Ote and Ques both hit their marks, in spite of the swirling snow. The flying beast spits out a curse and squeaks out a protest. The creature inside the igloo seems to take the damage much more seriously. it lists to the side from the damage, and has to furiously beat its wings to stay afloat.
Ithariel will load another sling bullet and whirls the simple sling over his head, firing at the flying creature.
Stel, growing bored with the flying thing, crosses into the igloo with Ques and Grey, and menaces the creature inside...
Stelmaria wisely notes that Ques and Grey are standing away from the center of the igloo and does the same. A quick slash of his paw shows that the floor is covered thin straw, and beneath it is a deep pit.
Ithariel hurls a stone at the flying creature and slams it in the center. The creature takes some damage from it, but it only seems to raise a welt on its blue skin.
Sorry I read that as a question - disregard....
Nox turns, reloads, and takes another shot at the flying creature.
The little sprite, now trapped and cornered, screeches out a challenge. Though skewered by Ques's bolt, it still flies in to slash at him!
Gita loads and fires a bolt at the flying creature, squarely landing a hit!
The flying creature, now quite hurt, hisses out, in common.
She will hear of this, and she will find you!
He then dissappears.
Continuing to struggle against the snow, Tchezze moves back towards the igloo with Ques and Grey, wanting to see what is happening.
Ithariel, without an obvious target, will grasp his staff again, and checks the northern Igloo for more opponents. What was that? Who will hear?
Stelmaria, however, seizes the opportunity to get rid of the pesky flying thing in the Igloo, launching a cascade of attacks at the beast.; he roars as he does so, the sound reverberating throughout the igloo.
But Stelmaria misses horribly with all his attacks...
Spitting curses in six languages, Nox reloads and fires again at the annoying little fey.
As the winged creature dives after his partner, Grey's serpentine body lunges upwards, his tentacles lashing out even further.
His body slithers forward to put all of his appendages in reach and once again he flails out with numerous appendages in his own inaccurate fashion.
Grey slaps his appendages out against the little creature, and it falls, landing atop the layer of snow at the base of the igloo.
Ithariel will cautiously begin exploring the igloo to the north, seeing if there is anything of use, or any enemies reappear to assault the party!
Tchezze sees Ithariel go to explore and decides to join him. "Maybe a little strength in numbers is called for given our track record."
Nodding to the Samurai, Ithariel grins, Yes, Tche, you are right. We can't be too careful these days. Who do you think built these igloos? It must have taken quite some time, and I didn't think its been that cold for that long...
The druid keeps his enchanted stick held before him, but feels relieved at the presence of the Tengu by his side.
No new enemies seem to reveal themselves, and the area is silent save for the white wind that howls as it pours out of the area to the west. Within this igloo, a winter blanket, pile of furs, and a small wooden chest take up most of the space. A small hole has been cut into the low ceiling to allow smoke to escape, but no fire has been lit. The ceiling itself is only about four feet high herein - significantly lower than the trapped igloo that Ques found.
Nox checks he chest for traps. If he finds none, he'll try to open it.
Grey joins in the search and heals up more as the devlish healing runs its course.
Ote makes quite a show of stowing his various weapons, and poking various corpses to ensure they are dead. The troll is clearly an impressive creature, and Ote murmurs a salutation to its strength and power before looting it. He then sits on one of its outstretched legs.
”I’ve been cold so long, for so many days - the wind, rain, ssssnoe, sleeet, gales of snow, hails of sssleeet. I j-just think I’m starting to think it’s al-w-ways b-been like this. I d-didn’t think...did-d-dn’t occur to m-me that ig-g-gloos were out of p-place.” The tengu coughs.
”I’m getting in one, and l-lighting a g-gods-damned f-fire...” he mutters, entering an igloo and trying to achieve warmth.
The chest opens easily - apparently it isn't even used...and honestly looks like it's never been used. In fact, a quick check of the other two igloos shows the same - they look to be set up to be lived in, but never lived in...almost like preparatory barracks.
The fire starts up just fine, and you start to warm up. The winds continue to howl outside.
After about 30 minutes of warming up, Should we check that cave to make sure there isn't anything ready to eat us in there. Then some sleep would be my vote. I'm not in any shape to attempt to deal with that portal at this point.
Ithariel will ask the others and see what they think.
"While I am definitely happy to rest, I think Master Ithariel has a point that we should at least scout or perhaps barricade that cave so that we can sleep in relative peace. However, I am happy to follow the will of the group." Tchezze retrieves his dropped weapons and cleans them of the snow, stowing them appropriately once completed.
As the others huddle around the fire in the small igloo...at least as many as can fit, Tchezze is walking towards it when a surge of wind suddenly blasts from the swirling vortex to the west, gusting outward in a stinging spray of snow and ice. Suddenly, a large, black shadow lurches through the portal, surrounded by tendrils of cold, dark mist. It approaches!
"Eyes up and blades out! We've got company! Tchezze draws out his red-handled katana and holds his ground in front of his companions.
Ote groans.
”If that is Teb Knotten, I’m going to have serious words with him about timing. Words written in his blood...” the avian mutters, exiting the igloo with his katana in one hand and naginata in the other.
Grey follows alongside Ote.
The troll has on its body an empty vial, a boar spear that radiates magic, a belt pouch, a key, a small mirror, and 48 GP.
As you watch, the shadowed form slowly approaches. It comes out of the swirling winds to reveal a gaunt horseman with curling ram's horns wearing coal black armor. His black warhorse barely holds the man as he slumps forward, revealing a shard of blue ice jutting from his back. When he gets closer, he comes to a halt, and the horse suddenly dissipates into black smoke. The figure falls into the snow at the feet of Tchezze with a grunt, and moan of pain.
Ithariel will cross to the downed rider, checking him for injury. He disregards the disappearing horse and the ominous arrival for a moment, instead concerned about the rider's injury.
Seeing the man fall into the snow, Tchezze realizes that he might have been wrong about the intentions of this mysterious man. "What is that thing stuck in his back? Ithariel, can it be removed safely?" He hurries over to the man and looks over him, trying not to get in the way of the druid.
Ithariel takes a look at what is, indeed, a long shard of incredibly strong ice. The horned visage seems to dissipate, and you see the face of an old man before you. He laboriously draws breath as he waves Ithariel away.
Th-there's nothing you can do...young...one. What's done is....done.
Ithariel can tell that this is true...this man is dying and the wound does not look to be treatable due a rather odd physiology.
Nox's curiosity piqued by the weird ice, he inspects it more closely.
I can..not, he isn't exactly human, and I am not accomplished enough a healer Tche. Ithariel confides in the Tengu.
Who are you? Why are you here? the druid asks the dying man.
”Hmm, nice spear...” Ote mumbles, experimentally jabbing it in the air once or twice...
”I’m guessing you aren’t Teb Knotten. Did he do this?” adds Ote, extra helpful as always.
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Ques reluctantly leaves the comfort of the igloo to listen in, muttering loudly over the noise "It's cold and noisy out here. Can't we talk inside one of these fine igloos?"
Impressed at how useful his wand has been and unable to contemplate that magical healing might not help, Ques adds, "I have a magic wand that might cure you."
When Ote picks up the spear, it resizes itself...much smaller...to fit in his hands. It feels...quite nice.
The man nods, and you help him closer to the igloo, though he does not wish to go inside. He looks at the fire with...distaste, then slumps down against the outside wall of the igloo.
No...I fear that this wound is...beyond even your mighty wand, sir. Once, I was called Illarion Matveius. Now I am known as Black Midnight. I am Baba Yaga's Black Rider, harbinger of the Witch Queen's return. I had to...flee...but in the end, Queen Elvanna's servants were able to hit me with their magics.
He looks about, uncertainly. I know not where I am...
This whole situation puzzles Tchezze. "If you do not know where you are currently, do you at least know where you were before coming through the portal? And did anyone follow you through?"
The old man looks up in confusion. Irrisen...of course. I saw this portal and charged towards it. As far as I know... His eyes track back towards the portal. ...no one followed me through.
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"I don't know who this Baba person is or that Queen, and I barely know there is a country up north by that name. As for that portal, it is causing a lot of problems around here. Most of the citizens here don't do that well in the cold, and if I'm not mistaken you are not the first thing to come through and won't be the last unless we close it."
He pauses and stares out the door at the overactive portal.
"But it doesn't sound like you have any idea how to make it stop and we sure don't. Oh well. I guess we should go home."