Crucible of Souls IC

[Chrono22]

The Crucible of Souls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_BFaiTW9Og&feature=related)

Crucible of Souls OoC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8694459#post8694459)

A cutting wind blows across the landscape. It darts between crevices and leaps over canyons. Eddies of snow tumble and dance in its wake. The land itself mourns: the siren call of the wind, a high pitched moan, trumpets its passing.
Where does it stop? Can it? Would the quiet death of the wind and its endless journey be a mercy in this cold and unforgiving world? Or does its destiny lie somewhere over the horizon, beyond mortal hopes and dreams?
At the least, it can be said the winds of change are ever blowing. Will they carry you away?

...

On a remote mountain valley sits the small village of Bluerock. Its population barely numbers over fifty; the handful of extended human families that populate it have resided here for generations. They are hunters, trappers... survivors. They are isolationists. They enjoy the solitude of this deep and frozen world, even as the mountain strives to freeze them, bury them, and wipe away their existence from its pristine visage. Fortunately for them they are not alone in these lands. Located on the other side of the mountain is a coal mine owned and operated by a small clan of dwarves. If not for their coal, even the blue-blooded humans that call the Crucible home would freeze.
The Crucible (as the locals like to call this region) is a land of contrasts. The jagged mountains cast deep shadows across the landscape, just as their snowy peaks shine with austere white. For six months of the year, it is eternally day: for six months, the lands are cast into darkness. The darkness is hard on the community, and in the lighter months it strives to accumulate the food, supplies, and resources it needs to survive the winter.
Twice a month, a small wagon train comes into Bluerock to commit trade. They provide cloths, grain, oil, and other much-needed materials to the village in return for furs, art objects, and coal. It isn't uncommon for the train to be delayed by a week or more because of the impassable terrain... but it hasn't arrived in a month. With the long darkness approaching in two months, Bluerock is faced with the possibility of starvation.
It is for this reason the community has assembled around the Blue Rock. The Blue Rock is a standing stone pillar of a blue-colored rock, overlooking a cliff. It is here that meetings, celebrations, and funerals are held. This meeting is looking more like a mob.
"We have to find out what happened!" An angry looking man in his mid-30s yells out.
"What will we do?! We'll starve!" An elderly human woman with graying hair and a frightened expression is talking, almost yelling, hysterically.
A proud-looking dwarf proclaims, "We have lived here for hundreds of years. It will take more than just one bad winter to route us."
"You and your damn coal and your holes. What about us?!" The old woman continues, her face breaking down into tears.

It's in the midst of this chaos that the three of you find yourselves...

{table=head]Player | Character
Illuminate_Void | Spartacus Cryuilaveleas (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=213686)
Seer-1 | Sepelio Caelum (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=214953)
Shadowleaf | Tharan Grimbane (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=215233)[/table]

[Seer-1]

Sepelio yawns, scratching his head. Despite his own tension given the situation, his face shows only how much effort raising a giant raven in the family barn costs you. He opens his mouth, suppressing another yawn, and speaks:

"Do you really think whining will do anything to help? The caravan has been late before and generally takes the same trail. It's a simple matter of following the normal route and determining where it went."

It isn't as though we haven't faced times like this before, but Phoebe and Keegan seem to go into hysterics the moment anything interrupts their dreary lives.

[Seer-1]

(Should have included this in my former post. Whoops)

Interaction check to calm nerves, because dealing with hysterics is too damned exhausting with so little rest under his belt:
[roll0]

[Shadowleaf]

Thanak scratches one of his sideburns. He was all dressed up today - an uncommon sight. His breastplate armor made him almost as reflective as the snow, though the thick patches of black fur broke it up. Underneath, thick clothes hang heavy against his body.
"I agree with tha Elf! Whinin' won't do us no good! Instead of standing 'round here, we could send someone to look fer it?"

[Illuminate_Void]

Seeing the rising panic, Spartacus steps forward his movements heavy, and weary. The constant hunts have begun to take their toll on the fierce warrior, and he cannot hide his own growing worry regarding the upcoming winter.

"They're right, but we should still prepare for the worst. We need to send a team to investigate why the caravan hasn't shown and everyone else needs to pitch in and gather more food for the winter."

He waits for the others to consider his option, gauging their reactions, waiting for reply.


Not sure if this is technically an aid another but given the result of Sepelio, he's hoping to make his own impact on the group.
Interaction check:

Edit: Since we're using exploding dice. [roll]1d20

[Chrono22]

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea." , Phoebe nervously responds.
"Sounds good. Thanks for volunteering!" , Keegan says, nominating you.

In short order, the entire community comes to agree- the three of you are the right men for the job. It's decided that you will be leaving the following morning, from Blue Rock.
Though it is continuously day, time can be told based on the relative position of the sun. In this sense, morning is the darkest part of the day- just before the sun moves farther away from the horizon and back overhead.

The gifts shown below are actually all part of your equipment (except for Sepelio's). I'm simply providing explanations as to how you acquired them.

Back at your homes, your families support and prepare you for your quest. Tharan is gifted five potions of healing from the dwarves' priest, and a blessing by him so that Tharan's journey is a safe one.
Spartacus is gifted Erebea Arma, the sword of his great grandfather. A famous war hero, Cryuil wielded this blade in many conflicts before settling in the Crucible. He is the founder of Bluerock.
Sepelio is given a strange looking musical instrument by his mother. It's an ocarina (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsjDo2kWdMw&feature=related). It is, in fact, the same ocarina she uses to calm the raven hatchling in your family barn. Nothing else seems to get it to calm down once it's excited.

What do you do in your spare time between the community's decision and your departure?

[Seer-1]

Damned useless villagers... let's not do the smart thing and send the hunting party after it. No, let's stake our hopes of survival upon a group even smaller than what we regularly use for any other task; genius, that is.

Well, just for that, he'll be taking the communal hut (Frostburn) used by hunting parties and borrowing a mule from either Phoebe or Keegan. Refusing is met with a cold glare and the reminder that he's using it to help save their lives.


Interaction: [roll0]


He'll pack his gear carefully, oiling and mending where needed, as he normally does.

[Chrono22]

Keegan and Phoebe each grudgingly provide you with a mule (so, two mules). You are allowed to take the communal hut that is normally reserved for hunting parties.

[Shadowleaf]

Tharan tries to get his gruppy hands on a mule, some Dwarven homebrew, and a hut of some kind.

He then heads to town to find someone to purchase a well-crafted buckler from.


Assuming there are mules working in the mine and that the Dwarves have huts laying around for something, of course. I think the alchohol is granted.
Interaction: [roll0]

[Chrono22]

Who is this Thamal person, and why is he trying to get stuff?:smalleek:
The Meister listens to your request for alcohol, and empathizes with your need. He offers to sell you a 50 liter keg of ale for a paltry 50 gold coins.
You can acquire a masterwork buckler in the armory, for a price (standard market cost). You are lent a mule for your journey, but sadly the dwarves don't have any huts to provide for you.

The mules that Tharan and Sepelio are granted include pack saddles, empty sacks, and enough feed for two weeks.

[Illuminate_Void]

Sparatucs cant help but feel a sense of exhilaration, his dreams of finally being able to leave this village for more than just the hunt, adds an extra bounce to his step.

Returning to his home, he explains to his parents and siblings the result of the village meeting. Gathering his belongings he purchases a mule with feed for two weeks, and with a final goodbye prepares to meet up with the rest of his party.

He heads off to find his two companions, first by visiting the home of Sepelio since he actually lives in this village

[Seer-1]

Sepelio meets him at the front, staring down at the ocarina with a bemused expression on his face.
You know, I never really considered why someone ever bothered to make an ocarina with twenty-five holes before... how did they conclusively decide that, yes, twenty-five is the right number?

The raven responded to both this ocarina, as was noticed by his mother when she was haggling with a trader, and the bagpipes. She went with the choice less likely to result in filicide.

He looks up as he opens the door,
"Oh, it's you. Did you need something?"

[Illuminate_Void]

Spartacus smirks as he glances towards Sepelio's memento.

"I see your Ma gave you her treasure. Maybe now you can keep that annoying bird in check." Spartacus says jokingly.

"Ive got my things together I was hoping you'd be finished too. Time's a wasting, Id prefer to get on with this than daddle around. Unless you got a sweetheart you'd like to say your goodbyes to."

[Chrono22]

At that moment, the Baker's daughter Elise approaches the Caelum residence with a freshly baked berry pie.

She bashfully speaks to Sepelio. "Um, hi Sepelio. I heard you were leaving town to find the caravan. I think what your'e doing is very brave, I made you this pastry. I hope it keeps your warm out there."
As she speaks, she blushes even more profusely. She pushes, practically shoves, the pie into Sepelio's hands. "Please be safe and come back in one piece."
She turns around and quickly walks away.

[Seer-1]

Bemused, he takes the pie from her. He opens his mouth to say something, but she's already gone. He stares after her, glancing at Spartacus,
"What the heck is with her?"
He looks down at the pie
"Well, at least we've got something fresh for the road. "
As he closes the door behind him and heads around towards the barn (and the two mules he's loaded with extra hempen rope and trail rations), he continues,
"No sweetheart that I can think of, in a hamlet as small as this one." He takes a bite of the pastry, and offers some to Spartacus. "Pie?"

[Chrono22]

A voice inside the barn responds, "Pie. Pie. Pie."
You hear a fluttering noise, and a racket as something falls over. It seems a tool shelf fell over with it.

[Illuminate_Void]

The normally brilliant sapphire eyes, lit with a faint blue glow, stare at the baker's daughter retreating form, diminished, and glazed over.

He gives Sepelio a furious look, as he follows him to the barn, blue wisps circulating around his clenched fists.


"No sweetheart that I can think of, in a hamlet as small as this one." He takes a bite of the pastry, and offers some to Spartacus. "Pie?"

"One day we will have words, Sepelio! We will have words....and yes, I'd like some pie."

Spartacus grudgingly takes a piece of the pie, made by his beloved. He knows its not Sepelio's fault for her affections. But dammit, why did it have to be him.

Sighing in resignation, Spartacus silently eats a piece of the pie, thoughts of her plaguing his mind. He may not exist in her world as of now, but perhaps this journey and tales of his greatness will make her open her eyes.

[Seer-1]

Hearing the noise, he closes his eyes in a pained expression when he hears the noise,
"Dammit, Homer.

Homer = An Elven children's hero who is known for his ability to actually hear pudding.

He'll remove a good chunk of the pie (about 1/4 of it) from the pan and goes into the barn, feeding it to Homer, before cleaning up his mess.

Sepelio himself is largely unaware of his friend's crush. Human behavior is far more vexing to him than that of natures creatures.

Besides that point, he's always believed Spartacus would one day simply leave the hamlet, as all signs point towards a restlessness in his spirit.

[Seer-1]

"Well, shall we go find the last part of our enterprising group? Misery does love company, after all, and Tharan always does have an interesting story to tell."

Knowing Tharan, he's already finished his own preparations. Maybe he can share a dwarven pint.

As they depart from his household, he idly ponders with a hint of satisfaction touching his lips,
I hope the twins like my farewell gift.

He froze their money box into a block of ice

[Chrono22]

Homer enjoys his pie, and scarfs it down in one gulp. He follows Sepelio around the barn as the elf cleans up his mess. Once or twice he attempts to take flight, but his wings aren't yet strong enough to hold him aloft. He coc ks his head to one side and then says in a gruff voice, "Heywhat'sup?" He apparently likes the sound of these words, and repeats them a few more times.
You find the two mules you were provided near the back of the barn. They are harnessed and ready to go. Your mother has stowed the portable hut along with your nonessential hunting gear into a covered sled.

[Illuminate_Void]

"So.....Sepelio, how do you know Tharan? You playin on that side of da field eh? No wonder you're not into any females...." He says with no hint of sarcasm. He's honestly curious...and to a point surprised.

Edit: BOOM! HEAD SHOT!

[Seer-1]

Sepelio eyes him, his voice deadpan, "Would such a thing terrify you?"
He looks off into the distance, almost wistfully,
"Besides, I could never look at a girl with such small... His hands grope in front of his chest, mimicking a part of the female anatomy. "Not after seeing that blonde trader with those massive... pieces of fruit from last summer... Elise is a great girl, but so... small and empty-headed.

[Seer-1]

Moving back on topic, his eyes clear as he continues talking, "I don't really know Tharan so much as know of him. He's a great story-teller, if a bit odd. A good kind of odd, mind you, and certainly one of the more interesting folk around. Mother has had some dealings with him before and thinks him dependable; as I trust her judgment, I have no reason to believe otherwise."

[Chrono22]

As the two of you speak, you reach the edge of Bluerock. A path leads around the side of the mountain, to the mine. It shouldn't take long for you to get there.
The spot you are standing is a great vantage point for the surrounding landscape. In the far distance, you can see that there is a storm. It isn't approaching this direction.

[Illuminate_Void]

Sepelio eyes, his voice deadpan, "Would such a thing terrify you?"

Smirking, Spartacus replies, "No, I dont care which side of da field your playin. But like I said it would certainly explain a lot."


"Besides, I could never look at a girl with such small... His hands grope in front of his chest, mimicking a part of the female anatomy. "Not after seeing that blonde trader with those massive... pieces of fruit from last summer... Elise is a great girl, but so... small and empty-headed.

His gaze darknes but as he's still reeling from the outright disregard for his person earlier he doesn't press the subject on Elise any further.


Moving back on topic, his eyes clear as he continues talking, "I don't really know Tharan so much as know of him. He's a great story-teller, if a bit odd. A good kind of odd, mind you, and certainly one of the more interesting folk around. Mother has had some dealings with him before and thinks him dependable; as I trust her judgment, I have no reason to believe otherwise."

As the topic shifts towards their wayward ally, his features become more light-hearted, as his mind focuses on the task at hand, journeying outside of Bluerock, an adventure in the making!

With his attitude uplifted, Spartacus flashes a grin as he replies, "Well then, if your mum say's he's good people den he's good people. Speaking of which, do you know what he does? We've got the two finest hunters in all of Bluerock goin on dis expedition. What could he possibly contribute?"

[Seer-1]

Sepelio misses his friends glower (those wacky humans), instead replying to the question. "He tosses around bloody great balls of fire and claims to see dead people. Magic of any kind would be a contribution and I've seen enough of him to question some of those rumors about his mind running off and leaving the rest of him behind."


I take it we eventually get to the mines and find the third member of our group. Perhaps he can include how we find him in his next post.

[Chrono22]

The two of you continue speaking as you venture over the rocky paths, and in a short time you arrive at the entrance to the mine. The steel-plated stone door is open, and the guard waves you in.
In typical dwarven fashion, the mine itself has been constructed to maximize efficiency and durability. A metal device with several large gears and chains sits at the top of the tunnel- this is used to pull carts up to the entrance. It also uses descending carts as a counterweight. The dwarves don't typically need light, but to abide by their design plans, it can be necessary to see the ink on their blueprints, so they've introduced a dimly glowing lichen from the Deeper Darkness (underdark). If only the ceilings were a bit higher... Spartacus has to bend over to walk through the tunnels, and a few times he smacks his head on a low beam. As you walk, you also trip a few times on the tracks that have been placed into the floor.
You continue descending, and you eventually arrive at a second steel-plated stone door that is likewise open. From inside, you can hear the distant clacking of stone. The dwarf at the door addresses you.
"Ah... Sparatucs? Sepewyo? Welcome to the Grimbane mines. I'll summon Tharan. Corkus mentioned something about a journey? Odd lad, that Tharan boy. Journeys and all that. He ought to settle down here, plot a nice mine and marry a pretty girl."
As he speaks, he walks just inside the door and leans forward into a wall. You hear his voice echoing throughout the interior over the sound of the pickaxes and hammers. "THARAN, COME TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE. THARAN, MAIN ENTRANCE."

[Shadowleaf]

"HOLD YER HORSIES! I WAS TALKING TO MY COUSIN!"
The odd and scruff looking Dwarf ascends from the darkness. He is sporting a beautiful round buckler across his arm. Though he could not have been in the mine for long, he is already dirty all over - but his breastplate is as shiny as ever.
As he approaches the outsiders, he smiles. "Eh he, sorry 'bout that, me cousin was telling me the greatest story. What can I do fer ye?"

[Seer-1]

"What can I do fer ye?"
"We figured we could start off quickly, while we're still fresh. No reason to delay, I think." An elf you quickly come to recognize as Sepelio morphs in from your peripheral vision and responds to your question. His typically stoic features hold a sparkle you normally associate with extended treks into the wilderness.

[Illuminate_Void]

Standing beside the elf is a giant of a man, towering over 6 feet in height, donned in a beautifully crafted dark blue breastplate armor. Piercing sapphire eyes, with a faint blue hue stare down at you.

"I heard that you were comin with us on this adventure. But first we need to start gathering some info before we head out. C'mon and get ready, we'll talk more on the way back to town. Oh by the way, name's Spartacus, nice to meet ya."

[Shadowleaf]

Tharan
"Sure, I should be ready. Lemme get me gear. I'm Tharan Grimbane, nice ta meet ya too, matey."
Tharan returns a few minutes later with his backpack, mule, heavy clothes, a small shield on his arm, and clothes fit for wrestling avalanches.

[Chrono22]

The three of you say your farewells and depart Bluerock.
Thanks to Sepelio's map and previous experience working with the caravan, he is able to chart a course for your search. The start of your journey is easy, and what little obstacles there are on the path down your home mountain are easily overcome. It will take you two days to reach the next settlement on the path.
About a day into your travels, you notice that the weather is becoming progressively more snowy and stormy. The bad weather stretches for miles ahead of you, in a wide arc. Curiously, the weather seems stationary- it isn't moving in any direction. Circumnavigating such a wide area would take weeks of your time, but such a bad storm would be dangerous to enter.

What do you do?

[Seer-1]

Sepelio moves closer to his team and yells over the wind, turning so that they can see his lips moving and perhaps make out what he is saying even if they can't completely hear him. "This storm is clearly of unnatural origin. You can tell just by realizing that it isn't moving anywhere."


Knowledge (Arcana/Spellcraft):
[roll0]

Additionally, Great DM, can you describe our immediate terrain to us (elevation, foliage, the speed at which the temperature is cooling and wind strength using the online srd). Preferably this is out to a distance of 1 mile in all directions from our current location:

Knowledge (Nature):
[roll1]

You also mentioned that the storm was miles long, and in an arc in front of us. Can I take this to mean that the storm is shaped like a parabola, then?

[Chrono22]

Terrain: Mountainous, barren, cold. In the valleys and at lower elevations, the area is populated by pines and other coniferous trees. About a mile east is a sizable frozen lake.
Elevation: 5000 ft above sea level.
Wind Strength/Precipitation/Temperature: Calm winds outside the storm. Outside of the storm, the snow being cast off by it is accumulating at the rate of about 1 inch per hour. The current temperature outside the storm is 10 degrees Fahrenheit/-12 degrees Celsius.
I said it is in a wide arc ahead of you... you can take this to mean that the storm is actually a parabola, or a wave, or a hemisphere. Your characters don't know- it stretches as far as the eye can see, like some kind of large white barrier.

[Illuminate_Void]

"We should keep going. But we need to prepare so we can quickly find or build a shelter, and wait the out the storm should it get any worse."

Spartacus shifts uncomfortably as he gazes across the landscape, memories of being lost in his youth bombarding his mind.

I hope the weather doesn't go sour...if so we'll have a small window before death starts clawing at our feet. To die before the journey has even begun? No....not happening.

[Seer-1]

Sepelio turns to Tharan and says, "There are rumours around our village that you can create balls of fire. How long can you hold onto them and how much, if any, heat do they give off?" He motions to the storm raging behind them as he says the last part, implying how much heat with relation to how useful it might be in such a blizzard.

[Shadowleaf]

"With me ancestors help, I can indeed throw.. Well, flame I guess. Sort of. It's a wee bit more complicated than that, tho'. I built up the energy, see, and then I discharge it. It's volatile, so it's hard to keep in. However, we Dwarves had a queen once. I commune with her spirit sometimes. She allows me to channel her energies into a halo of fire. It might be useful."

[Seer-1]

Glorious DM, can a warlocks blast be held in his hand and be used to create heat (a bit like a portable campfire or perhaps torch)?

[Shadowleaf]

Also, glorious DM, remember that Tharan has the 'Burning Blade' maneuver. :smallbiggrin:

[Chrono22]

Seer1: No. It does generate a small amount of light- in darkness, the area the blasts passes through and effects creates shadowy illumination (like a candle).
Shadowleaf: Yes.

[Illuminate_Void]

GM, the soulmeld Mantle of Flames grants Shadowy Illumination in my square, does this mean it also grants torchlight? And besides it being a literal cloak of blue flames, would it provide warmth as a campfire would? Given my characters abilities Im sure its something he would have experimented with.

[Chrono22]

Mantle of Flame provides shadowy illumination in an area around it. Meaning, it raises the illumination of total darkness and lowers the illumination of bright light. It does provide heat like a campfire, but there's something else to consider- the snow can become very deep. Having it on constantly could make traversing the terrain a nightmare.

Have any of you decided to do anything? The grace period is up, unless you make something happen, I will..:smalltongue:

[Seer-1]

Sepelio removes his metal armor and gauntlets, wrapping them in the winter blanket and carefully tying the package to the sled. He'll keep his two daggers, as they are sheathed in leather and as such, not touching skin. "It's about to get frigid. Both of you may wish to consider removing your metal implements as well." He dons his fur clothing and ties a rope around his waist, tossing it to Spartacus next as he finishes. " Get your furs on and tie that on. Tharan, you're staying on the sled, but go ahead and tie on a length of this rope after Spartacus has." After they are done, he'll wrap a portion of the skins that make up the hut around Tharan and say, "It's your job to keep the inside warm. Spartacus and I have good senses of direction, so we'll be leading and resting in here with you incrementally."

So everyone has their fur clothing on, as well as tied a length of rope around their waists to keep from getting lost. Sepelio will add an additional rope to one of the two mules leading the sled, which he loops around his shoulder, and motions for Spartacus to do the same to the other mule leading the sled. Lastly, he'll get that 10 ft. pole out and be using that to make sure the ground in front of them is solid enough to traverse across, as well as enter the Step of the Wind stance.


Does anyone else have any suggestions before we head into the storm? Spartacus may well wish to just ride a mule, as opposed to leading it, given the difference in speed.

[Seer-1]

Since it is likely very, very easy to get lost inside of a storm, he'll start by planning on his map which direction they need to go in and making certain that the line their sled makes through the snow is as straight as possible. Lastly, a Knowledge (Nature) check to go with that:
[roll0]
Note that this is in addition to suggestions and tweaks made by my party members.

[Illuminate_Void]

"It's about to get frigid. Both of you may wish to consider removing your metal implements as well."

Nodding in agreement, Spartacus begins to remove his armor, and putting it into his pack. After that he'll help tie the rope around Tharan, putting him in the middle between the two warrior types. After that he'll tie the remaining end around himself, and loop the other rope around his shoulder tied to the other mule leading the sled.

Following up on Sepelio's lead he'll be making keeping track of their route as they pass through, making sure they rent veering off course. Given the soulmeld Airstep Sandals he can likely keep up just by making effective use of them to maintain a decent speed of movement.

"We should probably signal off in 10-30 minute intervals. Ya know, giving each other a heads up on our current condition. If the ropes break or one of us gets lost we'll know pretty soon. At that point if you find yourself lost, setup shelter immediately. This way we can find each other quickly before their trail fades."

[Seer-1]

Sepelio nods in agreement, "A sound plan. Let's estimate at every 10 to 15, for the sake of safety. Two sharp tugs if visibility or sound gets too poor as a signal that you're still with us, or one sharp tug if you find yourself in an emergency."


Both of you can also use Aid Another to increase my check result, which would make my Knowledge (Nature) check a 25.

[Chrono22]

Verifying the marching order: Sepelio in front, connected to a lead mule by a rope. Tharan in the covered sled which is being towed by Sepelio's mules. Tharan's and Spartacus's mules are tied to the rear of the sled. Spartacus is tied to the last mule.
Note: tugging on your ropes, as Seer-1 plans, won't matter if they are tied to the mules. The mules wouldn't understand the significance of such a gesture, nor could they communicate it to the rest of the party.:smallbiggrin:
Do any of your have a light source at the ready? Tharan in particular. A torch should be good enough to warm the interior of the makeshift hut/sled.

As the three of you enter the storm, you are bombarded by blasts of snow and hale. Fierce gusts of wind turn and tumble the drifts- the concealment imparted by the snows make it impossible to see farther than five feet away from you. Even worse, the thick storm has reduced the static illumination- Spartacus can barely see the outline of his own hand in front of his face. Occasionally, peals of lightning and thunder can be seen and heard through the storm which briefly illuminate the area. The chill also causes the temperature to fall.
Thanks to your fur armors and winter clothing, the three of you need not make fortitude saves to resist the effects of the cold weather. However, your mules are not so lucky...
Hour 1:
Sepelio's Mule 1: Fort Save [roll0]
Sepelio's Mule 2: Fort Save [roll1]
Spartacus's Mule: Fort Save [roll2]
Tharan's Mule: Fort Save [roll3]

While you walk, I need Sepelio and Spartacus to each make a sense check.

At what rate are you travelling? Are you hustling, or are you taking your time? What additional checks, if any, are you making as you go?

[Chrono22]

Two of the mules suffer harm as the cold slowly freezes them.
Tharan's Mule: [roll0] nonlethal cold damage
Spartacus's Mule: [roll1] nonlethal cold damage

Additionally, the two mules suffer hypothermia (they become fatigued).
They suffer a -2 penalty to strength and dexterity, and cannot run or charge.

[Seer-1]

I have Flaming Arrows (maneuver) prepared, so that will act as brief bits of light as, given that this isn't an encounter, I can basically freely use my maneuvers without having to reprepare (not to mention my racial low-light vision). That 10 ft. pole will light up with flame every 12 seconds (2 rounds) as a brief bit of heat for myself and my mule, as well as to avoid losing any momentum (as I can move faster than our caravan is currently going).

Sense:
[roll0]

He will cast Snowshoes (Spell Compendium) on himself and increasing his speed to 50 ft. per round. He will additionally be making a Knowledge (Nature) check (and consequently reducing his speed by 1/2, to 25 ft) in order to provide the mules a bonus to saving throws against the cold:

[roll1]

We shall hustle for the 1st hour (our land speed will be 25 ft) and walk for the rest of the time afterwards so as to avoid nonlethal damage and fatigue. My snowshoes vanish after 2 hours, after which he'll have to stop providing that nice +2 bonus, but their land speed will increase to 30 ft.

As he moves, Sepelio will split his attention by rubbing the head of the mule encouragingly.

Wild Empathy:
[roll2]
(Possibly with a circumstantial bonus from the bonus I give it to its fortitude saves).

[Seer-1]

Wow, that Knowledge (Nature) check failed for that 1st hour. Let's try the 2nd hour:
[roll0]

[Illuminate_Void]

Sense check: [roll0]

I'll be using the aid another to help Sepelio on his Knowledge (nature) check.
Aid Another: [roll1]