"Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this? Long, treacherous, icy pathway with no railings and a steep drop into deathly cold water. Add to that no cover, no way to hide our approach from any sentries who would be watching and no room to maneuver when we get attacked,"
"We could just tell everyone back home that we lost them in a storm...or better yet, head back down river until we find a tropical beach someplace...preferably one with a ready supply of fruity drinks!"
Andreas grins at the suggestion. A change in temperature would agree with me right now as well, dear lady, and I agree we are at a disadvantage, but I'm afraid I'm not about to turn back just yet. This fortress' presence in the Gorge intrigues me; I wouldn't expect to encounter such a monument until reaching the Frostlands. And one would think such a grand sight in their own backyard wouldn't remain unnoticed by the explorers of Camlin for long.
The paladin pauses, considering a moment the tales he's heard during his stay in the region and attempting to remember any mention of the fortress.
"Well, we go forward or we go back. I vote for going forward." K rummages in her pack for a moment, then says, "does anyone happen to have climbing grips; those metal spikes that one puts on their boots while mountain climbing?"
"Did tha stuff from tha town have rope and pitons an climbin gear in it?"
"Ima fer usin tha even iffen out climb is like this......"
instead o like this ......
After digging through her pack and studying them for a moment, Sioned sits and begins strapping the cleats around her boots.
"Something on your mind Ahz?"
Gnosh sets down the sack of goods, digs in, and produces a rope, some pitons, and a hammer. "I'm in favor of going in in darkness, myself, but I understand if you all think that trying to blind them makes more sense."
As you survey the scene more closely you notice that the first piece of icy walkway juts out to nearly the midpoint. There is a rope line and a block set in the end of the ice. A crank is set firmly in a post and a sturdy rope runs toward the section that is floating 20 feet away.
?
Going in now or at night?
"I think enough of us can make do in the dark to make that a better time to travel. I don't want to be hanging from that rope in broad daylight."
Sioned stands and tests her grip on the ice.
"We'll just buddy up with those people who have...erm...inferior eyesight."
So long as I am guided by someone with the ability to see in the dark, striking out in the evening sounds best to me as well. Andreas approaches the crank and tentatively reaches toward the mechanism, stooping low to get a good look at its visible workings as he does so.
Andreas
The crank/winch looks similar to ones used to raise and lower drawbridges. Each fourth turn of the winch passes a locking mechanism that holds the winch tightened a level has to be flipped in order to turn the crank the opposite direction.
as you test the crank....
The slack rope dipping into the water moves towards you and appears to pass under the water to a pole set on the second icy bridge.
If you continue to crank the crank
The floating section turns more in line with the walkway and you see a second crank on the opposite end of the floating walkway.
As you test the crank
Turning his gaze from the ice bridge and crank mechanism, Andreas looks at the ice fortress. How many sets of eyes might now be watching the party from hidden alcoves?
The crank system looks like it will provide easy access; it appears to align the sections of the bridge for easy passage. I have doubts, though, that the system will remain intact in the evening, should anything be watching us from the ice right now.
The paladin steps away from the crank to allow any who want to test the mechanism the opportunity. I think we should move out at once. If luck is with us, all those we pursue will be gathered near the lights, and our entry will go unnoticed. If not we can retreat across the ice bridge or, barring that, find someplace secure to lay low.
"I think that the paladin is right," Caydee says resolutely, having already strapped on her cleats. "Of course, going in during the night won't be any hardship for me; the stars out here at night are plenty bright enough."
Ditto on the friday through sunday (vacation) may or may not be able to post...will move forward as we may....Seems like this one has been going really well....
EVERYONE!!!
I arbitrarily award 50 XP so that each person may level his PC before entering the Icy Fortress...
Sioned blinks as the bolt of experience lightning ricochets off of her head.
"Suddenly, I think waiting and resting for oh...eight hours...might be beneficial"
Wondered if everyone had made it back yet???
The night watches go uneventfully and during the evening everyone discussses the adventure thus far and notices ways they could have done things better. Inspiration comes to all and a new day dawns with everyone feeling more confident and capable..........
The main bridgeway waits pointing toward the icy fortress with the strange crank and rope system at the end of it....
Perception
DC 15+
Along the expanse of the bridge in nthe fresh snow clear wolf tracks lead out to the crank. The tracks end and it looks as if the wolves pawed the ground in anticipation wanting to cross the bridge....
DC 20+
The crank itself can be set in either a locked or an unlocked position, the default is locked...
Andreas hoists his gear onto his back and rests his glaive on his shoulder. No time for pleasantries, I fear. If we've remained unnoticed thus far, we should capitalize on that fact by moving in as soon as we can be ready. And if we have been detected, I would rather we strike out first than wait for an attack to be made against us.
"I am well feel better than I ave inna while."
"It seems tha bridge is keepin out all tha wolves, maybe tha is what it wuz made fer."
Perception:
Initiative:
Sioned works the cold out and takes care of Rusty in the morning...eying him as for a moment he looks like some sort of other animal.
"I'm ready to go when you all are."
The crank turns easily bringing the bridge in line and making the task ahead look easier to accomplish. The two junctions points line up against each other making the bridge continue even closer to the icy fortress.
Perception
DC 20
The bridge looks stable and the crank locks it into place.
DC 24
The bridge is at least 15 feet short of connecting to the other side, the crank at the end of the bridge has a slack rope attached.
The floating chunk of an ice bridge passes swiftly under your feet until you arrive at the end of the bridge and notice a 20 foot gap to the other narrow jetty of land that finishes the bridge.
A second crank is set in this end of the bridge with loose ropes hanging down and toward the shore. The mechanism looks exactly the same as the first crank that you simply turn the crank to bring the floating bridge section into line so you can enter the waiting fortress.
morning rolls
perception
initiative
KD stands near Ahz, keeping a wary eye on the mountain, bow in hand (as usual).
As Azhateran turns the second crank and the rope is pulled taunt between the remainder of the bridge and the floating portion, the ice underfoot begins to creak and groan....
Azhateran
The crank is getting harder to turn
All perceptions greater than 15
The first crank locked in place and the floating ice bridge caught between the two forces is starting to crack under the pressure.
"Uhm, we need to coordinate this a bit or we are going to crank our bridge apart. Unlatch the locking tooth from this crank before tightening the second."
K rushes back to follow Sioned's advice, breathing a sigh of relief once the ice stops groaning. "I'd hate to fall into that ice water," she mutters ominously, looking around their thin bridge.
As you begin to figure out the bridge you see a large green glowing bird shape pass overhead.
Perception
DC 10
There appears to be a rider on the bird
DC 15
The rider is a tengu, the bird has a strange glowing rune on its' forhead
DC 20
The tengu and the bird creature have the same glowing rune on the forehead.
Caydee glances up in a mixture of bemusement and alarm.
perception
Gnosh
Be sure to level your character!
K brings the bird and rider to the other's notice, describing the rune.
Sioned taps her bottom lip as she considers the rune...
"Probably some sort of...uhm...Tengu fetish branding??" She shrugs her shoulders, having no clue as to their actual meaning.
Putting your collective heads together and remembering some stories of magic-users deveoted to the art of summoning you quickly deduce the nature of the beast and it's rider.
The bird creature sets down across the chasm of water and a tengu with grey around the feathers of his eyes gets off the creature...
In broken common he speaks to you....
"Why here humans?"
"Human place many walks"
"Tengu move away humans"
"Tengu no want humans"
"Go away"
"Why here humans?"
K glances at Andreas, hinting that he should be the party representative.