Myriana manages to force her way through the wind. She rushes through the door, then intentionally steps off the ledge out of the wind tunnel, dropping 30 feet to the walkway below, landing prone, and taking damage.
Spivey flies up to the foe, slashing at him both with her mystical starknife and with an adorable, tiny masterwork one she draws as she flies. Both manage to slice into her invisible target.
Which becomes visible in death. The corpse of Tunuak, a tiny starknife embedded in his eye, appears in the tangled web of Melinda’s hair as the bleed damage from Myriana’s thistle arrows takes him across the border from life into death.
The winds die down with their master.
Rhost -60 lethal, -12 nonlethal
Hrunndalf -3 nonlethal
Lio -10 lethal, -2 nonlethal
Alaric -20 nonlethal
Kalimac -49 lethal
Myriana -13 lethal, -4 nonlethal
Silmemir -6 lethal
Shalelu -14 lethal, -19 nonlethal
Attatoq -19 lethal
Ameiko -18 nonlethal
Buttersnips -28 lethal
Hrunndalf rushes to heal Buttersnips.
Once she is stable and conscious, he gives the grievously wounded Kalimac and Rhost another spell each, figuring they'd remain hurt even after a channeling from Alaric.
Rushing forward, Hrunndalf discovers that, unlike the flat icy surface of the hallway, his magical Boots do him no good on the sloping walkway. As soon as his feet hit the slope, he struggles to keep his balance ...
... and plummets to the lower walkway below, landing next to Myriana and taking hit points damage.
Even moving at half speed, keeping balance on the sloping ice would be difficult. As Hrunndalf plummets and lands with a crash and clatter of metal armor, it occurs to all of you that had the demon possessing Naquun successfully lured you through the secret door prior to attacking, a fight on the walkway probably would have been even more nightmarish than the difficult fight you just experienced in the confines of the hallway ...
Zaiobe and Spivey, however, are able to fly down and heal Buttersnips until she is stable without the danger of slipping. And with an example now to warn the rest of you on foot of the danger, with the aid of the flyers, ropes, and other precautions, you are all able to being slowly and carefully making your way down the ramp. Hrunndalf is able to cast his healing spells upon Buttersnips, Kalimac, and Rhost - just a little while later than he had intended.
Me? Disbelief in her voice, but a very pleased blush is appearing on her face.
"It has been a while since we last ate. And maybe we should get a bath, beforehand?" She adds. The blush does not fade.
"A bath sounds like a lovely idea," she answers, giving you a kiss.
Does she want me to carry her? Would she think that's romantic or something along those lines?
Alas, you cannot really tell. You will have to use your judgement.
After the battle, Zaiobe spends a little time in silent communication with Buttersnips. It is reasonable to assume that she is apologizing for shooting her close friend in the head.
Shalelu finds Liothonae and gives her a quick embrace.
Spivey aids in the general healing, and Ameiko gives a general check-over to make sure everyone is all right.
On the body of Naquun, you find:
3 campfire beads
2 potions of cure light wounds
Scroll of Campfire Wall
Scroll of Hide Campsite
Flask of alchemist's fire
5 tindertwigs
Masterwork studded leather armor
+1 handaxe
Masterwork handaxe
Masterwork spear
Cold weather outfit
Smoked goggles
Snowshoes
13 gp
On the body of Tunuak, you find:
Potion of barkskin
Cloak of resistance +2
Ring of mind shielding
Staff of journeys (currently with 3 charges)
Cold weather outfit
Unholy symbol (three-fingered icy claw)
Rhost drops out of Rage as he watches Hrunndalf go hurtling down the ice. "Coulda gone better," he pants to no one in particular.
When everyone is close, Alaric will channel.
After the battle...
Shalelu finds Liothonae and gives her a quick embrace.
Lio holds on to Shae so tightly, that Shae might get the impression Lio doesn't want to let go. "Anwyl." She whispers.
Of course, after a moment, she mostly lets go. Still holding Shae's hand, at the very least, while she speaks quietly to the taller elf. "Peidiwch byth â gadael i mi fynd o flaen eto. Beth oedd i'n meddwl? - Rwyf mor fud. Roeddwn i'n gwybod oeddwn yn gwanhau, ond rhywsut nid oedd yn cofrestru. Doeddwn i ddim help o gwbl. Ac yr wyf yn dargyfeirio adnoddau oddi wrth y frwydr pan allent fod wedi ei wario yn well, i gyd oherwydd fy mod yn ddiofal." She looks very frustrated.
"Do not ever let me go in front again. What was I thinking? - I am so dumb. I knew I was weakened, but somehow it didn't register. I didn't help at all. And I diverted resources away from the fight when they could have been better spent, all because I was careless."
"A bath sounds like a lovely idea," she answers, giving you a kiss.
Meeting your kiss, Lio's body practically hums with happiness and contentment at your touch.
She breaks off the kiss before she can do much more than wrap her arms around you, because she's pretty sure she's not going to stop, if she starts touching you again.
And then she gets up, to throw some clothes on and find something nice to wear for the dinner. Which takes all of a minute or so. While she gets dressed, she keeps looking back at you, watching you, her eyes revealing how much she loves you. How much she enjoys watching you.
Whenever you're ready, she offers you her hand.
Dropping the spell, Mel first moves to Zaiobe, gives her a quick hug. "Buttersnips is okay. And it happens... I mean Myri shot Kalimac and he doesn't hold it against her."
And then to Alaric, where she carefully lift his faceplate, "You okay?"
When everyone is close, Alaric will channel.
As disturbing and upsetting as Liothonae's death was, it does not cause Unrest in the Caravan.
"Don't go anywhere." She whispers, kissing you before she helps you put your boots back on, and while you are laying there, she gets dressed, takes you present outside to the stream to wash it, before coming back inside and putting it back it its box for safekeeping. She puts all the random odds and ends into her backpack, and then, with a very very mischievous look to you, she adds your clothing to the things in her bag. If you happen to have gotten dressed while she was outside, she actually undresses you again. She gives you a look, which seems to say i have a plan, a deliciously mischievous plan, true... but it is a plan. She puts the bag on, and then picks you up with the blanket underneath you. She manages to cover you with the end of the blanket, so that you're warm and safe, and very naked under the blanket, as she carries you back to camp. Provided of course, you're ok with this plan.
Luckily, it is so late, that it is terribly unlikely for anyone to see you, and even encumbered and moving slowly, Lio is very sneaky.
You also get the idea that this has really turned her on, quite a bit. You probably get this idea before she takes you more than a few feet away from the little shelter. You might also know, that she wasn't aware that doing something so dominating could be so exciting for her.
Alaric will turn Calm Emotions into a Cure Moderate Wounds for Rhost.
And then to Alaric, where she carefully lift his faceplate, "You okay?"
Alaric blinks. "I'm fine." The unspoken: Why wouldn't I be?
After the battle...
Shalelu finds Liothonae and gives her a quick embrace.
Lio holds on to Shae so tightly, that Shae might get the impression Lio doesn't want to let go. "Anwyl." She whispers.
Of course, after a moment, she mostly lets go. Still holding Shae's hand, at the very least, while she speaks quietly to the taller elf. "Peidiwch byth â gadael i mi fynd o flaen eto. Beth oedd i'n meddwl? - Rwyf mor fud. Roeddwn i'n gwybod oeddwn yn gwanhau, ond rhywsut nid oedd yn cofrestru. Doeddwn i ddim help o gwbl. Ac yr wyf yn dargyfeirio adnoddau oddi wrth y frwydr pan allent fod wedi ei wario yn well, i gyd oherwydd fy mod yn ddiofal." She looks very frustrated.
"Er fy mod yn cytuno, ni ddylech fod yn y rheng flaen, dylech fod yn ddigon agos i fwrw eich cyfnodau," Shalelu replies. "Gan eich bod yn gwanhau, dylai Gwrthwynebiad i Oer wedi bod yn bwrw ar chi gan Suishen neu fy hun, a fyddai wedi gwarchod y ddau i chi ac yn caniatáu i chi i helpu i droi'r llanw o frwydr yn gynharach. Yr wyf yn eithaf flin am fy hun am beidio â mynnu ar ddarn o'r fath yn hanfodol o baratoi synhwyrol."
"Ond peidiwch cofiwch eich bod yn anlwcus hefyd, mewn brwydr anodd. Kalimac, Rhost, a daeth i gyd Buttersnips yn nes at farwolaeth na wnaethoch chi."
"But do bear in mind that you were also unlucky, in a difficult fight. Kalimac, Rhost, and Buttersnips all came closer to death than you did."
Spivey will channel in an attempt to heal Rhost and Kalimac back to full:
Which is successful.
wouldhave been nice to do thatwell when it matteredmore, she grumbles.
Dropping the spell, Mel first moves to Zaiobe, gives her a quick hug. "Buttersnips is okay. And it happens... I mean Myri shot Kalimac and he doesn't hold it against her."
<Discovering I can heal people is also a bit of a shock, although a more pleasant one.>
Spivey will channel in an attempt to heal Rhost and Kalimac back to full: 2d6
Which is successful.wouldhave been nice to do thatwell when it matteredmore, she grumbles.
Lio offers a small smile of commiseration to Spivey, understanding exactly how the tiny woman feels.
Myriana helps Hrunndalf up on the slippery surface. "Yeah, careful. The next step can be just as bad." She makes her way gingerly back up to make sure Buttersnips is all right.
Myri looks over Buttersnips to make sure she is not visibly still damaged before embracing her. "Are you all right? That was a nasty wound you took. You had me really worried."
And then to Alaric, where she carefully lift his faceplate, "You okay?"Alaric blinks. "I'm fine." The unspoken: Why wouldn't I be?
She leans up to kiss is cheek, "Good." And in response to the unspoken, "Well between the icy undead breath and Tunuak using horrible nasty energy, so I was worried about you." Her eyes flash back towards the body with the smashed head. "And I feel responsible Naquun's death, at least partially." And then the body of quasit, "No regrets about killing the quasit that possessed him though."
Spivey will channel in an attempt to heal Rhost and Kalimac back to full: 2d6
Which is successful.
wouldhave been nice to do thatwell when it matteredmore, she grumbles.
Myri smiles fondly at Spivey.
Myri looks around the cavern (not searching). With the ramp and all does it appear man/creature-made or somehow natural?
Spivey will channel in an attempt to heal Rhost and Kalimac back to full: 2d6
Which is successful.
wouldhave been nice to do thatwell when it matteredmore, she grumbles.
Alaric gives her a sympathetic nod. He's been there.
"While I agree you should not be in the front line, you should be close enough to cast your spells. Since you were weakened, Resistance to Cold should have been cast upon you by Suishen or myself, which would both have protected you and allowed you to help turn the tide of a close battle. I am quite angry at myself for not insisting on such a crucial piece of sensible preparation."
"But do bear in mind that you were also unlucky, in a difficult fight. Kalimac, Rhost, and Buttersnips all came closer to death than you did."
Lio nods at the last comment, grateful that Zaiobe got her out of the way before she died again. Knowing others came closer to death, somehow, does not make falling down and being nearly dead any easier. She pulls Shae into another embrace.
Lio whispers,"Anwyl, you couldn't have known what was going to happen. I love you, I'm not upset with you. Being upset with yourself solves nothing."
After a quick check on Attatoq's welfare, Kalimac looks towards the part of the crevasse that hasn't yet been fully checked out. "Shall we check that out?" he asks.
She leans up to kiss is cheek, "Good." And in response to the unspoken, "Well between the icy undead breath and Tunuak using horrible nasty energy, so I was worried about you." Her eyes flash back towards the body with the smashed head. "And I feel responsible Naquun's death, at least partially." And then the body of quasit, "No regrets about killing the quasit that possessed him though."
Alaric sighs. "I feel guilty too, though realistically there's nothing we could have done."
Assuming there is general agreement that the rest of the crevasse should, indeed, be checked out --
When you reach the slush-filled basin at the bottom of the ramp, you discover it is filled with hundreds of bones, all marked with the same curious rune that was on the foreheads of the undead creatures - a frost-rimed, three fingered skeletal hand.
To the south, dozens of skulls have been piled into a crude altar in the shape of a pyramid. Piled before the altar are a number of large, broken white shards that seem similar to ceramic.
Painted along the walls of the pit are Erutaki pictograms, scattered among many more of the strange runes.
The first pictogram shows strange black standing stones rising from icy hills.
Another displays a cluster of towers glowing with a strange blue light.
A third shows a single monolithic tower rising above what appears to be a black lake with white mountain peaks behind it.
A fourth pictogram depicts a spiraling storm with long arms ending in ice-fanged jaws devouring Erutaki villages. Longer jaw arms reach further out, towards crudely drawn forest, castles and cities, and what may be ships at sea. Warriors are shown trying to fight the storm with spears before being engulfed and sealed in tombs of ice.
A final pictogram shows a woman with dark blue wings, hair, and markings on her skin, wearing a silver crown or circlet. Her hand grasps one of the claw-like symbols like a scepter, and spiraling streaks of silver and white curl from it in every direction. Although the drawing is crude, it is hard not to notice that it looks quite like a picture of Zaiobe with the color shifted from crimson to dark blue.
There are notes in a strange tongue scrawled under this picture.
Alaric sighs. "I feel guilty too, though realistically there's nothing we could have done."
"No. Not without foreknowledge that he was possessed, though. I suppose if we had known we could have stuck to non-lethal attacks, such as we have." Kalimac himself does not look too happy about the deaths of innocents. "Midagi muud saada möirgav purjus umbes, ma arvan," he mumbles.
She leans up to kiss is cheek, "Good." And in response to the unspoken, "Well between the icy undead breath and Tunuak using horrible nasty energy, so I was worried about you." Her eyes flash back towards the body with the smashed head. "And I feel responsible Naquun's death, at least partially." And then the body of quasit, "No regrets about killing the quasit that possessed him though."And then to Alaric, where she carefully lift his faceplate, "You okay?"Alaric blinks. "I'm fine." The unspoken: Why wouldn't I be?
"Depending on, how long, it takes, ta get ta 'e Dragon" Lio tries to speak clearly, it only partially succeeds. "I coulde prepare reincarnation, an' if he is willing, I coulde reincarnate Naquun." She asks, "Do we knowe how long 'e journey is ta 'e dragon's lair? If it's more 'an a day, I coulde reincarnate 'im 'afore we leave. An, do ye 'ave 'e power ta speak to 'e dead?" The last part is directed at Alaric. "If ye do, then we might knou ahead of taime if such es 'e course of action thots acceptible ta taike, or naught." She sighs as her speed of speaking gets in the way of her practice at speaking clearly, once more, she tries to enunciate more clearly, "If ye do, then we might knowe ahead of time, if such is the course of action that's acceptable to take. Or not."
Alaric sighs. "I feel guilty too, though realistically there's nothing we could have done."
She hugs Alaric. Well, she hugs the metal suit encasing Alaric, which is no where near as satisfying, but she means well.
Then looks down the icy ramp into the darkness, "Time to find out what drove the old man crazy. Crazier."
Knowledge: Geography +7, Knowledge: History + 9, Knowledge: Local + 9, Knowledge: Nature +9, Knowledge: Nobility + 9, All other Knowledge + 3,
Arcana
Geography 1
Geography 2
Nature
Linguistics
"Depending on, how long, it takes, ta get ta 'e Dragon" Lio tries to speak clearly, it only partially succeeds. "I coulde prepare reincarnation, an' if he is willing, I coulde reincarnate Naquun." She asks, "Do we knowe how long 'e journey is ta 'e dragon's lair? If it's more 'an a day, I coulde reincarnate 'im 'afore we leave. An, do ye 'ave 'e power ta speak to 'e dead?" The last part is directed at Alaric. "If ye do, then we might knou ahead of taime if such es 'e course of action thots acceptible ta taike, or naught." She sighs as her speed of speaking gets in the way of her practice at speaking clearly, once more, she tries to enunciate more clearly, "If ye do, then we might knowe ahead of time, if such is the course of action that's acceptable to take. Or not."
Myri looks over Buttersnips to make sure she is not visibly still damaged before embracing her. "Are you all right? That was a nasty wound you took. You had me really worried."
"Oh, I'm fine now. I nearly died twice in the same day, but others had it even worse, I shouldn't complain," Buttersnips says with a cheerfulness that sounds a little forced. It is apparent that she is upset about something, but exactly what that might be is hard to say.
Myri looks around the cavern (not searching). With the ramp and all does it appear man/creature-made or somehow natural?
<Yeah. But happily you got to her in time. And...> she smiles over, <Put in the Z is a better person innately than Mel column. All of my inherent magic focuses of fire, death, and destruction.>
<Both destruction and healing are tools. It's how you use them that matters.>
<Although I am honest enough to admit that the fact that the vile shaman of Sithhud used magic which bore more than a passing resemblance to my own is freaking me the hell out.>
Arcana:
Geography (taking 10): 20
Geography:
Linguistics:
Meeting your kiss, Lio's body practically hums with happiness and contentment at your touch.
She breaks off the kiss before she can do much more than wrap her arms around you, because she's pretty sure she's not going to stop, if she starts touching you again.
And then she gets up, to throw some clothes on and find something nice to wear for the dinner. Which takes all of a minute or so. While she gets dressed, she keeps looking back at you, watching you, her eyes revealing how much she loves you. How much she enjoys watching you.
Whenever you're ready, she offers you her hand.
She takes a quick glance around the room, and at her clothes, that seems regretful but not sad. Possibly there is a part of her wishing that she could simply stay here with you, naked, for the forseeable future.
But after a moment's pause, she also puts clothes on. And then she meets your eyes, returning your look of adoration.
She takes your hand, and the two of you walk back out into the world.
Assuming there is general agreement that the rest of the crevasse should, indeed, be checked out --
When you reach the slush-filled basin at the bottom of the ramp, you discover it is filled with hundreds of bones, all marked with the same curious rune that was on the foreheads of the undead creatures - a frost-rimed, three fingered skeletal hand.
To the south, dozens of skulls have been piled into a crude altar in the shape of a pyramid. Piled before the altar are a number of large, broken white shards that seem similar to ceramic.
Painted along the walls of the pit are Erutaki pictograms, scattered among many more of the strange runes.
"The Third one, with 'e tower... that tower looks laike it's rising oute of 'e Alabasrine Peaks, 'bout a hunnred miles frum 'e North Pole."
"E fourth one... them's 'e Morozko hungry storms."
"The notes on the last unne, say summaken about being in love weth 'Katiyana, who speaks to me on the winds from her tower in the storm' Lio reads the note outloud, and very carefully to get the pronunciation right.
<Both destruction and healing are tools. It's how you use them that matters.>
<Although I am honest enough to admit that the fact that the vile shaman of Sithhud used magic which bore more than a passing resemblance to my own is freaking me the hell out.>
<You have every right to be freaked out by that.> Mel's mind pragmatic. <However, there is very little magic that is inherently good or evil, most magic is amoral and depends on the will of the user.>
Her voice much kinder, softer, <You are good. You use your magic to do good. That is what matters... to me at least.>
You also get the idea that this has really turned her on, quite a bit. You probably get this idea before she takes you more than a few feet away from the little shelter. You might also know, that she wasn't aware that doing something so dominating could be so exciting for her.
She watches you, fascinated and sleepy, as you make your preparations. When you roll her in the blanket and start carrying her back to the camp, she smiles. She snuggles close against you as you carry her.
After just a little way, she whispers in your ear, "Do you know what I am doing, under this blanket?"
As the experts decypher the images and writings in the cavern, Kalimac just holds tight to Attatoq. "This cavern is seriously creepy," he says.
After just a little way, she whispers in your ear, "Do you know what I am doing, under this blanket?"
Her voice is soft...
"No anwyl, but if you keep whispering in my ear, I know what I'm going to be doing, out here, under the stars, while you are terribly sleepy and vulnerable and at my mercy." You get the idea, while she is slightly teasing, she actually means it. She's very turned on, and really wants you.
As the experts decypher the images and writings in the cavern, Kalimac just holds tight to Attatoq. "This cavern is seriously creepy," he says.
Mel smiles over at Kalimac, "Cavern dedicated to the worship of a nascent demon lord should be creepy." She glances at the experts, "Makes me happy that Sithhud got his power stolen by Kostchtchie."