"Well, if you are sure that the reinforcements will be delayed, then I'm up for some rest. Rather have the party at full strength than a risky gamble. I'm sure Hatch knows what he is doing, he has been in this tower before.
Ten-Penny rumages through her backpack, and produces several items: a ball of string, a bell, a signal whistle, 2 candles, flint and steel and some glue paper.
"I've had a nice shopping spree back in the village, and some of this stuff comes in handy now. I can set up a primitive alarm with this bell and string near the door, kind of a thing like the door of a shop. Also, you can have this, Hatch." she says when handing the signal whistle to him. "You can blow on this to wake us when there is any sign of danger during our rest. I'm not saying you have to keep watch for us alone, I'm willing to also take up some of the watch duty. But as you are more familiar with this place, you would also be the first to realize something is off."
She then turns towards Giacomo, Arwyn and Nadya.
"I'm aware that you three cannot naturaly see in the dark. Unfortunately I only have two candles and one Flint and steel set, so you have to make do with this if you didn't bring any on your own. Also Arwyn, how is your supply of arrows? I have still have some cold iron ones for my shortbow, but I hardly use them. If you need to stock up, I'd be happy to share."
"And last but not least, I have several pieces of glue paper. I do not want these guards to make a lot of noise, so I suggest we glue their mouths shut for the night. Don't worry Giacomo, we can safely remove these. Well, mostly safe... they might suffer some waxing pains..."
"Unfortunately I only have two candles and one Flint and steel set, so you have to make do with this if you didn't bring any on your own."
Arwyn waived her off at this. "It's no problem. I brought a bunch of torches if we need 'em."
"Also Arwyn, how is your supply of arrows? I have still have some cold iron ones for my shortbow, but I hardly use them. If you need to stock up, I'd be happy to share."
Awyn frowned and felt around her pack.
"I burned through a whole quiver of twenty? Man, I didn't even notice!" She said, astonished.She thought for a moment, undecided.
"I would have to say, no but thanks. I have two more quivers of regular arrows and one of cold iron. I think I'll be good for another day of combat. You keep yours just in case we run into some flyers and you need 'em. If I run low I'll give a shout." She said, calculating the number of arrows left on her fingers.
Since she was thinking about it, she prowled through the battlefield, looking for the remnants of arrowfire in order to recover thinks like feathers and arrowheads.
During her watch, she laid out her crafting tools and occupied herself with making more arrows.
*Loud snoring sound*
you chug a potion of endure elements, the tower gets extremely chilly overnight, and whatever you can do to help be comfortable helps. 8 hours later, the storm is still raging outside, you rest as best you can, and say your prayers in the morning.
The next morning
Ten-Penny stretches her limbs a bit and dismantles her primitive bell trap (retrieve string and bell), packs her flint and steel and any unused candles. She takes a look at Hatch and wonders if she should let him keep the whistle.
After everyone has done their prayer/thing in the morning
Ten-Penny will ascend with both her Short Swords drawn. She doesn't care when she ascends (don't mind to go first), she lets the party decide on that.
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These take you up one level to the dining hall. First he says you will probably want to go to the top, but he doesn't know the pass phrase to get you there. The crystal you need to get to though he can tell you. You need to take the doors opposite the main windows of the dining hall, into the Mirrored Hall. That is the teleporter that leads up two levels to Nazhena's chambers. Hatch doesn't know that pass phrase.
if you take the doors north out of the dining hall, past the conservatory, there is a telporter that will take you up one more level to the aerie. the raven-tender lives and works there. its the crecent maw 50 ft. off the ground where the light-red guard shot his warning bolt. to get there say: "Take wing, soar and fly,
let me view the winter sky."
to get back down say "Down a level, to the halls,
leave this cage without walls."
to get down to the entry hall, from the dining hall, say: "Spiral downward to the ground,
every ounce and every pound."
Nazhena's second in command, Radosek, has interests in Jairess, in the Aerie. Rumor is he made a key that will take you from the mirrored hall to his chamber, a black feather in a fist size crystal, like the snowflake.
In the morning, Gondork straps on his battered tower shield and takes out his gleaming cold iron battleaxe after donning his armor. He then cracks his shoulders and spits on the ground.
Anybody got some jerky for me? I ran out of rations.
He follows with a bellowing laugh as if he made a funny joke, while giving Arwyn a 300lb poke in the shoulder.
I mean, as in "being a jerk", you know? Hahaha! No but seriously, let's be on our guard. What do you know about battle formations, Arwyn?
While he waits for an answer, his battleaxe visibly gains weight, becoming bulker and shining oily black. He kisses his axe before saying a prayer to Gorum.
Forgive me, mother of veils.
To our lord in Iron, for my Ancestors!
Because my plan would be to form a shield wall, but if you're going to want to shoot things with dreyden kepp's bow, I might be in your way.
Arwyn constructs a crude hammock for herself from her rope and blankets, just to sleep up off the cold floor.
In the morning, she had a thought.
"Say, aren't there TWO crystals? We can go up two at a time then." She mused aloud.
"Ten-Penny, let's you and I go first, since we seem to be the quietest ones."
Anybody got some jerky for me? I ran out of rations.
Arwyn frowned in thought and rummaged through her pack. She pulled out a ration pack and tossed it to Gondork. "Heads up big guy! You can have one of mine rather than look to one of us snack sized folk." She called out.
He follows with a bellowing laugh as if he made a funny joke, while giving Arwyn a 300lb poke in the shoulder. "What do you know about battle formations, Arwyn?"
"Oof." Grunted Arwyn as she staggered with the heavy handed poke to the shoulder. "Easy there Gondork! Not all of us have the heavy armor y'know!
"As for battle formations, I know nothing about them. I trained as a scout/guide." She answered.She looked at Gondork suspiciously.
"You aren't thinking of using that kind of thing HERE do you? Don't you need an open field and a hundred soldiers for that?" She asked, wondering if their war priest had hit his head.
Because my plan would be to form a shield wall, but if you're going to want to shoot things with dreyden kepp's bow, I might be in your way.
Arwyn waived her hand.
"No problem. I trained in the art of precise shooting, so I can shoot right past you if we need to." She said sweetly."I figured you would be number three or four while me and Ten-Penny sneak ahead."
Are you sure, even when I do this?
Arwyn peers at Gondorks positioning and stance doubtfully.
"I don't know..." She said slowly.
"Maybe? Certainly not with two like that touching together. I might have to hop on top of you and shoot down." She said, suiting the action to the words.
Landing short, she tries again.
Arwyn and Ten-Penny step into the teleporter light and recite the phrase in Skald ,"
En samling i hallen, ta en, ta oss alle." with Nadya coaching them to say it properly. the light rises up from the floor and solidifies around them, encasing them in ice as the light solidifies. looks of horror wash over their eyes as they find they can't move and are completely paralyzed. in a few seconds, the crystal sinks into the ground, living cargo in tow, and fades away, no trace of the ice or Arwyn and Ten-Penny is left.
You go from a momentary state of panic, paralyzed, entomed in ice, to suddenly waking up, standing in an alcove adjacent to a long table, blinking rapidly vanishing ice out of your eyes, like stumbling awake from a dream in which you've reached terminal velocity falling.
A crescent-shaped dining table occupies this Y-shaped chamber, while two large mirrors on the north and south walls create the illusion of an even larger space. Twenty feet overhead, an immense chandelier of ice crystals hangs from the ceiling, shedding a mystical blue-white glow to the chamber, reflected and carried by the mirrors. To the east, opposite the main windows, rounded steps access a short hallway, flanked by twin ice sculptures of dryads holding ice-carved tree limbs, creating an elaborate archway. Translucent, glasslike double doors are set in the hall's north and south walls. To the west, two alcoves stand between three windows, providing an amazing view of the stormy wintry landscape as snow, sleet, and hail rap at the ice-windows, occasionally chipping it.
the room appears empty, though you see that the doors past the archway appear to be open a crack. You step out of the alcoves, crouching behind the tables and begin to stealthily explore the room, careful for signs of movement or attack. As Gondork and Caladan emerge like icebergs from the floor, and their encasing ice quickly melts
stealth
perception
stealth
Sneaking about quietly, looking for enemies.
"Hey Arwyn." Ten-Penny says in a shushed tone. "All these doors... I don't like it one bit. Maybe I should start locking and jamming some of them. Don't want us to suddenly be surrounded. What do you think?"
Ten-Penny keeps looking around the room, also to check for potential traps.
, +1 for potential traps.
As you check out the room and look for traps, getting near the slightly open doors, you both think you hear a hushed murmur from one of the next rooms. Just then the crystals behind you activate, forming ice blocks that rapidly melt, revealing startled and confused Gondork and Caladan, who watch you two as you make cautionary hand gestures and urge silence. The sound of the storm buffeting the icy windows picks up.
A low deep voice starts resonating from a distant room.
"On this night, on this night,
Every night and all,
Hearth and house and candle-light,
-round 5-
[26: lask], [22: volan], [22: mierul], [19: Giacomo], [16: Arwyn], [16: Ten-Penny], [14: jir], [13: Caladan], [11: Nadya], [9: hestrig], [5: Gondork]
Once the dirge song starts, things start happening, some faster than some can react. A diminutive blue-skinned Atomie appears next to ten-penny, flying on silent dragonfly wings, popping into visibility after invisibly striking at the half-orc in the face, the numbing cold of the strike leaves her face tingling, but she shakes off being staggered.
past the archway, the south-east door opens fully and Sergeant Volan steps out, his spiked shield and sword drawn, he steps out in a defensive stance, exhaling a hatred as he sets his stance. The blue skinned forlarren traveller you met on the road here steps out behind him, continuing her dirge, a blade of flame springs forth in her grasp, her white cloak hanging behind her in her stunning blue dress.
"When from here away you pass
Every night and all,
To Thorny Moor you come at last;"
Giacomo appears, drawing a shocked breath after the ice surrounding him rapidly melts.
initiative checks
Giacomo thaws from the ice and takes a quick look around. Seeing what's what, he walks over to Gondork and taps him on the ankle again, taking over his blindness.
"There you go big guy, have fun."
Ten-Penny is surprised at the sudden appearance of her (tiny?) foe, and as a reaction immediately starts to wail on it.
for
for extra
for
Giacomo hops onto the table and dashes across, tagging Gondork.
Ten-Penny rips into her assailant, who she knows from working with cold-fey and bandits, cold iron would cut through like butter, however steel doesn't have as much bite. She rips and shreds, sending diminutive sprays of blue flesh, but the diminutive creature is still flying. though seems badly injured.
Gondork smiles at the next opportunity for target practise and walks up to the fey floating in front of ten-penny's face.
Thanks, Giacomo. One would almost think you enjoy the sight of battle, the way you are enabling bloodshed. I almost forgot these powers come from Ol' Deadeye.. you are probably glad you can't see what I'm about to do! RAWGH!
Gondork smiles at the next opportunity for target practise and walks up to the fey floating in front of ten-penny's face.
Thanks, Giacomo. One would almost think you enjoy the sight of battle, the way you are enabling bloodshed. I almost forgot these powers come from Ol' Deadeye.. you are probably glad you can't see what I'm about to do! RAWGH!
"No, I don't!" Giacomo yells in frustration, "I mainly want this to be over with! In fact, I'm sort of happy I don't have to see what you're about to do! I just do this to make Nadya happy again!" Giacomo throws a glance at Nadya, then remembers he's blind.
Arwyn focuses on Lask, shooting rapidly at point blank range.
for a possible piercing damage.
for a possible piercing damage.
Another fairy appears, flying above Arwyn, viciously stabbing her in the eye for killing his sister
Caladan moves up to Jir, drawing his cold iron morningstar, but misses trying to strike it as its flying over Arwyn. Nadya unfreezes, stringing one of her borrowed cold iron arrows, and hastily taking aim over arwyn, nicking the diminutive fey with an arrow.
you hear spellcasting from the other room, a deep but femanine voice.
Gondork slides across the table, knocking over a chair, swiping at the miniature fairy flying over Arwyn but misses.
Volan leaps to action, suddenly charging Ten-Penny, leading with a masterful swing of his black leather gripped cold iron longsword.
Meriul continues her dirge, "If ever you gave hose and shoes,
Every night and all,
Sit then down and put them on; " eloquently singing the verses in a light barritone, she dances up to Arwyn on her cloven feet, gentle like a gazelle, her blade of flame in hand, waving her blade of flame through Arwyn's chest faster than she can avoid the lick of its flame
-round - 6
[22: volan], [22: mierul], [19: Giacomo(blind)], [16: Arwyn], [16: Ten-Penny], [14: jir],[13: Caladan], [11: Nadya], [9: hestrig], [5: Gondork]
Giacomo casts a Cure Light and stumbles across the table towards where Ten-Penny's cries of pain came from.
"Ten-Penny, come over here, I can tell you're hurt."
Arwyn jolted under the pain of the simultaneous attacks. Growling, she backflipped and jumped, landing on the table.
She then drew and fired at Jik point blank.
for a possible piercing damage.
-round - 6
[22: volan], [22: mierul], [19: Giacomo(blind)], [16: Arwyn], [16: Ten-Penny], [14: jir],[13: Caladan], [11: Nadya], [9: hestrig], [5: Gondork]