The Great Escape - Enemy Round 1

The skeletons and shadows to the south flee en masse from Rivyre, but a shadow from the west swirls towards her, reaching its cold, shadowy tendrils out, but they fly back from against her shield and her prayer. It seems Rivyre has repelled the foul attack... until her own shadow reaches up and wraps its arms around her, grappling her in place!

Two more skeletons, one a humanoid, one the rotted skeleton of a wolf, rush towards Sir Lorn. With his sword he parries off the skeleton's reaching arms, but the wolf's sharp teeth find a joint in his armor and dig in painfully, the wolf throwing its great weight against the paladin.

Sir Lorn grits his teeth against the pain, but he twists the wolf of bones around and with its own momentum sends it crashing to the ground, prone.

A skeleton and a misty shadow bear down on William. The skeleton lashes out, its fingers of jagged, shattered bone cutting into the warrior, who shouts in pain. The shadow looms up and reaches out a tendril, but an inky cone of blackness stretches forth from it, enveloping William, Sir Lorn, the fallen wolf, and Sascha and her horse.

The penetrating cold of the darkness doesn't faze William, wrapped in his furs, but Sir Lorn shudders as the freezing shadow saps his vitality, and the bones of the fallen wolf crackle with the cold and fall apart, it lying still once again as befits a dead animal.

The large skeleton to the north, lumbering on all fours like a bear, reaches out with teeth and claws towards the warhorse. The horse rears, avoiding the swiping claws, but the skeletal bear's terrible jaws bite down on his chest, and Solis screams in pain.

A skeletal wolf runs up to Angus, teeth bared, and latches onto his arm painfully. Another skeleton, a humanoid, rushes up to Angus, swiping at him, but doesn't connect. Angus roars as he shakes the wolf loose, swinging with his Greataxe, first at the wolf skeleton, and then at the humanoid skeleton. The Greataxe shatters into their bones and the bones go flying, scattering both of them across the clearing, and they move no more.

Two shadows roil over the snow towards Valanthe where she paces the sled, and one of them catches up to her, reaching out its chilling grasp into her body. The color drains from her face and hands as the terrible cold sinks into her.

The Great Escape - Allied Round 2

Bouncing in the sled Moz looks to the cow pulling it. "Can't this thing go any faster?" Looking back just in time to see the shadow tear into Neris. "Alorin your girlfriend is in trouble!" Leveling his wand he fires another multi-colored blast of force at the Shadow. The blast stirkes the Shadow center mass, there is pause then it shudders a explodes in a shower of multi colored sparks. Looking to Neris, with one foot on the head of Druid, Moz stirkes a heroic pose. "Fear not Fair Maiden, the Emerald Knight will defend you!" Looking back at Alorin "Help get rid of this deadweight and we can make space for your girlfriend." he says gesturing at the bound Druid. "Plus he might slow these things down."

Alorin gets out of the sled and goes after the other shadow near Neris, and slices it twice after placing his focus on it. After the devasting blows lay into the foul creature, he then walks back over and gets into the cart.

Beef bellows and bends her head down, muscling into her harness as she dashes across the snow, weaving in and out between the great fir trees. No ordinary cow would be so agile in the woods, but she seems to leap like a deer, the sled nimbly dodging branches after her.
Eberhard, keeping pace, leans into a run to keep up.

With a terrified snort, Solis disengages carrying himself and Sascha forward. Realising her bow is the wrong weapon for the job, she stows it, and draws her rapier. Her goal is simple - eliminate the shadow threatening Rivyre, & she peirces the shadow w/ her rapier w/ all the might she can muster in hopes that the cleric can bring more holy power to bare against the undead.

Right as Sascha lands a blow on the shadow, El runs in as well & bites the shadow, however the shadow seems unconcerned at the small animal having bit it. Having done what she could, she teleports back to the sled to keep the baby warm. Alorin shouts, "Get on Beef, Neris! Best not get stranded here."
Timber, seeing the person that brought him back from death just a morning prior, attempts to free Rivyre from the shadow's grasp, but the shadow flows seamlessly out of the way of Timber's bite.

Neris shakes off chilling attack from the now slain shadow. Recomposing herself, she hurls another mote of light this time at the shadow enveloping Rivyre. The shadow lets out a loud & piercing shriek, it's dark form shudders & distorts from the extreme pain. "Stay with the child, Alorin" Valanthe says cooly as she stows her scimitar and draws her long bow backing up to stay within range of Beef as best she can without compromising her shot. Keeping her back to the sled, her eyes fixed on her target. That thing may have chilled her to her core, but damn if it didn't ignite a fire in her belly too. She's nocks an arrow and lets loose: it flies true striking the shadow grappling Rivyre & it dissipates into nothing.

Seeing the tides of war turn in their favor, Angus brings his axe to his shoulder and charges around the reanimated horse to the pair of shadows. Using the momentum & rage, he swings his mighty axe & cleaves the shadows into pieces as they slowly dissipate into the air. 

Rivyre looks to the sled & they seem to have their problems under control, but unfortunately now too far away for her to heal Neris as Beef continues to run. Looking to Sascha & her faithful steed as they come to her rescue beaten & battered she responds, "By the flame my dear! You & your faithful steed look terrible! This should help." Rivyre mutters a short incantation & a warm feeling envelops Sascha healing her wounds.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue, but now let's see if we can make this playing field a little more even!" She raises her shield & shouts another short prayer for all to hear, "The light of flame shines in the darkness, & the darkness has not overcome it!"

William, unable to see in the darkness, lashes out anyway with his morningstar towards the skeletal bear. The crunch of the mace on bones echoes through the clearing, and William swings again in the darkness, a bead of sweat dripping down his face despite the cold. Again the crunch of bones.

Sir Lorn, hearing Rivyre's prayer, stumbles south out of the darkness. As the foggy light hits his eyes again he makes his way towards Sascha, makes a gesture and a prayer over her horse seeing his terrible bite wounds. A soft glow of radiant light and they close, but just a little. "Sascha, ride!" Sir Lorn urges. "Follow the sled!"

The Great Escape - Enemy Round 2

The skeletal bear roars & lashes out into the darkness, it's mighty jaws closing on empty air, but it's claws slashing & catching William. William yells in pain, but throws the bear's arms off readying for another bout.

2 of the skeletons bones click & clack together as they shiver & flee in fear from another holy prayer recited by Rivyre, but the last 2 seem unaffected as their empty eyes remain fixated on William, Sir Lorin, & Angus.

The last remaining shadow reaches for Angus attempting a cold grip, but he quickly dodges out of the way. It then reaches it's misty tendrils into Angus's shadow attempting to hold him in place, but he easily breaks free, unaffected, & staring down the shadow w/ no fear.

The Great Escape - Allied Final Round & Conclusion

Sascha's horse rounds and she does indeed begin to ride, sending him into a dash after the sled. Planning to leave about ten feet between herself and it She once again switches to her bow preparing to fire upon anyone that would threaten Beef or the occupants of the sled.

Rivyre uses her Fey Step & teleports directly in front of the last remaining shadow, draws her sword, & yells, "RETURN TO YOUR GRAVE FOUL CREATURE!" She mutters an incantation & her blade glows with a gleaming radiance & slashes into the shadow. Shrieking in pain, the shadow is overcome by the radiant light & disappears from existence.

With the last shadow burned away, Angus turns toward the skeletal bear and stows his axe. As the bear rears up to attempt a roar, he grabs its head and throws it downward, sending a knee up to meet it. With its head still in his hands, he lifts and slams the beast into the ground. With no more visible threats, Angus starts to gather the skull and claws of the bear.

As the last misty shadow dissipates and the bear bones scatter across the snowy clearing, an eerie stillness wraps the clearing as the rising flames from the druid's stone hut flicker in strange patterns and smoke pours into the sky. Beef continues her headlong dash towards her destination, Sascha's warhorse easily catching up to the sled and keeping pace.

Looking back at the dimishing battle, Moz puts his wand in his belt and brushes his hands together. "Well that looks like that is the end of that."  Leaning back he puts his feet up on the Druid's head and puts his hands behind his head. Looking out at the passing trees. "I do love a winter sled ride."

Alorin pulls out his bow and looks out for any additional combatants that may join the fray. He then looks at Moz and says, “Given the way you’re acting today, you’re lucky there are people here to watch your back. Can you not pick unnecessary fights for a minute? We might yet need to talk to him later.”

Looking back at Alorin "What exactly are we going to talk to him about? How we stole his sacrifice too Kormac? Or how those fire worshippers back there attacked him, killed some of his followers, stole and smashed his shiny crystal and destroyed his altar?" "Hmmm..., raising an eyebrow, & now we are taking him back to a town full of people like your large friend back there, many of who worship Kormac, or at very less respect him." Shaking his head  "What do you think is going  to happen when we show up in Darryl with a beaten and tied up Druid of Kormac? Nothing good I tell you." Looking back at the passing treeline "And thank you for having my back, you are a good friend. I admit I have spent too much time in the Feywild, I forget most people don't have the same sense of humor."

Alorin turns to the Druid, and says, “For one, we didn’t do most of those things. Your warriors killed themselves, your group was the first to make an aggressive move when those folks just wanted to talk, and as for the destruction of the altar, that was not intentional at all. Do you think Kromac’s altar is so easily destroyed? It was that stone you brought. Just destroying it had such a catastrophic effect; and look at the things that that destruction brought with it. That stone has only brought corruption and death from what I saw here today; do you think that was a sacrifice Kromac would have wanted? I don’t fully know what exactly that stone would have done, but if even the tiniest fraction of the tales the traders tell are true, no God would want to bring it anywhere near their own.” Thinking of the stone’s influence reminds Alorin of his nightmares, and his arguments become almost feverish towards the end. Taking a deep breath to calm down a bit, he continues, “And don’t forget, we saved you from these spirits that the stone attracted. It would’ve been far too easy to just leave you there in the clearing. I hope you understand that some of at least hold no animosity towards you or yours. And even the others were more concerned about the stone than anything else.”

Rivyre looks around as the commotion of battle subsides & the only sounds to be heard are that of the druid's burning hut. She approaches William and says, "Are you alright Sir William? That skeletal bear took quite a few good blows to you. Is there anything I can do?"
Looking over to Angus & Timber, they seem to look relatively unscathed & says to them, "You two okay? Both of you look like you came through this fight unscathed. Should we catch up to Beef & the others?"
She then looks down to Sir Lorin where he healed Solis just a short time ago & shouts, "Are you alright Sir Lorin? Do you need anything or should we leave to catch up w/ the sled?"

William glares at the bear as Angus puts it to rest once again, and holsters his morning star. He turns his head and spits on the ground. "I'll be fine, Flamekeeper. Thank you. We'd have been done for if it weren't for you."

Sir Lorn turns back to the group as the last skeleton falls. "We've got to go!" he shouts. "There's no time to lose! Quickly---we cannot trust the Vague, more undead could appear at any moment!" Waving to the group to follow, he sheathes his sword and runs southwest, following the tracks left by the sled and putting his boots in them where the snow has been packed down to gain speed.

"He's right," William agrees. "Nothing to linger here for." He shoots a glance back at the burning hut, shakes his head, and then takes off at a run after Sir Lorn.

The Druid, bouncing along on the sled with Moz's feet resting on his head, only gives Alorin a red-eyed glare. His jaw works--as if he'd like to talk, but the gag prevents him.

Beef continues her dash through the woods. The great fir trees loom on either side, as she twists and turns among them. Though the riders on the sled have difficulty staying oriented, they can tell that Beef swings to the west as she begins to descend in elevation towards the river valley of the Gadabout.

"Well, I for one am happy not to be cooped up in that little hut with three Silver Order and a Flame Keeper, Moz" puffs Valanthe, jogging alongside the sleigh, her light steps moving softly through the snow "They might have made us hold hands and sing songs or something. It would have been so awkward."

"How is the babe, Alorin? I'm no expert, but holding her next to your skin is the best way to keep her warm. At least that's what the woodland elves do with their little ones when they are too small to keep themselves warm".

She jogs along for a few more paces before asking "What's the deal with this stone you keep talking about?"

Moz the Magnificent 

Giving an evil cackle he looks to Neris. " Good one, I knew I liked you. Not many elves have a sense of humor." Bumping along in the sled, he looks back at the others behind. " I am surpised that joyless lot aren't fawning over the burning hut like it's one of their angels." Looking back to Beef trudging through the snow. " Let's hope wherever this cow is taking us is somewhat secluded. This guy's followers." Nudging the Druid with his foot. " are probably already halfway to Darryl and would have raised somekind of alarm." 

Beef follows the river as it twists and turns back north, the fir trees whipping by in a blur. Sascha on Solis easily keeps pace, and of the rest of the group, chasing the sled on foot, Valanthe, Angus, Rivyre and Sir Lorn manage to keep up, running in the packed down tracks of the sled's runners, though their start behind puts them still several feet of it.

The burgeoning soft light of the day, diffused by the cold and clammy mist of the Vague, shines a strange glow between the overarching branches of the firs. And then, finally, as Beef clambers up an incline, a small longhouse, dark in the low light under the eaves, appears in the embrace of the mist. Smoke trickles steadily out of an opening in the center in the roof, at first indistinguishable from the surrounding mist, and if its darker color causes a jolt to those who have fought too many dark and clinging shadows amongst the midst, it quickly becomes recognizable as smoke from a wood fire. A pen made of wooden pallisades stretches part of the length of the longhouse, against one wall, and several hogs burrow down in the frozen mud inside of it. There is a single door built out of a small and low-ceilinged extension on the short side of the longhouse facing the river, and there are no windows.

Beef pulls the sled right up alongside the longhouse, and stops. Lifting her head, she bellows. A shadow quickly darkens the single door, and a stout man cloaked in furs steps out, holding a greataxe very similar to Angus' weapon. Clear blue eyes shine out from a rugged face surrounded by a thick fur-lined hood, filled with wonder as he lays them on Beef.

The Druid, laying bound on the sled, pushes himself up, and makes a muffled shout underneath his gag. The wondering blue eyes turn to surprise, and then anger. "Who has done this to you?" the man asks, and seems about to charge, but his glance at Sascha on her warhorse slows his approach. He walks cautiously towards the sled, raising the greataxe defensively, his eyes fixed first on Sascha, and then on Alorin, and then on Moz. But then his gaze falls on the totems hanging around Alorin's neck, and he stops in his tracks.

Moz the Magnificent 

"Hail and well meet good sir." Moz says as he hops out of the sled, holding his hands up in front of him showing he is unarmed. " I know this may look bad." gesturing to the bound Druid " But we come in peace. We are companions of Angus Lochlan. He said we could find shelter here and sent us ahead." Looking back behind them at the approaching figures in the distance. "He will be along shortly, but till then we are in need of warmth." Gesturing to the babe nested in El's fur. " This child has been through much and is in need of whatever warmth you can provide. If even one of us can bring the child in, I am sure the rest of us would be happy to wait outside till Angus is here to clear this all up." 

Alorin

Alorin turns to the newcomer and chimes in, while picking up the baby,  “Indeed, good sir! My friend Angus sent us here for his usual batch of supplies, and to see if we can get temporary shelter (and maybe some milk) for the child. He should be along shortly to explain, so anything else can be taken up with the Steward of Silver. I believe there was some corruption at work in this case. As I lay dying while trying to save this child from fey hunters, I heard the villagers shout something about a stone having corrupted this here Druid. And I can confirm that that stone does seem to be nothing good indeed; it seems to draw undead from the Vague to it like flies to honey. I hope the harm to this man’s mind, and more importantly, to this fair land, is not irreversible yet. And I suppose his failing to bring that corruption to Kromac’s court is something to be thankful for.”

Valanthe did her best to keep pace with Beef and the sledge, but the chill from the fight with the shadow was taking its toll, and she found herself dropping back. Looking over her shoulder she could see Rivyre and the Silver Order knight several yards back: the thought of having to run next to them was enough to keep her going.

Pausing to take a few deeper breaths before tackling the slope Valanthe watches Beef power up the incline ahead of her. By the gods, Beef, can you not slow down just a little? she ponders amazed at the beast's stamina and she hears a voice - not Moz nor Alorin - raised in anger. With a small burst of energy from her almost depleted stores, she scampers up the slope keeping low to see but not be seen, listening to Moz and Alorin give reply as she does so.

"What stone is this? I've never heard of such a thing. Some fey trick?" The stocky man scowls at Moz. "Indeed, Kromac is no stranger to wars with your kind. Where did you find this child? Is it contested?" He lowers his axe and waves to Alorin. "Come inside. I recognize the totems you wear, and the animal pulling this sled. Bring the child if it is not claimed by any fell power. I will honor my cousin's request."

Valanthe comes panting up a moment later in the conversation, and the man reaches for his axe again. "Halt! What are the folk of Eladria doing here? Truly this must have been a grave offense."

Panting heavily Rivyre runs up w/ Sir Lorn & Angus. She stoops over placing her hands on her knees & says, "By the..., (panting) flame! I am..., (heavy breathing) out of shape. I haven't..., (big breath) run like that..., (another breath) since I was a child!" She stands, looks up, & sees another big, burly, Lochlann warrior w/ his axe readied for battle. She steadies herself & stands up straight, & takes a big relaxing breath,
"Greetings mighty Lochlann warrior. I am Rivyre & this Sir Lorn of the Sacred Flame. Obviously, I imagine you're not happy to see us especially w/ your friend tied up on the sled there. I assure you we have no ill will towards you or the Druid of Kromac here. I met Angus a little over a day ago returning home & he has been quite welcoming & willing to help me w/ a personal quest of mine, but I have put that on hold for time being. He said we would be safe here & offered your shelter for rest temporarilly."
She pauses, & continues: "If you would be willing to hear us out..., I would be happy to explain the situation that resulted w/ the Druid here regarding a very dangerous crystal he attempted to use as a ritual offering to Kromac. I hope we can find an understanding & perhaps reach a compromise that benefits all involved."
Persuasion Check: Natural 1

"Cousin!" Angus pushes his way to the front of the group. "I can try my best to explain, but the babe needs warmth and sustenance."
Angus turns to the party, "Give me a moment to explain. It is probably best if you all wait out here. Alorin, the baby please." Angus takes the thick fur shawl from around his shoulders and makes a cradle in his arms for the child.

"I am sorry to spring this on you Lorcan," speaking a hush above a whisper, "times have been truly strange as of late."

Once inside, Angus recants the events of the recent hours, how they have driven off the forces that sought to claim the child, and why so many foreigners are now outside his humble abode.

"I am at a loss cousin, why do we continue to twist ourselves to the whims of that foul beast??? Why do we stoop so low as to offer ourselves to the wolves at the door, rather than drive them back!" The barbarian's voice almost rattles the walls of the cabin before shrinking down to not wake the babe. "My blood boils that a parent would give up, willingly, what should be protected most dearly."

"Well she should be warm enough now. I'll go get some milk from Beef, I assume the buckets are in the usual spot?" Angus grabs a wooden bucket and steps back outside.

"Rivyre, Alorin. What was the nature of the Druid's sacrifice? The strange stone seems quite far from a typical blood sacrifice." Angus walks and speaks with a sternness to his voice; it is evident that his rage has not left him. He gestures for the two of them to follow him around the back of the house, where Beef has begun to feast on the blades of grass and flowers that peek through the snow.
"Was the child a part of that sacrifice?" he asks as he kneels down to milk Beef. 

Alorin

”No,” Alorin responds. “To the best of my knowledge, the child has nothing to do with the Druid. She was lying in the middle of that clearing, nearly frozen to death. And a fey hunting party was seeking to claim her as a prize. Ha! As if a child could ever be a prize, or a quarry to be hunted.” His eyes glimmer with a barely concealed rage as he thinks of the Huntsman. 

“As for the stone, I believe it was a shard of the meteor that fell on the mainland, all those years ago. I know not much of it, so I should let Rivyre explain its nature, perhaps. What I do know is that it has an unnaturally bewitching beauty, and that destroying it probably drew those undead to us earlier.”

Moz the Magnificent 

Watching Angus take the child inside and then lead Rivyre and Alorin around the back. Leaning over to Valanthe  " It amuses me that others get all pissy over me being a little rude and we are still left standing outside in the cold and distrusted because of our race." Chuckling to himself "Humans are always so 'open minded', when it is convenient for them. But what of you my dear? How did you get involved in all this. What brought you out of your city. It must have been something of some importance" He asks, as he starts kicking some snow away to clear a place to start a campfire.

"I was supposed to go to Darryl to see if anything weird was happening. But the weird found me." Valanthe says as she squats down to help make the campfire, her gaze wandering to where Alorin and Rivyre had disappeared behind the house... Snapping back to the campfire and Moz, she continues "The person I was with, Master Vaelorn, is a scholar and it should be him investigating this arcane stuff. But he had to go back to Eladria and now it's just me. And all I really did was carry the bags."

"What's going on with the gates is important but I thought if I could just get the Flamekeeper off of Skye so we tree hopped and next thing I know there's the Sil... silver order..." Valanthe gestures with her head to where Sir Lorn and his men are standing and speaks quietly out of the side of her mouth "...are here too!"

She pauses and sighs. "I don't really get to make decisions much. It's usually others telling me what to do. Like I mean, I know I'm not clever like my mum or wise like my dad. I just... I just wish I could show them that I am capable and I thought going on an actual mission would show them that I'm not a kid anymore. But I don't know the first thing about the Elf Gates and what I'm supposed to be looking for. In fact..." her voice growing louder "...it could literally fall out of the sky and land in my lap and I still wouldn't have a clue! Instead, I'm just sitting here in the snow, freezing my breeches off, next to some crackpot druid who got seduced by a rock!" She glances over at the bound and gagged man. "No offence."

Valanthe composes herself, a little unnerved at how easy it is to speak to this gnome who she met barely an hour ago. Embarrassed, she shoots Moz a sheepish grin. Clearing her throat and sitting up straight Valanthe asks Moz "Um, and you?"

Moz the Magnificent 

"Me?" He says with a grin. "Much like our sweet Alorin." Giving her a sly wink. " I came here to save the child from the Huntsman." Tossing a final bit of wood onto the fire, he utters an arcane word and snaps his fingers. Small flames appear at the base of wood. Sighing heavily he looks up to the sky.  "However I fear I am doomed to fail at that task. It is as if some omnipotent being has stacked the deck against me." Chuckling again. "Perhaps they have bigger plans for me. As you said the weird has found me too."

Stepping over to Angus's sled, he picks up a pair of discarded furs. " As for your feelings of insecurity, put those aside."  He drapes the fur over her shoulders before sitting down in front of fire, with the fur around him. "Never compare yourself to others. You are more than enough. Like me, I suspect there is more to you than meets the eye." Giving her a knowing wink.

Holding his hands out to warm them in front of the growing fire. " When it comes to making decisions, just make one. After that I find another will come after that. Find your voice, speak your mind and to hell with what others may think." Gesturing with his head toward where the others have gone around the cabin. " If you don't you will find others thinking they can make decisions for you, like our 'holy than thou' Flamekeeper." Nudging Neris with his elbow. " I suspect she was exiled from the Feywild for having no sense of humor." He says with a wicked grin.

" I must admit I don't know much about your Elfgates. I think I was told they use the Fey to transport people around. But to be honest that was from some stuffy elven scholar who came to my Master's court, and he was half drunk off his ass so I take that with a grain of salt." Poking at the fire with a stick. " Currently I am more worried about how the Northfolk are going to respond to an assault on one of their Holy men. All because some Flamer outsiders claim that some crystal that none of Northfolk have seen is dangerous? In my experience Northfolk tend to solve their problems with an axe rather than ask questions."

Rivyre follws Angus around back & begins to talk about what she knows of Delerium,
"That octarine crystal is one of the many ill effects caused by the aftermath of the meteor striking Drakkenheim & are coveted by treausre hunters & magical practitioners for their value & immense arcane power they contain. They grow all over the ruins of the city." She pauses..., & lets out a deep sigh..., "HOWEVER, these crystals are exceedingly dangerous! I've never actually seen in person what they do, but I know the horrors they inflict when those who risk everything to get them..., & fail. The stories & rumors of people being transformed into horrific monstrosities covered w/ claws, tentacles, sharp teeth, elongated mouths, & a mindless blood lust to kill. As far as i'm aware, the transformations are irreversible."

Rivyre lowers her head a but & her voice grows emboldened & righteous. "Hence why the Divine Matriarch has decreed that delerium is evil, a threat to the entire world, & must be destroyed. Sir Lorn was right to destroy it & spare Skye a great deal of pain & suffering. BUT, I do agree w/ Alorin that it's destruction was probably what caused the undead to rise in such numbers in Kromac's Clearing given the immense amount of arcane energy that was probably released."