Session 3: The Priestess Sings

GreenStrassa Inactive forever!

Eirikr nods at Vasil, gripping his axe tighter.

Aug 13, 2018 1:33 am

The wolf walks up to the edge of the frozen water, taking careful, deliberate steps towards the ring of eyes. As it steps onto the hard surface of the river, its black coat fills with white flecks of frost. Normally, a sheet of ice would make for a perfectly comfortable walking surface for a wolf. Here, however, the cold of beneath Shadow's paws hurts as if a thousand tiny mouths full of sharp little fangs were gnawing at its pads. Yet, despite the pain, the wolf pushes through. Paw over paw, it carries on. The spirit's effects on the area would not deter it from its quest.

It stopped about 50 metres from the cave mouth, looking for a moment, outlining in its mind where the spirit's bulk lay and where would be the best place to bite it if this conversation went badly. Once it comes up with a suitable back up plan, it speaks.

"Frostbite. Enemy mine. This year, I come not to put you down, but to offer you a meal beyond any you have ever had.

The lands and the lives in these parts have been ravaged by the followers of a false spirit named The Tower. These followers are camping North of here for the winter. You have a choice: abandon your old feeding grounds this year and feast freely on these intruders. If you do this, you will have made a step towards atoning for what you did to my pack and ending our enmity. If you do not, I will rip you to shreds and you will sleep another year. Choose wisely, spirit. I await your answer."

Aug 13, 2018 7:56 am

OOC:

This looks like Intimidation, plain and simple. The spirit's Will is B3, it's animalistic and alien, so your Ob is 7 including the hunger penalty. You can have an advantage for having slayed it before, and Vasil, Taft, and Eirikr can all Help with stats or skills because you're unskilled. Good luck.

Clarifying success (Intent): success will lock travel east/west by Frostbite. It will cause the Tower's forces to stay back, and mean that only a dedicated squad would be able to travel, and even then slowly. It is likely that the cold would claim the lives of some collateral humans to, as Frostbite will be a little indiscriminate. It won't change Kallbacken though, and the two nearby steadings you know about have been destroyed.

Failure consequence: it lashes out, drawing you into a fight, starting by trying to freeze the life out of all of you. If you succeed the flash-frost, it might allow another tactic to get it to change its target.

Aug 13, 2018 8:01 am

It is strangely calm as the Howl of the wind quiets down. Flecks of snow fall out the air as the flurries quiet themselves. There is a sound like the scraping of rocks against one another, and the entrance to the cave seems to glow fiercely as the eight waiting eyes observe the hunter, and weigh up its proclamation.

Its form is still shrouded in darkness, but Taft and Vasil can just about make out the outline of a large creature, its body supported on pillars of ice.

Aug 13, 2018 11:22 am

Shadow had been quiet on the approach to the lake. Its ears flicking between high alertness, and low, as though about to fight. Vasil didn't get much information about this nemesis of the wolf, but he knew enough. An ice spirit.

As far as Vasil is concerned fire was pretty effective at melting ice, so he prepared himself, coating the blade of his spear in an extra thick layer of tallow. Even if this doesn't work, he thought to himself, at least my blade is safe from this weather.

As the wolf steps forward and says its bit, Taft and Vasil follow behind. There is a pause, the echo Shadow's words cutting through the wind, and bouncing back sharp and clear. Vasil takes a strong stance behind Shadow, and lights the blade of the spear on fire, pouring his energy - all that he has learned into this action.

OOC:

Using Firetaming as part of the linked test to intimidate Shadow's nemesis.

Rolls

Lighting the spearhead. Firetaming (Beginner's Luck) [Ob1]Ob2 Vs Will B5 - (5d6)

(32634) = 18

Spending a Fate to explode that 6. - (1d6)

(1) = 1

Aug 13, 2018 1:04 pm

coffeedemon Inactive forever!

With a flash of his hand, and a flourish of his staff worthy of a Deneyevian Court bard, Vasil spins the flaming spear above his head, slamming the iron shod butt into the frozen lake.
"I stand with Shadow!" He yells above the frozen wind, staring into the cave.

Aug 14, 2018 4:19 pm

GreenStrassa Inactive forever!

Taft is in awe of the creature. There are certain ravines and caves where he does not hunt, and they have had feelings like this.

If it were not for his companions, he would not have come so close. But now that they face the beast, he knows they must put up a united front.

Taft walks up and stops along the other flank of Shadow. He stands tall, draws his bow, and aims it carefully at the largest eye.

To ensure his aim is true, he calls the wind to clear drifting snow out of the space between himself and the great spirit. This creates a slight upwelling of sparkling, powdery flakes around the trio.

OOC:

I hope this is enough to count as a help on Intimidation. I'd be using Will too - mostly just asserting my presence and confidence.

Aug 14, 2018 9:19 pm

OOC:

Rolling

Rolls

Will B5 + 3P + Adv + 4Help - (13d6, RA)

(31245543623143) = 46

Aug 14, 2018 9:37 pm

coffeedemon Inactive forever!

A gigantic behemoth formed of ice rears out of the cave. Eight legs, thick and white as a birch trunk, support a spider's body that seems to be woven from snowflakes. One of its crystalline eyes blinks in surprise as Taft's arrow splinters uselessly against it.

"Meddler" it hisses in a staccato series of syllables. "You bring man and its useless toys to our fight"

A flurry of snow catches up, and a flash of freeze carries along the ice from the spider to the small group. The cold bites instantly to the bone.

OOC:

Surviving the cold onslaught of this creature is difficult. It lives up to its name. As you're dressed for Winter, but it's still Autumn, I think it's a base Ob of 4, but Vasil has advantage, and Shadow gets some bonuses from its coat. Success in this roll will leave no deleterious effects, whereas failing will cause a Wound, B3 per MoF. This wound won't require treatment, but will require warmth before it heals.

OOC:

this attack calls for a Steel test. Factor in penalties from the previous roll. If at least one of you succeeds at the Steel test, then the creature will be cowed enough to be convinced. It's at disadvantage for being directly targeted by magic (+1 Ob) for the humans, and Vasil and Shadow both get advantage for different reasons) +1D)

Aug 14, 2018 9:46 pm

thatguy2 Inactive for 4 months

Taft rolls...

Rolls

Ob4 Forte (B4) - (4d6)

(1212) = 6

B5 Steel vs Hesitation 5, -1D Disadvantage - (4d6)

(5525) = 17

Aug 14, 2018 9:56 pm

GreenStrassa Inactive forever!

Rolling...

Rolls

Ob4 Forte - (4d6)

(3255) = 15

Aug 14, 2018 10:08 pm

thatguy2 Inactive for 4 months

OOC:

Rolling Forte

OOC:

Rolling Steel

OOC:

Spending Fate to reroll a Failure

Last edited August 14, 2018 10:12 pm

Rolls

Fort B4 - (4d6)

(5164) = 16

Steel B7+1 - (8d6, RA)

(13234141) = 19

F - (1d6, RA)

(4) = 4

Aug 14, 2018 10:12 pm

OOC:

rolling

Rolls

Steel ob 7 with persona - (4d6)

(4213) = 10

Aug 14, 2018 10:18 pm

The cold washes over Vasil like a fever chill, piercing his body. He tenses his body and focused on his inner flame...

OOC:

Forte against the gripping cold. Advantage for fire.

Rolls

Forte B4 + 1D Advantage - (5d6)

(51115) = 13

Aug 14, 2018 10:32 pm

OOC:

Vasil takes a light wound -1D.

The cold tears through him, buffeting his body, his spirit. It years at his skin, ice and wind. His eyes water, and tears freeze. To his left he hears Taft scream in unnatural agony, the cry echoing across the frozen lake. Vasil puts it from his mind. He sets his jaw. He will not bow to this monster, this aberration.

OOC:

Rolling Steel. -1D for wound, +1D for Advantage.

OOC:

Success after Fate spend

Vasil roars. Primal and pained in defiance. He levels his still flaming spear at the beast, and pushes himself forward, standing now next to Shadow in an aggressive fighting stance.

OOC:

Update: I've been informed I didn't need to spend those Fate, and that only one can be spent at a time. They're all being taken back.

Last edited August 15, 2018 6:07 am

Rolls

Steel B7 - (7d6, RA)

(51431654) = 29

Spending three Fate to reroll three traitors... - (3d6, RA)

(255) = 12

Aug 15, 2018 11:14 pm

coffeedemon Inactive forever!

Whilst Taft and Eirikr's resolves waver, Vasil stands still and proud, his fire setting him against the spirit's onslaught.

As the frost settles, a warm patch has emerged around the small group, matched by the campfire a little way off. The giant spider rears, eight eyes extinguishing themselves before opening again.

"A Channeler of flame!" it shrieks "You seek to end me!" .

The cold abruptly stops. Even the ice beneath Shadow's feet starting to thaw a little. "Mayhaps my onslaught was hasty. I see your strength. By ancient bargain, by flake and by fang, I will do what you have asked"

At those words, the spider seems to hunker down into its cave, and the eight glowing eyes extinguish themselves.

OOC:

It is laying in wait. Shadow knows once it has said it will help, it will, but if you press it, it will counter. I reckon here's an okay place to do Artha and a trait vote!

Aug 21, 2018 4:44 pm