"What's in here then?"
Corum says as he smashes open the lock.
Well that's odd.. as you say there's usually four elements, it makes me wonder where the other will ambush us...
Sapphire stands ready in case whatever caused the bites comes back whilst Corum is distracted with the chest.
Greyston stand back, making sure to watch their backs. "Maybe there were just three of them?" He ponders.
"Doubtful."
Colum strains and heaves and eventually cracks the lid on the coffer, sending the contents pouribg out.
Within are 6 potions of cure light wounds, 300go in coinage, a gold broach worth 50gp and a single flawless pearl (that actually identifies as a 1St level pearl of power)
"Ah ha! I knew I smelled treasure!" Del beams as the coins arc through the air, glinting majestically in the chill air. "Magnificent!"
indeed this is most strange, there should be another piper. I don't think the barrier has fallen.
We will have to head back And see. Maybe there is another way we haven't gone yet he says as he looks around at the bodies What happened to these people? These woods are filled with all manner is strange creatures.
As Corum busts open the chest he takes a look at the contents.
these potions are worth more than gold, those of you who have the most would nods should drink them now. We don't know what else we will face here.
Aha...now this is something I can make use of. A pearl of power, it will enable me to cast more spells, if no one else wants it I will take it
Corum gingerly picks up the magic pearl and hands it to Elleross. "It is yours elder. Take this too. You're bleeding. "
He hands the wizard one of the potions. He takes one for himself and then tosses one each to the others. "We need these badly. Let's go see if that weird spell thing has gone. "
He bends down and gathers up all the treasure, putting it all in his pack before moving on. As they go he says "We'll divvy up later."
Despite their reservations, when they backtrack to the path leading north, they find that the trees there have righted themselves and whatever weird vortex of anti-reality was being created by the Dawn Piper's it is no longer present.
A great patch of bare earth is now all that remains of the barrier. Beyond that, lies the Shackled Hut, the great, unbelievable thing sat there on the haunches of it's chicken-legs, manacled to the ground with enormous chains.
Sapphire whistles under her breath, as something buried deep inside her sings at how close the group is, the Black Rider's influence for sure
Well, I guess it's time
Glancing around to check there were no more creatures guarding the hut, Sapphire strides forward towards the door, placing her hand on it and shoving it open, waiting for the others to approach before she steps inside.
With the hunt in sight Greyston feels gnawing in the pit of his stomach, the uncontrollable force of their quest stronger now as it pulls them all closer to their prize. "Finally after all that, the hut is in sight. Let's be careful there could still be more fey around." He says moving forward trying to keep up as Sapphire strides off.
"We haven't seen the gremlins that mauled those others." Nasrin sniffs the air, alert for lurking enemies.
nodding with gratitude toward the warrior he takes one of the potions and drinks the bitter contents.
The wound in his leg heals enough to stop the bleeding but there is still pain although not near as much as before and it is bearable.
Gathering the rest of the loot they move off toward the barrier and he is pleasantly surprised to find it is gone
it seems there was no fourth component to this barrier, the hut awaits.
We need to free it and take control of it.
I admit I have never encountered anything like this....I do not know if we can operate it, we have the tokens from the rider. Hopefully they will be enough.
he says as he draws out his scroll of fireball and holds it ready, not knowing what else will await them before they reach their goal.
Dell...I hate to keep bringing this up but you do not bear the riders curse. We do not know what will happen inside the hut, if it has defences we should assume they will target you when we get inside. Be on your guard he says to their jovial bowman
this hut belongs to Baba Yaga....anything could happen inside
Del points at the massive chains restraining the hut's odd legs, "First things first, my good man. Anyone have any idea how to remove those by any chance?"
As Sapphire approaches the hearth, the chicken-beaked hut shifts slightly, as if looking at her. It gives a little cluck of recognition and strains at it's bonds.
The collected ice and snow before in the clearing suddenly begins to coalesce into a pair of thick, shining guardians of ice and from somewhere above a clear, stern female voice calls out in common;
Halt right there!
A figure appears on the roof of the hut then, she is a tall and attractive woman with striking blue eyes, a flawless complexion, and lustrous platinum blonde hair, which she wears pulled back from her proud face. She wears a thick, fur-lined white robe and a tiara of white gems.
I suppose I should thank you for ridding me of the fey menace in these woods, but we both know what you have cost me. She raises her hands and shards of ice begin to spring out and dance along her finger tips. Now it is time to enjoy your reward, an icy grave!
14.8
11.3
Greyston rushes forward going for a clear shot. "The hut is ours! Baba Yaga will be freed." Aiming a bomb at one of the elementals.
Success
no idea Dell...at least not yet. I'll have to have a look at them when we get a bit closer.
He says as they approach.
The ice creatures and their mistress appear before them and he looks at the witch with hatred.
jadwiga! You will not stop us from reaching the hut. She is the real threat here! She must be taken out quickly
He thinks to himself a he considers his options, the scroll weighs heavy in his hand and the urge to launch it at her is strong but he knows he can help the others.
Focusing his thoughts he casts one of his prepared spells instead and hastes the party.
augendae, celeritate ,tempora
unleashing the wave of energy he moves away from the party so they aren't all bunched together like sitting ducks.
Del waves cheerily as Nazhena descends into view. He shouts merrily across the distance, "Ah! There you are, Nazhena. You know, we left that frosty spike of yours in such a hurry, I was afraid I'd never see you again. Did you get the present we left for you in your tower?" He keeps Ruby at the ready, eyes shining with equal parts delight and cold fury as he recalls Radosek's grim fate.
HP: 21/36
AC: 20 (16 T / 14 FF) (includes haste)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +7/+11/+6 (includes haste)
Grit remaining: 0/2
Hero Points remaining: 2
Regular bolts remaining: 65/80
Cold Iron bolts: 31/40
Tanglebolts: 0/5
Ongoing Effects
Vigilant Loading
Gunslinger Initiative
deadly aim: -2/+4
haste: +1 to hit, +1 AC, +1 ref
Sapphire stops in her tracks as the witch appears, and feels Elleross' magical energy flood through her before invoking her own powers and rising in to the air once more, flying high in to the sky and readying her blade as she lands behind the witch, ready to run her through.
Without command Jagar bounds forward, snow kicking up from under his paws. Leaping after the golems head he gets ahold of it for an instance. The golem rocks with Jagar's weight but the wolf's teeth can't get any grip on the golem's frozen form. He drops back to the ground, teeth bared, ready to bring this thing down.
for and
With a curse and howl Nasrin casts a spell, surrounding Nazhena in a blast of pure light. Once cast, the wolf girl follows Jagar, moving to the east a bit and opening space for maneuver.
They make their way back to the strange hut. As they go Corum drinks his potion.
clw
When they arrive Corum pauses. He looks at the strange building with trepidation. He does not understand magic and the thought of entering somewhere that is so obviously enchanted fills him with dread.
Then the witch appears and he smiles savagely. This he does understand. The fury and pain of battle. He unleashes his rage, strides up to the golem Jagar is harrying and smashes his axe into it repeatedly with great vengeance and furious anger.
Pa rage
Dam
Attack
Dam
Haste attack
Dam
Success
Success
Del's bolt strike home but the witch twists at the last moment and avoids getting rooted to the spot. Similarly, the burst of light flashes before her but she is able to shield her eyes sufficiently that it does not blind her.
She brings her hand up toward Sapphire, a solid ball of ice and snow coalescing in her hand. It streaks toward the warrior woman and cannons into her chest like the blow of a hammer, driving her to the roof of the Hut.
Success
+50% for 22 damage total.
The witch, unconsciously using a similar tactic that Elleros had applied earlier in the day, then immediately drops onto her belly and practically out of sight of the remaining heroes.
Fail
Success
Success
Fail
and
The two golems open their mouths and unleash a blast of frigid air that washes over the wolf and warrior.
Greyston watches as Sapphire falls out of sight. "Sapphire!!" He screams, moving towards the house frantically looking for a way up onto the roof.
"We need to get up there!" He shouts out at the others as he lobs a bomb at one of the ice golems hoping to clear a path.
As the Golem steps away it blasts Corum with it's icy breath. He feels the intense pain for a brief moment and hears Greyston shout. The warrior leaps past the Golem and sprints to the side of the hut. He begins hauling himself up its side.
Climb
Little did Nazhena know, but the northern blood coursing through Sapphire's veins had given her *just* enough protection for her to remain conscious.
Hoping the witch was now watching her companions and paying her no attention, Sapphire slowly reached in to her belt ouch and retrieved the potion she now remembered was still there, ironically retrieved from Nazhena's very tower.
Sapphire bided her time until Nazhena was distracted again before she dared risk quaffing the potion.
Nazhena raises her hand but the spell fizzles and fails as Del's bolt slams into her shoulder. She retreats into the air and down to the side of the Hut.
Cursing the witch for moving so far, Sapphire soars after her, refusing to let her escape.
As Nazhena drops to the ground near Nasrin, the wolf-girl again shouts the words that bring the light towards the witch. As the blast fades, she runs towards Nazhena, closing with her prey.
Pa rage
Dam
crit confirm
Extra dam
Attack 2
Dam
Attack 3
Dam
The vortex must have left some kind of lingering tears in reality, as Del catches fleeting glimpses of different possibilities: Sapphire falling to Nazhena as well as Sapphire barely surviving and playing possum, but fortunately the last of his precious tangelbolts had done its work and Nazhena's spell died upon her lips. As the witch flees for cover, he calls out again, "What? You don't want to play, Nazhena? But I have so much to repay you for after all the hospitality you and Radish-head showed me!"
He fires off a trio of shots into one of the lumbering elementals before adding, "I even have a ring for you! As a token!"
HP: 21/36
AC: 20 (16 T / 14 FF) (includes haste)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +7/+11/+6 (includes haste)
Grit remaining: 0/2
Hero Points remaining: 2
Regular bolts remaining: 62/80
Cold Iron bolts: 31/40
Tanglebolts: 0/5
Ongoing Effects
Vigilant Loading
Gunslinger Initiative
deadly aim: -2/+4
haste: +1 to hit, +1 AC, +1 ref
Unaware of the near miss Sapphire just encountered Elleross realises Nazheena has fled with Dells taunts following her.
sapphire must have flown to her and she has no doubt run from her blade! he thinks with malicious amusement .
now to deal with her ice puppets
Using his enhanced speed he moves to Greystons side and seeing Corum and Hagar engaged with them he draws upon his powers and dipping his hand into his component pouch he gestures toward the ice golem in front of Corum.
Dimensionum, spatium,altiorum! he calls out the words of power and holds the small replica spade out and the ground beneath the golem suddenly falls away.
don't let her escape! he calls out
Hp 23/32
Haste active
Ac 15
Fail
The ice golem tumbles into the sudden extra-dimensional pit whilst Corum smashes the other to icy pieces with his axe.
Nazhena, seeing that she is both outnumbered and having difficulty casting spells, decides discretion is the better part of valor and withdraws from combat up and toward the treeline.
Del laughs as the icy woman begins to flee in earnest before calling out chidingly, "Nazhena! Where do you think you're going, young lady! You get back here this instant!" He then dashes forward near to Nasrin before sliding to a stop in the snow, his long coat billowing dramatically with the motion, and snapping off a shot.
HP: 21/36
AC: 20 (16 T / 14 FF) (includes haste)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +7/+11/+6 (includes haste)
Grit remaining: 1/2
Hero Points remaining: 2
Regular bolts remaining: 61/80
Cold Iron bolts: 31/40
Tanglebolts: 0/5
Ongoing Effects
Vigilant Loading
Gunslinger Initiative
deadly aim: -2/+4
haste: +1 to hit, +1 AC, +1 ref
Elleross watches the golem tumble into the pit and then raises his gaze toward the fleeing witch and he smiles coldly.
you will suffer the same ignoble end as your lover Nazhena! I will nail you to the floor just like I did with him! Elleross cries out in cold furious anger
you will pay for Killing Thora, pay for hurting all the innocents that crossed your path
Raising the scroll he reads from the parchment and as he completes the spell the scroll suddenly implodes upon itself forming a tiny sphere of swirling fire and he launches it across the frozen ground.
ignis, crepatus,orbis!
The pea sized projectile hurtles towards the witch and explodes , engulfing her in a huge fireball that detonates with a deep roar.
"Don't let that witch get away!" Greyston moves all the way forward, Setting himself up for a shot at her next round.
Fail
Fail
Reeling from the flash of light, Nazhena streaks upward into the air only to be met by a terrible explosion of fire. The witch is fairly blow apart by the massive ball of fire, plummeting toward the ground like a falling star, her smoking remains slamming into the cold, snow-covered ground.
that was for Nadya and Thora you b+%$$! Elleross says coldly as he moves across the snowy ground toward Nazhena's a broken corpse, at least what is left of it.
Her left arm has been torn off along with most of her leg and half of her sneering face.
Kicking the corpse onto its back he draws out his small hammer and like Radosek he drives the dull cold iron nails Into her eyes.
Finally he reaches out his finger and Inscribes his arcane mark onto her forehead for all to see.
With this grisly task done he swiftly searches her for anything of use.