Per Manbearcat
You make all haste out of the pass, leaving your goblin companions on the other side of the rubble as well as the barbarian you let go free so you could find out what happens with the bog.
You almost run into an enormous bear rump as you round the narrowest point of the pass (less than 10 ft) and emerge at a fork that opens up fairly sizably. Rawr is gaping at the large barbarian who is in the nasty claws of a 12 foot ice troll who is about to take a crunchy bite from his head.
You can take a shot at the ice troll and automatically deal damage here (as he is most preoccupied with this tasty morsel). However, then you'll have an angry ice troll who would be more than happy to have seconds! Obviously, if you leave things be, you're getting no information from that guy (unless you can find a way to speak with the - really - dead...).
Alright. This is a pass up into the high mountain country that these human barbarians frequent, right? So surely they use torches for warmth and for lighting the way in the twilight hours. Do I see any wrought iron braziers with ready-to-light torches anywhere nearby or maybe earlier in the pass?
Per Manbearcat
There is one right at the fork, not far from the ice troll (Near range). They're all partially used but they should hold a flame for a bit of time.
Ok, as he is about to chomp the human barbarian, I pull to the furthest reaches of my bow's draw and hone in on the creature's eye. I know this won't hurt it permanently, but I need to stun it for a second while I get one of those torches.
[sblock]Called Shot (Dex) Head
5, 6 + 2 = 13
✴ 10+: As 7–9, plus your damage
✴ 7-9: They do nothing but stand and drool for a few moments.
I'm not even going to bother rolling damage...but that shot to the eye should buy me some time.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
Your aim is true. Your arrow penetrates halfway into the creature's eye-socket and into its brain. It makes a strange moaning sound and staggers back, rips the arrow from its torn eye with one arm while holding the human out before it reflexively, almost in defense.
It is stunned.
I rush over to the iron wrought brazier and pat Rawr on the rump. "Get him!" As Rawr engages the staggered ice-troll I pull my pack off one shoulder and pull a tender-twig out <Marked off 1 AG>. I grab one of the torches, strike the tender-twig to the bottom of my boot, and set the torch aflame. I grab an arrow from my quiver and as the frozen fat of the torch melts, I rub it all along the shaft of the arrow, setting it alight <Marked off 1 Ammo>. I drop the burning torch at my feet and string the flaming arrow, loosing it at the elbow holding the human.
Per Manbearcat
+ 1 damage here.
[sblock]Called Shot (Dex) Arm
6, 4 + 2 = 12
✴ 10+: As 7-9, plus your damage
✴ 7-9: They drop anything they’re holding.
d8 + 1 (+ 3 Rawr). 7 + 4 - 1 = 10 damage.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
The reeling creature's eye has fully regenerated in this short period of time. But the flaming arrow...that does the trick. When the burning point and shaft buries into its elbow it immediately lets go of the unconscious human. Its gray-blue mottled flesh chars black and peels back, as if retreating from the flames.
He charges you in utter rage, ignoring the brown-bear tearing at its knees and thighs.
His range is Reach and he is coming to blast you!
The Torch isn't finesse, so you'll have to Hack and Slash with Str.
I drop my bow and pick up the torch from the ground in one fell swoop. As he recklessly rushes toward me, I'm going to attempt to tumble through his legs and sprint away so I can put some distance between us. I need to get my Healing Potion out and quaff it!
[sblock]Defy Danger (Dex)
6, 2 + 2 = 10[/sblock]
He finds himself grasping nothing but air and I'm sprinting off to where he just left. As I'm running off, I reach into my satchel and grab the stoppered potion. Flicking the stopper off with my thumb, I down the whole thing.
[sblock]10 HP returned[/sblock]
I quickly look around at the slopes just above the cliff faces of this pass. Any potential for avalanche there?
[sblock]Discern Realities (Wis)
6, 1 + 2 = 9
1 question and + 1 forward when acting on it.
* What here is useful or valuable to me?[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
If something big enough slammed into one of the walls, it would very likely trigger a collapse of the snowpack at the top of the vertical, 30 foot faces of this intersection.
Alright, I back myself against the wall with the forking routes on my left and my right. I want him to come in and hopefully one of his stray fists will smash the wall and start an avalanche. I'm going to Defend. Can I use that as one of my options for hold?
Per Manbearcat
Sure, but you're going to have to defy the danger as well if the avalanche is triggered. But it will certainly stun him for a stretch if it works, that is for sure.
[sblock]Defend (Con) myself
2, 4 + 1 = 7
1 hold to
* Have the troll smash the wall in its fury and trigger an avalanche.
d10 + 3 damage to me and Forceful. 10 + 3 - 1 = 12 damage.[/sblock]
Ouch...
Per Manbearcat
The creature charges you with reckless abandon, its fists smash the walls once, twice, three times as you attempt to parry and dodge. You can feel the mountain groaning and the sound of the snowpack above you destabilizing. One of those hits catches you clean in the chest, taking you from your feet and smashing you against the wall, leaving you on your rump.
You see the creature look up and put a shielding arm above its head as the crushing weight of ice and snow is on its way.
You take - 1 to defy this danger from the Forceful tag/being knocked prone!
My head is a fog and my ears are ringing but I'm smiling. Rawr grabs me by the shoulder with his maw. The only thing that could possibly save me is that and my battle-hardened instincts.
[sblock]Defy Danger (Dex)
2, 5 + 2 - 1 = 8.
Success but with a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
Your bow or the torch. The bow comes off of your shoulder and the torch and slammed from your hand. You can only grab one as you roll out of certain death. Which will it be?
You won't have near enough time to light another one, but you can automatically deal your damage + 1 to him if you keep the torch.
...I should have let the troll eat this guy. I cringe mightily as the avalanche smashes down upon my bow. It was the first bow I crafted. It wasn't beautiful but it has been with me since before I became a ranger...
I get up off my rump, shake the cobwebs from my head. The only part of the troll unobscured by the snow, boulders and ice is part of its big nasty head with greasy hair. I move to it and set the hair on fire.
[sblock]d8 + 4 damage. 3 + 4 = 7 - 1 = 6.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
The creature screams and pulls its arms free, one of them stamping out the fire while the other swings wildly all around. You're going to have to Hack and Slash to avoid the wild, blindly flailing arms if you're going to set it ablaze some more. If you throw it, it will be awkward tag.
I quick-step back a few paces. No way am I getting in melee with this thing. Its lower half is still buried so it can't get to me. I launch the burning torch at it end over end.
[sblock]Volley (Dex)
6, 4 + 2 (- 1 awkward) = 11
d8 + 4 damage. 5 + 4 - 1 = 8 damage. Its dead.[/sblock]
Per Manbearcat
The torch spins end over and impales the creatures other eye setting its face and hair fully ablaze. Its head is consumed and the creature begins to turn to ash. The smell is just awful.
With heaving breaths and an aching body I look to Rawr as he returns to me. I'm shaking my head in disgust, anger, and deep, deep sadness. I've lost Lucky and my trusty bow in under an hour. To Rawr I simply say "...take him with us" as I point to the unconscious man. "Lets head back."
We'll go back to the entrance of the pass and work on excavating the first avalanche or figuring out how we can get over it to get back to the goblin brothers, Lucky's broken body and that stone structure. We need to interrogate this guy, salvage for supplies and rest up.
Saerie
HP 9/21
AG 3
AM 3
DR 26 (I'll keep track of them for everyone but Otthor)
XP 9
No bow. Healing Potion gone.