[Eberron] Beneath the Ice!

[nonamazing]

The package contains a curious curved horn made of pure silver and engraved with symbols representing the four winds. After Balthazar passes over the horn to young Karthak, Voddlegrok suggests that you all get a full night's rest before heading back out. Of couse, it's difficult to say what 'night' is in the midst of all this perpetcual twilight, but the prospect of rest appeals to all of you.

In the morning, a tired-looking Karthak announces that he has worked out how to use the horn. It allows words to be carried with the wind over great distances, which would enable you to contact the mainland. Unfortunately, the horn can only be used by a Dragonmarked member of House Lyrandar, so Karthak reluctantly announces that he must remain with the ship in order to serve as a base of commouncations for the expedition. Toshanharath surprisingly announces that he plans to stay with Karthak, although his motives remain a mystery.

Voddlegrok quickly announces the new exploratory party lineup: Balthazar (and Jenkins), Rigel, Barandurr, Mong, and Norderil, with the friendly uldra Floe as your guide. It takes you a few moments to get re-organized. As the sled is prepared, Flamesaxe glares at Jenkins with obvious distrust, but says nothing. Captain Gravan makes it loudly known that he feels uncomfortable with adding Rigel to the expedition, but Voddlegrok, in a rare move, stands his ground and defends the pale young woman.

It's much colder today, with a strong wind blowing directly into your faces. There's an ominious feeling in the air, and every shadow seems threatening. You travel north for several hours before reaching the graves of the fallen dwarven warriors. From here, you can head north to where a group of forbidding mountains dominates the horizon, or you can head either east or west along the snow plains.​

Those characters that were wounded may now consider themselves fully healed (I'm assuing that Barandurr will make use of his remaining spells to aid the wounded). Now you have to choose a direction. What is your party's consensus? North, East, or West?

 

[Krug]

Mong says a prayer for the dwarven warriors. "North would be my vote," she says.

 

[RillianPA]

"Well, chums, seems to me that we have a guide, with strong opinions about how to survive out here. Maybe we ought to give her a listen, what?"

 

[Mark Causey]

"Vell, vat do you have to say, Icy one?"

{OOC}nonamazing -

Spoiler

What do I know about the Grimoire's last known location or the Lord's expedition? That will be a guiding factor in how I answer and manipulate people.

{/OOC}

 

[Ferrix]

Nonamazing: Where are the glacier dwarves and my people, that might dictate where we head first.

 

[nonamazing]

[Ferrix] - Check out the spoiler text in this post for a quick overview of what Floe knows about this area. (Basically, your people and the refugee Dwarves are to the east, and the occupied Dwarven city is to the north.)

[adamantineangel] - Rigel knows this:

Spoiler

The book was brought to the Frostfell by a man namded Grinton Steed, who was part of Lord Boroman's original expedition. Grinton, and the book, never returned. Lord Boroman claimed that Grinton was dead, and the book was never mentioned again. Finding some natives here who might have met the previous explorers could provide you with more clues.

 

[Ferrix]

"As you seek the dwarves, we must cross to the east, following the coastline. It is dangerous as it is the land of Greattusk warriors, and you travel loudly on the snow and ice. The dwarves are with my people, expelled from their homeland to the north." All of this is said with her light voice, but a sternness in her body language surprises you, so unlike her prior playfulness.

 

[RillianPA]

"Seems sensible, we should seek the dwarves before we seek their home. Very well, I vote we head east."

 

[Mark Causey]

With the last of the morning's sun reflecting off her pale face, Rigel salutes the eastward direction, shielding her eyes.

"Vat are ve vaiting for?"

Thinking to herself, she wonders at the expanse she's arrived on, worried that's she's gone too far and deep to escape her previous life. She reflexively puts both her hands on her crossed pommels behind her, streching her back and expanding her bosom. She rolls her hands down to the hammer and sword's scabbard bases and brings them back to her hips. She smiles at no one in particular, her eyes lost in the sky.

 

[nonamazing]

It doesn't take long to re-orient the sled and begin heading east, the wind at your backs. Everything remains just as grey and bleak as the moment you first arrived--no sign whatsoever that any time has passed. There's no sun in the sky, no moons, no stars. Everything is blank and featureless, except for the occasionally brilliant storms that swirl around the northern mountain range.

Floe informs you that the journey to the uldra/dwarven refugee village will take roughly three days. You get a good start--the weather is clear and the cold is far from severe. But after several hours of travel, Mong catches sight of a black column of clouds heading your way, and wisely calls a halt. Working with Floe and Barandurr, Mong arranges your tents along the side of a snowdrift, away from the oncoming wind and storm.​

Mong makes a Survival check, assisted by Floe and Barandurr, and sets up a decent shelter for your camp.

Now is a good time to review your character's winter gear. In your next post, please make a note exactly what level of precautions your character is taking against the cold, both for the time in camp, and for your next day of travel. At the moment, it is about 10 degrees below freezing, but the storm may drop it much below that.