With age came wisdom, and, for Rath, with wisdom came divine power. "Let me try something," he said. Typically, Rath threw down divine spells without much confidence, but he gave this one a shot and called out a dramatic prayer, waving his arms toward ... Inas, chosen as if at random from among his companions.

[OOC: Using an extra bonus 3rd level spell slot from old age, Rath casts remove curse on the ranger.]

Inas doesn't move from his spot, but readies an arrow.

"Why is it so cold in here?" he demands.  His eyes search for something capable of freezing the large, moving waterfall even as he fears what he might find.

"Is there a cause for this, dear one?" Marissa asks the dragon.

Astrel sticks her nose out from Marissa's hair, takes a few sniffs, "Dragons", then ducks back under.

Inas just shakes his head, as his fear is confirmed.  "Think they're friends of yours, mebbe?" he says as he looks for something draconic.

[OOC: Waiting to see if the remove curse has any effect. Does Rath notice the cold? I missed any mention of it until Inas pointed it out.]

Rath casts his remove curse spell, and he feels that odd but nice feeling that some force rushes forth to his bidding.  Yet, nothing changes.

The waterfall is frozen solid, there is still gap to leave as you came in, and it is cold now due to the frozen waterfall.  Saliq feels it just a little, protected by magic as he is.

In reply to GM Bard (msg # 231):

Ah, sorry. I completely missed that message!

As the party stands there wondering what to do next, the frozen waterfall begins to creak and crack.  Water from the river above is still running down the outer side of the ice and though quite cold from the Northern Mountains where it comes, it is still melting the frozen falls.  In a minute or two, the whole frozen falls is likely to go crashing below.   Listening, the party can hear wings beating beyond the falls.

Saliq motions for quiet. "Inas, you are our best outdoorsman... can you tell how many wingbeats there are - on creature or many?"

Inas nods, and holds up two fingers.

Rath mutters, “Pelor’s warmth protect you,” and touches Folke with his sun-shaped pendant. (Casting resist cold on Folke.) If he has time, he offers Inas and Marisa the same blessing.

Marissa offers the same blessing to Astrel.

When done, she asks the little dragon, "Are they friends of yours, or foes?"



Resist cold on Astrel.

Folke nodded and whispered a quiet thanks to Rath as he delivered his blessing.  The skald's momentary confusion about Saliq's reference to a scroll had cleared; he understood what the illusionist was after but now there wasn't time.  For they new there was a dragon outside, or possibly two.  And only one kind of dragon's breath would freeze a waterfall solid.

"We need to back away from the opening," Folke hissed to his companions, even as the unyielding flow of the river threatened to melt away the temporary freeze.  "Only the northern white wyrms can freeze with their breath, and none are friendly.  We don't want to be standing right in the way if it tries again."

True to his urgings the skald begins to edge back and to the side of the watery opening, seeking greater cover.

The little dragon says, "So far, you are the only friends I have.  But I think they live here."

"I thought the great silvers could breath ice & cold as well, Master Folke. As with any such lore, I defer to your wisdom, yet I seem to recall having heard as much in my travels. Are you certain the dragons without are whites?

"Also, Astrel indicates that the two wyrms circling actually live here. If we could get a peek, might offer some insight as to what's going on."

This message was last edited by the player at 00:16, Mon 02 July 2018.

Rath glanced around. "I'm game. Let's go take a look. Anyone want to join me?"

"I would, but I seem to have become the caretaker for our young friend here," Marissa said while rubbing the tiny drake's chin.

Strangely, Marissa seems hesitant to allow the others to hold Astrel.

"I'll go."

Inas keeps his bow out, figuring it is unlikely that a dragon will sneak up on anyone.

Saliq looked thoughtful. "I better go too... we made need a trick or two depending on what we see."

He raised a bemused eyebrow at Marissa's words. "So it seems."

The party moves to the chilly waterfalls edge and moves carefully along the slippery rock path they entered upon.   Stepping beyond the roaring falls and far enough along to actually see through the mist that billows up around the edges of the great waterfall.


For a moment, they nearly freeze themselves, not from the falls, or any weapon, but just the sight, of not one but two huge dragons.  Hovering with the large beating of their wings, just beyond the waters edge, staring at you!!!  It takes a few heartbeats to see the shimmering to their scales, silver not white.

The larger of the two speaks in a deep booming voice.
"Who dares to enter this sacred place.  If harm has come to the grand dragon, you will pay for it with your lives".

Marissa steps forward, and shows the wee one to her great kin.

"No harm," she calls out. "Rather, we've rescued her from great peril. Now please, retreat a bit. You are quite overwhelming and I think she's a bit frightened.

Folke struggled with himself, his curiosity to see such magnificent and terrifying creatures vying against his entire culture's hatred of their destructive power, no matter their colour.  So it was that he peered out past the others, catching a glimpse between shoulders and arms.  A low whistle sounded from his pursed lips as the light glinted off their metallic scales.

"It appears you were right, Marissa," he managed in a slightly strangled tone.  "I apologize."

Marissa offers a grin and a wink. "I am a woman, Master Folke. We are always right. Even when we're not!"

Rath started to raise his hand, but he quickly thought better of it. In the face of these two, the blusterous Rath felt quite small. He opened his mouth to answer, but he thought better of it and clamped his jaw shut, letting someone else do the talking. It wasn't his forte. Well, he could talk, sure, and some might even say he talked too much, but he didn't talk pretty, and this would take some pretty talking if they wanted to walk out of here. He wondered if that amulet of his would keep him alive in a block of ice. See, even when he wasn't talking, Rath could just go on and on.

Ehridol was comfortable enough to be making jokes. Of course, she was the Sea Dragon.

Rath edged toward Saliq, offering what little protection he could offer.