Gaelin manages to angle himself to the deepest part of the river. The pain of hitting is like a giant's slap, followed by a numbing cold
The ravine wall affords many wide ledges and roots to grasp
Malden hurries across the bridge to help Alikai.
The initial shock of falling into the frigid river dazes Gaelin, but he quickly gathers his wits and realizes he is alive and must get out if he wants to stay that way. He attempts to scrabble up he rocky embankment.
"Die, won't you?" Alikai dances away from the gorge, pausing only to send another missile winging at the little blue imp.
"Sarenrae warm you and melt your heart!" Malden cries, flinging flame from his hand at the flying menace.
vs touch AC,
Jeydavu takes out his cold iron scimitar and strikes at the blue fey if he can get within reach of it.
,
Torn between wanting to get across first before anything happens to the bridge, and hurrying across to join battle before anyone but Alikai is engaged, she hesitates just long enough for a line to form ahead of her.
Deciding quickly that hurling a Snowball at the icy creature would be next to useless, she instead whispers a plea to the forces of Winter for aid. Pointing across the gorge at the creature, she closes her hand in a tight fist and calls "Sleep"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Initiative
Tristan hurries to the other side, retrieving a flask of alchemist's fire as he does so. He then takes careful aim at the harassing fey and flings the flask as hard as he can.
Reflex
Alchemist's fire touch
Alchemist's fire damage
The combination of attacks blasts the blue creature from the sky. It spirals down to earth, still burning from Tristan's bomb. There is a hissing sound and a smell of barbecued meat as the thing hits the snow
As the creature falls from the sky, Tristan's attention quickly turns to Gaelin. He hurries to the cliff's edge and peers over, calling out to the warrior. "Are you alright?"
"By Urgathoa's rotting loins, Gaelin!" Alikai hustles to the side of the ravine and falls flat on her stomach, creeping the last couple of feet in case the edge is slippery. Peering down into the chasm, she sees the man climbing.
"Hold and we'll throw you a rope. The Jadwiga has more, she said, no need to undo what we've done."
She scoots back and rises. "Ecaterina, do you have rope? We can pull him up all together."
Sahsara will make her way across the bridge to join the others.
Gaelin looks up from where he is clinging to the craggy riverbank. He calls up in a strong voice, "The river is refreshing; I highly recommend it." Despite his making light of the situation, it is clear that both his body and his pride have been injured in the fall.
"Yes yes, of course," she says as she pulls the long length of fine rope from the large satchel she carries slung over her shoulder and hands it to Alikai.
While the others are busy pulling Gaelin up, something that she wouldn't be too helpful with, even if she were inclined towards the manual effort, she makes her way across the bridge carefully to examine the body of the fallen creature.
Gaelin looks up from where he is clinging to the craggy riverbank. He calls up in a strong voice, "The river is refreshing; I highly recommend it." Despite his making light of the situation, it is clear that both his body and his pride have been injured in the fall.
"Maybe a quick dip after supper," Alikai calls down as she shakes out the proffered rope and lowers an end to the climber, "Tie this around yourself and we'll haul you up." She beckons to Tristan, Sahsara, Jeydavu, and Malden to lend a hand.
"Quickly, now, but not so fast as to bounce him off the walls. They hurt. I speak from experience. But he's doubtless soaked and probably chilled to the bone."
Malden lends a hand hauling Gaelin up (or at least holding the rope).
"I have not expended all my healing magic today," the priest mentions. "I may be able to help him when he reaches us. What of you Alikai, did you get yourself injured again, right after I healed you? What shall we do with you?" he smiles to convey the non-seriousness of his admonishment.
"Yes yes, of course," she says as she pulls the long length of fine rope from the large satchel she carries slung over her shoulder and hands it to Alikai.
While the others are busy pulling Gaelin up, something that she wouldn't be too helpful with, even if she were inclined towards the manual effort, she makes her way across the bridge carefully to examine the body of the fallen creature.
[dice=Reflex Save]1d20 + 0
"I did indeed, Malden," Alikai grunts as they haul up the dangling Ulfen, "In fact, I hired the little blue menace purely to undo your good work. Now that Tristan has crisped him to a cinder, I don't have to pay up -- a pretty good deal! But I fear Gaelin will put your skills to the test. That's a long drop and no doubt painful, no matter how brave a face he wears." She lowers her voice at the end to include only Malden in her worry.
"Just hold on," Gaelin instructs. He ties the rope about his middle and begins climbing, seeing a number of roots and rocky ledges to grab onto.
“He’s climbing well,” Malden notes quietly to Akilai, “Sarenrae smiles on us – he will reach the top alive. When he does, I can heal him … you too, if you need it.”
Seeing that Gaelin is in good hands, Jeydavu removes the rope from Cthonthoth. As he is coiling it, he walks over to where Ecaterina is examining the deceased fey. He also studies it closely to learn more about it.
Alikai grins at up Malden. "Fine, you can heal me as well, and this time I'll try to go unwounded for longer than five minutes. That would be a record. And he is climbing well, and the moose did well across the bridge. This group works well together. That pleases me. A tribe that doesn't work together tends to tie when the bad weather sets in."
She continues to take up the slack as Gaelen climbs, holding tightly with at least one hand and staying braced. "I wonder if that creature was set at the end of the bridge as a guard, deliberately. Who could get it to do something like that? Fey are capricious at best."
Seeing that Gaelin is in good hands, Jeydavu removes the rope from Cthonthoth. As he is coiling it, he walks over to where Ecaterina is examining the deceased fey. He also studies it closely to learn more about it.
[dice=knowledge(nature)]1d20+7
It's hard to say exactly , but the blue barbecued beast looks distinctly non-fey. It's more robust in body and has leathery wings unlike the more insectile norm for fey. It is definitely a female.
Gaelin makes it to the top easily enough, drenched and shivering. The cold is beginning to seep in now that the adrenaline of battle is subsiding, and Gaelin's clothing is stiffening with rime
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"You need to strip off and put on something warm and dry right now, Gaelen," Alikai recommends altruistically and not at all enthusiastically, "You have a change of clothing, right? I brought blackfire clay. You can knead a piece after you've changed and carry it with you, tucked inside your clothing. It will help you shake the chill. Does anyone have a tent he can change in, to keep the cold off?"
Gaelin heaves himself up with a weary grunt and gets to his feet. "Cold?" he asks through chattering teeth. "It's summer in Taldor! I feel like we must find some shade to protect us from this scorching sunlight."
Malden quirks an eyebrow and suppresses a grin at Alikai's comment, then begins fussing over Gaelin, draping his blanket over the large man's shoulders and rubbing his hands and feet to warm them up
He then gathers Gaelin and Alikai close to him , praying for Sarenrae to warm and heal them.
"How about a nice cold drink with one of those little umbrellas to cut the Taldan heat? I saw some of those when I walked by one of the fancier taverns. They actually had ice in the drink! Think of the money you could make freezing blocks and hauling them back into town from here," Alikai chatters to cheer Gaelin, digging her blanket from her pack as well before Maldin gathers them together for healing. "Ooh, thanks Malden! I feel all better, though I can't speak for our climber. Gaelin, here's a brick of the heat clay in case you need it. Besides, that way you're carrying it, not me."
Alikai will make herself useful ferrying whatever remains on the other side and untying the rope from the far end (unless Sahsara does that as she offered earlier). She rarely peeks if Gaelin changes.
"I would welcome your furs until mine dry out," Gaelin says to Malden. "Assuming you have warm enough layers."
He changes quickly to limit his exposure to the cold, swapping out his damp small clothes for a spare set, redonning his chain shirt atop them, and layering the furs atop to keep out the chill.
"Let us hope there are no more rope bridges for a little while."
Once Gaelin is warm and clothed we will set out again?
....
Gealin warms up after his dunking and the party sees where the path runs through the trees. There is about three feet of snow underfoot, with bigger drifts anywhere it can collect. The wind blows steadily, whirling patches of powder into snow Devils
Alikai tests the snow to see if it will support her weight. If not, she dons her snowshoes and tries them out on the 3' deep snow.
Of the group examining her former adversary she inquires, "Did you take a look at that little blue thing? What was it?"
Malden seems annoyed at the snow and wind messing with his long hair and clothing, but seems otherwise little affected by the cold as he continues through the snowy landscape in his normal travelling clothes. He keeps an eye out for additional trouble as the group continues away from the ravine and bridge.
Ecaterina finishes her examination of the corpse and reports her findings to the others.
"We should be moving on, this delay has set our time back and I am eager to get to the source of this problem." She defers to the more capable outdoorsmen in determining their course.
"There doesn't seem to be anything else here. I agree with Ecaterina. Let's keep moving before we lose the light and temperature drops further." Seeing the deep snow, Jeydavu also puts on his snowshoes.
Alikai is happy to take point as long as the group members who have been here can steer her in the right general direction.
"Malden, I can put that hair in wind braids - just in the front. Call them battle braids if it makes you feel better. Then wrap your scarf over your hair and it stays out of your eyes," she offers the divine cleric as they trudge along.
With Alikai ahead on point, the party sets off into the woods past the ravine. Those with snowshoes find the going a lot easier. Those without have to push through the drifts manually, which slows them considerably
There is a trail to follow, although it is covered in fresh snow there are tracks to be discerned underneath. None look to be very new, likely the bandits using the trail to hunt or the like.
As the day drifts into afternoon, they penetrate further into the wood. The temperature seems to be dropping even further, becoming quite uncomfortable. Alikai keeps them on the trail well, keeping a silent point as the party rumbles on.
Suddenly Alikai notes some fresh tracks nearby. The footprints are misshapen and narrow. Whoever made them was not weaing a boot, and did not have human-style feet. The tracks seem to lead off up to some higher ground ahead. Several branches look as if they are devoid of snow up there, as if something brushed against them
Alike in halts and silently waves the others forward, pointing out the tracks and direction.
Malden brushes some wet, lank hair out of his eyes (having not taken up Alikai’s kind offer of braiding his hair) and looks thoughtfully at the tracks. “Something else that has come through this rift of cold perhaps?” he muses. “Best not to leave something potentially dangerous us, correct?”
Gaelin takes a look at the tracks as well, trying to make sense of them.
"We are looking for anything that may hint at the cause or remedy of this unnatural code. Strange tracks are certainly worth investigating," he says.
"I'm with Gaelin on this one, sticking our noses in something potentially dangerous is pretty much our reason for being out here."
Sahsara will also give the tracks a looksie.