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

Game Master Rogar Valertis

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

"There's a camp coming up. He's telling the truth."

"We believe they are headed to a historical sight that is nearby, and we have to stop them. If they take the dwarven relic we believe is housed there, we all will be worse off. Do your people have a story of a dwarf living in these lands? One with a white beard? That's what they are trying to find."

"Dwarves? The squat ones do not inhabit these lands and, as far as I know, never did Teyma says, sounding puzzled by Calephe's statement. "So the other invaders are your enemies? Are you hunting them?"
Teyma asks, before ading:"Tell you what. The elders want to hear your story. Tell us of your clan, and what brings you here. If the tale is good enough,” she adds with a smile, “we will tell you ours.”

You need a perform(oratory) check. One of you can roll it while the others can aid another to increase the score. Good roleplay gets you bonus points

As the group initially encounters the far more friendlier elements of the Snowmask tribe, Minuro/Thundercloud is all too glad to not engage in yet another pointless conflict with these tribal folk (the dead tribal bodies in that painted cave really didn't count as a peaceful encounter due to the lizards).

Least they're being a lot more reasonable now, the masked Wayang thought to himself as the party is led off to see somebody in charge of that tribe. perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17.

Once the group gets to confer with Teyma and Hiryla in the grand hall, Minuro/Thundercloud will pipe in, "Your darned right that they're our enemies also; even worse, they're a bunch of fakers trying to pass themselves as part of our membership but they just go around associating themselves with weird goblins, mangy fur-wearing jerks, flying lizard-bats, and a crazy priestess that tricked other gullible but really UN-neighborly bunch of Ulfens into burning down our friend's house and kidnapping him- that's how we found out what they were up to! And besides we hadda trudge around all these snowy and cold places for days because of them..."

Minuro/Thundercloud was tempted to throw in the word, "literally", somewhere in his exposition but luckily decided against it.

aid to perform oratorically: 1d20 ⇒ 8.

Player Folio reroll: 1d20 ⇒ 12. Got both the physical version and the pdf version, if that'll help. ;)

Scuttlebutt shrugs sheepishly. "My talents lay stronger with singing and statesmanship, not exactly storytelling," he explains before nodding to Dragall. "You'd likely be our 'keynote speaker'. You have a presence and presentation that puts me to shame."

Scuttlebutt then turns to the assembled Snowmask elders to contribute to the narrative. "Our organization, our 'tribe', the Pathfinder Society, had sent us here to confer with a scholar of Trollheim. However, we soon found ourselves embroiled in a plot to destroy our group and a race to stop these other invaders, this 'Shadow Lodge', from using stolen information about a weapon they seek to confiscate and control from the Keep of the Huscarl King. The threat they pose not only endangers my people, but many, many others."

Perform Oratory to aid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Scuttlebutt don't metagame :)))))) You're an artist I'm just the simple orphan oracle.

"My friends have told our whole story. We are here to help you and your people. And to stop evil to spread."

GM I will aid Scuttlebutt.

Perform Oratory: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Scuttlebutt don't metagame :)))))) You're an artist I'm just the simple orphan oracle.

Hey, it's still the truth that if we compare side by side to each other's, your bonuses are always going to be bigger than mine. It's that orcish heritage running through your veins.

Midge takes this opportunity to let out her inner diva, jumping atop a nearby stone and waving her arms around dramatically.

"We come from an island faaaaaar to the south, where the winters only bite for a small part of the year, and the vast inner seas surround our home. There, in a city bigger than your tribe, and your neighbouring tribes, and their neighbouring tribes, is the home of our clan, the Pathfinder Society."

She looks around as she speaks, making sure people are listening. "Our people explore the world looking for knowledge of times long past and of the people's who have come before us. But a foul group--these people who came through your lands and call themselves the Shadow Lodge--they infiltrated our beloved Pathfinder Society and tried to use it to do... unspeakable things! We know not their goals, but they kidnapped one of our clanmates, and used his knowledge to do... stuff! We set out to rescue him and stop the Shadow Lodge!"

She pauses dramatically... "We managed to foil some of their efforts and destroy one of their lairs. We even freed a tribe of peoples who were stolen from their lands by the Shadow Lodge! But some of their members had escaped before our arrival, and were travelling to the Keep of the Huscarl King, in search of an ancient weapon of unknown powers! We set out to stop them, in order to put an END to their plans and their organization before the people of this nation are hurt! And before they bring great shame to the Pathfinder Society!"

As the others speak, Midge nods enthusiastically, adding in a few "That's right!" and "SO EVIL!" comments for good measure.

Oratory: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Booya! lol

Calephe keeps her mouth shut, and lets the others speak. She nods in agreement with their stories.

You all start explain themselves and Scuttlebutt translates your words and adds his, but it's really Midge who "turns the tide" as her words seem to deeply affect all those present. The halfling delivers nothing short of a legendary performance, one that, you are sure, will be repeated a long time from now at the Snowmask's campfires.

One of the elders, her face painted white like those of Hiryla and the other warriors, stands from the bench. With no other cue the room falls silent as she speaks. Her words have a strength and resonance belied by her withered frame.
“This is the story that the elders told me when I was a child. Once, a great warrior came to our lands from the South, though his blood and his beard were of the West, in the land where the first dragons hunt and kill. With gold and magic this warrior built a stone keep at the base of a mighty mountain. During this time he came to us, in peace, and invited us to his hearth with gifts of furs. Humbly he asked the elders of our clan if he could hunt with them and share in our ways. Quickly he proved himself a friend to all, sharing in our customs and sharing his with us.
“By the time the last stone was laid in his keep, he had hunted with the elders many times, and made many kills. His axe, sheathed in fire, had protected us from the white wolves and the yetis, just as we too had used our food and furs to keep him warm against the deepest colds. When his banner was raised, the elders were guests in his hall, and some of his own house had already merged their blood with our own. For years the king and our elders prospered, and we learned of crafts, weapons, and ways different from those that came before. “Then the white wyrms came. For beneath the keep, in the iced caverns below, the dragons had bred. For years their eggs slept and waited. When they hatched, they plagued the king and his new house, but he fought them back with the strength of his arm and the fire of his axe, and the battle was nearly won. But when a matriarch of the white returned to tend her brood, she was furious at the king and threw herself on the keep in madness. In the season of the longest nights, still the sun set and rose again before the battle was decided. The King struck the wyrm down, even though his armor and his beard were white with the ice of her breath. Our elders made trophies and talismans from what remained of the beast, and helped rebuild the crumbled tower.
“The mammoths crossed the plains ten times, three times over before the great king passed, and still the dragons were kept at bay. When the hour of his dying came, the great and generous Huscarl King gave all within his castle to those that had served and befriended his house, save for his mighty axe. With this, the elders buried him, and as we raise a mound of stones over the dead when the earth is too cold to dig, so did the elders bring the mountain down atop our king. Ever since have we held vigil over his tomb and what lies within. We remember his lessons, his ways that bled into the ways of the elders to become our ways. And we remember his beard, first white with frost, then with age, as it symbolizes what he protected us from and what he stood watch against.”

The elder sits down, giving you an intense look as she does so, yet you can not perceive any ill intent from her, only pride and something akin... kinship.

Your previous rolls and bonuses shifted the Snowmask elder's attitude to helpful. Even so you need to make a DC20 diplomacy check in order to ask their help. You get a +5 for your outstanding performance though

Diplomacy? Well, this is something Scuttlebutt can do and I'll use a point of inspiration for good measure. But at my lowest, I would need to roll a minimum of 7 on the d20. So, to make sure it goes off, anyone want to give some diplomacy aid?

Midge smiles widely. "Yours are a proud people, and brave. We are grateful that you have shared some of your history with us. But, we cannot let the Shadow Lodge dishonour the memory of the Huscarl King, or your ancestors."

She looks around at the assembled tribespeople one by one. "We will fight against the Lodge. Will you join us? Will you help us? Will you take up this honourable cause?"

Diplomacy to aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

"You will be deeply stored in our memories if you help us!"

Diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

"So what say the Snowmasks? This threat endangers both of us and we are stronger together than apart. Let them tremble at our alliance and never again will they dishonor the noble history of the Huscarl King. Let us face them as one."

Diplomacy+inspiration+circumstance bonus+2 aids: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + (4) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 25

Chieftain Hiryla nods solemnly at Scuttlebutt's words:"You speak wisely and you actions proved you to be honorable. I will personally join you with four of my best warriors and together we will cleanse the land from the danger these defilers pose"

Next day you march towards the fabled Keep of the Huscarl King with your new allies in tow.

The bones of two ancient stone watchtowers rise from the ground like sentries set to guard the entrance to Ranulf’s Keep. Snow and ice still cover their base, making them inaccessible, but they mark the edge of the Huscarl’s Keep, just visible in the distance.

As this happens Hiryla signals his scouts to engage the shadow lodge agents from within the keep as you approach the structure from the outside.

Anything against that plan? Any last minute preparations?

"Thank you for your assistance. We are happy to have you along with us during this travel."

I'm ready to go. Unless someone has has buffs for me :)

Dragall uses his wand on himself.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

A dark-skinned figure swathed in the orange and blue of a desert sky at sunset, strides defiantly forward. Her outline shivers with the heat emanating from the flaming greataxe in her hands. As snow swirls on the wind around her, flakes hiss and shriek as they fall on the blade’s open flame. “Come Pathfinders,” she invites in a honeyed tone, as her companions draw their weapons. “Let Jedrek’s Shard warm you against the cold.”

As ordered by their chieftain, the kellid warriors move along the slopes on the watchtowers' sides. They'll try to circle around the enemy so they can pin them down. You'll have to act as the hammer in such tactic though...

Round 01 - Bold may act

Dragall
Zane
Snowmask Warrior (cyan)
Snowmask Warrior (purple)
Snowmask Warrior (red)
Snowmask Warrior (yellow)
Calephe
The Thundercloud

Melkora

Chief Hiryla

Shadow Agent (black)
Shadow Agent (blue)
Shadow Agent (orange)
Shadow Agent (green)

Midge
Scuttlebutt

"I'll be happy to." Calephe strides confidently foward as far as she can.

Duble Move

First thing in the morning, Midge uses the wand of endure elements on the Pathfinders who need it again.

---

As they near the watchtowers Midge uses the wand of longstrider on herself, and casts mage armour on herself.

UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
UMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

It takes a few tries before she gets the wand to work... Haha.

---

At the sight of the Shadow Lodge Agents, Midge narrows her eyes.

Dragall casts Air Barrier on himself and moves forward. +1 AC

Dragall and Calephe march forward, ready for what they hope will be the end of their long chase...

Round 01 - Bold may act

Dragall
Zane
Snowmask Warrior (cyan)
Snowmask Warrior (purple)
Snowmask Warrior (red)
Snowmask Warrior (yellow)
Calephe
The Thundercloud

Melkora

Chief Hiryla

Shadow Agent (black)
Shadow Agent (blue)
Shadow Agent (orange)
Shadow Agent (green)

Midge
Scuttlebutt

Zane and the Thundercloud advance as well.
The woman holding the flaming axe raises her hand and suddenly multicolored lights seem to encircle her.

At the same time chief Hiryla runs forward but instead of joining you on the central path he moves towards the southern side of the gorge, probably trying to circle around the enemy.

The shadow agents answer to your advance by shooting at you with their longbows!

Attack roll (black vs Calephe): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 -> Damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Attack roll (blue vs Zane): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 -> Damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Attack roll (green vs Dragall): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 -> Damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Attack roll (orange vs Hiryla): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 -> Damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Both Zane and Calephe get hit!

Round 01 - Bold may act

Dragall
Zane -5hp
Snowmask Warrior (cyan)
Snowmask Warrior (purple)
Snowmask Warrior (red)
Snowmask Warrior (yellow)
Calephe -7hp
The Thundercloud

Melkora

Chief Hiryla

Shadow Agent (black)
Shadow Agent (blue)
Shadow Agent (orange)
Shadow Agent (green)

Midge
Scuttlebutt

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Thank you, DM Elan Morin, for helping to move Thundercloud along, quite figuratively. ;)

Minuro/Thundercloud doesn't make any special preparations, apart from his customary Endure Elements and his re-memorization of Shadow Trap.

As the group, now accompanied by their new Snowmask allies, confronts the Shadow Lodge agents, the masked Wayang moves in to get into spellcasting range. When he can, Thundercloud will Shadow Trap the leader of the Shadow Lodge bunch.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16.

"Watch out, she's got some sort of Entropic Shield up on herself; any ranged attack that any of us makes has a chance of not hitting her at all!"

On his turn Dragall will double move

Dragall moves forward with his axe in hands.

Midge hurries along the edge of the gorge, trying to get closer to the battle.

Double move.

Midge and Dragall keep moving forward while Scuttlebutt seems still undecided.
Meanwhile the clan warriors disappear beyond a snowy cliff, trying to complete their pincer move.

Round 02 - Bold may act

Dragall
Zane -5hp
Snowmask Warrior (cyan)
Snowmask Warrior (purple)
Snowmask Warrior (red)
Snowmask Warrior (yellow)
Calephe -7hp
The Thundercloud

Melkora

Chief Hiryla

Shadow Agent (black)
Shadow Agent (blue)
Shadow Agent (orange)
Shadow Agent (green)

Midge
Scuttlebutt

Scuttlebutt advances towards the enemy, drawing his rapier as he goes. Along the way, he brushes his hand over the front of his armor, starting a harmonious ring to the metal that will blend with the uplifting song he begins.

Move action 30 ft across the map, move action to start a bardic performance.

Active effect for all allies who can hear him, bardic performance

Calephe moves up closer, and pulls out a chakram on the way. "Why do they have to be so far away?

Double move.

Scuttlebutt advances and starts to sing a battle hymn. Calephe follows Dragall, closing in on the woman with the flaming axe.
Zane on the other hand readily charges into the defiant opponent!

Attack roll: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 2 = 21 -> Damage roll: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

His axe bites the woman, but it'st not enough to bring her down!
Meanwhile the Thundercloud waits to see what transpires in front of him and chief Hiryla makes fast towards the fighting.

The woman with the greataxe retaliates against Zane...

Attack roll (Melkora vs Zane): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 -> Damage roll: 1d12 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 3 + (2) = 14

The shadow agents keep shooting at the incoming pathfinders...

Attack roll (orange vs Dragall): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8 -> Damage roll: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Attack roll (black vs Calephe): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 -> Damage roll: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Attack roll (blue vs Zane): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 -> Damage roll: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Attack roll (green vs Zane): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 1 = 21 -> Damage roll: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Only one of them proves accurate enough, wounding Zane. The woman misses Dragall miserably.

Round 02 - Bold may act

Dragall
Zane -8hp
Snowmask Warrior (cyan)
Snowmask Warrior (purple)
Snowmask Warrior (red)
Snowmask Warrior (yellow)
Calephe -7hp
The Thundercloud delay

Melkora -7hp

Chief Hiryla

Shadow Agent (black)
Shadow Agent (blue)
Shadow Agent (orange)
Shadow Agent (green)

Midge
Scuttlebutt

Have we lost Zane again? Start round 3 when you are ready.

Minuro/Thundercloud trudges forward 20 feet as fast as his tiny wayang legs will take him and pauses to judge the distance between him and the nearest enemy (in this case, it's the leader wielding that stolen axe).

Seeing that he's still not in range to cast either Shadow Trap or to toss out a mystic bolt, Minuro/Thundercloud trudges forward another 20 feet within moving distance of Zane. The masked Wayang will bring his buckler to bear against any stray arrows shot his way.

Next/Third round will be the Shadow Trap on that axe-thieving leader.

Dragall moves 5ft closer to Melkora and hits her with his greataxe.

Die you filthy animal! Aaaaaa!

to hit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Midge continues hurrying to get closer to the fight...

Double move.

The fight ends as suddenly as it began. The woman fighting with Zane did not account for the arrival of a second half-orc. A grave mistake, because Dragall's axe was as deadly as Zane's causing her to fall down on the snow, blood rapidly spreading all around.

Seeing their leader fall, the remaining shadow lodge agents lost all their courage and tried to flee the battleground. Unfortunately for them Hiryla's men had just arrived closing all possible escape routes. For the hardened Kellids it was thus a simple matter to cut them all down.

Once it was clear the battle was over and you had won the day, chief Hiryla approached you nodding respectfully in your direction:"Well done, Pathfinders!" he said in his trademark broken common, no doubt spoken to honour your actions:"You fought well and defeated these defilers we could not rout before your arrival. We are in your debt. I will take Jedrek’s Shard and put it back in its rightful place. Then we'll bury the keep into the snow, but fear not, our people will tell the tale of this day as long as the mammoth herds will walk the land and the eagles will fly in the sky" he says in a solemn tone.

This is almost over now, but you need to make a final decision: do you want to take Jedrek’s Shard with you or do you let Hiryla and his men have it?

"Yes,put Jedrek's Shard in the rightful place! If you need help with burying the keep I will help you!"

"Might I examine it before you place it in it's rightful place?" Midge asks Hiryla. "I wish to record it's appearance for my people back home, that they too will know the story of this place and your people, for all time."

Once she's allowed to look at the shard, Midge examines it's magical properties, and draws it into her journal, as well as images of this place before it is buried with snow. She also sketches Hirlya, if he allows it.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

She's fine with allowing Hirlya to return it.

A small part of Scuttlebutt considers the amount of study this historical artifact could provide if the chance was available to take the axe back to the Grand Lodge. But in the short amount of time spent with the people of the Snowmask clan has shown him so much more greater things than possessing the axe would ever glean.

"Yes, I believe it should be returned, too."

"Of course you must keep it. Thank you for letting Miss Midge study it. It was an honor to fight with your warriors instead of against them."

This is almost over now, but you need to make a final decision: do you want to take Jedrek’s Shard with you or do you let Hiryla and his men have it?

Cool and thanks for running this three parter for all of us (present or non-present) over the long haul, DM Elan Morin. And Minuro/Thundercloud is perfectly fine with Hiryla having Jedrek's Shard, for the record. :)

Having no real need for Jedrek's Shard, Minuro/Thundercloud will add in the suggestion of, "If you all ain't in any hurry to rebury that legendary flaming axe of yours, you might as well go and show it off to all your village elders, maybe even all of the little kids too. Plus, since that lousy fake dead leader got her mitts on that shard, you might wanna think about reconsecrating it or something before burying it back."

Otherwise, the masked Wayang, glad that this snow-covered escapade is now coming to an end, will mutter to himself, "Sure was a lot of trouble for just delivering a buncha boring old books."

The Kellid chieftain smiles at you:"I see little harm in allowing you to behold the glory of Jedrek’s Shard. You deserve it for what you did today" so saying he hands Midge the weapon (which is taller than she is and takes considerable work from the halfling to study it. The kellids give her amused looks observing her diligently doing her job despite the obvious difficulty of it).

Thanks in no small part to your efforts, the Shadow Lodge’s power in the north lies in shambles, its influence eradicated. After Midge is finished studying the greataxe, you aid Hiryla and his warriors in replacing Jedrek’s Shard and reburying the keep’s entrance with a new avalanche of rock, ice, and snow. You, and more importantly, the Grand Lodge have earned eternal allies among the Snowmask people. To cement your new alliance, Hiryla grants each one of you honorary status as Snowmask Brothers or Snowmask Sisters in a ritual induction ceremony into the tribe. He also makes sure the tale of your heroism will spread far and wide among the lands of the north so it may eternally live among Ulfen and Kellid campfires, inspiring new generations of warriors to take up arms against evil.