"All snowmen speak, but most horses can't understand them," grins Lurruk. He cautiously approaches the bizarre snowman, unlike anything he has yet seen.
He sends Beauty off to scout across the stream from high above.
The horse whinnies in amusement at Lurruk's joke.
As he approaches the Snowman does indeed speak!
“Can’t you read? The sign says turn back! Now get lost!”
Beauty and Lurruk see nothing else of note in the surrounding area.
"Could it just be a spell?" Fryja wondered. Then she shrugged, closed her eyes and spoke a few arcane works. Once done she opened her eyes and looked around.
"Well this is certainly one of the more interesting days in my life so far," Faethara says quietly. She too crosses the stream beside Lurruk. Hardly able to believe she's doing it but also determined to find out what's going on here, she says to the snowman, "And by whose authority is that sign posted?"
"Too much talking."
Dropping her study of the horse for a moment, she studies the snowman intently.
"Speak, snow. Where is source of snow? Where is lady? Where are bandits?" Pulling her scythe back, she makes it clear from her posture that a lie will be met with swift decapitation.
Greivous looks at the snowman, now thoroughly confused. Tell me... Have you ever experienced the feeling of melting? Or the sweet warmth of a campfire? she asks the snow, smiling, a feindish glint in her eye.
As Faethara approaches the snowman with Lurruk and Handra, a small bell begins to ring. That is all the warning they get before the snowman bursts into a soundwave piercing their ears!
Hendra is completely unprepared for the explosion and stands stunned for a moment, making sounds like a turkey trying to clear the ringing from her ears.
"Moap. Moap moap. Moap."
"NO WAI- Fryja began to shot just before the snowman burst into a soundwave. "It was a trap..." She sighed. "Thankfully it wasn't too powerful."
Faethara hears the bell but it doesn't help much when the trap goes off. It only hurts so much, but it's disorienting all the same, and her head goes funny for a few seconds as she collects herself.
"Ah, damn. Not the sweetest voice when they speak, no."
Lanyssa looks around to check if there's some sign of movement, anything that denotes something has noticed the sonic explosion.
"That kind of debilitating effect wouldn't be useful if they didn't have someone nearby to deal with it. On guard everyone." He reaches back and draws his blade.
Greivous sighs, Hmm... Sounds like an alarm spell! she says, lifting her crossbow to bare. She scans the area around her for enemies
However she accidentally blows her hair into her face, blinding her for a moment...
Fryja kept her back to Freyr's back, keeping her eyes open.
Grey peers around the woods looking to see if the loud noise has drawn the attention of the denizens.
The stunning shriek is more than Lurruk can handle.
Though a few of your comrades are stunned momentarily, no further threat immediately materializes.
Looming before you is a solid sheet of ice extends across this frozen stream. Snow-covered rocks line its banks. It is approximately 25' across.
"Now I'm even more nervous," Freyr mutters, not daring to sheath his sword. "Alright then. I guess the only way forward is across the water then." He sighs. "Well, let's get moving then."
Take care in crossing the stream, I thought I saw something but I am not sure what it was.
Finally shaking off the tinnitus, Hendra looks upon the river.
"Wonderful. Break out spear, catch fish. Pyro Norn can cook, all fighting taking toll."
Despite looking into the river, nothing really jumps out at her as being unique motion.
Faethara rubs at her eyes, trying to get her thoughts in order.
"Gggh. Annoying, but not debilitating. Either these bandits know they are being pursued or they are very paranoid. Nevertheless, let us see what comes next." She scans the river for whatever Grey saw.
Fryja looked to Freyr. "Shall we try to find a way across the stream? Or just walk across? Like skating back home!" She asked with a smile.
Greivous ponders the snowman... Thinking of what she knew about magic that possibly could have made such a construction.
She then follows her company, staying in the middle of the group.
Lurruk hasn't seen anything actually dangerous, so he leads the party carefully across the frozen stream bed, giving the snowman a wide berth.
Lanyssa has been acting carefully till now, but when the handsome half-orc (to her standards, and given it's the first time she sees one) crosses, she follows.
Lurruk gingerly steps onto the ice as the others observe the surface. Nothing moves and the only thing anyone can see is their own breath.
As the horse approaches it begins to whinny and whine but does not speak, clearly the animal has trepidations about crossing...
For once the drow woman exercises some amount of caution, opting to let the others cross before her. She does, however, stand near the bank ready to attack anything that attempts to come from behind them or the river near that bank.
Grey will cross slowly after Grevious.
Safely getting most of the way across before losing her balance.
Freyr keeps his sword drawn and his eyes wary as he works his way across the icy sheet slowly.
Lanyssa quickly understands there's no way to cross the river and keep an honorable status. She looks for a place where she could tie the rope - a tree, a rock, anything. "If we could tie the ends of the rope to something, one end on each side of the river, we could use it as a handrail."
It could be, of course, that nothing's there to be used for that, in which case, Laryssa thinks, the last person to cross would stand there holding the rope while the rest use it. When that person crosses in the end, the rest would pull the rope and the slippery ice would help dragg him through the river.
With these thoughts in mind, Lanyssa gives an end of the rope to the first one brave enough to cross.
Faethara moves slowly across the ice, after Freyr and Lurruk.
Across without much difficulty, just a little stumbling at worst.
Lurruk moves slowly across the slippery ice. "Careful everyone! This frozen ground seems suspiciously weak."
Finally determining it is safe to cross Hendra charges the river at full speed. Despite her earlier trepidation, she manages the feat with ease.
"Easier than at home. Have light here. Wonder if creature seen surface now."
Fryja tried to follow after her brother though she moved much slower. "Should have brought skates..." She muttered as she moved.
Greivous steps onto the ice, nervously.
She makes it about half way before sliding a little and nearly falling. blasted COLD! she shouts.
Noticing that no one considers her offer, she discards it as a bad idea. Putting the rope back to her pack, she braces herself and goes for the 'skating'.
And surprisingly makes it without a problem, though she knows luck won't be on her side all the time.
Moving cautiously, the group makes their way across the ice, the horse meanwhile stays on the far shore still seemingly nervous about the crossing.
As Lurruk is close to the other side creatures made of pure ice rise from the frozen surface!
Slam vs. Lanyssa
Slam vs. Grey
Initiative
Faethara
Lanyssa
Grievous
Grey
Hendra
Freyr
Fryja
Lurruk
Ice Elementals
One of the elementals attempts to grasp Fryja but is unable to do so as the Winter Witch is quite familiar with these tactics by such summoned creatures.
The other elementals attempt to strike Lanyssa and Grey, despite the element of surprise, they are unable to connect with this icy cold fists.
Greivous frowns and unleashed a blast of fire at the enemies, pulling energy up into her, flowing from the lay lines
energy once again flows from the ground and blasts from her with full vigor! the flames fanning over the elemental snow
However the look on her face shows strain, as if the energy is lashing back against her, taking a great toll.
"Don't you dare!" Freyr snarls as the icy creature lunges at his sister. He shifts forward, still remarkably stable on the ice, and brings his blade down hard at the creature. However, he overextends in his haste and his blade hacks at the ice rather than the creature itself.
Faethara twohands her sword and takes a swing at the nearest elemental.
"What the...!
Lanyssa gets caught by surprise by the snowmen, though her armour deflects the blow... this time. Not wanting to give the creatures the chance to try a second time, she grabs her falchion and tries to end things quickly.
"Great. More ice creature. Must ask, how take non melting trophy, later."
Taking quick step to the closest creature Hendra takes a swing at it with her scythe.
Grey waves her staff around in a vaguely defensive manner.
Lurruk hears Lanyssa's cry behind him and turns just in time to see the attackers. He is about to cry out to her until he sees her prowess with the falchion. Grinning, he draws his sword and swings at the nearest elemental.
Fryja screamed when the creature tried to pick her up. When it failed and her brother came to her aid she did her best to make herself as small as possible.
Into the Border Wood - On Frozen Pond
Grievous' flames injure the ice creature and it appears to be partially melted by her attack, she seems dazed thereafter, despite the agony on the foe's face it still stands.
Freyr's strike at the creature attacking his sister leaves his backside vulnerable to the creature that appeared next to him!
Faethera's attack is wide of the mark as she swings wildly at the icy foe that struck Freyr.
Lanyssa's Falchion practically sings as it is pulled from its sheath, her stroke catches the creature across the chest, appearing to injure it as a great chunk of ice falls away but still, it threatens her.
Hendra holds her feet and swings her scythe, with the proximity of Grey she has to shorten the stroke and just misses the creature.
Lurruk shifts forward striking the one threatening his fellow half-orc. His hit also breaks off chunks of ice but the damn thing still stands!
Grey and Frjya cover themselves as so closein combat, spellcasting can be a bigger liability than aid!
When cold elementals attack, they mean icy business. Lanyssa and Grey are both attacked once more and once more both of the creatures fail to land a blow.
Grievous in her state is vulnerable and the ice elemental's cold eyes reflect the heat that just injured it so terribly.
Flying up and off of the horse is a small fey creature becoming visible against the green patches of wood! This miniscule, blue-skinned humanoid wields a needle-thin rapier. A pair of dragonfly wings holds the wee creature aloft. It flies into the air striking Hendra from behind, "The Children of Elvanna and your allies shall not leave these frozen woods again!"
The strike pierces a vulnerable spot above Hendra's armor.
Ice Elemental Yellow - 12/30 HP - Slam vs. Lanyssa - Damage
Ice Elemental Red - 15/30 HP - Slam vs. Grievous - Damage
Ice Elemental Blue - 30/30 - Slam vs. Grey - Damage
Fawfein - HP = 12/12 - Attack - Damage
Freyr raises his sword and slams it down at the elemental again. "Go back to wherever you came from and leave us be," Freyr snarls.
Glaring back at the pixie, Hendra silently curses as she collapses to the bank.