Beyond Myria (Iron Heroes) IC

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Stretching his limbs and sparing one last glance for Tono's broken body, Noj steps towards the last tent to take his pack and drink his draught.

Once done, he waits patiently for the rest to depart, falling in beside Grakka.

[Gygaxphobia]

The rough canvass lean-to is strung up on two poles and lashed down with stakes and thin rope. Slung against the side of the hill, the firelight behind it casts heavy floating shadows across the snow, now grey in the fading light.

The sacks contain linen wrapped piles of dried fruit and nuts and several tough strips of jerked meat - a deer most likely. Each also has a single vegetable, slightly mouldy on the surface from damp but otherwise wholesome. Swedes, cabbages and onions are popular.

The men around the fire pits leave you alone for the most part except for some who shoot sideways glances and one who stares open-mouthed at Thyr as she passes.

The blood-orange wisps of the dying sun linger over the mountains to the west and slightly south, leaking into the blue-grey sky and chasing a warm breeze above your heads.

Ingvar leads a path downwards to the south-east. Where the various hill slopes abutt one another there are ridges and small channels aplenty. From your current height you can see over most, but as you descend some thirty feet you lose your field of vision.
The snowfall has stopped and you see track marks in the gulley between two hefty hill slopes, both thick with snow. The gully runs almost due north-south and very straight.
The hill to the east ascends steep (around thirty degrees) for several miles until it strikes the spine of a mountain. The hill on the west of the gulley (where you are descending) rises irregularly through thick briars to an overhang of the gulley.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar makes his way down to the gully's edge and kneels to look down intently. He then stands and surveys the surrounding terrain, looking around for several long, quiet minutes.


Ideally, we should find a way that runs west by southwest, to be able to circle around the blocked path. However, I believe, from your description - please correct me if I'm wrong - that the only clear path is the north-south gully. Thus Ingvar's actions would be:

1- study tracks at the gully: 1d20+6(survival)+2(know nature)+2(mountainborn)+2(search): [roll0]
2-listen check: [roll1]
3-survival check to seek another path heading southwest/west: take 20 = 20+6(survival)+2(mountains)+2(knowledge nature) = 30

I also have knowledge: geography should we need to roll that

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn moves cautiously along, scanning the horizon as best she can. As they descend further into the gulley, her grip on her mornigstar tightens as her nerves tense. Drifting her eyes across the slopes, she attempts to spot any thing that may be amiss and offer trouble to her companions.



spot [roll0]
survival [roll1] if able to look at tracks

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj snorts. "We're walking along the bottom of a gully between two mountains? That's the worst possible place to walk in Wendigo territory."

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn snorts at Noj's comment and thinks 'If he thinks so, why not get his butt up there?'

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr stayed silent, this was for the expertise of the hunter and the mountain man to dispute. Adjusted how the sack hung over her shoulder, she scanned the western rig line, trying to make out anything that could be a threat. Even though they had only gone so far from the previous valley, Thyr already felt lost.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj watches the hunter examine the trailhead for a bit longer before speaking up again.
"I know it's a good road and a straight one, but that's what makes it dangerous. If you walk down there, things can charge down the slope at you or bury you in an avalanche easy as that" Noj snaps his fingers. He continues earnestly "I know; I've done it myself many times to the Wendigo."

[Gygaxphobia]

The tracks are a mixture of wolf paws and human hand print, mostly they are heading north in a confusing mish-mash, overlaying each other.
There seem to be some heading south as well, but you are unsure from the tracks whether this is before or after.

Certainly the rolling hillsides provide ample routes through to the south and southwest, however none of them are comfortable for any except the most hardy of travellers and certainly not for horses, sleds or wagons.
A route such as this could be upto three times lengthier that going straight, since the weaving between hills and ridges is a very indirect path.

The wind is light and low at present, although it whips through the gulley like a tunnel, amplifying the noise.

Indeed the gully would make a nasty ambush, for the choke point is overlooked from both sides. Weapons would not be much use, but snow rock and ice would be sufficient.

The gulley runs straight south for around two miles before opening out again, it varies but has an average width of twelve feet.

You feel pleasantly warm still from your stay by the fire. The warmth in your belly from food and beverage has reached your toes and given you fresh energy. In fact your eyes feel wide awake and lively despite the weariness of your journey and the rigours of the day.

The genwaste/ginvast herb burns bright if you have drunk it. The coursing of adrenaline pounds through your blood. It gives the equivalent of 8 hours rest in the time you slept. In addition you gain one Universal Token which may be spent on any pool. Everyone who has not already done so now proceeds to Level 2. Anyone who didn't drink the herb (I think everyone did) can ignore this and the preceding paragraph.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"We may be able to traverse this area differently, but the main group will be hard pressed to go any way but here. Maybe one group could take the west ridge and the other the east ridge, but someone needs to test the safety of the central pass."

will let Ingvar's statement stand, since near simu post

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar seems about to spit an angry retort (to Noj), then sighs. This day's events must have me on edge... and having to deal with so many people... "Noj, I haven't been standing here admiring the hilltops. I was looking for an alternate path. And though I can find several that I could easily traverse, I seek a path that a band of villagers, some of them from flatlands, can travel." He looks back along the gully. "This only runs for two miles or so... mayhap afterwards we can head west." A wolfish grin appears unexpectedly. "Most of the Wendigo ran north. We can follow them later, if you wish." He is about to climb down into the gully when he noticed the sacks they all carry -- and that Jyn bears two. What the hell...
He looks at Jyn with what may be a blush, though the windburn on his cheeks hides most of it. "Lass, you are much too kind to be with this crew..."
With that, he climbs down into the ravine, and readies his bow.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj nods.
"Yeah. Wagons and horses and all that. But I still think we ought to have a few people further up the slope to watch for ambushes."

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Turning to Ingvar Jyn says, "I can continue carrying this if you need freedom to range quickly, otherwise here is some food from the Thane."

Looking from slope to slope, Jyn too feels bottled in but agrees with Ingvar's statement that we must traverse this pass for the group. "Why not send two people to each side, while the remainder carry most of the supplies to offer less weight to those off on their own? We will need to watch for ambushes when the group does travel this route, but first we must see that it is open. The Thane and his men should be able to secure the sides if we do choose this course."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar shakes his head (at Jyn). "Nay, lass. I can carry it." He then turns to Noj. "'Tis a good point you bring. Mayhap you and Grakka can stay on the ridge... I know you are skilled at those downhill charges. Dane too, for the vantage point. I will check the path down here with whomever wishes to join me." He slings the bag next to his light pack, secures his unstrung bow and quiver, then begins carefully down the ravine.


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj shakes his head
"Nay. An archer's no good at the bottom of the hill. I'd recommend Grakka stay in the gully with others who'd not keep their balance on the slopes. We need keen eyes further up; that'd be you and the lazy one, perhaps one to a side."

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr knelt down and studied the tracks for a moment, and tried to trace the route of the tracks.

"Ingvar is our tracker, and this is the greatest threat at the moment." She pointed down at the tracks. "If we trace these tracks, we can have an idea of what, how many, and where a threat is coming from. To you it may be wiser to have the archers on the ridges, but if we lose these tracks, then we have a present enemy that we cannot trace. No phantom is more dangerous than that." She stood up and dusted off her leggings.
"Besides, spreading ourselves too thin would make us a bigger target than if we are in a clot." She pointed to the western ridge. "The most hidden threat would be from over there, I wager." So then pointed to the eastern bluff. "An attack is less likely to hit from there, but if it does, it may be harder to get ambushed." She looked to the mountain folk, expecting a very disapproving look and then quickly back to the mountain spine. "If you Avalanchers take the bowman to there, you would have a good vantage point to guard that flank, watch the ridge, and if we are attacked from there, you can quickly reinforce by coming down the slope, and not having to climb up the other." Thyr took a long breath before continuing.
"Whatever we do, let's do it quickly we are a lot more vulnerable with no sunlight."

[Kain_Tempest]

((Forgot my checks.))
[roll0] To see where the tracks going in our direction are going.

[YPU]

Dane walks at the back of the group, while walking he spans his bow. “So, we are going to walk on the western ridge and keep an eye out for any attacks. And you guys make sure you walk on this side and only have your heads above the ridge, that way there’s much less chance somebody will spot us.” He finishes preparing his bow and makes a slight jump to make sure everything is in place. “you know what, I feel like walking a bit right now, funny isn’t it?”

[YPU]

and i forgot those aswel:
spot [roll0]
listen[roll1]
survival [roll2]
and i have the perceptive tallent.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn shuffles her feet eager to keep moving and remain warm turns to the group, "In any case, from what I remember in hearing my father discuss things with my brothers, we should not have to fear much about distanced attacks by any non-human foe we may face. Even the idea of creating an avalanche strikes me as alien for any creature that would rather eat the flesh from my bone, than bury it under layers of ice and snow. "

[Gygaxphobia]

The air pressure changes slightly giving you a moment of fresh air.
The wind whistles long and low from your back, racing southwards down the gulley and light speckles of rain begin to fall, a chorus of murmurs start as droplets patter into the snow.

The wolf tracks are a confusing muddle to you, certainly you roughly know how many wolves came northwards to attack the column. How many returned southwards is a different question.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The bandit woman is right, he thinks. Though I'd rather do this alone, there IS safety in numbers. He nods at the scarlet-tressed woman, then studies the gulley, trying to determine how deep it is, and whether there are easy routes of egress. It may be impossible to climb in or out later on... particularly after dark...

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Rising from her most recent inspection of the snow at her feet, Jyn appears to come to a conclusion,
"It looks like a few of the beasts retreated back south along this course. Their blood appears mixed with the snow. We must get moving as this rain can only portend cold travel for us."

With her last words, Jyn pulls her gear closer to her form to try and limit the wintry water's access to her flesh.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf


The tall man turns to his companions. "The walls get steep and high less than a spear throw away. Whoever stays up on either ridge won't be coming down, nor those below be getting up, without a rope." He draws about an inch's worth of his sword, to make sure the frost does not make it stick in its scabbard, then takes his bow from his back and strings it. "I suggest you all follow me, Thyr is correct about our chances if we split up. Whatever you choose, we better get started."
He carefully moves about twenty feet or so down the gully, alert as a hunting wolf.


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

Rain? Wow, we are a lot farther south than I first thought. Faillune mentioned as Thyr drew her weapon and followed Ingvar down into the gully.
Thyr's homeland was bare of rainfall or much surface water for that matter. Things were too damn cold and most surface water simply a bog to swallow up an unwary elk or rider. If there was a cold snap, her hair would feel pretty. But then again, when was the last time she had a bath?
Wow, it's been a long time since you had one of those, eh? Thank goodness I don't have a nose, you probably reek like most of these outsiders. Thyr had recalled that Ingvar had taken some snow with him in a bucket to bathe. For him, reducing his scent as much as possible was necessary to survive. For Thyr, it was simply a luxury.
More than that... Faillune reminded her.

[Gygaxphobia]

Tightening belts and adjusting gloves you check your weaponry, preparing for the worst.
Following Ingvar's lead you mimic his cautious step, stepping from the fading wispy blue light into deep shadows and even frostier air. The steep earthy banks surround you, glistening with patches of ice and with the occasional root showing through, and the smell of the earth is strong about you.

There is life here, currently. Across the loose earth some yellow grasses show and the tiny pock-marked holes indicate some insects nests. The tracks on the ground resemble a stampede heading nothwards where they stay to the centre of the ravine.

Ingvar tests the ground, stepping lightly and occasionaly poking into the snow, but there is always solid earth underneath.
Here and there are icy pools of frozen water, making the way treacherous and slipping likely.


The wind howls low, blowing cold into your faces this time and numbing your noses, ears and exposed extremities. It carries with it a reek of stale urine and mould, that peculiar combination of odours of top of another distinctive scent... wet fur.

There is a flicker from above you and you all look up betraying your anxiety. A trickle of small pebbles patter down the scree and plop in the snow, one striking ice hard and skitters off at an odd angle. At the same time a murky grey cloud passed overhead stealing more light from you.
There is a sense of guilt that you started so easily at nothing, but the anxiety remains...

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj straightens up a little sheepishly from the crouch he'd instinctively sunk into.
"Brrr...I've got a very bad feeling about this."
He reaches over and slaps Grakka on the back
"Keep your eyes and ears open, eh?"

[YPU]

“yeah, what was that up there, wendigo don’t have that skinny legs do they and they cant climb up that straight that fast, I think.” at this point Dane looks at the others, probably meeting strange looks. “you didn’t see anything did you? Man, do I have to do everything here. We are being be sneaked by something and you don’t even see it. great.” He draws two arrows, one he loosely puts on his bow the other he keeps clenched in his hand.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar slows his steps, looking warily around the ravine. The man may be lazy, but that means nothing about his skills. True, the wind could have knocked the scree loose, but... He pauses, speaking without turning back. "Deadeye, are you SURE you saw something? There is some kind of beast ahead, likely a lair, from the stench."


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

OOC: nice way to set the atmosphere, GP :smallcool:

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf


rolling again :smallfurious:

Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr tensed at the sound of the falling rubble, but not much else. The archer already sounded like he was panicking, even though it could have been coincidental. She swallowed and scanned across the area in front of her. If they were attacked, they could be boxed in from the front and back. And perhaps attacked from above along the tops of the ridge.
If that's the case, then we will charge forward. Faillune recommended. Its wielder couldn't agree more. Trying to reduce a front would be a wise descision of something were to happen.

[YPU]

“yea, I’m sure, a bunch of hairy legs that got away real fast. And its not ahead, its right above us. So I suggest we start moving right now.” He starts moving back to the entrance of the ridge. “I suggest we all walk on the top of the ridge, or just walk around it.”

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The hunter shakes his head. "We have to be able to traverse this gulch. Keep your eyes open, and your weapons ready." With that, he moves carefully ahead, hand on his sword hilt.


see above for the perception checks

[Gygaxphobia]

You can see the end of the ravine open out about a mile in front of you onto a wider plain of snow and tundra.
After a moments pause, Ingvar moves forward.
Moving forward with more haste -aware of the fading light- you come to a point where the channel opens out somewhat. The smell is much stronger here. Before you enter the open area, you cautiously look around and notice several things.

The open area is a fifty foot diameter rough circle, the edges peel back at the top of the gully, letting more light down.

To the east side an icy wall shoots upwards to join the mountain hanging overhead. Large rocks protrude from the thick ice and it's reflective sheen. A large crack runs down the ice from left to right.

To the west, the cliff retreats into darkness at the bottom, piles of loose stone and earth stand around, and more silt falls slowly in various places. It seems that the avalanche has loosened the ravine and caused rockfalls.
In the shadowy area at the base of the cliff you sense a large pit and possibly caverns there. At least one large lump of rock has fallen from overhead indicating a possible collapse.
From under one pile of rocks you see the back legs of something, lying still. Black haired and thick they look like the strong legs of a wolf.
From the deeper area of shadow a low growling starts menacingly.

[YPU]

“Guys, what has a bunch of hairy legs and can climb steep cliffs without problems?” Dane says while walking behind Ingvar. “I hate spiders.” Dane jumps somewhat at the sound of the groan. “in these situations I prefer to work a shoot first, die later, anybody object?” dane pulls back the arrow and brings his bow up to level, but waits for their answer.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj leaves off drawing his sword for the moment. No sense in getting more rain on the blade than there needed to be. He glances with open mistrust at the darkness, and then at the crack in the ice wall, and then at the scree.
"I can think of four different kinds of traps this might be," he mutters to the silent Grakka.
"What the hell. Everyone ready?"

[Kain_Tempest]

"A den. Great." Thyr tightens her grip on Faillune.
Perhaps you should have taken the offer to have the girl hold the food. The pick warned. Thyr chose not to comment. If this was the den, these monsters were going to be far more vicious than before, and Thyr would have to be more vicious herself. She felt stronger and more confident, she could bring these things down.

[YPU]

Deadeye Dane

“I say everybody who can touch a bow without breaking it sports it at the growling thing. all warriors stand ready for a charge, we fire together. And somebody try to get some torch going, if we could actually see what we are shooting at we might hit just a bit more.” Dane sounds something in between exited and scared.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Taking his time, Noj unslings his bow and, with a grunt, strings it.
"Aye. Make it come to us. Grakka, Vesha...you need to be in front. Tyr and I can flank from the side if it charges."
So saying, the red-haired Avalanche man steps forward and to the side as he selects an arrow carefully from his quiver, his fingers hovering over the fletching uncertainly.
Now...One of these arrows will grant me a sure shot. I must pick the right one

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar grunted in agreement with the plan. He stood next to Dane, bow in hand, and nocked an arrow to the string.

[Gygaxphobia]

The growl from the cave is shared by several creatuers threatening you together. The moment becomes longer... but they seem to make no move.

[Kain_Tempest]

"Not to assume victory..." Thyr started as she positioned herself at the opposite flank to Noj. "But if these are the wendigo from before, they are likely going to be on the defensive. The big one was probably the smartest, they want us to come to them."
The hunted flees to the first sound, but fights to the last. Faillune affirmed.
"We need to flush them out, or we will be standing here all night."

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn readies her bow and places her packs on dry ground in preparation of a battle to come. She focuses on the area surrounding the cave to assess if any advantage can be gained during a fight.

"Obviously we can not lead the group past this cavern without either dealing with what is inside or closing of the entrance. Does anyone think we could cause an avalanche to close of the cave?"

Spot check in OOC

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Timid, are they now... the huntsman analyzes the situation, despite his cool demeanor. Could these be natural beasts we are dealing with? He goes down on one knee to look at the tracks once more.


Ingvar will see if the tracks here are similar to the wendigos they fought before... those had hands instead of paws, after all

Survival [roll0]
Knowledge, nature [roll1]

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The tall huntsman stands once more, bow at the ready. The sign was clear. A grim smile splits his beard as he addresses his companions. "This is were we finish what they started. Now, THEY are prey."


If possible, Ingvar readies an action to shoot the first wolf that comes out of the cave. And just in case:
Initiative [roll0] :smallbiggrin:

[Kain_Tempest]

At the mention of an avalanche, Thyr looked over at Noj and Grakka.
"Agree with her. Perhaps you two know a method for shutting that hole?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
Noj glances at Grakka, and then runs a hand through his grubby red hair.
"Well...yeah. But that's no good; if there isn't another exit, they'll just dig their way out. Wolves and Shiverbits can dig like dogs."

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr was about to argue, but figured that the stupidity could die in the cold. She sighed.
"Well... There are certainly not showing any interest in coming out at us... And I'd rather not stand here and freeze to death when the air chills again... So who wants to go down there first?

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar grunts, then takes a torch from his pack, lights it with his flint and iron, and tosses it inside the cave.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul

Vesha has been silent ever since Tono died, and something is obviously bothering him. But he now speaks for the first time, chanting harshly. Koal Nos, spirit of the bear, I summon you, render of flesh, gnawer of bones, drink of the blood of my enemies... Koal Nos, raksa shan, maksha ran, keza nul, koza rel, vega gosh, Koal Nos! He grips his mighty club, and steps in front of everyone, crouching so they can shoot over his head.

[Gygaxphobia]

The light sparks first time and a rush of colour appears, washing up against the rocks and throwing fearsome shadows of weapons and stretched men across the snow. Yellow pin points appear as eyes shine back from within the rocky over-hang.

With Vesha's chants, the brass of his mallet shines bright throwing gold flashes across the high ravine walls.

The growls from the cave turn to snarls, vicious and inhumanly angry. In a throaty roar, awkward syllables choke from a dry, unused and unseen mouth somewhere in the cave.
"Mala fre Koal Nos! Deafv to Bear! Bring Ayame, Adal-mada - unstring legs, rip throats, fight with weight of pack!"

*Initiative rolls please!*

[YPU]

“okay, that’s it, we fire at three. One… Two… Three!” Dane rapidly fires his arrow at where he judges the body belonging to the eyes should be. The then directly aims and fires the other arrow he was holding in his hand at the same invisible target.

initiative [roll0]
wait action with the counting, to make sure everybody can fire at once. Then rapid shot.
First shot [roll1]
Damage [roll2]
second [roll3]
Damage [roll4]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"Wolf-mother, she-wolf," Jyn whispers to herself barely audible to her companions.

"Whatever voiced those words speaks of an ancient evil derived from gods possibly worshipped by one of our ancestors. I have a sinking feeling about this." Jyn finishes as she continues to train her bow on the cave.

In response to Dane's countdown, she remains with arrow drawn. 'I doubt if my arrow fired blindly will have any effect, and I dare not lose any arrows."

[Ozzy_G]

Koal Nos, the Bear Spirit
Vesha screams like some inhuman spirit, and while you cannot say exactly what has changed about him, he doesn't seem quite the same. Somehow he seems more predatory, more animal-like, no longer himself. Growling like some beast of the wilds, he crouches, his hunter's eyes watching the cave entrance.
[roll0] Delaying for now.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar readies his bow once more, awaiting a clear target.

Taking a cue from Dane :smallsmile:
Ready action to shoot the first monster that comes out of the cave.
Move action to gain a (second) tactical token

[Kain_Tempest]

That... That doesn't sound good. Thyr had to agree with her companion. She had heard stories, legends of beasts that had the tongues of men. Could speak, lie, and fool. Having seen the prints in the snow and now hearing the strange voice of the beasts, she realized that she may be looking upon something very close to the legends of her homeland. Could these be the progenitors?
She took a hard swallow and moved forward. Whatever the case, these creatures were hostile, and so no form of peaceful reunion was possible. She had to fight.

((Thyr delays until the wendigo attack. She will target the first one she can and attack it using a two-handed power attack, thus dropping the sack over her shoulder. Attaching her weapon pool and dodge pool to that target.))
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Helfdan]

Doh! forgot my attack rolls

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Grymmheart]

looks like you should have truly forgoten them

Jyn will use move/standard actions to gain tokens, not sure which yet

[Gygaxphobia]

The snarling is broken by a bark and a howl. One voice rises above the keening and bellows a ferocious animal roar, you can feel the blast of fetid air from a giant carnivorous mouth.

Unleashing their arrows on Dane's command, Ingvar and Dane strum and reload, a groan indicates one of them hit home but equally the chips of rocks tells of missies as the yellow eyes mvoe deceptively.

A peppering of stones fly from different parts of the cave, the torch illuminates shadowy arms as they unload their burdens. The wind catches the flame and flings shadows back and forth as it hisses in the snow and begins to gutter on the floor.
In all there are perhaps another three or four creatures concealed around behind rock piles, looking for more things to throw.

A rain of flints patter off of Koal Nos drawing droplets of bright blood and lending an additional horror to his appearance.

Noj lets fly at the closest movement, he is unable to tell if a wound was struck as another roar overcomes any noise.

Koal Nos, the Bear become man leaps forward into the shadowy concealment with club raised lashing out with a wild sweep as a body moves to intercept him.

Standing above the flickering and guttering torch the wild bearskin clad spirit clashes with an eight foot black furred creature. It's huge head roars and spits, trying to sink massive fangs into shoulders and throat. In one hand it grips an archaic styled battle axe, swinging ferociously across and up again.

In their half-blind savagery they recklessley overreach and unbalance themselves, stepping hard on rough untested ground, the torch alternately throwing warm orange across their snarling features and then blowing away returning them to shadow and draining all colour.

Smaller creatures rush from their concealment, throwing themselves against their great enemy Bear and tangling themselves in his thick legs.

Mynas Thyr lets go her burden and rushes forward to get to Vesha's side. She can't get to the larger wolf and settles with the scurrying creatures bothering Vesha's legs. Shieldless and brazen she hefts her pick high and lets it fall towards one, swiping across it's back and lifting the weapon before it collides with the floor. The wolf is swept aside and the weapon bears bloods and fur once more.

Jyn and Grakka take a moment to collect themselves and decide where they can be most use.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Fight3.jpg

Vesha needs to soak three hits from stones: 5hp, 4hp, 4hp and resist two trip attacks of 6 and 7. He gets an AoO against one of these attackers.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The tall huntsman growls at the fierce melee, and moves towards the cave, angling towards the narrow entrance to the north. As he moves swiftly but quietly, he draws his keen iron sword, his bow still in his left hand. Ingvar soon is lost in the shadows and torch smoke.


I emailed you the map marking Ingvar's planned path. He draws his sword as part of the first move action -- this is important as he can make AoO even while flatfooted due to his Combat Reflexes mastery 1.
Two move actions total
Tactical Tokens (still) 2
just in case you need any of these :smallbiggrin:

Move Silent [roll0]
Hide [roll1]
Spot [roll2]
Listen [roll3]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn scrutinizes the snarling beasts closely, cringing as they strike out at her companions.

hopefully these actions will count as round 1, I did not have my book to be sure exactly what i could do with Jyn.

free action- knowledge check to uncover weakness for +1 Att
[roll0] redo 17- need to know if high enough to gain bonus

move action- beast lore intell check to gain tokens, result divided by 5, round down for number gained
[roll1] 4 tokens gained

standard action- war leader intel check to gain tokens, 10-19 gain 1, 20 or more gain 2 tokens
[roll2] 0 tokens gained

Please let me know if this counts as a round 2 action.

[Ozzy_G]

Koal Nos, the Bear Spirit
The bearskin-clad man screams in rage as the beasts attack him. He lashes out with his mighty club at the beast to his left.

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll=resist 2nd trip
Spending 6 tokens for +6 damage
[roll4]
[roll5]

[Ozzy_G]

resist 2nd trip [roll0]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Letting his longbow drop lightly to the ground, Noj draws forth his black iron blade as he charges forward. His footsteps kick up clods of wet snow as he races towards the melee. Taking a stuttering step or two, Noj dodges past the red-haired warrior woman as he gathers his feet to jump over the wolf's head. Twisting through the air, Noj grasps his blade like a two-handed dagger and stabs downward as he lands, seeking to run the wolf through.

(OOC: I don't have my sheet handy at this computer. Either Gygax can roll for me, or I can add them later today.)

[YPU]

Dane takes aim at one of the rock throwing creatures and shuffles around a bit to get a better shot. He breaths deeply and then lets fly the arrow, carefully taking care of the others who are locked in bathe with the creates.
move action to aim at whatever of the rock rowers I can see. 1 aim token on it, then a free five feet step if needed to get a better shot. Spend the aim token and the free extra token on deadly shot ads half my dex on damage. Precise shot neglects penalty for firing into melee.
Attack: [roll0] damage [roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

Having become focused on the target she struck, Thyr begins to lean into the beast.

((Gained a weapon token for hitting last round and now burning it for an expert strike.))

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Gygaxphobia]

The wolves tangling the Bear do little to disrupt his strong stance, Koal Nos snarls at his ancient enemy. Dropping his weight through a knee onto one wolf he pins it briefly, giving him time to invert his maul and pile-drive the brass-studded head down onto it's skull, which pops like a bug.

Ingvar hunches down and moves stealthily off to pick his way around the debris and rubble. Seeing a clear route he edges into the shadows, but his keen sense alerts him to movement nearby.
He leaps forward to intercept it, slashing at it's face to stop it's rush. He takes a wide, mobile stance, standing his ground in a narrow gap, preventing a second pack-mate from joining his opponent. The wolf he faces hunches itself low, but on two legs and carrying a large bone in one hand it advances snarling and slathering.

Noj runs zig-zag to get into the fray without suffering a back-swing from the blurred pick that weaves in front of him. This slows his run up and his leap become more of a hop, landing as the wolf lunges at Menas. He over-stretches, his head thrust low and forward like a fencers foil with bad form, but carries his blade into the beast's underbelly just the same.

Dane looses his arrow at the creature to the rear of Ingvar's attacker (#5) but the creature is moving fast and it whistles over it's head.

Jyn notices the beasts use the terrain well, and fight defensively amongst the rocks, but they are definately out-numbered now. She begins to call out instructions.

Grakka takes up rear-guard, unable to see a way to get involved in the combat.

Seeing her foe down, Thyr grunts with strain or annoyance. Shifting her hands quickly on the weapon haft she steps in and slams the butt into the ribs of the largest wolf, leaving a metallic clang echoing across the cave as it scraps against a hidden metal breastplate.

With no time to smile, Koal Nos fights his way back to his feet, the quick blow from Mynas Thyr buying him time to recover. He blocks an axe-swing with the haft of his maul then swings back and clips Wolf but the rattle of mail disturbs the impact of the light hit.
Wolf returns with hack after hack battering at Bear. Stepping further into the light, you see the creature is over seven foot and carries itself like a man, albeit black-furred and with a massive wolfen head. It wears a ragged purple robe with golden brocade and a metal cuirass hung with mail lies beneath. It's arms and legs are bare.
Each blow on Koal Nos seems to draw blood despite the frantic parrying, until Bear's shoulders stream with wounds. Suddenly Wolf snaps his jaws and Menas jerks her hands back instinctively, for a moment a tooth touched her knuckle...

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Fight3a-1.jpg

Koal Nos needs to soak 11 damage from the Wolf's battleaxe. Mynas Thyr need to soaks the 3 damage from the Wolf's bite.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf


Ingvar drops his bow and raises his blade in a two-handed grip, slashing diagonally down at his lupine opponent.


Attack (wolf #4) [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

Move action to gain a 3rd tactical token

If the wolf still stands, Ingvar stays in place to hold the breach

If I get lucky and the wolf falls, Ingvar would move 5' to the south, which would leave wolf #5 with two options (that I can see)

1-either move to where wolf #4 actually is, and attack (with a cover penalty of -6 (cover from attacking diagonally + use of 2 tactical tokens) or

2- move 10' forward, to where Ingvar now stands, and attack (drawing an AoO from Ingvar)

Just in case:
AoO [roll2]
damage [roll3]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Pulling his sword free in a spray of blood, Noj leaps forward and turns a rough somersault low to the ground, trying to move behind the creature. He skids a little on the floor as he whips the blade around low. Guiding his strike, Noj aims for the creature's tendon, seeking to reduce the creature's capacity to lift its axe.


Trying to use a Stunt to give the creature a penalty on attack rolls for a while. not really sure what I should roll...
[roll0]
[roll1] Maybe a -4 to attack?
[roll2]

[Kain_Tempest]

[roll0]

Thyr winces at the pain, but doesn't let up. She glances over her shoulder to where the creatures were starting to gang up on Ingvar.
"No~" She stops herself as she sees Noj roll into position to flank the beast. Damn him. If he's so lithe, he should be helping the archer. There was no way should could engage them now. With a snarl, she swung at the creature's legs.

((Thyr sets her dodge pool and weapon pool against the walking wolf. She attempts to make a trip attack.))

[roll1]
[roll2]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn cringes at the initial sight of blood, but forces any unease deep inside her being. She has seen blood spilled in excess twice today, and refuses to let it get hold of her.

"Careful, they will try to lure you into the rough terrain, as their four legs offer greater balance then we can hope to gain," she calls out instintively hoping she has not angered any of her companions with possibly presumptuous advice.

Moving quickly SOUTH, she tosses her bow behind then and draws her morningstar awaiting close battle.

apologize for my posts including "advice", but since my feats offer bonuses to all by use of advice I guess I should roleplay it. Moving 3 boxes north. free action to offer advice (beast lore) to add +1att/dmg to all against 4 legged wolves. If similar, possibly +1 versus upright one.
3 beast lore tokens left

free action knowledge check on upright, rolled 2 times if needed, one for general info, 2nd to uncover weakness.

[roll0]
[roll1]

standard action to attempt to gain war leader strategy tokens
[roll2] GAINED 1 STRATEGY TOKEN

[roll3] aoo if allowed, add bonus if gained
[roll4] dmg, add bonus if gained

[YPU]

Dane takes another few steps towards the monsters that are assaulting Ingvar and lets fly another pair of arrows, this time not taking any time to aim it out but still taking into account his allies. “what the heck are these things, neither man nor beast would sooth them best.” He calls out while firing his bow. He would rather be shooting at the big creature, but its to well shielded by his own companions. Ah well, that means the creature cant get to him either.
five foot step towards ingvar then rapidshot divided between the two creatures attacking him:
attack against 4 [roll0] damage [roll1]
attack against 5 [roll2] damage [roll3]

[Ozzy_G]

Koal Nos, the Bear Spirit
The great axe sinks into the short man's skin, but he doesn't seem to even feel it as he roars his rage, swinging his mighty bronze club at his foe.
Spending a move action to get a token.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Using two tokens to increase damage
[roll2]

(Does he get a bonus for flanking since everyone's around the creature when he reaches his initiative of 7? If so, that's 11 to hit. Vesha/Koal Nos has taken 14 damage now.)

[Gygaxphobia]

Ingvar smashes the bone club aside with a *TOK* like a wooden bat, his next twohanded swipe hews clean through an arm, sending a gout of blood spurting and the creature toppling to the floor. He craftily slinks aback from the wolf waiting behind, when it unexpectedly sprouts a shaft as Dane spies it through a gap in the rubble. The sharp eyed archer pegs the creature with a second shaft through the side of the neck as it reels and it topples also.

Noj's strike is slow, but precise. The large wolf is distracted by the two large warriors in front and but it still manages to move it's leg in time and narrwly avoids being hobbled.

Menas and Vesha manage to contain the Wolf's onslaught, checking it's advance with swipes and parries. It is skilled and certainly intelligent, but even with it's great strength it is no match for the three warriors together.

They fight on the defensive still, slowly trying to gain advantage. The Wolf is lithe as well, he lifts one foot and Menas' pick sails underneath nicking her with his axe across the back of her arm, he ducks back away from Koal Nos wild swing and leaps back in growling and snapping at him with his teeth.
There is a moment of balance in the fighting, as though the battle could go either way, then Jyn starts to call out and the battle tempo pulses like mammoths heart. The torch splutters on the floor and darkness beckons, only minimal light is available.

Menas needs to soak 5hp from the AoO after her trip attack. Everyone else misses! Although you only had +2 flank this round, this should increase next round due to Jyn.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Fight3b.jpg

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Blade in his left hand, Ingvar again lopes forward through the cave, dodging the rock formations. He pulls his throwing ax from his belt, and when he is a few feet from the beast, casts it overhand, careful to avoid the three surrounding warriors. He then readies his sword once more.



Move action: move 30' around boulders to square G12. As he moves, he draws his throwing ax

Attack: throwing axe, into melee [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Free action: resume two-handed grip on sword

[Ozzy_G]

Koal Nos, the Bear Spirit
Spitting and roaring, the bearskin-clad warrior swings his mighty club at the beast, even in his frenzied state taking advantage of his companions on the other side of the monster to distract it.
Taking a move action to get a token, then attacking. Since my turn is before Jyn's next turn, I get the +4 flanking bonus, correct? I'm also spending 1 token for damage.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj grunts in irritation as his stroke goes wide. Readjusting his grip, the Avalancher plunges forward with his blade once more in the hope of carving a hole in the belly of the beast.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Seeing that no avenue exists for Jyn to attack the fell beast, she decides to move back toward her bow and pick it up.

[Kain_Tempest]

[roll0]

The cut to her arm only further's Thyr's irritation and remove any sort of inhibition about attacking the creature. She swings again at the creature, hoping the land a solid hit.

[roll1]
[roll2]

[Kain_Tempest]

:smallsigh:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Gygaxphobia]

The cave walls resound with the clash of metal. Echo upon echo overlaps each sound and the noise of an army battling fills the ravine.

The Wolf senses his moment of destiny, and it's eyes widen as it gives it's all to it's final moments. Bulging muscles, veins throbbing and blood pumping it burns every ounce of it's remaining energy in struggle.

The Warriors surround the beast with Bear at their head swinging his mighty club ferociously. Wolf turns aside blade after blade with his axe, always turning back to Bear to meet his eyes and challenging the rage with his own.

Ingvar approaches swiftly, his steps unnoticed by the fray. His throw is good, the axe is cast end over end but buries itself in the ice of the wall, a moment after the Wolf has turned swinging wide and scattering the three Warriors.

"Wait!" calls Jyn, as she fumbles an arrow into her now damp bow, trying to watch the fight at the same time and pick an opening.

The Warriors oblige her, and the four foes take a long breath in the heartbeat pause. The Wolf wrenches the weapon from the wall and holds both axes aloft, roaring and shaking foaming saliva from it's mouth. It clashes the blades together and bellows "Ayame! For what we were!" in it's harsh gravel tongue.
Koal Nos keeps his hammer moving, twisting it in wide arcs each one threatening an attack. Then Jyn calls "Now!" and Mynas Thyr starts to move. The pick swings at Wolf's face to provoke it, the hooked end lending deception to the reach of the weapon. Wolf has to bring both axes to parry, neglecting Noj who leaps in as a blur. He drives his curved blade into it's side where he saw Thyr strike earlier, his narrow blade slotting through the armour and sliding in between ribs, drenching him in warm blood. Wolf turns, a demonic snarl as he opens his mouth wide to swallow Noj's head whole...

But the jaws clamp only on hair, and Noj feels the mouthful ripped free as a triumphant boom shakes the cave. Wolf topples, it's breastplates of both metal and bone are crushed by the enormous weight of Koal Nos' mighty maul striking square above the heart. Wolf seems to fold in on itself and fall away into darkness.

The echoes sigh into nothing and the sound of blood rushes into the ears. The panting of breath is all that fills the cave. The torch splutters and dies, throwing everything into twilight.

[Ozzy_G]

Koal Nos
Stretching his arms wide, the short man roars, a mighty yell of victory and savagery. Blood drips from the bites that cover his legs, and the long slash across his chest, but he doesn't seem to feel them.
Wolf is dead, slain by Bear! Let all the Spirits know that Koal Nos, Spirit of the Bear, is mightiest!

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar lowers his bloodied sword, and catches his breath after the intense fight. He takes an oiled rag from his belt and swiftly wipes the blade before sheathing it, and then digs another torch from his pack and strikes flint to light it. He steps to the fallen Wolf and crouches to study it. He speaks while doing so. "Anyone grievously wounded?"

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"I am fine, well fought everyone. I guess I have chosen worthy companions. Hopefully I can make a differnece," she says to the group. Reaching inside her pack, Jyn removes a cloth to dry and oil her bow before storing it away.

[Gygaxphobia]

The flame in Ingvar's hand is steady and illuminates the whole cave. It recedes another twenty yards with the ceiling lowering all the time. The back of the cave is strewn with small gnawed bone fragments.
There is rubble everywhere, clearly the ceiling has collapsed recently. The legs you saw are not the only example, perhaps a dozen wolves have been crushed by the various rock-falls.

The dead Wolf looks suddenly peaceful. Laid belly-up, head thrown back, it's arms are extended and still clutching the two axes. One short and simple, one thick and brutal, carved both haft and blade.

As you look on, Wolf's chest dips once and twice, shallower each time. On the third dip, a slow hiss of air escapes his mouth long and drawn out. Then it becomes still.
The blood is gathering darkly across the floor, pooling a recess and clinging to the black fur.

There is slow steady drip from a corner of the cave. A small hole (a foot or two across) drips water from above.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The hunter nods in approval to his comrades, then sets about recovering and drying his weapons, taking care to unstring his bow and inspect it for damage. He also recovers the first torch, hoping it can be reused if properly dried. He then checks the back of the cave, especially the water supply.



Search [roll0]
Survival (to determine if the water is safe) [roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr takes a wide stance, Faillune hanging in front of her in her two hands, arms limp, shoulders slumped, head fallen forward. She takes a sharp intake of breath and then a quick exhale, expunging the air of battle from her body. Wearily, she glances at her wounded arm. Nothing serious, it would heal clean.
Easing herself back to normal, she looks around at the other dead creatures, and then at the final beast itself. The look on her face changes from a cold glance, to an almost guilty look of angst before she turned her eyes to her messy weapon again.
"Rest well, cousin." The woman murmurs as she turns to stoop at the cave entrance, gathering the snow needed to wet the red rag she would need to clean her weapon. The motions being almost second nature now, she scanned her eyes across the dim valley they were in.
Aside from the gully, and the ice wall, there wasn't much here. She sighed.
"Have we reached a dead end already?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj smiles a hot smile of triumph, the sight made ghoulish by the streaks of red blood spattered across his face and hair. It had been a good fight; the blood was pumping and the foe was worthy and his allies were true. It was a fight to remember.
"And tha' for you, you hairy wendigo bastard," he curses at the dead creature.
Noj jogs outside and recovers his bow quickly, tending to it and his sword, stropping the blade and going through the careful routine that followed each use of the precious weapons.

Finally, he takes a few handfuls of wet snow and cleans off his face a bit.

[YPU]

Dane slogs up to the others looking at the body. he unspans his bow and starts cleaning it with some sort of fat from a small pouch, soon an abdominal smell, much like rotten eggs spreads. “so, has anybody ever seen something like this before, other then the ones from the other day.” He says while carefully cleaning his bow. “since we are running in to them quite often it would seem we are moving into their territory. Fat chance we will see more of these, I bet.” He glances at his quiver and makes one of his telltale sighs. “does anybody have any idea how to make arrows. I’m burning mine like fire to fat.”

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
All the energy suddenly seems to go out of the short man, and he slumps down on the ground, wincing from his multiple wounds.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj laughs aloud. "Brunsten's balls, man! You fight well, bear warrior, but you fight more recklessly than even I!"

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

After quickly caring for her weapons and gear, Jyn turns to Dane and replies, "Get me some wood and feathers and I can make some arrows."

"I wonder if this is truly the fabled Ayame or she-wolves. It fought like an enraged mother would caring for her spawn." Jyn approaches the beast warily to see if she can determine the sex.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
The warrior sighs. I don't fight at all, I have no skill in it. It's my totem spirit which fights, and he has little understanding of the limits of the human body.
He starts to clean the blood of his furs and club with a rag.

[Gygaxphobia]

Jyn approaches the beast warily to see if she can determine the sex.

Splayed on it's back, the beast's organs are easy to locate. Clearly male and reminiscent of more human than wolf.

[The Great Skenardo]

o_-

Eeewww...

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn averts her gaze as she fights hard to keep her bile down upon looking at the man-turned-beast laying splayed open upon the ground,
"Ahh, 'cough' well clearly this is no she-wolf. What could have utterly corrupted a man so, to appear so wolfish? We should quickly search the cave and finish our mission. I for one would love to bury these beasts behind a wall of stone, but the Thane may need to witness this also."

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
The lean man smiles.
"Heh. One more dead Wendigo. I wanna have a quick look 'round the cave, then we can check out the rest of the pass. You gonna be all right, bear-man?"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"I see nothing of value here." Ingvar rejoins the others after his exploration, and recovers his ax, returning it to the loop at his belt. "As soon as you have all caught your breaths, we should get going... I saw some odd pieces of shell back there, which coupled to Deadeye's tales of skinny-legged climbers, cause me some... concern."



Knowledge: nature check regarding the shell [roll0]
Survival check to find... vermin... tracks on walls [roll1]
:smallwink:

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
Noj shakes his head.
"I'm looking at this hole in the roof, Wolf."
He points to the interior of the cave.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"I saw nothing up there, except ice. It seems to go quite far into the hill."

[Gygaxphobia]

The hole is the ceiling is a rough circle, one foot wide. It extends quite a way upwards and then curves off out of sight. There are large lumps of ice clustered at the top.
The dripping is persistant, suggesting that there is more ice above, possibly an old stream or that the hole extends to the surface and is fed by melting snow.
Either way, if it continues for a year or more, a stalagtite is likely to form.

[Kain_Tempest]

You saw it too? Faillune uttered. The weapon had been rather quiet after the battle and had left Thyr alone with her thoughts, but after seeing the glimmer in the ice wall in the valley, he seemed to perk up again. Thyr looked over her shoulder to where the rest of the group was and then back at the crack in the ice.
Placing Faillune in her belt loop, she careflly travelled out the cave, slowly scanning her surroundings to try and spart anything lurker out there. Once she reaches the ice wall, she examines it more closely, trying to spot the glimmer she saw, and if neccessary, determine if she could climb the ice safely.


[roll0] (Looking for threats.)
[roll1] (Looking for the glimmer again.)
[roll2] (Determining the ease and safety of climbing up the ice wall.)

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar leaves the cave, torch in hand. He looks down the gully, ready to continue the southward trek.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
The short man stands up, wincing. I'll be fine, he tells Noj. The Kul are tougher than humans. A few bites and an axe wound is just an annoyance, nothing serious.

[Gygaxphobia]

Once she reaches the ice wall, she examines it more closely, trying to spot the glimmer she saw, and if neccessary, determine if she could climb the ice safely.

Behind the crack in the thick sheet of ice, there is a dark grey stone which seems remarkably smooth. You can see a glimpse of what lies beneath, perhaps a few inches wide is exposed.
The stone is edged in dull metal and this seems to glimmer in the torchlight.

Raised characters stand out from the panel, carved bas-relief pictograms of men and wolves in different poses. A man wears a crown and another carries a sceptre. The manner of the images is a strange order and in a straight line. Pictures appear at odd scales to one another so the overall scene makes no sense.

Looking down the crack, and there seems to be a large ring attached to it beneath the ice. The whole wall could in fact be a doorway, some ten feet wide by anything up to one hundred feet tall, but you cannot tell the exact edges.

The ice sheet is sheer and smooth, without climbing tools it would be impossible to scale, though at the edges there are rougher rocks and earth which may be scaleable.

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the discovery.
"Oy!" She cries, calling the attention of the rest of the cadre. There's something in the ice here. Somethings behind this."

[The Great Skenardo]

No Onadare
Noj lifts his head from the snow.
"Aye?" He jogs over to where the red-haired woman stands, and he takes a moment to gaze at her hair once more. He'd forgotten to ask, but that'd have to wait, probably.
The Avalanche man peers through the ice, and his eyes widen as he spots the architecture below.
"A doorway? That's...weird."
He rests a gloved hand on the smooth ice.
"Never knew where Wendigo come from...maybe this is the source of the Shiverbit?"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The tall huntsman brings the torch closer, inspecting the carvings with interest.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn moves with the ohers to inspect what was called a doorway. Racking her brain for any lore once told by her grandmother, she fails to see any relevance for the doorway, besides what was mentioned by her companions.

"If it is a doorway from whence the beasts came, it sure looks like it has not been open in some time, unless water and ice froze recently. This frightens me greatly. Please consider our task at hand, we must focus on finding safe passage for the Journey. We could make sure the Thane has strong men guard this cave as we pass, if we have any fear some evil may makes it way out. Or cave in the entrance with ice and rock," Jyn pleads with the group, clearly with fear on her voice. This fear is very different than the confidence she voiced during the battle, possibly now that she has had time to reflect upon the day reality has sunk in. 'I think I am in way over my head.'

I would love the group to find more battle, but I guess I should roleplay Jyn as the new fighter she is.

[Gygaxphobia]

A chill wind blows through you, whistling in the narrow channel and pulling at the torch. Shadows leap and swerve from the movement, and the plume of smoke is scattered.

Your hands are cold now, the heat of battle having faded and the sweat still clinging. You feel yourself pulled towards Ingvar, instinctively leaning towards the warmth.

The rain seems to have stopped during the skirmish, and the clouds above are now merely wisps like drifting smoke on the narrow crack of blackening sky that you can see.

To the south, the ravine seems to open up within a mile onto a wide tundra. The dusk light is sparse and illuminates little. In less than half an hour the sun will set.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj shivers involuntarily. The adrenaline from the fight was wearing off, leaving him cold, wet and tired.
"The door's sealed by the ice. If I stay here any longer, I'll freeze up just like it. If we throw out the dead shiverbit, we could use the cave for the night."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar ponders Noj's words before speaking. "I also would like to see what lies beyond that door. But we need to find a path for the column, and fast. 'Tis less than a mile to the end of the ravine. I say we scout it, and if there is a good path to the west from there, we can light the first signal fire. Mayhap we can better examine this door by the light of day. "

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj sighs. "Yeah, you're right. Spatz." The red-haired man takes a moment to retrieve an unlit torch from his own pack and lights it from Ingvar's. A grunt and a sigh escape Noj's lips as the warmth from the burning torch hits him.
"I'm going for a look, then. Who's with me?"

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul.
Starting to recover from his battering, Vesha stands, hefting his club. All right, let's get going.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"We should all go forward, but possibly just send our fastest back for the column once we are assured the passage is safe," pipes in Jyn as she rubs her arms to generate some much needed heat.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf


"Follow me, then. And keep your eyes open for spiders. Ingvar begins to make his way down the ravine, torch in his left hand, his right never far from sword-hilt or ax-haft.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Vesha follows, looking about the canyon, slightly confused. Spiders?

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
From the side of his mouth, Noj says "I think he means Spindleweaves. The little white things with eight legs. They hide their weaves in the snow to catch scouts."

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Oh. The short man frowns. We do not have such creatures in my home, as far as I know. How can one see their weaves in the snow.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj lifts his torch a little higher.
"Well...usually you can't. If you're looking for 'em, sometimes you can see where the light doesn't reflect off the snow the way it should; there's patterns instead like cracked ice." He sighs. "But most times you won't know until someone's been entangled. It's easier in the Kumsbin; there the Spindleweaves put their weaves in the trees too, and those are easy to spot."

[YPU]

“Yea, that might just have been what I saw back there, I suppose. Lets hope it was not.” dane puts his bow back in the quiver on his back. “but I suppose it would be better to move on, the faster we have a path the faster we can get back to warmer places. Make sure you have something sharp at hand, just in case.” He ads with an aftertought.

[Gygaxphobia]

The trek through the remaining ravine is much as before.
There is generally less ice and towards the end of the mile, there is less snow too.

As you approach the end, you see the cliff tops peel back to reveal a wide view. Open tundra stretches for another mile and a half across rough ground towards another line of higher hills.

This hill range runs parallel (east-west) to the one you have passed through. It is broken slightly to your right/west by a U shaped valley which seems filled with trees and extends part-way up the next hill slope.

On top of this hill is a strange tall shape, cast in silhouette with the sun dipping below the horizon at it's back. Some tower or keep standing alone and surveying the low-lands.
The pale red-orange light is minimal and extends the long shadows of hills across the rocky tundra.
The wind blows soft as the sun begins to set, but chilling to the bone, and threatening it's freezing breath for when the sun is gone.

Dane peers upwards at the cliff-tops keeping watch as you progress. Everyone else stops at the sight of two large mounds at the ravine exit and Dane almost walks into Jyn.

Two wolves lay half-covered in snow, their fur black but their skin pale grey. With eyes open they stare, frozen still, somehow shrivelled as though their heads had tried to retreat into their shoulders.

The tower might be the perfect place to light a beacon fire, as the light would carry across most of the low-lying hills. But the sun will set within the quarter-hour and your torches burn fast in the wind.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"Please keep your eyes on the path," speaks Jyn with a hint of sarcasm as she motions Dane past her.

"Should we seek shelter ahead and signal the Thane from the tower, or head back? I for one would prefer heading back to the safety of the main group, but I am willing to continue."

[YPU]

Deadeye Dane
Dane looks somewhat ashamed of bumping in to jyn “sorry, I thought I saw something at the tower, but forget it, it was nothing.” I say we keep going for the tower. I don’t like to head back empty-handed, and getting ambushed would be just a big a chance if we make camp, if not more. And we already had some sleep, so I say we head on towards that tower thing and cal it a day then.”

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare.
"Ergh. Meanwhile we're carrying two torches across a mile of open tundra. I don't live on the plains, but even I know that's not a good idea. We'll need to put these out and head for the tower under cover of darkness, then."

[YPU]

"Ya, I agree that we kill the lights, I’m sure we can see enough by starlight on the open and we might need the torches later on."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The huntsman grunts at the sight of the tower, mumbling: Damn snow has probably covered most of the tracks... He studies the ground before him before putting his torch out.



Survival: checking for tracks [roll0]


He then looks to Jyn. "Why would these two beasts have frozen to death out here, away from their pack?" He checks the animals for wounds.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
"Looks like a bite. Poison or something." Noj reaches a gloved hand down to something in the snow and picks up a strange bone tipped with brass.

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr kneels down next to one of the dead wolves, having seen something of note. "Keep that torch." She warns Noj as she examines the thing. Looking carefully, she examines the wound in the shoulder of the creature.
"Something bit this one... These creatures wouldn't freeze like this unless they couldn't move. Quicksilver cause paralysis like this, but I've never seen a creature that could do it... Hmm... How did Spindleweaves kill their prey? Trap them and leave them exposed to the elements?"

[Gygaxphobia]

Ingvar checks around for tracks, although nothing obvious presents itself. He smells the air measures the wind.

Noj prises the piece of bone from the wolf's frozen grasp. With a pull, he brings the thick object from under a layer of crisp snow and holds it up.

Where Mynas kneels to look at the shoulder, there is a bald patch of skin. There is missing hair, and instead a greying area of flesh, rotten scabbed and shrivelled.

The object Noj holds is clearly a hunting horn of some sort, two feet in length and six inches thick at it's largest opening. Carved from a single piece of yellowed bone, it has a thin bronze-leaf edge around the mouth and funnel ends, a rotten leather thong is meant as a shoulder strap, but now useless.

Nothing you can think of could have a bone that size and shape, but it doesn't so much look like a bone as a tooth...

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
Noj shakes his head. "Only small ones. The bigger ones can drag away a man entangled in the weaves. But this is wrong; the Shiverbit should've found these if they'd been here long. And this horn...It looks like a tooth. But a tooth this big would be from a Kraggswyrm or even Jokul. Are those Wendigo common here?"
On an impulse, Noj holds the horn up a little higher to catch the torchlight as he examines it.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
That tooth is from a Derаkon. He looks at the wolves. I'd guess they attacked this traveller, and he killed them, and then the other wolves left, so there are only two here, he says to Ingvar. He frowns. Unless he stole it, he must have been a ferocious warrior to defeat one of those. But if he stole it... the short man looks around nervously. Its spirit may still be waiting, ready to curse any who take it. It's possible that it may have cursed him to die here, alone and freezing. I do not think we should take it.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"Kraggswyrm, Jokul, Derаkon... I am unfamiliar with those wendigo names, but i am sure my grandmother's stories contain mention of such beasts by different names. Turning to Vesha, Jyn continues, "Traveller? What traveller do you speak of? Is the derakon some traveller or the beast that left the tooth?" She asks these questions out of pure curiousity as she has been trained to seek as much knwledge and lore as posssible.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"No sign worth spit here. But we better get going if we mean to reach that tower."

[Gygaxphobia]

You push on at a pace, trekking at the fastest march you can safely manage. With lights extinguished your eyes begin to adjust to the twilight and the familiar night sky starts it’s creep overhead from the East.

There is some shelter given by the boulders strewn across the ridges of the tundra, but the wind blows crisp and sharp out here and you feel your face and fingers growing numb.
As the sun sets you have covered half a mile and any warmth vanishes along with the light. Only a brief glow remains above the hills to the West and the cold ache spreads into your arms and legs.

The plain extends far to the West behind the row of mountains and you can see the peak of one of the Spears of Rigthane looming over them all, the tip half-illuminated by the fading light.

In blackness you stumble on, catching your feet on rocks. Death overlooks your march, whispering in your numbed ears and you know what fate awaits you should you fall out here and be left.
But the comfort of companions reassures you, and the hope of fulfilment of some sort at your journeys end carries you on. Gritting your teeth and pulling your furs close about you, you hunker down against the wind as it batters and drives against your flank.
You enter a hollow depression in the ground and there is some relief, but the wind changing direction frequently and eventually chases you again.

Cresting the ridge you come up against the vast shadow of a cliff stretching across in front of you fifty yards away.
This close you cannot see the tower, but know that it is just over the cliff-top.

To the right the cliff races alongside the south side of the tundra as far as you can see in the starlight.
To the left, the ominous shadows of trees loom over you. Several hundred yards to the south-west the tree line begins properly, looking thick and impenetrable in the darkness.

Looking about, you stand for some moments before realising that the air seems still and the cold less present. You are not as pressed by the threat of frost.
The cliff must shelter you somewhat from the wind, but in fact it is decidedly milder here. Your toes have already unfrozen and feeling returns to your faces as a soft warm wind full of pine scents and healthy soil washes over you. It is soporific, but you keep alert: your survival senses are still wary and you suspect the cold could return at any moment.

You have felt this before - in the height of summer, hidden from the wind and in direct sunlight - but never at night, when every night you have ever known is potentially fatal.

You stand, absorbed in the new experience and enjoying the moment when a small light appears at the edge of the forest. The tiniest speck of golden yellow hovers amongst the trees.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
The short man's breath hisses out, as he peers towards the light, furs wrapped tightly around him A torch, he says quietly, or a corpse candle? We should be wary.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj flexes his fingers in wonder to feel the warmth in the air.
"Phloggis! This jars me more than any wendigo...why is it so warm? Is this the Jumyana? The spirit that freezes men by making them feel warm?"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar moves warily towards the light.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"If it is, we better find shelter in the tower quickly," replies Jyn to Noj's outburst. Trudging along with the others, she moves toward the tower with white knuckles grasping her morningstar. Jyn tries to study the approach as best she can with her nerves struggling to get hold of her.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
"Wulf!" Noj calls, "Don't be a fool! We need shelter for the night, and we need to set the beacon; We can't go chasing spirits now!"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"I do not know spirits as well as you, Noj." Ingvar half-turns, but keeps his eye on the light. "But what if yonder light is some sort of watchman signaling possible ambushers in the tower? Dare we leave enemies at our backs?" He turns back to the treeline. "I will try to sneak up on whoever is there. As there is no danger of freezing, the rest of you may want to continue slowly towards the tower."

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Be careful, hisses the short man to Ingvar. Try and sneak up on it, but beware, for evil spirits have senses beyond those of mortal man. If the light starts moving away from you, return to us immediately, don't follow a corpse candle.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar nods at Vesha, then sets off with his graceful lope, soon becoming lost to the others.



Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]
Hide [roll2]
Move Silent [roll3]

If he finds no threat where the light is, Ingvar will check if the trees hide an approach to the tower.

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr shook her head. Ingvar made a point, but the feeling of warmth without light felt very wrong. They were in a realm where they were certainly unwelcome.
"We should forge ahead. Ingvar knows our destination, and I would prefer cold certainty rather than waiting for him to lead bad things to us in comfort." Thyr's eyes scanned up the cliff face. She had lived on the tundra, but she wondered if it would be possible to scale the cliff.
After determining the scalability she glanced to the right down to the 'colder' path. There was no telling if there was an easier way over there, but damned if it provided less avenues to be attacked than the mystery lights of the woods.

[Gygaxphobia]

The cliff-face is almost sheer and make of rough rock, packed with cold hard earth and around forty feet high. Climbable enough, given time and some good rope, and preferably some light.

Ingvar is lost in shadow around fifty yards away, the sky is not bright and the little illumination there is seems drawn to the trees and earth.
He sees little, although notices that the light is not steady.

Approaching to within one hundred yards he sees that there is an object hovering in the centre of a ten foot golden glow. It seems to jerk slightly up and down and the glow moves with it. He does hear a sound from it of a soft slapping, like a horse being brushed or water lapping over a brook.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn continues to look around trying to spot another way to the tower besides climbing the cliff face.

At first I thought cliff dropped down to tower, but now it seems it rises to tower. Looking for way around. trying to spot obvious tracks around to tower

[roll0]

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

What is that? The huntsman places his hand on his swordhilt as he continues his stealthy approach.



Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]
Hide [roll2]
Move Silent [roll3]

[Kain_Tempest]

"Right." Thyr mumbles. Scanning the surface again, she reaches up and gets a good grip on a protruding stone. She digs her alternative foot into the soil in order to get a little bit of a grip, and pulls herself upward. Slowly and carefully seeking to scale the wall.

((Thyr takes 10 on a climb check, thus getting a total score of 15 on her climb check to move seven feet upwards.))

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
Noj grunts. "Fine. I'll keep an eye out here for Wulf."

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Vesha loops a rope from his belt around his club, tying it securely. We'll climb then, and see if there is another route down from there. He presses his face against the cliff, muttering something. Then he holds his ear against it for a moment. He looks satisfied, and starts to climb, carefully.
Taking 10 all the way, which gives 18.

[Gygaxphobia]

Burying fingers into the dry soil Vesha and Mynas take their first footholds on firm rocks and begin to claw their way up. Faces and bodies pressed close in, the sensation of touch and fresh smell of earth is refreshing compared to the usual cold.

Feeling around in the dark for further handholds proves difficult, but not impossible. Once they are careful not to clench a loose handful, and digging boots in firmly to toe holds they make slow and steady progress until they are man height above the ground.

The smaller rocks vanish at this height, the looming darkness of the cliff obscures all but the most obvious handholds. Mynas seems lost without an option, and spends a few moments suspended and looking around her.

Vesha pauses briefly before grabbing for a jutting rock with both hands. His legs dangle for a moment before he pulls himself up with sheer strength, his own body weight nothing to his bulging arms.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn rushes over to the base of the cliff to offer any possible support, Reaching up, she offers a hand to boost Thyr further up the cliff by her feet.

"Let me help you reach more handholds," Jyn calls up to Thyr.

[Helfdan]

Knowledge: Nature [roll0]

[Gygaxphobia]

Vesha gathers his breath and grabs for a thick root, holding tight then bringing his feet up trying to find purchase. His feet peddle in the loose earth, sending showers down below and he finally loses his grip. He slides down to his rocky plateau, scraping knees and arms.
He heaves a sigh and looks up at the cliff again with suspicion. Then gritting teeth, he leaps for the root and attacks the ground with his feet. One solid clod of soil comes away before he gets his footing, and finds another hand hold.
Slowly he resumes the ascent and finally makes the top, having taken some twenty minutes in all.

Below the brief patter of earth is followed by the soft thud of harder soil and looking up, Vesha stands in silhouette against the dark sky, a few stars now out behind him. He considers his rope.

[Kain_Tempest]

"I'm fine." Thyr mutters. Take a few moments to catch her breath and scan the dark again, she forced herself upwards, reaching blindly in the hope of catching a stone or a root or something.

[roll0]

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf



Hide [roll0]
Mive Silent [roll1]

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
After taking a moment to catch his breath, Vesha walks towards the tower. Not much point getting everyone else up there if it was full of evil spirits...

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj waits will ill-concealed impatience.
"C'mon, hunter...We don't have all night," he mutters to the darkness.

[Gygaxphobia]

Mynas begins to move again, finding a handhold and straining to pull upto it. Having paused for a while her muscles are fatigued, and when the earth under her foot gives way, she isn't strong enough to hold on. She starts a small collapse of soil, and tumbles down the seven feet she has climbed to the bottom, a little dirty and scrapped up. Jyn jumps out the way, unable to help.

Mynas takes 2 point of non-lethal damage from her fall

-----------------------------------------------------
Vesha turns to see the tower, dark and foreboding it rises up a quarter mile from him, several stories high. Clearly in disrepair it has collapsed sides and no banners, lights or any other signs of habitation.

-----------------------------------------------------

Ingvar pads carefully back to the group, crossing several hundred yards of dark unknown terrain and slightly uphill. His steps are soft and squishy in the damp moss.
Under the starlight he is an ill-defined shadow, but recognisable by his gait and the bow he grips firmly. The glow behind him jiggles slightly, but doesn't seem to have changed in the last twenty minutes that he has been gone.

He begins to lope the last hundred yards, passing fifty of them when a loud snap sounds like breaking wood. Ingvar slips down to one knee as he stumbles and begins to move towards you again.

Behind him is a sight both awesome and terrible. From the forest the snap awakens ten or twenty flashes of golden light, from near the tree tops. Yellow globes appear briefly ruining your night vision as you turn at the snap, like a cacophany of sunbursts.
There is a mouse-like squeak carried on the wind and repeated twenty times.

All is dark again, not a glow to be seen, but there is a flapping of beating wings echoing all around the valley....

*Initiatives please*

[Grymmheart]

[roll0]

if needed, [roll1]

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Hearing the noises, Vesha spins around, looking down over the lip of the cliff.
[roll0]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
[roll0]
with a curse, Noj draws his sword at the resounding snap, but without seeing where it came from, He can do little but wait.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Though furious at himself, Ingvar does not waste time with cursing. He draws his sword as he lopes, but he does not run full out. He knows he cannot outrun such flyers, and he does not mean to get killed without fighting back and fleeing.



Initiative [roll0]

Will do a double move towards the cliff, drawing his sword as he goes. Remember if they move more than a quarter of his speed in his threatened area, he gets up to 4 AoO, even while flatfooted.

[Kain_Tempest]

[roll0]

Thyr quickly pulls herself off of the ground and grabs Faillune, after such an embarrassing tumble she wanted to kill somethingn to get over the shame.

[Gygaxphobia]

Ingvar leaps toward the shelter of the group, sword drawn and glancing over each shoulder as though the Ym or the Ice Witches were on his heels baying for his blood.
The sqeaking ceased quickly, but the fluttering continues for some moments, the sound dispersed across the wide valley and rebounding echoes playing on for some more seconds.
You strain your eyes to see outwards, the flashes of orange and yellow burnt on your eyes obscures your vision as though you were fire-blind. And every movement attracts your attention.

The light from the stars dims as a huge flock passes up from the forest and into the night sky. Across several star clusters it heads for the moon, which is peeking out from behind the south-west hills.

The sign of All shows in the stars, a sword pointing straight up and his Thane rises next to him. The simple stick figure of Rig with his ax and helm with nose piece is one of the moer recognisable constellations, and one which many peoples can agree on.
The moon has a distinctly orange cast to it and seems unable to rise much above the hills past half-uncovered.

Perhaps half a minute has passed, and one or two of you might take a gasp of air, seeming to have forgotten to breath...

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Unexpectedly, Ingvar begins to chuckle. In the starlight, his white teeth are evident. He catches his breath, then whispers hoarsely, humor obvious in his voice. "By the Leviathan... they are not spirits, but I was sure they would eat me for sure..." He chuckles again. "Some kind of meat-eating bats... "

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Nodding his head, Noj half-smirks.
Koggin, I'm jumping at nothing. Calm yourself, Avalancher...
Aloud, he says "Bats, aye? I've never heard of any that glow...Have they got a name?"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar stands and returns his blade to its scabbard, still chuckling. "Never saw their like before... don't know what they are called. The glow comes from their saliva and other fluids... the glow we first saw was two of them rutting!" It is a rare sight indeed, as the normally dour hunter cannot keep from laughing. By the God of the Seven Dooms, do I feel a fool, he thinks. He then reaches into his pack for a finely crafted rope. "Enough play, then. Let us climb this cliff." He makes a loop and casts, seeking an outcropping.



Use Rope check to try to lasso an outcropping or tree root
[roll0]

If successful, he will hold the rope steady so the others can use it (Per the rulebook, DC5 plus whatever modifiers the DM applies), then climb himself
[roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr puts Faillune back onto her belt. The sigh she gave was neither frustration nor relief. She looked up towards where Vesha would be, wondering of the bear was going to drop a rope or something, provided he got all the way up to the top.

[Gygaxphobia]

It's too dark to see much, but Ingvar manages to spin the rope up and over a stubborn looking shrub that holds to the cliff-face near the top.
Leaning his weight on the rope, the shrubs roots seem to hold firm and he is satisfied to stand back and brace the rope for others to climb.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Still shaking with excitement, or was it fear, Jyn secures her pack and weapons preparing for her climb. 'The Lorekeepers never spoke of such things. But they did hint that the world was full of experiences that one must witness to truly remember.'

"Hey Vesha, mind throwing down a role so we can reach you. Ingvar's rope looks secure, but I would feel more comfortable on one secured from above," calls Jyn up to the unseen Vesha.

Will take 10 to climb either Vesha's rope, or the one Ingvar secures upon his reaching the top

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj squares his shoulders, the ragged furs shifting with the motion. Grasping Invar's rope, Noj begins making his way up the hillside to the top of the cliff.

[Gygaxphobia]

Noj skims up the taut rope with ease, stepping lightly as he walks up the cliff face. He struggles a little with the stubborn shrub before pulling himself over the ledge and taking Vesha's hand to stand up.

The ropes are secured more easily with two at the top finding anchor points and holding them taut and everyone is soon able to ascend with relative ease. Ingvar follows up the rear on the loose rope with a final glance behind him.
The wind strikes you again at the top. Not warm - but certainly not freezing either - the breeze comes from 'inland', gusting out from the hills towards the tundra in giant sighs.

The tower stands back a quarter mile on a mound of it's own, up a steady rise. Further back, the hills rise higher to a single giant mountain, but the tower has a commanding view of the forested valley on one side and the tundra below on the other.
The deep patch of pure black is highlighted by the night blue and the stars to the West*, you can see crenalations atop battlements but cannot tell the exact shape until you get closer.

The ground is wet and spongy moss.

*among them the Scythe - which is the sign of the last bountiful harvest that Myria ever knew

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj grunts his thanks to Vesha, but frowns as his feet touch the ground. He kneels down and runs a gloved hand across the moss.
What the hell? What kind of moss is this?
Noj straightens up, looking troubled. The Kumsbin Peaks had some moss, but it was a hardy kind of white lichen that clung grimly to the trees and life. The strange flora unnerved him far more than the prospect of exploring an ancient tower in the dead of night.
Noj looks up at the edifice, then.
"So...We just go right in?"

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"Aye. Hopefully the darkness will shield us from any watchmen, should there be any. Let's go." Ingvar moves forward, trusting in his nightvision and wilderness-bred senses.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"I am for going in. Either the thick walls will warm my blood, or possible battle inside," she says with a strained voice obviously full of false bravado.

[Gygaxphobia]

The rustling of the moss as you move is an odd contrast to the chalky crunch sound of packed snow. The sound is not so deadened, and the rustling feels alive.
The wind sweeping through the forest behind you reminds you that alive is exactly what this landscape is.

You scatter slightly and creep your way across the open hillside towards the tower. There is not a single sign of life as you approach.

The ground changes as you get to within a hundred yards. You stumble first on an earthy bank, much like a mole hill but longer. Closer and closer the ground is strewn with rocks of various size, and more earthy banks appears.

The tower looms large in front of you, two stories with what appear to be an open-top, there are slit windows one level up, and the battlements have slits too. The walls are cold stone, carved somewhat but basically rough, you cannot tell how they are mortared.
Within thirty feet there is a final bank of earth, this time strewn with rocks, possibly a collapsed wall.
Ingvar senses a yawning chasm to your left and makes you proceed carefully, there is indeed a fissure here of earth and rock that you can just make out in the starlight, although you cannot tell how deep. An unusual warmth seems to lift up from it, although the slight heat is soon chilled and blown away on the wind.



http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/outsidethetower.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Tower.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/panoramas/helmsley_castle_tower_360.shtml

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"I cannot track by such scant light," he whispers to the others. "Still, we should circle around the tower before approaching it. If you wish, I shall do the scouting." His beard splits in a white smile in the darkness. "I shall do my best to not bring any glowing, rutting, moth-bats down on us this time."

[Malachamavet]

Grakka of the Avalanche People

Brushing the snow from his hair and brow, Grakka surveys the tower in front of him. "We should look fer a way in that will allow us ta bring our full force to bear if'n we come across some beasties, the previously silent giant speaks. "If and when it's been secured, we can'na afford t'not use this ruin for a good rest, assumin it's not too age'ed."

Grakka palms his enormous glaive between his two hands like a toy, eyes sharp for any unanticipated unfriendly guests to their group. The anticipation of the hard contact of battle gnaws at him.

Sorry for the prolonged absence - Noj has filled me in on what I missed and now that work's settled down and I'm not sick, I'll be right on top of things again :smallsmile:
Also, [roll0]

[Kain_Tempest]

"I don't think there will be an easy exit out of the tower. It looks rather solid. But I get the feeling we'll be having more trouble getting... This place doesn't feel right."
I certainly hope it's not gas. Quipped Faillune. She looked carefully at the windows on the second story. Despite the light and the size of the openings, perhaps some movement would betray whatever might be lurking inside.

[roll0]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj squares his shoulders. He didn't want to admit it, but the dark edifice of the tower filled him with a low-level dread. Who would have built this here? And how long ago? Maybe the bats had shaken the hardy red-haired man more than he'd thought, but for whatever reason, Noj rubs his eyes.
Time to do this the Avalanche way.
Noj draws his weapon with a flourish and lightly tosses the blackened blade into the night sky. With a swish and the dull twinkle of starlight, the sword turns slowly in the air like a pendulum. Noj lifts a hand almost lazily, his eyes closed as he seeks the handle of the falling weapon and plucks it from the air. Straightening up, Noj taps Grakka's heavy metal armor with the hilt of his sword and nods towards the entrance to the tower as he begins walking towards it himself.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar chuckles as he sees the Avalanche men move forward. The best way to be brave is to act bravely, he thinks. But there is no need to let them get killed proving it. He draws the well-balaced short-ax from his belt, and moves to circle around the tower stealthily, seeking hidden foes or ambushers.



Hide [roll0]
Move Silent [roll1]
Spot [roll2]
Listen [roll3]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn advances nervously behind the others with a bloodless grip on her weapon. Relaxing a bit, she thinks, 'If I squeeze any harder, I may break my hand. I hope they are not being brave for my sake. I said I wanted to enter, but then again mayhaps we should return to the Thane.'

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Vesha sniffs the air as he walks forward, holding his bronze-shod maul over his shoulder. I smell strange spirits in this place, he mutters to the others. This tower is ancient indeed.

[Gygaxphobia]

The air is still and the night plays on.
Your eyes have adjusted to the low-light now and you can clearly distinguish the shapes of objects and even some textures. It is wondrous and brings many thoughts and fantasies to mind.

----------------------------------------------

In one of the old tales a hunter named Feirus was gifted this strange vision. He agreed to spend the night with a ugly hag in return for knowledge of a game trail. She fed him a strange broth to make him last until dawn - to pleasure her - and the broth made him see that by moonlight she was beautiful. He slept by day and woke by night ever after.

In another, a lost tribe were attacked by hungry wolves when trying to follow the sun to the West. They themselves were so hungry that they ate the wolves they slaughtered. The next day they found they could travel by night and hunt by scent, but when the moon came they could not resist themselves stopping to howl at it. No one knows what became of them.

It is even said that when All called his thane Rig to assemble the warriors of Myria by night, Rig was against it because Man could not see without the Sun. All sent Rig to parley with the creatures of the dark forest for their gift of lightless sight. Rig offered them a trade, that Man would never eat another hunter, only prey.
The dark forest creatures agreed to let Man see well by moonlight, but only after his heart had beat a thousand and one times, to give the creatures a chance to catch him.

Such is the clear, cool clarity of the night that makes one daydream so...

--------------------------------------------------

The approach to the tower is not straight and even. You thank your parents that they were descended from Feirus or maybe just blessed of All and gave you the gift of night-vision. Mounds and piles of stone obstruct a direct entrance, causing you to weave around to get close.

Spread out - apart with several yards between you - the tower is circled warily. The wall and earthworks arc around the north to the east sides only. The west is thicker shrubs and hedgerow, growing wild upto the base of the tower. From the west to the south, the large recession in the earth seems dug out in a curved but awkward crescent shape.

The single entrance seems bulky and strong with a thick stone lintel. Flagstones are uneven and moss-covered, leading upto it. The south-west corner of the tower is collapsed, right up to the top as though the whole corner were crushed and crumbled, down to rubble. The rubble of the stones is spread afar, so it is thinly spread and negotiable. The entranceway seems deep and hollow and shadows beckon you close.

The air is still and the night plays on.

[Grymmheart]

As the memories drift through her mind, Jyn does her best to sort truth from myth. Her grandmother always told her to seek the truth behind all she sees, hears, and believes. But standing in this unnatural place, reason flees and all she can focus on is the fear that these evil thoughts bring.

"Please let's move on, either in or out. Standing here waiting is just too much for me to bear," she pleads to her companions. 'Who cares what they think of me.'

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Pausing at the threshold of the tower, Noj crouches down and fishes out his flint and steel from his backpack and re-lights his torch. Holding the flame high, Noj steps inside, sword gripped tightly in his other hand.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar shades his eyes as Noj lights the torch, then follows the red-headed man into the tower, ax in hand.

[Gygaxphobia]

The flint strikes sparks well enough, but the torch takes several flicks to light. When it does the flames are subdued. Mainly blue they ripple across the stump slowly before growing into orange with some reluctance.

Thrusting the torch high and in through the doorway, Noj cautiously pokes his head in and looks around before stepping over the splintered threshhold. His soft steps pad across the smooth stone and crouches slightly despite the eight foot high ceiling.
The room is brought close by the soft flame, the chill air warms in the smaller space and the grey walls take on the yellow-orange hue.

A solid table stands in the centre, several thick framed and uncomfortable chairs haphazardly left, one at the table-head and two by a fireplace. The granite fireplace built into a wall, with the flue running upwards to the next floor and a small shelf at it's front. The fireplace long cold and swept clean is simple, but large enough to heat a room twice this size and still hangs rusting meat hooks.

To the left, the thick door hangs splintered in three big pieces and the wall is open to the elements in the corner and a large ceiling crack shows that the corner is removed above as well. The large amount of rubble around is mainly outside but grit and dirt abounds across the floor.

The black iron cauldron is big enough for ten men to eat from, but rusted on the outside it sits on a wooden frame in the corner. Wide stone steps lead up into more darkness.

Moss creeps across the walls and grass springs between flagstones as nature tries to reclaim her stones.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn looks around in wonder as she absorbs the sights within the tower.

"I have heard stories of such large rock dwellings, but never imagined I would set foot within one. Is that a cookpit?" she asks pointing to the stone enclosed area with obvious heat scarred stone and common meat hooks. "The size of it.... many must have eaten here to require its immensity." Moving further in, she continues to take catalogue her findings.

if needed
[roll0]
[roll1]

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj winces. That's what it was. Noj looks over and sees by the glint in Grakka's eye that he's realized it too. He turns back to look at his allies poking around at the room. Would they understand? Probably not, but they still should know.
"This mountain...it's wrong. Wrong like a two-headed sheep. This isn't how a mountain ages."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar looks curiously at Noj, then nods. "... I knew something bothered me. You are perceptive, Avalanche man." He returns the axe to the loop at his belt. "But we have a job to do. Let us climb to the top, and see if we can set our signal fire up there."

[YPU]

Dane Deadeye

Dane lets out a big wheeze, as if still tired from the climb up here. Although his entire body language spells inactivity his eyes shoot around looking at everything. “you know, those holes, and the way that door is broken. What could have done that. is it just me or does something really big live out here.” He looks at Jyn. “My towns elders, before they exiled me, often spoke of the giants that lived in the mountains, but I can not imagine them themselves having traveled far enough to actually see mountains themselves. They used to speak of giant man who eat children, boiled in a big pot. Now I always thought that were fairy tales to keep children at home, but that pot could harbor quite a few children, I recon.”

[Gygaxphobia]

You gather into the room, seeking proper shelter for the first time in a moon or more. Your thoughts run away with you and you have to concentrate before your imagination fills your head with myths and fantasies.

You realise you aren't really listening to each other and behind you all the large cold staircase hangs in darkness, doing remarkably well at hiding it's presence until Ingvar approaches it's foot.

The torchlight fills the room, and spills out through the cracked wall and broken doorway but barely reaches the top stair, leaving it in gloom.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The hunter begins climbing the stairs carefully, alert for loose floorstones, hand on his swordhilt.

[Gygaxphobia]

The stairs are solid, as is the hunter's step as he takes them slowly. It seems strange to see him walk rather than stride, and he seems out of place in so domestic a setting.

Above the air is crisp and still. The stones give way to thick floorboards which cover the same area as below, but empty. Without a torch's presence, starlight illuminates the first* floor through thin window slits and a slight glow from the wholesome moon to the south-east. This leaves the stairs in shadow, but highlights the northern and western walls. A spiral stair made of thick wood in the style of the uncomfortable chairs rests in the north-west corner.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Tower2.jpg


*that's the second floor to our US friends, i.e. the floor above the ground level

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Vesha looks around at the stone walls. I know what this place is. Long ago, so the legends say, my people's ancestors, the Dværgen, built mountains of their own in which to live, cut out of the very skeletons of the hills. This is one of those, I think. But someone has been living here sooner than that, otherwise the wooden table would have rotted. Seeing Ingvar climbing the stairs, he starts to follow, muttering. We should be careful in this place, spirits have fought here.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar crosses the room warily to the spiral stairs, and climbs these as well.

[Gygaxphobia]

The spiral steps lead up to the battlements. The open top of the tower affords you a view that potentially goes for miles.

A large bronze crucible stands on a three foot cube of granite in the centre of the tower, supported by large wooden beams. The dish is two yards across and crusted thick with black tar. The patterned indents around the outside side are some woven knot.

In the darkness you can see the outline of the Rigthane mountain spine to the north that you crossed through the ravine. To the east the moon shows bold, peeking above the hills and setting yellow light to the tops of teh pine trees in the valley below.

To the south and south west the ground dips slightly, before the rocky slope rises up to the large mountain, and a soft cool breeze flows down, with the slightest hint of smoke.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a306/dignitas/Tower3.jpg

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar returns to his companions, an inscrutable look on his face. "There is a large, be-tarred crucible up there, perfect for a signal flame." He thinks for a second, then speaks. "But I know not the wisdom of lighting it. I smell smoke coming down from the mountain."

[YPU]

Dane Deadeye

“Smoke would mean fire, and only intelligent creatures have the skill to make fire. I suppose there is a big chance that there are other travelers camping out in the mountains. But I don’t think we need to light the fire just yet, I mean, if its some sort of danger I wont want to guide the whole caravan into it. Somebody need to investigate before we lead them this way. But I say we camp here for the night. Its not like we are going to find a good path till daybreak.”

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf


"I share your concerns, Deadeye. But if we do not get that caravan moving, the Journeymen will leave us behind. And should another snowsquall hit beyond the Spears, not even Gunnar Gunnarsen's bloodhound would be able to pick up their trail." He looks at the rest of the group one by one, the speaks as one pronouncing a Doom. "We need to light that fire."

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj considers this, scratching his whiskery chin.
"If we're lighting a fire, a tower is the best place. It is easy to defend from here. And we must keep the column moving, or we're doomed for sure."

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

"Well let's get the table parts back up here so we can burn a nice fire." Jyn says as she retreats to the lower level to begin finding scrap of wood to burn.

[roll0] hoping survival would work in starting a fire in the elements

[Malachamavet]

Grakka of the Avalanche People

Grakka pulls out his glaive, and turns to the group. Using the wife haft to gesture to the areas he speaks of, he begins, "If'n we are to protect ourselves through the night, we would be best served to be well fortified. We can use th' longer wood scraps an' the tar, with some cloth, fer makeshift torches. As there's only these two ways into the tower, we should place them circling a distance, as to allow us vision of the approach. With meh glaive, I can watch both t'gaps, but anyone with a blood-hungry blade can join. Bowmen should be on the second floor, so their position is not revealed by da bowl. On top, someone should care fer th'fire, and someone should keep a lookout."

[Kain_Tempest]

My eyes aren't good in the middle of the night, but I can tend to the fire if need be." Thyr offered.
Plus the firelight will keep you awake. Faillune quipped. Thyr wasn't sure if it was being sarcastic.

[Gygaxphobia]

Jyn manages to collect an armful of dry wood from the wreckage on the bottom floor. She is certain she could light it with some cover from the wind and the splinters as kindling if she wished.
However the armload looks small compared to the large brass dish, and you wonder how long and bright it would burn.

The prospect of a fire encourages you though. Now you have stopped travelling the aches and pains of the day catch up with you. You are tired and very hungry, and while the cold is less frosty here the chill has seeped into your bones and will be hard to shift.
You may find your eyes growing heavy with sleep, certainly you are aware of the dangers of sleeping unprepared in this climate and many men have died because they slept by accident.
The rich liquid you drank before has worn off, the exhilaration and energy no longer fills you.


Anyone who hasn't used their Universal Token has now lost it. *Everyone needs to make a CON check DC 12 against cold and fatigue* Please make this as part of your next post describing your actions over the next hour or so.
Do not edit this post but you may make an additional posts to gain a circumstance bonus to represent you taking actions against your body's fatigue.

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Looking at the wood she was able to collect and where she planned to burn it, Jyn grows cross.

"Well this does not look very useful. Any ideas how to make a large enough fire? I wonder if we bang hard on the metal, if a loud enough signal will be made to call the Thane here?"

Made post before saw spoiler, checks in OOC if ok

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
[roll0] (+2 if Mountain Folk applies here)
Noj will occupy himself first by searching through the rubble for anything of interest.
They must have gotten their tar from somewhere. From where, though?
Periodically, however, He will trudge up to the top floor to check on the flame and the one tending it, look out over the nighttime forest, and then climb back down.

[YPU]

Dane Deadeye
Dane heads for the first floor, since he unmistakably would be classified as an archer. He would have preferred to stay near the fire, but not presenting a profile against the fire made sense. And he probably wouldn’t not be able to see far in the dark because the fire would blind his night vision. He stretches some of his limbs in order to stay awake and warm. The he shudders vigorously. “Damn its cold, I should have stayed with the line, I could have shot some rabbit for food. Damn” he unwraps his bedroll from his back and wraps it around his body under his cloak. He walks around the tower looking each of the rooms carefully. Then he settles sitting on the spiral chair, but makes sure he isn’t comfortable enough to sleep, tough he would really like to. every 5 minutes he walks a round looking out every of the windows.

Con [roll0]
((shouldnt this be fort?))

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar stays at the top, by the fire. He is concerned with the smoke coming from the mountain, and plans to keep watch. As to the fire... if needed, he was willing to smash the table and chairs into firewood as well... there really was no better use for them. Although he is close to the fire, he rearranges his furs for maximal protection from the cold, and wraps his bedroll around his shoulders for added measure.


Survival check (in case it gives me a bonus to the Con check.) [roll0]

Con check [roll1]

Spot [roll2]

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

As the paltry fire burns, Jyn does here best to remain warm. Thinking of stories her father told her about fending off frostbite during his long hunting trips, she begins to collect supplies for the cold night. From a broken wall Jyn grabs several fist sized stones and places them in the fire. She then starts grabbing as much moss as she can before returning to the tower. She lines the ground with it to act as a shield between her lifesaving warmth and the cold stones below. After creating a good sized bed, she returns to the fire and knocks several stones out of the fire to the cold ground. She kicks them over to her palate and hunkers down for the night, reaching out to the warm stones when she feels cold invade her further. Hopefully soon she will be able to place one or more inside her furs. Although not particularly hungry, she reaches into her supplies to find some food that will offer her body energy for the battle against the cold.

"You all should probably eat something light to fuel tonight's battle against the weather. Also, there are some extra stones in the fire if someone needs one, but please replace it in case another needs a hotstone for warmth," she calls to her companions as she closes her eyes for some rest. "Wake me when it is my turn to take watch," she adds as an after thought.

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr settles next to the signal fire. The pile of wood next to her. She sits on her bedroll, using it as a cusion. She watches the fire and has Faillune on her lap, which she absently cleans and polishes. Occassionally she glances at Ingvar before tending the fire. After a while of silence, she begins humming the song she had been mumbling the last time the group had made camp,

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar does his best to keep his teeth from chattering as he keeps watch by the signal fire. He glances briefly in the Cadinoc woman's direction as she starts humming, then speaks, his voice gruff as always, but low and almost friendly. "I have heard you sing that before, Thyr. Is it a song of your people?"

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
With everyone else in the tower it seems, Vesha heads downstairs, hoping the stone walls will keep some heat in. He sits in a corner to minimise his surface area against the cold air, and covers himself in his bearskin.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Gygaxphobia]

With the splinters carefully piled in the great bronze dish, Jyn has managed to reach into the centre and strike a spark to get them glowing. The other wood she has collected is bone dry and catches quickly.
The small fire doesn't produce must heat at first, and Ingvar rushes off to get more wood. The sounds of hacking and crashing comes from below, echoing strangely up the stairs before the hunter comes back up a large armload of broken planks and thick rods from the furniture.

Feeding the fire, sparks dance from the wood and golden flashes reflect off of the crucible. The heat is contained somewhat by the sides of the dish, but the dish itself begins to warm. Where sparks leap blue flahes of burning tar show up and the goo bubbles and boils of it's own right, giving off an oily odour that drifts skyward in black heavy smoke. You notice the head of the fireplace chimney stands to the north side of the tower.

The lightweight pine wood burns quickly, especially in the cold but the tar and the heat of the dish diffuse some warm across you. You have enough wood to keep the beacon lit for a few hour more hours.
It's very open up here and the night is still young. It's difficult to keep your night vision and also keep yourself warm, but you try to stay on your guard and marvel at the view across the hills and the vast tundra before you.

[Malachamavet]

Grakka of the Avalanche People

Grakka lights one of his torches in the crucible and heads downstairs with Vesha Kul. Dashing out to a point ten feet from the two openings he uses his dagger to create a hole for the burning torch. Firmly securing it with dirt and snow, he returns to the stony edifice. Grakka retreats to the same corner as Vesha, asking as he comes, "I hope yeh don't mind if I share some of that hide wit' yew?" He then sits down, leaning against the man draped in bear skin, hoping the shared body heat, clothing, and stone corner will protect him from the elements. He stares intently at the small pocket of illuminated ground outside the tower, alert for any signs of movement.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Kain_Tempest]

When Ingvar returns, Thyr speaks up. "I wouldn't call it the song of my people. It's a little more personal than that." She looked back down at Faillune and continued to clean the weapon, even though it was already immaculate by this point. She continued, "My mother used it as a lullaby, but I think it was the story of one of my ancestors... Esentially it was about a woman who chose the path of the warrior to earn her name, like I have." She lifted Failluned and turned the weapon, looking for imperfections in the reflected light. "I sometimes wish I had known more about my past before I left my clan." She looked at Ingvar and then tossed some more wood into the signal fire, watching the pyre burn.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar nods as she speaks. "I assume by past, you mean knowledge of your ancestors. For no one knows one's past better than oneself." He smiles, a rare smile of genuine humor. "The song seems appropriate, though... I doubt this woman your mother sang off was braver than you are." The huntsman continues scanning the mountain as he speaks.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Moving down the stairs for perhaps the third time, Noj interjects
"Aye, but how much more of the Cardinocs is there to know? The lore of battle, the raiders of the past?"

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Jyn continues to try and conserve warmth as she listens to the conversations of the others. She contemplates what she has seen this evening in getting to this tower and tries to fathom how the land could have secreted this valley and tower for what looks to be ages.

[roll0]

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr looked at Noj's retreating form and shook her head.
Were you expecting anything less from an outsider? They just don't get it. Thyr looked at Ingvar.
"It's pitiful to say it, but I am not brave. My ancestors could be remembered for their inhumanity. My former peers will remember me as a coward, if they remember me at all." She gave a small laugh. "But I can accept such a fate."

[YPU]

Dane deadeye

Not seeing any sign of danger, nor anything interesting for that matter Dane soon looses interest and starts to dose away. After his first four rouns of patrol he starts to dose of, sitting on the stairs wrapped in his bedroll. A little snore escapes his lips.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar looks at Thyr very seriously. "You have yet to show fear since we have met. And we have fought, killed, and bled side by side -- thus I know what I speak of. I may have fought your kind in the past, to keep them from Gniepr's Mill, but what is past, is past. I can only judge a man, or a woman, for what I see him or her do. I am glad to be fighting at your side, bandit woman." He then curses as he notices Dane's snoring form.

"Get up, you fool!" Ingvar kicks the man lightly in the ribs. "If you fall asleep here, you will die! Get your arse down there, and have Vesha and Grakka help you cut down some shrubbery. Use the foilage to cover the holes in the walls, and the trunks to light a fire in the firepit. There is much to do if we are to live out this night... even if we are not attacked."

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Vesha nods to Grakka, and the two warriors huddle under his bearskin.
For a while, Vesha does not move, trying to conserve body heat, but after a while he mutters to Grakka ominously. I hear them, Grakka, he hisses. The ghosts of the creatures we slew today are coming for revenge. I need to ward this place, or they will slay my totem in the night. So saying, he gets up, leaving his bearskin over Grakka, and starts to smash up the remaining pieces of furniture that Ingvar hasn't already cannibalised for the fire in the tower. I must make a fire in the pit to ward away the spirits, and cover the windows and doors so that they can get in. Help me, or they will surely eat our souls. He bites his lip hard, and spits blood onto the bits of wood as he breaks them apart with his bulging muscled arms, and chants as he starts to arrange them for a fire. He shivers as he works, having only his dirty leathers and not his great bearskin to warm him, having left it on Grakka.

[Kain_Tempest]

Why even bother trying to get them to relate. Like I said before, they're outsiders. They'll never understand. Thyr had to admit that the pick's words were true. Sure she fought well, but there was more to courage than simple swinging a weapon at a set of teeth.
If anything, they will learn what a coward you are if this detour slows us down too much.
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." She whispered. The Cadinoc warrior stared into the flames of the signal fire once more, and thought about Ingvar's words. The hunter had meant for his words to be empowering, and they would be if Thyr didn't already know that. She was raised to be fearless, so there was no question about courage, it was cowardice that was her problem. It was rare to hear anyone advertise they had fought the Cadinoc, mostly because few lasted against one of their raiding forces. Were there any that actually earned their right to live?
Gniepr's Mill. The name sounded familiar, but Thyr had trouble placing it. From the sound of it, it had managed to survive and Ingvar was therefore proof of that. But what was the significance... Despite the proximity of the fire, Thyr's blood ran cold.
Ald... Faillune intoned. Thyr swallowed a hard lump in her throat as it all came back.

***

Thyr gave a grunt and cracked on eye open, staring at the brown and orange tinged ceiling above her. The sound of a crackling fire came from her right. Wincing, the firelight feeling to intense she flopped a forearm over her eyes and groaned.
"Oh you're awake." A familiar voice, calm and harmonious. With a grunt, Thyr rolled onto her side and squinted against the firelight seeing a form sitting by the fire, stirring the substance in a cast iron pot. The woman was beautiful, light blonde hair, cleaned away from her face by a leather headband and brilliant hazel eyes. Thyr rubbed her eyes.
"How long was I asleep?" The Cadinoc woman mumbled.
"Most of the daylight. Dusk is approaching and mother is already getting dinner ready." Came another familiar voice. Sitting nearby was a boy with dark blonde hair and a infectious smile. However, he was looking down at the tool he was sharpening in his lap. Thyr scanned the room. She recognized it as her home, a frame of bone and wood with leather and canvas forming the walls. The walls had been treated in such a way to resist water, and so snow could be piled up on the outer walls to conserve heat. From outside the place looked clausterphobic, but from within it felt much large, curtains made of fur sectioned off the various sections of the home into various spaces.
"How much longer before Voryn calls you back to another tour?" Thyr's mother asked. The redhead scratched her head and grunted, she felt like she had just woken up from a very strange dream. Something about a pillar of bodies and a bunch of dogs.
"We got a lot of things from the last raid... Plus I think Vorynn found a wife for his eldest son."
"Now why didn't you tell me that when you got home? Let me guess: An outsider?"
"You don't have to always grill her, mother."
"Well I certainly don't here many stories from you. Besides, you both should be looking to find mates soon."
"You have a point. I'd hate to have a old crone for a sister."
"Epsin!" Thyr's little brother laughed.
"Besides, I still have two more winters before I need find a wife."
"Well it doesn't hurt to start looking now. I don't want you to just take any sort of mongrel your father or one of your brother's drags home for you."
"What if Vorryn heard you say that?"
"Psh! As if he has ever heard any of what I have to say."
"As if we ever head anything you had to say either." Epsin joked. His mother faked indignance and then went back to stirring the pot. Thyr sat up and yawned, strectching tired muzzled and giving her skin some air.
"Well if you're up now, why don't you go and get your sister. Dinner is just about ready and I want her home before dark."
"I just got up. Why not have Epsin go." Epsin repsonded by clearing his through and gesturing to the pile of iron tools next to him.
"Darll really has you wrapped around his finger, Epsin. One of these days you're going to have to put your foot down." Thyr mentioned while pulling on a vest and a skirt.
"Are you crazy? He'd kill me! And if you've seen the stuff he has in his smith that he doesn't use, you'd know he'd torture me and feed me to the pigs first."
"I hear that he'd never give Muna to a man who couldn't stand up to him."
"Oh, Muna is such a nice girl! You should definately start courting her."
"Mother!" The young smithy cried.
"Well you certainly don't want her snapped up by some knuckled herder if you don't make your intentions known soon." Thyr laughed, lacing her boots and throwing a cloak on her shoulders, leaving her mother and Epsin to continue fighting over wedding plans.
Thyr walked among her clanmembers in the closest thing that could be called a crowded town. The Cadinoc were nomadic, several families would journey out in large groups, among them being raiders and the various wagons and sleds with which to carry their ill-gotten gains from the villages they fed on. But in between the two Split Horns, two great rock formations, the Cadinoc had a semi permanent headquarters. Low, snow covered huts spanned across the ground. A smith was established agianst one of the horns, while the other sheltered the patriarch's abode.
Although the sky was marked yellow with the waning sun, the town was cast in the shadow of the horns, making the place darker than it actually was. On days of celebration, great bonfires would burn and their light would reflect off the horns. The light would fight away the night, creating a fortress of fire against the wendigo and a challenge to those who would dare strike at the Cadinoc's heart.
Gwen wasn't hard to find, her playmates likely had been pulled apart my family members as the day ended and the night began. The gapped toothed little hellion smiled and waved as Thyr approached.
"Myna! Myna!" The child exclaimed, Thyr knelt to give her baby sister a hug. "You was so tah'd that you slept tha' day away." Thyr smiled and ruffed up Gwens messy brown hair.
"Well of course. I've been working hard. I'm getting older you know, I need to start helping the rest of you grow up."
"I'm getting older too!" Gwen protested, trying to pull Thyr hand off of her head.
"I'm sure you are."
"An' bigger too!" Thyr cocked her head.
"That a fact?" Gwen nodded her head excitedly.
"Urger was pickn' on his sista' 'gain. Said, 'stop that'' an' ah push him down." Thyr frowned.
"You shouldn't hit your peers. Even if they're being mean to their siblings. You need to find other ways to prove you're big and strong."
"But you big an' strong and be mean to otha's."
"But I don't fight with clan members. The only ones I fight are those who don't belong." Gwen folded her arms.
"But Urger-"
"Urger will get what's coming to him when he gets home a bet. I bet his sister wants to stand up to him too. Probably tell on him." Gwen nodded.
"I don't like Urger."
"He's still a Cadinoc."
"Dun mean I gotta like him, huh?" Thyr smiled.
"No I suppose not. C'mon, momma's getting dinner ready and pa and our brothers should be back." Gwen beamed and happily followed Thyr back home.
When Thyr arrived home, she stepped inside the enclosure with Gwen quickly following. Silence greeted the two girls as they scanned the hut. Their mother sat with her head buried in her hands, quietly sobbing, Sayne, her eldest brother, wrapping an arm around her. Epsin quickly ushered Gwen to him and motioned for Thyr to come as well.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Epsin rested a hand on Gwens shoulder and looked up at his elder sister, his eyes hazy.
"One of Ald's comrades came while you were gone."
"What happened to him?"
"They went to Gniepr's Mill to collect additional supplies. Things got..." Epsin had always been the most emotional of Thyr's brothers and it showed as he took a sharp sniffle, rubbing away tears with his wrist. "Things got bad." He continued.
"Is Ald okay?" Gwen asked. Epsin grimaced and shook his head. Thyr sat back, taking it in. Epsin pulled the little girl close, hugging her. Thyr felt like she needed a hug too, but wasn't going to ask for it. Ald was always the kidder among his siblings, he was a good kid, bright and noble. But it was very clear what happened. A Cadinoc wouldn't grieve for a wounded relative.
"Where's father?" Thyr breathed, her mouth was dry, and her lips felt slack.
"He said he wanted to take a walk." Sayne murmurred, looking over his shoulder at Thyr but not letting go of their devestated mother. Thyr looked away and at her hands in her lap. She flexed them, tightening them into fists and then relaxing. After a few moments in the dead silence, she got up and left the rest of her family to grieve.
Thyr's footing was shaky, but she walked with purpose, wiping the tears from her eyes as she strode along the the almost vacant lanes. She head directly for the gates to the outside of the community. She needed some space, she needed some open sky above her. She needed to-
The loud, guttural roar game from her left. Having just exitted the permiter, she could see in the distant form of her farm as he heaved a stone skyward. Screaming at the top of his lungs for several moments. She began apporaching, cautiously. When he hollering ceased, the brought shouldered man sunk to his knees, cradling something in his hands. When she got close enough, she saw it to be a broken arrow. The head and been broken off, but here was still a bit of blackened blood on the shaft. Thyr could easily tell that it wasn't one of their arrows. She could only assume that was had taken Ald from them.
Thyr gently placed her hand on her father's shoulder. She tried to say something, but the words were caught in her throat. In all honesty, she had never been close to her father when he was this emotionally vulnerable.
'Why?" Thyr's father croaked.
"It is the cosmos will."
"No..." He breathed. In an instant he stood, whirled around, and belted Thyr across the face. Stunned and confused, Thyr stumbled and fell to the ground. She stared up at her father hey glared down at her. "Why couldn't you have been the one to die?!"

***

Thyr blinked, coming out of her stupor. She looked away from the firelight, feeling the chilling trail of tears that she had silently wept. She touched her cheek where her father had struck her. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. She tossed another few pieces of wood into the fire.
Do you think he was responsible? That the cosmos brought you here for a reason? Thyr tried hard to remember what the fletching of the arrow looked like. It was so long ago, and it was difficult to remember such a small detail.
And if it was Ingvar, what do we do then? What indeed.

Wow, reading over this post this morning. I can't believe all the typos. I guess i was absolutely exhausted. Sorry for any confusion or intense eye rolling from bad prose.

[Gygaxphobia]

Those of you putting yourselves to work set to it with a strong will and hard determination.
The thick bushes outside are sharply prickled, and cutting or uprooting them from their thick stems is tough work. They are bone dry except down in the roots though and the stems prove to be good burning material despite a slightly acrid smell. The leafy bushes are piled at Ingvar's direction to block the missing corner and the doorway. So the strange sight is of overgrown weeds rather than a blockade.
Jyn's collected moss seems very moist and the water it contains is suprisingly pure. The driest samples are found clinging to the building, and these have a consistancy like peat that makes a good solid fuel for the fire also, although the smoke is thicker.

The workers have to labour for the best part of an hour to prepare your shelter here. They burn much energy of mind and body to keep working, but this distracts them from hunger pangs for a while. Once settled however, the stomach aches are more noticeable.

Thoughts also turn to defence and sentry posting. With the doorway blocked, ground floor access is not as easy as it was.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"Well done, everybody." As Thyr had let the conversation drift off, seemingly lost in reverie, the hunter had come downstairs to inspect the fire and the blocking of the cracks. "Now we had best all eat... but mind you, eat only what you need to take the edge of the hunger off. If you gorge, you will sleep... and likely die here. Afterwards we can watch from the second floor, checking on the watchfire intermittently. Two at least should stay down here, to check on the fire and watch the doorway." With that, he reaches into his packs to inspect the rations provided by Ulf.

[Gygaxphobia]

The sacks contain linen wrapped piles of dried fruit and nuts and several tough strips of jerked meat - a deer most likely. Each also has a single vegetable wrapped in straw, slightly mouldy on the surface from damp but otherwise wholesome. Parsnips, cabbages and onions are popular.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
The fire built, Vesha takes back his bearskin from Grakka, winding it close around him. He sits down on the stone floor and eats a little bit of meat. Then he stands again, and stalks to the now covered entrances. He smears meat fat above each one of them, chanting in some ancient forgotten tongue.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
making perhaps his seventh trip up the stairs, Noj pauses and paces over to the hearth to warm himself a bit.
His lean frame hovers in the warm circle of light as he rubs his gloved hands together. The orange light dances across his matted furs and leathers, and dyes his dark red hair a black color, like dried blood.
He looks at Thyr.
"your hair...I thot only those of the avalanche had that color. is it common among your people?"

[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Realizing that she will get little rest with all the walking and conversation going on around her, Jyn gets up to see to her womanly needs. Slowly shaking warmth back into her bones, she carries her gear downstairs near the hearth's fire. After placing her gear and dry moss down, she moves to step out of the tower to relieve herself. Not wanting to travel far, but eager for privacy, she stands just outside the main door to perform her duties. While in the process her mind lingers on the fertile expanse around her, and imagines her clan secluded in this area living well off the land. Completed, she moves inside to eavesdrop on the conversations of her unlikely companions.

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

Ingvar sits close to the fire, and eats a strip of venison, his onion, and a handful of nuts, leaving the rest of the meat and the fruits for later. He washes it down with the water Jyn obtained, drinking it greatfully. I wonder if I'll ever again stalk elk, he thinks, as he looks about the room. They are all competent at their tasks... and now seem willing to take advice. He brings out the half-cured wolf guts and places them by the fire, and begins tending to his weapons as Noj speaks.

[Kain_Tempest]

Only half aware when Noj speaks, she looks up at him and then touches her hair. She shakes her head.
"No, it's not very common. I think I came from my father's side." Thyr trailed off again, she seemed distracted, her obsessive cleaning of Faillune had ceased and she was only causually eating the onion that was left in her sack, carefully peeling away the rotten parts.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
idly chewing on a bit of hard meat, Noj watches the flames dance.
"Huh. All right, then."
The lanky Avalancher stands in silence for a moment, and then carefully re-wraps the sack. Humming a low and rumbling song to himself, he makes his way up the stairs again, up to the signal light. He appears just as energetic as when you met him.

[Kain_Tempest]

I wonder what that was about? Faillune pondered. You think that's why it he's been staring at you.
"Always thought it was an outsider's lust."
Leave flattering to that hunter. But as for the Avalancher, I wonder. Could it be possible that your sire was once outsider? That doesn't mean I doubt you're a Cadinoc. You're guilt is well placed. But what if an outsider could really become a Cadinoc and not a mongrel dam... Faillune was clearly bored, as the weapon was beginning to delve into things that went further beyond the laws than many would ever go. But the fact Faillune mentioned it, meant she was thinking about it. How blasphemous could she be. The only outsiders that were brought to them were women, and only so that they could be wives for Cadinoc men. There was never a time in history when...
'He came to the battlefield to number the slain...' Thyr shook her head and got up. She immediately head upstairs, she needed some air.
Arriving at the top of the tower with the signal fire, Thyr leaned against the battle points and took a deep breath of the cold crisp air. She shook her head upon exhilation. After a few moments, she turned and looked towards the Avalancher standing nearby.
She stared at him - Or rather, glared - at him for several moments, before speaking.
"Back when you killed those thieves, why did you defend me?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Leaning one foot on the edge of the battlements, Noj peers down into the night, watching with almost unfocused eyes for motion. He doesn't turn to meet Thyr's glare, but maintains his search. The view from the tower was commanding, with the silent snow and trees in the valley below stretched across the land like a frigid shroud.
Once she asks her question, though, the Avalanche man glances her way, his dark eyes contemplative.
"I don' know," he says with a somewhat weary breath as he turns his gaze skyward to the reassuring familiar constellations.
"Old Man Onadare said that you can be friends with an aurox, but don't hang around the herd." He laughs quietly. The sound of his voice is muffled by the cold night air. The vastness outside the group's island of light seemed to suck the sound in. Still looking outwards, Noj continues.
"Maybe it's 'coz I was thinking of the train as one big clan, and you weren't an enemy of mine. Maybe it's because you're a woman, an' I was thinking to protect you. Maybe it's 'coz you've got beauty an' it was my balls talking. Or Might have been because you've got red hair. Thought you might be Avalanche." He rests his elbow on his knee once more, and looks at Thyr.
"I don' know," he repeats, but there's something like a smile on his ragged face. "Does it matter? There's all us in here, an' who knows what out there."
He gestures at the dark brooding expanse of woods distant below.
"You're a damn good warrior." he says, looking again to the silent landscape below.
"I would've sworn you're avalanche. Ah well."

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr shook her head.
At least the show-off is honest. I were him, I wouldn't have mentioned the beauty thing.
"Well, you can stop dreaming. Because I am not related to the Avalanche in anyway. We live in two completely different worlds. Just look at our weapons." She drew Faillune.
"My weapon was made to punch through armour, but on a large beast, it won't do a thing. Yours however, is intended to go for vital organs. A warrior can easily avoid the blow with some armour or a shield, a wendigo on the other hand." She gave a half smile. She was about to say something else, but simply looked away at the darkness.
Comparing weapons. Feh. It may seem clever, but there is really no need.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
Noj laughs.
"Did you see my mate Grakka? that weapon of his'd tear through armor like crunchy snow. Not all the Avalanche fight like I do. I'm quick and strong, and so I dart like an arrow that thinks! I put the point or edge of my blade where they don't want it to go by putting myself where they don't want me to be. Grakka, he's the boulder carried by the slide. He don't care what's in his way; it gets crushed all the same. Anyways." he scratches his cheek absently, looking at the hushed landscape below. "You learn to fight when you grow up, not from your ancestors. It's all the same out here. You live how you can, and you kill who you must. Heh. So why do you care why I did what I did?"

[Kain_Tempest]

Thyr lowered her head and thought for a moment.
"You really didn't seem to care what those Column members had to about me. You either didn't know what it mean to them with me being a Cadinoc, or you had another motive. All outsiders have their agendas. I wanted to know for sure..." She looked towards the darkness. "Besides, it's less awkward to talk than to just stare at you while you're not looking."

[Gygaxphobia]

Thyr is sure she sees something in the distance. By staring hard her eyes find it again after a moment.
Noj sees her looking and quickly sees it too: a light to the north. Tricky to keep focussed on, the light is a very small red-orange flicker perhaps a mile away and a lot lower down, somewhere on the tundra.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
The conversation abandoned for a moment, Noj focuses his vision on the light.
"I'll be damned. Is that them? It's gotta be."

[YPU]

Dane Deadeye

Dane tries to keep away from most work. When somebody asks him to do anything he will state that they for sure can do it much better, but when insisted he will do the job. Once kicked by the wolf. “Ack, yea, your right. Thanks. I smell the fire is coming good. Tar, he” But instead of asking the other for help he decides to check on the others atop the tower. He catches a glance of the fire. “is that the line, or just some scouts? You know, I was getting kind of used to walking in rows, the mass of people seemed to shed some warmth. In a way, they of course shed a lot more filth and smell, and noise.” On another notice he adds. “please kick me if I dose of again, I should stay awake. For now anyway.” He lazily looks around him, tough his eyes stay sharp, and seem to systematically scan the surroundings.

[Kain_Tempest]

"It might be them, but I'd rather not take any chances. I'll tell the rest." Thyr turned and quickly descended down the stairs. She halted near the top of the stairs to the ground floor and crouched down, meaning far less stairs to climb going back up.
"Oy! There's a light on the tundra to the north, we think it might by the broken Column."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

The hunter joins Noj by the window and looks hopefully at the approaching flames.


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[Grymmheart]

Jyn

Curiousity or is it fear get hold of Jyn as the others speak of possibly seeing the column approach. Climbing the steps back to the signal fire, Jyn thinks she catches canine sounds upon the wind. Was it the sound of a wolfen wendigo baying at the moon, or the more common sounds of dogs calling to each other, she could not tell at that distance. But fear brought the worst possibility to mind.

"I think I heard baying of wolves on the wind, or possibly just dogs. Oh, I fear it is so hard to tell at this distance."

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"A single torch, moving fast, as far as I can tell. Coming from the ravine. May be the head of the column, but then again..." Ingvar strings his bow, ready for anything.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj Onadare
"Stupid stupid stupid" Noj mutters.
"Half the wendigo I know hunt at night. killing the wolves didn't make the pass safe."
He begins jogging down the stairs and pauses outside at the cliff

[Helfdan]

Ingvar the Wolf

"What in the nine hells is he doing! Onadare!" The fool! The caravan has more than enough fighting men guarding them. He pulls his furs tight about himself and follows Noj. "Grakka, come with us. The rest wait here, by the Ice Witch!" He readies his bow as he follows the Avalanche man.

[Ozzy_G]

Vesha Kul
Ingvar is right, growls the short man as the hunter rushes out, we must stay in here, where we are protected from the evil spirits. He picks up his massive rune-covered maul, and walks up to the top of the tower, to see what is outside.
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