(IC) Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden

[happylace]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

The priestess of Auril raises both of her brows with keen interest when Alma mentions being a diviner, "Ostergaard... Hmm. Your name seems familiar. The northern star of Mystra's Circle, some call it the brow star, has always been the goddess' favored light in the night sky. An unwavering, unchanging light pointing the way to the North." As she speaks, Jelenneth circles you both, nodding demurely to Zeth, her fingers tracing dangerously close to Alma's hair as if she wants to touch it. "The Frostmaiden has blessed you with snowy hair. Such lovely locks..."

Seeming to catch herself indulging in too much passion, the priestess resumes a cooler demeanor, glancing towards the handful of followers whispering around the dry ice. "Do you know the story of the Ice Snake, Alma Ostergaard? It is the southernmost constellation, stretching across the night sky like the Spine of World bound Icewind Dale from the south. A white wyrm who Auril rode across the skies, Auroth the Ice Snake, was struck down by gods jealous of Auril claiming the wyrm's beauty. Its body became the mountains," she gestures toward the south, "but its soul eternal rose to the heavens and became stars."

With a coy glance to the both of you, Jelenneth returns to standing in front of you, a lilt to her singsong voice, "But surely you came for more than a discussion of astronomy?"

GM: Jelennth Insight check: 1D20+4 = [11]+4 = 15 Jelennth is trying to discern if you have ulterior motives in seeking out the temple. Either choose your next words carefully, or beat her Insight roll >15 in your next post.

Alma's eyes follow Jelenneth's movements. Her head turns slowly, watching her circle them. More curious than outright intimidated. The comment about her hair conjures an amused upward quirk of her lips. The whole interaction is intriguing, but not as much as the story of the Ice Snake.

''I've heard some of the tale before. It was said to have sacrificed itself for the master it loved,'' Alma recalls. ''And that some pray to certain stars within its constellation for guidance and prophecy. Tell me, do you know of any connection with Jassa's Dagger?''

She tilts her head, ''I take my research very seriously. And you are clearly the best source of information.''

Spoiler: deception if necessary

Deception check: 1D20+5 = [17]+5 = 22

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST @Neurotic @tglassy @Aethmud

The Northlook (card game)

From his position in a corner, the "halfling" Lumrolur has a direct line of sight to the gambling table, catching bits of conversation. However, at the mention of white dragons, one of the actual drunks turns around, trying to get Rudolf's attention, though the mercenary shrugs the man off. Muttering about the "white wyrm of the north, moving alike th' snow drifts, I tell ya," the drunkard swings his head back to nursing a cheap ale.

Rudolf draws a White Dragon (4), giving him an allied flight of evil dragons. With a wry grin, he scratches his beard, surveying the other players, "The winter winds may bite... for the rest of you. That pot has my name on it."

Arnholt silently plays a Green Dragon (6), realizing glumly that he holds a weak hand compared to Ottar who fields a Red Dragon (6). "Hah!" cries Ottar, "My Bahamut kept in reserve will soon wreck devastation upon the evil dragon goddess."

Momentarily stymied by Mak's destruction of his Tiamat, Thidrik turns over his replacement for that card – a Red Dragon (10)! His draw for that round is also an evil dragon – a Red Dragon (3). "Alas, Rudolf, you spoke to soon. My allied flight soars on wings of fire!"

Osvic has his fingers crossed for a chance to get back at Jack, but instead draws a Tiamat! Chuckling, he looks at the cards in play, "Five Tiamats! There is only one more left in the deck. I wonder which one of us my cousin Ottar will attack with his Bahamut, Jack?"

Then, in a stunning reversal, one after the other, both Sodt and then Johun play Bahamut cards! Peals of laughter boom from the mercenaries. There is only one more Bahamut in the deck as well, making the end of this third round sure to be extra bloody.

Johun winces as Jack steals his Tiamat. "I will remember that Everfrost fairy!" He taps his new Bahamut card with pride.

Each man antes up the silver equal to the strength of his card, bringing the pot to a soaring 164 silver pieces.

But now the special powers of each dragon must be accounted for...

Evil dragon cards steal half their strength (rounded up) from the pot. Thus, Rudolf steals 2, Arnholt steals 3, Ottar also steals 3, and Thidrik steals 2 (replacement cards not affecting the the pot).

Next, players with good dragons each choose one player with evil dragons in their flight to attack – in this final round only Mak has a gold dragon 7 (OOC: @tglassy choose a player who must give 4 silvers to the pot).

The pot currently rests at 154 silver pieces. Then, comes the carnage...

GM: I'll post the attacks from all the Bahamuts in a second post. This one was a lot of rolls! round 3 cards for Thidrik, Ottar, Osvic, Arnholt, Rudolf, Sodt, and John: 1D12 = [11] = 11 1D12 = [11] = 11 1D12 = [1] = 1 1D12 = [7] = 7 1D12 = [3] = 3 1D12 = [12] = 12 1D12 = [12] = 12 strength for Thidrik and Ottar red dragons: 1D12 = [3] = 3 1D12 = [6] = 6 strength for Arnholt green: 1D8 = [6] = 6 strength for Rudolf white: 1D4 = [4] = 4 strength for Thidrik red dragon replacing tiamat: 1D12 = [10] = 10

 

[tglassy]

I guess I’ll attack Thidrik.

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

Jelenneth, priestess of Auril, seems to buy your sincerity as a scholar hook, line, and sinker. "Yes, Auroth made a sacrifice, no less than Auril demands of us." Pausing, she folds her arms over her chest, watching followers in the back working on carving a chunk of ice that has been positioned in front of the statue of Torm. "Jassa's Dagger? It is the brightest constellation visible during Simril, the Midwinter festival, when we turn to the clear winter skies to gaze upon the stars of our births, or those of our ancestors," but then her eyes darken like a tempest, "It also aims for the head of Auroth, and so it is a double-edged sign. Look to it for guidance, but also stay wary for its betrayal. But it is a very old constellation from empires past... I do not know its legend."

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST @Neurotic @tglassy @Aethmud

The Northlook (card game)

Thidrik Steingrimmson grimaces at Mak's gold dragon attack, chuckling ruefully, "I have little left in my hoard – looks like I've paid for the winner's drinks for many a long night! Ah... three Bahamuts in play, and two Tiamats. Looks like we'll go around the table..."

Ottar briefly struggles with some math, comparing the overall strength of his flight to the other players. "I am just ahead of Mak, so I'll stay my hand. My Bahamut does not attack..."

Shaking his head, Sodt tosses his Bahamut card at Osvic, "My chances are slim, but it must be done. My Bahamut takes your Tiamat, dear Osvic!"

With a wicked chuckle, Johun wags his finger at Jack, "Well, fairy, I told you you'd rue the day you stole my queen, and now my Bahamut takes the heads of your Tiamat!"

Osvic plays his replacement Red Dragon (4), while Johun plays his replacement Gold Dragon (10).

But Sodt plays the Wild Mage, letting him draw a card at random instead of replacing his Bahamut with a gold – he plays a Red Dragon (6).

With silver cast into the pot for all the replacement cards, and withdrawn for the new evil dragon cards, Johun advances his gold dragon on Thidrik, "Oh great leader, I cannot help but join in the wing attacking you..."

"I'll remember that when our pay comes due," quips Thidrik.

The pot rests at 185 silver pieces. Though the mercenaries are jovial, greedy eyes flit to the pile of silver before shifting to Jack's final play...

Spoiler: Evaluating flights to conclude the game

Dragon Flights: At the end of the gambit (game), evaluate each player's flights with the following criteria in the following order:

1. God Flight: A player that rolled a dragon god at the start of EACH of their three turns may take 1/2 of the pot's Silver Pieces (rounded down) and add it to their "hoard." Those dragon god cards are not necessarily required to still be in the player's flight.
2. Triplet Flight: A player with 3 dragons of the same Strength in their flight gains a reward from ALL opponents. The player chooses one the player with Silver Pieces equal to 1 of those dragon‘s strength from all opponents. If an opponent does not have enough gold, they pay what they have until they are out of gold, and owe a debt to the player for the remaining gold amount.
3. Allied Flight: 3 dragons of the same Alignment in a flight rewards a player the strongest dragon's Strength worth of Silver Pieces from the pot. If the full amount of silver is not available, the player takes as much as they can.
4. Leader Flight: Add the strength of all dragons in each player’s dragon flight together. The player with the strongest dragon flight (or weakest if Tiamat is in play) is the leader and wins the remaining pot.

GM: @Aethmud the last play is yours – you get a replacement red dragon for your destroyed Tiamat, rolling 1d12 for the red dragon's strength, unless you have something else up your sleeve. strength for Osvic replacement red dragon: 1D12 = [4] = 4 strength for Johun replacement gold dragon: 1D12 = [10] = 10 Sodt new card for playing the Wild Mage: 1D12 = [11] = 11 strength for Sodt red dragon: 1D12 = [6] = 6

 

[happylace]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

Jelenneth, priestess of Auril, seems to buy your sincerity as a scholar hook, line, and sinker. "Yes, Auroth made a sacrifice, no less than Auril demands of us." Pausing, she folds her arms over her chest, watching followers in the back working on carving a chunk of ice that has been positioned in front of the statue of Torm. "Jassa's Dagger? It is the brightest constellation visible during Simril, the Midwinter festival, when we turn to the clear winter skies to gaze upon the stars of our births, or those of our ancestors," but then her eyes darken like a tempest, "It also aims for the head of Auroth, and so it is a double-edged sign. Look to it for guidance, but also stay wary for its betrayal. But it is a very old constellation from empires past... I do not know its legend."

''I know that it is sometimes associated with ambition and revenge. Those born under it are said to be possessed of great potential and passion, but also don't take slights lightly. Does this translate to any known doctrine of the Frostmaiden?'' Alma asks. She holds her tongue on explaining any more of the constellation's history. She wants to keep them focused.

She follows Jelenneth's gaze. She watches the other acolytes work, carving shapes from blocks of ice. Her eyes wander up the length of Torm's statue. There. An opening.

''That doesn't look like any depiction of Auril I'm familiar with. Is this space being repurposed?''

 

[tglassy]

Bah. So close.

 

[Quickleaf]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

At this question, the fiery-eyed priestess arches her brow. That got her attention, and she carefully reevaluates Alma and Zeth who has remained silent. She waits, addressing Alma's question about the statuary, "One morally blind leads a literally blind deity and a maimed deity. The Triad?" With a sneer and a snort, Jelenneth glances back toward Alma, "Hardly a symbol of strength. We are sculpting a worthy representation of the Frostmaiden to replace these tired demigods..."

After a pause, Jelenneth doubles back to your question. "My goddess is a cold goddess," she says with a thin patronizing smile, "passion and vengeance are close kin, and have little place in our faith. But surely one who takes a slight lightly only invites the slight to be repeated? Sometimes an example must be made...or would you disagree?"

Here, she turns and looks straight at Zeth with a questioning brow, denying him the cloak of Alma Ostergaard's deception.

 

[Aethmud]

Spoiler: Card draw

Jack draws a Red dragon 7 to replace his destroyed Tiamat card.

"Ah, one mustn't grumble at the whims of fate!" Jack exclaims as he draws a Red Dragon (7) to replace his vanquished Tiamat.

With a swift movement, he plucks four shiny silver pieces back from the pot, grinning at his companions. "After all, not every defeat is a loss. Sometimes it's just an opportunity to reassess one's strategies and... lighten the load!" he adds, jingling the coins in his hand with a mischievous chuckle.

Jack turns his attention to Ottar, clapping his hands together and tipping an imaginary hat. "And Ottar, my friend, that's quite the hand you've got there! Your Bahamut is truly a sight to behold. A fine testament to your strategic prowess, no doubt."

Next, he nods approvingly at Thidrik, his eyes twinkling in the candlelight. "Ah, Thidrik! A leader in every sense of the word, and not just on the battlefield. You certainly know how to pick your dragons! My congratulations on your skillful play."

He sweeps an arm out towards the pot, still full of silver, and the table of fellow gamblers. "A toast to the winners! To the triumph of both luck and strategy, and to the thrill of the game that brings us all together!" Jack raises his mug, his smile wide and his eyes sparkling.

 

[Necropolitan]

GM POST @happylace @Necropolitan

House of the Triad (occupied by Cult of Auril)

At this question, the fiery-eyed priestess arches her brow. That got her attention, and she carefully reevaluates Alma and Zeth who has remained silent. She waits, addressing Alma's question about the statuary, "One morally blind leads a literally blind deity and a maimed deity. The Triad?" With a sneer and a snort, Jelenneth glances back toward Alma, "Hardly a symbol of strength. We are sculpting a worthy representation of the Frostmaiden to replace these tired demigods..."

After a pause, Jelenneth doubles back to your question. "My goddess is a cold goddess," she says with a thin patronizing smile, "passion and vengeance are close kin, and have little place in our faith. But surely one who takes a slight lightly only invites the slight to be repeated? Sometimes an example must be made...or would you disagree?"

Here, she turns and looks straight at Zeth with a questioning brow, denying him the cloak of Alma Ostergaard's deception.

Zeth doesn't know if it's exhaustion or the emotions he's been bottling up for so long finally being released, but he begins speaking.

It's all he can do to phrase it politely and omit a few particularly damning details, it's like the words need to come out.

"Trust me when I say I know the power of your goddess's domain personally. I arrived in this village today. Before that I was on a ship that became frozen in the ice. Of those who set out from there to reach civilization, I'm the sole survivor. All my crewmates perished in the cold."

He isn't even looking at the priestess anymore, he's gazing into the past. He speaks dispassionately but his teeth chatter unconsciously.

"The only difference between day and night was the light, but the cold was constant. The others kept dying, they'd fall and not get up or not wake up the next day or go mad and run away from the group. I kept going. I was the only one with the fortitude and will to survive, I did what I had to do and didn't let it break me. Even with that I would have died if I hadn't found this town, I don't know if that was luck or fate."

He gives a humorless chuckle.

"Or your goddess's will maybe. After all, she values stoicism, pragmatism, and cruelty and I needed all three to make it through the cold."

Zeth catches himself and tries to use what he's said to get information before he gives more away.

"I might be wrong though. About being the sole survivor. I've heard rumors of another sailor from the ship, Sephek Kaltro. From what I've heard he either survived a plunge into the icy water before it froze over the ship completely. Or he didn't survive and walks the world regardless."

He steadies his breathing.

"He was not a religious man in life, but I've seen many who find faith after near-death. Or after it. I need to know this. If he's living or undead I need to find him, whatever comes next I need to find him to make a clean break from the past. So if you can tell me anything, about him or what he may have become, do so. I'll keep searching regardless, because I know no matter what he is he's not stronger than me."

Zeth stares into the priestess's eyes unblinkingly.

(OOC: Persuasion 1d20+5 with Advantage = 16+5 and 9+5, so 16+5 = 21)