In the northern part of the world, a small caravan of travelers is crossing a hilly terrain. It is early winter, the sun is low on the horizon and a there is a light and silent snowfall. The final destination of the travelers is many leagues away, but with a steady pace they surely will reach it before the worst of winter is upon them.
From the elevated terrain, they see they see their next stop on their journey. In the valley below, the small town of leafhaven, a typical stopping place for people travelling these roads.
The caravan hurries to reach shelter before sunset, but alas, they are 20 minutes late.
Mom, what are those lights?- say a little boy while pointing a direction with his finger
oh, those should the northern lights - reply his mother.
This exchange of words happens minutes before entering the town, making everyone around, you included, to look at what they boy is pointing out. You see, at a show of reddish lights flashing low on the horizon, just above the tree canopy.
But there is no time to waste and the travelers soon forgot about the lights and concentrate on their immediate goal of having a roof avobe them and a hot meal at their hands.
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You enter town, and find lodging in the smoking pipe inn. Some hours later most people have gone to sleep, but you have stayed a little while around the fire in the communal salon.
Durivig swishes his ale around in a tankard idly, fingering the last of his silver pieces on the table.
"Hrmmmm... Ah'll need ta take on some profitable work soon. I dinnae wish ta grovel fer coins anytime soon." He says to no one in particular.
Daverion leaves his wolf mount outside, better not to try to stable the beast, he thinks, and enters.
He swaggers over to the par, hopping atop a stool and ordering a wine, or barring that, a mead.
"Hrm, I've not been this far north before! So much to see, so much to do! Greeting, greetings all! My name is Daverion Nacklo, of the Great Forest. Who has a tale to tell me tonight?"
Aimai walks his way into the Inn and says to the barkeep. "Can't a girl get a drink around here?"
"I am Aimai of the tavern god Cayden Cailean, There are many tales that this humble follower can tell." He looks around at the audience. "What would you request of this girl?"
The tall half-elf walks into the inn, looks around and lifts the sword from shoulder with a sigh as though weighs a thousand pounds. Wrapping the belt around the blade he carries it over to the bar. "When you have time, I will take a bowl of what ever I have been smelling since we arrived, and something to cleanse the dust from my mouth."
A Clank and clatter of pots can be heard as Jean pushes open the door of the inn, An Oversized man with a kettle strapped to his back, and a chicken under one arm, He has been an seasonal patron of the smoking inn several times over the years
"Hey good fellows, You folks seen that hulkin wolf outside? The one with the saddle!? Hope he doesn't go and try to eat Brenda here."
He said, Chuckling and patting his fowl on the head, lumbering over to the counter
"Whatever you have on the pot please, Smells fine."
"I can assure you the wolf won't eat anyone! He's a gentle beast. . . unless I tell him not to be, of course. But I'll keep him away from Brenda. Good to meet yee."
"Thas a fine hen ye have there. If'n the wolf doesn't get to her mayhaps I'll have a bite meself. Har har har!" Durivig lets out a hearty laugh after his half-joke and draws a deck of cards that has clearly seen better days.
"Anyone up fer a friendly game. No stakes on account of me lack of coin."
Holds out a weathered hand to each of the dimutive chaps.
"Ha ha! Sadly Brenda' not for eatin, This pretty lady has seen me through some rough times, anyway... Name's Jean my friends, Nice to meet you both, And a game sounds a pleasant distractions"
Another person enters almost at the same time that Jean. A tall and elderly man. His attire very rustic but it is tinted to be skyblue in color. He silently sits and wait.
Minutes later, the inn wench (a forty-something, slightly chubby and smiling woman named Hanne) serves the meal. After all the travelling and cold, you find that the food is good and warm and the Beer is strong.
- Oh, good to see you accepted the invitation father Olav - The woman say to the old man.
- Gozreh is a demanding god, but I can eat a civilized meal from time to time - he replies with a smile.
You have plenty of time to eat, drink and spend a time chatting, telling stories and playing cards until you find that silence have taken over the place and the idea of a warm bed seduces you.
**thumps at the door**
Who can be at this time? - The woman go an open the door, an action that almost got unnoticed by you in the general drowsy state that have invaded the room, until the scream of the woman wakes you up.
He rushes inside Hugging in her arms a girl of around ten. The girl almost can't walk by herself, have a vacant stare and her skin is deadly pale. She is at the point of collapsing and You all notice that three of her right hand fingers are missing, like chopped by a wild animal.
Father Olave rushes to stop the bleeding and closes the wound (so, no need for you to use a healing spell/item), but her condition is still bad as she is exhausted and almost frozen.
Durivig rushes over pulling his fur cloak off and wraps it around her.
"Get 'er closer to the fire, the lass is half-dead from the frost alone!"
"Are ye still with us girl?" The dwarf speaks with a gentle tone before calling on a bit o' magic to warm the cloak around the girl more.
Rises from where he sat, Wobbling a tiny bit from tonight's drink.
"Is something the ma... By the gods that girl! What happened? What did this to her?"
Daverion rises and walks over to inspect the scene.
"Was this beast or man what did this? Either way, shall we gather a hunting party to track the culprit down?"
Aimai smiles as the old man says his blasphemy "All Gods can be trying. But, without them, our lives would be more trying."
Seeing the girl come in, Aimai moves close to her and smiles. "All will be alright." Aimai quickly checks to see if she is hurt.
She is worn out. Let her warmup. Then she can tell us what happened.
"Was this beast or man what did this? "
After examination Aimai can tell that the injury was not done by a weapon and it looks like a single bite that severed the three fingers and a small portion of the hand.
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With the warm of the fire and care given to her, the girl starts recovering sense. But she is frightened, almost delusional
Girl: mama!, papa!the wolf took Anhi! - The barmaid tries to soothe her, but how to explain a little girl she just lost half a hand?.
Olav, the Gozreh priest: I know her, I know her family. The Johansen live half a mile from here. Anders Johansen, the father of the girl, is a woodcutter. To be outside the house at this hour, in this season is something people here don't do. - He says ominously.
"why is it not done? If I can ask?"
Olav: Because it is unwise. Even in early winter It is freezing outside. In a clouded night it gets very dark, if you move away from home and lost your light you are dead. Heck, even with bright torch it's not hard to get lost. And you can't never be sure there would not be wild beasts around. No, people here board up doors and windows and enclose themselves at dusk and will not leave until dawn.
"Tha' should be obvious laddie. Proper folk don't go out at night. Thar're right and proper reasons ta fear in tha' dark." Durivig grunts a response and frowns while rubbing his beard.
"But wots all this 'bout a wolf? Wolves don't attack folks...not unless they're starvin'."
Aimai sadly smiles. "I'll go after the wolf." She looks around at the others an the room. "Would any of you be willing to join this ragged man as he goes to attack a wolf and hopefully get the other kid back?"
He taps the end of his quarterstaff and produces light.
"Trodding around in the dark..."
He sighs a little, Reaching up to wrap his wooly scarf around his face, and reaches up his sleeve to pull out a sunrod, cracking it so it glows.
"Leafhaven are good people, We can't let one of them kids get nabbed, You have my support."
He holds out a few more Sunrods to anyone who will take them.
Luc holds up a hand at the offered Sunrod, and with an eldritch word casts light onto the pommel of one of his daggers. "Thank you for the offer. He drapes his baldric back over a shoulder and heads to the door.
"Lets us go"
"I do not believe it could have been a wolf! Wolves are friendly creatures of the forest, not rabid beasts! My pet wolf and I clearly must join this hunt to ensure the good name of wolfkind is not unfairly impugned!"
"Ye'll catch yer deaths out there, but I 'spose someone ought to watch yer backs." Durivig pounds back the rest of his warm drink and follows the others. He'll pick up a Sunrod since it's a little better than a Light spell and he doesn't need the hand.
"I dinnae need ta light, but ye ne'er know wots out thar'."
The barmaid:If you are to go out, you will need some protection form the cold. Wait a moment - She leaves and return a couple of minutes later with some cold outfit for anyone that didn't already have one.
This outfit includes a wool coat, linen shirt, wool cap, heavy cloak, thick pants or skirt, and boots. This outfit grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.
Olav: In my younger days I would volunteer myself, but as now I would be just a hindrance. Though I can heal a group of people if needed, and can also cast other support spells.
You are informed of the general direction of the Johansen's home, it seems to be a survival check, DC 15 to avoid getting lost and get straight to the house.
Also, The footprints of the girl are fresh. It is a DC 12 to follow the trail, 9 if you have darkvision.
It's a very dark night, with little moonlight. I count two sunrods, two light spells and one party member with darkvision.
Daverion graciously accepts and dons the winter clothing before venturing out.
Luc will gladly accept the clod weather gear and after mounting follow Daverion
With that 27, Daeverion, you can follow the trail or go to the house. You find that the two paths diverge, you can follow one or the other. What do you people choose to follow, the girl footprint or the direction of the Girl's house?
"Eh, these split off here- one trail leads towards her house, the other off somewhere else- let's check her house first, eh?"
"If'n the trail leads ta the house, the girl probably got away. We ought ta follow the trail that leads off ta find the culprit."
Aimai looks at the ground. ”If the girl got home and is fine, then there is nothing we can do. But if the boy is still with the wolves, the clock is ticking. We should go after the wolves.”
Looking at Daverion’s wolf, ”If your mount is fast, check and gat back to us should be quick, right?
"aye."
I quickly follow the tracks to the house to check that everything is OK there, then have my wolf run to catch up as the others start following the tracks the other way.
"If you can that'll be best, Catch up with us as soon as possible friend."
Jean will travel with the rest of the group.
The group splits, with Daveerion swiftly moving toward the house while the other follow the trail.
@The main group
The group advance through the irregular terrain of this silent forest. You only hear your footstep and your breathing. It's a dark night, and in contrast to that darkness, the red lights of the aurora boreal to the east shines spectrally.
The trail leads you to a big splatter of blood. Something definitely was murdered here. You don't have a good feelig about this.
@Daverion
You move quickly until you see the Johansen house. It's a small wooden house, just fit for a family to live.
From the outside, there are several that hit you at frist sight. The first thing you notice is that the fence is broken at one point. The Door to the house is shattered. The interior of the house is deprived of illumination.
Your wolf seems uneasy and growls.
I urge my wolf to continue through the hole in the fence and into the open door of the house, drawing my sword as I go.
Looking down Aimai sees the paw prints in the snow. There is fresh blood... The wolves may still be around... thinking for a moment. Can any of you see without light?
Narrows his eyes at where Aimai looks, it's far too dark for his old eyes to easily make out what is there.
"Can't go trudging around in this dark without no light, Not without a hand to hold, Even Ol'Brenda here has better eyes than me I'm afraid." he said patting the chicken.
"Aye lass, I can. But whoever's foot this belongs ta... They'll be long gone 'afore we can do anything about it. Wot say we regroup with that funny feller and his wolf. Even if'n thar are more wolves about, nothing a few good bear traps can't solve. A bit o' bait and snow coverin and we'll have those wolves outta these folkses hair." Durivig picks up a bit of the blood stained snow and rubs it between his fingers.
"Wolves fresh off'n tha kill are that much more dangerous too. I dun like tha looks of them red lights off'n tha distance. Somethin' eerie. The forest is too quiet."
Durivig works quickly and sets out two bear traps around the severed foot and hides them with snow.
"Let's get back ta Daverion. Name's Durivig by the by."
@ Daverion
You, sword in hand, go through the fence unopposed. Your wolf clearly restless don't oppose your command. You move cautiously toward the door when your sensitive eyes (low light vision) detect the presence of an small but horrible creature.
The monster just a step beyond the door and it is busy gnawing a femur. You have a surprise round if you wish.
@ The rest
You exchange some words about what to do when some of you; Durivig, Aimai and Luc, detect a sound that put them on later. 40 feet away you detect the wolves, but they don't seem like normal wolves. Luc can't discern details (no low light vision), but for Durivig and Aimai the wolves look somewhat mishappen and definitely malicious, not like a natural creature.
They are three of them, and two of them seems to notice you.
Surprise round for Luc, Durivig and Aimai. You can go first.
Aimai moves up to Luc and Durivig and casts Guidance on them.
Fiendish Wolves, Stab them with the pointy end.
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"Och, na those don't look quite right." Durivig moves up slightly to make himself more of a target since he is a bit better armored than the other two.
He draws his shortbow and takes a potshot at the one that hadn't noticed us yet.
The magus moves forward drawing his relic blade and tracing an arcane pattern with his left hand summons a shield of force.
@ The main group
Durivig Arrow fly true and pierce the wolf1 skin. In their surprise round Wolf 2 and wolf 1 moves to be next to Durivig and Aimai respectively. Wolf 1 is still 40 ft away
Durivig, aimai, luc, jean, wolf , wolf , wolf 3
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Initiative order
Round 1
Wolf 2
Aimai
Wolf 1 (-4 hp)
Luc
Wolf 3
Durivig and Jean
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Wolf2 attacks Durivig leg
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Aimai turn
@Daverion
The creature was too slow to react to your assault. Your sword strikes unopposed. However, the creature's skin is surprisingly hard and the result, it's just a minor wound.
Your wolf () snatches the creature leg and trip it. But the wolf's fangs are unable to penetrate the skin.
On its turn, the monster uses its innate powers to cause fear at Daverion companion (DC11). It provokes an attack of opportunity.
EDIT: I guess I'll just roll to save time
- The wolf is Shaken for 1 turn, unless your AoOs disrupt the casting.
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While you are fighting, the light from your gauntlet fill the interior of the house, revealing the presence of 4 or 5 other of the same creatures that are gorging on human flesh. They turn to look at you.
@ Daverion
The spell is disrupted and there is no fear effect. But you feel like hitting a rock. The creature is tough and show no sign of being dying.
Those were your AoO, it is now your turn. And then it will be the turn of the entire gang of monsters.
As a swift action I activate my judgment, choosing Destruction for +1 damage.
Then I attack again.
I have Swift the Wolf five feet step back to just past the doorway, trying to limit how many of them can get to us to attack at a time.
Aimai will wait to act.