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Drawing out the Gathering of Power a little longer, Pai finally unleashes a massive wave of electrically charged water at the linnorm.
Charged Water Blast costs 2 Burn and does 50% Bludgeoning and 50% Electrical damage.
Empower Blast costs 1 Burn.
She Gathered Power for a full round and a move action (that's the max), so she can reduce the Burn cost of the next blast by 3 (so she's down to 0 Burn so far).
She's using Extended Range to hit targets within 120'. The Burn for this is mitigated by Infusion Specialization.
Pai takes 0 Burn this turn.
Elena throws her force sword at the linnorm, but the throw is off target and misses.
Artic is surrounded with a healing light and seeks justice against the linnorm. She steps up to strike, but the swing is wide and fails to hit. She swings again, putting some power into the strike, but it also misses.
Pai unleashes a torrent of sparking water that blasts the linnorm in its side. The linnorm howls as it writhes in pain.
Mykel steps up and slashes away, the first swing leaving a deep gash in the linnorm's neck. His second swing doesn't connect.
The linnorm takes a step back, then lunges its head forward and attempts to sink its fangs into Shido.
But only snaps at empty space!
It then lashes out with its claws at Artic...
Leaving deep wounds.
And finishes with a tail strike against Mykel...
The swashbuckler ducks as the tail sweeps over him and he parrys the blow, then he slashes back at the beast causing more damage.
Pai:
Mykel:
Elena: -40 hp
Artic: -35 hp (resist fire 10)
Linnorm: -150 hp (recharge 2/3, -3 to all rolls)
Shido: -20 hp
Tobi: -20 hp
Lulari: -15 hp
The owlbear stumbles on some snow covered rocks causing Shido to miss the linnorm twice.
Artic's sword cleaves through the dragon's neck, lopping off its head. The dragon collapses and exhales its final breath.
Artic feels a deathly cold chill tingle up her spine.
Pai:
Mykel:
Elena: -40 hp
Artic: (resist fire 10)
Linnorm:
Shido: -20 hp
Tobi: -20 hp
Lulari: -15 hp
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"Yeah! Wahoo!" Pai soars down from the sky once the linnorm collapses. "Okay! None of us died! How's everyone doing? Anything that a whack with a little Cure Light Wounds wand won't fix?" As she engages in her post-fight-still-coming-down-from-the-adrenaline-rush-hyperactive-babbling, tiny arcs of electricity arc through her hair, which is standing straight out like the fur of a scared cat. No wonder she keeps it cut short.
Once the linnorm vestige is slain, the image of Kolvi in the clouds beheads her foe with a thunderclap. She salutes to you before the storm clouds dissipate.
Artic's tingling sensation fades away and she no longer has a feeling of overwhelming dread.
Regaining their senses after the epic battle, the party heals up. Mykel pries a tooth from the linnorm and realizes the carcass contains a wealth of scales, teeth, horns, and claws. You manage to collect a modest amount of scales and other parts to take back with you.
The group loads up the sleigh and begin their journey back to Frostbreach.
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Elena looks a bit ashamed.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't able to hit it. I think that dragon was way over my league. I'm just glad everyone is fine. Mykel, Pai, Artic, you guys are amazing, that was impressive. I hope I get the chance to go out on a mission with you all again some time."
Elena will continue healing herself. This wasn't her day.
35/59 hp
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Lulari breathes a huge sigh of relief as the beast collapses, and backs out of reach, hoping never to get that close again.
"I was impressed with all of you. Shidou, you and Tobikuma make a mighty team! I just hope that Kolvi is satisfied and we can convince everyone of what we saw."
It takes a few minutes, but Lulari's hands eventually stop shaking.
The trail leading back to Frostbreach twists, turns, and eventually crosses a small frozen creek. Two large rock outcroppings jut from the chilled earth, overlooking the nearby surroundings. Elena brings the horses and sleigh to a stop when she notices an ulfen man with a big longbow standing atop the outcropping on the other side of the creek and two warriors with axes blocking the trail ahead. The ulfen man with the big bow calls out to you.
"Halt, outlanders! You've been asking too many questions in town. We know what you're up to and whatever you found out there doesn't belong to you. Hand it over, now!"
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Really? Look..we were sent here to accomplish a mission and we are going to do that. What we have uncovered might just be of interest to the entire village. So, lower your weapons and we will proceed to get someone who knew details of the happenings that day. Yes, that's right...now...shall we? Mykel says, trying to not lose his cool and expose the others to danger.
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Shidou will dismount, place his lance and axe in holsters on Tobikumaa's saddle, and begin unbuckling the armor he found. "This will take a moment, if you please." As he switches back to his own breastplate, he continues, "We have no desire to either rob or fight you. We simply wish to share what we found with everyone in the town."
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Elena brings out the items they found and show it to them.
"We have recovered these from the bodies of King Alvard's lost guard. They left messages for their families and will gladly return them to them directly. Are you from the Coalbraids clan? We have also information and witnesses that should clear both families."
Diplomacy Auto-Aid Mykel with +4 on top of that.
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Lulari checks the warriors for any clan symbols, unsure which side they are dealing with.
"We *did* just defeat a linnorm, so are you certain you want to take us on? Well, they did," she comments offhandedly, pointing at Shidou, Pai, Mykel, and Arctic. "I just stood back and watched. I don't mind doing that again, if you want."
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"you know honestly, I'd back off, some of us are not in a great mood after that fight and being injured, but if you insist on actually pressing things, there is a dead body up that way you can check yourself if you don't believe us, and though I'd rather avoid conflict, if you insist on it I think we will oblige you all, against our better intentions"
Artics hard not reaching for her weapon but acting like she is adjusting her gloves as she speaks
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Pai casually flies up above everyone's heads, ensuring that her Enveloping Winds is active, just in case that nimrod tries shooting an arrow at her. Since everyone else is speaking softly while carrying a big stick, she tries to follow suit. Holding aloft her tooth, she exclaims: "Looky looky! There's still gummy gums on this one. And boy, you will Not. Believe. what we discovered! We can't wait to tell you, but we hate repeating ourselves. You know how it goes."
The ulfen archer lowers his bow.
"We know you're trying to disparage us Coalbraids! Don't try... to..."
He pauses a moment, squinting to get a better look at Shido.
"Hey! Is that serpentkin taking off his armor!?!"
He clearly has a puzzled look.
One of the axe-wielding female warriors on the path calls up to the archer.
"Uhh... Vargi? It looks like some old Coalbraid armor."
"What!?! Are you sure?"
The warrior woman takes a few steps closer.
"Ja, ja! I'm pretty sure that's Coalbraid armor! And that looks like Alvard's axe! The one mentioned in the tales."
Vargi the ulfen archer turns back to you.
"What about that battle in the clouds? Ice magic, it was! Tryin' to frighten the entire town to make them leave so you can pillage the entire place!?!"
After a bit of back-and-forth discussion, you manage to diffuse the situation and come to a peaceful resolution.
"Alright, then. There is no need for blood to be spilled. We'll take you back to the council elders who will hear your tale and judge its merit."
Vargi climbs down from the outcropping and approaches your group with weapons sheathed. Vargi is carrying a Hornbow. He notices a few of you are interested in the mighty bow. It becomes a topic of conversation for the journey back.
Vargi and the two Coalbraid women accompany the Pathfinders back to town, and actually become more sociable and friendly on the way.
About an hour into your trek in the Snow Elk Wilds, you encounter Olissarra the huldra, who steps out from the treeline. "You've made some new friends, I see" she says.
The superstitious Coalbraids go for their weapons, but seeing you greet the huldra peacefully they stay their hands. "That's better" she says with a smirk.
"Shall we go on to Frostbreach then?"
The town is just a few more miles away...
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Pai is just about to spill the beans about how the team met Olissarra the huldra, when she realizes that *maaaaybe* that's not the right foot to start on. So instead she chatters about how much she likes Frostbreach. "I mean, the food's hearty, the folks've been mostly kind and welcoming to us so far, and the cold--well, I gotta say, it's cold, but not that cold. Haven't been out just before dawn yet. Bet that's colder. But it's really not too bad." Her constant vibrating and fidgeting work to her advantage here, generating heat. "But anyway, it sure would be nice to get everyone willing to work together instead of feuding. Your town would get a better reputation and you might get more folks coming through to buy things on their way to and from the north and all. Good for business; good for everyone, you know?"
~DISPELLING THE LEGEND~
Vargi considers Pai's words as the group enters town.
"Aye, little one. The town has gone to hell because of all the feuding. It would be nice to see Frostbreach a prosperous town once again."
Returning to Frostbreach, the townsfolk are abuzz about reports of the strange combat in the clouds as well as your recent exploits—or at least those exploits as processed by the town’s rumor mill. With emotions running high, the town council calls a meeting to learn what you were doing. The Trolltooths and Coalbraids attend in force, each anxious about what you have to say and how this could cause the other family to lose face.
A short while later you stand in the longhouse of the Elder Council. The Trolltooth clan is arrayed on one side of the hall, the Coalbraids opposite. High Priestess Valosi stands in the center at a makeshift lectern.
"Strangers," Valosi addresses you. "You came to our town investigating the Jarlsblood Witch saga. We all witnessed the display in the sky, and felt the rain of blood and ash. Now you must explain yourselves!"
The eyes of almost the entire town turn in your direction, anxious to hear what you have to say.
~DISPELLING THE LEGEND~
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...
The chirping of snow crickets can be heard outside.
High Priestess Valosi, the Trollbloods, the Coalbraids, and the elders of the town stare at you as they wait for you to tell what you have learned this whole time.
Valosi bangs her fist on the lectern to get your attention.
"Well? Do you have anything to say? If not, then I think your business in Frostbreach is finished here."
Olisarra nudges Mykel in the side.
"C'mon! Say something."
She whispers out of the corner of her mouth.
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Mykel clears his throat.
Citizens of Frostbreach..we were tasked to investigate some recently uncovered information by a member of the Society...regarding the past...incidents, to put it as neutrally as possible. We have followed our information and with some testimony of someone with first hand knowledge of what transpired... Mykel waves an arm and indicates Olisarra and nods to her.
...we humbly submit our evidence...Shidou...give me a hand, will you please? he says as he gets out the recovered items...the axe, armour, the horn and then the pieces of the linnorm the group felled.
Is this enough to convince you of Kolvi's innocence? and end this grudge?
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"This evidence is a start, but let us show you what the spirit of Kolvi told us transpired." Lulari pulls out the scroll and casts enlarge person on Shidou.
She leans over to whisper to the group. "I think a reenactment might be effective. Elena, you want to be Kolvi? I'm not great at speaking, but I'll try."
Straightening up, she speaks, pausing as the others act out what happened.
"Your king Alvard was cursed by the linnorm he slew and subsequently betrayed the fey creatures of the wilderness. It is they who caused the ice storm when Alvard and his companions returned to the forest attacked Kolvi."
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"Plus, King Alvard was undead, and he thought we were the linnorm, so he attacked us. He was super paranoid about it, too. We defeated him, and saw Kolvi fighting the linnorm's spirit, and found out Kolvi was keeping the linnorm's spirit from attacking your town by battling it constantly ever since she was killed, and then we defeated that undead linnorm too, just like this!" At this point Pai Gathers Power right there in the longhouse. Jagged streaks of electricity and writhing streams of water swirl around her, entering her body. There is a brief moment of silence as she holds it all in, eyes glowing with power, before she flings her arms at super-huge Shido and releases it in a wild burst that blows hats off heads and soaks everyone within 20 feet of her. Within seconds, all the water has dried and the hall is back to normal (reactions to her display excepted, of course.) She shrugs as if that was nothing.
"And now that the linnorm is really dead it won't come back to destroy your town, and King Alvard's curse is lifted so he's actually at rest, and Kolvi's spirit has moved on to wherever spirits usually go when they die. So really the only thing left is what you guys are gonna do about it."
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Elena helps Mykel by adding a few details to explain further.
"Indeed. It was a great tragedy born out of fear from King Alvard from the Linnorm's curse. After betraying the fae who helped him defeat the linnorm, he dared step into their territory to chase after Kolvi. I think Olisarra here can explain that part better as she was the one who brokered his deal. Their magic is what the survivor mistook as Kolvi's magic but it wasn't that. Some of his guards survived just long enough to break away from the fight and seek shelter to leave a message before succumbing."
Elena will give back the gear they found to the respective family.
"There we found the spirit of King Alvard and Kolvi, still bound to this realm by the curse and duty. Alvard's spirit was somehow tainted as Lulari said... The linnorm was trying to use him to come back to life and Kolvi wouldn't let that happen. She spent all these years fighting the dragon's soul to keep him there... but he needed to die a second true death. As we fought it, there was a great storm in the sky, as if Kolvi was battling one last time with us. We defeated the linnorm vestige and without anything else, we decided to come back. We took a few tokens from the dragon as proof of its defeat."
Elena will try to do an reenactment of the battle in the sky they saw in the sky.
And she will do some acrobatics to make it more exciting.
~DISPELLING THE LEGEND~
At Mykel's invitation, Olisarra steps forward. There are gasps from the crowd when they see the fey swish her fox tail.
"People of Frostbreach!"
Olisarra begins, then continues,
"Your King asked us creatures of the wilds for assistance hunting a linnorm. We made a deal and your king did not keep his end of the bargain. Kolvi, the true warrior that she was, showed proper respect to us and our land. The king taunted his past benefactors by daring to enter our territory once more. My partner, Moss-on-South-Trees, called down a terrible blizzard, and here Kolvi repelled the king and his companions, beheading the king with her sword, not with magic."
Shouts of disbelief and the occasional "witch!" erupt from the crowd. Olisarra continues,
"You mess with the fey in their territory, you get what's coming to you."
"That doesn't prove anything!"
A Coalbraid shouts, followed by grumblings from both sides.
"Silence!" Valosi shouts to calm the crowd.
"Let the outlanders speak!"
Mykel brings out the items they collected in the catacombs and parts from the linnorm. Pai shows the rubbings of their engravings from the cave wall. A reverent hush descends on the crowd. "The armour of Ulric the Bold!" "And the horn of Piet Coalbraid, King Alvard's herald!"
"Return these relics to us. As the fallen wished for as written on the cave wall." Magorn Coalbraid breaks the silence, though his tone is soft. Many of the Trolltooths nod in agreement. Many state that they do not wish to enter the catacombs.
"Ulric and Piet are now at rest in a place where many of our ancestors are interred. We shall leave their bodies in peace."
Valosi recites a solemn prayer for the fallen.
Lulari and Shido put on a performance and tell their tale. More gasps and objections erupt, especially at the mention of "undead" and "curse".
The crowd responds with a mixture of cheers and incredulous jeering - depending on which side of the aisle they stand.
There is light clapping at Shido's performance after he falls to the ground in mock death.
The crowd is impressed by Elena's theatrics and her telling of the great battle in the sky. Even some of the Coalbraids nod in apparent approval.
After all of the witness accounts are said and done, the Trolltooths smile, though not without sadness. The Coalbraids are downcast. Some seem to want to continue arguing.
The High Priestess holds up her arms to silence the murmuring.
"These outlanders, err... Pathfinders, have proven to us that we need to rewrite the legend of Kolvi the Warrior and King Alvard."
Valosi looks from one clan to the other.
"Will you end this feud now? Magorn? Greul?" she sincerely asks the elders of each clan.
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Take heart, my friends. Your ancestors had no idea of what was truly affecting King Alvard and got caught in the middle of it. There's no shame on defending one's family name. But now, you have the chance to build up from the ground up a better Frostbreach for everyone," Elena will encourage the Coalbraids with an honest warm smile, hoping the best for their people.
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~DISPELLING THE LEGEND: THE CONCLUSION~
"I accept the evidence. Kolvi was a warrior, and no witch." Magorn Coalbraid answers after stepping forward, bowing his head. But several of his family members spit on the ground, turn their backs and leave.
Magorn approaches you and shakes your hands.
"I thank you for returning our relics. And I gift them to you, on behalf of the clan. For you have honoured the memory of our ancestors."
The butchering axe, hornbow, chainmail, and huntmaster's horn are brought forward and placed in front of you.
"None but a Linnorm King may command me, stranger, noble or no!" Greul Trolltooth objects, his eyes narrowed.
"Spoken like a true Ulfen!" Magorn Coalbraid laughs. He holds out his hand towards Greul. Greul takes it, and the two embrace.
"Our thanks to you, Pathfinders," says Valosi, pleased with the outcome between the two clans.
"You will always find a welcome in the halls of Frostbreach."
Afterwards, you are invited as guests of honor at a reconciliation feast thrown to begin mending bridges between the two major families. There is an almost endless amount of fish stew and reindeer steaks, while mead and ale flows freely. Some of the townsfolk are intrigued by Pai's watery powers and ask to see more. She happily obliges and puts on a big show in front of the Elders' Longhouse.
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Back at Iceferry, Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen is pleased to learn of your success and congratulates you on a job well done. He provides you with a glowing recommendation to take back to Lady Gloriana Morilla. He also ensures that she receives a shorter report through magical means so that she can act on the Ulfen Guard informant’s intelligence as soon as possible. The response she sends is troubling, though: various factions and organizations in Taldor are mobilizing for something big, and the Society may discover what that is in the coming days. Lady Morilla does advise, though, that she will need some of the Society’s finest on hand to manage whatever chaos results.