They look just like pine branches put in a frozen snowbank. Like something a child wqould do as a lark, if the message wasn't so grim
Just to be sure, Malden casts detect magic, and views the wooden message through the lens of the spell.
"It is a good point - after that doll, it would take more than a vague threat to scare us."
"We...are still going in the right direction, right?" Tristan responds to Gaelin, peering at the surroundings suspiciously. "It all looks the same to me in the snow...and who knows what trickery we may have been subjected to."
Just to be sure, Malden casts detect magic, and views the wooden message through the lens of the spell.
"It is a good point - after that doll, it would take more than a vague threat to scare us."
There is indeed something magical involving this warning. An aura is there
“Be alert all – there is more magic at play here. Ecaterina, perhaps you are more adept at discerning the nature of magical auras than I am?”
Gaelin stops abruptly with Malden's warning. "In that case, I stand corrected." He looks warily at the crude lettering.
Ecaterina strides up and takes a large crystal lens from a pouch. She mutters a few words and peers at the warning
She looks at the others, replacing the crystal in her pouch
"It is a magiya smoltritel...a ward placed here to guard the path. Anyone who passes will be subject to magic. I cannot tell, likely electric in nature"
“That sounds not good,” Malden voices an obvious opinion. “I suspect such magic will be too powerful for any here to dispel, though it may be possible to disrupt the ward in some way – like disarming a trap, if any of you know how to do such things. Of course, if the path is warded, it may be a simple enough matter to leave the path and skirt around this ward?”
"Let me at least examine it," Sahsara offers, "That way, we do not leave a live tap in the forest for any person or creature to stumble upon. I would hate to be injured and alone in these cold woods."
She carefully advances and examines the branches.
Sahsara works gently, and after moving a few branches to new configurations steps back
"It should be OK."
"Let us proceed in that case," Malden says. "I shall go first, my heritage has some gifts, one of them being that I am somewhat resistant to electricity - although I am not doubting your work Sahsara."
Malden strides forward along the path.
Gaelin watches Malden to observe any ill effects. If there are none, he proceeds as well.
Tristan will take up the rear, continuing to glance suspiciously at the surroundings and muttering to himself occasionally.
Ecaterina waits for Malden to head past the trap, then follows if he hasn't been fried to ash...
A glance of understanding passes between Ecaterina and Alikai as they hold back to wait for the outcome of the trap, then Alikai grimaces. "We probably shouldn't let our healer get knocked out."
She tries to hurry past Malden to take the lead before he hits the (former?) trap.
Jeydavu and Chtonthoth follow Gaelin past the trap.
As Sahsara is about to move away from the warning a crackling blast of cold suddenly chills the air
Sahsara is covered in frost
The diminutive girl falls to the snow, shivering. The warning explodes in a swirl of snow and disappears. After a moment she stands up
"I'll be O-o-o-oK, I-I-I-'m j-j-j-just a bit c-c-c-old."
The group heads out along the trail. They descend into the frozen valley. Snow-clad trees bent with large loads of snow begin to surround the trail. They suddenly hear a caterwauling animal cry somewhere near.
As Sahsara is about to move away from the warning a crackling blast of cold suddenly chills the air
Sahsara is covered in frost
“Insidious … an electricity trap and a cold trap. Can I help you Sahsara?” Malden will call on the power of Sarenrae, burning bless to spontaneously cast cure light wounds.
The group heads out along the trail. They descend into the frozen valley. Snow-clad trees bent with large loads of snow begin to surround the trail. They suddenly hear a caterwauling animal cry somewhere near.
“What could that be?!” Malden exclaims. “Alikai, do you recognise it?”
"Th-th-th... oooh, thanks," the adventurer sighs in response to the healing, "I'm not used to those things being made out of pine branches like that. Weird."
"I hear it, Malden," the ranger says more seriously than usual, "As to what it is..."
Alikai can hear it. The creature is angry, possibly in pain. It is large, by the sound of it. She can't be 100% sure, but considering the hunter's notes and the spoor they've seen it's a safe bet this is the giant ermine. And it is close
"... probably one of the critters that took the hunter out. And it might be hurt. At best, it's really irritated. Weapons at the ready, I think." She readies her bow, nocking an arrow as they move forward.
Malden draws his scimitar and murmurs a prayer to the Dawnflower.
A white form bursts from the treeline and begins charging at the group. It is an ermine, but as large as a bear. Three meters of sinuous white fur head towards them
Alikai: 24
[dice=Group init]1d20
Alikai: 24
Wild Weasel Wardance
Ecaterina: 26
Alikai: 24
Sahsara: 24
Ermine: 23
Tristan: 22
Gaelin 22
Jeydavu:22
Malden: 21
The group, alerted by the caterwauling, spins in an almost choreographic pirouette to face the onrusing beast. Alikai notes one of its legs has lacerations on it, and the fur is matted and brown
"It's hurt! Finish it!" Alikai shouts, firing at the militant mustelid.
She tosses her bow clear and pulls a long spear with a crossbar from her back.
Sahsara also fires her smaller bow before drawing the rapier she is more comfortable with.
Plus
Ecaterina conjures a blue-glowing snowball she tosses at the ermine. It misses, splatting a nearby tree
Wild Weasel Wardance
Ecaterina: 26 [miss]
Alikai: 24 [miss]
Sahsara: 24 [hit]
Ermine: 23 [hit-possible 1S1K]
Tristan: 22 [pending]
Gaelin 22[pending]
Jeydavu:22 [pending]
Malden: 21 [pending]
Alikai's shot flies over the ermine's head. Sahsara's manages to connect
The ermine rears and lashes out at Ecaterina
The massive mustelid clamps its bear-like jaws on Ecaterina's side. A gout of blood fountains out
Staying well back from the monster sized animal’s claws and jaws, Malden hurls a handful of conjured flame at the ermine.
The fire whips past the ermine's head, flying scant inches away to quench in a snowbank with a loud hiss
"It is big, but also it is fast!"
Seeing the giant creature latch onto Ecaterina, Gaelin rushes to the fore with his blade drawn.
Gaelin's strike strikes true, opening up a rent in the beast's underside. Blood and viscera spray on the snow
Tristan circles the beast, hoping to find a weakness with Gaelin attacking from the other side. He strikes its neck, hoping to force it to release Ecaterina.
Standard attack w/ flanking and Stunning Fist
Unarmed damage plus DC 14 Fortitude or stunned for 1 round
Tristan smashes the weasel in its skull, but fails to stun the beast