Reign of Winter: The Snows of Summer [IC]

[lostsole31]

Again, the eyes are so close to each other, each only a couple inches from the frosted glass, but Amanu begins to notice that while there is a bestial beauty to the eyes, she possesses significantly less hair ... none, in fact, except a short side bob on top of auburn hair, and her long eyelashes. The skin of her forehead, nose, and tops of cheeks are green. She also stopped suddenly when you did, and now you are looking at each other...

[Ostoril]

Amanu blinks and slowly moves his head sideways, trying to peak around the other creature.

[lostsole31]

He isn't sure if his counterpart blinked or not, but they slowly move their head sideways at the same pace and angle as Amanu, blocking him from being able to see past her.

[Ostoril]

Amanu speaks to the creature quizzically. "Hello?"

[lostsole31]

As soon as he says that, her head pops up to show her whole head and a little neck as she clamps both hands over her mouth with wide eyes. She then takes them off her mouth and puts a finger to her mouth. She points to her left, Amanu's right, which is where the door is before tapping her chest and then heading out of sight.

If Amanu reads that right, the door to the lodge is about to open if she is heading that way.

[Ostoril]

Amanu makes sure he steps out of the way of the door and readies his rapier to protect himself if someone hostile comes out.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Take total defense and 5 foot shift back along the wall out of the way if the door could swing open and hit him.

[lostsole31]

Not knowing what has transpired .... Griss, Drina, and Darkhelm are all poised to rain death on whomever opens that door.

Tenzei, what do you do?

Amanu, you see half the party ready to just open up with violence.

[Denomar]

"What are we doing? Who is that?" Tenzei urgently whispers.

[lostsole31]

The door opens, and there is an intake of breath as Drina and Darkhelm and Griss are about to send volleys of pain and destruction forth. But nobody comes out. Instead, there is a spatula with a white dish towel wrapped around it that is waved like a modified white flag.

[Ostoril]

Amanu turns to his companions and places a finger over his mouth before maneuvering himself into the doorway to face his new "friend", leading with the tip of his rapier held defensively, just in case it is a trick.

[lostsole31]

The makeshift white flag disappears behind the door.

Then, pushing open the door, is a brown bear .... but an adolescent one since it is only Medium. Followed by that is a very attractive (compared to other half-orc females) woman. She has her finger over her own mouth and whispers. "Arthog, go potty."

The bear looks at the party suspiciously.

She repeats a little louder, at sotto voce. "Go ... potty."

The bear trundles off into the woods to the south.

"Okay," she says, while trying to gesture that you remain 'quiet,' "they heard an alarm, and they saw a bunch of people go south, but those idiots think you'll be coming in from the east, or ignoring the lodge and heading across the bridge. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

[Ostoril]

Amanu keeps his voice low and calm. "I am Amanu,my companions and I have come to find the powerful source of this unusual weather. Who are you? and who are 'they'?"

[Denomar]

"While finding the source of this unusual weather would be a sensible thing to do. Currently we are tracking the whereabouts of Argentea Malassene. She was captured not far from here and the trail has led us in this direction." Tenzei clasps his fist in salute. "I am Tenzei. Are you well?"

[lostsole31]

"Shhhh," she says, as the heroes are speaking louder than she'd prefer. "Follow me to the kitchen, and we'll talk."

[Ostoril]

Amanu nods and follows their hopefully new ally, though he keeps his rapier at the ready in case it is a trap or there is anyone else who is not so favorable to their presence.

[lostsole31]

Tenzei, do you follow?

[Denomar]

Tenzei will follow. But cautiously. Before he steps through the door he'll turn around and make a quick scan of the area trying to see where the bear has gone too. Or whether or not other people are coming out of the woodworks.

[lostsole31]

The bear is partially obscured by the trees to the south. The rest of the party follows your "hostess" indoors.

Immediately upon entering, you see a bearskin rug dominates the floor of this trophy room, and the heads of several deer have been mounted on the walls. Doors lead north and south, while two hallways go farther east.

You follow her north into the kitchen where a large fireplace takes up most of the north wall of this room, its radiant heat providing palpable relief from the cold weather outside. Cabinets and shelves line the remaining wall space, and four windows look out on the wintry landscape surrounding the lodge.

She gestures for Tenzei to shut the door quietly.

"Speak quietly," she says in a murmur. "You aren't Rohkar's .... and you aren't the former owners of this lodge. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

[Ostoril]

Amanu lowers his voice to match hers. "As I said, I am Amanu. A servant of The Green Faith and beauteous nature. My purpose is to uncover those who defile the land with this unnatural cold. Currently it would seem that the trail leads to dicovering the whereabouts of Argentea Malassene. I take it from your words you are not one of the High Sentinels whom should be occupying this lodge?"

[Denomar]

Tenzei nods slowly. "Also, who is this Rokhar?" he whispers.

[lostsole31]

She reacts as if you still might be speaking too loudly.

Spoiler: Hint

Show

Font size "1."

"Name's Ten-Penny .... Ten-Penny Tacey. I had a quick exit from Demgazi 'fore I found myself in the Border Wood. Rohkar, the leader of the bandits that took over this lodge from its former occupants? Well, he gave me shelter and convinced me ta' stay on. I wasn't thrilled, because he was skeevy, but I agreed. So, I keep the fire stoked in the kitchen and occasionally serve meals to my 'fellow' bandits. Pot o' soup there made of horse is for some bandits what came down with chillbane shakes.

"I tell you this because I'm not fond of this crew. I'd slip away if I had the chance, but we have this strange weather wot I don' understand, but I think it has to do with people Rohkar goes out to speak with. Haven't seen 'em. As far as the Lady, I think she's in the cellar, but I haven't put eyes on her."

[Denomar]

Tenzei nods and begins searching for a cellar while everyone else talks. There were too many people inside this room to be truly comfortable.

[lostsole31]

Amanu, do you go with Tenzei? The others could stay behind...

[Ostoril]

Amanu nods to Ten-Penny. "If you want, you can come with me when this is resolved. For now, I best not let my companion go alone." Amanu will go with Tenzei.

[lostsole31]

The assumption is that you are both moving stealthily (half-speed, no hustle). You are outside the kitchen, back in the trophy room. What do you do?

[Ostoril]

Amanu gestures to the stairs and shakes his head then points along the wall opposite of the doors they entered the lodge.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Point to the wall on the Image North. If Tenzei does not object will move in that direction and begin searching rooms in a clockwise fashion around the room. Stopping to listen for activity in a room before opening the door if nothing is heard inside.

[lostsole31]

Amanu quietly passes by Tenzei, with the latter understanding that stealth is the vanaran's bailiwick. But as soon as Amanu creeps north into the NW corner of the room, a board from the old lodge makes a terrific creak just as Amanu sees far to the eastern side of the lodge (looking out a window to the eastern porch) a human man. The problem is, the man sees Amanu and shouts, "Intruders!"

Begin Round One ...

R1T22: Tenzei, so much for Amanu being stealthy. You currently have a life link set up with Amanu, Drina, and Griss. What do you do?

[Denomar]

"This feels familiar."

Tenzei goes to see if there's any way to Bar the Door to the southwest. The less places to enter this room. The less likely the pair were to be flanked, and it was easier to defend a corridor than an open field.

"We shall make the same stand as Zhao'den'si!" Tenzei begins to explain.

[lostsole31]

R1T22: "This feels familiar."

Tenzei goes to the double doors to the southwest and bars them. The less places to enter this room, the less likely the pair were to be flanked, and it was easier to defend a corridor than an open field.

"We shall make the same stand as Zhao'den'si!" Tenzei begins to explain.

R1T21: Purple Raider comes into view and calls out while taking a shot at Amanu (and missing) with his shortbow, "Got some freaky-monkey man, here! And somebody's by the front door!"

R1T16: Red, the one who spotted Amanu and broke the intended ambush. "Yeah, he'll make an interesting pelt!"

He closes on Amanu and shoots, an arrow skimming the vanaran's left knee for 1.

R1T15: Amanu, rapier in hand. What do you do?

[Ostoril]

Amanu makes his way across the room, affording the stone wall to protect his side as he strikes out against the purple raider with his rapier.

Spoiler: Crunch

Show

Move: Move diagonally south east 2 squares to be north of purple raider.
Standard: Rapier Attack [roll]1d20+8[/roll] for (1d6+1)[2] piercing damage.
Fixed roll because it didn't like me fixing the previous attack roll: [roll]1d20+8[/roll]