Beneath The Snow (Inactive)

Game Master Orannis

It is early afternoon in the quiet Ulfen village of Frostbark. Snow falls regularly but lightly; extremely mild weather for a village so close to the border with Irrisen.

Additionally, a single cloaked figure moves hurriedly towards the local tavern The Linnorm's end..

For your first posts, state where you are in Frostbark (the tavern, just arriving in town, etc.) and what your character is up to. We'll take it from there. While the quickest way to get things going is for everyone to just be in the tavern, do not feel obligated to do so. I greatly enjoy rp and it's not necessary to jump right into the meat of things.

Thorgar grunted and snarled as he started awake, staring about and taking a moment to recall where, and when, he was. Frostbark, The Linnorm's End, troll's teeth and damnation. At least it was not the keep, though he would never truly escape that place. Ilsa dead, their babe dead, I'd damn the world to hell if it was there already.

Light filtered in forcing him to cover his eyes and digging into his sore head like claws. He had slept in his chair in the tavern, again, and he reeked of sour sweat and ale. What has it been, two weeks, three? Used to be that a man with a big sword in a tavern would find work in minutes. Pah, the monsters, man and otherwise, are getting lazy.

He shook himself, and rose stalking over to the bar and freeing his dwindling purse.

"Mead, bread and meat - not pork. Still nobody looking for blades I suppose? Pah, thought not, wasting my arsing time - as usual."

Dot

Thordan Silentail rode upon a jet black muscular pony and trots into the quiet town of Frostbark. He has drawn his cloak around himself to keep warm. He pat the pony's head which is covered in thick black bear fur hide along with the rest of the body.

Othello hope you are not feeling cold. Its so mighty cold that if Prancelin is with us his mustache will snap and break.

Othello snorted in reply.

So me guess my job is done and me will be on my way. A word of advice, me seriously doubt you will find the person in this place but you may want to start at the local tavern. Even if you do get an audience with the white witches which is at the capital Whitethrone many miles away from here, it's gonna cost you alot of gold for even a 5 minutes session.

How much gold would that be?

The Ulfen guide shrugged. Prob be a few hundred at least.. the Ulfen guide told Thordan before walking away back into the cold wilderness.

Furry paws....

The townsfolk who were about their daily tasks mostly stopped and stared at Thordan and Othello for they have never seen a mouse sitting on a pony carrying a scimitar and banner of a lady. The townsfolk were whispering to each other as Thordan passed them.

See it's not so bad Othello...they are admiring us..i hope..

Thordan approached a tavern that goes by the name The Linnorm's end with an impressive cobalt greataxe hanging outside.

Poor Linnorm chap, I hope his end was not painful...being beheaded by that axe is definitely not something i would enjoy.. thought Thordan as he dismounted and passed the reins to the stable boy obviously very intrigued at what he is seeing.

Walking into the tavern, he was greeted by the warmth and scent of home cooked food. Thordan felt a rumble in his tummy. Seeing that noone was at the counter, he dug into his backpack and drew out a bell and rang it. Moments later a fierce looking middle aged woman popped out.

Yes?!!!

Hello!! My name is Thordan Silentail the Neverfail and I never fail. So I am here to learn about this Baba Gaga I mean Baba Gaya Oh furry paws!! I mean Baba Yaga which i want to ask you since so far I have asked around nobody seems to want to share with me who she is or if she even exist but before that can I have some cheese and milk?? Thordan rattled off in a breath obviously intimidated by the innkeeper.

Thorgar blinks and stares down at the anthropomorphic rodent, mouth twisting into a snear as he growls,

"And just what are you supposed to be? Pah, whatever you are yer late by about a thousand years, Baba Yaga does not dwell in her stolen Kingdom, she leaves it to one of her daughters. And you would do well to steer clear of the ice witches, unless it was one of them that made you... whatever you are?"

I think this is all likely to be common knowledge in The Land of the Linnorm Kings, if not I can always edit.

Thordan shriek when he heard another monstrous voice speaking to him.

Lady Sarenrae am I in hell?

Better late than never! That's what Lady Fiona always tell me when I am late for her ballroom dinners! I will look for her daughter witch or no witch and request she sends a pigeon or something to her mother!! Thordan shouted at Thorgar.

Lady Fiona needs help and she needs me and I never fail.. A glimpse of tear was seen in Thordan eyes as he whispered silently.

I have a map here and if anyone is kind enough to see, it states that Baba Yaga is here! Thordan lifts up the map

Thorgar glances down at the map, and snorts his derision,

"That isn't a map, it's a joke. What child scrawled that mess for you? Pah. Still if you've got coin I'll take you to hell, or even into that frozen hag's bedchamber - I'm not so fond of life I care about risking it. Name is Thor..." he glances about to ensure no locals can hear, "gar, but call me Thori here."

Obviously I'm aware he's not hiring, but it seems logical for Thorgar to try.

The elf had been sitting in the back of the tavern for nearly a week, hunched over a large book, scrawling endless series of equations and symbols on lose leaf parchment that practically covered his table. He'd only ever stopped long enough to get a minimum of that strange meditation trance that served elves for sleep. He had seemed excited when he arrived, but as the days passed the excitement had given way to greater and greater levels of frustration.

When his keen ears picked up the pair at another table speaking of a map he stood with an almost wild gleam in his eye and without a word or any sense of introduction, the elf swept over and stared over the rat-man's shoulder.

On this particular day Raven had been flying the air currents. She had taken flight from a small cliff near home so she could see the lay of the land as she made her way to Frostbark.

She arrives and with a flapping of wings she lands at the edge of the small village. Folding in her wings, she breathes deep of the cool air and walks over to the general store as Rista Stoutbarrow calls out her shipment.

”Hello there! How are you this fine day? I am looking for some seasonings to use in my cooking and would like to see what you have in stock. What is available?”

Haaken halted his steps through the snow and pushed the hood of his frock from his head. and Leaning on his staff, He examined the village in front of him through heavy streams of his breath.

"Such a long journey, and it ends here?" he thought. "A simple place for a simple errand.", he admonished himself. His internal voice sounded like Master Dokar's.

Gripping his staff with both hands he ran through ancient techniques to erase his disquiet and impose tranquility on his mind. He had traveled far and though this was not the first settlement he had walked into, he had found that he had much to learn about interacting with the people outside of the monastery. He seemed to have an unerving effect upon all he had met, receiving strange looks and queer comments at his directness. Jokes and riddles were common among his brothers but he was taken aback by, what to him were, the constant bold faced lies that tumbled so easily from their lips.

These outsiders seemed eager to wallow in their illusions.

"Remember, here you are the outsider, Haaken. Peace, humility, and compassion are your path."

"Mouth shut. Eyes and ears forward, student.", Graahl's voice boomed in his thoughts. Banishing his analytic mind and bringing his full attention to the fore he walked into Frostbark, looking for Rista Stoutbarrow, and an end to his task.

It didn't take him long to locate her, what with her drawing such attention to herself, and the strange winged figure before her. He approached her crate and waited respectfully for his turn to speak with her, letting his senses expand to absorb the scene before him.

Hi Thori..My name is Thordan Silentail and I never fail...I do not have much but if gold is what you want I have some here.

Thordan digs into his pocket and pulls out 3 gold pieces.

That's all I have..

Sensing another presence he looked up and saw a man peering downwards at his map.

Furry Paws...this place is sure full of weird people...and here i think Prancelin Prance is weird enough

Excuse me sir, maybe you can help me look at this map and tell me if what Thori said is true?

Thorgar glances at the gold, and exhales, giving the white rodent a puzzled glower and pointedly looking away from the coin,

"Its not enough and too much. But you aren't going to need a map to find the damned Queen, just look for the Palace, the largest building with lots of pointy bits and flags. More than that you need a new brain. We Ulfen haven't been able to take those lands back in a thousand years of trying, you think some mouse is going to dance in and visit the Queen? Pah! Have you even seen an ice troll rodent? It'd use you for a toothpick, that's the kind of thing that waits for you in Irrisen."

The big man scoffs again, shaking his head and looking away, but adds,

"Still if you go let me know. There are plenty of things that need killing in that frozen hellhole, and plenty of ways to die."

"What language is this? Do you speak it? These scratches here, do they have meanings in the common tongue? Do you know if any of these symbols correspond to landmarks in this area?"

The elf's rapid fire questions carry a strange urgency. Whatever it was the man called Thori had said was clearly of little relevance to him.

Thordan considers what Thorgar said. He then reach into his backpack and draw out a holy wooden symbol of Saranrae.

Then on this Holy Symbol, whatever Thordan will face in the future if I have Thogi with me I will gladly join you in your quest for death. Lady Fiona will forever be in your debt.

Thordan nods and grins revealing his 2 front teeth.

Turning to Vedic, he looked at the map once more in greater detail

This language is taught to me by my father who is taught by his father and by his father and by another ten more fathers before the last father at least!! Now that you said it, the drawings do seem to have magical meaning! Maybe this is no ordinary map but it's a magic map given to me by Lord Tharkins!! exclaimed Thordan with wide eyes reverence towards Vedic.

Thorgar merely snorts and leans against the bar, but the corners of his mouth do twitch. The big man then turns his glower upon the elf, though as he seems to have no other expression this does not seem threatening, and gives him a once over. The bookish elf, he'll be after something of Irrisen to I'd wager. Gods know there is nothing else in this frozen turd of a village.

"Erastil's antlers, but we've got a bunch of weird ones in here today." Ingrit mutters under her breath at the bar. Then, louder "Is anyone going to order anything? Or are ye all just going to stand there agog at the rodent's piece of paper?"

As Ingrit asked her question the tavern door swung open again and a young human man, dressed in a simple gray robe and a traveler's cloak. A small flurry of snowflakes follows him as the door swings closed again.

Meanwhile, outside...

Turning to address the voice that questioned her, Rista Stoutbarrow's initial expression at the sight of Raven is initially one of confusion. After a moment confusion gives way to recognition and then quickly to fear. She adopts a distinctly guarded stance but makes no sudden movement.

"'An what, pray tell, gives me the... eh, pleasure... of meeting one of the viciou-... *ahem*... winged folk?" She says, louder than necessary.

Haaken's approach is quckly noticed by Rista's sharp eyes.

"Ah! A witne- er... Another customer! Please be patient, sir, as I finish helping our *friend* here. *Don't* go anywhere!"

Haaken, with your lack of exposure to the outside world and no formal studies in anything beyond the common races, you have no knowledge of the existence of the Strix, and know nothing of their reputation. However, you can clearly tell that Rista is quite shaken. Raven, it is apparent to you that Rista is afraid of you.

Me Axe wielding powerful lady!! I would like some cheese and chilled milk. I prefer goat milk but if you have cow milk it should be fine too though i hope the cow has brown spots rather than black spots on it as it somehow do taste better and by the way what did Linnorm do that resulted in his end because Thordan love his head too much to lose it!! Thordan rattled off in a breath again, obviously intimidated once more.

"More of my usual. Thank you, Miss Ingrit." Vedic said to the innkeep.

Vedic's been here a week and dresses pretty much like an Ulfen. He's been ordering chilled white wine.

Haaken's eyebrows shift into an inquisitive arch, and he focuses on the strange winged being.

Sense Motive (Haaken will be doing this ALOT in game) to discern if there is any hostiliy from Raven towards Rista. Sense Motive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

”She’s afraid! Wonder what is bothering her about me? Am I that scary? Is it my wings? I will be careful here.

Raven begins to speak while making no moves that could be considered threatening.

”I am looking for some spices to liven up my cooking. Makes all the difference when you live on your own cooking. What do you have?” she says with a chuckle.

DM Orannis, I am going from the perspective that Raven knows nothing of the Strix. Her parents didn’t tell her anything about them.

Just as Thordan finished speaking, the cloaked young man walked in and slam the tavern door behind him.

Thordan's heart palpitated.

Speak of the Furry Devil!! Is that Linnorm returning because i speak of him?? I knew Captain Thundereater was right when he warned me not to speak about the dead casually!! Furry Paws!!

Thordan started sliding slowly towards Thorgar while keeping his eyes on the mysterious stranger.

At this rate i think Thordan is gonna die from heart attack, stop shouting at him, popping out of nowhere slaming the door and peering over him from behind please...lol...he is a faint hearted mouse...

Thorgar nods to Ingrit, a tad shame facedly, she must know who I am woman like that. Think she pities me, b+~$!. I wish I could have left the blood behind forever like her, how does she forget about it?

"Mead, bread, and meat - not pork. Already told the barmaid though, don't want it twice," he nods at Thordan, "the furry one here wants to meet up with Baba Yaga, so I'm not to convinced of his love for his own head."

He gives the newcomer a quick sneering once over, and pointedly adjusts his massive greatsword - just in case the man is looking for blades. I've got to catch a break eventually.

Thorgi here doesn't love his heaaa......

Thordan stopped abruptly..

Psst...Thorgi, I think Linnorm is here...better try not to mention the word head too much...must respect the dead they say....

whispered to both Thorgar and Vedic.

The elf was doing a good job ignoring the mouse-man. He was thoroughly absorbed in trying to make sense of the map.

"Can you write? Translate these."

Thorgar chuckles, and looks distinctly surprised at himself. I hope I don't need to kill this one, he is funny. Whats wrong with the elf though, surely he can read the common tongue? Am I missing something with that map? Do I care? Pah.

Thordan looks at the elf and frowns.

Such pointy ears but sadly it doesn't work...

He dug into his backpack and took out a piece of charcoal and wrote on a piece of used paper and wrote.

At the spine of the world
There's a place that makes blood curl
There you find a shadow nook
Meals prepared by a jaded cook
The dead gives a knowing look
Beware Beware of the devil's hook.

That should keep him busy for a while smiled Thordan.

"Just once I'd like something to be straightforward..." The elf muttered to himself, picking up the translation and returning to his table, adding the new paper to the rest and trying to look for matching terms among them.

I should help. Compassion guide me…Sliding his hands down his staff, Haaken attempts to keep his voice soothing. Excuse me. I don't believe I have ever met one of your kind, Miss. If it's not rude of me, may I ask what kind of soul you are?", he asks the winged lady, a small smile softening his lips.

Raven turns to look at Haaken.

”I am a loving kindred soul to all who know me.” she says with an twinkle in her eye and a small smirk. ”Although I suspect you want to know what I am. I am Strix, although I know nothing of their culture. I was not raised among them.”

Thordan looked at the elf and wondered

Would love to look through his stacks of paper some day, seems like there is a lot of information maybe about Baba Gaya

Turning to Thorgar he asked Thorgi, would you like to play a game of bowling? It's mighty easy..

Thorgar raises a brow,

"And what would we bowl with Master Mouse? I'll give you a game, I'm not so sure I'll give you a challenge. I'm not much on throwing, prefer to be up close and personal."

As he speaks his gaze lingers on the newcomer.

Oh we will bowl with a bowling set silly..

Thordan digs into his backpack and pulls out a bowling set.
Shall we bet? The loser will call the winner Your Royal Highness for 1 day!! I shall go first.

Thordan grins and excitedly jumps off his seat and runs to a secluded corner of the tavern and sets up the bowling pin formation of 10 pins. He then walks 30 feet away.
You suppose to roll it not throw it, we will take the total of the 3 set and see who is the highest!, you get 2 try per set and if you manage to clear all 10 pins in a set with the two tries i call it Nutcracker and we will add the additional score for your next 1st try of the second set. Easy like a furry tail!!

Thordan tiptoes forward and stick out his tongue before rolling the bowling ball on the floor towards the pin.

Set 1
1st Try : 1d10 ⇒ 8
2nd Try: 1d2 ⇒ 2
score:10
Nutcracker!!

Set 2
1st try: 1d10 ⇒ 10
Double Nutcracker!!!
Score 10+10=20 Due to Set 1 Nutcracker

Set 3
1st try: 1d10 ⇒ 10
Furrypaws...Triple Nutcracker!!
Score 10+10=20

Additional Try due to Set 3 Nutcracker
1st try: 1d10 ⇒ 5
score 5

Total: 55

Thordan giggled as he pass the bowling ball to Thorgar...

Furry paws...Royal Highness Thordan...

Thorgar snorts, but does not object to the rodents antics. Giving the ball a dubious look,

"I'll call you your Royal Highness as soon as you kill a Linnorm rat."

1st Try: 1d10 ⇒ 6
2nd Try: 1d4 ⇒ 4

"This isn't so hard..."

1st Try: 1d10 ⇒ 9

"Bastard!"

2nd Try: 1d1 ⇒ 1 Hmmm, flaw in the method, lol 1d1?

"Right now with a bit of power..."

1st Try: 1d10 ⇒ 1
2nd Try: 1d9 ⇒ 5

So 26?

"Gah, this is a fools game. But let me buy you a drink for your victory. Something stronger than milk, you can't drink milk when its this cold, you need something to put fire in your belly - how about honey mead?"

Honey!! Ok!! ......Though I am not sure Linnorm has a pet rat...and it is not very nice to kill it...fate has not exactly been kind to him... Whispered Thordan as he do a head chopping action..

You got 36 points; 9 more points from 1st Nutcracker and 1 point from 2nd Nutcracker cracker....yea seems flawed will modify it lol

Haaken smiles. "Then I would be pleased to know you, miss strix. I am named Haaken. I favor many spices. What sort of dish are you planning for?"

Smiling she replies:

"Oh no, my name is Raven. My race is Strix. As for the dish I have nothing in particular I am making, just for general cooking. I do love good seasonings."

"Raven? How apt!", he beamed. "I've just arrived here in Frostbark, and haven't eaten yet. Once I've finished my business with the lady halfling, would you desire some company with dinner? I have no one to break fast with."

"I would love to! Let me get those seasonings and then we can be off."

Her feathers ruffle with anticipation.

Turning back to Rista.

"So, about those seasonings."

Haaken turns his gaze to Rista, and shifts his hands on his staff.

Thordan twitched his nose

Thordan little nose is picking up some nice spices...

He dashes to the tavern window and looks out and exclaims

Wooooaaahhh!!!! A flying bird that talks!! And the man behind must be it's master!!! I heard of this when Mama threatens that I do not finish my chores on the carrot field, a huge black bird will carry me off for it's dinner!!

Opening the tavern door he dashes towards the direction of Rista and the black bird.

Thorgi!! I think i know a way to get to the white witches!! we can fly there!! Thordan turned behind shouting as he continued running. However he did not notice a rock and he tripped knocking into both Rista and Raven as the spices started flying into the air.

Furry paws....

Haaken waits politely for Raven to finish with her purchases, and arranges to meet with her later at the tavern.

After identifying himself to Rista, they retire to her shop to unload the contents of his satchel.

Later, Haaken walks through the doors of the Linnorm's end, visibly distracted. Lost in thought, he blinks as he looks around the room.

"Whoa there! Easy now." Raven finishes her purchase for the spices.

"I headed to the tavern for some food. Come, let us eat."

Raven makes her way over to the tavern and joins Haaken.

As the odd trio of travelers made their way into the tavern the elf at the table covered in strange papers and maps stood up with a wild look in his eye.

"That's it.That's it!"

Looking around he spotted the rodent-man he'd seen with the map earlier.

"You! That map. Do you know where it leads? What did the person who gave it to you say? What were their exact words?"

Thordan rubbing the bump on his head from the crash. Looked at Vedic puzzled.

Well...it just says that within the village of Frostbark lies a power to defeat Baba Yaga...I just assumed the Baba Yaga is here...but it seems to mean that it could mean otherwise now that you mentioned...

The exact words I believe were:

Double Trouble
Boil and Bubbles
Lies a weapon
A hallowed harpoon
Seek not the white owl
Fear the death howl

Thorgar listens to the ratman and the elf with a bemused expression, stretching and yawning to shake off the last dregs of lethargy.

The elf scribbles the words frantically, asks for the original translation, shakes his head, compares some notes on other papers then starts circling seemingly random letters in the poem the rat man had given him. he spoke to himself as he went about his strange mental gymnastics, his voice lowering and raising in pitch so that certain parts carried through enough to hear.

"So it's an anagram then. Hate these."

"Too many letters here. Some have to be left out."

"Balds? Blast? Flats?"

"What's left? B and B. Two blasts? no. Flats. Two B's? B's are flats. Double flats? B flat! No. "Trouble". So not B flat. E flat!"

"So, key of E flat. Then what notes? Double trouble... Two tri-tones? One seven one seven. Then two B's. No. "

His eyes went wide.

"No... Key! Of course! The key is just E flat. Brilliant! Wait. Two flats. Double trouble. E flat minor.... Oh, that's just cruel."

Finally sitting down, the elf seemed to deflate a bit and come back to himself. Realizing he had been rambling and now had the attention of the entire bar, he cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded to the small rat-man.

"Thank you."

He began to turn toward the fire, but stopped, looking back at the rat-man.

"So tell me, this poem and the map? This 'hallowed harpoon'? Do you intend to find it?"

Thordan shrugged and he spoke with his head looking down at the tavern floorboard obviously a little shy with the entire bar looking at him.

Well....Mister awfully smart elf I did made a promise to Lady Fiona to find Baba Yaga...and I never fail and I don't want to...but yes if it helps me to find her I will want to find it like how I would search the entire kitchen in the middle of the night for a few crumbs of Andoran cheese when my stomach is rumbling tumbling...

"At the spine of the world
There's a place that makes blood curl
There you find a shadow nook"

Pushing a map towards Thordan, the elf smiled.

"It's there. It's all connected, you see, and it starts right there. That's where you use the key to find the key. It's not far, but getting up the mountain this time of year is going to be a problem. You'd practically need..."

his eyes set on the dark-skinned woman who had entered with the rat-man.

"...wings."

The elf's wide grin was equal parts predatory and joyus.

"I do love it when the patterns reveal themselves..."

Haaken walks past Raven and the chattering ratman, oblivious to the goings on around him. He settles into a chair and stares at the scroll in his hand.