Emboldened by Alton's fearlessness and deadly strike, Keildrithe charges towards the ogre that has Laithe over his shoulder... but his mind in a fog, a moment of inattention costs the bard his footing. He struggles to retain his balance, then falls hard on his arse...
Laithe sees his friends charge in, Alton's brave strike causing one of the ogres to fall dead, Keildrithe skidding across the icy path a look of anger on his face, Nicolai and Kajetan continuing their magical assaults. He then looks towards the figure on the horizon and sees that the previously rapid approach seems to have slowed somewhat.
The remaining ogre stares in shock as Alton brings down his companion, then yells wordlessly, swinging his mighty flail around in a two handed grip, slamming the heavy, spiked head into Alton's small form (22 points of damage).
Groups turn.
Alton stagers back under the blow, knees going weak, and a dark spot growing in his field of vision. Shaking his head he struggles to regain focus on the brute. Weapons in hand Alton peers around to see where his companions are, hoping one of them can distract the ogre so he can strike at a vital spot.
"Hey! Ugly!" Nicholai cries. He waves his arms to attract the beasts attention away from his fallen comrade.
"Your turn!" He adds with grim cheerfulness, raising his hands and sending another blazing beam of red light at the ogre.
Against his better judgement and feeling like this may be the worse idea he has ever had Kajetan struggles through the snow to close next to his companion Keildrithe. Once there he mutters some arcane words of power, finishing with a flourish of his hands as he throws a small amount of colored sands towards the surviving ogre. Instantly the air is filled with a blinding kaleidoscope of clashing colors.
Kajetan shields his eyes from the display and hopes the ogre is not so lucky.
Keildrithe groans as he rises from the ground, sore from his fall. He curses in frustration when he realizes that his bow is on the ground, a short distance away. The bard is encouraged by the arcane firepower of Kajetan and Nicolai, and decides that it would be wiser for him not to get too close to the ogre. He instead hurls a dagger at the monster, but concerned about hitting Alton, the bard aims wide and his blade clatters harmlessly on the ground.
"Please, gods, let the spells overwhelm our foe," he murmurs to himself, but loud enough for Kajetan to hear.
Keildrithe’s dagger flies wide, but Alton’s attacks finds their mark, as does Nicolai’s scorching ray, burning the ogre badly.
The seriously wounded ogre looks up and around, only to stare straight into Kajetan’s rainbow spell. It stands, blinking and stunned by the vivid colours, its slack hands dropping its flail as Laithe’s seemingly lifeless body slips from its shoulder and falls into the snow.
Alton hamstrings the stunned ogre with his longtooth dagger, and the second giant comes crashing to the ground, bleeding out in the snow.
Alton rushes over to wolf-Laithe, sinking to his knees beside his friend. He reaches out a hand to touch the body, searching for a pulse of some sign of breath.
'Someone...do something!' Alton looks up at his companions, a look of desperation on his face.
Alton hamstrings the stunned ogre with his longtooth dagger, and the second giant comes crashing to the ground, bleeding out in the snow.
Laithe is filled with relief as, from outside his body, he sees Alton survive the Ogre's blow and then finish off the creature with the aid of the group's magic. For the first time he looks down properly at his wolf-form and sees what a mess he is in. The figure he spotted on the horizon lingers, but seems to have gotten no closer over the last few moments of the battle. Laithe remains calm waiting to see whether the stranger resumes their march towards him.
"Yes!" Nicholai hisses in feral glee as the ogre falls. Followed swiftly by a cry of "No!" as laithe's body slumps lifelessly to the ground.
Slipping and sliding, heedless of his dignity or clothing, the dandy hurries to the druid's side.
"Laithe? Laithe! Wake up! Come on, stay with us!" Nicholai cries, his hands fluttering to touch the druid, then back as if afraid to injure him further. At a cry from Wij'kan he jumps, startled. The golden hawk swoops in to land on a nearby rock. He screeches again, softer.
"Are you sure?" Nicholai asks aloud. Wij'kan bobs his head and gives another soft screech.
"Nicholai calms down, looks at Laithe, and nods slowly.
"Right then. Stand back." He he says, sounding self-assured once again.
He rises carefully to his feet, and raises his hands as if in supplication. He closes his eyes as if in prayer. When he open his eyes, there are tiny gleams of candlelight in them, followed by flame bursting from his palms. He points his hands at Laithe, and sends a thin stream of flame to touch the worst of the druid's wounds,...
"YES! Well done, my friends!" yells Keildrithe as the ensorcelled ogre falls under the onslaught of spells and blades.
The bard then rushes to join Alton and Nicolai, and also kneels by Laithe, cold sweat dripping from his unruly locks.
"Stay with us, with my brother, stay with us... Please, don't go..."
He utters the healing words taught by his grandfather long ago, and places his hands on the druid's chest amid the flames of Nicolai's heavenly fire.
Kajetan lacks any practical ways of aiding his colleges, so he stands around looking as useless as he feels. "Maybe the giant-kin will have something of use?" he comments, sounding more desperate than hopeful. Moving over to the nearest of the corpses he intones words of power and then begins to search the body, his nose wrinkled up at the disgusting body odor of the unwashed.
A smile spreads across his face as Nicolai and Keildrithe both pour power into the fallen Laithe, knitting his broken bones and closing wounds. The smile soon falters as he is reminded of his own short comings and the young wizard starts muttering to himself, chastising his lack of real power.
Laithe is somewhat restored by Nicolai and Keildrithe’s ministrations, enough that his eyes flutter and colour returns to his skin.
Kajetan notices a subtle glow of magic amongst the ogres’ possessions. Between the sacks they carry, the sled they were pulling and stuffed into robes and armour are a whole range of different items, many of them macabre, disgusting or plain uninteresting; several partially frozen and partially dismembered bodies on the sled, some of livestock, some human; a range of items such as bits of lumber, cracked and broken dinnerware, a broken loom and several rolls of coloured wool, a number of tankards, wine bottles, wineskins and a small cask of beer, several loose coins and even a whole coin purse.
The magical emanations come from one of the wine bottles and from a once hidden cavity inside the broken loom respectively, where nestles a tightly furled scroll.
Alton sags back in relief as Laithe stirs, the adrenalin of the fight leaving his body all at once. He suddenly remembers his own wounds, and the pain comes rushing back. Fighting the urge to cry out, he starts to inspect his bruised and bloodied chest, cleaning the wound as best he can
Relieved to find Laithe coming to, Keildrithe sighs deeply, then turns his attention to the wounded halfling. He murmurs the words of power once again as he puts a hand to Alton's chest.
Kajetan looks over the scroll and wine bottle with reverance, treating each like delicate flowers as he lovingly inspects them, for the moment unaware of the cold or his surroundings.
Spellcraft: +12 (+5 Int, 4 ranks, +3 class skill)
Wine bottle:
Scroll:
Nicholai gives a grin reminiscent of when he first joined the group. His brow furrows in concern as he notices Alton's injury.
While all of Altons wounds aren't healed, after the help of his friends the pain is gone and the worst fixed. 'Thank you both. Looks like were all intact yet again.' Standing, he starts to look over some of the strange items the ogres carried.
While all of Altons wounds aren't healed, after the help of his friends the pain is gone and the worst fixed. 'Thank you both. Looks like were all intact yet again.' Standing, he starts to look over some of the strange items the ogres carried.
"Don't mention it," replies Keildrithe. "What you did was incredibly brave, Alton. I was worried we might lose you both. Seeing you withstand that blow from the ogre's club makes me question what it is the gods have put into halflings to make them so resilient... and your sword work was worthy of song. I shall have to immortalize you." A subtle smile manifests on the bard's lips, but only briefly.
"Brother, I am glad that you have decided to stay among us," he then says to Laithe. "How do you feel? Can you stand? Can you walk?" He extends his hand to the druid.
Laithe is dimly aware of his friends around him and the healing magic from both Nicolai and Keildrithe. Yet his spirit looks once more to the horizon, watching the figure hovering there, moving no closer, but not yet gone. His gaze lingers for a few heartbeats, before finally he drifts back towards his body. As he re-enter's his wolfen form, he reverts back into his human self and his eye's flutter open.
He see's Keildrithe's proferred hand and reaches out to grasp it, allowing his countryman to pull him into a sitting position. He winces a little from the only partially healed wound, but some colour has returned to his face.
'I feel terrible, but I'll live, thanks to you all. You fought well.' His look takes in each of his companions in turn, before he uses Keildrithe's support again to pull himself to his feet. 'Remind me never to be so foolhardy to charge an ogre again!'
H glances briefly to the horizon, but any sign of the figure he had seen there was gone. Hi gaze returns to the bodies of the two ogres nearby. 'Scavengers will find this place soon; we should probably get moving.'
While all of Altons wounds aren't healed, after the help of his friends the pain is gone and the worst fixed. 'Thank you both. Looks like were all intact yet again.' Standing, he starts to look over some of the strange items the ogres carried."Don't mention it," replies Keildrithe. "What you did was incredibly brave, Alton. I was worried we might lose you both. Seeing you withstand that blow from the ogre's club makes me question what it is the gods have put into halflings to make them so resilient... and your sword work was worthy of song. I shall have to immortalize you." A subtle smile manifests on the bard's lips, but only briefly.
Alton rubs at his chest again. 'Truth be told I almost didn't attack after seeing Laithe struck like that. I think it was as much luck as resilience that let me withstand that hit... and if it wasn't for the rest of you I would probably have been hit a second time... but don't put any of that into your song, your version sounds much better. '
Alton starts to whistle a tune, no doubt imagining heroic sounding lyrics to go with it as he continues about his business.
Kajetan looks over the scroll and wine bottle with reverance, treating each like delicate flowers as he lovingly inspects them, for the moment unaware of the cold or his surroundings.
Spellcraft: +12 (+5 Int, 4 ranks, +3 class skill)
Wine bottle: 1d20+12
Scroll: 1d20+12
The contents of the wine bottle radiate a similar aura to Laithe’s good berries spell.
"Well I echo our esteemed singer's sentiments. I am glad that you are both still with us. I don't think I've been that scared since ,... well, It's been a while. And I hope it's a long time before it happens again!"
Nicholai adds to the general well-wishing banter with a couple of (careful) slaps to the back of ALton and Laithe.
Something he said seems to have brought on a memory, as Nicholai turns thoughtful, and busies himself with helping the others sort through the junk the ogre was carrying.
"Well, what have we here? This looks almost serviceable." He says, exhaling on a fork and rubbing it with his kerchief.
"The cutlery and coins could be handy, not to mention the scroll and wine ... shall we divide them all up once we reach our next camp? Laithe, you might want to take a swig of that wine before we move... though I must admit I'm surprised to learn that wine carried by ogres might be drinkable, and even more so to learn that it might have healing properties. They must have looted that from some poor traveller's corpse. Anyway, best we start moving as soon as Laithe feels ready to do so... we don't want to waste what little daylight we have in the midst of winter..."
Kajetan is too lost in the scroll to listen to talk of carrying more loot, he carefully stows the scroll away and follows the others.
Laithe nods at Keildrithe's suggestion and takes a swig of the Goodberry Wine, a little nervously at first. But he relaxes as the taste proves not too bad, and the healing warmth spreads through his body. He hands the skin to Alton afterwards, figuring the swashbuckler was probably still not fully healed from the wounds he sustained.
He then says a quick prayer to Ehlonna, adding the healing of his lady to that he had received from the wine and his companions.
While the jagged wound running down his shoulder and back is still not completely healed, he rolls his shoulders experimentally, feeling much better than he had.
'I'm ready to move, and we should probably take advantage of the good weather and the light we have left. Let's get moving.'
Leaving the dead ogres to the crows the group once again sets off along the rocky, snow covered trail.
The rest of the afternoon sees the band picking their way through the difficult terrain. The hills here are steep and exposed, and for much of the journey the heroes have a steep scree slope falling away, or gullies filled with twisted trees and brambles on their left, and sheer rock cliffs or rugged, rising terrain on their right.
Based on the abbot’s directions you would expect to reach the high meadow and the cabin where Stefan is (or was) staying before nightfall, but with snow on the ground the going is slow, and the battle with the ogres added time. The sun begins to sink in the west, painting the rock face to your right in a golden glow, and the white sphere of the moon can be seen faintly in the deepening sky above. Talk turns on whether to press on or find a place to camp for the night, although so far the narrow trail and rough terrain has offered few opportunities for the latter.
Alton gratefully takes a swig of the offered wine, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth it offers. 'Good year.'
Seeing no one else in need of the potion he puts it inot his pack and follows his companions onwards.
Perception +1
Nicholai regains his usual attitude once he sees his companions are going to be alright. He covers his previous unusually emotional outburst by appearing to take the snow and difficult travel as a personal affront. But his affected grumbling soon peters off as he has to dedicate himself to actually navigating the difficult terrain and not just complaining about it.
When it becomes obvious that they could possibly be stranded on a mountainside at night, he mentally calls for Wij'kan to assist them in finding a nearby shelter for the night.
Taking to a slightly higher rocky outcrop, Laithe stands tall and scans the surrounding terrain for any sign of promising shelter nearby. The light on the snow throws up a glare that makes it difficult to pick out any detail on the field of white.
"What say you all, should we push on? By all accounts we should be close, and the weather should hold. But then again, we don't know what we will find when we arrive there. Hopefully it will be Stefan and a warm cabin, but we should not rely on it."
"What say you all, should we push on? By all accounts we should be close, and the weather should hold. But then again, we don't know what we will find when we arrive there. Hopefully it will be Stefan and a warm cabin, but we should not rely on it."
"Yes, I think I'd prefer to have four walls and a roof over my head by nightfall. But I do worry that we might lose our way if night should fall before we reach the cabin. I will leave the final word to those with shorter legs or a more scholarly inclination..."
"Yes, I think I'd prefer to have four walls and a roof over my head by nightfall. But I do worry that we might lose our way if night should fall before we reach the cabin. I will leave the final word to those with shorter legs or a more scholarly inclination..."
Laithe nods and looks towards Alton, Kajetan and Nicolai to hear their thoughts.
Nicholai pulls his almost-new coat tighter around him.
"I'm a city boy. I'm afraid that even traveling with you lot hasn't changed that." He offers wryly, but with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I would love to have a roof over my head by nightfall. But I think that almost anywhere is preferable to this wind-scoured bluff. We should move while we can." The dandy agrees.
Alton nods his assent to the others decision, willing for Laithe and others more experienced in this setting to decide their course.
Kajetan's elevated spirits over finding another tomb of power quickly erodes as the darkness closes in. He pulls his hood up over fully over his face and hunches his shoulders as he silently follows the others. Lost deep in his thoughts.
Kajetan's elevated spirits over finding another tomb of power quickly erodes as the darkness closes in. He pulls his hood up over fully over his face and hunches his shoulders as he silently follows the others. Lost deep in his thoughts.
"Alright; we push on. Everyone stay close and keep your eyes out."
Moving around the bulk of the fallen ogres, Laithe resumes the way along the trail. His eyes scanning the track and the way ahead, looking and listening for any further sound of danger.
Scouting in the lead, Laithe notices signs of recent passage on the trail, since the last snow fall two days or so earlier. It is difficult to pick out individual tracks in detail, but he can see that at least one (and probably no more than that) shod humanoid creature has passed by, heading in the same direction as the group is going. The humanoid was apparently accompanied by several small hoofed animals, probably some breed of sheep or goat by the size of the impressions in the ground and the droppings scattered here and there.
Laithe is the first to hear the faint strains of bleating, carried by the wind from somewhere up ahead, but the others soon make it out too. To Laithe’s ears it sounds like several animals in some degree of distress.
At about the same time, Nicolai receives an empathic burst of information from Wijk’An, flying overhead. Easy prey the celestial eagle seems to be thinking hungrily, but the impression is tinged with a hint of caution, the sort of note Nicolai has noticed his familiar employ when around humans or signs of civilisation.
"Wij'kan seems to think there's food ahead." Nicholai offers aloud, the warmth of his exertions preventing him from shivering at the moment.
"But I think there's people around too." he adds, his breath causing temporary clouds in the air.
As they move ahead, Nicholai pays careful attention to what his familiar is feeling.
'Wait. No hunt yet. Make sure safe.' he sends back to Wij'kan, using the same feeling of caution the eagle did earlier.
"Wij'kan seems to think there's food ahead." Nicholai offers aloud, the warmth of his exertions preventing him from shivering at the moment.
"But I think there's people around too." he adds, his breath causing temporary clouds in the air.
As they move ahead, Nicholai pays careful attention to what his familiar is feeling.
'Wait. No hunt yet. Make sure safe.' he sends back to Wij'kan, using the same feeling of caution the eagle did earlier.
"They appear to be goats, and it sounds like they are in distress. At least one humanoid is or was with them, which possibly doesn't bode well for them. I'll scout forward and see what I can. If you hear me howl it means come with speed. Otherwise I will return and report back."
Laithe takes on his wolf form again, and lopes down the trail towards the sound. As he draws closer, he slows his pace and proceeds more cautiously, creeping lower to the ground to take full advantage of the darkening sky, and treading as quietly as possible.