Troy attacks the red elemental and then 5 ft steps back.
"Am I doing this right? They are hitting hard!"
Runeson's fire attack seems particularly effective against the elementals, and the one appears to be close to melting away to nothing!
Troy misses!
1. Gareau 23
2. Runeson 19
3. Faisal 13
4. troy 9
5. Kolaach 7
6. Ice Elementals 1
Red elemental: -13
Other: -6
Troy: 5/11
Five foot movement towards the one outlined in red.
Kolaach misses with his crossbow, then directs his wolf forward who bites the elemental killing it!
Seeing the scary wolf, the remaining elemental swings at it!
Hit!
1. Gareau 23
2. Runeson 19
3. troy 9
4. Kolaach 7
5. Ice Elementals 1
Other: -6
Troy: 5/11
Wolf: -4
Troy attacks the last elemental.
Voolk!!!
taking one last shot before checking on his faithful mont
And if needed
Troy slashes at the elemental, and Kolaach fires his crossbow, and the creature, like its companion, dissipates!
Post Combat status:
Troy: 5/11
Wolf: 4 damage taken
As you carefully cross the river, you make it across without any additional effort, but as you continue beyond that point, the cold snow begins to blow, and after a few more minutes you find yourselves in what could only be described as a full on blizzard!
Runeson lowers his head and continues to slowly push through the blizzard, raising his voice to be heard over the howling wind.
"We need to find shelter, you southerners cant handle weather like this.."
His voice trails off, not sure how long he can handle weather like this.
”Yes, let us get your wolf back to health! Then we need to move up shelter!“
yes, finding some shelter and rest will do Voolk some good.
As you stumble ahead in the snowstorm you begin to feel yourselves freezing with the temperature dropping even below what it had been!
Nearly an hour later, as you trudge through the snow, you catch a break and there is an opening in the storm- and there, sitting on a hill is what is obviously a hunting lodge, complete with smoke coming from the chimney!
You make it to the lodge, and finding the door unlocked enter into the main room where a fire is burning in the hearth and you are able to dethaw.
"It is good to get out of the cold! Does anyone need a little help in recuperating? But to whom should we thank for this fire?"
"Welcome, travelers," a deep, gravelly voice booms from the unlit staircase, "my name is Lief... Lief Stoutspear. I made the fire but you are more than welcome to warm yourselves by it. I took a doe in the woods earlier too, before the snow got so bad; much of it is still hanging, but I stewed the liver, kidneys, tongue, and shanks. There's quite a bit left in that cauldron on the hearth, please help yourselves if you're hungry." Heavy footfalls echo on the hardwood stairs as the man behind the voice slowly descends.
"But now that you know who I am, perhaps you'd be good enough to tell me who you are?"
"Hello! Now you are a big fellow!" Dr. Gareau is an rather intimidating figure himself, with his dark greenish skin covered in tatoos and scars, and carrying a grotesque wooden mask, but still a good 4 inches shorter than the new comer and not nearly as buff.
"My name is Everard Gareau, but my friends just call me 'Doc'. Yes, I am a doctor of medicine and fortune, a friend of both shadows and the light. Get on my bad side and I will cause you misfortune, to be sure... but I am really quite friendly and helpful if you treat me in kind! Allow me to introduce the others, here."
"Runesone Twice-cursed, yet neither by myself!" the half-orc chuckles at his own joke. "He is the mismatch of our group, in that he is not as much of a standout in local society as the rest of us!"
"Troy Gol, who will surely regale you with stories once he has warmed by the fire a bit. This one has some fire in his blood, but really is a devout one at heart. Still, I would not get his blood boiling unless you wish to see his blades dance, which they do quite effectively."
"Kolaach Gosselin, who I am sure could make quite a set of pies from your stew if you gave him the chance. But it looks like you get the night off, little friend, as our host seems to have prepared food fro us already."
"Did you know we were coming?"
an orc, a goblin, some manner of fire-man, and another cursed person... could it really be that there is a group like this that would not judge my curse...
The heavy footfalls continue as the large figure comes down off the steps and into the firelight . ”I am cursed as well, Runeson, though it seems my curse is a bit more obvious than yours...” As Lief speaks, he allows his cloak to fall open and he reaches up and pulls back his hood. His large frame bulges with muscle and the leather and hide clothing he wears is adorned with numerous hooks and ties for holding weapons, though currently there is only a shortsword hanging at his side. More surprisingly, his bare misshapen feet end in paw-like claws and a tail flicks back and forth between his legs; as he draws down his hood, two large, swept-back horns are revealed.
”I did not know you were coming, no,” he answers, ”meat is better if you can let it hang a few days, without heat or bugs spoiling it, but the organs spoil quicker so I always cook them right away to make them last. In this cold, they actually would have been fine, I’m sure, but when you’ve been doing it the same way for decades, sometimes you just do it without even thinking about it.”
Troy nods.
"Hello! Troy is my name. You seem to have something in common with us!!" he says.
He looks a little scrawny but quite agile.
Resting on top of his chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Sarenrae is visible.
He has a natural confidence and presence that only few can project.
He wears light leather armor that looks like it has been recently oiled and carries a Scimitar at his hip that is attached to his wrist with a very fine chain.
”You are going to join the investigation!“ he states with a nonchalant attitude.
Runeson nods his head towards lief, a gentle expression of acceptance.
"I fear with time my curses will become more...obvious." As he speaks he unconsciously tugs at the wraps that cover his forearms from elbow to the tips of his fingers. His crazy unkempt black hair and beard make it seem as if he has been living in the wilderness for years, his cold blue eyes giving a vague sense of death whenever someone looks into them.
Runeson smirks at Troy's forwardness as he goes about grabbing himself some of the stew that was offered, once again nodding his head towards lief, a sign of appreciation.
Kolaach here, nice to meet you.
he says as he scratches the head of a wolf who is more physically imposing than the goblin adorned with his mismatched hodgepodge of cold weather traveling gear and bakers regalia
.and this is my best friend Voolk. Your stew does smell fantastic.
Kolaach heads towards the hot meal.
Aye Doc. I do have a recipe I think would make this stew into quite a pie. Assuming we don't just eat it.
The next day, the worst of the blizzard has passed, and you are able to begin on the road again, trying to get to the kidnapped aristocrat and the center of whatever it is that has caused these Snows of Summer.
The trail begins to climb a ridgeline to the south beneath snow-laden trees. The prints of boots and horses mar the freshly fallen snow on the trail.
You're fairly certain there are some people nearby, possibly bandits like those that abducted Lady Argentea- you can attempt to sneak forward if you'd prefer with stealth checks.
softly whispersAhh...finally a new track to follow.
and to follow the tracks
softly wispers ahh...finaly a new trail to follow.
and to follow the tracks
Shall we see if this is the indication we hunt.
In the morning, Lief makes his way back downstairs looking a bit more ready for action. In addition to a backpack he hadn't been wearing the previous evening, he's also equipped with quite a few additional weapons, including a greatsword, a warhammer, and a shortbow. As the party sets out, he volunteers, "I can go first, if you want, in case we are attacked?"
"I think it would be for the best if you lead the way lief
Runeson attempts to awkwardly stealth forward with the rest of the party
As you track the bandits, you come to a spot where they seem to be watching a roach in ambush, but you're coming up behind them and get the drop on 2/3 of them. Only one bandit will act in the surprise round.
Surprise Round
Turn Order:
1. Runseson
2. Lief
3. Bandits
4. Kolaach
5. Troy
6. Gareau
Runeson lifts his crossbow and fires at the bandit furthest from the party.
Lief steps up behind the nearest bandit, raises his greatsword above his head, and swings down hard at the unaware man.
Kolaach readies a pie and throws towards the one on the right not currently not in melee
Trusted mont Voolk moves towards the third bandit and bites and attempts to trip as well.
Surprise Round
Runesone snaps off a quick shot, but his bolt flies wide.
Lief steps up and swings his great sword, felling the bandit with a single nasty chop.
Kolaach throws his bomb, hitting the bandit but not splashing to any other.
Meanwhile his wolf surges forward, biting and tripping the bandit!
The one in the back who managed to catch your assault before you arrived fires an arrow at Lief:
A nasty hit catches the sin=spawn!
Turn Order:
1. Runseson
2. Lief
3, Kolaach
4. Bandits
5. Troy
6. Gareau
Bandits:
Red: -8, prone
Status:
Lief 16/22
Troy moves forward.
Runeson steps forward and summons the divine energy that powers his magic, casting burning hands across the two bandits that remain.
Lief advances on the bandit who shot him, swinging his large sword as he arrives.
Troy moves forward.
Round 1
Runeson positions himself and casts burning hands.
One looks set to avoid the worst of the fire, but even a tinge of it was enough to send him to the ground drying. The other takes the brunt of the fire, but being unwounded before stands his ground.
Lief chops the bandit, and he falls to the ground as well!
Status:
Lief 16/22
Searching the bandits, they had a total of 25 gold, and each were carrying size medium short bows, 20 arrows, padded armor, bucklers, and short swords.
Troy moves forward.
Round 1
Runeson positions himself and casts burning hands.
One looks set to avoid the worst of the fire, but even a tinge of it was enough to send him to the ground drying. The other takes the brunt of the fire, but being unwounded before stands his ground.
Lief chops the bandit, and he falls to the ground as well!
Status:
Lief 16/22
Searching the bandits, they had a total of 25 gold, and each were carrying size medium short bows, 20 arrows, padded armor, bucklers, and short swords.
Runeson moves towards the dying but not yet dead man, swiftly tossing his weapons out of his reach before casting stabilize on him.
"It might be useful to know what we are walking into for a change lads"
After a few minutes you revive the bandit.
Runeson looms over the bandit, wide eyed and crazy haired, one han vigorously scratching in his beard as he speaks
"listen here boy, you're gonna tell us what we wanna know, or were gonna curse you up so good no one in your family will escape it" He nods over to the good doctor as he speaks, hoping to depend on the bandits general fear and misunderstanding of divine and arcane magic to spook him.
"Is it just you fellas or are there more of you out there somewhere? You have any other targets come through this way? You seen some noble looking folks come this way?
”What he said!“ Troy says assertively!
Kolaach listens to the ongoing interrogation, trying to discern what is real.
Lief is unaccustomed to so much talking, so he stands quietly and watches as others question the injured man. He does, however, watch to make sure the man answers honestly.
The bandit, quite intimidated responds, "There's maybe, a dozen more of us. Our lodge is . Yes, we have the noble woman, the boss wanted her for something. Or the faeries he's working for wanted her? I don't know. We had to make a deal to work for the faeries to save our skins!"
Rohkar Cindren (picture on previous slide) is the bandit captain, and you get the idea that he and his men were defeated by the fey forces, then spared on condition of working for them- but he confirms that they have the noble woman you came to find.
Coerced or not. I feel we must free this noble before going after the true cause of this troublesome weather. Whatever these fairies are up to needs to be stopped so the farmers can get back to work so true winter's bite could be weathered. These fey designs need to be foiled, and I cannot find a quicker way to at least slow the chilly fate they seek.
Lief considers all that has been said and then offers, ”If they were made to do this, maybe you could tell them that we’re going to kill the faeries but we’ll let them live if they give back the woman?”
Runeson looks to the their prisoner "Would your leader negotiate with us? If we agree to spare them will they give us what they want? If not is there a back way in, a path you lot leave unguarded?
"He fears the faeries. I do too. They are. . . terrible creatures."
He describes the building to you; map is on the next slide- the two doors in one leads directly to the main area where the bandits stay and the other (H6) leads into a usually unoccupied room, but a bandit periodically steps out to the back porch to check the stables outside.
You'd be approaching from A1.
"So are we," Lief answers as blood and brains drip off his greatsword. "Can you get us into the building safely to talk to your leader, and do you think he will listen to reason if we offer to kill the faeries but spare him and his men in exchange for the woman?"
You get the picture that the faeries represent a much larger threat, that you won't be able to bargain the bandits out of working for at this point.