Day 3: Kythorn 18, Year of the Worm (1356 DR)
Aldon will wake and move through his martial exercises to keep his body as sharp as his mind.
Once the troupe heads out, Aldon will bring up the last spot in the position of the group.
Day 3: Kythorn 18, Year of the Worm (1356 DR)
Thurvek prayer's to Clanggedin Silverbeard are brief for the cleric still had many of his god's blessing the day before.
As navigator for The Eight, Thurvek is up front, eating a dwarven trail ration was he walks.
Ari awakens to another cold, foggy day. She takes time to pray to Ilmater for his provision on their journey - and particularly that they don't get lost again - before the group begins to travel.
She knows, as an archer, she has no need to be near the front. While her survival skills might be more helpful near the front, the group had managed to get back on the right track the previous day. Ari trusts that Bolkvar and the others will be more attentive to their surroundings after yesterday's debacle.
Bolkvar walks next to Thurvek, assisting his kinsman in navigating their way to the village.
"Damn fog", curses Thurvek. "It will be impossible to navigate until it burns off some."
Ranek awakens and refreshes his spells. Though he had not cast any the previous day, he felt it important to look over what he had prepared so his mind stayed fresh. It did not take long, and he was ready to go with the others.
As they marched along the foggy road, Ranek found himself in the back half of their line. Though preferring to fight close up, he knew that the fact he did not wear armor made him appear to need more defending. Walking along, he attempted to pay better attention to the road, although he was unused to the weather.
Marcus awoke early and after dealing with his bodily needs he spent the morning on guard duty. He enjoyed the quiet, it have him time to contemplate and appreciate the austere beauty of nature in winter. Of course it was cold, but he bothered. More than likely the day would warm up and once there were on the move they'd be fine.
After morning prayer, Marcus strung his bow and they where ready to go. Of course the fog came one more and along with it the usual doubts. Not wanting to waste precious daylight, Marcus suggested, "If those most familiar with outdoor pursuits work together I'm sure we'll be find the way. We didn't really try that yesterday, which was remiss of us."
The company start off through the fog, marking their way carefully and often checking with one another as they go. About an hour into their chilly journey, Bolkvar smelled something vile almost on top of him. He thought for a second he'd stepped into a rotting carcass, but looked up to see a muscular, gray-green giant with wart-adroned skin looming above him in the fog, claws already raised to strike!
+11 traps, Darkvision 60
Due to the fog, only Bolkvar gets a chance to see our big friend before the main event. It has total concealment vs. everyone else, and they vs. it. You'll be able to hear it and all, but not quickly enough to get a go at surprise unless someone is hiding a non-visual sense that I missed.
Inits
"Troll!" Bolkvar cries out, to alert his group to the threat. Immediately he began chanting, causing his eyes and tattoo to light up with arcane power.
"Troll!" Bolkvar cries out, to alert his group to the threat. Immediately he began chanting, causing his eyes and tattoo to light up with arcane power. Just as he finished his chant, the troll's claw flashed through the fog almost a foot to one side of the dwarf.
Trolling Bolkvar
miss!
"Flank the creature lads!" he cries out as he dodges a swipe of his claws. "I do me best work when I can hit the vital points an' I need an' openin.'"
If not for Bolkvar's shout, Ari would likely have missed the troll entirely. Now that the dwarf had mentioned it, Ari thinks she can see the very faint outline of the creature, but it's impossible to be sure in the thick fog. She found herself having a strange nostalgia for the duststorms of Calimshan.
No matter. She would have to make do. Gripping her bow, she moves to a better position, knowing her initial positioning provided too much cover to the troll.
Pulling back her bowstrong, Ari infuses the bow with magical energy right before she looses an arrow. It flies straight and trues, burying itself in the troll.
She found herself having a strange nostalgia for the duststorms of Calimshan.
She found herself having a strange nostalgia for the duststorms of Calimshan.
At Bolkvar's cry of "Troll", Ranek curses the fog for allowing the beast to come upon them unseen.
Knowing Bolkvar's location, Ranek aims at a spot just ahead of and to the right of the Dwarf, at a vaguely hulking shape through the mist, before loosing a spell that, if nothing else, will hopefully make seeing the troll easier - and may even blind it. He then moved off to the right, in the direction Ari had gone, hoping to get a better line of attack on it and drawing his blade as he did so.
Aldon shifts forward to a point where he can see the outline of the Troll. Once he is within sight he wills the Way to deliver a massive psychic assault against the creature. A high pitched whine erupts and sounds like some sort of fearsome beast muffled by the fog it ends abruptly and with what Aldon hopes is a successful attack.
Tempo: 4
Barra whirls around at Bokvar's cry and tacks south, yanking his short swords out of their sheaths as he twirls through his companions. He comes up alongside the creature and goes low, striking at it's knee but barely scraping it's thick hide. "Step around it's back, if you can!"
Using Tactical Strike
(Hit on high)
A troll! Marcus's heart skipped a beat, everyone in the north knew how dangerous they were, with stories of their rampages shared around countless campfires.
Entering his inner memory palace, Marcus focused on his training. The Tormtar where no strangers to fighting trolls and his weapon masters had many suggestions for dealing with such a foe. Calling upon the aid of Torm was part of this, which is what he did. He whispered, "Torm aid us!" and his mind knew a strange peace as the mysteries of battle were revealed to him!
Thurvek screams at the troll as the cleric enters his raging state. Unhooking his battleaxe from his belt, Thurvek circles around the monster, 1) to take his attention off the others, and 2) to fill Bolkvar's request to flank the creature.
When in position, Thurvek attacks with brutal determination, but swings too wide.
With Thurvek in position, Bolkvar launched himself at the troll. Aiming for the troll's neck, he extended his fingers into a knife-hand and gabbed it in, focusing his powers as he did so to harden his fingers to be as tough as steel. He then followed up with a swipe at the troll's eyes, and finally, pushing his body past the point of what was natural, a fist toward's its abdomen which struck with the force of a hammer.
Looking at the monster Barra recalls that trolls, the Everlasting Ones, heal with astounding speed from almost any injury but can be slain by the touch of flames or acid.
Barra whirls around at Bokvar's cry and tacks south, yanking his short swords out of their sheaths as he twirls through his companions. He comes up alongside the creature and goes low, striking at it's knee but barely scraping it's thick hide. "Step around it's back, if you can!"
A troll! Marcus's heart skipped a beat, everyone in the north knew how dangerous they were, with stories of their rampages shared around countless campfires. Entering his inner memory palace, Marcus focused on his training. The Tormtar where no strangers to fighting trolls and his weapon masters had many suggestions for dealing with such a foe. Calling upon the aid of Torm was part of this, which is what he did. He whispered, "Torm aid us!" and his mind knew a strange peace as the mysteries of battle were revealed to him!
Knowing Bolkvar's location, Ranek aims at a spot just ahead of and to the right of the Dwarf, at a vaguely hulking shape through the mist, before loosing a spell that, if nothing else, will hopefully make seeing the troll easier - and may even blind it. He then moved off to the right, in the direction Ari had gone, hoping to get a better line of attack on it and drawing his blade as he did so. Brilliant dust descended upon the troll, lighting its body and cutting through the fog to bare its exact position to those nearest. The troll howled in outrage.
Thurvek screams at the troll as the cleric enters his raging state. Unhooking his battleaxe from his belt, Thurvek circles around the monster, to take his attention off the others, and to fill Bolkvar's request to flank the creature. When in position, Thurvek attacks with brutal determination. He would have missed, but for the troll's blindness leaving it vulnerable. Instead his axe sliced into its side and green-black blood flowed.
With Thurvek in position, Bolkvar launched himself at the troll. Aiming for the troll's neck, he extended his fingers into a knife-hand and gabbed it in, focusing his powers as he did so to harden his fingers to be as tough as steel. He then followed up with a swipe at the troll's eyes, and finally, pushing his body past the point of what was natural, a fist toward's its abdomen which struck with the force of a hammer.
Speaking a quick prayer to Torm Truesayer, Hakon drew in a deep breath and then emitted a lion's roar that shook the fog and bolstered the company. With it still ringing in ears, Hakon forged ahead with bare steel and cut deep into the troll's rubbery hide.
Ari thinks she can see the very faint outline of the creature, but it's impossible to be sure in the thick fog. She found herself having a strange nostalgia for the duststorms of Calimshan. No matter. She would have to make do. Gripping her bow, she moves to a better position, knowing her initial positioning provided too much cover to the troll. Pulling back her bowstrong, Ari infuses the bow with magical energy right before she looses an arrow. It flies straight and trues, burying itself in the troll.
Aldon shifts forward to a point where he can see the outline of the Troll. Once he is within sight he wills the Way to deliver a massive psychic assault against the creature. A high pitched whine erupts and sounds like some sort of fearsome beast muffled by the fog it ends abruptly and with what Aldon hopes is a successful attack. His thoughts reach out, but Aldon feels the troll's will push back and knock them away in a red rage of pain and hate.
Flailing with its huge arms, the troll barely grazed the top of Bolkvar's head. But feeling the dwarf's touch, it lunged foward with its huge jaw and clashed hard against Bolkvar's warding magic, which flared briefly to life with the impact.
Bolkvar delays until after Thurvek.
Blinded. I'll also say this mitigates concealment for people adjacent. Beyond that concealment still applies because it's just a glowly blur. You know what squares it's in, but you could guess that from Bolkvar's position.
no stun
Troll time.
it gets a bite
And it regenerates 5
The troll lunged at him, only to be met with a wall of stone which shot out of the ground. Just as quickly as it appeared, the wall broke apart into a shower of rubble. Bolkvar lept through it and the fog at the troll. Inwardly he thanked his companions, for he could feel Hakon's divine powers, and could see the troll due to Ranek. Close to it now he made another swipe before following up with a headbutt, a move few sane men would try against a troll. Finally he jumped back, ready to throw up another wall of stone.
Ari is only able to see Ranek's actions clearly as he stands beside her. While his spell won't help her chances of hitting the troll, it is still satisfying to know it had been blinded. What's more, it was sure to be a boon to those fighting the beast close up.
She pulls back her bowstring again and releases three arrows in quick succession. Ari grits her teeth in frustration as all the arrows miss. If it weren't for this blasted fog, she likely would have no trouble hitting the troll.
Focused Marcus reaches up with his right hand to fluidly draw his greatsword in one graceful motion. He lightly steps forward ready to do battle with the foul troll and slips on a tree root. Oops.
Ranek sees Ariyana's arrows fly towards the now glittering shape. He grins as the effect of blinding the creature is successful, then charges a glow of magic into his sword. Unsure how much longer the fight will be, Ranek speaks more words of magic before darting forward towards the Troll, and striking at the beast with his sword, knowing the spell will pulse through the blade and hit the beast.
"Acid, good! That'll help keep it down!" Reversing his grips on his shortswords, Barra drives them like ice picks into the troll's side to produce a weal of foul-smelling liquid.
Thurvek still deep within his bloodrage, continues his onslaught against the troll, sinking his battleaxe once more deep within troll flesh.
Once more the high pitched whine erupts and ends just as abruptly.
Hakon strikes at the troll with his shield and sword.
5' step to flank with Marcus
"Acid, good! That'll help keep it down!" Reversing his grips on his shortswords, Barra drives them like ice picks into the troll's side to produce a weal of foul-smelling liquid. They bit deep and drew much blood.
Focused Marcus reaches up with his right hand to fluidly draw his greatsword in one graceful motion. He lightly steps forward ready to do battle with the foul troll and slips on a tree root. Oops.
Ranek sees Ariyana's arrows fly towards the now glittering shape. He grins as the effect of blinding the creature is successful, then charges a glow of magic into his sword. Unsure how much longer the fight will be, Ranek speaks more words of magic before darting forward towards the Troll, and striking at the beast with his sword, knowing the spell will pulse through the blade and hit the beast. Spell and steel struck as one, flashing through rubbery flesh and bursting many warts in the corrosive spell-field. The troll swayed and fell.
As the troll falls, Thurvek's bloodrage ends, leaving him panting and tired.
"Remove..the head..to be certain", huffs the cleric.
Ari lowers her bow as the troll hits the ground. She had only managed to land one arrow, but it seemed the others had been much more effective up close.
She walks over to where the troll lays and pulls her arrow from its unconscious body. For a moment, she considers performing the Turning for the troll, but she highly doubts it'll listen and she doesn't speak giant anyway.
With Thurvek calling for the removal of the troll's head, Ari figures it's wise to let the others do what they think is best. The thing had tried to injure Bolkvar first, so they were the innocents in this situation.
Ari carefully searches the area around the troll, using her dancing lights as needed till she finds her remaining three arrows and returns them to her quiver.
"We should keep moving. There could be other trolls nearby and we've already lost too much time from yesterday."
"Grand! ''Twas a grand fight! To fight a troll, exhilierating. Me first time seeing one up close."
"We should keep moving. There could be other trolls nearby and we've already lost too much time from yesterday."
Barra twisted; sheathing his swords and pulling a torch from his pack. He held it in his teeth while he struck a spark, and mumbled around it to the others, "No kidding; no tavern tale I've ever heard only had one troll. Best to keep our heads about us, at least until the fog clears."
Regaining his composure, along with the map that was dropped, Thurvek looks to his traveling companions.
"Any injuries?"
"Grand! ''Twas a grand fight! To fight a troll, exhilierating. Me first time seeing one up close."
[dice=K... nature?]1d20+11
Bolkvar has read that the Everlastong Ones usually live in small groups, usually no more than a dozen but rarely less than five or six who answer to a priestess that keeps her dominance by brute force and may read the auspices in her own entrails. Some possess two heads and are larger than the others. These often become priestesses. Trolls prefer to dwell in caves, the entries blocked by boulders, but occasionally dig troll holes beneath great trees.
Trolls fear few creatures short of dragons, but sometimes align themselves with and dwell among giants.
Aldon steps over to the downed Troll and raises his fist, it begins to glow fiery red he kneels and drives the flaming fist into the Trolls chest and rips out its still beating heart. He holds it in his flaming hand until it melts away.
"That should do it. Cutting off the head might just make two. If any of you need spell components this beast may provide some unusual ingredients", States the monk as his hand abruptly ceases glowing and returns to normal.
Hakon wicks the blood from his blade and shield, and puts both aside. Slaying a troll is no mean feat, I have heard of seasoned warriors laid low by even one of the brutes. We truly are well-equipped to retrieve these holy relics.
After ensuring that no one was injured, Hakon will set himself to guard again.
Bolkvar shares his knowledge with the group, and then says "Let's move. We killed one without too much trouble. But six to twelve o' the beasts? That may be a different matter entirely."
Barra looked up from his torch at Aldon, a little awed and a little annoyed. "...or you could do that." He keeps it lit as they keep moving, though, in case more should show up.
In his mind Marcus had acquitted himself poorly, failing to contribute. He was thoughtful and introspected for now, although later his usual bonhomie broke through. When Hakon remarked about their number being well-equipped he murmured softly, "I hope you're right..."
Bolkvar's insights into typical trollish behavior where alarming and Marcus nodded when he suggested leaving - lingering here would be tempting fate.
"I agree. A battle of eight against one is should be won by the larger group. A larger group of Trolls might just be too much for us."
Ranek keeps alert and scans the area round the road as they prepared to move forward and continue on their journey.
No further menaces appeared to lurk in the fog, so the company pressed on. They only had one hour of fog-muffled trod before the sun did its work and showed them the mountains and gray sky again. The rest of the day passed without incident, as marker stones passed in uneven intervals. Between them and last year's ice- and snow-filled wheel ruts, the path remained clear as day.
Day 4: Kythorn 19, Year of the Worm (1356 DR)
That night, they camped in the lee of a stand of trees. It wasn't nearly so comfortable as the ruined tower, but the dark hours passed in welcome silence save for the breeze. Morning found them yet again mired in fog as the land grew rocker and the road ascended several ridges by means of switchbacks. The shoulders of hills loomed out of the murk to either side for the three morning hours before the fog again dwindled to nothing. Then the dark, snowy peaks of the Nether Mountains spread across the horizon. They looked to be taller here, with more bare rock and flat snow reaching past the trees.
Bolkvar spotted the first sign of Auvandell toward mid-day, when they drew near enough to mark the shape of the Spire: all sharp edges and maddeningly steep slopes that almost seemed to bend in the middle, with many rock faces hanging out and casting shadows over the mountain below. From that, some said the mountain leaned. He knew from his reading that Auvandell at its foot.
Next the road took them across a creek that spilled from the Spire's slopes by means of a heavy stone bridge. The footings had the heavy, square structure and straight lines of dwarf work, but the bridge itself looked to be the product of many hands. The water flowed beneath, swift and white. Beyond the bridge, The ground became more level and opened into perhaps half a mile of mostly rolling land. In the distance, the walls and a tall tower marked the village.
A few hundred feet ahead, just to the side of the road, a graybeard crossed. He paid the company no mind, not even looking their way as he moved. With each step his beard moved with unheard words, quick and angry, and he shook his fists. He held a rope in one and hand another slung about his shoulders. Perhaps twenty feet from him, two large horses stood, facing away.
The graybeard sidled up to the horses and tried to seize one by the head, but the instant he drew near they reared and bolted a dozen or more yards. He swore loudly then, "Malar Beastlord take you both! The Tuskers can have you!" and threw down his ropes in disgust.
They had arrived. Or almost, anyway. Ari was grateful that the journey had been relatively uneventful. Sure, they had gotten lost once and run into a troll, but they hadn’t had to contend with any cultists of Bhaelros or Loviatar, so that was good.
As the group nears Auvandell, Ari watches the graybeard struggle to corral the rebellious horses. His efforts weren’t accomplishing much except a lot of frustration for himself.
Ari approaches the man and says, “Hello, sir. You seem to be angry – or perhaps I should say frustrated – with those horses. Could we be of assistance?”
Marcus frowned slightly when the old man invoked the spiteful beastlord. Still the man's venom was squarely aimed at a pair of recalcitrant horses. Marcus knew a thing or two about horses so he echoed Ariyana's sentiment by saying, "Horses can be decidedly stubborn at times, can't they. You just gotta approach em right, most days I'm pretty good at that, would me to try?"
Thurvek frowns at the agitated human. Having no skill at animal care, the cleric rests a hand on his warhammer on his hip should the blasphemous old human get violent.
They had arrived. Or almost, anyway. Ari was grateful that the journey had been relatively uneventful. Sure, they had gotten lost once and run into a troll, but they hadn’t had to contend with any cultists of Bhaelros or Loviatar, so that was good.
As the group nears Auvandell, Ari watches the graybeard struggle to corral the rebellious horses. His efforts weren’t accomplishing much except a lot of frustration for himself.
Ari approaches the man and says, “Hello, sir. You seem to be angry – or perhaps I should say frustrated – with those horses. Could we be of assistance?”
The man started when Ari spoke and his hand darted for a knife at his belt, then stopped hard when he saw the lack of orcs or other perils.
"Watching Gods damn them, they got loose a ride past and come back. Now they're out again! If you could...corner them?" he looked helplessly at the wide, open meadow. "Not that there's corners to be hand..."
Marcus frowned slightly when the old man invoked the spiteful beastlord. Still the man's venom was squarely aimed at a pair of recalcitrant horses. Marcus knew a thing or two about horses so he echoed Ariyana's sentiment by saying, "Horses can be decidedly stubborn at times, can't they. You just gotta approach em right, most days I'm pretty good at that, would me to try?"
"You're welcome and my thanks," the graybeard said. He offered up his ropes. "Never had an animal run wild as this before without orc blood on the ground. Not in all my winters."
Marcus doesn't sense any deception about the man or see any signs that the horses have suffered harm.