the frost dragon, a question that it seemed willing to answer.
Across stormy seas, my vessel braved,
In pursuit of the Dragon, enslaved.
To the Sword Coast, where you lesser beings dwell,
Your presence, a stain, a wretched spell.
Pine then asked "The white dragon cryovain, we hope to defeat it. Does this dragon have any specific weaknesses that would aid us in doing so?"
You seek this creature to set out and slay?
Why do you think you are worthy this day?
Speak, and prove to me your mettle
Or kneel and feel the axes metal
The group then attempted to prove their worth by telling the frost giant of their success in Axeholm, how they were able to protect the people from the attacks of criovane, how Zenari was able to block invaders from another plane with the power of her mind, while Idris instead spoke of his readiness for any future challenges, readying a bless spell. Out of all of them, it was Idris who impressed the frost giant the most, its gaze turning towards the paladin.
Very well, Pathetic worm
Set out and slay the wurm
Take from my heart a splinter
To find and kill the flying winter
The frost giant reaches a hand, tearing open its own chest, splintering bone and muscle until his heart is visible. In it, almost splintered into it, is a red ruby. As this happens, Pine's medallion, which had been a smooth stone, became hollow with a natural socket in the middle, the draw towards that gem making it shudder and move on his chest in an almost frantic nature.
The blood of the things spawn was used
WIth my essense the gem was fused,
Knowledge it bestowed, where the beast resides
In day and night, snow and rain it guides
Moving forward, Idris reaches out and tries to take the gem, and after a great heave it came loose, bringing with it the rest of the frost giant's heart, which fell onto the cavern floor. After a moment, the frost giant begins to speak once more.
Unseen, the Dragon's eyes pierced my soul,
A hunter stalking, ready to take its toll.
In this cavern's depths, my final stand,
I faced my nemesis, fate's cruel command.
The group then asked it about the green dragon they had seen in Phandalin, but while the frost giant does speak, it becomes clear that it is not actually answering the question, merely speaking its own musings about the situation that led to its demise.
In this wretched lair, our battle was waged,
The Dragon's cowardice, forever engaged.
Its icy breath, a mockery to behold,
Yet I stood defiant, my fury untold
Pine would ask the frost giant whether it had any unfinished business.
Nay. But tell this to the puny Dragon, its victory is hollow,
For a Frost Giant's spirit, it cannot swallow.
In death, I rise, superior and grand,
While it cowers, a mere creature, unmanned.
With nothing else the group wished to ask, Pine started the process of putting the frost giant once more to rest. As his motions and power wove around the cavern as he tended to that, the frost giant continued to speak its retelling.
But alas, my strength, it waned and fell,
A victory undeserved, the Dragon did quell.
In this icy tomb, where I meet my demise,
I scorn the Dragon, with my final cry.
And to YOU ALL, I spit my disdain,
Your feeble existence, I [inaudible]
Know this, lesser beings, your worth is naught,
A Frost Giant's greatness cannot be bought.
With that, and the completion of the ceremony, the frost giant once more fell inanimate and dead, its spirit having been put to rest. Taking the gem, Pine puts it to the space in the amulet, and it slots in with a click, almost as if they had always been destined to fit together. However all was not well, for immediately upon this happening, Pine fell to the ground, wracked in agony so great that it took him close to the brink of death as his physiology changed and altered. During this time his claws lengthened and took on a sort of dark crimson sheen reminiscent of the ruby itself that had melded into the amulet and disappeared.
As Pine's soul attunes to this item, he sees images of criovane as a younger dragon, chained with an older one to a mighty longship, the dragons being used to pull the ship faster through the water. Both dragons freeze their chains every night until one day they broke. The larger dragon was recaptured by the frost giants, but criovane managed to escape, fleeing across an ocean. After hiding and waiting, eventually a lone ship comes, manned by its jailer, its captor. You see him jumping out from where it was hiding and killing the giant. It isn't a ruby at all, but an item forged by the blood of criovane's children. Pine's eyes opened wide, and he can sense exactly where criovane is what direction he is heading, a useful tool not only in hunting the dragon, but also in the ability to avoid him. With Pine so gravely injured, and the group needing more time to discuss their next target in the sword coast, they decide to rest in the caves. Pine finds that not only has the gem of dragonsblood given him insight into the white dragon's location, but it has also altered him physically, giving his claws a far keener edge tipped in necromantic energy. He also found that the black material from the drow was a portable hole, something useful for storing items without weight.
Siax though spent time trying to find out more about his bow's relation to the black necrotic tipped roots that he had gathered. In a slightly worrying turn of events, they twined together and the root attached itself to his chest, and from that connection he heard a voice, and felt the emotions. It seemed as though his bow was attempting to communicate with him through the root.
"Protector!" it said to him. "Provider!"
Somewhat freaked out by this, Siax attempted to ignore it, and continue his watch. However it attempted to communicate in simple words and emotions again. A flash of memory of shooting someone with an arrow, accompanied by the feeling of joy and warmth. Another when defending Siax from the necrotic power of the banshee in Axeholm, accompanied by a feeling of protectiveness and urgency. It seemed as though such a communication was only temporary, for after an hour, the root withered away and died.
The group rested well overnight, and in the morning they paused there in the cave to have a hot meal, as Pine could sense that the dragon would cross their path if they left immediately. Looking around the boxes and crates that had been left in the caves, they appeared to be supplies such as clothing and foodstuffs. Much of it seemed to have remained in good condition despite the time it had been left there, abandoned, and the group let Factoré know, as she might be able to make use of the barrel moving rigs from Gnomegarde, in order to get the supplies back to Axeholm. Fully rested, and after a hot meal while they waited for the dragon to pass, they moved on, deciding on making their way to Falcon's Lodge and then the Woodland Manse in order to seek out cold weather supplies for their inevitable trip up the mountain to the dragon. On the way, Siax was able to pick out the trail of the assassin once more, noting that it continued along the triboar trail towards Conyberry.
Despite some of the group not agreeing on the correct direction, the magics in the forest having once more attempted to befuddle the group, they got close and then found themselves face-to-face with a group of Orcs. After a tense standoff, both sides stood down when the leader of the group commanded the orcs to stand down. It turned out that he was the son of the orc leader they had encountered before, one whom Idris had saved by getting him to flee. Uneasy and somewhat unhappy, especially on Falcon's part, the two groups decided to sit down and decide how they might be able to help each other, for neither group liked the orcs at the woodland manse, nor the Dragon.