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Message: <blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 727923" data-attributes="member: 96">Session Twenty-One, Part Two: Reflections on a MountainsideIcy winds wrapped around them, stealing under their crude cloaks.  It leached the heat from their bodies as they moved along the ridge in near-darkness, trusting more to instinct and blind luck than they did to vision.One stumbled, to be caught by another, and a wordless decision seemed to be made.  They huddled as best they could in the lee of a stone outcropping.  Food as cold as they were was passed around - there were no materials for a fire here, even if the wind would let one be built.One chewed resignedly as a spray of ice caught her in the face.  She sighed.  "I should have walked to Freeport."<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Where did it all go wrong?  Di'Fier looked at Shesara.  Of all of them, the slender bard was the worst off.  Her hands were cold and blue, and she barely had strength to chew the dried venison that served as their primary ration.  Di'Fier reached inside his shirt, where he'd placed some of the meat to warm its stiffness away.  "Shesara.  You've got to eat."The blonde elf nodded, taking the meat weakly, and trying to bite a piece from it. Her jaw shivered so much that her teeth couldn't get a decent grip.The wizard pulled his cloak closer around him, feeling its edges stiffened by the frost.  This isn't how I thought it would go...<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />It had all started so well.  They had set out from Tanaroa, a joyous escort following them, full of pride and hope that they would reach the City of the Gods.  After all, they were the great and invulnerable heros of the seven villages - slayers of dragons, defeaters of the undead, bingers of freedom.They had trekked through the jungles for almost two weeks, watching the terrain become hillier, rockier, and finally emerging at the base of the mountains that dominated the central part of the island..."We'll need warmer clothing," Benares said.  "Something warm and heavy, to keep the wind off.""Even the damn mountains are big here," Dru growled.  "Okay, Benares...ask the Tanaroans to bring us some hunters.  We'll see if we can get some furs."The scholar nodded, and spoke with one of the Tanaroans.  "He wants to know what kind of animal you want to hunt.""I don't know.  A bear or something."<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />'A bear or something.'  What in all the hells was I thinking? Dru dove left as three tons of enraged ursine charged towards her.  One of her arrows jutted outward from its muzzle, and the fur was flattened and scorched from the bursts of arcane energy that Di'Fier had sent at it.  She pulled another arrow and launched it at the beast, but it bounced harmlessly from the thick hide.The bear continued on past her, slamming itself into Di'Fier.  The mage stumbled, twisted away from the grasping paw, and brought his sword around in a glittering arc that glanced off of the creature's thick fur, leaving it unharmed.Dru flung her bow to the side, pulling her blade from its battered scabbard, and leaping forward while the bear was distracted by Di'Fier.  No way I'll reach the heart, not from here, she thought.  But the legs... She thrust, twisted, and was rewarded by a gout of blood from the bear's femoral artery.  The bear stopped concerning itself with Di'Fier, and twisted around with surprising agility.  One massive paw raised, descended.  Dru tried to dodge, but it connected with stunning force, sending her reeling into the second blow.  Her vision dimmed for a moment, and then the pain began as the bear sank its teeth into her shoulder.  She felt herself lifted into the air - and then dropped, as the bear bellowed in pain and rage.She heard Di'Fier's cry: "Use a potion!" as she struggled to her feet.  Wisps of vapor rose from his bloodied sword as the frost he had channeled through it sublimated in the heat. He thrust forward, and the bear roared again in pain."No time for that," Dru muttered as she dove forward, stabbing again.  Maybe if we can keep this thing switching targets long enough, we can whittle it down... A clublike paw conencted with her, knocking her asprawl. Or not...She rolled to her feet even as the bear knocked Di'Fier to the ground, descending on top of him like an avalanche of fur and flesh.  The rocky ground slipped under her feet as she launched herself towards it.  The broad head turned to see her coming, but it was too late.<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> Di'Fier fingered the stiffening bearskin as he remembered. When he opened his eyes, he was looking at his partner."Shesara can't go on," she stated without preamble. "And Benares, he's not complaining, but he's not doing so well either.""Maybe we should get up, keep moving?""I don't think they're strong enough.  We need to get out of this wind, or none of us are going to survive...""...sorry..." said a voice.Dru and Di'Fier turned.  Shesara rocked back and forth, shivering, the tracks of her tears threatening to crystallize on her face."...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." she repeated to herself."There's a spell that makes a shelter, but I never learned it," said Di'Fier.  "I'm not sure what we can do..."Dru seemed to deflate, and she nodded. "At least the Tanaroans are safe.  If they can make it back across that bridge..."<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> "I hope we can make it across this bridge," Di'Fier said, eyeing the span critically.  "That's a long ways to go, and it's not all that wide.""You'd think the gods would have invented railings," Dru muttered under her breath."Did we bring rope? All right.  Let's tie everyone together - that way if someone falls, the others can catch them." Di'Fier took the end of one of the lines and began lashing it to his own waist.  "We'll just take it slow and easy, and there won't be a problem."They inched out across the massive stone archway in single file, not daring to move close to the edge.  The wind grabbed at the fur cloaks they had carved from the bear's hide, tugging playfully in a deadly game of follow-the-leader.Dru rested a hand on Di'Fier's shoulder. "Look."Above them, birdlike shapes wheeled.  Di'Fier squinted. "At least they're not that giant bird, but...""Here they come!  Everyone be ready!"The creatures were more like dragons than birds, Di'Fier reflected as his magic missiles sent one of them spiralling downward. No feathers, a long bony crest on the back of the head...The strange reptiles glided through the hail of javelins from the Tanaroans, their beaks snatching at the villagers, then dropping them in confusion when they were not easily carried off.  They banked under the bridge, gaining altitude again on the other side.If only I knew how to cast a fly spell... Di'Fier thought to himself.  I...but then again, I can summon things that can!  He shifted his blade to the other hand and rummaged in his component pouch. The crude candle he withdrew was little more than beeswax wrapepd around a bit of string, but he hoped it would be close enough for the purposes of the spell.  He called out the incantation.Three eagles appeared in a dazzling array of light, and the fight for the skies began.<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Di'Fier smiled as he thought about the eagles, stooping bravely down against the larger flyers, but he was jerked back to reality by a whimper from Shesara.  I've got to think...the spell to resist the elements won't last the night, and it'd only protect one of us besides.  I don't think a web would be very warm.  We've got to get out of this wind.  If only there were a cave or something..."Dru," he croaked through frozen lips.  "Get the others up. Get them ready to move."She looked up at him dully.  "They can't keep going, Di'Fier.""Not far. Just into the cave.""There's no cave, Di'Fier.""No." He grinned, feeling his chapped lips split open as he did.  "Not yet."<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The mage held his hands near the rockface.  He could already feel the warmth working its way through it."D-d-d-di'Fier, mow much longer?" Dru asked.  Shesara leaned against her, almost unconscious, and Benares stood huddled miserably nearby."It's here," the mage answered.Even as he spoke, the side of the cliff began to glow, and slump.  Heat washed over them in a welcome wave, and they moved closer to the glowing wormlike creature."D-d-didn't think I'd ever be warm again," muttered Benares."I'm going to send it back in to widen the tunnel," Di'Fier said.  "We'll have to wait until the rock cools enough for us to go in, but we'll be warm, and out of the wind, and we can rest.</blockquote>

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