D&D 5E The Rhyot Break - Chapter One: Endless White

[daindarkspring]

Zemryn's head turned as the conflict between Gimlak and Faenala began to escalate. Finished with healing Bria, she spun slowly around, her hands dropping down to the pommels of her two shortswords.

Atemi, forgive us for this folly. We are like starving bears, lashing out at whatever lies before us. Our differing ideals may prove a greater foe than the Korrud...

<Initiative roll: 17+3=20>

 

[Steve Gorak]

Seeing that the situation could quickly degenerate, Gimlak temporarily stands down. Talking to Faenala, he says: "What will you have us do? Will you untie them and guarantee us that they will not attack? If you have that power, I invite you to proceed"
Gimlak patiently waits to see what the woman does.

Edit: note that Gimlak's crossbow is loaded. He is not aiming it a the wolves anymore, but is ready to act if any of them attempts to bite Faenala, if she approaches them to set them free.

 

[Imladir]

Faenala's eyes were blazing, but still, she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned towards the wolves, and approached the two Gimlak had killed. She put her right hand on the forehead of one of them, sighing, head low. After a few seconds, she dipped a finger into the beast's blood and drew a small symbol on its forehead, doing the same with the second one after that.

Then, she looked at the living wolves and approached to get them free, her left hand opened in front of them, to show that she didn't want to hurt them. Hopefully, the Korrud hadn't bred their beasts to be stupid, and they'd recognize she was the only reason they were still alive.

OOC: Animal Handling: 1D20 = [13] = 13

 

[daindarkspring]

Zemryn continued to watch. And prepare to intervene if necessary.

 

[97mg]

From the seven remaining wolves, a variety of reactions erupt as two of their kind are put down. A few attempt to step backwards, whimpering at the plight of their kin. Others stand unchanged, probably better trained, and stand in the cold panting, ready to serve. Others still, begin to bare teeth and snarl snapping at the icy morning air through sharp and angry teeth.

But unlike their humanoid temporary companions, even restrained and tied in servitude, these animals have a leader, a pack instinct still ingrained. All looking much the same, it is hard to know which of them is considered alpha, perhaps it too... is uncertain of their fate. But not for long.

Attached to the front of the sled that holds six of these beasts, one wolf devoid of emotion stares at Faenala emptily as she moves forward, then lurching forward and snapping at her!

They growl then. All of them...

From behind the tensity of the front line, Bria calls out.

"Stop this! Let them be! They are no threat to us once we climb these slopes! Best we do it before they change their mind!"

[sblock=Map]

I'm assuming the two wolves already killed were attached to the third sled, which has been omitted from map.​

[/sblock]

[sblock=Notes]Done some rolls for this in the OOC thread. I think we need an initiative roll from Faenala at this point, and Gimlak too. If Faenala wants to make another animal handing check, with Zem helping to calm them down, you can have advantage on the roll.

Should melee break out, you have advantage on to-hit rolls as the wolves are tied together.

Zemryn = 20
Wolves = 19
Gimlak & Faenala = ?

Wolf Init: 1D20+2 = [17]+2 = 19
[/sblock]

 

[daindarkspring]

Zemryn gnashed her teeth in frustration as the lead wolf snapped at Faenala's attempt of pacification. The woman seemed as intent on seeing the wolves set free as Gimlak was on slaying them.

"Goddess above! If you two could climb as well as you linger, we would be halfway to freedom already! Heed our benefactor and make haste while our souls still cling to our spines! Let the wolves sort out their own damnable destiny!"

Whether Zemryn truly understood Gimlak and Faenala's intentions or whether she was just frustrated with the interruption and spoke hastily, she jumped into action regardless. Being near Faenala, she pulled the woman by her ragged furs, towards the rocky slope. She made sure to put her own body between herself and the wolves.

"Gimlak! Save your bolts for the Korrud!"

 

[Steve Gorak]

Gimlak is amazed by the reaction of some of his companions. However, he respects Bria's wishes, puts the xbow on his back and heads towards the cliff.

OOC: if he is able to shoot the head wolf from his readied action that snapped at Fae, he will do so. If not, he will proceed towards the cliff

 

[97mg]

The wolf that angrily snapped at Faenala's hand, whimpers and whines as he falls to Gimlak's shot. The rest of the hairy beasts behind him begin to growl and howl. Definitely time to get out of here!

Clambering up the dark stone of exposed boulders and tors, like black teeth set within flesh of white, Bria looks downwards. Finally, her companions are coming. She points ahead, further up the jig-jagged slope to a great black stone with a dense and shadow-filled overhang.

"I think we can rest there. Not far to go now!"

 

[Steve Gorak]

Gimlak looks back, to make sure the wolves dindn't follow. He didn't like to leave unfinished business behind, but respected Bria's wishes.

He sits down at her signal, and takes a deep breath. He reflected that this was the first breath he took as a free man, while resting. He liked it. Looking at the makeshift bag with the decapitated heads, he continued his reflection: I will need to fill many bags to fix the world of the Korrund. This, he swore to himself, he would do.

Turning his head towards Bria, he asks the elf: "Where are you guiding us?"

 

[97mg]

​

There was a clear view from beneath the shadows of a twisted dark tor. The night's storm was all but gone, morning's light almost brilliant as it penetrated the sea of white which stretched off into the distance. The wolves it seemed, after some snarling and protest, had wandered off, probably to gnaw at their restraints to once again determine an alpha and subsist as a pack.

The climb hadn't been easy, an impossibility for wolves tethered to wolves, and tiring for the group of freefolk who made the ascent. But perched on the cliff-face, came something of a reward.

All was still out there. No longer were the grunts and threats of dwarven invaders assaulting escapee's ears. No longer was the possibility of re-capture an immediate concern. The world was quiet, almost serene, yet still severely cold.

Bria rested her back against the dark stone, exhaled, and wiped a fur-lined sleeve across the soon-to-freeze sweat that lay upon her brow. Rest, much needed rest.

She looked to Gimlak and did her best to smile.

"There is a large cavern on the mountain's western tip, but we dare not go there. The Korrud, if they are able, will consider it a most likely place for once-slaves to conceal themselves. Let them go there, as I and my tribe did some weeks ago. We near lost a man that night. A creature has taken refuge in those walls, and I doubt it will show bigotry towards its next easy meal. It is a troll of some kind, yet larger than most and well-equipped to feed on folk such as ourselves."

"But that is not the only cave. If we continue to round this mount's edge, before dark we will reach a camp. A network of tunnels formed of erosion, where equipment and supplies lies waiting for us. My tribespeople will also be returning there... hopefully all of them... but that my friends is a narrow chance."

For a moment she looked around at her companions, seeing what reactions they might have to this news. They must have questions, worries and thoughts that had been pushed beneath their frantic and rushed efforts to merely survive this long.

"Do any of you know Deqoth?" She asked.

"I am his sister. For days we spied upon the mines, hoping to witness him toiling with pick in hand, or shuffling between hut and pit. We had no choice in the end. Without knowledge of his position, the only option was to assault. Free everyone. Yes, we did try luring one Korrud away from camp and... using other means to gain the information we sought... but as you know, they are stubborn... and not easily demoralized."

"Deqoth is sorely needed. He is one third of what my people call the Eluci. A blood-born gift that first settled within the bloodline, far west of Pincer's Split."