nightflier |
"Nah. Doesn't work like that. Every few years instructions come from the Keep concerning which houses are available. Until those places have new tenants, no other house becomes available. That's the way it works. Of course, if you could take away someone else's house by force, that's another thing entirely. The Keep doesn't mind. It happened before and it will probably happen again."
Having said that, the dwarf draws deep from his pipe, so that cloud of smoke bursts from his nostrils, making him look like a particularly hairy dragon for a moment.
Jandar Bersk |
Glad that nobody picked up on his involuntary exclamation, Jandar slowly enters the room and positions himself on a table near the fireplace. For now he is happy to be inside and out of the cold. Something warm to eat would not be bad also.
Maybe after supper he will be able to get one room upstairs where he could rid himself of traveling gear. While drying his clothes by the fire he silently observes other guests.
I see Shaundakul that you have again guided my feet to a interesting place.
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus seems pleased by the offer of help and readily takes Atticus up on his offer saying, "I'd appreciate all the help I can get, I hope to check out all three places and see which one seems the most promising."
Tik'Klik |
"Tik'Klik"
The golem, sounding a tiny bit smug, acknowledges Raven's words. However, it's attention has moved on to other things, like listening to the room at large. It clacks over to the middle of the room, and then stands perfectly still, except for it's head which rotates slowly.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Of course, it seems to always have it's audio receptors pointed in the wrong directions whenever something is said.
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus ponders for a moment, I wonder what the Crone died of, lets hope it was old age.
He turns back to the large Dwarf and asks, "You mentioned the Crone died last year, was she very old or did she die unexpectedly?"
Crusader Kelagh |
"Kaigan can you give us directions to the Crone's home? And can it manage a large assemblage." The woodswoman stares around at the mixed group. She will repeat the information that is given to them in Sylvan.
The young hobniz stares out of the window towards the distant trees, a gesture made many times by her and her fellow Watchers when surrounded by bricks and mortar, daub and wattle.
Anwyn Elghreah Larerthane |
Anwyn digests the words from the hobgoblin hunter and leans back in her chair considering the best course of action. This was much easier than dwelling on the differences between her own world and this one.
She looks at each one of the people seated at the table, guaging their intentions before replying in the sylvan tongue.
nightflier |
The dwarf nods and produces a large piece of parchment, and than goes to the fireplace to take a piece of burnt wood. "Here, this is the best map of the surrounding area that we have. It shows just the village and parts of the forest, but it should be enough for you to manage yer way around. I'll mark the locations of all three buildings. Ye can sleep in me barn tonight, but tomorrow ye must find yerself other lodging. I've got shipments coming." He swiftly finishes with his drawings. "Now, who'll hold this map?"
Please vote in DT who will be the party leader, or at least temporary leader. He'll get the map from Kaigan.
Raven Snowborn |
Raven nods in understanding "I'm with you on the Crone house. But even if we find that house to our taste, we can still visit the other ones and see if there is anything interesting to taste. I'm not really good outside but I have a little knowledge on things magical that may come in use if this woman was really a witch."
He then sits himself at the table and addresses the drow woman in two different languages. While the first one is fast flowing and close to the sylvan one, the second is similar but far more guttural and harsh.
Marcus of Torm |
There's too many people talking at one, Kaigan missed my question.
Marcus waits for a gap in the conversation before asking again, "What did the Crone die of? Beyond the weather are there any dangers in the woods we should be aware of?"
Anwyn Elghreah Larerthane |
Anwyn turns to face the elf who addressed her in her native (?) tongue and gives him a friendly smile. Her reply is in the same tongue however the accent and verbiage is of an old dialect.
nightflier |
The dwarf nods and pushes the map towards the paladin. "Here ye are, lad", he says. "I hope ye choose wisely." He looks everyone in the eyes, even the little golem. "Ye all must ken something: This is a harsh place. Ye must have allies to watch yer backs. Ye can not survive here alone. If if ye came here to be alone in the first place." He nods and pushes himself up from the table. "Ye can sleep in the barn. Come morrow, ye go and find yerselves a home, he hear?"
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus nods and takes the map saying, "My thanks for the map and your hospitality. We'll be out of your hair come the morning."
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Well isn't that interesting, he doesn't want to answer my question. Or maybe he did, but thanks to present company he can't say so out loud. The locals seem a right bunch of sharks and we're just some minnows. We might survive together but alone we'll find something sharp between the ribs. Just like the crone did if I'm not mistaken..."
A troubled looking Marcus address the table saying, "I think I'll turn in soon. Anyone willing to help get the sleeping packs sorted in the barn? If we're lucky it'll be straw not stone for a bed."
Heichi Kitao |
"Out of your hair?" Kitao looks at Marucs inquisitive as to what does he mean, as Kitao sudden face turns somewhat sour at the thoughts of being on another ones hair just to begin with.
Kitao's eye grow big for a moment, "This gaijin don't even have the concept of tatami mat, are we animal to be herded to barn" and as Kitao is about to have his say on the matter he just looks again at his company and his shoulders slump and shrug This must be a test of humility from the Fortunes and my Ancestors... why am I punished so..."
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus favours Atticus with a wry smile, "Well then if you give me a hand, we can make sure you get the cleanest and dryest stone the barn has to offer."
nightflier |
After a night spent in the dwarf's barn, you gather to leave the town for the forest at the earliest signs of dawn. It is frightfully cold outside and the map shows that you have a long trek ahead of you.
As soon as you exit the town proper, you realize that the snow is so deep that is very difficult to walk. In fact, the snow is so deep that those of small size will have to dig through the crusted piles of old snow that are higher than their heads.
The map shows that the wood begin some miles from the town and you'll need at least five hours of walking through the snows in order to reach the Crone's house as shown on the Kaigan's map.
Tik'Klik |
Before leaving town, Tik'Klik slips off exploring (he doesn't sleep). If he locates a store, he'll stop in in the morning and see if they have snow shoes for sale. If so, he'll pick up a pair of small ones, and then drop some coins on the counter until the owner stops yelling. "Tik'Klik!" Then he leaves the shop. The snowshoes then go into his chest cavity.
-----
Assuming he was able to find some, when the snow get's deep, his feet crack open, and the snowshoes fold out of his feet, so he can walk on the snow.
Raven Snowborn |
Raised with dawn, Raven takes the time to carefully lace his boots and button up his clothes and coat before exiting.
As they exit the town, he seems to adopt a strange gait, his eyes constantly scanning the snowed path as he seems to lighten his steps, leaving only very shallow prints.
"I'm no good with a map", he says when they reach the forest, "but I sure know how to walk on that. Maybe it's better If I stay on the side of the main path to provide side guard."
Cold honed half elven racial trait: move through natural ice and snow at normal speed
Marcus of Torm |
Always an early riser, Marcus steps out into the bitingly cold morning. Glad of his furs, Marcus watches Raven skip lightly across the snow. With a slight frown, Marcus tentatively puts one foot on the deep snow which sinks in.
With a self depreciating grin he says, "I guess I'll have to do this the hard way. This will be tough going for Atticus, I'll try and clear a path for him. That is unless there's a better way?"
Heichi Kitao |
Kitao begins his day attempting to fins a place to bathe, but fails miserably not for the lack of trying but just for the lack of gaijin hygiene principles "By the Fortunes" as he ends up graving a very cold water bucket and cleans himself in what would seem to the others in a ceremonial way and getting ready to commence his day as it would be cursing in his strange language as he does so.
Crusader Kelagh |
Knowing that the wind and snow can work together to make deep traps, the hobniz tries to maintain a safe route, pointing out where the pitfalls may lie. She also keeps scanning from time to time to animal tracks, since no deer or goat would leave their known woodland tracks. Finally late winter is a fine time for the desperate and starving predators to make an ambush so she watches for suitable disturbance in the snow piles.
Survival check 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9, Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Well that was her plan, however floundering along behind Atticus is a tiring business.
Anwyn Elghreah Larerthane |
Anwyn shivers heavily in her winter cloak. While it was worn and faded, it still provided her at least minimal protection from the biting cold.
As the group travels along, she turns to one of her companions and asks in the elvish tongue:
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus pushes ahead as best he can though the deep snow, his breath frosting and turning to ice around his face. Despite the temperature, he's uncomfortably warm in the hot furs due to the exertion, but the cold slowly seeps into his extremities. Wouldn't do to stop here, my sweat would freeze and I'd never get going again. I wonder how everyone else is doing?
Marcus glances round, despite the odd stumble most of the companions seem fine, but the strange not-drow dark elf looks to be shivering. She pushes on gamely for a while, but eventually asks for help in archaic elvish.
At once he digs a warm blanket out of his pack and hands it to her.
nightflier |
Seeing Kelagh having difficulty, Faerin moves to the front to take on the tracking and scouting, ignoring the cold weather as she moves.
[dice=Knowledge Nature]1d20+6
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
[dice=Survival:]1d20+9
Marcus of Torm |
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Marcus continues to stoically slog his way though the deep and frost crusted snow. Tired now, he stops for a moment to take breather. He pulls out a canteen from his pack and downs an ice cold slug of water all the while his breath frosting into plumes of fog. Suddenly it occurs to him there may be something strange afoot, "It's very quiet around here, you could hear a pin drop. Kind of eerie. Cold too!"
He turns to Faerin who had stopped momentarily and asks, "Has some something frightened the birds away?"
Heichi Kitao |
Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Kitao grumbles as he walks as best he can to keep up with the group, and wonder why he cannot hear any wild life, which prompts a worry of something might be close by.
"Some gaki perhaps feasting on a frozen corpse or some other beast nearby might be scaring the wildlife away..." as Kitao shrugs and continues walking with the group.
Tik'Klik |
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Tik'Klik stops and his head does a complete 360 degree rotation on his shoulders. "Tik'Klik. Tik tik tik klik tik tik klik kik tik." Then it's hand begins to break up into dozens of little squares of wood that click and clack against each other as they fold back over his lower arm, forming a cuff around it. Inside the hollow forearm can be seen a floating ball of energy and a light hum fills the area. Thematic Pose
Marcus of Torm |
Everyone's spooked, it's probably nothing but sometimes there are dangers you can't see.
If anyone truly observant happened to be watching Marcus at this instant, they might notice a momentary vacancy as if he was staring off into infinity. In truth Marcus had defocused his eyes, like his instructors had taught him, and in doing so opened his senses to any evils that may be lurking in the vicinity...
As a precaution Marcus detects evil.
nightflier |
Everyone's spooked, it's probably nothing but sometimes there are dangers you can't see.
If anyone truly observant happened to be watching Marcus at this instant, they might notice a momentary vacancy as if he was staring off into infinity. In truth Marcus had defocused his eyes, like his instructors had taught him, and in doing so opened his senses to any evils that may be lurking in the vicinity...
As a precaution Marcus detects evil.
Marcus of Torm |
Marcus narrows his eyes and concentrates harder murmuring, "There's something here."
Unless interrupted by combat, Marcus will spend the full 3 rounds concentrating.
Heichi Kitao |
Kitao is surprised any creature lives here unless it comes from the depths of the Festering Pit, were the horror of Fu Leng crawl out of or the Gaki "Marcuus-san I don't see anything as Kitao just shrugs his shoulders thinking what is he talking about, but unconsciously drawing his weapons to the ready.
Attikus Blanc |
Though he can see nothing he senses the uneasiness in the holy warrior. "Dumathoin bless us with the strength to battle and resist whatever evil forces stalk us".
He begins to cast resistance upon the party as they step up, starting with Marcus, and Heichi as they are up front with him, then following with others as he goes down the line.
Raven Snowborn |
In parallel with Marcus, Raven steps back towards the group and drawing his massive sword with a single hand, starts casting detect magic first ofcusing on the sides of the group, then forwards.
perception check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5