[PFS]DM Elanmorin's Shades of Ice, Part II: The Exiles of Winter (Inactive)

Game Master Rogar Valertis

"Wait, let me get a better look," says Scuttlebutt as he crosses the fungus covered cave floor, drawing his rapier just in case.

Knowledge Nature+inspiration: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 7 + (4) = 13

"I... I don't recognize these little beasties but they're clearly territorial and hostile," says the dumbfounded scholar as he takes a swing at one.

Melee Attack on green + flank: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 2 = 5

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

"Trembling troglodytes! Nimble little lizard..."

Calephe jabs at one of the little creatures with the one weapon she had out. She decides on the green one. Then she takes a step back pulling out the other knife.

Kukri: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Midge trudges around the battlefield, trying not to get in anyone's way.

Double move.

I forgot these are tiny creatures so you get an AoO against them when they attack you.

Scuttlebutt and Calephe miss with their attacks while Midge moves closer to the fray.

The 3 tiny dinosaurs respond by attacking the pathfinders!

Green vs Scuttlebutt: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 -> Damage roll: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

Red vs Dragall: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14 -> Damage roll: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

Blue vs Midge: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 -> Damage roll: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

But only Dragall gets bitten. It's barely a scratch but he feels the wound burn...

[ooc]Dragall, please roll a DC12 Fortitude Save or lose Str damage: 1d2 ⇒ 1

Round 02 - Bold may act

Calephe
Midge

reptile (red)
reptile (blue) entangled
reptile (green) -4hp

The Thundercloud
Dragall -1hp, ?
Zane
Scuttlebutt

Zane swings at the red lizard critter:

Attack, greataxe: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage, greataxe: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Calephe and Midge can go as well

FORT: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Dragall hits red one again.
to hit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Blue will not be entangled anymore in round 3 due to the duration expiring.

Thundercloud will fire off a mystic bolt at the Green lizard from where he is. As a swift action, he will have the assistance from his Shadow Speaker ability (-1 SS ability out of 3). Otherwise, he will stay where he is at for the moment.

firing off: 1d20 + 3 + 2 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 2 - 2 - 2 = 17. +2 SS, -2 for fatigue, -2 for firing into melee.

electric hit?: 1d6 ⇒ 4.

Calephe steps forward and slashes as the red one right in front of her.

Kukri: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Kukri: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Kukri Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

AoO on tiny green

Attack, melee +flank: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 1 + 2 = 12

1d6 ⇒ 5

Midge swings at the strange little lizard with her morningstar.

Attack: 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 1 = 11
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

Both rolls include the penalties she suffering due to her fatigue from the forced march.

Zane and Dragall miss their targets. The latter also feels himslef growing weaker due to the poison the tiny dinosaur injected into his system.
The Thundercloud zaps the green reptile to death with his eldritch powers and Calephe follows suit making short work of the reddish one.

Dragall will need to roll DC12 fort again next round

Round 03 - Bold may act

Calephe
Midge

reptile (blue) entangled

The Thundercloud
Dragall -1hp, -1str
Zane
Scuttlebutt

I did act. It's the post above yours.

fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Dragall moves and hits the blue one.

to hit: 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 3 - 1 = 14
damage: 1d12 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 - 1 = 10

Midge misses her attack as well and the Compsognathus attacks the halfling in retaliation...

Blue vs Midge: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 -> Damage roll: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

But fails again to bite Midge. Dragall tries to end the fight but even him cannot hit the tiny beast.

Did you read what I wrote about the enemy being tiny?

Round 03 - Bold may act

Calephe
Midge

reptile (blue) entangled

The Thundercloud
Dragall -1hp, -1str
Zane
Scuttlebutt

I did, but it didn't click in that it had attacked me, haha. Got it!

AoO: 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 - 1 = 9
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

Hoping to get a much clearer shot, Thundercloud/Minuro will move northeast in a diagonal step then move northwesterly from there in two more diagonal steps until he reaches in a flanking position with Scuttlebutt upon the blue lizard.

Calling upon his second Shadow Speaker ability of the day, Thundercloud will make a melee attack with his mystic bolt upon the flanked blue lizard.

flanked lizard steak tonight?: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 + 2 - 1 = 12. +2 for Shadow Speaker #2, +2 flanking, -1 fatigue (had it confused with shaken that first time).

cooked well or rare?: 1d6 ⇒ 3.

Midge the halfling misses again against Compsognathus the nimble. The feared vigilante known as The Thundercloud follows suit as the Compsognathus shows him a couple of moves he didn't (yet) know...

Round 03 - Bold may act

Calephe
Midge

reptile (blue) entangled

The Thundercloud
Dragall -1hp, -1str
Zane
Scuttlebutt

Scuttlebutt attempts to stab the small but viscous lizard-creature.

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

1d6 ⇒ 1

Scuttlebutt does hit the darting lizard... unfortunately he fails to cause much harm and it just hisses back, apparently... indignant at the attempt on his life!

Zane vs the darting lizard: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 -> Damage roll: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Unfortunately for him Zane greataxe puts a permanent end to the fight. Onmce you are sure all the other inhabitants of the cave are dead you can rest and avoid the worst of the snowstorm currently raging outside. On the fasr isde of the cavern you notice a rockfall.

The cavern’s tall walls are covered with cave paintings under a thin layer of faintly glowing algae. These paintings depict a castle at the base of a mountain. Outside the castle, a large creature with wings and a long neck lies on the ground before a figure lifting a huge red axe over its head to strike. Other humanoid figures cluster around the scene. The mural is then interrupted by a repeated design: two mammoths with a smaller one in tow marching east. This motif is repeated over and over in an orderly line from the top wall of the cave to the bottom. There are 30 copies of this design.
The next scene shows the wielder of the red axe lying on a raised mound within the castle, his weapon clutched to his chest. Other figures leave the castle carrying large bags on their shoulders.
The drawings continue on the other side of the cave, showing an avalanche cascading down to cover the tower.
The last drawing shows more of the humanoid figures standing over the edge overlooking the castle’s previous location, while four drawings of the moon in various states arc above the scene. In this last picture, all of the humanoid figures have a smear of white color around their lower faces.

Zane studies the cave wall paintings with interest and genuine curiosity.

Wisdom: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

”Hhhmmm, the paint has worn off over here... and over here...” he points at the creature on the ground and the character brandishing the weapon.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

He then searches the cave.

Perception 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Perception 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"That's interesting. The creature on the ground in the first painting was originally painted white. Time has eroded whatever the painter used to show this color. The character brandishing the axe was also painted white, but around the face, suggesting a large white beard. That might be our dwarf"

"There are some bodies over here with gear on them. Including snowshoes.
Those might be helpful." Calephe moves over and examines the bodies.

wisdom: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

"No other creatures can approach from that end of the cave. Of that I am certain."

DC18 Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
DC15 Knowledge history: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
"The axe-wielding figure in the first scene is different from the other humanoids depicted, as he is shown with a white beard, a feature uncommon among the Kellid peoples. The painting of the three mammoths symbolizes migration, and each painting of three mammoths stands for the passage of a single year. The moon in its various stages symbolizes eternity or a period of time that cannot be depicted with the migration symbol, usually meaning hundreds of years. Seems like the Kellids who stalked us are somehow tied to the Keep of the Huscarl King."

DC15 Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Wisdom: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Perception 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Perception 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Midge drops her morningstar and plops down on the cave floor to rest. Eventually, she drags herself to her feet, hooks her morningstar onto her belt, and looks around the cave with the others.

After hearing her companions chat, Midge nods. "No wonder they didn't want us poking around."

Having nothin else to add, Midge follows Calepehe to check on the dead, and take what goods she can find.

Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 Any idea what killed them?

"What do they have?" she asks Calephe.

"Quite a few things actually." she picks through the remains coming up with 3 bandages of rapid recovery, 2 masterwork throwing axes, a masterwork bolas, a potion of barkskin, 2 potions of endure elements, 6 pairs of snowshoes*, a fully charged wand of longstrider carved from a smilodon’s tooth, and a bag of unworked gemstones worth 40 gp.

Midge has no idea about what caused the death of these people... an horde of hungry lizards perhaps? They died of starvation...

By the morning, the storm has gone and you are free to set off again. Your path slopes downward as you approach a series of high, rocky cliffs on the edge of the Tusk Mountains. Near midday, Skagni’s map directs you through a narrow ravine of ice and rock. The shriek of a snowy owl dances off the high, rough walls of ice and rock inside this gorge, and the long shadows inside make it feel like evening rather than midday. Although the canyon provides a direct path through the rocky terrain of this area, the other side is almost invisible from the entrance. In the snow drenched plains leading to the gorge mouth, primeval aurochs and bison paw at the new snow to unearth scrub grass.

A few yards before the gorge's entrance...

At the mouth of the gorge...

You can attempt all of the checks above within the first 20 feet you take beyond the gorge’s mouth. How do you approach the gorge?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Calephe studies the ground carefully. "Watch out there are tracks here that turn around. There is something here. A scavenger has eaten a saber tooth tiger."

DC25 Perception check:: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
DC05 Survival or Perception check:: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
DC10 Perception check:: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
DC15 Heal check:: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

" You are right Calephe. The tracks are from some humanoid."

After looking at the loot, Midge shrugs. "I won't be good with any of this. I could take the potion of barkskin, I suppose, if no one else wants it. But, it's probably better with you, Calephe," Turning to Zane she asks, "You want a wand of longstrider? You can use that, right?"

---

Before heading to bed, Midge presses her hands to her chest and shoots a blast of holy light into herself, healing her wounds. Using heavenly fire on herself.

Healing: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Then she settles in to sleep.

We are resting in the cave overnight, right?

---

Come morning, Midge shoots another bright light into her chest and feels much better, though her legs muscles are still sore from the day before. After eating a bit of food, and before leaving the cave, Midge straps on a pair of snowshoes with great enthusiasm.

"These things look amazing!" she exclaims.

Healing: 1d4 ⇒ 3

---

As they near gorge, Midge excitedly points at the bison and aurochs. "Whoah! Look at those! They're so BIG!"

Perception 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Perception 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Perception 3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Peering over the body of the sabre-toothed tiger, Midge shakes her head.

"Sure, some scavengers ate him, but they didn't kill him. This bad boy was trampled to death! See all the fractures? Here and... here and here... and... Everywhere, really. A LOT of things ran this fellow over. Stampede of some kind." Looking around at the animal life she suggests, "Aurochs or bison, maybe?"

With a shrug she adds "Troubling. If we're going in there, I want that wand used on me please. I'm not exactly made for outrunning a stampede, if it comes to that."

Midge waggles the longstrider wand at Zane with a big, wide smile.

Is there a way around the gorge?

Oh! And we should use the potions of endure elements to spare Calephe's wand a few charges today.

@Midge: Yes. You can pass right into the gorge, which is the fastest way forward, OR you can to go around the gorge and simply walk the steep outer slope, walking along the higher route. Of course, it will take you more time to do so. Which way you want to do this? Please let me know

Midge votes for going around.

Since all his damage was non-lethal, a full nights rest of 8 hours will bring Thundercloud/Minuro back to normal hitpoints. He will also re-memorize his shadow trap spell and get all his Shadow Speaker abiliites back for the very next day. Another days of worth of Endure Elements will also be casted upon himself.

Half wondering if those lizards and the mushrooms might make for good eating, Minuro/Thundercloud wastes no effort into getting some much needed rest after the arduous trek to the painted cavern.

Next morning, at the gorge...

perception 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10.

perception 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4.

perception 3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13.

heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6.

"So if we go into that gorge, we'll be able to get to where we need to go much more faster as opposed to going around it? What sort of trouble will there be? It couldn't possibly cause an avalanche, could it?"

Unless someone points out any obvious dangers going into the gorge, Thundercloud would vote for going through it. Of course, he can be persuaded not to.

"I think we should go around. It doesn't look safe. It could avalanche, but I'm more concerned about getting trampled by something really big"

I believe longstrider is a personal spell and can't be used on others.

"I agree, let's go around."

Scuttlebutt nods but upon closer inspection, his nodding is very noncommittal. He has developed a fierce and regular amount of sneezing and blowing his nose, the outside cold traveling has not been kind to him. But the brave Pathfinder still will pull himself up by the bootstraps to see to it that the Shadow Lodge will not win in their endeavor!

Because I GMd this scenario before, I abstain from casting a vote on which path to take at this part.

Dragall will take one pairs of snowshoes and put it on.

With shrug, Midge waves the wand at herself, then.

UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

On her second try the wand activates, making Midge faster. She smiles happily. "Haha!"

After a few steps she exclaims: "Wow! I'm so FAST!"

She does not seem very fast to anyone else...

Midge has a 30 ft. move speed for 1 hour.

After a brief discussion the majority decides to err on the side of caution, avoiding the easier and faster path through the gorge by walking on the outer slopes instead. This proves arduous yet you manage to bypass the obstacle without further complications. As you rejoin the main route an unusual sight appears before your eyes. Just where the path rounds between two steep embankments, a band of Snowmask Clan tribespeople waits for you in plain sight. Unlike the Snowmask warriors who ambushed you at the standing stones 2 days ago, they do not appear eager to attack. A dozen Kellid warriors with painted faces stand vigilant in the center of the route. Although they are armed with axes and round, Ulfen-styled shields, their weapons are not drawn. At the head, a tall and powerfully-built figure with piercing eyes steps forward. As he approaches, his hands are held palm up until he is close enough for words. “I am Hiryla,” he says in broken Common, his words flowing with a strange cadence that suggests that he is speaking words that were given to him by another to say. “You come with me… We must talk.”

What do you do?

I suggest we go in peace with him

Midge nods and smiles, then hold up her hands to show that they are empty. "Of course. Lead the way, Hiryla."

Calephe nods in agreement, and doesn't arm herself. "We will go with you."

Outnumbered two to one yet not provoking? I daresay they DO just want to talk...

Scuttlebutt nods and starts to follow.

Dragall follows the others.

The Snowmask Chieftain nods slowly as you agree to peacefully follow him and his retinue.
Hiryla, makes no attempt to attack, but sets off due east, just south of the path laid out on Skagni’s map. Scuttlebutt actually engages him in conversation, and he proves more than willing to speak with him and through the bard, the rest of you. He explains that he is escorting you to his camp, and that there he and his elders will divine your intent in their lands, and decide whether the clan will help you or not. Hiryla makes it clear that the Snowmask Clan has been watching you for some time.

As you follow Hiryla over the hill, you see the Kellid camp at the base on the other side. Unlike the fur and hide tents common among the nomadic northerners, this village is composed of small, round houses and low, long buildings built of stone with thatched roofs. The rectangular, round-topped buildings number almost 20 in all, gathered around a central, circular building that is larger and grander than the rest.

Inside this grand hall, dozens of Kellid men, women, and children scurry to and fro, passing food and drink around an enormous central hearth. Long, low benches ring the fire, and a handful of elderly Kellids, decked out in ornate white furs sit on the other side of the flames from the building’s entrance. A young woman with one leg, walking with the aid of a crutch, greets Hiryla in Hallit, and then turns to the door and speaks in perfect Common. “Welcome to the North,” she says with a broad grin and a handshake. “My name is Teyma.”

Teyma tells the you that the Snowmask Clan has skirmished with a group of travelers out of Irrisen many times in the last few days as the intruders have come farther and farther into their lands. Initially, they attempted to talk with these outsiders, but they were attacked, and fought back. Teyma explains that now that you have agreed to talk, Hiryla and the elders want to know why two companies of foreigners have come into their land along the same route in such a short time...

They want you to explain what you are doing on their lands, basically

"We're trying to stop the group of Shadow Lodge agents who attacked you. Our goal is to prevent them from making even more damage."

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"Wow, nice plac you've got here! Thanks for having us!" Midge remarks pleasantly as she's brought into the camp.

She smiles and waves hello to the children playing nearby.

Midge returns Teyma's handshake. "It's good to meet you! I'm Midge." She then listens carefully to her tale. "That's horrible! I'm sorry, Teyma. I'm sorry you had such trouble with the others. They're called the Shadow Lodge, and they're big jerks! They kidnap people, and keep slaves and all kinds of horrible things!"

Midge nods at Dragall's words. "We're following them so we can stop them!"