Reign of Winter: The Snows of Summer [IC]

[doko239]

Isolde will tell Karina to keep watch for any sign of movement nearby, in case the fight with the Zombies attracted any attention. She then walks up to the zombie corpses and begins to closely examine them.

Spoiler: OOC

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Detect Magic/Spellcraft to see if I can tell whether the zombies were created by a spell or by a supernatural effect, and what kind.

Minh
The big snakeman makes a thoughtful noise.

"Twice, maybe. One swinging log and one carriageful of zombies."

"...why did they attack the carriage, I wonder? It can't have been for money: what they've left here could buy quite a lot. Even if they were small, just this knife would be an easy prize to carry- and even if they had no eye at all for its workmanship, you'd have to be very dull to miss that there's a silver decoration pattern-welded into the hilt that would fetch half a gold or so for the metal alone.

Preoccupied as she is with inspecting the corpses, Isolde replies in an almost absent-minded tone, without her usual vitriol.

"They were locked in the carriage after the attack, presumably by the bandits themselves. I can think of no reason to raise these corpses only to lock them up, except as a deliberate trap, laid for whoever came looking for the Baroness. As for the reasons for the attack, you may get the chance to ask them yourself; Whoever did this might still be nearby, waiting to ambush us further. We should not stay here for long."

Standing and turning away from the carriage, Isolde looks over the group before asking "Who among you is capable of following tracks? See if you can find the bandits' trail."

[Denomar]

Tenzei can feel the sincerity and gravitas of the situation and promptly ruins it.

"I once tracked a bird to its nest. It was in the tree directly above where the chick fell."

[lostsole31]

It isn't too much farther when the snow becomes increasingly deep in this part of the forest, where a windswept gully carves a path through a tree-covered ridge. A soft cascade of snow falls from an overhead branch, hissing softly as it strikes the ground.

The heavy snowdrift is incredibly difficult to slog through [costing 4 squares of movement/ square].

Surprise Round ...

S17: The bank of snow suddenly explodes as a large reptile leaps out, as white as a blizzard and at least six feet in length. It has a dragon’s head filled with sharp teeth, and two arms ending in grasping claws. A cloud of greenish vapor wafts from its gaping maw. It snaps at Darkhelm.

S16: Griss, you didn't see it when you passed by - practically right over it - but you were feeling uneasy and spin around to see the thing. What do you do?

Spoiler: Griss

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You would not be walking with sword in hand, because you would want to contact metal as little as possible. Also, this is a surprise round, so you get a MA or a SA, but not both and not an FRA or a FAA.

[jss1701]

Seeing the creature attacking his comrade, Griss opens up with his Banelight Vortices.

Spoiler

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(1d20+5)[15] vs touch, for (2d8+1)[9] plus (2d6)[8] and fort save (14) or sickened for (1d4+1)[5] rounds if sneak attack applies.

Spoiler

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Still learning to use Griss effectively, but I think I did it all right this time.

[lostsole31]

S16: Seeing the creature attacking his comrade, Griss opens up with his Banelight Vortices. But in doing so, he opens himself up to counterattack as the white snake-lizard-dragon bites at him, but doesn't penetrate his armor. Light shoots at the thing and hits it for 9 light.

Begin Round One ...

R1T31: Amanu, your weapon is slung as the metal components would begin to freeze your hands if you were not careful. What do you do?

[Ostoril]

Amanu curses at the ambush. He unslings his rifle and levels his aim at the creature hoping to hit something more vulnerable. He pulls the trigger while trying to recall anything he might have learned of such a creature.

Spoiler: Crunch

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[Move] Draw weapon
[Standard] Risky Strike Musket Shot. (1d20+8)[16] vs touch. Coordinated shot for +1 if ally threatens or +2 if ally flanks. +1 point blank shot. For (1d12+2)[14] bludgeoning. +1 Point blank shot.
[Free] assess the creature?

[lostsole31]

R1T31: Amanu curses at the ambush. He unslings his rifle and levels his aim at the creature hoping to hit something more vulnerable. He pulls the trigger while trying to recall anything he might have learned of such a creature. His musket ball hits true and solidly at the creature, tearing through its scales to do 15.

R1T27: Isolde, what do you do? Karina is flying recon, but do you have her do anything else? The snow is very difficult to move in [costing 4 squares of movement per square actually moved].

[doko239]

Isolde appears momentarily startled, before backing away while levelling a bone-chilling stare at the lizard-thing.

Spoiler: OOC

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Free Action: Knowledge check to try and determine what this thing is. Priority information is: Immunities and resistances, special attacks, worst saving throw, then anything else.

Speech: Isolde will share any information she recalls about this creature.

Standard Action: Evil Eye (su), DC 15 Will, -2 to attack rolls for 8 rounds, successful save reduces to 1 round.

Move Action: Move 3 squares East (Frostfoot hex reduces the movement penalty from the heavy snow to 1/2) and hope the penalty to hit from Evil Eye is enough to avoid the AOO.

[lostsole31]

R1T27: Isolde appears momentarily startled, before backing away while levelling a bone-chilling stare at the lizard-thing. "It's an artic tatzlwyrm - a northern ambush predator. It's not from around here at all!" she calls out to her confederates as she surprisingly deftly moves over the snow to get away from the thing.

R1T17: The arctic tatzlwyrm turns on Griss and bites at him, but Griss holds up his pommel so it bashes its jaw on the catfolk's hilt for 1 CON.

R1T16: Griss, what do you do?

[jss1701]

Taking a deep breath, Griss will stand his ground and send another vortex of light at the creature.

Spoiler

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(1d20+5)[12] for (2d8+1)[12]

[lostsole31]

R1T16: Taking a deep breath, Griss will stand his ground and send another vortex of light at the creature. It counters first, but Griss' *Perihelion Pauldrons* stop its bite as his banelight just manages to clip the tatzlwyrm for 12 + disabled.

R1T14: Minh, what do you do?

[Toptomcat]

Minh

"It's an artic tatzlwyrm - a northern ambush predator. It's not from around here at all!"

What? The weather was preposterous enough. That's-

-the creature snaps and snarls-

-something to think about in just a moment-

Recovering from the dual shocks of being ambushed and finding out that the identity of the creature doing the ambushing made this whole weird mess somehow more complicated, Minh makes what he can of his awful footing by taking a deep stance, then just outright leaping into an extended lunge, a jump carrying him over the knee-deep snow just far enough for the length of his weapon and his formidable wingspan to do the rest.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action to get the five feet southeast I need to put the beast into reach, standard action to take a stab at it with the spear. (1d20+8)[11], (1d8+7)[12] piecing. If it matters, I'm adopting Poisoner's Stance as a swift, using Iron Fang for another (2d6)[5], and forcing a Fort save DC 18 vs. taking another 3 damage and being fatigued, but I strongly suspect it doesn't in that the beast is injured enough to simply drop if that's a hit.

[lostsole31]

R1T14: What? The weather was preposterous enough. That's- -the creature snaps and snarls- -something to think about in just a moment.

Recovering from the dual shocks of being ambushed and finding out that the identity of the creature doing the ambushing made this whole weird mess somehow more complicated, Minh makes what he can of his awful footing by taking a deep stance, then just outright leaping into an extended lunge, a jump carrying him over the knee-deep snow just far enough for the length of his weapon and his formidable wingspan to do the rest, adopting a terrible stance as he does ... and his weapon glides over the scales of the creature, not into.

R1T13: Tenzei, what do you do?

[Denomar]

Tenzei won't take the time to mince words, he dives through the snow in a low and erratic sweeping move that brings him behind the scaled thing. Trying to ignore just how much the creature looks like a dragon he brings what claws he himself has to bear upon the opponent in a twisting hook.

Spoiler: ooc

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Swift Action: Initiate Dragon Style.
Move Action: Acrobatics Check (1d20+8)[25] to move ten feet east to be behind the creature in an attempt to not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Standard Action: Unarmed Strike (1d20+7)[9] to hit
(1d6+4)[9] Hypothetical damage
(1d20+7)[25] to confirm Hypothetical critical hit
(1d6+4)[5] Hypothetical additional critical damage.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Tenzei won't take the time to mince words, he dives through the snow in a low and erratic sweeping move that brings him behind the scaled thing. His acrobatics are beautiful, but far more tiring than expected, and he doesn't have the time to make an attack.

R1T12: It has been frustrating for Griss to be positioned for a flank, but to be unable to actually be flanking .... because Darkhelm doesn't carry any apparent weapons. This changes temporarily as a bolt of lightning comes out of the sky to strike at Darkhelm's now upraised right arm. The lightning plays along her arm and she holds an end of it while whipping out the rest at the dragon, striking sure and true and killing it instantly. Darkhelm releases the electricity harmlessly.

Combat Ends ...

[Ostoril]

Amanu reloads his musket and slings it back over his shoulder. "Perhaps we should proceed more carefully if such foreign creatures are lying in wait."

[lostsole31]

Darkhelm's faceless, dark egg-shaped orb turns to Amanu, though all can "hear" her thoughts: <"The snow is too thick to waste time trying to be silent on it, and a woman's life is at stake.">

She then continues following the tracks west at speed. Which, given the drifts of snow, makes for terrible speed.

[Ostoril]

Amanu shakes his head as he follows. "Carefully and slowly are not the same thing." He rubs his hands together and tucks them under his armpits. "I don't suppose any of you would have any spare gloves or cloth so that we might keep our weapons at the ready? I was not planning on a winter holiday so soon."

[Denomar]

Silently Tenzei strips his gloves and proffers them to Amanu. Then with a wordless smile he sets off into the snow after Darkhelm.

[Toptomcat]

Minh

The big nagaji forges ahead, deliberately making his way to the head of the group so that its smaller members can walk in the large footsteps and trail he makes in the thick snow. It's tiring, but in these conditions he'd have to be making much of that effort anyway, and he can bear the effort better than most.

"A ch-"

Minh chuckles to himself. The blanket of snow carpeting everything is muffling sound, including that of his voice. He should have expected it, really, but the suddenness of the change is understandably confusing his expectations. He tries again, slightly louder:

"A change in the weather like this...magic I know of can do that. There was a tradition in Zom Kullan, some bargain of the royal family with the high priestess of a moon goddess: once a year in autumn, the night is calm, warm, and perfectly clear, perfect for a quiet drinking party while viewing the moon in the night sky.

And one year, there was a minor scandal, because there was a storm- and it turned out they'd stiffed the priestess. So, spendy enough that even royalty thinks twice about shelling out for it, and Nagajor was not small or poor. I saw something similar on two occasions, this time for one-time events, and each time it was spoken of as a serious undertaking and a significant expense for the First Mother's Court.

...what I'm getting at here: I knew we were heading into something well above our weight class. That if we ended up in a direct confrontation with whoever was ultimately doing this, the best we could hope for was to politely ask them to stop. But every other instance of weather magic I've ever seen or heard of? It stopped at the weather. It didn't involve creatures from halfway around the world surprising everybody by popping up. They'd have had to put it in a cage and ship it halfway 'round the world or just Teleport it an enormous distance, either way a formidable prospect. For one snow-dragon.

Either that thing was summoned, somehow, and placed directly in our path...for some reason...or running into it was an accident because there are enough of them around that it was likely, somehow, or...what, exactly?"

His tone is skeptical, confused.

"That seems bizarre even by the rather formidable standards of how strange you should expect it to get when there's powerful magicians involved."

[lostsole31]

The party continues to travel, mulling over whatever dire omen Minh's words might mean.

After awhile, the party sees feathered bundles and strange fetishes hanging from the lowest branches of the trees in this part of the forest, swaying and shifting in the wind. All are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them.

[jss1701]

Griss will cautiously approach one, and being careful not to actually touch it, in respect for those who made it, examine it as well as he can.

[Toptomcat]

Minh

Minh winces and considers making a brief detour along the edges of the forest to see if he can't scout out some path in that isn't covered in the odd things. But the weather makes even a quarter of a mile a significant delay and an incredible pain, and in any case they'd lose the trail they were following.

"...I suppose it would be too much to ask for all that not to be some kind of magical embuggerance," he remarks dryly.

"Can any of you disarm it, or at least give us an idea of what we're in for?"

[Kvard51]

"I can, at least, tell if they are magical. Give me a moment."

Drina begins making intricate designs with her hands while intoning a series of words over and over. She finishes by passing her hands over eyes, then begins studying the bundles intently.

Spoiler: Detect Magic

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SA: Cast Detect Magic and study the bundles for up to 3 minutes. Any aura she identifies she will study in an attempt to discern what school of magic she is dealing with, up to the entire duration.

[Denomar]

Tenzei stays back to see how the group works together.

The sooner he can figure out the group dynamics then the easier his new enslavement would be after all. Everything in its proper place.

[lostsole31]

The strange little knickknacks possess no magical aura.

[Ostoril]

Amanu looks at the strange bundles and tries to recall if he has heard of similar things in his travels.

Spoiler: Crunch

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Attempt to make a knowledge check about what the bundles are.

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

S20: Amanu gets hit in the leg by something for 1 and it is very cold (no extra effect).
S17: Something small bounces off of Griss' armor.
S14: Something hits Drina's left hand for 1 NL + staggered (from the numbing cold).

Begin Round One ...

R1T27: Amanu, what do you do? You will have to spend a MA to make a Perception check if you want to find the sniper(s).

[Ostoril]

Amanu curses as he readies his musket and scans his surroundings for his assailant.

Spoiler: Crunch

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[Move] Make a perception check to search for opponents.
[Standard] Draw Musket.
If enemies spotted:
[Free] Point out enemies location and attempt to identify them (If I still have an assessment)

[lostsole31]

R1T27: Amanu curses as he readies his musket and scans his surroundings for his assailant. He sees all three of them in the trees. In fact, it just so happens that of all the party, he is relatively equidistant to all of them. As he looks around, he sees what they are, and given what he knows about the base creatures, and that all of these have a sort of blue cast to them, he blurts out, while pointing. "In the trees! Three of them. They're sprites, but these are different, let's call them 'winter-touched' for lack of a better term. They are very, very tiny, and can fly faster than Isolde's crow. They're normally luminous, but they are suppressing their glow right now."

R1T23: There are now two Darkhelms standing side-by-side. Everyone feels ... something ... from Darkhelm, but you don't know what. Meanwhile, black clouds are forming a mere 70' overhead. They are dark, making everything else in the area a bit darker, and rumble ominously. Winds whip around, kicking the snow up a little.

*CRA-ACK!* goes a bolt of lightning coming down from the sky as it hits a branch on a tree to the east of the party, once which Amanu sees was occupied by a winter-touched sprite. the little buy ducks just enough to only take 3 electricity.

R1T21: Minh, you realize that you no longer feel the bite of the cold as you did before. Two of the sprites pointed out by Amanu are obvious now that he pointed them out, and you would need a MA to make a Perception check (w/ a bonus thanks to Amanu, which I roll) to find the third if you cared. The closest one you see to you is 10' up in the trees, about 25' from you. Note that it takes 2 squares (no longer 4 as before ... heavy snow cover, but you aren't in the drifts as you were before) to move one square in the snow at this time. Also, anywhere within the gray circled areas are dim light, not normal/bright light. What do you do?