Reign of Winter: The Snows of Summer [Part 2]

[Kvard51]

Windrunner walks beside his commander as they make their way back to Nadya's, "Perhaps you should not speak lightly of Moorgram's friend. While it seems a strange choice to you, he was Moorgram's friend. Such a thing is not to be scoffed at or joked about, particularly while he is still grieving."

Once at the house, Windrunner takes his leave and beds down in the stable.

[lostsole31]

The PCs and Nadya bed down after Nadya gains the old neighbor woman's help to watch her kids for the morrow.

That night, there is a soft dinging above the heads of Darkhelm and Ten-Penny Tacey.

---

Wealday, 30 Erastus 4713 AR
Weather: 0/ -10 F. Faint snow (1/2"). No wind.

The next morning, is there any change to any type of setup? Do you intend to bring all possessions, or leave some behind?

[Ostoril]

Moorgram prepares for the day as usual, packing his things for the journey, unsure if he will be returning.

[Kvard51]

Windrunner, having nothing to prepare, works his way through his newly gained abilities, one at a time, for practice. Afterward, he waits for the rest of the group until they are all ready to head out.

Spoiler: Preparing Maneuvers

Show

Stance: Pugilist's Stance
Maneuvers: Weight of Defeat, Hunting Party

[lostsole31]

After prepping everything for today, you find out that Ten-Penny and Arthog have convinced the domovoi (house spirit) Hatch to join the party to assist as he can - not in direct combat, mind you, but in any other sly way that is available to friendly fey (or in the case of the position of the White Witch's forces, unfriendly fey).

Nadya and Hatch are ready now - after a hearty breakfast is consumed - to take the party to the Pale Tower.

Any last thing before you are on the road?

[Ostoril]

Moorgram checks his gear and and prepares to head out then stops, remembering something. "Those snowshoes you offered us, what exactly do they do?"

[lostsole31]

Nadya looks down at her feet, where she had affixed her snowshoes. "Makes it easier to travel in the snow. Now that I'm coming with you, uhh, I figured I would wear them. My offering them to you was before I realized I would be traveling with you. I still offer them to whomever among your people wants them .... as a parting gift once my time with you is done."

[Ostoril]

Moorgram nods. "That's fine." He moves to head out.

[lostsole31]

Nadya will actually have Moorgram seated on her dog team's sled while she mushes them. Lady Argentea and Windrunner ride together. And Darkhelm is allowed to ride on Arthog with Ten-Penny. The domovoi (house spirit) Hatch hides in Nadya's goods on the sled. The group leaves for the Pale Tower.

---

After some time, there is a rather large crow in a tree that caws down to the group as they are passing by.

"Well, hello there!" calls a female voice from the crow's mouth. "You are all very shiny-pretty. What are you doing?"

[Ostoril]

Moorgram looks up to the crow. "Traveling is all a stranger needs to know." Moorgram says flatly. "Who wishes to know our business? I will share as much with a stranger as a stranger shares with me."

[lostsole31]

"My name is Lytil," says the crow. "I like shinies. I am a friend to those who give me shinies and preciouses."

[Ostoril]

"Lytil." Moorgram says the word as though it sounds strange. "A strange name, for a strange bird, you remind me of a friend." He fishes out a silver piece and gives it a bit of a rub to shine it up before offering it up to the bird. "Is this the kind of shiny you like?"

[lostsole31]

Lytil starts hopping from one foot to the other in excitement. "Oooh, yes. Very pretty. But flat edges hard to hold. Do you have pretty rocks?"

[Ostoril]

Moorgram shakes his head. "No, I do not have any shiny rocks right now. I am Moorgram, and you are welcome to this shiny, though I have none easier to carry right now." He pauses a moment, "But if you would see us safely up the road, when we are done with our journey for the day, I may be able to give you something better."

[lostsole31]

"Can I sit on your head?" asks Lytil. "You have a nest for a head. I could fit if you let me. Then I could go up the road with you."

[Ostoril]

Moorgram pauses a moment. "Yes, but be careful, it belonged to a dear friend." he says as he places the coin in his cap.

[lostsole31]

The thing flies down and lands in Moorgram's cap. The talking crow weighs about 30 pounds, so it isn't comfortable, and more than the weight if the bulk .... but Moorgram's neck wasn't designed for this. He can't move and fight, and has to sit pretty still and move around stiltedly while the thing is in the nest-hat.

[Ostoril]

As Moorgram realizes the weight and magnitude of his new friend, he lifts the nest from his head and sets it down on the sled in front of him. He rubs his neck. "Apologies, my friend was much smaller than you and others of your kind that I have seen."

[lostsole31]

Lady Argentea frowns at the whole magical witchery of it all and says astride Windrunner, "May we proceed?"

[Ostoril]

Moorgram looks up at her, her previous words not forgotten. He nods to her. After a few minutes of continued travel he leans into his new friend and whispers "I don't think she likes birds."

[lostsole31]

Lytil, who hasn't mastered whispering with her harsh, corvid voice says, "She's not very shiny. She has blingies, but she isn't shiny."

It is a trip of some six miles. Sharp winds whistle across this stark white plain, stinging the eyes along with the near-blinding rays of the reflected sun. A great eruption of frozen ice rises in the distance—an imposing pale tower crowned with icicles spearing into the sky. Seemingly born of the land itself, an unbroken circular wall of ice guards the tower’s base, with no means of entrance visible. High above, a large gash opens in the tower’s bowl-like crown, ringed in icy spikes and split by a massive plane of ice resembling an inverted crescent moon.

The domovoi Hatch claims he can make the task much easier. He knows every nook in the tower, as well as most of its inhabitants. He also knows how to use something he calls the "ice crystal teleporters" to move between floors, and will work for a few minutes to make sure the smart folk in the party know the commands for four of these ice crystal teleporters.

[Ostoril]

Moorgram listens to Hatch, doing his best to learn the proper words to operate the teleporters. He listens intently and does not interrupt the domovoi, but when the opportunity presents itself he turns to Lytil and asks "Do you know anything of this tower and what we might find inside?"

[lostsole31]

"Soldiers, magic, and death," he says stoically in his quavering, small, old-man-like voice. "But perhaps we will visit some of that death on them for Thora's sake before we go. Ms. Nadya, I am worried should you proceed, for you have two other children. Might I suggest that we take the first floor as quickly as possible, create a redoubt of sorts, and then Nadya and I will hold while the rest of you more powerful heroes and non-parents explore?"

[Ostoril]

Moorgram looks to Nadya, "I agree. My home was left bereft of one of it's voices. I would not have that further visited upon yours. I will meet out vengeance upon those responsible, for both our homes."

[lostsole31]

Nadya nods her head. "Thank you. I agree to this ... for now. But I will give what I can to help you create that beachhead on the first floor."

[Kvard51]

"Well then, let us beard the witch in her lair and avenge Nadya's child. This evil conjurer has much to answer for, and by the golden fire of Sarenrae, I will see it done!" the zealous griffin says, ruffling his powerful wings as if to punctuate his statement.

[Ostoril]

Moorgramnods and hefts his axe. "Stay safe friend." he says to Lytl, "I will bring you back something shiny."

[lostsole31]

Lytl doesn't go anywhere, staying on the dog sled.

Hatch tells you of the castle.

There is one primary entrance. It is protected by a thick ice wall which can be magically suppressed by the castle defenders - soldiers in the battlements. Behind that is a portcullis of ice, also raised/ lowered by the battlement guards.

Past the gate is the courtyard where the Pale Guard dogs are kenneled, though last Hatch was there, there was a female ice troll that showed that was eating some of the dogs. Once the heroes take the courtyard, Nadya's dog sled and team can be left there with Lytl keeping watch? .... yes, with a nod ... with Lytl keeping watch over them while the main force clears out the first floor to seal the beachhead.

Past the courtyard is the main body of the first floor, which includes barracks for the Pale Guard.

There is only one other main entrance to the tower - the Aerie. But the Aerie's entrances are a series of tiny openings suitable for crows, not for far more massive creatures like griffons.

Ten-Penny offers to begin an assault on the aerie, but only AFTER the assault below at the gate, so as to split forces.

What plan do you offer for the gate?

[Ostoril]

"That gate needs to be lowered. I won't be much help against the guards unless I can get inside." He looks to Lady Argentea with a twitch of his mouth and then to Windrunner, "If you two could take to the battlement and open the gate, the rest of us can get in."

He pauses a moment. "Still, that would seem an awful task alone." He turns to Nadya, "I don't suppose there is any chance this white witch or this Radosek could be goaded into letting us in to talk? Are they the kind to simply kill the likes of us, or would they want us prisoner if we stood outside their gate? If we could get them to let down the gates for us, our airborne friends could launch a surprise attack."

[lostsole31]

Nadya says, "It would have to be significant subterfuge. If Radosek or the witch has seen us through mirrors, informants, or crow spies, guile is pointless. Otherwise, either we are insects not worth their time to open, or we are dangerous and they still hold fast in a siege mentality. There are also many Pale Guard on patrol through the countryside as well. I say we hit that ice barrier - which isn't about being 'lowered' ... it's already down and in place - and destroy it, doing the same to the portcullis."

Lady Argentea nods. "In the meantime, Windrunner and I can harry the battlements to keep the ground crew from taking fire. I would like Darkhelm to go with me, and if I get a chance to let Darkhelm off, she can then be on foot at the battlements while Windrunner and I continue whatever tactic seems best at the time given the physical layout.

"This means Ten-Penny Tacey - very hard to detect, flies up to the aerie and hides to await the sounds of battle.

"I and Windrunner and Darkhelm against the entrance tower guards.

"Moorgram, you are the primary at the gate with axe and brawn ... assisted by Arthog hooves and horns ... and Nadya? I know you just recently discovered whatever it is that you do, but it seems destructive enough that I am sure you couldn't hurt.

"How does everyone like that plan?"