Clebsch's Reign of Winter

Game Master Clebsch RoW

"Gods, stop your babbling!" cries the guard. He vaguely remembers that the creature might be the spirit of some mistreated child, but at this point, it was creating a real problem. He swings at the thing with his sword.

Falcata: 1d20 + 14 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 14 - 1 = 14; Damage: 1d8 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 11 - 1 = 12

"Where's a wet nurse when you need one?" he says in frustration.

"The pain and sorrow this child must have felt...truly horrible. I wish we could bring you back, but this is the way to peace now, youngster."

Erland let's Domitian do his thing, turning towards the animated stove with another ice spear spell.

Cold: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6
Piercing: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7
DC 15 ref or be tripped on a CMB: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"I'm sorry.. Ingrit whispers, as she unleashes a steady stream of arrows at the attic whisperer, hoping to drown out the sobbing.

+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Rapid shot/Aura of Sobs: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 = 31
Magic/Piercing: 1d8 + 3 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 - 1 = 5

+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Rapid shot/Aura of Sobs: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 = 17
Magic/Piercing: 1d8 + 3 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 - 1 = 7

+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Rapid shot/Aura of Sobs: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 1 - 2 - 1 = 19
Magic/Piercing: 1d8 + 3 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 - 1 = 6

Crit Confirm
+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Rapid shot/Aura of Sobs: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 13 + 1 - 2 - 1 = 13
Magic/Piercing: 2d8 + 6 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (1, 7) + 6 + 2 - 2 = 14

Channel Energy: Damage undead: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 3) = 11

Rurik quietly holds forth his holy symbol of Milani.

DC 14 Will save for ½ damage.

The next ice spear from Erland's wand drives straight up into the underbelly of the stove, but the ice shatters on the hard metal. The magical cold, however, damages the construct especially well. The ice cannot trip the stove, however. 9 cold damage to the Gobbler.

Domitian's attack on the attic whisperer fails to even come close to the small and nimble undead.

Evija resists some of the positive energy that passes through it from Rurik, but it still causes some more damage to the strange creature. 5 damage to Evija.

The Gobbler manages to get off the grease and its stove opening extends outward and tries to bite Domitian. It comes close, but his armor protects him and it can't harm him or grab him. The animated object has 10 foot reach.

Round 2
Anadrien (Aura of Sobs)
Evija (16 lethal)
Ingrit (Aura of Sobs)
Wapiti
Erland (Aura of Sobs)
Domitian (Aura of Sobs)
Rurik (Aura of Sobs)
Gobbler (19 lethal)

Anadrien is up.

Frustrated, unable to focus, and knowing she can't harm the construct, Anadrien pivots on the ball of her foot where she crouches and looses two arrows at the attic whisperer.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The attic whisperer turns suddenly and attacks Ingrit. This turn surprises her and the creature's metal mouth parts create a wound in Ingrit's leg. As the wound opens, Ingrit feels a wave of force try to push the air out of her lungs. She cannot resist the effect and she finds it hard to breath.

Ingrit takes 3 points of damage and is fatigued for 1 hour. A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

Ingrit (Aura of Sobs, fatigued, 3 lethal)
Wapiti
Erland (Aura of Sobs)
Domitian (Aura of Sobs)
Rurik (Aura of Sobs)
Gobbler (19 lethal)

Round 2
Anadrien (Aura of Sobs)
Evija (22 lethal)

Rurik grits his teeth, draws forth his morning star, and closes on the attic whisperer in hopes of sending it to a final end.

Everbloom's rose attack, aura of sobs: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 - 1 = 25
Everbloom's rose damage, aura of sobs: 1d8 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 - 1 = 3

"Positive energy!" gasps Anadrien. "It will hurt both of them!"

Erland steps up and reaches out to touch the attic whisperer, as arcane healing energy surrounds his fingers.

Healing hex, touch attack for 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (3, 2) + 6 = 11 HP positive energy, DC 18 will for half

Touch attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

"Enough, time to fight a real foe!" After previously missing the attic whisperer, Dom decides to shift focus to the Gobbler. He steps up and strikes!

5-foot step, attack.
Falcata: 1d20 + 14 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 14 - 1 = 19; Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 5 - 1 = 18 not sure if it takes precision damage
Falcata: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 9 - 1 = 19; Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 5 - 1 = 16

He stands ready to fend off the strange creature's blow.

I've been waiting on Ingrit but will 'bot her to get things moving again.

Ingrit is surprised by the sudden loss of breath and feelings of fatigue. She steps back and keeps firing arrows at the attic whisperer. Two miss, one hits. Her bow requires more strength than she can muster to fire it with her usual accuracy and power. 6 to Evija, the attic whisperer.

Erland manages to touch the strange undead, sending healing energy to disrupted the arcane fields keeping it animated and corporeal. The creature resists the energy but still suffers more disruption, starting to look very ragged. Save successful, 5 to Evija. Don't forget to apply the penalties associated with Aura of Sobs. It placed a -1 penalty to the attack, which had it been a regular attack would have caused it to miss. It did not prevent the touch attack, however,

Rurik further damages the attic whisperer with his holy mace. 3 to Evija.

Domitian takes the fight to the animated stove. Although it seems futile to attack a construct of cast iron with hand-held blades, Domitian's skill at choosing the exact spot to hit for maximum effect allows him to pierce the metal surface in two places, disrupting somewhat the arcane energies keeping it going. After subtracting 10 for hardness, Domitian's blows do 14 damage to the Gobbler.

The Gobbler tries to bite Domitian again, but misses. One of its metal flue pipes swings at him, but it also misses. The room is beginning to fill with smoke that is coming from the two detached pipes. Soon it will become difficult to breath and hard to see through smoke. Starting round 4, the smoke will require anyone in the room to make a DC 15 Foritude save (DC increases by 1 for each turn spent in the room) to avoid spending the round coughing and choking. Two consecutive failed saves causes 1d6 non-lethal damage. All characters in the room will gain 20% concealment.

Anadrien (Aura of Sobs)
Evija (36 lethal)
Ingrit (Aura of Sobs, fatigued, 3 lethal)
Wapiti
Erland (Aura of Sobs)
Domitian (Aura of Sobs)
Rurik (Aura of Sobs)
Gobbler (33 lethal)

Anadrien is up.

A flick of the hand activates her wrist-sheath, and Anadrien's wand of cure light wounds falls into her palm. She hesitates for only a moment then darts forward to join Domitian in his fight with the construct.

She wants to cry out some words of encouragement, to bolster her brave human companion's morale, but with the noxious smoke scalding her eyes and the back of her throat, she keeps her mouth covered with her sleeve and strikes at the boiler instead.

Attack w/ CLW - Aura of Sobs: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Not sure if the Wand attack is Touch or not.

As Anadrien tries to get to the side of the animated stove, it shifts and its stove opening that acts as a set of jaws darts out and grabs hold of the bard, drawing her to point just west of Domitian.

8 damage to Anadrien and she is grappled. If she wants to try to break free from the grapple instead of attacking with the wand, she can. If she does not break the grapple, on its next turn (coming next in initiative) it proceeds as if moving from grapple to pin (with +5 to the grapple CM roll) and if successful, swallows the target whole, doing more bite damage, with various options if the swallowed character is still alive. The CMD of the stove is 20.

Anadrien reaches out and taps the stove with her wand of cure light wounds and sends the energy cascading over the iron monstrosity. It hurts the construct, haunted by the souls it has consumed. 5 damage to the Gobbler.

Evija, the attic whisperer, looking very ragged, reaches out and touches Erland. Erland feels something tugging at his throat and feels for a moment as if he will lose his voice, but he maintains his ability to speak, just barely.

Ingrit (Aura of Sobs, fatigued, 3 lethal)
Wapiti
Erland (Aura of Sobs)
Domitian (Aura of Sobs)
Rurik (Aura of Sobs)
Gobbler (38 lethal)

Round 3
Anadrien (8 lethal, grappled, swallowed, Aura of Sobs)
Evija (36 lethal)

Everyone but Anadrien is up.

Everbloom's rose attack, aura of sobs: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 1 = 27
Everbloom's rose damage, aura of sobs: 1d8 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 - 1 = 3

Everbloom's rose confirm crit, aura of sobs: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 - 1 = 15
No confirm.

Rurik tries to smash his morning star down on the undead creature again, but even though he gets a perfect opening, he blows it and barely manages to wing the creature.

"No, Anadrien!" cries Dom as she is caught in the stove's clutches. He continues to press the attack as best he can.

Falcata: 1d20 + 14 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 14 - 1 = 16; Damage: 1d8 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 12 - 1 = 13
Falcata: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 - 1 = 17; Damage: 1d8 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 12 - 1 = 12

And he prepares to defend himself if struck.

Rurik's attack hurts the attic whisperer some (3 points), but it is still fighting. Likewise, Domitian wounds the stove a bit (2 points), but not enough to save Anadrien.

Still waiting for Ingrit and Erland.

Limited in the terrain and by his earlier use of magic, Erland levels the wand and attempts to damage the attic whisperer with icicle spears.

CMD: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 5 = 19 to trip, DC 14 Ref to negate and half damage.
Cold: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8
Piercing: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

"Get her out of that thing, if you can! No telling what sort of horror it might inflict on her."

Erland's wand ice spear attack finishes off the attic whisperer, whose body of debris explodes, the heavier pieces clattering to the kitchen floor.

Ingrit (Aura of Sobs, fatigued, 3 lethal)
...
Gobbler (40 lethal)

Round 3
Anadrien (8 lethal, grappled, Aura of Sobs)
Evija (46 lethal, destroyed)
Ingrit (Aura of Sobs, fatigued, 3 lethal)
Wapiti
Erland (Aura of Sobs)
Domitian (Aura of Sobs)
Rurik (Aura of Sobs)

Ingrit is up.

Does the end of the attic whisperer also end its aura of sobs?

Yes, it will still affect Ingrit's next action, since she is earlier in the initiative than the point where Evija was destroyed.

Taking her time, Ingrit focuses her shots, aiming for the massive stove construct, hoping to free Anadrien.

+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Aura of Sobs/Fatigued: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 21
Magic/Piercing/Fatigued: 1d8 + 3 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 8

+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Aura of Sobs/Fatigued: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 27
Magic/Piercing/Fatigued: 1d8 + 3 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 5

Confirm
+1 Composite Longbow/PBS/Precise shot/Aura of Sobs/Fatigued: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 21
Magic/Piercing/Fatigued: 2d8 + 6 + 2 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 6 + 2 - 2 - 2 = 8

With the attic whisperer destroyed, Rurik shifts his attention to the gobbler. Fortunately Ingrit takes her shots before he moves to attack, so he isn't in the way.

Everbloom's rose attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Everbloom's rose damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Ingrit's first shot whistles past Domitian but then only dents the iron skin of the animated stove trying to swallow Anadrien. Her second shot, however, finds a weak spot in the seams of metal and penetrates far enough to disrupt more of the evil animating the stove. After subtracting 10 for hardness, the arrow does 2.

It is not enough, however, to stop the monstrosity, its metal mouth ripples, and Anadrien suffers more wounds and disappears into the cavity normally used for baking.

On the round a character is swallowed, she takes bite damage. If she is inside when the Gobbler starts its next turn, she will take additional fire damage. This round she takes 14 from the bite.

The last expression her friends see on Anadrien's face is a mixture of terror and determination. Eyes flashing, mouth open in a silent scream, she allows herself to be hauled into the Gobbler's maw.

Once within, she clamps down on her instinctive scream, and focusing completely on her wand, she unleashes its energies within the construct.

Assuming I don't have to roll to hit while within the Gobbler as it's touch and I'm completely inside?
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

It is the start of the third round since the stove pulled its flue pipes from the wall and so the room is now filled with choking smoke. This only applies to PCs in L10, the kitchen, but the smoke will bread to the pantry (L11) and the hall (L9) at the start of round 4 if the Gobbler is not stopped.

A character who breathes heavy smoke must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for 2 consecutive rounds takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Smoke obscures vision, giving concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.

Anadrien is up. After she has acted, everyone else may act. Posts will be resolve in initiative order. Note the Aura of Sobs is no longer in effect.

The stove has AC 17, touch AC 8, it has hardness 10, and has 10 hp left. It can be harmed by positive energy with the usual will save for half damage. That includes channeling to harm undead.

Also, remember the stove has 10 foot reach, but it won't be able to use its bite attack, since it needs to keep its stove mouth closed to keep Anadrien swallowed.

Round 3
Anadrien (22 lethal, swallowed)
Ingrit (fatigued, 3 lethal)
Wapiti
Erland
Domitian
Rurik
Gobbler (42 lethal)

The last expression her friends see on Anadrien's face is a mixture of terror and determination. Eyes flashing, mouth open in a silent scream, she allows herself to be hauled into the Gobbler's maw.

Once within, she clamps down on her instinctive scream, and focusing completely on her wand, she unleashes its energies within the construct.

Assuming I don't have to roll to hit while within the Gobbler as it's touch and I'm completely inside?
[Dice=CLW]1d8+1

There are restrictions on casting spells while swallowed. There's some disagreement about how to interpret what's allowed, but if you are casting a spell, you have the restriction that you still have the grappled condition, which makes the following true.

Casting Spells while Grappled/Grappling: The only spells which can be cast while grappling or pinned are those without somatic components and whose material components (if any) you have in hand. Even so, you must make a concentration check (DC 10 + the grappler’s CMB + the level of the spell you’re casting) or lose the spell. CLW has somatic components, so it's out unless you have a wand.

I am using a wand.

The adventurer's outside the stove see it shudder as a weak wave of positive energy affects it. Stove takes 3 damage, something it ate doesn't agree with it.

Ingrit is up next.

Fort DC15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Dom endures the noxious smoke that billows from the Gobbler's mouth. "Let go of her--now!" He slashes furiously at the animated stove.

Falcata: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18; Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Concealment, Blind Fight: 2d100 ⇒ (57, 37) = 94
Falcata: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17; Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Concealment, Blind Fight: 2d100 ⇒ (1, 89) = 90

9 damage after hardness, I believe combined with Anadrien, that does the job!

Domitian draws on all his skill and strength to fight through the smoke, landing two falcata blows that pierce the iron skin and disrupt what is left of the evil magic animating the stove. It reverts to a normal, albeit damaged stove. The heat inside begins to cool and the smoke stops billowing from the pipes, but the room remains filled with choking smoke for a while.

Rurik must still make a fortitude roll against the smoke DC 15. Anadrien will take Heat: 1d3 ⇒ 2 fire damage from residual heat while she pulls herself out of the oven, which will take a move action. Once out, she will have to make the fortitude roll against the smoke. The smoke remains in the room and spreads to the pantry and hall next round, but the DC will go down 1 per round as the smoke begins to clear slowly.

Anadrien pulls herself out of the stove with almost frantic movements; her face is smudged black, much of her hair burnt, and her clothing is cindered and scorched.

"Ah!" she gasps as she tumbles out onto the floor, and then catches herself with her inherent grace and nimbleness to turn it into a roll. She comes up on one knee, face buried in her elbow, and quickly tries to make her way to the door.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

The smoke is too cloying, however, and given her effort to climb out of the stove, it's all she can do to stagger out into the hallway, eyes watering as her throat burns.

Move action to get out, second move action to exit to hallway.

There she leans weakly against the wall and taps her thigh with the wand she yet holds in one grimy fist.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Three applications are all it takes for her gleaming burns to fade away, and she pushes off the wall with a rueful smile at the others.

"I had this notion that the construct would be weaker from within? And that I could apply my wand liberally to its innards, and thus destroy it... quickly." Her expressive face reflects both chagrin and amusement. "Not, perhaps, my best idea, but the situation was growing dire...

Blowing a long lock of hair out of her face, she considers the others. "Anybody need healing before we continue up?"

Erland removes himself from the room as soon as Domitian fells the construct, helping Anadrien to her feet as she pulls herself out.

"I can use my hex on anyone who hasn't been healed by it yet today. If that helps, you may be able to save charges on that wand."

Fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Rurik coughs, chokes, and dies.

Actually I don't know what the effect of the smoke is 'cuz I don't remember.

I interpret this to mean the same thing, essentially, as being nauseated, which allows no other action than a single move action.

Since Anadrien failed the roll after her first move action, she can take a move action to get to the hall. Domitian made the save, so he gets out to the stairs. Rurik can get to the stairs with a move action. Erland failed (see spoiler), but he too is near the door and can get out.

So after some coughing and choking, everyone gets out of the kitchen, not being able to stand the smoke. There everyone is reminded of Inga, the 8-year-old girl liberated from Granny Nan's nursery.

Once people are healed and a decision is made about Inga, proceeding up the stairs leads another floor up.

This leads to a room with a single door set in the eastern wall. The area is otherwise barren except for a column of clockwork gears that rises right through the ceiling above it. An icy draft wafts from above, and the ticking and ratcheting of the giant clock drowns out any other sound. Stairs continue up to a platform where a short ladder is mounted to the wall, leading to a closed trap door in the ceiling just above it.

Perception checks to hear sounds suffer a -10 penalty due to the clockwork. The east wall door is locked.

"I was bitten by the attic whisperer, but otherwise, I'm fine." Ingrit replies as they clear the area of slowly thinning smoke. "I have to say, getting eaten is definitely not a tactic that I'd think to try." she says to Anadrien with a smirk.

"I think it's safer for Inga to stay with Wapiti for now, I wouldn't want her to get hurt in any crossfire while we deal with these monsters. Should we try the door first or up the ladder?"

Perception: 1d20 + 7 - 10 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 10 = 11

"Yes, Inga should stay downstairs with Wapiti. We must be near the dragon now. I say we fully heal ourselves, prepare whatever magics we have in advance, and then advance up the trap door."

Dom would drink a Potion of Feather Step, a Potion of Enlarge Person, and a Potion of Shield of Faith. He wants his 2HP of damage healed because you never know with a dragon.

Rurik nods and brings up his shield to channel Milani's healing power.

Channel energy: Healing: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 5) = 11

Breathing a sigh of relief as she feels Rurik's healing warmth flow through her, sealing the rest of her wounds, Ingrit takes a deep breath, momentarily leaning against the wall, steadying herself with one arm.

"If there's anyone else lurking around down here, I'd rather not have them at my back while we face a dragon." she says, glancing up at the trapdoor. "Between the noise of the machinery and this place being as isolated as it is, the dragon will keep."

Dom is already marching up toward the trapdoor when Ingrit speaks her words of warning. He pauses and spins back. "Let's work quickly, then. It's given us cover, but the clock sound is getting on my nerves."

He heads back down and takes up position by the side door. "Looks like this one's locked," he adds, inviting someone with more deft hands to try keys or lockpicks.

After healing up and discussing what to do next, the group decides to see what is behind the door on the east side of the room with the noisy clock work mechanism. Listening for sounds coming from the room is more or less pointless, as only very loud sounds could be heard through the door and over the constant rumble of metal on metal gears.

The door is locked but one of the keys found on Granny Nan's key ring fits the lock. There does not seem to be any trap on the door. Once everyone is in position Domitian uses the key to unlock and open the door.

The room is only ten feet wide west to east, but runs the length of this section of the tower, about 60 feet. It initially looks more spacious because opposite the door is a book shelf with a large mirror over it. To the south is a dresser. Looking north reveals a bed with a traveler's chest at the foot. Next to the bed is an easy chair and sitting in the chair is a very frightened looking woman with an aristocratic air and clothes and jewelry to match. If she were not grimacing in fear, she would be quite beautiful.

She says nothing, covering her mouth with her hands and struggling to keep from bursting into tears. She has no armor or weapons.

She wasn't quite sure what she expected to find, but the lovely yet terrified aristocrat barely holding it together definitely wasn't it.

Having no idea what to make of things, she keeps her bow down, leaning against the wall as she looks to her companions. "Uhm...Andarien...you might be the best choice to talk to her...she looks terrified." she mutters under her breath.

Sense Motive (human): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Erland moves to cover the mirror immediately, glancing at the woman briefly as he does.

"Are you injured? Are you chained or ensorcelled to the room?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Erland senses the woman is terrified and no threat.

She struggles for a moment to find her voice, but says, "I serve Logrivich, of course. I sing to him when it pleases him."

She eyes all uncertainly and then stares at the floor. Even through her fearful emotions, it is obvious she has a beautiful voice. There are no chains on her, but the lock on the door cannot be unlocked from the inside.

It takes more than a moment, but Domitian realizes who they must have found. "You must be Lady Bella, the opera singer! The Reverend Solveig said the dragon trapped you here because he found your voice beautiful. But we mean to put an end to Logrivich, and bring you to freedom."

Dom approaches and bows formally before the lady. "Domitian Olavsgaard, m'Lady. I'm a Taldan, but no stranger to Chelish opera." He gestures toward the others. "We come from all over, but are united in opposing Queen Elvanna."

"Be at ease, my lady," says Anadrien, moving forward with a smile. "Even the worst of nightmares can come to an end. We've slain all the monsters within the tower but for the dragon. Could you descend and watch over the children while we finish up? They are very scared and would welcome a strong adult to take care of them."

When Domician says "Lady Bella," the woman bursts into tears, leaning forward and hiding her face in her hands. When he says Solveig's name, she sits up and stands, laughing and crying at the same time. It takes some time for her to take in what is happening, but she doesn't object to going down the tower steps to find Inga with Wapiti in the entry hall. The rest of the children dispersed into the city when they had the chance.

The way is clear. There appears only one way to gain the bell tower level, to climb the ladder, open the trap door, and climb up through the trap door opening. Whoever goes first and opens the door, roll a stealth check.

"If we're about to fight a dragon, we'd better be ready. Do we have magics to prepare? Something to resist cold energies, perhaps?"

Okay, again plan to drink a potion of Feather Step and of Shield of Faith. Realized that Enlarge Person probably means Dom can't fit through the door so won't do that, beforehand.