Adventure Path Reign of Winter

Game Master Almonihah

Bulvi looks a bit tired, clearly not having the most restful sleep. He looked over at Carianna curiously when she starts approaching the group hesitantly. "Going to see us of or...?

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Bulvi starts eyeing up the condition of the plants and ropes to see if they have been tampered with. "Does anyone have any rope? Given our previous run ins with the traps left behind by our quarry I'm just going to assume this is trapped."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

you see no signs of tampering or traps

Bulvi starts taking out some rope of his own. "I'm going to assume there's a reasonable chance this is tampered with but I can't see how. We should move across one at a time, try the lighter members first. First person has a rope tied around their waist. They should carry a second rope. If we have the second rope tied to a tree on both sides it can be kind of a guiding line. If the bridge breaks under out weight we've got the strength of our allies to rely on and out own so avoid the fall. When I go across last... and if it's going to break best chance is for then... I'll wrap the second rope around my forearm as I go, no sense leaving it behind."

Findurêl nods. "I'll go first."

He takes the rope from Bulvi, and adroitly maneuvers across the icy bridge. If/when he makes it to the other side, he'll tie the second rope, if needed, to the first and then secure it to a tree on the other side...

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Fin I need a reflex save to avoid being blown off by the high winds

Can he use the roll? He just anticipated the wrong roll.

At the mention of the rabbit bones Sakitu blushes a little and giggles. "Uh. Yeah. Somehow I can't really pass up a good roast rabbit. I know. It's kind of embarrassing. For someone like me. You know."

Quasit just looks at Sakitu for a moment, before snort-laughing through her nose and settling into a really good chuckle.

"I've found your weak spot, Foxy!"she says with a dramatic waggle of her eyebrows. "From now on, you shall be entirely within my power. Muahahaha!"

The good solid belly laugh seems to purge Quasit's anxieties for the moment, and she quickly settles in for a good solid snooze, snuggling against the warm fur of the kitsune like it was a child's blanket. If she has any dreams, she doesn't remember them.

When morning rolls around, Quasit drags herself downstairs, lugging her pack, sawing at her teeth with her toothbrush. Her hair is unkempt and her eyes are bleary, but she waves cheerfully at everyone who wishes her a good morning, indicating that she can do no more with this toothbrush stuck in her mouth. She keeps brushing as she moves out into the street, and packs it away just as she enters a nearby bakery and buys the biggest, sweetest looking bun she can find, then settles down just outside the door to wolf it down as if she were a kitsune with a roast rabbit.

Several minutes later, she shows back up at the rendez-vous point looking ready for action, and displaying no signs of hesitation about returning to the Wood of Death. In fact, she sneaks up on the group...

Sneak up on Bulvi: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

... and tries to leap up on Bulvi's back...

CMB: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

...then throw her hands in front of his eyes. "Guess who?" she says in a menacing voice.

After this bit of nonsense, she sees Carianna again, and for the first time notices the holy symbol of Iomedae. She immediately straightens up and calms down, even scraping her fingers through her hair to give it some semblance of order and goes over to the imposing cleric and offers a hand like it's a job interview.

"Um... hi, I'm Mina. Well, I mean, actually everyone just calls me Quasit. But I'm not evil or anything. Honest. Just hopelessly incompetent. Heh. Let me start again. I'm Quasit. Nice to meet you."

*****

On reaching the bridge, Quasit too inspects it for traps.

Perception vs traps: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Then she will attempt to cross it.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

After which, if she crosses successfully, she can tie off Bulvi's rope for him.

Carianna's somewhat stern face softens at Quasit's approach. "You remind me a great deal of my baby sister. She's always getting into mischief, and no one can every be angry with her about it."

Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Seeing all the other people practically run across the bridge Idiots, Ibona wisely moves at quarter speed to maintain her grip on the slick surfaces.

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

To Notice Quasit's Ambush: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
"Such coarse, hairy hands, it must be uncle Pietro! What are you doing here Uncle?" He teased her.

Once Quasit stops and starts to straighten up at the sight of the priestess of Iomedae Bulvi rolls his eyes and tries to toss her over his shoulder.
CMB: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

However he failed noticeably unless she was willing to go on with it and began to sing an old soldiers song.
"Here's forty silverss on the drum
To those who volunteer to come,
To 'list and fight the foe today
Over the Hills and far away..."
He will continue singing impatient to get underway but glad Quasit has rejoined them.

Carianna's somewhat stern face softens at Quasit's approach. "You remind me a great deal of my baby sister. She's always getting into mischief, and no one can every be angry with her about it."

Quasit takes a moment to consider this and how much she should read into it, and quickly decides to change the subject.

"So how is Lady Masselene? Is she going to be ok? she asks. "I don't guess she's ever been through anything like that in HER life. If I was her, I'd probably still be pretty jittery. Although it was probably sort of comforting to have you there too. It would be worse to be alone down there. I can only imagine."

"Such coarse, hairy hands, it must be uncle Pietro! What are you doing here Uncle?" He teased her.

"Whaddaya think, you young rascal? I need money for hooch!" says Quasit in her best Uncle Pietro voice. After which she drops down, and slugs Bulvi in the arm. "Hairy hands indeed!" she says with a chuckle.

Once Quasit stops and starts to straighten up at the sight of the priestess of Iomedae Bulvi rolls his eyes and tries to toss her over his shoulder.

However he failed noticeably unless she was willing to go on with it

She wasn't. :)

Carrianna looks at Bulvi. "I would like to join you. I lost friends, I failed people I was responsible for protecting. I want to make that right, the best I can. My sword and my magic are both at your disposal if you will have me."

"Well, the group has already lost two members, so be warned. This hasn't been a very successful adventure..."

"Doing the right thing isn't always easy, or safe, or even successful. It is still necessary."

Bulvi stops as Carianna looks at him while he assumes she means the group but perhaps not. "I am indeed in charge for I am mighty, we are Bulvi's Brave companions!" He tried to keep a straight face but failed. "We're a bit of a motley group I admit, a bunch of fools chasing after our frosty foes. We wont deny your help if you will give it. These Winter Fey are up to no good."

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Once everyone else is across Bulvi undoes the rope on the original side and slowly advances, wrapping the rope around his arm as he goes.
Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Breakfast...

After waking Sakitu joins the others in the common room for breakfast, or what's left of it.

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The group meeting part...

Sakitu joins with the others in welcoming Carianna to the group.

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At the bride

Sakitu eyes the bridge warily and then slowly walks across it, going slowly to make sure she keeps her feet. She keeps a hand on the rope for additional security.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

with the rope tied off, Sakitu stumbles to the otherside, her fur in her face, and standing on end like its been set on tumble dry.

Sakitu, you got lucky, the rope helped a lot with that

after everyone gets across, there is a semi well traveled trail though there is still snow on it. the temperature is definately noticeably colder here, cold enough to be stopping more often to warm up then you had before.

Yay sensible precautions

"I'm still convinced it was a trap... maybe set to break if a few of us went across at one time." He started trudging down the path, wary of ambushes and traps given the hard learned lessons so far on their errant adventure.

"So tell me Carianna, how exactly did you wind up escorting our formerly missing noblewoman?"

"It was my graduation assignment from temple."

Uncharacteristically stoic, Quasit trudges along in the middle of the group. She's clearly extremely effected by the cold, with her arms wrapped tightly about her torso, and her cloak pulled so far down over her face, that only the occasional puff of breath emerging from the folds or the sound of chattering teeth betrays the head within. But she doesn't complain or groan or whimper like she did yesterday. The most she does is to periodically pull back her hood just enough to let her take a quick look around to see if anything interesting is happening, after which she disappears back into her cloak like a turtle returning into its shell.

Fin will check the immediate area on this side of the bridge for danger and the trail for any recent signs of travel ...

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Ibona, as usual, stays in the middle of the group. Her journal is out and she is making notes, drawings, and other esoteric bits of knowledge, especially what she saw in the morning, and the new companion Carianna.

there are some trail marks left from the snow, not really hidden to be honest as you continue onwards the forest stands deathly quiet here. Even the wind has grown still as snow softly falls through the stark branches overhead. Tracks, human in size but oddly misshapen, mar an otherwise
unblemished trail through the trees.

Bulvi moves on point again, trying to stay alert for ambushes and traps. "Well it's one hell of an assignment they gave you for your first run but I suppose they weren't to know that."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Carianna nods at Bulvi's comment, tears obvious in the corners of her eyes. "One of the others with the same mission was Kelvah. He was a paladin who was in the same group of trainees. We wanted to be married, but were strongly 'encouraged' to wait until after our first mission. And now, he's gone. And I don't even understand why."

Carianna nods at Bulvi's comment, tears obvious in the corners of her eyes. "One of the others with the same mission was Kelvah. He was a paladin who was in the same group of trainees. We wanted to be married, but were strongly 'encouraged' to wait until after our first mission. And now, he's gone. And I don't even understand why."

Quasit looks up at this, looking at the cleric in a new way. She walks a little faster, listening in to Carianna's conversation with Bulvi, but not wanting to interrupt.

Findurêl, upon overhearing Carianna's sad tale of her betrothed, ponders momentarily on the death and sadness that has followed this particular mission...but he stays silent as he is not skilled in saying soothing words to the bereaved...

He soon shakes off the feeling. He then moves to his customary position of bringing up the rear, with bow drawn, keeping an eye open for danger and trying to conceal himself as best he can as the party moves forward...

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Carianna takes a tiny locket out from under her armor around her neck. She opens it and shows it to Bulvi, who she is talking to, as well as any others who are curious. "This is Kelvah. Did you see him yesterday, either as a dead body or... as one of the undead you fought? She said that she saw him struck down during the ambush where she was taken captive."

"I, like you, joined this expedition late. The others," Ibona indicates everyone but Carianna and herself "left the village before I arrived. They came back later that day carrying their first fallen comrade. So, if Kelvah was seen during the first day, I wouldn't know. At the house where we found you, no, I didn't see his corpse."

If he was present, it would have been at the carriage ambush site.

"I can not be certain of it but I am sorry to say there was one of the creatures who looked similar but I may be wrong. I could be mistaken, I would hope I am wrong in this and they are not the same."

"If a tale is ever forged from these days it will be a grim one... The way things are shaping up it would be lucky to be one of grim determination... If we are unlucky however it will be one where the elderly tell children why lines on a map mean little to those of the First World and that they should be avoided."

"I can not be certain of it but I am sorry to say there was one of the creatures who looked similar but I may be wrong. I could be mistaken, I would hope I am wrong in this and they are not the same."

"If a tale is ever forged from these days it will be a grim one... The way things are shaping up it would be lucky to be one of grim determination... If we are unlucky however it will be one where the elderly tell children why lines on a map mean little to those of the First World and that they should be avoided."

Quasit groans and moves up to shove Bulvi aside so she can talk to Carianna.

"Bull here is our bard. He's always cheering us up like that." she says. "And as for Kelvah, I saw all the zombies quite clearly and I'm POSITIVE..." she looks up toward Bulvi and gives him a very focused look before looking back toward the cleric. "... that none of them looked like this. He died serving Iomedae, doing his duty to try and protect others, and she wouldn't have let him be used like that."

"Thank the Inheritor. Kelvah's greatest nightmare was being made undead. And thinking of his face changed, I just can't bear that, after all the times I stared into his face as we shared our hopes and dreams."

Carianna then turns her face away for a few moments. Anyone who watches her closely sees her shoulders shaking in carefully supressed sobs.

Quasit doesn't quite seem to know what to do when Carianna clearly begins to break down. She ends up resting a cheek on the cleric's arm and patting her back gently, and speaks in a voice full of sympathy.

"I'm so sorry. I wish I could have known him. It really stinks, I know. It's ok hon, let it out. Given how the last few days have gone for us, I think we all sorta know how you feel right now. But you can't think about it right now. It won't do any good, and we all need to focus. This forest is probably crawling with evil fey and undead, and we can't let ourselves get distracted. So focus on the blessing of Iomedae and... um... I don't know, glorious charges or whatever you guys worship. Turn that pain into determination. And let's kick some butt. K?"

"All this talk about the loved and lost is fine, but shouldn't we focus on the task at hand, if only to stop this," Ibona struggles to find the right word, but instead holds her arm out and indicates the change in weather, "blight from continuing on? Shouldn't we focus on keeping others alive so they don't face the same fate as Alexia, Yu, and your fiancée?"

Sorry for the delays in posting. Work is very demanding right now.

Sakitu follows along with the group, staying in the middle of the pack. Her eyes mist up when she hear's Carianna's story but she agrees with Quasit and Ibona about staying focused.

traveling down the cold trail, you hear the shambling of bones, kinda unsure where the sound is coming from you all kinda move on cautiously.

you get a bit farther down the path before coming to a sudden stop, as there are three frost covered Skeletons wandering around. they similar to the ones you fought upstairs in the lodge

~Round 1~
Bold to act

Findurel
R
B
P
Quasit
Carianna
Bulvi
Sakitu
Ibona

Findurêl will fire at the red frost skeleton with a blunt arrow and move 15' east...

Longbow: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 (vs. flat-footed AC)

Bludgeoning Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Findurel seeing these things before lets loose an arrow and it slides right through 2 ribs with out touching it

Red moves forward 5' and swipes at Carianna
Red Vs FF: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Red vs FF: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
both just missing

Blue 5' and swipes at bulvi

Blue vs FF: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Blue vs FF: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Blue Confirm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 fail

blue finding both of his claws digging into bulvi's flesh

damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (1) = 5 1 cold
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 2 + (1) = 6 1 cold

Purple 10' towards Sakitu and takes a swipe at the fox

Purple vs FF: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 mage armor not on so hit
damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (5) = 8 5 cold

standing next to these cold creatures you feel it starting to pierce into your skin

Carianna: 1d6 ⇒ 2 cold damage
Bulvi: 1d6 ⇒ 5 cold damage
Sakitu: 1d6 ⇒ 4 cold damage

~Round 1~
Bold to act

Findurel
R
B
P
Quasit
Carianna
Bulvi
Sakitu
Ibona

"Use blunt weapons!"

Dang...Bulvi and Sakitu are down right?

Quasit circles north around Carianna, tries to duck past Red to get into a flanking position, then stabs at Red with her shortsword.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 2 = 22
damage+sneak: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (5) = 12

Carianna sees the undead, and her stomach turns over. She remembers the lessons she learned, but has never had to use and lifts her holy symbol. A wave of positive energy rolls out from her as she prays, damaging the undead abominations around her.

damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 DC 11 will save for half, undead do not get to add channel resistance to save

11 is not enough sadly

Red swings at Quasit for his AoO

AoO: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 2 + (6) = 11

red will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 made
blue will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 fail
purple will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 fail

as a wave of positive energy washes over the field, two of the skeletons explode damaging Bulvi and Sakitu further

Reflex save for 1/2, DC 11

blue death bulvi: 1d6 ⇒ 2
purple death Sakitu: 1d6 ⇒ 4

~Round 1~
Bold to act

Findurel
R
B
P
Quasit
Carianna
Bulvi
Sakitu
Ibona

Since Ibona saw both Blue and Purple both die, she moves to a space between them, as Quasit is behind Bulvi, and she wanted to go there, instead.....

Reaching out, she hits Bulvi with a CLW wand in an attempt to keep him fighing.
Wand CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Hard for me to track the status...is that three of us down now?

I think Quasit and Sakitu are down, but not Bulvi. I'll channel to heal next turn, which will hopefully get them back up, and if not will stabilize.

Current damage and if I'm wrong please tell me:

Findurel - 0
Quasit - 11
Carianna - 2
Bulvi - 18, with 4 being healed at end of round on Ibona's turn
Sakitu - 12
Ibona - 0
Red - 3

~Round 1~
Bold to act

Findurel
R -3
Quasit
Carianna
Bulvi
Sakitu
Ibona