"Yes, a crossbow will be a good option when we want or need to fight at range." Domitian grabs a light crossbow and 8 bolts.
He also inspects the chain shirt. "This seems to be finely made armor. I think it would suit you well, Ingrit. Likely sturdier than the leather armor you are wearing, but still allowing you to remain mobile."
He looks at the remainder. "As for the rest of this, take what you will. Anything we don't immediately need we can try to recover on our way back, in order to sell."
Assuming that you take what you need from the stash and move on, following the trail, you move deeper into the forest. The snow grows deeper too, and movement is cut to a fourth (meaning it takes 4 squares of movement to move one square).
The snow becomes increasingly deep in this part of the forest, where a windswept gully carves a path through a tree-covered ridge. A soft cascade of snow falls from an overhead branch, hissing softly as it strikes the ground.
Something nasty is about to appear. You can make perception checks and then roll for initiative.
Taking a few moments to change into the chain shirt, keeping a layer in between her body and the freezing cold metal, Ingrit trudges forward with her companions, finding the soft hiss of the falling snow almost soothing. The setting reminds her of her homeland, so much so that she finds herself caught up in her thoughts.
perception
Initiative
Erland enjoys the cold and blowing snow, wary of the icy change but welcoming the cool at the least.
Perception
Initiative
Snow in the eyes ...
Dom is obviously daydreaming about Xanthippe.
Suddenly a snowdrift bursts open and a weird-looking monster emerges, throwing itself at Erland. It's a large, snakelike reptile, at least six feet long and as white as the surrounding snow. It has a dragon's head with yellow malevolent eyes and a large maw that exudes some sort of noxious white fumes, and two arms that end in grasping claws.
As luck would have it Erland happens to stumble in exactly the right moment. He can feel its foul breath on him but miraculously avoids its snapping jaws.
That was the surprise round. Damiano, Erland and Ingrit are up, then the monster.
"What in the world?! That thing nearly took my face off!"
Erland pokes at the creature with his spear, more intent on keeping it's jaws away than actually hurting it.
to hit, piercing damage, AC 16 for this round.
The sudden explosion of snow momentarily blinds Ingrit as she rushes to get off a shot.
Kn (arcana)
Knowledge Arcana
Sigh ...
If I can still act , Casting Daze DC 14 on the creature
You can still act, but Daze only works on humanoids, so the monster is unaffected. You are able to deduce that it has the dragon type so it will be immune to Sleep, too.
The dragonlike creature still goes after Erland, but he manages to fend it off, causing it to spit in frustration.
You are all up again.
Hand of the apprentice it is then
"What manner of serpent is this?" Domitian draws his falcata and brings it down against his target.
;
"Fall back, Erland!" barks the swordsman. "Let it go after me!" If the creature attacks Dom, he will attempt to parry its blow.
;
Erland takes a total defense, unsure how to get away from the monster while remaining un-eaten.
AC 16 still.
With everyone bunched up in front of the creature, Ingrit cannot find any sort of opening for a clear shot. As another arrow misses by a wide margin she growls to herself, resolving to draw her new blade and engage it up close.
Eianar sends a sling bullet into the fray, but what with all the thrashing and people in the way, he can't seem to find an opening either.
The monster still is coming after Erland, and it misses yet again. It hisses and spews a cloud of white vapor, but it dissipates before it even gets near any of you.
You are all up again.
Dropping her bow, Ingrit rushes forward, drawing her longsword as she does, surging past Erland to slash at the beast.
Ingrit's blade cuts into the alien flesh, causing the dragon to roar in pain.
Erland, Eianar, Damiano and Domitian still to go.
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Erland, withdraw from the fight! Let the warriors do their stuff !
While saying this, Damiano will take his new crossbow out and fits a bolt to it
Erland withdraws from the dragon, glad to have avoided its bite thus far.
"Gah! This thing is horrible! Wish I could do more to help!"
He keeps his spear ready, for more ineffectual poking if it comes to that.
"Just keep your magics in reserve in case we need it!"
Domitian attempts another cut at whatever it is they faced. ; .
He again remains ready to deflect attacks headed his way, should he be attacked.
;
Erland backs off as Damiano takes out and loads his crossbow. Eianar gets a lucky shot in with his sling and hits the dragon for 3 points of damage while Domitian cuts it rather severely.
The wounded dragon fights on nevertheless. With a mad glint in its yellow eyes it throws itself at Domitian and bites him for 5 points of damage, brushing aside his parry. It attempts to latch on with its jaws but he manages to wriggle free.
Your turn. Let's see if you can bring it down.
Undaunted by the creature's bite, Dom fights on.
;
;
;
Domitian gives the beast another savage cut and another slingstone from Eianar, taking out one of its eyes, ends the combat.
heal to determine if Domitian was poisoned or infected by that bite.
"Here, let me look at that wound. Who knows what kind of nastiness that creature might spread."
healing hex on Domitian
"I'll be fine, nothing compared to my prior wounds," says Dom with some amusement. "I'm glad I could finally see you all in battle instead of just hear about it afterwards. Well fought!"
He presents himself for healing and inspection by Erland, while looking upon the serpentine creature's corpse. "Ingrit, Eianar, any chance the skin of this beast has some value?" he asks, looking to the more wilderness-inclined among the party.
Domitian's wound looks clean enough and responds well to Erland's healing. After disposing of the body in any way you prefer there is little left for you to do but to carry on.
You are a bit relieved to leave the deep snowdrifts of the gully but as the forest gets thicker you are greeted with a disconcerting sight. Feathered bundles and strange fetishes hang from the lowest branches of the trees in this part of the forest, swaying and shifting in the wind. All are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them.
You can all make Perception checks, if you like.
perception
Erland, have you learned detect magic today ?
Domitian gazes suspiciously at the fetishes.
"I did, I prepared it in place of my cold-zapping cantrip."
Erland casts detect magic and scans around the area.
Can you check ?
Perception
Cleaning her blade off in the snow, Ingrit retrieves her bow and studies the corpse for a moment, before they move forward.
Plodding through the snow drifts in his snow shoes, Eianar is able to distribute his weight and not sink deeply into the powdery white ground. Eianar surveys the snowy wastes and the fetishes hanginging from the trees, his ears listening to the changes in the tunes of nature, the fine soft breeze that sings through the trees. His eyes keenly watch the darker shadows in the trees.
Snowshoes: These high-tension nets of rope or sinew in wooden frames which are lashed to the feet spread your weight across the snow, making you much less likely to break through the crust and rendering walking much easier. Snowshoes reduce the penalty for walking through heavy snow by 50%; for example, if moving through snow normally costs you 2 squares of movement per square traveled, snowshoes reduce this cost to 1.5 squares per square traveled.
Suddenly you note a couple of faint twangs and Erland and Ingrit are hit by minuscule arrows for 2 points each. The arrows are numbingly cold, and you need to make a Fort 11 save or be staggered for 1 round. Another arrow whizzes by Eianar.
Roll for initiative (and new perception checks to spot the source of the arrows). The monsters go on 8, so if you beat that you can go ahead and post your action.
I hope that we can run this without a map. Otherwise I'll get one up later.
perception
fort
Initiative
to hit; piercing damage.
Confirmation roll: to hit; piercing damage.
Seeing the creature shooting at him, Erland looses a crossbow bolt at the one to the right, 20' away.
.
Dom can't see anything, but he draws his cold-iron longsword and moves toward the place he sees his party shooting. If that helps him detect these creatures, he'll take a swing. ;
Ingrit starts at the sting of the miniature arrow piercing her arm. Ignoring the wave of cold that radiates from it, the huntress whips her bow up, sharp eyes scanning the woods, seeking the tiniest disturbances.
Wings fluttering. Got you you little bastard
Nocking a cold iron arrow, she lets fly at the tiny winter fey. She'd heard that they were inherently evil, touched by winter. Cold iron would hurt them just the same though.
Eianar draws himself to his full height, his beard seemingly blowing ice in the winds, the young druid calls out, "Gozreh, take hold of these sprites and command them to listen and obey my words. Let them stop their attack and attack those that would attack my friends and I."
Perception
Something must be wrong !
Domitian can't quite reach the sprite perched up in a tree but Erland's bolt and Ingrit's arrow find their targets, but the sprites seem to be too powerful to heed Eianar's call. They fire again, missing Eianar but hitting Ingrit for 2 points of damage (and another Fort save). Meanwhile the third sprite sneaks up on Damiano and Erland and hits them with a Color Spray. They need to make a Will 12 save or be struck unconscious.
Then you are all up again.
will save
Erland goes down to the blast of color from the sprite.
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knowledge arcana
crossbow
Eianar speaks again, "The power of Gozreh's call cannot be resisted for long, desist your attack and protect us from these evils that attack."
Call Cold (Su): You can channel energy (as a cleric of your druid level) a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, but only to heal creatures with the cold subtype or to command them (similar to using the Command Undead feat against undead). You can take other feats that add to this ability, such as Extra Channel and Improved Channel, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Elemental Channel and Alignment Channel. The DC to save against this ability is equal to 10 + 1/2 your druid level + your Charisma modifier.