The Northlands Saga - Spears in the Ice IC

[Farmerbink]

Elissa prowls along, still unsettled by the obvious magical winter and the strange hauntings their only shelter has hidden. She keeps her peace as her allies fail to overcome the locked door, and instead begins listening cautiously at the doors to the south. Her ears extend and her eyes glass over as she focuses her attention at the doorjamb.

Spoiler: OOC

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If she doesn't hear anything, she'll open them, starting from the west and moving east.(1d20+14)[28] perception

[Ghostfoot]

Anna's minor magics fail to open the locked doors, or indeed the nearby doors to the south. However the double doors at the far end of the hallway swing open at her incantation revealing a long, open-air courtyard. The floor consists of snow-covered ice pavers. A colonnade of grimly decorated engaged columns lines the edges of the courtyard, and small ice benches are situated in the spaces between the columns to allow for semi-private mediation.

Meanwhile in the southern hallway Elissa investigates, opening the nearest door to a room with a simple pallet of ice on the floor, contoured to the shape of a man’s body from long years of use. In addition, a wooden rack holding an assortment of ancient weapons and armor, and a small wooden cabinet stand in this room. The walls are likewise bare save for a collection of weapons and pieces of armor of foreign and ancient design and another door.

Turning, she opens another door to the north which opens to another latrine, long since frozen over.

Spoiler: Map

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[farothel]

Bjorn came to have a look at the door and then turned to Freya, lifting his battle axe.
"Our way then to get in," he suggested, "that will also give us some extra firewood for tonight."

If there was no opposition, he would have at it on the door. Not to cut away the full door, but to basically remove the lock from the rest of the door so they could swing it open without the lock doing anything.

[Farmerbink]

Elissa nods, content at her discoveries, before turning away from the hallway for now. She rejoins her companions, calling out "Someone else has slept here- many times. If we need to, perhaps we could do the same."

[DrK]

Signun Olavson Interested in the stuff that has been found and talk of weapons and a sleeping chamber Signun offer the door one last kick before heading to the chamber with the ancient weapons and armour and checking them carefully for anything of value. "Strange to be leaving these behind, although nice for us eh.." he offers to Elissa with a creepy grin.

Spoiler: OOC

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Signun Olavson
M CN Northlander Slayer, Level 2, Init 5, HP 17/17, Speed
AC 17, Touch 13, Flat-footed 14, CMD 17, Fort 4, Ref 6, Will 0, CMB +4, Base Attack Bonus 2
MW Longspear +5 (1d8+3, x3)
throwing axes (5) +5 (1d6+2, x2)
MW Comp Longbow (+2_ (30) +6 (1d8+2, x3)
Chain shirt (MW) (+4 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10
Condition None

[/QUOTE]

[DrK]

Freyja Skirlaug For her part Freyja looks at the door and then looks at Bjorn and joins him in pulling out her own axe, leaning the spear and shield against the wall beside her. "As you say, firewood will be handy at the least. Especially here when the walls are made of ice and so are the beds." She'll take a few warm up swings before starting to chop at the door centering her blows around where the lock would seem to be

Spoiler: OOC

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Average of 13 damage per hit swinging the axe 2 handed

Freyja Skirlaug
F LG Jotun (Giant blooded) Paladin (Shield maiden) 2, Level 2, Init 1, HP 19/22, Speed 40
AC 17, Touch 10, Flat-footed 16, CMD 18, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 3, CMB +7, Base Attack Bonus 2
Reach (15ft) MW Longspear +8 (2d6+4, X3)
Battle axe +6 (2d6+4, X3)
Throwing axes // Javelins (2 axes / 5 javelins ) +6 / +2 ranged (1d8+4 / 1d8+4, x2 / x2)
MW Chain Shirt, Heavy wooden shield (+4 Armor, +3 Shield, +1 Dex, -1 Size)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13

Condition None
Axe to Grind (+1 dam if only opponent)
Trip with Spear (CMB+9)

Cold Weather Stuff:
Cold weather outfit (+5), MW gloves (+2, -1 ACP), Mukuluk boots (+1 cold, -1 balance)

[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

[Ghostfoot]

Bjorn moves up and pushes past Signun, hacking at the lock that has been causing such frustration.

Signun switches his attention to the southern hallway, observing the frosted-over sleeping pallet before looking over the exotic foreign-looking arms and armour:

• elven curved blade (serviceable but covered in rust),
• masterwork warhammer (with a leering demonic face carved into the business end of its head.)
• dwarven urgrosh,
• trident (broken condition),
• partial suit of banded mail (damaged beyond repair),
• masterwork heavy steel shield (Rectangular heavy steel shield painted with four bronze scorpions on a crimson field, arranged around a bronze boss.).

Back at the locked door Freyja joins Bjorn, the two of the hacking away with axes. Eventually the door succumbs breaking apart and falling aside. Beyond is a chamber, seemingly an ancient storeroom of fine goods. Sealed amphora, intricate but decayed clothwork and crates of aged foodstuffs fill the room.

Spoiler: Map

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[Farmerbink]

Elissa rejoins Signun- giving the brawnier pair time to work their violence on the wooden door to the north. She picks up the curved blade, carefully inspecting its length. "This was once of fine make- native to my people, I think..." she murmurs, stunned to find such a weapon here. "What is this place, that it collects finery of so many warriors- in a room where someone slept on the floor?" She looks around the walls as if expecting them to reach out and strike her down.

"There's nothing natural about any of this," she hisses with surprising vitriol.

Content to leave the weapons and armor (including the rust-covered blade) for now, she goes back to Bjorn. Having spoken her mind once already, she glares about the fine goods with undisguised distaste.

Eager for answers, but still leery of their cost, she inspects the door that seems to lead between the hallways.

[farothel]

Anna also comes to see the open doors and the equipment therein. Singing a little song she calls forth the power to see magic in both rooms, just to be sure. She also has a good look at the shield, trying to figure out who it belonged to.

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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detect magic in both rooms
knowledge(nobility) for the shield: (1d20+2)[4] (I can roll untrained) or knowledge(history): (1d20+7)[20] (given the age of the building, that's also a likely option).

perception for the room that was opened by using brute force: (1d20+5)[24]

[Ghostfoot]

Anna checks over the items, noting no magical auras present nearby. Looking over the shield she doesn't recognise the heraldry. It seems almost Hyperborean in design, but even then shows signs of unusual craftsmanship perhaps predating even that ancient empire.

She similarly scans the room that was broken into, again finding no sign of magic nearby although a faint hint of unknown magic beyond the room to the north-west and a stronger (moderate) hint of more magic behind the walls to the north.

Spoiler: Anna check to ID magic auras

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Anna Know Arcana
vs DC ?(1d20+6)[14]
vs DC ? (1d20+6)[12]

Elissa meanwhile checks the door near Bjorn (AK41), finding it firmly locked.

[Ghostfoot]

Signy Stone-Eye "Step aside lass" huffs Signy, oblivious to the fact that they're probably the same age. She also scans the area for magic but throws up her hands and spins in frustration as she too cannot discern anything further. Spoiler: Signy checks to ID Show Signy Know Arcana vs DC ?(1d20+6)[8] vs DC ? (1d20+6)[10]

Spoiler: Stats

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Signy Stone-Eye
F N Human (Northlander) Sorcerer (Cunning Woman), Level 2, Init 1, HP 10/10, Speed 30ft
AC 11, Touch 11, Flat-footed 10, CMD 12, Fort 0, Ref 1, Will 3, CMB 0, Base Attack Bonus 1
touch Evil Eye +3 (+1 BAB, +1 Dex, +1 Point Blank) (1d6+2 (+1/2 level, +1 Point Blank), 20)
(+1 Dex)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 18
Condition
* Fatigued: A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

[farothel]

Anna looks at Signy with a small smile on her lips.
"And, found something interesting," she asked innocently. Bruno gave a smile behind Signy's back.

"There's something magical to the North and North west," Anna told the others, "I think we best search there, or rest first and then search there. Any good camping spot found somewhere."

[Farmerbink]

"Decent odds we'll be left alone in these rooms," Elissa mutters. "The rooms seem to have been left for a long time before we showed up," she offers by way of explanation.

Spoiler: OOC

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If anyone else agrees, Elissa will offer to take first watch, but will also recommend they take watches in pairs.

[farothel]

"True," Anna said, "but there is still strong magic. If we camp now, I suggest we stay away from the source as much as possible."

[Ghostfoot]

You settle down to rest and recover yourselves in the old storeroom and the disused latrine room next door. It is cold, but fortunately the fine cloths stowed in the room provide additional warmth and insulation for you all. You're able to prepare some basic food and everyone seems in better spirits afterwards. Unfortunately the is no improvement in the condition of One-Eyed Sven, the old warrior still comatose after his prolonged period of burial in the avalanche.

Spoiler: Next steps

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Unless anyone wants to do anything different, the rest period passes uneventfully.

[farothel]

Anna checked up on Sven, before checking up on the watch schedule. She would stand her watch, checking at random times if the magic aura was still there.

Bjorn didn't check the magical aura, but he did do his guard shift of course.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm okay with a quiet night. But still there will be a watch schedule.

[Farmerbink]

Elissa wakes fairly content. She frowns at Sven's continued labored, if steady breaths. "I don't know what we expect to find, but I'm beginning to think our time would be better served just waiting here so I can tend to Sven."

Spoiler: OOC

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Mechanically, Elissa can "provide long-term care" to Sven without risk of failure (if we're not interrupted). He may be the best source of information we have, if we can get him to wake up.

I suppose, if it's a hit point issue, Elissa can also just cast some cure spells.

[Ghostfoot]

As you rest Anna and Elissa spend some time caring for the fallen huscarl, also intermittently checking that the indications of magic remain unmoving. While they are comfortable that they have stabilized him, given the nature of his injuries there is little that they can do to revive him.

Spoiler: Heal checks

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Anna (1d20+1)[8]
Elissa (1d20+8)[15]

Sven still lives, but has stabilized with negative hit points and he has suffered from suffocation from his burial. His injury may be treated, but due to the extreme hypoxia he suffered, he cannot be revived with anything short of a heal spell. If brought back to positive hit points and given a few days of rest, he should recover from his comatose state on his own.

[DrK]

Freyja Skirlaug Freyja stands guard on her shift, her massive form bodily blocking the door through to where her allies sleep. As they sleep she stares at the walls of ice and shivers, a silent prayer to the gods for wisdom in this strange and evil place. In the morning she motions to the unpleasant archer, "Come let us clear some of these nearby rooms" she suggests and heads to any of the nearby doors that have not been opened with a reluctant Signun in tow. SHe is cautious though and won't go more than ~80ft from the party

Spoiler: OOC

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Freyja Skirlaug
F LG Jotun (Giant blooded) Paladin (Shield maiden) 2, Level 2, Init 1, HP 21/22, Speed 40
AC 17, Touch 10, Flat-footed 16, CMD 18, Fort 6, Ref 2, Will 3, CMB +7, Base Attack Bonus 2
Reach (15ft) MW Longspear +8 (2d6+4, X3)
Battle axe +6 (2d6+4, X3)
Throwing axes // Javelins (2 axes / 5 javelins ) +6 / +2 ranged (1d8+4 / 1d8+4, x2 / x2)
MW Chain Shirt, Heavy wooden shield (+4 Armor, +3 Shield, +1 Dex, -1 Size)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13

Condition None
Axe to Grind (+1 dam if only opponent)
Trip with Spear (CMB+9)

Cold Weather Stuff:
Cold weather outfit (+5), MW gloves (+2, -1 ACP), Mukuluk boots (+1 cold, -1 balance)

Signun Olavson With no real loot discovered so far Signun is regretting joining this expedition, although as the big lady requests assistance he'll reluctantly agree. He heads after her, bow in hand and an arrow nocked as he watches carefully for trouble

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception (1d20+6)[23] +7 vs traps

Signun Olavson
M CN Northlander Slayer, Level 2, Init 5, HP 17/17, Speed
AC 17, Touch 13, Flat-footed 14, CMD 17, Fort 4, Ref 6, Will 0, CMB +4, Base Attack Bonus 2
MW Longspear +5 (1d8+3, x3)
throwing axes (5) +5 (1d6+2, x2)
MW Comp Longbow (+2_ (30) +6 (1d8+2, x3)
Chain shirt (MW) (+4 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10
Condition None

[farothel]

Right before going to sleep, Anna cast two cure light wounds on Sven to help him. It didn't give any immediate results, but it certainly wouldn't hurt either.

The next morning Anna would follow Freya to the next door, checking for traps and magic before trying to open the door.

Bjorn would follow the group, careful and happy that he felt better after a good night rest.

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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cure light wounds (2x): (1d8+2)[8] and (1d8+2)[4]

perception Anna: (1d20+5)[21]

[Starbin]

Heltinne Thrainsdottir, Speaker of Spirits

Heltinne stood the last watch that she would be up with the 'dawn.' When she roused the others, she took a few moments to meditate, calling upon the ancient spirits to gird their company for the trials that lay ahead. Once completed, she turned to the others, nodding her thanks to those who had brought Sven back from the brink of death.
"I think he will survive the journey now. Let us help search, in teams within shouting distance. Perhaps an answer to the riddle of 'where next' will be found."

---

OOC Sorry for the delay - life has a way of taking over. Which is not a bad thing

Perception - (1d20+7)[11]

Effects/Conditions: Child of Winter (endure elements, imp movement over snow/ice, +2 Init/Ref); Darkvision 60'; ER 5 vs cold, acid, electricity

Spoiler: Status - Round 4

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AC 15 HP 12/15 Init +1 (+3 in winter/cold) Move 30
F +1 R +1 (+3 in winter/cold) W +4
Weapon: MW longspear (+4, 1d8+3), Cold iron Morningstar (+3, 1d8+3)
Spell (Unl) ghost sound, mage hand, guidance, create water, detect magic, spark, stabilize / (4/4) cure light wounds, bless, obscuring mist, endure elements
SLA (alter self): 1/1, Ice armor: 2hr
Key skills: Perception +7; Sense Motive +6; Diplomacy +7; Heal +8; Spellcraft +4; Planes +6; Geography +5; Religion +4; Arcana +4; Local +4; History +4; Linguistics +1; Climb +1; Swim +1; Stealth +0

[Farmerbink]

Spoiler: The night before

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As the strange company settles in for an uneasy rest, Elissa approaches Heltinne a bit nervously. "If I may, I have found the spirits of my ancestors help me care for the wilds- and occasionally that includes restoring the injured. May I?" With her companion's acceptance, she will call upon the spirits of the wild to mend the other woman's injuries.

A few minutes later, she does the same for Sven, whispering quietly. "I hope this helps, and you don't hate me."

Spoiler: Cures

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For Heltinne: (1d8+2)[3]
for Sven: (1d8+2)[3]

She dutifully falls in line with Heltinne the next morning, more eager for answers than she lets on. Bow in hand, she nervously treads the icy halls as Freyja and Signun lead the way.

[Starbin]

Heltinne Thrainsdottir, Speaker of Spirits

Upon receiving healing from the normally quiet archer, Heltinne nodded in appreciation. "My thanks, sister. The path ahead demands we be at full strength ..."

---

OOC Just responding to the nice heal ... up to full!

Effects/Conditions: Child of Winter (endure elements, imp movement over snow/ice, +2 Init/Ref); Darkvision 60'; ER 5 vs cold, acid, electricity

Spoiler: Status - Round 4

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AC 15 HP 15/15 Init +1 (+3 in winter/cold) Move 30
F +1 R +1 (+3 in winter/cold) W +4
Weapon: MW longspear (+4, 1d8+3), Cold iron Morningstar (+3, 1d8+3)
Spell (Unl) ghost sound, mage hand, guidance, create water, detect magic, spark, stabilize / (4/4) cure light wounds, bless, obscuring mist, endure elements
SLA (alter self): 1/1, Ice armor: 2hr
Key skills: Perception +7; Sense Motive +6; Diplomacy +7; Heal +8; Spellcraft +4; Planes +6; Geography +5; Religion +4; Arcana +4; Local +4; History +4; Linguistics +1; Climb +1; Swim +1; Stealth +0

[Ghostfoot]

You tuck Sven up as best you can, his form now healed of all obvious injuries and wounds but still unconscious from the hypoxia. Freyja leads the way through to the nearby open courtyard with the rest of the group following shortly behind. As she pushes through the double doors Signun cautions her to stay to one side, pointing out a long-abandoned but still functional deadfall above the western door that looks to send several large blocks of ice tumbling to crush any unwary person passing through the portal.

In the courtyard itself the snow-covered ice pavers show no signs of any tracks. The spires of the palace rise above and two doorways lead onwards. Anna checks the door to the north, with Bjorn's cover she opens it revealing another ice corridor with several doors along it.

Meanwhile Freyja pushes open the double doors to the west revealing a room containing three frost-dusted low couches with adjacent tables, two old writing desks, and a scroll rack along the north wall. A folding screen painted with a scene of snow-capped mountains stands opposite along the south wall.

Spoiler: Map

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[farothel]

"Here is a corridor with some more small rooms," Anna said, coming back to the others with Bjorn in tow, "Oooh, scrolls, interesting."
First casting a detect magic into the room and then checking for traps in the room, she will move to the scrolls, while also trying to know if she recognises the scene on the folding screen. If there's no traps, she will check the scrolls.

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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detect magic from the door
check for traps: perception: (1d20+5)[21]
trying to recognise the scene: knowledge(geography): (1d20+6)[11]

[Starbin]

Heltinne Thrainsdottir, Speaker of Spirits

As Anna moves into the room, Heltinne called upon her own spectral vision to search the remainder of the room, as well as peer down the coorridor to the north.
If there were spells or items emitting magicks, she would find them. As she focused, she murmured loud enough for the others, "Keep within eyesight and earshot ... I do not trust this place."

---

OOC Perception - (1d20+7)[21] ... Spellcraft or Arcana - (1d20+4)[10]

Effects/Conditions: Child of Winter (endure elements, imp movement over snow/ice, +2 Init/Ref); Darkvision 60'; ER 5 vs cold, acid, electricity

Spoiler: Status - Round 4

Show

AC 15 HP 15/15 Init +1 (+3 in winter/cold) Move 30
F +1 R +1 (+3 in winter/cold) W +4
Weapon: MW longspear (+4, 1d8+3), Cold iron Morningstar (+3, 1d8+3)
Spell (Unl) ghost sound, mage hand, guidance, create water, detect magic, spark, stabilize / (4/4) cure light wounds, bless, obscuring mist, endure elements
SLA (alter self): 1/1, Ice armor: 2hr
Key skills: Perception +7; Sense Motive +6; Diplomacy +7; Heal +8; Spellcraft +4; Planes +6; Geography +5; Religion +4; Arcana +4; Local +4; History +4; Linguistics +1; Climb +1; Swim +1; Stealth +0

[Farmerbink]

Elissa follows near-silently, her soft leather shoes and careful steps muffling the sound of her passage. She frequently glances back over her shoulder in the direction of poor Sven, hearing only phantom noises and seeing no assailants. She watches with keen eyes as Anna and Heltinne explore, ready to assist with or without warning.

[Ghostfoot]

Anna and Heltinne scan the chamber for magical auras, noting a source within one of the writing desks and another aura beyond this chamber, further to the west.

As Heltinne moves to the northern corridor, finding no further indication of magic, Anna moves into the room to check for traps and inspect the folding screen. The icy scene to her seems to be of the Far North, the great unknown land of ice to the north, although whether of any specific location she is unsure. More interestingly, when checking over the screen Anna does find a doorway obscured behind it leading south. She also notes tell-tale cracks indicating another secret door leading to the west.

[farothel]

Leaving Heltinne to check the aura in the desk, Anna immediately moves to the aura to the west.
"There's a secret door here," she shouts triumphally, "and here's another one."


Bjorn keeps silent and follows the others into the room, weapons ready just in case something does jump them.

[Starbin]

Heltinne Thrainsdottir, Speaker of Spirits

Heltinne moved to check the desk as Anna left to check the other aura. Concentrating, she slowly approached, looking about for any signs of traps and such. Once she had checked, she used another minor spell to open the desk.

---

OOC Spellcraft - (1d20+4)[21], Perception - (1d20+7)[13] then use mage hand to open anything and retrieve the item.

Effects/Conditions: Child of Winter (endure elements, imp movement over snow/ice, +2 Init/Ref); Darkvision 60'; ER 5 vs cold, acid, electricity

Spoiler: Status - Round 4

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AC 15 HP 15/15 Init +1 (+3 in winter/cold) Move 30
F +1 R +1 (+3 in winter/cold) W +4
Weapon: MW longspear (+4, 1d8+3), Cold iron Morningstar (+3, 1d8+3)
Spell (Unl) ghost sound, mage hand, guidance, create water, detect magic, spark, stabilize / (4/4) cure light wounds, bless, obscuring mist, endure elements
SLA (alter self): 1/1, Ice armor: 2hr
Key skills: Perception +7; Sense Motive +6; Diplomacy +7; Heal +8; Spellcraft +4; Planes +6; Geography +5; Religion +4; Arcana +4; Local +4; History +4; Linguistics +1; Climb +1; Swim +1; Stealth +0