Mia feels a growing sense of unease as Krokod talks about the Winter Witches, she feels a sense of dread settle in her chest. If they are powerful enough to change the natural order of things, what hope did a small band of townsfolk, however skilled and hearty they may be, have? She pushes the thought away as Xanthippe's voice echoes in her head. Don't go borrowing trouble, now. With Kriemhild around trouble enough'll find you. She cheers up a little at that thought. Things had a way of working out around Kriemhild, even if she causes most of the trouble she gets herself and Mia into.
Kessir's voice pulls her out of her reverie as she examines the patterns in the guard and pommel.
"Well enough to not hurt myself or others," she says, memories of the merciless drilling she'd undergone flitting back to the surface of her mind. "Kriemhild's probably more dangerous with it, but she'd be more dangerous than I would be in just about any situation."
The more Krokod speaks, the more Linge's face crumples, and goes ashen when he mentions he's from Irrisen as the realization of what this means for her own family hits her. She shoots Krokod a deeply betrayed look, and spends the rest of the conversation looking down at her feet, presumably lost in her own thoughts. She doesn't say a word.
She finally opens her mouth when the party steps out of the apothecary's shop: "I'll go get my backpack," she says in a lifeless voice, avoiding Krokod's gaze -and before anyone can answer, she walks off towards her home.
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This morning has been anything but ordinary. Giant weasels, talking stags, winter-touched creatures of the winter witches. Then discovering that people you call friends have loose connections to the north. One could feel overwhelmed or driven with pride for Heldren and to keep her safe.
It appears that you’ve learned all that you could about the attack and all that is involved from Yuln. “If that is all,” Tessaraea snaps; “Yuln, I think that’s enough excitement for today. Let’s get you back to bed to rest a bit.” Yuln tries to resist, only for a moment, then quickly follows the elf’s firm orders.
Elder Natharen Safander exits along with the rest of you out of the Apothecary; “I have taken a few notes that I will report back to the council. Unless there is anything specific you’d like me to pass along…” the priest pauses; “I would suggest returning with any information you discover about the weather, or the missing Lady.” He gives time for conversation if needed, but then promptly heads back to the Town Hall.
The chill in the air seems to cut through you as a breeze blows your cloak aside. You haven’t mentally switched to the winter mindset of making sure you hold your cloak shut when you exit a building. That last bit of warmth from Tessaraea’s fire quickly exits your clothing. There is a momentary silence and the sound of Natharen’s boots crunching on the cold dirt fills your ears.
HERE is the Google Doc journal for the party. At the bottom is the notes you have taken up to this point.
Wait, do we even know if Taldor is the only place they are messing with? She pauses
Is it only Taldor or are they doing something crazy enough where we are collateral damage? Also, abduction of nobles? Is it for interrogation, conversion or impersonation? Or first one then the others? SHe muses, betraying a perhaps unusual degree of understanding
Krokod admits "you raise good questions. I wish I had the answers. Hopefully we kill these Jäähaldjas and... that stops ...whatever this is."
Krokod actually feels uplifted to see Yuln so moved by his words. And moves to help the warrior settle.
Kessir released the pressure before speaking. “So, these jaha-jahold-ja- these winter fey are working for some evil witches. And they just happen to come to Heldren. And you two,” Kessir made a point to look to Krokod and Kriemhild, “just happen to know an awful lot about them.” Kessir let the words hang in the air before smiling. “I suppose Old Deadeye is looking out for his flock and sent you here.”
"Not enough to tell you their weaknesses or the like. I'm sorry." He says, feeling the pressure of Kessir's words.
Then comes the worst of it.She shoots Krokod a deeply betrayed look, and spends the rest of the conversation looking down at her feet, presumably lost in her own thoughts. She doesn't say a word.
Linge's betrayed look rocks him, He wants to tell her that her mother didn't want him to tell or that she's not really Irresian because she was raised elsewhere but... it's too late. The girl is off to get her backpack.
"Ah blast it."Then, they are ushered out
“If that is all,” Tessaraea snaps; “Yuln, I think that’s enough excitement for today. Let’s get you back to bed to rest a bit.” Yuln tries to resist, only for a moment, then quickly follows the elf’s firm orders.
"Rest well, Yuln the Generous. Mia will put your blade to honorable use." And he heads out, getting Tessarea's hint.
Elder Natharen Safander exits along with the rest of you out of the Apothecary; “I have taken a few notes that I will report back to the council. Unless there is anything specific you’d like me to pass along…” the priest pauses; “I would suggest returning with any information you discover about the weather, or the missing Lady.” He gives time for conversation if needed, but then promptly heads back to the Town Hall.
"Elder, you.. don't have to put EVERYTHING in the report? I am of this village. I have been since I was thirteen winters old. " Then he sighs "As suits the village good." He watches the Elder go, feels the chill.
Mia shivers as the wind bites through her clothes and grabs the edge of her cloak to wrap it tight around her. She watches Linge go with a worried expression on her face, but what can she do? A sword she can mend, a belt she can repair, but how does one heal hurts that no one can see? She sighs and looks to Krokod for a moment before speaking to those that are still around.
"W-we should probably get a couple of tents that we can use for shelter in case we have to stay out looking for Lady Argentea," she suggests, hoping it wasn't a foolish one.
Mia hustles to catch up to Kessir after he splits off from the others. She waits until she's certain that the two of them are out of earshot of anyone else before speaking. Despite her nerves and the seemingly dire situation, she can't help smiling as she talks to him.
"W-what did you want to ask me when we were in front of Tessaraea's," she asks.
"I can afford a medium one. Large I can't swing" Krokod mutters a bit dully
Mia reaches into her coin purse and pulls out the last silver she has.
"It's not much, but will this help," she asks as she holds it out.
He smiles at that offer, but then instead of taking it, he cups it into her hand with his own "Keep it, Mia. If that's your last silver you need it. But thank you for the offer. You remind me why I am proud to be part of this village." He heads to the general store.
Mia looks down at Krokod's hand wrapping around hers and feels her cheeks warming as she blushes.
"B-but I've already got everything I can," she says as she looks up, thought not in Krokod's or anyone else's eyes.
"Then hold onto it for later. After we kill the ice fairies we should be back. Probably won't even take too long. Kill the ice fairies, find the lady, get her here to home, and all is well." He turns to her as he's walking away with a smile to the General store. He's still inwardly terrified, but for her sake he puts on a big smile "Really, when you think about it? We've got a cold iron sword in your capable hands, we've got muscle like Kriemhild, we've got skilled archers and wood wise folk. We got this. What bad could happen?"
And he vanishes into the store.
Mia ponders Krokod's question as she watches him walk into the store. Memories of nearly freezing to death and being told how lucky she was to be alive and whole come to mind as she shivers.
She hopes that Krokod's optimism, however false it is, doesn't lead them astray.
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"Not enough to tell you their weaknesses or the like. I'm sorry." He says, feeling the pressure of Kessir's words.
“Well, that’s a shame. “ Kessir said. “Every bit of info we get just gives a better chance of success.”
Kessir untied his purse and held it out to Krokod. “One positive about being an orphan and selling your family home is that you are able to save all the gold you would’ve spent on home repairs.” he forced a wan smile. “There should be enough for a couple of those big tents Steranus keeps or a few of the smaller ones.”
“Alrighty, everyone!” Kessir put on his best impersonation of an authority figure, “Finish up any last minute errands. I’ll meet you all just outside of town. We’ll regroup and head out asap.”
With that, Kessir left the apothecary only to realize Mia had followed quickly behind. He furrowed his brow at the big smile on her face. “You’d think someone who works in a forge wouldn’t get so excited just to have a sword,” he thought.
"W-what did you want to ask me when we were in front of Tessaraea's," she asks.
“Oh, um. Well, shoot! What was I gonna ask?” Kessir said and scratched the back of his head. “Oh! Right. I was wondering if you might be able to fashion some arrows with blunt tips. Ones that could still hurt but might not kill someone? Some of the older kids have been asking about what it feels like to get hit with an arrow and I thought ‘Hey, let’s pad them up and find out.’”
Adventure yay! Now, what did my merc idols says about proper stuff?
Kriemhild thinks
Someone needs to call the shots, that someone should not be in the frontline hacking away like a mad moron. Someone about "its hard to see the bigger picture if you are hacking yourself out of someone called a T-Rex".
So not me. He train of thought continues
Also, Mia isnt confident enough yet, Krokod has trauma and I think lacks experience, like, we all do but he wears that openly. Mrs. Golden arrow is a stranger to us, so she cant quite now our capabilities, which leaves Linge or Kessir. I dont really see Linge as being interested in a leadership role, Kessir totally is. Yeap, semms pretty obvious. She makes a decsion.
OK Friendoes, I got my stuff, if you got stuff you cant lug but dont want on a pack animal, I can probably carry it. She pauses
Friends, you know what a "shotcaller" is? If combat starts, if he says fight we all fight, if he says run we all run, no questions asked. I vote Kessir, because I am kind of mad generally and really mad if I fight for real.
Kessir untied his purse and held it out to Krokod. “One positive about being an orphan and selling your family home is that you are able to save all the gold you would’ve spent on home repairs.” he forced a wan smile. “There should be enough for a couple of those big tents Steranus keeps or a few of the smaller ones.”
"I...wow. I mean, that's damned generous of you, Kessir. I'll get some for us right now."
“Alrighty, everyone!” Kessir put on his best impersonation of an authority figure, “Finish up any last minute errands. I’ll meet you all just outside of town. We’ll regroup and head out asap.”
Krokod seems happy to let Kessir take charge right now, but that might be because the man just flashed a lot of gold around.
***********
In the store he buys one large tent and two medium "I want to be able to sell these back so a friend gets his money back. If they're in good condition when we return them, of course. Hopefully they'll be barely used, and, well, if they're a bit worn we'll try to return them for at least a partial discount."
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Golden Arrow had disappeared back to the Stoat stables once more, this time to cut Einari and Eero's rest short. The two mules were looking a little less wild, now that they've had a chance to be brushed out. They seemed restless however, stamping their feet and braying out. As the elf attached their tack and bridles, she spoke to them in Ilvernai in a smoothe tone, reassuringly.
"Ma tunnen ka rahutust, poisid. Mul on tunne, et me oleme üle pea. Ma kaitsen sind, nii hästi kui suudan. Ma luban.***"
Einari would throw a nose into Golden Arrow, as if to say thank you. Soon enough the two mules were once again hooked up to the cart, and in a practiced move Golden Arrow gave the reins a gentle whip to edge them along.
Her cart trundled to the outskirt of town, where the group would be gathering.
OK Friendoes, I got my stuff, if you got stuff you cant lug but dont want on a pack animal, I can probably carry it. She pauses
Friends, you know what a "shotcaller" is? If combat starts, if he says fight we all fight, if he says run we all run, no questions asked. I vote Kessir, because I am kind of mad generally and really mad if I fight for real.
"If such a thing is needed, then I have no reservations in putting our trust in Kessir. Golden Arrow nods to the Erastilian and offers a reassuring smile. "Oh and as Kriemhild says, throw anything you'd like in the cart," the elf threw a thumb over her shoulder, continuing. "These two old men are in need of the work out, I figure, eh boys?" Einari and Eero would simply stamp their feet, still nervous.
Linge shows up somewhat belatedly, carrying a huge backpack. You can tell she's actually having trouble shouldering its weight. What could she have been packing to set off into the wilderness -bricks?
Her mood is obviously still somber, and her eyes are red and puffy. She doesn't contribute much more to Kessir's election than a feeble smile destined to the hunter, and a "Why not."
"I have to pick up Horn," she says once the matter has been settled. "We can catch up with you all later." She glares at Kriemhild. "At a safe distance."
She takes some time to visualize how far Wishbone Creek, High Ridge and the place of the ambush by the feys would be from each other.
Mia's expression turns thoughtful for a moment as she ponders the request.
"Padding could work, but it'd be better to start with blunt tips and pad those," she muses aloud. "I don't know how much like getting hit by an arrow it would be like, but I think I could do something that wouldn't get anyone killed," she adds as she looks up at Kessir. "It'd be like a waster, but for bows."
She thinks for a moment longer before looking up and asking, "So, how many of the boys were asking you that?"
Mia nods as Kriemhild named Kessir as the "shotcaller" or whatever else it was the half-orc woman would call him. It didn't matter, though, she couldn't think of a better person to be a leader here.
"I think Kessir would be the best choice," she says before turning to Kriemhild and giving her a grin. "And it's okay, I think most of us know you lost your marbles," she teases.
Mia, while not exactly scrawny or weak, is more than happy to toss her pack into the cart when Golden Arrow offers. She thanks the strange woman and looks as if she's about to say more when she cuts herself off and shakes her head.
When she thinks no one is watching, Mia pets the mules and whispers something to them.
===
As they are walking, Mia notices Linge hanging back and starts to worry about her. She adjusts her pace until she's next to Kriemhild.
"Do you know what's up with Linge," Mia asks. "She seems upset."
After getting the tents, Krokod staggers out ready to go only to hear Kessir being discussed as the leader?
"Not even an honorable mention for me? You guys really hate that Hicup name , don't you?" A light jest, then "Sure, Kessir loves the town and he usually talks sense. If he gets too big for his britches we go Galt on him."
"Golden Arrow, can I put these tents in your cart?"
After getting the tents, Krokod staggers out ready to go only to hear Kessir being discussed as the leader?
"Not even an honorable mention for me? You guys really hate that Hicup name , don't you?" A light jest, then "Sure, Kessir loves the town and he usually talks sense. If he gets too big for his britches we go Galt on him."
Mia looks away, slightly embarrassed.
"It was a pretty bad name," she says meekly.
After getting the tents, Krokod staggers out ready to go only to hear Kessir being discussed as the leader?
"Not even an honorable mention for me? You guys really hate that Hicup name , don't you?" A light jest, then "Sure, Kessir loves the town and he usually talks sense. If he gets too big for his britches we go Galt on him."
Mia looks away, slightly embarrassed.
"It was a pretty bad name," she says meekly.
"Ah, we'll work on it." He says, not insulted. Talking about the name for them is easier than thinking of witches and their ice fairy minions. It's just the ice fairies. We kill them, and the cold is gone. That's logic. No winter witches are actually here. THAT is far away. We are in Taldor. Taldor is...relatively safe as long as you stay out of politics
Krokod: “Not enough to tell you their weakness or the like. I’m sorry”
Kissir: “Well, that’s a shame. Every bit of info we get just gives a better chance of success.”
Yuln chimes in; “I forget that not all of you have fought these little devils before. My blade is made of Cold-Iron and will hurt them truly. They also fear flame, it’s almost as if the fire hurts them more than expected.”
Before Natharen heads back to the Town Hall “Krokod, I will share with them only what is important to this current situation.” he turns and heads off.
Krokod, with Kessir’s aid, heads and purchases 1 large tent and 2 medium tents.
Golden Arrow makes her way to the stables and Sophia meets her; “I apologize, I am not sure what happened with the horses and your mules. Something just got into them and went wild for a bit but have since calmed down. I’ve fed them all a little extra and a good brushing always soothes even the most wild horse.”
Everyone regroups outside of town and loads up Golden Arrow’s cart and begins to head down the road. As Yuln said, it is roughly 6 miles down this southern road where they were attacked. Without having horses, it will take the group roughly 2 hours to arrive. It is currently 2 in the afternoon. You could force everyone to a hustle and arrive in half the time, but you are unsure of what could be missed or how it would leave the group upon arrive at the ambush site.
As Linge approaches the cabin where Horn was left, everything appears as you left it . But, when you open the door you see Horn waiting for you, but it looks as if he went wild inside. Not as his normal self, but as if he was a wild bear trapped in a cage. Thankfully, he did not hurt himself in the fit he had, whatever could have caused it.
From the description of Yuln, you know that the point on the road south is roughly 6 miles from Heldren. You believe that Wishbone Creek is about 4 miles in from there, and another 2 miles in from there is the High Sentinel Lodge. That is where you can cross the leg of Lake Taermain that flows south into Owl Lage. Just south of that is High Ridge.
You are familiar with the area, but are unsure what it will mean for travel without seeing what the cold has done to the forest.
The further south you go the colder it becomes, and even flurries of snow seem to be blowing in from the Border Wood.
There is a moment a few miles out where you pass Dansby’s farm, the furthest farm from Heldren, and you realize that there is no one ahead of you that could lend aid if needed. For some of you this is the first time you have ever ventured with a task that could prove dangerous. For others this is a hunt like you have been on before.
As the road begins to bend its way East, you see from a distance the ambush site. You draw even closer to the site and nearer to the forest, where the temperature grows noticeably colder. The road ahead is littered with debris and the corpses of slain humans and horses. It is a massacre.
A carriage stands in the roadway, its team of horses missing or cut free, while another overturned carriage lies sprawled and broken next to the tree line. To the south, more bodies have fallen around what appears to be a statue of ice. A snowy trail leads deeper into the forest.
Map of Site
Weapons out, expect combat. Can we get good eyes on the forest to the south? If the enemy is professional, they will have left a scout as a picket Kriemhild announced competently sounding.
Kriemhild does a quick lookover, are the dead bodies human? How many of them are armed? She has her Bardiche drawn and slowly approaches.
Krokod shot Natharen a grateful look.
*****
Krokod isn't pushing hard for speed or hustle as he's not sure wearing themselves out to exhaustion early would be wise either.
He doesn't start out with the cold weather gear on but as it gets colder and colder going south, he drapes it over himself muttering "I haven't worn anything like this in years."
s the road begins to bend its way East, you see from a distance the ambush site. You draw even closer to the site and nearer to the forest, where the temperature grows noticeably colder. The road ahead is littered with debris and the corpses of slain humans and horses. It is a massacre.
A carriage stands in the roadway, its team of horses missing or cut free, while another overturned carriage lies sprawled and broken next to the tree line. To the south, more bodies have fallen around what appears to be a statue of ice. A snowy trail leads deeper into the forest.
At one time, Krokod had been running for his life over a journey that took him a long long way. So he has been in danger before. But the last few years? It's been relatively cozy. Enough he's been content.
He does not feel safe.
"Weapons out, expect combat. Can we get good eyes on the forest to the south?" If the enemy is professional, they will have left a scout as a picket Kriemhild announced competently sounding.
Weapon? RIGHT... I have a crossbow! Almost forgot. He draws it, and loads it carefully. As for good eyes, he doesn't think he qualifies so hangs back just a bit. "I don't like the look of that statue. I could...try to sense magic on it if you want me to get closer?"
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A sly smirk forms on her lips as she watches Mia, not as stealthily as she thought, pet her mules and whisper to them. In Elven no less. Golden Arrow wouldn't draw any attention to this whole affair, but as they rode the Ilverani would ask Mia, "Who taught you Elvish? I don't recognize the accent."
----
Pressing the mules to continue their plodding path forwards, Golden Arrow would note that she was seeing her breath again, and that the flurries were beginning to collect on her cloak. She would almost feel nostalgic, as she'd been far from her icy home for some time now, but given the circumstances, it was bitter sweet.
To make matters worse, the bloody remains in the path made the situation all the worse. Keeping one hand on the reins, Golden Arrow would unbuckle the snap that kept her bow in it's special holder on her hip, laying the length of it on her lap.
Weapons out, expect combat. Can we get good eyes on the forest to the south? If the enemy is professional, they will have left a scout as a picket
Still holding the reins, she stood with the bow in her other hand and gazed out towards the southern edge of the woods.
At the Hunter's Shack:
Linge is greeted with a reproachful look by Horn when she opens the door. She fully expected Horn to make a mess inside the shack - it's not the first time she's had to keep him safe inside a room, but he's always hated it. She finds claw marks under the windows, of course, and there's a couple furniture turned over. Still, she's surprised by how much of a wreck he's turned the place into.
"What happened?" she asks as he munches on his pie. Horn answers with a loud huff. "I know, I know. You're pouting." He makes a point of not meeting her gaze. "It was to keep you safe. Not that you would understand."
She affectionately pets his back. He doesn't lift his head from the pie -but doesn't move away from her touch either.
The Carriage Site:
As the group takes in the brutality of what transpired, they spot Linge arriving with Horn -or, rather, Horn rushes to meet them while Linge, not fast enough to catch up with him, shouts at him to stay put.
He ignores her entirely, and heads straight for Kriemhild, resting his fore paws on her thighs and sniffing intently at her backpack. Linge hurries towards the party, and calls out: "Don't give him anything! He already had a pie to eat." Eventually, with no hope for a snack, Horn moves away, and goes to Krokod, Kessir and Mia, nudging their hands with his cold snout to get some pets.
He stops dead in his tracks when he sees Golden Arrow, shifts in a more defensive stance, and growls. Linge sharply calls him to order in Skald, and he eventually gives up and runs by the young woman's side. "It's the coat," she explains to the elven woman. "It makes him uncomfortable."
Once the reunion's over, Linge assesses the ambush site. "It's eerily quiet," she says, squinting through the snow to spot survivors- or enemies. She moves a bit closer to the carriage, and speaks a few words of powers, scanning the area for any sparks of magic twinkling in the air.
As you begin to move forward, there are a few things that you notice. The carriage that is wrecked has broken chest and boxes strewn across the ground and there are several dresses, pants and shirts in the rubble.
Even though these outfits are fancier than anything anyone in Heldren would wear, you know that these outfits do not belong to the Lady Argentea. You believe they are outfits of her handmaidens and butlers.
The other carriage that is upright bears marks of Taldan heraldry, as well as many arrows that are deep into the sides of them.
You notice that the doors are barred shut with a spear that has been wedged between the handles.
But, what really catches your eye and causes disbelief and fear is what you first took as a statue of ice. You quickly realize that it is a gruesome statue of a man encased in ice. You see that his body is mostly intact, except that you see a his frozen arm incased in ice on the group gripping a longbow.
Linge case Detect Magic on the area and she does not find any magical auras.
Looking into the woods from where you are is difficult. Not only are the trees thick with snow, but it’s almost as if there is a sheet of snow coming down heavily if you were to enter the Border Woods.
Kessir did his best to keep the smile from forming when he was nominated and seconded as the group leader. When he couldn’t control the corners of his mouth, Kessir began rummaging through his pack, making sure to hide his face as best as he could. After a few moments of grumbling that he couldn’t find “that thing,” Kessir let out an overly exaggerated sigh and slung the pack over his shoulder.
“I’ll take the job. ‘Till I get killed or we find someone better,” Kessir’s mother’s words flowing coming from his lips.
As the group headed out, Kessir paced himself alongside Krokod. “You were just joking, right?” He asked. Kessir leaned in conspiratorially and added, “The whole Galt thing?” Before Krokod could answer, Kessir waved his hand. “Of course you were. Forget I said anything.”
When he began to feel the chill in the air, Kessir slipped behind a tree to make a quick wardrobe change. A few minutes later, a panting and sweating Kessir raced to catch up with the group. The “schlink schlink schlink” of his scale armor slightly muffled as it bounced on the fur clothing.
Kessir slipped his bow off his shoulder when Kriemheld called out. He slipped an arrow from his quiver and crept close to the statue. No, not a statue. “Something froze this guy solid,” Kessir said. A shiver ran down Kessir’s spine and he took a step back.
“Krie,” he called over his shoulder, “can you help Linge check out the carriage? Everyone else, keep your eyes open.”
Some freezing spell? I have heard of such magiks, but never witnesses them. That longbow could be usefull.
Kriemhild approaches the carriage.
The doors are bared shut, from the outside, so from the attackers most likely. What was it that the sought to trap?
--------------------------------------------
Kriemhild moves to bang on the carriage, asking Hej is anyone in there? Unless stopped by a party member.
As the group headed out, Kessir paced himself alongside Krokod. “You were just joking, right?” He asked. Kessir leaned in conspiratorially and added, “The whole Galt thing?” Before Krokod could answer, Kessir waved his hand. “Of course you were. Forget I said anything.”
Krokod was about to point out that Final blades are very hard to get so at least that's off the table... but then Kessir heads off. We're commoners, my friend. Hanging is the way to go. Rope is cheap! but he doesn't say out aloud.
**********He ignores her entirely, and heads straight for Kriemhild, resting his fore paws on her thighs and sniffing intently at her backpack. Linge hurries towards the party, and calls out: "Don't give him anything! He already had a pie to eat." Eventually, with no hope for a snack, Horn moves away, and goes to Krokod, Kessir and Mia, nudging their hands with his cold snout to get some pets.
Krokod gave Horn a few pats, taking comfort in the animal. "Sorry, I'd give you a snack but she'd be cranky with me."
Then they get closer to the frozen man "Now this reminds me of my birth country. Dead men covered in ice." A shudder "probably done by some magic or he'd likely be huddled and frozen instead of upright and frozen."
"[smaller[Goodness,[/smaller]" Linge covers her mouth in horror when she realises that what she took to be a statue is actually a man frozen in ice. She's never seen such magic before, and it deeply disturbs her.
She calls Horn closer to her, and is more than happy to let Kriemhild knock on the door while Kessir checks on the poor soul... Although she can tell he's probably dead. If hypothermia hadn't killed him first, the lack of oxygen would have done it -and it was more than a day since the carriage was attacked.
"I can't sense any magic coming from there," she calls out to Kriemhild. "But..." She can't shake off a feeling of dread. The door was barred from the outside, indeed -but to keep someone in, or to prevent something from going out? "Be careful!"
Roight, I got a better idea!
Kriemhild is focused on the carriage
Now, if there be something nasty gits in there, I would look really f$&&ing stupid if I dwiddle away at that spears with both hands, meaning Oi wouldnt have mah weapon out. So, what if I smash through from the outside, so we can toik a gander within
OI, WE BE MOIGHTY HEROES COMING TO RESCUE THA FAIR LOIDY! SAY SOMETHING! AND GET AWAY FROM THAT PART BECAUSE THERE BE SPLINTERS!
Kriemhild first taps the carriage with the shaft of her Bardiche, and then seeks to cut a hole into it, which should allow the party unimpeded vision into its inside.
As you continue to move in, you do not see any signs of threats still around. As Kessir moves south to where the frozen man is, he does see signs of traffic that moves through the clearing in the brush away from this site. Also, even though Kessir cannot tell if the man within is dead or alive, he is wise enough to put together that it has been over a day since Yuln arrived. If this man has been frozen since before then, then he is as good as dead.
Calling Horn close to her, Linge senses and unease about Horn. Something is making him skittish. Golden Arrow saw this with the horses in the stables, but Horn is not your average bear and is not trying to flee.
With Kriemhild’s call, she can hear stirring within. With a swing her Bardiche, the axe head sinks into the frame with a thunk. These carriages are made better than she might have expected. A few more swings provide just enough of an opening for Kriemhild to see inside.
She finds it annoying at first not being able to fully see inside of the carriage due to her lack of the half-orc’s darkvision, but her eyes adjust. She starts to make out two figures moving about within the carriage, both wearing formal dresses. When the creature turns and reveals that whatever is within is not what you were expecting. There are two skeletons wearing dresses, and then one lunges out to claw at the minor opening it causes Kriemhild to move her Bardiche from its grasp.
OI SKELLINGTONS! IN DRESSES! OI IS FEELING REALLY SMART ABOUT TO OPENING THE DOOR HAHA!
She pauses
Lets shoot them with cantrips and stuff?
Nervousness always makes Horn restless. Linge struggles to keep him still as he paces, drawing circles around her legs.
"Skeletons? Maybe they were servants of the lady?" she asks, though it's more of a rhetorical question than a genuine one. "But why would we shoot them? Horn! Sit! Do you see something else?"
There definitely was something in the caravan that was making Horn ill at ease, and a couple of skeletons couldn't have done it. Maybe the fey?
Kriemhild was wielding her bardiche, but she was too far for Linge to see what was going on. And it was a bit weird that she should have freaked out reacted so excitedly at the sight of corpses. Surely a mercenary like her would be used to them? They didn't bite.
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Mia, blushes as she realizes that she was caught, but thankful that the newcomer, Golden Arrow, she thinks, isn't calling her out for acting more like a child than an adult as her late master would have.
"E-elvish, right. I-- I don't remember. It was long before I came to Heldren when I was a small girl. I think they were an elf, but I don't remember anything else, really," she says, feeling a little embarrassed that she can't remember more. "I try to keep in practice by saying things to animals or plants or listening to Tessaraea whenever she starts ranting about a patient," she adds before clamming up, realizing that she probably revealed a little more than she should have.
Mia shivers as the cold gets deeper. Memories of nearly freezing to death flash in her mind. She tries to shake them away, but they keep coming back, like ghosts haunting a house. She nods as Kriemhild tells them to draw their weapons. The half-orc woman may be a jovial sort, but Mia had gotten to know her well enough over the years since arriving in Heldren to understand when she is being serious. Kriemhild was always someone to pay attention to when she is serious.
The weight of fraendi is odd in Mia's hands. The sword appears to be nothing special, save the unusual process of its forging, but there is a power in it, a sense of purpose unfulfilled and an oath unkept. Galvinius' voice echoes in her mind as the thought appears in her head. Such things were nothing more than gibberish spouted by unlearned savages and peddlers of falsity. Perhaps to him, she reminded herself, but to her they are as real as the arcane power he'd taught her to harness. More subtle, surely, but no less real and far deeper in their strength. Strength she is likely to need, she realizes as she moves along at Kriemhild's side, trusting her friend's instincts more than her own.
Still, even with the sight of the massacre before them, Mia can't help smiling as she sees Horn bounding in. She spares a hand to ruffle the fur on his head, but tries to keep the blade in her other hand up and out of the way. The smile disappears as she notices Horn's attitude towards Golden Arrow, and frowns as Linge explains. Of course he'd notice the cloak, Mia thinks gloomily. She cuts off the start of her mental self-flagellation, though, reminding herself that she needed to be ready if there is a fight.
Any mirth she may had still felt at seeing Horn again vanishes as she realizes the statue is nothing of the sort. She knows there are spells that can kill, and some of them are almost vicious in how they do it. Galvinius had a hobby of collecting knowledge of them and seemed to take pleasure in watching her discomfort as he explained what they did in excruciating detail. The man's death was not likely a pleasant one.
She nods as Kessir asks Kriemhild and Linge to look at the wagon. She stays close by, keeping an eye out for danger as best she can. Her mind threatens to wander a time or two, but she manages to focus on the task at hand. At least, that is, until she hears Kriemhild warn the others of what is in the carriage. Skeletons that move. She may have forgotten much about what Galvinius had taught her of magical theory, but she remembered enough to know what is at work here.
"They know necromancy," she says, her voice filled with horror and dread as she starts eyeing the other corpses. Her eyes fall to fraendi in her hand, and she wonders how effective the blade will be against something made of bone and magic.
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Eh Mia, Linge and I just have different ideas on Horns nutritional needs and future vocational prospects! She is like, the mother and I am the crazy uncle?
---------------
Skellington fight
And OI is a BOINKOMANCER! BOINKOMANCY BEATS NECROMANCY! LITERULLY AND FIGURATIVVLY! Kriemhild has some opinions on that
OI CAST BOINK! She says
Kriemhilds waits for a good moment to hit a skeletons claw, likely striking true but only doing "relatively limited damage".
As long as we don't do anything rash we can take this slow and steady...
OI SKELLINGTONS! IN DRESSES! OI IS FEELING REALLY SMART ABOUT TO OPENING THE DOOR HAHA!
Or that! We can do..wait, cantrips? that's me! The sorcerer blinks and begins to move to join the others "Skeletons? Wait, back up and I can just set the carriage on fire and burn them out?"
NO GETTIN OUT OF ZE DOOR, KROKOD IS GONNA SHOW YOU A REAL COOL TRICK! THAT WILL MAEK YOU HOT AND NICE AND WARM AND CRISPY!
Kriemhild is being Kriemhild
Mia backs up a little ways from the carriage.
"Wh-what if there's clues in there," she asks.
Krokod ccan start a fire, heck, he's got a simple cantrip that can get one going and if they are patient they'll just...
"Wh-what if there's clues in there," she asks.
"Oh poop. Yeah that could be a problem." He balks "Okay now I'm not so sure. Sorry, Kriemhild. I mean, I can just try a focused beam of heat and fire through there I suppose?"
"Oh." Linge silently curses herself from not understanding what Kriemhild meant sooner.
She had heard of necromancy before, of course; it just hadn't been something she had ever had to face beyond Ranna's rather comprehensive teaching about the evils of witchcraft, and its unnatural magic that could twist the laws of nature itself, summon creatures from other dimensions, and make the dead move like the living.
She had been properly terrified, as a little girl, when her mother would provide her lessons. She'd spend hours in her bed at night, unable to fall sleep, watching her bedroom door in case a witch might come in in the dead of night to curse her. That was back when Ranna's warnings still seemed real, and didn't feel like obsessive, irrational fear. Especially now that she knew about the existence of Winter Witches, which Krokod apparently was aware of the whole time-
Linge takes a deep breath. Now was not the time to follow that particular train of thought. There was the more urgent matter of the skeletons at hand. Ranna had mentioned they feared healing spells, but that required touching them, and Kriemhild already seemed to struggle hitting something with that bardiche of her.
By her side, Horn lifted his head to stare at her quizzically, waiting for a command -or, she realised, waiting for her to come up with a solution.
"Can't we just open the door then?" she suggests, since no clear strategy emerged.
we can hit them, they cant hit us. I think thats good. If we open the door, they can actually reach us and try claw our faces of or soemthing.
Kriemhild replies while merrily hacking away
Seeing that the carriage isn't about to be set alight, Mia moves back to Kriemhild's side.
"We probably don't want to make that hole any bigger, either," she says as she draws her sword and hands it to her friend.
Taking up Fraendi in both hands and crouching as low as she can to allow Kriemhild to strike over her head using her longer reach, Mia thrusts her borrowed blade through the hole Kriemhild had made at any skeletons moving around that she can see.
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“I don’t really remember who brought it up first but they all pretty much worked each other up to where they all want to try. But you think you could do it? That’s good. We’ll have to hammer out the details when we get back.”
“May your soul find the Lady of Graves,” Kessir said before finally pulling his eyes away from the frozen man. “Looks like whoever is responsible used this path h-”
OI SKELLINGTONS! IN DRESSES! OI IS FEELING REALLY SMART ABOUT TO OPENING THE DOOR HAHA!
Kriemhild’s warning shouts caused Kessir to stop in his tracks. “Undead? Here?” He turned to watch what the others were doing and suddenly felt miles stretch between himself and the others. Fallen corpses strewn about the area separated Kessir from the rest of the group.
“Not to be pendantic, but, I pretty sure I said ‘check out the carriage’ not ‘get into a fight with some undead through a hole in the carriage.’ Still, if it works…” Kessir took a few careful steps back toward the road as he spoke, eyes darting from corpse to corpse wary of what else might decide to reanimate.
Mia is rather proud of herself for not jumping with joy and squealing an enthusiastic reply before Kessir had even finished speaking.
"I-I'd love to," she says, looking away as she finds she can't stop blushing or smiling at the thought of spending some time with the huntsman.
"S-sorry!" Mia's cheeks flame as she realizes Kessir has a point. "I got distracted by the skeletons!"
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Seeing the surprise within the carriage and Mia’s statement about the necromancy magics used to create such creatures, Kriemhild attacks through the awkward hole she cut in the side of the carriage. The attack catches the zombie in its midsection driving the creature into a rage. It moves forward and tries to grab hold of the Bardiche.
The second zombie begins to attach at the door wanting to break through it to get to its potential meal. You can hear the spear holding the doors shut creak as the weight of the zombie is starting to push it to its limits.
Krokod thinks to burn them out, but with Mia’s quick thinking of possible clues turning the carriage to a pile of ash is quickly removed from the idea chart. Mia quickly tries to use Frændi to attack through the hole. The one was focused on Kriemhild’s weapon and didn’t see Mia’s blade come in through the opening until it was flown through its face. That zombie crumples to the ground.
There is a bit of excitement as Mia, and Kriemhild, finish off one of the zombies. But, that excitement is quickly broken off as the creaking speaks break off in a shower of splinters and the final standing zombie starts to stumble forward from the carriage towards Mia.
Initiative: Round 1
Kessir
Mia
Z
Golden Arrow
Kriemhild
Linge
Krokod
Mia straightens up and quickly sets her stance. A part of her wants to give into the fear and run, but doing that would endanger her friends. No, she can't do that. She won't do that. Her borrowed blade flashes in the cold sunlight as she strikes at the foul, undead monster before her. She steps to the side of the thing, hoping it's too stupid to realize the trouble it's about to be in when Kriemhild joins the fray.
"Kriemhild! Kill it," she calls out to her friend.
Kessir heard wood snap followed by a shout from Mia. he took a deep breath and prayed that nothing would reach for him then raced back to the road. A few feet from the edge, Kessir caught a glimpse of one of the creatures stumbling to the side as Mia struck it with the sword.
He raised his bow at the…side of the carriage. “No use. I can’t get a clear shot from here,” Kessir thought. He bounded a few more paces back onto the road.
The zombie takes a devastating slice from Mia’s blade. She can feel how swiftly it was able to cut through the zombies flesh. Reacting as if it were still alive, it flails an arm attempting to slam Mia and the blade away. Mia shifts her footing and ducks under its arm.
Initiative: Round 1
Kessir
Mia
Z
Golden Arrow
Kriemhild
Linge
Krokod