You know that this creature is called an Atomie, though it is different than you're familiar with. Atomies usually have green skin, while this one is blue. It also seems less mischievous, and more vindictive.
Aside from the ability to speak with animals, they have some magics which let them manipulate the size of various things.
If Uthred cannot charge, he will instead double move.
Junan, Oriol and Uthred are all trudging through the snow to get to the elusive blue-skinned Atomie, which Nutar is able to identify. Junan is able to resist the spell that was cast on his weapon.
The ballsy little fey backs away from Uthred to have room to cast another spell. Nearly spitting the arcane words in his anger, he looks to Uthred and releases the magic.
Initiative:
Oriol
Junan
Uthred
Nutar
Stag; Dead.
Atomie
Uthred becomes small sized!
[dice=Fort DC 15]1d20+5
Uthred becomes small sized!
Oriol continues to move towards the fey.
Junan continues stalking towards the creature forcing his way through the thick snow.
"Ha hhhhhhha! I tricked you, fey! you've made me the most powerful archer who ever lived!!"
Uthred draws his (small) shortbow and starts shooting with renewed aim, vigor and dexterity!
Uthred laughs, and maintains his viking song for his melee friends!
Nutar moves closer with the others, handing out guidance spells.
Junan and Oriol continue to make their way towards the Atomie, but a shrunken Uthred quickly pulls out his bow and manages to graze the fey with a shrunken arrow. Unfortunately, his tiny body seems to unconcerned about the hit.
Nutar spends his time helping out his allies with some minor enchantments.
"Stupid, slow humans!" the atomie growls at you all, in a comically high-pitched voice. It zips away from Junan and Oriol and starts casting a spell.
Initiative:
Oriol
Junan
Uthred
Nutar
Stag; Dead.
Atomie
Once the fey is kind enough to present Oriol with an opportunity to slash it, he doesn't waste his chance. "HA! DIE BUGGER!"
He then feels magic trying to do something to him and with the help of Uthred's strange song, he shakes the effect and soon drops his sword and draws his crossbow to finish the creature, angrier than usual.
Junan mutters a curse at the annoying flying creature.
Junan is a little slower to react, missing his swing, but Oriol scores a solid hit on the Atomie; not enough to bring it down before the fey gets his spell off. Oriol is able to fight off the effects of the shrinking enchantment and retaliates with a well-placed crossbow bolt, finally felling the vexing creatures.
Uthred retrieves his arrow. "Well, that was... interesting. So far, in all these fights leading here, I seem to have a mobility problem. The damned snow is not as fun as I remember it when I was growing up as a lad... I'll need to find myself some snowshoes... and maybe a pack animal for the gear, so that I can run faster..."
Oriol nods to Uthred's assessment. "True... but that only works in our favor if these fey decide to keep flying in our reach. Two or three feet higher and we'll have to work only with our bows."
"Bah! wish I would have brought the brothers along... they're better than me with the bow..."
Nutar picks up Uthred and plants him on Oriol's shoulders. "Should wear off in a bit." Nutar says, clearly amused at the predicament of their little warrior.
"I still have some magic to spare. Press on."
"Perhaps we should slow down, make camp, and make sure we're strong for the fight ahead. Also, is one of you a decent scout? wouldn't hurt to know a thing or two about what's coming while the rest of us setup camp..."
Nutar looks forward on the trail, frowning. Then he looks up at the waning sunlight. "Fine. But we break early, before the sun gives them much time to move."
Nutar wordlessly moves forward after Uthred's question about a scout, crouching in the snow once he gets a bit further out.
As the group decides to set a camp for the night, Nutar scouts ahead breifly. He makes his way down the worn snowy path, but it seems to keep going to the west. To this point, there doesn't seem to be any activity.
Meanwhile the rest of the team pitches the tent and gets a good fire going to stave off the cold.
"Oriol: can you help me put this giant tent together? Junan: we'll need lots of wood overnight. You can borrow my axe if you can't find any on the ground. There..." says Uthred, handing Junan his axe as he begins to unfold the pavillion.
"I can't see that great in the dark. Getting our shelter ready now is probably a good idea."
Once camp is being made he seems at a loss for what to do as he usually just has his tent to worry about. Relieved, Juan nods at Uthred's command and wanders off a bit to try to find some drier wood.
Unfortunately the snow hinders his efforts. He digs through the snow hoping to find a downed tree he can cut some branches off of.
Oriol helps with the camp without complaining and quite eager to secure them a good, and warm, place for them to rest. "So, what is your take on what is going on? If Yuln was telling the truth, we are facing bandits and cold fey. We have confirmed so far the cold fey part... but are they working together?"
While Nutar scouts ahead, Uthred organizes that building of the camp, and in short order you have a reasonably comfortable arrangement put together.
Nutar returns with a brace of rabbits from his return trip and the groups sits down to a meal and discussion of the day before bedding down to rest.
The night goes by without incident, and the group wakes with the morning sun.
Nutar comes back when the tent is mostly pitched, but at least he has some rabbits for his efforts. "Nothing for at least ten minutes." He notes, then starts kindling the fire and sets about skinning the rabbits. Before long the sizzle of meat and the scent of greasy fat being consumed by flames is making stomachs rumble.
Nutar sits on the ground, legs up to his chest with an arm wrapped around them, other hand absentmindedly turning the rabbit carcasses. As the others move about his eyes start flicking to follow them. After some time of silence he finally takes a sharp inhale. "So why do any of you care about this? Seems you're mostly in it for the money, but the town didn't promise anything. And you're too capable to just be bored."
"If there are bandits. Maybe these other creatures killed them all after they attacked the noble's caravan."
Juan sits quietly for a bit before answering Nutar, "I can't stand idely by while knowing there is a person kidnapped that I can do something about. It seems like only a short while ago I was freed from my cage."
"Me? glory of course! I'll be making a song about how we saved that noble lady, and no one will be able to call me a liar: I got the three of you as witnesses. Hmm... maybe I'll work you into that song too, even Nutar, now that he's shown himself to be useful with these rabbits! BWAHAHAHAH!"
Uthred slaps Nutar on the shoulder (perhaps a bit too hard for the taste of the thin human)
Nutar smiles sardonically when Uthred boasts, which turns into a grimace as he rolls his shoulder back. Nutar may be in pretty good shape, but he's definitely not strong. "Hope you don't want me singing in those. Had to survive for a week off boiled licorice root, voice has never been the same."
He lapses into silence for a moment after Junan answers, poking the beginning of the coals. "Some might say running around trying to help anybody in trouble, sticking your neck out, good way to get it cut off." The coals shift suddenly and Nutar brings the stick back, his face furrowing with concern. "Others would say if nobody is willing to risk themselves, nothing will get any better." His face goes still and he jabs the stick back into the coals. "Maybe it doesn't matter either way." He looks to Junan for a moment, but averts his eyes when his gaze is met, going back to checking on the rabbits. "What cage?" He asks quietly.
Junan takes a deep breathas though gathering strength to recall the details. "Its actually what started my journey. I was enslaved and sold to some witches that did some experiments... probably fuebto my elemental blood.. I was being worked on when some glowing being burst in and killed all my captors. It took one of my fellow slaves and disappeared. I was left alone there and only survived thanks to the kindness of strangers. If I can be that stranger for someone, I will happily put myself at risk to do so." This last bit is stated with fierce determination.
Nutar sits on the ground, legs up to his chest with an arm wrapped around them, other hand absentmindedly turning the rabbit carcasses. As the others move about his eyes start flicking to follow them. After some time of silence he finally takes a sharp inhale. "So why do any of you care about this? Seems you're mostly in it for the money, but the town didn't promise anything. And you're too capable to just be bored."
"I don't really know yet... my last job payed well and I could go on with my life for about two or three other weeks without having to worry about another one." Oriol confesses. "I believe we do not really know why we do what we do, not truly... only the wisest of men have an answer to this questions."
"Like, would I like to rescue this lady? Yes. Would I like to punish some bandits? Yes. Would I like to not do any of this and see the councilwoman back in Heldren get her ass whooped by this lady's husband? Certainly. Would I like to know more about this strange weather? Yes... and so on. Which is the main reason? I have no idea, and perhaps in truth it is neither of them."
"This is why warriors need a SKALD among them! to remind them that it is all for GLORY! everything else is drudgery and survival and boring nonsense!"
Nutar, despite his earlier musings, does not seem willing to challenge Junan in the face of his determination. He pokes at the coals quietly, absorbing the words.
Nutar starts to ponder Oriol's words, but Uthred snaps him out of his morose mood. He grins, relieved to be distracted. "I suppose that's the simplest way to live." He takes the crispy rabbits off the fire. "Alright, come get it!"
The night goes by without incident, and the group wakes with the morning sun.
After breaking camp and their fast, the group continues after their quarry. While there has been some snow fall, it's still fairly easy to follow the trail left by the bandits, which continues to the west.
The trail leads to a small stream that seems to have been frozen over. A human-sized snowman stands in the middle of the trail before the stream. A crude wooden sign leans against it and bears the words "Trespassers Turn Back."
Aside from the fact that the area is quiet, nothing else seems to stand out.
"Assuming we are ignoring that sign?" At least it looks like we are on the right track."
Junan shrugs and continues trudging through the snow.
"Beware of traps... these bandits have crafted traps after traps so far. I'd say we leave this snowman alone by moving around it from a good distance." Oriol offers as he tries to stop Junan from moving closer.
Nutar examines the snowman, as well as the surrounding landscape, with a great deal of suspicion.
Nutar examines the snowman from what he suspects to be a safe distance, but is unable to find anything appearing to be a trap, while Oriol advises extra caution an walk around the suspicious snowman.
"Wait! we should find a long branch on the forest floor and poke at this from a distance!"
"Just a snowman." Nutar walks up to it, thrusting a hand into the center of the crystalline sentry. A few moments later the snowman starts slouching, and water runs from the center as steam rises into the air. Nutar withdraws his hand, the water steaming off and leaving it dry. He indicates for the others to lead on.
At Uthred's suggestion Junan points at his weapon and shrugs. Oriol seems to have a good head on his shoulders so he stops approaching only to have Nutar stride right by him. He watches curiously to see what happens.
Seeing no danger, Nutar walks up to the snowman to thrust his hand into it's being. Within a few steps, the head of the snowman shimmers, and a mouth opens up, and yells at Nutar, "Can't you read? The sign says turn back! Now get lost!"
Nutar jumps up in shock when the snowman speaks to him. Much more sentry than I thought. "We're only here to hunt some bandits." He mumbles, backing up and weirdly cowed by the scolding snowman.
The snowman does not respond to Nutar's scorned retort. In fact, you don't see any sign of the mouth, anymore, either.
"Stop protecting those bandits, whoever you are! help us and join us! we'll make it worth your while believe me... those other ones who stole that fancy lady: they've got nothing compared to what we've been authorized to offer!!!"
The only sound that responds to Uthred is the wind and the faint sound of the ice creaking in the stream.
Uthred casts detect magic.
Uthred then casts mage hand and pushes the head of the snowman to the ground.
During all this exchange of words, Oriol leaves the trail and walks a good 40 or 60 feet away around the snowman until he reaches the other side of the trail, mumbling something life "Fool me once..."