Mercy in the Nine Hells... a solo game for Isida Kep'Tukari

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Please do so, anything we can learn will be more than helpful," Tess says grimly.

*In the interim, Roscoe will work the crowd, trying to figure out if anyone knows why this might have happened to Hadrada.*

 

[Emperor Valerian]

*Haman will kneel beside Hadrada's prone form and begin whispering quiet words to it. To the uneducated commoner, it would look merely as if she is saying a final blessing to the dead.*

"Why?" one will answer Roscoe's questions as to why a priest of Imir would be murdered in the streets, "Who knows? Perhaps he angered his god, and that ice...thing was sent as retribution!"

"Maybe he offended another god. Many gods share even more viciousness than the god of frost," another will offer.

*After more queries, Roscoe will come up with mostly confused answers along those lines. None of the people gathered here are priests of Imir, and most are frightened and confused as to what happened and why. THe local Pelor priest has already declared that this is the fate of all who follow frost instead of sun, which provoked a small argument. The one consistent thing has been the young woman's story of what happened...and whatever tracks there were have been scuffled out of the snow by the crowd. As he is about to give up, however, several people will give him one piece of tantalizing information... that the priests of Imir live in the snowy wilds... there are more to the north. Perhaps they might know why their brother was felled. One named Ponicys, ancient and wise, lives in the mountains near Arbor Pale. It is said that he is blind, and he only lives because Imir himself provides the man with sustenance.*

*About the time Roscoe finishes canvassing the crowd, Haman will rise from Hadrada's body, looking rather pale.*

"He spoke that it was not a creature he recognized that attacked him. His soul also spoke that there are no such creatures in the service of Imir, as far as he knew. I was unable to ask him more, due to the ferrymen of the dark claiming his soul for their own," she'll say quietly, bowing her head.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"I think I have our next lead. There's some other priests further north, and an older fellow, blind, by the name of Ponicys, who lives near Arbor Pale. I think he's our next one to talk to," Roscoe says to the others.

"Thank you Roscoe, Haman. Let's go further north, as soon as we can. I can only pray that Ponicys will not come to the same fate at Hadrada, Tess says softly. "I want to leave tonight, what do the rest of your say?

 

[Emperor Valerian]

"It might not be best to go into the wilds on a night like this," Aust will say, gesturing to the still falling snow. "In the morning, if it's snowing like this still, we'll be able to see somewhat at least."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Dawn then. Be ready my friends, I know we're going to have a hard journey ahead of us..." Tess says with resignation. Why is it always cold demons? I don't understand it, I really don't. At least over half of Nine Hells and the Abyssal planes I've visited are hot, or at least lukewarm. Why do the cold demons always come here to play? Tess thinks absently, reaching into her hood to pet her tiny grixie companion, Grix. He didn't like the cold much, but she liked having him nearby. Her children loved him so much, it made her feel closer to them to have him near.

*The next morning Tess dressed warmly and saddled up Sunshine, her mare, at the first hint of daylight. Throwing down a sparse breakfast, Roscoe chivveyed Aust out of bed and into the saddle, ignoring any complaints the youth might make. Hot tea, rolls with bacon, anything that could be eaten in the saddle was procured from the innkeeper, and then the small party set out. Roscoe in the lead, then Aust, Haman, and then Tess bringing up the rear. Tess kept Fortuna strung under her cloak, and Fa'rallan at her belt, while Roscoe keeps Devil Take Warning loose in his sheath, and his sling in his right hand.*

 

[Emperor Valerian]

*The might calvacade of four thunders northwards out of Skaledes, your horse's hooves kicking up snow in their wake. Haman took part of the night to try and get more specific directions towards the 'Caves in the Icefangs' where this Ponicys might be.

The directions are only a little better than those previously known, though they lead to a cliff face in the mountains that supposedly has three different caves. The journey will take about a week.

Four days into the northward hike, the storm of snow has only increased, and the winds are howling strong. While Tess would see that the storm is not blowing a true blizzard yet, it is steadily increasing to that strength. This night, the snow bites especially hard, as the party finds a rock outcropping to shelter themselves under.*

"If the weather wasn't so bad," Aust will mention, "I'm betting we could see Arbor Pale to the northeast. If we're where I think we are, we might normally be only three or four days from the city." *He'll look off in that direction thoughtfully, before helping setting up a fire.*

[I'll need what watches Roscoe and/or Tess are taking]

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Tess will take first watch, and Roscoe will take second.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

[Tess rolls a 33 on her Listen, and a 32 on her spot]

*As the frigid winds howl, it seems almost as if the blinding wall of white that is the falling snow grows closer. Tess realizes its simply the rate of snowfall increasing... not a good sign. The rock the party has sheltered under blocks the wind coming from the left and covers their rear, arcing overhead some ten feet above their heads. Its good shelter.

However, above the winds and the light noises of her friends aslumber, she can hear a very faint noise. Her attuned ears are puzzled... it is not the step of a man or a beast that she hears, but a rapid burst of skittering across the snowy ice, then silence. A few seconds later, she catches the skittering again. It is coming from directly ahead, out in the frozen darkness...*

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Wake up!" she says sharply to the others, putting an arrow to Fortuna, and squinting out into the darkness. With a chord of power, she enhances her speed, and then sings another pure note to deflect the air around her into further protection. With another note of startling power that breaks into a shout at the end, she deflects the sound twenty feet out into the storm, hoping the skittering creature might be confused.

[OOC - Tess is casting swift song, followed by momentary protection, which increases her AC by +4. Then she casts a vivified misdirected sound to make her shout seem to be out in the storm. The critter gets a Will saving throw of 20 to recognize the sound as illusionary. If Roscoe gets up, he'll armor himself, and get ready with Devil Take Warning. If an evil outsider is within 60 feet of that weapon, it will glow blue.]

 

[Emperor Valerian]

*The skittering noises stop, then sudden resume again with rapidity. However, they do not appear to be growing any louder, indeed it seems they are vanishing off into the storm.*

*Roscoe dons his armor with a speed that would make any halfling rogue proud, as Haman throws on her own armor and Aust looks about confused. However, when Roscoe picks up Devil Take Warning, he sees nothing glowing. Momentarily he can see a shape moving in the snow, but it vanishes before he can pinpoint it exactly. Tess, however, can still hear the skittering, growing softer in the gloom.*

[Highest Listen CHeck: Tess with 39
Highest Spot Check: Roscoe 28]