Woodsmoke's Reign of Winter

Game Master Woodsmoke

"What a nasty beast," Cara utters with contempt, her tone softening as she sees the extent of the goblin's wounds, "Hold on, Geedra, I suspect Asgrid may still be able to help."

While she waits to see what the dwarf can do, Cara takes a look around the area, in case there are more of those things around and/or it has a nest nearby.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Investigating the immediate area, you can see that the burrow the creature made was not too far into the tall bank of snow that sits against the more shallow snow of the path. It seems to have simply dug a little nook about eight feet into the bank to lie in wait, and then covered the entrance with more snow. This creature is definitely not native to Taldor. Perhaps the winter-touched brought it with them, or its existence is sourced by the same magic that has brought the snow itself.

Do you guys want Asgrid to cast another spell? I'll leave that up to you. I don't think it would be out of her character to use another slot to heal Geedra though, even if she only has a few slots remaining. I'm noticing that some of these early encounters are a bit tough thus far. Kind of lack the "many but weak" idea in favor of the single strong enemy sometimes, which can lead to some pretty hard hits.

I'm fine pausing the action until Asgrid returns tomorrow. I'm hoping we run into some healing potions soon to make things a little easier!

"This is quite particular." The elven ranger muses as she finds the creature's burrow, "How did this creature get here and for what purpose? Are the winter-touched launching an invasion of Taldor?"

Kronek scowls, "If they are, the witches might be here too. This is bad. Very bad. I'm sorry, I have nothing to heal you with Geedra. Soon we may need to rest. Rest will help you heal."
I'm ok waiting on Astrid, but I think we should probably heal and once she's out of resources, rest.

"Snake shouldn't be here. Bad things happen. Strange bad things. Geedra ok to walk. If see baddies, Geedra run away "

lets keep going. I've got 3 hp I'll just be really careful if we have another encounter today.

"All right Geedra. Just don't run into more trouble. Let's get back after those tracks." Kronek resumes trying to follow the trail left by the bandits.
Survival 1d20 ⇒ 15
Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Let's have Asgrid cast a healing spell on Geedra. I'm fine with resting when we're out of healing.

"It appears we'll need to be ready for anything." Cara says with a sigh as the group moves forward.

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

If Asgrid casts a spell, Geedra will her back 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 hit points.

Wow, I seem to have missed quite a battle. Certainly will cast CLW on Geedra, is that the roll above Geej? Anyone else need healing? Kronek? I also still have a CLW potion for emergencies.

Asgrid grabs and holds Geedra still while she administers a healing spell on the goblin. It takes her a moment to focus, as during the fight her head started to become filled with words and phrases in a language she barely knew.

Afterwards, Asgrid has a closer look at the beast; she had heard of the fearsome tatzlwyrm, but she had never seen one before. When the group is ready, she turns back to the others. "I agree, let's push on a bit further if we can, but we should probably set up a camp soon. Does anyone else need healing after that? I'm not sure I have the energy to do much more today, but I'll do what I can and once I've had a rest I should be able to do more tomorrow."

Nearly forgot that Asgrid has the curse of tongues, she can only speak in Aklo when in combat. Hope that that won't be a problem for anyone?

Current HP 7/9
Spells Cast
1st (4/day) - cure light wounds x3 (including the roll above)
0 - detect magic

[b]"Thank Asgrid! Geedra feel better now. Dumb snake! Wonder if it has gold in its home?"[-\b]. She quickly casts Detect a Magic and looks around where she was being taken.

Detect magic brings up nothing. There is nothing in the shallow burrow, either. this is likely not the creature's home, but just its ambush point.

Patched up, you continue your trek after the bandits. The tracks remain easily visible despite the snowfall - you gauge that id had stopped snowing before the bandits made their trek back into the woods, and only started again today - though the marks in the snow are filling up more quickly. It takes you the better part of two hours to get through the heavy banks of snow in this part of the forest, though the slow-going is more attributed to the difficulty of travel than the distance. Finally, the heavy banks slope away from you and you are free of the clinging sea of snow. Back to half speed travel now. The forest still stretches out before you, and you don't quite feel as though you have penetrated very deep into the woods just yet. The path continues onward, bending northwest. The trees around you still sad with the weight of ice and snow, and cold gusts tug at your clothing, whispering threats of numbing stings. The woods are strangely quiet here, as well. Previously, you had heard the distant cries of crows, but now there is only wind and the susurrus of snow.

You have now been in the forest for about 4 and a half hours, and it has been about 6 hours since you left Heldren. Can everyone please make 4 Fortitude saves to stave off the effects of the cold, snow, and wind. Having a cold weather outfit gives you a +5 bonus on the check. Geedra should be immune to the effects of the cold due to her constant Endure Elements from the Winter Witch ability, but can you still please make 1 Fortitude save against the physical effects of traveling so difficulty.

It is up to you if you want to continue on. At this point its early afternoon, but the weather seems to be getting worse. Continuing snow and wind will likely make following the trail more difficult, but so far you haven't had to actually make checks to track due to the obviousness of it, so if you were to camp and snow covers the tracks, you'll need to start making Survival checks (good thing you have a ranger!).

Fortitude 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Lets see how everyone does on their saves before we decide to stop or not.

Fort Save 1+Outfit: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 5 = 15
Fort Save 2+Outfit: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 5 = 28
Fort Save 3+Outfit: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 5 = 26
Fort Save 4+Outfit: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 5 = 17

"This weather isn't letting up, we'll need to set up a fire soon. I should be able to pick up the trail again, assuming there isn't a blizzard coming." Cara says to the others, scanning the sky.

Survival for Weather Prediction (DC 15): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Asgrid shivers, despite the warm fur of her winter clothing. With her stout dwarven legs, she had been struggling with the deep snow drifts, and was soaked through. "I for one wouldn't mind making camp, if Cara thinks she can pick up the trail again. It's only going to get colder if we press on."

Fort Save 1+Outfit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Fort Save 2+Outfit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Fort Save 3+Outfit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Fort Save 4+Outfit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

"I agree that we should camp. I didn't notice that that trap and the fight with that wyrm had loosened my garments." Kronek also shivers as the cold freezes the sweat on his torso from battle.
Fort save (incl outfit) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Fort save (incl outfit) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Fort save (incl outfit) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Fort save (incl outfit) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

The elements have certainly taken their toll on all of you. The cold seeps in through your armor and layers of clothes, biting down into your flesh with incisive determination. You feel numbness in your feet where your boots have lost their protectiveness after so long stomping through snow ranging from six to sixteen inches. The arctic winds blast your exposed flesh with icy insistence. Geedra alone seems impervious to the otherworldly chill, though she still feels the exhaustion of travel as you all do. The past two hours of pushing your way through the increasingly heavy banks of snow have drained all of you of much of your energy. A warm fire and a good rest grow more and more appealing with every beleaguered step. Such thoughts are made necessity when Asgrid slows her pace and droops, looking up once before softly collapsing into the snow.

For every failed save, you each took 1d6 points of nonlethal damage from the cold. I subtracted the pass of time from the total to make things easy (recovering 1 point of nonlethal damage per hour), putting nonlethal totals at: Cara: 5 points, Kronek: 0 points, and Asgrid: 11 points. 11 points of nonlethal is enough to push Asgrid into unconsciousness. Furthermore, everyone (including Geedra) are suffering from the effects of Fatigue. A full rest will alleviate both the fatigued condition and all points of nonlethal damage, assuming you can find a way to get warmth and shelter yourselves from the brunt of the elements.

"Group must rest. Can Cara start fire? Asgrid no look good. Big human look bad, too. Geedra not want group freeze to death."

"Let me see what I can do." The ranger gets to work quickly finding a spot to build a fire pit and find some useful kindling. If necessary, she'll use one of her tendertwigs and/or an alchemist fire.

Survival to build a fire in adverse conditions: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Once a fire is going, she attempts a build a makeshift shelter around it.

Survival shelter: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

"You're right Geedra, we need a fire. I'll try to help you Cara."
Assist Survival for fire 1d20 ⇒ 11
Assist Survival for shelter 1d20 ⇒ 17
Make those a 22 and a 21 although hopefully your original rolls made it.

In response to the need of shelter and warmth, Kronek and Cara begin searching for adequate supplies for both while Geedra looks after her unconscious friend. The wind flings snow off of the tree branches, and every minute or so there is a hushes cascade of it falling from the boughs, hissing into the accumulated white beneath. Fortunately, there is serviceable wood to be found. You find a few sticks in the nook of a rock formation that have been shielded from wind and some of the snow. Snagged in the limbs of a tree you find an abandoned bird nest that you surmise would be fair kindling, and in a shivering briar you pick up a few ragged swatches of cloth.

Searching for a suitable campsite proves more difficult than finding the kindling. There are few spots where the wind isn't screaming or the snow isn't falling. Eventually, you do come across the only spot that you deem to be reasonably protected. A small stream cuts down and around a slope of land - the stream is frozen and covered with a lick layer of snow, but still rides much lower than the slope. On the right side of the hill, against the creek, the ground is cut away with the tiniest of gouges, creating a natural awning of sorts with the top edge of the hillock handing partway over the creek. The space between the wall of the hill and the stream is solid ground, enough at least for the four of you to cramp in together. You might be uncomfortably close, but there is little snow on the ground beneath the overhand, and the slope of the land deflects the wind.

You are able to start the fire here, and the warmth is an immediate relief. Gathering together beneath the earthen bulwark, the heat is trapped between the wall of the hill and your bodies, bringing its life to your frozen bones with haste. After only a few minutes, Asgrid comes to, though not without lethargy the fire has seemed to revive her into consciousness. It isn't long now before evening overtakes the wood, the sky beyond the trees usurped by a great crepuscular haze, the clouds like great masses of charcoal. Only the brightest of stars penetrate the grey veil, but for a few moments at least the scene before you is rather serene. The firelight dances and tugs shadows across the wall of the hill and scatters them along the accumulating snow on the frozen stream before you. The wind still howls but it seems more distant now, a song echoing from far away to which the crackle of fire responds. The snow falls out beyond the overhand, a soft blur of vision.

Despite the aching cold, burning joints, and weary bones, you feel that sleep will come easy this night.

"Makes no sense why this cold here. Something bad happening. That snake not supposed be here. This snow not supposed be here."

"Undoubtedly." Cara agrees with Geedra's assessment, "I must admit that I underestimated the amount of snow we're experiencing, otherwise I would have suggested better equipment." The elf sighs and shrugs, "I'm unsure how much sleep everyone requires, but we can probably split the night into two watches. I'll take the second watch, unless someone else needs it."

Coming to beside the fire, Asgrid tries to stop her teeth chattering. Her mind is filled with half-remembered thoughts of someone warm. And furry. Sitting up with a groan, she holds her hands out to the fire as she looks around at the others. "Sh-sh-sure is cold-d-d-d out herrre. Thanks-s-s-s for not-t-t leaving m-me behind-d-d." She's a bit embarrassed about not being as tough as the others, and is quiet for a long time as her core temperature starts to rise. As Cara asks about keeping watch, Asgrid volunteers to take the first watch. "Does anyone still need healing? I'm a bit weak, but I think I could still manage a healing spell today before I need to rest."

Current HP 7/9 (11 nonlethal)
Spells Cast
1st (4/day) - cure light wounds x3
0 - detect magic

"You should heal yourself, Asgrid. I'll have serious doubts about our success if you pass out again." Cara advises, "It looks like your first watch then if you're feeling up to it, wake me up sooner if you find yourself nodding off before the allotted time." With that, the elf bundles herself up as well as she can and attempts some rest.

While everyone else beds down in the nook of ground beneath of overhang, Asgrid huddles close to the fire and keeps awake, keeping an eye and an ear out for any dangers that likely lurk in the cold shadows beyond. The wind howls and whispers as the night grows darker and darker, colder and colder. Fortunately, the hill protects you from most of the wind, and the fire burns the cold from your joints and bones. After a few hours, Asgrid's watch comes to a close without incident.

Everyone can remove 4 nonlethal damage from their count. Fortunately, the fire and shelter you have protect you from further fortitude saves.

Geedra stretches, yawns widely and hops up when the second watch was called for. She didn't appear to be particularly worried about the cold, but she was tired from trudging through all the snow nonetheless.

"You see in dark, too, Cara? Geedra not need light. Guess group need fire, though. Asgrid pass out again with no fire.".

Geedra whispers conspiratorially to the elf. "Big human hate witch. Cara hate witchses too?". As Geedra talks, Fox reappears and takes a spot near the flames.

Rubbing the sleep from her blue eyes, Cara shakes her head, "I'm afraid I do not, but I do see better than humans in low light conditions." She answers Geedra, languidly looking her over, "I thought you need a full nights sleep to power your magic?"

She then leans in and whispers back,"No, I don't. I think a witch did something awful to Kronek and the people he cared about. Have you noticed how brave he seems except when witches are mentioned? He probably came here to escape this kind of thing in the north, but instead it followed him here."

"North coming south. Not good. North should stay north," Geedra says with a nod. "Yeah, Geedra must sleep more, but need to stretch a bit. Watch out for cold snakes! They mean.". After a few moments, the witch curls back up beside Fox and sleeps a bit longer.

Watch over, time for some rest. Before Asgrid stretches out and turns in, she summons her remaining spell power and casts one more healing spell. She can feel the last of her wounds heal from the log trap, as well as much of the fatigue from the day's march.

Cast cure light wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Heal last two hit points and 7 points nonlethal damage.

Current HP 9/9 (0 nonlethal)
Spells Cast
1st (4/day) - cure light wounds x4
0 - detect magic

Kronek wakes from his first rest period. "Asgrid, feeling better? Do you all need me to watch the rest of the night?"
Perception (as needed) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Think all non-lethal is healed. Does fatigue also go away at this point?

When it is time to change the watch, Asgrid takes a rest while Cara and Kronek rise. Throughout the rest of the night, the snow continues to fall and fill the streambed, but the wind eventually peters out and becomes less oppressive. You stoke the fires when the embers burn low, finding bits of kindling in the relatively dry spot beneath the overhang. Fortunately, the rest of the watch is as uneventful as it began, allowing the group to remain restful. Only one strange thing happens. Both Kronek and Cara notice in the darkest hours of the night what appears to be small globes of light out in the thick of the trees, meandering about. They disappear as swiftly as you think you see them, and even after a blink or a double-take they vanish. It is difficult to say whether or not the lights were sourced by something beyond your camp, or if it was simply the firelight playing tricks on you, dancing through the snow.

Regardless, morning slashes its way through the grey assembly of clouds and casts a pallid light down into the border wood. The fresh snow glistens as a carpet of crystal, and everyone rouses from rest, feeling much better than the previous day.

Regain HP as per a night's rest. You are all fully healed of non-lethal damage and fatigue.

As the sun rises, but before everyone wakes up, Cara tries to hunt up some food while staying close to the camp.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Once everyone is awake and whatever breakfast she was able to scrounge is cooking, Cara says, "There were strange lights in the forest last night. They may have been nothing, but we should stay wary in the evening as long as we're in these woods."

After her grim warning, she perks up a bit, "I'm feeling better, I do hope everyone else is. I should still be able to track, although I may need some assistance depending on the snow."

That will put me at 14/19 hp after recovering 1 hp overnight. If any of you are trained in Heal, we should probably attempt long-term care.

Asgrid wakes up feeling refreshed and revitalized. Then she sees Kronek, and realizes he is clearly still suffering from yesterday's trek. "What's this? You never told me about these wounds! Or that one there! Daft man." She examines his wounds and does her best to clean and bind them, but she's not convinced that she's made him any more comfortable.

Wrapped in her warm winter clothing, she helps Cara prepare a meal from the food she has gathered, then makes preparations to move on.

Heal check 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Cure light wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Not great results in either case, but I suppose 3 points back is better than nuthin'!

Current HP 9/9 (0 nonlethal)
Spells Cast
1st (4/day) - cure light wounds x1
0 - none

Cara offers some advice on treating Kronek's wounds, but unfortunately it's not very helpful to someone as skilled as Asgrid.

Heal (aid another): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

"It was that damn trapped chest Asgrid. Thanks. I'm nearly good as new. I saw the lights in the woods last night night too. Probably more trickery." Kronek eats and joins everyone else in preparation to move on. "I'll do my best to help you follow the tracks Cara. Hopefully not too much fresh snow has fallen."
Survival to assist 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Survival to follow tracks: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10
If human tracks + 2 = 12

"I'm having some problems this morning finding the tracks, Kronek maybe you should take the lead here at first. You are more used to cold environments than I am."

"What lights in woods? When? Lights look like anything scary? Torches maybe? If cold north snakes can get to here, maybe cold north goblins can get to here too. Be good leave now!"

Asgrid's voice sounds edgy too. "Yeah, let's move on. I don't think I want to linger and see what other cold fiends might take an interest in us."

After rousing and getting yourselves together, you return to the area where you last saw the trail left by the bandits before searching for shelter. After a few minutes of investigation, Kronek is able to locate the tracks once more, and Cara moves over to assist him in keeping an eye on the path beneath the new layer of snow. The temperature seems lower than it did the previous day, and though it is no longer snowing, the arctic chill in every knifing blast of air is impossible to ignore. The sky is lighter than it has been, but still maintains a grey hue.

Sloughing through the snow for the better part of an hour, Kronek and Cara are able to confidently follow the tracks still. It does indeed continue to grow colder the further into the forest you go, perhaps signifying that whatever source this cold and weather have, it lies deeper in the forest.

The path soon widens into a small clearing where the trees spread out slightly before closing in again. In this area, you can spot a dozen or so small fetishes hanging from the branches of the trees. These fetishes appear to be bundles of feathers, twine, and small twigs, though it is difficult to tell precisely what they are at this distance. Whatever they may be, their existence bestows a grim and eerie atmosphere upon the clearing, and with every blast of wind, the disturbing ornaments shiver and swing.

Movement is still halved in the woods, but the lack of current snowfall removes the -4 penalty on perception checks and ranged attacks of the previous day.

"This may be trouble." Cara warns, raising her arm up with hand raised to stop the group.

"Anyone recognize these things in the trees?" She asks as she looks around the area for dangers.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
If human add +2

Know. Nature 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Geedra looks at the fetishes, trying to see if anything about them stick out to her. "Someone like trophies. Trophies warn others to leave this place. Claiming land, maybe."

Looking closer, you see that the fetishes aren't just bundles of feathers, but are actually the stiff, cold corpses of crows, tied tightly with twine or strips of leather. The small twigs poking out of them are in fact small pins or needles...but then you notice they have fletching. Arrows. Tiny arrows. They sway ominously in the wind, but you do not sense the presence of anything else in the area.

"This bad. Geedra see same stuff before back home in north. Crows hated there by all. Bad juju...bring death with crows, so kill all crows they can. Creatures from north here now. Kill crows here now, too. Real bad news is for display crows as fetish like this, though...probably done by wintry evil fey. They bad. Real bad."

"Perhaps we should go around this clearing, assuming we can still find the tracks on the other side. It feels like a trap of some sort." Cara suggests, "Are there any magical resonances in the area?"

"I agree. Meeting the winter fey here would be very bad. Let's try to work around it."
Perception for any sign of the fey 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Survival to try to judge a reasonable path around and back to the tracks without getting lost 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Asgrid lurches as close as the group dares to the fetishes, examining the crows in the process. Might there be some divine reason to these being here, in this place? "Yes, let's not tarry here."

Knowledge (religion) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

You do not detect any presence of any fey in the area, currently or recently. The fetishes could be anything - warnings, omens, offerings, territorial markings, trophies, or something else. You do not think that it will be too difficult to pick up the trail of the bandits if you circumvent the clearing - it isn't a large interruption and the path continues obviously on the other side. Deciding to brave the thicker bit of the woods, you move off of the beaten path and push through the gathered snow sloped against the shivering trees. You find that you must push branches aside to cross here, and each movement rustles the boughs overhead, coaxing snow to slough off and fall on around you, hissing softly as it lands on the snow below. Weaving in between the trees, you hear the wind rustle the limbs and whistle across the grooves in the bark all around you, but you can't help but think that something isn't quite right...suddenly, Kronek and Cara each feel a touch of pain, and tiny arrows, identical to the ones embedded in the crow corpses, seem to have sprouted from their arms. The needles do not bring much pain beyond the initial shock, but cold radiates from the wounds that they make, threatening to seize you in a sudden rush of frigidity. Kronek and Cara each take one point of damage. Also, each of you please make a Fortitude save against DC 11. Failure means that you are staggered for 1 round. Looking about, you all spot two tiny figures hiding amidst the branches about fifty feet ahead of you - blue-skinned humanoids not more than eight inches tall with long, pointed ears and blue or white hair. They have white tribal markings on their pallid flesh and the wings of a dragonfly. Each holds a tiny bow pointed in your direction. Apparently quite shocked that they were spotted, their skin begins to glow until they are nothing more to the eye than a small glowing ball of blue-white light. In the second that follows, other motes of blue-white luminescence appear in the branches around you.

Roll initiative. I'll work on getting a map up, but right now you've only spotted the figures of the two ahead of you. Around you are glowing globules of light that are half-hidden in the trees.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"At least we know what those balls of light are now." Cara murmurs with annoyance as she pulls a tiny arrow out of her arm.

Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22