Reign of Winter: The Snows of Summer [IC]

[Denomar]

Tenzei is drafting in the vacuum left in the air by his initial kick. He allows this negative pressure to pull him forwards into a brutal looking double claw fist towards the nearer of the two beings.

Spoiler: what do

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Five foot shift.
Flurry of Blows: Risky Strike attacking twice versus "skrikks"
Attack 1: (1d20+6)[7]
Damage if hits. (1d6+7)[13]
Contingent critical confirmation roll (1d20+6)[26]
contingent critical damage (2d6+14)[20]

Attack 2: (1d20+6)[25]
Damage if hits. (1d6+5)[6]
Contingent critical confirmation roll (1d20+6)[24]
contingent critical damage (2d6+10)[14]

[lostsole31]

R2T14: Tenzei is drafting in the vacuum left in the air by his initial kick. He allows this negative pressure to pull him forwards, but it doesn't pull him enough to ignore the difficult terrain of the snow. He tries a double-fist strike, but underestimating the snow underfoot has him missing wildly.

R2T13: Darkhelm moves through the snow a little closer, and with a lash of lightning attacks the one threatening Drina. but misses.

R2T12: Griss moves as far as he can, and switches up from trudging through the snow to carefully moving along the ice, his rapier now in hand.

R2T11: Drina, you recover from the extremely short period in which you were staggered. What do you do?

Szassh on deck, Skrikks in the hole ...

[Kvard51]

Drina attempts to cast her spell again, pointing due east.

Spoiler: action

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SA: Cast Burning Hands defensively for (3d4)[11] fire damage.

[lostsole31]

R2T11: Drina attempts to cast her spell again, pointing due east. The lead one tries to punch at her first, but in failing it is by the fire, partially shading his friend, who only takes 7 fire.

R2T6: The remaining ice elemental skates up to Drina effortlessly and swings twice at her, but she is ready and dodges both blows.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ....

R3T15: Amanu, what do you do?

Tenzei on deck, Darkhelm in the hole ...

[Ostoril]

Amanu lets loose another glob of acid at Szassh!

Spoiler: Crunch

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[Standard] Acid Splash: (1d20+8)[23] ranged touch for (1d3)[2] Acid damage. I believe Coordinated Shot would apply for +1 more to hit?

[lostsole31]

R3T15: Amanu lets loose another glob of acid at Szassh, hitting it in the center of mass for 2 acid.

R3T14: Tenzei, you are in dragon stance. What do you do?

Darkhelm on deck, Griss in the hole ...

[Denomar]

Tenzei proceeds with punching, posthaste. His pugilistic potshots are more less as effective as they have been before in a cosmic sense.

Spoiler: actions

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Full Attack. Flurry of Blows using Risky Strike against the adjacent enemy "Szassh."
First Attack. (1d20+6)[18]
Damage if Hit. (1d6+7)[13]
Contingent critical hit confirmation roll (1d20+6)[25]
Contingent critical hit damage (2d6+14)[22]

Second Attack. (1d20+6)[22]
Damage if Hit. (1d6+5)[8]
Contingent critical hit confirmation roll (1d20+6)[18]
Contingent critical hit damage (2d6+10)[20]

[lostsole31]

R3T14: Tenzei proceeds with punching, posthaste. His pugilistic potshots are more or less as effective as they have been before in a cosmic sense. His first strike has the creature looking woozy as the second hit then knocks it down, where it is now unmoving.

R3T13: Darkhelm closes and using her lightning lash, sunders the small ice elemental into a wave of ice chunks that scatter everywhwere.

Combat Ends ...

[Kvard51]

Drina leans over and shakes the tension out of her arms and back. "Boy, it sure seems like someone doesn't want us reaching the center of this phenomenon, doesn't it? I guess that's why we keep pushing forward."

[Ostoril]

Amanu checks on his musket to see if there has been any change. "I wonder if they set up that snow man or if someone else did."

[lostsole31]

Darkhelm shakes her head as she looks over the ice chunks that serve as the "bodies" of the ice elementals.

Spoiler: Darkhelm >>> Party

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"No, they seem like they were simply enforces to come up after the loud trap went off to finish off who ever was mucking around. Blunt hammers, not casters."

[Denomar]

"It seems to me a plain old sign would have been sufficient. The snowman feels like bragging to me."

[Ostoril]

Amanu looks around. "Does anyone need to rest or tend to their wounds before we head on?"

[lostsole31]

Darkhelm is fine. Griss has a scratch. Amanu, Drina, and Tenzei have light wounds.

[Denomar]

"I can persevere for now. I do not call upon the blessings of the divine dragon lightly. Your concern is touching though."

Tenzei gestures to his bruised chin. "If I cannot answer that question, perhaps that is when you should be truly worried."

[lostsole31]

You carefully navigate across the icy river, noting several sections where the ice had been shaved down to act as a trap for normal-size people to break through. Together, you reach the opposite bank. The legs and feet of a frozen corpse jut from a pile of snow next to the trees here.

[Kvard51]

Drina shudders when she looks at the frozen feet sticking up from the ice. "Should we do something with this person? It just seems sad to leave them like this."

[lostsole31]

Darkhelm digs out the body, and tepes...

Spoiler: Darkhelm >>> Party

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"This was Old Man Dansby, a farmer from Heldren, and a former soldier. We have a duty to rescue the living, if we can. We should remember to come back here and take care of him, but we can't afford to do a burial right now."

Griss is about to be completely comfortable with rolling the body, but Darkhelm chides....

Spoiler: Darkhelm >>> Party

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"He has a family. Leave that for when we can deal with things properly. Don't be so quick to rob from the dead."

Does anyone dissent with this and want to remain to bury now or go through his gear? or, do you want to push on as quickly as able?

[Ostoril]

Amanu says a brief prayer as he walks past the body.

[lostsole31]

The group continues. After a short while, the trail begins to climb a ridgeline to the south beneath snow-laden trees. The prints of boots and horses mar the freshly fallen snow on the trail.

[Kvard51]

Drina studies all the tracks, although she knows nothing of tracking. ”Looks like we are getting close. Should we prepare in any way?”

[lostsole31]

"I don't know about the rest of you," says Griss, "but I'm of quiet step, though I have to be extra careful because of the crunchy snow. Perhaps if you give me a chance to get the jump on whomever we might find?"

[Ostoril]

"I too can travel quietly, though my main advantage..." His voice trails as he feels his musket. He shakes his head, "I can join you and hopefully help surprise them while the others come from another direction, but first lets see what secrets nature can reveal to us." He examines the tracks to see if he can make out any useful information about whoever passed through here.

Spoiler: Crunch

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Examine the tracks for clues as to what made them and anything I can determine about them.

[lostsole31]

Too much traffic in the past day furrowed out an area, though with snowfall that seems like it is past horse traffic and only relatively recently foot traffic. Darkhelm steps beside Amanu and just stands there.

Spoiler: Darkhelm's Tepe

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"Two men. Poorly washed, poor nutrition ... not malnourished, just inefficient foods. Both have alcohol in their system, but one of them might be suffering from a likely-overlooked blood disease of some sort."

Amanu knows she didn't get that from impression-tracks, but from scent. Yet, it is so strange to see a creature using scent not sticking their head to the ground. Is the scent really that strong to her, or is there something else at play?

So, Amanu will go with Griss. Anymore than that, and it really is just more than half the part than a scouting contingent.

Everyone good with this plan? To let Amanu and Griss follow tracks to try to get around them, make a first strike while the party is ~ 30' away or so awaiting a war cry or other similar signal?

[Ostoril]

"If it is two drunkards, we may want to ply them for information, though they could be bloodthirsty bandits not up for a chat." Amanu readies himself to head off with Griss and assess the situation.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sounds good to me.

[Denomar]

"Wait." Tenzei holds up his hand. "Before you go, I am ashamed that I did not think of this earlier, but since we are fewer perhaps it would be wise to extend my protection to a few more of you as I have already done for Griss." Tenzei lets his hood fall back and smiles, the windburn definitely adds a cherubic glow to his otherwise rosy cheeks. He reaches forward and instructs. "Two more of you may grab my hand. If you do I shall suffer your wounds in your stead and by the majesty of the Dragon of Life I will protect you from harm."

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Darkhelm >>> Party

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"I tend to remain in the back. Amanu is going up with Griss, and Drina is our primary spellcaster and emergency healer. Perhaps they should receive that bond?"

[Ostoril]

Amanu looks at Tenzei. His mouth twitches slightly as he reaches out and takes his hand. "Thank you. It's nice to know that we are allies enough to be risking our lives for each other."

[Denomar]

"The gods see fit to show me how I may serve. I do not have the ego to presume otherwise."

[lostsole31]

Drina, do you take this bond from Tenzei, whatever that may be?