No problem at all.
Venja you do not know what the glowing stone is or the tokens but you can tell that the potion is an elixer of tumbling and the stones are +1 sling stones.
"The stones here are +1 sling stones... those who use slings should divide those up amongst themselves. The potion is an elixir of tumbling. These tokens and the glowing stones are an enigma to me. I'm sorry I couldn't identify them... Perhaps Variel will have more luck with them?"
If there is anything else you want to do let me know otherwise with Beck's survival modifier you will be able to make it back to the cave no problem.
"Oh my. I'd be willin' ta snag one or two o' them beauties. An' maybe Var'll get lucky and ha' seen a bobble like this or these here tokens afore. Read about em in a book, or sommat." Beck says looking at the shiney stones.
As he pockets the ones noted he adds, "A'right I'm ready whenever yea all are."
Pocketing two of the stones, Helgash speaks with his companions as they return to the cave - "I wonder if this was random... My senses could detect evil in that creature - it was not a simple animal roaming the woods"
Turning to the witch he adds - "Are you wounded Venja? Your hair is quite amazing, almost with a life of its own" - he smiles, red eyes gazing at her white hair.
"I'm fine, it just tried to push me out of the tree, but it was unsuccessful. That was one nasty bird, and quite canny, as most crows are, but even more so than normal... For a bird to try to knock a human sized person out of a tree takes some guts... If it weren't for my hair, it would have succeeded too." She chuckles and tickles Helgash gently with a lock of hair just before turning it back to it's normal length.
"Aye, a life of it's own, it seems." She breaks into a peal of laughter for a brief moment...
"Shall we return to the cave then?"
Aye, all set.
"Why Xanxan, you were right about the bird, we take back any doubts we ever had... that's okay, good friends. I'm magnanimous that way..." Xanxan mutters to himself cheerily finding the conversation he's making up to his liking
Retracing your steps back to the cave you manage to easily pass through the winter landscape. You see Variel standing at the entrance with his rapier drawn looking out on watch. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees you. Did you recover the mask? Are you all well? What happened to the crow?
Nadya is further in the cave tending to the fire and the dogs. She looks up and smiles as well at your save return.
"The crow is dead. Yes, we have the mask... we are all fine, though it was difficult to hit the crow, we did manage to take it down without much damage to ourselves. Perhaps it had spent all its nasty magical abilities previously. It is good to be back.. We also found a few other trinkets the crow had managed to accumulate. We found some magical sling bullets and a potion of tumbling. There is this odd token and a glowing stone as well... perhaps you can tell what they are Variel... my own skill with spellcraft was not up to the task, sadly."
Once inside the cave, Venja slips off her warm stole and sets it by her pack. She then sits down next to Nadya and warms her hands by the fire for a moment while waiting for Variel's response.
Jetro will stand guard with Veriel just in case the crow had any friends lurking about.
"Why Xanxan, you were right about the bird, we take back any doubts we ever had... that's okay, good friends. I'm magnanimous that way..." Xanxan mutters to himself cheerily finding the conversation he's making up to his liking
"I never doubted your assessment friend Xanxan, not for a second" - Helgash pats the gnome on one shoulder with a friendly smile.
As they return to the cave, Helgash greets Variel and, while the others gather to check the retrieved items, he stands watch at the mouth of the cave, his red eyes peering out into the cold darkness.
"THank you, Helgash," The gnome is slightly mollified.
"Aye mate. I mean really tho. They have crows that are witches here. What next owl-witches and magicl arcane trees that walk aorund ant aren't proper treants?" Beck adds, still just as flabbergasted at these shenanigans. "At least the crow weren't a servnt o the Witch queen here. Just happened to want out stuff. lousey bird *grumble* even natural ones ate terrible *grumble*"
Greeting the magus as Venja lays out the artifacts, "So Variel, mate, what kind o' shinies does we gots here?"
With Helgash and Jetro taking a turn at the entrance VAriel nods to them. Thanks for watching. Nothing out of the ordinary since you guys left. Seems wahtever was the proble was just with the crow itself and no one with it.
Variel takes a look at the objects before him and attempts to identify what exactly they are.
spellcraft stone fail
spellcraft tokens success
Outside of it glowing like a torch I have no idea what this stone is or what it is used for. These tokens on the other hand I have heard about. It seems that each token is designed in such a way as to turn into a specifc item. Some tokens turn into anchors that ships can use, others into magical fans to create a breeze. These 2 tokens look like they can turn into a large oak tree when thrown on the ground.
The night passes quickly as watches are taken and the fire tended throughout the night. In the morning you get an early start as the first rays of light are seen peeking over the horizon. The air is crisp yet the wind still which makes for a good day of traveling. thanks to Nadya and the sleds you make it to the edge of the forest by the end of the day. Peeking out of the woods you see 6 miles away an impressive sight.
Sharp winds whistle across this stark plain, stinging the eyes along with the near blinding rays of the refelcted setting sun. A great eruption of frozen ice rises in the distance-an imposing pale woter crowned with icicles spearing inthe sky. Seeminly born of the land itself, an unbroken circular wall of ice guards the tower's base, with no means of entrance visible. High above a large gash opens in the tower's bolw-like crown, ringed in icy spikes and split by a massive plane of ice resembling and inverted cresent moon.
As you look out you see a group of people approach the wall. A piece of ice swings out letting the group in. As soon as the people are inside the wall closes shut again.
"Thank you Variel. Good to know what they are, but not sure what use they might be for us. Perhaps time will tell. Maybe the glowing stone is just that - a permanent light source of some kind?"
Watching for a bit, Venja notes the people approach the wall and the wall opening for them. "It looks like it would be easiest to enter if we could fly. But now we know the wall can open.. I wonder if it opens anywhere with magic or just in the one spot. We may have to get much closer to see anything clearly... and there doesn't seem to be a way to approach without being seen across this open bare plain. Perhaps we should wait for cover of night at least. What do you say, Nadya? You've been here before with tribute, yes?"
link to previous post with map information and details.
Venja, you are able to see the opening in the icefall from this distance due to the sun reflecting off of the wall. It is the disturbance of the reflection that you noticed more so than the actual wall itself. Likewise you were able to a group of people moving but nothing more than that. No idea on numbers or descriptions or even size of the creatures. They could be an army of trolls for all y pou can tell from this distance.[/ooc]
Nadya: I have come this far and out onto the plain but never inside the walls of the tor itself. As for what is inside, I have heard what Hatch has told us and believe that he has given us his best intelligence albeit he never analyzed the place to assault it.
"Now I find myself wishing 'I' could climb ice as well as some," Xanxan comments, "I wonder what they use for a key?"
No doubt they got someone on the inside letting them in. I reckon ther eis no way some witch would let any 'key' travel outside her tower.
"That is what Hatch told us - guards open the wall from inside. We could maybe try to convince them we come with tribute and get let in... or we could sneak in. I can walk up the wall and down the other side, but I'm not strong enough to hold a rope for others to climb. Maybe we could use those tokens to make a tree on either side of the wall for all of you to climb up and down again - but such an entrance is sure to be noticed, even at night. I wonder how that last group got identified as friendlies to be let in. If we had some clue, we might be able to simply slip in as friendlies as well. Anyone else have any ideas?
Venja pauses a moment then gets a bright smile on her face.
"Wait! My hair is much stronger than I am... it could hold a rope others could climb. We could enter the wall on the opposite side from where the gate is, perhaps there will be fewer or no guards there."
Venja shrugs and listens for better and probably wiser ideas, not being an expert strategist herself.
A magic tree and hair? Could work.
"Wouldn't need the tree... if that wall is made of ice, I can walk up and hold a rope for the rest of you."
"Or if we could approach in such a way that they open the door for us..." Beck says rummaging through his pack, and pulling out the winter-garb of the guards they fought, "We could try to convince them to open the door, and if it's night we could try ta kill em all off nice and quiet..." Glancing afound he shrugs, not a real quiet bunch tho...
"I'm thinking ya had it right Venja, although yea could tie off the rope to somewhere up top. I could come up wit' yea or give the magic ta climb ta a body else what's less conspicuous and less able ta climb... like on Sheelah who can't climb a rope. Yeah, we can go over the wall that way."
"Being able to use deception, and simply walk through the front door would most likely buy us some freedom of movement when inside, albeit limited. That would be a good thing" - Helgash ponders - "I am not sure what contingent is inside, but unless it is not a huge one, once we are inside we can count on being recognized as invaders as soon as we are sighted" - he stares off into the distance.
"I have a way with words, but not so much when it comes to deception, and we cannot be sure if our description hasn't already reached their ears, which would make walking through the front door a daunting task, to say the least - My vote goes for the attempt at covert invasion" - he adds - "Once inside, we pick our fights, and hope they are at least partially asleep - we know where the barracks are thanks to Hatch, and we can chose to either avoid them, or neutralize them - quickly and in silence"
Looking at the group, he finishes - "The dent I can fathom in this plan, is being able to approach the wall undetected..."
Variel nods his head as the ideas are brought forth. Indeed it sounds like we have a couple of options to go with as far as getting into the tower. Once in we are going to have to fight is my guess as Helgash is right. W will be detected sooner than later probably.
. If we go with Beck's idea using the garb from the guards then we don't have to worry about being seen. We would be allies and don't need stealth. Of course this would require someone with a silvered tongue to talk our way in and we would have to have Sheelah covered up in the meantime.
Option 2 is sneaking in over the walls. As Venja said we can either use her hair to hold the rope while we climb up or we use the tree tokens to climb up the trees. Either way or both works but requires us to get to the wall undetected. If we leave now we could be at the wall in a couple of hours while it is still dark.
It sounds like you, Helgash and Beck, are in favor of getting your hands all over Venja's hair and Jetro is ok with it as well. I am fine with either approach as long as we are as prepared as possible.
if this is what you want to do then I will try to get the dogs to brings you as close I can without alerting anyone. I will have to stay back a ways though and let you approach on foot the rest of the way. I will then stay with the dogs until you signal me that you are inside and the gate is open.
"How common are gnomes in these lands? I myself might not look convincing as a guard, but we could mix both... wear a guards garment, pretend to patrol about the wall, and then, once close, try to climb by steath at a spot where we see no eyes. Still, I'm game for anything... I could even try to think of a distraction but I'm not sure how I'd get inside after you all did."
Gnomes are not unheard of but they are a rarity. Enough of a rarity that it would draw attention to yourself rather quickly. If the guards saw us I would think that we would be watched until entering the wall directly and no chance of some of us breaking off to stealthily infiltrate the tower. It would get us close to the wall, yes but then we would have to either continue with the ruse or attempt the assault from the outside against the walls.
"Well, you could put me in a bag or box... just make sure I can breathe and get out on my own if you do."
"Then let's sneak on in. We'll save the tree token in case we gots ta make a hasty get-away. The dog's love me, so i ken drive one sled, an We'll be right nice an' quiet..." Beck removes his Buckler and Hide for greater freedom of movement. "Xan, yea can jest ride wit' one o us, an if'n the climb's tough then me or 'Gash ken carry yea. We'll be like ettins, but satyr-gnomes. can't really make a good pun o' that m'self tho. Fe-ttins?" more focused on trying to deliver a bad joke than the task they are about to undertake... But when it is time, he focuses and keeps a weather eye ready, and does his job.
When the time comes, here's
"I can handle one of the sleds I believe" - Helgash offers - "I tend to have a way with animals, ever since I was a kid" - he seems to reminisce momentarily about something, but shakes it away, and gets to the task at hand, approaching the dogs.
With the handle animal check, the first check is 24
s@~~...
+2-5
Helgash, Beck and Nadya manage to easily get the dogs across the plain and close to the walls. The night is quiet and there is a quarter moon out to provide some light to those with low light vision. Those without means to see in the dark are lead by those that can see. Xanxan all but disappears in the night shadows as he works his way up to the wall. Helgash likewise manages to make it to the wall without much problem.
Variel stealth showing a surprising aptitude for stealth Variel manages to keep pace with Helgash but has no idea where the mysterious gnome is located.
As Jetro, Venja and Beck move up from the dog sleds a loud crunching sound can be heard by 2 of the guards. Although they can not see the cause of the sound they are on heightened alert. Both of the men pull out sunrods and strike them illuminating themselves. They haven't had a chance to throw them over the side of the tower yet to see what is going on in the darkness.
init
Beck +1/2 level in cold
Helgash
Jetro
Variel
Venja
Xanxan
guards
Good Guys up first Round 1
Variel waits for Venja to get closer or whoever is holding one of the tree tokens to use it to help him climb up as the branches should make the climb that much easier for him.
Venja takes the token out and places it on the ground a short way from the wall, not being sure how tall or broad the tree it makes might be.
If the walls are made of ice or covered in ice, she will start walking up the outside of the wall quietly while the others climb the tree.
If the walls are not made of ice, she will attempt to climb the tree.
+1 if its for stealth
Jetro hunkers down
Venja moves up and places the tree token at a viable spot allowing easier passage over the walls. She only makes it up the wall of ice 5 ft though before running out of movement.
Jetro tries to find a spot to conceal himself in so to surprise the guards on the walls with his first attack.
Variel attempts to climb the tree that was just placed by Venja and makes it up 15 ft.
beck uses his tail to pull out his sling and then silently turns into a goblin, climbing onto sheelah's back. sheeelah then moves up to the wall.
The guards that have the lit sunrods drop them over the side of the wall so they can see what is going on in the darkness. The 2 that didn't hear the noises draw sunrods of their own, light them and drop them over as well. With the 4 sunrods the area outsdie the wall and gate is exposed for all to see. However Jetro manages to find a bit of cover from the newly planted tree and thinks himself well hidden. You can see that guards are pointing to the rest of the group, especially Venja and Variel as they have started their ascent to the wall's top already. You can now see that these men are equipped the same as those in town: cold iron longswords, daggers, lt crossbows, lt steel shields and chain shirts.
Good Guys up