Thin Ice
Summary
Adventure: Thin Ice
GM: Chris
Season: Spring 819 wk
Night: Tuesday
Location: Chez Ellis
Level: Medium
- Party
- Haedric - An Ice Mage - played by Stephen (Scribe) 02
- Raseri - A Celestial - played by Ciaran 20
- Aloysious - An Air Mage - played by Nick 19
- Everan - A White Necromancer? - played by Dean (Mil Sci, PL) 14
- Lyric - An E&E - played by Michelle 99
- Mayhem - A Celestial - played by Jim 98
- Heddi - A female Giant - played by Julia 68
- Employer
- Davos, The Baron of Bryshande.
- Mission
- Hired to do a stop the endless winter which is still in the far north and has been for 18 months now, which has caused a number of people to flee south to warmer climates and the law level in the area is degrading as well as the larger than normal number of animal attacks.
- Pay
- 10k each plus bonuses
Notes
This is a follow on adventure from Trouble in the Spine
Scribe Notes
Pack a Keg for Elfheim
- Duesday 1 Thaw - Guild Meeting
Young Michael and I have come to the guild to get a crew to deal to the Ice. So, we look for a top shelf hero to slay an ancient Evil Ice Queen and we get a librarian who gets a disturbing gleam when talking about pain and death but it turns out to be not too bad a thing as he then goes off to research for us while we research the local brew and some other essential preparations.
Putting together some details from the Baron, some Astrology and other research:
- The Keep in the pass that we liberated has been lost again and is now encased in a huge block of ice.
- Things are getting real shitty. Everyone that can afford to head south is doing so. Wolf packs, raids, looting.
- The Snow Goblins now have a nasty habit of getting up after you kill them - could be Necros or their new Death Prince.
- A mid-spring wedding is due between Ice Princess Hnuss (Lady Volkfangr) and Prince of Death Eury Nomus, aka Lord of the Flies (Death Flies).
- The Ice Queen is Froja (the darkness of Freya) - Goddess of Ice, Love, War and Death. She was imprisoned in stasis her 13 guardians (psycho-killer Elves) became gems.
- Princess Casca (?) is due an untimely death (Astrologers!) 2 days after the above wedding - this would be very bad.
- A mage made a portal south from Bryshande that stayed open when it should have closed. A volunteer who stepped in fell back out after being frozen solid in Frostfell.
- We should look for a red door surrounded by gold - it has something we need.
- Several adventuring mercenary groups (TAC, Sanctuary, Freetown, ex-Argon's Watch, Adjepbar) have arrived looking for work or other opportunities.
We should ensure Casca doesn't die, disrupt the wedding and generally save the day.
- W'nsday
The old boy is still reading so we travel via my cousin's pub to get some enchantments and astrology and potions and beer.
- Th'rsday - Heading North-ish
We ask get an invite to visit the Elf library from a Princess' Ambassadors' Aides' friend or some such - Elves! Asking for directions to Elfheim gets us sent to the parsnip closet, through a magic portal (they're bloody everywhere) to this track through a misty swamp and the track almost vanishes and then we find it and there's things in the swamp and not good things tho' we ne'er see 'em and it feels like a lot more than a couple of hours afore we're ooot.
Berglelfin or maybe Elfinberg - they seem a bit confused on the matter - is all right, it's not a swamp but there's a lot of Elves and they're not frivolous or wastrels, a bunch a hard buggers that've seen action so when they say they're Elves it's best not to question it. If we'd had an Elf of our own to ask them they look like the Ice Queen kickin' type but being a Dwarf and an Ice Mage I thought I shouldna bring it up.
They have these big flying ships that look built for action but we get a ponderous luxury barge that's built for the frivolous wastrels it's not half fast tho and we get through the pass in a couple of hours without ever hurryin or hitting the mountains.
Then we get off in a wintergarden that's not at all wintery - Elves! And there's Elves who don't understand perfectly good Elven when it's spoken at a decent altitude but the long shanks convince them I'm not invading and they let us through. The tall buggers can take their time but I have to be gone within 3 days - Elves!
We wave our invite around and get put on a flying barge that'll take us to the library through there look to be perfectly good canal barges we could have used but the buccaneer is happy and keeps asking where he can get a flying boat.
Directions seem a bit messed up, trees everywhere, it gets dark before we land outside the library that doesn't really look like a library should. Lots of trees and light and open buildings and breezy courtyards - Elves!
Web Reports #1
Keliserae
Mistress of the Western Web,
Station Head: Brastor, sentient humanoid section.
Greetings Lady,
Our infiltration of the Western Kingdom proceeds apace. As I have mentioned to my handler, the much admired and deeply missed 4th poisoner, Atropos Nightsinger, as a consequence of committing myself to the contracts of the Adventurer's Guild, I have acquired some little training in their arcane arts. Even as I pen this missive, my capabilities increase and my power waxes with the passing of each season to the greater glory of the Saenath nation, may the abdomen of the Great Mother swell.
My host has taken a contract north of where I lair, a place called Bryshande, which is run by a local lord whose rank is "baron". I refer you to my previous communication (a miserable and poorly-written message, I cover myself in humility to bring it to your most penetrant attention, knowing that you will immediately deduce that he owes fealty to another of higher rank). As it happens, on a previous contract, my host had managed to establish certain paths of a mystic nature such that he could readily travel there. I opined that, aside from ease of travel there and back again, further inroads into the local infrastructure might be possible.
The messenger sent by the baron is a squire by the name of Michael. As I have mentioned in my previous scrivenings, the Ice Queen is active, and in the area, winter has continued unabated, hindering trade and traffic, quite aside from making it difficult to live there. Indeed, a fort we had taken from frost giants, snow goblins and winter wolves, has fallen back into the hands of the Ice Queens forces and, it seems that some three hundreds of humanoids have died.
And, upon mention of death, Lady, I wonder if you have given thought to the recently vacated position of 4th Poisoner? I draw your attention to my maturing abilities and loyalty to the Great Mother, may Her abdomen increase.
However, to return to the information at hand, the Ice Queen has caused an enormous and apparently hollow block of ice to encase the fort, and, perhaps more alarming, roughly half of the three hundreds slain have risen after death, and, perhaps, indicates necromancy. In yet more alarming news, Lady, we discovered that a "wedding" between an ice princess called "Hnoss" and a Lord of Death called "Eurynomos" is planned. We await further intelligence to decide if these are extra-planar entities, but it may please you to note that we have this as a result of a frost giant unfortunate enough to have been interrogated. Alive, presumably.
One of my host's companion is a human by the name of Everan, who has some passing expertise in interfering with the dead. He also claims to know how to use libraries, although he failed to gather anything of value from local ones so went to look at one the elves (a humanoid with significantly enhanced life expectancy) owned. This involved traveling to Alfheim, and upon doing so, researched the names Hnoss, Eurynomos and Frostfel. Yes, mistress, I know. I have absolutely no idea where that name came from, but according to the necromancer, that is what he did. It turns out that Hnoss is a reference to a Lady Volkfangr, that there is an ice queen by the name of Froja, who was or is a goddess of love, war, death and ice.
It is possible that Everan garnered the name from Vidal, a dragon of his acquaintance, who claims that the untimly death of Casca, the daughter of a king, will negatively affect his own plans, and he advises the necromancer to look for a red door famed in gold. This, apparently, will open to provide something useful. He goes on to say that a statis weapon (sic) was involved at the point of the previous encounter. Once again, the generosity of dragons leave us breathless.
On a more prosaic note, my host discovered that mystic travel to Kanstyn and Course was entirely possible, but not to Bryshande, where there was some kind of resistance. We decided not to push the issue, since we were only intending to get information at the moment. Instead, we interviewed his local contacts.
And so it is, Lady, that I would like to expand upon an observation that I have previously made. I know this information strikes against all that is decent and honourable, but it is clear, Lady, that my host engages in coition with his contacts on every occasion that the opportunity presents, and yet emerges with every appearance of life. Indeed, he seems quite enlivened. I know, great Lady, deeply unnatural, but it is, as I say, completely true. I have taken samples and made measurements. I forward my findings to you under separate cover that the matter may be investigated by those better able to draw the appropriate conclusions.
In any case, as a consequence of talking to his contacts, we discovered that
- a group of some two hundreds of refugees were attacked on their way south by a pack of arctic wolves supported by snow goblins near the mountain, and as they neared Kanstyn, another pack of local wolves.
- there are five other adventuring groups in the area, from Freetown, Sanctuary, Tac, the Gattar Depression and Adjepbar, each group containing a couple of support mages and an attack caster. It seems that the team from the Gattar Depression was the only one not to worship the local "doxies".
As I uncover more, Lady, I shall send it on. If you have any intelligence that you deem wise to pass on to me, I remain
Your obedient servant,
Hemlock Blackfang, 5th Poisoner
Party in the Elven Library
We settle in, some reading, some drinking, some drugs, time passes...
Heddi zapped by lightning from an unknown Air Rune she put on Aloysious.
Sisters of Perpetual Dissonance also researching, exchange words with Everin and later we have dinner together at the Inn in the tree.
Battle of Winter:
- Disabled by 137 bolts of gold surrounding slivers of diamond. She was 50' tall at the time.
- Remaining bolts may be in the Vault.
- Mace - Firestarter
- Axe - Frostfire
- Flail - Flaming Eyes of Kaban
- Halberd - Flamemaker
- Haldyr - An Elf who was involved in the battle who is still around, resides in the repository.
- 13 Guardians:
- Aegnor
- Beleg the Archer
- Egalmoth
- Tevildo - had a
darkless light side, Proud and confident to a fault.
- Frysday 4 Thaw
Another half day of reading, weapons training, etc.
- Heddi's Runes - Air Blade, ?
- Casca is an Elven Princess, a Mountain Elf. Probably living in the Dragonspines somewhere near Fessenheim / Jurgenheim, northern Aquila. Her father (Canus Dorxidor) was one of those who trapped the Ice Queen, the last to harm her.
- Frostfell is/was one of the domains of Freya/Froja - surrounded by Ice.
We get tokens granting permission to enter the Vault, head out the back of the library and enter the vault with directions to the section we need and then on to the repository. Deal to a 20' Ooze, ask vault guardians for permission to use the named weapons.
Get to repository - a room full of Elven brains in jars, one of which is Haldyr. We talk...
- Guardian (great) gems should be about 50' from the Queen, under the spire. These are not the same as the Galena Cryatals.
- We get an old Elven Watch Phrase to establish our bonafides to the guardians.
Vaults to the Desert
Most of the weapons we're after are out on loan, one is only out for maintenance, being recharged in Arabie at the library in the capitol. They do have an axe we can have now:
- Battle Axe of Ice Fire - Cold Iron. Solar Winds.
We exit the vault, library, then head off to Wintergarden and out of Alfheim (half a day).
Then airship down the pass back to Bergelfen (half a day).
The Beltane offer a gem to call them if the Ice Queen turns up.
Mayhem portals us down to Wasyrat where its horribly hot (40-ish + degrees) even by their standards. People dead in the streets from the heat. We stagger down town and find The Great Library of Wasyrat is closed so check into Inn next door (The Ravishing Philosopher).
- Reapsday
Early in the morning at 3am we speak to the librarians who direct us to Berys who is at The Cleft of Hell, 4 miles south, top of the escarpment, lava pool, cave leads down to place of power for mana, fire and earth.
Berys is there with 12 guards doing a ritual to charge the mace, we show our papers and take custody of the mace. Then north by shadow portal to Kanstyn.
Chapter 4 ...
Places visited and Locations looted
Entities & Creatures encountered
Mil Sci
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aloysious | Haedric | Raseri | Aloysious | ||||||||
| Everan | Lyric | Heddi | Mayhem | ||||||||
| Default
1 2 |
Double File
1 2 |
Single File
1 |
| Magic | Rk | Effects | Dur | Ft / Day | Al | Ev | Ha | Ly | My | Hl | Rs | Bo | He |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resist Cold (Ha) | 9 | +3 Temp Gauge, -4 Cold Dmg. | 5½ hrs | 1 FT | - | - | - | - | 
|
|
- | - | - |
| Witchsight (My) | 12 | See in darkness as a human at twilight 150 ft outside, 75 inside, see invisibility up to Rank 12 | 6½ hrs | 1 FT | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | -
|
| Healing Shadows (My) | 6 | When in shadow, Pass Action to Heal 2EN, 2 charges, Rank 1 Healer | 3½ hrs | 2 FT | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | -
|
| Strength of Darkness (Rs) | 11 | +7 PS | 2 hrs | 1 FT | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | -
|
| Rune Shield (He) | 11 | +16 Def, ignore 1st Spec.Griev | 12 hrs | 2 FT | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | -
|
| Greater Heart Rune (He) | 11 | Cures 8 EN immediately when EN damage taken | 12 days | 5 FT | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Smite (He) | 10 | Resist or take D10+11 & fall prone | 11 hrs | 1 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Greater Enchantment (Ly) | 17 | +18 to Resistances(R), Magic(M), Combat(C) &/or Skills(S) | End of Season | - | - | - | - | - | All | R&M | - | - | - |
| Magic | Rk | Effects | Dur | Ft / Cast | Al | Ev | Ha | Ly | My | Hl | Rs | Bo | He |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vapour Breathing (Al) | 6 | 3.5 hrs | 1 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - | |
| Ice Traversal (Ha) | 12 | 4 targets, +5 tmr over level ice/snow. | 4h 20m | 1 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Featherfall (Al) | 6 | 3.5 hrs | 1 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - | |
| Rune Weapon (He) | 9 | ... | ... | ... | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Enchant Weapon (Ly) | 8 | ... | ... | ... | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Spectral Weapon | 10 | +11% +4 damage | 15 mins | 2 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
- | - | - |
| Enhance Enchant (Ly) | 10 | ... | ... | ... | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Magic | Rk | Effects | Dur | Ft / Cast | Al | Ev | Ha | Ly | My | Hl | Rs | Bo | He |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instill Flight (Ly) | 10 | Lift 650 lbs, fly 40 mph | 5½hrs | 2 | - | - | - | - | -
|
|
- | - | - |
| Ice Armour (Ha) | 12 | 7 hrs | 2 | - | - | - | - | -
|
-
|
- | - | - |
- In Combat (Elven speakers)
- +5% +1 damage
- In combat close to Everin (10') if fighting Evil/Unholy/Undead/Demonic
- +30% MR, +4 Spell Armour, +4 Willpower, +2 FT Armour.
- Mil Sci Raise Morale
- +4 WP
- Supplies
- Healing Amulets x 7 - double healing rate
This amulet amplifies the positive emotional states (connecting with joy while releasing old wounds) and is the conduit to the truth of our essential joy. This Opal is related to the fire element and aids in clearing the emotional body in the auric field, bringing out inner beauty, loyalty and faithfulness.
The nature of the Amulet is also that the wearer heals faster than normal depending on the wearer’s ‘emotional state’. This means they heal at least twice as fast as normal but while in perfect circumstances (GM’s whim) they are in a superior healing state which may be as fast a four to five times faster. Things that impinge on the wearer’s emotional state will cause relapses back to the base twice healing and will take time to be cleansed away before the superior healing state can be re-achieved.
Gifted to the party by Elise von Zeiten from Bryshande
- Mindcloak Potions rk 16 x 14
- Herbalist Potions +2 Willpower
- Healing Potions
- Restoratives
- Beer - Golden Ale nightcap - +1 FT per hour of sleep
Calendar
| Spring: Thaw 819 (10) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
|
Candlemansa | 1 | Guild Meeting | 2 | Research, Blackshore | 3 | Bergelfin, Elfheim | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||
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7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||
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14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | |||||||
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21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | |||||||
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28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Spring: Seedtime 819 (11) | ||||||||||||||
|
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rites of Thunor A Good day for us?! | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||
|
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12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Equinox Ice Wedding | 16 | 17 | Eostre Sacrifice? | 18 | |||||
|
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19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | |||||||
|
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26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | |||||||
| Spring: Blossom 819 (12) | ||||||||||||||
|
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3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||||||
|
|
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||||||
|
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17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Floralia | 22 | 23 | ||||||
|
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24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | Walpurgisnacht | ||||||
