Cora nodded her thanks and helped the volunteers to their feet, clapping Qastàru Canton on the shoulder.

"It is good we have your mind and knowledge, brave Canton. You know these hills and mountainside, you know what needs to be done."

Cora walked among those who'd volunteered, seeing some were eager to help, some more eager to die on their feet than sit in the cellar.

"Twice-bit Emil!"

She embraced the young man who'd volunteered, a monk of Roda who'd once been a fixture of Lawton's Glen's lower quarters. He and Cora had been friends once, or acquaintances, as urchins and orphans and low people often were. Emil had been small, quick, a terror to the watch and the lord's larders. The man he was now, young looking by human standards, was significantly thicker, broader, hard ascetic labour having long since done away with an urchin's wisp. He sported a beard and hard eyes which softened even though his mouth stayed dour. His right hand didn't flex at two of the fingers in his glove, and he walked with a pronounced limp, the first a mark of Lord Heimer's punishment for poaching, the latter toes lost from a frigid winter when the orcs had laid siege to the area around Lawton's Glen, robbing an autumn's harvest and starving the town. The urchin turned poacher proved beyond gold then.

A Franconian lady, iron backed and stern, stood out among the monks and guides and rougher sorts. Her winter clothes were impeccable, ermine and fox, one glove passing almost up to the elbow, thick and quilted along the surface. Her hair was bundled up under a fur lined hat affixed with a brooch in shape of a fox. Her look at Cora made the half-orc feel she should be asking forgiveness for something, but she made no sound or motion save to stand in line and clearly indicate she intended to help, shooting a withering glare at a mustachioed Franco man in furs and three liveried servants who seemed to keep starting in on telling her to sit.

A pile of furs in the corner stirs as people stand forth to be put to work, and a badger pelt produces legs and arms, the weathered hands holding sharp edged axe heads. Identifying only as "Badger of the House Badger", the sniffling dwarf had apparently been sleeping off a berserk rage out in the mountains, clearly a little worse for wear from the cold.

Not much, but the important thing was these people could help.

As the fancy northman stepped forward, Cora smiled and thanked him as well, just as Opalia came in demanding hot toadies.

"Everyone, this is the Starbound Aliiance, and the mighty Opalia of the Skykeepers. Also currently the wise beyond his years Arvid appears to be with her."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Thu 25 Aug 2022.

Arvid found himself swept up in Opalia’s embrace before Alan could render a proper answer. He did not object however as he was ushered down into the shrine where they had first met Sikuaq and Valaku some few short weeks ago. A warm drink before they set to on the trails seemed like a fine idea, and a comfort he would not soon refuse.

”Hello,” he replied, taking in the room upon Cora’s introduction. His gaze paused upon the curious Northman, the only other of his kind in attendance. He bore all the markings of a traveling skald.

"If it's an emergency, then..." Alan relented, still looking uncertain. He accompanied the party into the basement, where Cora made her introductions.



"Twice bitten, never shy," the man answered with a wink that suggested he thought himself the most capable of the bunch.

"This is hardly the time for drinking," Alan began to chide Opalia, but the imperious half-elf interrupted him.

"Why, it's the perfect time!" he insisted, draping an arm around the goliath as if he'd known her all his life. "You're in luck today, folks. This here is a rare specimen upon which few of my guests ever lay eyes. A genuine daughter of the stone, fresh from peaks so high they'd make your head spin. And strong!" He reached for one of Opalia's bulging biceps. "Why, I reckon she could lift a keg of ale in each arm." He nodded and flashed his eyes rather insistently at the goliath, clearly expecting her to play along.

The Northman nodded to Arvid, doffing his fine fox fur cap. "Greetings, child of Ildiko. Child of the Heavens, I should say, as are we all!" His smiled broadened to encompass the entire party. Arvid's estimation that the man was a skald was no doubt correct, but he was not old enough to be the monk's father, nor was there any more family resemblance than between any two Northmen.

For Arvid. Anyone else who would have some familiarity with Northman culture can make a DC 10 History check to know the following:

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
"Child of the Heavens" is a weird greeting. "Child of Ildiko" is a traditional term by which Northmen of different clans greet each other. It's odd that he would correct that to "Child of the Heavens", and that he did not name his own clan, nor ask Arvid's.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:28, Thu 25 Aug 2022.

Sikuaq knew she should remain humble in the face of the Mistress of the Council but a fire churned in her belly, yearning to be set free.  With the stress of knowing what was marching down on them and how little time they had left, she could only contain so much of it.

"I will stay here and fight with my companions.  With my friends," Sikuaq declared, her voice fiercer than she'd intended.  Though she could not tell, her eyes flickered with dancing flames and tiny cinders drifted away from her hair on the wind.  "Kinak must be stopped, for the good of the North.  The land desperately needs to heal, even if that means one last mighty shedding of blood."  She stood strong in the face of Quenya's displeasure for another moment, before the fires doused and she mouthed the heart of the matter.  The end would justify the means.  Her decisions were always for the good of the People.

"Even if it means sacrificing oneself for the greater good of the Quinichiat."

"Drink QUICK-ISH, then WORK!" Opalia boomed to Alan as she and Arvid arrived in the cellar and took in those gathered there.  The giantess performed a proud Skykeeper salute at Cora's very good introduction, thumping a fist to her breast with gusto.

Not a moment later she was regaled by a fancy fellow she and Arvid had met in Lawton's Glen seemingly a lifetime ago.  The showman's introduction took the giantess aback, and she looked blankly to the faux-explorer, and then to the room.  "HULLO to you, little Council friend KWASTAROO!  You remember OPALIA and ARV, and I do remember you."  She of course flexed her impressive musculature when he reached for a bicep, always pleased to have her great strength appreciated.  "Kegs are little for lifting!  OPALIA will lift much heavier for defense of OBSIDIAN PASS."

Turning to those gathered, the giantess boomed, "The storm is DANGERSOME, but we must be quick here, then get to work!"


Opalia looked to the charming Northman and said, "Bright skies to you, little friend.  ARVID SIGNESON is favorite boy of ILDIKO, blessed to fight with her own paws!  He is much-good at fighting, and wise as well."

Arvid seemed mildly surprised by the Northman's salutation.

"Greetings to you as well, Child ... of the Heavens." The greeting seemed unfamiliar coming from Arvid's lips. "I am indeed Arvid, son of Signe of clan Kerit."

"What clan do you hail from?"

"Hrmph," Quenya said in response to Sikuaq's justifications, a sort of verbal shrug of her thin shoulders, but did not press the issue further.

The Northman in the basement answered Arvid with a playful smile. "I am of no clan. I am of all clans. I am brother to all people, to the dwarf and the goliath no less than to you."

Sikuaq stood there a moment longer, staring back at Quenya with her jaw set firmly, and then without another word spun on her heel and went off to find the others in the bowels of the shrine.

"That is an admirable contention," Arvid replied, though he quietly questioned if those marching towards the shrine were similarly filled with filial devotion. "I spent many years alone upon the taiga. But even at my loneliest, I knew in my bones that I was Kerit. Some things stay with us forever."

Fergus quietly watched the introductions in the cellar, evaluating the motley assortment of volunteers. "It certainly isn't the army Ommerlun Kegspine rallied a millennia ago to defend Gruundelheim," he concluded to himself, trying his best to disguise his disappointment. Even Opalia's giant-sized doses of optimism weren't enough to convince him they stood a chance against the approaching shadow army.

Still, if they could delay the advance long enough, and weaken Garduk's forces in the process... Maybe that would be enough for Lawton's Glen and Knutsdir to survive.

When they reached the time for planning, he shared his thoughts. "I say we build a wall, clog them up in the narrowest part of the pass, then rain down on them with everything we have, be it Amala or Hrom or anything in between."

He knew the shadows could fly, but they had some success dispatching them earlier. If they flew over the wall, at least they'd be isolated from the rest of the army.

Opalia liked this little Northman already, "Friend to ALL peoples, YES!  This is a much-good idea.  Things are nicer when folk can be just nice to each other.  That is what STARBOUND FRIENDS do, and together we win against those that are NOT nice."


The giantess chugged down a half flagon of hot toadie in one pull and then nodded big to Fergus.  "YES.  A wisest plan from the FIREBEARD!  Make bad-ORCS have a very hard climb WHILE fighting to small pass, where FEW may stand against MANY.  This is how to hold the pass.  Make GARDUK pay in blood for each step."  Opalia finished off the hot toadie with a satisfied exhalation and slammed the flagon down.

Cora watched the little war between Alan and Opalia with some amusement, distracted by Arvid's conversation with the Northman as she thought of her own father's words, relayed by her mother before she passed. She silently gave a prayer, remembering her parent's dream and silently nodding along with Arvid and the skald's conversation



"Think you could lend a hand in getting some food ready for once people come back from whatever preparations these all are planning?"

Cora jabbed a thumb towards the group debating about preparing

Emil's mouth opened and shut a few times without saying anything. At last, he suggested, "I expect my skills can be better utilized elsewhere."

The skald, sensing the discord, began to sing as Alan begrudgingly served hot toddies:

Imagine a man without a race
Imagine a people without a place
Imagine an elf without a face

Everyone benefits from Bardic Inspiration and can add a d6 to a single, future die roll.

Fergus, there is a roaring, miraculous flame down here if you'd like to purify that hammer you got from the yetis.

Caell remembered when he first heard that song. They had been visiting Arvids' clan and family. For some reason he had felt a connection with that line, as the elf without a face could be interpreted as an elf without facial tattoos. Caell had the patterns now, however, and in that sense had gotten a face. He still liked the song.

With the time they had, Caell helped where he could; be it aiding Cora or just hanging out with her, or performing simple temple duties, which was something he had done before. When there was nothing else he just watched and listened to the conversations of his friends. He admired them all very much.

I have no preparations for whatever is next.

Opalia listened to the skald's song with a smile, appreciating this moment of fellowship and cheer before the climactic battle looming over them all.  When he had finished Opalia approached with Arvid at her side and said to the skald, "It is a much-good song, and one that we have heard in past.  Little friend, do you know any northerman named BJORN?"

Fergus basked in the light of Roda's flame, considering what could well be his final time working the hammer and anvil. "Well, if this really is the last time I stand before a forge, at least it's not that rusty old campfire back in Guthluthic."

He unpacked his tools and first created a set of iron bracelets. Ten bands, each inscribed with a name from his family: Darna, Hamil, Farra, and Cora. Then after an instant, he proceeded with Sikuaq, Opalia, Arvid, Caell, Valaku, and finally (with a sigh of resignation) Keth.

As the bracelets cooled, he changed his attention to the hammer acquired in the spirit realm. While it already held the shape of a fine weapon, Fergus sensed it could be transformed further, empowered by the spirit of the Great Mountain Himself.

As he worked the maul, Fergus sensed the modest talisman he himself had crafted back in Knutsdir was glowing at his side. It twitched at the end of its leather strap, nearly breaking the band to join with the enchanted maul. With a determined nod, Fergus untied the amulet. It leapt toward the head of the weapon, melting away into its side, leaving a glowing rune in its place.

In time, Fergus completed his assignment. Stepping away from the forge, he quenched the maul and then held it up for inspection. He expelled a satisfied breath, examining the result of his labor. Like its sister Frostfall before it, Dawnstrike had been born of Fergus's hand and Kann's flame.



OOC: Creating bracelets in case Animate Objects is needed in the final conflict.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:07, Mon 05 Dec 2022.

Arvid listened in rapt attention to the melody his mother had only half remembered, and no one else in his clan had ever sung. It struck him as significant that this strange skald and his own father had both known the lyrics, but perhaps it was part of many of the wandering bards' repertoires. All the same, he shared Opalia's curiosity and could not help but wonder if the two men had ever crossed paths upon the open tundra.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Wed 07 Sept 2022.

Though their course was set by the fall of Fergus's hammer, the bracelets ultimately took on shapes of their own as they cooled upon a shelf. The hammer itself began to act of its accord as well, or rather with that of the Forge god, whose blessing the dwarf could feel traveling through the flame and into the heavy iron head.



"Every Northman knows a Northman named Bjorn." The skald laughed. "But yes, I believe I know the one you are thinking of. Many a Northman has known him as well." He winked at the goliath. "'twas like a mentor to me. A father, almost. Taught me... well, not everything, I know quite a lot, but he got me off on the right foot. Indeed, many a Northman was gotten off by-"

The storm outside, which had grown increasingly ferocious, came to a head with a crack of thunder that shook the shrine's very foundations. It was followed by the sound of showering rock and debris, and only then did it become apparent the sound was not only or thunder but of a bolt of lightning striking the stone edifice.

At the same moment, the great flame by which Fergus stood, a flame which had burned for longer than recorded history, went dark. A supernatural chill filled the basement. Shadowy orcs began to pour from the brazier where the fire had burned. Screams from the citizens sheltering in the basement warned of more shadows entering from both doors, which, though barricaded against the storm, did nothing to keep out incorporeal threats.

"Hold them off!" Qastàru Canton ordered no one in particular. "I shall courageously shepherd these nobles back to the safety of the Glen." He began to lead his frightened customers to the south door but stopped when he saw shadows gathering there as well. His shaking hand drew a sword.

Everyone had the opportunity for a short rest after arriving at the shrine.

Everyone is currently in the basement. The stairs leading up have collapsed, but there are doors exiting to the north (the direction from which Kinak/the storm were approaching) and the south (the direction of Lawton's Glen). Something (Kinak?) is attacking the tower from outside. A few more such attacks will bring it down on top of you. Right now no one can see outside, but I'll expand the map as needed if anyone goes out there.

As discussed, there are a bunch of civilians in the basement with you. A few of them may be useful in battle - most will be liabilities. To give you an idea of who's who on the map:

Sikuaq and Valaku are with the other druids.
Arvid and Opalia are speaking with Alan and the skald.
Cora and Caell are with Emil.
The noble Franco lady is with Qastaru and his guests.
Fergus is off by himself, confronted by shadows spilling forth from the Miracle Flame which has suddenly gone dark.
Badger is towards the south door with some of the other guests were at the shrine.

Please roll initiative. Everyone gets an action now, but in future rounds, Kinak will act at the top of the order (Nat 20 for initiative), then anyone over 14 will act, then we'll have the shows and the NPCs, then anyone who rolled under 14.

Opalia shared a look with Arvid at this fellow's familiar description of Bjorn.  She smiled and asked, "Almost a father, YES.  That sounds like BJORN known to us.  Did your BJORN ever sing of the most-best of all northerwomens, SIGNE?"  There was a hint of an edge to this line of questioning, for Opalia didn't think she appreciated Bjorn having abandoned Signe and Arvid but yet finding the time to mentor this fellow, whoever he was.

Any further discussion was interrupted by a tremendous peal of thunder that threatened to shake the shrine apart.  The giantess jumped to action immediately, turning toward the sound in time to see shadowy orcs slipping in like smoke through cracks in the northern door.  To the civilians she boomed, "You all, GET BEHIND ME!"  The giantess charged at the shadows brandishing Frostfall, which she used to thoroughly destroy one enemy in a scattering of frost.  She followed this up by kicking another shade down onto the stones, then stood like a wall between the civilians and danger.

---

• Initiative 18
• Move to P5
• ATTACK twice against Shadow in Q4
  1. Hit 20 AC for 13 cold damage
  2. Hit 18 AC for 10 cold damage
• Bonus action Shield Master shove knocks Shadow in O4 prone, unless it can beat a 28 in Athletics or Acrobatics (good luck, buddy)
• Protection fighting style at the ready if an ally next to Opi is attacked

01:09, Today: Opalia rolled 28 using 1d20+13.  Shield master shove.
01:05, Today: Opalia rolled 10 using 1d8+6.  Damage 2.
01:05, Today: Opalia rolled 13 using 1d8+6.  Damage 1.
01:04, Today: Opalia rolled 20,18 using d20+10,d20+10 with rolls of 10,8.  Attacks 1 & 2.
01:03, Today: Opalia rolled 18 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

Caell sprang to his feet! He had not expected the enemy to come through fire and air, or however they had gotten here. It was stupid of him. How had they known where they were? Evil magic, for sure.

The nearest group of shadowy orcs came through the northern door and the elf moved to stop them. Celestial light spread from his hand and shifted across the six creatures in front of him, searing them!

Initiative 19
Move: L6
Action: Radiance of the Dawn: All enemies within 30 feet takes 22 radiant damage. Con save DC 17 for half.

The light from Caell's helm single-handedly shredded the shadows who had entered through the northern door, sending them shrieking back to the Realm from which they'd been summoned.

Just resolving this now as Caell has a high initiative and the result may influence others' actions. To that point, Opalia, you can change your action if you wish, since you are after him in initiative and there are no shadows left at the northern door.

If you wish, you can attempt to open the door, which is both barricaded by the priests from inside and held shut by heavy winds from outside. It's a DC 10 Athletics to throw it open as an action, but if you beat it by 5 it only consumes your bonus action, and if you beat it by 10 it's an object interaction (you are so strong you can open the door as easily as it were not nailed shut at all!).

Caell had already magicked the shadows away by the time Opalia reached them, but she doubted that would be the last of the danger.  Despite the barricade and the gale-force winds battering from the other side, the giantess threw the door open with ease and faced down whatever came from the other side.

---

08:22, Today: Opalia rolled 32 using 1d20+13.  Athletics.

Intending to guard the doorway for now, applying those attacks I already rolled to any enemy in reach or readying an action to hit the next baddie that gets close enough!

Cora shouted to Caell as his radiance engulfed the north side of the room

"I need to help Fergus! Keep up the pressure!"

She spared one last look to Caell before rushing towards the flame, swinging her sword in the air to loose two blasts of eldritch starry energy

OOC: initiative 18, attacks 18 (8 damage) and 15 (5 damage), move to n13 (four diagonal down right squares if my math is right)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:37, Sat 10 Sept 2022.

"Slag and rust!" Fergus gasped as the eternal flame before him darkened. He backpedaled a few steps as the eerie shadows formed, raising his talisman in an attempt to dispel them. But before he summoned Kann's assistance, screams from the common room behind him warned of a greater threat. With an uncharacteristic haste, the dwarf turned from the shadows and rushed toward the tower's center. Seeing his friends protecting the north entrance and Cora flashing eldritch energy toward the shadows behind him, he turned southward.

"Get back," he advised the innocents. "And may The Great Mountain protect us all." With wave of his hand, he conjured his spectral hammer and delivered it into the closest of the southern shadows.


22:23, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 17 using 1d20-1.  Initiative.

Action: Dash 50' to P19.
Bonus Action: Cast Spiritual Weapon at southern shadow.

23:44, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 27 using 1d20+8.  Spiritual Hammer at southern shadow.
23:44, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 8 using 1d8+4.  Force damage.

As the light from Caell's crown vanquished the shadows all around her, Opalia threw open the door as effortlessly as if there were not sturdy boards nailed across it and the gales of a storm god pushing against it from the other side. Outside, she witnessed the wrath of that storm god first hand. An enormous, winged serpent hovered some sixty feet in the sky above her, its body seeming to consist of dark cumulonimbus. Blue lightning crackled and sparked in its belly, and chunks of stone the size of the goliath's head littering the ground around her testified to the damage that lightning had done to the shrine already.

The sky was nearly as dark as the dragon's body. Heavy winds bent the mighty backs of ancient trees, and hail fell hard enough to leave craters in the frozen ground of the Obsidian Pass.

Not a full round update, just providing some new information that may be relevant to others. This is all on the northern side of the shrine. The dragon is about 50' horizontally from the door where Opalia stands and hovering 60' in the sky. Opalia, you're welcome to attempt a javelin or any other ranged attack you have available, but it will be at a disadvantage due to the heavy winds.