Sir Thoroncir sheathes his sword and takes off his helmet. He smiles happily, saying, “Hail, Mirëgol of the Elves and Sandy Proudfoot of the Hobbits. You are both most welcome here! Thanks, many thanks indeed for your assistance in fighting and defeating those fell adversaries who so suddenly attacked us.”
The Sea-knight captain is also pleased to see another Minaras - beautiful and remarkable creatures indeed.
He will ensure that Gilraen is all right, and then look to the horses, gathering back any which may have run away.
“Mistress, I, as well as my party, are in your debt once again.” Hejren demurely bows to her mentor. “We must confer later, I have some questions to ask you.”
Warrior reports that while there is faint magic on all the Sword Wraith equipment, the Commander’s Longbow is actually magic.
He then proceeds to eat a Crebain.
Mirëgol replies to Ghân, “That is plenty of Galvorn for my needs. Thank you. I think this takes a back seat at the moment to the machine.”
To Thorncir & Gilraen, “This machine sounds like the workings of the enemy. I had little choice but to help once I knew of it. I’m sorry I didn’t arrive a little earlier. Poor Firiel pushed herself very hard to get here when we did. She is quite exhausted.”
Sandy pipes up, “too fast, nothing should move that fast, worse than the time I road an Eagle.”
Mirëgol to Hejren, “Thank you for alerting me to the danger, of course we’ll find time to talk.”
Ceol bows to Mirëgol and Sandy when he returns to the camp. “Well met, milady, and it is good to meet you, Sandy Proudfoot. Your assistance was most timely.”
He will then work with Thorincir to see to the horses, though he looks in wonder at Mirëgol’s steed. “I do not believe I’ve seen that creature’s like before,” he says quietly to Thoroncir.
Mirëgol suggests, “While eyes are off of us we should move about 4 miles away and reset camp. Then come first light, I’ll use Legend Lore and all my arcana expertise to try and learn what this machine is and who made it.”
Thoroncir replies to Ceol, equally quietly, “Yes, it is a Minaras, called by some a unicorn. Such beasts are very rare, and in some circles are considered legendary or even imaginary. I remember as a boy hearing about them. It was said that they have a particular affinity for maidens, or may even only be tamed by them, but I confess I have my doubts on that score.”
“I would have though them to be legendary, until this moment…or at least a being not seen in Middle Earth since an earlier Age. Among the Eorlingas, such a steed would be seen as the equal of the Mearas, if not even greater and more noble.”
Leofwin, though not a Mearas, is still an intelligent and brave Rohirric stallion; he snorts at his master’s words. Ceol laughs. “Be not jealous, friend Leofwin, for you are truly a noble steed, as well.”
Once the group is satisfied that there are no more enemies nearby, Ceol will help strike the camp.
What we know so far and what we learn of the contraption with Legend Lore: The machine weighs 82.3 pounds. It is 3’x2’x2’ in dimension. Finest of craftsmanship. It was too heavy for Ghân to hand off to Mirëgol especially while crated.
The tinker & investigation skill checks determine it to be counting down to something. But to what? The countdown is now 9 days away! Identifying the contraption will cause madness dc18 Int, if fail, reroll every hour or Restoration.
The ultimate purpose cannot be determined. But discover that the magic timepiece will give accurate time, gives advantage on navigation checks. Item cannot get dirty. It always stays the same temperature of 64 degrees except the hot core is 238 degrees. Any creatures within 10’ of the item that are aware of the item’s power get advantage initiative. The one that carries it is prone to nose bleeds and dry mouth. If you use the item as a spell focus by holding on to it and are an Int base spell caster, you can cast Slow spell, 1/dawn
Legend Lore (5th) reveals the item was built by Saruman himself. It was squirreled away here in case Sauron sent the Nazguls to capture him.
It has taken this many years to gather up enough magic. When the calculating clock reaches completion, Saruman will reincorporate as a mighty colossus standing 12’ tall and made of steel and powered by an infernal combustion engine. However, the calculating clock can be used to locate him.
The artificer can determine that components of the object will point in the general direction of Saruman once it has counted down.
Mirëgol looks worried and confused. “This is like no magic I’ve heard of. But Saruman was steeped deeper in Aulë’s knowledge than any other and spent centuries on his own ever darker research.”
Thoroncir is astonished. “I had thought Saruman gone forever, after his murder by Grima Wormtongue and the dispersal of his spirit. Could the Valar, having rejected his return, really permit such a thing to happen? These are fell tidings indeed.”
“As many will know, Saruman died at the door of Bag End in the Shire. If he reincarnates, might he not do so where he died? Or will he appear where the machine is?”
Sandy stands up, sucks in his generous tummy and states, “That’s a good point. Perhaps we should be ready there for him. 100 Hobbit archers could safely make short work of him with a little support from the likes of Mirëgol & your party.”
Mirëgol & Bitur can both tell this machine predates his death by quite a bit. It probably dates back years before his death and Hejren is well aware his spirit was blown eastward after looking to the West.
Ceol is thoughtful for several moments after Mirëgol shares what she has learned. When he finally speaks, his voice is quiet.
“This is alarming news. Saruman’s treachery is still well-remembered among the Eorlingas, and his return bodes ill for all goodly people. We cannot learn anything further about the location of his return until it occurs? If not, then we must be prepared to travel quickly when the moment arrives.”
Bitur muses about the machine and then addresses the party:
"As an artificer, I have to admire the handiwork. Something like this takes serious skill and study to pull off. It’s a shame Saruman was so corruptible and wasted his talents for his own personal gain…
“So it appears the machine will be the cause of the return, not merely just the harbinger. Does anyone know if there’s a possibility to slow, pause, or even cancel the countdown? Or possibly cancel the summoning magic in some way?”
I thought he died impaled on a water wheel in Isengard?
[back in character]
“This seems serious enough that the Valar would need to be notified, tho I am unsure of how that could be done. A lot of brave beings died to thwart the schemes of these villians, and it would be tragic for all that has been healed to be undone.”
“The obvious question to me is what the extent of his powers would be in the form in question.”
“If it even can be destroyed, though, I admit, such arcane mechanisms are not my area of knowledge.” The Eorlingas gives a wry smile, then grows more serious again. “Regardless, it may be that this device, itself, is drawing the attention of fell creatures.”
Ghan is horrified by the news that Saruman intends to return.
He remembers that Saruman wanted the One Ring for himself and amassed a vast army of Orcs.
This evil must be averted.
He agrees with the suggestions that either the device be stopped / dismantled by engineers, or the Valar be asked for assistance.
If neither of these can be achieved, then the machine should be thrown into Mount Doom.
Mirëgol adds, “After all these years, destroying the machine, even if we could would not stop Saruman’s plan. Meanwhile it appears Bitur could use the machine to locate Saruman if he succeeds.”
“If Saruman will reincorporate into a mighty colossus standing 12’ tall and made of steel and powered by an infernal combustion engine. This body must be being built. It is unlikely to be in Isengard or the Shire. Who has the ability to do such works to help him?”
"Yes, that’s true. I had visions of this metal colossus springing full-formed from the ground in front of Bag End.
"I very much doubt whether it could be happening in the Shire; very few of us have any sort of attraction to or skill with mechanisms, and those that do tend to lack understanding of the principles and work by rote.
"It seems to me that, of all the peoples of the Middle-Earth, Dwarves are most likely to have the skill, and be tempted by blandishments of Saruman in the years before his exposure, to be persuaded to undertake the work of building a colossus. So one of the Dwarven communities near here would be my guess.
“It would not even need to be the whole community; just a few Dwarves with ambition that blinds them to the real motivation for the work.”