A Gathering Storm

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Verglas is happy to add Lydia's waterskin and food to her own depleted stock, and turns to Roland.

"Since we lost your tent house thingy with the wagon on the first day would you like me to try to find a place on horse for this contraption?"

She too turns to Njal to wait to hear more about what he thought had happened here.

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda is very curious to know as well, but hes not going to wait.
There is not much to be done about the open ground, he will have to settle for traversing that part quickly (Hes avoiding the tracks left behind in order not to mar Njal's read on the situation, but he will approach the tower, trying to maintain his focus on his senses.

Spoiler: OOC

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Spot: (1d20+1)[10] (Penalty due to sickness included)
Listen: (1d20+7)[22] (Penalty due to sickness included)

If he gets close enough to the tower he will try to be stealthy.

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Having heard enough about Roland's midnight perambulations a few nights ago to know that wandering off on one's own in this environment, in which everything except for some friendly house sprites are determined to kill you, is perhaps less than ideal, Verglas calls out to Ramiro.

"Um hey whatever is in that tower seems likely to have been dangerous enough to kill a sabrecat Maybe that's a thing or a person or an entity or possibly a possessing influence but whatever Maybe we should all go in together What do you think?"

[DrK]

Njal "Stormcaller" Njal blows a sigh from under his beard. "Well, be good and be bad. Looks like she may be alive, or were at least when the cat were gutted." He circles the bloody snow and the tracks, "Cat and her were jumped frae' nowehere. And little legs 'ere ran to tower. Then what gutted the cat were following, but looked to be struggling, staggering and the like" He glances at the tower and then others, "Best ready fer a fight. Either with what killed the cat or the lass herself if what the spirit in the portal room said..." With a meaningful glance at the second of the sentence at Verglas he whistles for the husky and joined by his pet starts stomping towards the tower, as he approaches it he pauses. Muttering a prayes and drawing upon the strength of Earth to infuse himself and Gromnir

Spoiler: OOC

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Approach the ruined mill, when he gets there cast Bulls strength


Njal "Stormcaller"
M NG Dwarf (Glacier Dwarf) Druid, Level 3, Init 1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 18, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 6, Base Attack Bonus 2
+2 trip MW Tigerskull Club +6 (1d8+3, x4)
Quaterstaff +5 (1d6+3, x2)
Darts / Sling (10 / 20 ) +3 (1d4+3 / 1d4+3 , x2)
Dragonhide (White) Breastplate , Heavy Wooden Shield (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Condition
Dwarven Racial bonuses

Endure Elements



Stormrir
30 / 30 hp (4HD) Init +1 Speed 50 ft Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
AC 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural +3 AC), touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple +3/+11
Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills/feats: Listen +5, Spot +4 / Endurance, Run
Equipment: Military saddle, Saddle bags, Std'Leather Barding

Gromnir (Wintery Huskie) - Level 3 companion
29 / 29 hp (4HD) Init +3 Speed 40 ft Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +6 natural +2 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 18
BAB/Grapple +3/+6
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d8+4 + Trip (+3))
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +4, Survival +2/6*
Feats: Alertness, Track, Improved Natural attack (bite) / Link, Share spells, Evasion
Equipment: Leather barding

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Verglas took in Njal's assessment.

"And we can't ignore the possibility that the 'lass' is in fact the one who gutted the cat If she is coming more fully into her true power of earth magic then its difficult to predict what kind of limits there may be on what she can and cannot do at this moment."

She glanced at the others with a wry shrug, knowing how often she is the voice of doom in the quartet.

"Sorry but forewarned is forearmed It would be safest to assume that that girl is more dangerous than any sabrecat."

She forces a note of cheer into her voice, and references Ramiro, already walking toward the tower.

"Let's go say hi!"

Abandoning the tent structure for the time being, she clambers back onto the horse.

[Toliudar]

And Verglas spurred the horse forward.

[Saintheart]

Midmorning, Day 6

Complication Pool: 3 of 6

As a group, the four adventurers stalked warily to the mill, following the tracks, Ramiro leading them, Roland right behind, with Njal and Verglas in the rear.

The wooden stairs, for a miracle, did not creak as the four of them slowly moved up. Indeed there was so little sound right at that moment; the wind had dropped and the world had become quiet as still waters. The stone doorway of the tower beckoned, and, checking nothing waited for them, they crept into the building. Cylindrical, the tower had several rooms built around the central axis that likely held the mill's main mechanism. There were sparse, old furnishings ... all broken, chairs and ancient tables hurled against walls and turned to splinters. Ramiro slowly edged forward, nudging one table leg as thick as his arm off to one side. The grey stone walls of the tower's interior had not been spared the destruction, either; great claw marks had been etched into wall after wall, evidence of a fierce, unthinking rage that surpassed comprehension. The marks themselves told of size, strength, and keenness. The light in the tower was given by thin, long windows, high up on the walls, narrow as well. And the rooms, clutching to the building's axis, were cramped and pokey.

They had crept through two tightly-packed rooms before they heard it: a low breathing more like inhalations and exhalations of snarls than breath. In and out like some awful bellows in a great forge below the mountains. It was coming from the next room.

Roland had a gloved hand on Ramiro's shoulder as they edged slowly, ever-so-slowly, to the doorway. Even slower, quiet as shadow, slow as the movement of mountains, they moved their heads around the corner.

It was an abomination.

It faced a little away from them. Shafts of light from high windows in the next room cut across its shale-coloured form like blades. Bipedal, its size was barely small enough to fit through the ten foot doorways they passed through. Muscle rippled from every dreadful limb like ranges of mountains on every patch of its form. Its skin was neither scale, nor fur, nor flesh, but a combination of all three. And here and there were gleaming red patches, as though something was still trying to burst its skin. Two long arms ended in black, shining claws. Its head might have been that of a dog at some kind, but the yellow eyes, reptilian tongue flicking from its lips, and long incisors gave the lie to that conclusion. This was no werewolf, no lycanthrope; this was some other perversity entirely. And it stood, as if fascinated with some random brick in the wall of the tower, staring, seemingly not aware of anything around it. This, Ramiro and Roland knew, had to be what had killed Lyssa's sabercat. And likely done so with ease.

It was perhaps fifteen feet away from the door. It had not noticed them. Yet. That would likely change.

Spoiler: OOC

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Again, apologies for the very long delay. We're back, and here we go. No, this is not any monster that Verglas, Njal, or Ramiro recognise. And it might not behave quite the way other monsters you've fought do, either. But it hasn't noticed you... yet.

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda
I am not sure if we can take this. Do I falter at the last? If I survive the return, can I live with myself? Nay.
And with those thoughts he charges the monster's back. He takes on a hue not seen by the others before, his form surrounded in shadow, his blade as well.

Spoiler: OOC

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Enters Child of the Shadow Stance.
Rushes the creature's back.
Initiates Clinging Shadow Strike.

Att: (1d20+9)[27]
Dmg: [roll]2d6+4[roll] On Hit DC 14 Fort Save. (On fail 20% misschance to its attacks for the round).

CAtt: (1d20+9)[29]
CDmg: (1d6+4)[7]

This round Ramiro has concealment from his stance.

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Having long ago reached the conclusion that she was likely going to die on this foolish errand, Verglas watched in detached fascination the creature that seemed likely to be the engine of that death. And an engine of death it certainly seemed to be. Noting details - the shape of the claws, the strange mix of phyla implied by its appearance - she tried to place it from her many hours of reading.

Spoiler: OOC

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Knowledge check to identify the creature. The result is 5 higher if Arcana is the appropriate skill, or 4 higher if history or local is more appropriate: (1d20+5)[25]

[Saintheart]

Midmorning, Day 6

Complication Pool: 3 of 6

Time seemed to slow down for Verglas, as Ramiro threw himself toward the creature, and Roland followed in his shadow. The years rolled back, and she was again in the forbidden section of the tomevault, at midnight, avoiding the vigils, reading by the light of the phosphorescent mushroom she'd crushed in her hand to make her palm glow with a gentle blue light.

The creature didn't conform to the body or skin of any creature known to man, and no beast like this had naturally walked the lands. Because it was, in fact, being held together by magic. The beast had been some other creature, transformed to this state by a powerful curse, a powerful magic designed to trigger on some event. What the event was Verglas could not know, but this hideous form was certainly not the creature's true form. This was the work of a powerful dweomer, something that was well beyond her abilities even if she knew the effect. And the reason she knew it was because it was forbidden magic, not sorcery, no, magic of the kind she had leafed through in those long-ago tomes but hadn't had the time (or perhaps the stomach?) to grasp and learn: this was elven magic. One thing she had learned from the tome was that the creature under the curse would have no control of its actions, and could not be reasoned with. Its body and vital force had been warped, twisted, and consumed to form this rage-filled beast. And it would likely kill, and keep killing, until something came to stop it. Certainly no elves remained who knew the way in which the magic could be reversed, and if Verglas remembered right, there was no magic that even men now knew which could undo what had been done.

[Saintheart]

Midmorning, Day 6

Complication Pool: 3 of 6

Ramiro came sweeping into the room like a flame in shadow, the straight sword flashing once in the light before it cut into the Beast's back.

The blow landed, and cut - but didn't seem to as much damage as he'd expected, the blow partially turned by the sheer toughness and some other quality of the madly-jumbled flesh. The Beast roared with enough force to shake dust from the timber ceilings above, and turned its great bulk, drawing up to its full height, to face the party...

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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Initiative Order:
Ramiro
Njal/Gromrir
Verglas
Roland
The Beast

We're starting at the top of the order, i.e. Ramiro goes first. No surprise round. Sadly, it saved against his technique ... and it seems to have some sort of damage resistance. Again, there is something wrong about this creature, possibly given by the dark elven magic that allowed it to be created. There is something about the way it turned and moved.

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Verglas was not given to terseness. In the language of people, 'brevity' was a noun connoting the inability to form words, and was often used to speak about infants and dwarves. As the flood of memories and ideas washed through her mind as she attempted to analyze what this creature was, she came up hard against the twin desires to share the delightful, intricate and terrifying knowledge she had carefully and lovingly amassed over the past decades, while also balancing this with the practical considerations. To wit, the fact that they were all trying very hard not to die any sooner than was absolutely necessary. So she tried to - another gnomish insult - 'summarize.'

"It's a different creature warped by old magics I can't change it back The only way to stop it is to kill it Sorry."

More than ever, the crossbow in her hand felt like a toy, and not a good toy. Hoping that Roland would better to be able to stand against it if there were a lot more Roland to go around, Verglas began a slow chant of the bigfolk.

Spoiler: OOC

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What a beautiful map!

Verglas takes a 5' step north, to have a clearer view of her target, Roland.

Verglas begins casting Enlarge Person for Roland, but it's a 1 round casting time, so it'll take effect at the start of her next action. If something happens that requires a concentration check: (1d20+9)[20]

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda circles around, his blade no longer trailing darkness, now glows in the instants before it releases its flame.
Let us see how it takes my firey chi.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action to B11 (Since he is going before its first round, it hypothetically is flat-footed, and not threatening the squares around it)

Standard Action Hatchling's flame: DC15 reflex for half damage:
Damage (3d6)[13] (fire)

The cone is pointed down and left (It is possible there is collateral damage in the next room)

[DrK]

Njal "Stormcaller" Njal's face darkens as he views the massive aberrant creature in front of them. "By the Gods..." he muttered. "Verglas, what be that thing. it ain't natural." As it roars and moves to attack he whistles and points to the other side of the room as he and the wolf split up to flank the beast and tear it down.

Spoiler: OOC

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Njal: Move to B8, attack the beast (1d20+8)[10] dam (1d8+7)[10]
Gromnir: Move to E8 attack the Beast (1d20+8)[26] dam (1d8+6)[14]

Njal "Stormcaller"
M NG Dwarf (Glacier Dwarf) Druid, Level 3, Init 1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 18, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 6, Base Attack Bonus 2
+2 trip MW Tigerskull Club +6 (1d8+3, x4)
Quaterstaff +5 (1d6+3, x2)
Darts / Sling (10 / 20 ) +3 (1d4+3 / 1d4+3 , x2)
Dragonhide (White) Breastplate , Heavy Wooden Shield (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Condition
Dwarven Racial bonuses

Endure Elements
Bull strength


Stormrir
30 / 30 hp (4HD) Init +1 Speed 50 ft Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
AC 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural +3 AC), touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple +3/+11
Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills/feats: Listen +5, Spot +4 / Endurance, Run
Equipment: Military saddle, Saddle bags, Std'Leather Barding

Gromnir (Wintery Huskie) - Level 3 companion
29 / 29 hp (4HD) Init +3 Speed 40 ft Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +6 natural +2 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 18
BAB/Grapple +3/+6
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d8+4 + Trip (+3))
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +4, Survival +2/6*
Feats: Alertness, Track, Improved Natural attack (bite) / Link, Share spells, Evasion
Equipment: Leather barding

[Saintheart]

Midmorning, Day 6

Complication Dice 3 of 6

Ramiro’s flames burst across the creature’s form, sending parts of it sizzling and an awful smell billowing through the room. Two wooden sideboards caught fire, the ancient wood suddenly alight with the fire he had created. Njal and Gromrir advanced, and though the dwarf missed with his strike, the husky did sink its fangs deep into the creature’s leg. Roland stepped forward and snapped a fast, heavy strike on the creature, while in the rear Verglas was still casting a spell.

Blow after blow rained on the abomination. Then the creature struck back. Impossibly fast, impossibly quick, its assault concentrated on Roland, six blows in the space of six seconds. Two of those heavy strikes staggered the devotee of the Firekeeper, drawing blood and awful crunches where long claws and fangs impacted with his armour.

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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Yes, the Beast just pulled two full attacks in one round. Told you it’s not behaving like a normal creature does.

Roland takes 14 damage altogether, putting him at 22/36 hitpoints. Everyone else untouched at the moment.

Initiative:
Ramiro
Njal/Gromrir
Verglas
Roland
The Beast

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda ducks low, his blade sparking against the stone floor as he bring it around in a low arc.
By the time it closes on the monster's leg it is fully aflame.

Spoiler: OOC

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5ft step c11
Swift action initiate Burning Blade
(I forgot the sickened condition last time, I fix it here, but he is flanking to offset it)

Attack: (1d20+9)[19]
Damage: (1d6+4)[5], (1d6+3)[5] fire

CAttack: (1d20+9)[10]
CDamage: (1d6+4)[8]

(His stance is not giving him concealment because he did not move enough)
Note: I had forgotten sickened also effects weapon damage,- 2 physical damage.

[DrK]

Njal "Stormcaller" Njal grimaces as he sees Roland bearing the brunt of the assault and the dwarf ducks forward advancing into the fray alongside Gromnir as they use wolf pack tactics to surround the beast. "Verglas, what be this beast, where do its weak points be?" He shouts as he wades into the fray shield held high and tiger skull club gouging down into the thing's tough hide

Spoiler: OOC

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Njal and Gromnir both 5ft west to flank
Njal: Move to B8, attack the beast (1d20+10)[12] dam (1d8+7)[11]
Gromnir: Move to E8 attack the Beast (1d20+10)[20] dam (1d8+7)[13] if hit Trip (1d20+5)[23] vs "Beast" (1d20)[19]+??? (Lots probably)


Njal "Stormcaller"
M NG Dwarf (Glacier Dwarf) Druid, Level 3, Init 1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 18, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 6, Base Attack Bonus 2
+2 trip MW Tigerskull Club +6 (1d8+3, x4)
Quaterstaff +5 (1d6+3, x2)
Darts / Sling (10 / 20 ) +3 (1d4+3 / 1d4+3 , x2)
Dragonhide (White) Breastplate , Heavy Wooden Shield (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Condition
Dwarven Racial bonuses

Endure Elements
Bull strength


Stormrir
30 / 30 hp (4HD) Init +1 Speed 50 ft Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
AC 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural +3 AC), touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple +3/+11
Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills/feats: Listen +5, Spot +4 / Endurance, Run
Equipment: Military saddle, Saddle bags, Std'Leather Barding

Gromnir (Wintery Huskie) - Level 3 companion
29 / 29 hp (4HD) Init +3 Speed 40 ft Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +6 natural +2 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 18
BAB/Grapple +3/+6
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d8+4 + Trip (+3))
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +4, Survival +2/6*
Feats: Alertness, Track, Improved Natural attack (bite) / Link, Share spells, Evasion
Equipment: Leather barding

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Verglas completes her long spell, and Roland springs up to rival the beast in size. She hoped it would help him. Her spell now complete, she tries to formulate a useful expansion of her previous assessment for Njal.

"It's a creature transformed by ancient and primal magics, probably permanently but if you can find a way to eliminate the source of the magic it might change back It is a creature of pure rage so should be easy to trick if you have some sort of elaborate ruse you can use on it Or you can hit it hard over and over again until it falls down There is a small but non-zero chance that this is fact the girl we are trying to save."

Peeking around the corner, Verglas lets loose a blast of golden sparkles at the corner of the ceiling behind the beast.

Spoiler: OOC

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Verglas' spell completes and Roland grows to Large.
Verglas 5' steps north so as to be able to peer into the room where the fight is going on.
Move action - pull a flask of alchemist's fire out of her backpack.
standard action: cast Glitterdust on the SE corner of the ceiling in the room where the beast is. She's hoping that it will hit the Beast but not her colleagues. Will DC 16 or blind for 3 rounds.

[Saintheart]

Morning, Day 6

Complication Dice 3 of 6

Nothing seemed to go right. Ramiro’s flames scorched the creature, but its thick hide turned the force of his blows; Njal’s wild swing with his club missed; Gromrir drew blood with his bite, but despite the husky’s mighty striving to bring the creature down, the Beast still stood. Verglas’ spell blasted the creature, setting the whole southeastern corner ablaze with glittering dust, but the Beast snarled its defiance and continued to attack without being blinded. Roland called on the power of his devotion to the Firekeeper, unloading with a fast, hard strike to the creature’s body, but it hardly seemed to do any damage.

And the Beast was blurringly fast again, one claw after another centred on the young crusader. He turned almost every blow … almost. One claw dived between the plates of his armour, and emerged with a sudden gout of blood and a pained grunt from the armoured man, who staggered a second then drew himself up again…

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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Beast’s not blinded. Roland took another hit of 9 damage, and so is at 13/36 hitpoints. However, he got a Vanguard’s Strike off, meaning everyone’s ranged and melee attacks are at +4 until his next turn. Gromrir almost pulled off the trip attack…

Initiative Order:
Ramiro
Njal
Gromrir
Verglas
Roland.
The Beast

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Seeing the beast tear into Roland once again, Verglas becomes concerned for her protector. Darting forward, she brushes her hand lightly on his calf, sending healing energy up into his slashed and battered body.

Spoiler: OOC

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Verglas will use two charges of her healing belt to cure [roll]3d8[roll] of Roland's damage.

[Toliudar]

Spoiler: Screwed up the roll

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]Healing damage on Roland: (3d8)[11]

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda centers himself, and prepares to ignite his soul once more.

Spoiler: OOC

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Use adaptive style to refresh manuvers. (Unfortunately hes out of offensive manuvers, and his blade by itself does not seem to be doing anything.)

[DrK]

Njal "Stormcaller" Njal grins as the young knight turns into a towering giant and keeps swinging, turning to Verglas he'll bellow ovr the sounds of combat, "Lass, look ye around the tower, see if its got a magic somwehere ye could smash it. This thing be tougher than mountain root". Shield up trying to ward off the tentacles he swings hard once more with the tigerskull club trying to find a vital location in the mass of flesh and tentacles

Spoiler: OOC

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Njal: attack the beast (1d20+10)[28] dam (1d8+7)[12]
Gromnir: attack the Beast (1d20+10)[15] dam (1d6+7)[13] if hit Trip (1d20+5)[21] vs "Beast" (1d20)[14] + lots

Njal "Stormcaller"
M NG Dwarf (Glacier Dwarf) Druid, Level 3, Init 1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 18, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 6, Base Attack Bonus 2
+2 trip MW Tigerskull Club +6 (1d8+3, x4)
Quaterstaff +5 (1d6+3, x2)
Darts / Sling (10 / 20 ) +3 (1d4+3 / 1d4+3 , x2)
Dragonhide (White) Breastplate , Heavy Wooden Shield (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Condition
Dwarven Racial bonuses

Endure Elements
Bull strength


Stormrir
30 / 30 hp (4HD) Init +1 Speed 50 ft Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
AC 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural +3 AC), touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple +3/+11
Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills/feats: Listen +5, Spot +4 / Endurance, Run
Equipment: Military saddle, Saddle bags, Std'Leather Barding

Gromnir (Wintery Huskie) - Level 3 companion
29 / 29 hp (4HD) Init +3 Speed 40 ft Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +6 natural +2 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 18
BAB/Grapple +3/+6
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d8+4 + Trip (+3))
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +4, Survival +2/6*
Feats: Alertness, Track, Improved Natural attack (bite) / Link, Share spells, Evasion
Equipment: Leather barding

[Saintheart]

Morning, Day 6

Complication Dice 3 of 6

Whatever Verglas chose to do, her movement was rendered obsolete as Njal drove his tigerskull club toward the centre of the Beast's mass. It found its target - and the weapon flared with power as it discharged its kinetic energy into the creature.

The Beast let out an earth-shattering roar, enough to shake dust from the beams ...

... and toppled to the ground with a crash.

They stood still for several more moments, but it didn't move. At all. The stink of its death rolled through the room. Against all the odds, they had survived.

And what Verglas had a suspicion would happen began to happen. The creature's form began to shift. Its size shrank, its colour altered, it lost its hideous appendages and tentacles, its skin smoothing to simple flesh and blood.

What was revealed was the body of a boy of maybe seventeen years old in torn travelling clothes. Apart from the hideous injuries which had translated from their fight, his face looked peaceful: blue eyed, with dark curly hair, though no force on Horizon could make those locks move of their own volition anymore. The boy's eyes stared upward in death: accusingly, perhaps; sadly, certainly.

Spoiler: OOC

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That's 300 XP each for you.

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda frowns at the sight. Glad to be alive but....
Do any of you know what the prince of the region we approach looks like? Might this be the girl's lover?

[Saintheart]

Morning, Day 6

Complication Dice 3 of 6

Roland, shrinking back down from his momentarily-room-filling dimensions, went down on one knee, looking over the boy's body sadly. "We were told Lyssa was going to meet Iohn Darkstone. I've never met him, but I saw his father once. There was an armed pilgrimage out of Tor Bayard to the site of the Spark. The father has cold blue eyes just like this, and his hair might be greying, but it still has a curl to it as well. Yes. I think we just killed his son."

Spoiler: OOC

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'The site of the Spark' is a reference your characters would know; though it was so long ago the story has all but morphed into legend, humanity's rebellion first kicked off with rebel mages fireballing the central elven place of government, their Althing as it were. This was said to be the spark that lit the fire of the rebellion, hence the name, and there is still a custom, albeit observed mostly by the rich and/or virtue-signalling, of making a pilgrimage to its site to pay one's respects to the first rebels. Tor Bayard, as a reminder, is the seat of the Darkstone family, just as Hardwalker Hall is the home of the Hardwalker clan.

[Toliudar]

Verglas

Pondering the boy and beast, Verglas explodes into speculation.

"Well as we've established Lyssa is a repository of an ancient magic and she is utterly untrained in its use Perhaps the emotional extremity of reuniting with her boy unleashed something that transformed him in this manner Then he gutted the sabrecat and carried Lyssa in here It's not clear to me whether he was acting under her guidance or became a being of pure instinct.

"Regardless our course of action is unchanged and clear: find Lyssa, reassure her and convince her to come home."


She glances up towards the spiral staircase.

Spoiler: OOC

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I had thought that Verglas' last action had been to heal Roland using her belt. If that didn't happen, then she'll do so now.

[Novabomb]

Ramiro Sanda
Lets hope not.
Sheathes his blade, and begins ascending the stairs.

[DrK]

Njal "Stormcaller" As the beast falls Njal's roar of triumph dies in his throat. "Garah, a cursed twisted lad." Njal leans down by the boy's body and gently closes the blue eyes, "Sorry laddie, It were you or us and it could'nae be us." At the words of Roland he shakes his head more sadly. "Poor fool his father no be happy with this turn of events." Before they head upstairs he looks at Verglas and nods,."Aye, if it be her we needs muts out where she went, if her magic run wild she's a danger." Looking upstairs he nods To Roland and Ramiro and follows them upstairs.

Spoiler: OOC

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Njal "Stormcaller"
M NG Dwarf (Glacier Dwarf) Druid, Level 3, Init 1, HP 26/26, Speed
AC 18, Touch 11, Flat-footed 17, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 6, Base Attack Bonus 2
+2 trip MW Tigerskull Club +6 (1d8+3, x4)
Quaterstaff +5 (1d6+3, x2)
Darts / Sling (10 / 20 ) +3 (1d4+3 / 1d4+3 , x2)
Dragonhide (White) Breastplate , Heavy Wooden Shield (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Condition
Dwarven Racial bonuses

Endure Elements
Bull strength


Stormrir
30 / 30 hp (4HD) Init +1 Speed 50 ft Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
AC 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural +3 AC), touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple +3/+11
Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills/feats: Listen +5, Spot +4 / Endurance, Run
Equipment: Military saddle, Saddle bags, Std'Leather Barding

Gromnir (Wintery Huskie) - Level 3 companion
29 / 29 hp (4HD) Init +3 Speed 40 ft Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +6 natural +2 armour), touch 12, flat-footed 18
BAB/Grapple +3/+6
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d8+4 + Trip (+3))
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +4, Survival +2/6*
Feats: Alertness, Track, Improved Natural attack (bite) / Link, Share spells, Evasion
Equipment: Leather barding

[Saintheart]

Morning, Day 6

Complication Dice 4 of 6

She wasn’t anywhere upstairs. The tower’s upper levels were empty but for moaning wind and dust across the creaking, swollen wooden floors. They did, however, find a small traveller’s pack stowed on the second floor. It contained a change of clothes, a couple of torches, flints, and a purse gleaming with gold: sixteen hundred gold pieces altogether, the image of the Coracle Throne imprinted on each one’s obverse.

Downstairs was a different story. Roland led the way down the winding stairwell to the base of the mill. Or at least, where the base of the mill would have been. They came to a doorway which, judging by the structure of the place, should have held the mill’s great grindstone. But the door was wedged shut, well and truly; enough that even Roland applying his bulk to it couldn’t move it from its jamb. There were a couple of claw marks in the door. All was quiet; nothing responded to his shove.

The crusader thought for a moment, then decided to hazard it: “Lyssa? Lyssa Hardwalker! Are you there? It’s safe! We’re here to find you!”

A moment’s silence, and for a second he had a horrible vision: the girl, dead, or dying of thirst, in this chamber. She had likely been here a couple of days, and if she hadn’t had the chance to take a waterskin with her when she came in, cold could be as dry and harsh as heat.

But then, a cough – and a faint voice from beyond the door. “Who are you?” A young voice, that of a girl. A scared girl.
He fought down his excitement. “My name’s Roland Parnum – crusader of the Firekeeper. And there’s three others with me. We were sent to find you. Can you open the door?”
“No,” the voice on the far side of the door said. The noise was weak. “I – I pulled something down against it, I can’t get it open. Is – is -- it gone?”
“Yes,” said Roland. “It’s safe now. Nothing’s going to hurt you. Hold on. We’re going to knock this door down, it’ll be loud.”
No response. The crusader bit his lip. He looked at the others. “Watch yourselves. Let’s see how strong they made this stuff.”

He breathed in, whispered a prayer to the Firekeeper. And gripped his maul in both hands. Swung it in one great, powerful arc, centred on where he guessed the weakest point in the door was.

The door had stood for hundreds of years; it was built well. But the impact of the Beast’s attempts to open it had weakened it enough on the hinges that forty pounds of blessed hammer was enough to blast the two-inch-thick wood from its doorframe and send it crashing to the floor.

Dust and ice flicked in all directions, and all four of them were in the room. It was the grinding chamber of the tower, a great vertical axle and the massive grey plinth of the millstone in the centre of the space.

There was a young woman lying curled up on the opposite side of the chamber. She was small; light-boned. She was in cold weather gear similar to that of Verglas but was still under an ancient, dirty rag that passed for a blanket and shivering. Her cheeks were red and the pupils of her brown eyes dark and wide. Even clearly in an ill state, she shrank back against the cold stone wall of the tower.

This was Lyssa Hardwalker. They had found her.

Spoiler: OOC

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And that’s another 137 XP each for finding her!

She’s clearly unwell, though. Maybe suffering a chill, certainly suffering dehydration.

What now?