With what you've offered in trade, you have enough to acquire most of the ivory, but not all, nor can you acquire the Narwhal horn.
Joseph nods to Geborah and says, "Chief White Tusk thanks you."
The Yutak are fascinated by the mithral. Joseph says, "This metal is wondrous. The spearheads we make with this will be strong and light. We thank you."
Your offerings of the equipment, as well 1000 gp of mithral, has resulted in you getting all 1,200 gp worth of ivory from them and the narwhal horn. The Yutak, pleased, return to their kayaks and canoes and row away.
Captain Odenkirk eyes the ivory with barely restrained greed, but says nothing as he orders his crew to continue sailing north.
"Capt'n, how much longer to our destination?
Tatienne watches the yuktak go, finally relaxing her hand from her sword-arm, before frowning ever-so-slightly at the Captain's signs of unrestrained greed. Reaching out, she touches the minds of her compatriots.
We need to be careful with the Captain. He may try to betray us first.
Geborah can't resist a smirk. Might Odenkirk betray us? Of course, she thought. She always expects betrayal, from everyone.
Even her pactmates, even if it means their doom, might betray her in a moment of weakness, as did that idiot Dante. One watches for signs, one takes precautions...one grows eyes on the back of one's head. She reaches into her hood and strokes the feathers of her partner--her advantage--awake when she sleeps--watchful when she is distracted--
"--Watcher! Warder! Warden!"
"Another day to the river mouth, and then a day down the river. We'll arrive at the destination then, so long as our weather holds."
You sail on into the night, the temperature dropping rapidly. There are now ice floes outside the bow, and one of the sailors keeps watch to make sure they don't hit the ship. Odenkirk's sailors light torches around the edge of the ship to provide both light and warmth. Everyone tries to bed down, but the chill makes it difficult to find comfort.
As you try to find a warm place to sleep, an inhuman laugh rings out, echoing in the vast emptiness. Balam's armor is suddenly coated in a thin sheet of frost, which he seems to shake off with no effects. Suddenly, coming over the side of the ship are four icy creatures in a vaguely humanoid shape. The sailors cry in fear and scream something about demons before they run to the hatch belowdecks and jump down to cower there.
These are ice elementals. They share many traits with other elementals while also being immune to the cold. However, they are weak to fire. They can burrow through ice and snow and walk on ice, as well as being quite skilled at maneuvering in water.
With the right amount of materials, I could make this a ship of the dead at the first stop or at least we can deal with the captain at the first stop.... Crew would be easy to handle after that.... I'm sure their is someone there that can pilot the boat.
Balam draws forth his blade, charging the closest ice "demon". With a shout to Asmodeus, he brings his blade down on the creature.
Wraith seeing these creatures knows nothing about them, with a quick mental shout. Anyone know what these "demons" are? He then begins to cast his Mage Armor spell while trying to keep away from all the creatures.
"We face ice elementals--like the water elementals the tritons conjured, but vulnerable to fire." The priestess smirks. "Whoever is controlling them does not know who they are dealing with. Keep an eye out for their summoner!"
Geborah sends a gout of flame at the first exposed elemental she sees.
At hearing Geb's words Wraith starts scanning the area in search of said summoner.
And notices that some seal blood has stained his boots.
Tatienne, wrapped tightly in her cloak, sits near a torch, silently miserable, but determined to mask it behind a face as impassive as the ice floes the Frosthamar bumps against.
---------------------
Jumping to her feet, Tatienne's trident is in her hand, even as the captain's men scamper into hiding. Closing her eyes, Tatienne pictures the very fires of hell, and her new trident bursts into flame.
Grumblejack peers around the boat, setting his sights on the nearest elemental, and swings his club with as much force as he can muster, landing the club with a thick crack that echoes across the boat...
.
Balam draws forth his blade, charging the closest ice "demon". With a shout to Asmodeus, he brings his blade down on the creature, chipping some ice away.
Wraith seeing these creatures knows nothing about them, with a quick mental shout. Anyone know what these "demons" are? He then begins to cast his Mage Armor spell while trying to keep away from all the creatures. His spell completes, protecting him from their blows.
"We face ice elementals--like the water elementals the tritons conjured, but vulnerable to fire." The priestess smirks. "Whoever is controlling them does not know who they are dealing with. Keep an eye out for their summoner!" Geborah sends a gout of flame at the first exposed elemental she sees, melting a huge hole through the elemental.
Jumping to her feet, Tatienne's trident is in her hand, even as the captain's men scamper into hiding. Closing her eyes, Tatienne pictures the very fires of hell, and her new trident bursts into flame.
Grumblejack peers around the boat, setting his sights on the nearest elemental, and swings his club with as much force as he can muster, landing the club with a thick crack that echoes across the boat, shattering the elemental into pieces.
You notice that, unlike the summoned water elementals in the battle with the tritons, the remains of these elementals do not dissipate, but rather stay on the deck.
Another inhuman laugh rings out across the ship, and three magical darts fly from the top of the mast right into Geborah.
[spoiler=Darkvision]
At the top of the mast, you see a small humanoid shaped creature with thin, leathery wings, horns, and a mischievous smile. Since darkvision is black and white, you cannot see what color it may be.
That is a mephit. Based on the ambient temperature, you suspect it of being an ice mephit, a denizen of the plane of water with an affinity for ice. You know they are immune to cold and can resist non-magical weapons. They have limited magical abilities, and you know they are not capable of summoning any kind of elemental.
The ice elementals attack, the one fighting Balam slamming into him. Balam feels cold begin to seep into his bones, but he does not allow it to affect him, this hardy warrior of darkness.
Timeon and Grumblejack are able to evade any blows at the hands of the elementals they face.
Jezabel begins singing a little song as she moves around Grumblejack towards one of the elementals.
Orange - 1/13
Blue - 9/13
Green - 13/13
Balam - 6 damage
Drawing on the flames of his master, Balam adds that fury to his blow.
,
Wraith seeing Geb take a blow from the Magic Missile, tracing it back up to the top of the ship. He cast his spell, aiming to pitch this creature into permanent darkness.
"Foul creature surrender now and pay or flee and hope to survive!"
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At the top of the mast, you see a small humanoid shaped creature with thin, leathery wings, horns, and a mischievous smile. Since darkvision is black and white, you cannot see what color it may be
"There's a mephit--a kind of ice spirit--on the top of the mast! It's probably ordering the elementals around, though it didn't summon them. You'll need an enchanted weapon to really hurt it." She smirks. "Or fire."
Timeon swings at the partially melted elemental, trying to put it down.
He feels heat on the back of his neck, radiating from Geborah as she slips deeper into the ecstasy of battle, and he quickly steps out from between her and the elementals.
"There's a mephit--a kind of ice spirit--on the top of the mast! It's probably ordering the elementals around, though it didn't summon them. You'll need an enchanted weapon to really hurt it." She smirks. "Or fire."
Timeon swings at the partially melted elemental, trying to put it down. His strike misses the wounded elemental, however. He feels heat on the back of his neck, radiating from Geborah as she slips deeper into the ecstasy of battle, and he quickly steps out from between her and the elementals.
Odenkirk roars and runs around Grumblejack to get in range of one of the elementals.
He cuts a huge chunk out of the ice elemental.
Drawing on the flames of his master, Balam adds that fury to his blow. With a mighty crack, the elemental breaks into two pieces and falls to the ground.
"Foul creature surrender now and pay or flee and hope to survive!" Wraith casts a spell at the mephit, attempting to blind its sight.
The mephit cries out as darkness falls across its sight.
Orange - 1/13
Blue - dead
Green - 1/13
Mephit - blind
Balam - 6 damage
Snowflakes melt in the air around her as Geborah hurls flame at the mephit--the creature makes an easy target now that it cannot see to dodge her attacks.
Grumblejack swings at the next closest elemental as Tatienne steps forward thrusting her flaming trident at the creature, timed to land in conjunction with the ogre's strike.
Snowflakes melt in the air around her as Geborah hurls flame at the mephit--the creature makes an easy target now that it cannot see to dodge her attacks. It lets out a cry of pain as she hits it - although she notices it doesn't seem to be more affected than normal at her firebolt than a humanoid would be.
Tatienne's trident melts through one elemental, felling it. Grumblejack attempts to hit the other, but there are too many people between him and it, resulting in a bad miss.
The mephit picks a random direction and flies away, with the last elemental quickly finished off by the group.
"We don't like letting our enemies escape, do we, dear?" The priestess cups her magpie in her hands, whispering a hellish incantation in loving tones. Then the bird launches itself after the mephit, a fearsome power pulsing in the beat of its wings.
Swifter than the blinded mephit, Golachab pounces on the ice spirit from behind, unleashing a dark and deadly force through its claws.
The familiar then returns to the warmth of Geborah's hood.
"I should really add wings to Femur, I can see the use of having a flying familiar in what your getting it to do right now." Wraith chuckles as he senses Femur's worry about the wings, so reaches down and scratches the creatures head before pulling out some seal meat he saved for the creature.
The mephit was flying away full speed, and it took Golachab all his strength to try and catch up, just barely grazing the mephit as it flees.
The mephit's will is strong against this spell, though, and it isn't as effective as Geborah would have liked.
Golachab wings his way back to her.
The mephit continues flying away, now in a slightly different direction.
Geborah fusses over her familiar when she returns, feeding her a cake of seed and suet before checking in with the others.
"Your spell is permanent, Wraith? Well, if the mephit was sent by some conjurer, it will have a devil of a time finding its way back to report. But perhaps it was merely a chance encounter. Captain, have you heard of such creatures in these waters before?"
"Permanent indeed, I expect the creature to eventually get tired and drown in the waters." He transmits to Geb.
In a loud voice, almost yelling at the creature in the hopes it will hear him, "If its willing to parley, I might be willing to remove the curse depending on its answers.
"It's from the Plane of Water, Wraith, it can't drown. Your bargain is a fine idea, but I suspect it speaks only the language of that plane, Aquan. Still, it warms me to think my enemy will wander forever in darkness. Now I shall sleep--we reach the river tomorrow."
Geborah curls up in the prow of the ship, her breath a long plume of mist. She seems immune to the icy weather.
Odenkirk grunts and says, "There's always a chance of strange creatures this far north - my men have many superstitions about them. I haven't encountered them before."
With the ice mephit taking his leave, the ambient temperature warms up a little bit - enough to sleep comfortably within your blankets and the torches lit, at any rate.
The next day, you finally reach the ice-choked mouth of the River Taiga. Here, Kargeld's abilities as a captain truly shine as he nimbly sails the craft through fields of floating jagged ice. He barks orders in Norspik, and his sailors scramble to comply. Again and again he turns the boat at just the right moment to pass between the broken shards calved from ancient glaciers.
You also realize that you likely would not have been able to sail the boat through such dangerous waters.
After several nerve-wracking hours, the boat pushes through the dangerous headwaters of the Taiga into the clear river of this almost uncharted mighty river. Beyond the headwaters is a land of savage wonders. The Taiga winds through a great northern forest that to the best of anyone’s knowledge has no name.
Odenkirk grunts and says, "The ice was thicker than normal - we will likely not reach our destination until tomorrow."
After miles and miles of picturesque pine trees frosted with new fallen snow, the ship comes to a great mountain range. This river flows through a great rift in the mountains that looks as if some impossible huge primordial giant smashed a pass through the grey slate.
After another night of rest on the boat, you are headed south now, though this appears to have no effect on lessening the intense cold. You are headed to the great interior sea of Talingarde – Lake Tarik as it is known. To the south of that lake sits the Watch Wall. And on the northern banks in a wide wooded valley is your destination – the camp of Sakkarot Fire-Axe.
As you approach, you see the Fire-Axe's camp. It spreads massively before you - thousands of bugbears strong, with other monstrous creatures as well. Fur-clad goblins scamper here and there, cackling with glee, and the occasional polar bear appears to lumber around the camp untended. You even glimpse a few hill giants.
The "polar bears" are likely the Naatanuk, an intelligent polar bear with an ancient druidic tradition. Although some are occasionally known to work with bugbears and the like, for the most part they hold themselves apart from other races.
There is only one place to dock the Frosthamar - a crudely made pier juts out into the water. On that pier are four hulking bugbears. As you get close, you can tell that they don't seem to be pleased at the sight of the boat.
As the Frosthamar docks, one of the bugbears says,
"Looks like we got tasty vittles arriving. Nice of them to come to us, eh?"
The bugbears laugh. Odenkirk and his men eye the four bugbears with some concern.
Wraith quickly shares what he knows about bears.
Finally turning towards the 4 on the dock, he mentally asks Anyone know what they said.... Or just assume that its related to us looking like food?
Without regard, Wraith quickly casts blindness (DC 17) on the closest of the bugbears before drawing back his hood and dropping his elderly facade, revealing his demonic skull like face. "That is a warning, get Sakkarot now, or prepare not only your lives but the resources we have brought to your cause!
Balam, Grumblejack, Tim...if any step towards the boat make sure its the last thing they do.
"Grumblejack, big fellow, would you take the iron ring off your head and speak Goblin to these bugbears? Tell them we have brought Sakkarot Fire-Axe the munitions he needs to win his war."
Tatienne grimaces as Wraith casts a spell - they were outnumbered, and would no doubt be cut down by the horde if the bugbears took too much offense. Hopefully they were awed by Wraith's appearance and swayed by the ogre's words.
Gripping her trident tightly, the relic hunter stood motionless and waited for things to play out.
Grumblejack, who has no iron circlet, looks at Geborah and says, "Grumblejack not know Bugbear tongue. Grumblejack could cut out Bugbear tongue, but not think Grumblejack learn to talk Bugbear from that."
Wraith casts a spell, and one of the bugbears cries out as his sight darkens permanently. The other three, taken aback by his appearance and words, take a step back and begin arguing amongst themselves in the Goblin tongue while the blinded one cries out. No other bugbears seem to either notice or rush towards the ship. Odenkirk has his men begin to bring the cargo up from belowdecks, but he keeps an eye on the bugbears and tight grip on his axe. "Gotta watch these beasts - they'll try to take the Frosthamar at some point soon, I know it."
After almost a full minute, just as the non-blinded bugbears seem to be regaining their courage, a great, fearsome-looking, black-furred bugbear wielding an axe of flame approaches the boat, quelling any sign of hostility in those who met you on the dock - and any others who have gathered nearby. The axe and his appearance make plain who this is - Sakkarot Fire-Axe, the mighty bugbear warlord.
Pointing the axe at Wraith, who has stepped forward, he demands of you, "Who has sent you?" His Common is perfect and unaccented.
"Our master Thorne." He waits to see the look on Sakkarot's face before continuing. "We bring your munitions and request a brief reprieve in our journey."
Sakkarot Fire-Axe smiles a toothy grin. "Then you are welcome." He then turns to the somewhat stunned throng of bugbears who were getting ready to storm the boat and eat the occupants.
“These humans are my guests. I will deal with anyone who harms them. They are our allies!” He walks over to the boat and rips open one of the crates revealing finely made axes with in. He tosses one to a nearby bugbear warrior who until this time only had a crude club to wield. "Behold, they bring us steel!” This earns you a terrifying chorus of growls and cheers from the monstrous assembly.
The boat is unloaded. Sakkarot’s lieutenants see that each case is distributed and soon you can see a visible transformation in the camp. Where once there were a thousand bugbear savages, now there are a thousand bugbear soldiers each with new weapons and shields adorned with the emblem of the fire axe. What a terror you have helped to create.
Sakkarot holds a feast in honor of the weapons shipment and you, their allies. The feast is a brutal, savage affair with bugbears fighting each other and all manner of monsters in attendance. The highlight of the party is when a great shaggy dire boar recently captured from the northern woods is brought in shackles.
One ton of angry pig is led in by a dozen bugbears who drag the beast before Sakkarot. Sakkarot beheads the already wounded animal in one mighty stroke with his fire axe. The beast is then spitted and roasted in a great open pit. You sit at the Fire-Axe’s table – a front row seat at this spectacle of savagery.
Grumblejack seems right at home, cheering on the savagery and reveling in the madness. Jezabel seems to enjoy the festivities, as well. Timeon, by contrast, looks incredibly uncomfortable, clearly having no experience with such things, nor used to being surrounded by savage monsters like bugbears. Odenkirk and his men refuse to leave the boat, Odenkirk muttering about how they'll all be butchered in their sleep.
Yes, Tatienne thinks, overhearing one of Odenkirk's mutterings. If I have anything to say about it.
Later, Tatienne sits at the Fire-Axe's table, taking in the spectacle with an impassive countenance. Leaning over to Timeon, she whispers, "You look visible uncomfortable, boy. Put on a mask. Any weakness you show can be used against you."
Even later, Tatienne scribbles countless notes on some borrowed (purloined?) vellum. It wasn't every day that one saw first hand the savage spectacle of a goblin celebration. It would make for a fine chapter in her memoirs, years down the line.
"Auntie Geb" stays in silent Balam's long shadow all during the celebration, trusting the armored giant's fearsome aura to keep the common bugbears at bay. She makes note of Sakkarot's lieutenants, and the extraordinary monsters--like the hill giants--in his army, but it is the Fire-Axe himself that holds her attention.
"Tell us, warlord...where did you get that magnificent axe? It almost seems to be a single flame, shaped into a weapon."
Geborah has stayed in her guise as a crone, to avoid confusing Odenkirk and his men, but she now wears her Archstar openly at her throat. "What gods do your people hold to, mighty Sakkarot? Do you pay homage to the Prince of Darkness, Asmodeus?"
Enjoying the feast Wraith eventually brings up a question, "Sakkarot, that idiot that I showed a lesson too, now that he's useless to you, can I have his bones?" The question is casual and looking at Wraith you have to think that he feels this is a casual conversation question.
Timeon attempts to school his face into something more neutral, but he is clearly still discomfited the savagery.
The Fire-Axe waves off questions, saying, "There will be time for talk later. Now, let us feast!"
After a little while, the bugbear festivities eventually begin to die down, and he says, "Come. Let us speak of important matters." He leads the way to his audience tent, followed by you and his guards and followers. At the tent, he turns towards them and dismisses them with a deep growl before motioning you into the tent. Balam says, "I don't think Timeon should be involved in this meeting. I will stay out here with him, and work on his training."
Grumblejack chimes in, "Grumblejack not needed either, right?" He seems hopeful, and you notice him eyeing a female ogre nearby.
"Very well," Wraith is easily lead to the more private tent. At the mention of Tim's dismissal and Balam and Grumblejack plans to keep watch.
Wraith find's a comfortable spot to sit, before sending a mental message to Geb, Tati and Jeza that he'll let Geb do the talking. You are better at words then me and while I see us as a council or coven. A face is needed in situations as these.
Tatienne stands to the side, taking measure of the Fire Axe. He was certainly a fearsome beast, but still just a beast. Not worthy, in the relic hunter's estimation, of the respect of a Chel.
But she wouldn't let the Fire Axe know that. "What are your matters of import, mighty Fire Axe?"
As Grumblejack approaches the ogress, Geborah shudders and averts her eyes. Asmodeus, grant me the gift of forgetfulness.
She follows Sakkarot into his tent, and nods with satisfaction as he dismisses all his followers. "A private audience...good. Then we can lay down any pretense." She sweeps the iron circlet from her head, and is transformed from kindly peasant crone...
...to aristocratic adolescent with a piercing gaze. "There. Let us be formally introduced. I am the priestess Geborah, called the Laughing Pyre. These are the wizard Wraith and the adventuress Tatienne Talbot. Sir Balam stands guard outside as he drills his squire. And this is Jezebel. We are sworn to the service of your benefactor, Thorne."
"How much do you know of his plans so far? I can tell you that delivering your weapons was only part of our mission in the north. Our next task is to infiltrate Balentyne tower, kill its commander, and open its gates to your forces. We'll need to coordinate our movements, somehow."
The Fire-Axe's mood changes once you are in the tent with him, privately. He goes from the boisterous, savage warlord to a more calm, subdued character. He motions you to take a seat, and appears unsurprised by Geborah's transformation. "I know of the plan for Balentyne, and we will speak of it shortly. First, I must ask. You are traitors to your own kind. You must know that. When Balentyne falls and my horde pours through its shattered gates, we will slaughter the Talireans by the thousands. Yet I see no regret in your eyes. Tell me, how can this be?”
Sakkarot's tone is neither judging, nor accusatory. Instead, it could best be described as curiosity. You've never known a bugbear to show such behavior - clearly, Sakkarot Fire-Axe is no ordinary brute.
Geborah wrinkles her nose. "This isn't treason--it's justice. The other Talireans are the traitors, they who dishonorably deserted the ancient and proper worship of the Dark Lord. We have been sent to punish the disobedient, and restore the glory of old."
"We must cleanse this nation with fire and the axe. Let the Mitran dead souls rise up in their thousands to seek whatever niggardly reward their god offers them in the afterworld. As for the innocent ones who die--well, what of it? Innocents die every day, and none live forever. They, too, will get their just deserts in the life beyond."
"The tens of thousands who remain will be the ones with the good sense not to martyr themselves under your horde's steel fury. They will be useful, malleable. Some of them will be rather interesting people, who will prosper in the struggle. Those are our kind, mighty Sakkarot--your kind and mine: the strong, the resourceful, the wise. We will cut a place for them in the heart of Talingarde."
"And when you and I die, whether in war or old age, our great deeds in our master's service will have earned us a place high in the hierarchy of the damned. This life is an eyeblink in eternity. We must do everything we can to secure our dark souls' destinies."
The Fire Ax was a fascinating creature to be sure, and one worthy of more respect than the relic hunter had first presumed.
"The motives of my companions are theirs to worry on. Whatever they are, I can tell you that I trust them absolutely. You could say that we've been forged through shared experience into one weapon, bound of shared purpose, regardless of individual desire."
Tatienne watches the Fire Axe closely as she talks, trying to ascertain any tells as she alludes to the pact they've undertaken; does he know of the rituals that Thorn has subjected them to?
"My motives are simple enough. I'm no traitor. I'm a hero. If we're successful, Asmodeus's influence will grow, and his first nation, Cheliax, will play a hand in it. My name - amongst my kind, the Chells - will never be forgotten until that most splendid of empires is dust, and such immortality is the most that we humans can hope for. Unless we take to supernatural means to escape our destinies."
Sakkarot nods in thought at your answers before fixing Wraith with a stare. "And what of you? Do you also believe your actions will not be seen as treachery?"