HYPERBOREA » The Scorched Sanctuary

Iron Ranger · 2/18/2020 10:15 am

Eirvit wrote:
[ooc: Some questions, Ref. As an Esquimaux from the Plain of Leng, how does Gundrabu gauge his survivability if he and Kondor don’t reach the sleigh—and his provisions—in a timely manner? I know that we are in a solar phase in which there is essentially no “day,” but are the “nights” significantly colder, presenting a fatal danger if we don’t find shelter in time? (I did read about one of your earlier PCs dying from exposure.)]

Exactly so. The temperature hovers around -5F at current. Both you and Kondor know that without shelter and fire, your furs may give you another hour or so of protection. You've lost the sense of whether it's "day" or "night" but while you both are exhausted from a ten round skirmish with the beast men, and much trudging through thick snow on foot, sleep would possibly evade you for some time...

Last edited by Iron Ranger (2/18/2020 10:21 am)

Iron Ranger · 2/18/2020 11:17 am

Further, Gundrabu and Kondor see that Igrest shed his furs during the beast men battle...

fireinthedust · 2/18/2020 9:33 pm

Ooc: internet ate solid post about moving forward.

Kondor: “We have no choice but to move forward. The beast men have chased us from the camp, and forced the Ixian to flee. We have no retreat, only to get to her now. She was a village Wisdom before the fall of this place, and she lives nearby. We must get there before the tracks are gone. There is no other chance for survival.”

Ooc: is Igrest stiffening or is he still merely unconscious?

Iron Ranger · 2/19/2020 10:30 am

fireinthedust wrote:
Ooc: internet ate solid post about moving forward.

Kondor: “We have no choice but to move forward. The beast men have chased us from the camp, and forced the Ixian to flee. We have no retreat, only to get to her now. She was a village Wisdom before the fall of this place, and she lives nearby. We must get there before the tracks are gone. There is no other chance for survival.”

Ooc: is Igrest stiffening or is he still merely unconscious?

Igrest breathes freely and his skin is quite warm to the touch.

fireinthedust · 2/19/2020 10:51 am

Iron Ranger wrote:
fireinthedust wrote:
Ooc: internet ate solid post about moving forward.

Kondor: “We have no choice but to move forward. The beast men have chased us from the camp, and forced the Ixian to flee. We have no retreat, only to get to her now. She was a village Wisdom before the fall of this place, and she lives nearby. We must get there before the tracks are gone. There is no other chance for survival.”

Ooc: is Igrest stiffening or is he still merely unconscious?
Igrest breathes freely and his skin is quite warm to the touch.

Kondor continues along the trail, believing that they have no other choice for survival.

Eirvit · 2/19/2020 11:10 am

Gundrabu doubts they can survive if they don’t catch up to the sleigh, but he secretly approves this venture as an excuse to reunite with his dogs.

“Onward,” he says, reading the tracks by flickering torchlight.

Iron Ranger · 2/19/2020 11:41 am

Following the tracks, they push ahead through the blocking branches. Gundrabu takes the lead, the dead weight of the sorcerer finally affecting the barbarian's pace.

The footpath twists under the dark trees. And if not for the sled's marks, they would be lost.
Another wind picks up, blowing snow from the high branches down on them, the torch flame flickering wildly.

Ahead a hundred paces, on the shadowy path, sits the sleigh.

fireinthedust · 2/19/2020 11:52 am

Iron Ranger wrote:
Following the tracks, they push ahead through the blocking branches. Gundrabu takes the lead, the dead weight of the sorcerer finally affecting the barbarian's pace.

The footpath twists under the dark trees. And if not for the sled's marks, they would be lost.
Another wind picks up, blowing snow from the high branches down on them, the torch flame flickering wildly.

Ahead a hundred paces, on the shadowy path, sits the sleigh.

Kondor hustles as best he can to the sleigh. He starts looking for the dogs, for tracks from the dogs, and even more important looking for Tetranna. He also keeps an eye on what is on the sleigh right now.

Eirvit · 2/19/2020 12:02 pm

Gundrabu, cautiously approaching, emits a sharp whistle to summon his dogs [if they are not recognizably present].

Iron Ranger · 2/19/2020 12:09 pm

Kondor can't squeeze past Gundrabu in front of him on the narrow path.
Gundrabu's whistle cuts through the wind, but there is no answer.

The sleigh is now 50 paces ahead.

Eirvit · 2/19/2020 2:49 pm

Gundrabu leads, then, cautiously.

“If all is as it should be, Kondor, I should have some firewood and provisions still in the sleigh. We should light a fire immediately, use the sleigh as a wall, if we can’t construct anything better.”

fireinthedust · 2/19/2020 4:35 pm

Eirvit wrote:
Gundrabu leads, then, cautiously.

“If all is as it should be, Kondor, I should have some firewood and provisions still in the sleigh. We should light a fire immediately, use the sleigh as a wall, if we can’t construct anything better.”

Kondor would respond, but his mind was on the hunt and would allow no comment. The dogs must be somewhere, the Ixian, too.

Holy_Rage · 2/19/2020 5:32 pm

Igrest moans lowly at seemingly random intervals, his head bumping listlessly against the muscular Barbarian's back. Despite being clad in his grime- and blood-ridden orange robes, his body shows no sign of being affected by the gnawing cold encompassing his companions and himself.

Iron Ranger · 2/19/2020 5:52 pm

Gundrabu peers over the edge of his sleigh, it's compartment is bare, his eyes follow the listless reins draped over the wooden bow onto the heaps of his lifeless team laying in the snow beyond.

Each has a fist-sized bloodless, hollow hole in its belly, a deep wide, puncture cauterized around the edges and inside.

Iron Ranger · 2/19/2020 7:26 pm

The blissful darkness leaves Igrest and he groggily opens his eyes, trying to make sense of his position, movement, and empty-handedness.

Igrest +1 HP

Eirvit · 2/19/2020 8:33 pm

Gundrabu kneels beside Artok, his lead dog and favorite. He takes the dog’s stiff head into his lap, but he is wary and eying the strange hole in the guts. He takes care not to shed any tears; he knows how uncomfortable they are when they freeze.

He glances at Igrest’s moans. “Ah, so you wake, sorcerer. If you can speak, tell me,” nodding at the gaping wounds in the dogs, “what vile sorcery is this?”

fireinthedust · 2/20/2020 12:02 am

Kondor is glad to put his burden down.

Seeing the dogs dead, he immediately searches for the trail of Tetrana.

Did the sled suddenly stop? Would she have been thrown from it, or did she move away on her own?

Iron Ranger · 2/20/2020 12:12 am

fireinthedust wrote:
Kondor is glad to put his burden down.

Seeing the dogs dead, he immediately searches for the trail of Tetrana.

Did the sled suddenly stop? Would she have been thrown from it, or did she move away on her own?

Footprints lead further down the path to a 3ft stone structure at the edge of the torchlight.

fireinthedust · 2/20/2020 7:12 am

Iron Ranger wrote:
fireinthedust wrote:
Kondor is glad to put his burden down.

Seeing the dogs dead, he immediately searches for the trail of Tetrana.

Did the sled suddenly stop? Would she have been thrown from it, or did she move away on her own?
Footprints lead further down the path to a 3ft stone structure at the edge of the torchlight.

Is there any sign of injuries, like blood trail?

“Tetrana! We’re here.” Kondor hurries to the structure. If he can, he will enter.

Iron Ranger · 2/20/2020 8:13 am

No reply.
Without the torchlight Kondor cannot make out any blood in the snow.
The stone structure is a well, 3 ft high 4 ft wide diameter circle. Its frayed rope descends into the depths.