The teen looks over and stares at the merfolk that is writing down studiously. She climbs onto her guardian's back and looks over her shoulder to read along like it's old practice.
Choso does not react strangely to the teen climbing on her back. It would indeed seem this is a common occurrence. She starts writing what she can remember about them.
She thinks back to exactly what her teacher taught her. For once that Aboleth did something useful besides train her.
1. The Winter Fey's Spells/Spell-like Abilities.
2. Their weaknesses.
3. Any special signs that would let you know they are in the area.
1. These creatures have access to Detect Good, Detect Evil, Dancing Lights, Daze, and Color Spray.
2. Fey in general are weak to cold iron, and winter-touched are no exception. Fire also hurts them.
3. Cold and lights accompany them. In a wintry environment, these may not be evident immediately, however.
She finishes writing what she knew about the Fey and lets Skylar read it over before tilting her head back towards the man in bandages.
"Thank you for the information. I know these Fey, so knowing what they were just gave us a big advantage. I won't put this knowledge to waste, you have my word."
He sighs, realizing that getting in too close to the creatures will likely be a bad idea. "I fight up close. If they can cause such damage with but a touch..." He trails off, shaking his head. "It is certainly something to watch out for." He spots to the side as the young human climbs onto the back of the large sea-human. He gives a short smile at the childish sight, given some notion of innocence, though he's obeservant to know it's not quite the case.
"Shoot, my rapier's just regular..." Skylar mutters but she remains on the merfolk's back just in case something else is brought up. The teen's chin rests on her shoulder and she looks around and about before then exhaling and frowning, she then mutters in Aquan <"Will you be effected at all, bein' from water and stuff?">
Choso responds in Aquan as well, keeping it to a low whisper so hopefully only Skylar hears.
<"I have no weakness to cold, but it probably wont be comfortable. .... Might've helped to have chosen fire instead of air when the Aboleth gave me the choice."> Choso chuckles and smiles, that last part being meant as a joke.
He crosses his arms, and looks down at the bed-ridden human again. "Where are we needed?" He personaly would hope for caves, things always seem so much clearer when he's surounded by his element on all sides.
Mr. Oerstag turns to Skylar. "I'm afraid these things may not even notice that little needle of yer's child. But ya remind me of my youngest back home. Here. I'll let you borrow this." He reaches behind the headboard of the bed to produce a longsword. Upon inspection, it looks to be forged of cold iron.
"Do with it what ya must. Just save the Lady. They ambushed us about six miles south of here on the road and pulled us into the Border Wood. Be careful, the winds are cold and biting, and the snow is thick." He ends his explanation with a fit of coughing.
Judge Teppen turns to you all. "I believe he needs his rest now. If you need to prepare for this, I would hope you all make haste. Lady Argentea is depending on you all."
Maximus nods, not breaking his silence as he turns around, and follows Uret.
Maximus grinned, chuckling a bit, "I'm not much of a leader type, so I'll leave that job to the Mer. Not the kid, though. Might look smart, but I'm pretty sure that the kid's not a leader type, honestly." He explains quietly to Uret, glancing up at him, "Oh, and my name is Maximus, Maximus DeGrove. Swashbuckler for hire."
Choso looks at the others leaving and packs up her book and writing equipment.
"I wish you a speedy recovery, Mr. Oerstag." Making sure Skylar gets off her back before she leaves, she leads her out of the room and to their companions for this job. As she gets there they are introducing themselves to each other, apparently. My name is Choso Veyen. I hail from Chosovosei, and I am an Arcanist."
The child ignores them all for the most part. She eyes her new prize in her hands with a glare. Eyebrows furrowed in thought and what could be seen as distaste. She fumbles with it as she follows behind Choso.
Maximus glances over at the Merfolk "Maximus DeGrove, Vanaran swashbuckler." He replied "Though, I'm pretty sure you already noticed that I'm a Vanara, already."
<"Now you get to babysit an entire group!"> Skylar giggles softly in the merfolk's native tongue under her breath to Choso, she looks up and grins at her. <"I think we'll be in good hands though.">
Choso chuckles at Skylar's words.
<"Me, a leader? I hope they don't know about that first year we traveled together."> She then turns to the others, no longer speaking Aquan and now speaking common. "I've been dubbed leader? You must be quite desperate then. Very well, though. I assume we are all set to go?"
Another giggle follows from the 14 year old, <"They clearly don't know about your 'deadly' tracking skills"> At this point, the child is laughing as she turns the blade onto her back, and extracts her book from her backpack with a few materials.
"Sadly, I am not. Give me an hour or so, I need to study my spellbook now that I know what we are up against." CHoso leans against a wall, taking her out her spellbook and flipping through pages.
For the next hour, CHoso prepares her spells for the day.
As you ready yourselves, the path to the south is clear. The main road into town appears safe so far, but the closer to the Border Wood you get, the colder it seems. The temperature is nothing to sneeze at, as you soon find it to be only slightly above freezing. It's at about this time that you come across the evidence of the struggle. Corpses litter the path. The carriages are disheveled and overturned. The horses are missing, or have been cut loose. It appears that a statue formed of pure ice is before the tree line, behind it a snowy path leading into the heart of the wood.
Maximus starts to think, and has a thought "You folks think we should, I don't know, pick up something so we don't catch something from being in the cold?" Maximus asks with a concerned look on his face, "I mean, this search party probably won't get far if it's only going to get colder."
Uret notices a thumping coming from one of the carriages.
Maximus looks around at the corpses, "Hm..." Max rubs his chin as he scans the area.
To see if he can find a corpse to pull a coat, or anything to keep him warm off of it.
Skylar makes her way to the carriage that is making sound, with caution. She seems to be doing it as quietly as possible, and in turn is motivated by the possibility of warm clothes.
Choso seems to be quite comfortable, as she is wearing her outfit for cold weather. She has a reinforced scarf, but as of the moment it is not on. Having not noticed the thumping, she is inspecting one of the bodies. She wants to see the specific damage done to it.
To see if she can discern what happened to them and perhaps what in fact killed them
The bodies of the dead seem stripped of all gear and clothing in general. The carriage has some thumping, but nothing to suggest that whatever could be making that sound has noticed Skylar. Does she open the carriage?
She first removes her backpack as silently as she can and sets it on the ground, and then draws her long sword. She opens the carriage.
"Hrm..." Maximus growls to himself, occasionally muttering some curse words in the language of his people, he really wanted a coat "Anyone find anything, yet?" He asks aloud.
As she opens the door, two twisted, rotting creatures grasp around the frigid air. Two undead forms clamor about the inside, attempting to make their way out.
Maximus glances at the undead folks and grins "Well, well, well, and here I was thinking this search and rescue would be just work and no play."
Choso, frustrated at her lack of success, twirls at the sound of whatever is trying to get out of that carriage.
The zombies go down easily enough as the heroes decide to return to town for some quick supplies.
The agitated teen heads to town, the contemplation greatly on their mind for what to do with their new found small box of riches. They are weighed down with three blades as well, but the new long sword is too valuable to just give up. Skylar stares at it in hand with a grimace as she attempts to decide what to do. They could return the cold iron to the old man, but to do that would be unwise. On the other hand, to have the rapier, and two blades would only cause a hindrance.
A low growl of agitation exits her throat at Uret's earlier words. Stupid bastard doesn't know what the hell they're talking about.
She casts a glance over her shoulder at her mentor as she approached while she still juggles the decision in her mind. She then snarls in aquan <"I don't like the rock man. He doesn't know a freakin' thing about anything!"> The thought to sell her treasures right out the gate just to shove it in the stone man's face far too tempting...
Choso frowns at seeing Skylar so agitated, replying in Aquan as she reaches her. <"I do not like him either, it's obvious he has not needed to do... Many of the things we have had to do. Though the reason I made that deal, and the reason I remain kind to him, is precisely the fact that he is travelling with us. There will be a time where we depend on him for our life, and it is better if he does not hate us at that moment. I ask of you one simple thing, Skylar. Complain and talk with me in Aquan about him all you want, but do not open hostilities with him, please."> She 'leans' down as best as her tail will allow her, and gives 53 gold to Skylar. <"I got my crossbow and bolts, the rest you can use or save.">
Skylar takes it, scowl permanently on her face as she lets out a breath. "<Fine. But I don't wanna hear it from him if that jewelry goes 'missing.' Don't make deals like that when it's our stuff, not just yours."> She looks down with a wince and whispers in common, "It's not your right, when I found it. But I won't say anything more in somethin' he'll understand, if I bother to say anythin' at all."
And with that the teen marched off to go replace their backpack, and obtain cold weather gear. Afterwards, on their way back, they paused at a merchant's stand.
Skylar quietly exchanges the silver and gold necklaces claimed during the search in the carriage for 75 gold. They soon meet back up with Choso.
Maximus is last into town, and he certainly took his precious time getting there. "Leeet's see here, I should do a bit of prep work before I go back out there.." He mutters to himself as he begins to wander around, looking for items that might help him against the cold weather, and whatever else lies out there in the wild.
To see if he can find any local shops selling heavier clothing fit for this cold weather, or any special weapons. Maybe even some back alley stuff.
You find the local town shop does sell cold weather gear for the standard price of 8 gp. However, they don't openly have anything illegal. They also don't have snowshoes.
Skylar soon arrives back to the Oread and makes eye contact for a moment, then moves past him and rocks on her heels as they wait for Max.