I am yet to be convinced that Baba Yaga isn't anything more than a myth. If her dancing hut exists how are we supposed to find it in the frozen wastes of irrisen?
You must have a way of locating it Elleross says to the fading herald.
if her hut exists ! The possibilities are endless. We could use it to go anywhere we wanted. The thought of finding it is intriguing to say the least.
I know exactly where... it is... Whitethrone... Elvanna has it chained up... trophy...
Need keys... objects attuned to the hut... can take it almost anywhere.... <hrrrrnnn!>... I have two, but Elvanna.... stole their power.... prevent anyone from using... hut to find.... her mother. Once reactivated, placing the keys in the hut's cauldron.... will.... retrace.... Baba Yaga's path.
He reaches behind him and with a grunt of effort he removes two of the 'keys' from pouch. One is a plait of Giant beard hair and the other a Plague Doctor's Mask. Then, he reaches up and grips the ice shard with one hand and pulls it out, his wizened face screwed up in a grimace of pain.
He presses both objects up to the wound until both are drenched and tumble weakly from his hands to the frozen grounds.
The last of the power... in my blood... will <ack!>.. reactivate them.
He then holds up both bloody hands.
Take my hands... all of you... take the last of my power... it will... protect you... from wards... in... the Hut.. <cough!> Quickly now... not long... not long...
Elleross is surprisingly the first to step forward.
He remembers the ward on the path all too well and if this tent exists the protections upon it would be extremely powerful.
I dislike the idea of his witch magic, but if his blood will gain me access to this hut then so be it. If it exists I must get inside. he thinks as he steps forward and grasps the riders hand.
Corum follows suit and grasps a hand too.
Nasrin snarls and snatches the man's thumb, ready to twist it off at the first sign of aggression.
Greyston is so taken back by everything. This is so crazy, what we're being trusted with here.. He expects us to save the world? He then hesitates for a moment but seeing the others take his hand he follows along.
Sapphire listens intently to the rider and her companions, and when it is time to form a circle around the blood-drenched objects, she doesn't hesitate.
Reaching out to grasp hands and complete the circle, she waits to see what happens...
...Free the... Hut...save Baba Yaga. Save... ev-er-y.. thing...
His hands go limp and his head slumps down onto his chest. You let go and he slides gently down onto the snow. As he expires, his heavy black armor melts away and all that is left is an old man lying on the cold ground.
And yet as you look down on to your blood stained hands you feel a tingling warmth that spreads along your arms to your chest and up to your head, giving a dizzying feeling.
Coupled with it is a sudden nagging urgency, a deep but persistent feeling that you should move, that you should get going with your mission.
All of you gain an inherent +2 bonus to an ability scores of your choice.
However, for every day that you do not actively progress your search for Baba Yaga, you take a cumulative -2 penalty to ALL ability scores.
This is designed to keep you pushing the story forward. So you can still travel, rest, craft and so on as long as you are actively trying to progress
As the heralds life fades away a jolt like an electric shock races along the nerves in his arm, the sensation rises through his chest and along his spine before slamming into his brain.
Reeling away he shakes his head as an enormous surge of information and experience tears through his mind as the multitude of doorways in his memory palace all fly open at once.
nnnarrrgg.... he groans as he shakes his head like a dog shedding water as he tries to clear his mind.
is everyone ok ? That was.....unpleasant he says simply as he drops to his knees and thrusts his hand into the snow, wiping away the blood as if it were somehow tainting him.
I have never felt anything like that he says as he looks around at the others
in his memory palace he is already expanding its structure, a spire of pearl suddenly grows into existence from the newly created winter garden, the vast arboretum is swathed in snow and several species of evergreen tree and plant fill the space along with several species of animal.
At it's centre is a frozen pond almost two hundred meters wide and from its centre is where the newly created great tower thrusts up into the sky like an icicle .
The structure seems made entirely of marble and mother of pearl and it shimmers under the winter sun and is breathtaking to behold.
At its base is a single doorway seemingly made of glass but is in fact a carved block of solid ice.
Upon its crystal like surface is an an amazing etching that almost seems to leap from the door. If Nasrin could see it she would instantly recognise her companion snarling in his familiar protective manner.
As Elleross walks into the garden he passes beneath a carved obsidian archway, that supports a large lintel stone atop which is a perfect replica of the black rider, lying in the snow hand outstretched to the sky .
He pauses and looks around and smiles, pleased with the new addition to his palace.
Coming fully back to the present he rises and looks toward the portal.
there is no turning back now
Corum watches the old man die quietly amd bows his head in a sgesture of respect. He glances around at the others as the warm tingling feeling spreads through his body. strange.... Suddenly the tingling turns to pain as every muscle in his body simultaneously cramps and spasms. He can almost feel the muscle fibres tearing as they lengthen and thicken. The pain courses through him in waves and he grits his teeth. Then just as quickly asit came, the pain is gone. He is left with a sensation of innate strength and power as if his muscles are coiled steel springs. He has always been strong but now he feels like he could crush rocks in his hands.
He stands there among friends before the winter portal a powerful warrior sworn to the cause of the queen of the white witches. He laughs long and hard at his new found feeling of power.
As he feels the surge of warmth flow through his body he struggles to breath he is overwhelmed by what is happening to him. The world begins to spin as dizziness takes over, he feels like he's about to pass out but is quickly rocked back to earth it all passing in an instant he feels something awakened inside him but also the need to move.
Standing planted in the ground he look around the group, all of them seems to have experienced something."We have to close this portal. We have to find Baba Yaga." He says now with determination.
The warmth of the blood on her hands battles with the ice in the air and in her veins. Energy, power, knowledge all flood through her as if she were a window being held up for the starlight to shine through. Somewhere deep inside, the last facet of the hidden and buried power within her comes bubbling to the surface, erupting in a dazzling display of arcane energy cascading off her.
Sapphire collapses to the ground, barely holding herself up on her knees with one hand as she recovers from her ordeal. Looking around at the group and how they too appear to have been affected by the passing of the rider, she shakes her head.
Tricky, tricky, our agreement to do part of his suggested course of action seems to have bound us to a fragment of her power she says quietly, recovering her sword and slowly standing up.
We should indeed move through the portal with haste, let us grab our gear and tarry no longer!
Free a Witch to save a world. Nasrin feels the wolf in her soul stirring, making her muscle taut under her skin. She grins, all teeth and knows Thorn is with her, bound to her. This rider is nothing, the pack is everything. She drops the dead man's hand and straightens up. Her world seems clearer and smells even sharper. "When we find her, we should get her off of this world forever. Witches might not be equal, but this blood is bad."
She slings her shield over her back, checks her scimitar in it's scabbard and heft the spear that took her brother's life. In honor, we will kill many witches with this. She steps to the portal. I never wanted to go home so badly... Hurry, then. Witches to bleed."
Stepping through the portal is one of the most disconcerting events of your lives. You feel a tremendous pulling force ripping you off your feet, except you don't feel as if you weigh anything. The sensation of hurtling through the air is stomach-wrenching and you force yourself to close your eyes and grit your teeth against it.
Finally, when you feel the ground stable beneath your feet again, you open your eyes to see that you are on a snow-covered hillside dotted with tall pine trees. The night sky is vast above your heads and yellow and green light shimmer along it in some kind of wondrous celestial lightshow.
However, the first thing you notice is the cold. Stepping through the portal is like plunging into icy water. Even in comparison to the Border Wood, the change in temperature is startling.
This land, at once remarkable and deadly, is Irrisen.
You see the welcoming lights of a village several miles away.
Stepping through the portal, disorienting and disconcerting, Nasrin feels the slip and crunch of Snow. This is worse. Much worse. She thinks of slipping back through when she feels a twinge. Find the hag, be done with this! Sighing, she steps clear and notices the light on the snow is green, not the gentle blue-white of the normal moon. She looks up and is stunned, the flow of yellow, green, then blue-and-back again light above covers the sky, Rivers of light, more beautiful than I remember!
Her attention is not diverted too long. She feels the air stirring, slowing then gusting. Nasrin sniffs once and knows what is coming. "Snow, too much to be safe out here." She heads off towards the lights as soon as everyone has their bearings. "We could fight, in this village. Depends on the locals."
Near blown over by the howling wind, Sapphire shouts
How fortunate we are to have arrived in the height of summer!
She checks around to ensure everyone has come through, and points out the lights in the distance, the promise of shelter, before shouting again over the gale
It's colder than Elvanna's underwear, we should move to the village immediately and seek warmth...
Despite the protection of her cloak, her blood runs cold momentarily. Unthinkingly she'd just uttered one of her father's favorite curses, and the realisation dawns that he must have spent a very long time here in Irrisen. Thoughts of him nearly overwhelm her and she forces them down, have to deal with the present. Looking around at the alien environment, the multi-coloured sky so different to anything she's ever seen, she just can't shake the feeling that she's been here before, that she's returning home.
Being from the north Corum is instantly aware that he is in trouble. The terroble cold seeps thrpugh his furs and he knows he has perhaps an hour to survive in these conditions. If he isnlucky. He listens to the others and says.
"I won't make it to that village in this cold. It is too far away. I can walk maybe an hour at most before I need to take shelter. And even then I risk frostbite or death from fatigue. Those of you with magical protection should go ahead."
Steeling himself he steps into the vortex and for a moment the world dissolves into a kaleidoscope of raging colours. Squeezing his eyes shut he endures the wrenching dislocation and stumbles out Into the freezing landscape and opening his eyes he fears his sight is damaged as the bands of flowing colour streak across the heavens.
the northern lights.... I have read about them but never thought I would gaze upon them myself he says as he is lost in wonder for several seconds.
Corums words pull him back to the present and he looks around at his companions and the frozen landscape.
even with the arcane protection I can feel the difference already. This place is far far colder than anything we have endured this far. he says and turning he looks toward the village in the distance and making a decision he moves across to Corum.
no one gets left behind. I can protect you , I have a scroll but that I am keeping for emergencies. I will have to use most of my power to alter my prepared spells. Hold still for me he says to the stout warrior.
....Elementa, Sustinere, Praesidium casting the lengthy spell he conjures a protective field around Corum, shutting out the worst of the cold.
that will get you to the village my friend . Lead the way, let us get to the village as soon as we can
As he steps through the portal his stomach drops he can feel himself almost get pulled apart, but then instantly he is dropped into the snow.
He looks out on the snow covers landscape, the coloured sky. All he can do is look on at the beauty of it all. The snow back in Heldren felt so alien, unnatural but here it is amazing, while also knowing that it comes with a danger of death.
"This.. this is a lot to take in. We're in Irrisen the portal worked we didn't get ripped apart." Greyston look about that the others and at the farm off village. "It seems the only place for us is the village. The rider told us to head there so lets move, Nasrin could be right about them lets keep our mission secret tell we know they can be trusted. We're not in Taldor anymore."
The warrior thanks Elleross for his magic. He is surprised to find that despite the weather he feels relatively warm. "Useful spell that." he turns toward the lights of the village and begins the long trek. They walk over the icy wilderness like ghosts in the eerie light of the aurora. The only sounds are the crunch of the packed snow bemeath their feet and their heavy breathing.
The party forges on towards the village. It only looks a few miles away but with the bitter, bitter cold seeping into your bones, you have to wonder how much longer some of the party will last.
The strand of trees continues for miles in a rough semi circle to the east. From out of the trees behind you come several small shapes, a group of men on a sled pulled by dogs. They too appear to be heading toward the village and will look to pass within a hundred feet or so at this rate.
Soon, the sleds begin to catch up. You hear a sudden cry of alarm and turn back to see one of the sleds is under attack!
A large, green insectoid creature comes bounding out of the wood, leaping impossibly high into the air and landing with amazing precision on the back of the sled. It's powerful forelimbs, clamp down on the poor man before it and with a swift twist, they slice through his body, spraying the snow with blood.
The dogs howl in dismay and you see several of the men scrambling either for cover or for weapons.
[spolier=Knowledge Nature DC 14]
This is a Giant Praying Mantis. Fairly rare on your side of the portal but it would be impossible for it to survive this far north. It must have stumbled accidentally through the portal as did the yeti whose tracks you saw in Taldor.[/spoiler]
Corum reacts immediately. There is nothing to warm you up more than the heat of battle! He brandishes his bardic he and begins running toward the insect screaming a challenge.
Nasrin follows in to the fight. She readies herself for a vicious encounter with a nasty, fearless predator.
Greyston look on as he see's the large creature cut a man in half, for a split second he also begins to run himself before he see's Corum charge off towards the creature. "Get behind us! Run for the village we'll put this thing down." He shouts to the men on sleds as he begins to follow after Corum.
Witnessing the insectoid monster preying upon the poor sled driver and Corum dashing towards it, in a heartbeat Sapphire has drawn her blade and is sprinting after the barbarian to provide support, her feet almost flying over the snow and not even breaking the surface.
Stepping forward and seeing the creature clear for attack he lobs his bomb at it aiming as carefully as he can.
The walk toward the village isn't as bad as the trails they followed in Taldor but it is colder. Despite his magical protection he finds himself drawing his clothing tighter around him as they go.
Turning to watch the dog sleds streaking across the snow he marvels at their ease of movement across the frozen land.
I could do with one of those , tho I doubt I could control it he thinks.
Suddenly the large insect crashes down upon the men and the night is filled with screams.
Low on spells he pulls out his cross bow and snaps a bolt into place before moving after the others toward the insect.
that insect must have come here as we did. It could never live this far north. It will be dying from the cold! That will make it desperate and deadly. Keep your wits about you! he calls after the others as they race off.
be wary of it's reach , if it wants to it can grab you up to twenty feet away, then it will bring you in close enough to bite! he warns
As the other close the distance to the creature, Greyston grunts with effort as he hurls a bomb at the insect, It tumbles end over end but smashes against its thorax, creating a plume of red fire and making the thing screech in pain.
As Corum gets close it turns and lunges impossibly, stretching out it's long forelimbs across the distance and slicing into his shoulder.
The travellers scatter, but one f them rolls deftly in the snow and unbuckles a wickedly curved battleaxe, readying themselves to join the fight.
Hit
Failed
Running close again, Greyston takes out a bomb and lobs it at the creature again hoping to do as much damage before the other close in on it.
Swearing under her breath at the thing's reach, Sapphire wisely decides against trying to skirt around it to flank with Corum, instead concentrating on getting to it and damaging it as quickly as possible.
Pushing arcane energy through her blade, she leaps to the attack
Corum grunts in pain as the insect slashes his shoulder deeply. He ignores the blood that sprays the snow and continues his advance. His rage boils over and he can feel the raw power coursing through his muscles. His heart soars with the joy of battle and he charges forward to smash his axe into the side of the thing.
Charge
Dam
Knowing he can't get too close to this thing Elleross stops and drops to one knee in the snow trying to steady his aim he squeezes the trigger in his bow and lets a bolt fly toward the insect.
Nasrin hurries to close the distance.
Another one of Greystons bombs lands at the insects feet, erupting in a ball of flame that maddens the creature even more.
As Sapphire dashes in, the enraged mantis strikes out with amazing speed.
Hit
The long arm almost knocks her from her feet but she closes the remaining distance quickly and slices a deep wound across its abdomen. Corum quickly joins her and brings his mighty axe down with a fury, slicing the insects head from its thin neck.
The person beside the sled lowers the axe as the monster is felled. They're so wrapped in furs you cannot see their face or even determine their race
Barely able to stand after the thunderous blow from the mantis, Sapphire lets out a long sigh of relief as Corum's weapon finishes the beast off.
As the person in furs begins speaking, the language sounds familiar but Sapphire can't quite understand it. When she touched the rider, he seemed to impart knowledge of another language though...yes...
she speaks haltingly, clenching her shoulder where the mantis' arm tore her up.
Greyston seeing the creature fall from their combines strikes, moves forward to meet this person who stood by them. Unsure of what their saying he decides to use an old track his mother taught him. "I have something that can help, a little trick my mother taught me. It will help me understand them but not speak their language, maybe they know a language we speak?."
"We can't understand you, but do you speak this language." He asks in all the languages he knows.
The figure removes the thick, fur lined hat that sits on their head. The human woman shakes free the exceptionally long braid of her vivid red hair, that even plaited, hangs to her lower back. Her skin is pale and her eyes piercing and you would place her in her mid-twenties.
She is dressed in soft studded leather, laced tight, but with a heavy fur cloak, possibly even the pelt of a yeti to ward off the cold.
I speak the Common tongue as well, though forgive my mistakes - it has been years long since my husband would insist I practiced it. My name is Nadya Petska.
"It is nice to meet you Nadya. My names Greyston Fenris, I'd like to thank you for standing with us to put that creature down." He looks over to the corpse and and shivers at how disgusting it is. "We were heading for the village." He points in the direction of the village. "Can i assume you're from there? Would you like to travel back with us? It would be safer to say with a group."
Safer and faster to find out who these people are. Nasrin shifts to the back of the pack, leery of the newcomers.
Well, dressed like that you're going to be dead in about an hour unless you're magically protected. And we aren't so we can't make for Waldsby with that snowstorm closing in. Our best chance is to set up camp here and ride it out, set a fire and stay together. Where have you come from to be dressed so lightly?
"We come here by the ill grace of the winter witches." Nasrin leaves the statement open ended, really punctuating it with the venom in her voice.
Winter Witches? Nadya asks with a furrowed brow. You mean Nazhena of the Pale Tower?