[IC] The Plague of Tamor Town

[Zergrinch]

Zarron shoves the shortbow into the goblin's hands, as well as the three arrows left in his quiver (Taara being given fifteen unused arrows).

"We," he gestures to himself and all the other party members, "are going out," he gestures towards the cave opening, "but will come back," he then traces a circle with both hands, and points them from the opening back to the lake.

"You," he gestures to both the goblins, "can come with us," he sweeps his left arm from the goblin to himself and starts moonwalking, "or you can stay here and guard." He mimes using a shortbow and makes pew pew noises. "What do you want to do?" he raises both upturned hands from his waist to his chest level.

---

After gathering his things, Zarron exits the opening to go after Taara.

[Xihirli]

Lana followed behind Taara, though she was a bit slow in following up as she strapped on her wooden shield. She didn't want to hurt the beetles, but with how dumb and aggressive they were she didn't see this going too many other ways.

[Izzarra]

Going up the trail you find a clearing. In the center on a rock shelf is a rough statue of a humanoid made of ice holding a long-sword. On the other side of the clearing the trail continues to a small tower a little ways off.

The goblins appear to understand the concept of saying with the camp.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"I suppose that is the shiny thing I saw. A little metal, but look there." she indicated the tower. There may be something worthwhile in there."

[Zergrinch]

"We can investigate the tower after we finish cleaning up the lake. It will still be there, and the faster we finish, the less new people will get infected."

Zarron admires the ice sculpture for a moment. Amazing how artistic it was, down to the longsword which has got to be a pain to carve out.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

She stares at Zarron for a moment through her bangs, glistening in the morning sun. "My point is there could be enough metal sitting right there in that tower. It would be foolish to venture there and back just to find we could have solved it here and now."

[Zergrinch]

"But we're sure the copper ore is there. We don't know what's in the tower. The owner may not be friendly," the young bard stands his ground.

[Xihirli]

While the others talked on that, Lana sat down looking at the sword. She began singing her whale-song of a native language.

Spoiler: Aquan

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"Hey sword. Hey sword. Are you magic? Glitter if you're magic. Okay, are you glittering because the sun's reflecting on you or because you're magic? Okay, be made of metal if you're magic. You didn't stop being made of metal, does that mean you're magic?"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara smiled as Lana started to sing. She wanted to join in with a nice hum, but the situation was more serious. "Whether or not they are friendly is not an issue. We are all rested, no? If there is metal in there- enough to complete the purification of the lake- any danger is worth it." she starts to cross the clearing. "This won't take long, anyway."

[Xihirli]

"Hold on a second, guys. That sword is magic. I'll just get it." Lana ran up to the rock shelf and turned into a spider. She climbed up to the top and shifted back into her water genasi shape, looking the statue up and down. She then tried simply taking the sword out of the statue's hand.

[Izzarra]

As Lana reaches for the sword the ice statue begins to move and swings it at her cutting her arm, the wound is shallow but blade is frightfully cold.

Spoiler: DC 11 Arcana

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This is an ice golem, while magic is used to create them they do not give off a magical aura.
If you made a 16 you can ask one question, 21 two questions.

Spoiler: OOC

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Lana takes 2 slashing damage and 5 cold damage.

[Xihirli]

"Ah!" Lana screamed, and backed away, hoping the thing would stop attacking her if she stepped away.
She lifted her shield and moved back. "Guys I think this thing is guarding the sword!"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"Lana!" Taara shouts then notices the golem coming towards her. She backs off and runs to her. "If this thing is guarding the tower, since it moved towards me even though I wasn't grabbing the sword, then that means there must be something valuable in there," she remarks. "We could back off for now and get Trunksplitter to fight it with me while you three go in and look around."

[Xihirli]

"Or all fight it together?" Lana suggested. "I don't want to worry about you being in danger while I loot a place for... for stuff!" Lana looked back at Adamas. "But yeah, we should at least get the group together."

[Zergrinch]

"We come back later! After we take care of the cleansing!" Zarron exclaims, as he beats a hasty retreat from the scary ice monster.

[Izzarra]

As you leave the clearing it returns to its former position and takes up its original pose.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"Calm down, Zarron, it's already stopped chasing." Taara sends a look at the running half-night elf that feels like an arm grabbing the back of his collar.

"Trunksplitter and I are best at fighting up close, and I don't want to worry about you getting more hurt than you already have when the only way this thing attacks is that sword." she smirked. "Don't worry about me."

[Zergrinch]

"There's no need to fight it. Just keep away from whatever it's guarding. Do you want to be caught by whoever captured it and made it his guard dog?"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara shuddered at the thought. Obviously, Zarron knew more about this thing, to say that this thing was captured, and that magic was able to do something like that and make this thing into their servant. Only a couple weeks ago had Taara worked up the will to break out of the shackles tethering her to the forest near Parvat Sha'ran; she wasn't about to get shackled again after meeting Lana and everyone else. She took a deep breath: what was she feeling? Fear? Anger? Frustration? About what? Afraid she would die? Angry that Zarron probably has the right idea? Or just frustrated she wouldn't get to fight something with strength worthy of respect today? She sighed and looked at Lana, reminded now about her injury. She wrapped an arm around her.

"I'm sorry, Lana. I just want this plague to go away, I can't think straight. Even after so much meditating on protecting you, because of me..." She looked down, frowning.

[Xihirli]

Lana looked down at the scratch.
"I'm gonna be alright, Taara. I still think we could take anything in that tower, but since Zarron doesn't seem excited to try, we can just go get the copper."
At the talk of protecting her, Lana smiled and blushed. "Aw, that's so sweet! You are the smartest, nicest, prettiest, most thoughtful person there is!" She glanced around at the others. "So, back the way we came?"

[WhismurWanders]

Cailenam follows the commotion outside and prepares to intervene when the statuesque golem begins attacking, but it seems to resume its vigil without any further issue. He adds, "The sword would add only a pittance to the metal we need anyways. I'm sure we'll be back here again to foil more cultist plans soon enough, but the plague does take priority."

[ProudGrognard]

Adamas

Adamas was just about ready to attack the iceman, when the others turned back. With a pouting glare, he looks back and almost shakes a fist at it.

"When the lake is clean, we come back and fight the ice man thingy. It is dangerous to passerbys. The sword seems nice. And most important of all:

I have never fought a man made of ice! This will be a tale. So promise me, we come back and make ice shards of the ice man."

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara doesn't immediately feel like it's going to be all right, because Lana's saying it. But looking at it now, it's not very deep, and she can just heal herself. So it should be fine. She simply smiles as Lana compliments her, even if Taara didn't believe much of it herself. She nodded, tightened her hug for a moment, then approached Trunksplitter as he spoke.

"I also worry for the animals that wander into its reach, almost more so than passersby. The people who find themselves here know the danger and how to avoid it, but animals do not." she wipes a tear. "I have not fought a man of ice before either. I would love to do that with you, Trunksplitter."

On their way back through the cave Taara braids Lana's hair.

[Izzarra]

The trip back under the mountain is uneventful, you manage to pass the beetles without disturbing them. The eerie lights once again surround the party as you cast your one light source way ahead.

You arrive back at the dwarven mine after dusk, it is the way you have left it. The bodies of the fallen dwarves are beginning to reek.

[Zergrinch]

"Ugh, do we have enough firewood to do another pyre outside?" Zarron holds his nose. Cailenam is likely going to be quite busy with his task, so might as well do something useful.

[Xihirli]

Lana looked back at her braids to focus on something other than the smell. "It's beautiful," she smiled at Taara. "Thank you, I love it!"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara repeats her prayers to Grohtgeit that she spoke upon seeing the dwarves' bodies the first time. She smiles at hearing Lana's gratitude. "You are welcome. I could teach you how. I learned how during the time I spent in the woods, so bugs and things wouldn't get in." The smell finally hits her nose and she covers it. "Get your metal and let's finish this."

[WhismurWanders]

Cailenam is doing his best not to retch at the smell, and simply nods before motioning for the group to follow him to the safe filled with copper bars. He speaks curtly to avoid breathing too much of the sickly air in, "150 pounds. More is okay, less is not."

[Xihirli]

"Do you want us to carry the stuff, or do you want to make the water here? If people are willing to empty out one of our packs, distribute the items within, and fill one pack with the copper, I can turn into a horse and carry that pack."

[WhismurWanders]

"Do you want us to carry the stuff, or do you want to make the water here? If people are willing to empty out one of our packs, distribute the items within, and fill one pack with the copper, I can turn into a horse and carry that pack."

"Even if we just drag the required copper outside, that will be enough. I just don't wish to spend an hour in this stench."