Maja stops wading through the waist-high snow when the reptile bursts from the bank. She yelps in surprise, grabbing for her crossbow. She takes aim and looses a bolt.
She curses lightly as it sails past the creature and disappears into the snow.
Freyr brings his blade up as the creature leaps at him, catching it on the side of his sword and keeping it off himself. He raises the sword and brings it down hard, attempting to hack into the reptile's flesh.
Bold may act
[u] Round 1 [/u]
Reptile
Aramant, Felora, Maja, Fryga, Freyr
Aramant uses his movement to set to the side of the creature, then tries to attack it with his sickle.
Once again, his attack goes completely wide and he misses. The shifter starts to wonder if he signed up for the right career.
Once more Frjya ran up behind Maja and offered a bit of help in defending the halfling.
Bold may act
[u] Round 1 [/u]
Reptile
Aramant, Felora, Tayanalla, Maja, Fryga, Freyr
[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Condition: NONE |
Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Aramant HP: 8/12 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Fryga HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 7/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
________________________________
Reptile AC: 15
Tayanalla draws her rapier, steps up to the white lizard warily, and stabs at it.
(fighting defensively)
Shocked by the speed of the monster, Maja flicks her blade free from its scabbard. Trusting that Frjya had her back, she shifts to flank with Aramont and tries to stab the thing in the eye, trusting that it was a weak point.
Kleora was startled by the sudden attack of the creature as it lunged from the snows and went for Freyr. The whole thing had caught her off guard and unable to react quickly. When she finally got her wits together she knew she needed to act so she moved a little closer, just enough to be in range of the spell she began to cast, and focused her minds on thoughts of incredible pain, strong enough to make her feel like her head would explode, and then hurled that at the mind of the attacking creature.
Fighting with caution Tayanalla cannot connect with her rapier. Maja connects with her rapier and her mind fills with knowledge of the creature she is attack. WHen Kleora focuses her mind on the creature it lets out a startled yip of pain before its mind can mitigate some of the damage.
This is an Arctic Tatzlwyrm. They rely on stealth to stay hidden before attacking their target. It will attempt to drag someone away if able. Immune to paralysis and sleep. Finally they have poisonous vapor in their breath and will attempt to use it on those they grapple.
Bold may act
[u] Round 1 [/u]
Reptile
Aramant, Felora, Tayanalla, Maja, Fryga, Freyr
[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Condition: NONE |
Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Aramant HP: 8/12 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Fryga HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 7/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
________________________________
Reptile HP: 17/22 - AC: 15
"How did something like this get into these woods?" Taya calls out to her fellows.
"Maybe the weather?" Frjya asked. "They are more common back home."
The badly wounded Arctic Tatzlwyrm shifts to grab Maja but it cannot get a good grip.
[ooc] God I am sorry that took so long guys. We all miss stuff but that one was annoying.
Bold may act
[u] Round 2 [/u]
Reptile
Aramant, Felora, Tayanalla, Maja, Fryga, Freyr
[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Condition: NONE |
Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Aramant HP: 8/12 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Fryga HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 7/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
________________________________
Reptile HP: 3/22 - AC: 15
Aramant lets his sickle drop and advances to attack the creature with both his claws. His appearance becomes more feline - someone could swear there are whiskers coming out of his beard.
Frjya sigh as she moved away from Maja, returning to her brother's side. "That was... something new." She said, "Never seen one of those up close before." She explained.
"So, do we continue?" Frjya asked.
Aramant, dropping his sickly, stikes deep with one claw splashing reptilian blood on the floor. The creature convulses once and goes limp. With a moment to think Maja can quickly work out that this wurm must have arrived as part of what is causing the unnatural winter. It has probably been eating well on local wildlife who are not use to this sort of predator.
The woods forest is quiet again as snow continues lightly to fall. The temperature has continued to drop as the sun has moved lower in the sky. Soon, even those unfamiliar with life in the cold know, you will have to consider you safety in the cold. The temperature will clearly drop over the night.
From the point you came across the wagon you have moved almost a full mile though the forest following the trail. There is time in the day but it is well past noon.
The past, which has been heading south now turns to the west.
What are you doing now.
Day 1 - 3pm[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Condition: NONE |Freyr HP: 13/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Aramant HP: 8/12 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Fryga HP: 7/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status:
Maja HP: 7/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
________________________________None
"I say we continue on and try to make up as much ground as possible on the bandits." Tayanalla suggests to the group.
Freyr relaxes when the large... werecat perhaps, he's not certain, puts the small dragon-creature down. "I concur. It's nowhere near nightfall yet. One night in the wilderness should be fine if necessary, so long as we find shelter. Unless someone has an interest in dragon hide I suppose." He glances back at the rest of the group. "You are still well, sister?" he projects toward his sibling.
With the threat of the tatzylwyrm ended Kleora approached the remains and bowed her head a moment as she said, "You have done well hunter but you have finally taken your place in Nature's cycle. Rest until you begin the cycle again." With that she turned to the others and nodded agreement, "Yes, we should make as much time as we can before we have to stop." She looked back at the creature they had killed and asked, "Do you know what that was exactly? I've never seen it's like before."
"Something that didn't belong here ... like all of this." Taya says, gesturing to the snow.
I have no idea. - says the Shifter, pulling back his sickle and cleaning his claws - But it for sure ain't natural. I hope it doesn't stand up and follow us... You never know! I heard quite some weird stories from my mother.
He points towards west on the path.
We have to press. - completes, starting to move if the rest of the group is ready.
"It's an Arctic Tatzlwyrm." Frjya explained as she looked over to the creature. "And yes they are natural but... well I don't believe they're natural here with how you all are reacting to it." She said as she shrugged.
As you move and the sun gets closer and closer to the ground the temperature continues to drop. Your bodies begin to feel the cold and each step it getts harder and harder to move at your normal speed.
I will move you on tomorrow. I want to give time for discussion or, if you like, other ideas.
The best part is that as a live game GM I would completely forget about this in PbP... well I wont.
An unprotected character in cold weather (below 40° F) must make a Fortitude save each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well (see the skill description).
While the cold began to be felt by her brother and allies, Frjya seemed to be able to ignore it. "It is getting dark... Should we keep going or return later?" She asked.
'Reminds me of home brother...'
"Aramant, can you show us how to stay warm in this cold weather?" Taya asks the shifter.
Of course, my friend. - says the Human, smiling to the Elf as he knees down and touches the ground - We should camp before the night and try to put a fire up. Does anyone have a tent?
"With the heavy cloak I purchased in town and your help, I think I'll be able to survive this unnatural cold" Taya tells Aramant.
It sounds like camping out is the plan. If you build fires, have tents and/or cold weather gear, even blankets, I will count you are protected due to the skill of Aramant and Tayanalla.
The weather drops during the night but not below zero degrees. You set watches, making that assumption, but nothing disturbers the party during the night. You wake rested despite the unusual circumstances of snow in summer.
The snow is deeper now and gets deeper now making movement more difficult. As you pack up camp you all know that movement will be come harder as you go.
Taya puts on the snowshoes she bought back in town.
"Let's see if these are the real deal or cheap knockoffs imported from Tian Xia." Taya says as she gets her balance on the unfamiliar equipment.
"Tian Xia? That is over the crown of the world is it not?" Frjya asked as she went about gathering her own things. Though it wasn't a lot. "Starfruit comes from there, it was rare to find in our markets but it is very much so worth it." She said with a smile.
"Brother, are you ready?" Frjya asked her twin.
Freyr is rather thankful that he had time to pack his cold weather blankets and clothing before they fled. This certainly wasn't the first time he'd slept in the cold, but that didn't make it more pleasant. "Indeed, sister," Freyr says, strapping his blade back on and making sure his gear is still in proper shape. "This cold is far too much like home. The plan is proceeding too quickly."
Maja wakes feeling rested despite the cold, something she had grown accustomed to in the frigid temple of Kostchtchie. Observing her companions don snow shoes, she feels a pang of jealousy. Moving in this difficult snow would be difficult enough at her height.
"I doubt that anything dragged across the Crown of the World is cheap," she interjects with a grin.
Maja pulls a wandermeal cake from her pack and breaks free a chunk. She pops the piece into her mouth and chews thoughtfully. The tough, dry cakes were a halfling innovation, a combination of flours, spices, and water. It couldn't be called delicious, but it filled the stomach and weighed little.
"I've been thinking about those tatzlwyrms from earlier," Maja begins. "They weren't native to Taldor, that much we know, which means that whatever is causing this weather brought them. I doubt very much that they were captured, caged, brought south, and then released. I think they came here from somewhere else on their own, along with this winter." The halfling spits. "There's a portal of some sort at the end of this path, I'm sure of it. That just invites the question, who has opened it?"
As they began to set up camp Kleora listened to the instructions on what to do and was very relieved that she had bought the cold weather clothing and heavy blanket. As they prepared to turn in for the night Kleora looked around and said, "If anyone wishes to join me in my bedroll tonight for extra warmth you are more than welcome." With that she turned in, with or without anyone taking her offer, and slept through the night soundly.
The next morning she woke and began to meditate for a time. She centered herself and simply let her mind relax and attune to the world around her, the natural psychic resonances of the world making themselves known and harmonizing with her own, as she replenished her mental energies. When she was done she opened her eyes and began to eat some of her trail rations. "Did we all sleep well?"
XP: 100 each from wurm - If I did not give that after fight.
XP: 50 to anyone that has snowshoes or winter gear - planning ahead helps
The path is still visible despite the snowfall so you catch a break on that. What is not of benefit the snow is deeper and movement becomes more difficult. It takes the group almost forty minutes to travel what should have been an easy twenty minute walk. The activity and a good nights sleep, along with the rising sun, at least make the cold less dangerous.
After about forty minutes the trail passes though a slightly move open area. Feathered bundles and strange fetishes hang from the lowest branches of the trees in this part of the forest, swaying and shifting in the wind. All are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them.
Maja and Tayanalla notice the feathered fetishes are actually the frozen corpses of dead crows, pierced with tiny sprite arrows For a split second the two also think they see movement in the trees but.....
hit vs flat
Con Save DC13 or staggered for 1 round.
hit vs flat
Con Save DC13 or staggered for 1 round.
Miss
Con Save DC13 or staggered for 1 round.
Suddenly very small arrows fly out of the tree and you spot what looks like dancing lights moving in the trees. Two of these moving lights resolved themselves into diminutive creatures flying about fifteen feet above the ground.
High pitched voices can be heard but the language is not knowen to most of you.
"Got one sister."
"Me to, me too. She missed"
There is a bit of laughter and then one more comment.
"Quick hide!"
Bold May Act
[u] Round 1 [/u]
Freyr, Aramant, Tayanalla, Kleora, Fryja, Maja
Unknowen
Day 2 - 8:30am
30 Degrees
12” Snow - Hampered Movement[u] Stat Tracker [/u]
Global Combat Condition: NONE |Freyr HP: 12/13 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: owes save
Aramant HP: 10/12 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Tayanalla HP: 8/8 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Kleora HP: 7/7 - AC: 12/10/12 Status:
Frjya HP: 6/7 - AC: 16/14/12 Status: owes save
Maja HP: 9/9 - AC: 17/13/15 Status:
________________________________Red:
Blue:
Green
With the sudden attack of what she thought must be the winter fey who had attacked the caravan Kleora felt a brief burst of fear. It was quickly overcome with anger that they would strike at her companies like this and Kleora called out, "In the name of the Green Mother I request and audience with you."
There is some more chattering in Sylvan before a small voice, from an unseen sprite speaks in common.
"Audience? Are you going to put on a play? I love Punch and Judy. The lady we we took from the cart, she loved to perform too, or maybe scream. Who can tell. What do you want?"
Kleora channeled her inner fey, the part of her that was already more one of them than human, and said in Sylvan, "A play, entertainment, it's always fun. We heard of how good the lady from the cart was at such shows and came to take her for our own amusement. Why should mere human bandits get to have such a treasured resource as that all to themselves?" She gestured to include both herself and the speaker as she said, "We are of the fey and they only have such things if we let them." She smiled slyly at the creatures, "If you would agree to help us reclaim the lady for our amusement we would make a gift of the surviving bandits to you for yours." She gave a sly look in the direction of the speaker, "After all, what's better? Having one lone woman to give a show for you or having several bandits who are much better at giving and taking the pain than her? Besides we both know what a group like that will do to the woods if left unsupervised. They'll pollute it with iron, cut it down, and burn it out leaving nowhere for us to live and we can't have that now can we?"
Taya tries to spot the speaker, but doesn't do anything threatening to interrupt Kleora's diplomacy.
Freyr winces as he feels the small arrow hit straight through one of the rings of his mail, burying itself in his flesh. He feels a slight chill from the wound, but ignore it as he plucks the small missile from his skin. "Fey," he mutters, looking around for the hiding aggressors and not seeing much. He falls silent as Kleora starts trying to negotiate, but he keeps one hand on his bow, not particularly hopeful that they'll be reasonable.
Aramant walks with the others, as curious about what's around here. He speaks Druidic, but not Sylvan - yet, as the others mention "Fey", he grins and his expression becomes immediately austere. He doesn't take any hostile actions, though - waiting for the result of the conversation while trying to spot any of the creatures.
"Winter Fey." Frjya said as she swiftly ran to her brother's side. "Like those who run the northern most duchy." She muttered as she slowly stood and looked around trying to find where the voices where coming from.
"What are ones like yourselves doing so far south? Doesn't the northern kingdoms feel much better to you all?" Frjya asked calmly.
Maja squints and tries to focus on where the voices are coming from, although she drifts a hand towards her crossbow.
Maja is the only one that spots the third sprite hiding in the trees to the west. It;s light wavers a bit as it moves though branches speaking.
"Funny warm bloods you are. You say auidence we joke of plays now you think its what we want. Tricky maybe or not so smart. Teb Knotten tells us to help the humans we do our job but I like you. Turn around and don't worry yourself with our pointy arrows."
She floats a bit higher.
"We won't tell.... we're just killing crows to keep sky ours. Your funnier then the troll...." as that word escapes her mouth a tittering goes up from the other sprites, probably not what she should have said "Don't let us see you again and no more arrows. You seem to know our kind, we might kill but not break a word."
It appears they make no move to leave but at least do not fire more arrows. The name
Taya waits to see if Kleora can talk the fey into leaving them alone or revealing more information.