Cithembi, already deaf, doesn't hear the bang, but notices the reactions. Looking around frantically, he says, "What happened? I cannot see the enemy! If any of you can hear them, point them out!"
He slogs forward through the snow a step, putting the igloo to one side of himself while he tries to discern where the enemy may be.
Arvanya quickly places a hand on Auryel's flank to calm him, and her nostrils flair as she takes a deep breath, sharing in his senses for a moment.
She looks toward Cithembi and speaks loudly so the others can hear. "Do not have fear. We go through worse before, eh? Keep alert. If you cannot see, use other senses to guide you."
She draws her longspear in preparation for an enemy to show itself. Her fingertips idly tap the shaft as she waits, breathe baited, for a sign of moment or the errant smell of danger.
She sets Auryel into motion, following closely behind him as he sniffs out the enemy.
Freyja hears the sing-song words but fails to understand their significance.
Stay together and ready to attack. I recommend we fall back some. Make room for me in the center so all can see me. Freyja says as she moves up and begins a battle dance that inspires courage (+1 to hit and damage and against fear) for those that can see her.
At the bang, Astrid tenses immediately, her knuckles white as she grips her spear. Subconsciously, she cocks her ear toward the sound of the chanting, waiting for something to appear from the blinding whiteness - then she realizes that the spear will be of little use when she cannot see even the spear head extended in front of her. Hurriedly, she drops the polearm, extending her clawed hands in readiness. Fall back on Freyja! she calls out, doing the same herself as the Ulfen woman begins her dance. Blaze! Can you do something about some of this snow, so we can at least move a little? But the tiefling woman doesn't respond, and Astrid swears as she turns to see Blaze clutching at her ears.
"Yeah. If you could melt the snow that'd be good, Blaze." Evelina says as she draws out her rapier and begins trying to push for the snow. "I'm gonna go see what's in that igloo. Maybe we can take cover inside."
Squeezing past Astrid and Cithembi, she reaches the igloo entrance and peers inside.
Freyja moves back and starts to dance, while Evelina moves closer to one of the igloos and peeks inside. Astrid's claws grow and she gets ready for an upcoming attack while trying to talk to Blaze who is, unfortunately, deafened.
Even without hearing you, it appears that Blaze had the same idea. With a bit of concentration, her skin became really hot, melting the snow even before it touched her skin. The snow on the ground also melted partially, and the visibility improved, even if just slightly. She then moved forward, revealing another pesky fey, chanting some unknown spell. This one had long white braids and carried a tiny sickle as a weapon.
Arvanya concentrated and soon after was able to not only notice the creature, but also to smell it thanks to the wind coming from the middle of the clearing, still obscured by the falling snow. Drawing her bow quickly, she picked one of her cold iron arrows and soon after it was flying towards the creature, striking in its shoulder. With a cry of anger, the creature interrupted its chanting, much to its own frustration.
"Maent yma! Mae'r gelynion yma! Mae'r Demon Tân wedi cyrraedd, lladd, ei ddifa!" The creature curses while screaming. It then draws a brilliant stone and uses its tiny sling to attack Blaze... while spinning the sling, the magical pebble escapes into an unknown direction while the fey screams once more... it appears it had sprained something.
Sprain You take points of Dex damage.
________________________________
Enemy [6 dmg]
Freyja - up
Evelina - up
Astrid - up
Blaze - up
Arvanya - up
Auryel - up
Cithembi - up
"Ah!" Cithembi exclaims, sighting their foe. He slips between his companions and begins waving his hands.
After a moment, a spray of sparkling light flashing between blues and silvers spreads forth from his hands, engulfing the little fey.
Moving into the area of melted snow Freyja pulls free her bow and continues to dance as she says It calls for allies and warns about Blaze.
Imbueing a cold iron arrow with a portion of her arcane energy she fires at the now visible fey.
As the arrow flies she says Its an an atomie. A normally green fey. They can become invisible and shrink things.
Arvanya's heart is racing. She had instinctively thrown down her spear and drawn her bow. She can't help but smile as it strikes the pixie.
As Cithembi's light show explodes, she pats Auryel on the back and he sets off through the snow, bobbing up and down in its drifts as he makes a beeline for the fey. Reaching up, he snags the creature with his teeth. Arvanya stands behind, struggling for another clear shot around her friends.
Being able to see the enemy more clearly, but still unable to reach it, Evelina begins to reach for her shortbow. However, she second guesses as she remembers her arrows having little effect on similar bluish creatures. Then she remembers the dagger at her waist. The town's folk said the fey don't like this kind of metal, right? Unsheathing the dagger, her arm winds back as she moves through the snow to be underneath the creature. Releasing her arm, she sends the dagger spinning upwards.
I'll have to thank Blaze later. Reveling in the freedom of movement and visibility the tiefling woman's abilities have created, Astrid pulls out her longbow and sets her sights on the fey, squinting through the rain and mist Blaze's heat has created.
Freyja shots an arrow at the fey but sadly it isn't able to pierce the frozen armor that surrounds its body. Evelina tries her luck with her dagger but gets no better success, seeing her weapon disappearing in the snowy weather. Astrid misses completely.
Already used to melt these blue faeries, Blaze sends one of her fire blasts towards the creature, and hits it, engulfing it in flames... however, to your surprise, the creature appears unharmed! A fail and momentary sphere of force protecting it from the flames...
Arvanya shots the fey once more and once more it screams in pain. The shining colors that leave Cithembi's hands soon engulf the enemy and soon after you notice it flying towards the ground... Auryel loses no time before moving towards it thrashing the creature, however, it is still alive, even if stunned.
From the east, three more fey appear, whose you quickly recognize as sprites with their tiny bows. All three of them, create a powerful spray of light blue color that washes over Blaze, probably in response to the danger she represented to them... Surprisingly, she was able to resist everyone of them. The same could not be said for the poor Cithembi, who felt into the ground, unconscious.
, then , then Stunned for 1 round.
________________________________
Atomie [20 dmg, wounded (-2), stunned, prone]
Sprites
Freyja - up
Evelina - up
Astrid - up
Blaze - up
Arvanya - up
Auryel - up
Cithembi
Pulling out her rapier and waving it angrily at the nearest sprite, Evelina shouts out, "Don't know why you're botherin' us...but your leader's already down. You really want Blaze to fry you!"
Don't bother trying to argue with the monsters - this is all they understand! Astrid calls out, brandishing her bow. As she draws the bowstring back, sighting down the arrow's length, she silently curses not having spent as much time drilling with distance attacks as she had with her teeth and claws. Shooting was a delicate task...one that her thick, meaty hands were little suited to. Still, the arrow hits its mark, though fey magic prevents the arrow from digging in as deep as Astrid would have liked.
"Ucide!" Arvanya calls to her wolf, giving him the familiar command to maul the enemy. The wolf obeys with zeal, snarling as his snout becomes stained with fey blood. He hadn't been this well fed in a while.
Meanwhile, Arvanya strings another cold iron arrow. Tilting her head slightly to adjust for the wind and snow, she takes aim at the fey directly before her. As her arrow strikes its heart, and her gloved hand reaches for another goose fletching, she wonders how many more they will have to slay before they see their mission through.
Freyja stops dancing and lets her performance linger for now She shoots at one of the newly appearing fey with a cold iron arrow. She again imbues the arrow with a small portion of her magic.
Through the falling snow, Freyja manages to shot one of the recently arrived feys, striking it in the middle of its chest... the poor creature disappears into the snow, and it would not be surprising if you discover it impaled against a tree.
Evalina was able to intimidate the fey atop her. Soon after, Astrid manages to hit the bugger, making it cry in pain and fear. Blaze tries to shot at the feys with her feared fire magic but the shot goes wide, quickly disappearing into the snow.
Following Freyja's example, Arvanya shots another fey, even if it remains flying and alive. Auryel thrashes the fallen and stunned fey, even if it still lives.
The atomie awakes, bloodied, beaten, and surrounded by both Auryel and Evelina. It looks panicked for a couple seconds before disappearing into thin air. Auryel seems to follow something and tries to bite it but finds nothing but empty air.
Both sprites retreat and shot at Blaze, and both attacks miss when Blaze dodges one of them and her resistant skin stops the second. Suddenly, it appears this fight isn't as difficult as you thought...
This thought is interrupted mere seconds later when a hulking creatures comes running atop the snow, no, not running, but charging, with a large and fearsome spear pointing to Blaze... the poor tiefling has little time to think and soon Arvanya is splashed by her blood! In shock, you notice the head of the spear protruding from Blaze's back... she is still standing, but surely not for much longer. Still half obscured by the falling snow, you watch a large, moss-covered humanoid with an elongated, toothy snout, who appears to be covered in snow foliage.
________________________________
Atomie [25 dmg, critical (-3)]
Sprite#1 [6 dmg, wounded (-2), shaken]
Sprite#2 [8 dmg, critical (-3)]
Moss Troll
Freyja - up
Evelina - up
Astrid - up
Blaze - up
Arvanya - up
Auryel - up
Cithembi
The spear's tip comes within inches of Arvanya, showering her in a warm spray of crimson. "No!" she screams, furiously negotiating the sister urges to attack the troll and help Blaze.
Auryel's instincts are far more assertive, driving him against a seemingly impossible foe .
The huntress in her wins over, after all, and she steps to poor Blaze's side and shoots the troll.
The bard's disposition changes from satisfied with her shot to horrified as the large spear shaft transfixes Blaze's small chest.Blaze! she manages to call out.
Unsure of what the creature is Freyja imbues and fires a cold iron arrow at it.
"Blaze!" Evelina exclaims, as she runs towards the creature, trying to duck or deflect any incoming attacks as best she can.
From her vantage point at the back edge of the battle, Astrid sees the troll lumbering across the snow...but with its speed, the words of warning haven't even reached her lips before the spear has impaled Blaze. Choking back the worthless warning, she reaches for another arrow and aims it squarely between the troll's eyes - it's already proven a far worse threat than the smaller fey. Troll, troll...fire, we need fire! Otherwise, it'll never die!
Evelina rushes in, but as she struggles through the snow she can't keep her usual speed, and the ugly brute turns from Blaze to stab at her with his great spear. But some measure of luck is with the small girl; as the spear darts forward, she thinks quickly and shoves the heavy shaft to the side, sending it with a whump into the thick snow. While she can't manage to take advantage of the opening with two quick jabs, her allies do - three arrows dig deep into the creature's sides, and deep purple blood spills onto the pristine snow.
Auryel's bite, deep into the troll's leg, is enough to bring it crashing to the ground, mortally wounded. But surprisingly, even as the brute falls, the wound begins to knit together! Astrid's warning rings through the melee...and Blaze, clutching at her side, manages to call up a sputtering burst of flame and send it rocketing toward the stirring mass. And for a moment, the amazingly fast healing slows... Shrieking, the sprites once more launch arrows at Blaze. One goes far wide, and the other bounces ineffectually off her arm.
----------
Round 5
Atomie [25 dmg, critical (-3)]
Sprite#1 [6 dmg, wounded (-2), shaken]
Sprite#2 [8 dmg, critical (-3)]
Moss Troll [34 dmg, unconscious, regeneration suppressed]
Freyja - up
Evelina - up
Astrid - up
Blaze - up
Arvanya - up
Auryel - up
Cithembi
Reduced Visibility: Due to the heavy snow falling, you can't see past 5 ft., and creatures beyond this distance have concealment. Each square o movement takes 4(!) squares of movement.
Within the red circle around Blaze, you can see normally and moving costs only the normal 2 squares of movement!
Cithembi continues to lie in the snow, thoroughly unconscious.
Oh, phew..." Evelina exclaims, accidentally out loud, as the troll goes down. Unsure what else to do, Evelina turns her bow on the remaining sprite. "Why dontcha just leave us alone, you little twerps!"
Seeing her chance, Astrid runs forward, letting her bow drop into the snow and pulling out her greatsword. We have to finish it off now - fire stops its wounds from closing. Her headlong charge leads into a swirling cleave with her sword as she makes good on her own words, biting deep into the brute's neck.
At Astrid's advice, Arvanya barks a quick order to Auryel; one snap of the wolf's fierce jaws, and the troll's eyes go glassy, his throat mangled by the bite. No flames continue from Blaze's attack - yet the edges of the troll's wounds continue to blacken and smoke, as if the energy of the fire had caught and kindled itself within him. Though Astrid watches warily, the wounds do not resume closing up.
At the troll's destruction, the sprites grow visibly dismayed. දුෂ්ටාත්මය විසින් ගිනි Teb ඝාතනය - ක්රියාත්මක! වඩා ශීත ඍතු රැජිනගේ උදහස වඩා හොඳ! The pair disappears into the driving snow, their werelights buffeted by the wind; before they fade into the whiteness you see they head to the west. No sign re-emerges of the atomie you'd fought - it seems to have run away.
Looking around, Evelina, Freyja, Cithembi, Astrid, Arvanya, and Blaze see four small igloos surrounding. Deep footprints, likely belonging to the troll, create a path between the igloos, leading to the north at one end and the west at the other. But as the adrenaline of the fight begins to settle, Auryel suddenly begins to growl as noises emerge from the woods behind! Everyone turns to look, weapons in hand - and three human-size figures struggle through the feet of snow at the forest's fringes, suddenly throwing their hands up in surprise as they see the party.
Dark hair, heavy eyebrows and ample facial hair framed Martok’s face; unlike most dwarves, he kept his beard fairly trim, for a dwarf. A couple of deep scars marred an otherwise handsome face. A drab brown tunic covered his hide shirt; heavy outdoor, leather boots complemented his simple attire.
Martok showed his empty hands, "Wo, wo there. We're friends here. Lucky to have found you. We bear tidings and came to help."
He was going to introduce the twin girls that came with him but decided he knew little about them, "They're friends too."
He then brought forth the blade given to him by the noble back in Heldren; he picked out Evelina from the description he was given. He handed the blade, hilt first, "This is for you, lad. Lady Argentea wanted you to have it."
tag?
Next, he picked out the ugly Ulfen woman, "I have something for you ma'am. It's this here letter or two rather. Sealed and all. You must be important."
tag?
He then saw the huge troll; a scowl appeared out of nowhere and a torch-sized flame sprung from his hand. A faint smell of smoke was evident around the dwarf, "Is it dead?"
tag?
Cithembi sits up, blinking and rubbing his eyes as his vision slowly returns. He looks around.
"Oh! Blaze!" He exclaims, seeing her wound. As best he can, he rushes over to her to heal her.
Finally catching up with his sister and the dwarf, How does so short a man move so damned fast? Matthew put his hands on his hips and panted for a moment. As he caught his breath, he moved up beside Maddy and finally took in the scene before him. A dead troll. A whole lot of women, and a ...was that a catling? No...catfolk. Catperson? He grinned; this was already more interesting than he'd guessed it would be.
Stepping forward, he bowed low in a slightly over-dramatic gesture. His long white-blond hair swept across the snow, blending in nearly perfectly with it. Brushing it back as he straightened, he smiled his most charming smile. At odds with his fair hair, his skin was the bronzed colour of native Taldans, but his eyes were icy blue. He wore a fur-lined cloak that looked brand-new, and clearly had no armour under it. Of middling height, he was thin almost to the point of frailness. But he had a friendly smile as he said,
"Matthew Kokko, wizard-at-large, at your service. We have been following your wake for some time, and I must say, it's an impressive wake. You must have some fine stories to tell, and I look forward to hearing them."
"Yeah! You better run!" Evelina shouts at the fleeing fey, as she waves her rapier at them. "You come back again, you end up like this guy! You got it?" She adds, pointing to the dead troll. After picking up her buried dagger, she turns and wades awkwardly through the snow towards her injured friend. "Blaze? You gonna be be okay" she says with concern, but backs away slightly to allow Cithembi room to treat her.
When Auryel begins growling at figures in the distance, Evelina lets out a deep sigh. Pulling out her shortbow and pulling it back, she grumpily shouts, "It's like you sparkly cold twerps just don't learn!" However, as she squints through the blizzard looking for the new enemy she is surprised to make out a dwarven form. Relaxing slightly, but still holding up her bow, she cautiously asks, "Hello?"
As the dwarf arrives and declares himself a friend she lowers the bow and mumbles and apology. "Oh...um...sorry. Haven't met alotta friends out here." Surprised to receive a gift, she takes the weaponand tests it out. "Oh! Um...Thanks! From Lady Argentea, huh? She's doin' alright then?"
As the others arrive, Evelina grins at the man's formal bow. However, her smile fades slightly at his introduction as a wizard, as she looks back towards Blaze uncomfortably. He doesn't seem like a bad person though. I'm sure not all wizards do the horrible things Blaze said. Her smile returns slightly when he speaks of stories to tell. "You want stories? You've come to the right place! Which one do you wanna hear first? Our daring rescue of the kidnapped lady? ...Or we could tell you about the creepy doll that tried to knife us in the wood..."
Cithembi sits up, blinking and rubbing his eyes as his vision slowly returns. He looks around.
"Oh! Blaze!" He exclaims, seeing her wound. As best he can, he rushes over to her to heal her.
Martok neared the fallen woman, "Is she OK? Lord Fire allows me to heal people but he usually leaves a nasty scar on the wound. Still..."
A white rat appeared from under his heavy cloak, shivered, and went back inside.
He chuckled, "I'm Martok, the local goat-herder and that was Kitah but she's too cold to come out and say hi."
As usual, Maddy set a decent pace even while wearing her armor. When the weird weather had started, she made sure that she had gotten some cold-weather gear but it was more a precaution than necessary. As she walked beside Martok, her coat was open and the other gear was stowed in her pack. Her father had told her stories about her great-grandfather and how he had fled from the north when they were all growing up. Thoughts of her great-grandfather causes her to adjust the greatsword that is strapped to her back because it had been his. The fact that the cold didn't bother her as much as it did others, like her brother, suggested that the stories were true. She hesitated for a moment and looked behind to make sure that Matty was still coming. They may argue with each other from time to time but she couldn't imagine what she'd do if something happened to him. It was bad enough that Maggie had vanished, she couldn't lose another sibling let alone her twin.
After Matty had stepped forward and announced himself, a peal of laughter erupted from Maddy. "That's the manner in how your introducing yourself now? If you'd done that back home, we all would have, well, laughed." Maddy stood at the same height as her brother and matched his coloring almost exactly but looked more solidly built. Even though they were brother and sister, it is quite evident that they are twins. Matty had taken to wearing his hair longer while away at school but hers was still longer by a few inches.
The smile remains on her face with a twinkle in her eyes as she raises her hand in greeting. "I'm Madison but please call me Maddy. We've been tracking you for awhile and it's great to finally find you all."
Growing up in the village, Maddy only had experience being around humans and animals. She had never seen a human that was an animal and so when her eyes fell on a talking cat, she was fascinated. He seemed busy with someone that had been hurt so she didn't want to be rude and interrupt. Then there was the wolf and then the rat appeared. She smiled again in delight and made a point to say hello to them as well as the others.
After the fight, Blaze had sunk to the ground, knees weak. But fortunately, her injury does not prove fatal, though it'd been frightening enough. Sitting in the snow, she composes herself as everyone gathers around. Thiss could use some attention, yess...and do not worry, Martok. Another scar will hardly be out of placce. Indeed, as she pulls apart the rent the spear has made in her tunic, a tracery of long-healed scars lattices across her skin. Her wounds close as Cithembi and Martok see to her; at Martok's fiery touch, she sighs with something almost like pleasure.
The pleasantries are interrupted when a loud curse follows the tear of the first of Astrid's envelope. One of her long nails pokes through the paper of the letter at the outburst. Shit! It's none of her business what seal my letters carry...*sigh*...It's Lady Argentea. She saw this come in - For demonstration, she holds up the as-yet-unopened envelope with its ornate seal. - and recognized the Ulfen Guard's symbol. Now she's got it into her head I'm a deserter from them! Says I can either guard her return to Oppara and return to my post - or I can return to Oppara in fetters in the back of her carriage. Clueless -
Will be taken care of when back to Heldren we go, yes? Arvanya replies, setting a hand on Auryel's shoulder. Then no need worrying now. Now, I think is good to keep looking. Snow is deeper here than anywhere - it gets much deeper and we are no longer able to walk through! Might be close to the trouble, then, and these may have been guards. She kicks the troll's unmoving form to punctuate her remark and hears a slight jingle from the pouch at its waist, easily the size of a backpack for a smaller being - in fact, it looks like it might have been a backpack taken from a smaller being.
-four potion bottles that radiate a transmutation aura under detect magic
-four blue gemstones worth 100 gp each
-a silver diadem worth 300 gp
-a near-flawless diamond worth 500 gp
-a jeweled necklace worth 400 gp
-a painting inside a bone tube depicting a city sculpted from ice, worth 100 gp
-three sapphire rings worth 75 gp each
-a longsword scabbard decorated with gold filigree and enamel worth 125 gp
-a small scrimshaw sculpture of dancing sprites surrounding a piping satyr, worth 50 gp
-a common-looking wool twill sack that radiates a conjuration aura under detect magic. Opening it reveals a much bigger space inside, half-full of coins (1457 gp, 3313 sp, 1760 cp)
Cithembi, focused on Blaze, doesn't notice the newcomers until after he's cast a healing spell on her. He jumps a bit when another person's hand reaches out to heal her, also, finally looking up and seeing the other group.
"Oh!" he exclaims, getting to his feet with a wide smile. "My thanks, new friends! I am Cithembi, and I fear I do not hear."
He flicks his shortened ear with one finger. "If I watch you speak, I can read your words on your lips, so just make certain you have my attention and I will know what you said."
Matt eyed the short sword-fighter. She was surprisingly well-put-together for a woman who'd just come from a battle. Feisty. Smiling again, he said, Oh, definitely the one about the doll. Let's start there. But maybe after we've ensured there's nothing waiting to pop out and go Boo.
At the big cat's words, Matt stared with open curiosity. Realizing that the deaf feline had missed his introduction, he bowed again, and when he straightened he said, slowly and loudly, My name is Matt. Pleased to meet you.
Taking a closer look at the strange igloo encampment, he asked, So, what exactly happened here? And what are you looking for? Have you seen any signs of witchery?
Maddy watched Cithembi, almost entraced with a goofy smile on her face. "You are truly remarkable. I've never seen anyone like you before. Are there more of you?" Then she holds out her hand and apologizes saying, "Where are my manners...my name is Maddy."
When her brother mentions witches she adds with an emphatic nod, "Whenever bad things happen, Matty is good at figuring it out and it's usually witches."
Understanding that the cat... person was deaf, Martok used exaggerated hand gestures to communicate. He also enunciated his words, "I am Martok. I am a friend."
The dwarf wondered if the catperson would attack his goats but quickly dismissed the idea. it had been bad enough to sell his herd, some of those goats had been been with him for more than a decade.
He then asked those that he had just had just met, "So what is going on here? The people of Heldren are worried that this winter snow will soon overtake them. Have you found its source?"
tag?
He looked at the wizard, "Is it witches?"
tag?
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Evelina looks about ready to break out into a story, but then sighs, "Yeah, I guess later is probably better...As far as what happened here? Well, there ain't much to that story. We've been tryin' to find the source of this winter, you see...an' then we got ambushed here by those fey. One of 'em has attacked us before...an' we've had alotta trouble with fey in general..." She point to the fallen troll, "That was a new one...He kinda just...uh...joined the fun...Not sure if he was with 'em or not..."
As Cithembi joins the conversation, Evelina tries to be helpful to the new folk, whispering, "Guys, He's real good at this lip reading thing. You don't have to talk all loud and slow."
Once Astrid finishes the letter and begins cursing, Evelina looks confused. "I don't understand. Why would she think you're a deserter? I mean, I ain't ever seen you run from a fight..." Looking concerned, she adds, "What would that mean anyway?"
Matt grimaced at his sister's use of his childhood nickname. "I keep telling you, it's just Matt, now. Or Matthew."
Finding himself the centre of attention, being questioned about witches, as if he were an expert, Matt lost his words. The people he'd been trying to catch up, the people whose prowess they had seen several time, were suddenly looking to him for answers. Stuttering a moment, he said, "Well, um, yes, that is, maybe. Maddy and I are here looking for witches, but it wasn't about the snow. I don't know much about that. But yes, definitely, it could be witches."
"Matt, Maddy, and Martok," Cithembi repeats, nodding to each in turn. "Welcome, new friends!"
He pauses a moment to watch Evelina's words. "Yes, that is most of it," he agrees. "As for whether there are more of me," he continues, grinning broadly at Madison, "There is only one Cithembi! But there are many tribes of my people, which you call catfolk, in the Mwangi where I once called home."
Freyja would also have lent her healing energies to Blaze. Looking up from tending to her friend she greets the newcomers. Its a fine thing to meet new friends in unexpected places. You are welcome indeed. But lets move into an igloo to talk more as this raging storm seems to be almost centered right here.
Once inside one of the small huts she introduces herself and begins to sort things out. So Astrid, you are really going to leave us? I guess you have no choice. I feel we are close to finding the source of this unnatural winter. You should at least stay til we understand that. Then you can report what we find when you return.
Freyja will cast Detect Magic over the items in the backpack and try to identify any items of magic. She likes the longsword sheath and will take it to use for now as she did not have a sheath for the cold iron weapon gifted to her front the olfen guard.
I'm not a deserter! Astrid exclaims...then, incongruously, she begins to blush. I...I'd have had to take the vows, in order to break them. It's my father - he's been in the Guard since I was born, and he offered me a position as well. That's why I came back to Taldor in the first place. But I couldn't stand the thought of being back in that gilded cage... Heavily, she sighs. It's not worth the trouble, though. If the Lady says there's a deserter in Heldren, they'll investigate. And once they find out it's me, I won't hear the end of it... I agree, though, Freyja - we have to be close. As you say, I can deal with that once we have answers.
----------
With the troll's spoils seen to, it's time to move on. On a hunch, Arvanya suggests following the direction the sprites' werelights had taken; with few other options, the party trudges forward into the snow. Blaze's fiery aura melts the snow to knee-deep rather than waist-deep or higher, but the puddles created make the walking dismal, and the heavy slush means the going is slow.
And then, suddenly...it isn't.
Forty feet or so to the west of the circle of igloos, a wondrous sight emerges from the haze of snowflakes - a circle of icicles spearing outward, nearly as tall as the surrounding trees. They don't look constructed, or as if uprooted and placed in position; instead, they look almost organic, as if grown from the ice beneath like crystalline plants. Within the outer palisade, a second cluster of icy monoliths stands inside the circle, surrounding a spherical vortex of whites and pale blues over ten feet around. From the vortex, a howling wind blasts, carrying a barrage of snowflakes - the gale is so fierce that the flakes it carries don't even have time to settle inside the circle.
Strong magic emanates from this portal, from both the conjuration and evocation schools - but you can discern no particular source for it, as you ordinarily would be able to.
The tableau is truly a wonder to behold...but suddenly, the almost-peace of the windy furor is shattered. A surge of wind greater still than any before pushes out of the portal, nearly knocking the party off their feet; a stinging spray of ice and snow pelts faces and crusts onto furs. And most surprisingly of all, a figure emerges - a gaunt rider on a black horse, lurching into the Taldane snowstorm almost drunkenly.
Slumping, the rider struggles to hold onto his saddle horn, clenching desperately with his knees to keep himself ahorse. Ram's horns curl backward from his temples, and his mien is fearsome almost to the point of terrifying. The plate armor he wears is dark as a new moon night, and tendrils of cold black mist trail in his wake. Despite the armor, though, a shard of ice easily a foot and a half long juts from his back, having pierced through the heavy plate. It's clear the injury is grievous - most likely fatal.
As rider and mount draw to a stop in the relatively clear ground of the circle, the horse suddenly disappears into a miasma of fog. With his support gone, the rider crashes to the ground; for a few moments, all he can do is groan in agony. Slowly and painfully, he takes hold of his helmet and wrenches it off his head, then strokes at the intricately-wrought pin holding his cloak at his throat. The horns fade away and the mist in his wake dissipates; though his form changes little, the truth of him is revealed - an old man, careworn, frail, and pale from loss of blood.
He speaks, and the croak is nearly inaudible over the howls of the wind. Please...please, here...help...
Evelina still looks confused, even with Astrid's explanation. However, she doesn't press the issue. Instead staying quieter than usual. Wait...did Freyja say Astrid's leaving?
However, she doesn't have long to think about it before the rider appears stumbling before them. "Uh...hello?" Evelina says uncertainly, until the rider crashes. "Oh..woah! Are you okay?!?" she asks, running towards him to try and help.
However, she doesn't have long to think about it before the rider appears stumbling before them. "Uh...hello?" Evelina says uncertainly, until the rider crashes. "Oh..woah! Are you okay?!?" she asks, running towards him to try and help.
It was easy for Martok to take on a fatherly role, everyone was much younger than he was and he had been doing this for a long time. he only hoped his new children were as docile as his herd of goats.
He put his hand on Evalina, "Wait girl. Be careful here. We don't know who or what this is."
In a stern but compassionate voice, he asked, "Who are you? And where did you come from?"
Cithembi springs forward (as best he can in the snow) and immediately begins examining the man's wound. With that giant icicle impaled in him he's not sure what he can do, though.
Maddy watches the scene transfixed. The weather was strange enough but the appearance of the rider and the disappearance of its steed was truly hard to fathom for the young woman. It is only when he pleads for help that her inaction is broken. Not that she can help with his injuries but usually when someone asks for aid, there's something they need help from. Preparing herself for any other surprises, she draws her massive sword and takes up a protective stance in front of Matty and the others.
"Oh..." Evelina mutters, as the dwarf reigns in her natural impulsiveness and she hesitates for a moment to see what happens. However, as Cithembi keeps barreling forward towards the man, she instinctively takes a few steps after him.