After delivering the fish, Ringeirr led the group back towards the square where they had been assaulted by the goblins, and then deeper into the city. Ringeirr's forger lived a few streets deeper into the Howlings.
As they moved through the streets, the group encountered a pare of inebriated winter wolves in humanoid form, stumbling about and complaining bitterly of a lost card game that had lasted the entire night before. As the two groups passed each other, one wolf stumbled into Ash, knocking him off-balance. The wolf demanded an immediate apology which Ash gave, though with no sincerity. The winter wolf snapped at Ash, shifting to his natural form.
Though Ash tried to keep it non-lethal, Kyezra let arrows fly and Nadya buried her hand axe in one. The other stumbled back from the group and let loose with a blast of wintery breath, causing several of the group to shiver and almost laying Ringeirr out. Having seen how formidable their foes could be, the group quickly struck the wolves down.
After recovering, the group moved on. As they wound through the district, a middle-aged man in worn clothes came pelting around the corner, crashing in to Inuksuk. He had just moments to plead for help before his former master came bounding around the same corner in wolf form. Spotting Inuksuk in his winter wolf disguise, Korgin demanded the group move aside so that he could continue the sport of hunting his former slave. Inuksuk declared that they couldn't let Korgin have Jorhan; the two bristled at each other until Korgin's will broke and he left threatening retribution. Once out of sight, Korgin immediately went to the nearest Winter Guards to tell the tale of Inuksuk's lawbreaking, for interfering with another wolf's slaves is the same as stealing.
The group moved up the street and to the right at a tee intersection, spotting a group of trolls in guards' outfits interviewing a pair of white-haired citizens. One of the trolls lazily noted the group, but they continued their questions as Ringeirr led them away. Unfortunately, the group had barely made it to the house of the forger when the trolls came around behind them and demanded papers.
Though the trolls bought the story of the papers held by the group (stolen from the falconers they had left behind in Fishcamp village), they tried to take Jorhan away as stolen property. Ash waited for the trolls to turn their backs, then rushed to plant an axe in one of them. The guards went down quickly.
The group retreated into the forger's house, dragging the trolls with them despite Mortin's protests. Ringeirr then proceeded to chop up the trolls and burn them in the fireplace to dispose of them. Ringeirr then laid into Mortin for locking the door as the group was confronted by the trolls, even though it didn't make a difference to the outcome. Mortin, chagrined, accepted the condemnation and went to work, forging papers for each group member as stilyagi.
With papers in hand, the group left so that Inuksuk could make his date with Greta at the Tooth and Claw tavern, just on the edge of the Howlings. As they got to the entrance from the Howlings to the rest of Whitethrone, the group was confronted by a trio of mirror men. The group had managed to keep it fairly low-key in the Howlings with only a minimum of violence, so the mirror men gave them only cursory inspections before returning to watch other travelers.
The Tooth and Claw was at the far side of the square, a handsome four-story structure with a stone-walled main floor and decorated wood beams above. Inuksuk entered the tavern and saw Greta just taking off her coat at a table in the middle of the room. Over dinner, Inuksuk tried to get as much information about the city and the dancing hut as he could, while Greta worked her charms. They retired to Greta's room for a more private information exchange.
Though violent and loud in their lovemaking, things didn't get out of hand until around two bells after midnight, when they accidentally broke through one of the walls. They managed to quiet down after that until a bell later, when the magic of Inuksuk's cloak wore off and Greta found out he was a deceitful human instead. She promptly threw him out of the nearest window, then threw his clothes after him.
The next morning, Ringeirr led the group to the shrine of Milani hidden under the hotspring-fed bathhouses near the palace. There, they met with Solveig Ayrdahl, leader of the Heralds of Summer's Return. She had a plan of engaging the remains of the Iron Guard in revolt against the Queen's Winter Guard to open passage to the dancing hut of Baba Yaga, but she needed to trade the death of the white dragon Logrivich to encourage the Iron Guard to attack. With the group agreed to this course of action, they prepare to assault the white dragon's Clock Tower lair.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
The Howlings
Having laid low the leader of the Fishtown Guard and his ogre lieutenants, the group freed Ringierre and went through Marcian's pockets. Pavo declared the chest at the foot of Marcian's bed trap free, but when Inuksuk opened it he was stuck by a needle coated in ice troll bile, turning his skin blue. Pavo, always seeking to be helpful, immediately used a cantrip to turn him pink instead.
Ringierre took the group to his home to properly thank them with a meal. After a short time reuniting with his daughter-in-law, Ringierre asked the group of their story and Pavo broke out the sock puppets once more. Once the tale was complete, Ringierre told them his own story, of how he lost his wife and child to the winter witches while he was still young, and how he snuck in to the city several times trying to find them, to no avail. He learned his craft well, and became an established smuggler. He also met with members of the cult of Milani, who gave him a new purpose in life - to aid those in need under the yoke of tyranny in Whitethrone.
Ringierre arranged for a wagonload of fish to act as the group's cover to get in to the city using the Howlings Gate. He knew the winter wolves of the Howlings were lax in their security at the best of times, and even more so with a Queen they disliked on the throne. With the larger weapons of the group stored in oil-cloth at the bottom of the cart, the group approached the gate. The winter wolf Greta challenged them, requesting the papers of all except Inuksuk, since he wore the Rimepelt made from Norgrimm's corpse and it's waning magic made him appear and smell as a winter wolf of the Howlings. Though the group failed to produce believable papers, Greta was amenable to a little bribery. She also secured a dalliance with Inuksuk at a local bar for later that evening.
Once inside, the group navigated the maze of the district with Ringierre's guidance. Almost immediately, Zacarius and Inuksuk spied several goblins lurking in ambush. Zacarius quickly hypnotized all but one goblin; not realizing he was the only one free of the shaman's influence, he shot his arrow at the group and yelled a mighty battle cry, then immediately repented when he realized one of the group's number was a winter wolf. Begging Inuksuk's forgiveness, he tried to drag his hypnotized comrades away from the group.
Ringierre led the group on, down a narrow roofed passage between houses. Zacarius and Pavo spotted a figure at the far end of the passage apparently searching for something; Ringierre identified the cloaked figure as a mirror man and urged the group back around the corner. Ringierre informed them that a mirror man is a spy and investigator for the Queen; the group decided not to risk being discovered and rushed the mirror man in the confines of the covered passage. Pavo moved behind the spy while Kyezra's cat charged head on; between those two and the summoned wolf, they quickly dropped the foe. Pavo finished off the mirror that made up the creature's face.
Inuksuk buried the mirror man in the snow, using his scent to hopefully convince any winter wolves that this was a wolf's kill. To add distraction, Ringierre spilled a few fish in another corner of the courtyard. They then delivered their fish and prepared to go get papers from a forger Ringierre knew.
Ringierre took the group to his home to properly thank them with a meal. After a short time reuniting with his daughter-in-law, Ringierre asked the group of their story and Pavo broke out the sock puppets once more. Once the tale was complete, Ringierre told them his own story, of how he lost his wife and child to the winter witches while he was still young, and how he snuck in to the city several times trying to find them, to no avail. He learned his craft well, and became an established smuggler. He also met with members of the cult of Milani, who gave him a new purpose in life - to aid those in need under the yoke of tyranny in Whitethrone.
Ringierre arranged for a wagonload of fish to act as the group's cover to get in to the city using the Howlings Gate. He knew the winter wolves of the Howlings were lax in their security at the best of times, and even more so with a Queen they disliked on the throne. With the larger weapons of the group stored in oil-cloth at the bottom of the cart, the group approached the gate. The winter wolf Greta challenged them, requesting the papers of all except Inuksuk, since he wore the Rimepelt made from Norgrimm's corpse and it's waning magic made him appear and smell as a winter wolf of the Howlings. Though the group failed to produce believable papers, Greta was amenable to a little bribery. She also secured a dalliance with Inuksuk at a local bar for later that evening.
Once inside, the group navigated the maze of the district with Ringierre's guidance. Almost immediately, Zacarius and Inuksuk spied several goblins lurking in ambush. Zacarius quickly hypnotized all but one goblin; not realizing he was the only one free of the shaman's influence, he shot his arrow at the group and yelled a mighty battle cry, then immediately repented when he realized one of the group's number was a winter wolf. Begging Inuksuk's forgiveness, he tried to drag his hypnotized comrades away from the group.
Ringierre led the group on, down a narrow roofed passage between houses. Zacarius and Pavo spotted a figure at the far end of the passage apparently searching for something; Ringierre identified the cloaked figure as a mirror man and urged the group back around the corner. Ringierre informed them that a mirror man is a spy and investigator for the Queen; the group decided not to risk being discovered and rushed the mirror man in the confines of the covered passage. Pavo moved behind the spy while Kyezra's cat charged head on; between those two and the summoned wolf, they quickly dropped the foe. Pavo finished off the mirror that made up the creature's face.
Inuksuk buried the mirror man in the snow, using his scent to hopefully convince any winter wolves that this was a wolf's kill. To add distraction, Ringierre spilled a few fish in another corner of the courtyard. They then delivered their fish and prepared to go get papers from a forger Ringierre knew.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)