Snows of Summer (Reign of Winter I)

Game Master lucklesshero

When the unholy symbol of Norgorber is found, Hassan reacts negatively. He spits and takes the symbol and casts it into the fire. "Best that thing was never made. Let these flames unmake it!"

He looks at the vials of non-magical liquid trying to determine what they may be. Also he takes the key, examining if he can tell by make or size what it might open.

Is there some check for this? Arrac, fine if you take the magical weapon. I will add the rest of this loot to the loot tracker on the home page. Will you spell out the looted weapons etc?

Divided 5 ways, the found coins equal 23.8gp per player. I added them to the Cash Tracker as well.

Hassan Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

I just listed the valuable stuff as for weapons..probably too many to haul all the way back to Heldren...if you want 'to collect and sell as may as you can carry back I'll most likely just give you a flat 100gp extra if that's O.K. in the mean time there's enough shortbows, daggers, spears, shortswords, and clubs...to go around.

The vials of liquid you could examine them through smell, touch, taste,..it would require either a craft alchemy or perception check.

Newmark looks up from stacking the weapons, Huh, yeah?...Oh the 1/2 Orc woman? Said her name was 10 penny something or another...She said that one.. Newmark points to Rohkar's body. ..was their leader, said she just joined a couple weeks ago and regretted every second since... She said she "didn't want nothin' to do with robing and kidnapping nobles" but, the leader wouldn't listen to her. I believe her too, it matches up with what the one we let go earlier said.

Newmark finishes stacking the weapons, puts his finger beneath Wassillisa's nose to see if she's still breathing and continues, Guess that means the Noble woman is around here somewhere huh? What did the Ulfen guard say her name was again?...Lady Argenta was it?
Newmark looks at the three of you as if to say.. What do we do next?

*bump*!

Wassilissa still lies around unconscious.

Not skilled in alchemy, Hassan sniffs the liquid in the vials, trying to perceive what it could be. Knowing that priests of Norgorber are notorious murderers, he is careful when handling the stuff, thinking that it could be poison.

If he can't make heads or tails of the stuff, he soon sets it aside and holding the key out, he begins to look around the rest of the cabin for something to fit it into. He starts with the rooms along the north wall, working is way around the building in a counter-clockwise fashion.

Hassan Perception, liquids: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Hassan Perception, looking around: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Take care Hassan.

The rest of the group takes a quick look around the room at the shelves and examines the things on the table finding little of value.

Newmark perception: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Arrac, Lanfried, perception checks or do you want to check one of the other rooms?

Lanfried looks around the room Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Grawlic also noses around Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 I feel that Grawlic wouldn't necessarily find weapons or that type of thing, but could find other things that would catch a cat's attention

The pair move through the house peering into rooms as they go.

Rolling a few checks

Lanfried Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Grawlic Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Lanfried Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Grawlic Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Lanfried Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Grawlic Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Lanfried Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Grawlic Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Arrac will take time to look around the place.

would it be possible to take 20 for the whole building? Or room by room?

yeah taking 20’ is fine in most non dangerous situations there is one more encounter of significance in this house so I’m grateful for Lanfried’s and Grawlic’s rolls. We’ll skip to that encounter because there simply wasn’t any healing to be found to wake Wassillissa anyway. Once that encounter is resolved I’ll describe what you find in the rest of the house.

OK were going to skip to an encounter then we'll I'll give you the results of exploring the rest of the house.

After searching the bodies and giving the common room a quick look, your group decides to head upstairs and look around. The narrow stairs are only wide enough for one person at a time. Arrac leads the way while Lanfried and Grawlic follow close behind Hassan and Newmark bring up the rear.

Arrac reaches the top landing and sees two doors. One in front and one directly on his right. He decides to try the door on his right first. Arrac opens the door to find a planing room of sorts maps spread out on a table and turned over barrels that serve as make-shift seats near the table. But, none of that interest him as much as the two skeletons dressed in Rag-Tag armor that suddenly spring to life when he opens the door. The skeletons have older weapons and torn armor and despite the warmth of the house frost and ice cling to their bones and armor.

Surprise round
Arrac

R 1

blue
Newmark
Hassan
Green
Lanfried
Grawlic
Arrac

Arrac you have one action: Wassillisa u still owe me a fort save. New map is up slide 14

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

if Arrac doesn’t post today I’ll bot him late tonight

so sorry, I didn't realize I had a surprise round. AC is 14 atm as he drops his shield during the charge action.

Arrac charges one of the skelly boys using the weapon he had out.

attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 1 + 2 = 21
damage: 1d10 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 3 = 14

Ok too much furniture in the room for a charge Arrac but I'll save your attack for your turn. Against green.

Arrac moves up to within' the reach, of his hammer, to attack the green skeleton; meanwhile the blue skeleton moves around the desk picking it's way through the chairs and furniture (double move) Newmark taps Hassan on the shoulder and a bit of Arcane magic flows into the Inquisitor (resistance), Whatever is up those stairs... says the gruff Dwarf to the southerner, ..perhaps this abjuration will help protect you? Newmark shrugs his shoulders still caught at the bottom of the stairs with now where to go.

R 1

blue
Newmark
Hassan (resistance)
Green
Lanfried
Grawlic
Arrac

(Hassan is up)

if there wasn't room for a charge, Arrac would have went total defense (with his shield) sorry, I should have checked better.

if there wasn't room for a charge, Arrac would have went total defense (with his shield) sorry, I should have checked better.

OK just FYI since you're choosing to go total defense you block the door ie. your companions cannot act in battle...if your OK with this we'll move on and basically you can duke it out with both skeletons at the door. (and we'll just have combat between you and I for a few rounds) if not let me know if you want to move into the room. (if you decide to stay in the doorway your AC:20 while in full defense correct?)

So Hassan can't move past him before the skeletons act? Guess we are all on the sidelines then?

Yeah sorry guys, though you could always make an acro check to move through an enemy square, or hold your turn until mine and see if I can clear an opening I think? and my AC is 22 atm (2 dex, 2 from shield, 4 from armor+4 from fighting defensively

Wassilissa sleeps a deep dreamless sleep on the hard table.

It's written in the skill description of Acrobatics. You need to beat enemy's CMD+5 to move through an enemies field, and you can only do it if you're not slowed by encumbrance or armor.

Or you can delay and wait for Arrac to dispatch of that skelly.

OK since there's really no practical way for anyone to get into the battle besides Arrac right now we'll just battle until there is.

After Hassan round 1 green moves forward all other players may do as they wish. Arrac. At the beginning of Arrac's turn on round one he feels the stinging chill of the frost covered skeleton cold dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 2 (Arrac takes listed amount of cold dmg unless he has dr/cold) Arrac you can attack blue (you must roll again) . Green cannot attack you as it's around a corner and you cannot attack green.. blue needed a double move to reach you so it's your turn.

Lanfried and Grawlic will move back to allow some room for Hassan and the baddies to move.

I actually do have energy resist cold from my trait. Pretty sure it was 2 or 3, I think it was 2 though. I'll try and move to make room for the others. AC is 16 after turn. If the failed acrobatics check provokes, his AC was 18 during the move.

Arrac tries to move past the skeleton to allow his companions to move in, whether successful or not he drops his shield and lashes out at the skeleton with his hammer in both hands, all the while grinning at the chill and frost starting to coat his armor.
You'll need more cold than that to get to me.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 - 1 = 23

damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 3 = 15

Arrac it’s not a free action to drop a shield other than a buckler is it? You cannot acrobatics , draw , a weapon, drop a shield, and attack in the same round can you? ( I know you can drop your sword as free action so that won’t count) so what action do you want to eliminate? I’ll assume you can draw a hammer as part of your failed acrobatic check, but that means you would have had to unslung your shield as another move action leaving you no attacks..or you could just keep the sword accept the failed acro check and accept the attack result... your choice.

Actually going to move along a little because this section is starting to drag...Arrac will keep his bastard sword in hand...no crit confirm needed because even with the DR he obliterates the Skeleton..

Arrac destroys the first skeleton. The Green skeleton steps up to take his buddy's place and tries to strike Arrac with a rusty scimitar scim: 1d20 ⇒ 12dmg: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (4) = 7 : but fortunately misses with it's unnaturally cold weapon. However, it's very presence oozes un-Golarion chill and manifest itself in the proximity of the Ulfen warrior cold dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 6. Arrac's natural resistance is able to shrug off the biting cold from the first skeleton..but, this time, the stinging cold is too much for even the seasoned Ulfen to resist...and the chill creeps into his body causing him harm. Arrac I believe you've taken a total of 6 dmg now? You're up...you have sword and shield in hand. The green frozen skeleton is in front of you.

boting Arrac (Arrac is actually at -8hp of 14 total to start this round)... Also Arrac would have incurred an AoO for droping his shield..something he needs to do in order not to take a -4 penalty with his bastard sword.. I'm going to take blue's AoO now obviously he did this before he died)Blue AoO: 1d20 ⇒ 3dmg: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (4) = 5
Arrac comes down hard with his bastard sword once again. B sword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17dmg: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Arracs blow lands on the skeleton's armored headpiece coif and cracks bone but doesn't kill the creature. The skeleton returns the blow scimitar: 1d20 ⇒ 19dmg: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + (4) = 10 confirm: 1d20 ⇒ 15 Doesn't confirm Arrac but the skeleton drops Arrac.. The skeleton's blow comes in high with it's rusted edge and unnaturally cold edge...it clips an open area near Arrac's exposed neck the exposed blade cuts deep and some but not all the freezing blade causes frost bite around the cut and exposed flesh. Arrac drops to the floor in a heap. Newmark yells to Lanfried (after seeing Arrac drop at the top of the stairs) Get up there and pray to the nature Gods or something...help the southerner face whatever is in that room! Newmark is pleading for Lanfried to cast guidance on Hassan or give him an effective weapon..

Arrac is unconscious at -2 hp : remember the skeleton's cold dmg occurs at the start of a player's turn...If the skeleton is still standing at the beginning of Arrac's turn, Arrac will have to take cold dmg again.(PS. I 'held' Hassan's action until he could physically do something therefore he will be up first)

R 3

Newmark
Green ice skeleton
Hassan
Lanfried
Grawlic
Arrac ( -16hp dying)

bold may go (fyi the square Arrac was in is considered difficult terrain while he is lying there)

sorry, had two exams yesterday on top of work and slept in and was almost late for classes today so didn't get a chance to check the forums this morning. Apologies again everyone waiting for me.

consave: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 DC 12 due to -2

good enough missed the heirloom weapon part..but blue's AoO missed anyway..so we'll roll with what we got the reality is this skeleton is down to 1hp...but I'm trying to give you guys the full adventure and 'hand-wave' as little as possible...thx for listing your bot actions that will help...generally in combat (this is for everyone) you should expect to be boted after 24hrs of no post...(except on weekends please live your lives don't be slaves to message boards)...However, if you do post on weekends I'll likely respond. (but will never call out a person for not posting on weekends)...You all have been good about announcing prolong absences (indeed I've had a couple myself)...My goal is to finish this book by year's end ( ambitious considering we're only a 1/3rd through it).

So yeah if we can finish up this content I'm going to give you some lengthy exposition...and there will be some role-play for several 'sessions' Also as soon as you through with this combat...everyone can level! (doesn't mean unconscious players will suddenly become conscious)..But yeah lets blister through this combat and move to finish up section one of this book...I'd also like to re-introduce the idea of heropoints...this adventure can be quite deadly and I am not know for being overly generous with them...but I do think they add a special something (both meta and heroic game-play wise) to the game) If you guys want to use heropoints...this is the last time I'll offer...*hint* Your close to earning one if you accept and you all start with one meaning everyone will have 2!

Lanfried flicks his fingers at Grawlic and the cat takes off back up the stairs.

He cat bites at the enemy.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

[ooc] Was hoping that the cat would hit and trip so Lanfried could take advantage. Didn't happen. Lanfried will wait where he is for now.

So again, Hassan is blocked from acting offensively. Will continue to delay.

Pull away Arrac.

Good idea!

To the extent, he can move the big man, Hassan bends and hooks him around the collar and pulls him back from the melee where Grawlic is in a life and death struggle with the frosty skeleton.

"At least he won't be exposed to that cold any longer," says Hassan, realizing there is no more healing available from any of the assembled group at present.

Hassan STR check to drag: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

In the frenzy that follows after the hulking Ulfen is chopped down; Lanfried orders his cat to attack the skeleton. Hassan manages to grab the heavy Barbarian and drag his prone form down the stairs out of the dreadful cold, emitting from the undead monstrosity.
The poor Cat's tooth and claw prove ineffective against the meatless form of the undead adversary, and the poor hunting cat takes quite a bit of damage before the willy druid finally calls for his animal companion to retreat. Eventually, the Druid and the Inquisitor lure the undead downstairs into the open where the remaining party members grab blunt objects and bust the heap of walking bones apart.

scimitar: 1d20 ⇒ 3 cold dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Grawlic takes 5 cold dmg.

Combat Over..

Blissfully unaware of the fight that got drawn into the same room she lies on the table, Wassilissa dreams of frollicking in the snow. Like she did as they were still living in Irrisen.

After the battle with the skeletons, Lanfried orders his trusted but wounded companion to lay by the fire and recover. Arrac is brought down to the main living area and laid on the dinning table besides Wassillissa. You decide to start with the rooms upstairs...noting the small door up at the top of the stairs is locked you decide to try the keys you found on Rohkar. Sure enough, one of the keys unlatches the door opening up into a relatively small storage room.

Dozens of small boxes, bottles, and papers fill this musty storeroom. A small iron cage sits on the top shelf, emanating a flickering light like that of a candle.

What do you want to do?

Lying side by side with the big blonde hero. Seemingly dead. If that isn't Romeo and Juliet style drama. :P)

Lanfried leave Grawlic by the fire and investigates the storeroom. Seeing the flickering light he climbs up onto something and peers into the cage.

Lanfried quickly pulls away the cover from the cage to reveal a small wing creature that looks very much like the little flying creatures that attacked you in the woods with tiny arrows. knowledge nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 Newmark and Lanfried both know the creatures to be tiny Fey that, often crossed the line from mischievous to malevolent.
This one however, looks fatigued and possibly sick.

It turns over from it's slumbering position and suddenly grabs the bars..it's eyes somewhat frantic..Lanfried tries to conceal his slightly startled reaction. The tiny voice of the thing comes out as a squeaking croak , Please let me OUT! They've had me in here so long!

Lanfried will grab the cage and take it to the others. What should we do with this one? They have asked to be set free, and I am inclined to do so.

"Take it outside first," warns Hassan sternly. "We don't need those little things flittering about in here."

Aren’t these the same time of creatures that attacked us before? Newmark cautions.

Lanfried lifts the cage to his face height. If we release you, will you be back here with friends and attacking us?

Lanfried will carefully watch and listen to the reply.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

If we release you, will you be back here with friends and attacking us?

Lanfried somehow doubts the sincerity of this tiny creature.

The creatures face scrunches up in pure hatred when it's questioned, You do what Vrixx says now! You must release me YES!...YES my friends come to kill you otherwise! Play music with your tendons Teb Knotten will do...gnaw on your foot bone while still attached we will! The creature is suddenly animated fluttering around it's cage and slamming into the light cage door futilely. YES ...Izoze will freeze your bones make you pay! Let me go now maybe they let you live!
The creature is in a hysterical ranting frenzy.

Taken aback at the angry outburst from the small fey, Hassan changes his mind. "If they will threaten us now, leave them be. They can stay in the cage for eternity."

He does take note of the names dropped by Vrixx. Teb Knotten and Izoze. He considers if those names are known to him, and asks the others (who are conscious) the same.

He looks around the rest of the upstairs rooms for anything of interest or note, especially looking for clues about the missing Taldan noblewoman.

Any chance we have heard of those people before this?

As Lanfried quietly drapes the cover back over the cage...Vrixx screams some obscene and gruesome threats about your ultimate dismemberment..it the little sprite seems to let slip that the Rohkar and his men caught him and were trying to garner information about his fey friends. Vrixx remains confident that his *friends* will rescue him but they should never have enlisted the human's help.

So from what you gathered is Vrixx' *friends* are fey. The leader is Teb Knotten and he seems to be big from how he's described as pulling your limbs off. It also seems this Teb Knotten has no aversion to eating man, elf, or Dwarf! Izoze you know less about only that it's probably fey and uses some type of freezing magic.

Hassan this is the first time you've heard these names.

After setting Vrixx aside, you search the upper rooms, inside the planing room where you encountered the freezing skeletons, you find a map pinned to the wall. A conspicuous X is marked in the middle of a region known to locals as 'High Ridge' (Lanfried recognizes the area as hill forest country). Other marking seem to indicate that the Rohkar's raiders had planned more ambush on caravans and rich travelers. Also found are several crumpled drafts of a ransom note demanding coin for lady Argentea's release. (seems Rohkar couldn't make up his mind how much to ask for and where to make the exchange.)

Lastly after searching the rest of the store room you find the following; 1 divine scroll(DC:16 identify), 3 vials of magic liquid that appear to be the same substance ( again,DC:16 identify), A lock box containing 25pp, 150gp, 180sp, a blue quartz "ice diamond"; there are 10 more vials of a familiar but non-magical liquid (red in color)..(alchemy DC:11)( perception DC:16), and lastly two vials of non-magical green liquid (alchemy DC:15)( perception DC:20)

spellcraft scroll: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21spellcraft potions: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11appraise gems: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Newmark cant' make heads are tails of the magic potions but does think the divine scroll his necromatic in nature probably a scroll used to animate lesser undead. The Gem he's sure is from Irisen ..a famous ICe Diamond, worth 400gp. As far as the non=magical liquid goes...Newmark says, Sorry my studies have never led me to study much of the alchemical arts.

Lanfried will look at the red and blue liquids.

Perception Red: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Perception Blue: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

I think I know what these red ones are. The blue one I have no idea.

You can get another perception check by tasting the liquid as well..

Sampling the poison next to your unconscious companions would strengthen the impression of this AP being written by Shakespeare. But wouldn't help the party. ;)

These red ones are Alchemist's fire. Who wants to carry them?