Reign of Winter with GM Deadly Secret - Table 1 - The Snows of Summer (Inactive)

Game Master Deadly secret

Creed says "sounds good to me."

Vyr will take his time to look closely.

Take 20 = 25 Perception

You look into the dug up hole and you see some cones sitting at the bottom. Ragnar, Vyr & Gozrym believe this is how the firs plant their seedlings. You do not find anything else of interest or sense danger. It continues to snow, the wind seems to be picking up the closer you travel to the center.

When you're ready to move on go ahead and roll survival & perception.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Perception: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 3 - 4 = 11
Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 5

"Be wary for the doll that we read about in the journal."

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Sorry guys didn't realize we were waiting on me
survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6
perception: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (5) - 5 = 0

Rerdahl follows beside, but slightly behind the much bigger man. He keeps his heavy clothing pulled tight to keep the freezing weather out and wonders again just how Asric's heavy armor isn't adding to the cold that he must feel. They are trying to move quietly so as not to be surprised by the fey creatures that the council had warned against, but the big man seems to be almost incapable of stealth. Or maybe he was OK, if he weren't so big and wearing noisy armor....

So far they had been lucky and avoided trouble. But as they approached where this supposed portal was said to be, they both slowed, approaching carefully and watching for anything.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

The ratfolk was like a silent breeze beside Asric. It's just not easy to sneak in armor. He shrugged, moving on as quickly as he could given the weather. He hoped Rerdahl could see better than he could.
stealth: 1d20 + 3 - 6 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 6 = 13
perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1 clearly has closed his eyes against the snow here

Everyone hears a loud snap sound along with a yelp further down the trail a distance. Maybe 360 yards away

Gozrym, Ragnar & Rerdahl are able to navigate you to the location.

Bloody animal tracks mark the snow where the trail descends from the ridge above.

Ragnar, Andrei, Vyr & Rerdahl all spot a few traps laid out in the trail covered in snow. It might be dangerous to pass with them all armed and ready to go off.

Off into the distance you hear the yelps from the creature as it sounds wounded.

Are the yelps coming from the direction of the traps?

Take 10 on the Knowledge (nature) for a 15

"It sounds like that creature is in pain--a giant weasel, judging from the tracks. I would aid it, if we could."

Vyr removes a well-worn leather case from his pack, which you see is filled with all manner of tools. "I'll start to work on undoing these traps."

If I can take 10, I'd like to for a 17

"Well, we best be careful. It wouldn't be the first time that some strange animal decides to kill us," Andrei said, drawing his starknife.

Hearing the yelp Knowledge-Nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 and snap and noticing the traps and tracks, Rerdahl warns Asric. "Careful of the traps. It's probably best to probe ahead with a heavy stick or staff. These things could break a leg. Those tracks look like those of a weasel, but not remotely like a normal animal. Too big!"

Seeing the other team Rerdahl waves and calls out to get their attention. Assuming we are behind them but in easy visual range. ?? "Hello. Would you be the other team sent by the council of Heldren? We were sent along to assist if possible. The snows are getting worse, spreading out and they are even more concerned. I am Rerdahl Tollan, an arcanist of sorts and my companion is Asric Swain, Knight."

Hey Asric. Typing this I realized that I don't know what god Asric calls to. ?? Assuming that as a Paladin you would be wearing a holy symbol.

Andrei turned to see the two newcomers.

"We are indeed from Heldren," he called back, "Name's Andrei. I suggest you folks watch your step till Vyr here finishes disabling these traps."

@Rerdahl: ah, that would be because I forgot to put it on my sheet. Arqueros, the golden bulwark
Asric looks down again where Rerdahl was pointing. Even knowing it's there, he still has some trouble seeing the trap. He breaks a branch from a tree to use to poke ahead of him. And then they see the others.
"Hail. Yes, our thanks. These are quite the environmental hazard."

"I agree. We should help the creature if we can."

Ragnar grabs a long stick or tree branch and uses it to disarm the traps as they walk along. He'll also stab the ground in front of him as not to accidently step in a trap himself.

Ragnar would also like to collect a couple of the (sprung or disarmed) bear traps for possible future use.

Creed waves at the newcomers enthusiastically "We are from Heldren, welcome to the group. I'm Creed, and you could call me a sorceress of sorts. This is my friend Vosi, she's a fairy that came from the portal. Say hi Vosi!"
Creed waves her hand and utters a few arcane words, and summons a pony, mounting it "Just in case you guys miss a trap."

Rerdahl smiles at Creeds spell. "Good idea but I didn't prepare that spell. I said arcanist of a sort, but I'm actually a witch. I know some folk don't like the word but most fellow adventurers aren't superstitious like common folk."

Rerdahl continues scanning the ground and pointing out any dangers as he and Asric join the other group. Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

"Nice to meet you," he says. He peers at the little fairy. "Has she told you much about this portal?"

She shrugs and responds to Rerdahl "You'll find no superstition here, we're a very progressive group. I'd offer you a ride but I don't know if my pony can hold both of us and Vosi, and I can't just leave Vosi." she turns to Asric "Just that it's where her and her friends came from, and they were promised that it would be fun here. She's told us all she knew, we ran a very thorough interrogation on her."

Realizing that a couple of the men had mentioned helping the trapped weasel Rerdahl moves up to them. "Did you say to help the creature? It sounds like a giant rodent of some kind and the tracks look like a huge weasel. Are any of you druids or something that could speak to it? Wounded animals are dangerous and a weasel the size of a large dog would be extremely dangerous. Unless someone can speak with it, it would be much safer to just put it out of its misery."

I just realized how strange/funny this might be to have a rat person talking about putting a giant weasel out of its misery.... !! However, a weasel is not actually a rodent, so it wouldn't be like killing a relative!

"Well, I certainly do not speak weasel, at any rate," Andrei stated, "Like I said, it wouldn't be the first strange animal that decides to try and kill us... but, we'll see what happens if we catch up to it. Worst case scenario, Kilava gets an early dinner..."

"Ha. I'm not a druid, but I have a certain way with the wildlife."

Gozrym does have wild empathy.

Asric doesn't think a weasel, even a giant one, will have much meat on it anyway.

You do know the direction, just along the trailside'ish for a little bit.

Ragnar starts to poke around and trip some of the traps. You find three traps in total. One of them has been sprung and has a blood trail retreating from it and some white fur in the teeth.

You may take the traps if you want.

Vosi responds, "Yeah, no room here." She seems to laugh and enjoy the fact she's being included.

You start to follow the tracks and they seem to go over a ridge and off trail. You don't hear the animal anymore and the climb down would be dangerous and off course.

What would you like to do?

Creed says "I think back in town before we all met, I heard a rumor about there a hunter claiming to have met a giant white weasel. Are we thinking this might be it? We might want to go down and check it out, my only concern is possibly getting lost at that point"
Back when roles for Creed were semi decent

"Yeah, lets not get distracted by silliness, I'd say. We still got a portal to investigate," Andrei said.

Ragnar grabs the three bear traps and stows them on his backpack. Seeing the trail of blood go down an embankment he shakes his head, "I agree with Andrei. As neat as it would be to track down the great white weasel, I'm not sure it'll net us anything other than lost time."

"Agreed, let's move forward."

Vyr does seem somewhat disconcerted when Rerdahl mentions being a witch, but does his best to hide the reaction.

"The portal takes precedence. It looks like that weasel may simply bleed to death anyways."

The date is 4713 AR on Fireday, 19th Earstus at 8:30 am - current moon cycle: waxing crescent
The Location - Trail to Portal

More than a dozen boulder-sized chunks of ice litter the clearing ahead where a strange hut sits perched on tree trunks atop a raised mound of snow-covered earth.

Up ahead you see a small female child, the snow is blocking a lot of your vision.

She is about 60 ft from you. Slide 1 is map, is a vague representation of what you're seeing.

Andrei eyes the child suspiciously, "Now, what, I wonder, is a seemingly ordinary girl doing out here all alone?" he called out, as much to the child as to the party.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 3 - 4 = 2
Sense Motive on child: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Roll a diplomacy with that :)

The little girl speaks and says, "I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! I never meant to call you names!"

"Well, we're not here to hurt you... and I don't think you've been calling us names. Or even given us your name. Who are you, and what are you doing out here?" Andrei inquired, showing that his hands were empty of weapons.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

She moves her head up to look at you. "My name is Thora Petska." She suddenly gets a look of fear in her eyes and runs behind some of the boulders.

Do you follow?

Does my previous Sense Motive check get me anything?

Gozrym is deeply suspicious.

These woods are no place for a child.

Andrei is having a hard time sensing the motive of this girl. But you are starting to realize she's incorporeal.

"She does not seem to be corporeal. Ghost, maybe?" Andrei muttered to the rest of the party, before calling out loudly to the girl, as she seemed to have run off somewhere, "Well, we mean you no harm, Thora. Though I am curious as to why an incorporeal creature feels the need to hide from us normal folk? This usually goes the other way around..."

Diplomacy, in case it is needed again: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Not following the girl at the moment, unless the rest of the party really wants to follow her

Rerdahl watches and listens, not believing that any human little girl would be out in this freezing weather. When she is identified as non-corporeal it makes more sense, but is if anything even less trustworthy. He stays in the middle of the group, watching and listening, and allowing those with social skills to take the lead.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

"Is the portal supposed to be here? Maybe she's somehow tied to it, or a projection from the other side?"

Casting Detect Magic and scanning the area.

Asric is glad Andrei went first. His inclination was to simply follow the little girl. "Perhaps she haunts that hut," he suggests. "If she is a ghost, we should try to put her soul to rest."

Creed says from her horse "Hi Thora, I'm Creed! And this is my fairy friend Vosi, what are you doing out here?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 ... Par for the course I guess. At least it wasn't a one!

Vyr considers the situation and tries to recall if this situation suggests any particular phenomenon or foe.

Kn(arcana)?: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 7 + (4) = 21

Rerdahl does not detect any magic and can only hear the snow blizzard you're in.

Vyr does not have enough information to figure out what's going on.

"We found a journal on a dead man earlier, it mentioned a strange hut with a doll inside. Perhaps this is the hut, in which case it might be worth investigating," Andrei responded to Asric, "Best we keep our distance from this ghost if we can."

Is the hut supposed to be somewhere on the map? Also, I take it the girl is not responding to Andrei's and Creed's last two questions?

You see the hut on a hill just at the farthest reach of your vision. It's small and you can't really discern any details from it. The girl has moved and is not in site. You don't hear any responses from the questions after she retreated.

Rerdahl stares in the direction that the ghost had backed away. "Yes. We should check out the hut. But the ghost's words.... 'I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! I never meant to call you names!' Almost like a programmed response. Certainly not for us. But let's get to the hut." He shakes his head, not understanding.

"Yes, we should be wary, but we need to get to the bottom of this."

Gozrym walks toward the hut.