When it comes to his turn to attempt a crossing, Asric slings his shield across his back and sheathes his weapons. "This... will probably not be good," he mutters to himself, trying to move carefully in his armor.
With even her first step, Durra sat on her ass. Brugh probably isn't doing much better, but at least he has four legs.
When Mina, Asric, Durra & Brugh cross the ice, 9(regardless of the order or how many at a time) in the places you stepped the ice gives way under your feet. You each may roll a Reflex to avoid falling into the water.
While Mina crosses and the ice gives way, she falls straight into the water and realizes it's only 6 ft deep. However it is so cold she must make a Fortitude save DC 15 or take cold non-lethal damage and has hypothermia. [ooc](treated as fatigued and can only be removed when you change into dry clothes, get warmed up by a fire for an hour or so and heal away the nonlethal damage taken.)[ooc]
Watching Mina break through the ice and with her first failed steps in mind, Durra mounts Brugh. His steps were only slightly sturdier and he, too, stepped on very thin ice.
"Do not stop! Get out of the water quickly!" Rikiru shouts as Mina comes back up from her fall. Damn! A fine time to be a small rodent among tall folk...
Asric also finds himself almost fully submerged. Once he struggles out of the water and to the other shore, he suggests, "We sh-should make a f-fire" He hopes some of his spare clothes in his pack stayed dry, but his outer wear will have to be dried. He hates to slow their quest, but there seems to be no other way.
"D-d-d-damm-muh-muh," Mina says, her teeth chattering. "Hard-d-d to catch... my breath. W-w-we should k-k-keep moving."
Asric shakes his head. "We w-w-won't do anyone any g-good if we free-eeze to death, M-m-ina." Despite his natural resistance to cold, being wet and cold is a one way trip to Pharasma's Boneyard.
Brugh avoids falling into the water and makes it across. The rest of you who fell in climb out and crawl the rest of the way out as you are freezing in your wet clothes.
After you all get across, you become aware of a humanoid body. The legs and feet of a frozen corpse jut from a pile of snow next to the trees here.
Knowledge (Local)
Asric Swain
This man kept his possessions in good repair, and they remain with his body. They include a composite longbow (+1 Str) with 12 arrows; a dagger; a masterwork handaxe; and a pouch containing 14 gp, 25 sp, and 18 cp.
"Good boy." Durra dismounts and compliments her bison who seems unimpressed by the circumstances.
"Oh my! Look at you two. Let me help you." Durra gently touches both, Asric and Mina, and they immediately feel much more comfortable.
Feeling much better after Durra's help, Asric takes the handaxe and cuts some small branches off nearby trees to make a fire.
"Thank you, Durra," says Mina. She stretches her languid body to warm up her muscles, then she examines the dead body. "What killed him? The cold or those creatures?"
"Dansby was his name. Farmer. I met him on the way in to Heldren." He sighs. "Another victim. I'm inclined to give him to the fire, as we did with the others. I'd hate to see him used as a necromancer's pawn."
Rikiru helps Asric gather up twigs and sticks, then retrieves his flint and steel, attempting to get the fire lit.
You are not sure if anyone will recognize bits and pieces of things he owns But you're always welcome to take something and try.
Rikiru is having a hard time keeping this fire ablaze with all the snow falling upon it.
Looking at desperate Rikiru, Durra comes to help with fire.
Once Durra tends to the fire, Mina warms herself by it. "Boys - and Kurra - I'd like to suggest that when this thrice-cursed affair is over, we all go together to a warm coastline and drink heavily."
She glances over at Rerdahl and her gaze moves down to his pocket. "How is Ghost faring, Rerdahl?"
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Rerdahl hears Mina's concern and reaches into his shirt top to touch his familiar. "My familiar satchel isn't really enough protection against this unnatural weather. Fortunately Ghost is tiny and can crawl to safe warmth against my skin if necessary. Not a good thing if I go into the water, but so far that hasn't happened."
Your party spends an hour warming up by the fire. Some of you change your clothes and if anyone has spells to help dry each other off you use that. The snow keeps falling, never ending.
Perception
Asric Swain
Rerdahl Tollan
Mina Javid
Viroté
Rikiru
Durra
Brugh
Asric, Rerdahl, Rikiru & Brugh all hear footsteps in the snow coming from the west. You're guess is maybe three humanoids approaching.
Rerdahl & Brugh can hear their conversation. Unfortunately Brugh doesn't understand but Rerdahl can gather they are talking about claiming a ransom and how to go about it.
"Someone is coming," Asric warns his allies. He jumps to his feet and grabs his shield and sword.
Rikiru scurries behind the nearest tree, draws a shuriken and his wakizashi and wills the shiver of the cold to stop, leaving him still as a statue.
Mina drops low to the ground. She mutters a few syllables and makes a fist. She feels a tingle of energy as an invisible shield of energy manifests in front of her.
Durra was snuggling up to Brugh when he noticed something. She felt his head and neck moving. "What's up big fellow?" She whispered to him. When she saw the others move shegrabbed her axe and hunkered down next to the bison, trying to see what was going on.
Three men dressed in bandit type gear approaches. They hold their arms closed to keep themselves warm as they walk and talk, clearly not dressed for the winter. Once the arrive to your location and spot the fire, they withdraw their bows and shout at your party. "Who's there, why are you here?"
Mina calls out, "Don't shoot!" She stands up from her spot in the snow, her arms to the sides to show that she's not holding any weapons, and she brushes the snow off the front of her clothing. She does so perhaps more slowly than necessary, as though she's drawing attention to her body, the shape of which is still evident even through the winter clothing.
"I don't mean you any harm, as if I could," she says with a smile. "What are you men doing out here?"
Following her tactic, Asric moves towards Mina as if he were her bodyguard. "We're trying not to freeze our extremities off in the godforsaken wood," he says, trying to strike a friendly tone.
"You look a little cold yourselves. Would you like to share our fire?"
"You answer my question first. Who are you and why are you here?" He points the arrow more directly at Mina if you're in front.
Mina acts shocked. "Why... my name is Mina. This is my bodyguard, Asric. We were looking for my cousin - she disappeared in this area a week ago. You haven't seen her, have you? Blonde, attractive, an ornate red necklace..."
"Easy, fella," Asric says, raising his shield a hair, but keeping his sword at a low guard. "We're not looking for trouble."
"Well she ain't here now get lost. It's best you go back down the mountain." Their body language indicates they aren't going to budge and perhaps working on orders.
Durra says nothing and keeps still. She stands behind Brugh not showing the big axe she was gripping hard.
Another who thinks he knows best...clearly there's a pattern here...
Rikiru peeks around his hiding spot to get a quick look, noting the position and distance of the bandits.
Armed with bows and just out of range...wonderful.
He attempts to get to a better position, moving to the next nearest tree in an attempt to get behind the strangers without being noticed--while staying in range.
"Well, thank you for the information," Mina says, still smiling, as though oblivious to the threat. "We'll be going shortly, as soon as I warm up." She steps toward her fire and opens up her heavy coat, facing the men as she does so. "I warm up better this way. Did you know there are ice creatures here? We're lucky to have survived! Please be careful."
Then men don't seem to be getting closer. In fact each word you say they get closer and closer to drawing their bow strings. "You best be leaving now."
"Fine," says Mina. "I don't understand your rudeness, but fine. Which way back to town?"
She adds, "I think it's time we moved on."
Durra beginns quietly muttering strange words while looking into the sky and back to the strangers who are obviously unfriendlies.
Rikiru smirks to himself. Thank you for giving me an excuse, strangers... On reaching throwing range, he flicks a shuriken straight at the neck of of the nearest offender.