Realising that it would be difficult for the entire group to re-locate to a safer environment by magical means, a more conventional approach was called for. The spellcasters tallied up their remaining invisibility magics and cast them appropriately on the members of the group. Those who could move stealthily were left out as was Fonesca and Gebhart as they could change their shape to be less conspicuous. Since Gebhart was already in the shape of a polar bear, Fonesca adopted that form too. Kurtalla followed up behind, as the group headed out of the rift for the crevasse, obscuring their tracks and laying false trails.
To reach the relative safety of the ice cave, Fonesca and Jito combined in rigging up a rope bridge the ledge. Quickly the Mothers and their companions slid across, with Siosiann opening the way with her flaming blade. As the rest of them spoke Tyr痴 name and continued along the spiral down into the glacier, Levi laid two more protective glyphs on the ledge and the beginning of the ramp to help ensure their safety.
Down below, Fonesca and Gaspode were planning; Gaspode with the watches and Fonesca with her own arcane matters. The priests gathered in the fragrant swirl of one of Levi痴 incense blocks to pray to their deities. The fingers of the dwarves were cold on their axes by the time the clerics raised themselves. Four watches had gone by in the eerie quiet. Without delay, Levi motioned for Gaspode to unfurl Guthranka痴 body. Meanwhile, the human priest had removed his arms and armour, and donned his simple white tabard emblazoned with the symbol of Tyr. His invocations took some time, but they were successful, as an ashen-faced Guthranka slowly eased herself up on her elbows, coughing quietly. Goned the dwarf stepped forward and healed her of all but her most minor wounds. Then they let her rest, with only quiet conversation and prayers from Levi to distract her.
After a further period of rest and watchfulness, Guthranka was strong enough to stand. She decided that she would wait with the freed captives in the cave, protecting them should any creatures get past Levi痴 wards. She felt that she could not stand against giants any more, perhaps retiring to the community in Arabel would be the best course of action. She would decide when the others returned and the menace of the giants was removed.
The rest of the Mothers left the cave with their companions, eager to track down the fire giants that had eluded them. They had planned their strategies and spell selections carefully, so when they set off across the ice they were confident of their ability to handle the giants. Entering the rift again, they took the left hand (easterly) side that had been the route of their first foray. They found the caves that they had visited before abandoned, so they plunged deeper into the ice, searching for the caves that Regid had described as being well guarded. The large dual-cavern where he had seen many ogres was abandoned of all but their stench. The cavern beyond, where a particularly large frost giant had stood, blocking further delving, which his companions guarded the approaches, was unattended. The Mothers took this passage, hoping that the previous guard痴 position showed that it was of some importance. The passage led to a junction where a wide passage descended to the south in a gentle slope, and the easterly passage connect to the rooms that Grimath had mapped out for them. Quickly checking this side, they confirmed that the fire giants were not lurking in the cave where Grimath had originally noted them. So they decided to descend.
At the foot of the slope was a huge cavern, no longer completely encased in ice, but where the stone was now mostly visible. Carved into the walls of the chamber were scenes of pillage and destruction, with huge humanoids raiding settlements and slaying other mighty beasts. The Mothers did not study these images for very long, deciding to search for exits to the chamber. As they went along the walls they found two boulders blocking openings to the east and west. The one to the west was carved to make it look like the rest of the wall of the cavern, but Gaspode痴 keen senses noticed the small gaps that betrayed its purpose. They tackled the obvious boulder first. Gebhart stepped forward and twisted the huge stone around, revealing a rough passageway leading southeast into darkness. They all crept in moving along until the passage turned sharply to the northeast and opened into a large cavern. Gaspode took it upon himself to scout out the dimensions of this place. After noting several large natural pillars supporting the cavernous roof, a huge sink-hole opening in the western wall, the tempting pile of gold coins interspersed with other treasures in the northern reaches and a rocky stone shelf some fifty feet above the eastern wall, Gaspode heard a very disconcerting sound � wing beats. He glanced up towards the ledge in time to see a white dragon launch itself into the air above him. He ran as did the others towards the hoped-for safety of the passage, but he was not in time to save himself or two of the others from feeling the effects of the dragons icy breath before they reached the bend. They all managed to continue on through to the great hall again as the screeches of anger and frustration of the wyrm beat down on they with an unsettling rhythm. Gebhart closed over the boulder in an effort to quieten the din.
Next Gaspode checked the concealed door for any little surprises that the giants might have left them. Finding none, Gebhart again did the necessary, opening the passage beyond for them. A guardroom of sorts lay beyond the passage. A large table with four chairs, suitable for giants, stood to the side with two looping pieces of metal attached to the wall above it. But it stood empty. A rough corridor led off west into the rock with openings on either side. The Mothers ventured into those rooms that were not blocked by boulders and saw that they had been universally abandoned. Some were chambers for giants, others for smaller creatures. A large passageway led them off to the south and opened into another huge chamber, this one dimly lit by some fire beetles in small cages attached to the walls. On either side of the cavern, ramps led up to alcoves shrouded in darkness. The alcoves had a good view of the whole of the long cavern, including the raised dais at the southern end, which had a throne set on it. There were two other exits to the north and northeast, nearer the party. Gaspode quickly scouted along this northerly edge discovering that the first chamber was filled with mist from a hot spring within.