After dinner, Clyde asks if he can be of any additional service, before asking his servant-girl to show the adventurers to their rooms.

OOC: If any of you wish to purchase supplies, we can take care of it here. Clyde knows everyone in town and can scrounge together PHB supplies (at cost), if there's anything you want. Otherwise we will assume your characters turn in and advance their story one day :)

OOC:

Can someone refresh my memory as to how much the PCs were paid when the caravan made it to Bryn Shander and the guards were mustered out? I kinda-sorta remember that it was 50 gp, but I didn't add it to Arnan's Character Sheet at the time. Thanks!

OOC: Yes, 50 gp

"Given we'll be tromping across the open tundra," Thane observed to Clyde, "I'll be wanting to get a couple things.  No offense to Hengar, but a spare tent would be handy, as would a light bolt-flinger and a case of bolts for it.  Other than that, I think my gear is up to the task, goodman."

OOC: So a 2-person tent, a light crossbow, and a case of 20 bolts ought to run (2 + 25 + 1 + 1 = 29 gp).

"A tent could be a life-saver if we are caught out in the open when the weather turns bad -- which it sometimes does this time of year," Arnan agreed with Thane's assessment.

Turning to Clyde, he said "I'll take a two man . . . err, person . . . tent also. Plus, an extra 20 arrows, if your bowyer-fletcher knows his business. I prefer gray goose feathers for the fletching, if they are available."

---

OOC:

So . . . two GP for the tent, and one GP for the extra arrows. My recollection is that the English longbow-men who won at Agincourt and Crecy preferred gray goose feathers for the fletching on their arrows, so who is Arnan to quibble with the choice of such professionals? Admittedly, however, I have no idea as to the preferences of Odysseus and Telemachus. :)

I don't see winter clothing listed separately in the PHB, so I'm going to assume that Arnan already has clothing available that is appropriate for the conditions. After all, Bermuda shorts don't cut it around Ten Towns. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Wed 22 Feb 2017.

Kira chewed on her lip, considering all her belongings.  "I'm not nearly as strong as you guys so me trying to carry a tent won't work.  I'd just end up on my back like a turtle," she commented.  "I need more arrows as well, though, and I'll take a couple loaves of bread and two chunks each of meat and cheese," she requested of Clyde.  "Oh ... an extra blanket too," she added.  Drawing out three gold pieces, she knew it was a little over the price but she figured a little tip wouldn't hurt.

---

1 gp Arrows (20)
5 sp Blanket
4 cp Bread (2)
2 sp Cheese (2)
6 sp Meat (2)

Clyde takes down a list of the items the adventurers wish to procure and says he should have all on hand by tomorrow morning. He then hands the list to Marta and sends her out to fetch the items.

Eventually, the party turns in for the night for what might be their last night's rest under a solid roof and walls for at least a couple of days. The trek through Bremen's Run begins tomorrow, then the northward journey across the tundra north of Kelvin's Cairn.

***

Date: Eleint 27
Location: The Village of Termalaine

The adventurers wake early in the morning to a snowy morning. Snow flies sideways, swept by the wind, promising a hard day of travel ahead. Hengar is up before the rest, eager to depart soonest. Per arrangement, Clyde and Marta are up early as well with the requested provisions on hand and a warm meal before the party departs. Eventually, the group settles affairs, says their farewells and departs the Eastside. Clyde and Marta watch from the doorstep as the quartet disappears in the swirling snow...

Hengar takes the lead, as he knows the way best, and he asks Arnan to take the rear, to keep Kira and Thane from getting lost of separated. Following Bremen's Run proves to not be very difficult, as it is a relkatively flat stretch of land adjacent to a stretch of forest known as Lonelywood, the last stand of trees before one crosses miles and miles of endless tundra.

Were it not for the weather conditions, snowy and windy, travel across Bremen's Run might not be very difficult. But it proves to be quite so and the adventurers are forced to take frequent breaks in the lee of the nearby trees. Still, it only takes about 3 hours to clear Bremen's Run, veering northward toward the Shaengarne River. Here, away from the windbreak of the forest, the party is assaulted by the frigid gale blowing off the Reghed Glacier. Nothing could have prepared the party for this. All travel prior to this point might as well been a walk in the park, up ahead, lies the main course.

Hengar urges the party forward, encouraging each member to dig deep to put as many miles as possible under their legs. Visibility worsens as the day progresses and there are many stretches where the party must simply stumble forward in white-out conditions following the tracks of the person in front of them. At one point, Hengar produces a rope and has each member take hold of it, just to be sure nobody gets lost.

Hengar slows down to allow everyone to gather on his position. "We. Must. Push. On. Not. Far. Now." he shouts over the howling wind, his hair flying wildly about his face.

Pulling everyone closely into a huddle, he further relays his people have a sod hollow hunting lodge about a mile or so distant. They will camp there for the night, outside the elements. "But we need to make it before nightfall," he adds with a sense of urgency. "Otherwise you may well get to use those brand new tents," he says with a smile.

OOC: Can everyone make an Athletics or Survival check (DC 10) please.

Thanking Clyde and Marta for their assistance, Kira packed everything away in her backpack though she tried to arrange it so it was a little insulated.  When the guys were ready, she fell in line behind Hengar and Thane.  During the worst parts, she stayed in their tracks which made it not as much work for her shorter legs.

When Hengar brought out the rope, she looped it around her forearm and held fast with her double gloved hand.  She'd layered her socks and clothing and made sure the scarf was snug around her head and face with her hood pulled up over.  Even with the precautions, she found the buffeting winds to be a bit breathtaking now and then.

She was always a bit on the stubborn side so she wasn't about to let the snow and wind get the better of her, especially when surrounded by big hearty men.  She dug in and trudged onward, occasionally popping a bit of fruit or dried meat in her mouth.  "C'mon guys … a hunting lodge sounds a lot less drafty than a tent!"

---

09:22, Today: Kira rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Survival Check.  WHEW!

Arnan nodded his consent when Hengar asked him to bring up the rear to keep Kira and Thane from getting disoriented and wandering off-track. He had not been over the precise path that Hengar chose, but he knew the general area well. It's good for everyone to get used to the cold and the blowing snow whilst the Lonelywood helps to break the wind a little, he thought to himself as the group left Termalaine. The trek will only get worse once we hit the open ground.

And it did get worse -- much worse. Arnan himself was somewhat steeled to the bone-chilling conditions, having traveled over many regions of the north in all sorts of weather. He kept a close eye on Kira and was pleased to see that she had prepared well for the conditions, and was seemingly holding up well.

Arnan did not remove his hood or the scarf that protected his face when Hengar halted the group and spoke of a hunting lodge that was used by his people that was fairly close to their current position.

He nodded at Kira's conclusion and muttered "Aye, much better," although, with his voice muffled by his scarf and the howling of the gusting winds, he wasn't certain whether his companions could actually hear his words.

Arnan glanced over at Thane to see how the man from Luskan was holding up under the buffeting of the wind and snow, and the frigid conditions.

---

OOC:

18:44, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 21 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 17. Survival Check (DC 10). Success!
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 00:13, Fri 24 Feb 2017.

The cold and snow and wind didn't seem to pose a challenge to Thane, who seemed as impervious to to it as if he were made of stone and not flesh.  The big man kept up the pace handily along the Lonelywood, and when the blowing snow got so bad that Hengar handed back a rope, Thane trusted in their guide and did not complain.

But as the day wore on towards nightfall, Thane started to tire.  Perhaps it was the weight of everything he was carrying.  Perhaps it was the truly difficult weather taking a mental toll.  But when Hangar called out about the sod shelter somewhere off in the indeterminable distance ahead, Thane ground to a halt and rested his palms on his knees.

"I don't know how much father I can go!" he cried out plaintively into the howling wind.  "My legs feel like boiled potatoes and my back is about to give out from carrying this load!  I want to go on, I just don't feel I can make it much farther..."

---

OOC:  07:45, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Athletics Check (DC10). Fail

Arnan had seen exhaustion creep in and take people by surprise before. Every now and then, it had even happened to him.

And you couldn't always count on it happening to the smaller or less muscular people, either. Sometimes smaller people had a wiry strength about them that gave them a toughness that was somewhat unexpected in a smaller frame. Or, mayhaps the stronger folks are prone to overestimating what they can do -- or, they underestimate the weather, and don't conserve their strength as effectively as smaller people.

Turning to Hengar, Arnan raised his voice and shouted into the gusting winds, "We -- you and me -- need to lighten his load." He remembered Kira's concerns about overloading herself with a tent, and he thought her wise not to overdo the weight that she was carrying.

Then, leaning over and putting his face close to Thane's, he yelled, "It's not much further, and Hengar and I will lighten the load for you. Trust me -- you'll feel lots better once you can get off of your feet, and out of the wind and snow. Come on, now -- with a lighter load it'll just be putting one foot in front of the other . . . you can do this."

Arnan manages to coax hidden vigor out of Thane, urging the warrior to tap into deep reserves to push forward. The wind and snow seem to conspire against their forward progress, but Hengar blazes an aggressive pace and keeps the party on task to reach their intended destination. And not a moment too soon, for all in the party are thoughly exhausted upon reaching the frost heave.

Consisting of little more than an upward swell of frozen turf in a sea of white pierced with shocks of sedge and stubborn shrubs puncturing the snow, striated pockets in the heave form cavities in the frozen soil. These, Hengar suggests, are the 'hunter's lodge' Arnan alluded to earlier. Hengar resisted correcting Arnan at the time, but can't help but smile now as he leads the group to the 'lodge'.

Still, these pockets are large enough to line with hides and blankets and cover with the same, to effect a reasonably warm lean-to with little effort. Hengar examines the frost heave and kneels down to examine a disturbing sight: polar bear scat.

He lifts the scat up in his hand, holds it close to his nose and then turns to his companions.

"Not good. These are recent," he says.

He glances about perhaps hoping to see something in the fading twilight. Seeing nothing but swirling snow he adds, "A great bear kurking about will make for fitful sleep."

In reply to Hengar Aensvaard (msg # 26):

Arnan felt a little sorry for Kira and Thane when the group reached the shelter that Hengar had mentioned. It wasn't a building -- which was what Arnan had been expecting -- although it did provide at least a little relief from the wind and the blowing snow. And although Arnan himself was accustomed to roughing it when out in the field, he suspected that Thane and Kira were both city folk, who might well have a more difficult time adjusting to the hardships of their journey.

He nodded when Hengar gave voice to his concerns about the snow-bear. "Very dangerous, especially if it has suffered poor luck in its hunting, due to the weather. Hunger will make it even more aggressive than it might normally be."

Kira stood there with hands on her hips, a definite pout forming on her lips.  Her mind had pictured something similar but better than what was before them.  "It's been a long time since I slept under a bridge in the dead of winter with just a raggedy blanket for cover," she said absently, her eyes unfocused as she remembered part of her past that was none too pleasant.

"We could use the tends for a bit more windbreak," she suggested after she shook her head to clear those old cobwebs.  Then there was a 'better thee than me' scrunching of her nose as Hengar sniffed the bear poop and declared them to be fairly fresh.  "Figure it's had bad luck if it's come around a place where humans hang out now and then," she stated flatly.

"I know it's not much, but I got those two chunks of meat.  Figured it'd be a good snack for us or use it in case of emergency … which pretty much includes bears that might see me as those little bits of food you get before the main course," she said with a jab of her thumb toward Thane.  "So watches for sure, maybe Thane on last watch," she said to give the tired man a chance for some good rest.

In reply to Hengar Aensvaard (msg # 26):

Thane somehow managed to make it to the sod hollows.  Perhaps it was the encouragement from his fellows, or the literal sharing of a load, whatever it was he could not have said.  But the dumb-founded look on his face was clear as day.  "That's it?!?" he panted tiredly into the inhospitable wind and snow and cold.  His upper lip curled in an involuntary show of distaste and he looked hard at Hengar.

"You'll have to show me how to rig up my spare blanket to cover the opening," he added, more thoughtfully as the practicality of the situation asserted itself.  "You say this will be good enough shelter, I won't doubt you.  Wouldn't be the worst place I ever tried to sleep, just the coldest I guess."

When Hengar discovered fresh evidence of a lurking bear, Thane shook his head in near disbelief.  "Are any of these hollows big enough for all of us together?  Safety in staying together may be worth cramped conditions?"

Thane was not a wilderness type although he was used to enduring hardship, present difficulties notwithstanding.  "I'd think we should do our best to avoid getting the bear's attention.  Does this kind of weather make it harder for it to smell us?  I hear that bears have a very strong sense of smell..."

"None will be large enough for all to sleep together, but we will sleep two per heave. To keep warm through the night," he says matter of factly. "The tents will do little but keep the wind from cutting through our bones. Our sleeping skins will ensure we do not freeze. This, I promise."

To the other point, "The bear poses a problem. Maybe Arnan and I can set a trap to dissuade any easy attacks in the night, guard or not."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 20:11, Sun 26 Feb 2017.

Arnan nodded at Hengar's suggestion. "Aye, I'm actually carrying a heavy hunting trap in my gear," the outdoorsman remarked.

"It won't stop a bear altogether, but the sound of it going off -- not to mention the bear's roar of pain -- will give us some warning if the beast tries to make a meal of us in the dark. Plus, it'll slow it down considerably."

"Hengar, if you will help me decide on the best place to set the trap, we can do that right now, whilst we still have some light to work with."

"Why'nt you two go do that, and I'll stand watch here while you go," Thane offered helpfully.  Now that rest was at hand, he seemed to have recovered some of his can-do attitude and motivation.

He looked at Kira and gestured towards one of the heaves.  "If you want to get a head start preparing your shelter, now would be a good time for it.  You get the pick of the litter, I 'magine, seeing how there's three of us men and only one of you ladyfolk.  Not that picking a bunk-mate in conditions like this means anything more than a bucket o' swill being thrown overboard.  But if you do pick me, I'll try my best not to snore or pass wind too much," he said with a stiff grin.  The frigid air was so bad that it numbed the face and made speech and expressions all the more difficult.  "Leastways, if something bad does happen, I'd likewise do my best to stay between you and whatever comes a-knocking, or make 'em pay for having a swipe at you."

---

OOC:Thane will pull watch while the others go about their tasks.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:24, Mon 27 Feb 2017.

Hengar shifts his pack off his back and nods in agreement to Arnan's suggestion.

Nodding at Thane, "Eyes open. Ears alert." With this he trudges off to join Arnan. Together, the two men locate a suitable spot to lay the trap. If anything, the trap will serve to divert a wild animal's attention through the promise of easy food and an early warning alarm.

It takes Arnan and Hengar about an hour to complete the task, during which time, Thane and Kira do their best to prepare the frost heave for occupancy. Kira manages to find a relatively large pocket, large enough for the four adventurers to occupy together and still have room for their gear! Hengar seems quite pleased with this discovery and he commends her on the find:

"Good! The Gods and Ancestors must take a shine to you. It is a boon, this," he says while gesturing at the modest lodge. "Let us hope their boon lasts to the morning and into tomorrow..."

"Well done," Arnan complimented Kira's work. "I've made do with lots worse in a pinch -- as I daresay we all have, as Thane says."

"Clearly, you will make some man a fine wife and home-maker some day," he teased her.

Glancing around at everyone, he continued, "Obviously, we'll need to set a schedule for the evening's watches, although with this overcast it may be difficult to keep track of the passage of time."

"I don't have any strong preferences as to which watch I take, so I'll be happy to take whatever is left over after everyone else has told their choice. Truth be told, I'm oft-times traveling alone, so just having other people around to keep watch for part of the night is a real boon for me."

Kira had snorted with amusement but appreciated Thane's proclamation to be a good bunk mate.  "As long as you don't steal my blankets, I don't care about the rest.  I'll be too tired to notice if you do it or even if I do," she quipped.  She instructed Arnan and Hengar to leave most of their gear there, that she would take care of it so they wouldn't be so encumbered trying to make the trap and once they were on their way she set about looking at the heaves.

She was already feeling pretty good about finding one spot for them all, had taken time to hang the tents over the entrance to block more wind.  Their gear could hold the bottoms down and serve double duty of a little blockade to give them time to respond if necessary.  When the two came back and praised her, she positively glowed with happiness.  They were all tired but they should be able to be pretty comfortable.  Her nose had crinkled a little when Arnan teased her, and she shook her head at him.  "I dunno about the homemaker part.  Never had a home before.  The wifey part though ..." she trailed off, giving a one-shouldered shrug and smug grin.

"Whoever's got the best night vision should take a middle watch.  If there's enough moonlight, I should be okay no matter which shift I get."  Pulling out a bit of fruit that wasn't quite frozen since it had been closer to her body, she handed it to Thane.  "Figure you can go ahead and hunker down first.  We'll wake you when it's your turn," she promised, concerned more with making sure he got plenty of rest given how things had affected him more so than the rest of them.

"Are you sure?" Thane asked, considering whether to object to being told to lay down and rest.  He must have decided to let the matter drop, however.  "Hmm," he mumbled, rolling his shoulders to drop his backpack.  "Fine by me, then.  A good sleep can do the body wonders.  I'm sleeping in my armor, though, never know if that bear is going to come calling."

Thane made ready to take his rest, although he wasn't so focused on that to the exclusion of the others.  He helped as needed to get the heave entrance properly covered with tent-tarps before laying out his own bedding and then finding a spot where he could relieve his bladder.  When it seemed proper to do so, he lay down and very quickly fell asleep, wrapped up in his woolen blanket.

The party settles into their frost heave for the night. It's a world away from the comforts of the Hooked Knucklehead or The Eastside, but the adventurers are glad for at least having a relatively warm and dry hollow to hunker down for the night. Surprisingly, it remains quite warm and aside from the low ceiling, is reasonably comfortable accommodations. Apparently Hengar knows his stuff!

Sometime after turning in it stops snowing and the skies begin to scatter out. And the temperature drops like a rock! A very cold rock. Fortunately, the party is snug in their heave and largely insulated from the ravages of the freeze.

At some point toward dawn but still quite dark outside, during Kira's watch, the rogue hears what unmistakably sounds like a pack of wolves nearby. The wolves are yapping and it sounds like they are drawing closer...
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:26, Fri 03 Mar 2017.

Kira rustles her companions awake in the event they need to take action to defend themselves against a pack of wolves...

OOC: DM post to keep game moving.

In reply to Kira (msg # 38):

Arnan came awake quickly when Kira shook him and whispered her warning. He was sleeping in his armor, but he set about stringing his bow -- he generally unstrung it whilst he was sleeping in these sorts of conditions, the better to protect the tightly-strung gut against the cold and dampness.

"Not really enough room to fight in here," he said in a low voice.

"I'm going outside. Mayhaps I can get an idea as to how close they are, and whether they are closing in on us."

OOC:

Shane, is it still blizzard-y outside, or have the winds died down with the night-fall? Do I need to make any rolls for Arnan in order for him to judge how far away the wolves are, and whether they are closing in on the group's location? Thanks.