"Well I got the right materials, but I will have to remember how its done or find someone who can weave the shoe."
"Well I got the right materials, but I will have to remember how its done or find someone who can weave the shoe."
I was going by the module its states Craft(shoes), but maybe we can alter it. Or you can talk to the carpenter.
"Truth be told, I've never been called 'Master' Grey before in my life...
Not,
quite certain how to answer."
"Unfortunately, no. Everything is definitely not alright." Looking around to see if there are eavesdroppers about. "Might we speak inside? What I've to tell you, you can better judge who should hear."
** spoiler omitted **
Lady Teppen gestures for you to enter her home and offers you a seat. What news do you have of the weather and Lady Argentea? Please tell me everything you know.
"The ambush site seems to mark...
Or nearly mark,
the outer edge of some manner of...
Translocated deep Winter,
such as might be expected far to the North, Perhaps even as far as the Crown of the World." Grey began. "Besides the obvious signs, we also found other reason to suspect it is not a natural occurrence, as it brought with it Fae beings I had never heard of about these parts before."
"It is possible that it somehow transformed Fae who were already here however, though to be honest, I don't quite see that as an improvement."
Pausing for breath, Grey continued. "The...
Bandits?
Kidnappers?
Honestly, I am uncertain what to call them."
"They didn't leave much but corpses & despoil in their wake. Though of the signs of their...
?disdain? for others, they certainly weren't shy. Witchery was a part of it, for we found the man who was likely the commander of Lady Argentea's escort frozen like a statue in a pillar of ice."
"Also, they despoiled the corpses behind them, for two had been left behind as the walking dead, as though to foil investigation or pursuit."
"For all that however, my companions were of such doughty stock I have no doubts but that we would have continued on had the Cold not felled two of our number as I began this visit saying."
Kilain stroked his beard in though.
aye, foul magic for cert.
"So who is our new companion?"
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Hedrick, this here's Rickard. Has a healthy thirst for a lad. he is of the sneakin' type. We may be able to use his skills, no?
Hello, Hedrick. Rickard Zain. Not sure how thirsty I really am or how sneaky I can be but I think we have a similar mission. I'd like to help you out if I could.
"Well hopefully he has some ideas on how we can pull this off. How did you wind up having a similar mission? Did the city council hire you as well?"
Rickard tells the same story he did previously. So not exactly. Still, this woman needs our help, if she is still alive. So, what's our next move?
"Well, for starters we are going to make snowshoes so that we can make it through the snow. It's been a while since I have made a set of these, but if we go slow I can show you how. Everyone grab a slat. Now the first thing we need to do is make a hoop. . ."
It takes a couple hours to construct a pair of snowshoes as each member follows Hedrick's instructions, but in the end you each have a durable set to get you through the deep snow with little effort.
After a good nights rest, you check on Vitali and Soggy and are reassured both will be okay. They both just need plenty of rest.
Secure any items you need for your quest and then we can continue on.
Varg wakes with a viscious hangover from the night's activities.
At least the cold will wake me up and clear the cobwebs.
The evening before he went to sleep, Kilain went to where soggy was being kept and prayed to Torag for his healing energies
after he moves to his room and goes to sleep
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning
Kilain gets up in the morning and sets to praying to Torag. Once his morning ritual is complete, he casts Endure Elements on himself again
and then goes to check on the condition of Soggy and casts an Endure Elements on Greys pet. saying Ye poor soul, all ye want to do is please yur friend. The snow up to yur belly don help none ehh. Well this'll make it tolerable.
@Rickard: Before the end of the evening, a young boy trundles back to the others, a look of resignation on his face. "Not at all certain what good it will do if we don't discover & reverse the cause of this unnat'ral weather...
But I've told the Councilwoman what we witnessed & she said they'll take the precautions they are able."
"Good thing you got the supplies you did, eh Hedrick?"
As the others introduce the two of you, you realize the boy is actually a Halfling.
The next morning: Overjoyed at Soggy's full recovery & Kilain's blessing of resilience, Grey hugs them both as mightily as his small frame is able. Looking to the new addition, Grey warns, only slightly impishly. "You'll want to be careful, Southern men don't tend to do as well in our company."
Rickard introduces himself to Grey and listens to what he has to say. Hopefully I'll fare a little better than the others, time will tell I guess. So where are we off to?
"Back to the wild & Wintry woods, of course. Now we have these..." as Grey holds up the framework of wood & leather quizzically. "Our greatest hurdle is at least lessened."
Turning back to Hedrick & Kjell, Grey queries. "How do these things work again?"
"They are like duck feet. They make a web of sorts like a webbed foot. This helps distribute your weight over a wider area and keeps you from sinking into the snow."
"I also suggest we all buy wool clothing that stays warm when wet, spare food and other supplies. I fear the city's supplies will soon face hoarding and demand will outstrip inventories. Too bad we don't have any sled dogs. Those would definitely come in handy in these conditions."
5 sp for a winter blanket
Once you ear a hearty breakfast and secure gear you head out into the winter not so wonder land. You pass the ambush site, the swinging log trap, deep snow banks and make it safely to the area you left off. It is again dark, so you make camp in the same area you did last time and make better preparation by using heavy blankets and building up the banks so the wind doesn't freeze your your exposed skin. The night is uneventful and you eat a hearty meal before continuing on.
Post conversation and any other details
"Thank the gods! Last time we cam this way it felt like it took months. So over in this direction is where I thought the camp might lay. Lets have a look about."
Survival/Tracking
Perception
Stealth
"Oh, and look for traps, our archeologist friend wasn't very good at finding them, but these bandits are sure good at setting them."
Hedrick will keep an arrow nocked on his bow as he moves cautiously forward.
Kjell draws his Axe and proceeds behind Hedrick.
Let's find these scum.
Perception:
Grey takes a mildly morbid interest in pointing out to Rickard all the places where things went wrong on the first trip, though he does take appropriate precautions, quieting often enough for everyone to be able to listen for possible ambush or other oddness.
Once the new days dawns, he suppresses his somewhat macabre bonhomie to focus on the environment around them.
Quite a story... Rickard can not seem to find anything else to say about the matter.
Rickard will just do as the group asks him to do since they are strangers to him.
Kilain trooped along in the snow as before stoic as ever.
He studies the area with an alert eye though
You manage to pick up the faint trail and follow it for a couple miles. About fifty yards away you notice what looks to be a rough looking snowman.
Umm, odd place for kids to be building snowmen, isn't it? Rickard will take a look around the area for anything that just doesn't seem right, like traps or an ambush, if possible.
"Oh boy, here we go."
Kilain moves forward to stand behind, but offset to Kjell and Hedrick looking ahead as he peers between them hurrrrrrm! whats the meaning of this....
"Then it behooves us to respond appropriately." Grey replies, following that reply with an eldritch incantation.
As the Gleaming Raptor coalesces into existence, Grey points toward the rough-formed figure of snow & ice, directing the avian to investigate.
Hedrick waited patiently to see what would happen. It seemed as though time itself slowed and the suspense was thick. At the extreme edge of his sharp elven hearing he thought he could hear the sound of bells carried faintly on the wind.
A human-sized snowman stands in the middle of the trail before a frozen stream. A crude wooden sign leans against it and bears the words “Trespassers Turn Back.” as the eagle gets within 15 feet of the snowman, it seemingly stirs to life and speaks in common saying, “Can’t you read? The sign says turn back! Now get lost!”
It does not respond back.
"Is this some kind of a spell or simple ventriloquism?
Perception
"I'll need to be much closer to be sure, but I can determine if there is magic involved." Grey volunteers.
Post your actions Grey.
"Eh, It's a trap. It's just a matter of what kind."
Kilain nods. Aye, It seems the snowman is either alive or a construct.
Kilain starts to trudge forward Well lets be to it. we might as get closer
Carefully moving through the snow to get close enough for his eldritch perceptions to function, Grey mutters the incantation & opens his eyes, peering intently at the boreal figure before him.
Kjell leads Grey closer so as to allow him to use his skills.
Ok, Grey, do your stuff.
Grey moves slowly towards the snowman. He gets within 5 feet of it a deafening sound erupts from it. Grey takes sonic damage. Will save stunned for one round.
Then the ice begins to stir as two creatures emerge from the surface. Two ice elementals move in on Grey
Distracted by the snow glare, Grey gets far closer than he originally intended. At the Ice Elementals appearance the Celestial Eagle immediately dives to attack one.