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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tecklenburg" data-source="post: 6669949" data-attributes="member: 6781356">With the freezing cold, the bitter wind, and the sun-obscuring clouds closing in on us all, I pick myself up from the snowy ground that I find myself holding onto after things truly went to hell.  I say a few arcane words and touch the blade of my fine elven steel.[sblock]Cast a Spell (Int) Light4, 4 + 3 = 11An item you touch glows with arcane light, about as bright as a torch. It gives off no heat or sound and requires no fuel, but it is otherwise like a mundane torch. You have complete control of the color of the flame. The spell lasts as long as it is in your presence.[/sblock]With the glow of my sword being an obvious beacon and a source of light for everyone to follow, I move with purpose to the three men on the ground and the boy behind them.  I quickly reach my hand out to each of the three men to help them to their feet.I give each of them a firm nod after I pull them to their feet.  With a caring, friendly tone, I simply say "...that thing that you saw...that is coming for all of us.  You must get your people off this mountain and to safety."After I've picked the last of them up, my stride moves more aggressively to the boy who is picking himself up off the ground.  I'm going to grab him by his heavy cloak and tear the Far Realm motif clasp from it, throw it to the ground and stamp on it hard.  I take a fistful of cloak and pull him off his feet face to face with me.  Does he resist?I scrunch my nose at him and look at him with poison in my eyes.  I turn and drag him to the two dead hunters that Saerie and I were forced to slay.  I shout in his face.  "Get a good look at them!  YOU did this.  YOU.  I spared your life and you repay that gift with the blood of innocent men.  No doubt there are children in this clan that are now fatherless!"I toss him to the ground and point to where the portal was. "That thing you saw on the other side of the tear in our world.  That is YOUR GOD, young man.  A corrupter of all things beautiful.  Indifferent to notions of justice, heroism, innocence.  Ranyon Argoth filled your head with destructive lies and you have too few years and not enough backbone to have realized it."I pick him up to his feet while the men look on.  My voice is back to a normal volume and cadence.  "Your youth has now earned you two reprieves.  You will not get a third.  You best make good use of this final pardon.  Help get these people off this mountain."I give him a hearty shove on the back toward the left cave where all the people of the clans are.  Hopefully there is a way to access the middle cave there and we don't have to dig out the avalanche.  I turn to Three Bird.  "We need to get everyone out of this cold and quick.  Can you and the barbarian men convince and organize the clans to start an emergency withdrawal from the mountain?  Saerie and I will free the slaves, find the refugees, salvage what we can, and speak to the boy.  Your wife said Ranyon Argoth took him with him when he was last seen at the tower.  The boy will know something of value, I think."I clasp his hand and wrist.  "Thank you for this."As I turn to Saerie, a shiver settles over my body as my boiling blood cools after my anger at the boy has worn off.  I can feel the weakness of the Sahuagin bite still possesses me.  I pull my cloaks cowl over my head and wrap myself tight.  "Let us get to that cave," I say as I nod toward the near right opening into the mountain and start trotting in that direction.[sblock]Defy Danger (Con)3, 6 + 1 (-1 ongoing) = 9Success but a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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