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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nonamazing" data-source="post: 1960071" data-attributes="member: 12118">[Floe] - [SBLOCK]The Dwarves are good hearted--you know this.  But they can be so boring at times.  You've just spent the last hour settled into a blind with three of the Iceshapers' best scouts, solid and dependable Dwarves who also happen to be some of the dullest company you've ever had occasion to spend time with. Oh well.  At least the Strangers are interesting to look at.  Although it would be better to be closer--from this distance you can barely make out anything.  They seem to be leaving their big black ship; or at least some of them are.  And is that a pack of wolves they have with them?  How odd. Ico Iceshaper breaks the silence.  "They'll be coming this way soon."[/SBLOCK] *** It didn't take long to unload your gear.  Voddlegrok wasn't kidding when he said he'd palnned for you to travel light.  Gravan is a little surprised to discover that Quentin isn't going with you--he has a hard time understanding why the scholar would arrange to come all this way and then not leave the ship.  But Voddlegrok says that he has confidence in your party: you'll find the legendary Etevalkairn and bring back word of your discoveries to him.  Privately, you suspect that Voddlegrok is unwilling to leave the relative comfort and safety of the ship, sticking you with the hard work. The sled dog team instantly forms a loyal rapport with Mong, somewhat to her surprise.  They respond very strongly to her, and in moments she has complete control over the group.  Once the dogs are carefully brought onto the ice and the sled lowered overboard, Voddlegrok begins double-checking the gear, making sure everything has been properly stowed, and explaining the uses of the various bits of House Cannith alchemical gear.  The thick scarves you're all wearing make it difficult to hear one another, but keep out both the cold and the horrible smell of the ship. Gravan contrives to have a brief word with you before you go.  "We're well enough off in terms of supplies.  The gnome's got a powder that melts ice real well, so we've plenty of water.  Food supplies are not bad at all.  Since we're here about three weeks before we'd planned to be, and we'd brought enough food for the trip out an' back, we should be okay.  But this ship has had it--she's not going to make it out of here."  Now that you're on the ground, you can see the severe damage to the ship's sides and bottom.  The wood has been heavily warped, and looks pale and brittle.  "She'll hold up fine here, with the ice to support her, but if we start moving into warmer waters...well, she'd be liable to fall apart under our feet.  We need to find another ship.  And it's not like we can just make one out of the ice." *** [Floe] - [SBLOCK]Ico glares at the Strangers, huddled together next to their black ship.  "These are not good people.  These are not the Wandering Ones--Thugrun's plan has failed." "They may not be Dwarves, my brother," says Dawn Iceshaper, Ico's sister,  "but are you so sure that they mean us ill?" "You remember the other Strangers, and the cursed one they left behind. Were it not for them, we would still sit in our ancestral halls.  We would not be outcasts, forced to live among the flighty Uldra to survive." You can't help but take a little offense at that last statement.  Yeah, maybe your people don't take things as seriously as the Dwarves do, but flighty?  That's stetching it a bit. The brother and sister keep arguing quietly before coming to a decision.  Ico waves you over, while his sister sulks in the corner.  "Glitterice.  We are not ready to be seen.  The secrets of our people must remain quiet until we know the intentions of these strangers.  If one among them is like the one that helped steal our home...then we must do our best to avoid them." Dawn interrupts her brother.  "But although we cannot meet them directly, you can.  Even stubborn Ico recognizes your wisdom.  If you will meet with the Strangers, learn of their intentions, we will trust your judgement." "Yes," Ico whispers, "we will listen to what you have to say.  So will you go, and meet them on our behalf, keeping the existence of our people a secret until we are ready to reveal ourselves?" You have to admit that the prospect seems interesting.  And, you realize, you don't have too much of a choice--if you don't meet with the Strangers, then they will eventually leave, and with them any chance the Dwarves might have of getting help (which means they'll be living in your village for a very long time).[/SBLOCK] *** Quentin suggests heading about two miles inland--which would take you off of the ice shelf--before setting up your base camp.  The going is fairly easy--you're all bundled up well, and despite the wind, it doesn't drop much below freezing.  The sky is grey, however, warning of storms to come. You're about a half a mile away from the ship when a bizarre, impossible sight stops you in your tracks: a small child, oddly blue-skinned, walking purposefully in your direction.  But didn't the previous explorers say there were no people living this far north?  How can there be a little girl, here, in the depths of the ice?A quick note on languages--the Common spoke on the Frostfell is a trading language that is used to communicate between the three intelligent races that live on the ice: the Frost Elves, the Glacier Dwarves, and the Uldra.  As such, it bears little relation to the 'Common' spoken on the mainland, so the explorers will not be able to understand Floe's 'Common'.  Some of the explorers may be able to understand some of Floe's other languages, however.[Ferrix] -  [SPOILER]I hope the introduction of your character doesn't come off as awkward or forced.  She should segue easily into the story now.  By the way, there was a brief spoiler over the in OOC forum containing a bit of background information--recent events in the Frostfell that Floe would know about.  You may want to look over that again to refresh your memory, if you haven't already.  And if you have any questions, about anything, let me know.[/SPOILER][Mong] - [SPOILER](Handle Animal: roll 20 +6=26) The swift magebred hounds have fallen in love with you, and are completely and utterly loyal.[/SPOILER]Here's a complete list of everything Voddlegrok has provided for you (all the gear is stowed on the sled, and the dogs are pulling the sled--you guys are walking):[SBLOCK]6 magebred sled dogs1 wide-ruddered ice sled2 alchemically treated portable huts (one for the party and one for the dogs)20 heavy winter blanketsice fishing gear (w/h saw)empty weatherproof chest (for storing any fragile artifacts you may find)1 everburning lantern20 flasks of oil3 10-foot wooden polesice climbing gear (spikes, hammer, crampons, etc.)400 feet of silk rope, in 4 50 foot coils and 2 100 foot coils10 sunrods5 extra heavy winter outfits (one for each of you)10 medium sacks of dried feed (enough to keep the dogs fed for thirty days)5 pairs of snowshoes + 1 spare5 sets of skis w/h poles +1 spare set5 pairs of snow goggles +1 spare set3 jars of frostbite salve5 sticks of ice chalk (different colors)50 vials of melt powder (each melts up to 1 cubic foot of ice--providing water)[/SBLOCK]</blockquote>

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