Greyston starts to rub his temples as the woman tells her tale, grimly he speaks up. "So more things to do, more expectations." He reaches for his flask but only taps it just knowing its there is an enough for now.
"Can you give us any information on what we can expect? What are we going into?" He looks to the woman waiting for Corrleon to translate.
this could be a good thing Greyston, our goal remains the same. Now though we may have discovered more allies to aid us he says noting the worried expression on the alchemists face
they will not willingly surrender the item we need and so we must take inevitably take it by force. If that brings an end to the tyranny these folk live under then all the better. If there is a way we can free these lands then we will do it
<Of the Fortress, I can tell you nothing.> she says plainly.
<But one of my people’s most holy sites is a place called the Rimekeening Crevasse, located in lands that the dragon has driven the us from and forbidden us from returning. Although it is taboo for outsiders to set foot in the crevasse, the shaman will not be happy, Baknarla is willing to guide you there.>
<It is the last resting place of our hero Sarnok, wind whisper his name.>
<Sarnok was a mighty warrior-shaman who lived long ago and slew many dragons with his magic spear. The old tales say that one day Sarnok set out to explore the depths of the Rimekeening Crevasse and was never seen again, but that he will return some day to guide his people to glory once more.>
<If Baknarla can find Sarnok’s grave, there must be something there, some relic of our hero that I can bring back to my people to restore their hope. At the same time, you can take Sarnok’s legendary spear, and use to slay Yrax!> she says snatching up her own spear and then mightily thrusting it back down into the snow to demonstrate how you should do it.
The mighty dragonkin Efrixes steps forward then and says;
I have actually heard of Sarnok. Dragons of all kinds learned to fear his spear long ago. he shrugs. There might be some truth to this, but it doesn't help you get into Ivoryglass.
<Hidden way!> Baknarla cries in response. <From the crevasse into Ivoryglass. Very dangerous, but soldiers will not see you come from that way, you will be in before they know it.>
Corum pumps the air with a fist "Now we have a plan! Magic spear that kills dragons and a back door to the fortress. Let's get on with it. Lead the way my friend." He says to their would-be guide.
<Baknarla can lead you into the crevasse and we can find the way together. Long way, and dangerous too but safer than going across the glacier.> the wolf-girl says.
The dragonkin seem to be having a conversation among themselves, the Bescaylie also involved. She is the one to step forward.
We can still see those patrols on the horizon. Without magic I can't see how we can get passed them unnoticed so maybe this is your best shot. The Commander agreed we would take you as far as we could and I think it is probably here that we should part ways - the 'kin aren't suited to flight through the crevasse.
She offers each of you her hand and says;
It's been an honour serving with you all. I wish you fair winds and good luck.
the honour was ours Bescaylie, get back before you are spotted. Elleross says as he takes the dragon kins Hand you have brought us far enough.
Corrleon embraces his niece as the group prepares to split away with Baknarla. He touches his temple to her left and whispers his parting words for her ears only. He then turns to shake hands earnestly with Efrixes next, "Until we meet again, old friend."
As the dragonkin and Bescaylie depart, he sniffles once, the sound catching in his throat like a choked off cough. He turns back to the others and his eyes are plainly wet, which he makes no effort to hide. He smiles warmly with a nod, "Ah, but I am proud of that one. Come, let us proceed. This crevasse will not traverse itself."
He turns to Elleross. "Free these lands... what next? We'll be taken to another planet, another plane and be expected to save everyone. But we can't help ourselves." He looks over to Sapphire, she has been so quiet. It breaks his heart thinking about her and how close she came to death.
----
Greyston turns back to the wolf woman pondering on the crevasse and the way into Ivoryglass, feeling the unending pull on him he lets out a long sign. "Ok it's sorted. Let's get a move on." He gets up wiping the snow off him.
He turns to Bescaylie, dreading traveling in the snow after the ease they flew here. "Thank you for the ride. It is extremely appreciated. I hope you have a safe trip back, and a long life ahead of you."
Corum shakes hands with a warrior's grip, wrist to wrist. "It was good to fight beside you. Fly safe friend."
He wraps an arm around Greyston's shoulder and squeezes in a gesture if comradeship. "Yes let's get going. We got work to do."
Soon the dragon kin are little more than specs in the distance as they return home and Elleross draws out his pipe and fills it, popping a tinder twig with his finger he lights it and draws deeply on the fragrant smoke.
He watches Greyston walkingvahead, shoulders hunched and his feet almost dragging through the snow.
Moving along side him he can see how hard this journey has been for him.
Grey, we have little choice at the moment, we must follow these damn bread crumbs and leap through all the hoops along the way he says puffing our several smoke rings but by helping these folk we ultimately help ourselves, we will be one step closer to our goal. We won’t always be bound by this damn curse, the day will come when we rid ourselves of it I promise you. Until then, we have each other and we will carry on he says trying to reassure the young alchemist
Greyston forces a smile, as he appeases the group. "No choice." He let's that hang in the air, curses flash through his mind. "Another long walk it is then. I'm learning to ignore the cold, it's numbing me to a lot of things. On ward." He points out to the white nothingness.
Bescylie embraces Corrleon.
Please stay safe uncle. I don't want to have found you after all this time only to lose you now.
The dragonkin say their goodbyes also, shaking your hands with their claws in the preferred humanoid way before the squad readies up and before long are mere dots in the sky.
Baknarla drops to all fours and sniffs around in the snow for a few moments. Eventually she seems to pick up whatever scent she was hunting for and says;
<This way.> without looking back at you.
She guides you over the course of several hours to the edge of a vast fracture in the glacier, which stretches off into the distance in both directions. The rift is about 500 feet wide at this point, but it narrows sharply as it descends into the glacier.
Freezing winds whistle through the crevasse, producing an eerie wailing that at times seems to sound like the lonely cry of a grieving woman.
<Down there. We must climb.> she says.
Greyston stands at the edge looking down the crevasse, his stomach turning. "I'm going to fly, I have prepared something for this. How are we going to get everyone else down? He walks back from the edge as the wind picks up.
I can re cast my featherfall spell and allow everyone to float down to the bottom, it just depends how deep this is, Baknarla do you know how far down it is to the bottom Elleross asks the strange wolf girl.
Taking a small pearl from his spell pouch Elleross grasps it tightly and mutters a few words under his breath, a brief intense pulse of light seeps between his fingers and then with is out as suddenly as it came.
Dropping the pearl back into his pouch he turns to the others
I am ready to do this, we all need to leap off the edge at the same time. Don’t worry, the spell will activate instantly and we will all float to the bottom. he says as he moves to the edge
ok, if everyone is ready, on the count of three...one...two ...three! he says and he waits a fraction of a second, letting the others leap before him and then he jumps after them
Pinar, cadent! he shouts , unleashing the spell upon them all .
"Ok..." He says hesitant but accepts Ellerosses offer of saving his Extract. "I really don't like this." Shouting out as he jumps with the others, feeling for a moment the fear of falling uncontrollably only to be slowed like he was flying.
Corrleon chuckles as the group slowly descends down into the crevasse, "You travelers seem to enjoy leaping from high places at any chance you get. Is this normal back on Golarion?"
I don’t think you could call it normal but it is better than climbing Elleross says with a grin as they float downwards you would like Golarion I think, it is a complex world with many many wonders and many different races of people
The group float safely down to the floor of the icy crevasse thanks to Elleros' magic.
The crevasse runs east to west in a wide, imposing rent in the otherwise completely unspoiled whiteness of the vast expanse. It runs as far west as you can see currently.
Landing gently at the bottom of the crevasse Is lorries look around at the towering walls of shimmering Ice
Lead the way Baknarla, we will follow you he says as he adjusts his pack and readies himself for the hike ahead .
Baknarla nods and does indeed lead the way into the crevasse. However, you have gone no more than 50 feet before you start to hear scrabbling noises of claws on ice.
To the south of you, a deep crack splits the wall of the crevasse and from it emerge a pair of slithering, multilegged white reptiles with a fearsome head crowned with two large, curling horns.
Moving toward the other side of the crevasse Elleross can now see the two fearsome creatures clearly and he recognises them instantly.
there are creatures like these on Golarion, Behirs they are called but these are different, they are suited to this climate. They are aggressive and deadly and totally immune to the cold he says as he begins to cast a spell
we could be in serious trouble here, watch out for their Breath weapon, stay spread out and they cannot hit us all. When they close in be prepared for them to grab, crush and eat you! These things will devour you whole ! he warns them as he quickly tells them everything he knows before he unleashes his spell.
His arms ripple with electricity and as he pulls his hands violently apart a lightning bolt jumps between his palms, a much larger more deadly bolt of lightning suddenly explodes between the two creatures.
Potestatum,fulgur arcus!
The two Behirs are blasted by a ferocious eruption of lightning that rips through them.
Greystons stomach starts to knot up as he looks at the monstrous creatures. Envisioning one of them grabbing him. "That them down fast!" He shouts out as he starts to lob his bombs hoping to slow them down.
[ooc]Spells - mutagen, heroism
Fail
Fail
Greyston's bombs erupt on the massive lizards, coating them in a sticky substance that virtually ties them to the crevasse walls.
Corrleon steps out away from the wall and brings his bow to bear, snapping off a pair of quick shots at the left-most behir. "You'll taste no flesh this day! Return to your caves now, while you still can!"
HP: 92/92
Cold Resist: 20
AC: 19 (17 T / 12 FF)
CMD: 22
F/R/W: +15/+11/+14
Lay on Hands remaining: 12/12
Smite Evil remaining: 3/3
Divine Bond remaining: 1/1
Stormlure remaining: 1/1
Hunter's Cloak minutes remaining: 10/10
Ongoing Effects
Favored Terrain (cold): +4 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Favored Terrain (urban): +2 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Terrain Dominance (cold): +4/+4 vs terrain natives and +1/+1 vs cold subtype
Aspect of the Falcon: +3 competence perception, +1 to hit, crits = 19-20/x3
Deadly Aim: -2/+4
Miss
One of the Behirs, hardly able to stand on it's multitude of legs, shambles toward Greyston and snaps at him with enormous jaws.
The other, meanwhile, belches a line of freezing cold air that washes over everyone except Greyston.
Fail
Success
Grayston steps back to the ice wall, not getting hit by the breath of the creature but still feeling the bitter cold he takes out two bombs and lobs them at the creature nearest to the group.
Corrleon growls under his breath as the behirs reject his offer of clemency, "So be it."
HP: 92/92
Cold Resist: 20
AC: 19 (17 T / 12 FF)
CMD: 22
F/R/W: +15/+11/+14
Lay on Hands remaining: 12/12
Smite Evil remaining: 3/3
Divine Bond remaining: 1/1
Stormlure remaining: 1/1
Hunter's Cloak minutes remaining: 10/10
Ongoing Effects
Favored Terrain (cold): +4 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Favored Terrain (urban): +2 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Terrain Dominance (cold): +4/+4 vs terrain natives and +1/+1 vs cold subtype
Aspect of the Falcon: +3 competence perception, +1 to hit, crits = 19-20/x3
Deadly Aim: -2/+4
Greyston's next set of bombs annihilate the monsters, the huge and daunting lizards reduced to bubbling mounds of flesh by the mighty group.
<wow!> Baknarla says, impressed. <You really are the the ones foretold!> she adds.
Feeling frostbitten and tender Elleross limps toward the others, every step bringing more pain as he forces his frozen body to move.
I’m glad they did not get a chance to attack us properly, these things can be quite deadly he says with a grimace it may be worth checking to see if they have a lair nearby, there could be useful treasure
Hp 46/69
Corrleon places a hand on Elleross' shoulder, the gesture gentle and encouraging as he nods. "We will find little respite upon this path, my friend. Predators such as those are likely to be some of the least of our worries." As he speaks, warmth blossoms from his hand and spreads through the elf's body, knitting most of his wounds and stealing the chill from the air.
HP: 92/92
Cold Resist: 20
AC: 19 (17 T / 12 FF)
CMD: 22
F/R/W: +15/+11/+14
Lay on Hands remaining: 11/12
Smite Evil remaining: 3/3
Divine Bond remaining: 1/1
Stormlure remaining: 1/1
Hunter's Cloak minutes remaining: 10/10
Ongoing Effects
Favored Terrain (cold): +4 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Favored Terrain (urban): +2 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Terrain Dominance (cold): +4/+4 vs terrain natives and +1/+1 vs cold subtype
Aspect of the Falcon: +3 competence perception, +1 to hit, crits = 19-20/x3
The group make the difficult way up the sheer ice wall into the crack from which the lizards emerged.
The rough walls of this wide cavern glisten with sparkling crystals and mineral deposits. It is actually breathtakingly beautiful and the easiest crystals to pry from the walls are worth a collective 8,000 gold pieces.
Once the group is back together, Baknarla leads on deeper into the crevasse. You walk for nearly half an hour in the bitter cold beneath the surface of the glacier, the adlet muttering the whole time;
<Close now, not far at all. We are nearly with Sarnok. Close now...>
She looks up and turns back to you;
<We don't know what else is down here. You dealt with the snow lizards but there may be more. Careful now. Careful and quick.>
As if in response to what she says, there is a sudden and deep rumbling in the crevasse around you.
Greyston hardly feels the cold now, a combination of magical effect and his uncaring attitude to it all. He just wants to keep moving and get this done.
"What now, more lizards?" He says taking out a vial and drinking it, his body begins to hover off the ground.
thank you Corrleon, that is much better he says in gratitude as their new companion heals his wounds I agree, we will face much worse but we will overcome whatever comes our way, we must
As the group re gather after plundering the crystals from the caves the ground suddenly heaves as something huge moves beneath them
What in the nine hells is that! Spread out quickly he says as he fights to keep his feet, casting a brief spell he unleashes a wave of energy and haste’s the party before he backs away to the side of the crevasse as he waits for this new threat to emerge .
augendae, celeritate ,tempora
"Terrazen Zerata!" A flash of light bursts from Corrleon as a shimmering, pearlescent halo forms above his head. Warm, white light radiates from the triaxian as he readies his bow and shifts to be in the center of the group. "You were saying, Baknarla?" His ear ridges ripple briefly as he shoots their guide a wry grin.
Cold Resist: 20
AC: 21 (19 T / 13 FF)
CMD: 24
F/R/W: +15/+12/+14
Lay on Hands remaining: 10/12
Smite Evil remaining: 3/3
Divine Bond remaining: 1/1
Stormlure remaining: 1/1
Hunter's Cloak minutes remaining: 10/10
Ongoing Effects
Favored Terrain (cold): +4 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Favored Terrain (urban): +2 bonus on initiative, Knowledge (geo), Perception, Stealth, & Survival
Terrain Dominance (cold): +4/+4 vs terrain natives and +1/+1 vs cold subtype
Aspect of the Falcon: +3 competence perception, +1 to hit, crits = 19-20/x3
Power of Faith (1/10 rds): 30ft radius; +1 morale to AC, to hit, damage, and saves vs fear
Haste: +1 to hit, +1 AC, +1 ref saves, +1 attack in full attack, +30 ft movement