"We would welcome your assistance and your knowledge. I am Tristan of Heldren, where I am the apothecary's assistant."
A man wearing blue and white robes, and with flowing auburn hair and faintly glowing eyes steps out from beneath the lean-to.
“Esme who Dwells With the Pines, I am Malden Sunspark of Sarenrae,” he says with a slight bow. “In the lands where I was raised it is customary for chance-met travellers to share their food and camp. It is a great taboo to offer harm to another once food has been shared. So come, share our camp, share what is left of our repast and know that we will do you no ill. It does indeed appear that our quest is the same, and joining to solve this problem seems wise. My friend Alikai has told you our tale; based on what we have discovered, we have reason to believe that one or more of the white witches of the northern lands are behind this unseasonal winter, though how that may be yet eludes us.”
Giving up the pretext of sleep, Sahsara rises from her sleeping furs, an unseen breeze stirring the fine hair floating around her delicate features. "Greetings, Esme who Dwells with the Pines. I am called Sahsara. If your cause is ours, it only makes sense to join forces. Be welcome at our fire."
The group surrounds this newcomer and they talk around the fire. Suddenly, there seems to be one person missing: Ecaterina. A quick look into the lean-to she had been occupying shows her rucksack and bedroll still there, but no trace of her.
Alikai looks around wildly. "Where is the Jadwiga?" She searches for the witch's tracks in the camp, not willing to venture into the dark woods.
“She stood first watch with Gaelin,” Malden remarks, looking to the warrior. “Gaelin, was there anything odd about your watch? In Ecaterina’s demeanour or in the world about? Apart from the cold of course. For that matter, Alikai, Tristan, did either of you notice anything during her watch? Anything that could have caused her to depart, willingly or otherwise?”
Alikai shakes her head, looking worried. "She left her gear. Can she survive in this cold without it?"
Alikai finds a set of almost-erased boot prints leading to the forest's edge. At the edge a smaller set of prints circle Ecaterinas. Then there don't seem to be anymore prints, as if she flew away
Gaelin
Alikai shakes her head, looking worried. "She left her gear. Can she survive in this cold without it?"
“She is a witch of winter, I have little doubt that she has protection from the cold my friend,” Malden replies.
Once Alikai points out the prints, Malden looks thoughtful, absently playing with a strand of his long fiery hair. “These small prints – fey? The strange doll from the chicken-leg hut? It appears whatever it was may have flown off with Ecaterina. I do not see how we can track them further if that is so. The question I have … was she taken, or did she leave?”
Malden looks at Ecaterina’s longer term companions and raises his arms to chest height, palms outwards. “Forgive me for asking the question; from what I know of her she seems good hearted, and most of you know her better than I. But does it not seem strange that a winter witch should find herself in the south of Taldor just when this strange winter starts? A winter that it now appears likely was caused by Ecaterina’s kin? Perhaps she knew more than she said … or perhaps she is being targeted? Or I am wrong, and her presence here is mere co-incidence, her disappearing foul play. In any case, I suspect that we will not find her without finding the source of this cold.”
"Didn't she say the witch named by the child-phantom was an enemy of her family? And that crone doll said that her enemy knew all that the doll saw - and it flew." Alikai chews for a moment on the end of a braid. "I fear our witch may have been abducted by another. Unfortunate, as she could have been of great help. But with the footprints disappearing, I haven't a clue how to follow them. What else can we do but go on and hope to find her?"
The brawny warrior looks rueful as the group investigates Ecaterina's disappearance. "I noticed nothing out of the ordinary, but perhaps I should have. We shared a watch, and when it had ended she excused herself to attend to nature's call. I must confess, when I woke the others I slipped quickly into sleep. I do not know if she returned." Guilt falls across his face. "I should have made sure she returned safely. I thought she was just beyond the tree."
He turns to the newcomer, "I am Gaelin Northvein, hailing from the village here, and eager to discern the cause of this wintry blight."
The night slowly lightens, although the sun is hidden by the ever-present cloud cover. Ecaterina seems well and truly gone, and the others secure what few belongings she left on the off chance she returns.
The skin Alikai prepared yesterday is dry and cured. She folds it into a bag.
The frozen valley lays just below them, the frozen Somer River snaking through the snow-choked land.
Malden rises just before dawn and prays to Sarenrae as is his habit, asking for the strength to find the source of this unnatural winter, that Ecaterina may be safe and well (if she’s not an evil turncoat) and that their new companion Esme may prove true.
“It is a new day,” says Malden, looking up at the grey sky at about the point where the sun should be, “and a new day brings new hope. Onward!”
The path they were following before the giant ermine attacked them leads down to the valley below. Most of the steep climbing is done, now it is a gentle descent down to the ice-choked river
Once camp is packed up and the morning meal is finished, Alikai and Sahsahra take point, leading the party towards the river below.
GM Stuff. No peeking!
As Alikai heads out she sees a small blue shape darting towards the party, trying to stay hidden among the nearby trees
Initiative:
Alikai: 19
Sahsara: 19
Tristan: 17
Gaelin: 17
Jeydavu: 17
Malden: 16
Esme: 16
Blue darting thing:
The blue form seems to know it has been spotted. It arrows towards Esme. It resolves into a bluish female form, about as big as a smaller sized halfling with leathery wings and a ruff of white hair in a puffball above its(her?) head.
Does it look hostile? Like its trying to attack us?
Alikai reflexively raises her ever-present bow and sends an arrow buzzing towards the blue meanie.
The rogue does the same, and the two bowstrings make an odd beat frequency that bothers the ears as they vibrate at very different frequencies.
Gaelin unsheathes his greatsword and charges at the attacker.
Tristan will move in alongside Gaelin, either charging or moving to flank depending on the distance.
Standard attack (including either charge or flank bonus) w/ Scorpion Strike (DC 14 Fortitude or speed reduced to 5 ft for 3 rounds)
Unarmed damage
Malden will delay until after the creature acts (if its not cut down first), alert for anyone requiring healing.
The blue creature flits over the party and breathes a roiling mist of cold air over Tristan and Gaelin
The two arrows shot at it bury themselves into the blue flesh.
Tristan turns away and avoids the worst of the blast (
Malden makes a throwing motion, and a bolt of fire speeds unerringly towards the flying attacker.
Gaelin manages to avoid the full brunt of the cold air.
Malden makes a throwing motion, and a bolt of fire speeds unerringly towards the flying attacker.
Malden makes a throwing motion, and a bolt of fire speeds unerringly towards the flying attacker.
Initiative:
Alikai: 19 [arrow hit]
Sahsara: 19 [miss]
Tristan: 17 [chop hit]
Gaelin: 17 [miss]
Jeydavu: 17 [pending]
Malden: 16 [fire bolt] 10
Esme: 16 [pending]
Blue darting thing:cold blast
Jeydavu fits a lead ball to his sling and whirls it over his head
The missile goes wide