After the intermission, morning breaks. Everybody prepare for the day, if you please.
Search Posts
During Uret's shift, he notices a few tiny lights scattering about between tree branches and within the forest. It seems too small to be torchlight, almost like candlelights of a sort. However, they don't seem to be around for more than a moment.
Choso becomes fatigued as hypothermia sets in. It seems as though she wasn't wearing her mittens.
The creature topples from the tree trunk to the snow, taking the mermaid with it. Be it Skylar's sharp blade or sharp language, the creature slips out of consciousness from the blow.
With a sound between a whine and a screech, it begins to bleed out, turning the white snow crimson. Choso is currently disabled, but stable.
The poison continues to course through Choso's veins before dissipating. Also, Choso recognizes the creature as an arctic tatzlwyrm, a creature native to Irrisen.
The beast doesn't quite appreciate being slashed at. It decides to move outwards and upwards towards a tree to escape range. While holding the merfolk, it makes it ten feet up the tree, whilst slashing at it with some of its claws.
It reels back at the blow! The creature then spews a venom into Choso's face, subsequently fleeing to under the snow! Open if Fort save is under 12:
Hits! Roll damage!
Out of the blue, a great white snake looking thing bursts from above and strikes at Choso!
Max is unable to discern the complexities of the trap. However, the rest of the group seems to be moving forward. Only a little more than a minute has passed since they've entered the clearing. Ahead, the path becomes more densely populated with trees.
Skylar feels like she's almost got it, but the string snaps back into ready position. rounds
Seems as though Skylar's having some trouble with the device. It's not quite undone, from what you can best gather. Fortunately, not much time is wasted in the attempt. rounds Less than a minute passes in total.
You find that the chest is, indeed, connected to a trap. This one in particular is rigged with some string connected to a very large log that's precariously perched over the half submerged treasure.
Almost cutting off the conversation, the lot of you come across a chest half buried in the snow. It would seem as though you've also entered a small clearing within the wood. The sky seems to be darkening, threatening night within a couple hours.
Barring any further unforeseen equipment forays, you make it back before it's too dark to see in the forest. You may need to bed down soon enough, however, as the sky is already starting to turn into shades of pink and orange. You realize that if this were a natural winter, the sun would've set by now.
Uret successfully makes a pair of snowshoes after about an hour's work.
Unfortunately, Skylar doesn't seem to be able to string the shoes in a way that would distribute her weight properly on unpacked snow.
The shopkeeper rings you up for 8 gp.
You find the local town shop does sell cold weather gear for the standard price of 8 gp. However, they don't openly have anything illegal. They also don't have snowshoes.
The zombies go down easily enough as the heroes decide to return to town for some quick supplies.
As she opens the door, two twisted, rotting creatures grasp around the frigid air. Two undead forms clamor about the inside, attempting to make their way out.
The bodies of the dead seem stripped of all gear and clothing in general. The carriage has some thumping, but nothing to suggest that whatever could be making that sound has noticed Skylar. Does she open the carriage?
Uret notices a thumping coming from one of the carriages.
As you ready yourselves, the path to the south is clear. The main road into town appears safe so far, but the closer to the Border Wood you get, the colder it seems. The temperature is nothing to sneeze at, as you soon find it to be only slightly above freezing. It's at about this time that you come across the evidence of the struggle. Corpses litter the path. The carriages are disheveled and overturned. The horses are missing, or have been cut loose. It appears that a statue formed of pure ice is before the tree line, behind it a snowy path leading into the heart of the wood.
Mr. Oerstag turns to Skylar. "I'm afraid these things may not even notice that little needle of yer's child. But ya remind me of my youngest back home. Here. I'll let you borrow this." He reaches behind the headboard of the bed to produce a longsword. Upon inspection, it looks to be forged of cold iron. "Do with it what ya must. Just save the Lady. They ambushed us about six miles south of here on the road and pulled us into the Border Wood. Be careful, the winds are cold and biting, and the snow is thick." He ends his explanation with a fit of coughing. Judge Teppen turns to you all. "I believe he needs his rest now. If you need to prepare for this, I would hope you all make haste. Lady Argentea is depending on you all."
1. These creatures have access to Detect Good, Detect Evil, Dancing Lights, Daze, and Color Spray. 2. Fey in general are weak to cold iron, and winter-touched are no exception. Fire also hurts them. 3. Cold and lights accompany them. In a wintry environment, these may not be evident immediately, however.
You are aware of winter-touched sprites. You can get three questions about them.
"I cannot tell you what spells it wove. I've never had the proper head for magic. But I can tell you that these things bear the harsh bite of winter. With a touch, they could inflict a cold worse the most frozen wind." He shivered just remembering. "If you're lookin' to catalogue em, merfolk, they'd be one of the fey sworn to the White Witches of Irrisen. It's said they fought against my people in the Winter War. Be careful, I do not know how many guard the Lady still."
He doesn't seem malicious, but it seems like he still has more to say if you asked.
The man coughs a bit before responding to you all. "Yah, it would help wouldn't it? Though even if your furry friend has his heart as stalwart as he wants to show it, the lot of ya won't find it a cakewalk... We were ambushed. First, it seemed like mere banditry, but then the tide turned. Cold fey from the north descended upon us. Winter-touched, lads. Oh, were I to go with ya all and protect ya and the Lady. If my ancestors could see me, oh the shame." Tears start from his eyes at this.
"Very well. Follow me, all of you." She begins to lead you into the council hall. The interior is well-decorated, but sensible. There are scribes at desks dotted throughout the way. After ascending a staircase, Judge Teppen opens a door and motions you all inside. "Mr. Oerstag? You have company." A man lies in a bed next to a window, addressed in casts and bandages. Some of the scant flesh you can see has turned an unhealthy shade of purple and black. The room is otherwise bare. "Ach, and who are you lot?" he asks in a voice that would suggest a native to the Land of the Linorm Kings, though in a very weakened state.
The matronly judge is pleased by the two new recruits. "Splendid! I shall take you to him shortly. But please be careful, he is in no way well." Simultaneously, Max comes upon the judge who notices his armor and weapon. "Pardon me, sir, but are you here for the rescue party?"
"At the moment, we have only what our contact has told us. However, if you would like to speak with him, we may allow it. He was on the convoy with Lady Argentea." "Furthermore, we are attempting to amass a volunteer expedition to the Border Wood. Unfortunately, no volunteers have yet stepped forward."
The figure attempts to rise above the content of such comment through sheer grace. "Judge Ionnia Teppen, head of the city council. No doubt you're aware of the incident outside town?"
"Why they're down by the square. They've got recruits and all looking. Even Judge Teppen's looking to send people down to the Border Wood! The townsperson points toward the square. One woman in particular stands out in judicial garb as she approaches a ragtag bunch, including a child, an oread, and a merman. "Pardon me, but I've taken it you have heard the news by now?"
"Hm.. Interesting.." Maximus thinks to himself as he scratches his chin and thinks about the information he's just learned of, "Perhaps you could tell me if there's any work that somebody needs done around here? Since I'm in the area I figure that I could at least find some sort of odd job to do." He asks, hoping that the gossipers could possibly point him in the right direction. "Not much right now, stranger. But the town council is looking to put together something of a search and rescue party."
People seem to be stoping and staring at the merman and the oread. These aren't common races, and are less commonly seen together. There isn't much else to perceive in that part of town.
The gossipers seem glad to share the information with you. They let you know of supernatural cold down at the Border Wood south of the time. Strange creatures seem to have come with the cold, like white stags and a giant white weasel. It seems as though the bandit activity has curbed as well, other than the story of the mercenary of course. It seems as though the Lady had been traveling from Oppara to Zimar to meet her betrothed. Rumor has it the two didn't get along and Lady Argentea caused a scandal by calling off the engagement and returning home.
At the moment, there's not much to notice. Though Max does happen to pick up talk of cold as people pass by. He could converse with them if you wish.
Skylar doesn't hear any screaming, but does notice the large, stony gentleman break his impression of a statue.
We start the scene in the sleepy town of Heldren, a village in the nation of Taldor. Despite hosting such a varied populace, such as yourselves, there hasn't been much of interest to sate your restless spirits. In a word, it's boring. The only shadow of anything terribly interesting are the criers and bards telling stories from far off. Until today. Today, the news comes from hunters. The Border Wood by your town has recorded some disturbing cold, despite the middle of summer. Snowfall had come, despite all odds, and with it some strange beasts! Old Mother Theodora says this is an oncoming sign of ill tidings, as she is wont to comment her prophecies. If not only that would raise eyebrows, a badly injured mercenary shambled into town just as news was starting to hit fever pitch. The man claimed to be a bodyguard of Lady Argentea Malassene and that their caravan was attacked by strange creatures, somehow touched by ice. These things stole the Lady into the depths of the Border Wood! What secrets lie in the trees? What terrible creatures could be waiting in the Border Wood? And could they be headed toward your safe, but sleepy village?
Gathering point for my peoples. |