A shivering Kast tries to get warm by the fire, extending his fingers and rubbing his arms vigorously.
"Maybe I'll get warmed up and then go out and find more wood. I hope there is a chair tree growing nearby. Ha ha ha." Kast jokes weakly.
Kast looks at his bardiche and grimaces.
"Unless someone has an axe, I'll be using that to cut wood, I guess...how long are we planning on staying here, anyway?"
"We'll need to stay until the wind dies down, wandering into that is asking to get lost. I don't have an axe but I've some rope, we'll want to tie that off before heading out for wood. If nobody else has an axe and you don't mind Kast I'll borrow your bardiche and chop the wood. Thankfully it's not a guisarme."
Othoe cozies up to the fire with his blanket and warms himself for a few moments.
Then he takes his time and thoroughly searches the hut for anything useful (take 20 = 27 perception).
Finding nothing (I presume) he prepares a little nest somewhere near the fire with his bedroll.
"Might as well stay until morning then. Kast, do you want some company? I'm not eager to go out there again, but we should not go alone. Who knows what might be hunting in this weather."
Othoe is surprised to find a set of stairs along the back wall, leading down. Originally blocked by a secret door, the door itself was poorly made and now sags, revealing it's Master's secrets for any that cared to look.
"Oh, hey there. Everyone - come look at this! Does anyone have a light handy?"
Othoe steps back from the entry to make room for someone with a light source.
"I think we should lay in a supply of wood before we go down there. Might just be a root cellar, but if it's more - and takes us a while to search - it might be dark by the time we return and it's no fun looking for wood in a snowstorm at night."
Chrystosm steps forward, lighting his lantern as he does so, then shines it down the stairs.
"Here you go!"
Kast jumps excited at the announcement of the secret door.
"Great! This is just great!" Kast says as he grabs his bardiche and begins to hack apart the door part of the secret door. "More firewood."
"This should be enough wood to keep us going until we explore what's down there. Heck, there might be a table or something else flammable down there."
When finished stacking the wood, Kast will cast Light on his bardiche and follow Chrystosm down.
"Kast, don't...never mind. I suppose it wasn't going to keep whatever is down there down there. Probably just some roots and moldy preserves. Maybe some rotten beer. I doubt we all need to go, I'll stay up here and watch the storm. Call out if some sentient mold tries to eat you."
Nimeon stares out the opening in the wall of the cabin, tugging thoughtfully on his ear.
Can I face him again?
Othoe follows Kast down into the cellar.
Might be some nice fortified wine down there.
"Rotten beer is better than no beer at all. Come on, Kast", remarks Chrystosm, "Anything down there has probably frozen to death, anyway"
He shivers, still soaked to the skin, then stalks down the stairs.
Kast follows Chrysto, lit bardiche and all.
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Her eyes closed, Dorial quietly speaks. "I will remain here."
Simon perches at the top of the stairs, trying to keep an eye of the group descending to the cellar while still remaining with the group in the cabin.
"What do you guys see down there?"
While Nimeon prowls the main room above, keeping a keen eye and ear turned toward the storm and Dorial meditates serenely in the corner near the fire, Simon poises himself as a bridge between the two groups, watching as Kast, Othoe and Chrystosm head down into the frigid gloom of the basement. One the wall near the landing on the way down, there is a sconce, but no torch, and the stairs descend deeper into darkness, turning back upon themselves to do so.
Nimeon continues to watch the storm, his hand moving restlessly between his ear and his sword and his bow. Clearly the man wishes to be traveling and done with this trip, every momentary delay causing him no end of grief.
Kast looks around, moving the lighted bardiche to peer further.
Perception
In the Basement
The light of the bardiche and Chrystosm's lantern bring sharp light to the dark of the basement, the stairs ending in a stone finished room lined with shelves. Along the far wall, a large cabinet lays on its side, one door open on the floor. Clothes spill out of it, the light setting flame to their vibrant colors.
Simon glances back and forth between the stairs and the cabin, trying to see everything, but failing to see anything.
Othoe looks around the gloom.
"Hey guys, there's light there at the end of the room. Looks like it might be another continual light effect."
Othoe casts Detect Magic and looks toward the light.
"Hey, so there is! More importantly, there's stuff we can burn, and dry clothes! Are those men's or ladies'?"
Chrystosm draws his rapier, walks over to the pile of clothes and starts poking them.
In the Basement
The clothes, brightly colored finery completely out of place in this meager cabin, are well made and includes several billowy dresses, as well as multiple elaborate men's suits of clothes suitable for a party or going to court.
The torch, clearly magical like the light on the door jamb, is behind the cabinet. though the light will likely shine forever, the wood looks old, and dust has built up where it lays in the floor.
Upstairs
the wind and continues to howl and the old building creaks beneath the assault. Boards shudder and slam back into position as fickle gusts of wind pry at them, almost as if trying to pull the small cabin apart at the seams.
Othoe goes and picks up the torch, trying to shake off some of the dust as he does so. He'll look around the room, but pay special attention to the wall behind the cabinet (looking for secret doors).
"Hey look at this. A box with an engraving on it, more precious than rubies is my Emmaline." Othoe points to the box.
Though Othoe looks very carefully, he does not find anything behind the cabinet.
Kast looks about the little room and, seeing no danger, sits down on the bottom step and looks into the room.
Perception
"What you got there, Othoe? Chyrsto? Clothes and a magic light? Hmm.."
Kast rubs his left leg, trying to keep it warm in the cold.
Out of boredom, Kast will cast Detect Magic and look around.
"Hey Chyrstosm...any handkerchiefs in there? My old 'chief is now bundled around a box of pure evil. I could use a new one."
"That cabinet might burn for a while. Lets bring some of that up later.
The small wooden box that Othoe pointed out glows as magical, as do a pair of boots mixed in with the clothing.
"Hey gnome. Them boots aglow. That box, too."
Chrystosm, rummaging through the pile of clothes, suddenly pulls out a pair of scandalous ladies' barely-there bloomers, all Calistrian yellow silk, frills and lacey bits.
"Aha!"
He hurls them at Kast
"How about mopping your brow with these, eh?"
He grins lecherously, waggling his eyebrows about at the same time.
Kast grabs the undies with a smile. Undaunted by convention and wanting to clear his cold-induced be-snotted nose, gives his nose a hard hank on the underwear.
"Thanks." ::sniff, sniff::
The cold always makes my nose run.
Kast shoves the undies under the armor for easy retrieval.
Simon watches as Kast clear his sinuses into the yellow silk bloomers, then stashes the mess under his armor.
Stealing a woman's silk and lace underwear is not going to win us any friends, I hope their owner isn't watching. And Dorial could have used those, layers of silk would keep her warm even in this cold.
"Hey Guys, maybe you could find some cold weather clothes for Dorial in there. Heck, for the rest of us too, I'm not so proud that I'll freeze before looking silly. What do we have down here?"
Simon starts making his way down the steps to see if any warmer garb can be secured.
Othoe casts a Detect Magic of his own and roots out the boots and picks up the box.
He'll take a few moments to carefully identify each one unless he's interrupted by something else.
He walks over to Kast as he concentrates and sits next to him on the stairs to study the items.
"Hey Guys, maybe you could find some cold weather clothes for Dorial in there. Heck, for the rest of us too, I'm not so proud that I'll freeze before looking silly. What do we have down here?"
Chrystosm sorts the clothing into six piles.
"Come and have a look! Hey!"
He holds up another pair of flimsy undergarments.
"I think moths have got at these. Look - there's a big gap in the middl- Ohhhh..."
He goes crimson up to the hairline, shoves the article concerned under a pile of other clothes and hurredly continues with his sorting.
Nimeon stares at the boards.
That's...odd.
"Anything down there!"
"Well, let me know if you find anything interesting about them boots or box, Othoe," Kast says as Simon comes down to try on furry underwear. "It seems safe down here, I'll go back upstairs with Nimeon."
And the warm fire.
Kast uses the bardiche as support to lift himself off the stair and begins to limp back up them.
* * *
"A few magicks, Nimeon...and some frilly clothes. Not a whole lot...and a cabinet we can use for firewood if we need to."
Kast goes to get warm by the fire.
while Chrys goes through the lady's unmentionables, he finds two distinct sorts, those that might best be at home beneath skirts (or on the floor) at the Rouge Lady, and those of a more noble creature, such as one might find at court, and not a thing that any good upstanding pioneer that might live in a house such as this might wear.
Othoe studies the boots first, shiny black and lined with a deeper sable colored fur, the boots look warm, but Othoe is unable to make out just what the exact magical properties are upon them.
Likewise, the empty jewelry box eludes him in its mysteries.
Along with the ladies' garments, are plent of men's clothes, though Kast side steps the gentlemen's tunic to wipe his nose with the feminine silks and Chrystosm unerringly finds the most scandalous of lingerie for his own examination.
Othoe shrugs as he looks at the items.
"I'm really not sure what this stuff is. I'd like to try again tomorrow though and see if some sleep and a good breakfast gives me more insight."
Othoe stands and sets the items on the steps. He'll take 20 (27) searching the basement paying particular attention to possible secret doors.
Why have a secret panel for just a bunch of old clothes? Must be something else down here.
Chrystosm grabs an armful of clothing and tramps upstairs.
"Dig in, although most of these are only suitable for the special lady in your life, unless you happen to be a special lady yourself, of course. Still, these might do for a hat, or a slingshot, or a hammock for a vole..."
He drops the pair of underpants he's holding, upon noticing that the rest of the party seem intent on not meeting his eye.
"OK. I'll be quiet."
He takes off his boots and sits by the fire with his hands folded in his lap, looking intensely sheepish.
Simon sorts through the clothes, looking for suitable winter layers, while Othoe continues to search the basement for hidden things.
Upstairs, in that moment while , Chrystosm, Othoe and Kast are still downstairs and Simon is on the landing...
What at first seems like a sudden gust of wind rips at the wall closest to Dorial, a long clawed hand striking at her through broken wood, but misses wildly. The ragged, ice cray creature on the otherside roars in frustration. Ragged remnants of clothing hang from the bone thin arm as it reaches inside, trying to grab onto Dorial for all it is worth.
Dorial:
Kast:
Nimeon:
Othoe:
Simon:
Frozen fury:
Chrystosm:
Dorial:
Kast:
Nimeon:
Othoe:
Simon:
Round 1, Init 6
Upon hearing the ruckus (there was a ruckus...or I assume Dorial will scream "ruckus" on her turn), Kast will rise from his seat next to Othoe and move to I6 (I think I'm reading it right).
Round 1 | Initiative 20 | K10 > J9
Shrieking, Dorial sends a blast of air into the whole that was just created by 'something' and then tumbles backwards away from the wall.
"There's something trying to eat me up here!"
The gnarled claw disappears as Dorial's Windblast knocks it back into the blizzard.
Round 1, Initiative 7, Location: G21->J17
Weapon Equipped = everburning torch
Conditions = none
Arcane Bond = none
Force Missile = 6/6
Wizard Spells Remaining:
0) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost*, Spark
1) Burning Hands*, Magic Missile w/Topple*, Magic Missile w/Topple*
Hearing yelling, Othoe double moves to the stairs and halfway up… as far as his little legs can carry him.
Round 1 Init 16
HP = 18/18
AC = 15/12/13
Weapon Equipped = Longsword
Speed = 20'
Smite Evil = 1/1
Status Effects = None
"Did you get a good look at it?"
Nimeon draws his sword and prepares for further assault.
"Guys, we have company, and it ain't friendly!" Simon hollers to those down in the basement. Simon moves up next to Dorial and prepares to grip the creature if it appears again.
While Nimeon didn't get a good look at the arm, something about it triggers in his memory.
Chrystosm, one of the first to hear the ruckus upstairs, takes off with the others, his arms still full of flounce and fluff.
Chrystosm: ………………20
Dorial: ………………………20
Nimeon: ……………………16
Simon: …………………………………………………8
Othoe: …………………………………………………7
Kast: ……………………………………………………6
Frozen fury: …………………………………………5
Round 1, Init 5
Thrown back into the blizzard, the creature comes back with a vengeance, trying to tear his way back in through the wall, "Miiinnneee!!!"
Bits of the rotten wood comes apart with his claws, though he is still unable to break a hole wide enough to enter.
,
Round 2
Round 2, init 20
Chrystosm drops his armful of clothing, Chrystosm draws his rapier and hurries into position , then jabs at the creature's arms as it tears at the shack walls
Round 2 Init 16
HP = 18/18
AC = 15/12/13
Weapon Equipped = Longsword
Speed = 20'
Smite Evil = 1/1
Status Effects = None
"A fetch! It is vulnerable to fire."
With that Nimeon moves to assist Chrys in attacking the creature.
"Kast we need your wood chopper."
The monster roars at the touch of Simon's flaming hands.
Chrystosm tries to hit the creature as well, but misses.