The Mothers examined each of the ice-entombed figures in turn. They decided that they would try to free the half-elf with the split purse from the ice, as they thought that he would be of least threat to them. Fonesca took a flame-tongue longsword and gently tried to melt some of the ice. She succeeded in melting some of it and so she asked Siosiann to join her in her labours. They both worked to free the body for about thirty minutes. Eventually the body of the dead half-elf fell to the floor and the Mothers searched it. His purse just contained silver pieces. Fonesca then decided to use a detect magic to determine if anything worthwhile could be obtained from the other ice blocks. After completing her circuit she discovered that five of the remaining blocks contained magical items. Siosann and Fonesca then set about carving up these blocks in order to free these items.
Just over two hours later the Mothers had freed a battleaxe, a scroll tube, a ring, a suit of plate-mail and long box. Stowing these away carefully the Mothers decided that they should rest before attempting to face more denizens of the Rift. Fonesca cast a Leomund's Secure Shelter in the cavern with the ice blocks, using one of the walls of the shelter as a barricade, blocking off the tunnel leading to the room. Unfortunately, Tettet and Gaspode who were on the first watch, hardly even got the chance to sit down, as twenty minutes after the spell casters had begun their meditations, the far wall of the shelter was destroyed by a boulder crashing through it. This missile was followed by a number of others. The Mothers retreated out of the path of the missiles and cast what magic they had available to defend themselves before setting out to attack their assailants. Fonesca covered herself in dust of disappearance. Siosiann cast an improved invisibility. Jito hid his true self behind four mirror images. And Levi cast a wolf-jaws enchantment and then drank a potion of speed. Thus prepared, the Mothers cowered for a moment as Fonesca cast a Sunburst, from her wand of illumination, in the hope of blinding their attackers for a moment so that they could rush them. Unfortunately only one of the enemy seemed to be affected by the spell, so when Gaspode, Levi, Tettet and Guthranka formed themselves as a front rank against the enemy, an organised force met them. But the ten frost giants ranged against them could only come at them two at a time.
The four in front engaged in melee with the giants, slowly whittling the numbers down. Behind them Jito launched sling bullets coated in oil of impact. Siosiann tried to blind two of the giants, succeeding once. Fonesca launched her remaining magic missiles and then had to resort to her wand of missiles to keep effective. Every blow that fell on the front four, though, hurt them sorely. The longer the conflict went on, the surer it became that one of the Mothers would fall. So, it was Guthranka who was caught by a vicious blow from a giant's battleaxe. She fell dead at his feet. Siosiann immediately stepped into the breach, along with Jito, as the two smaller ones and the elf could fight in the same space. Fonesca tried lofting one of the giantsÂ’ own boulders back at them, using her telekinesis spell, but to little effect. Levi was almost felled himself before the Mothers faced the blind giant alone. But even this one managed to land a blow against his foes before he fell.
Levi and Guthranka had no curative spells left to help, so it fell to Fonesca's herbs to provide some comfort. After all of her preparations were employed the mage herself crept out to the icy ledge to see if there were any more giants on the way. When she reported that the way was clear, the Mothers briefly planned to camp again in the ice cave, this time with a glyph warding the entrance. They thought better of this after some discussion and decided to leave the rift altogether. Fonecsca again went out in front to see whether the way was clear. As it was, they rushed as quickly as they could along the ledge, carrying with them Guthranka's shrunken corpse. When they reached the end of the rift they headed north, hoping to find somewhere that they could shelter from the elements and the patrols of the frost giants.