Indras manages to get a hit off on Skrikks, and the creature does not look happy about that. The mound of ice and snow charges Indras.
Szassh charges Gaandik (Stigr will get an attack of opportunity.), slamming into the stunned cleric.
+
Drazheek attacks the one that attacked Indras.
"Ahh! Kill it!"
Indras drops his bow again and unsheathes his greatsword, attacking the creature that charged him.
Gaandik calls on healing power of the Inheritor, excluding the foes.
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Stigr grunts as the creature slams into Gaandik, and he hefts his axe in an overhand chop.
The warrior-priest grimaces as the axe cleaves deeply into the being. You watch your flock and grant us the gifts to defend ourselves, Deadeye.
Stigr slams his ace into the creature of snow and ice, and it falls before him, lifeless.
The remaining creature managing to avoid any further hits slams into Indras again,
Charlotte wakes up looking somewhat confused but quickly recovers. She scrambles to her feet and draws her crossbow.
Indras keeps swinging his greatsword hoping to hit the creature in front of him that he so far managed to dodge.
And he misses the thing again, he curses for his inefficiency with a sword rather than his bow.
Blast! Firing a bow is easier for me, than swinging this sword. I should stay more at the back coming fights, let them take the brunt of the assault.
Grayson, seemingly in tune with Indras' thoughts raises his bow, and looses an arrow at the creature!
Gaandik attacks after charging with his longsword.
Stigr remains standing over the fallen Charlotte, ready to strike out if the remaining creature comes near.
The creature, starting to look weary as Gaandik hits it with a charge slams into the cleric this time, seeing as it hasn't hit Indras.
And it connects!
and
Charlotte narrows her eyes at the creature as it charges. She waits for the opportune moment, and lets fly with a bolt from her crossbow.
The creature drops to the ground, defeated by Charlotte's mighty crossbow bolt.
Gaandik grabs his holy symbol and chants. Healing energy fills the air again.
Gaandik's wounds are mostly closed. Charlotte is completely refreshed and at full health.
"Nice shot Charlotte. Let us search these creatures and get back on the trail."
Charlotte looks pleased and more vibrant and energetic than she's been in hours. "It seems like you've saved my life yet again. I could not ask for better companions."
Stigr grunts and moves over to the dropped creature. Setting his shield aside, he raises the axe in two hands and brings it down on the being's neck.
He looks up after the business is settled, staring into the sky and whispering a Skald prayer to speed whatever soul may be going on its way.
"It's protecting the flock, Charlotte, guarding the community we've forged. But I'm glad to play my part." Stigr smiles and puts his shield back on his back. "Now where to?"
While the bodies of the creatures do not appear to have anything on them, on the other side of the frozen stream you can see a human body lying on the ground, lifeless and cold.
"Let's get moving then, if you're done talking that is."
Indras picks up his bow again and moves up to the other side, carefully moving over the ice to negate any thin pieces. He moves to inspect the body at the other side.
Stigr also stows his axe in favor of drawing out his bow. He moves toward the body, his movements agile and surprisingly quick on the unstable surface--it seems to barely effect him. "Careful crossing--it's slippery," he calls.
"My snowshoes should allow more ice to take my weight. If someone lighter wants to use them, no problem. We should get a rope across first to be safe."
Grayson looks at the Aasimar Cleric,"That's a good bit of preparation Master Fatebound. I will wait here to ensure everyone is across safely, and then I would be glad to use your snowshoes."
The Ranger, points out any visible weakpoints, and offers advice on how to most safely move across the stream.
Taking your time across the ice slowly, the party manages to get to the other side without a problem. The body on the opposite side of the bank is now clearer to you, this man was a farmer in Heldren, and he must have wandered off into the forest never to return. The man though likely defeated by the same creatures you had just faced, still has his belongings about him. He carries a composite longbow (+1 Str) with 12 arrows; a dagger; a masterwork handaxe; and a pouch containing 14 gp, 25 sp, and 18 cp.
Indras moves over to the body and a look of recognition comes across his face.
"I've seen this man in Heldren, in the tavern he was one of the people that gave me a dirty look now and then. I believe he was a farmer, can't say I knew him, but I feel kinda sorry for him nonetheless."
He picks up the bow and goes through the rest of his belongings.
"It seems he was better equipped than I would have given him credit for. Look at this bow for instance, remarkable craftmanship on that, no doubt."
His eyes shoot from the body towards the surroundings, trying to see if nothing else is near. He still finds the snowman annoying as hell.
"Drazheek has enough daggers."
Looking at the snowman.
"Talking snowman? This gets stranger by the hour!"
"Well, one of you rangers should use that bow. The other can grab that hand axe, looks well made."
Gaandik adds, "That is one snowman that I won't be sad to see melt in the sun either."
He points forward. "Let us continue. We can resume our normal order with Stigr healed up. I have more than half my healing in reserve."
Charlotte stands back as the others pick over the corpse. She tries not to let it bother her when they do things like this, but her feelings come out all the same. "Does the man have anything identifying? Jewelry or something? He may have family back in Heldren who want closure."
Indras picks up the bow and shoulders it, he divides the arrows among him and Grayson, 6 each.
"Who should be our money caretaker hmm? How about you Preacher?"
Indras throws the bag of coins to anyone who volunteers
"How bout we get him on the way back?"
Upon finding the farmer, Stigr immediately wondered if he knew the man...
He was going to move for the bow himself, but between Indras's speed and the shock of seeing a dead man he knew , he isn't quick enough.
The Prophet thinks for a moment, wondering if he should risk trouble by demanding the use of the bow. I am the Prophet of Erastil and the only holy man of Old Deadeye present, after all...
Then Indras makes his comment on keeping money, and Stigr frowns, his eyes hardening. "Gold and its fellows often cause more harm than good in the world, and they lead to suffering more oft than not. But if you wish me to be our moneykeeper, I'll do so. Keep in mind this, however: I am no Preacher. I'm merely the Prophet of my deity." With that, he snatches the pouch and ties it to his belt.
"Are we ready to move?"
Stigr recongizes the man as Old Man Dansby, a farmer from Heldren. At one point in time, he was a soldier of Taldor. You also seem to recall a rumor that Old Man Dansby had been claiming that someone kept stealing from his fields. His farm lies near the boarder wood and half of his crops would be frozen over by now, but he had claimed that the rest were taken away. Perhaps he was chasing the bandits that stole his crops when he encountered the creatures protecting this stream.
Before the group heads out, Stigr performs another rite over the dead man, whispering a prayer to speed his soul on its way to the next world and thanking him for all his work in the community. Would that we had acted on his claims earlier.
"Ready to move out 'Prophet', whenever the others are ready." A light squeak can be heard fom inside Indras's collar, apparently Argen is also eager to get going.
When we go Indras takes his place at the front again, his new bow steady in hand.