"I'm in," Arnan agreed with a tight-lipped nod after Thane and Dal had given voice to their intent to aid the locals by moving against the cultists.

The scout had been relatively quiet, and kept his own counsel during the short period of festivities after the party's triumphant return to Caer Dineval. He had drunk just enough ale so as not to insult any of the villagers who had seemed intent on keeping the adventurers' tankards full, but oft-times left half-full tankards on the table. He responded when addressed directly, but volunteered little.

Leaving the rest of his companions to question the young woman who had escaped from the cultists, Arnan went outside to study the weather.

OOC: Shane, let me know if a Survival roll is needed. :)

Arnan studies the weather for some time before coming to the conclusion light flurries should subside toward the evening hours and then be followed by a couple days of howling winds, but little snow save for that which is carried aloft by the winds. The recent snowfall should make tracking quite easy.

"Aye," Morgrim replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest and setting his jaw. "Enough is enough. Its time to put an end to this idiocy once and for all."

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 5):

After spending a short while outside, Arnan came back inside and reported his conclusions concerning the weather to his companions.

Hengar tends to agree with Arnan's weather assessment and suggests the adventurers investigate Addisun's tale. It's easy enough to travel to the rocky precipice overlooking the lake as it's only about a mile or so distant from the village. Presumably, the party gathers their things and sets out some time in the morning.

Arriving at the rocky precipice, the adventurers come upon a sad sight: a half dozen or so villagers stripped of all clothing, chained together with manacles, sprawled out in the snow and ice, their bodies severely frostburnt in grim shades of blue and black.

Morgrim advances on the macabre sight, presuming to find no survivors but determined to check all the same. More than likely all that could be offered now was funerary rites.

All of the villagers are well beyond the gift of life. It would take powerful magic to bring any of these unfortunates back from Kelemvor's Gate.

"This is tickin' me off!" Thane groused after examining the frozen dead.  "Hengar, what's this Frost Maiden really up to, anyway?  I ain't so smart when it comes to religion in these parts,so I can't see what she hopes to gain by freezing people to death."

For his part, Hengar assesses each victim individually, perhaps clinging to a shred of false hope that any might have managed to endure sub-freezing temperatures in such a state. His mind of course can't help but think this could have been him, had his new companions not intervened on his behalf.

Pulled from these somber thoughts, he responds to Thane, "It is not uncommon for folk in these parts to make sacrifices to Auril in hopes of appeasing her, but this...is beyond the pale."

He continues, "When I first came to Ten-Towns looking for aid I encountered a few vocal devotees of Auril, but dismissed these as the ramblings of mad folk. I see now their numbers may be more widespread than I had first thought..."

Hengar explains that nearly everyone in Icewindale pays homage to Auril, the Frostmaiden, but there are very few who actively serve her alone, as her interests are not compatible with those wanting to live a fruitful life. He further explains the Shaman's daughter was one such soul, and perhaps a significant part of the reason she was banished from his tribe.

In reply to Hengar Aensvaard (msg # 12):

Dal sighed as she looked on at the carnage.  She carefully went to the bodies and said a prayer over them.   She didn't need to know who they prayed to for guidance and safety.


"Remember, dearest Sharlindar, those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom I now pray.  May these and all who sleep under Your watchful eye find in Your presence light, happiness and peace.*  May their families find comfort in the days ahead and may You guide us to right this wrong.  In Your most magnificent name I pray.  Amen."

_{ooc:  *paraphrased primarily from the Prayer for the Deceased, little prayers 1.}

When she was done, she went back to the group and was silent, not really knowing what else to say.

"Justice would be to throw the Aurilites into the Lac in chains," Morgrim growled. "Let them see who takes them first, Auril or Umberlee."

This was not the first time that Arnan had happened upon a group of people lying dead and stiff in the snow. Every now and then, he would find a site where an Orcish raiding party had ventured down out of the mountains and massacred some unfortunates whom they had caught unawares. But this was somehow much worse -- this was not the handiwork of Orcs who had given themselves over to battle-fury and bloodlust, but rather of killers who had ignored the cries and pleadings of their own -- fellow-villagers -- and snuffed out their lives with a cold-eyed -- and cold-hearted -- efficiency.

As his companions tended to the dead, Arnan began the task of searching for tracks leading away from the site of the massacre. He doubted that the cultists would have made much an effort to hide their spoor, and anticipated finding their trail easily enough . . .

OOC: Shane let me know if a Survival check is needed -- thanks!

Kira didn't go too close to the bodies, knowing they were all gone and there was nothing she could do for them.  The cruelty of it all burned in her gut, though, and she looked around with a baleful expression.  She wanted to hurt and even kill those who did this and yet she knew it made her just as bad as those who had done all this.  All her life she fought against those who would hurt her and she had started trying to help others, but too often she was too late to do any good.  Former warm and fuzzy feelings had vanished as she started checking the ground too, trying to find any evidence of the direction the murderers had taken.


OOC:  Let me know if I need to make any Survival or Perception rolls to help Arnan please!

In reply to Hengar Aensvaard (msg # 12):

"Well, I certainly don't pay homage to the Frostmaiden, and wouldn't mind bashin' to bits whatever scum did this to these poor folk!" he replied venomously to Hengar's explanation.  "Let the goddess stop us, if she's really real anyhow.  Never could figure out the why's behind the deities needing folk to do their bidding, seein' how everyone says they're all powerful and such."

Arnan and Kira easily find evidence of the perpetrators' retreat, several sets of humanoid footprints in the snow leading up a trail, away from Caer Dineval. Judging by the number of distinct tracks, the Frostmaider Cultists that perpetrated this ritual sacrifice likely numbered a half dozen or so. The tracks clearly march up a prominent southern spur leading up to the boulder-strewn slopes of the snow-capped peak of Kaelvin's Cairn.

Hengar comes alongside his companions as they are scrutizing the trakcs. He places a friendly hand on either's shoulder as he turns his attention to the icy peak rising out of the desolate tundra, the highest point in Icewind Dale.

"The mountain is sacred to my people," he says. "It is said, the cairn was formed when Tempus, Lord of Battle, fought Kelvin, a great hero of the frost giants, and slew him on the plains of Icewind Dale."

Pausing to imagine the scene in his mind's eye, he continues, "Then, Tempus rent the ground with his great axe and took stones from the earth to heap upon his foe's corpse. This serves as a reminder to all of the consequences of incurring Tempus' Wrath"

He then turns his attention to the frozen villagers. "It is not too different, sights such as these, unfortunate as they may be. It is the way of things, here in Icewind Dale." He says this in a neutral tone, as one might comment on the day's weather.

"Well its not the way in Sundabar," Morgrim grumbled, rolling up his sleeves. "Come on."

Without waiting on the rest, Morgrim began his ascent of the rocky crag.

Thane's heated words elicited a soft nod from Kira, though she didn't speak openly against the gods.  The atrocity bothered her but she was more like Hengar in a way, a little too used to seeing death.  "Wasn't the way in Luskan either, but there were folks did worse than this every day and it wasn't a god's bidding.  Some people just enjoy being sick in the head," she said quietly and after hitching her pack on her shoulders set out after Grim.

The adventurers follow the tracks along a rocky trail that switchbacks up the south face of Kelvin's Cairn. Fortunately, most of this ascent is sheltered from the wind and save for the ordeal of climbing an icy, snow-packed mountain along a little-used trail, the adventurers are (mostly) spared the assault of the unrelenting chill winds that go straight to the bone.

Arnan knows this ascent well, at least the story of it. Nearly everyone across Icewind Dale knows about the southern ascent, more specifically, the story of a band of verbeegs in the service of a necromancer named Akar Kessell are rumored to have had a lair somewhere up Kelvin 's Cairn's southern approach.

After several hours of following the now steep trail, the adventurers perhaps hazard a glimpse westward, where they see Daledrop, the lower extent of the switchback they are now traversing, the lower section leading to the Dwarven Valley. But the tracks don't lead toward Dwarven Valley...they continue up the switchback, through shabby shocks of snow-covered dry brush, toward the mountain's craggy peak.

Ice and snow crunches underfoot, the heavy beat of one's heart punctuating the effort of taking in such rarified air. Each member steels themselves to the task, for the tracks continue ever upward. Maybe up there, the perpetrators of the horrific scene outside Caer Dineval can be brought to justice? These and other other thoughts stream through the adventurer's minds when, suddenly, something more immediate and pressing breaks the moment...

A volley of arrows rains down on the adventurers as they ascend the switchback trail...

Hengar is struck twice, but all other party members are either missed entirely, or saved by their armor doing what armor is meant to do!

Were it not for the victorious cries above, the adventurers might have to spend time trying to locate their assailants, but it takes little effort to notice a group of goblins about 300 feet up the trail, standing behind a screen of dry brush and rock piles, raining down missile fire on the party.

The goblins immediately take cover behind rocks, while presumbaly, they get another round of arrows ready for another volley.


OOC: Hengar took 7 points of damage from 2 hits.

The goblins are 300 feet away and presently have total cover (can't be targeted directly by a spell or attack). It is difficult terrain (half movement) all the way up to the goblins.

Goblins, 9
AC 15
HP: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Arnan     14   28/28    1      NA       AC 16 w/ shield
Hengar    12   23/30    1      NA
Kira      14   21/21    1      NA
Thane     18   31/31    1      NA
Dalgura   15   24/24    1      13
Morgrim   15   27/27    1      13


PCs are UP!

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:02, Tue 03 Apr 2018.

"Hengar!  To me!  We'll advance together!" Thane called out to the defense-challenged barbarian.  I oughtta talk to 'im about gettin' better gear, he reflected briefly, before raising up his shield and advancing at best speed up the switchback trail.

Thane was serious about moving alongside Hengar, for he was sharp-eyed and highly skilled in advanced shield techniques, and the Luskan soldier realized that any advantage he could afford the tribesman would be useful.

"We can't loiter, up and at 'em as fast as you can, now!" he called out in an attempt to rally his companions...

---

OOC: Advance at best speed (given the conditions) up the trail, all the while using his Protector ability to benefit Hengar (attacks against Hengar that Thane can see will be at Disadvantage so long as Hengar is 'adjacent' to Thane).

Dalgura saw that she couldn't target their attackers since they were hiding so she started to look at the surrounding areas for possibilities.  If they wouldn't come out, perhaps there was the possibility of creating a roof for them...the hard way.  If not that perhaps she could see about destroying their cover.  Stone and rocks...of such things Dwarves are brought up on.

"Oh for Marthammor's sake," Morgrim growled. Stalking forward with a disgruntled look, the druid rolled up his sleeves and then cast his arms out calling a bank of fog down to blanket out the higher tiers of the switchback and conceal their approach.

"Try'n hit me now you sodding todgers!" he shouted up the slope. "Not so bloody easy anymore, is it?!?"

Moving forward at speed.
Casting Fog cloud at maximum range (120') to conceal their approach.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:29, Fri 06 Apr 2018.

Arnan was thinking of readying his bow and shooting some arrows at the Goblins -- given the range and the fact that their foes had a measure of cover, his shots would not be easy. But he hoped that he could at least influence some of the Goblins to keep their heads down instead of shooting more arrows at the adventurers.

However, Morgim took care of the problem much more effectively by casting a spell that created fog a goodly way up the trail. Assuming that at least some of the Goblins might trust to blind luck and fire arrows into the fog, Arnan readied his shield and picked up the pace, trying to move upwards over the difficult terrain of the switchback trail as quickly as he could.

OOC:

Free Action: Ready shield (AC 16).

Move: Standard movement (15 feet due to difficult terrain).

Action: Dash. This will add another 15 feet (for a total of 30 feet of movement) for Arnan this turn (see p. 192 of the PHB for an explanation of how the Dash action works when the character's movement is reduced).

Hengar grimaces from the pain of taking two of the nasty goblin's arrows. Still, he advances alongside Thane and attempts to dart behind whatever cover he is able. Unfortunately, the trail is pretty exposed, perhaps deliberately so, and there is not much to work with.

"Little bastards will pay for this treachery," he grunts between exertions.

Kira takes advantage of the fog cloud now obscuring the adventurers ascent up the exposed trail and files in behind Arnan and Hengar, using both men to shield her own advance.

OOC: DM post to keep game moving.