Snowball, easily dodging between hoarfrost spirit claws, ducks back and lends Ameiko Cat's Luck, even though it's a bit late for the cones of cold.
Unk feels the cold in his bones.
"I foresee the fire overcoming you, foul frost spirits!"
He directs his flaming sphere onto one of the spirits and begins summoning something warm to fight back with.
Spell-like Abilities
. 8/8 Diviner's Fortune
. 1/1 Stabilize
Spells Prepared
. 4th 2+1/day {S} See Invisibility, Dimension Door, Summon Monster IV
. 3rd 3+1/day {S} Tongues, Haste, Phantom Steed, Summon Monster III
. 2nd 4+1/day {S} See Invisibility, Flaming Sphere (DC 17), Glitterdust (DC 18), Levitate, Summon Monster II
. 1st 6+1/day {S} True Strike, Celestial Healing, Endure Elements, Enlarge Person, Fastidiousness, Grease (DC 17), Magic Missile
. 0 (at will) Acid Splash, Light, Message, Open/Close
Round 3
Reflex
Mukluk tries again to use his wand correctly, wishing Moose was around to do the shooting for him. For a mule, he's a good bulls-eye. He shoots at the out of combat blue.
touch to hit;
fire damage
[ dice=Trepanator]1d20+3[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6[/dice] cold iron piercing damage
[ dice=MuleBite]1d20+5[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Divine]1d4+2[/dice] damage
[ dice=MuleKicks]1d20+5[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Force]1d4[/dice] damage
[ dice=Divine Mule Piss]1d20+5[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice]1d4+2[/dice] divine fire
touch to hit;
acid
With a spell, Mukluk offers the party 7 rounds of Moose-Zoomies.
touch to hit;
fire damage
AC: 12/12/10 + 1 w/shield
Fort/Ref/Will: +3/+4/+11 +2 vs spells, poison
HP: 37/37
Resist 5 cold/acid
Focus: 0/3
Hero Points: 0/3
Speed: 20'
Luck? 0/1 used
MuleFire: 0/9 used
Rod Extend Lsr: 1/3 used (endure elements MM/Moose alt days)
Helgarval
Aid once a day.
Daylight as needed (though only once a day).
Detect evil and know direction at will.
“A cassisian has a lesser form of the protective aura possessed by more powerful angels. This protective aura grants the cassisian a +2 deflection bonus to its AC against evil foes, and a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws made against evil effects or spells cast by evil creatures. This aura extends to a radius of 5 feet, but can only benefit one additional creature other than the cassisian at any one time”
Aid. temp hp. (The morale +1 won't stack with Ameiko's song.) While Hergarval is nearby, Storm gets "+2 deflection bonus to its AC against evil foes, and a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws made against evil effects or spells cast by evil creatures."
Durgan resists the cold this time.
He activates his Bane Baldric and attacks the nearest foe.
Kisaiya is once again fully protected from the cold blast by her reflexes and Mukluk’s spell.
She focuses all of her strikes on the undead flanking her before stepping back to close ranks with her allies.
HP: 66/66
AC: 24/14/20
Saves: F10/R5/W/8
Hero Points: 3
Smite Evil Used: 0/2
Lay on Hands Used: 0/5
Divine Bond Used: 0/1
Resolve Used: 0/1
Challenge: 0/1
Second Chance
Spells/Effects Active: guidance, resist cold, haste, inspire
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+7+1d6[/dice] damage.
vs DC 17 for 15hp cold damage
vs DC 17 for 24hp fire damage
Durgan manages to hit - twice - and finishes off the wounded red with his solid blows! Unk flames another spirit as Amekio is granted further blessings. Mukluk finally scores a hit, and scorches blue, almost taking him out! However, it lingers on… Kisaiya takes out purple with her crit, and then taps orange also taking it out (thanks to Unk's fire!). Ameiko moves around to blue, and attacks, hoping to finish what Mukluk started, but setting up flank if not.
(heroism, inspire)
(inspire)
(cold) and DC 14 Fort save or paralyzed
(cold)
vs DC 14
Ameiko takes the hit, but does not crystalize with frost!
Blue, alone and with 1 hit point, cannot survive the onslaught that the party can levy in the next round - and collapses into the snow.
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Durgan will channel the power of Abadar to heal.
He heals Unk a bit more.
Then he heals Ameiko.
Everybody is back to full, except Durgan who is down 7. He can live with that for now.
"Do you think there is a connection between the monolith and the undead? It created them, or it draws them? Was it a site important to them in life? Did they die here?"
Snowball flies over the site to see if anything look suspicious, then she lands and examines the area closer to the monolith.
"Thanks Durgan."
Unk examines the monolith for invisible symbols and ponders possible origins.
He also casts Open just in case it's actually a portal.
Mukluk bathes in the holy radiance offered by Durgan, thanking the man dwarf with an official secret dwarven signal of thanks.
He will cast Detect Magic and look around, trying to figure why the monolith, and the undead, are present.
Perception
Snowball flies overhead and spots five graves arrayed behind the monolith. Mukluk discovers magic within each grave. Though the graves are very shallow (less than 3’ for the detect magic to have worked) they’re still frozen solid. It’ll cost you a day, chipping away at the icy soil to unearth the bodies.
The monolith is ice cold to the touch and not something you think you want to stick your tongue onto. It too thrums with transmutation magic, but you’re unable to identify its purpose. It does not seem to have any religious significance.
"Just as I had foreseen. It isn't a door. Transmutation magic makes me think it must be for making things cold rather than undead, but perhaps it is best to dig up the graves and purify them somehow. Maybe we can destroy this monolith too." Unk muses, unhappy about the undead-guarded monolith in the middle of the road.
"Normally I would be against disturbing graves, but I suppose they've already been disturbed." Snowball says.
"I'll ask my boss about this, I doubt I can get his boss or Shelyn on the line, but this definitely seems like the sort of thing to ask about." Snowball explains before finding a safe looking perch to Commune.
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"Transmutation magic makes me think it must be for making things cold rather than undead, but perhaps it is best to dig up the graves and purify them somehow. Maybe we can destroy this monolith too."
Mukluk is tempted to agree with Snowball's sidekick, and waits to see what the big fur has to say about it before he gets his shovel.
"Normally I would be against disturbing graves, but I suppose they've already been disturbed." Snowball says.
"Yeah, you do that. I'll get my diggin' supplies and let Moose know what the plan is. Unless there is a tiller attached, Moose ain't one for diggin' too much," Mukluk will go get his shovel.
As far as commune goes, I'd prefer if you asked all the questions more or less at once. There is a clear indication that the spell falters and fails if you think about your responses, and of course waiting out a handful questions in play by post one at a time is painfully slow.
However, the answer to your first question (though it's really two questions) is "Yes."
Snowball is the third creature who can cast commune in this caravan! Crazy!
I'll get to the digging when you're done with the commune.
Looking at it now, it's an SLA. Must be one standard action instead of 10 minutes to cast
"I don't have any spells prepared to consecrate this site. I can say a simple blessing."
Snowball meditates for 10 whole minutes on the mystery of the monolith.
Kisaiya nods gravely. ”Yes, something is clearly already wrong here. We have an opportunity to set it right.”
3) Yes. ('purify' is being used broadly you feel)
4) Yes.
5) No.
6) No.
Kisaiya is pretty sure they burn people up here. Often the ground is just too frozen for a proper burial, so choosing between a shallow grave and a pyre, most folks get the pyre.
You get out the picks, shovels, and other tools and start chipping away at the ice and earth.
Within each grave is a dead body, reminiscent of the creatures you just fought in shape and feature. Each person has been killed ceremonially with a dagger to the chest. Possibly to power the monolith’s cold? Or to root it to this spot? Or just as an offering? Hard to know really - but the curved daggers used remain in their chests and are all +1.
Do you remove the daggers? What do you plan to do with the bodies?
"I asked my boss a few questions about the monolith. Sounds like it's worth doing something about the monolith and that a cleric could purify it..." Snowball explains, waking up suddenly.
"Apparently not with the blessing used to enhance warrior's aims and put restless dead to rest or curative magics.
...But now that I think about it my phrasing was a bit off. It could be that any person could purify the monolith. Anyway, it's worth doing, so thanks for digging while I asked." Snowball looks to her charge for ideas.
"Well, there are daggers. We could pull those out. We could also warm up the bodies, maybe burning them and burying the ashes properly somewhere the earth is more permissive might help." Unk muses.
Now that the bodies are unearthed, Unk tries to think of any rituals that might require a magical dagger to be left in the grave as he reaches down to pull one of the daggers out to see if that helps.
"Fire might work, at least partially.
Burning bones to ash takes an enormous amount of fuel. I suppose magic could do it.
Some kinds of undead come back after they are destroyed, and some kinds don't. Even when they do, it doesn't happen instantly. If we move on we should be safe."
Durgan has no really strong opinions here, and offers no thoughts about the daggers.
Mukluk leans on his shovel, taking a break from chipping at the frozen ground.
"Fire, I'm not sure I can help too much with magical lasting fires, but I can check in with Moose to see if he has any ideas. If not, I'll borrow and axe and see if I can gather us enough lumber for a nice pyre," Mukluk follows along with the discussion.
Mukluk goes to get his axe and heads to the treeline. He'll see if Moose wants to help, but isn't surprised when mule decides to stay and do nothing. It's a better plan for the mule, but very helpful for the party.
If needed, he will grab the daggers to add to the caravan finds.
Unk removes the daggers without incident. There’s a brief flash as each one comes out, but little else seems to change. Though it’s getting late you collect wood as the caravan makes camp a little ways back on the trail.
When you light the pyre, the bodies go up quickly, once thawed, almost like they were made of paper. You can see the light from the bonfire for miles no doubt. You may even say a few words of encouragement from your gods to the dead before it is done. You feel you’ve done the right thing, though the monolith continues to loom menacingly.
Darkness has fallen, and you make your way to the encampment and spend the night. You rise early on Sarenith 28, a Wealday. The fire is still smoldering, but you are ready to go - unless you want to try something else on the monolith?
Before they head out in the morning, Unk goes to see Koya to ask her if she can divine anything about the monolith, and especially if they can do anything to it before they move on.
Mukluk has nothing more to do with the monolith, except noting that it exists and is mostly pleased that it didn't try to make them murdert...just the jerks who were buried nearby did.
Moose also has no actions for the monolith.
He will tend to Moose and whatever his camp chores are before being ready to move on.
Koya has little to offer really. She has no experience with such things, and cannot manage something as powerful as a Commune. Her instincts, backed by a card reading, suggest there's little to do here. The monolith is dangerous, but short of reducing it to rubble, she doesn't see a solution.
"You could ask Spivey to Commune as well, though in my experience the gods don't take kindly to nagging. Still, Spivey is... special. Who knows?"
Spivey, the tiny lyrakien priest of Desna (image) flies by on the hearing of her name, "Oh yes, I could ask if you wanted. Happy to! I haven't chatted in some time you know."
Let me know if you want a second 6 question commune.
"Well if Spivey has a different boss than Snowball, I foresee that it'll be fine." Unk says.
"Let's see, Snowball explained this to me once..." He continues.
"Every other week, almost." Snowball corrects him.
Unk ignores her.
"-Yes no questions... so what should we ask first... I guess first of all: Can anyone purify the monolith? Would smashing it to rubble purify it? Uh... any other ideas for what we might try? I could conjure a fire elemental or something to soften the earth beneath it..." Unk begins rambling.
Kisaiya adjusts her eyepatch. ”Ask if it is related the Minkaian forces looking to eliminate Ameiko. And if it will cause continuing problems for us if we leave it. And…um, do we currently possess a method of destroying it? Or purifying it? Is that six questions? Oh, I guess that’s seven, isn’t it? Shit, eight now.”
"I suggest we just leave it and move on."
Spell-like Abilities
. 8/8 Diviner's Fortune
. 1/1 Stabilize
Spells Prepared
. 4th 2+1/day {S} See Invisibility, Dimension Door, Summon Monster IV
. 3rd 3+1/day {S} Tongues, Haste, Phantom Steed, Summon Monster III
. 2nd 4+1/day {S} See Invisibility, Flaming Sphere (DC 17), Glitterdust (DC 18), Levitate, Summon Monster II
. 1st 6+1/day {S} True Strike, Celestial Healing, Endure Elements, Enlarge Person, Fastidiousness, Grease (DC 17), Magic Missile
. 0 (at will) Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Message, Open/Close
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Mukluk waits the outcome of the spell, brushing Moose and hoping the gods offer some good information, but not expecting it. Them gods aren’t nearly as easy to manage as a good mule.
1) Yes.
2) Sure.
3) No.
4) No.
5) Yes.
6) No.
Spivey is pleased and proud to have been of service, practically glowing with pride as the answers roll off! ”So what are you going to do?” she asks.
"I foresee this monolith is someone else's problem, however perhaps we can smash it." Unk explains, flashing a smile in Snowball's direction.
"Yes, very altruistic. You've got the hang of it, Unk." Snowball says deadpan.
"I hate having incomplete intel." she admits, shaking her furry little head.
"But we also have no guarantee that the theoretical someone else will have a problem. Unk and I vote to keep going." she explains, giving Unk a look.
He nods, suddenly not grinning broadly.
"I foresee this monolith is someone else's problem, however perhaps we can smash it."
Mukluk looks at the familiar, then turns his attention to the Big Fur to see what they think is the best course of action. He doesn't think Snowball can manage much smashing, but probably more than the human.
"But we also have no guarantee that the theoretical someone else will have a problem. Unk and I vote to keep going."
Mukluk nods at Snowball, liking this plan more than the human's.
"Yeah, you're right Big Fur. We should get moving. We don't have the right stuff to knock all this out, at least without any good reason."
Mukluk is ready to move on.
You’re off again, and head further up into the hills over the next few days. The trail, quite faint (and you’re not sure if Ulf, your guide, is just making it up sometimes) is becoming more treacherous as you go.
During one particularly treacherous climb in a small snowstorm on Erastus 1, a Starday, you come across a wagon in the road (image). You reign in and the party advances to search and see what happened. You approach the still smoking conveyance - making all due preparations (Ameiko casts heroism, etc.).
The enclosure is a mess. It’s clear whatever did this, they were only interested in the meat of the poor humans (you think) who were riding within. There’s not much left. An ear here, part of a foot over there, and a finger pointing at you from the corner. Thankfully none of it moves on its own, but it is fresh.
Tracks, something like a bear, but rather larger (possibly huge?) scampered up the ridge face. You can’t think what it might have been, but whatever it was the wagoneers were no match for it. You find two more dead bodies up front - or once again what’s left of them. It's bloody.
Two possible issues.
- First, there are trade goods within and you have room for probably five units what with depleted food stores. It’ll take an hour or so to transfer the material.
- Second, the wagon is quite in the way and you cannot pass it safely. You have two choices, push it over the edge into the ravine (quick) or disassemble it enough to make it past (half day delay normally). Both options are loud, though the crevasse is deep so most of the noise will be down there with the first option.
1 (5+1): Divine Favor, Shield of Faith, Protection from Evil, Liberating Command, Endure Elements, Shield (D)
2 (4+1): Bull's Strength, Resist Energy, Instant Weapon, Make Whole, Barkskin (D)
3 (3+1): Invisibility Purge, Create Food and Water (2), Protection from Energy (D)
4 (1+1): Air Walk, Dimension Door (D)
Durgan casts Extended Shield, Barkskin, and Air Walk on himself (all 3 encounters).
"Let's follow those tracks and see what did this. It will take time to move the goods, and whatever attacked this caravan might come back."
Mukluk tries to rub his head as he looks at the impasse, but again forgets about the angelic helm and gooses it awkwardly.
"Oh, sorry about that. I keep forgetting," Mukluk mutters as he ponders what the caravan should do.
"Let's follow those tracks and see what did this."
Mukluk looks at Durgan and then at the cliff face that the creature scrambled up. "You want us to what the what now? Up that? Up that slope? I think we already discussed this, but Moose isn't thinking that I should be flying a just yet, and not sure how we are expected to do that. I suppose we could try. Or maybe one of us could scout and keep watch while the most of us work on clearing the wagon properly. I'm much more interested in whatever did this coming to get us here than us trying to go git it while climbing up a slope. That don't seem too right to me."
"I agree, only let me go scout; that's my specialty. I can tie a rope to something up higher in case it's worth following me up." Snowball suggests before looking at Unk.
"I foresee that it would be best for us to protect the caravan from the top of the cliff." Unk explains while pulling rope out of his sleeve, possibly complying with Snowball's request.
Not waiting for Unk to finish producing and knotting the rope, Snowball does a flyby of the caravan before becoming a cat shaped mist and trying to follow the trail up (stopping when the trail becomes horizontal).
You get the caravan crew working to gather the cargo and break up the caravan so as to move past while the party plans to try and track the creature.
Scaling the cliff face takes some doing, but it is doable, even with short noodlely legs. Snowball flies up and plants a grapple, which the party uses to climb to a ledge, and repeat. There are magical options too (Kisaiya can air walk) and there are several grapple/ropes floating around.
So you make your way carefully, if slowly, up the cliff. You ardently hope the creature does not return during this climb as you would, for the most part, be badly exposed. But nothing happens.
When you reach the wind-swept plateau at the top, you look around at the snowy landscape.
Mukluk huffs and puffs as he climbs up, doing his best, which is all he can offer at the moment...well, that and magical protections.
He looks around when they reach the plateau.
Perception
Unk makes sure there's enough rope hanging from the plateau's edge to the caravan below before finally cutting himself free and looking around.
Snowball is distracted by Unk almost not creating enough extra rope before cutting it... several times in a row.
Durgan Air Walks up and so is ready for battle should the party be attacked while climbing.
Kisaiya might be absent the next few days traveling, so some rolls for her.
Not to surprisingly, no tracks are found. The blowing snowstorm certainly helps hide the ground where any tracks might be spotted and shoveling away the snow also distorts and destroys any tracks that might be found underneath.
However, Mukluk does find a dropped finger which still has a very nice ring upon it worth 55gp.
Snowball, I expect, does a bit of flying about to make sure nothing obvious is missed, but the heavy cloud and snow restrict her elevation and field of view pretty dramatically so she sees little.
Do you do anything further up here, or climb back down? The creature seems to have vanished in the snow. Perhaps a Yeti.