Arnan ought out Hengar after the last of the Bear tribesmen had either fallen in battle or surrendered to their attackers. Although he did not see it, he supposed that some of their foes might have retreated when the result of the battle became evident to all, for he realized that it was difficult for any one man to glimpse everything during the confusion of a battle involving this many people.

And if any of the Bear tribesman had retreated, was it possible that they took the prisoners with them? Arnan did not know, but he supposed that it might indeed be possible -- or, mayhaps the prisoners had been sent elsewhere before the attack.

The scout sought out Hengar, stepping over and around the fallen, both wounded and dead.  "Congratulations on your people's victory," he told the big barbarian.

"However, I have as of yet caught no glimpse of the prisoners whom we came to rescue. What of you -- have you seen them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:06, Sun 18 June 2017.

"Never had a guy refuse my hands on him before," Kira replied to Thane with a slight smirk and then looked from Thane to Arnan, back and forth several times and one eyebrow rose as the smirk grew wider.  There were rumors of sailors and she started to wonder if Thane was perhaps one who enjoyed the touch of another such as himself, though she didn't think Arnan was turned that way which made her grin at him even more impish.  "Be gentle with him, Arnan," she teased as they spoke of pain and biting on things.

So she took a moment to sit on a dead Bear tribesman who was still a lot warmer than the snow-covered ground and watched as they tended to Thane's wound.  Even with the jests and knowing looks, she was still quite observant on the process until Arnan began talking about the uses of bear fat.  At first it was all reasonable type things and then he spoke of slicking back hair to make the lasses swoon and again there was a delicate snort.  "Might look nice for a bit but ultimately it's just gonna leave a lass' hands all in a mess that isn't so easy to wash off.  Nothin' wrong with some wild clean hair," she retorted.

Standing up she started picking over the dead bodies to see if there was anything that might be of value and when the patching up was done, she followed them to the other battle and joined into the fray, continuing to taunt the enemy with their own bad-sounding word.  When it was over she too wasn't thrilled that the prisoners were not there, looking around and frowning formidably for one so tiny compared to the rest of them.  "We could ask the survivors where the captured Elk were taken," she suggested with a slightly sinister tone.  "Trackers could also look quickly about to see if there are any tracks leading away."

"Don't need no stick," Thane grunted as the cold air bit into the stab wound.  "Just press it in and be done with it," he said through gritted teeth.  He looked away as Teldrin did what was asked of him, managing to stifle any signs of pain except a deep groan at the end before Arnan did the bandaging.

Thane shook his head at Kira, getting the sense that she was both teasing and perhaps even slightly offended or put off.  "Not about refusal, darlin', more about who could get the job done best," he said through a slight wheeze.  Thane jabbed a thumb at Arnan.  "Him being a woodsman, he's likely had to deal with some real nasty stuff.  I'm right sure he wouldn'ta paused a wink at doing what needed done," he explained.  He patted his side gingerly once he lowered his shirt and chainmail.  "You can help later.  I'm going to have to change this bandage a couple times daily until the wound closes up.  Real hard to do that on yourself.  Cloggin' a wound is about force and strength, changin' a bandage is more about finesse."  He favored her with a pained smirk.  "You look to be all about finesse, I reckon."

Thane chatted with Arnan and Kira a bit more after the larger battle was concluded.  "Those gooey packets've got molasses and whiskey boiled together, and herbs added in once the mix cools down a bit," he answered the archers earlier question.  "Makes a good plug, almost like glue, and the alcohol is supposed to keep infection down so the herbs can do their work.  At least that's what the herbsman told me, and I took him at his word.  They seem to get the job done, though," he explained.

Thane was just as mystified by the lack of the Elk prisoners as anyone else.  But, there were wounded from both sides to tend and he made that his top priority.  He left the investigation of that mystery to his fellows.

---

OOC: Thane will tend the wounds of the survivors, using minimal resources unless the warrior in question is likely to succumb to the cold weather without bona fide healing (down to 1 or 2 hit points).  When that's the case, he'll expend a use from his healing kits on the warrior in question.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Mon 19 June 2017.

While investigating the Bear camp, Kira discovers a pile of furs and necklaces of Elk tribe manufacture sitting by the edge of the Sacred Pool. Cursory interrogation of the captive Bear tribesmen indicates the Elk prisoners were stripped of their belongings before being dragged into a waterfall cavern. A wounded Bear tribesmen adds in, "Bjami Tengervaald will offer them as sacrifice to the Ice Witch, Chosen of Auril! In Icingdeath's lair no less!" The man's eyes are distant and fearful.

Following the man's outstretched finger, the party casts their vision to a dark cave at the eastern end of the Sacred Pool. There, a narrow chute descends from the shimmery turquoise-hued pool into darkness. This is the entrance to the waterfall cavern the man just described. A narrow trail follows the pool's northern banks to the chute and tunnel.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 118):

Arnan stood off to the side, watching and listening. Once the intended fate of the Elk Tribe captives became clear, he sought out Hengar.

"It seems clear that there is still work to be done," he remarked to the big barbarian, nodding his head towards the cave opening at the eastern end of the Sacred Pool.

"Does the Elk Tribe's honor require that your own tribesmen undertake the rescue of the captives, or do you still desire the involvement of Kira, Thane and myself?"

---

OOC:

I confess that I (OOC) have forgotten what the reference to "Icingdeath" means. Is this a reference to the Ice Witch?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Tue 20 June 2017.

OOC: Icingdeath is the name of a legendary dragon that once terrorized Icewindale, about a century or so ago. Any native of this land would know that much.

A History check might reveal more :)

Kira hadn’t been offended at first but as Thane tried to explain how Arnan was better suited for the task that her, she rolled her eyes as she inspected the bodies.  "Yeah, like I haven't seen wounds and dead bodies, gore and all sorts of nasty stuff before growin' up in the alleys of Luskan," she snorted.  Sure she was more of a finesse type but she wasn't the kind of woman to swoon at the sight of blood or having to stick her fingers in a wound.

She wanted to sulk but there hadn't been time and then she was looking toward a cave where supposedly the Elk survivors were to be turned over for sacrifice.  She was just about to go traipsing off when Arnan asked about honor and who could go in search of their people.  It was enough to keep her from barging on in, trying to scout ahead while the others tended to things.  Honor was actually something quite important to the little vagabond.

OOC:

Or, maybe not . . .  22:24, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 3 using 1d20 with rolls of 3. History Check re: Icingdeath.

Hmmm . . . "Icingdeath"  =  dying from licking too much of the cake icing off the spoon, maybe? My Mom always did tell me that it was bad for me to eat to much of the stuff . . .

Arnan knows the name Icingdeath belongs to a long dead dragon who terrorized the people of Icewinddale. It happened long before he was born though, something occasionally old timers talk about hearing from their parents or even grand-parents.

Thane attends to the wounded tribesmen scattered throughout the camspite, doing his part to ensure nobody succumbs to their wounds. It's not exactly difficult to find ways to die in these harsh environs. Everyone deserves a fighting chance, even your enemies.

The captured Bear tribesmen offer no resistance and are relatively cooperative, if not dejected by their defeat. To a man, they all relay the same tale: the raid on the Elk Tribe was intended to gather sacrificial victims to sate the Ice Witch's demands.

Hengar regards Arnan for a moment and says, "If you still offer your aid, our people would be glad of it."

Filnor too echoes Hengar's sentiments.

Many of the Elk Warriors were wounded in the battle and though Thane and others have done their best to patch them up, some are not really able to continue onward and require rest. If the Bear Tribe survivors are to believed, time is of the essence, each fleeting moment drawing the Elk captives closer to their end.

In reply to Hengar Aensvaard (msg # 124):

Aran nodded in response to Hengar. "I am not the sort to quit whilst a task is only half-done," he said, with an easy smile.

"And from what I have seen of Kira and Thane, they are solid folk, and I suspect that they feel the same way as I do -- although I certainly would not wish to speak for them."

Filnor and Hengar gladly accept the adventurers' pledge of assistance. A third tribesman, Wenigwulf will round out the group delving into Icingdeath's lair. The rest of the party is either too injured to continue or needed to attend the wounded back at the campsite.

Six total venture forward: Arnan, Filnor, Hengar, Kira, Thane and Wenigwulf.

Passing along the narrow trail on the north banks of the Sacred Pool, the party eventually comes to a narrow chute leading into the icy glacier. A stream of water descends into the chute from the pool, the sound of a waterfall can be heard somewhere in the darkness below.

The chute is about 10 feet wide at its origin point, however it appears to widen as it descends into the glacier. Ice-covered rocky ground can be seen here or there along either side of the stream, offering the possibility of navigating without entering the water, but it will be quite challenging.

"We'd best be moving quick after these other bearsmen," Thane opined.  He looked at the path ahead, puzzled, then gestured at the left side.  'I'm willing to lead the way down that side, probably best to stay out of the water, though - the streamy part may be real slippery," he offered cautiously.

Kira had already been heading toward the cave so of course was more than willing to continue with the Elk tribesmen.  As they came to the narrowing, she chewed pensively on her bottom lip as Thane suggested going along one side.  "We can give it a try but I figure one ore more of us'll end up in the water anyway with all the ice patches," she stated with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't like the looks of that waterfall down-slope," Arnan muttered. "Slipping and going over that . . . I'd just as soon not have to find out the hard way what's at the bottom of it."

"I suggest that we tie ourselves together with a rope. That way if only a few of us slip, the others may be able to bow up and keep them from going over the edge."

The party rigs up a safety line by driving steel spikes into the chute's ice wall at regular intervals and knotting a rope between the spike's eyelets. As it turns out, the edges are not that deep and can be walked along, but the going is not easy as the uneven ground is quite slick and the current is strong in the few spots where it dips deeply back into the water.

Still, the rope does make the task easier...

OOC: Everyone please make a DC 10 STR check to successfully navigate the chute.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 130):

Once the safety line was in place, Arnan felt relatively confident about moving down the rim of the ice-chute without losing his footing. After all, he had been blessed with a good sense of balance, and he had the rope to aid him.

"I'll lead off, and if I make it, you all can follow along the same path that I use," he suggested.

Just to show how the gods use us all as playthings, the scout had not taken more than ten steps before his lead foot hit a patch of especially slick ice and slid out from under him. Luckily the safety line held firm, and enabled him to regain his balance instead of sliding down the chute and over the waterfall at the far end . . .

---

OOC:

11:37, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 8 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 3. Acrobatics Check: Maintain Footing on Ice.

11:38, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 18 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 13. Luck Die Re-Roll. Success.

Notes: Arnan has now expended his three Luck Points. He will need a long rest in order for them to refresh.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:07, Sun 02 July 2017.

More than happy that they were making a safety line, Kira placed herself somewhere in the middle and figured if she did slip one of the big guys might manage to keep her up by the scruff.  When Arnan slipped, she sucked in a quick breath which was let out in a puff of steam as he recovered.  "Don't you dare do that again," she teasingly chastised lightly, obviously relieved that it was so far so good as she nimbly made her way along.

---

10:58, Today: Kira rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Acrobatics.

Thane was going to lead the group, but once Arnan suggested the idea of a safety line and offered to lead the way, he nodded his head in agreement.  "You lead, I'll take trail," he proposed, and assumed the last place in line.  He tied the line securely through his leather belt and waited for the time to come for him to start moving.

"I sure hope none of the Elksmen went crashing down that slippy-slide," he said with a tentative frown, then started walking as the line grew taut from the others moving on.  Or tried to walk, anyway, for as he shifted his weight forward to take his first step, his plant foot gave way and he flopped onto his side like a poorly balanced sack of potatoes!

---

18:29, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  STR check (DC10).  Natural 1 - Fail with gusto!
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Sun 02 July 2017.

The party traverses down the chute taking care to avoid being swept into the icy water. Everything is going well until Thane looses his footing and grip on the rope. The fighter plummets into the water and gets swept up into the swift current, straight toward the falls ahead!

Perhaps Kira and Arnan have one opportunity to grab their companion before he is carried away to uncertain and likely, unhealthy doom...

OOC: Arnan and Kira may make a DEX check to try to grab Thane as he floats away! DC15

Hearing the thud and splash from behind, Kira instinctively reached out in hopes of grabbing whoever it was and managed to make contact.  "Oh no you don't Big Guy ... no having fun without us," she said lightly though it was evident from her expression he'd managed to scare her just a little.

---

03:14, Today: Kira rolled 16 using 1d20+3.  Dex.  WOOHOO!

Arnan heard the noise of somebody going into the water behind him, but he didn't know who it was until he turned and saw that it was Thane. He made ready to grab the Luskan as he barreled past down the water-chute, but before Thane made it down the line to him, Kira had already grabbed him with the sure-handed swiftness of a bear readying his dinner by grabbing a passing trout.

"Nicely done!" Arnan called back to Kira, grinning at her.

Now we've got another issue, though, the scout thought to himself. Getting wet in these conditions is not a good thing. Thane is really going to feel the cold now, much more so than before.

---

OOC:

Great grab, Kira! :)

Just guessing, but I'm thinking that the medieval version of "hypothermia" was something like "freeze your ass off". :)

Despite one misstep and a timely catch by Kira, the party navigates the chute and tunnel, eventually arriving at a wider area of the tunnel that drops into a cascade over a shelf of ice, plunging into a high, domed ice cave hung with jagged icicles. The drop over the cascade is easily 50 feet or more, the floor strewn with sharp ice spikes, like stalagmites formed as water drips from the ceiling high above. In some places, tall columns of ice join the floor and ceiling in crystalline structures that scatter what little sunlight filters through the ice roof above.

A group of Bear tribesmen is somewhere within the ice structures below, their torches casting strange shadows on the icy walls. The Bear tribesmen are chanting loudly, apparently unaware of the adventurers presence higher up in the ice cave. Keen eyed party members might catch a brief glimpse, through a thin ice wall, of naked Elk tribe prisoners lashed to icy stalagmites scattered around the cavern.

OOC: The party needs to figure out a way to get down the waterfall cavern. No enemies are visible at the moment, but the party hears them somewhere within the icy cavern.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 137):

Arnan shook his head as he glanced down at the cavern floor that was strewn with ice-spikes. "Makes that grab of yours look even better, Kira," he remarked.

"Can't spare the time it would take to carve steps -- hand-holds and feet-holds -- to help us get down," he mused.

"How the Hells did the Bear tribesmen get down there, with all those prisoners in tow? There must be some way to get down there from up here."

"I'll look for tracks, which will tell us how they got down. Failing that, we need to find something to tie off a rope off to, so that we can use it to get down."

---

OOC:

11:59, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 7 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 3. Perception Check re: Getting to the Cave Floor.

D'oh! Or, maybe we should just jump!
This message was last edited by the player at 18:45, Wed 05 July 2017.

Kira looked down and blanched a little, nodding in agreement that catching Thane had definitely been quite fortuitous.  Like Arnan, she was trying to look around to see if there was a better way down but was obviously not looking in the right places.  "I'd say we try to get a rope secured and squirrel our way down 'cause I'm not seein' any better way right now," she said quietly yet with obvious frustration.

---

14:30, Today: Kira rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Perception to see if there's any other way down.
The Bear Tribe put their mojo on the area!  *grrrrr*