Keolin's Reign of Winter Campaign, Table 1 (Inactive)

Game Master Nickadeamous

"Ahh, that's nice," Droviz says, chuckling. "Didn't hear that much, back home. Oh, the ladies would laugh and giggle -- but when they did, it was best to check your back for a knife, your drink for poison or their hand for a whip. This is much nicer."

"Fascinating...now, I am not one to eavesdrop, but it is very difficult to avoid when one is a Tengu. We have very keen senses, and our kinds innate paranoia means we tend to sharpen said senses by necessity.
And since I managed to learn Elven just two days ago, I found myself listening in.
I have a feeling that much of what you conversed about would make more sense had I more knowledge of elfish culture in general, but the people of Kyonin did not seem to have much need for an alchemist during my last trip in that area."

"You are saying someone refused exploding spheres of flame?" Scoffed the warrior as he followed after Havelock "They must fight wars very differently than we do" He continued his tone somewhere between grimness and intrigue, then he pinched the bridge of his nose and turned towards one of the windows.

"The mercenary company I belonged to would have paid you half your weight in spoils for those kinds of skills" He commented as he removed himself from the window and turned his attention towards the alchemist "We only had a sorcerer, but he didn't have much of discipline that one...wizards, if I had to mistrust anyone more than witches it would be wizards" His cold blue eyes turned towards the elven woman.

"Sorry your not included included my never trust list anymore" He said with a rough grate in his voice and a scowl on his face "The fun you'll miss" He continued, propping himself against one of the wooden walls that allowed a view of the everyone on the main floor.

"Be patient, Professor," Droviz says in a jolly tone, nodding to the Tengu. "Like I said, I'm waiting for my moment. I'd appreciate your patience on the matter, hmm?"

Very casually, the masked warrior places himself between Elen and Brynjar, his eyes elongating behind the slits in his mask; he is clearly smiling.
"Yeah, yeah, sounds like fun times," he says. "And spellcasters sure can make a mess of things. Then again, so can a man with a sword, if he stops caring where he swings."

Got ally, will protect. Especially in a potentially tense situation. Not to mention after the heartfelt exchange just now. ^^;

Havelock looks up at Brynjar for a moment, then shrugs.
"Well, I imagine that when you live deep in a primal forest, in houses often constructed in the very crowns of the trees, fire is less than a welcome neighbour.
And history is rife with alchemists less skilled than me making a fata mistake and blowing up their houses, sometimes the whole neighbourhood."

Frowning for a moment, Havelock considers if there is a point in describing the difference between wizards and Sorcerers.
"Erm, you DO know that a Wizard and a Sorcerer is not the same thing? To most of us the difference is perhaps not very obvious, but some of them would kill you for mistaking them for the other kind."

In an instant Brynjar laughed, it was a long, deep laugh, it didn't sound very jovial but then again it wasn't exactly a mocking chortle either "Spare me your chivalry" He replied with disinterest "You'd think if we wanted to kill each other we would have waited till we found you half eaten by a lizard?" He snorts, places his left hand on his forehead and massages his brow, clearly unamused by Droviz' protective gesture.

"You think she needs protecting? Hah! If I had to pick someone to fight by my side between the two of you I'd pick her every time" Said Brynjar with surprising seriousness.

"Of course I do, sorcerers are born into their magic, wizards got to learn it the hard way, its why I don't mistrust sorcerers that much they've got nothing to prove, a wizard? Always trying to get more powerful, get more spells, more potions more trinkets" Replied the warrior to Havelock, clearly disgruntled by the assumption that he didn't know something as basic as that.

Give the man a break Havelock that intelligence score means something!

"Arright then," Droviz says, unruffled and still smiling, his thumbs hooked behind his belt. "That's good to know. And as fer needing... Everyone needs someone to watch their back sometime. 'Sides" -- Droviz winks -- "I'm trying ta charm her. Couldn't you tell?"

I misunderstood your previous post to mean Havelock wasn't on your "do not trust"-list, not Elena. ^^; Sorry 'bout that.

"I see you do understand the fundamentals. But an Alchemist also need to find new spells potions and trinkets.
Then again, I believe, since we are more limited in what our magic can do, and since we are capable of creating a large array of mundane items anyone can use, we are easier to understand than Wizards overall."

"Sorcery is...interesting however. While magic in itself require you to have a deep connection with some sort of abnormality in the blood, anyone with sufficient personal force can find and unlock a smidgeon of such power."

"Genealogy is not my special interest, but I have traced several known bloodlines far enough back in history to know that over 90% of humanity has enough of a..."taint" in them to be able to unlock such powers...IF they have the force of personality to be able to control it."

"You're more sane than all the wizards I've met put together" He replies to the professor with surprising honesty.

"Caw! That is only because you haven't seen me drunk yet! Caw!"

Krystae watches the exchange between Elen and Droviz with interest, wishing she understood the elven language. She could tell something was amiss and her nature suspicions rose to the surface, begging her to ask the question... And yet, as her fingers rose up to touch the crow feather dangling from her neck... 'We all have our secrets... They will come out in due time when we are ready. Even Brynjar and the good Professor...'

As continues to listen quietly as their exchange changed over to arcane magic wielders and the differences between them. Her stern visage turns to a smile and a slight chuckle at Havelock's outburst. "Professor, may I suggest you leave your fire bombs with me when you get into your cups?" She suddenly smiles very mischievously. "Although... mayhaps we ought leave them with the Witch. I think she's likely the most responsible. Get some stout in my mug and I'm likely to start on contest to see who can throw them the furthest!"

Elen smiles at Brynjar, recognizing that despite his brusque manner, he is regarding her as a comrade-in-arms, if not quite a friend.

"You're charming, alright," she says to Droviz in a wry tone, adding, "and a bigger flirt than I've met in years. "

"And if we're going drinking, I'm as irresponsible as anyone else when I'm in my cups. But I think ale and whores might need to wait until we stop this portal."

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"Then you haven't been hanging around the right people, my dear," Droviz tells Elen. He sighs. "Ah, such a wonderful qualifier... and me without a bottle of wine."

His tone turns more serious. "There's an army at this portal, though. Do we want to go there ourselves when we've still got a packa -- the lady Argentea to deliver? Might be a good opportunity to get us some troops of our own, you know."

I don't think we've definitively decided whether to head back to town or head on. At the very least, Helios will head back to town with the lady, since that player has bowed out of the game.

"While I do not wish to malign anyone's hometown, it will be quite some time before I get in my cups since they do not have my choice of spirits back where we came from.
Speaking of that, we should pack up and leave, and I mean now.
We are wasting time, and the longer we delay here the longer our foes have.
Let us escort the lady back and then return here, post haste."

I remember Keolin mentioning something along the lines of having Helios escort Lady Argentea back to Heldren while the rest of us continued onward.

Considering the resources we used on that fight, it makes sense to me that we would want to resupply.

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I'm going to have to agree. We are all still pretty beat up and Krystae could really use some Cold Iron arrows. Not to mention I think we could really stand to pick up a wand of cure light wounds.

"Well, I am ready to leave, what about everyone else? We should head back to Heldren soon, I do not want to stay out in the dark longer than we have to in this unnatural cold..."

I think Ragnar has some heal spells available to us maybe? Some of us are still a bit far down in HP.

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Elen seeks out Ragnar as soon as she is done using her healing spells.

"Brynjar, if you'll let him, we'll see if Ragnar can produce a healing spell again as he did yesterday."

"In my current state I doubt I could stop him if I wanted to" Commented Brynjar, with what seemed to be a jest, but with his tone one couldn't really tell if he was serious or not.

Actually I forgot what Brynjar's current HP is, I am sure its under 10.

Elen spent three CLW on him to bring him to consciousness and heal him. I can go back and find the posts tomorrow.

The party makes the journey back to Heldren uneventfully. The Lady Argentea whines about the cold and how a highborn lass like her shouldn't have to endure this kind of thing the entire way.

You can all be back up at full hp for now, I'll handwave the healing, and you can resupply with anything that would be reasonably expected to be available in a small town.

After you arrive back in town, the mayor welcomes you into his office. A Taldan officer greets Lady Argentea and makes arrangement for her return to her family's manor.

The mayor thanks you and asks for a report. "I see you were able to return the Lady Argentea to us, but what else did you find?"

"Well," Droviz says as he sets a wicker cage covered with a cloth on the Mayor's desk, "we found this gentleman."

The masked warrior removes the cloth, showing off the Winter-touched Fey captive, who he carried all the way from the bandits' lair.

"He was in a bad way when we found him. Seems the bandits had some 'fun' with him. He let slip there's a portal near here, which leads to Irrisen. And there's an army on the other side, ready to attack. Seems the kidnapping of the Lady Argentea was meant to blackmail the Taldan army into not stopping them. The bandits were working on Queen Elvanna's dime."

Droviz covers the cage again before the winter-touched Fey can try to do anything untoward to the Mayor.

"Seems to me you might need some competent folks to go on a mission to crash a portal," he says in an offhanded tone. "Maybe while the army goes to engage and distracts the Irriseni troops? And speaking of missions..."

The masked warrior retrieves a sheet of paper from his pack.

"I do believe we had us a deal," Droviz says. "One human lady, alive though whiney, equals one reward. My co-signers are dead, but these good folks did the same job, so I figure we're all due the same pay before we go haring off anywhere else, right?"

Is there such a thing as a shrine to Calistria in town? ^^

Ragnar places a hand on the smaller man. He seemed like he was trying to figure out exactly how to repeat what he had done yesterday. Suddenly it worked.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Want more?

We'll assume we're all healed up when we get back to town, as KP said, but I want to continue the roleplay of Ragnar figuring out his spells.

Elven "Well done, Ragnar," Elen says, adding, "You will probably find you have other spells you can cast. It may be that you can cause pain as well as relieve it, or aid us or harry our foes in battle."

At the town

Elen disagreed with bringing the fey back to town, but she understood the reason.

"Lord Mayor, this evil little creature is only the beginning. We fought several such beasts, and it will only get worse. Winter wolves, trolls, other monsters will follow them. The only conclusion I can come to is that Irrisen is invading."

Ragnar looked at his hands with consideration and nodded slowly. Around him faint voices whispered things in ancient tongues. He waved them quiet and thought further.

"Thank you, Keeper." he rumbled to Elen in his thick accent. "I will try new things."

Krystae allows Droviz to explain the presence of the sprite and then adds her own explanation to the mayor. "You need to contact Oppara and get the army mobilized, Lord Mayor. These Irrisen forces appear well organized and entrenched within the forest already. The rangers are likely dead, we found their cabin inhabited by the bandits."

I'm guessing cold iron arrows would likely be something I would need a roll to see if are available? Also, Krystae will locate Dansby's family to return his gear and money they found. She will tell them of his death and the manner in which they buried him.

"Hrrm...I do not mean to cast the icy waters of doubt upon any spines here, but, an army is not something you mobilize like the flipping of a coin...
Moreover, no matter how trustful a source may be, there are bound to be some people who would need extra convincing.
What I am saying is, that while my initial intentions certainly were not to go "gate crashing" in an attempt to stop or delay an invading army, that is something that may have to be done just to buy sufficient time to convince someone important that there is a very real danger."

"Err...getting a bit longwinded here I see..."

"Bottom line, decisions needs to be made post-haste, plans needs to not only be drawn but also followed through, and now."

Krystae frowns at Havelock's words. "Indeed, Professor. Which is why word must be sent to Oppara now before it is too late for Heldren. I believe if we send our little fey friend here on to the capital, it will hopefully be enough convincing to at least get things moving along."

She turns back to the mayor, pleading in her eyes. "Word must be sent, Lord Mayor." She looks back at her comrades, especially Brynjar. "In the meantime, I mean to go to back into the forest and find this gate. To either scout it, or destroy it if possible. Who will come with me?"

A grumbling sound could be heard from Brynjar as he steped forward, his armor chiming in with his disgruntled murmurs "I am coming along and you don't have to worry about paying me, this time its personal" Angry blue eyes looked to all those who hosted them "I'd say I'd keep your law keeper safe, but the truth is it would be the other way around" The scowl on the scarred man's face contradicted with what passed as humor to him.

"But any spoils of battle we pick up are ours, that clear?"

"I'll go, no problem," Droviz says. "But uh... you will have to worry about paying me." He looks at the others. "What? I'm cool with risking life and limb for the, uh, for the good cause, but I have to think about my retirement and food bills, y'know?"

"Not to mention the expenses we may incur, especially if I am going to be called upon to produce a large number of alchemical solutions."

The mayor pulls a purse from hid desk drawer, and throws it to Droviz. "The Lady Argentea's family left a bounty here for us to deliver to you if you were able to rescue her. Clearly you were successful in your endeavor, though at great cost. I hadn't been very confident any of you would pull it off, which is why we dispatched two different groups. It seems only one has survived the experience."
"Anyway, that reward is for the lot of you. I'm sure you are capable of dividing it amongst yourselves. I have no patience for counting coppers. Beyond the coin, you are all recognized by me as true friends of Heldren, and I grant you sanctuary as heroes in this town anytime you require it." Krystae, as a former resident of Heldren, realizes that this means that the local populace will be expected to provide room and board at no cost anytime you are in town, a burden distributed between the families. This is a great honor that is very rarely given, and Krystae knows that the mayor and his people will be strongly offended if the honor is refused.

The purse contains 500 gold.

The mayor is visibly disturbed at the news of the winter-touched invading the area and that the rangers are likely dead. He promises to notify the Taldan authorities as soon as possible so they can send a levy up to deal with the problem. In the meantime he asks you to scout out the portal and do what you can to protect the region.

"Alas, I do not have any other funds available for you at present, but I am confident that the capital will be able to reward you handsomely for your work if you are able to neutralize the threat at the portal, and of course, the spoils of war are yours as well. In the meantime, I believe the Captain here has something else for you."

The captain takes you to the militia armory, and finds some cold iron weapons for you.

Each of you can pick 1 non-exotic cold iron weapon or 20 cold iron arrows to take with you. The town doesn't normally have these available, but you are heroes now and get to pick from the militia stores.

"So that's 70 a head, keeping 80 in reserve for communal purposes," Droviz quickly calculates. "Or we can go 81 a head, keeping only 2 in reserve. Times being as they are, having a larger reserve might be best, but hey, it's whatever you guys prefer."

So, any shrines to Calistria in town? ;)

None exotic, that means no bastard swords? Just making absolutely sure.

Havelock's eyes lights up at seeing the armoury, the dull light of the metal reflected in his large blue eyes.

"Swords, not words..."

Ragnar's spear was older than the concept of steel. The haft was made of a wood that no longer existed, cut from a tree that lived in the lands of the Ulfen before they were called that name. Before the snows came.

Whatever had happened in Ragnar's village had bleached the wood to the color of bone, but the grain and the ancient carvings were still a red-brown. It was a very nice nice peice of wood.

The iron head, by contrast, was brittle, cracking, and weeping rust so badly that it looked like it was bleeding. It was a wonder that it had not broken.

Upon seeing the fine craftsmanship of these future smiths he wasted no time replacing the old head with a new one.

Elen says, "My weapons are not made of iron, but of magic, for the most part, but I will give the weapon I am due to another."

If anyone wants two CI weapons, Elen will give hers to them.

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Krystae smiles and places her hand over her heart as she bows deeply. "My companions and I are very grateful for the generosity. I will ensure it is not taken lightly, Lord Mayor."

She follows the Captain into the armory and immediately takes a quiver of cold iron tipped arrows. "These will be helpful against those damnable fey."

If no one else wants Elen's CI weapon, Krystae would gladly take a melee weapon. Likely do as Rangar did and switch out the spear head for a cold iron head on her father's spear.

Weapons surrounded them, blades of all shapes and sizes, axes for throwing and others for up close hacking, then of course there maces, spears. All had the sheen of cold iron. Brynjar immediately made his way to the rack supporting the great swords, his hand clenched the hilt of a double-edged sword, the sword looked to be much lighter than his own, but what it didn't have in weight it more than made up for in quality and sharpness.

"I'll take this" He turned to the alchemist "What about you professor?"

Well, with a Mwk Longsword already, I'd like a different blade, but if there is no Bastard swords then it will be another Longsword.

Carefully selecting one of the blades, Havelock unsheathes it and looks down the length of the blade, slowly turning it over in his hand, feeling the weight and balance.

"Ah yes, this blade is very nice.
The act of cold forging a blade has a tendency to leave certain metallurgical "flaws" in the metal.
See here? These lines are common in cold forged iron.
You can often recognize iron easier than steel, and the further north you get, the less coal the iron tends to have, making it stronger when forged into steel.
An old blacksmiths trick to tell the quality of the metal, the more blue sheen it has, the stronger it will be."

Droviz draws a cold iron shortsword from the sheath, carefully but professionally tests the edge with his thumb and tries a few simple lunges, slashes and defensive moves. "Yeah," he says as he buckles the new weapon onto his belt, his tone satisfied. "This one's mine, now. So! Should we be looking for alchemist's fire? All these blades are nice, but if it's an army and a portal we're dealing with, I figure we need something with a bit of oomph."

Brynjar looks on to where Havelock pointed on the blade, interest clear in his blue eyes "I'll keep that in mind when I look for my next sword"

"Has anyone here ever heard of "Star metal"? I have not had a chance to study it myself, because from what I know, there is only one area of the world with it in abundance, and only one place in Avista where they can smelt and forge it. (Ironically, not the same area, or even close together).
There is a particular type of star metal that is a deep jet black, and weapons forge from it are virtually unbreakable.
One day I would like to add such a blade to my collection."

"Sorry, Doc," Droviz says. "I'd like to learn more about forging swords, but I haven't yet. All I know is: if it cuts the enemy, it's good. Or just good enough."

"Hrrrm, Professor, not Doctor...Very different professions.
If we had more time, I could manufacture both acid, and alchemist fire, in addition to poison, but I doubt very much we can spare the time for this."

"Oh yeah, poison," Droviz says in a distant sort of way. "You uh, you think the town's generosity might stretch to some poison? Wonder what kind of selection they have..."

Having looked over the various weapons with a critical eye, Havelock suddenly spots something.
His already large bird eyes grows even larger as he lets out a soft whistle like sound of appreciation.
Walking over to one of the weapon stands he then slowly and with a touch of reverence pulls down a hand-and-a-half sword.
"Oh yes...this one...this one is MINE."

"That's quite a blade, Havelock. I've never seen one so long held in one hand."