JZ's Reign of Winter (The Frozen Stars) (Inactive)

Game Master JamZilla

Zil performs an elaborate waving gesture and says;

Good sir, I am a purveyor of goods and services. The implementation of such holds less interest for me than the acquiring of such.

Still, I am glad you enjoyed your battle.

1d25 ⇒ 4

Elleros your second skill associated with the headband is Climb

Corum looks up from the arsenal before him and says to Lucrezzia. "Reckon you should take the general's blade. Might be handy if your spells dry up."

With a curling smile, "No, no, not all of us from the south swing curved blades. The Everbloom's Rose is as much as I will need, and I hope I never need, if my spells run dry."

Not proficient ;)

JZ, what languages are on the ring?

An item (Banner) that casts Good Hope (Spell Level 3 x Caster Level 5) using a Command Word (x 1800) two times per day (total divided by 2.5) is:

3x5=15 | 15x1800=27000 | 27000/2.5=10800

If I have any choice in design, Azure and Vert, per bendy. Six mullets chief Or in the Azure field. A Hut Or in base of Vert field.

That is, a field cut diagonally, blue on the top section, green on the bottom. In the blue field Six golden stars (that's us, including Del!); in the green fields, Baba Yaga's Hut in gold.

Did the banner get found?

Lucrezzia, Zil is a purveyor of the finest and rarest goods in all the worlds. Those known and those besides. So yes, he could lay his six fingered hands on a banner matching your specifications.

Remind me what the ring was though?

Ring of Eloquence...

Common, Dwarven, Elven and Giant

"That's quite the story..." He says half listen, as he just looks on into the fire. Looking at his bag and checking everything he had asked for. "Thanks for this Zil." Pulling out a complex vial with two chambers he starts to study it.

I found what I asked for Bag, Handy Haversack and Admixture Vial

A pleasure! Is there anything else I can get for you?

At first Lucrezzia is disappointed that the ring does not have Triaxian. Then, like a slow dawn she gets that the ring is better than she asked for. "No, I be thinking the only way you could help us more, and help yourself if I speak true, is to let us know how we can contact when we do have need."

* * *
Once back outside, Lucrezzia nods to Corrleon and speaks to him in Common, "Well met, dear friend!" which of course is just gibberish. She motions for him to present his hand and when he does she slips her new ring onto his pinky finger. Then she repeats, "Well met, dear friend!" She smiles brightly, expecting him to understand her words this time.

Corrleon nods at Lucrezzia's first greeting then chuckles and pats his hands in the air in a gesture for her to stop as she rushes into a second salutation. With a bemused grin, he points to the ring already on his finger. Looking to Elleross, he notes, "It seems your friend thinks all her words are beyond me, Elleross. Ah, if only more people were as keen to be understood as she."

Turning back to Lucrezzia, he points first to her, then with his hand mimes her speaking. He then points to himself and nods. Next, he points to himself and repeats the gesture miming speech. He then points to her and shakes his head.

Her smile becomes a grin, "Say what you mean, you can speak our tongue now!"

we have the raven lucrezzia, it will allow us to contact Zil any time we need to I believe. Elleross says showing her the figurine
Zil I would like to obtain a scroll, specifically an arcane scroll of protection against energy. I am hoping you will take some items in trade

does anyone know what we are selling from the battle? I have t had a chance to check what we found

Outside.......

Elleross watches the exchange between them with amusement and turning to Corrleon he answers him in his own triaxian tongue, thanks to the headband he had now grasped triaxian fully and could speak it fluently

I believe she is trying to tell you that you can now speak our language as well as understand it. The ring she has given you grants you the ability to speak several languages. Give it a go, it may seem strange at first but the language will soon flow naturally if you let it he says with a smile

we have the raven lucrezzia, it will allow us to contact Zil any time we need to I believe. Elleross says showing her the figurine

Zil I would like to obtain a scroll, specifically an arcane scroll of protection against energy. I am hoping you will take some items in trade

does anyone know what we are selling from the battle? I have t had a chance to check what we found

The Raven just signals Zil that you are ready to meet, you can't communicate through it. Also, he will travel to the Hut regardless of where you use the Raven

Corrleon takes the proffered ring, the ridges along his right ear ruffling as he does so. With a shrug, he slips it over a finger and waits.

A few moments pass before his eyes widen. A stream of words tumble from his mouth, "Dè tha seo? Dè na faclan a tha seo? Chan eil fhios 'am, ach is toil leam mar a tha iad a' fuaim!" He chuckles then as confusion clouds a number of faces and he waves his hand to dismiss the joke. "My apologies, I found that I just couldn't resist. It's an odd sensation, knowing a language but knowing nothing of the culture or people who forged it." These last words are spoken in a sibilant baritone and in the Travelers' common tongue.

Elleross chuckles as Corrleon wraps his tongue around the dwarven language

the dwarven language is a coarse tongue but It is a rich language, that I enjoy he says in common it is good that we can all converse freely now

Off on more grand adventures, I assume? Zil asks cheerfully, handing over the items requested by the group.

He tried to keep an ample stock of things that to him were merely trinkets or curiosities, but to these pale-skinned creatures seemed absolutely vital.

Take these scrolls for example, that he was carefully unfolding to give to the eldest of this group. Rather tedious bedtime reading at best, but Elleros seemed delighted to have them added to his repetoire.

In his travels across the cosmos Zil had seen it all - law, chaos, good, evil, love, hate, power, poverty and everything in between. But to his mind there was but one constant in all of that - wealth. And he had become exceptionally talented in it's acquisition.

He liked this group though, even the burly aggressive one, and so he would do his best to meet their requests. And of course his best, was the best there was.

thank you for these Zil, again you prove to be a merchant beyond compare Elleross says as he stores the scrolls away the raven allows us to signal you to meet us here, is there a way we may send you a message? Should we have any urgent requests for items we may need . he asks

Indeed you can! Allow me to show you how.... the massive alien says cheerfully.

Once per day the raven can be used to produce a sending effect that will reach Zilvazaraat wherever he is in the Great Beyond. He can return the message with an indication of how long it will take him to procure your shopping list

Once Zil has shown him how to send a message through the raven Elleross bids him farewell and makes his way back outside to the others.

we have got what we came for, now we need to make preparations to infiltrate this ivory fortress. We should get back and make plans for our next steps

Shall I move on? Flying to Ivory Glass? The dragonkin cannot take you all the way, they would be too easily seen and intercepted by they will get you as clse as they can

Corrleon pats Bescaylie on the shoulder as she tenses when the group passes before the hut's towering legs and enormous talons. "A strange and unsettling abode you all must travel in." He shakes his head and then continues, "But yes, on toward Ivoryglass. This strange skin you need will not fetch itself, after all."

what do we know about this ivory glass place? How heavily guarded is it? What are we likely to encounter?
Ideally I want to research the place, scribe some spells into my spell book, rest and go tomorrow but I’ll follow whatever the others want to do

I was going to ask the same as Elleross, can we roll any checks?

Given that you are from another planet you aren't going to know much. I don't mean that flippantly, but only Corrleon is going to know anything about it with a knowledge local check unless you head back to Spurhorn and actually do some research.

Corrleon can relay the following automatically:

Ivoryglass, the is glacial fortress-palace of the white dragon warlord Yrax, Lord of the Howling Storm.

During the long Triaxian winters, the Drakelands’ white dragons often become ascendant over their kin, and Yrax is one of the most powerful white dragon warlords.

Ivoryglass sits within the Vahara Glacier, inside a large well-like shaft almost 200 feet deep called a moulin, formed over millennia from glacial meltwater. Ivoryglass takes its name from an immense, circular block of smooth, palely reflective white stone over 3,000 feet in diameter that supports the entire fortress and its outbuildings.

Crafted ages ago by powerful dragons, this massive stone “floats” atop the moving glacier and magically keeps the fortress level and in place, ensuring that the glacier doesn’t slowly overrun and swallow the fortress.

Knowledge (local, untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 2
Knowledge (geography): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

"I know little of the place save from common legend." He shakes his head, recounting what little he recalls. (see above) "I am, however, much more familiar with the lands around the moulin and Yrax's fortress."

What do I know of the region, JZ? Maybe a best approach?

The moulin sits atop the galcier. That means that approach is very difficult with open ground for hundreds of yards in all directions. It is one of the reasons that the fortress is so imposing a target.

The region is as cold as Spurhorn and colder at night where you will need real protection form the elements in the way of tents, winter clothing or magical protection in order to not suffer ill effects.

Reports suggest Yrax has much of his army at the border of the Drakelands in readiness for full scale invasion. But he is still unlikely to leave Ivoryglass undefended and you still suspect many patrols and heavy resistance.

Heading out? You can rest in the Hut if you'd like, though that would cause a problem for Corrleon, Efrixes and Bescaylie

Can we head out on dragon-kin back for whichever direction I think we’ll find the least exposed approach to the glacier? Like a wide open ice field with a lot of glare to shield us from view on the western approach or a stretch maybe with some dips and hills we could weave through coming from the north? Something like that? Just a direction to start from would be helpful.

Yes, definitely.

That afternoon the group sets off in the direction of Ivoryglass. Corrleon had provided a detailed description of what to expect from the landscape and all of them resigned themselves to the fact this might be a difficult approach either way.

But in any case it was better to get as close as possible and then determine a course of action.

The dragonkin carry the group with powerful beats of their leathery wings, expertly riding the swells and currents of air. It is a smooth ride though Greyston still feels green around the gills at every cut and tack.

We won't reach it tonight. Efrixes says over his shoulder. We'd better start looking for some cover soon.

The statement was easily said, but not easily followed. For miles in every direction flat ice-planes spread like a carpet of white. In the cold, clear air dozens of black specks can be seen on the horizon, slowly circling and going this way and that.

We can't even see Ivoryglass yet but those are patrols. Bescaylie confirms, shouting over the roar of the wind. This is going to be harder than we thought.

Down there! one of the other Dragonkin yells suddenly.

Distracted by the patrols so far ahead, none of you have glanced down for some time. Now that you do, you see a humanoid creature sprinting across the ice field below. It looks as though it is running for it's life but there is absolutely no cover for it to hide in.

Pursuing close behind are two enormous spider-like creatures with long legs that end in wicked barbs that propel them quickly across the ice. Their alien bodies are covered in dense white fur and occasionally when the wind is right you hear their shrill calls to one another as they hunt their prey.

Two of these things

I would like to rest before going to ivory glass, unless we levelled before we set out for the hut this morning?
I would like access to the new spells I will get at this level before we go :)

You can rest and level up before you travel. You have rested in this kind of environment before and I just want to move it on a bit now

Elleross looks below them as the dragon kin shouts out.
He can see the hunters were almost upon their prey and without their intervention they did not stand a chance.

knowledge ?: 1d20 ⇒ 7

I can’t make out who is running, but they don’t stand a chance. We have to help them he calls out

If you agree with Elleros I will enter rounds. You are about 200 feet up and mounted (for the most part)

Greystons eyes adjust as he looks down spotting the disgusting creatures, and the running.

"He's right, get us down there." Greyston shouts out over the whipping wind.

Round 1 - Heroes

how close are these things to their prey? Are they literally about to catch them?

how far below us are they?

As the dragon kin begin to descend toward the creatures Elleross dips into his spell pouch and unleashes a field of black grasping tentacles, they erupt from the snow covered ground and reach hungrily for the spider like things.

tenebris polypus atrium attractatum!

black tentacles: 1d20 + 11 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 4 + 1 = 36

I am hoping I can catch both these things in the 20 foot spread and not hit the humanoid,if this isn’t possible I may do something else and not cast this spell

200 feet below, they are about 50 feet from their prey - 2 rounds at most

The Dragonkin can fly at 60ft per round if you want them to drop you off onto the glacier.

You can catch one of them but not both, they are quite far apart closing in on a pincer movement. Map coming in a few minutes.

Combat Map

As you get closer you see that the humanoid looks like a bipedal wolf - in truth very much like the tales of werewolves you have heard from back home, except that this humanoid wolf’s fur is snowy white and its eyes piercing blue.

It grips a spear in tightly even as she sprints cross the ice.

I have placed a black square over the one I cast a spell on j
knowledge on wolf: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28

previous knowledge check on the spiders would total 25

Knowledge Nature for the spiders, Local for the wolf

On of the spiders is grappled by the black tentacles

You don't know much about the spiders. They are Ursikkas, fearsome arctic hunters.

They are powerful in melee, easily able to grab and crush smaller foes. They are immune to cold, have the ferocity natural ability (keep fighting after 0 hit points) and are able to spit cold, entangling spittle

The wolf creature is an Adlet. Adlets are cunning hunters of the arctic wilds. Tall, sinewy, nimble, and very quick, they see themselves as the true heritors of untamed arctic lands, and are offended by any other humanoid species that attempts to settle in such regions. Although not normally evil, adlets are very aggressive and warlike. They also have no social taboo against cannibalism, and their practice of eating their dead rather than burying them only further builds misconceptions about their morality.

Deeply religious, adlets worship the power and cruelty of nature, seeing divinity in the lash of the blizzard’s wind, the ferocity of the polar bear, and the immensity of the towering iceberg. Many become oracles or druids, but all adlets know their place in the natural world.

be wary of these things, they are called Ursikkas. They can entangle you with their saliva,they spirit out like a sticky net and they try and grab and crush their prey he calls out to the group in triaxian and in common and unsurprisingly they are immune to the cold, I have stopped one for now but it could fight its way free at any time

Corum points with his sword at the spider still running. "Get me down there. Now!"

Corrleon leans out to the side, pulling his bow to the ready. He times his aim with the beat of Efrixes' wing then lets a singular arrow fly for the unhindered ursikka.
Longbow (2nd range increment): 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 20 - 2 = 20 for: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 (To hit is either at an additional -4 (move or double move) or -8 (run) depending on how fast the dragonkin is going)

By default they will double move (Getting you 120feet closer)

All of your mounts will do that unless you tell me otherwise, Greyston and Lucrezzia are you doing anything this round?