Baldrick makes a show of checking his gear, pushing his helmet down tightly, and giving his warhammer a bit of a spin-flourish, before nodding and grunting his assent.
As the group trudges out into the snow, Baldrick hangs back to walk next to Mир - the big man doesn't say much, which gives Baldrick a chance to think through what he wants to say. Also, he has questions that a druid seems well-placed to answer: "So... they're her children, the way we're all Moradin's children?"
b] What kind of being is Spitzel, Mother Tusk [/b] the eladrin inquires. That might help us if we need to come to his aid he adds.
The dwarf-like human looks to you all, Ready to go?
"Also... If ye don't mind me askin' - what was Spitzel scoutin' all about?" - Aggrammar adds to Mother Tusk.
"All set." replies Emmett to Turq, though his legs seemed to tell him otherwise, but the Old Man of Caer-Dal keeps this to himself and shoulders his heavy bag.
What kind of being is Spitzel, Mother Tusk the eladrin inquires
She had said Spritzel was an otter.
Welp following the more gifted trackers to find Spritzel it is then!
Welp following the more gifted trackers to find Spritzel it is then!
At the edge of the cave, Turq plops down and replaces his crampons with snowshoes, I'll be leadin' the way. These ugly shoes will be keepin' me from gettin' stuck in deep snow.
"Also... If ye don't mind me askin' - what was Spitzel scoutin' all about?" - Aggrammar adds to Mother Tusk.
Oh, you may not have heard me when we were in the caves when I explained that Spritzel was an otter. A troublesome one at that, but we all love him just the same. turning to Aggrammar, the walrus continues ”Always good to keep an careful watch on the lands surrounding your home. That’s how we know about the Nomads near by. Always one ear the ground and an eye to the sky.” Some of the other animals around seem to chirp and yip in agreement with Mother Tusk. ”Alright, be careful and good luck. May the blessing of the ancients walk with you on your tasks. We will talk more when you return.
With that another Tusk seems to usher you out of the cave into the howling winds of the tundra.
Turq knowing the general features of the area, and tries to get into the head of the little otter.
Trudging through the snow, Baldrick makes his way to Turq: "Mr. Barreltap? What's an otter?"
Receiving (hopefully) some minimal instruction about otter habitat and tracks, Baldrick slogs off on his own.
A little while later, he returns with a handful of snow: "Is this an otter footprint?" Of course, the loose snow no longer holds the print, but it's a good place to start.
Turq laughs, Little critter, mayhap the size o' a small dog? Related to the weasel, but swims like it were born to it...
The brewmaster kneels down at the tracks, Could be...
Mир often bends his massive self over to look a the snow-covered ground. Occasionally he takes a large whif of air, and then trudges on.
Emmett stays out of the way mostly, but instead sees that his companions' actions are coordinated and aligned to build on one another instead of against.
Knowing how to track in the wilderness the eladrin will try to help catch a trail
survival check
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Turq knowing the general features of the area, and tries to get into the head of the little otter.
As a young (er) dwarf, Aggrammar had spent some of his time out in hunting forays, or tending to the clan's beasts of burden - so he had a basic understanding of animal nature and intuition.
He tried to remember all he could about those days, and intuit what path might a small otter take to navigate such an expanse - the river or an underground current seemed logic, but if it was frozen over...
He also tried to assist with any tracking they may attempt.
Turq lays on his belly, surveying the snowdrifts before him, Now, which path would I be takin' if I were an otter? Hmmm?
Popping back up to his feet, the young man shakes his head, Nope, no good.
Then, without a word, he trudges on through the snow...
EDIT: I had more, but failed so spectacularly...
Umikh is no tracker, , but assuming the otter isn't either, he too tries to think like the little guy would and as the others look for tracks, he looks for larger landmarks that might hold some clues. If he's alone, he'd be looking for safe spots to stick close to in case the weather suddenly soured.
After you’ve traveled about two miles from Mother Tusk’s shelter, you notice something on the ground. Although the wind pushes snow around, easily spotted animal tracks mar the fresh dusting.
Through your team work, (both success and failure) you’re able to follow the tracks across the frozen tundra until you come upon what you believe could be your quarry.
Ahead of you, through the blowing snow, a pack of wolves chase a romp of a dozen otters, which weave through and around snow mounds and ice formations.
As the wolves close in, the sneaky otters zip through holes in the snow-packed earth. The wolves hesitate, but then the lead wolf barks a command, and the wolves leap into the holes as well, baying as they go.
Turq charges forward, unslinging his maul as he moves across the snow. His lungs burn with the exertion in the freezing cold, but he forces himself forward!
As he gets close enough, he roars to try to chase them off!
Emmett's legs are screaming from the exertion of fighting through snow and wind, but the sight of wolves, and otters, brings a smile of strange comfort to his lips as he hums a few wolves softly to sleep.
Mир rushes forward with a serious expression, a club firmly held in one hand.
Being from the free wild the Aladdin feels a certain connection to the mischievousness of the otters. Saying they are in danger from the wolves he will attempt to Frightened D wolves away By waving his arms in the air, like you just don't care, So hopefully no animals get hurt
"Ok then lads, let's go get'em!" - Aggrammar roars at his companions, calling a forth a Blessing to aid them in the coming combat.
Umikh runs off with the others, very surprised to see the wolves going down those warren holes. Cycle of life, wolves gotta eat, too, just not these otters. So he will do what he can to cause the wolves to back off, hoping it doesn't come to blows.
If the wolves don't come up to the surface as they approach, Umikh will try to taunt them into coming up after them and not the otters. Otherwise, down he'll go, axe out.
Baldrick, his gaze focused on the snowy trail at his feet, lifts his head slowly and blinks in wonder as his companions charge forward. Not entirely sure what's happening, he lets out a roar in solidarity and runs to catch up.
The otters, all gone to ground at the moment, do not have the opportunity to see their new allies coming to help. The wolves, responding to the lead wolf’s commanding barks have started leaping into the holes in the icy snow in pursuit. Just as the last remain wolves are about to leap into the hole, one of the canines collapse into a slumber.
The two remaining wolves, the apparent leader, and another smaller one, look toward the party. The charging dwarves and human present a formidable scene, but nothing could prepare one self for the imposing sight of a creature of the Feywild intent upon their destruction.
The second smaller wolf yelps and flees from the charging Eladrin while the large leader wolf raises its cackles toward the party and leaps into the hole.
As you come to where the otters and wolves disappeared, you peer into the dark holes seeing icy chutes leading down. The sound of growls and yips can be heard from below.
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Umikh runs up to a hole he's pretty sure he saw a wolf jump down. He gets down on his knees, axe in hand still, and peers inside. He can hear the yips, he hollers Get out of there wolf! Git! Go on, get ouuuuuttttt!. He has overextended himself, and slides headfirst down the hole! Unable to slow his fall, he hollers all the way as he slides down....
Really getting into the fun of running an hollering, Baldrick barely even hesitates as he charges and dives, headlong, into one of the holes.
Turq kicks off his snowshoes, snatching them up as he leaps, headfirst into the tunnel!
The eladrin, seeing that a few of the wolves may get out of this alive, will dive into the caves, rapier in hand, to come to the defense of the otters.
acrobatics check
As the eladrin shoots past the human fighter, he smacks him on the behind and keeps on going.
Mир wriggles his large body into the holes and into the slides. He winces as he imagines sliding into a rock or other hard object.
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Emmett hesitates. There was the sleeping wolf. Should he not kill him mercifully? But why really? This was not Caer-Dal. There was no community to think of here. Otters and wolves had their balance...
He hears the others shout and hurries to join them. The sight of them sliding down one by one makes him pale. Someone could break their neck...
He tires to point this out, but he is too late and he finds himself alone. The wind howls at him and he finds himself shivering.
He sighs, checks his pack, makes sure his rapier is not going to slam into his guts, or worse, then carefully sits on the edge of the hole and uses a dagger to slow his slide down to a crawl.
But the dagger can't find purchase and he picks up more speed than he'd like. His eyes widen as things accelerate around him and the ice gets a deeper shade of blue.
What if it's water down there?! he thinks, only now remembering his rope...
"There is no way in hell I am just jumpin' into some Gods forsaken hole in tha ground!" - Aggrammar roared - "I wait for ye lads up here!"
"Crazy kids..."
The ice slides end in a chamber flooded with a foot of frigid water. The otters swim adeptly at the far side of the cavern, avoiding the wolves’ snapping jaws. The icy bite of the water seeps up your wet clothes. At the back of the cavern, a low, ice-covered shelf rises out of the water.
Some of you land more gracefully than others as your trip down the chutes end. Four wolves are here as well as the otters. At your arrival, the largest of the wolves turns and growls menacingly. Surprisingly, the guttural sound emminating from the wolf forms words in deep, snarling Common, “This is our hunt. Find your own food.”
Baldrick grins wildly as he careens down the slide - this is more fun than he's had since he was a child! The bottom approaches quickly and he doesn't have time to overthink it - hitting a hard patch of snow and ice just so with a shoulder, Baldrick flips over to land deftly on his feet, his warhammer at the ready.
Sliding like he is going through a waterslide, Turq spins and slides up and over! When he shoots out of the opening, the stout warrior twists in the air, landing on his feet but the momentum throws him off a little and he has to catch himself with his hand, soaking his whole forearm in icy water.
Standing up, shaking his arm free of the quickly freezing water in a sheet of thin ice, Sorry, dog, Spritzel and his friends are our charge and you are going to have to beat us first.
Mир lies in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the chutes with a groan of pain.
The eladrin comes shooting out of the tunnel and lands so gracefully on his feet, barely making a sound as he does. He gives a grin as Turq comes bumbling out of the tunnel, thinking about how ungraceful a human can be. As the eladrin comes into view, mid air, he pulls out food from a pouch and tosses it in front of the wolves as he lands. so that he is armed with rapier.
You may eat this. The otters, not so much.
"Lads! Are ye alright down in there?!" - Aggrammar shouts into a hole.
Emmett lands flat on his back and he hears a loud pop coming from his lower back.
"Ow! My back! The pain is gone!"
Then he hears the wolf. He lifts his head, scrambling to get up.
Umikh lands flat on his back, and is mid "shoo" when the wolf speaks. Speaks! He hears the others say nope, we gonna fight you, and sees Rodalas offer some food thinking that was smart. He thinks maybe he can add to that offering, and starts to take off his pack, but he keeps his axe in his hand. Which he managed not to drop on that less than fun slide down!