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Norderil breaks out of his astonished silence. "I am sorry to learn that you do not believe yourself capable of accompanying us on our expedition." He pauses a moment. "My companion is wise in the ways of gods. There are many stories and legends, of rebuked paladins regaining the favour of their patrons. Do not count yourself out yet. If your heart is true, as I can tell from these last few moments alone, you will regain your station." He puts as much conviction and honesty as he can into his voice, as these last week or two have put in him a distinctly positive connection between he and the Warforged. He pauses again, and runs his fingers along the lines of his beard in concentration. "Mayhaps the time I've spent studying you (albeit in your... altered state) can lend me some insight. If I may?" He motions twords the Warforged's wounds.
((OOC-Attempting (with permission from Flamesaxe) a Heal check to treat some of the wounds and attempt some long term care for the remaining day before we set off.))
nonamazing:
A tribute to his Rogue training, during the time spent with Flamesaxe Norderil will attempt to get whatever information he can out of of him regarding his past and the veracity of his story.
"i do not mind if you wish to inspect my damaged frame, friend Norderil. but i fear there is little you can do. the warforged do not heal naturally, no matter how aided. only magic can salve our wounds. your concern is noted, however." As Norderil looks over the damaged construct, he is forced to admit that its words are true. There seems to be no way to affect a repair.
Norderil's inspection is interrupted by a cry from abovedeck. "H-h-hello! Explorers? I-it's, um, Quentin. Captain says we're going to start unloading the gear and, um, his crew could use a few extra hands, mmm? Are you free?"
Norderil, still carefully looking over the Warforged, absently motions for the rest of you to go on without him.
[Norderil] -
As you inspect Flamesaxe, you are disheartend to discover there is nothing you can do to help repair the construct. (Heal, -4 circumstance penalty: roll 11 +5 -4= 12). You do have a few moments to talk with Flamesaxe, and the Warforged is as cooperative as it can be. It is friendly and open, although it does seem somewhat depressed after its ordeal. It tells you of being found and raised by clerics of the Silver Flame, and of eventually coming to live in Stormhome to act as an agent of the church. Lord Boroman had allies within the church heirarchy, who 'lent' Flamesaxe to him.
You learn that the boat Flamesaxe was guarding had been intended as a rescue vessel--to rescue your expedition, in fact. Lord Boroman seemed certain that your party would eventually be in need of rescue. Now that Flamesaxe has met you, he finds Boroman's belief to be strange: Flamesaxe sees you all as competant explorers who would be quite capable of handing the enviornment, not the bumbling fools Lord Boroman seemed to think you were. (Diplomacy, +2 circumstance bonus: roll 7 +9+2= 18).
[Floe] -
[SBLOCK]The Dwarves are good hearted--you know this. But they can be so boring at times. You've just spent the last hour settled into a blind with three of the Iceshapers' best scouts, solid and dependable Dwarves who also happen to be some of the dullest company you've ever had occasion to spend time with.
Oh well. At least the Strangers are interesting to look at. Although it would be better to be closer--from this distance you can barely make out anything. They seem to be leaving their big black ship; or at least some of them are. And is that a pack of wolves they have with them? How odd.
Ico Iceshaper breaks the silence. "They'll be coming this way soon."[/SBLOCK]
***
It didn't take long to unload your gear. Voddlegrok wasn't kidding when he said he'd palnned for you to travel light. Gravan is a little surprised to discover that Quentin isn't going with you--he has a hard time understanding why the scholar would arrange to come all this way and then not leave the ship. But Voddlegrok says that he has confidence in your party: you'll find the legendary Etevalkairn and bring back word of your discoveries to him. Privately, you suspect that Voddlegrok is unwilling to leave the relative comfort and safety of the ship, sticking you with the hard work.
The sled dog team instantly forms a loyal rapport with Mong, somewhat to her surprise. They respond very strongly to her, and in moments she has complete control over the group. Once the dogs are carefully brought onto the ice and the sled lowered overboard, Voddlegrok begins double-checking the gear, making sure everything has been properly stowed, and explaining the uses of the various bits of House Cannith alchemical gear. The thick scarves you're all wearing make it difficult to hear one another, but keep out both the cold and the horrible smell of the ship.
Gravan contrives to have a brief word with you before you go. "We're well enough off in terms of supplies. The gnome's got a powder that melts ice real well, so we've plenty of water. Food supplies are not bad at all. Since we're here about three weeks before we'd planned to be, and we'd brought enough food for the trip out an' back, we should be okay. But this ship has had it--she's not going to make it out of here." Now that you're on the ground, you can see the severe damage to the ship's sides and bottom. The wood has been heavily warped, and looks pale and brittle. "She'll hold up fine here, with the ice to support her, but if we start moving into warmer waters...well, she'd be liable to fall apart under our feet. We need to find another ship. And it's not like we can just make one out of the ice."
***
[Floe] -
[SBLOCK]Ico glares at the Strangers, huddled together next to their black ship. "These are not good people. These are not the Wandering Ones--Thugrun's plan has failed."
"They may not be Dwarves, my brother," says Dawn Iceshaper, Ico's sister, "but are you so sure that they mean us ill?"
"You remember the other Strangers, and the cursed one they left behind. Were it not for them, we would still sit in our ancestral halls. We would not be outcasts, forced to live among the flighty Uldra to survive."
You can't help but take a little offense at that last statement. Yeah, maybe your people don't take things as seriously as the Dwarves do, but flighty? That's stetching it a bit.
The brother and sister keep arguing quietly before coming to a decision. Ico waves you over, while his sister sulks in the corner. "Glitterice. We are not ready to be seen. The secrets of our people must remain quiet until we know the intentions of these strangers. If one among them is like the one that helped steal our home...then we must do our best to avoid them."
Dawn interrupts her brother. "But although we cannot meet them directly, you can. Even stubborn Ico recognizes your wisdom. If you will meet with the Strangers, learn of their intentions, we will trust your judgement."
"Yes," Ico whispers, "we will listen to what you have to say. So will you go, and meet them on our behalf, keeping the existence of our people a secret until we are ready to reveal ourselves?"
You have to admit that the prospect seems interesting. And, you realize, you don't have too much of a choice--if you don't meet with the Strangers, then they will eventually leave, and with them any chance the Dwarves might have of getting help (which means they'll be living in your village for a very long time).[/SBLOCK]
***
Quentin suggests heading about two miles inland--which would take you off of the ice shelf--before setting up your base camp. The going is fairly easy--you're all bundled up well, and despite the wind, it doesn't drop much below freezing. The sky is grey, however, warning of storms to come.
You're about a half a mile away from the ship when a bizarre, impossible sight stops you in your tracks: a small child, oddly blue-skinned, walking purposefully in your direction. But didn't the previous explorers say there were no people living this far north? How can there be a little girl, here, in the depths of the ice?
A quick note on languages--the Common spoke on the Frostfell is a trading language that is used to communicate between the three intelligent races that live on the ice: the Frost Elves, the Glacier Dwarves, and the Uldra. As such, it bears little relation to the 'Common' spoken on the mainland, so the explorers will not be able to understand Floe's 'Common'. Some of the explorers may be able to understand some of Floe's other languages, however.
[Ferrix] -
I hope the introduction of your character doesn't come off as awkward or forced. She should segue easily into the story now. By the way, there was a brief spoiler over the in OOC forum containing a bit of background information--recent events in the Frostfell that Floe would know about. You may want to look over that again to refresh your memory, if you haven't already. And if you have any questions, about anything, let me know.
[Mong] -
(Handle Animal: roll 20 +6=26) The swift magebred hounds have fallen in love with you, and are completely and utterly loyal.
Here's a complete list of everything Voddlegrok has provided for you (all the gear is stowed on the sled, and the dogs are pulling the sled--you guys are walking):[SBLOCK]
6 magebred sled dogs
1 wide-ruddered ice sled
2 alchemically treated portable huts (one for the party and one for the dogs)
20 heavy winter blankets
ice fishing gear (w/h saw)
empty weatherproof chest (for storing any fragile artifacts you may find)
1 everburning lantern
20 flasks of oil
3 10-foot wooden poles
ice climbing gear (spikes, hammer, crampons, etc.)
400 feet of silk rope, in 4 50 foot coils and 2 100 foot coils
10 sunrods
5 extra heavy winter outfits (one for each of you)
10 medium sacks of dried feed (enough to keep the dogs fed for thirty days)
5 pairs of snowshoes + 1 spare
5 sets of skis w/h poles +1 spare set
5 pairs of snow goggles +1 spare set
3 jars of frostbite salve
5 sticks of ice chalk (different colors)
50 vials of melt powder (each melts up to 1 cubic foot of ice--providing water)[/SBLOCK]
"Don't look now mates, but it seems one of tha natives has come to say hi, " Barandurr points off to what all of you have already obviously noticed by now, " Norderil, do ye be knowin what that is? " he continues, " Or if'n it be dangerous? "
/ooc-I want to have a better look at the dogs, are they specifically trained just to pull, i.e. sled dogs, or are they trained to do many things, i.e. k-9 units/
Mong is surprised at the dogs' reaction, though Rast coils vehemently beneath the fur she wears. Still, the friendliness of the dogs wins her over. "These are well bred dogs. Normally the hounds I meet wish to take a bite out of me," she said.
At the approach of the girl, Mong becomes wary. She shouts out "Who are you? State your purpose!"
Norderil looks distractedly at Mong for a moment. He turns to Barandurr, "I am afraid I am unfamiliar with the species, but, from the look of her gear she seems to be one of the 'Uldra' spoken of in some of the texts and survival journals Quentin and I aquired." He frowns for a moment and steps forward from the group ready to fulfill his role as translator. "Greetings. I am Norderil, and these are my companions. I trust we are well met?" This last he tries in Common, Elven, and Dwarven.
((OOC-Did Quentin ever name or expedition, or give the company a name? If they did and I missed it some how, Norderil would have used that instead of 'these are my conpanions'.))
Twisting her head around to get an upside down view of the strangers, just for another perspective. She listens to the tumble of words coming from one of them, obviously directed at her. Part of it sounded similar to the ancient tongue of the dwarves*. She glances back towards the blind, an act perpetrated with a mirthful purpose, and then returns her attention to the strangers. "Why do you break the ice and tred the snow?" she remarks in sylvan, her native tongue.
OOC:
* how much is lost in the difference between ancient dwarven and dwarven?
{OOC - Ancient Dwarven and Dwarven are about as similar as English and Olde English. That is, you and Norderil can understand each other as long as you keep the topics simple. Even then, things may be garbled, perhaps leading to humorous misunderstandings /OOC}
You don't understand what the small blue girl is saying but you do recognize the language. It's Sylvan, which you had always wanted to study. She doesn't seem hostile, but then again, it's hard to tell.
[Mong] -
The dogs are reacting in an unusual way. That is, they aren't reacting at all. Instead of being nervous around a stranger, as most dogs would be, your sled-pulling pack seems perfectly comfortable around this odd person.
[Toshanharath] -
(Spot Check: roll 16 +5=21) You are distracted for a moment by the sight of a large flock of birds coming from the south. Judging by the glint of light, you'd guess that they are more of the ice birds, although they're still too far away to say for sure.
