Adventure Path Reign of Winter

Game Master Almonihah

Visibly disturbed by the seemingly tortured bodies he could spy thru the curtain, Fin reports back to Quasit. ”Most sickening, Q. Flayed bodies in the long building…some still twitching, alive…and a humanoid moving among them, not sure what kind…we’ve got to help those poor bastards…”

In spite of everything she’s witnessed lately, this seems to shock Quasit. Perhaps she really thought the other buildings would be empty.

”What??” she exclaims after a disbelieving pause. ”Oh yeah, we’re going in. Somebody is about to get a dishonorable discharge. Maka, would you do the honors and lead the way?”

Wreathed in flames, Maka's fists burned brightly as she strode boldly into the building, prepared to confront whatever threat lay in wait.

Maka strides into the converted barracks, the fires around her lighting its dark interior. Pieces of bodies, some technically still alive, 'decorate' the walls in horrific mockeries of art, while the tools that clearly caused this horror lie carefully arranged on worktables. In the center of it all is a creature that seems just as much a horror of twisted flesh as its creations, a thing of many mismatched limbs and flayed skin that seems like it shouldn't be able to live, much less move as smoothly as it does.

"Ah, new patients." Its very voice seems to promise tortures as the thing's... 'head' turns to look at you.

Bulvi Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Findurel Init: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Maka Init: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Quasit Init: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Sakitu Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Kalchine Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Selena Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Kyton Init: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Looks like Maka, Fin, Quasit, and Selena go before it.

Knowledge check to identify the creature and perception to lookout for any other hellraiser threats.

Knowledge Planes/Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Perception; LL Vision, Darkvision 60ft: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (13) + 27 = 40

Standard action blue flame blast +2 burn, move action gather power -2 burn.

Whatever this creature was, Maka felt a deep revulsion ripple through her. Her fiery resolve ignited instantly as she hurled a torrent of blue flames toward the abomination, the air crackling with the intensity of her strike.

Blue Flame Blast vs Touch AC; EO, Defensive: 1d20 + 19 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 19 + 3 - 2 = 36
Fire; EO: 14d6 + 3 + 9 ⇒ (6, 4, 1, 1, 5, 6, 4, 1, 6, 1, 5, 2, 3, 6) + 3 + 9 = 63

Dashing into the room right behind Maka, Quasit already has her blades out and rushes straight at the vile patchwork torturer.

”Physician, heal thyself!” she sneers as she slashes at its vitals.

Melee: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 7d6 ⇒ (6) + 7 + (3, 4, 2, 4, 3, 1, 3) = 33
Melee(offhand): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21Damage: 1d6 + 6 + 7d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 6, 4) = 27

I’m including sneak damage because I’m assuming the target is flat-footed, please adjust if that’s not the case

Fin steps 5’ into the room and fires a volley at the sick bastard…

To Hit Mods: BAB+DEX, Magic, Weapon Focus, PBS, Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Point Blank Master, Clustered Shots, Manyshot, Elven Ranger Racial Confirmation Bonus
Damage Mods: Longbow Arrow, Magic, Strength, PBS, Deadly Aim

Magic Longbow (Manyshot) vs FFAC: 1d20 + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 38
Magic/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 = 19
Magic/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 = 17

Magic Longbow (Iterative) vs FFAC: 1d20 + 14 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 14 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 21
Magic/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 = 22

Magic Longbow (Iterative2) vs FFAC: 1d20 + 9 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 18
Magic/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 = 15

Magic Longbow (Rapid Shot) vs FFAC: 1d20 + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 30
Magic/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 8 = 22

Confirmation (Manyshot): 1d20 + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 + 3 = 32
Crit Damage: 2d8 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 16 ⇒ (2, 1) + 6 + 4 + 2 + 16 = 31

Total Clustered Damage (assuming all hit/confirm except the Iterative shots): 99

Botting Selena: Cast Gloomblind Bolts at monster. DC19 Reflex for each bolt that hits or get blinded for a round

Gloomblind Bolt vs Touch AC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 6, 4) = 15

Gloomblind Bolt vs Touch AC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 6, 3) = 21

Gloomblind Bolt vs Touch AC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 5, 5) = 13

Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Maka's fire burns the creature badly, and Fin's arrows (except for two that glance off some of the strange metal in its body) strike home, though he can tell its flesh is somewhat resistant (DR, yes I applied clustered shots). Quasit finds the creature's bizarre anatomy difficult to parse, and both of her stabs find metal plates rather than vital organs. Selena's bolts hit, and based on how its bladed limbs flail as it tries to retailiate it's probably blind.

Attack vs. Quasit: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34
Attack vs. Quasit: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34
Attack vs. Quasit: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (14) + 22 = 36
Attack vs. Quasit: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 40
Miss chance: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Miss chance: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Miss chance: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Miss chance: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Damage: 4d8 + 28 ⇒ (3, 7, 1, 8) + 28 = 47

In spite of its blindness, three of its bladed limbs still find Quasit.

You don't see any other enemies, so all of you can go, which is probably bad for this thing's remaining few hit points.

"You should focus on me!" Maka growled, her voice booming with fiery resolve as she surged forward. Her blazing fist connected with the abomination's twisted torso, the impact resounding like a thunderclap.

Standard action blue flame blast +2 burn, move action gather power -2 burn, ride the blast to set up Quasit for flanking.

Blue Flame Blast vs Touch AC; EO, Defensive: 1d20 + 19 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 19 + 3 - 2 = 26
Fire; EO: 14d6 + 3 + 9 ⇒ (1, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 6, 6, 6, 4) + 3 + 9 = 55

The creature collapses to the ground. ...it looks like it may be healing, though.

dice=Damage: 4d8+28

In spite of its blindness, three of its bladed limbs still find Quasit.

It looks like Quasit took three of the four hits, but received damage from all 4? I'm guessing that's a slip?

Locked into the furious exchange with the bizarre creature, for the moment Quasit seems to barely feel the deep slashing cuts blooming about her limbs and torso. Standing in a flank now with Maka, she attacks back just as wildly.

Melee: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 18 + 2 = 33Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 7d6 ⇒ (2) + 7 + (2, 4, 1, 2, 6, 4, 3) = 31
Melee (offhand): 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 17 + 2 = 31Damage: 1d6 + 6 + 7d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (4, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1) = 21
Melee #2: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 2 = 22Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 7d6 ⇒ (1) + 7 + (4, 3, 5, 6, 1, 5, 4) = 36
Melee #2 (offhand): 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 2 = 20Damage: 1d6 + 6 + 7d6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + (3, 1, 6, 3, 3, 2, 1) = 30

"It's regenerating! Does anyone know how to stop that?"
"Bull, stick your holy weapon into it! Maybe that'll do it!"

It looks like Quasit took three of the four hits, but received damage from all 4? I'm guessing that's a slip?

It has rend, so it does extra damage equal to another hit as long as it hits at least twice.

"Yeah, use your holy sword, Bull!" Maka roared, her flames burning brighter as she delivered another powerful strike to the abomination's twitching body.

Quasit* wrote:

It looks like Quasit took three of the four hits, but received damage from all 4? I'm guessing that's a slip?

It has rend, so it does extra damage equal to another hit as long as it hits at least twice.

Understood.

This being is obviously evil but I forgot to include my Holy/Good damage to my bow attack; been fighting soldiers mostly and they’re neutral, I think, and I had just cut and paste. Maka’s remark to Bull reminded me..,

Fin fires directly at the evil bastard’s regenerating body, hoping his bow’s Holy ability will stop the healing process and kill it for good…

To Hit Mods: BAB+DEX, Magic, Weapon Focus, PBS, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Point Blank Master,
Damage Mods: Longbow Arrow, Magic, Strength, PBS, Holy

Magic Longbow (Manyshot) vs FFAC: 1d10 + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 19 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 33
Magic/Good/Cold Iron/Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 + 1 + (1, 2) = 16

Sakitu takes one look at the tortured bodies hanging on the walls an runs back out of the room. She barely contains herself from throwing up all over the snow covered ground. She heard Quasit holler that the abomination was regenerating. Was there anything she could do about that? Probably not anything else that the others could do. She waited outside.

The holy damage does stop its regeneration.

Kalchine takes a moment to marvel in relief that this is the first time he needs to do this during this assault on the base even as he moves up and lays a hand on Quasit's shoulder to fill her with healing energy.

Cure Serious Wounds: 3d8 + 10 ⇒ (6, 5, 2) + 10 = 23

"Fire usually works!" he says, examining the bloody creature to see if he can discern anything about it.

He then casts his eyes to the room. If they can't kill it, perhaps they can restrain it. The possibility seems likely in this place.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Perception: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (3) + 26 = 29

Fin sighs in relief as the evil bastard’s corpse quits twitching. ”Maka was right; Holy damage apparently stops it from regenerating. Glad I requested that from the Z-man this past trade,” he says, before gathering his arrows…

Looking at the tortured flayed soldiers, Fin gets red with anger..followed up by becoming overcome with compassion. ”Can you do anything to help these poor souls, Kal?”

However, knowing that danger could be behind the next door, Fin then warily scouts the building, bow ready…

Taking 10 on scouting checks:
Stealth: 10 + 29 + 2 + 4 = 45
Perception: 10 + 21 + 2 = 33
Survival (Tracking): 10 + 11 + 3 = 24

The abomination's twisted body writhed and screeched as the holy damage disrupted its unnatural regeneration. Flames from Maka's relentless strikes consumed the creature, reducing its grotesque form to smoldering ruin. The stench of burnt flesh and charred metal filled the air, but Maka didn’t stop until she was absolutely certain it was gone for good. With a final, decisive blast of azure fire, she straightened, her fists still wreathed in flickering flames.

"Ugh, I hate whatever that thing was." Maka groaned, letting the flames fade from her hands. Her golden eyes scanned the area for any remaining threats. The horrific display of gore around her only fueled her disgust, her fiery resolve remained unshaken.

Perception; LL Vision, Darkvision 60ft: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 45

Quasit's wounds are just beginning to really smart when Kalchine comes over and casts his healing magic.

"Thanks. Not used to fighting guys with 4 arms. Guess I should have ducked when I weaved instead."

She takes a longer look about the room now, and shakes her head. "That thing must have been some kind of demon. Just getting his jollies torturing people. These soldiers really drew the short straw serving here."

"C'mon, let's get these poor guys down off the walls at least."

"C'mon, let's get these poor guys down off the walls at least."

Maka nodded in agreement before setting to the grim task. "It feels like I've given more funeral rites during this quest then all my time at the temple." She said softly, her voice heavy with sadness, more to herself than the group.

"I wish I could say that I haven't seen so many dead or mangled bodies," Kalchine says, somberly thinking of the generations long war on his homeworld.

He examines the torture victims, seeing what it would take to heal them and which ones might be better off being assisted in the other direction.

Heal: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

He'll also cast Stabilize on any in immediate risk of dying unless he thinks there's no coming back for them, in which case he'll...assist in the other direction.

Forcing himself to look closer at the victims is a horrific experience for Kalchine. Most of them have been so extensively... 'modified' that they're barely recognizable as human. He's not certain if magical healing would fix them or just kill them at this point. The horrifying thing is that none of them are at risk of dying--apparently them living like this is part of the monster's horrific 'artistry'.

A full-blown heal *might* save some of these people. Anything short of that would probably just put them out of their misery.

Quasit has seen a lot of awful things in the past months, but these maimed, jury-rigged people are particularly hard for her to look at, especially as they moan inhumanly and seemingly only half-aware of where or even who they are.

After pulling the third such body down off its meat hooks to lay it on the floor in a mockery of comfort, she blinks and wobbles a little. "Is it really hot in here?" she says as her face flushes. Suddenly her torso stiffens and she makes a sort of 'gurk' sound.

"'Scuse me a sec. I just need to..." and she staggers out of the building into the cool night air to wipe off her perspiring forehead and rest her back against something solid. It takes her a few moments to compose herself, and then she finds herself looking at Sakitu.

"What is wrong with these people?" she asks her friend lamely. "Wouldn't it be nice to find a happy puppy once in a while? Even the nice people we meet are creepy monsters. And if we ever do find a puppy, it'll be a demon puppy that gives us nightmares and refuses to be house-broken. And tries to eat us. Gods above, I feel like I'm about to pass out." She takes a deep, sustaining breath then sighs. "Oh those poor men."

Maka paused her work for a moment, watching Quasit stagger out of the room. She could see the toll this was taking on her friend. Maka clenched her fists, the flames flickering faintly around them before dying down. There was still so much to do, and she knew Quasit needed space to process in her own way.

Maka continued her work with a focused determination, each action deliberate and reverent. She whispered a prayer under her breath as she moved from one victim to the next, giving each of them as much dignity as she could in this hellish place.

Kalchine watches Quasit and Sakitu go and redoubles his pace and efforts.

Once all the once-men have been laid on the floor, he looks to those who remain. "I fear there is only one mercy we can give these wretches," he says as he readies his spear.

"If you do not have the stomach for it, no one can blame you," he continues, giving everyone time to leave before getting down to the nasty work.

As Maka passes by a closet on the end of the barracks--where it seems all the 'artworks' are not living--she hears a small shifting sound from inside it.

As Maka signals sounds coming from a closet, Fin draws his bow, motioning for her to open it, mouthing I’ve got your back…

Maka nodded to Fin before throwing the closet door open, flaming fists at the ready.

"What is wrong with these people?" she asks her friend lamely. "Wouldn't it be nice to find a happy puppy once in a while? Even the nice people we meet are creepy monsters. And if we ever do find a puppy, it'll be a demon puppy that gives us nightmares and refuses to be house-broken. And tries to eat us. Gods above, I feel like I'm about to pass out." She takes a deep, sustaining breath then sighs. "Oh those poor men."

Sakitu offers a weak smile. It's sincere but weak. "I know what you mean. This is just really getting to me. I mean, it's wearing me down so that I just am too tired to deal with it."

She plops onto the ground, her back leaning against the wall, and pats the snow next to her. "Here, sit with me. I don't want you passing out."

?: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Maka throws open the closet door... and finds two teenagers, one a petite girl huddling in the corner, the other a pale, sickly boy trying to look defiant and brave but mostly looking terrified as he stands in front of her.

She plops onto the ground, her back leaning against the wall, and pats the snow next to her. "Here, sit with me. I don't want you passing out."

"No I'm OK, I don't wanna get my butt wet." says the noble leader. "I mean, we just helped kill about 200 guys. I probably shouldn't be so squeamish, huh?"

Quasit compromises and squats down next to Sakitu. "We're getting close to the end of all this, I'm sure of it. Once we finish, I'm gonna go to Absalom, rent a house for six months and take up friggin' gardening. Oh, and there's this really cute little Katapeshi restaurant that does amazing things with fava beans and garlic and ... I dunno, figs or something. I'm not a cook. Maybe I'll take up cooking too. I'm going to give myself permission to be boring. We can sleep in til noon and not wear underwear if we don't want to. And nobody will be torturing anyone... unless I really mess up with the cooking." Quasit drops the patter and looks at her friend, gives her a scratch of the ears and squirks her mouth sideways funny. "I think I'm leaving Kalchine to finish off all those poor men. I suppose that's selfish of me."

Findurel immediately lowers his bow and shows his hands.

"Don't be afraid. We're not going to hurt you. The demon is dead, you're safe."

The elf lays a gentle hand on Maka's shoulder, to encourage her to stand down as well, and ventures a small, kind smile at the children.

Maka froze for a moment, the flames around her fists flickering and dimming as she took in the scene. Thankfully, Fin was quick to act, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. The gesture grounded her, and her golden eyes softened as they moved from the terrified boy to the trembling girl behind him.

Slowly, Maka knelt down, her movements deliberate and nonthreatening, and offered the children a warm, toothy smile.

"Hey," she said gently in Russian, her voice steady and kind. "It’s okay. We’re not here to hurt you."

[Quasit compromises and squats down next to Sakitu. "We're getting close to the end of all this, I'm sure of it. Once we finish, I'm gonna go to Absalom, rent a house for six months and take up friggin' gardening. Oh, and there's this really cute little Katapeshi restaurant that does amazing things with fava beans and garlic and ... I dunno, figs or something. I'm not a cook. Maybe I'll take up cooking too. I'm going to give myself permission to be boring. We can sleep in til noon and not wear underwear if we don't want to. And nobody will be torturing anyone... unless I really mess up with the cooking."

"And don't forget the half-orc stable boy. You want one of those too, right?" Sakitu giggles. A brief splash of sunlight in the darkness.

Quasit drops the patter and looks at her friend, gives her a scratch of the ears and squirks her mouth sideways funny. "I think I'm leaving Kalchine to finish off all those poor men. I suppose that's selfish of me."

Sakuti frowns and nods her head. "I suppose that it needs to be done. I don't think I can though. If it's ok with you guys I think I'll wait out here. Maybe Fin will come out."

Not knowing Russian, Fin kneels down, smiles while looking to the teenage girl, saying a single word, ”Anastasia?”

He tries to read the girl’s reaction to that name…

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

"And don't forget the half-orc stable boy. You want one of those too, right?" Sakitu giggles. A brief splash of sunlight in the darkness.

Quasit pretends to be shocked. "Sakitu! You vixen! You're thinking of my beach-house cabana boy fantasy. The is an entirely different fantasy. Don't be gauche." Her commitment to deadpan is foiled by her smirk.

Sakuti frowns and nods her head. "I suppose that it needs to be done. I don't think I can though. If it's ok with you guys I think I'll wait out here. Maybe Fin will come out."

Quasit nods vaguely, then foists a new thought on her friend. "My gosh, those men may have been like that for weeks. Or months. I can't even imagine."

She ventures a peek inside and sees Findurel and Maka apparently addressing something in a closet, as if trying to lure it out.

"Hell o." she says, her anxiety level bringing her back to a full standing position and a solid degree of tension. "They found something else." She gestures for Sakitu to follow her then moves back inside to see what's happening. Her first instinct on seeing the children is intense suspicion, but for the moment she hangs back and lets Maka and Fin handle things.

Selena mostly maintains her composure, though she is clearly avoiding looking directly at anyone, gladly letting Kal handle it.

Once the kids are found, she stays back at first and tries to spot anything that might indicate deception like the kids being illusions or ghosts or something similar, though if she doesn’t spot anything she’ll walk where the kids can see her, figuring if they see a teenager hanging around they might be a bit more comfortable about coming out, completely forgetting that she doesn’t look 16 anymore, though being a halfling at the moment might still seem childish anyway to people who have never heard of halflings.

The boy continues standing between you and the girl protectively, even though he seems like a strong gust of wind could knock him over. The girl looks up at Fin when he says "Anastasia".

"That... that would be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna to you," She says, her voice quavering slightly as she tries to sound less terrified than she is. "What... who are you?"

"I'm Maka Na'Shota of the Dragon's Eye Monastery," Maka said, her tone warm and casual as she offered a quick bow. Her golden eyes flickered with recognition as she straightened. "Wait... aren't you Rasputin's daughter?"

"She's the daughter of the Tsar and Tsarina." Quasit says evenly from the back. "Pardon us, your Grace... who is your friend?" she gestures to the boy. "And... how long have you been in that closet?"

"Oh, well, who am I thinking of then? The girl the ghost was talking about." Maka tilted her head thoughtfully, frowning as she tried to keep track of everything.

Quasit slips into Common. ”The girl doesn’t know she’s Rasputin’s daughter. And she probably doesn’t know her mom is a ghost.” she explains to Maka. ”Though it’ll be interesting to hear how she thinks she got here. Assuming this isn’t all a trick.”

"I'm her brother Alexi!" The young man says, taking a half-step forward. "You're... not here to hurt her, right?"

Quasit slips into Common. ”The girl doesn’t know she’s Rasputin’s daughter. And she probably doesn’t know her mom is a ghost.” she explains to Maka. ”Though it’ll be interesting to hear how she thinks she got here. Assuming this isn’t all a trick.”

"Oh. Ohhhhh, right. Sorry." Maka replied in Common, rubbing the back of her head with an awkward grin.

"I'm her brother Alexi!" The young man says, taking a half-step forward. "You're... not here to hurt her, right?"

"No, of course not!" Maka replied in Russian. "You aren’t a witch trick, right?" Her golden eyes narrowed slightly, not with hostility, but with a cautious intensity, as if she were trying to sense any deception.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35

Alexi wrote:

"I'm her brother Alexi!" The young man says, taking a half-step forward. "You're... not here to hurt her, right?"

"No, of course not!" Maka replied in Russian. "You aren’t a witch trick, right?"

This was precisely the question foremost in Quasit's mind, but she couldn't help but smile at the way Maka expressed it. It was plainly time to step in and do her thing. She moves forward, sets her pack on the floor then sits down beside it, and addresses the 'children' in Russian.

"Look, we're not going to hurt you. We should talk. Maybe we can help you. But first off, I don't know how long you were in there, but you must be hungry and thirsty. You want some water? We could cook up some rice, or some oatmeal or something?" As she says this, Quasit offers her waterskin to the boy, since he seems to be protecting the girl.

"I can understand why you'd be hiding from that monster. And I'm sorry the sights out here aren't very pleasant. But I'm guessing you've seen a lot. Why don't you tell us more about how you came to be in here, and what you'd like to do? If you just want to escape the camp, the soldiers are pretty much all gone. But I'm afraid it's just snowy wilderness and forest in all directions."

"My name is Mina. That's Maka, that's Findurel, and that's Sakitu. The little one there is Selena, the one over there with the twitchy ears is Kalchine, and the big one is Bulvi. I know a lot of us probably look funny to you -- there's a good reason why, but it may sound a little unbelievable. But we'll come to all that. And you can ask us anything you want."

"But first of all, you should know we're looking for Rasputin, who runs this camp. Are you hiding from him? Or would you like us to help you find him so he can help you? I believe he was a friend of your mother, Anastasia."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32