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Quinn waits until Tsin has stalked a safe distance away from him, then he calls after her, "You might want to wash that hand."
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Apetir knuckleruns a few hundred more feet away before turning around to see if,he is being pursued by Tsin. Seeing not he returns carefully until he realizes that the danger is over.
He struts back to the party, trying to keep his musky animal magnetism from provoking any more outbursts from Tsin.
Easy Hektir, she couldn't help herself. You're just more man than she could take.
Hektir says nothing.
As the piper collapses to the forest floor, Malavarius sighs in relief. "Well done, Pemsworth, my lad. Well done indeed." As the halfling trots after Tsin, Malavarius regards Zeno.
"Why is it Pemsworth's familiar is teaching him handy things like how to throw lightning bolts from his hands and all you do is squawk and complain, hmmm? You'd best starting carrying your weight, Zeno. That rabbit's making you look bad."
The sharp crack of beak meeting skull is heard, immediately followed by the old wizard's loud shout of pain. The two fall into a familiar, muffled argument as thoughts of Tsin's frightful assgrabbery are forgotten.
Apetir knucklewalks around, careful to keep himself facing Tsin, lest his majestic, silverbacked, and magnetic backside induce another uncontrollable grabassspasm from Tsin.
He looks about for things of interest...and the magic doohickey they seek.
Perception
Hektir, you find a large blue-green gemstone among the tree’s roots.
As you realize Tsin has left, you quickly follow her back to the black sphere, which is indeed no longer there.
You can now see a two-story wooden hut dominates this clearing. The hovel stands on enormous chicken legs that restlessly scratch at the ground, but a gigantic manacle of iron, attached to a huge chain bolted to a spike in the earth, shackles the hut in place. An osseous fence surrounds the structure, and two corpses are impaled upon the sharpened bone pickets. A few ravens hop and flutter over the bodies, picking at the choicest bits of flesh.
The bodies impaled on the fence outside are those of a man with red hair, antlers, and hoofed goat legs, and a white-clad, pale-skinned woman with white hair, still crowned with the remains of a holly wreath.
You recognize the bodies as Baba Yaga’s other two Riders -— the Red Rider, her “Red Sun,” and the White Rider, her “Bright Morning."
Standing in front of the hut is another pale, white-haired woman. She gestures, and a massive icy statue standing a head taller than a normal human moves to block your path. A rime of frost coats it, and razor-sharp shards of ice adorn its limbs.
She nods in your direction. “I suppose I should thank you for ridding me of this fey incursion,” she says coldly, “but we both know what you’ve cost me already.”
She finishes speaking and pulls a potion from her pouch, quickly quaffing it and her skin takes on a bark-like appearance.
Hektir:
Malavarius:
Pemsworth:
Quinn:
Tsin:
Antagonist:
Pems feels a cold chill rise up his spine as he sees the white witch. He draws his icicle wand and stabs it at the witch! and
Tsin drops her shoulders slightly, as she listens to Pems. The shoulders raise right back as Quinn makes his suggestion. She can't decide right away whether he teases her or no. After consideration, she decides that the man speaks wisely. Perhaps alcohol is in order. And sanding paper.
Her mind newly settled, she returns to the piper, and rips the cold iron arrows from it as best she can. Only one appears to have struck without breaking.
She sets her mind to the task at hand. She seethes, and in the words, she finds herself moving far more quickly, her will distilled.
Her movement improved, she shifts her focus to protections.
"They probably have the strongest piper standing guard somewhere. Be prepared."
...
Round 1, Init 16
AC = 22
HP = 56/56
Weapon Equipped = MW Composite Longbow +2 Str
Condition(s) = Expeditious Retreat, PfE, Resist Energy(Cold)
"The bodies there... we've met the Black, saw him pass away, but these are the Red and the White."
Tsin decides to protect herself further.
Their witchy nemesis in sight, Quinn calls upon divine power to set things right. "Cayden, ferment us in the holy mantle of inebriation!"
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +9 (+2 vs enchantments)
CMD 20
HP 30/44
Resources Remaining:
Bolts Remaining: 19
Spells: 2/4 + 0/1 (first-level); 0/3 + 1/1 (second level); 0/2 + 0/1 (third level)
Door Sight: 6/6
Touch of Chaos: 5/6
Channel Energy: 0/6
Temporary Effects:
+2 AC
+1 to attacks/damage/saves/skill checks
Constant Effects:
Damage Resistance, Cold (2)
Round 1, Init 13
Know (Nature)
Apetir considers twerking his buxom backside towards the frozen witch, but realizes that that might not be the best idea considering what happened to the bonedanglers.
Apetir beats his chest and roars at the sky, summoning his anger at the clouds, asking them to return the favor.
Apetir points at the witch, commanding the clouds to obey the master of nature.
lightning damage DC 16 reflex for half
Apetir moves up 30'.
ApeTir
AC: 19 (1 dex, 4 NA, 1 Deflection, 3 Barkskin) +2 (Mal)
Str: 23 (19 base + 4) (+6)
Dex: 12
Con: 16
Low Light Vision, Scent
Attack: +4 BAB +6 Str +1 Amulet =+11
Bite: +11, 1d6+7
Claws x2: +11, 1d4+7 + grab
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.;
HP 56/63
Barkskin (1 hour)
Resinous Skin (1 hour)
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Resist Energy (1 hour)
Malavarius rolls up his sleeves as the expected violence explodes into motion around him. Not seeming to notice as they slide back down to his wrists as soon as he takes his hands away, the wizard calls on some magics to bolster his comrades.
"Nasel hyena, I presume? She's the witch that radish-head fellow went on about, yes?" As Malavarius' spell finishes, his friends find their steps quickened as the world around them seems to slow. He rummages around in one of his unrolled sleeves for another scroll as he regards that giant ice creature.
When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon. The attack is made using the creature's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a speed weapon, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can't use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed.
HP: 35/35
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +2 // Ref: +4 // Will: +7 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Energy Absorption: 18/18 absorbed
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): feather fall [ ], hold portal [ ], protection from evil* [ ], magic weapon [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (3+2+1): glitterdust [ ] [ ], protection from arrows* [ ], resist energy [ ], spontaneous immolation [X] [X]
Level 3 Prepared (2+1+1): dispel magic* [X] [X], fireball [ ], haste [X]
Protective Ward used: 3/8
Scorching Ray charges used: 40/42
Ongoing Effects:
haste: 1/6 rounds
Pemsworth: 17
Tsin: 16
Malavarius: 13
Hektir: 13
Quinn: 11
Antagonists: 19
The spears catch Nalzhena by surprise, stabbing up into her as she cries out in pain, though she's able to keep her feet.
Tsin, Mal and Quinn cast spells, while Hektir calls lightning down on the witch .
Grimacing in pain, the witch flies 20 feet into the air and concentrates on the ape, who feels suddenly drowsy.
The ice creature lumbers forward and breathes out a cone of frozen mist that chills each of you.
Meanwhile, inside the bone fence, the Dancing Hut paces like a restless lion in its cage.
Nalzhena: 23; +3 AC (barkskin)
Icy: 4 rounds
Round 2, Init 13
Will Save
Apetir's eyes sag, he head lolls drowsily...before snapping upright and alert.
Reflex vs. breath. Apetir ignores the cold breath.
Apetir knucklewalks 10' behind the icy creature (flank for Tsin).
Apetir calls down lightning again on the witch (the icy female one, not Pems).
Lightning vs. Reflex 16 for half.
ApeTir
AC: 20 (1 dex, 4 NA, 1 Deflection, 3 Barkskin) +1 haste
Str: 23 (19 base + 4) (+6)
Dex: 12
Con: 16
Low Light Vision, Scent
Attack: +4 BAB +6 Str +1 Amulet =+11
Bite: +11, 1d6+7
Claws x2: +11, 1d4+7 + grab
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.;
HP 63/63
Barkskin (1 hour)
Resinous Skin (1 hour)
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Resist Energy (1 hour)
Round 2, Delay to Init 12
AC = 23 (Hasted, Protection from Evil)
HP = 56/56
Weapon Equipped = MW Composite Longbow +2 Str
Condition(s) = Expeditious Retreat, PfE, Resist Energy 10, Cold, Hasted, Prayer
Tsin shrugs off the cold blast, glad to have at least a little forethought about cold-based attacks.
She feels the magic Mal brings to bear on the group, and understands its encouragement. With this kind of magic, I'm given more... freedom... to do as I please. My will, accelerated. This. This is what magic should be.
She barely has a chance to think happier thoughts, than she watches Hektir circle the golem, setting her up to swing... more freely. Alright then... I'm too hasty to think of the boys as anchors dragging me down. They do provide buoyancy, in their own ways... She closes with the ice creature, dropping her new bow, and swings. Twice.
Pems' natural coldness seems to serve him well, as he resists most of the icy chill. Pulling a patch from his robe of many items, he suddenly holds three bottles of alchemist's fire. He tosses one at the ice statue!
for fire damage!
Malavarius' beard puffs up into his face as the ice creature's frosty breath sweeps past him. He brushes his beard back down, casting the lumbering creature an irritated stare, then looks upward at the skyborn witch. His eyes sparkle with clarity as he watches her, expecting her to cast a spell. He begins casting his own from the scroll in hand, but waits for right moment to finish.
HP: 34/35
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +2 // Ref: +4 // Will: +7 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Energy Absorption: 18/18 absorbed
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): feather fall [ ], hold portal [ ], protection from evil* [ ], magic weapon [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (3+2+1): glitterdust [ ] [ ], protection from arrows* [ ], resist energy [ ], spontaneous immolation [X] [X]
Level 3 Prepared (2+1+1): dispel magic* [X] [X], fireball [ ], haste [X]
Protective Ward used: 3/8
Scorching Ray charges used: 40/42
Ongoing Effects:
haste: 2/6 rounds
The cold chills Quinn, but he avoids the worst of it.
His already quick feet now a blur, the cleric darts across the battlefield, his steps carrying him to the far side of the ice witch.
Quinn slaps the witch with the most vicious slap that has ever been slapped.
"You ruined a perfectly good summer!
Quinn pulls his own flasks of alchemist fire and sends one lobbing onto the witch, then shifts left away from the cluster of the party.
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +9 (+2 vs enchantments)
CMD 20
HP 26/44
Resources Remaining:
Alchemist Fire: 6
Bolts Remaining: 19
Spells: 2/4 + 0/1 (first-level); 0/3 + 1/1 (second level); 0/2 + 0/1 (third level)
Door Sight: 6/6
Touch of Chaos: 5/6
Channel Energy: 0/6
Temporary Effects:
25 AC (+2, +1)
+1 to attacks/damage/saves/skill checks
Haste, +1 attack, + 1 AC and Reflex saves
Constant Effects:
Damage Resistance, Cold (2)
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the witch flies 20 feet into the air
cough cough
Pemsworth: 17
Malavarius: 13
Hektir: 13
Tsin: 16
Quinn: 11
Antagonists: 19
The alchemist's fire flares up on the ice creature as Pems' flask hits it. Hektir circles around the ice creature, setting it up for Tsin's strike. Her blows carve huge chunks of its body off, but it continues to stand and slams the butcher's apprentice.
The witch dodges the next bolt of lightning, but can't avoid Quinn's alchemist fire. Mal's preparations prove to be for naught, as the witch pulls a flask from her pouch and downs it, her wounds knitting closed.
The hut continues to pace, clawing at the ground with its chicken feet.
Nalzhena: 11; +3 AC (barkskin)
Icy: 49, 4 rounds
Round 3, Init 13
Apetir calls down lightning again on Nasal Hyena (3/6).
lightning damage vs. DC 16 Reflext for half.
ApeTir
AC: 19 (1 dex, 4 NA, 1 Deflection, 3 Barkskin) +2 (Mal)
Str: 23 (19 base + 4) (+6)
Dex: 12
Con: 16
Low Light Vision, Scent
Attack: +4 BAB +6 Str +1 Amulet =+11
Bite: +11, 1d6+7
Claws x2: +11, 1d4+7 + grab
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.;
HP 56/63
Barkskin (1 hour)
Resinous Skin (1 hour)
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Resist Energy (1 hour)
Pems throws another flask at the ice statue! for fire damage!
for more fire!
Malavarius keeps the scroll in hand, but instead of trying to unweave a spell as she casts it, he instead tries to disrupt any spell she might cast with a rather decent burst of flames.
HP: 34/35
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +2 // Ref: +4 // Will: +7 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Energy Absorption: 18/18 absorbed
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): feather fall [ ], hold portal [ ], protection from evil* [ ], magic weapon [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (3+2+1): glitterdust [ ] [ ], protection from arrows* [ ], resist energy [ ], spontaneous immolation [X] [X]
Level 3 Prepared (2+1+1): dispel magic* [X] [X], fireball [X], haste [X]
Protective Ward used: 3/8
Scorching Ray charges used: 40/42
Ongoing Effects:
prayer: +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to saves
haste: 3/6 rounds
Quinn lobs another fiery bomb and taunts the witch to take her attention away from his companions. "You frigid prude, I'll heat you up!"
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +9 (+2 vs enchantments)
CMD 20
HP 26/44
Resources Remaining:
Alchemist Fire: 4
Bolts Remaining: 19
Spells: 2/4 + 0/1 (first-level); 0/3 + 1/1 (second level); 0/2 + 0/1 (third level)
Door Sight: 6/6
Touch of Chaos: 5/6
Channel Energy: 0/6
Temporary Effects:
25 AC (+2, +1)
+1 to attacks/damage/saves/skill checks
Haste, +1 attack, + 1 AC and Reflex saves
Constant Effects:
Damage Resistance, Cold (2)
Round 2, Init 12
AC = 23 (Hasted, PfE)
HP = 53/56
Weapon Equipped = +1 Falchion
Condition(s) = Expeditious Retreat, PfE, Resist Energy 10(Cold), Hasted, Prayer
Tsin looks past the ice golem, keeping a wary eye on the witch flying about. She's almost relieved to deal with a basher, rather than a bewitcher. She continues to hack at the ice, wondering exactly where its animating force resides. She shudders, not from cold, but from the idea that each piece of ice could become its own witchy minion.
She looks over the hut, taking in yet another strangeness in this foreign land. "The hut... it's actually moving, like a living creature? I might say that I've seen everything now, but I'm likely lying to myself..."
Tsin draws breath for a final admonition. "Pharasma wishes a word with you, Nazhena, and to that end, has given me strength to see you escorted across. Come now, don't be coy. Land, and meet your judgment on even ground." Tsin's wounds begin to mend as well.
Pemsworth: 17
Malavarius: 13
Hektir: 13
Tsin: 16
Quinn: 11
Antagonists: 19
Pems' flask hits the ice creature and it's apparently too much for it, as it explodes in a spray of jagged shards that slam into Hektir, Tsin and Pems.
Quinn's flask hits Nalzhena, as she dodges Hektir's lightning.
On the ground, with nothing to attack, Tsin begins healing and trades her blade for her bow while Mal prepares his spell.
As Nalzhena begins to cast, he unleashes the fire on her, catching her by surprise. She cries out in pain, but is able to continue concentrating on casting her spell.
Nalzhena: 31; +3 AC (barkskin); -1 to saves
Malavarius frowns as he tries to determine what magics the flying witch is trying to bring to bear. He glances at the scroll in his one hand and shakes his head. He calls out as he fumbles in his sleeve for a wand, "Bring her down, before she can lean on any more of her magics! Bring her down!" Drawing it forth, he sends a beam of fire lancing through the air in the hopes of ending the witch as quickly as possible.
HP: 34/35
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +2 // Ref: +4 // Will: +7 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Energy Absorption: 18/18 absorbed
Cantrips Prepared (4): detect magic, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): feather fall [ ], hold portal [ ], protection from evil* [ ], magic weapon [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [ ]
Level 2 Prepared (3+2+1): glitterdust [ ] [ ], protection from arrows* [ ], resist energy [ ], spontaneous immolation [X] [X]
Level 3 Prepared (2+1+1): dispel magic* [X] [X], fireball [X], haste [X]
Protective Ward used: 3/8
Scorching Ray charges used: 41/42
Ongoing Effects:
prayer: +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to saves
haste: 4/6 rounds
Round 4, Init 13
Reflex (haste,prayer)
Apetir calls down lightning again on Nasal Hyena (4/6).
lightning damage vs. DC 16 Reflex for half.
ApeTir
AC: 19 (1 dex, 4 NA, 1 Deflection, 3 Barkskin) +2 (Mal)
Str: 23 (19 base + 4) (+6)
Dex: 12
Con: 16
Low Light Vision, Scent
Attack: +4 BAB +6 Str +1 Amulet =+11
Bite: +11, 1d6+7
Claws x2: +11, 1d4+7 + grab
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Speed 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.;
HP 46/63
Barkskin (1 hour)
Resinous Skin (1 hour)
Endure Elements (24 hours)
Resist Energy (1 hour)
Round 3, Init 12
AC = 23 (Hasted, PfE)
HP = 43/56
Weapon Equipped = MW Composite Longbow, +2 Str
Condition(s) = Expeditious Retreat, PfE, Resist Energy 10(Cold), Hasted, Prayer
Tsin debates shifting her concentration from threading her wounds closed, to opening wounds on the witch. She takes Malavarius's exhortation, and her mind narrows to send the arrows more powerfully at Nazhena.
Pems cringes when the icy man explodes, but takes much less damage due to his cold resistance. He straightens up, hefts the last flask and throws it at the floating witch!
for fire damage!
Tsin tries to suppress a laugh, and fails. "AH HA!! Well timed, Mal!! Let's hope this gives us the time we need to fell her! Just, hit her again, why don't you?"
Glad for their extra shopping before adventuring, Quinn pulls another flask of fire and lobs it at the witch. "Burn for every warm day you stole from us!"
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +9 (+2 vs enchantments)
CMD 20
HP 26/44
Resources Remaining:
Alchemist Fire: 3
Bolts Remaining: 19
Spells: 2/4 + 0/1 (first-level); 0/3 + 1/1 (second level); 0/2 + 0/1 (third level)
Door Sight: 6/6
Touch of Chaos: 5/6
Channel Energy: 0/6
Temporary Effects:
25 AC (+2, +1)
+1 to attacks/damage/saves/skill checks
Haste, +1 attack, + 1 AC and Reflex saves
Constant Effects:
Damage Resistance, Cold (2)
Pemsworth: 17
Malavarius: 13
Hektir: 13
Tsin: 16
Quinn: 11
Antagonists: 19
Pem's flask and Hektir's lightning hit Nalzhena as she dances through the air, dodging Quinn's flask, Mal's fire and the second of Tsin's arrows.
She drops down to 10 feet and carefully casting a spell reaches out to touch Hektir, but the big ape ducks aside, dodging her blow.
Nalzhena: 56; +3 AC (barkskin); -1 to saves
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Round 4, Init 12
AC = 23
HP = 43/56
Weapon Equipped = MW Composite Longbow
Condition(s) = Exp. Retreat, Hasted, Prayer, PfE, Resist Cold(10)
Tsin feels the phantom pull of Mal's magics ebbing away, so fires away, hoping she can lend to the task before the speed is gone.
She feels the blood pumping in her neck, and quickly realizes she's tensing again, which forces her shots wide to the left. "Breathe, Tsin. Lead her a little..."
Her arm bites her, a muscle there within warning her to slow down the action. She tamps it down, willing the muscle to understand what magic is allowing it to do.
Tsin's first arrow takes the witch in the chest and she lets out a shocked cry, which is cut short as the second hit her squarely in the head. She floats to the ground, magic spent.
Behind her, the shackled hut continues to pace in its bone enclosure.
Tsin tucks away her new bow, quite content with its recent performance. Drawing the butcher's knife, Tsin gets down on her knees, at the witch's head. She takes a moment to look at the Red and the White, then clenches her jaw. She works the blade through the cartilage, while adjusting the chin to prevent the light leaking of blood. She moves the head slowly in an arc, as the blade sinks deep and across. Metal hits cervical bone only once, finding its way between vertebrae.
She gets to her feet, and strides to the entrance of the Market Square, her gait still wonderfully sped up. She finds an adequate post, and skewers the witch's head to it, facing it outwards. She looks it over for a moment, before returning to the bodies of the Riders. She does her best to un-impale the corpses, waving Hektir over to help. Once the corpses are less desecrated, Tsin debates whether or not to bring the bodies with them.
"We'll be unable to bury them, true? Or should we bring the bodies along, now that we have the hut?"
Disappointed, the cleric leaves the butcher to her practice, though inwardly he fears the hunter may become the monster. He winces again when she spikes the witch's head on a post, but again says nothing as he helps to remove the other impaled corpses.
Their grim task completed, Quinn watches the hut as it paces, trying to understand the strange sight of a chicken legged building and the iron shackle holding it captive. "This imprisonment is wrong in many, many ways. Cayden demands freedom, even for magical huts, it must be why He directed that black rider to find us." His world always simplified by faith, Quinn looks cheerily to his companions, "How do we get in there without getting trampled?"
Apetir falls upon the witch with bestial fury, beating the downed beheaded woman a few extra slams for good measure...until his breath runs out. He scratches his magnificent silverback and looks around for more danger, more fighting.
Finally, he slumps onto a log, calming himself and seeking his true nature.
Slowly, his simian features recede and he returns to his natural form: the man known as Hektir.
He sits for a few more moments, checking his hands and palms for fur, making sure his manhood is still manhoody, and smiles at the rest of the party. His anger at Tsin is forgotten.
He wipes off the blood from his hands and stretches as he sits. Eventually, he will rise to help Tsin remove the bodies of the fallen riders. He works happily, recalling some of the fights and issues words that he would have used should he have been able to speak at the time.
Malavarius glowers at the wand in his hand, shaking it angrily and chastising it for such a poor performance, "Bah! Worthless twig! What good are you if you can't hit flying witches?!" Grumbling to himself and any within earshot, he stuffs the wand back in his sleeve and strides over toward the restless hut as the others focus their attentions on Nazhena and the corpses of Baba Yaga's other two riders.
He strokes his beard as he regards the hut and its shackle, wondering what might be the best means of freeing it.
Pems cringes slightly when Tsin turns the dead woman into a piece of meat. He heads over to the body and casts his detection upon it, pointing out any magical items. Seeing that he can't really help with the body removal, he moves toward the hut's shackles, trying to stay free of the bird's claws.
"Nice hut. Good hut. Don't claw me, right? I'm trying to help." He'll examine the chain for some time, then set to work trying to disable any locks or break any chains.
Pems finds she has three potion bottles, a wand that looks nearly identical to Pems' wand of ice spears, a wicked-looking sickle with a blade made of ice, a beautiful robe fashioned from fine blue silk embroidered with silver thread, and trimmed with owl feathers and tiny shards of crystal, a spell component pouch, a blue quartz tiara worth 500 gp and an ice diamond necklace worth 100 gp.
As he enters, the hut backs up a step, but then stands still, almost quivering. As he reaches out to touch the nearest chain, it shatters, the hut picking up its leg and shaking it, as if experimenting with its new freedom.
Pems jumps back in shock as the chain breaks and the hut dances free. He looks up at the hut, again calling out to it. "Listen, Mister Hut! We freed you, because the Black Rider sent us to find Baba Yaga. Can you, um, let us in?"
"Oh! Pemsworth! Pemsworth, lad, what did you do? I say, but that was impressive." The old wizard nods his head approvingly, his beard wagging with the motion. "Now, you young fools know once we enter that blasted abomination of a home there's no telling where we'll be swept off to, yes? I for one would rather like to see Nadya again before we toss those items old Umber Twilight bestowed upon Pemsworth into the hut's cauldron. Perhaps the hut might help find my good hat though..." Malavarius trails off in thought and falls into a quiet argument with Zeno about the merits of trusting plane-traveling, chicken-legged witch-huts and their innate good-hat-finding skills.
Tsin starts as the chains break, and the hut appears to be free to leave at any time. "Whoa!! What if it... well, there are no wings about it, still, it can take off, can't it..?" She looks nervously at Pems standing directly below the hut, and its giant talons.
"I for one would rather like to see Nadya again before we toss those items..."
"What business would you still have with Nadya, master Malavarius? It's plain enough that we leave now. Heavens know if that hut is aware enough to take flight while we say our goodbyes." Tsin enters the gate, and stands alongside Pems, not so sure their mantle will be enough to convince the construct to obey them.
"What business?!" Malavarius harumpfs and looks at Zeno, an incredulous look in his eyes. "I suppose it'd be too much to ask hasty, impetuous fools like them to appreciate the civility behind a proper farewell!"
"Bah! Don't lecture me, you- you- ... bah, you feathered chicken!"
Zeno's words are quiet and even, patient almost. It's a tone he rarely takes with the old man except when he knows Malavarius' feelings might truly be hurt.
"I know that, I know that! For goodness sake, I know chickens are birds! But that hut isn't a bird! And whether it was a bird or not, such things should not be entered hastily or lightly!"
Malavarius crosses his arms with a mighty harumpf before looking back at Tsin. "You've no idea where that hut will go, Tsin. And I'd wager when we next step out of it we won't be here any longer!"
The hut shakes its other still tethered leg, but that chain, like the first, shatters at Pems' touch. The hut lowers itself to the ground, allowing you access to its porch.
Muttering to Tsin, Pems scowls,"Of course he can remember the Black Rider's gifts, but he can't find the hat on his head..."
Pems steps onto the porch, pausing a moment in case it throws him off, and heads to the door. He examines it , then tries the handle.
The door swings open at Pem's touch, revealing a large square room, clearly larger than the hut's exterior .
Bundles of dried herbs hang from the rafters of the comfortable-looking room, and along the walls are numerous shelves holding a bewildering variety of glass jars, bottles, and vials containing all manner of strange magical components and alchemical ingredients. A massive cauldron sits in the middle of the room. No fire burns under the pot, but the liquid within it bubbles and churns, and white fumes rise and lap over the brim. A large stove, writing desk, bookcase, and fireplace complete the room, along with a number of crates, barrels, and sacks. A short flight of steps leads up to a set of double doors in the north wall, and a small ladder climbs to a trap door in the ceiling in the northeast corner. Two windows flank a door to the south.