Krokod nods then follows. Frustration crosses his features, and no small amount of concern, but he's not about to abandon his friends
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
Linge snaps to and begins tending to those that are wounded. She discovers that the only one that she can stabilize is the one who was by the front door. All of the ones who came out of the south room look frail.
You discover that they have signs of an illness your mother would have told you about. Chillbane Shakes. Though not lethal, it does cause sickness and fatigue that makes daily life difficult along with uncontrollable shakes as if you’re chilled to the core.
Mia and Kessir move to the door closest to the west entry point and it reveals a bedroom. It looks as if no one has slept in this room. Possibly a room set up by the sentinels for travelers.
Mia leaves the door open and goes to one of the doors on the northern side of the lodge.
Linge saves the bandit who can be saved.
"It looks like they're all sick," she informs the party. "Chillbane Shakes. A type of hypothermia."
"That might be something they caught from the fairies. I'm not sure they're working with them at all."
After her work is done, the healer moves closer to Mia. She keeps Horn at her side, in case Mia needs help.
Hmm, Hypothermia and disease can kill more people on a campaign then swords, especially if you add in malnutrition, like, individually these things arent that threatening, but if they all pile up an individual can get pretty messed up, like, becomes stationary and forces the group to halt and stuff Kriemhild opines
Is there anything preventive we can do to not catch it? She continues
"You want me to .. risk touching them and try a magic that lets them endure the elements? I don't know if it would work and I'm skittish about risking infection but I can try?" Krokod offers
"I think our best course of action is to steer clear. The last thing we need is to catch some magical disease and bring it back to Heldren," Kessir said matter-of-factly.
"I know you want to help them, Linge, and I know how it makes me sound but, these men killed several people, turned two of them into undead, and left the rest to rot in the dirt." Kessir sighed and softened his tone a bit, "We can't save everyone. And we still have to figure out what's going on with this winter."
Kessir headed to the stairway and peered up the flight of stairs. "The longer we spend down here, the more time whoever is up there has to prepare."
"Is there anything preventive we can do to not catch it?"
Linge stares a bit blankly at Kriemhild. "Er. Not really," she explains awkwardly. "Don't get in the line of cold magic...? That's it?"
"I know you want to help them, Linge, and I know how it makes me sound but, these men killed several people, turned two of them into undead, and left the rest to rot in the dirt."
"We still don't know if they were the ones who used necromantic magic," the druid asserts. [b]"And it's up to Heldren to judge them for their actions, not us."[b]
She follows the party as they approach the stairs, keeping close to Kriemhild.
Krokod hears this talk of infection with some alarm. For now he follows. It's all so very wrong. Winter is here, and we become harder and crueler. But we might need to to survive? THIS Is why I left... well, that and nearly being sacrificed.
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"You're right," Kessir admitted. "We don't know that they used necromancy. We do know that they attacked a carriage, killed all but one guard, kidnapped a noble, and are working for winter witches. The scales are tipped pretty far toward the 'they used necromancy' side.
I don't want to be here. I want to be home. Listening to a sermon or practicing for the archery contest. But we're here. I ha-We have to protect Heldren."
Kessir placed a foot on the bottom stair, "And I just realized that we missed Archerfeast."
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Kessir placed a foot on the bottom stair, "And I just realized that we missed Archerfeast."
"Oh blazes," He fusses at that, yanked out of his deep and foreboding thoughts by the offer of a shelter to a much less important but beloved topic, "I had 7 silver on you to win!"
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
Mia begins moving through the doors on this level looking for more threats or this Rohkar that the half-orc mentioned. This first room is empty besides a single bed that looks as if it was recently used. There is a door in this room that leads to the next. It’s unlocked. Opening it reveals another sturdy bed that is heaped with blankets, you also see a large maple chest in the southwest corner. There is a door that leads to the final room. Opening it reveals another bed and chest sitting at opposite ends of the room. There is a window that looks across the north side of the lodge. Both chest sit locked.
The only door that sits closed is the door at the top of the stairs.
2 chest to be opened later. And the way up, possible location. Kriemhild announces as she readies to move up.
"I'll be right behind you," Mia tells Kriemhild.
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
Kriemhild approaches the upper room with Mia right behind her. Opening the door reveals an L-shaped table with many chairs taking up most of the floor space in this loft. A second smaller table sits near the entrance, and several windows look over the snowy grounds of the lodge. One of the windows sits open. In the southwest corner, a large map hangs on the wall, opposite another door in the northeast wall.
Your eyes are quickly drawn to a pile of bones that suddenly stirs, rising up to take on a human shape and burst into blue-white icerime cold. It’s long bony fingers reach out to claw at the living, enshrouded with an unending cold that freezes to the core.
The closest skeleton moves up towards the door and swipes out with its claw. It rakes across Kriemhild and at first she only feels the cut of the claws, but she quickly feels the icy chill spread through her. Kriemhild is barely standing.
Kriemhild and Mia sees a frost beginning to spread from the skeleton and begins to freeze the floor and walls around it. It begins to freeze them from their feet up. Kriemhild collapse on the top landing of the stairs.
Initiative: Round 1
Them
All of You
.
.
Mia grabs Kriemhild as she starts to fall and pulls her back down the stairs.
"Skeletons," she calls down.
"OH great! That's just..." He breaks into a run as he THOUGHT he heard a thud! A Kriemhild sounding thud?
With another blow of her whistle, Linge sends Horn up the stairs to cover Mia and Kriemhild while they get away.
When Mia comes within arm's reach, dragging the unconscious Kriemhild, the druid gathers what's left of her magic to heal the half-orc.
So much happened in such a short time. Krie went down. Hard. Mia tried to catch the half-orc. Then a sharp whistle sound preceded the mass of fur rushing past Kessir.
“More undead,” Kessir muttered.
Kessir spoke a few words and touched the symbols of Erastil around his neck, “Stag Lord, guide my aim.”
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
Mia, seeing Kriemhild fall, grabs ahold of her and falls back down the stairs away from the skeleton. Tumbling down the stairs, Mia is unable to cushion Kriemhuld hitting the wall or railing. They both take a slight beating on the way down.
Both Mia and Kriemhild are unconscious at the bottom of the stairs as Linge moves forward and heals Kriemhild.
Initiative: Round 1
Them
All of You
Mia clamps her teeth together as she feels herself falling back with Kriemhild. She is certain this is going to hurt, and she is proven right as slams into the stairs and slides down them. Her head slams into the floor between Kessir's toes with a crack. She sees Linge reaching out for Kriemhild as everything goes dark.
"Curseborn child, always a thorn in my side," she hears Galvinius grumble as she slips into unconsciousness. "You'd be better off dead."
Off to one side, Fraendi, comes clattering to a stop next to Mia, the darkened iron of the blade dulling.
So, maneuver critique
Kriemhilds vision sees her old Mercenary teacher appear
What is the most elementary thing you did wrong?
I didnt listen at the door before opening, and I openend it myself, rather then having someone else do it, perhaps via cantrip.
Did you do anything to qualify for some divine boon or intercession?
Shouldnt Lord Gorrum like my style?
Gorrum would, perhaps, intercede if some f$$! tries to stab you while you are asleep, but the fight vs the Skellingtons is honest battle, so he wont interfere there. Much like he didnt do much to interfere with the worldwoumd.
Hmm, yeah, I see, Gorrum hates hypocrites
But he also doesnt mind preparedness and proper planning. But now, have faith not him distant gods but in your friends and allies.
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”C’mon, you bastards. C’mon,” Kessir thought.
Following Kessir's lead (and for once without questions), Krokod also prepares for an enemy to come through the door way so he might send a burst of fire.
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
Horn follows Linge’s command whistle and moves up the stairs. Its warm fur is helping fend off the cold as it approaches the undead as it bites out at the creature, crushing some of its bones under the pressure of its teeth.
With two quick swipes the frozen claws miss the bear. The aura strikes through Horn’s fur and begins to bite back.
Kessir thinks that if he would round the room he might get a shot of the door way if Horn were to move.
Those who can see and hear, you hear a loud thunk on the floor next to the corpse and it looks as if one of them might have moved.
Initiative: Round 2
Them
All of You
.
.
Mia lays still as the battle rages on.
Linge checks on Kriemhild and Mia, and is relieved to find their pulse steadily beating and their bleeding to have stopped.
She hears Horn whimper, and lifts her head up, alarmed. The small cub has taken one step back closer to the stairs. Without a clear view of what's going on, she prefers to blow her whistle twice, and the bear cub comes running back down the stairs.
f"Can you take the shot?" she asks Kessir worriedly. Her hand comes to rest on his elbow, again infusing him with magic.
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
With Mia & Kriemhild stabilized, everyone else can focus on the threat within that upper room. Horn quickly withdraws down the stairs returning to Linge’s side awaiting to defend her. Linge spills her magic into Kessir helping guide his potential next shot.
Initiative: Round 2
Them
All of You
Krokod casts Endure elements upon himself, the better to enter the cold aura. He's not sure it will help but it can't hurt.
[b]“I think I might have something,” Kessir replied. He took a few steps to the side and tried to line up a better shot before loosing an arrow.
Map of Heldren
Map of High Sentinel Lodge
With the cold wind cutting through the lodge Krokod’s Endure Elements takes away the chill and feels comfortable. Kessiir rounds the table to get a clear show to the upper room. Unfortunately his arrow sinks into the railing, never making it to the skeleton.
The heat in the room is sucked from the air as two frozen skeletons exit from the upper room. One slowly makes it’s way down the stairs and strikes out at Linge with it’s claw, but just missing.
Initiative: Round 3
Them
All of You
.
"Finally, a clear shot!" Krokod says. Then realizes this also means they could also all die horribly now... But then, at least there is a balance?
Another bolt of flame erupts from him... aiming for the one that came down the stairs
Linge steps back with a strangled "eek!", and quickly retreats. Horn takes her place and lashes at the skeleton. But as soon as he feels cold bite at his face, he instinctively recoils; none of the attacks land.
"Let's put 'em down fast!" Kessir shouted.
Maybe it was the cold air or maybe it was the sight of Mia and Krie unconscious on the floor, but something caused the arrow to veer off course.
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Unconcious dreams:
Ah f+$~ it, oh Lord in Iron, let my remaining allies hit, or make the so hot they become cold resistant! I mean, look at Horn he is really handsome! If he survives he shall become a mighty armored murderbear! So big that maybe I can mount a Ballista on him!
Her allies only hear confused mumbling.