"We go in and cut off the serpent's head, of course. Even if we don't care about the other bandit leaders' allegiance, it will earn us their respect - and stir up some confusion while they figure out who will succeed Margrave - for long enough that we can get what we came here for." Ana explains to Rutilux as if to a child.
"There is no call to condescend, Ana," Rutilux raises a brow at her tone. "I simply must wonder if any possible reward will be worth the risks and time lost. Still, it seems you have committed us. Let's hold off on killing anyone else until we see how reasonable they can be, assuming they don't force the issue by trying to stab us in the backs."
"Alright, I'll take you to Margrave then. His current base is a long way from here through some pretty treacherous territory. I'll lead you to a safe cave that we camp camp the night in and then take you in the morning. Here, since you trusted me enough to let my friends go I'll trust you and let you hold these." he slowly reaches within his clothes and hands over a short sword and three daggers then let's you bind his hands before leading you north west for a little over an hour. Stopping he moves to the side of a hill and starts standing his feet carefully every few feet until a section of snow collapses revealing a small cave entrance. "Here we go, it's safe."
He either goes in first or let's someone else check it out depending on what the group decides.
The cave is small, wet and requires you to double over to get in but afterwards opens into a rather large dry cave. There are three carved shelves cut into the soft stone and hard packed earth and a small fire pit off to the side with a small stack of wood nearby. There are no other ways out from what you can tell. He moves over and huddles against the wall in a corner, "Best get what sleep you can, tomorrow we're crossing a nearby ice field. It's treacherous enough a trip without fo... People that are too tired to watch their step."
Jediah will use his campfire bead and take last watch.
Ana narrows her eyes without fo... what? Is there a word for 'betrayal' in Common that starts with 'fo'?
Rutilux also notices Rolf's near slip, "Without what, Rolf?"
Looking more than a little bit nervous, "Er, fools."
-----
Rolf slept through the night and is still there when everyone wakes the next morning. He sits quietly chewing on some hard tack while you prepare your meal and yourselves for the day ahead and when everyone is ready he moves off and starts leading again.
Three hours after you start he pauses before an area on the outskirts of the hills that is much flatter than normal. "Welcome to the ice fields. Margrave's first line of defence. Dozens of hapless mercenaries, adventurers and upstart heroes have tested themselves against this and been found lacking." he turns and looks back at all of you on horseback with a grin. "Lucky for you though, you've got me to lead you across, so as long as you follow my path you shouldn't find yourself falling through, down into any cracks or sinkholes hidden beneath the snow. Ready? Good." and with that he starts picking his way across the field weaving back and forth in wide arcs and several times making you double back before continuing on again from a different point. Halfway through the field you notice that he's slowed down greatly and is testing each and every step he takes. Several times the ground beneath your horses hooves or nearby gives way revealing gaps and breaks leading into darkness.
With an ear piercing crack nearby the ground shakes and several large sections give way around you. "Watch it, spread out but don't stray too far!"
Jediah mutters to Julian when Rolf is nearby. If he bolts away, shoot him down.
Isham will ensure that everyone makes appropriate preparations - folks secured with safety lines, spikes available for everyone (and at hand), with instruction on how to rapidly secure them in the ice.
"Jediah - have you got that climbing gear ready at hand?"
I have my magic fey rope available Jediah will use the rope to help everyone stay safe.
"Lucky for you though, you've got me to lead you across, so as long as you follow my path you shouldn't find yourself falling through, down into any cracks or sinkholes hidden beneath the snow. Ready? Good."
Zethyris dismounts and walks beside his horse, preferring his feet on the ground if there is danger.
With an ear piercing crack nearby the ground shakes and several large sections give way around you. "Watch it, spread out but don't stray too far!"
Survival
Reflex Thorvald
Reflex horse
"If I were captured I would only be too happy to lead my captors back to Savol's camp."
Rutilux definitely doesn't like this but he walks along side his horse following the advice of those better versed at this sort of thing than he.
As the snow and ice below you cracks and shatters five of your mounts as well as Dagmar, Thorvald, Isham and Rutilux are swallowed up and disappear beneath the cloud of debris before finding themselves lying within a collection of interconnected circular caves carved into the ice and rocks. Interestingly, the ice is wet, showing signs of recently being melted.
Above everyone can see them, a little more than ten to fifteen feet below, mostly unharmed but the horses are quite frightened and near panicked.
These caves are not natural, something has dug them and recently. Whatever it is may be nearby at this very moment.
Climbing back to her feet after falling into the cave, Dagmar looks about to see who has fallen with her and if anyone suffered any serious injuries.
"Well now, this is interesting. Do we climb back out of here or have the others climb down to us?"
Julian, keep an eye on the bandit.
Jediah gets out his fey rope and begins securing it to lower down to the others.
"This ice looks as though it has been eaten like how worms eat wood beneath the bark . . . This is not good. Lets form up and get the casters to safety. Whatever has burrowed through the ice is big!
Oops knowledge nature
Isham takes a moment to check that everyone is (relatively) well, then works with Rutilux wrangling the mounts. Before proceeding to extricate themselves, Isham ensures that belaying lines and other safety gear are well situated. "This could have been much worse - let's all ensure that it doesn't get worse before it gets better." Isham tries to ensure that everyone works together efficiently and rapidly, to put some distance between themselves and the strange caverns.
"Oomph!" Rutilux says as he lands unceremoniously below. His horse, at least, showed a surefooted nature, and he knows it at least will be calm above.
The other steeds down here he can't say the same for. He moves quickly to calm them, "Easy, easy..."
And he is glad for Isham's aid.
"Well now, this is interesting. Do we climb back out of here or have the others climb down to us?"
"It's times like this I wish that horses could fly. How do we get them back up? Or the others down safely?"
"This ice looks as though it has been eaten like how worms eat wood beneath the bark . . . This is not good. Lets form up and get the casters to safety. Whatever has burrowed through the ice is big!
Something FORMED this? Iomadae preserve us. "An alarming bit of news, but I'm grateful for it nonetheless. So we go back to Dagmar's question... frankly, if we can get the horses up safely, I'm for getting topside again."
Ana looks at Rolf and asks "Did your people build these tunnels? Or does something else live down there?"
Isham surveys the collapsed tunnels for some section that can be treated as a ramp that the horses might scale (with some help from a harness, perhaps..).
"Are you all okay down there?" Zethyris calls out as he scans the horizon to see if any trouble is approaching from the surface. He keeps an eye on Rolf and a hand on the hilt of his rapier.
Rolf is pale as he Looks down into the collapsed caves, "I, I never heard about Margrave making these. Maybe they were made by steam."
As Isham and Rutilux move to calm the animals and Jediah readies his rope more snapping and popping sounds emerge from the tunnels.
Those still above can see in the distance, several hundred feet or so away the ice is cracking and moving upwards slightly as hot vapours and steam burst from the ground. At first it looks natural like a geyser but quickly you realize that its moving closer, weaving back and forth. At some points it disappears but starts up again closer.
Rolf almost tips as he backs up, away from the sight. "It's coming!"
Make a search check with a +1 for every three ranks of knowledge engineering you have
Looking around frantically Isham and Jediah spot a section of the collapse that may have a low enough incline to work. A simple climb check for the characters but the horses will be harder. Possibly if you can get enough people hauling on the ropes from above while others coax and push from below.
"Run away and save yourselves, maybe whatever it is will eat the horses and give us time to escape."
Zethyris lends a hand pulling from the top. At least the horses can still walk.
"Right - no time to waste. Let's move those horses up. Dagmar, you and Thorvald help at the horses. Rutilux, you keep the horses moving. I'll push. If a nasty monster appears, I'm going to try to sing to it. Thorvald, please back me up if it doesn't like my song."
Loudly, to the folks at the top, "If a nasty monster appears, don't immediately shoot it. Give me a moment or two to try singing to it. If it eats me, then shoot it."
Jediah works the magic rope.
"You're going to ...sing to it?" Julian grimaces and then hides. Realizing he's about as hidden as an apple in a bowl, Julian tries again.
Rutilux nods and tries to work with the horses as Isham directs,"Julian has a point... what if the creature is tone deaf?"
Ana tries to help the others as best as she can to get everybody and the horses back up.
"That's why the belaying rope. I can run faster up this ramp if you all drag me up it."
After Isham and Jediah explain their plan Thorvald volunteers to bear the weight on the ropes and clambers up the slope. He grabs the ropes and twists them in his fists then draws upon the strength of the bear buried within him and times his pulls with the rest of those up above.
With a lot of struggling you manage to get the first horse up the ramp and prepare yourselves for the second one but the creature or whatever it is is getting closer.
Should we get down there and defend against it?
"Quickly... quickly..."
STR check
"No, keep the high ground! Be ready to spread out. Dagmar, get yourself to safety, as the healer you must try to keep yourself safe. One last try of the horses, then we must be ready to fight or flee. Down here we are like sheep in a pen waiting for slaughter!"
You have enough time to try a total of four more times before they'll be too close.
Don't forget the handle animal from below as well.
Thorvald will drop out of rage to save himself for the up coming work he expects to see coming. If it looks like the horses are forfeit, Thorvald will grab Dagmar and carry her up the ramp if it is needed to get her out of the pit.
Just as you manage to get the last animal out of the cave in and begin struggling up the slopes yourselves the creature bursts through the wall of the cave eighty feet to everyone's left. A long insect-like creature with large serrated mandibles snapping back and forth from its oversized triangular head followed by several segments and dozens of legs. The creatures hard chitinous scales are a deep red colour and steam can be seen evaporating from its back. Inside the tunnel it turns and with all of those body parts seems to undulate as it makes its way towards you.
Initiative:
Rolf 20
Creature 19
Jediah pulls out his longbow and fires at the creature.