Oliver eyes the half-orc warily, unsure of the reasoning behind the outburst. Regardless, he recovers his planted spear, and returns to following the others. Calling out with his all too common, "Don't worry about me, I'll keep up." as he hobbles along, clearly not possessed of the capability to keep up.
After Wraxus hurls the chest, you find a cache of armor and weapons hidden in a hole underneath it.
Seven longswords, 3 sets of leather armor, 2 sets of chain shirt armor, 6 daggers, and 3 light crossbows with 25 bolts.
"Enough weapons to outfit a small army, I'm surprised the bandits left them behind." Nast comments.
With a slight gleam in his eye "I wonder what they burdened themselves with that was more valuable ...."
Oliver looks over the newfound pile with an eye for auras, looking for signs of anything more than mundane, "Maybe it was a cache, so they didn't have to carry their stuff back and forth to whereever they campout. That way they could stop here, gear up for an ambush, and then only have to deal with it for a short time."
Feeling a little more concerned, seeing just how many weapons and armors there were, he looks to see if any of the armor would be better than what he's got.
Nastarok dismisses the weapons and armor "I have enough to carry as it is."
Athromar eyes the light crossbow and bolts. "Wraxus, are we sure this pit is not trapped as well?"
Wraxus laughs heartily at his anger-fueled discovery, "Well then, a bit of loot after all. Indeed kinsman, if they left these, they must've taken something else quiet valuable - like the lady we seek to rescue. But to your concern Athromar, let me check."
There is one masterwork dagger; the rest is typical stuff. You guess is they bandits stashed the stuff here and plan to come back for it later, although how much later you cannot say.
Athromar looks to his companions, "Does anyone wish to take the dagger? It is of quality make".
Athromar scoops up the light crossbow and the 25 bolts which may all come in handy.
You discuss the dagger as you continue along the trail (feel free to take whatever you desire from the equipment stash).
After walking for another hour, you see something odd ahead of you on the trail.
A snowman, as tall as a human, is in the middle of the path. A crude sign is leaning up against its lower parts. The sign reads trespassers turn back
Beyond the snowman you see a stream, covered in ice. Beyond the stream, the trail continues into the snowy wood.
see the map link above.
Nastarok looks around
"Anybody see anything?" he asks.
(assume you are just off the edge of the map; feel free to put your icons where you want to go).
"They've shown that they like leaving traps behind them. We should be cautious." Nastarok says as he glances about the woods.
After they have taken what they will Wraxus places the chest, or the broken parts that remain, back atop the weapon stash. He does his best to rehide it in the snow, hoping they can recover the bulky load should they return this way themselves.
"Aye, the dagger is nice, twould be a shame to leave it here. I will take it if no one else has an interest."
---------
Seeing the snowman, Wraxus draws his flail. "I don't like it, keep your eyes up and your wits about you." Slowly Wraxus moves up to examine the snowman for any signs of a trap, being careful to watch the undergrowth on the sides of the road as he does.
After having a look over the cache of gear, Oliver decides that he will at least grab one of the chain shirts, and when they decide to take a break he may switch out for it. It is, after all, fairly better than what he has on.
---------------------
At Nastarok's request, Oliver looks over the area with an eye for magic auras, at the same time he also tries to pick out any normal visible threats as well.
Wraxus gets about 10 feet from the snowman when it says Can't you read? The sign says turn back!
Oliver also detects a magical aura upon the snowman.
(I moved Wraxus back 5 feet so he can decide what to do next)
Oliver is actually surprised to find the aura on the snowman, instead having expected to get lucky and use it to spot anything hiding nearby, "Um, guys, that snowman radiates magic. Hold on, I need to focus on it a little longer. With that he concentrates his spell on the snowman to try and determine as much as he can about it.
Oliver detects a faint evocation aura.
As it comes to him he calls out quickly, "Whoa! Stop! There is some sort of evocation associated with the snowman. For those of you that are unfamiliar, did you know, evocation spells manipulate magical energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end? In effect, an evocation draws upon magic to create something out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal large amounts of damage." He takes a few steps back. "We may want to try and avoid the thing altogether. If we go around, with a wide berth, can we find the trail again?"
"We can circle around it easily enough."
"If we're going to cross that frozen stream, I'd like to do it here because we know the ice is thick enough to support us."
Wraxus freezes in place as the voices calls forth from the snowman. Hearing Oliver's words, Wraxus kicks a bit of snow, "More tricks and traps, they knew they'd be pursued. We can swing around, though do we want to leave such a trap in our wake? I could take care of it after we go past. Now, let's step around this accursed snow statue." Moving around the undergrowth he makes his way to the icy river away from the snowman. He carefully checks the ice with his foot, whilst looking back toward his comrades. "Well?"
"Are we being herded into another trap? Should we simply confront this thing here and now? I suppose going around has merit but I would hate to leave something dangerous at our backs, what if we need to retreat down this same path?"
(I am still here but waiting for your discussion and plan to finish so I know where you are going with this. No hurries on my part at all, just quiet!)
Wraxus grins at Athromar, "From Olly's words, seems the snowman is the trap, and a magical sort at that. He get's pretty wordy, but simply, evocation magic goes 'boom'. Now come on around, I'll blow the blasted thing to bits once we are safely past. That work for you?"
Oliver nods with the plan, and just shrugs at being called wordy, "If we can get safely across before triggering it somehow, then I know I will feel safer. Who knows, it could be set to destroy the ice on the water so that we all fall in. But if we set it off beforehand, then we may have trouble crossing."
Nastarok offers his opinion "I say we circle it and leave it be."
Athromar grins at Wraxus, "You are the trapmaster, I am fine with that idea".
Athromar does his best to step where everyone has already stepped, just in case.
So you move to the north - north west to cross the ice.
Who crosses first, do you hold hands and skip across, belly slide across or ??
I moved your icons on the map; place them differently if you want different.
His weapons securely stowed, Wraxus looks for the best route across then slowly steps onto the ice, "Let's take this one at a time. Move slowly, keep your feet wide and shuffle your steps."
Nastarok says "Tread carefully."
He leans on his longspear and looks left and right, up and down the frozen stream to see if he can spot any danger.
Athromar loads the small crossbow and sheathes his sword. He holds the light ranged weapon in one hand and begins to follow his comrades across the ice but not too close.
Perception
Oliver tries to steady his nerves for crossing the ice. The falling through is not his concern, as much as his leg causing him to fall on the slippery stuff. He is not possessed of a nimbleness equal to the others. He stows his crossbow, stows it, then turns his spear to be point down. This way, when he uses it to lean, it should help keep him upright. Before he crosses, he prays for insight to help him out.
Two creatures pop out of the ice, flanking Wraxus, and they attack him!
, hitting for slam damage and cold damage
, missing
Wraxus must also make a DC12 fortitude check or be staggered for a round.
The creatures appear to made of ice. While they came out of the ice, they did not leave a hole where they appeared. Rather, they appeared to move through the ice.
PCs may go. Treat the ice as difficult terrain (each square takes 10 feet of movement) AND you must pass a DC10 acrobatics check to avoid falling during the move.
Any other acrobatics check are more difficult by 5.
Shocked by the sudden appearance of his icy assailants and the stinging cold of their strike, Wraxus manages to do little more than draw his mighty flail while he tries to determine what they are.
Nastarok yells "Look out!!!"
He moves 5 feet north east (move action) and then casts burning hands to hit both of the ice creatures.
save reflex for half.
Athromar raises the Light Crossbow for a shot at one of the ice creatures.
Light Crossbow
Bolt Damage
As the creatures form out almost out of the ice it seems, Oliver is taken aback, and has no idea what they may be facing. As such, he speaks aloud a prayer, "Gods be with us! This may look daunting, but we will overcome. Stay focused friends, that we may push back this enemy." That said, he makes his way a little closer to the fight.
We will assume Athromar takes a 5 foot step back before he shoots but he can still roll for a critical.
Creature saves against fire
, takes 5 pts of damage
, takes 8 points of damage
Athromar needs to roll his crit and then the bad guys go
Confirm Critical
Neither creature is killed but they both steam a bit, so you know the fire hurt them pretty badly.
The two things continue to flank and beat on Wraxus
missing twice.
Players may go!
Nastarok moves up to the edge of the river and stabs out at the easternmost ice creature with his longspear.
"Hah! Hah! Hah!" he yells at the creature, trying to draw it off his friend.
Shaking off the shock of their initial attack, Wraxus steps closer to his companions while swinging at the iceman who had been behind him (closer to the far shore).
Athromar drops his light crossbow and draws his blade, stepping onto the ice to assist Wraxus.
Acrobatics DC 10
Despite his desire to help, the Paladin falls right onto his holy posterior!
Not trusting himself on the ice when not embroiled in combat, Oliver redraws his crossbow and loads it instead.
Wraxus shatters one of the things!
The other attacks back
but misses
Its AC is 16, touch 10
Players are up (or down, as the case may be with Athromar)
Watching the first frosty foe shatter under the weight of his mighty flail, Wraxus swings at the other even more viciously.
The last ice foe collapses in shards.
(out of combat)
Where to next?
The last ice guy is deleted off the map.
Nast stabs at the remaining ice monster again with his longspear.
and misses completely ....