Frozen Whispers (adventure)

Slyfen and Hardin sneak around to the front of the building, while Belisha and Rufus quietly move up with the rest of the group. Slyfen spends a moment examining the door for traps. Finding none, he gestures to Eolan that it is safe to proceed.

The party gets in a formation around Eolaon, and the knight slowly pushes open the door. As the door creaks open loudly, you see a shocking sight before you.

Crouched in the northeast corner of the room is a large undead creature, scratching at a door there. Startled by the creaking door, it turns and looks at you. As it stands to face you, you see that it is a full 8 feet tall. Its claw-like fingers are at least two feet long. Worse, the slender, knife-sharp claws contract and extend in length from moment to moment, sometimes instantly reaching a length of 10 or more feet, before contracting.



OOC Notes:

Initiative order
Slyfen 20 + 7 = 27
Eolan 19 + 5 = 24
Boneclaw 12 + 8 = 20
Belisha 12 + 2 = 14
Hardin 12 – 1 = 11
Rufus 5 + 3 = 8

This is likely to be a challenging encounter. Let’s take the first round person-by-person. Slyfen, you’re first up.

The squares with white triangles in them are considered difficult terrain, due to the smashed up furniture pieces in them. They provide no cover.

Slyfen, the shutters have been nailed over with lumber from the smashed furniture. There would be no way to open them from the outside without taking a lot of time and making a lot of noise.

Slyfen curses quietly and moves behind and to the left of Eolan before letting fly an arrow from his bow at the creature.

Round 1

The elf reacts to the situation with lightning speed. He spins to the rear and left of the knight, drawing his bow as he goes, and lets an arrow fly screaming over Eolan’s shoulder. The barb flies true and strikes the massive creature in the right thigh.



OOC Notes:

Slyfen
Moves 10’
Longbow hits (FF AC with cover 16, Atk roll 20 + 6 = 26)
2 hp damage (Dmg roll [1d8] 7 hp, DR 5)
Boneclaw reduced to

Spoiler

103

hp

Eolan, you’re up next.

Glancing to Slyfen, Eolan gives him a mailed "thumbs-up" and moves into the room [North, Northeast] and stops. Readying his next action, the knight prepares himself to swing at the creature if it comes within range of his bastard sword.

Eolan steels himself and steps into the room with the vile beast. Seeing its impressive reach, he is careful not to get too close. Instead, he clears the door and raises his sword, preparing to strike the thing if it gets close enough on its own.

The monster finally reacts to the presence of the party, moving forward toward the front door. As it comes, it raises a freakish claw, and in an instant a bony protrusion streaks out across the room, piercing Eolan’s chain shirt and shield, skewering him neatly. A moment later, the claw retracts, now slick with the knight’s blood.



OOC Notes:

Eolan
Moves 10’
Readies an attack against the boneclaw, should it move within range

Boneclaw
Moves 10’
Piercing claw with Power Attack hits (AC 18, Atk roll 13 + 7 = 20)
11 hp damage (Dmg roll [2d6+7] 3 + 1 + 7 = 11 hp)
Eolan reduced to 16 hp

Belisha, you’re up next.

"What manner of beast is this? Eolan come back! Keep it at the doorway!" she shouts.
Belisha starts casting a Summon Monster II to call a Celestial Giant Bombardier Beetle behind the creature.

OOC Notes:

Belisha
begins to cast summon monster II as a full-round action
can choose placement right before your turn next round

Hardin, you're up.

Hardin steps forward into the doorway, speaking in celestial as he does, the words rolling off his tongue. As he finishes, a glowing warhammer springs into existence in front of the ravening beast and swings at it.

OOC: Casts spiritual weapon, targeted at the boneclaw (force attack should help against DR). Attacks at +5 (+3 caster level, +2 wis), dealing 1d8 force damage for three rounds. After casting, move E, N, W to get on the other side of the door from Eolan.

This is going to hurt, I get the feeling.

Hardin sends Moradin’s glowing warhammer at the beast to do a little battering. Unfortunately, the monster sees it coming and is able to dodge its first attack.

Ignoring Belisha’s warning, Hardin then moves into the lodge. To everyone’s astonishment, the skeletal humanoid raises an arm and violently extends another bony claw, narrowly missing the cleric. The implications of the creature’s surprisingly great reach and lightning reflexes begin to form in the party members’ minds…



OOC Notes:

Hardin
Casts spiritual weapon
Attacks at +4 (BAB + Wis mod) for 1d8+1
Spiritual warhammer misses (AC 16, Atk roll 3 + 4 = 7)
Moves 15’ provoking AoO from boneclaw (it has a reach of 20’)
Piercing claw with Power Attack misses (AC 18, Atk roll 10 + 7 = 17)

Rufus
Continues to perform Guard [Belisha]

Just a note: Don’t feel constrained by the map—you can always move out of the lodge at this point. We can easily go to the map of the clearing or a combo of both maps.

OK, I’d like to stay person-by-person for now, if it’s okay with everyone, so let’s have Slyfen again.

Slyfen calls out in support of Belisha, "Yes, draw it outside, we need to use our advantages."

He steps back 5' diagonally away from the creature, pulls out an oil of magic weapon, and applies it to his bow.