DM-Camris' REIGN of WINTER Part 2: The Shackled Hut (Inactive)

Game Master Camris

looking annoyed, they carry their shovels with them and walk inside the temple.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Said Arwyn hotly as she took off after the priests.
"Not that I'm complaining, but, just how old do you think I am?"
She reached out to grab one by the shoulder and turn him around.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

As you move up to the priests and cross the center of the courtyard, you hear something, it sounds like, children? screaming? you look around the courtyard, and suddenly translucent images of children appear in the churchyard, crying for their parents and screaming as ghostly trolls and giants enter the yard and begin snatching them up. waves of despair sweep over Arwyn, leaving her shaking.

init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

effected by Crushing Despair

you were going to go grab one of the priests, but after the ghostly images appear, the priests turn to you, their purple and blue desnan robes stay the same, but the false fascade of the living drops away from them, sunken skin and fangs, with clawed hands, grey dead skin taught as they hiss and raise their arms at you.

>> The Priests Revealed <<

[23: giacomo], [20: ten penny], [15: priests], [14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

identifying the priests:

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Giacomo hears Arwyn yelping out in terror, and rushes closer to help out.

Double move to get closer. Assuming regular snow, which is still normal speed for me due to the shoes.

yeah, regular snow. courtyard is not difficult terrain, its been prettymuch cleared of snow.

>> second attempt at priest reveal <<

Ten-Penny realizes that things are going wrong and dashes from behind the corner, drawing a Short Sword and a Dagger as she goes. She then swiftly throws the dagger at the... the.... whatever that is.

Thrown dagger at Gold: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 4 = 18 for 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 and 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5 sneak
Debilitating Injury set at Disoriented, -2 at attack rolls, -4 if trying to hit Ten-Penny, until beginning of my next turn.

K. Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Swift to increase movement, double move while grabbing CI greataxe

With a roar, Gondork dashes after Giacomo while sharing what he knows on the Huecuva.

(thrown dagger hits gold for 8 damage 3 damage
the dagger doesn't sink as far into the creature as you'd expect.

blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 151d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
gold: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 101d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

(ac 15 hits flat footed, 5 dmg)
arwyn @ fort save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
she'll live

caladan runs forward in the snow. managing to make it up 60 ft.

*i don't believe there's anything preventing the run action over difficult terrain, am i forgetting something?

[round 1]
[23: giacomo], [20: ten penny], [15: priests], [14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

*i don't believe there's anything preventing the run action over difficult terrain, am i forgetting something?

It's in a weird spot in the rules. I had to look it up, but apparently you can't. You can't run across difficult terrain or if you can't see where you're going.

Giacomo years Gondork yelling about needing magic weapons and grabs his Wand of Magic Weapon, then readies to tap Gondork with it as he passes by.

Perhaps a bit of a dodgy ready. I presume that for the sake of ease as soon as the knowledge is rolled, everyone knows about it.

"Gondork, come to me! I can make your weapon magical to pierce their tough skin!"

Assuming Gondork's weapon isn't magical yet.

Afflicted with Crushing Despair, Arwyn can only moan in horror at the images revealing the past... right up until she was struck.
Trying to shake free of the emotion, she took a step back and unlimbered her bow.

you can unlimber step back and rapid shot, it doesn't impair your actions, just gives you a -2 on most things including damage. the churchyard is relatively clear, so you can five ft. step.

Ten-Penny steps forward and tries a quick jab to catch Gold off-guard. She then thrusts her Short Sword right in his sternum, hoping to deal enough damage for it to collapse.

Two-Weapon Feint: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Short Sword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 for 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 plus 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 sneak
Debilitating Injury set at Hampered: Gold moves at half speed and no 5ft steps until beginning of Ten-Penny's next turn.

"Stay the hell away from her, you rotting shamblers!"

"All those people..." She whispered, still agonized over the vision of what happened to all those people.
Limbs still trembling with Crushing Despair, Arwyn is barely able to draw her bow; but she still managed to get off a shot at gold vamp point blank.
dreyden kepp's mwk composite shortbow: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 1 - 2 = 19 for a possible 1d6 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 - 2 = 7 piercing damage.

Tell me when the Crushing Despair wears off.

sorry, will post tomorrow. it'll last a few minutes in game.

Arwyn steps back, firing a shot, the arrow sinks in but is pushed out as the creature's body rejects the unblessed weapon.

(2 dmg to gold)

Nadya double moves forward on snowshoes (45ft?)

Giacomo pulls his wand, and readies to cast on Gondork's weapon

Ten penny tries to distract the gold huecuva , pinning it by its robe to the cold ground for a second, and stabbing into its sternum,but not deeply

(6 dmg to gold)

The gold priest claws at Ten Penny, while the blue priest steps in past the two of them, to claw at Arwyn.

gold: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 171d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
gold: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 241d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
( 4 dmg to Ten-penny )

blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 171d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 231d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
( 5 dmg to Arwyn )

gold, confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Gondork moves up, Giacomo's ready going off, casting magic weapon on his greataxe, and then Gondork continues to move up. double moving next to Arwyn.

Caladan finishes rushing up to where he is this round. morningstar drawn.

[round 2]
[23: giacomo], [20: ten penny], [15: priests], [14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

Arwyn stumbled back 5 feet from the clawed attacks.
Limbs still trembling with Crushing Despair, she is better able to draw her bow now. Point blank rapid shot.
dreyden kepp's mwk composite shortbow attack: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 1 - 2 - 2 = 9 for a possible 1d6 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 - 2 = 4 piercing damage.
dreyden kepp's mwk composite shortbow rapid shot attack: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 1 - 2 - 2 = 13 for a possible 1d6 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 - 2 = 4 piercing damage.

Still haunted by the sight of the children being grabbed by giants, your shots miss as you aim at figments, tears welling up in your eyes as you try and blink them away.

nadya double moves to flank, taking out her handaxe and pick as she moves.

[round 3]
[20: ten penny], [15: priests], [14: giacomo], [14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

Gold is no longer Hampered, can move normally again.

Ten-Penny was focusing on Gold, only to let Blue slip past her. Gritting her teeth that they keep attacking Arwyn, she wanted to take out Gold first. But then she saw Nadya standing behind Blue, and knew she had to take her chance to protect Arwyn from further harm. She lashes out with both her Short Swords at Blue.

Short Sword 1: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 2 = 13 for 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 and 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7 sneak
Dibilitating Inury set at Bewildered: -2 on AC, -4 if Ten-Penny attacks, lasting till beginning of Ten-Penny's turn.
Short Sword 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 2 = 28 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 and 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7 sneak
Confirm: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 2 = 27 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 extra
Debilitating Injury set at Disoriented, -2 at attack rolls, -4 if trying to hit Ten-Penny, until beginning of my next turn. This removes the Bewildered status, so AC is normal again.

"Did you think I forgot about you, shambling corpse? Stay away from her!"

"You children will be slaughtered for the great Baba Yaga! "
(miss)
(11 dmg to blue)

they step around ten-penny, blue clawing at injured Arwyn, while gold takes adavantage of the situation
blue @arwyn: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 2 = 101d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
blue @arwyn: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 - 2 = 91d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

gold @ten-penny: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 251d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
gold @ten-penny: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 2 = 181d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
(5 dmg to ten-penny)

Gondork steps in where he can hit both, but misses as gold dodges him
+1 cold iron greataxe: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 121d12 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

caldadan calls a judgement of smiting down from abadar to banish the unholy former priests, whatcking at blue from flank with his morningstar, smashing its head in, dropping it to the snowy ground, its body crumbling to dust and bones.
morningstar: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 201d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
( 10 dmg to blue )

Nadya moves around to gold to set up a flank, and readies to attack with her handaxe

[round 3]
[20: ten penny], [15: priests], [14: giacomo], [14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

[round 4]
[20: ten penny], [15: priests],[14: giacomo],[14: gondork], [13: caladan], [10: arwyn], [4: nadya]

In case Arwyn does not outright kill him. Or the ready of Nadya doesn't decapitate him.

"You're not slaughtering anyone anymore!"
Ten-Penny 5ft steps in flank with Nadya, and whirls her Short Swords around.

Short Sword 1: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24 for 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 and 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 sneak
Dibilitating Inury set at Bewildered: -2 on AC, -4 if Ten-Penny attacks, lasting till beginning of Ten-Penny's turn.
Short Sword 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 2 = 27 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 and 2d6 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3 sneak
Debilitating Injury set at Hampered: Gold moves at half speed and no 5ft steps until beginning of Ten-Penny's next turn. Bewildered is gone.

( 7 dmg to gold )

Its body crumples to the floor, turning to ash and bones and mixing with the snow. their old robes crumbling into a light purple dust over the ground.

one way or another its over, and Arwyn can wait out the end of the haunt if she likes.

Gondork's still on holiday, so I guess the only ones capable of making that knowledge are under your control. At least, from what I presume from everyone's class skills.
I do have a spell slot open and I'd like to use it if anyone makes that knowledge check.

Arwyn sank tot he ground and covered her eyes, moaning until the haunt no longer affects her.

d'oh. bad priest. lol

gondork: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
caladan: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

just enough. Caladan shares what he knows about haunts, and suggests how to lay this one to rest. The crushing despair lasts 4 minutes.

its like 11am on the 6th day. you foraged for food as you travelled yesterday, eating the boreal wolf meat as you travelled. You just destroyed two huecuva in an old desnan churchyard. The door to the church itself has rotted away leaving just the crumbling snow covered edifice with a gaping maw into darkness, in stark contrast with the bright white landscape surrounding you. What would you like to do after consecrating the churchyard?

How is our foodsupply? Is it still there in its unspoiled glory, or are maggots coming out of this stuff too? There was some sort of curse going on, so I don't know if our most recent food is still OK.

Also, having an open door of an abandoned temple in front of a rogue is just mean... Of course Ten-Penny wants to check the place inside and out. But she is still a team player, so if the rest wants to go on and leave this place, she will (reluctantly).

the food supply is ok. the stuff you gathered yesterday can be eaten today, and have a bit left over for breakfast tomorrow if you did nothing at all today but travel. Its not rotting any faster. Attempts to purify or create food seems to be nertzed, that's the curse on Giacomo.

Nadya estimates you could hit Ellsprin tonight if you push, and don't forage. or tomorrow afternoon/evening if you forage.

team player is fine. but Gondork and Caladan can't make much of it. they're fine exploring. Depends what Arwyn and Giacomo want to do. You can wait the 5 minutes until Arwyn is over the Crushing Despair, and then go in. Don't think anyone would object to a quick search inside. Perception check.

A quick glance, Ten-Penny can live with that.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 (+2vs traps/surprises)

good choice. this little place is a wellspring of wealth.
i'm sure someone's got read magic.

Searching the temple, you find a loose stone under the ruins of a toppled-over altar inside where the priests apparently hid some of the temple's treasures from the approaching army. A small stone coffer sits in the cavity under the stone; it contains a scroll of Hold Person and a scroll of resist energy (cold) in an engraved scroll case worth 100gp, a magic belt, a magic ring, and two fire opals worth about 250gp each, as well as 220gp and 27pp.

i think gondork can handle the belt and determine its a magic and a weapon. ie. a bladed belt standard from ultimate equipment.

the ring isn't hard to identify as a ring of feather falling

you spend about half an hour checking the place out, and then get back to your journey.

will y'all be foraging again today? or pressing on ? consensus of 2 is enough to decide course of action.

Giacomo hugs Arwyn until she stops shaking.

Giacomo pipes up that the food supply is running low and that he refuses to let two children starve.

Survival for food: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Apparently I'm good at providing food. It's probably the Community domain flowing through me.

Ten-Penny refuses to not forage, if the tiny halfling is going into the woods to find food.

Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

EDIT: Arwyn... Giacomo... can you save me... I think I'm lost in the woods now...

you've a day and a half of food... for a 1 day journey... but okay you forage. For the children!

nadya: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
caladan: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
gondork,assist nadya: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

You spend half the day hunting sign of a large stag, and manage to find a bunch of edible bark. you eat through your day's rations, but you've enough food for 1 3/4 days more. You only make a little bit of progress travelling, and its evening on the 7th day when you begin to reach Ellsprin, spotting one of the first cottages on the outskirts of the small village. You've almost reached Nadya's drop-off spot for her children, with a days worth of food to spare.

but something seems strange...

The solitary wooden house sits on the outskirts of the small village, partially surrounded by a small grov of trees and hardy shrubs, far from the other houses in the village. A thin column of smoke rises from the chimney, but there is no other sign of life from within, and the window shutters are pulled closed. Fifteen feet in front of the homestead, a humanoid shape in ruddy collored clothes lies facedown - the snow around it dyed red with blood

Do you pass by and continue to the village?

I have a bad feeling about this...

Low battery & no internet, hope this post gets through!

it did. and you do.

Standing there leading the sled, and the dogsled, you're somewhat dumbstruck by the idyllic scene of the cottage. you hope someone is inside, given the smoke from the chimney. The shuttered nature of the hovel, and the possible bloody corpse near the door cast an ominous pall over the scene. Poetically, a light grey snow is falling daintily through the tree canopy.

Steyn hugged Giacomo back hard.
"Thanks." She whispered.

She was unwilling to look into the temple, but ok with foraging that day.
survival: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 20

At the cabin, she checked the crime scene before approaching the cabin cautiously.
perception: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25
survival (track): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 + 2 = 20
stealth: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 = 11
doh!

Ten-Penny quietly approaches the body in front of the cabin, looking around for any foul creatures that might have orchestrated this grizzly scene.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 +2 vs Traps/Ambushes
Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Arwyn curiously approaches, noticing a lot of tracks coming in, around the body, and then going around a cart.

As you both approach, ten-penny trying to lay low and use the bushes, but neither of you really having much to hide behind, a shout comes from inside the house.
"Lookout! There's two of 'em !" A woman shouts from within the shuttered cottage, but the span of a breath passes, and nothing happens.

Arwyn, Giacomo, Gondork, would you like to do something? i'm going into rounds because combat has technically started, though nothing perceptible has happened yet. Arwyn if you'd like you can continue tracking. the tracks go around the cart on the map.

map: i found a fifth edition conversion of the reign of winter, which adapts and suggest maps for the encounters, so i'm using that for the free map. =) hence the nondescript cottage got a low wall and a small yard suddenly

[ round 1 ]
[20: arwyn], [18: giacomo], [15: gondork], [13: GM event ], [6: ten-penny], [5: nadya], [4: caladan]

Don't want to do much. I have some buffs I could throw, but it's hard to choose one if I don't know what we're up against.

don't want to speak for gondork as well, don't know if he's back, or was just checking in while travelling. He'll probably delay as well, until he has a target to smash.

Gondork takes out his tower shield and straps it to his arm, grunting curses in orcish.

Arwyn will continue to follow the tracks around the cart.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 2 = 23
survival (track): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 + 2 = 20

you go around, oddly the tracks just end there. like they're an illusion that never got finished.

>> Suddenly << appearing mid stride, no, running so fast that its nearly a blur, a Small vaguely elfin creature appears, it runs in front of Arwyn, and suddenly lashes out with a claw, then runs back, but moves so fast it ends in a skid of snow across the yard. You realize there's a twin pain, as something STUCK you from the bushes.

claw: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 341d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (2) = 4 plus cold: 1d6 ⇒ 2
spear: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 2 + 2 = 231d4 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + (2, 4) = 7 plus cold: 1d6 ⇒ 1

claw confirmation: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 331d4 ⇒ 4
(8 dmg to arwyn)
(7 dmg to arwyn, 15 total )

knowledge nature on F (separate checks for F and T )

knowledge nature on T

[ round 1 ]
[20: arwyn],[18: giacomo (delay)], [15: gondork], [13: F ], [13: T], [6: ten-penny], [5: nadya], [4: caladan]

map note: snow squares are difficult terrain, path squares are normal. bushes are light concealment (20% miss chance). low stone walls are light cover (+2 cover)

knowledge:nature on F: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
knowledge:nature on T: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
"OW!" Arwyn flinched as she is injured.
"I don't know what the other one is, but THAT one is a winter twigjack! They're tiny and like backstabbing bigguns with spears!"

Since this is the next day, I assumed we healed some of the damage from the last fight due to simply sleeping (so +4 health). If I'm wrong, please notify and I will lower my health with 4 again.

Ten-Penny sees a blur pass by that stabbed Arwyn. "Where did that thing come from!?!"

She moves forward over the path, drawing both her Short Swords. She then takes a moment to wait for a chance to strike at any critter that dares come close.

Ready an attack on either critter if it comes in range

Giacomo walks forward and readies a Burning Disarm if it's possible.

Twigjack shouldn't be disarmable, maybe the other one can.

spear, it looks all wooden and fey-like, it attacked so you might not have a good view of it, but probably enough to ready something else or cast something else, since you can see its wooden hafted.

the other just has claws he's using

Since this is the next day, I assumed we healed some of the damage from the last fight due to simply sleeping (so +4 health). If I'm wrong, please notify and I will lower my health with 4 again.

yeah, presumed you healed up. i only adjusted Arwyn's health from full - 15 for the damage, the others i didn't reset yet. feel free to reset yours if you havent already

move up, drawing bow, and shoot at the one by the well.
longbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 111d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

move up 20 and cast Bless, drawing his morningstar. judgement for AC.