The Reign of Winter

Game Master Nayr Trebrot

Nox lines up another shot, just in time to see the weasel fall. Somewhat sheepishly, he holsters his pistol. "Nice job guys."

Breathing hard, Ithariel kneels next to the giant weasel fallen in the snow. He wipes his shortspear in the snow and incants a simple prayer in the language of Druids for the fallen beast.

Standing, he smiles at Nox, Did everything we could, friend. That thing is still pretty loud huh? he scrubs at one ear with a finger, trying to get the ringing of the firearm out of his head.

Tchezze pushes the beast away from him, brushing his feathers down to neaten them up. He sits to the side as the dark healing powers of Ques wash over him. "Thanks for the assist there, young Master Ques. You are, without a doubt, my guardian angel. What do you think caused a weasel to grow so large, with such awful teeth?"

Ques likes the sound of 'guardian angel'. Almost like hero. Though he knows it is an exaggeration he soaks it in.

"Beats me. There are a lot of strange things in the world and we seem destined to run into all of them. Say, should we skin it or anything? Weasel steaks for diner?"

Sounds amazing...

Ote grins sheepishly, or out of nervousness as he sees his cousin returned to a semblance of health.

”I’ve never eaten dire weasel or whatever that thing was, but I’m just as happy not to eat it. In fact, a vegetarian diet is calling to me...” the grin fades as he considers the corpse.

”The pelt though...that is not a bad idea, even in the first instance - if any of you eldritch magicians can ensorcel up a mink coat that would be fantastic...”

After a pause, Ques realizes that he, himself, is a caster and, maybe, one day, he could do that.

"Yea, that would be very cool."

Though he is really talking about being able to create magic items himself.

I'm ready to move on in the journey, though.

You head on, past the giant weasel body, perhaps marking it's location for an eventual skinning. Now that you're moving on into Somir Valley, you notice that you're nearing the location marked on the map you took from Rohkar's office in the Lodge. You don't know exactly what the marked area is, but given what you've seen so far, well....

Check out the travelling map - your location is the white circle.

After travelling a bit further, you enter into a deeper valley, with rock walls to either side. The route here will pass through the valley and the deep snows therein. You're already penalized for movement and sight, so nothing additional...just flavor

About how long have we been walking?

Ithariel glances to the sides and the deepening snow, Usually a place like this would be lush with green growth and the sounds of summer. Something truly is amiss here, it saddens me deeply.

Stelmaria's white coat blends him well with the snowfall, the only trace of his passage being a slight depression in the snow where he walks.

Not long - an hour or so since the weasel.

Looking around nervously, Tchezze asks his compatriots, "Did anyone hear that voice? Please tell me someone else heard that voice!?" Even as he asks, though, he knows where the voice is coming from. He stops and pulls the doll out of his backpack. He looks it over to see if it has changed at all.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

"What voice?"

When he sees him pull 'Chuckie' out of the pack Ques chokes and backs off, scuttling like some kind of crab, and hides behind Grey, all thoughts of being a hero vanishing in an inaudible *poof*.

"Don't tell me that thing is talking to you now!"

Ithariel looks toward Tchezze, No I certainly did not hear anything. What did it say? Is it the doll speaking to you?

The druid looks troubled, and again invokes druidic magic, peering at the doll again.

Cast Detect Magic, again

Tchezze removes the doll and looks at it accusingly, but it doesn't seem to reply. However, when Ithariel detects for magic, he senses a faint aura. Before he can focus, the doll begins to levitate into the air!

Initiative Doll: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Intiative?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Initiative?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
intiative Ques: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
initiative Grey: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
initiative Ithariel: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
initiative Stelmaria: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
initiative Tchezze: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
initiative Ote: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
initiative Nox: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
initiative Gita: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Nice, that detect saved you from a surprise round! The doll is levitating out of your hands, Tchezze - if you want to hold onto it, you'll have to attempt to grapple.

At nearly the same time, you hear a particularly loud wind come from further in the valley.

Before any of you can respond, a creature that was obviously waiting to spring a track leaps...flies into action! A small, blue creature flies over the ridgeline to the south and streaks down towards you! It hovers in the air and fires a missile of energy down at Stelmaria, who had taken the lead to guide with scent.

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

2 damage to Stel, and Stel is up!

That's hilarious. The paranoid Ques, who was watching Chuckie with suspicion, is the one caught flat-footed.

"Huh? Wha?"

Roaring, Stelmaria plunges forward through the snow toward the small creature which injured him. The power of the tiger evident from how he plows through the snow toward the threatening creature.

Double move - 40' because of diff terrain. Is the blue thing on ground level, or reachable by melee attacks?

Sorry, that critter is about 20' off the ground.

After Stelmaria rushes forward, the howling of the great wind continues from the southeast, and seems to be getting closer! Suddenly, a creature made...of wind itself bursts out of the sweeping storm, and flies by, at Stelmaria, who has bravely rushed in. The creature is a force of air, with barely recognizable eyes and a sinister mouth. With the speed of the very wind itself, it sweeps by to slam out at Stelmaria with a forceful blast.

Slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

5 damage to Stel! Nox, you're up; note that the air creature has flyby attack, so it's now back up to 20' above the ground, as well.

is there an appropriate Knowledge check for these things, or just figure it out?

Yep - Nature for the blue flier, arcana for the doll, planes for the air creature

kn planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Ques thinks it's a fire elemental under effects of a polymorph spell

Hilarious! And that's clearly a hippo flying above us.
Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Apparently;)

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Noxs draws his pistol, loads a specially-enhanced round, and fires.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 1 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2+1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 Fire

How does the Alchemist have a better Knowledge (Nature) bonus than the Druid!?

Unfortunately, still not enough;) Which one are you targeting - the doll, air thingie, or bluey?

Air thingie. I've got a ranged weapon, so I figure I'm well placed to take it.

Nox fires at the air creature, but it seems to blend into the swirling snow, and the shot goes wide.

The doll, now animated much as Ques had predicted, rises into the air to twenty feet above the group, and waggles its fingers as it speaks a word in the odd language of magic. Instantly, a wave of cold air radiates out from Tchezze!

Tchezze, Ote, Gita, Grey will take cold damage as per below; then roll a DC12 fort save or be staggered for 1 round.

Cold damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

Note that the area of cold is still there, lingering - it will damage you next round if you remain in it. Just about everyone is now up!

Ithariel, seeing Stel taking multiple attacks, begins to worry about his trusted ally, and steps away from the party toward the tiger. Then as the doll begins to rise in the air, the druid shifts course toward the snow covered outcropping. Stel, to me! he calls out, and then begins chanting in Celestial. He holds his shield up and over his head, hoping the flying creatures will be distracted by the deafening sound of Nox's attack.

move, begin casting Summon Nature's ally II

Grey's ST: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Is this difficult terrain?

Ote, being right next to Ques, becomes the beneficiary of an Infernal Healing from the wand. Grey surges forward towards...

Is White the only opponent land bound? If so, then towards White.

Summon Nature's Ally II? You are not spontaneously casting from a level 1 drud spell?

Yes, movement speed is 3/4 if you have snowshoes; 1/2 if not. And, they are all in the air

racial ability Ques

Fort, DC 12: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Roll20 is crapola on my phone - it looks like the doll is adjacent, but is it nowfloating? Are there other foes Ote can reach with blade/are on the ground/in attacking distance?

racial ability Ques

Ahhh! Probably not allowed in society play which is why I was unfamiliar with it.

Sorry Ote; I can try and recreate the map in google as well. All enemies are at 20' above the ground.

Fort Save, DC12: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 Cold resist 2 reduces damage

Tchezze can't quite grab at the doll before it flies up, however, is able to shake off the cold, mostly. He moves out from the others, pulling out his bow as he goes. He fires one shot at the doll, trying to bring it down.

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
P damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Not able to control my pawn on roll20

Gita squints through the wind and swirling snow. I'm assuming she'd have kept up her mage armor during this hike through the woods.

She moves out of the circle of cold, then launches a small orb of acid at the doll in the air.

Ranged touch: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Her ball of acid hits the little doll and sizzles. Meanwhile, Tchezze's arrow flies true and "thunks" into the doll, but the little creature seems to take no note of it.

Ote, anything you can do?

Ote likewise opts for a bow, discarding his blade on the snow and bringing an arrow to his cheek before letting it fly at the floating doll...

Ftunggg; Ktttpsht!!!: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 2 = 211d8 ⇒ 8 [+2 BAB, + 2 Dex]

Ote's arrow flies true and thuds into the little doll. Though the arrow doesn't pierce through as if it were flesh, it still slams into the little creature, and pushes it back.

Ques provides some healing as Grey moves forward. Infernal healing for Ote - 1/round

The blue creature sweeps down towards Stelmaria and Grey, gathering in a deep breath as it goes. When it nears them, it looses the breath in a blast of terrible cold!

Breath weapon vs Stel and Grey - DC13 CON based relex save for half damage and to negate the condition. The condition, otherwise, is sickened for 3 rounds. The blue creature is now 10 feet off of the ground.

Cold damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Once again Grey takes the brunt of the attack and looks pretty nasty.

Reflex Stel: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7Stelmaria takes the full force of the blue creature's cold assault and reels from it. He looks to turn and retreat toward his companion.

Sorry Ithariel, should have told you - Stelmaria is also up, so he can retreat right now, if you like.

Stel, seeing his opportunity to retreat and regroup, retreat's to the chanting Druid's side.

Double move

The air creature flies down swiftly and attempts to slam into Tchezze with a fist of force! He slams the Tengu, indeed, then flies back up to hover twenty feet above the ground once again.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Nox is up!

Stepping forward, Nox draws and drinks a vial of oddly-colored fluid.

Mutagen: +4 Dex, +2 Natural Armor, -2 Wisdom

What is the size category of the blue guy?

Small

The doll looks down at the group, and lashes out with a little doll hand, sending a ray of cold at Ote.
Ranged touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Cold damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

It then reaches into its little doll dress and draws out a short sliver of what looks like glass - in the form of a dagger.

2 cold damage to Ote; everyone after the Doll is up!

Grey stays put and readies an action to step and attack anything that comes withing range.

to hit tentacles, sickened: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 2 = 13
damage tentacles: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Ques moves in on Stelmaria and taps the big cat with the wand of infernal healing, not wanting to get any closer to the doll than he has to.

If you want healing, make sure your tag line is updated. Well, that, and don;t be on the other side of the battlefield.

Thanks, Stel @ 11/21 HP

Ithariel finishes incanting in Celestial, and a whirling cloud of air appears next to the blue thing, attacking it with a buffet of air, Slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Small Air elemental - Fly speed 100' Perfect, AC 17, HP13, Air Mastery (Ex) Airborne creatures take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against an air elemental.

Ithariel quickly incants in the language of Druids, touching Stelmaria, and readying the Tiger to leap back into the action.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The Druid looks to the doll, the other air elemental looking thing, and the blue guy to see where the next attack comes from, and moves closer to the party by a few feet.

Stel @ 16/21 HP

Tchezze stumbles by Ithariel and Grey, trying to put distance between himself and the elemental.

Staggered