Freyr shakes his head knowingly. "One step at a time sister. You need a kingdom to rule before you can start appointing a Grand Diplomat." His tone is unusually light and teasing.
"I suggest we split the money evenly for the moment. I want to stop by the apothecary's shop and see if she has any potions that she can part with. I believe that a few healing concoctions would be to our benefit if we intend to go back into the woods and deal with this mess."
Maja joins Freyr in heading to the apothecary's shop. She wants to see his selection as well.
Also interested in the potions if they're available.
Taya buys a couple of cure light wounds potions from the apothecary.
Freyr also adds two potions of cure light wounds to his own bag. With his sister's hexes and the gnome's healing magic, hopefully they'll only be necessary as a last resort, but it never hurts to be prepared when going into enemy territory.
Neji herself will buy a potion of Cure Light Wounds as well as a potion of Endure Elements. After that freezing cold she hadn't expected, she wanted to be prepared.
All those potions are available but please put them on the loot sheet so accounting is accurate.
Back to the lodge to push on from there? Uninterrupted, which you may or may not be, you can get there in two or so hours.
"I believe I'm equipped as well as I'm going to be. Heading back to the lodge seems like the best plan to me. Shall we?"
Neji grins widely and salutes at Freyr, ”Ready to go, sir!!”
Kleora went with the group to the apothecary and couldn't help but agree this was a wise idea. As they did their shopping she bought herself a couple of healing potions and said, "I'm ready too."
Frjya couldn't help but smile at little bit as Neji saluted Freyr.
"That must bring back some memories."
Freyr manages to smile in smite of himself. It doesn't look quite natural on his face, but he manages it. "I don't think I ever had any subordinates this short. Not that I had many subordinates to begin with, but still..."
In the morning the town sends out a team of people to collect the ruined carriage and they walk with you all that far. The trail back is easy to follow though it does not appear anyone else has passed this way beyond your group.
If it is colder then the previous day it is not by much. The lodge is as left with sick raider slowly recovering. It is pretty clear that this bandits would now be classified as former bandits. Left to their own they will slink off and the town will most likely send people to the lodge soon.
Crossing the rope bridge to continue the trail the temperature drops further. The forest stands deathly quiet here. Even the wind has grown
still as snow softly falls through the stark branches overhead.
Tracks, human in size but oddly misshapen, mar an otherwise
unblemished trail through the trees. Speaking of trees, there is movement in them and a branch snaps as four skeletons, armed as though they were solders in life, move to attack the party.
These were Qadiran soldiers slain in the Border Wood hundreds of years ago during the war between Taldor and Qadira.
Bold may act
Round 4
Neji, Kleora
Red, Green, Blue
Maja, Tayanalla, Freyr, Frjya
Day 3 - 10:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: NONE |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________Red
Green
Blue
Page 24
Kleora cursed when she saw what was approaching, "Undead, why did it have to be undead?!" She knew most of her magic was worthless against these foes so she pulled her crossbow out and sent a bolt lancing out at the nearest one.
"Those corpses are ancient. They are soldiers from the last time Qadira invaded these lands." Taya exclaims.
”Well, let’s put them to rest, then!” Neji exclaimed as she sent forth a wave of energy to her allies, hoping it will allow them to hit better.
"All I have are these pokey things, and they didn't work real well against the last batch of animated skeletons!" Taya responds.
Neji blesses the party so they are more effective while Kelora fires a crossbow bolt that sails harmless though the skeletons ribs.
The skeletons spready out and move around the party, moving as quickly as they can given the deep snow. There swords are out as they close.
Bold may act
Round 2
Neji, Kleora
Red, Green, Blue
Maja, Tayanalla, Freyr, Frjya
Day 3 - 10:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: Difficult Terrain |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________Red HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Green HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Blue HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Page 24
Tayanalla aims a glob of acid at the red skeleton.
(touch attack)
Rearming her crossbow Kleora sent another bolt out at the nearest of the skeletons once more. this time her shot was much more accurate thought it didn't do much damage.
"More of these. Lovely." Freyr closes in on the middle skeleton as he draws his sword. He draws back and delivers a brutal strike, the cold iron blade hacking through bone with remarkable ease.
Tayanalla etches a leg bone with some acid while Kleora hits with a crossbow bolt that does no damage.
Freyr however is very effective and steps up and destroys the green skeleton.
Bold may act
Round 2
Neji, Kleora
Red, Green, Blue
Maja, Tayanalla, Freyr, Frjya
Day 3 - 10:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: Difficult Terrain |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________Red HP: 5/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Green HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Blue HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Page 24
Unable to properly help much. Frjya spoke a few words and a wave of magic came over her forming armor before it turned invisible.
The she moved to join her twin, quarterstaff in hand.
Neji pulls out her own light crossbow and tries to take a shot at the skeleton!
Maja readies her sword sword because her crossbow will not do much and waits for the skeleton to approach.
The red skeleton advances on Freyr, he is closest, and swings its scimitar but does not connect. The second skeleton advances on Maja who swings her sword, connecting, but doing no damage. In reponse the skeleton also swings and misses. These are very inept skeletons.
Bold may act
Round 2/3
Neji, Kleora
Red, Green, Blue
Maja, Tayanalla, Freyr, Frjya
Day 3 - 10:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: Difficult Terrain |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________Red HP: 5/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Green HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Blue HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Page 24
Taya sails a blob of acid past the red skeleton's head.
(touch, in combat)
Freyr ducks out of the way of the skeleton's weapon and brings his own blade up, attempting to deliver another heavy chop. However, he manages to swing too hard to control the large blade and it swings clumsily through the air, not making contact with anything.
With one of the creatures made their way up to the twins, Frjya didn't miss her chance to swing at the creature. True she wasn't as battle friendly as her brother but she wasn't scared of jumping into the battle.
Seeing her skill with the crossbow will more than likely be useless against the skeletons, Neji trudges through the snow to get a bit closer and lets out a blast of positive energy to harm the skeletons!
Kleora reloaded her crossbow and sent yet another bolt lancing out at tehnearest of the skeletons.
But again her shot missed it's mark falling horribly short.
All of the physical attacks miss but Neji weakens both skeletons, one even almost falls apart, with a burst of positive energy.
The more damaged blue skeleton slogs though the snow, closing the distance on the party and the red skeleton still cannot connect with its blade.
Bold may act
Round 2/3
Neji, Kleora
Red, Green, Blue
Tayanalla, Freyr, Frjya
Day 3 - 10:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: Difficult Terrain |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________Red HP: 3/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Green HP: 6/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Blue HP: 1/6 - AC: 16/12/14 - DR5/Bludgoning - Immune Cold
Page 24
Kleora reloaded her crossbow again and took yet another shot. She aimed for the least damaged of the creatures and sent a bolt lancing out at it.
Freyr grunts as the skeletons swing again, but their own movements are almost as clumsy as his own. He attempts to adjust his stance and take another swing, aiming to but the skeleton in front of him down.
"What even made these things?" Frjya asked as she swung her staff once more.
Taya launches a glob of acid at the red skeleton.
(touch attack, in combat)
"I would suspect the necromancer we dealt with yesterday," Freyr replies, keeping his focus on the undead. "But why they're out here... I can only guess."
Neji loads her crossbow again and fires another shot at the skeleton!
The party misses and the skeletons miss as well. Finally the party manages clear the snow from their eyes so they can actually connect with an attack. Finding their footing they utterly decimates the remaining skeletons. Freyr knocks one to bit and the combined crossbow and acid splashes end the other.
With the skeletons down the party is breathing heavily form the effort of the battle.
120xp Each
With some time to breath you figure that Freyr is correct and the necromancer you dealth with somehow animated these skeletons. Perhaps a spell that went wrong and found a target more remote then intended. Searching the body you find that the weapons and armor are junk and anything else they possessed in life is long gone.
Traveling further on the path there is little of note for some time though it is getting colder and the snow deeper as you go. After an hour or so you find an area where the snow has been disturbed. The rocks and snow along this part of the ridge are stained a reddish brown, and many tracks, both animal and human, cross the area.
The tracks are that of a giant weasle. YOu remember hearing that a hunter had claimed to see such a creature but was dismissed and so went back to hunt it.
Day 3 - 11:15am
23 Degrees
12” Snow -[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: Difficult Terrain |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: Hold Person
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status: AC: 22 DC13 Will
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
Neji HP: 10/10 - AC: 14/13/14 Status:
________________________________
Page 24
Freyr checks his sword for notches from the hard bones of the skeletons as they finally crumple to the ground. "Let's hope there aren't any more undead surprises out here. The threat of the fey is already enough to worry about." Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, they soon find signs of bloodshed further ahead.
Freyr kneels down in the snow and carefully examines the tracks for a moment. "Hmmmm. It looks like giant weasel tracks. And what looks like someone tracking it. Didn't we hear something about someone hunting a giant animal in town? I wonder if he caught his prey or the prey caught him."
While examining the tracks Freyr finds the muitilated corpse of the hunter buried in the snow. Clearly the weasel had made a meal out of it after killing him. He is wearing a bloody, ripped, but still usable cold weather outfit and homemade snowshoes. His shot-bow was snapped in half but two +1 animal bane arrows are in his quiver.
Finally, under the body, you find his backpack which contains the following.
- Three days rations
- hip flask of strong applejack
- a journal detailing the hunter, Dryden's efforts to track the giant weasel. This journal mentions bear raps he set at the head of the Somir Valley as well as the discover of a strange hut with a doll inside. He thinks he heard the doll talking to itself.
The path continues in front of you when you are ready.
Loot sheet updated.
"We need to look out for these bear traps the hunter recorded that he set." Taya tells the others after reading through the journal.
"Give me a hand." she says as she wraps the body in it's cloak and pulls it to the side, off the trail.
"We can cover him up and record where we left him. The townsfolk can fetch his body back for his family after things settle down."
Freyr bows his head briefly as he locates the savaged hunter's body. "Well, that answers that." He takes a moment to help Taya gather up the body. "If we head back to town at some point, I would suggest we simply take him with us. But that can wait until we need to go back. The traps could be troublesome, but a doll in a hut... Sister, does that sound as familiar to you as well?"
"Yes... a boarder hut..." Frjya answered as she nodded to her brother. "But... why is it this far out? We're a long way from the boarder and... on dear..." The wheels began to turn in her mind and she placed her hand over her mouth.
The party continues on their trek though the unnaturally frozen forest. There is little variation after some time you reach the top of a small ridge. A cold wind blows through the forest atop the ridge. Heavy snow burdens the boughs of the evergreen trees, but someone has apparently cleared the snow from a large patch of ground to dig in the pine-needle-carpeted soil.
The party is about 25 feet back from the area of cleared snow and the scent of pine sap is heavy in the air.
It was with relief that Kleora saw the last of the skeletons go down and it was with more than a little aggravation that she had been unable to help any. At least they survived the attack so it could have been worse. As they made their way forward Kleora was somewhat disturbed that the hunter had been partly eaten by a giant weasel and she resolved not to let the same fate become her's.
As they continued on their way towards the border hut, reputed to have a talking doll inside, Kleora was more than a bit by the implications. What was this doll? How could it talk? She felt that nothing good could come of this. Still it was a place that, if they could make it safe, they could shelter in at night if they needed to. She kept her worries to herself about the hut for now and stopped with the rest of her group when they found the cleared area. "What do you think this is about" she asked quietly.