(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[Quickleaf]

Speak with Dogs

OOC: I’m assuming the last casting of speak with animals expired

Aric nods at Alma. “I need to cast the ritual, give me some time” he then proceeds.

Once done he tells the dogs “Hello friends, I’m Aric. You should thank Boy here, he led us to you. Can you tell me what happened and how long you’ve been here? Where are your humans? Did you see anyone else?”

GM: If other folks want to do anything during those 10 minutes, let me know. That's a short rest in my house rules.

The dogs whine and huff over each other for a moment, until Boy barks at them to listen, "Ru-ru-ruff! Crbhnn harr hhhhhr ruff!" <Listen up you dogs! No-color-skin person is here to help dogs!>" Having seen through a dog's eyes before in shades of blue and yellow (but no green or red) during his druidic training, Arik realizes Boy is talking about him.

As their whining settles down, one of the dogs makes a low howling sound that even though of you not able to understand the dogs can feel the sadness of the dog. Their collars identify them as Kodiak, Mercy, Nomad, Sesi, and Sisu. "<I'm Kodiak. We've been trapped here almost 3 nights. Dogs are hungry and cold. Trout. Big white horned person attacked. Garret and dogs led it away from the big stinky person, the little person, and the horned person. Trout. It grabbed Garret up the slope to the west. Dogs fell. Sled stuck. Dogs can't get out. I'm very sad and worried for Garret...>" After a moment, just when it seems like Kodiak has finished vocalizing he seems to sneeze. "<Trout cakes.>"

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Logrim gasps when he sees the sled and trapped dogs. He quickly follows the others over to the animals. He quickly pulls out some of the trail rations from the crate they found below and gives some to each of the dogs. He scratches their ears and necks as he distributes the food.

"Arik what did they say?"

 

[Steve Gorak]

Aric nods at the dog, and says "Thanks Kodiak, I'm really glad we found you and we'll help Garet. I'll just repeat what you said because my friends can't understand you as I can"

Arik proceeds to recount what Kodiak said, and tells his companions, "Let me know if there is anything you want me to ask him." He then asks Kodiak "So Garret went in a different direction and the big horned person followed, and the other three went in another direction. Do you know where? What happened to Garet before the sled fell and do you know where he is? Also, what does the stinky person smell like? And why are you talking about trouts?"

OOC: Recall that you can all understand Aric talking to the dogs. At this point, I'm assuming Trout = squirrel ;-)

 

[Quickleaf]

Aric nods at the dog, and says "Thanks Kodiak, I'm really glad we found you and we'll help Garet. I'll just repeat what you said because my friends can't understand you as I can"

Arik proceeds to recount what Kodiak said, and tells his companions, "Let me know if there is anything you want me to ask him." He then asks Kodiak "So Garret went in a different direction and the big horned person followed, and the other three went in another direction. Do you know where? What happened to Garet before the sled fell and do you know where he is? Also, what does the stinky person smell like? And why are you talking about trouts?"

OOC: Recall that you can all understand Aric talking to the dogs. At this point, I'm assuming Trout = squirrel ;-)

The dogs hungrily devour the rations offered by Logrim, licking at his hands and face – they're clearly exhausted, parched, and in desperate need of food and sleep by a fire. This helps them simmer down from twisting their harnesses into worse knots.

No sooner than Arik mentions trouts, the others dogs – Mercy, Nomad, Sesi, and Sisu all start whining about getting Kodiak started on trout again. Kodiak pants, big eyes scanning Arik's face then giving a long whine, "<Garret up. Horned big person up. Both west."> He barks toward a steeper ascent (left on attached map above). <"Horned big person clawed Garret and pulled him off sled. Trout. Garret up. West. Big stinky person? He smells like fish guts, always eating fish guts that smell old, growling like bear, and making happy mouth sounds.>" With an abashed look down, Kodiak murmurs, "Barrrr-kh awr trwrr-wrr-wrr <I didn't say anything about trout.>" The dog's eye twitches, though it's hard to tell if that was some snow in his eye or he's fighting the urge to say 'trout' again.

GM: Exactly Btw, if you unharness the dogs, you could direct them down the mountain and they'll safely find their way to your camp with Eve & Keegan. No need for any of you to descend with them. Corse and Arik would be familiar with the ability of sled dogs to track by scent, so they'd pick up the smell of Keegan's dogs with whom they're familiar.

 

[Neurotic]

Lumrolur finishes the job by cutting the harnesses, ignoring the dog's thankfulness or in one case worried growl as he cuts a bit too close to the flesh due leather harness cutting strongly into the fur.
He washes his hands quickly, spilling some water and only then realizing the dogs need it. Shrugging, he makes a small bowl in the ice and offers some water to the beasts.

 

[Steve Gorak]

Aric readily repeats what Kodiak said to his companions. "Thank you Kodiak, Garret was very brave in saving the big stinky person, the little person, and the horned person. I'm surprised those three didn't come back to help all of you, as well as Garret. Did you notice anything about them that made you think they were bad people?"

OOC: let's wait a bit to see if someone else wants Aric to ask the dogs questions

Turning to his companions, he says "I'd be careful with these three adventurers. They did not come back to help Garret when he was brave and lured the Yeti away. They don't sound like good folk."

 

[domminniti]

Russet

The mountains bring out the worst in folk, and the best in folk. Too early to judge. Have they seen or smelled any sign of the yeti or the other three since?

 

[happylace]

''We don't have enough information to make an informed assessment of their character,'' Alma insists. ''They could have fallen off the mountain or been attacked by another yeti. It would be very easy to die up here if you're in a panic.''

She looks up towards the west, trying to spot any signs of this altercation or of tracks that could give them a direction. But the winds are still wild and the area beyond the light still hard to parse.

(did a perception check if that's okay, but it wasn't very good lol. also disadvantage due to exhaustion)

Spoiler: perception check

Perception check: 1D20+3 = [6]+3 = 9

Spoiler: perception check disadv

Perception check disadv: 1D20+3 = [10]+3 = 13

 

[Quickleaf]

''We don't have enough information to make an informed assessment of their character,'' Alma insists. ''They could have fallen off the mountain or been attacked by another yeti. It would be very easy to die up here if you're in a panic.''

She looks up towards the west, trying to spot any signs of this altercation or of tracks that could give them a direction. But the winds are still wild and the area beyond the light still hard to parse.

(did a perception check if that's okay, but it wasn't very good lol. also disadvantage due to exhaustion)

Spoiler: perception check

Perception check: 1D20+3 = [6]+3 = 9

Spoiler: perception check disadv

Perception check disadv: 1D20+3 = [10]+3 = 13

GM: Oh! I have a house rule for Exhaustion that doesn't involve disadvantage. I find the "doom spiral" of 5e's exhaustion is a bit too punitive. This is in my house rules doc - but don't expect anyone to remember these, so I'll be posting about them as they come up. House Rule: A PC can withstand a number of exhaustion levels equal to their proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier (min 1). Each level of exhaustion fills both an item slot (see ITEM SLOT ENCUMBRANCE) and a Hit Die, and you take a penalty to d20 rolls equal to your total exhaustion level. While exhausted, you cannot spend Hit Dice that are “occupied” by exhaustion levels, nor can you use “occupied” item slots. If you reach your maximum exhaustion levels, you are incapacitated (i.e. no actions or reactions). If you suffer additional exhaustion while incapacitated, roll for SYSTEM SHOCK. Behind the screen, I also have more stuff (special items/places/situations) that can remove exhaustion levels. But since your first roll was 9 (technically 8 cause -1 exhaustion, which is success on an Easy check), you'd just see the mountain goat tracks already mentioned.

 

[Quickleaf]

Aric readily repeats what Kodiak said to his companions. "Thank you Kodiak, Garret was very brave in saving the big stinky person, the little person, and the horned person. I'm surprised those three didn't come back to help all of you, as well as Garret. Did you notice anything about them that made you think they were bad people?"

OOC: let's wait a bit to see if someone else wants Aric to ask the dogs questions

Turning to his companions, he says "I'd be careful with these three adventurers. They did not come back to help Garret when he was brave and lured the Yeti away. They don't sound like good folk."

The dogs circle around you, sniffing at Lumrolur after he cuts them free, rubbing up against others among your party for warmth, pushing between the legs of the taller folks. Kodiak shifts his eyes from the white harengon back to Aric. "<Big stinky person tried to feed me old fish. It tasted bad. The horned person would not touch dogs. I don't think she liked dogs very much. The short person had salty cheeks and made happy mouth sounds when I licked her face.>"

Assuming Aric relays Russet's question to Kodiak, "<Big horned person roars, but he went up the mountain. Dogs have not seen him since attack. Dogs haven't seen Garret's friends since the attack.>" Glancing back at the harengon, Kodiak vocalizes loudly, unable to contain himself any longer, "Harrar trwrr-wrr-chhh? <Does rabbit-person have trout cakes?>"

A few of the dogs whine, "<Geez, Kodiak, shut up about the trout already! For three days, you've been saying nothing but trout...>"