Yuria the Deep Speaker |
Yuria joins them in rest with a sigh "I will bless you all first thing in the morning, my Champions..."
She gives a quirked look at Siegschwert as she lays down, her muscles fatigued and quivering from the cold outside as she struggles to get comfortable. She gives a light breath as she nods to Felicia "Let Ludwig know that if a third watch is needed, I'm more than happy to oblige."
Pengaal |
"Yes, wake me when a watch is needed. And be sure to look in as well as out; I doubt we're the only ones taking shelter from this storm."
GM JC Spooks |
The cave is deep, much deeper than the 40ft or so that Felicias lantern illuminates. The stone continues deep into the mountain and you can hear a deep howling emanating from further in whenever the cold mountain wind blows through.
For the sake of warmth, and because of the lack of proper shelter, the group is forced to gather very closely to one another. It's not comfortable, but the survivors have come to accept whatever rest they can get whenever they can get it.
GM JC Spooks |
The night drags on, and the temperature continues to drop.
While on his watch, Pengaal is drawn from a stupor and feels his skin begin to crawl. His senses are on edge...
Perception check, please. Your character gets the sense that something is off, but has no inkling as to what.
1d4 ⇒ 3
Pengaal |
Moving as quietly as he can, Pengaal gently nudges Felicia and Sir Siegschwert awake - the spellcasters would need their rest, if this was nothing. He motions for silence and gestures towards the entrance, then draws his blades.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
From now on, if the check is above 19 don't even wait for Sieg to roll xD
Siegschwert grabs his bastard sword and looks where Pengaal points.
Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4
GM JC Spooks |
About 35 feet away, deep in the snow and howling winds, Pengaal spots the outline of a figure. Judging by sight alone, it must be as tall as a man and then half again. It is cloaked heavily so that it has no discernible features, but it seems to stop immediately as he begins to scrutinize it. Whatever it is, it seems unperturbed by the cold, simply standing still and watching the survivors. About 15 ft behind that figure a second approaches, yet it too stops.
The heavy cloth cloaking the figures is reminiscent of the traditional robes worn by the enigmatic People of the Sun, though heavily faded.
Pengaal |
Built like the Flower Knight, and unbothered by the cold... what are they waiting for?
Pengaal shifts nervously, not willing to leap out fighting while as wounded as he is.
Side note: Pengaal will have healed 4HP/hour of rest.
Pengaal |
After another moment of waiting, Pengaal looks to the others. "What do you think they want?" he whispers and, in response to their blank looks, gestures at the things outside.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
Siegschwert focus his gaze upon the strangers.
Knowledge History: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Siegschwert seems angered that his memory has failed him, and turns to Pengaal with a puzzled look. "I don't... remember... they seem familiar... but I can't pierce the darkness of my mind..."
Turning to the strangers again, Siegschwert whispers this time "They appear to be... studying us... maybe they are... unkindled ones as us? I will... approach them... don't bear your arms... unless they attack me..."
Having said that, Siegschwert sheathes his sword and takes calculated steps towards the beings, trying not to appear hostile. Once he is sure his voice will be carried to them, the Librarian Knight speaks "I am Siegschwert... of Eissenhorn. What matters could make you... travel during the weary night... under this dire weather?... If you bear no ill intent... please do share our fire..."
GM JC Spooks |
No dice
Siegschwert starts to leave the cover of the cave, and is immediately struck by the sheer severity of the night storm. The wind tears around him and he reflexively lifts his hand to cover his vision. The cold is biting and he can feel it already starting to seep in.
From the cave, Pengaal and Felicia start to lose site of the mysterious beings. Flurries of snow start to kick up almost the moment Siegschwert steps outside, periodically blocking sight to the outside beyond just a few feet.
Siegschwert is still about 30 ft away from where he thinks the creatures are. With the weather, his voice may not be able to carry that far.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
Siegschwert cautiously advances until he feels confident his message will be carried.
GM JC Spooks |
Siegschwert and Felicia continue to push on into the blizzard, so that Pengaal loses sight of both of them in the snow.
Siegschwert and Felicia must both make DC 15 Fortitude saves as the cold starts to set in.
Siegschwert continues to move forward, blindly groping for the creatures. As he nears where he suspects they last were, he finds neither hide nor hair of them. No Footprints, and certainly not the creatures themselves. They seem to have moved, or even vanished entirely. There is no response to his calls. Perception check from Siegschwert, please.
Felicia follows after Siegschwerts footprints, but she has lost sight of both him and Pengaal.
Pengaal stands watch at the entrance of the cave.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
Fortitude: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
I just remembered Sieg's trait which gives him a +2 to TS vs Natural Hazards. If it does apply, make it a +10.
Siegschwert seems puzzled by thestrangers' disappearance... The knight tries to catch any hint of his surrounding...
Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
Confused, the knight starts walking back into the cave, not giving his back at any moment.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
"Just in case... I will... stay with Pengaal... until his watch ends..." says the Librarian Knight before sitting close to the fire and wrapping himself with his cloak.
GM JC Spooks |
Siegschwert settles in with Pengaal for the rest of the evening while Felicia returns wearily to rest. Worried about the mysterious visitors, the survivors watch the mouth of the cave. The blizzard dies down slowly, and when it does they see no trace of the visitors.
The rest of the survivors are visited by dreams with no visions, but tumultuous emotions writhing in their head.
At signs of light the survivors awaken again to the mountain light.
Pengaal |
Toeing the others awake, Pengaal brusquely fills the casters in before stepping outside to take a look at the landscape - marveling at the shiny white, now that the storm has past.
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
The Librarian Knight starts donning his armor as Pengaal wakes up the rest.
"What happened... this night... we should be wary." he says while he keeps an eye on the cave entrance "They... may be hostile... or they may not... but we should prepare for the worst... and pray for the best..."
GM JC Spooks |
Ludwig gazes down the dark, smooth tunnel to the depths of the cave. It goes some ways, but he cannot say just how far that is. He notices a light breeze brush past him from somewhere deep within the mountain and he notices the faint scent of rot as it passes by.
Siegschwert and Pengaal both gaze outside of the cave, pondering the visit from the night prior.
Yuria the Deep Speaker |
Slowly gets up with a light yawn, wiping the sleep from her eyes as she listens to Pengaal's narration before asking him, and anyone else who saw these "apparitions" to describe them as much as they could.
As she listened, she would spend some more time fully replenishing her souls before running a hand along the cave walls "Please... before we go deeper in.... I must go out to the front of the cave... I can try and discover what it was that lingered here last night. Perhaps I can see if it was a warning, or a blessing."
Sir Siegschwert of Eissenhorn |
"Mmh... I... propose... we go up... maybe we can view the landscape from... the mountaintop... so we can... plan accordingly." says Siegschwert.
Yuria the Deep Speaker |
"Perhaps that is the first question I should ask the souls of this place...."
Yuria cradles a small scoop of snow from outside the cave into her palms and crushes it along with a soul. As she throws the powder back into the winds she asks aloud "Can you show me a path to safety, and progress, souls of the deep?"
Curious Spirit / Kn. Geography: 1d20 + 2 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 7 + 5 = 32
INT + Soul Weaver level + CHA
GM JC Spooks |
Yuria concentrates on her souls, who in turn begin to coalesce around her invisibly. Something is unusual though and the Deep Speakers notice right away. Her spirits react strangely and she is overcome with an unexplained sense of familiarity. A place in her head, somewhere between her eyes, feels like it has started to vibrate softly. It is not painful, but it is surprising nonetheless.
Meanwhile the souls continue their work and again they create an illuminated thread of light visible only to Yuria. It leads down the cavern, though she does not know what lies ahead from that alone.
Yuria the Deep Speaker |
Yuria simply turns and points back down the cave, leaving the winds and snow to the horizon behind her "I see.... This way, then. I will guide as I can, where I can. I do not know what awaits us down this cave.... But I do know the way at least, now, Champions."
She gave a small, confident smile as the surprising vibration would, presumably, begin to fade- such a reaction from the spirits peaked all of her interests, and she had to keep her discipline about her to not diminish another one of her souls.