Saga of the Taighean Dubha - a Reign of Winter PbP (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Skane, since the monster is grappling, it can't take AoOs; you could have moved into flanking position to get the +2 to hit.

The orc and druid once again having combined to end the nearest threat, Halla finds herself with no contribution to make and an interminable slog through snow to get anywhere near the other snowserpent.

Delay

Halla - didn't think Skane would get the flanking bonus as Annalisa is also grappled?

Oh, good point: She can attack the tatzlwyrm, but she can't make AoOs either so she's not technically threatening its square. :P Just trying to get you up to a 17 to hit. Hopefully, the -4 to Dex will help; I don't actually have any idea what a tatzl's AC is.

Elghund pushes through, snowshoes making the journey marginally more bearable.

Moves to C4 - 37.5' of movement

Kló rips Blóð'steinn from the creature's cooling corpse, it's blood pooling in a series of deep grooves along the sides reveal crude runes in the Giant tongue. He tries to follow Elghund, making much less headway in the deep snow.

Double move to D.4

Annalisa growls through her pain and frustration and begins to bite, head butt, kick, hit and squirm in general in an attempt to injure the creature whatever way she can.

What do I need to roll?

If you are grappled, you can

1) attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent's CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity)

2) or Escape Artist check (with a DC equal to your opponent's CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can

3) take any action that doesn't require two hands to perform, such as cast a spell or make an attack or full attack with a light or one-handed weapon against any creature within your reach, including the creature that is grappling you.

However, you're going to take a -2 to your attack roll or Escape Artist check due to being grappled. You can attempt to break the grapple via CMB without penalty.

I don't see her as being clear headed at the moment and is more interested in hurting the thing, than trying to escape which is why she's head butting and biting and the like. At least this round. I just don't know what sort of roll would be made for that sort of action.

If you'd really rather do that than swing with your sword, that's an unarmed strike (you don't have a bite attack) at 1d20+6-2 (net 1d20+4) doing 1d3+5 damage, while raging.

I know that it's still possible to attack with the sword based on the game mechanics, but swinging a sword is pretty difficult when you're in that tight, and I see Annalisa as being more likely to behave like an animal in this instance. Thanks Halla.

1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 6 - 2 = 20
damage1d3 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

^ This is how we like our Ulfen women! :D

Skane manages to slide his sword into the beast just under a hind leg and Annalisa manages to writhe free enough to deliver a forceful blow with her right hand. The creature reels from the assault of two Ulfen warriors, but manages to gather enough strength to constrict it's coils...
Grapple Maintain: 1d20 + 9 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 5 = 33 for 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
... tightening it's grip before it begins to shudder and strength fails. Despite drawing blood once more with it's sharp teeth the tatzlwyrm goes limp and sloughs off Annalisa's form to lie upon the deep snowdrift and stain it pinkish with blood.

Two hits took it to 0hp, so it started dying after taking the standard action to maintain grapple.
Combat is over - though Tatzlwyrm number 2 is not yet fully dead - merely dying.

As the vyrm drops to the snow, Kló stops. He stands for a few heartbeats, nearly-black eyes seeking additional threats before he drives Blóð'steinn blade-first into the snow.

Annalísa's flowing blood is what draws his eyes, though, and he tentatively raises a hand toward her. "May I?" If she doesn't refuse, he places his hand over the biggest of the wounds and begins a series of low, guttural murmurs.

The words, ancient and rustic, create a cadence that Annalísa's pulse falls into time with. The wind and snow around them seem to join in the strange song with a voice as deep and low as the mountains are heavy.

After a few seconds – which seem to last much longer to the tall Ulfen woman – he pulls his blood-smeared hand away. Where before there was a row of deep gouges pouring her life into the snow is only new, tender skin that looks as if she had been in the sun too long.

Cure Light Wounds on Annalísa: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

He meets her eyes briefly as he wipes his hand and slides it back into a glove; there is fatigue therein (in the eyes... not the glove). He nods to her wordlessly as he stoops to draw his thick, crude, giant-runed blade back out of the snow, sliding it back into its leather sheath once more.

Kló retrieves his shortspear from the other vyrm's body and efficiently skins the animal as the group prepares to move once again. He digs a small hole in the snow and places the remains of the vyrm inside. "Peace, vyrm. Wake and hunt again."

Skäne eyes the jotunn blodd's actions with impassive eyes, before hunkering under his furs as he curses the cold;

"Hel's Teeth it ist kald!"

The warrior walks o'er to Elghund, addressing the big orc through gritted teeth;

"Vyrm's of all kind hoard... perhaps these nested nearby nei? Can you sniff them out orcné?"

Elghund puts one more slice into the heads of both creatures, just to be sure, then gives Annalissa what one can only assumes is what passes as a smile "Well killed".

Elghund akcnowledges Skanes question with an affirmitive grunt, and begins moving about the battlesite looking for the wyrms paths and their point of origin, sniffing and smelling as he goes.

Track 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 V DC 10

On the off chance they collect magical trinkets...

Rikka utters an eldritch phrase then sweeps the area and the deep banks of snow with magical sight.

Cast Detect Magic

If no one claims the second Tatzlwyrm, Kló skins it as well, burying it like he did the first.

Adding 2 tatzylwyrm pelts to my character sheet. VoV do I need some roll for doing that succcessfully?

I wouldn't mind having the skin... wanna carry it for me? :p

Sure, I'm down with that.

Elghund looks away from the tracks momentarily and watches the small group trying to skin the wyrms.

"Like this" he pulls out his dagger and starts cutting into the carcasses methodically.

Survival 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Kló would know how to do it (and in character did).. I was just asking if VoV wanted a roll of some kind for it. :)

Then Elghund likes you even more now

Take 10s work for skinning for me

Rikka can detect no magic lurking beneath the snow, and Elghund and Skane find no sign of the Tatzlwyrm's tracks... perhaps it does not lurk on wealth in the same way that true wyrms do. Klo finds that with Elghund's assistance the Tatzl are quickly skinned... leaving the bear hearted man with two red stained white skins of scale. The skins are serviceable... but perhaps some mending would be in order to close the wounds that were opened by the killing. The cold will keep them for a time, but Klo wagers that without salting in the next few days their worth will begin to fall.

Muscling through the deep snow in the ravine you emerge and continue along the path further, among the shadowed snow-laden trees and quiet cold woods. The dawn-light begins to slowly make it's presence known an shadows lessen and fade. Curiously though despite your ears being open to the sound, you can ken no chirping of birds... and you soon discover perhaps a reason why...

Reaching a section of the wood you find feathered bundles and strange fetishes hanging from the lowest branches of the trees in this part of the forest, swaying and shifting in the wind. All are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them. There are several bundles within your near sight and the shadows in the distance through the snow suggest that there might be up to two or three dozen of them hung along the trail you are following...

Elghund once again halts the party and signals for them to form a defensive line and face out for enemies before he pushes forward sword in hand to examine a nearby fetish, once again avoiding coming within 10 feet of any of them.

Know Nature 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 - is this some known phenomenon? recognise the 'pins'?

Elghund recognizes that the festishes that hang are dead crows... there is nothing unnatural about the corpses bar the arrow that pierced their breast. The markings on the rest of the fetish suggest fae...

"More of the feyfolk killing, nasty things"

Elghund backs away quietly.

"Did we need to rest?"

Annalísa's flowing blood is what draws his eyes, though, and he tentatively raises a hand toward her. "May I?" If she doesn't refuse, he places his hand over the biggest of the wounds and begins a series of low, guttural murmurs...

He meets her eyes briefly ... He nods to her wordlessly ...

She nods to him as she catches her breath, her chest is heaving and there is a maniacal grin across her face. She nods to Kló once more when he has finished, "My thanks."

Elghund puts one more slice into the heads of both creatures, just to be sure, then gives Annalissa what one can only assumes is what passes as a smile "Well killed".

Annalisa slaps Elghund heartily on his shoulder blade, maniacal smile still in place, "Indeed, my friend, indeed."

She props herself against a nearby tree or rock and calls Hundur to her, making him keep his nose out of the way of the men skinning the beasts. She drapes her arm across the dogs shoulders and tousles his head, scratching behind his ears.

As they move along, Annalisa does her best to keep her eyes and ears open. She nods to Elghund when he halts the party, watching the area around him as he moves forward to further investigate the strange sight.
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

At Elghund’s signal Skäne moves silently into a fighting stance, before grumbling to all in a hissed whisper;

”Are we watched by mair than the dead hrōkr?”

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

The warrior blinks hard against the biting elements, swearing more loudly in frustration;

"Kostchtchie's balls! I can see vætr in this dammen snjár!"

Old Tongue: vætr = nothing at all snjár = snow

If dawn is breaking, then we're coming on 24 hours since Kló would have slept last. I cant' find the rules for sleeping and fatigue and what-not, but that's going to become important unless we think we can actually catch our quarry before too much longer.

"Did we need to rest?"

Kló considers as he watches their surroundings, "Can you tell if we're closing in on our quarry quickly? If not, then this is an endurance race more than a sprint, and I'd like to stop and rest."

Halla pointedly ignores the presumption of the orc trying to give orders to its betters. "If you are fools enough to close your eyes anywhere near this evil place, you deserve whatever vile fate befalls you," she says coldly, eyeing the fetishes distrustfully.

Kló gives the woman a guarded look, "I wasn't going to lie down right here."

I'm fine continuing until we're taking damage from exhaustion and what-not. VoV, will you let us know when we hit (or are near) that point?

Annalisa turns her head and cocks an eyebrow briefly at the smaller woman before resuming watching the surroundings. Quietly, but loud enough for Halla to hear she says, "What? Haven't you ever heard of taking watch, woman?"

"Haven't you heard of evil spirits, woman? What good is your watch against an enchantment?"

"We know what we hunted when we signed on. And I'm not sure choosing not to sleep is our only option." He looks at the group, "But for the time being, I'm fine continuing on."

He regards the strange fetishes, "Rikka, do these... things... appear to hold an arcane threat? If not, I can think of nothing but to press on."

Rikka, frowning, regards the crows with a fixed stare. Her voice is tinged with sadness. "I like crows and ravens. Whoever did this deserves to burn." She mutters an incantation blackly and scans the birds and trees, for good measure, through glowing eyes. As she does so, the sorceress considers the many lessons that Zarzanna passed along... searching for something touching on such an unnatural act. But her mind comes up with naught.

Knowledge: Arcana 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Cast Detect Magic

Skäne pale eyes threaten to disappear within a scarred scowl as several of the group exchange words.

"Hush your tunga wytch... lest next time you need the aid o' ax or shield this vile fool leaves you bleeding in the snow for the trow to pick you clean ..."

Ignoring any retort the strange woman may give him he stomps to where Rikka stands;

"Like the hrōkr too... bonepickers and heralds o' death... in Taldor they call them... a... Murder o' Crows... huhh.."

The irony of his words drift into the wind as Skäne snaps back to the matter at hand:

"What do you auga lass?"

"Hush thy own tunga," she flares back, eyes flashing. "I am neither your thrall nor your wife, and no one will tell me when I can or cannot speak, Lochlannach."

DMVoV any more information on the tracks or are we still a fairly long way behind? Are they likely to be pulling away or are we catching up at all?

"I will move us off the track a little, maybe find a safer camp"

Rikka once again calls upon her knowledge of the art... but can ken no auras at play.

The tracks you follow are still clear to your eyes... but you'd wager there is still a long way to travel before you reach your quarry. At a guess you suspect that you are moving closer but you cannot tell for certain.

Consensus is to camp for a few hours? - I'd rule this enough to get rid of the 8 hour forced march issue, though you'd need to build a makeshift shelter and fire to keep the cold at bay.
The fetishes line the trail ahead and also extend out to either side into the wood, so to get away from them you'd probably need to backtrack a ways.

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Elghund is busy looking at the snow, and trying to find a decent spot to backtrack and make a decent campsite.

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"Huh... some vyrm guts on my boot," Kló mutters to no one.

I'm fine either way, but I have a feeling that if we go much further, it will requre even more back-tracking if we want to find a safe place to rest. So I guess my vote is find a good, defensible, and hopefully hidden place to rest.

If tha'ts the call, to find a suitable location...
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Survival 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

"Haven't you heard of evil spirits, woman? What good is your watch against an enchantment?"

"Aye, don't be daft. But I've got a feeling that you of all should know quite well that an enchantment will take you whether you are asleep or awake."

Rikka ignores the squabbling as her eyes return to normal, saying quietly to the large warriors, "I see nothing eldritch in this place or these crows... and I can rest or continue on, as you wish." She hesitates briefly before adding, "If it would help, I can throw the bones to see if pressing on will be to our advantage or our woe."

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Perception1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

"There are some strange lights up ahead. Low to the ground, and they're moving around."

Annalisa gestures to the area where she sees the lights.

The jotunn man follows the tall woman's gesture, squinting as he peers through the wood. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

His voice quiets as he watches the strange sight, considering what he's seeing. "I see them."

Knowledge: Nature (any idea what those lights could be?) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Rikka also follows the woman's gesture and spies the flickering lights. Considering what she knows of the legends of the fey and their ability to mislead travelers, this might be a snare.

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Spellcraft (ID the lights as possibly a Dancing Lights or similar spell?) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

From this distance you cannot see any fine details regarding the lights... you would need to approach closer and within the field of fetishes.
100ft through falling snow you can't see much beyond a small blur of light.

Klo knows of some sources of ethereal light within the natural world... ghostlights that dance in the distance as mirages do upon the desert, there are natural creatures that emit luminous trails also... but there are also other sources not of this world. What has caused the lights in this instance is beyond his kenning.

Approach light - or retreat to camp?

Kló frowns, "I don't know what that is, but if it were important, I'd hate to be this close and not check it out." He looks at everyone, "Want to go check out these lights?"

If people seem in agreement to go, then he waits for Elghund to take point once again.

Rikka squints across the distance, "It could be a spell to lead us astray... I cannot say." She pulls the precious bag from the pocket near her chest, shakes it once and calls quietly to the sky in a strange, high tongue. Reaching deeply into the bag, she pulls forth a chip of bone inscribed with a blood red rune. It looks something like a 'M'.

Rikka regards the stone for a moment and then speaks, mostly to herself. "This is Eow - the symbol of transport, animals, and newcomers. I spoke of the lights not the birds - so these are no animals." She looks inward and listens to the stone.

I'll wait to see the result of the augury before I choose a course.

Cast Augury w/ 51% chance of success

Q: If we pursue those lights, will we be predator or prey?

Cast the Runestones: 1d24 ⇒ 19 Eow
True/Reversed: 1d2 ⇒ 1